Past Prologue
"Past Prologue" is the third episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, broadcast during the first season.
The episode was written by Katharyn Powers, with additional elements added by executive producer Michael Piller and co-producer Peter Allan Fields.
In this episode, a Bajoran terrorist seeks asylum aboard the station from pursuing Cardassians, publicly renouncing his past violent ways.
He begins liaising with the Duras sisters (Barbara March and Gwynyth Walsh), leading to suspicion that he was planning further acts of terrorism and causing Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) to consider her loyalties.
The episode introduces the character of Garak, played by Andrew Robinson, who would return in the second season and made continued appearances throughout the series.
It was received positively by critics, who praised the introduction of Garak, although it was suggested that the plot was predictable due to the need to maintain the status quo at the end of the episode.
Later, Odo (René Auberjonois) spots Tahna with the Duras sisters (Barbara March and Gwynyth Walsh) making covert discussions.
Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig), thanks to his new-found friend Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson), overhears the Duras sisters planning to rendezvous with the Bajoran to give him a vial of bilitrium, a crystalline compound that can release a tremendous amount of power, but only if connected to an antimatter converter.
Commander Sisko and Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) wait in a second runabout nearby while Tahna and Kira complete the transaction.
Tahna orders Kira at gunpoint to return to the station, intending to collapse the wormhole with an explosive device, because then Bajor will have no motivation to invite Federation presence on Bajoran territory, which he sees as a new occupation.
There were several changes to hair and makeup following "A Man Alone", including modifications to Odo, and a simpler, closer haircut for Nana Visitor in her role as Major Kira.
[1] The episode was directed by Winrich Kolbe,[2] in line with executive producer Rick Berman's policy of only allowing directors with previous experience on Star Trek: The Next Generation work on the first season of Deep Space Nine.
[5] Katharyn Powers received the sole writing credit on the episode, although elements such as Garak were created by co-producer Peter Allan Fields.
[2] Also appearing in this episode was Vaughn Armstrong, who would go on to play thirteen different characters within the franchise,[11] including the recurring part of Rear Admiral Maxwell Forrest in Star Trek: Enterprise.
"[2] Fields had decided when creating the character that the station needed a Cardassian on-board and when no-one objected to his suggestion to put him in a tailor shop, that became Garak's profession.
