I think that the nowhere of DS3 is rapidly becoming somewhat important. If only because it’s the only foothold that the good guys have in what promises to be a wide ranging problem.

Specifically, the counterfeiting operation.

Counterfeit is one of the few areas of general villainy left unexplored by Star trek because the Star trek franchise never dirtied their hands with money until DS9.

Now that just such a method has been developed, and especially due to it’s drawbacks, this has all the markings of moving from felonious to destructive across whole systems very quickly. Mr Big, whoever he is, is about to take an interest in Tork.

Shows such as this, which have to tell the story quickly due to newcomers, and provide details that normally you wouldn’t have to due to the audio. I like how you’ve incorporated that into some episodes as a captain’s log, and with other episodes, made it about the transition between disasters. This episode was moving the pieces on the board into position for the big showdown.

The players we know about, are all in uncharted territory.

Goshen, for instance, is suddenly finding himself playing on a team. Something unheard of for a Ferangi way of thinking. As such he’s making stupid mistakes like announcing Exler is Starfleet. It is only the grace of whatever-the-hell-saved-Ceazar that saved that conversation, given that the pirates have a surplus Starfleet Officer.

Tork, right behind him in the uncertain department, still has whiplash after going from his nice tidy Starfleet life to… this. He’s facing down a life of black market parts, keeping his blatantly insubordinate new ensign in line for nothing, trying (and failing) to keep his engineer out of jail, rescuing kidnapped crew when his boss figures there’s plenty more where she came from, his best friend and secret crush is cursing his name; and all this before he even starts work in the morning. Somehow, despite all that, he’s hanging on to his integrity with his teeth, taking the hits that kill his career and his future, all in the name of his ship and crew, but he won’t cross that line.

Knox finds himself in the unique position of being on the same side as his CO for once, even if only under very specific circumstances. Exler tore strips out of Knox over the way he treated Tork, and while Knox has never said anything about it, you can tell that his actions and his demeanour toward the new captain have changed. Not significantly, but enough that he’s willing to put time on this little side project. Plus he’d be a great bad cop for the Thomas Brat.

I have now exhausted everything that does not contain spoilers.

The idea of the cargo being the point of the entire last half of the first season, was a great bit of slight of hand. It had little to do with Escerites or the Chief. It was all a way to get the crew to that particular machine. The machine in question being a 24th century printing press is brilliant. We actually had all the pieces before we even knew what the machine was. Slight traces of latinum, pirates willing to kill for it, and the Exchange getting worried about ‘bad cheques’ being passed.

For a people that focus solely on money, the fact that this machine exists is the ultimate doom scenario to them. Once they get a grip on where it’s coming from, they won’t care that there’s two friendlies on board.

Goshen practically gave away the store with one conversation, but if the Solar Winds can catch Chimera before they get back to DS3, Tork will be spared the inevitable conversation with his Captain, and get his chance to save his crew.

And his predecessor. How he’s managed to be alive remains a question mark. If you stay true to Star Trek form there’ll be some magic wand from the pinch to explain it, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see, because we have bigger problems right now.

It would be a rather painful irony, and frankly right within the pattern of Tork’s recent luck if he saved Ceazer only to find out that doing so makes his posting redundant.

If we’re lucky, that’ll get Buchanan promoted out of the way.

Winston was right about one thing. There are a hundred ways this could go badly, and all of them end with someone being burned. She thought it would only be Goshen and Exler on the block, but now it includes all of them.

Can’t wait for more.