what does it mean to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight

Real World article
(written from a Production indicate of view)

With mounting losses in the Federation-Dominion war, and the specter of defeat, Helm Sisko enlists Garak'due south help to "persuade" the Romulans to join the Federation/Klingon alliance to win the war. However Sisko soon learns that to save the Federation he may have to beguile the values it stands for.

Contents

• i Summary
  • 1.ane Teaser
  • 1.2 Human action One
  • 1.3 Act 2
  • ane.iv Act Three
  • 1.5 Deed 4
  • 1.half dozen Deed Five
• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3 Background data
  • 3.1 Origins
  • 3.2 Story and script
  • 3.3 Continuity
  • 3.iv Behind the scenes
  • 3.five Reception
  • 3.6 Remastered version
  • iii.7 Apocrypha
  • iii.8 Video and DVD releases
• 4 Links and references
  • 4.ane Main bandage
  • four.2 Guest stars
  • 4.3 Co-star
  • 4.iv Uncredited co-stars
  • 4.5 Stunt double
  • iv.6 References
    • iv.six.i Unreferenced textile
  • 4.7 External links

Summary

Teaser

"Captain's Personal Log: Stardate 5-1-seven… [unsure] 5-1-7… 4? Calculator – what day is it?" "[COMPUTER VOICE] Stardate 51721.iii." "Information technology's only been 2 weeks… I need to talk about this. I have to justify what's happened… what I've done… at least to myself. I can't talk to anyone else… not fifty-fifty to Dax. Perhaps if I but lay it all out in my log, it'll finally make sense… I tin can run across where information technology all went wrong… where I went incorrect… I suppose it started two weeks ago while I was posting the weekly prey list in the wardroom… every Friday morning, for the past iii months, I've posted the official list of Starfleet personnel killed, wounded or missing in the state of war. It'southward go something of a grim ritual around here. Not a week goes by that someone doesn't observe the name of a loved 1, a friend or an associate on that damned list… I've grown to hate Fridays."

On this Friday, Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax discovers that a longtime friend, Leslie Wong, was lost forth with all hands on lath the USS Cairo. Presumably, the Cairo was ambushed by a Rule patrol that passed through Romulan infinite – a mutual occurrence, because the Romulans have a non-assailment pact with the Dominion. Dr. Bashir argues that bringing the Romulans into the war would exist advantageous to the Federation war endeavour. Dax, even so, replies that the Romulans are currently in a perfect position and have no reason to side with anyone.

Every bit Sisko's log continues…

"That was the moment I made the conclusion. It was like I had stepped through a door and locked information technology behind me. I was going to bring the Romulans into the state of war."

Act One

Initially, Sisko's objective seems unattainable, as staying neutral is clearly in the Romulans' best interests. When Dax role-plays the Romulan devil's advocate in a mock debate, Sisko determines how to get them into the war on their side. She convinces him that what he needs is "solid proof" to convince the Romulans that the Dominion is planning on acquisition them later on they are done with the Federation Alliance.

Sisko makes the deal with Garak

Sisko contacts Elim Garak because of his skills at retrieving highly classified and guarded data (namely, clandestine Rule war plans that Sisko can utilize in convincing the Romulan regime). With apparent reluctance, Garak agrees – afterward noting that information technology would involve the expenditure of all his resources on Cardassia Prime and may well plough out to be altogether a very messy and bloody business. Sisko, reminding him that the war already is a messy and bloody business, is prepared to do anything to accomplish his objective.

As his log continues…

"My father used to say that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. I laid the outset rock correct in that location. I'd committed myself. I'd pay any price, become to whatsoever lengths, because my crusade was righteous. My… intentions were good. In the beginning, that seemed similar enough."

Deed Two

"If there'south one thing I've learned over the years, it's that bad news invariably comes in the middle of the nighttime."

That dark, Sisko is awoken past Major Kira and learns that the Dominion has conquered Betazed in a matter of hours, thank you to the planet'southward antiquated defences and the Tenth Armada being caught out of position. Now the Rule are in a prime number strategic position to strike several key worlds (including Alpha Centauri, Andor, Tellar Prime number, and Vulcan). This evolution makes Sisko even more determined, and later three days' time he inquires of Garak concerning his progress. Garak has spoken with several Cardassian operatives willing to assist in the mission, but each and every one has all of a sudden been killed inside a mean solar day of communicating with him. Garak bids the Captain not to give up and (with an almost unnerving enthusiasm) proposes that, since it'southward now clear they'll never be able to get a agree of the evidence they need, they should become about personally manufacturing it.

"Maybe I should take put a stop to it right there. Maybe I should have said, "Thank you very much for your input, Mister Garak, I will take your proffer nether advisement," and gone dorsum to my office and forgotten the whole thing. But I didn't. Considering in my middle, I knew what he was saying fabricated sense."

Garak proposes that Sisko invite Senator Vreenak to Deep Infinite nine, since the senator will exist passing past in a few days. Vreenak negotiated the Romulan nonaggression pact with the Dominion and is an outspoken supporter of it; he is as well known for his low opinion of the Federation. If Sisko tin persuade him to join the war, Garak is certain, the whole Romulan Senate will follow. The two formulate a plan to prove him a fabricated recording of a underground, high-level Dominion meeting, in which Dominion officials hash out their plan to conquer the Romulans. To ensure that Vreenak believes it, they will utilize a genuine Cardassian optolythic information rod, too as a expert cover story nearly how Starfleet obtained it. Sisko points out that he'll need approval from Starfleet to go along with the plan, but Garak assures him that with the takeover of Betazed they should exist more than willing to approve the plan, which ultimately they do.

The outset affair that Sisko needs to do is to go Grathon Tolar, an skilful in holographic forgery, released from a Klingon prison where he is awaiting his execution. Sisko is able to influence Chancellor Gowron to pardon him, whereupon he explains to Tolar that the atmospheric condition of his parole are that he must create a special holographic program for him. Tolar, at first, assumes that he is to create a "special" program for Sisko'southward own use and suggests Orion slave girls but Tolar soon realizes the hazardous nature of the assignment when he learns Garak is involved, but ultimately agrees, as the alternative is to be executed past the Klingons.

Every bit Sisko's log continues…

"Why I didn't heed to the voice in the back of my mind telling me not to believe a word he said, I'll never know… But information technology didn't have long for me to come face to face with the fact that I'd made a mistake."

While working in his office, Sisko receives a communication from Odo over the comm stating that Tolar has only tried to kill Quark.

Human activity Three

According to Odo, apparently Tolar got boozer at Quark'south and solicited a "dance" with M'Pella, one of the Dabo girls which she refused; in the ensuing bar fight, he stabbed Quark. Odo cannot release Tolar unless Quark decides not to printing charges. Sisko, who wants no record of Tolar existence on the station, speaks to Quark who (pleasantly surprised that Sisko is willing to offer him a ransom) agrees not to printing charges in exchange for compensation for his lost profits and damaged apparel and besides that some merchandise of rather dubious legality be released from the security lot where it is currently impounded due to a "missing" import license. Sisko, betwixt a stone and a hard place, approves all these requests. Quark is happy not only to have received so many assisting concessions from the Captain, but besides considering this blatant human action of bribery has reaffirmed his religion in the 98th Rule of Acquisition: "Every man has his price."

Sisko'due south log continues…

"That was my offset moment of real dubiety, when I started to wonder if the whole thing was a mistake. So I went back to my office. And there was a new prey list waiting for me. People are dying out there every day! Unabridged worlds are struggling for their freedom! And here I am still worrying most the finer points of morality! No, I...I had to keep my eye on the ball! Winning the war, stopping the bloodshed, those were the priorities! So I pushed on. And every fourth dimension another doubt appeared before me, I just found another way to shove it aside."

The next step in the plan is to obtain a genuine Cardassian data rod. After locking Tolar in his quarters with a apparent threat that attempting escape may kill him, Garak, by some "minor miracle," finds a seller; unfortunately, the price is quite high: 2 hundred liters of bio-mimetic gel, a dangerous and heavily controlled substance. Sisko at showtime rejects the price outright, simply Garak tells him that his seller won't have annihilation else and finding some other rod volition exist quite impossible. Sisko then seemingly decides to drib the whole plan, simply subsequently a few seconds changes his listen and tells Garak that two hundred liters is far too loftier a cost. At that place is not enough gel in the Bajor sector to fulfill that asking. Garak assures him he should be able to haggle it downwards to something more reasonable.

Later on, Sisko asks Doctor Bashir in his part to set up eighty-v liters of the gel; still the doctor refuses and points out that they have no idea where information technology's going and that in the incorrect hands it could be used for exceedingly dangerous and immoral purposes. Sisko gives Bashir short shrift and makes it a direct order. Bashir insists on seeing this society in writing; Sisko immediately hands him the club on a PADD. Aroused and disgusted that his demand was anticipated, only with no other recourse, Bashir agrees to set up the gel only informs Captain Sisko that he intends to note the incident in his log and will exist filing a grievance with Starfleet Medical. The unfazed Sisko but orders that the gel be ready by the terminate of the solar day and dismisses him.

"Well, information technology has been a pleasance doing business organization with yous, gentlemen."

Sisko, Garak, and Tolar obtain the rod and begin preparing a disarming recording in which Weyoun and Damar plan the invasion of Romulus, making sure to take the 2 squabble with each other and appear as "real" equally possible. The program is recorded onto the rod, and the forgery is consummate. To ensure that Tolar isn't cheating them (though he has already encoded his forgery on the single-use information rod), Sisko detains Tolar for a while longer and threatens to paw him back over to Gowron to exist tortured to decease if the forgery fails to pass inspection. Tolar, who sycophantically insists he'south sure the forgery will be successful, is further unnerved when Garak says he will stop by his quarters later on ("to say hello").

As Sisko's log continues…

"Possibly I was under more pressure than I realized. Perhaps information technology really was starting to get to me, but I was off the claw. Starfleet Command had given the plan their blessing and I thought that would make things easier. Just I was the i who had to make it happen. I was the 1 who had to look Senator Vreenak in the eye and convince him that a lie… was the truth."

Sisko shows Vreenak the programme

Sisko at this point is getting nervous, every bit Senator Vreenak comes to the station in a cloaked Romulan shuttle (with no one other than Sisko and Garak aware that he'due south there). Before Sisko greets Vreenak, Garak tells him he plans to inspect the Senator'southward ship covertly (for anything "useful"), and leaves. Upon inflow in the shuttle bay, Vreenak smugly exchanges greetings with Sisko, taking slap-up pleasance in egotistically dressing him downward for how poorly the Federation Brotherhood is faring in its war with the Rule so far.

Act Iv

In the wardroom, Vreenak and Sisko discuss the fate of their corresponding worlds over a replicated bottle of kali-fal, at which point Sisko tells Vreenak that he has learned the Rule is planning a surprise invasion of the Romulan Empire. Vreenak, naturally, demands proof, and Sisko presents his forgery. Vreenak asks to inspect the information rod and, in typical Romulan fashion, takes his time doing so, during which Sisko is understandably anxious.

As his log continues…

"So all I could practice was expect… and see how masterful Tolar's forgery really was. Then I waited… tried to catch up on my paperwork, but I found it very difficult to focus on criminal activeness reports, cargo manifests… So I went dorsum to pacing, staring out of the window. I'm not an impatient man, I'chiliad non one to agonize over decisions once they're made. I got that from my father. He always says, "Worry and dubiousness are the greatest enemies of a great chef. The soufflé will either ascension or information technology won't – there's not a damn thing yous tin do well-nigh it, and so you might as well but sit dorsum and expect and see what happens." But this time the cost of failure was so high, I found it hard to take his advice. If Vreenak discovered that the information rod was a forgery, if he realized that we were trying to trick them into the state of war it could button the Romulans fifty-fifty farther into the enemy campsite. They could start to openly aid the Dominion. If worse came to worst they could actually join the war against us. I had the distinct feeling that victory or defeat would be decided in the next few minutes."

Sisko attempts, in vain, to calm himself until he'due south summoned by Vreenak. When he enters the wardroom, Vreenak silently dismisses his guards before angrily telling Sisko that he knows the recording is a fake.

"It'southward a FAAAAAKE!"

Act Five

"So it all blew up in my face up. All the lies and the compromises, the inner doubts and the rationalizations – all for nothing. Vreenak was furious. I tin't say I blamed him; I'd have reacted the same way. Afterward telling me in no uncertain terms that he would expose this "vile charade" to the entire Alpha Quadrant, he got dorsum in his shuttle and headed home. There didn't seem to be annihilation more to do… and so I went back to piece of work. Two days later, I got the news."

Sisko, Dax, and Bashir are reviewing a new casualty list when Worf comes in and reports that Vreenak's shuttle has exploded, killing the senator. When he adds that the Tal Shiar believe the Dominion is responsible, Dax, recalling their previous conversation, gives Sisko a knowing smile. Worf too points out that this issue unfolding every bit information technology has is a real game-changer: the death of Vreenak, who was on a diplomatic mission in Rule space, could bring the Romulans into the state of war. Realizing what has actually happened, an increasingly livid Sisko excuses himself. After walking through the promenade seething with fury, he marches into Garak'due south shop and greets the tailor with a backhand to the face. He accuses him of killing Vreenak, which Garak immediately admits. Sisko accuses him of never believing the rod would pass inspection, claiming he only wanted to lure Vreenak to the station to institute a flop on his shuttle.

Garak counters that while he did indeed hope that the rod would laissez passer Vreenak'due south inspection, he realized that information technology was possible, even probable, that it would not. This is why he planted a bomb on the Romulan shuttle, and made its destruction look like Rule sabotage. Every bit for Tolar, the forger, Garak casually dismisses him as some other "prey of war", confirming that he has eliminated him also.

Sisko is furious and punches Garak once again, but Garak tells Sisko that all of this was necessary; when the Tal Shiar investigate, the explosion would make it appear as if the Rule destroyed the shuttle. Moreover, in the wreckage they volition detect a badly damaged information rod containing evidence that the Dominion was planning to betray the Romulans, the harm to the rod masking whatsoever imperfections in the forgery. He pointedly asks Sisko what conclusion he would draw, given the apparent facts. Sisko reluctantly connects the dots; not knowing about Vreenak's stop at Deep Space Ix, they will assume the rod came into his possession during his diplomatic mission on Soukara, and the Dominion assassinated him earlier he could betrayal them. And, Garak says, the more than the Dominion protests their innocence, the more the Romulans volition believe they're guilty, because information technology'southward exactly what the Romulans would have done in their place.

Garak reminds the helm that this is why he came to him for help in the first identify: because he knew that Garak was willing to exercise things that he couldn't, no matter how distasteful and illegal. The most of import thing is that Sisko is going to achieve exactly what he intended, since in light of the damning "evidence" against the Dominion, the Romulans will surely enter the state of war confronting the Dominion at present. Garak tells Sisko he has very probable simply saved the entire Alpha Quadrant, having only had to sacrifice the lives of i criminal, an unsympathetic senator, and perchance his cocky-respect in the process. Garak tells Sisko that as far as he'due south concerned, it's "a bargain".

Sisko'southward log concludes…

"At oh-eight-hundred hours, station time… the Romulan Empire formally declared state of war against the Dominion. They've already struck fifteen bases forth the Cardassian border. And so, this is a huge victory for the expert guys! This may even be the turning bespeak of the entire war! There's even a "Welcome to the Fight" political party tonight in the wardroom!… So… I lied. I cheated. I bribed men to encompass upwardly the crimes of other men. I am an accessory to murder. But most damning of all… I remember I tin live with information technology… And if I had to do information technology all again… I would. Garak was right most one thing – a guilty conscience is a small price to pay for the safety of the Alpha Quadrant. Then I volition larn to live with information technology…Considering I tin alive with it…I can alive with information technology. Figurer – erase that entire personal log."

Memorable quotes

"That was the moment I fabricated the determination. It was similar I had stepped through a door and locked it backside me. I was going to bring the Romulans into the war."

- Benjamin Sisko

"You lot would have made a decent Romulan."
"I prefer the spots to the pointed ears."

- Sisko and Dax

"My father used to say that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. I laid the first stone correct there. I'd committed myself. I'd pay any price; go to whatever lengths because my cause was righteous. My… intentions were skilful. In the beginning, that seemed like enough."

- Sisko

"If you lot want to guarantee that nosotros obtain prove of a Dominion plot to attack the Romulans, I propose that nosotros manufacture that evidence ourselves."

- Elim Garak

"You practise sympathise the terms of your parole?"
"Oh, yeah, I have to promise to stay away from the Klingon Empire. Ha ha! That'll be tough! Ha ha ha!"

- Sisko and Grathon Tolar

"What would it take to… uh, convince you otherwise?"
"Are you offering me a bribe…? I knew it! Captain, I've always liked you. I suspected that somewhere deep down in your heart of hearts there was a tiny bit of Ferengi just waiting to exit…"
"What's your cost?"

- Quark, as Sisko offers to pay him off in substitution for non pressing charges for the attempt on his life

"Annihilation else?"
"No. I call up we tin call it a ransom."

- Sisko and Quark, later "negotiating" an agreement with Quark not to printing charges.

"They will ask how we got it."
"Nosotros obtained it through various covert ways. Oh, and at great cost to the Federation, similar at least ten good men gave upwards their lives to bring it across the line. That sort of affair."

- Sisko and Garak

"People are dying out there, every day! Entire worlds are struggling for their freedom! And here I am nonetheless worrying about the finer points of morality!"

- Sisko

"Who's watching Tolar?"
"I've locked him in his quarters. I've also left him with the distinct impression that if he attempts to force the door open, information technology may explode."
"I hope that's merely an impression."
"Information technology'due south best not to dwell on such minutiae."

- Sisko and Garak

"I am making a new agreement. If that programme passes inspection, you walk gratis. But if there is even the slightest flaw, then I will send you back to that Klingon prison and tell Gowron to take his time while he executes you!"

- Sisko, threatening Tolar

"Gul Dukat is a great man."
"Gul Dukat is a preening egotist and a fool."

- Grouse holographic recreations of Damar and Weyoun

"And then you lot're the commander of Deep Space 9. And the Emissary to the Prophets. Decorated combat officer, widower, father, mentor… and oh yes, the homo who started the war with the Rule. Somehow I thought you'd be taller."
"Sorry to disappoint y'all."
"To be honest, my opinion of Starfleet officers is then low, you'd have to piece of work very difficult indeed to disappoint me."

- Senator Vreenak and Sisko

"It's a FAAAAAKE!"

- Vreenak

"A Romulan shuttlecraft carrying a high-ranking senator has just been destroyed."
"Which senator?!"
"Senator Vreenak. He was returning to Romulus from a diplomatic mission to Soukara when his shuttle exploded. The Tal Shiar is investigating but… preliminary reports bespeak to demolition – they believe the Dominion is responsible."
(Almost smiling at the ramifications) "The Dominion assassinated a Romulan senator…"
"…On a diplomatic mission…"
"That changes everything – it could even bring the Romulans into the state of war…"
(Knowing very well who the real saboteur was) "Excuse me…"

- Worf, Sisko, Dax, and Bashir

"Yous killed him!"
"That's right!"
"You knew that rod wouldn't pass inspection! You lot just wanted to get Senator Vreenak on the station so you could institute a bomb on his shuttle!"
"It wasn't quite that uncomplicated! I had hopes that the rod would pass inspection, simply I suspected that Tolar wasn't quite upward to the job."

- Sisko and Garak

"Recall of them both as tragic victims of war."

- Garak, on his murders of both Vreenak and Tolar

"That's why you came to me, isn't information technology Helm? Because you knew I could exercise those things that you weren't capable of doing. Well, it worked. And you'll get what y'all wanted: a state of war between the Romulans and the Dominion. And if your censor is bothering yous, you lot should soothe it with the knowledge that you may have but saved the entire Alpha Quadrant, and all information technology cost was the life of one Romulan senator, one criminal… and the cocky-respect of 1 Starfleet officer. I don't know about you lot, only I'd call that a bargain."

- Garak

"This is a huge victory for the good guys!"

- Sisko

"So… I lied. I cheated. I bribed men to encompass the crimes of other men. I am an accompaniment to murder. Only the most damning affair of all… I think I can alive with it. And if I had to practice information technology all over again, I would. Garak was right nigh one thing, a guilty conscience is a minor cost to pay for the safety of the Alpha Quadrant. And so I volition larn to alive with it. Because I tin live with it. I tin live with it… Estimator, erase that entire personal log."

- Sisko

Background information

Origins

• The working title of this episode was "Patriot". (Star Trek: Deep Space 9 Companion (p. 556))
• The earliest origins of this episode are to be plant in a discussion amid the writers about various pivotal moments in recent US history. One such moment was the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident, when a North Vietnamese gunboat allegedly attacked a U.s. naval vessel, leading to an increased military presence in Vietnam itself, and effectively beginning the Vietnam War. Another defining moment under word was the 1974 Watergate scandal, which began with v men being arrested for breaking into the Watergate complex and concluded with the resignation of President Richard Nixon, who was facing an impeachment in the House of Representatives and a conviction in the Senate due to the discovery of, amid other things, illegal political espionage, improper tax audits, unauthorized wiretapping, and undercover funding hidden in United mexican states. Thinking most the sheer scale of these incidents and the massive repercussions felt for years subsequently past people from all walks of life, the producers asked former staff-author and producer Peter Allan Fields to compose a story based around a political controversy involving a secret that, if discovered, could have huge consequences throughout the quadrant. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion (pp. 556-557))
• Fields'due south original premise revolved around Jake "watergating" First Minister Shakaar. He discovers an undisclosed clandestine most Shakaar from his days in the Bajoran Resistance which, if it got out, would bring down the Shakaar government and throw Bajor into chaos. When Jake tells his male parent nearly the secret, Sisko tries to stop him from publishing it. All the same, when the staff-writers went to work on Fields's story, they couldn't arrive work, and and then they altered the basic premise to Jake discovering something nigh his own father. Ronald D. Moore compared this premise to the film "All the President's Men". (AOL chat, 1998) This was the thought around which Michael Taylor equanimous his get-go draft of the script – the inherent conflict betwixt Jake and Sisko. The story would begin when Jake tries to go an interview with Garak for the Federation News Service, but Garak is uninterested in being interviewed. Jake presses him, but Garak won't budge, and so Jake goes to his begetter to try to get him to put some pressure level on Garak. Nonetheless, Sisko tells him to stay away from Garak altogether. Intrigued, Jake begins to investigate, and he discovers that his father and Garak are involved in shady dealings and are trying to bring the Romulans into the Rule War by lying to them about the Dominion'south and so-chosen plan to invade Romulan space. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion (pp. 556-557))
• Michael Taylor is credited for the teleplay of the episode, although much of his contribution did not brand the final draft. Taylor did came up with the idea of the faux Rule rod, basing the idea on the historical Zimmerman Note of 1917, in which Deutschland offered to assist Mexico retake the southwest United States to keep America out of World War I. Instead, the American public became enraged by the implications of the telegram, facilitating America'south entry into the state of war against Germany. For a time the note was idea to exist faked in order to convince America to join the war confronting Germany. ( The 7th Rule Podcast #148 )
• By the final typhoon of the script, which was actually written past Ronald D. Moore although he is uncredited, Jake had been removed entirely. The reason for this was because the relationship between Jake and Sisko, as established in many episodes over the class of the v and a one-half years of the prove, was simply too strong, their bail as begetter and son had become then pronounced that it was virtually impossible to conceive of anything destroying it, as Moore explains, "It was really no contest between Sisko and Jake, considering as much as we want to, it's hard to get those two characters into conflict with each other. So it didn't really ring true. Jake was so immature and Sisko was so experienced, you didn't actually believe the key conflict of the show." (Star Expedition: Deep Infinite Nine Companion (pp. 556-557))
• According to Moore, the title of the episode was a reference to the phrase "Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?" from the film Batman. (AOL chat, 1998)
• Originally, the writers were going to have the Dominion invade Vulcan, not Betazed. The episode was structured so that at the moment Sisko begins to waver equally to whether or not to carry his scheme through, a planet falls to the Dominion, serving to galvanize his resolve, simply the writers didn't want to invent a new planet or name somewhere inconsequential, they wanted a planet that would acquit weight for viewers, and they ultimately narrowed it down to Vulcan and Betazed. They initially decided on Vulcan, but they changed their minds when they came to the realization that "Vulcan merely carried too much weight." (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion (p. 557))

Story and script

• The closing of this episode was based on a line of dialogue in the 1962 John Ford movie The Man Who Shot Freedom Valance, which is spoken by Tom Doniphon (John Wayne); "Common cold-blooded murder, but I can live with it. Hallie's happy. She wanted you alive." (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion (p. 558))
• The script contained several scenes which were either unfilmed or cut from the episode equally aired. In 1, a continuation of the scene in which Sisko threatens Tolar in the holosuite, Garak suggests that afterwards all the intrigue and deception of the past week, Sisko enjoyed that "moment of pure brute force". In response, Sisko says, "Mr. Garak, why is information technology that no 1 has killed you yet?" and Garak responds, "My innate charm?" The two laugh, and in the following scene Sisko discusses his response in his log. In another scene, Dax comes to Sisko and suggests that they forge evidence to bring the Romulans into the war, unaware that Sisko is engaged in a projection to practice exactly that. (Star Expedition: Deep Space Nine Companion - A Series Guide and Script Library)
• Sisko's line near having stepped through a door and locked it behind him, and Garak's line that attempting to force the door open up may crusade it to explode, serve as interesting allegories for their respective roles in the story itself. While information technology was Sisko who made the decision to initiate the plan to bring the Romulans into the war, information technology was Garak who applied the pressure that stopped Sisko from pulling out and ensured that the plan went through to its successful determination.

Continuity

• Vreenak is on his style dorsum from Soukara when he diverts to Deep Space nine. Soukara is the planet visited past Jadzia Dax and Worf to rendezvous with the Cardassian double-amanuensis Lasaran in "Change of Heart".
• The Romulan nonaggression pact with the Dominion, signed in the fifth flavour finale "Call to Artillery", is referred to numerous times in this episode.
• It is revealed in this episode that Betazed is relatively shut to Vulcan, Andoria, Tellar Prime, and Alpha Centauri. Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to Earth, approximately iv.iii light years distant. Information technology is established in the Star Expedition: Enterprise episode "Dwelling" that Vulcan is approximately 16 low-cal years from Earth. The relative proximity of all these worlds is farther established throughout Star Trek: Enterprise.
• Likewise in Enterprise, information technology is established that the aforementioned worlds (Vulcan, Andoria and Tellar) were, together with World, the core of the Coalition of Planets of the evolving Federation.
• This is the 2d episode in a row in which Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs) appears just as a holographic simulation.
• The Romulan shuttle is the first new Romulan ship seen since the Romulan scout transport in TNG: "The Defector".
• Cited Rules of Conquering: #98 ("Every man has his cost").
• This episode builds on the 5th season episodes "The Ship" and "Nor the Battle to the Strong" insofar every bit information technology deals with the notions that during wartime, real people lose their lives every day, and that war has very real consequences. These episodes attempted to convey a sense of the horrors of war and subvert the notion that state of war is all most exploding starships and nameless soldiers dying anonymously; that backside a list of names are real people with families and lives. This theme would exist revisited one time more in the seventh season episode "The Siege of AR-558", where Sisko would once again be troubled by his own reaction, as he is in this episode, to the prey reports sent by Starfleet.
• Exactly what fatal flaw Vreenak discovered in the forgery is never mentioned, but its subsequent success in fooling all the other Romulans suggests some physical flaw in the rod itself, rather than whatsoever mistake in the narrative of the forged record, was what clued him to its being a counterfeit. Garak does note to Sisko, notwithstanding, that whatsoever discrepancies in both the rod and the program will exist written off by the Romulans as being caused by damage from the explosion, thus whatever flaw Vreenak discovered is ultimately immaterial.
• This episode besides echoes flavour 5's "For the Uniform", where Sisko similarly disregards his own upstanding belief organization and Starfleet policy in order to catch Michael Eddington. Both episodes were written by Peter Allan Fields.

Behind the scenes

A moment from the filming of this episode

• This episode is presented in flashback format, with Sisko narrating a log entry in his quarters in the 'present' fourth dimension, and the majority of the episode comprising scenes from that narration. Other episodes structured like this are the second flavor episodes "Necessary Evil" and "Whispers".
• Like the episode "Rules of Engagement", this episode comes close to breaking the fourth wall, with Sisko seemingly talking straight to-camera, and hence the audience. Still, there is no directly acknowledgment of the audience in the episode itself, instead the viewer merely takes the perspective of the computer to which Sisko dictates his log.
• The idea for Sisko to slowly undress as the episode progresses was director Victor Lobl's, who saw it every bit serving a double function; on the ane paw, Sisko loosening and removing his habiliment was simply to convey the passage of time as he paced around the room, on the other it was a thematic metaphor for how, equally Sisko narrates his log, he is literally baring his soul. (Star Expedition: Deep Infinite Nine Companion (pp. 557-558))
• Filming began on 27 January 1998 (AOL chat, 1998).
• David Bong composed the score of the episode. Author Jeff Bond praised the music. (The Music of Star Trek, p 213)
• Grathon Tolar's outfit is a reuse of Richard Kiley's suit every bit Gideon Seyetik from DS9: "Second Sight". It was as well previously reused as an outfit of Kellan's in VOY: "Dreadnought".
• Colm Meaney (Miles O'Brien) and Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko) do non announced in this episode.

Reception

• "In the Pale Moonlight" has proven one of the most popular among fans. When the series ended in 1999, a poll run in Sci-Fi Entertainment had this episode as the highest rated show of the entire 7 twelvemonth run, followed by "The Visitor" and "Far Beyond the Stars". Furthermore, this episode has an average rating of 4.8/five on the official Star Trek website (as of Oct 14th, 2008), making it one of the highest rated episodes on the entire site.
• Co-ordinate to the Star Trek: Deep Space Ix Companion (p. 555), this episode is mostly considered by both fans and staff as the darkest Star Trek episode ever fabricated, and the ane most antithetical to Gene Roddenberry's initial views of Starfleet, the Federation and 24th century Humanity.
• Ronald D. Moore commented, "Actually I think that is the one I am the virtually proud of, of the ones I worked on, even though I didn't take a credit on that 1. I felt like that was the best, most interesting script that challenged the show in a real way, and challenged the characters as far as nosotros'd e'er challenged them." (Cinefantastique, Volume 29 Number six/7)
• Andrew Robinson nominates this equally 1 of his favorite episodes, after "The Wire", "Improbable Cause" and "The Die is Cast". According to Robinson, this episode is nearly Garak teaching Sisko that "You can't go to bed with the Devil without having sex." (Star Expedition: Deep Space Nine Companion (p. 555))
• In a separate interview, Robinson made a similar betoken, stating that this episode demonstrated how Deep Infinite 9 explored more than difficult bug than the other Star Expedition series. He commented, "[B]asically information technology exposes the American innocence, that we want to practise these things in the world, just nosotros're non really willing to accept the consequences of our actions, and sometimes we have to do very dirty things, and we have to hurt people, and we pretend that that doesn't be, that Americans would never exercise that. We dealt with bug like that and I don't think… you know… the other shows really went equally far as nosotros did." [i]The
• Of this episode, writer Michael Taylor says, "It showed how Deep Space Ix could really stretch the Star Trek formula. It pushes the boundaries in a realistic way, considering the decisions Sisko makes are the kinds of decisions that have to exist made in war. They're for the greater skillful." (Star Expedition: Deep Space Nine Companion (p. 556))
• According to the 1999 book, Science Fiction of the 20th Century by writer Frank Chiliad. Robinson (p. 240), "…"In the Stake Moonlight"--was mentioned by TV Guide every bit one of the best dramatic shows of the flavor. In it, Captain Sisko is forced to beguile his ideals to save the lives of millions on a planetary system at the cost of one petty criminal and one ambassador of dubious loyalty. On the surface, no contest merely Brooks played the role with depth and feeling unusual in a science-fiction serial."
• 1 Television receiver Guide reviewer wrote, "An outstanding episode of the syndicated Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 'In the Pale Moonlight', was structured every bit a long, labyrinthine entry in the captain'southward log, as a vexed Sisko (Avery Brooks) dictated his perceptions of and participation in contempo momentous events in the Alpha Quadrant. The program'due south anguished, confessional mood, its Machiavellian plot, in which Sisko desperately attempts to dispense the Romulans into breaking their non-aggression pact with the Dominion, and Avery'southward powerful, passionate performance (arguably his best in half-dozen years on the science-fiction series) combined to make this episode absolutely stellar." (Television Guide, Volume 46, 1998)
• Time wrote of the episode, ["In the Pale Moonlight"] was the best of the war episodes: The Federation is losing; friends are dying; the planet Betazed (home globe of Enterprise's Counselor Deanna Troi) has fallen. Captain Sisko hatches a complicated plan to fabricate evidence showing that the Rule wants to conquer the Romulans. His aim is to bring the Romulans into the war on the Federation's side. As Sisko gives upwardly his principles slowly, one past one, in social club to brand his plan work, you lot expect Trek'south simple moral verities to prevail. It is dumbfounding, and chilling, when they don't." [2]
• In Star Trek 101 (p. 125), Terry J. Erdmann and Paula 1000. Block listing "In the Pale Moonlight" as beingness one of the "10 Essential Episodes" from Star Expedition: Deep Infinite Nine.
• Cinefantastique ranked "In the Stake Moonlight" as the eighth best episode of Star Expedition: Deep Space Nine. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 32, No. 4/5, p. 100)
• Una McCormack commented, "I was completely addicted [to Deep Space Ix] when I watched 'In the Pale Moonlight' with my jaw hanging open at its brilliance." (Voyages of Imagination ^{[page number? • edit]} )

Remastered version

• Remastered scenes from the episode are featured in the documentary What We Left Backside.

Apocrypha

• The novel Hollow Men is a follow-up to the events of this episode.
• In a Star Trek: New Frontier brusque story by Peter David, it is suggested that the Romulans uncovered Sisko's deception at an unknown point in the hereafter, leading to open warfare between the United Federation of Planets and the Romulan Star Empire. (Tales of the Dominion War: "Stone Common cold Truths")
• The boxing to retake Betazed took place in the non-catechism Star Expedition: The Next Generation novel The Battle of Betazed.

Video and DVD releases

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume six.10, 5 Oct 1998
• Equally part of the DS9 Flavour 6 DVD collection
• As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Captain'due south Log collection

Links and references

Main cast

• Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko
• Rene Auberjonois as Constable Odo
• Michael Dorn equally Lieutenant Commander Worf
• Terry Farrell every bit Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax
• Armin Shimerman equally Quark
• Alexander Siddig as Physician Julian Bashir
• Nana Visitor every bit Major Kira Nerys

Guest stars

• Andrew J. Robinson as Garak
• Jeffrey Combs as Weyoun
• Casey Biggs as Damar
• Howard Shangraw every bit Grathon Tolar

And

• Stephen McHattie every bit Vreenak

Co-star

• Judi Durand every bit Station Computer Voice

Uncredited co-stars

• Cathy DeBuono as M'Pella
• Brian Demonbreun as Human sciences officeholder
• Kathleen Demor as Human operations officer
• Unknown performers equally
  • Cardassian legate hologram
  • Reptilian alien
  • Vreenak's guard 1
  • Vreenak'south baby-sit 2

Stunt double

• Chester E. Tripp III as stunt double for Andrew J. Robinson

References

2360; 2371; 23rd Jem'Hadar Division; 47; ability; accessory; advisor; Alpha Centauri; Alpha Quadrant; Andor; assassination; Bajoran sector; Betazed; biography; bio-mimetic gel; bloody nose; brazenly; convenance; blackmail; Cairo, USS; Cardassian edge; Cardassia Prime; Cardassians; cargo container; cargo manifest; classified information; cold warrior; colony; constable; criminal action study; day; Rule; Rule War; Dukat; ears; Emissary of the Prophets; "eye on the ball"; Federation; Federation territory; Ferengi; field of expertise; flattery; forensic examination; forgery; Fourth Order; liberty; Fri; Gowron; Glintara sector; adept men; middle; Hell; homeland; import license; informant; invasion strength; Jem'Hadar; Kalandra sector; kali-fal; Klingon; Klingon Empire; landing bay; latinum; legion; lie; liter; Thou'Pella; mentor; Galaxy Galaxy; month; morality; murder; Neral; Obsidian Order; office; "Old Homo"; operative; stance; optolythic data rod; Orion slave girl; paperwork; planetary defense system; Praetor Colius Accolade; Promenade; Quark's; record-keeping; repartee; rib; Romulans; Romulan ale; Romulan Neutral Zone; Romulan Senate; Romulan Senate Quango; Romulan Star Empire; Romulus; secretary; self-respect; sinus; Sisko, Joseph; skipper; sophomore; soufflé; Soukara; Starfleet University; station time; suicide mission; Tal Shiar; Tatalia, Maria; Tatalia and Jadzia's mutual friend; Tellar; Tenth Fleet; Tora Ziyal; vice-chairman; Vreenak's shuttle; Vulcan; War Plans Council; Whelan Bitters; widower; Wong, Leslie; wounded in action

Casualty written report: Aguayo, Monico C.; Akagi, USS; Alfaro, Edith K.; Barnett, Richard B.; Bittle, Rick K.; Brand, Harry C.; Make, Shirley H.; Braswell, Elizabeth S.; Clark, Margaret C.; Clement, USS; Cochrane, USS; Covington, Barbara P.; Danhauser, Short F.; Derr, Laura East.; Duder, Dorothy R.; English, Russ A.; Erdmann, Terry P.; Exeter, USS; Inundation, Ann T.; Fredrickson, John A.; Ginsburg, Alice Yard.; Ginsburt, Alice One thousand.; Light-green, Mitchell B.; Hansen, Kurt S.; Hansen, Teri T.; Holst, Sandy A.; Jacobson, Phillip; Juday, Penny Grand.; Kenney, Grace K.; Kimya, Matata 50.; Kobayashi, Alan; Kurts, Beverly C.; Laprade, Jay T.; Lawrence, Paul F.; Leprich, Kathy S.; LeVesconte, Faith; LeVesconte, Lester P.; Limli, Rose E.; Long, Mindy C.; Mahoney, Tom P.; McAllum, Marian A.; McCammon, Kathy; Monson, Jon S.; Nemzek, David P.; Nemzek, Donna W.; Nobel, USS; Oberman, Dorit J.; Oberscheven, Lori B.; Ohlson, Larry A.; Ohlson, Nancy B.; Repulse, USS; RN; Sarajevo, USS; Starbase 129; Starbase 153; Tecumseh, USS; Tripoli, USS; Victory, USS; Wong, Leslie; Wyoming, USS; Zapata, USS

Unreferenced fabric

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External links

• "In the Pale Moonlight" at StarTrek.com, the official Star Expedition website
• "In the Pale Moonlight" at Retentivity Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Expedition works
• "In the Pale Moonlight" at Wikipedia
• "In the Pale Moonlight" at MissionLogPodcast.com, a Roddenberry Star Expedition podcast

segalclont1974.blogspot.com

Source: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/In_the_Pale_Moonlight_(episode)

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