Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Field of Fire

Season 7

Episode 13

Plot Summary: There's this new guy, and he talks too much, and then after having a moment with Ezri he's killed. Murdered to be more specific. Well Odo and Co. do some investigating and determine he was shot with a projectile-firing weapon, rather than a phaser or laser. O'Brien later discover's that the killer used a gun with two nasty little details. 1)A view-screen-thingy that let's you see through walls and bulkheads and 2)A tiny transporter ion the tip, to beam the "bullet" right in front of a victim. Ezri, being the station's psychological genious, is incharge of figuring out the mentality of the killer, hopefully leading to the killer's identity. As soon as Ezri thinks the word "murder", her former pshyco-musician host pops into her mind suggesting that she preform some Trill right, allowing him to communicate directly with her. Ezri is at first opposed to the idea of letting Joran influence her, considering he killed three people and tried to kill Jadzia while in Sisko's body, but after a lot of thought, another similar murder, and some Klingon suggestion, she decides: What the hell? What's the worst he can do? Ruin my entire life? My life's already as awful as it could be! So Joran comes out of Dax and into Ezri's mind. He has her hold the killer's weapon, look threw the view-finder watch people who could be her prey, he wants her to act like the killer in order to understand him. But soon another murder occurs and Ezri finally finds a common element among the killings. Each victim displayed a picture of himself/herself laughing with friends and family in their quarters. More thinking and Joran suggests that it could be someone opposed to emotion, someone who thinks emotion is...bad. A whacked-out Vulcan is at the top of Ezri's list, but there are many Vulcans on the station, and it must be limited down before any acusations can be made. She narrows it down to only a few, ones who have had personal trauma recently, trauma that might send them into this sort of rage. At one point she walks into a turbo-lift with one of the remaining suspects. Joran proclaims that he thinks it's him. When Ezri gets back to her quarters, she gets he big techno-gun (The one modled after the killer's) and looks through Bulkheads to see what the Vulcan is doing. She finds him and he's searching his computor for...her Quarters' location! Joran demands for her to shoot him now, but she's hesitant. Through the view-screen she sees the Vulcan pick up a rifle like the one she's holding. He looks through it, and for a split second, they both see each other pointing their respective guns. Then they fire. Ezri is quicker and hit's the Vulcan enough to send his bullet off it's course and into the wall behind her. Crazy Ed the Vulcan is then arrested and Ezri sends Joran back into the symbiont. But... He will always be a part of her...

Sub-Plot: None.

My Opinion: Although this episode was not essential to the on-going plot, nor was it the best of the season, I was surprised how much I liked it between the two times I watched it! It was a return to how DS9 used to be! Little on-station missions, all the main characters playing thir small but interesting roles. And Murder's always fun too! (At least on TV!) Also this has been the best and most enjoyable use of Ezri yet! Last epsidoe was useless, the one before that was mediocre, but this was great! Probably my only complaint was that the logic behind finding the killer was a trifle contrived, if it had been briliantly thought out, this episode would have been perfect. But with the exception of logic (ironic.) this episode had everything: Great character development, cool weaponery, and Ezri getting thrown off the Promenade balcony! Also I want to give around of applause to the direction of this episode, the showdown between Ezri and Crazy Ed (on the view-screens) was spectacular! Gripping and great! All in all I loved this episode. It's probably more of a personal thing than anything else, but then again, these are my reviews!

Wrap-Up: "Field of Fire" was the best episode in a while (mainly due to repeats:) And despite some contrivances I loved it! I give it thee and a half stars!

Review by -William Phillips

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