Divided Loyalties (LP episode)

Following the successful Operation Return, a mysterious terrorist attack on Deep Space 9 leads Captain Limis to the former leader of a xenophobic Bajoran faction.

Takes place during the week between the events of DS9: "Sacrifice of Angels" and DS9: "You Are Cordially Invited".

Summary

The USS Lambda Paz is docked at Deep Space 9, now once again under Federation control. The Lambda Paz is undergoing repairs from the First Betreka Nebula counterstrike. Much of the crew are eager for brief shore leave during the lull in combat. First, many senior officers attend a memorial service for those crew who have died in the last four months.

Later on in Quark's Bar, Commander Kozar, Lieutenant Commander Morrison and Lieutenant Carson are having drinks discussing their plans for the week-long layover. In the midst of their R&R, a bomb explodes out of the floor, injuring the three officers.

Kozar and Carson are treated for minor injuries by Lambda Paz CMO Aurellan Markalis in the station's infirmary, while Morrison, who pushed his crewmates out of the way of the explosion, has pieces of shrapnel he absorbed removed by DS9's Julian Bashir. Bashir then jokingly suggests that Morrison try not to be too heroic next time.

Security chief Odo has Quark detained, suggesting the Ferengi's negligence is the reason for the explosion. He admits it is a tactic to keep Quark on his toes when Captain Limis stops by. She informs him that her chief of security will serve as her liaison to the constable's investigation. Neither Odo nor Morrison rule out Cardassian booby traps even though they had less time to evacuate the station the second time around.

Somewhere in the habitat ring, the station's resident Cardassian Elim Garak is attacked by members of a Bajoran extremist group thought to have ceased to exist. They also leave their symbol on his forehead. The next morning, Limis receives an odd message with a raspy voice proclaiming, "This is a holy time. Pagh'tem'far b'tanay." She covers her eyes to keep herself from becoming another one of Teero Anaydis's agents. She knows now who is behind the rash of attacks on the station. Citing orders from Starfleet Intelligence, she leaves Kozar in command while taking the runabout USS Allegheny to Bajor. Kozar then sends Morrison, who hacked into her personal communications logs and found no such orders from Intelligence, to accompany her as a watchdog.

On Bajor, Limis pays the former leader of the Circle, Jaro Essa, a visit at Kran-tobal prison. Since his incarceration, he regrets much of the actions he had taken four years earlier. However, he agrees with Teero that the Federation is playing a dangerous game with Bajor now that it has regained control of DS9 while Bajor's non-aggression treaty with the Dominion is still in place. He is willing to help Limis locate Teero. After First Minister Shakaar Edon denies Limis's request for a furlough, she breaks Jaro out of jail.

Limis and Jaro transport aboard the Allegheny where Limis orders Morrison to hide the ship in the planet's magnetic pole. The two Bajorans then open a clandestine communications channel to Teero, who then transmits a set of transport coordinates. Once at the encampment, Jaro then announces Limis's plans. Teero replies that he knows this, and he sent a patrol to shoot down the runabout and capture Morrison. The Starfleet personnel are then locked in a cellar in preparation for a mind-altering procedure. Just as Limis and Morrison are contemplating becoming sleeper agents when a team of Starfleet and MACO troops, including DS9 officer and prospective new MACO commander Lisa Neeley, come to the rescue. Jaro provides an escape route before being returned to prison while Teero eludes capture. But he is prevented from attempting to brainwash Shakaar and key members of the Bajoran government.

Memorable quotes

"You are, of course, still in on the job training. But your cavalier attitude worries me, Mister Tarlazzi."

— Shinar sh'Aqba after catching Erhlich Tarlazzi conducting unauthorized repairs.

"How do I look, Captain?"

"Like a credit to your race, Mister Garak."

"Now, that was uncalled for."

— Elim Garak and Limis Vircona, after Garak was treated in Deep Space 9's infirmary.

"Ronnie, this is the last straw."

"You said that the last time Tarlazzi drove one of your prized antiques off a cliff."

— Logan and Kozar, an homage to a scene from Star Trek.

"I’ve got too much on my plate to comprehend engineer techno-babble right now."

— Kozar regarding a complaint from Logan and sh'Aqba about Tarlazzi.

"And I believe the EMH is experiencing some kind of optronic error."

"Good. Keep him that way."

— sh'Aqba and Markalis regarding the EMH Mark II.

"I’m sorry if the accommodations are not to your liking. We all had to settle for this throughout our lives."

"It doesn’t have to be that way now. The Occupation has been over for six years."

"True. But I have gotten used to being a hunted man. I never really fit in anywhere. Even the Maquis rejected me."

— Teero Anaydis and Limis.

"I understand you asked Morrison to do some snooping around. He even blackmailed me letting him accompany me."

— (silent pause) —

"Hypothetically speaking, if you were captain and I was first officer, you’d be well within your rights to throw me in the brig for behaving that way?"

"Correct."

"So from now, if I even suspect anyone on this ship of conspiracy to commit mutiny, I will personally throw you in the brig. Understood?!"

"Yes, ma’am... sir."

— Limis and Kozar

Background information

• The memorial service in the opening scene uses the names of redshirts and other characters killed throughout Star Trek television series-- Hayes, Mitchell, Prieto (although it is unclear whether or not he survived the events of TNG: "Skin of Evil"), Hawkins, Compton, Sonak, Yar, Monroe, Tomlinson, Hawk, Branson, Muniz, Kaplan.
• The name Grabowski (who later turns out to be Jonas Grabowski in the next story having come back from the dead) refers to Rebekah Grabowski, one of the 18 taken by the Borg in TNG: "QWho" according to TNG relaunch novels Q & A and Greater Than the Sum, having since been liberated from the Collective as of the later novel.

References

Characters

Shinar sh'Aqba • Julian Bashir • Sara Carson • EMH Mark II (referenced only) • Elim Garak • Jaro Essa • Ronnie Kozar • Limis Vircona • Charles H. Logan • Aurellan Markalis • Mandel Morrison • Lisa Neeley • Odo • Quark • Tirren Ra Hoth • Jovis Ren • Shakaar Edon • Mik Tannan • Teero Anaydis

Starships and vehicles

USS Allegheny • USS Lambda Paz

Locations

Deep Space 9 • Kran-Tobal prison

Races and cultures

Bajoran

States and organizations

Alliance for Global Unity • Bajoran Provisional Government • Bajoran Resistance • Starfleet Intelligence • Starfleet Seventh Fleet

Other references

Code 47 • First Betreka Nebula counterstrike • Operation Return

Related Deep Space 9 episodes

• "Sacrifice of Angels": Takes place after the successful take back Deep Space 9. The battle the Lambda Paz was involved in prior to this story was meant to coincide with Operation Return.
• "Call to Arms": Indicates that the non-aggression treaty between Bajor and the Dominion, signed in this episode, is still in place despite Kira Nerys's insurrection.
• Bajor trilogy ("The Homecoming", "The Circle", "The Siege"): The group known as the Circle featured in these episodes is again becoming a major force in Bajoran politics. Minister Jaro Essa is in prison for his role in the attempted coup and now regrets his actions.

External links

• Fandom website
• Story on Trekbbs