Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges (DS9 episode)

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"Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" (pronounced IN-ter ARM-ah EH-nim SEE-lent LEH-zhes) is an episode from the seventh season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The episode's title is a paraphrase from Cicero's Pro Milone, Latin for "In times of war, the laws fall silent." The production code of the episode is 565. First aired March 3, 1999. Written by Ronald D. Moore. Directed by David Livingston.

1 Plot summary
2 Notes
3 Guest stars
4 External links

[edit] Plot summary

As Julian Bashir prepares to go to a conference on Romulus, Luther Sloan shows up in his quarters with a Section 31 assignment.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Bashir boards the USS Bellerophon, where Sloan explains that the assignment is to visually confirm the rumor that Koval, the anti-Federation head of the secretive Tal Shiar Romulan intelligence agency, and a candidate for a seat on a powerful Senate committee, suffers from Tuvan syndrome, a condition that affects Vulcans and Romulans. Bashir discusses the issue with Admiral William Ross. Ross says it would be better if Federation-friendly Senator Cretak rather than Koval became the Praetor's second-in-command, but that the Federation does not want to appear to meddle in Romulan politics.

Bashir meets Koval at the conference and later tells Sloan that he believes he does have Tuvan syndrome. Sloan asks how the disease could be accelerated. Naturally, Bashir suspects that Sloan wants Koval killed in a way that makes it look like the Romulan's illness took a turn for the worse. Bashir tells Admiral Ross, who plans to have Sloan arrested.

When Ross comes down with a sudden illness, Bashir feels forced to tell Senator Cretak his suspicions of Sloan's plot. Cretak views the information as appalling at first, but believes Bashir's good intentions enough to help him by giving him classified information. Bashir tries to delay Sloan by telling him he needs a tissue sample for confirmation of the diagnosis. Sloan has Bashir's hand treated with an adhesive that will serve as a skin sample collector during a handshake.

Bashir is able to shake Koval's hand but is taken into custody. He and Cretak are brought before the Praetor, and Koval claims to have known about the plot on his life all along, and brings in a physically beaten Sloan. Koval reveals that there is actually no Section 31 and that Sloan is a Starfleet Intelligence operative obsessed with getting revenge for his mentor's death. Koval says he doesn't know whether Bashir wanted to kill him or save his life. Sloan grabs a guard's disruptor but Koval fires his, seemingly killing him.

Back on the Bellerophon, Bashir talks with Admiral Ross. Ross admits that he faked an aneurism to ensure that Bashir would have no one but Senator Cretak to turn to. He also knows that Section 31 really does exist, and that Sloan faked his own execution in order to preserve the cover of Koval, who has actually been working for Starfleet. The whole operation was a success, and Section 31 is no longer believed to exist. He also admits the very real possibility that Cretak could be executed for perceived disloyalty to the Romulan Empire. Bashir wonders if anyone in Starfleet is above corrupting the ideals of the Federation in order to save it.

Sloan shows up in Bashir's quarters on DS9 again. He explains that he needed a man of conscience for the operation, and says that his own unethical methods are for the protection of good men like Bashir. Bashir calls security but changes his mind and lets Sloan get away.

[edit] Notes

Garak reiterates his back story of his time on Romulus as a gardener.

Since the Bellerophon is an Intrepid-class ship like Voyager, some Star Trek: Voyager sets were used for this episode.

The Bellerophon was named for a Greek mythological hero best known for slaying the mythical beast known as the Chimera - which happens to be the title of a previous DS9 episode which first aired two weeks prior to this episode.