Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)



Teaser Edit

Jake Sisko is standing on the upper level of the Promenade watching passengers disembark a transport and trying to come up with character ideas based on what he sees on the space station. An alien female emerges from the airlock and catches the eye of Jake before walking away. Odo walks into his office to find Lwaxana Troi crying because she's pregnant.

Act One Edit



Act Two Edit

Back in his quarters, Jake is working on a story when his father, Benjamin Sisko, shows up asking if he's packed for the trip he has planned with his father and Kasidy to the Bajoran outback for three days. Jake says he doesn't want to go because he really needs to focus on this story, and his father understands – although his father doesn't know about Onaya.


Jake arrives at Onaya's quarters, where he feels a little uncomfortable. Onaya assures him there is nothing to worry about – he's there to work. Onaya gives Jake the pen of the famous writer Revalus, and tells Jake to start writing – on paper. Jake says he's never used paper before, but Onaya tells him to write the first line, and then urges him to just keep writing. Onaya starts to bring out Jake's creativity while simultaneously draining his life little by little.

Act Three Edit



Act Four Edit

Odo and Lwaxana Troi married

"I present to you my beloved wife."

Odo arranges a surprise wedding with Lwaxana where he must convince Jeyal and all those present that his love for Lwaxana is true. Otherwise, someone can challenge the validity of the marriage if they doubt the groom's sincerity – and Jeyal will be one tough critic. The ceremony proceeds, and Odo delivers his speech which sounds superficial. Jeyal calls it a pale declaration of love, but Odo becomes more genuine and talks of how when he first met Lwaxana, she accepted him for who he was and how much that changed him. Jeyal accepts the ceremony, and Odo and Lwaxana are married according to Tavnian law. The child is safe. Quark invites the newly married couple to his bar for a wedding party. After everyone leaves, Lwaxana tells Odo they should probably tell them the truth about their phony marriage but they decide to tell them after the party.

Jake is still writing and appears very tired. Onaya again tells Jake he needs to stop, but he refuses, feeling that he is on a roll. Onaya forces Jake to stop by taking his pen and tells Jake his writing will be even better if he is well rested. Jake agrees and starts to head home, but decides to stop at the Replimat for a drink. He orders an orange juice, but collapses before he can sit down. In the infirmary, Dr. Bashir informs Sisko, who is back from his trip, that Jake's brain has been overstimulated and his cerebral cortex was on the verge of synaptic collapse. Dr. Bashir assures Sisko that Jake will eventually be all right, but he needs to remain in a neural stabilization field for a while. Jake regains consciousness just long enough to say, "Onaya, where is she?" and Sisko begins looking for Onaya.

During the night, Onaya materializes from an energy cloud in the infirmary and knocks out the nurse on duty. She wakes Jake up and tells him it's time to finish what he started and takes him to an access conduit junction near the reactor core.

Act Five Edit


Back in the security office, Lwaxana informs Odo that she's going back to Betazed and that she's imposed on Odo long enough. Odo tries to convince her to stay, but she's afraid the marriage would fail if she stayed because of their differing feelings for each other. She truly loves him, and she would want him to feel the same passion. But she knows that while he enjoys her company, he just wants someone to take care of; he doesn't really love her. He asks if that isn't enough, but she says in time she would come to resent the unevenness of their relationship. She has decided to return to her home world and eventually end the marriage so the two can remain friends. She tells him, "Goodbye, husband." Understanding, he replies, "Goodbye… wife."


Memorable quotesEdit


- Lwaxana Troi and Odo

"I can spot a creative soul a galaxy away."

- Onaya meeting Jake in the Replimat

"Odo, would you like to join the party?"
"I would..."

- Odo, Lwaxana Troi and Worf


- Odo, pronouncing his love for Lwaxana

"Someone once said, 'Life is a search to find the peace that you once had when you were safe inside your mother.'"
"I didn't have a mother."
"Don't worry, it's alright. You'll find your peace."

- Lwaxana Troi and Odo


- Benjamin Sisko, about Jake's novel Anslem

Background informationEdit

Story and scriptEdit




  • Ira Steven Behr commented: "When we came up the story, it was such a wacky idea - the danger of creation. History is filled with self-destructive writers. It would be nice to find out why writers can be so self-destructive, and we did. It was kind of a demented yet interesting attempt. It's a weird show. It's a show that we enjoyed. I haven't heard much reaction from the fans. I do think we gave Majel some good stuff to play, and I think Odo helps. Rene [Auberjonois] really helps sell those scenes". (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages, p 118)
  • Meg Foster enjoyed the episode, particularly for meeting Majel Barrett during filming. ("Eyes Wide Shut", Star Trek Monthly, issue 77)



Video and DVD releasesEdit

Links and referencesEdit

Starring Edit

Also starring Edit

Guest starsEdit

Special guest starEdit

Uncredited co-starsEdit


47 references; Alpha Quadrant; annulment; Bajoran outback; Betazed; Bolian; Camelot; candle; canvas; capillary; Cardassian; Catullus; cerebral cortex; character sketch; cup; death; Deep Space 9; dialogue; Earth; exile; Ferengi; First Minister; foramen magnum; Gavaline tea; heart; holosuite; Indian; Keats, John; King Arthur; main character; matchmaker; meter; Milky Way Galaxy; monk; mother; neural stabilizer; Onaya's artists; paint brush; parson; Pennington School; pregnancy; Promenade; Quark's; qui'lari; Rasiinian; replicator; Revalus; sex; Shakaar Edon; spelling; Tarbolde; Tavnian; Tavnian wedding; Kell, Tavor; theif; toupee; tricorder; Troi, Ian Andrew; Troi, Kestra; Umani sector; visceral writing; Vulcan; wedding; Yates, Kasidy

Starship references Edit

alien freighter; Bajoran interceptor (Bajoran interceptors); Bajoran vessel (Bajoran transport); Betazed transport; Umani sector transport; cargo management unit (unnamed); Xhosa, SS

External links Edit

Previous episode:
"Shattered Mirror"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Season 4
Next episode:
"For the Cause"