Homeport

From Hidden Frontier

Previous "Dancing in the Dark"
Star Trek: Hidden Frontier episode
"Homeport"
Image Not Presently Available
Episode no.	6.03
Season	Season 6
Release Date	May 2005
Writer(s)	Carlos Pedraza and Mike Urvand
Story Elements by	Carlos Pedraza
Director	Jennifer Cole
Year	2382
Stardate	59xxx
Episode chronology
Next "Beachhead"

Homeport Learn what life is like aboard Deep Space 12, as Excelsior's crew copes with the stress of battle ever looming on the horizon.

1 Synopsis
2 Production Notes
3 Guest Stars
4 References

[edit]

Synopsis

This episode is primarily focussed on character interaction; however, it can be said to contain three separate "threads" running in parallel.

[edit]

The mystery of the Grey

As the episode opens, Milo Surgant arrives in an observation lounge on Deep Space 12 for a clandestine meeting with Vorina. He informs her that he has found the location of the new Grey Research Facility. Meanwhile, Lt. McCabe has requested Lt. Cmdr. Lefler's help in investigating what appears to be a low-level deflector field in DS12's automated maintenance area (the so-called "Janitor's Closet"). With the assistance of Lt. Aster aboard Excelsior, they are able to jam the field, only to discover that it conceals the presence of Starfleet's new Grey Research Facility. Given Lt. McCabe's insights into the Grey, and his ability to discover the hidden research facility, Cmdr. Martinez requests that McCabe be assigned to him; at Cmdr. Naros' suggestion, he agrees to allow McCabe to remain aboard Excelsior and continue his research into the Grey from there. Officially, Adm. Nechayev reprimands Capt. Shelby for ordering McCabe to investigate the facility, but she privately thanks Shelby for exposing Starfleet Command's attempts to keep secrets directly under her nose.

Later, Lt. Aster and Ens. Zen are together in Zen's quarters when they are interrupted by Cmdr. Naros, who asks to speak with Zen privately. Naros tells Zen that he has been investigating a possible link between hyperdimensional physics and the tetrahedrons; because of the Dao symbiont's work in hyperdimensional physics research, he wants Zen to join his Grey research team aboard Excelsior.

Naros later offers Shelby a tour of the research facility. At the end of the tour, Shelby expresses her frustration with the secrets that have been kept from her, but also confesses that she has grown to trust Naros. Then Martinez and the newly-promoted Lt. Zen share with Shelby their latest theories as to the nature and purpose of the tetrahedrons' operations. Shelby discusses with them her skepticism as to the recent alliance between Siroc and the Tholians, and tells them that her greatest concern is the possibility of Starfleet being simultaneously engaged in conflicts both with the Grey and with the Tholians. Zen raises the possibility of co-operation with the Grey in an area of common interest: keeping the tetrahedrons out of the hands of Siroc and of the Tholian Assembly.

Meanwhile, their investigations on DS12 complete, Surgant and Vorina return to Surgant's ship, where Vorina meets Glinn Betras, recently broken out of a Cardassian prison, and learns that Betras is now working with Siroc as well. Vorina directs Betras and Surgant to Siroc's new location.

[edit]

Ro, Tara, and Aster: the love triangle gets more complicated

Ro is intercepted on DS12's Promenade by Federation News Service reporter Tara Abis, who is covering the escape from prison of Glinn Betras. Given Ro's role in Betras' initial arrest (cf. "Grave Matters"), Tara wishes to interview him to gain his thoughts on the present situation. After the interview, they meet again for dinner at a restaurant on DS12, and their conversation takes a decidedly more romantic turn. Unfortunately, they are not alone: Surgant and Vorina are observing them, so that Surgant can provide Betras with information on Ro's personal life for use at a later time.

Later, Ro and Tara share a kiss in a DS-12 corridor, when Lt. Aster comes by on his way to his quarters. Aster turns around and leaves quickly, but Ro sees him going. Aster stops when he hears Tara telling Ro that she is assigned to Excelsior for the next few months; after she departs, Aster and Ro look at each other, then part company in an awkward silence.

[edit]

A journey of discovery: Barrett and S'Tal

In an observation lounge overlooking Excelsior's berth at DS12, Lts. Ro, Barrett, and S'Tal watch the news broadcast announcing Betras' escape. Barrett and S'Tal discuss the possible implications of this for Ro, a discussion which ends somewhat awkwardly; an attempt to change the subject leads to a discussion of humour, in which S'Tal makes a series of subtle jabs at Barrett which have Ro choking on his raktajino. Later, Barrett and S'Tal are waiting on the station for Ro, when they see Tara intercepting him and requesting her interview. Barrett, seeing that his and S'Tal's plans with Ro have been "disrupted," invites S'Tal to view a hull breach that he discovered in one of the damaged sections of DS12, a hull breach which offers a striking view of the Ba'ku homeworld, the Briar Patch, and the fleet assembled at DS12. Here, Barrett confesses to S'Tal that he has been studying certain aspects of Vulcan culture, and that he has developed feelings for her that go deeper than friendship. S'Tal replies by saying that she has similarly investigated human customs, and kisses him.

Shortly afterwards, they meet again in the observation lounge. Barrett expresses a certain sense of awkwardness in his dealing with S'Tal since their kiss, to which S'Tal replies that their interaction is no longer "normal." They are shortly interrupted by a broadcast of Ro's FNS interview. When they meet again on their way back to Excelsior, Barrett tells S'Tal that he is willing to withdraw his previous advances for the sake of their friendship. S'Tal, however, expresses her desire to continue, saying that her perceived "discomfort" comes, not from a sense of regret, but from a need to adjust to their nascent relationship.

[edit]