Deep Space Nine · Season 3, Episode 13
“Life Support” · Season 3, Episode 13
In this episode: Julian Bashir (3), Kira Nerys (2)
[Kai Winn is trying to compel Dr. Bashir to treat Vedek Bareil in a way that will endanger his health]
Listen to me. I don't care about your negotiations, and I don't care about your treaty. All I care about is my patient, and at the moment he needs more medical care and less politics. Now, you can either leave here willingly or I'll call security and have you thrown out.
You won't need to call them. I'll do it myself.
How is Bareil?
The organ replacement surgery went well. He's still unconscious, but he should be awake within the hour.
Oh, good. There are still several points I have to discuss with him before the next negotiating session.
That's why I'm here. When you see Bareil, I want you to tell him that you don't need him, that you can complete these negotiations without him.
But I do need him, Doctor.
I realise that. But I want you to tell him that you don't.
You seem to be asking me to lie.
I'm asking you to free Bareil of his obligations to you. The only way he'll accept that is if you tell him he's no longer needed, that you can go on without him. Now, if that's a lie, then so be it.
That doesn't sound like a Starfleet officer.
I'm a doctor first. And right now, I'm trying to give my patient his best chance to live. The only way to do that is to put him in stasis. Bareil knows that, but his desire to complete these negotiations is so strong that he's forcing me to keep him conscious and mentally alert, even though it may kill him.
None of us wants that to happen, Doctor. But if I'm not mistaken, the decision regarding Bareil's treatment is up to him.
Yes. As the patient, it is his right to make that choice. But I'm asking you to help me change his mind. Eminence, you're the Kai. These are your negotiations. Let this be your moment in history. Finish the talks on your own and you won't have to share the credit with anyone.
You say that as though success is guaranteed, Doctor.
Of course. If the talks fail, you'll need someone to accept the blame. A scapegoat. [disgusted] You're a coward. You're afraid to stand alone.
Bareil's already made his decision, Doctor. I won't interfere. And Doctor? [in a threatening tone] I won't forget what you've said here.
[coldly] Neither will I.
[Bareil has been declared brain-dead]
[fighting back tears] Julian, you can't give up now. You have to keep going.
[sadly] Nerys, if I remove the rest of his brain and replace it with a machine, he may look like Bareil, he may even talk like Bareil, but he won't be Bareil. The spark of life will be gone. He'll be dead. And I'll be the one who killed him.
[sobbing] But if we do nothing, he'll die!
That's right, he will. But he'll die like a man, not a machine. Please, don't make me fight you on this one. Just let him go.
These quotes come from Wikiquote's Deep Space Nine pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.
