Plot summary
Hologram engineer Lewis Zimmerman comes to Deep Space Nine to use Dr. Bashir 's likeness as the template for a holographic program designed to provide medical treatment. To make the program as robust as possible, Zimmerman needs a personality profile on Julian. Against Julian's wishes, Zimmerman invites his estranged parents, Amsha and Richard Bashir, to the station to be interviewed. Julian implores his parents not to reveal to Zimmerman anything about a secret from his childhood.
Julian's parents go to the infirmary to try to assuage their son's fears, stating emphatically that they will not tell Zimmerman that they had Julian illegally genetically modified when he was a child. However, they are unaware that they are speaking to Zimmerman's new hologram rather than to their son. Zimmerman and Chief O'Brien overhear their words.
O'Brien informs Julian of what he heard. Julian confirms that he was genetically modified. He was a poor student, potentially had a learning disability, and was below average in height and weight. Shortly before his seventh birthday, his parents sent him to a clinic for a series of treatments that improved his physical and mental abilities. When he was fifteen, he learned what had been done to him and stopped using his birth name, Jules. His secret revealed, Julian sees no alternative but to resign from Starfleet, as their regulations bar genetically enhanced individuals from serving.
Julian accuses his parents of giving up on his original self, but they tell him that they put him through the treatments out of love for him and worry over seeing him struggle. Before he can tender his resignation, his parents tell Captain Sisko everything and make a deal with the Judge Advocate General of Starfleet. Richard will plead guilty to illegal genetic engineering and serve a two-year sentence at a minimum-security prison, while Julian will be allowed to retain his commission and medical license. Grateful for his father's sacrifice, Julian makes some peace with his parents before they depart for Earth.
Meanwhile, Zimmerman pursues the affections of Julian's ex-girlfriend Leeta, asking her to accompany him back to Jupiter Station. Shy Rom is too scared to say anything to convince her to stay, although Leeta would welcome any reason to stay with him. She is on the verge of leaving with Zimmerman when Rom tells her that he loves her. Touched, she remains on the station.
Credits
Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Doctor Bashir, I Presume?. Paragraphs and formatting adjusted; illustrations, reference markers, block quotations and non-story material omitted.