Becca’s Take on Episode 7: “Dax”
Alright, so this is definitely not how I expected this episode to go! I was expecting a Dax-centric episode, sort of like the past few where we had O’Brien as a central protagonist. Despite that, I was pleasantly surprised with the Courtroom-Drama flair of this episode. So enjoy the latest segment of Becca’s analysis of interplanetary law!
I will be completely honest, I don’t know much about extradition as far as US Law goes.1 From my limited understanding though, it is very interesting that Bajoran Law supersedes Federation Law. I was under the impression that Bajor was a part of the Federation, so I assumed that Federation Law would apply in Bajoran airspace.2 However, both Kira and Sisko make it very clear that Bajor has not signed an extradition treaty, so we get a hearing! [Sidenote: Kira was fantastic in this scene! It was cool to see her supporting Sisko, while also advocating for Bajor!]
I loved getting to know more about the Trill this episode! Up until now, all we really knew was that Jadzia Dax used to be Curzon Dax and that she is now female. The legal implications are explored throughout the episode; Sisko is arguing that Jadzia is a completely new person, while his opponent argues that she is the same Dax who (allegedly) killed his father.
From a legal standpoint, this is incredibly fascinating. I have only seen this kind of logic in a psychiatric context, specifically for someone who has multiple personality disorder.3 Sisko takes us through how Trills work; the symbiotic part and host part join to create a totally new person. This means that although the symbiont travels from one host to another and retains their memories, their personality changes from host to host as a new person is created from symbiont and host. We also learn that the hosts are not merely suppressed; they are truly joined. It was great to learn more about this, and it was even more amusing to learn about it in a courtroom setting.
I was pleasantly surprised at how accurate the direct and cross examination were! It felt like I was back in Trial Advocacy watching how-to videos. It was hysterical that the magistrate kept having to remind them that this wasn’t a trial, and was merely an extradition hearing. During a trial, there are two kinds of questioning, direct and cross. In direct examination, you typically want to ask sort of broad questions that invite your witness to tell their story. On cross however, you want to lead the witness, and ask questions that you already know the answer to. This is really clear when Julian is testifying as a medical expert.4
I especially related to Kira in these scenes because she functioned essentially like a law clerk (or an intern). She did as much research as she could for two hours on Trills involved in crime and was given a short opportunity to direct Sisko’s questioning. I loved seeing her act like a lawyer, and I hope we get more lawyer Kira later.
If I have any fans out there that moonlight as woodworkers, I would LOVE a Bajoran gavel to bang on tables everywhere.
Signing off – Ensign Becca
1 To be honest, I don’t know a ton about International Law in general, as it has not been my focus in law school.
2 Sort of like the United Nations.
3 i.e., claiming that a separate personality was responsible for certain acts.
4 I adored his testimony, he was the perfect witness. Even though the general went in on him really hard, Julian was perfect in his responses. It is hard to get a witness that good!
Return to Episode 7 Guide
Ponderings from the Promenade: A Journey through Star Trek Deep Space Nine 
You must be logged in to post a comment.