 Sisko summons Dax
to his office with some serious news. A group of Trill
scientists, led by Dr. Lenara Kahn, will be using the Defiant to
conduct experiments. Lenara is a joined Trill who, while her
symbiont was joined to a previous host body, was married to one
of Dax's former male hosts, Torias. Dax shows some concern,
since Trill society expressly forbids relationships with lovers
from past lives. The penalty for "reassociation" is exile from
the Trill homeworld and the eventual death of the symbiont when
the current host dies. However, Dax decides to make the best of
it, believing she can control any feelings she may still have
for her former wife, and even chooses to attend a dinner
reception for the scientists. There, the two women meet at the
buffet table and share a laugh. Despite the casual tone of their
conversation, however, an attraction begins to develop between
the two.
The Trill team — Lenara, her
brother Bejal, and Dr. Pren — begins work on the experiment to
create an artificial wormhole. As science officer, Dax is
involved, which keeps her near Lenara. The women can't resist
the urge to talk about the past, so Dax invites her to dinner,
with Bashir as chaperone. That night, he politely listens as Dax
and Lenara talk about old times and their lives since the
marriage of their previous hosts. It's almost a relief for
Bashir when he is summoned to the Infirmary, leaving the former
spouses alone. Feeling more at ease, Dax takes hold of Lenara's
hand, which Pren happens to quietly notice.
When work resumes on the Defiant, the closeness between Dax and
Lenara is obvious, reaching a crescendo when the two women hug
after the first phase of the experiment proves successful. Soon
after, Bejal confronts his sister on the station, and she
insists that nothing is going on between the two. Lenara later
visits Dax's quarters to tell her what happened. There, the two
give in to the building passion between them and kiss. Lenara
then forces herself to leave, and Dax remains to struggle with
her emotions.
The next day, Dax turns to Sisko for advice. He pushes her to
fight the attraction to Lenara out of duty to ensure the
continuation of the Dax symbiont. But Dax, realizing that she
loves Lenara, is unsure. Later, on the Defiant, the scientists
proceed with the second phase of the experiment when their
artificial wormhole collapses in a blast of energy which slams
into the ship. Lenara is knocked unconscious in the engine room,
separated from the others by a roaring plasma fire. Dax risks
her life to save Lenara — and the two women realize that they
never want to lose each other again.
Afterward, Dax checks on Lenara in her quarters, and the
scientist worries about her failed experiment and the extra work
she knows she'll have to put into it. Dax seizes the moment and
invites Lenara to stay at the station — with her. Lenara,
however, cannot bring herself to take that final step, painfully
refusing to break their society's rules. Dax desperately asks
her to stay, but Lenara leaves, preserving Dax's life — and
breaking her heart.
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