Babel (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) 2182667 225907647 2008-07-15T23:28:43Z 152.7.7.114 {{ST episode | name = Babel | image = [[Image:STDS9Ep105.jpg|270px]]<br>The crew loses the ability to communicate| series = Deep Space Nine | ep_num = 5 | prod_num = 405 | date = [[January 24]], [[1993]] | writer = [[Gerald Sanford]]<br>[[Michael Piller]] | director = [[Paul Lynch (director)|Paul Lynch]] | guest = [[Jack Kehler]] as Captain Jaheel<br />[[Matthew Faison]] as Surmak Ren<br />[[Ann Gillespie]] as Nurse Jabara<br />[[Geraldine Farrell]] as Galis Blin<br />[[Bo Zenga]] as Asoth<br />[[Kathleen Wirt]] as Aphasia Victim<br />[[Lee Brooks]] as Aphasia Victim<br />[[Richard Ryder (actor)|Richard Ryder]] as Bajoran Deputy<br>[[Frank Novak]] as Businessman<br>[[Todd Feder]] as Federation Male<br>[[Mark Allen Shepherd]] as Morn| stardate = 46423.7 | year = 2369 | prev = [[A Man Alone (DS9 episode)|A Man Alone]] | next = [[Captive Pursuit]] | }} '''"Babel"''' is the fifth episode of the first season of [[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]. '''Quick Overview''': A mysterious [[virus]] plagues the [[Deep Space Nine|station]] that disrupts one's audio and visual brain processes. Because of this, nobody understands one another. ==Plot== [[Miles O'Brien (Star Trek)|Chief O'Brien]] is having to deal with numerous malfunctions throughout the station. This includes most of the station's [[Replicator (Star Trek)|replicators]]. While fixing one of the replicators, O'Brien unwittingly activates a device that was placed in one of the replicators. Shortly afterwards, O'Brien begins showing signs of [[aphasia]] &mdash; he becomes unable to speak coherently and is unable to understand others. At first, [[Julian Bashir|Doctor Bashir]] isn't sure why O'Brien suddenly became aphasic, tests showed no physiological causes. But when [[Jadzia Dax|Lt. Dax]] suddenly becomes aphasic right before his eyes, he soon realizes that they are dealing with a virus that only mimics aphasia. He also determines that the virus is in the food that had come from command level replicators, but that the other replicators aren't producing contaminated food. But people all over the station were showing signs of infection as well. The station is put under [[quarantine]] to keep the virus from spreading. Odo soon finds that [[Quark (Star Trek)|Quark]] &mdash; with his replicators still not functioning - decided to produce the menu from his bar using a functional replicator in an abandoned set of crew quarters. The result was that the contanimated food was spread all over the station. As the virus spreads, [[Julian Bashir|Bashir]] discovers that the virus has [[mutation|mutated]] to become airborne. It is also causing a dangerous fever in its victims, which might kill them. Kira soon finds a module in the last replicator O'Brien had worked on. Taking it to Bashir, the crew discovers that the module inserted computer code into the replicators that built the virus into the food. Bashir reveals that the Bajoran underground placed the module in the replicator, and that the virus was engineered by a [[Bajoran]] terrorist during the time of the [[Cardassian Occupation|Cardassian occupation of Bajor]]. The doctor (Dekon Elig) who created the virus had died while in a [[Cardassian]] prison. As the doctor (Surmak Ren) who served as the creator's assistant is unwilling to help find a cure, Kira kidnaps him, causing him to become infected as well. Meanwhile virtually the entire crew is incapacitated. Captain Jameel, who was desperate to leave in order to deliver a perishable cargo, tries to leave the station without clearance, and damages his ship in the process. Quark helps [[Odo (Star Trek)|Odo]] save the station from the ship by ejecting it from its docking port before it could explode, destroying the ship in the process. The Bajoran doctor eventually finds a cure. ==References== * P. Farrand, ''Nitpicker's Guide for Deep space Nine Trekkers'' New York: Dell (1996): 21 - 24 ==External links== {{memoryalpha|Babel (episode)}} *{{StarTrekDS9 article|68092|Babel}} [[Category:Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes]] [[Category:1993 television episodes]] [[fr:Babel (épisode de Star Trek : Deep Space Nine)]]