Let He Who Is Without Sin... (episode)

While Worf, Dax, Bashir, Leeta, and Quark vacation on Risa, Worf decides to join a radical fundamentalist group determined to start a political revolution on Risa.



Summary

Odo and Benjamin Sisko are at the station's Replimat, discussing the coming of Miles and Keiko O'Brien's second child. Odo says that "Sean," one of their name choices, means "swamp" in Bajoran. Jadzia Dax comes in nursing a pulled neck muscle, her eighth muscle pull in several weeks and one of many injuries she has sustained since she began seeing Worf. Sisko wishes they could be romantic in a less violent way, but that's unlikely since Jadzia has managed to talk Worf into going to Risa for their vacation, instead of Earth as they originally planned. Sisko is astonished that Worf agreed to it, and wonders if he's begun to loosen up. But as the Klingon enters and orders his usual prune juice, Jadzia claims that he's the same old Worf. When he arrives, Worf says he wants to speak alone with Jadzia, and they begin to mildly argue about her having lunch with Captain Boday, a Gallamite who turns out to be one of Dax' former lovers. Soon after Sisko and Odo leave, Leeta and Dr. Bashir come in to inquire about their trip, asking if they can hitch a ride on the runabout as they seek to have their own romantic leave together. Worf, although not pleased, relents and permits them to come along. In the end, a fifth person joins them on the runabout to Risa, much to Worf's dismay: Quark, who would not give Leeta the time off unless he was permitted to tag along.

Act One

On the way to Risa, Leeta insists on serving everybody (except for Quark, her boss) their drinks. Quark is quite impatient, even though it's a relatively short trip, and his attitude almost makes Worf abort the trip altogether. Quark gives everybody but Worf a horga'hn, Risan fertility idols, which are used when achieving jamaharon, before wisely returning to his cabin on the runabout.



Quark with two horga'hn

Once on Risa, Bashir and Leeta go off on their own as promised, and Quark immediately gets lucky with his horga'hn. Worf did not change out of his uniform, and seems uncomfortable with being on Risa, though Jadzia does her best to change his mood. She almost succeeds until they are interrupted by Arandis, one of Curzon Dax's old lovers. On his last trip to Risa, Arandis ended up sending the elderly Curzon to his death during jamaharon. Worf is getting more uncomfortable by the minute, near the point of jealousy, and it's beginning to upset Jadzia greatly. She challenges his assertion that he is not too controlling of her by having a glass of icoberry juice, which they both know she is mildly allergic to. He relents from his jealousy again, and she urges him to put a swimsuit on so they can go swimming.

Worf encounters Pascal Fullerton the leader of the radical fundamentalist group "New Essentialists". These fundamentalists are attempting to start a political revolution on Risa. Their aim is to fight against loosening morals in the Federation.

Act Two

Worf reads a PADD about Fullerton's message and, walking with Dax, he encourages her to read it, though she is intent on vacationing. They find Leeta, who is getting a sensual massage from someone – not Bashir. She invites them to a reyamilk soak. Dax politely declines and leaves, though Worf is stunned about Leeta's behavior. Outside, Worf expresses his disapproval, but Dax says sternly it's not their business. She wants to go see the sights, but Worf intends on attending the Essentialists' event.

At the rally, Dax and Worf see Bashir with another woman – not Leeta – and Worf is upset about that and sees this as affirmation for the thesis of Fullerton. Arandis joins them, seeing Fullerton as entertainment and nothing more. The event is only attended by a few other people. Fullerton explains that morals have become degenerated and amusement has a higher priority than ever before. With threats from the Borg, Romulans, and the Dominion, Federation citizens can't afford this mentality. He concludes with an emphasis for hard work. Worf obviously agrees with what he said, though the others don't.

Later, the group debates the topic. Worf explains the Klingons saw the Federation as weak, inviting attack. Bashir points out none of the debate has to do with Risa, but Worf says he can't be certain. Dax says everyone needs a vacation, especially those who devote their lives defending the Federation. Just then, Leeta arrives and kisses Bashir. Worf has had it, and confronts them. Leeta and Bashir explain that they came to Risa to break up, through an old Bajoran tradition called the Rite of Separation. They excuse themselves to "work some details out." Dax and Worf continue to debate, but then the group of fundamentalists attack some Risian visitors during dinner, carrying phaser rifles.

Act Three



Fullerton, leader of New
Essentialists

When Jadzia and Worf attempt to fight back, Fullerton calls a stop to the action. It turns out that the phaser cells are empty and Fullerton arranged the event so as to demonstrate how vulnerable the Federation has become. Worf is impressed, though says he can't condone the group's actions. Dax threatens to arrest them, but Fullerton points out the Risians won't prosecute.

Later, Worf wants to talk to Dax about their relationship. Dax is argumentative as Worf points out he sees her as his Par'Mach'kai, and therefore everything she does reflects on him, including her impulsive nature. Ultimately, he wants to know she takes the relationship as seriously as he does. Jadzia believes he's taking this to an extreme, telling him he can't control her and should be more relaxed. They both agree, however, that each won't change who they are.

Dax goes to see the damage the Essentialists have done, and finds Arandis. She takes the incident in stride, joking that Fullerton needs some jamaharon. Dax turns serious and confides about her problems with Worf while helping her clean up.

Meanwhile, Leeta and Bashir complete their separation with a ceremony in which they declare themselves two instead of one. They end with a kiss. Quark, the witness for the ceremony, was expecting more, but is instead let down. Interestingly, Leeta says she can now be honest about her feelings. She then reveals that she has developed feelings for Rom. Both Quark and Bashir are shocked.

Later, Worf walks in on Jadzia sculpting with Arandis and is jealous. He goes back to his room, breaks a horga'hn, and decides to help Fullerton make his point. He tells the group he knows how to make people leave Risa.

Act Four



A storm on Risa.

Quark and Bashir listen to Dax vent about what happened. Bashir remarks he may have taken Worf's view if he was there. Furthermore, "figuring" Jadzia out was what made her so intriguing to him when he first came to Deep Space 9. however, the amount of work it took to get close to her was why he stopped. Dax shrugs this off and expresses why she likes Worf, despite the fact that he is a lot of work. Just then, Arandis enters to say she hasn't found Worf. Soon, they hear lightning and thunder, which should never happen in that part of Risa.

As several of the visitors group under shelter, along with Quark, Bashir, and Arandis, they wonder about what happened when Fullerton, and Worf, and his group enter. Fullerton makes his speech and leaves, but Worf is confronted. Worf stands his ground, saying, as Fullerton did, that Federation citizens must be prepared to resist a Dominion invasion and cannot afford to let themselves go with the illusion of Risa. He doesn't want to argue anymore and leaves.

The rain creates an unpleasant ambiance on Risa because everybody expected sunny weather. Even the Risians are depressed, but Arandis tries to organize a game of hoverball, indoor of course. However, only Dax will join, so she admits that the guests have been complaining about everything and is dismayed herself. She wonders whether Fullerton was right in that they've forgotten how to deal with adversity.

Fullerton explains his satisfaction to Worf, since guest population is declining and the message is spreading. But when Worf leaves, the fundamentalist confers with his assistant that all the attention will be forgotten when the weather control system restarts. He wants to take things one step further.

Act Five

Jadzia confronts Worf about the situation, saying his actions aren't about the Essentialists or the Federation but about them as a couple. Angry that he didn't trust her with Arandis, she asks him why he is so obsessed with controlling everything in his life. Saying there must be something going on, she states Worf sets a great example of Klingon honor, but has none of the Klingon zest for life. Worf tells her that when he was a child he grew up on the sparsely populated farming colony of Gault, and as the biggest, strongest and most fearless boy around he did whatever he wanted with no worries. At the age of thirteen, he captained his school's soccer team and was determined to win, so when he and a boy named Mikel made a play for the mid-air ball he threw himself at his opponent in order to score. He succeeded, but had failed to realize in his excitement that he had accidentally broken his opponent's neck when their heads collided, killing him. Worf realized that Humans are extremely fragile and he decided to restrain himself so that no one else suffered; over time his restraint became part of who he is. Worf promises that he will never hurt Jadzia, a promise she returns but she tells him that he can't control her and asks for his trust.

Suddenly the conversation is interrupted by an earthquake. It doesn't take them long to realize that Fullerton has something to do with it. This time however he has lost the support of Worf who tells Fullerton that the Federation will persevere against the likes of the Klingons, the Dominion and, most importantly, people like him. Fullerton hits Worf in the face, who responds by sending Fullerton flying over a table.

The five people from the station take a stroll on the beach with Arandis. Weather is finally back to normal although only on their last day of vacation. As Worf and Dax are left alone, Worf allows himself to loosen up a little and try and make the most of the few hours remaining.

Memorable quotes

"Isn't there any way for the two of you to... you know..."
"Make love?"
"...without injuring yourselves?"
"Interspecies romance isn't without its danger. That's part of the fun."

- Sisko and Jadzia Dax

"I'm looking forward to spending some time alone with Lieutenant Commander Dax."
"Isn't he sweet?"

- Worf and Dax

"Do not hug me!"

- Worf to Bashir

"Tell the Ferengi to return to his cabin!"

- Worf, to Jadzia regarding Quark on the runabout

"Now, if you don't mind, Risa awaits!"

- Quark

"I take it the scenery has improved?"
"A few months ago, when I was commanding the Defiant on a scouting mission to the Gamma Quadrant, we encountered a protostar cluster, a swirling mass of color set against a background of glowing clouds and burning sky. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, until now."
"I've got to take you on vacation more often."

- Jadzia and Worf

"If you want something to eat, you get it from a replicator. If you want amusement, you go to a holosuite. And if you need protection, you call for Starfleet. But someday, someday soon, you're going to have to learn to take care of yourselves. Because if I see you as helpless children, then how do you think the Borg see you? Or the Romulans, or the Cardassians, or the Klingons, or the Dominion? These empires look at the Federation, and they see a prize, a prize that we have forgotten how to protect. And if we don't change our ways, they're going to take it from us."

- Fullerton

"The way I see it, we've got two options. We can either turn our backs on childish things and re-embrace the hard work that built the Federation in the first place, or we can lie here napping in the sun, until we wake up with Jem'Hadar guns to our heads. The choice is ours. Heaven help us if we make the wrong one."

- Fullerton

"You think you're safe here in this paradise of yours, but you're not. What if we had been Jem'Hadar or Cardassians or Klingons or Romulans? You'd be dead now. Even you Starfleet officers were lulled into a false sense of security. If you could be taken unaware, what chance do the rest of us have? The sad truth is the galaxy is a hostile place. Forget that, even for a moment, and you risk losing everything. Just something for you to think about while you wait for your desserts."

- Fullerton

"Cute!?"
"Sexy!?"
(together) "Rom?"
(handing Bashir the Horga'hn) "Here, you need this more than I do."

- Bashir and Quark

"I've seen drier days on Ferenginar. And we have a hundred seventy-eight different words for rain. Right now it's glebbening out there. And that's bad."

- Quark

"It's the humidity - it dampens the food, makes everything mushy. Trust me...there's no word for 'crisp' on Ferenginar."

- Quark

"So what do we do now?"
"Now, we watch the suns set."
"I have a better idea. Why don't we go swimming together?"
"I...didn't bring a bathing suit."
"Well, I won't tell if you won't."

- Jadzia Dax and Worf