Synopsis: Chief O’Brien is sent on a mission by Starfleet Intelligence to infiltrate the Orion Syndicate.
This episode can be seen as an illustration of just how difficult it can be to be in the middle place, between the Eros-driven irrational unconscious and the Logos-driven rational conscious ego. This space between the conscious ego and the unconscious James Hillman called the metaxy.
In “Honor Among Thieves” Chief Miles O’Brien is sent to the planet Farius to infiltrate the Orion Syndicate in order to ascertain the name of a Starfleet officer that has been sending them classified information. O’Brien, skilled at fixing things, comes to the assistance of Liam Bilby, who seems in charge of syndicate operations on the planet. Bilby and O’Brien become close and when Bilby’s superior, Raimus, arrives on Farius with a Dominion Vorta, Bilby witnesses for him. Meaning that he is responsible for any actions O’Brien may take. Bilby gives O’Brien the information that he came there for, but because of the Vorta’s presence, O’Brien is ordered by his Starfleet Intelligence contact, Chadwick, to remain on Farius to find out what the Dominion is doing there. O’Brien uncovers the plan where Bilby is ordered to kill a Klingon ambassador. O’Brien relays this to Chadwick, but when O’Brien realizes that Chadwick has no problem if Bilby is killed because of his actions, O’Brien tells Bilby that the plan is a trap. However, Bilby realizes that if he doesn’t follow through with his orders he will be killed anyway.
In this episode if we analogize Chadwick to the conscious ego, and Bilby with the unconscious, then the layers of deceit that O’Brien is having to create to fulfill his duty can be seen as the metaxy. We could even get more specific and say that Bilby embodies the unconscious shadow, that part of the psyche that the conscious ego wants nothing to do with. But just as the shadow may contain some traits that are not necessarily negative, just not culturally accepted. Bilby has positive traits as well, he is a family man, loyal to his friends, has a keen sense of duty, and a cat named Chester. When O’Brien becomes close to Bilby, it can be compared to when the conscious ego accepts bits of unconscious shadow into itself. It can be uncomfortable, and it can be uncomfortable in the metaxy, but overall, the experience will make the ego stronger and the psyche more whole.
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