96. The Quickening

Summary

In the Gamma Quadrant, Bashir and Dax beam down to a planet in answer to an old recorded distress signal. The inhabitants are all suffering from a disease they call the Blight, which was inflicted on them by the Jem'Hadar as a punishment for defying the Dominion. Bashir and Dax are horrified to see people in the terminal stage, called Quickening, being given toxic herbs to hasten their deaths. The people have given up on a cure--but one pregnant woman, Ekoria, offers Bashir her help. Bashir develops an antigen, but the EM fields from his instruments prove to worsen Quickening, so everyone but Ekoria turns away from him. When Ekoria Quickens, Bashir takes care of her. She dies soon after giving birth--to a baby who shows no sign of the Blight. Plans are made to inoculate all pregnant women with the antigen.

Summary provided by The DS9 Encyclopedia and Lexicon by kind permission of Tracy Hemenover.