Just as an initial note, even if you don’t know anything about Deep Space 9, I’ll write this in such a way that it’ll still make sense.
Also, this post is long. Subheadings and images have been included for your reading pleasure.
In season 2, Episode 6 - “Melora”, of Deep Space 9, a character is introduced. The titular character, Melora, is an Elaysian - and she comes from a planet that has extremely low gravity. This means that when she goes to places that use a higher level of gravity, like the deep space 9 station, she ends up being reliant on a mobility device, or some sort of special accommodation.
In this episode, there are two characters I’m going to be focusing on - Melora (no surprises there), and Dr. Julian Bashir, the main doctor aboard DS9. There is another subplot in this episode, but it isn’t of any major concern for the discussion here.
We enter this episode seeing an electric wheelchair, with mention of how they aren’t something that has been seen very much for hundreds of years. Star Trek heavily uses replicator machines, and it is mentioned how this wheelchair design wasn’t even on file - Melora had to send over the design files herself.
I find this a bit interesting. I mean, medical technology is quite extensive in Star Trek, but is this really to say that disability is so uncommon? I’m of the opinion that this is a boring way to write sci-fi. They are making a specific episode focused on disability, yes, but to bring such focus and attention to it implies that it is something rarely encountered. Yet, that doesn’t really make much sense. There doesn’t seem to be medicine in this universe that can cure all of the negative effects of aging - so what happens when you are elderly and need mobility assistance, but still wish to travel the stars? Or further, when you need accommodations due to your origins? Or even just regular old disabilities, that either can’t be treated medically, or which the person doesn’t wish to treat?
By calling attention to all the things that must be done to accommodate Melora, we witness how DS9 isn’t currently very accommodating. The chief engineer even mentions how they had to add ramps to many locations, and how even with the modifications Dr. Bashir has made to the wheelchair, which allows it to go over higher inclines, there are still many places that Melora won’t be able to easily travel. It is implied that in part, these issues are either caused, or amplified, by DS9 being created by the Cardassians. This makes sense to some extent, as the Cardassians are shown to be relatively militaristic, and this space station was made to assist in the military occupation of an entire planet. As such, it may not be a situation which really breeds an inclusive attitude to engineering. Even still, the Federation has maintained control of the space station for around a year at this point, and has yet to make any of these changes previously.
When the idea of using the transporter (teleporter) to help with mobility is mentioned, it is also stated that Melora had sent word that it wasn’t acceptable to her. Dr. Bashir takes this moment to mention how “once her basic needs are met, she refuses any special assistance.” He says how he finds her extraordinary, and when another character says how it feels like Bashir has known Melora for years, he says it feels like he has because he pulled and read “all her personnel and medical files.” Let’s just take a moment to let that sink in…
That just feels really gross.
When I was first watching this episode with my partner, I felt excited to see a DS9 episode that was gonna tackle disability. I immediately felt put off when Dr. Bashir mentioned how Melora “refuses any special assistance”, because I thought that meant that this was going to be an episode where they can have a character with a disability, but she has to perform the role of superhero in order to be respected. Once I actually met Melora, though, my opinion quickly changed.
It is not that Melora refuses all special accommodations, or that she is especially extraordinary, she is just tired of all the hekn BS. She is tired of people undermining her or underestimating her, and she is tired of people treating her differently because of her disability. She says how these things aren’t an issue until people make them an issue. She is used to being shut out of conversations that she feels should include her, and she says that she feels as though a medical opinion isn’t necessary, because she is perfectly capable of performing her duties. She also doesn’t want to feel like people have to babysit her, and she is simply tired of all the ways in which it feels like people are constantly performing acts of ableism against her.
I am simply tired of being treated like someone who is ill.
I don’t see anyone doing that
Try sitting in the chair commander! Nobody can understand until they sit in the chair.
Image Transcript: Depicted here is Melora, her teeth bared in a grimace, the emotional discomfort she is feeling depicted in the face she has made.
Melora says this with a grimace, her voice quivering through the delivery. The camera focuses on her, her teeth bared, the discomfort clearly evident. It then pans to Dr. Bashir, who clearly feels awkward. He looks sad, uncertain, and his eyes are cast down. He then looks away. He wants to look anywhere but at Melora, and doesn’t want to acknowledge his inability to help. The camera then focuses on station commander Sisko for a moment. He stares forwards, silent, his fingers laced together. Unlike Dr. Bashir, he doesn’t have the same discomfort. We see him take a breath, as he simply waits to hear what else Melora is going to say - ensuring that she has the space to do so.
Before I continue to quote this scene, I just want to take a moment to appreciate the dead air present here. It is made immediately clear how emotionally fraught this moment is. I really appreciate dead air as a tool. People underestimate how useful just a few seconds of silence can be, how powerful it can be to focus on nothing else but the look on a person’s face.
The camera focuses on Melora again, and as she begins to talk, she lets out an exhale, which feels like something between a sigh and a single awkward laugh - a single sound that exemplifies the difficulty of having this conversation, the emotional turmoil that Melora must experience to have this conversation, and ones like it, time and time again.
I’ve been in one chair or another since I left my homeworld. My family gave me this cane. It’s made from the wood of a garlanic tree. They had no idea what it would be like to live off world, in what you consider ‘normal gravity’. Only a handful of Elaysians have left home - but I always knew that I had to be one of them. I dreamt about exploring the stars as a child, and I wasn’t going to allow any….. handicap - not a chair, not a Cardassian station, to stop me from chasing that dream.
You must feel a great deal of pride about everything you’ve achieved.
And I’ve achieved that, Commander, without being dependent on anybody. To be honest, I prefer to work alone. It’s simply easier for me.
I am not comfortable sending you alone into the Gamma Quadrant.
Sir - I can focus on the job better, I-I-I can work at my own pace, without being a bother to anyone else.
Lieutenant Dax will be going with you.
Yes sir
Image Transcript: Depicted here is Melora, after the previously quoted conversation. She must stand up, as her electric chair was not able to enter the Commander’s Office. Melora is looking downwards, clearly disappointed at this outcome. Lieutenant Dax is focused on Melora, seeming to understand the difficulty of the situation.
Melora looks simply defeated after this. This conversation was difficult for her, and it is clear that this is a conversation she has had with other commanders, multiple times in the past. Melora has achieved so much, and yet it feels like she doesn’t have the agency she wants, like she must always be treated differently, or assigned a babysitter of some kind - when all she wishes, is that she could do her work, and live her dreams, without needing to be treated like an anomaly to be smoothed over, or an outlier to be rounded out. Just like how it has gone many other times, however, she doesn’t get what she wants. She is assigned someone to work with her, and like she likely must often do, she has to accept it. She tries to do so in stride, but even still, this is clearly a moment of defeat for her.
This is often what it is like when you have a disability. Your skills are put into question, and you spend most days feeling like the world was not made with you in mind. Commander Sisko had stated to Dax and Bashir that he would never let any ensign go out on a solo mission like this during their first trip to the gamma quadrant - but the struggle of living with a disability is that even when it is something that seems logical to others, it still ends up feeling targeted. How can it not, when so often people are actively targeting you anyway? And so even situations where the denial of your request may seem reasonable, it ends up feeling like a personal attack, because you have to come to expect personal attacks or risk being hurt even more frequently.
Suddenly, the Romance Arc Begins
Later that day, Dr. Bashir heads over to Melora’s quarters. Dr. Bashir makes some idle comments and small talk, but after a bit Melora says that if the Doctor came here for an apology, then she apologizes. (During some of the previous scenes, there were some moments in which she was a bit harsh towards Dr. Bashir, but I didn’t feel the need to include them in full.) Melora says that she “didn’t set out to attack [Dr. Bashir] personally.” Bashir responds, saying:
I’m sure you never set out to attack anyone personally, but you do seem to attack a lot.
Bashir says this with genuine kindness, care, and concern. His voice is quiet, and gentle. He is not here to reprimand Melora, he didn’t even come here for an apology. He came here because he is the one who feels bad, but also because he realizes that Melora acts the way she does for a reason. When it feels like the world is always out to attack you, then you must do more than simply act on the defensive. If you attack others, play on the offense, then it is easier to avoid being hurt. By shutting out everyone, by never relying on anyone, the pain of being treated differently, or like you are lesser, can be a bit easier to bear. When Julian says the line I quoted earlier, Melora’s immediate reaction is to say it is insensitive of Julian, but when Julian describes something along the lines of what I have written here, Melora ends up agreeing that the way she acts and talks has become a bit of a defensive tool.
And so, Julian asks Melora out to dinner. That was something he initially planned to do. He is interested in her, and also wants to get to know her better. Although, I will also say that Dr. Bashir is often put into this role in DS9 episodes. He is a habitual flirt, and whenever a woman is newly introduced as a character, Bashir is often chosen as a romantic interest for her. Or atleast, whenever a romance plot or subplot is present - but that happens a decent amount of the time.
Regardless, they end up going on a date to a Klingon restaurant. Dr. Bashir just randomly orders things off the menu, in Klingon. They all get plopped onto a plate, and by the end we have a plate filled with earthworms, what seems like some kind of seaweed, and what I think are apricot slices. Bashir seems to have no idea what he is getting into, but is ready to try something new. When Melora sees the plate, she simply says that she can’t eat it. While Bashir tries to say she should at least give it a try, Melora simply goes off in Klingon, having what feels like an argument with the owner of the store. The Klingon man smirks and laughs afterwards, taking the plate and just tossing it over his shoulder and says - “I like a customer who knows what she wants” before plating up a new order. Melora turns to Bashir and says “There’s nothing worse than half-dead ‘racht.’” (earthworms)
While this scene is amusing, it might be easy to write it off as unimportant. However I disagree. I think that this scene shows an important theme that will be present in this episode. Dr. Bashir is willing to dip his toes into other cultures, but he is ultimately pretty naive. Melora, however, is quite worldly, and has previously immersed herself quite heavily in other cultures, showing that she is more willing to experiment and make things work, even when there are initial hurdles to overcome. (In part, I can say this because I’ve watched the whole episode and this scene is set up to illustrate this point, and has later payoff.)
The next day, we see Lieutenant Dax, who was supposed to accompany Melora on the expedition to the Gamma Quadrant, heading over to Melora’s quarters. Dax presses the doorbell a few times, to no answer. At first I thought that Melora might have tried to go out on the mission alone. But when Dax gets the computer to locate Melora, and it states that she is still on the station, it is immediately clear that something is wrong. We cut to Merlora, on the floor, unable to get up. The rig she wears to provide her with some minor strength in the higher gravity is hissing, clearly having taken some damage in the fall.
Melora immediately begins blaming herself, saying she wasn’t paying enough attention, and that she tripped over the lip of the doorway. She wonders aloud what architect would design every doorway to have a raised rim - the answer to this rhetorical question being: one who didn’t consider people with disabilities. Melora laments the situation, worrying that she won’t be able to make her trip to the Gamma Quadrant. She is embarrassed as well, describing herself as “Flopping back and forth like a broken toy.” She didn’t want anyone to find her like that, but she also didn’t have the strength to lift herself up on her own. Bashir asks why she didn’t wait for Dax, and she replies “I didn’t need Dax, if I had just paid attention.” Melora wants people to know that they can depend on her - that she is capable of doing things on her own. Bashir, however, wants her to realize that everyone depends upon each other in space, and that it is okay for Melora to rely on other people too.
This is the issue, at times. When you are constantly underestimated, it feels like you need to overperform in order to be considered ‘worthwhile’, as a person. Even when it is hard, even when it is difficult, people with disabilities will feel a need to overperform their capabilities - and while I agree that people should feel able to rely and depend on one another, the modern world is often far less accepting and accommodating. Living with a disability simply feels like living in a hostile world, most days.
The next scene is a double setup scene. It sets up both that Julian knows of a procedure that may be able to allow someone who grew up in a low gravity environment to have the strength to move around in a higher gravity environment - and it is also a scene of Melora introducing Julian to low gravity. (Despite all their time in space, there isn’t much time spent in low or zero gravity environments on the show.)
Melora’s quarters have been augmented to lower the gravity to levels that Melora would experience on her home planet. Once she changes the grav levels, she immediately shows her comfort and dexterity, flipping and moving around with ease. Julian is uncertain of how to control himself in the low gravity, but with some prompting he pushes himself off - and ends up tumbling awkwardly into the air. Melora goes up and grabs him. She says that most people are curious about what it feels like, but that it ends up making her “feel like a carnival attraction. So, I tend to keep most people out.” Julian is thankful for the clear sign that he has actually been let in, that Melora has broken down the walls that she keeps around herself.
Then they start to kiss, and lightly float upwards, and as we see a cut of them wrapped around each other in low/zero G, I can confidently say: they fukin
In the next scene and also the next day, Melora and Dax go out on their trip to chart some of the Gamma Quadrant. A bit into their journey, Melora turns to Dax and says:
Image Transcript: Depicted is an old metal gear solid meme image that shows Otacon asking “Do you think love can bloom even on a battlefield?”
Ahem I mean, Melora turns to Dax and says: “Do you think there’s room for romance in Starfleet?” Melora clarifies that she doesn’t just mean a fling, but long term romance. The two women discuss the topic for a bit. Dax says that it is hard, but it does happen. When Melora expresses concern about the differences in their species, Dax talks about two people she knew who breathed in two different kinds of atmosphere - and yet they still had a loving relationship that lasted for decades. The most they could spend with each other, in the same room, without an atmo suit was 40 minutes a day - and yet, that was enough for them. Alongside other time spent with one of them in an atmo suit, they lived a happy and loving life together. What is expressed as a bigger concern, is actually the idea of a long distance relationship. Melora thinks about what will happen when she completes her assignment here, and has to travel somewhere else. Dax says that even though the prospect of a long distance relationship is a difficult one, it is still worth pursuing. Even if it doesn’t work out, it is ultimately better to have tried. Dax sums up this idea by simply saying: “Consider the alternative.”
Dr. Bashir Does Human Experiments
After this, some time is taken to explore the ideas of Dr. Bashir doing a procedure on Melora which would pump her with some chemicals and would alter her brain chemistry in a way that would… uh… make her be strong now. Not super strong though, but strong enough to easily move around in the gravity levels tolerable to humans and many other humanoid species, allowing Melora to ditch the wheelchair and cane, and move unimpeded. Melora soon finds out that this is a kind of monkey’s paw, however. In order to gain this change, Melora has to forego low gravity environments. She will no longer be able to switch to low grav in her room, or visit her home world for lengthy periods of time, or else it will confuse her brain and make her lose fine motor controls. Right now, this is reversible, but Melora has a time limit of about half a week to decide what she wants.
I do want to take a moment, though, to point out that Julian is doing Human Experiments
Julian is doing Human Experiments
This is experimental technology that Julian is performing here, and he is just immediately going to human trials. It is even discussed how he could write a research paper about this!
aaahhh!!!aaahhh!!!
Bashir’s focus is on thinking of this as something amazing. He says to her: “You let me fly for the first time. I let you walk. We’re even.” He says this with kindness in his voice, and a smile on his face, but this just feels so extremely gross. He also doesn’t really seem to understand why Melora would feel so conflicted about giving up her ability to enter low gravity if it means that she can walk unaided.
Julian seems ignorant to the greater implications of things here. This ultimately feels fairly realistic, even if it is frustrating that this is the case. Doctors and medical professionals will often focus on the disability someone has, and try to consider all of the ways to treat it. They will also do the same for things that have been pathologized in general. This is why going to the doctor means you’re going to experience fatphobia and body shaming for many people, for example. Maybe I’ll be able to put my experience with fat studies to use in some other post, but for these purposes I’m simply using it as an example. Someone’s weight does not inherently imply health issues, just like disability does not inherently imply health issues. Doctors will pathologize these things and focus on treating them all the same, even to the detriment of their patient.
As we come to the end of the episode, Melora and Julian have dinner together at the Klingon restaurant. While talking a bit, Melora says:
Julian… I’m not going ahead with the treatments.
Well, you can always try again someday, if you change your mind.
I don’t think I will. I like being independent, but to give up everything I am to walk on land… Well, I might be more independent, but I wouldn’t be Elaysian anymore. I’m not sure what I’d be. Besides, maybe independence isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I kinda like how it feels to be dependent on someone for a change. And I’m glad you got me to unlock the doors to my quarters, so I could finally let someone into my life.
So am I.
Melora is emotional, but sure of what she wants during this conversation. Bashir just seems sad and especially struck. This isn’t what he was expecting, and it seems like this isn’t something he had even considered as a possibility. The Klingon proprietor of this restaurant begins to play on an instrument and sing, coming out from his spot behind the counter. Julian seems like he wants to escape this situation, saying that they can leave if she wants - but Melora wants to stay, and listen for a bit, and says that she “wants to remember all of this.”
Image Transcript: Depicted here are Melora and Julian Bashir holding hands. Only Julian’s face is visible. It feels as though there is a well of sadness in his expression, as he looks at Melora.
She grabs Julians hand, and it seems as though Julian is just trying his hardest to not make it brutally apparent how he feels. He tries to smile at her, maybe even tries to smile for her… but the smile is weak, faint, barely present - and has a depth of sadness behind it. It seems as though if Julian is not able to fix Melora, if Melora is still going to continue being disabled, then he simply isn’t all that interested. Or atleast, this is the implication of things, because we never see Melora again in the show. The actress playing her was a one-off guest star. And that is how this episode ends - with Melora being willing to work through these differences, and Julian being unable or unwilling to do the same.
Thinking Beyond This Episode
The logistics of disability and disability assistance devices are complicated. Further, there are many people who don’t understand why a person may choose to not utilize technology that would theoretically aid them. One of the discussions of this that puts things quite succinctly is the article “I have one of the most advanced prosthetic arms in the world - and I hate it” . Many pieces of technology made for people with disabilities are clunky and janky. Prosthetic arms are often exceptionally heavy, and hot, and difficult to actually maneuver correctly. Cochlear implants are often really bad at picking up sound well in a crowded environment or a place with a lot of background noise. They only work best in a quiet place, when you are talking with a single person.
The things that these pieces of tech do end up giving you, is that your disability gets to be ignored to some extent. You begin to fit better into ableist conceptions of normal. And in those ways, you begin to get treated better as well. But there are still issues here, obviously. People deserve the opportunity to experiment with these kinds of technologies, and deserve the chance to consider whether or not they are a good fit. However, people often end up having a kind of savior complex around these things. In the same way that Julian felt like he could save Melora by giving her the ability to walk in a higher gravity unaided, many pieces of media make it seem like prosthetic companies can save people who are missing limbs by giving them a prosthetic. It often isn’t this simple.
Further, there is also a cultural component to things in some situations. Many parents are told to give deaf children a cochlear implant as soon as possible. However, due to the issues I already mentioned, this doesn’t solve every issue - and listening and hearing in a school setting can still be quite difficult. Further, this means that the child is less likely to be taught sign language, and is less likely to be involved in the deaf and hard of hearing community. This means that these children are still open to many difficulties, and are less likely to interact with the people who would most be able to understand their struggles. Worse yet, these children may not even learn the language that would help them interact with this potential source of community.
Disability is often treated as some kind of outlier, or something that needs to be fixed. However, the issue is ultimately with society. Take for example, ramps. Ramps are useful for people with wheelchairs, but they are also useful for people with strollers. Crosswalks that let you know when it is safe to walk with a sound or voice line are helpful for people who are blind, but also useful for getting your attention. Elevators are helpful for all sorts of people. A world that is built with inclusivity in mind is one that makes life easier for everyone. Many people also experience disability in old age - and they should not feel shut out of life if that happens.
It is boring to write sci-fi and fiction that ignores the constant reality of disability. Many people in general seem to wish to ignore it as a regular and common part of the world we live in. This is why the idea that “we are all temporarily abled” is sometimes used. While there is some friction surrounding this idea, I think it is important to consider just how frequently people require additional accommodations. And so, I not only wish for fiction that considers this, but for our real world to become one that is more accommodating.
Until then, we will all try to find the things that make our life easier. Those little hacks, and tricks, and small changes. We will learn the places with the larger bathrooms, the buildings that have the best ramps. And through it all, we will hopefully find other people who are willing to accommodate us, regardless of what that looks like.
