Plot
A Kobheerian freighter requests permission to dock at Deep Space 9, stating that one of its passengers requires treatment for a condition known as Kalla-Nohra. Dr. Bashir is not familiar with the condition, but Major Kira recognizes it and informs Sisko that the only place to contract Kalla-Nohra was a mining accident at a particularly brutal labor camp called Gallitep. As Kira helped liberate the camp at the end of the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, she asks to greet the passenger personally and Sisko agrees.
Upon arriving in Sickbay, Kira discovers that Bashir's new patient is not Bajoran but Cardassian. She has the man arrested as a war criminal, only to find his name, Aamin Marritza, is not listed for any crimes. Sisko sees no option but to let Marritza go, yet Kira is adamant— Marritza is Cardassian who was present at Gallitep, she insists, which is reason enough—and details the condition of the labor camp when she liberated it. Sisko decides to investigate further and has the man held in custody.
Further suspicions arise when Marritza claims he has never been to Bajor, an obvious lie as Bashir's medical test confirms that the man has Kalla-Nohra. Citing a conflict of interest, Sisko asks Kira to remove herself from the case, but her emotional plea and a promise that she will conduct herself as an officer and remain professional convinces him to let her stay on it. When she interrogates Marritza, he claims that, while he did serve at Gallitep, he was only a file clerk. He maintains the atrocities the Bajorans believe occurred at Gallitep were an illusion meant to keep other Bajorans in fear of the Cardassians.
An investigation corroborates Marritza's story, forcing Kira to cope with the possibility he may go free. Dax comes to Kira to offer advice and a sympathetic ear. While Dax listens and understands Kira's viewpoint, she gently cautions Kira that if Marritza is wrongfully punished, then it will not mean anything and as such the exercise will have been pointless. A photograph from Gallitep, however, reveals that the man being held is not Aamin Marritza but rather Gul Darhe'el, the "Butcher of Gallitep" who reportedly murdered thousands of innocent Bajorans. The prisoner responds arrogantly when confronted with this information; not only does he admit he is Darhe'el, but he boasts that "My word, my every glance was law! And the verdict was always the same: guilty." Kira is visibly shaken.
As the episode progresses, Darhe'el lets slip the name of Kira's resistance cell during the occupation— information far too obscure for him to know. Other inconsistencies in his story begin to stand out. Chief amongst these are Gul Dukat's assertion that Gul Darhe'el died years before and that Dukat attended his funeral as well as the fact that Darhe'el was off-world receiving a commendation during the Kalla-Nohra outbreak, meaning he couldn't have possibly contracted the disease. This prompts Odo to ask Dr. Bashir to examine the prisoner's medical history. Dukat also provides information validating the death of Darhe'el. Kira is dismissive of this and asserts that the prisoner will stand trial. Dr. Bashir provides a follow up to Odo's request when he learns that "Darhe'el" has undergone cosmetic surgery - years ago, a fact brought to light by his taking a dermal regenerative agent as indicated by his medical history. This leads Kira to realize that the prisoner wanted not only to be caught, but to be recognized as Darhe'el. Kira confronts the prisoner, whose guise begins to falter:
| “ | I am alive. I will always be alive! It's Marritza who's dead! Marritza, who was good for nothing but cowering under his bunk and weeping like a woman. Who every night covered his ears, because he couldn't bear to hear the screaming... for mercy... of the Bajorans! | ” |
Marritza breaks down as he speaks, branding himself a coward. He begs Kira to prosecute him, insisting that Cardassia must be forced to admit its wrongdoings and that he is as guilty for remaining silent as Darhe'el was for committing the atrocities. Kira releases him, she herself, on the verge of tears at the realization of a good man so traumatized and remorseful by what he had experienced that he is willing to give up his life to make amends. She insists that another murder is not the answer and that too many good people have already died and she won't kill another. Kira and Odo escort Marritza to a ship that is about to depart from the station. As they walk along, Marritza laments that now that his identity has been exposed he can't help bring about change for his people. Kira assures him that his actions were honourable and that if his people are going to change, people like him are needed to lead the way. Marritza is suddenly stabbed and killed by a drunken Bajoran. When Kira demands to know why, the Bajoran echoes her own earlier sentiment: being a Cardassian is reason enough. "No!", Kira realizes, "It's not."
Read more about this topic: Duet (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
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