Did Sloan & S31 genuinely suspect Bashir was a Dominion spy?

[Enterprise1981]

Did Section 31 really have reason to believe that Bashir was spying for the Dominion? Or was it just a scenario cooked up to further prove his loyalty to the Federation? I'm going to guess the latter for the following reasons.

1. If a Dominion spy was operating on the station, some Starfleet would agency would have taken extraordinary measures to quarantine the real DS9, and the real traitor might have manufactured evidence falsely implicating Bashir or any other top-level officer and Sloan would have been playing right into their hands.

2. When Sloan says: "If Doctor Bashir had been involved in one or two questionable incidents, I could understand how you might be able to dismiss it, but the sheer number of incidents form a pattern of behavior that can't be ignored." What other "questionable incidents" would he referring to besides having lied about his illegal genetic enhancements?

One could question his decision to cure the Jem'Hadar of their addiction to ketracel-white if the Feds were at war with the Dominion at the time, but that was not the case at the time of "Hippocratic Oath". Recommending surrender during the war would raise a few eyebrows, but at least he was willing and able to prevent the Jack Pack from committing treason in the guise of saving 900 billion lives.

 

[Rush Limborg]

If you put the proverbial phaser to my head, I'd say...no, he didn't think he was a Dominion spy, per se. It may have been a test of loyalties...but I think it was first and foremost a "psyche test", a la "Coming Of Age" (TNG)--trying to see how he'd handle the mental torment of the scenario...especially with "Weyoun" trying to "remind" him--and the Defiant crew accusing him, etc.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Option 2, definitely. Rush Limborg's stress test analogy is apt.

... the Defiant crew accusing him...

That was the worst part of the simulation, with everybody raising their eyebrows in indignation, showing Bashir their backs and going: "Why, Julian, we most certainly and profusely wouldn't have thunk that. Shame on you!" They could only have topped that if they had started spitting.

I always found it strange that Bashir accepted that charade, but it was O'Brien's undamaged shoulder that tipped him off.

(Especially if you consider that most of the time we're supposed to believe that 24th century medicine is basically magic. Why would his shoulder still be sore 26 hours after it was treated?)

 

[G2309]

I would suspect him the left runabout left around the penal colony was brought up then not answered.

 

[Enterprise1981]

Of course, Sloan seemed to conveniently forget that Tain jury-rigged the communications system to contact the station. But that the runabout was left in orbit seems suspicious.

 

[Thestral]

Those criminal crazies probably did think he was "guilty" of something.

 

[Smellincoffee]

Well, he did advise the Federation to surrender to the Dominion. I'm sure that would raise my eyebrows if I were an intrusive, paranoid government agent.

 

[Rush Limborg]

^It's interesting--the idea of his telling the Federation to surrender--and then backtracking, stopping the Augments who were going to follow through with treason.

I think all of that piqued 31's interest: What makes this guy tick? On the one hand, he wanted a quick surrender--but on the other, he prevented the aiding and abetting of enemies (which would've led to similar results). On what does he base loyalty to the Federation--and loyalty in general?

Thus, ironically, it could well have been Bashir's own fault he caught The Bureau's eye....

Those criminal crazies probably did think he was "guilty" of something.

You say that, and yet you have not voted "Yes", as of yet....

 

[G2309]

I think he realised the augments could be wrrong. Which he'd forgotten due to their connection.

 

[Thestral]

Those criminal crazies probably did think he was "guilty" of something.

You say that, and yet you have not voted "Yes", as of yet....

True, because I don't think it applies - it gives legitimacy.

 

[G2309]

I'm the only one to vote yes? That surprises me. Although if the answers no and he wants to prove Bashir's loyalties he must have some suspicion.