History Recap / StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS01E15Progress

*** Hydroelectric power doesn't always require [[JustForPun damn big dams]] on a river. Alternatives can best be described as "windmills under water," whether that water is a river or the ocean. Speaking of windmills...

* BrokenAesop: Subverted. At first it seems the [[AnAesop Aesop]] of the story is that Mullibok's rebellion against the Bajoran government is just as valid as Kira's rebellion against the Cardassian occupation was, even though she was fighting against genocidal tyrants, while he is fighting against something that will benefit hundreds of thousands of Bajorans. However, in the end the real Aesop is that Kira has to learn, against her instincts as a former freedom fighter, that sometimes the right thing to do is to side with the authority against the rebel.

* SherlockCanRead: At first, it seems that O'Brien knows about self-sealing stembolts. But then O'Brien admits that he has never heard of them, and the only reason he even knew what the the cargo was is because he read it on a manifest pad.

* SpiritualSuccessor: The episode is essentially a rehash of "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E2TheEnsignsOfCommand The Ensigns of Command]]." In both episodes, settlers have had the rights to their home taken away from them without their say to benefit the greater good. A main character must try to convince them to leave, but they insist on staying even though remaining would be a death sentence. Ultimately, the main character destroys a prized construction to force the settlers' hand.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Why is ''Jake'' the one having to convince ''Nog'' to work through a ChainOfDeals to make a profit when Nog is disgruntled at not being able to get Latinum upfront? Later episodes (particularly [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E06TreacheryFaithAndTheGreatRiver "Treachery, Faith, and the Great River"]]) would establish Ferengi (including Nog) as expert ''traders,'' not just aliens with a MoneyFetish.

The old man tells her four the thousandth time that as long as his home is there, that's where he's staying. In response, Kira phasers the newly-built kiln and torches his house, leaving him nowhere to return. He asks her to kill him too, but she refuses, saying she won't let him. The episode ends with her preparing to beam Mullibok and herself off the moon.

* SpiritualSuccessor: The episode is essentially a rehash of "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E2TheEnsignsOfCommand The Ensigns of Command]]." In both episodes, an officer comes to a remote settlement and must convince the settlers to leave their hard-fought home to make way for interests that are larger than them. Ultimately, both officers destroy a prized construction to force the settlers' hand.

* SpiritualSuccessor: The episode is essentially a rehash of "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E2TheEnsignsOfCommand The Ensigns of Command]]." In both episodes, an officer comes to a remote settlement and must convince the settlers to leave their hard-fought home to make way for interests that are larger than them. Ultimately, both officers destroy a prized construction to convince the settlers to leave.

While playing cards in the corner of Quark's, Nog overhears Quark flipping his lid over being stuck with 5000 wrappages of Yamok sauce; a seasoning only Cardassians can stomach. While Quark is peeved at having to write these off as a loss, Nog spies an opportunity.

Back on [=DS9=], Nog and Jake attempt to sell their stock of Yamok sauce to an alien freighter captain who deals with Cardassians. He turns down the purchase, but offers an exchange: 14400 self-sealing stem bolts which were set to be purchased by a Bajoran who was short on cash. Nog isn't too thrilled about not getting any latinum, but Jake convinces him to agree. He promptly acquires Quark's allegedly worthless supply of Yamok sauce for the trade, Quark being content that someone else is doing the legwork disposing of it for him.

Mullibok starts telling tall tales about how he came to start farming on Jeraddo. Such as digging with his bare hands, and crushing mineralized dirt with his teeth. Kira decides to share her stories of the resistance in turn. When Mullibok makes light of the occupation, Kira is indignant, explaining that the only reason they weren't wiped out was that they were "hanging on like fanatics." Much to her dismay, she realizes her resistance cell's attitude is much like Mulllibok's; and he's still not moving.

Nog and Jake inspect their supply of self-sealing stem bolts, only to realize they have no idea what they do. Even [[MrFixit O'Brien]] has never heard of these things before. Stuck with a huge crate of mysterious parts, Jake and Nog (Under the alias of the "Noh-Jay Consortium") contact the intended recipient.

He still doesn't have the cash, but offers yet another exchange: seven tessipates of land on Bajor. Nog isn't thrilled about getting dirt and no money, but Jake once again convinces him the land is a worthwhile acquisition.

Returning to [=DS9=], Kira tries convincing the Government to stall or use slower methods, but they're having none of it. Three people aren't worth depriving several hundred thousands of power. Kira is informed that the project is happening, whether or not Mullibok leaves.

Returning to his cottage with security, Kira again tries convincing him to leave. But the situation goes FUBAR when Mullibok's mute associates attack the security team. Mullibok loses it and tries strangling the security member, forcing the other to shoot him.

He survives, but ''still'' won't move. After Bashir treats his injuries, Kira stays behind to look after him and talk him into leaving.

Sisko visits her on Jerrado, and manages to uncover why Kira is so adamant about helping him: She's been in his position before: a much-trampled underdog at the mercy of powerful government forces. He assures her she's on the right side, that Bajor needs her, and leaves her to come up with a solution to the impasse.

While brooding in their usual corner, Jake and Nog overhear their big break: The Bajoran Government is trying to build on a strip of land owned by four different interests. They've been able to close the deal with three of the owners, but the mysterious "Noh-Jay Consortium" is impossible to reach. Nog reveals he and Jake are said consortium, and offers his uncle a very lucrative business opportunity; for a mere 5 bars of gold-pressed latinum, of course.

Returning again to Mullibok, Kira helps him finish a kiln he's been working on... and then says, now that it's done, it's time to leave. She's issuing her ultimatum: Mullibok is coming with her, whether he likes it or not.

The old man tells her that as long as his home is there, that's where he's staying. In response, Kira phasers the newly-built kiln and torches his house, leaving him nowhere to return. He asks her to kill him too, but she refuses; the episode ends with her preparing to beam Mullibok and herself off the moon.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: This episode would seem to lay the groundwork for Nog's abilities as an expert wartime scrounge once he becomes a member of Starfleet.

'''Kira''': No, no. I want to hear who won.

!!Tropes:

* The47Society: 47 people have already left Jerrado.

* TheVoiceless: Mullibok's two farmer friends. All we know is [[NoodleIncident "The Cardassians saw to that."]]

While playing cards in the corner of Quarks, Nog overhears Quark flipping his lid over being stuck with 5000 wrappages of Yamok sauce; a seasoning only Cardassians can stomach. While Quark is peeved at having to write these off as a loss, Nog spies an opportunity.

Mullibok starts telling tall tales about how he came to start farming on Jeraddo. Such as digging with his bare hands, and crushing mineralized dirt with his teeth. Kira decides to share her stories of the resistance with in turn. When Mullibok makes light of the occupation, Kira is indignant, explaining that the only reason they weren't wiped out was that they were "hanging on like fanatics." Much to her dismay, she realizes her resistance cell's attitude is much like Mulllibok's; and he's still not moving.

* {{Microts}}: Jake and Nog at one point aquire seven "tessipates" of land. Even in-universe they have no idea how big a plot that is, but since the buyer is the only person who knows what the stembolts they have to trade even ''are'' they roll with it.

Returning again to Mullibok, Kira helps him finish a kiln he's been working on... and promptly blasts it with her phaser. Driven by necessity, she's issuing her ultimatum: Mullibok is coming with her, whether he likes it or not.

The old man tells her that as long as his home is there, that's where he's staying. In response, Kira likewise phasers his house, leaving him nowhere to return. Persuaded at last, he has no choice but to agree with her that it's time to move on, and the episode ends with her preparing to beam Mullibok and herself off the moon.

* PlotHole[=/=]SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale: As observed by Website/StarDestroyerDotNet [[http://stardestroyer.net/Empire/Database/Query-ST.php?Series=DS9&Category=Realism&EpName=Progress&Keywords=&Quotes=&Analysis=&Submit=Submit here]]. Hmm, Bajor's got an electrical power shortage calculated at a few hundred thousand households. Should the Federation just build them a fusion reactor? No, let's wreck a life-bearing moon and kick all the inhabitants off. This would be a fine story in a modern-day Earth setting, but not for an entire planet of billions of inhabitants with abundant clean power.
** The Federation would probably consider this an internal matter and plenty of Bajorans distrust them at this point anyway. Furthermore, it's very probable the energy generated by the matter is for more than just the ones which are desperately counting on it now. Bajor is rebuilding and has a need for the power it'll provide many more houses until then.