Season 7 Episode 16
Plot Summary: Bashir is on his way to a happy conference on Romulus when good old Sloan from Section 31 contacts him. Sloan wants Bashir to gather intelligence on Romulus. Bashir consults Sisko and Admiral Ross, and they agree it would be good to play along with Sloan's plan for a little while. Once on Romulus, Sloan greets Bashir again, and says that he brought him here to visually diagnose a Romulan Leader, Kuval. When Bashir confirms that Kuval is sick with an alien disease, Sloan asks how it's affects (Eventually death) can be sped up. This makes Bashir suspicious that Sloan is trying to kill Kuval. Admiral Ross won't help him out so, Bashir turns to his last hope for help in stopping Sloan from possibly committing an assassination: Senator Cretek (the Romulan from earlier this year). Cretek goes to check up on secret Tal'shiar information, and is caught. A trial is then held, with Bashir and Sloan as an unwilling witnesses. After numerous lies (Though Bashir doesn't recognize them at the time) by both Kuval and Sloan, The verdict winds up being that Senator Cretek is in deep doo-doo. Bashir later realizes that all along this had been a Section 31 plan, supported by Admiral Ross, to get Kuval in position as head of the Tal'shiar. With Cretek out of the way, it is a sure thing he'll be elected. Bashir is angry at Sloan and Ross, but can't do a thing without hurting the Federation, for Kuval is a Federation-supporter.
Sub-Plot: Zip
My Opinion: I thought this episode was wonderful! It had a great intricate plot with an incredible number of twists and turns, A good atmosphere of intrigue and suspicion, and best of all, it actually worked! It contained a great number of good lines, and scenes, and presented a mood that, like it's predecessors ( Inquisition and In The Pale Moonlight ) really makes you wonder how far is it acceptable to go to attain an honorable goal? This episode had a tough act to follow, and while it wasn't the caliber of "In The Pale Moonlight" (In a League of it's own!) It succeeded in a lot of places. One thing that always bothered me about "Inquisition" was that the said Section 31 did mean things, but like what. This episode presents an extreme example that answers that question. Just think what a help it will be to have a supporter at the head of the Tal'shiar! And yet was it worth the sacrifice of Cretek? Even if she was a "patriot"? And even more important, is it worth the sacrifice of the values that make up the Federation's very foundation? These thoughts are not new, but this episode certainly enhances them further. Inquisition asked Bashir this question. It wasn't worth it to him. In "The Pale Moonlight" asked this same question to Sisko. Even as a Starfleet captain, he was willing to let the ends justify the means. And now, in "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" asks the question to Starfleet itself. And Bashir is horrified at the answer. The comparison to Ancient Rome, is very accurate, and hit's the hammer on the nail (Or something to that affect.) Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges: In The Time of War, The Laws Fall Silent.
Review by review by -William Phillips
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