Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999): Season 3, Episode 6 - The Abandoned - full transcript

Not now! Look!

Dabo!

Dabo!

Dabo!

You aren't leaving?

Well...

Come on, aren't
you feeling lucky?

All right then, one more time.

Let it ride.

Oh...

karjinko.



Sorry.

Uh, wait a minute there.

My name is Okalar.

What's yours?

Busy-

You are evil.

Who? Me?

He was going
to walk away a winner.

First rule of dabo is...

...Watch the wheel,
not the girl.

So, what's on the menu
tomorrow night?

Tomorrow night?

Dinner with your father.

What?



He didn't tell you?

He came by this afternoon

and invited me to dinner
tomorrow night.

In fact, he said
it was your idea.

My idea?

Oh, I, I, I guess I might
have mentioned something

about having you over.

I, I thought he forgot.

It is all right, isn't it?

I mean, you don't mind, do you?

Oh, no.
No, of course not.

It'll be great.

You're going to love
my dad's cooking.

This is a surprise.

A pleasant one, I hope.

So do I.

I have some salvage for you,
Quark.

This isn't a good time to be
selling your kind of salvage.

No, no, no,
it's perfectly legal.

I mean, it's really
salvage this time.

I'm not looking
for junk right now

but...

I'm more in the market
for entertainment.

I think you'll like this junk,
Quark.

It's a wreckage
from a ship that crashed

in the Gamma Quadrant.

You're still going
to the Gamma Quadrant?

Mm-hmm.

I love bold women.
How much?

Three bars of latinum
and you can have it all.

What kind of ship is it?

I don't know.

Can I see it first?

There's no time.

Oh...

Quark, you and I have been
doing business for years.

Don't you trust me?

Three bars of latinum?

It was worth it.

No.

No.

No.

No.

You bought a child?

I just thought that I was
buying some wreckage.

How was I supposed to know
there was a baby in there?

Maybe you should
inspect the merchandise

before you make the deal

or isn't there a Rule
of Acquisition for that?

There is and I do, usually.

We haven't been able
to trace the Boslic captain

since she left the station.

Her flight plan said
she was headed for Risa

but I don't think we should
put much faith in that.

Well, I haven't been able
to identify his species

but he seems to be healthy.

Seems?

For a humanoid, he has

an incredibly fast
metabolic rate.

The cells in his body
are dividing at a pace

I haven't seen
outside of a laboratory.

But, since there are no thyroid
or hypothalmic problems

I assume that this
is only natural

for someone of his species

but I would like him here
for further tests.

Very well.

What do we know about the ship
the boy was on?

Chief O'Brien just started
to analyze the wreckage.

We should have
a preliminary report

in a couple of hours.

Ah, uh, now wait a minute.

I paid good money
for that wreckage and...

and now it's yours.

Enjoy.

Hmm.

Hi there.

We should contact

one of the orphanages
on Bajor and let them know

we might have someone for them.

Hmm?

I was talking
about an orphanage.

Oh, right.

Have Major Kira make
the appropriate arrangements.

Will you keep me informed
about him?

Yes, sir.

What?

You are positively glowing.

Oh, come on.

I haven't seen that look
on your face since...

Since Jake stopped
wearing diapers.

I never thought
I'd hear myself saying this

but I miss taking care of Jake
when he was a baby.

I miss holding him,
singing to him at night

feeding him.

Listening to him cry,
changing his diapers

worrying when he was sick.

I haven't forgotten.

But there are times

when I would give
almost anything

for the days when I
could make Jake happy

just by lifting him
over my head.

Good night.

Hey, how about a hug
for the old man?

Why didn't you tell me

you were going to invite
Mardah to dinner?

Well, I did, weeks ago.

I told you if you
didn't invite her soon

I'd invite her myself.

I, I still wish you'd given me
a little more warning.

Well, I didn't realize

that a dinner invitation
required so much warning.

It doesn't, and it's not
a problem or anything.

It just caught me by surprise.

Well, dinner isn't
until tomorrow night.

That'll give you
a full day to prepare her

for the traumatic experience of
having dinner with the old man.

Yeah.

Uh, I mean, there's
nothing to prepare for.

It's just dinner.

Exactly.

- Right.
- Right.

All right.

You wanted to see me, Doctor?

Yes, it's about our new visitor.

Is something wrong
with the baby?

No, but he's not a baby anymore.

There are a great many species
with what we would call

accelerated growth rates,
but they're usually

small, physiologically
simple creatures.

I've never seen such
a rapid maturation process

in anything as complex
as a humanoid.

He looks about eight
or nine years old.

But how old is he in reality?

Well, judging by his
cellular kinetic profile

I'd say he's no more
than two weeks of age.

Who are you?

I'm Benjamin and that's Julian.

Do you have a name?

I need food.

With your kind of metabolism,
I'm not surprised.

I'll get you something
in a few minutes.

Where am I?

On a space station.

Do you know what that is?

No.

But I want to learn.

I'd say we have a lot
to learn from each other.

Um...

I'll be right back.

Advanced language skills.

And cognitive reasoning.

He didn't just pick those up

by sitting there
listening to us.

This is either a natural
ability in his species

or some kind
of basic intelligence

implanted into his
genetic structure.

Implanted?
You mean artificially?

Yes, and I tend to discount
the possibility

that it is a natural ability.

His biomolecular
diffusion gradient

all ready suggests that
his cellular mitosis

has been artificially
enhanced.

So, you're saying
he may have been part

of some experiment?

Possibly.
If so, he's an example

of some very advanced
genetic engineering.

His cognitive abilities
are developing

without any external stimuli.

I want you to test
his mental abilities.

See if they increase.

Maybe he'll get to the point
where he can tell us who he is

and where he's come from.

This is where Quark
said he found the boy.

It seems to be some
kind of stasis chamber

that was damaged in the crash.

That could imply
they didn't want him

to begin maturing
while he was on board.

What about the rest
of the wreckage?

It seems to indicate

this was some kind of freighter
or transport vessel.

Did you find any computers
or other information systems?

No, not yet.

Most of it just junk--

twisted bulkheads,
burnt deck plating

that sort of thing.

We should have a full inventory
by tomorrow morning.

Good.

By the way, the replicators

in my quarters are
on the blink again.

Could you spare someone
this afternoon to fix them?

Oh, that's right.

Tonight's the big dinner
with Mardah.

You know about that?

Well, Jake mentioned it
this morning.

In fact, I'd say it's
the only thing on his mind.

You would think I was going
to court-martial her

by the way he's acting.

Well, I guess it's only natural.

Bringing a girl home
for the first time

is a pretty traumatic
experience.

Quark may call her a dabo girl,
but she's 20 years old.

She's a woman.

And Jake is a 16-year-old boy.

It has to stop.

Well, why did you
invite her over?

If you don't mind my asking.

Curiosity mostly.

I wanted to see
what I was up against.

What if it turns out
you like her?

She's a dabo girl.
She's dating my son.

I don't want to like her.

16 years old
and dating a dabo girl.

Godspeed, Jake.

Major.

Odo.

For you.

Ah.

Let me guess--

uh, decoration
for my new quarters.

Just a little something
to brighten your room.

That's, uh, very...
thoughtful of you.

You're welcome.

I suppose you'd like
to see my new quarters.

Everyone wants
to see your quarters.

It's called curiosity.

Ah.

It's not really finished yet.

This is just the start.

The start of what?

I want to make this room

into a place
where I can explore

what it truly means
to be a shape-shifter.

I thought it had to be
something like that.

I mean, you don't exactly need

an entire set of quarters
just to sit in your bucket.

I don't use
the bucket anymore.

I've kept it to remind
me of how I used to be.

But now, when I need
to regenerate

I simply revert to my gelatinous
state anywhere in this room.

Here, I can experiment with
different shapes, textures.

I can bring
in various forms to emulate.

And I can do it in private.

I'm sorry if I intruded.

Maybe I should leave.

No, please.

You're always welcome here,
Major.

Well...

where should we put it?

Ah!

Perfect.

The boy's DNA sequence
has definitely been altered.

The nucleotide analysis
proves that conclusively.

So he's a product
of genetic engineering.

But why?

Was he a unique experiment

or is this sort of thing
common in his species?

There's more.

His blood chemistry

shows that he's missing
a key isogenic enzyme

and without large
quantities of it

his circulatory system
would simply shut down.

Can you replicate this enzyme?

I've been trying, and
I think I've come up

with a temporary substitute.

But what I don't understand is

why anybody would want to
genetically engineer someone

with such an obvious flaw.

Nurse Hortak to Dr. Bashir.

You're needed in
the Infirmary immediately.

On my Way-

Listen, it's all right.

No one's going to hurt you.

Let's just go back
inside and, and...

Security to Promenade!

Stop!
Stay where you are!

Dax to Sisko.

Go ahead.

I think we've solved the mystery
of our young visitor, Benjamin.

He's a Jem'Hadar.

I've just spoken
with Starfleet Command.

They want to make sure
he's healthy enough to travel

and then send him
to Starbase 201

where he'll be handed over
to a team of specialists.

Sounds good to me.

The sooner, the better.

What sort of specialists
are we talking about, Commander?

There will be a complete
team of xenobiologists

and exopsychologists
waiting for him.

So they're going to study him
like a laboratory specimen.

Well, he'll be
very well treated.

So he'll be
a well-treated specimen.

I have to agree
with Odo, Commander.

We can't just ship him off

like some biological
sample that we've found.

He's a sentient life form.

True, but the Founders
could have removed

his sense of free will.

He may be nothing more

than a genetically
programmed killing machine.

I agree, and we don't want

one of them walking
around this station.

Fine!

If you want answers
about the Jem'Hadar

I'm the one
who can find them for you.

Let me get to know him.

I'll be responsible
for his conduct while he's here.

Odo, do you really think
you can control him?

He's already shown
a certain deference to me.

That's probably another
genetic alteration implanted

by the Founders to ensure
the Jem'Hadar's loyalty.

I can keep him
from harming anyone.

I'd like to speak with
the Constable in private

for a moment, please.

Talk to me, Odo.

Tell me what's
really going on here.

What the Founders
did to the boy--

to all the Jem'Hadar--
is not your fault.

Maybe not.

But I feel an obligation
to undo some of the damage

that my race
has done to this boy.

And I also know what it's like

to be a specimen
in a laboratory.

Oh, I'm sure
they'll treat him very well.

No one will risk
harming their new prize.

They'll be courteous, caring

treat him
like he's among friends

but, in the end, he'll be
just another specimen to them--

something to be analyzed
and cataloged.

Give me the chance to find out

if he really is just
a programmed killing machine

or if we can help him
become something else.

I'll tell Starfleet

we have some preliminary tests

to run before we send
him to Starbase 201.

Thank you, Commander.

Just... be careful, Odo.

He is still a Jem'Hadar.

Listen to me!

I'm trying to help.

Your body is craving
a certain chemical compound.

That is why
you're feeling anxious

and having muscle spasms.

There's nothing wrong with me.

Yes, there is, and denying it
won't make it go away.

Leave me alone!

You can wait outside.

I think everything
is under control now.

Please...

sit down.

You don't look well.

How do you feel?

Something's wrong with me.

I feel sick when I eat.

I have pains in my head...

in my chest.

His body's addicted
to a specific isogenic enzyme.

Right now, he's experiencing
all the symptoms of withdrawal.

Addicted?

That's right.

Can you replicate this enzyme?

I've had some success
with triglycerides

but they're just
a stopgap measure.

I can't get an exact
chemical formula

without doing further tests

but he's shown certain
resistance to that idea.

I don't want any more tests.

Dr. Bashir is
trying to help you.

You should let him.

You may run your tests.

My name is Odo.

I don't have a name.

When your tests are done,
I can get you out of here

maybe show you
around the station.

If you wish.

What do you want?

Do you have any needs
or desires of your own?

I want to fight!

Who, me?

No.

The others.

Why?

I don't know, but that's
what I want to do.

Is that wrong?

Well, let's just say,
we need to find

other interests
for you to pursue.

For the moment,
why don't you relax?

Try not to be so tense.

Take it easy.

Smile.

A smile.

You know...

Well, we'll work on that.

Smells good.
What is it?

Ah, shrimp Creole
with Mandalay sauce--

one of my father's recipes.

You're going to love this.

I hope you like spicy food.

This sure has a bite.

So, Mardah, tell me
a little about yourself.

What do you want to know?

Oh, anything.

Family.

There isn't much to tell.

It's a pretty familiar story.

Parents killed
during the occupation.

Raised by my neighbors
until I was 13.

Then I moved out on my own.

I have a sister
and a brother on Bajor

but we haven't talked in years.

Why not?

Sarjeno and Koran
were not exactly thrilled

when I told them I had a job
as a dabo girl.

Then I told them what I thought

of their lives,
and we stopped speaking.

I see.

It's amazing
how some people will judge you

based on nothing more
than your job.

Did I mention that Mardah's
quite a writer?

Uh, really?

Yeah, Mrs. O'Brien
used to say that Mardah

should try to get some
of her stories published.

Jake, they aren't that good.

Yes, they are.

Nothing like your poetry.

You don't have
enough faith in yourself.

Poetry... you write poetry?

Well, sort of.

N-not really.

Now who doesn't have
enough faith in themselves?

He writes some of
the most beautiful things

I have ever read.

That's what won me over.

His poetry?

And the way he plays dom-jot.

You play dom-jot?

Oh, your son can play.

He's quite the hustler.

A hustler?

Why don't I go see
how dessert's coming?

Jake seemed like just
another teenage boy at first...

but there's more to him
than that.

I'm beginning
to realize that myself.

I care about him very much.

And so do I.

Now, tell me more
about my poet hustler son.

It's over here.

This is it.

We tried to run an analysis of
it, but the computer

couldn't make heads
or tails of it.

Do you really think
this is the drug

the boy's addicted to?

It seems logical
that the Founders

would have kept a supply
of the enzyme aboard his ship.

Hopefully, Dr. Bashir can
determine if this is it.

Uh-huh. I still don't understand
why they would engineer someone

to be addicted
to a certain chemical.

I suspect it's another way
of ensuring the loyalty

of the Jem'Hadar
to the Founders.

If your soldiers
are addicted to a drug

that can't be replicated
and only you can provide

that gives you a great
deal of control over them.

Seems a pretty
cold-blooded thing to do.

My people don't have blood,
Chief.

I believe this tube
intravenously delivers

the chemical agent
into the carotid artery.

How large a dose is required?

I'm not sure yet.

This supply could last

for a week or maybe
a month or even a year.

I have to experiment
to find the right dosage.

All right. We'll start with
two milligrams per minute.

Let me know if you
feel uncomfortable.

Well, his heart rate
is slowing.

Some increase in
neurotransmitter activity.

And his cortical impulse
readings are leveling out.

Let's try three cc's.

I think we can
hold it there for now.

How do you feel?

Good.

Thank you.

You should rest now.

We'll talk later.

I'll be in my quarters.

Wait.

I want to go with you.

No, the doctor
will take care of you.

I want to stay with you.

He doesn't have to stay here

as long as I can monitor
his condition regularly.

Well, it seems I have
my first houseguest.

So you can change
into any of these objects?

With varying degrees of success.

Some forms are more difficult
to emulate than others.

Like what?

Like this one.

As you can see

I haven't mastered
the humanoid face.

I found it to be
quite challenging.

Why do you want to look
like a humanoid?

You're better than they are.

You're a changeling.

That doesn't make me better...

just different.

But I know...

in here...

that I am inferior to you.

But everyone else here

is inferior to me.

No. That may be
what your instincts tell you

but it's not true.

No one on this station
is better than anyone else.

We're all equal.

Then I must be at fault

because I know
that you cannot be wrong.

The first thing we
have to establish

is that I'm not infallible.

I'm no different than you are
in that respect.

You have to begin
to think for yourself

to make decisions
based on what you want

not what I want.

Do you understand?

Now tell me.

What do you want right now?

No, don't think about it.

Just tell me the first thing
that comes to mind.

I...

I want...

I want to know more
about my people.

Who I am and where I come from.

I can understand that.

I was also found by aliens.

I didn't know who I was
or what my people were like.

Did you ever find them?

Yes.

But...

sometimes, the truth
is not very pleasant.

Computer...

display Bridge Security
Log, USS Defiant

Stardate 48214.5, time index

310.

These are my people?

Yes.

They're a race
of brutal warriors.

But that doesn't mean
you have to be like that.

You can channel your feelings
of aggression in other ways.

HOW?

Computer, run program Odo One.

So this is not a real person?

That's right.

He can't be injured or killed.

He's just a computer simulation.

How strong is he?

As strong as you
want to make him.

The computer will adjust
his strength, agility, speed--

anything you want.

In here, you can
indulge yourself.

You can let
your instincts take over.

Fight until you're ready to stop

but at a price.

Out there, you have
to control yourself.

You have to learn restraint.

Learn how to live peacefully
among other races

regardless of how you may feel.

Learn to contain your feelings
of aggression and violence.

Can I?

Can I do it again?

Can I have a stronger opponent?

Computer, increase difficulty
to level two.

It's too easy!

Make it more difficult!

Computer,
increase to level three.

Can I speak to you for a moment?

Computer,
increase to level five!

I heard you let him
move in with you.

It was his idea.

He feels safer with me around.

Well, of course he does, Odo.

He was programmed
to feel that way.

No, it's more than that.

I think I've begun
to form a real

connection with him.

He trusts me.

But can you trust him?

How long do you think

you're going to be
able to control him?

I'm not trying to control any...

anybody-

I'm just trying to give
him some choices

other than becoming
a laboratory specimen

or a Jem'Hadar soldier.

I never thought
I would say this to you Odo,

but you are listening
to your heart, not your head.

That boy was created
in a laboratory.

His body, his mind,
his instincts are all designed

to do one thing-- to kill.

My body, mind and instincts
were designed to be a Founder.

You were trained
to be a terrorist

but each of us chose
to be something different.

I just want to give him
the same chance we've had.

All right.

Give him a chance.

Just don't forget
he is a Jem'Hadar.

He's dangerous.

I'm well aware of the risk,
Major.

I hope so.

Computer, end program.

Everyone keeps looking at me.

They're afraid of me.

They're mostly curious,
but they're also afraid.

They should be.

I could kill any of them.

Is that all you can
think about, killing?

Isn't there anything
else you care about?

I don't think so.

There is so much more
to life than that.

So much more for you
to discover and experience.

Maybe there is, for you.

And maybe there is for all
of these other people here

but for me...

Sisko to Odo.

Go ahead, Commander.

I need to see you
in my office, Constable.

On my Way-

Wait for me in our quarters.

Something's wrong.

Starfleet is sending
the USS Constellation

to pick up the boy...

and then take him
to Starbase 201.

They'll be here in five hours.

I thought we had an agreement.

I'm sorry, Odo.

Starfleet considers the boy
a top priority.

I did everything I could

but orders are orders.

I put...

You're not sending me anywhere.

What do you want?

A runabout.

To go where?

That's not your concern.

Listen to me,
this is not the way...

I know what I'm doing.

I'm leaving this place,
and you're going with me.

You don't belong here
any more than I do.

All right.

It won't be necessary
to hurt anyone.

Commander Sisko

will see to it that no one
interferes with us.

If they do, I'll kill them.

Where are we going?

To the Gamma Quadrant.

It's where my people are.

It's where your people are.

It's where we both belong.

I don't belong there.

I don't believe you do either.

I won't allow them
to put me in a laboratory.

I won't go with them
to Starfleet.

All right, but there
are other options

besides going
to the Gamma Quadrant.

We can find a place
where neither Starfleet

nor the Jem'Hadar
will bother you.

A place where you can grow
and learn about yourself

without worrying about being
sent to some laboratory.

It's a big galaxy.

All we have to do is head out
for unexplored space

and keep on going.

I am willing to do this
with you.

To help start you
on your new life

if that's what you want.

You just don't
understand, do you?

I want to be with my people.

I don't want to be
anywhere else.

I'm not like
these other humanoids.

I'm a Jem'Hadar,
and that's what I want to be.

You're not like these
other humanoids either

but they've done
something to you.

They filled your mind with
ideas, with these beliefs.

I don't know what the other
changelings are like

but I know they're not like you.

No...

they're not.

Spread out,
but remember not to fire

until you hear my command
or the boy fires first.

This is as far as you go.

Let us go, Commander.

I'm leaving of my own accord.

I'll take the boy
back to his people

then return in the runabout.

If he boards the Constellation
when it arrives

he'll either kill a lot
of innocent people

or be killed himself.

What makes you think
he'll let you come back?

I don't believe he could
injure a changeling.

When the Constellation arrives

I'll tell them that I couldn't
stop you from leaving.

That I would have had to kill
the boy to keep him here.

Admiral Nechayev
won't like that answer

but it has the virtue
of being the truth.

Sisko to O'Brien.

Release the security fields
around the airlock, Chief.

Aye, sir.

I'll see you when you get back.

He was afraid of me.

I could see the fear
in his eyes.

Commander Sisko was trying to do
what's best for you.

He was trying to help you.

He's not my friend.

He's my enemy!

And I now know that anyone

who is not a Jem'Hadar
is my enemy.

Does that include me?

Station Log, supplemental.

Starfleet has expressed
disappointment

over what it considers
a "missed opportunity"

to learn more
about the Jem'Hadar.

However, I'm happy to report
that with the boy gone

life on the station
has returned to normal.

I think we can get
the upper sensor grid

back on line by morning.

Good. We're going to need it
in the next few days.

I thought you were going
to lower the boom on those two.

Well, I was, but some things

came up at dinner
I didn't expect.

Oh. Got to know her
a little better?

Decided you liked her after all?

No, actually, I got to know
Jake a little better.

Have you ever played
dom-jot with him?

No.

Don't.

Major.

About the boy.

You were right.