Babel
- FIRST SHOWN (US)
- 24 January 1993
- ON
- First-run syndication
- STARDATE
- 46423.7
- DIRECTED BY
- Paul Lynch
- PRODUCTION NO.
- 405
WRITTEN BYTeleplay by Michael McGreevey and Naren Shankar; story by Sally Caves and Ira Steven Behr
An overworked Chief O'Brien suddenly starts talking nonsense, and soon a strange affliction is spreading through the station faster than Dr Bashir can understand it.
Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSIS
Chief O'Brien, swamped by breakdowns across the station, repairs a faulty replicator and unknowingly activates a hidden device. Soon he can only speak in jumbled phrases and cannot understand others, and Dax falls victim next. Dr Bashir discovers an engineered virus causing aphasia, planted in the replicators by a Bajoran resistance scientist during the occupation and meant for the Cardassians. When it becomes airborne and starts causing deadly fevers, the station is quarantined. Odo, who does not fall ill, has his hands full when a freighter captain tries to break the quarantine and puts the station at risk, and he and Quark have to deal with the damaged ship. With time running out, Kira goes to Bajor to bring back Surmak Ren, a former resistance fighter turned hospital administrator, and he is persuaded to develop an antidote in time.
- 01Ira Steven Behr's first writing credit on Deep Space Nine. He would later run the show.
- 02Sally Caves's story was first pitched to The Next Generation before being adapted for Deep Space Nine.
- 03Michael McGreevey wrote the scrambled aphasia dialogue by speaking it aloud and using a metrical structure, likening it to writing poetry.