Gene Roddenberry’s utopian vision of the future is what attracts many fans to Star Trek. But as Deep Space Nine shows, solving the problems we face is just one part of creating an ideal society. Once you’re there, you must diligently protect what you’ve built or else it will quickly be taken away. And guarding against threats means that, sometimes, unsavory choices must be made and actions taken in the shadows.

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing bring you a commentary for and discussion of this seventh-season episode that asks what happens to the rule of law when nations go to war, as Bashir is once again tapped by Section 31 for a mission that goes against the tenets of the Federation.

Originally published as The Orb 116: Untitled Bashir.