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The crew welcomes Ensign Melora
Pazlar, a cartographer on a mission to chart the Gamma Quadrant.
Melora is an Elaysian, a species from a planet with very low
gravity, and because of this, she must use a wheelchair and
braces to get around in "normal" conditions. Bashir has prepared
the station with special ramps to give her access, but she makes
it very clear that she does not need or want special treatment
and hates being regarded as a person with a "problem."
Meanwhile, Quark welcomes his own visitor, Fallit Kot, an old
acquaintance who announces that he has come to the station to
seek revenge against the Ferengi by killing him. Later, despite
the obvious strain gravity puts on her, Melora meets with Sisko
and tries to convince him to let her pilot a Runabout around the
Gamma Quadrant on her own. Sisko is understanding, but insists
that Dax accompany her, leaving Melora stung. Bashir then visits
her in her quarters, which he has equipped with a special device
that reduces gravity and lets her "fly" around. He asks her to
join him for dinner, and she agrees.
Back at the bar, Quark prepares
a sumptuous feast for Kot, but is unsuccessful in convincing his
enemy to spare him. At the same time, Bashir and Melora enjoy
their own meal, and the two begin to feel a strong attraction.
Later, while preparing for her mission, Melora trips and falls
in a doorway and is unable to get up. Dax finds her there and
summons Bashir, then helps her to the infirmary. This incident
has obviously humiliated Melora, but Bashir is understanding and
reminds her that in space, everyone needs help now and then.
This helps Melora feel comfortable with her new friend, so she
turns down the gravity in her room and shows him how he can
"fly" around with her. The two are soon caught up in the moment
and share a passionate kiss.
On route to the Gamma Quadrant, Melora shares her concern over
her feelings for Bashir with Dax. Dax encourages her to enjoy
the romance rather than worry about any potential problems. Back
at the station, a worried Quark tells Odo about Kot's plan to
kill him — but this seems to please Odo more than it concerns
him. Still, he promises to do his job. Later, Melora returns and
seeks out Bashir, who has a surprise. He has been doing research
on a neuromuscular adaptation theory that could possibly help
her walk without a wheelchair, or her servo controls.
In the Infirmary, Bashir tries the new technology out on Melora,
and is thrilled when she is suddenly able to lift her leg and is
soon walking with just a little help from Bashir. Back in her
quarters, he advises her not to use the low-gravity field
actuator because it will "confuse" her motor cortex. She readily
agrees to refrain, but, once he leaves, can't help missing her
ability to fly. Meanwhile, Odo summons Fallit Kot to the
security office and tells him that, while he sympathizes with
his dislike of Quark, he cannot allow Kot to kill him. Kot
feigns innocence, claiming that he never threatened Quark's
life, but Odo later warns Quark to carry a combadge at all times
and to be prepared to contact him. Sure enough, Kot appears in
Quark's quarters that night and attacks him. Quark strikes a
bargain for his life, offering Kot 199 bars of gold-press
latinum he will receive through a trade with an alien named
Ashrock.
The next day, Melora reveals to Bashir that she is feeling some
apprehension about the fact that the effects of his treatment
will soon be permanent. Not wanting to delude her, Bashir
reminds her that she must give up her ability to fly if she
wants to be able to walk. Meanwhile, Quark and Kot conduct their
trade with Ashrock, after which Kot blasts Ashrock with a phaser
and takes Quark hostage. They flee into a Runabout, trapping Dax
and Melora inside, and Kot orders Dax to pilot the ship away
from the station. Sisko, Kira, and O'Brien latch onto the
Runabout with the tractor beam, but Kot responds by firing a
phaser at Melora and knocking her to the floor, leaving her
helpless. Moving fast, Sisko, O'Brien, and Bashir transport to
another Runabout and Kira releases the tractor beam, letting Kot
take off into the wormhole with the others in hot pursuit. Soon,
Kot realizes he is being followed and orders Dax to fire on
Sisko's ship. Before she can, Melora crawls across the floor
unnoticed and reaches a switch that disengages the ship's
gravity. Back in her "normal" state, she disables Kot, saving
the day. Later, back at the station, she tells Bashir that she
has decided against continuing the treatments. While he is
obviously disappointed, he understands her decision, and is
happy to simply be able to continue to get to know this
remarkable woman. |
