When they made Julian be a genetically enhanced person and people found out it was a pretty big crisis for him since we learned that it is still against the law in the Federation. This of course brings up the question about are there other people who have been modified in this way and what happens to them? In this episode we meet the much more poorly adjusted people who had the same thing done as Julian, but they were caught and institutionalized and it is pretty obvious why. While Bashir is a bit annoying at times, he has nothing on any of these people who are either raving egomaniacs, near childlike maturity, or totally silent. As a bit of a transhumanist myself I find the idea of limiting human development offensive, but with these guys plus Khan I guess the Trek universe may have its reasons for opposing such things.
We begin with a Starfleet psychiatrist dropping off four genetically enhance patients at DS9 for a few weeks with Dr. Bashir to try and get them better adjusted. They don't like Bashir very much since he has gotten away with living on the outside his whole life, but they are also really into having someone to better connect them to the rest of the world. They also won't leave him alone hacking into the com system on the station to get his attention when he leaves them for too long. Their presence also raises the tensions between Bashir and some of the rest of the people on the station, especially Miles. However they prove useful when after only watching one speech by Damar they have figured out most of his background and his motivations. They also come up with a plan for cutting off the supply of ketracel white from the Dominion.
However now that they have proven useful they immediately let it go to their heads. They start calculating the outcome of the Dominion war and convince themselves that it is hopeless and that Starfleet should surrender. Obviously Julian and Sisko aren't interested in this plan but they won't take no for an answer. They tie up Bashir and arrange a meeting with Weyoun to hand over all of Starfleets plans and positions so the war can end as quickly as possible. Luckily Bashir gets the silent augment to untie him and he stops them just in time. Somehow they aren't all arrested and instead they are sent back to their facility with the psychiatrist from the opening.
Review: A decent episode that explores what it would be like to be an illegally enhanced person in a world that doesn't understand you. But also a lesson in why we shouldn't let our egos get in the way of our common sense.
5 out of 10
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