Rocks and Shoals

"Rocks and Shoals" is Navy slang for the legal process at sea - which has absolutely nothing to do with this episode. This is a boring episode with little to recommend it.

While Kira works with the Cardassian/Dominion group on board the station, she begins to feel restlessness and helplessness. Of course, she and her people are once again at the mercy of evil. The Vorta runs things and makes promises that are utterly worthless. Then one day an event occurs that makes her realize that she has betrayed her people. The main plot, however, involve our usual band of crew members who have the Jem'Hadar ship they seized in a previous episode. They come under attack by their own Federation and crash on a planet in a desert area. So do some Jem'Hadar and their Vorta. Because of injuries, the sickening Vorta makes a kind of deal. Since the Jem'Hadar are genetically developed to do harm, they can sometimes be seen as victims themselves. This has an interesting conclusion that causes one to think deeply.

Sisko's crew land in enemy territory, whilst Kira struggles to serve DS9 under Dominion control.

This is a powerful episode with strong character moments.

I'm not sure if Gene Roddenberry would have approved of the Federation being involved in a war, but I think he would have liked how Sisko handles a certain combat situation and the regretful tone of this rather somber story. It addresses conflict without glorifying it and all the central characters contribute well. Others that stand out are Remata'Klan and Vedek Yassim, who both have memorable arcs.

There is not too much about the plot I can reveal without spoiling, other than at this point in the development of the Trek universe the writers enter some of its darkest territory and do it well. I particularly like the focus on the victims of the war being those who fight and die on behalf of ruling classes who pull the strings in relative comfort.

Avery Brooks leads it well and Nana Visitor is on good form.

The filmmakers make good use of location shooting to portray a baron desolate planet landscape.

Love this episode, reminds me of later episodes of Ultimate Force where they had very small production costs so everything was filmed in a quarry. As for the impending Jem'Hadar attack, all of them bunched up in a line and all within 10m, proceeding on low ground, in a quarry with high ground on all sides! They deserve to get massacred with that tactical thinking! Maybe my old army head is taking over ! :-)

Enjoyed this episode but why does Sisko not tell them that the "white" is about ran out. Surely this might have made a difference.