Life Support (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

"Life Support" is the 59th episode of the syndicated American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 13th episode of the third season.

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures on Deep Space Nine, a space station located near a stable wormhole between the Alpha and Gamma quadrants of the Milky Way Galaxy. In this episode, during pivotal negotiations with the Cardassians, Vedek Bareil Antos (Philip Anglim) is severely injured.

Plot

As the show opens, a Bajoran transport carrying Kai Winn (Louise Fletcher) and Vedek Bareil (Philip Anglim) suffers a mishap, and Bareil is left injured. He is brought on board Deep Space Nine, where he is treated by Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig). They soon, however, find that he is braindead. After Bashir tries to console Kira, who happens to be Bareil's lover, he begins an autopsy. Bashir soon learns that Bareil's nervous system is still active even though his brain can't process. He theorizes that the radiation Bareil was exposed to must be the cause and so he attempts to revive him by regenerating his brain. Bashir succeeds and revives him. Kai Winn is pleased and wants Bareil to assist her in the negotiations with the Cardassians that were begun by Bareil. Bashir soon discovers that the revival has caused Bareil's blood vessels to be restricted and is damaging his internal organs. He advises Bareil to go into stasis so that Bashir can find a solution, but Bareil refuses so that he can finish the negotiations and create peace for his people. Bashir then considers giving Bareil Vasokin, a drug that would increase the blood flow to his organs and return him to normal but would ultimately damage his internal organs.

The talks resume, but Bareil's condition continues to deteriorate, especially with Kai Winn continuing to probe him for advice when he should be recovering. Eventually, the Vasokin treatments begin to inflict brain damage, and Bareil falls unconscious again. Bashir suggests a radical procedure – replacing the damaged part of his brain with a positronic matrix.

The surgery is a success, except for the fact that Bareil is still severely brain-damaged and can live only for several months, just enough time to hopefully conclude his negotiations with the Cardassians. Major Kira (Nana Visitor), speaks with him, but he barely recognizes her. He is no longer the man she fell in love with.

Bareil is kept alive long enough to aid in completing the negotiations, and the treaty is formed between Bajor and Cardassia. As Bareil's condition worsens, Kira insists Bashir replace the remainder of his damaged brain with positronic matrices, but Bashir refuses on the grounds it will remove any 'spark of life' Bareil has left. The episode closes with Kira at Bareil's bedside, regaling a slowly dying Bareil with the tale of how she first fell in love with him.

In a secondary plot that runs throughout the main story, Commander Sisko's (Avery Brooks) teen-aged son Jake (Cirroc Lofton) and his Ferengi friend Nog (Aron Eisenberg) are confronted with the contrast in their different cultural views toward women and dating.

See also

• Star Trek portal

External links

• "Life Support" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Life Support" at TV.com

• "Life Support" at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

• "Life Support" at StarTrek.com