Babel (DS9 episode)
Encyclopedia
"Babel" is the 5th episode
of the science fiction
television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
.
plagues the station
that disrupts people's mind connection between the mundane things which are seen and their mental comprehension. Because of this, everybody is disconnected from their everyday duties.
is having to deal with numerous malfunctions throughout the station. This includes most of the station's replicators
. While fixing one of the replicators, O'Brien unknowingly activates a device that was placed in one of the replicators. Shortly afterwards, O'Brien begins showing signs of aphasia
— he becomes unable to speak coherently owing to a dissociation between any intended thought and the ulterior expression.
At first, Doctor Bashir
isn't sure why O'Brien suddenly became aphasic. Tests showed no physiological causes, but when Lt. Dax
suddenly becomes aphasic right before his eyes, he soon realizes that they are dealing with a virus that only mimics aphasia. He also determines that the virus is in the food that had come from command level replicators, but that the other replicators aren't producing contaminated food. People all over the station were showing signs of infection as well. The station is put under quarantine
to keep the virus from spreading.
Quark
, with his replicators still not functioning, claims that his brother, Rom, fixed the replicators. Odo discovers that Quark decided to produce the menu from his bar using a functional replicator in an abandoned set of crew quarters on the command level. The result was that the contaminated food was spread all over the station. As the virus spreads, Bashir
discovers that the virus has mutated
to become airborne. It also caused a dangerous high fever
in its victims, which might kill them.
Kira soon finds a module in the last replicator O'Brien had worked on. It planted itself as a virus during the materialization process of the replicator, therefore, not being affected by the Biofilter
. Taking it to Bashir, the crew discovers that the module inserted computer code into the replicators that built the virus into the food. Bashir reveals that the Bajoran underground placed the module in the replicator 18 years prior, and that the virus was engineered by a Bajoran
terrorist during the time of the Cardassian occupation of Bajor.
The doctor (Dekon Elig) who created the virus had died while in a Cardassian
prison. As the doctor (Surmak Ren) terminates a Comm line as Kira asks him about the virus, Kira decides to go get him. At first, Sisko declines Kira's offer, but then Odo recommends to Sisko that she goes because she is "all we have". Kira links with a computer in his office and transports him to a runabout. He is infected upon entering the runabout.
Meanwhile, virtually the entire crew is incapacitated. Captain Jameel, who was desperate to leave in order to deliver a perishable cargo, tries to leave the station without clearance, and ruptures his power core in the process. Odo mentions that if it were to explode it would take half the docking ring with it. Quark helps Odo save the station from the ship by ejecting it from its docking port before it could explode, destroying the ship in the process. The Bajoran doctor eventually finds a cure and the station's crew returns to normal.
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
of the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
.
Overview
A mysterious virusVirus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
plagues the station
Deep Space Nine (space station)
Deep Space Nine is a fictitious space station, and is the eponymous primary setting of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It serves as a base for the exploration of the Gamma Quadrant via the Bajoran wormhole, and is a hub of trade and travel for the sector's denizens...
that disrupts people's mind connection between the mundane things which are seen and their mental comprehension. Because of this, everybody is disconnected from their everyday duties.
Plot
Chief O'BrienMiles O'Brien (Star Trek)
Miles Edward O'Brien, played by Colm Meaney, is Chief of Operations in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Before DS9, he appeared as a recurring transporter chief in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
is having to deal with numerous malfunctions throughout the station. This includes most of the station's replicators
Replicator (Star Trek)
In Star Trek a replicator is a machine capable of creating objects. Replicators were originally seen used to synthesize meals on demand, but in later series they took on many other uses.-Origins and limitations:...
. While fixing one of the replicators, O'Brien unknowingly activates a device that was placed in one of the replicators. Shortly afterwards, O'Brien begins showing signs of aphasia
Aphasia
Aphasia is an impairment of language ability. This class of language disorder ranges from having difficulty remembering words to being completely unable to speak, read, or write....
— he becomes unable to speak coherently owing to a dissociation between any intended thought and the ulterior expression.
At first, Doctor Bashir
Julian Bashir
Lieutenant Julian Subatoi Bashir, M.D., played by Alexander Siddig, is a main character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Bashir is the chief medical officer of space station Deep Space Nine and the USS Defiant.-Overview:...
isn't sure why O'Brien suddenly became aphasic. Tests showed no physiological causes, but when Lt. Dax
Jadzia Dax
Jadzia Dax , played by Terry Farrell, was a main character during the first six seasons of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine....
suddenly becomes aphasic right before his eyes, he soon realizes that they are dealing with a virus that only mimics aphasia. He also determines that the virus is in the food that had come from command level replicators, but that the other replicators aren't producing contaminated food. People all over the station were showing signs of infection as well. The station is put under quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
to keep the virus from spreading.
Quark
Quark (Star Trek)
Quark is a fictional character in the American television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The character, which was played by Armin Shimerman, was depicted as a member of an extraterrestrial race known as the Ferengi, who are stereotypically ultra-capitalist and only motivated by...
, with his replicators still not functioning, claims that his brother, Rom, fixed the replicators. Odo discovers that Quark decided to produce the menu from his bar using a functional replicator in an abandoned set of crew quarters on the command level. The result was that the contaminated food was spread all over the station. As the virus spreads, Bashir
Julian Bashir
Lieutenant Julian Subatoi Bashir, M.D., played by Alexander Siddig, is a main character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Bashir is the chief medical officer of space station Deep Space Nine and the USS Defiant.-Overview:...
discovers that the virus has mutated
Mutation
In molecular biology and genetics, mutations are changes in a genomic sequence: the DNA sequence of a cell's genome or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus. They can be defined as sudden and spontaneous changes in the cell. Mutations are caused by radiation, viruses, transposons and mutagenic...
to become airborne. It also caused a dangerous high fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
in its victims, which might kill them.
Kira soon finds a module in the last replicator O'Brien had worked on. It planted itself as a virus during the materialization process of the replicator, therefore, not being affected by the Biofilter
Biofilter
Biofiltration is a pollution control technique using living material to capture and biologically degrade process pollutants. Common uses include processing waste water, capturing harmful chemicals or silt from surface runoff, and microbiotic oxidation of contaminants in air...
. Taking it to Bashir, the crew discovers that the module inserted computer code into the replicators that built the virus into the food. Bashir reveals that the Bajoran underground placed the module in the replicator 18 years prior, and that the virus was engineered by a Bajoran
Bajoran
In the Star Trek science-fiction franchise, the Bajorans are a humanoid extraterrestrial species native to the planet Bajor. They were first introduced in the 1991 episode "Ensign Ro" of Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequently also featured in episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and...
terrorist during the time of the Cardassian occupation of Bajor.
The doctor (Dekon Elig) who created the virus had died while in a Cardassian
Cardassian
The Cardassians are an extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. First introduced in the 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded", the species originating on the fictional Alpha Quadrant planet Cardassia Prime...
prison. As the doctor (Surmak Ren) terminates a Comm line as Kira asks him about the virus, Kira decides to go get him. At first, Sisko declines Kira's offer, but then Odo recommends to Sisko that she goes because she is "all we have". Kira links with a computer in his office and transports him to a runabout. He is infected upon entering the runabout.
Meanwhile, virtually the entire crew is incapacitated. Captain Jameel, who was desperate to leave in order to deliver a perishable cargo, tries to leave the station without clearance, and ruptures his power core in the process. Odo mentions that if it were to explode it would take half the docking ring with it. Quark helps Odo save the station from the ship by ejecting it from its docking port before it could explode, destroying the ship in the process. The Bajoran doctor eventually finds a cure and the station's crew returns to normal.