"Second Skin" is an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The episode originally aired in October 1994.
Kira is kidnapped by the Obsidian Order and surgically altered to appear as the Cardassian daughter of an influential Legate.
Summary[]
Kira is shocked to find her appearance changed to that of a Cardassian.
Major Kira is contacted by a Bajoran archivist, who wants to know about Kira’s experience at the Elemspur detention center during the Occupation of Bajor. Kira replies that she was never at Elemspur, despite what the records say. At the time the records say she was at Elempur, Kira recalls she was with the Shakaar resistance cell in the Dahkur Hills. She contacts a man who is mentioned in the files as also being at Elemspur and she is stunned that he recognises her. Kira decides to visit Bajor, but disappears soon after arriving.
Kira wakes up and is stunned to find that she now looks like a Cardassian. A Cardassian man, Entek, explains that Kira is really Iliana Ghemor, an operative of the Obsidian Order, who volunteered to be surgically altered to resemble Kira and replace her. “Iliana” doesn’t remember this as her own memories were replaced with Kira’s. Kira refuses to believe Entek. Iliana’s father Legate Ghemor comes to see her, but she also refuses to believe this.
On Deep Space 9, Garak approaches Bashir with information on Kira’s kidnapping. Garak is reluctant to help, but Commander Sisko is able to pursuade him. Sisko has the Defiant concealed as a Kobheerian freighter to enter Cardassian space. They are approached by a Cardassian ship, but Garak gives them a code and an order to withdrawal, which they do.
On Cardassia, Kira still refuses to believe Entek, so he shows her a dead body - Kira’s. Kira retorts the body could be a clone, but Entek relays a story that only Kira would know, where she mistook a hara cat for a Cardassian soldier. Kira tries to escape, but is stopped by Legate Ghemor. He truly believes that his daughter has returned to home, and will protect her from Entek and the Obsidian Order. Kira watches a message that Iliana made before her mission.
Entek gives up asking Kira for intelligence, telling her that she will next be brought to the Obsidian Order for further debriefing. Legate Ghemor plans to help his daughter escape, and he reveals he is opposed to the power that the Cardassian Central Command and the Obsidian Order have over the Cardassian people. Kira realises that Entek’s plan all along was for Ghemor to help her escape. The Obsidian Order must have found out that he is a dissident and will be able to expose him for helping her.
Sisko, Garak and Odo arrive, and Entek is killed by Garak. Kira and Ghemor escape with the others. On Deep Space 9, Dr. Bashir confirms that Kira is definitely a Bajoran, and her Bajoran appearance is restored. Ghemor hopes that he will find his daughter one day, and also tells Kira to never trust Garak.
References[]
Characters[]
- Alenis Grem • Ari (Cardassian) • Julian Bashir • Benil • Jadzia Dax • Corbin Entek • Elim Garak • Iliana Ghemor • Tekeny Ghemor • Jones • Kira Nerys • Odo • Quark • Benjamin Sisko • Yeln Arvam • Yteppa
- Referenced only
- Kaleen Ghemor • Kira Meru • Kira Taban • Miles O'Brien • Viterian
Locations[]
- Cardassia • Cardassia City • Deep Space 9 • Habitat ring • Operations center • Promenade • Quark's • Replimat • Station commander's office
- Referenced only
- Bajor • Bestri Woods • Dahkur Hills • Dahkur Province • Demilitarized Zone • Elemspur • Klaestron IV • New Mecca • Obsidian Order Headquarters • Singha refugee camp
Starships[]
- Referenced only
- Galor-class
Races and cultures[]
- Bajoran • Cardassian • Changeling • Ferengi • Human • Kobliad • Kobheerian • Trill
States and Organizations[]
- Bajoran Militia • Cardassian Central Command • Cardassian dissident movement • Cardassian 8th Order • Cardassian Guard • Cardassian Union • Central Archives • Obsidian Order • Starfleet • United Federation of Planets
- Referenced only
- Bajoran Resistance • Central University • Dominion • Maquis • Shakaar resistance cell • Starfleet Intelligence
Other references[]
- 2361 • Alpha Red • anti-grav sailing • bone carving • claustrophobia • clone • cryogenic chamber • cryogenics • desegranine • gul • hara cat • hasperat • holodeck • holo-filter • hologram • holosuite • icon painting • inquisitor • legate • Occupation of Bajor • phaser • phaser bank • power cell • screech rhino • sensor sweep • shield harmonic • shield modulator • sleeper agent • toranium • transporter
Appendices[]
Related stories[]
- Iliana Ghemor appears in the novels Warpath, Fearful Symmetry (which revealed much about her past), The Soul Key, Sacraments of Fire and Ascendance. Entek appears in The Art of the Impossible and the aforementioned Fearful Symmetry.
- The events of this episode are mentioned in "Ties of Blood and Water", The Fallen and "Face Value".
- Kira's time at Elemspur is shown in the novel Fearful Symmetry.
Cast[]
- Avery Brooks as Benjamin Sisko
- Nana Visitor as Kira Nerys and Iliana Ghemor
- Rene Auberjonois as Odo
- Terry Farrell as Jadzia Dax
- Alexander Siddig as Julian Bashir
- Armin Shimerman as Quark
- Andrew J. Robinson as Garak
- Christopher Carroll as Benil
External links[]
- Second Skin article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Second Skin (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Connections[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous episode: Equilibrium |
DS9 episode produced | Next episode: The Abandoned |
| Previous episode: Equilibrium |
DS9 episode aired | Next episode: The Abandoned |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: Do Comets Dream? |
Next Adventure: Tooth and Claw | |