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STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE

Emissary

Stardate: 46379.1/46392.7

For six days during Stardate 43997, Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise was held captive by a sinister race called the Borg. The Borg altered the captain's appearance and mind and forced him to lead an attack against the Federation, during which the Saratoga was all but destroyed. One of the Saratoga's officers, Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Sisko, managed to escape with his young son Jake. Unfortunately, his wife did not survive.

Three years later, a reluctant Sisko and his even more reluctant son are transferred to the space station Deep Space Nine in Bajoran territory. Now a Commander, Sisko has been ordered to oversee the repair of the giant space station, which was heavily damaged during a period of Cardassian military occupation.

After his arrival, Sisko begins to meet his crew. He first encounters Chief Operations Officer Miles O'Brien, who has been transferred from the Enterprise, and Kira Nerys, a Bajoran who helped lead her people's painful fight against the Cardassians. Kira agrees to act as Sisko's first officer, but has reservations about the Federation's presence on the Bajoran space station. Soon afterward, he meets Odo, a shape shifter and security officer who exhibits his chameleon-like talents while apprehending a Ferengi thief. Quark, the Ferengi owner of the local watering hole and gambling establishment, arrives to bail out the thief -- his young nephew, Nog. Sisko agrees to free Nog only if Quark will remain aboard and continue to operate his recreation center for the station's residents and visitors.

The Enterprise docks at Deep Space Nine, and Sisko has a tense meeting with Picard, whom he blames for the death of his wife. Picard tersely informs Sisko that his mission aboard the space station is to assure the Bajora enter the Federation. Sisko indicates that while he will do his job as long as he is there, he may resign his post. The two part on less-than-friendly terms. Sisko looks to Kira for insight into the Bajora, and she tells that his only chance for success is for the Bajora, a somewhat diverse group, to find reason to unite. She suggests that he seek out Kai Opaka, the Bajoran spiritual leader, and Sisko immediately sets out to find her. Kai Opaka reveals that Sisko's arrival has a deep spiritual purpose, but is unable to reveal exactly what it is. She entrusts Sisko with a powerful and mystical orb, telling him his destiny is to reclaim eight other orbs stolen by the Cardassians. To demonstrate the orb's power, Kai Opaka uses it to transport Sisko to the beach where he first met his wife.

Back on Deep Space Nine, Sisko greets his new crew of medical and science officers, including Dr. Julian Bashir, a cocky and ambitious young doctor, and Jadzia Dax, a beautiful Trill. Sisko's relationship with Dax is complicated by the fact that, as a Trill, she lives by inhabiting different host bodies. She and Sisko were close friends while she inhabited her previous body -- that of an old man. In the laboratory, Sisko shows Dax the orb and explains they must find the eight others. When Sisko leaves, Dax experiences the orb's immense power when it takes her back to an earlier time, just as it did with Sisko.

Before long, the Enterprise disembarks and a Cardassian warship arrives at the station. The Cardassian leader, Gul Dukat, immediately tries to convince Sisko to relinquish the orb, but Sisko denies knowing anything about it or the other orbs. Later, Dax researches the orbs' history and informs Sisko that they may come from the nearby Denorios belt.

Dax and Sisko set out for the Denorios belt in a runabout. Without warning they are propelled through a giant tear in the fabric of space -- a wormhole. After a spectacular light show, the pod slips out of the wormhole and into another corner of space -- 70,000 light years from Bajor. Realizing this may be the venue the orbs entered their system, Sisko and Dax re-enter the wormhole to return home and study the implications. However, they land on a remote planet where an orb captures Dax and transports her back to Deep Space Nine. Dax immediately informs the others of her journey, exciting all of them with the possibilities the discovery presents. Kira demands that they transport Deep Space Nine to the mouth of the wormhole so the Bajorans may claim and operate the wormhole and gain power over the Cardassians. But Odo, who was discovered in the Denorios belt and does not know of his origins, has mixed feelings about the wormhole and the link it may provide to his past.

Left alone on the strange planet, Sisko communicates with the awesome force behind the orbs, who first perceive him as a threat. The force does not understand linear time, and presents Sisko with a barrage of images from his life, including the day he met his wife, Jennifer, and the battle where she was killed. Sisko is able to communicate with the alien images of Jake and his late wife. Soon after, Sisko and the force begin to understand each other.

O'Brien begins the task of maneuvering the space station to the mouth of the wormhole, but a Cardassian ship reaches it first. However, the mouth of the wormhole collapses around the alien ship, stranding it in a remote part of the galaxy. The alien force detects the Cardassian ship's presence and informs Sisko that they are no longer alone. However, the force continues to communicate with Sisko, indicating that he is trapped at the moment in time when his wife was killed aboard the Saratoga. Realizing his pain has been holding him back, Sisko allows the force to guide him through the circumstances leading up to his wife's death and helps him to finally grieve for his loss.

Aboard Deep Space Nine, Kira is contacted by Cardassian leader Gul Jasad, who accuses the station crew of destroying the lost Cardassian ship. The crew denies the accusation, but Jasad declares war, prompting Kira to launch an attack against the enemy. The battle escalates and the space station is damaged, but the wormhole suddenly reappears. Sisko's runabout is seen towing the Cardassian ship out of danger, and the fighting ceases.

Later, a changed Sisko speaks with Picard about the events of the past few days. He decides to keep his post on Deep Space Nine, and Picard agrees. Later, he speaks with Kai Opaka, who informs Sisko that this is not the last time he will work with the Bajoran prophets to secure the future of the space station inhabitants.

Past Prologue

Stardate: Unknown

Dr. Bashir is excited to meet Garak, the last Cardassian aboard Deep Space Nine and a rumored spy. He rushes to tell the rest of the crew, but they are busy rescuing a Bajoran, Tahna Los, whose ship has been attacked by Cardassians. Tahna and Kira instantly recognize each other from their days in the Bajoran underground. The Cardassians hail Sisko and demand he turn Tahna over to them, saying he is a member of a Bajoran terrorist group called the Khon-Ma. However, Tahna renounces terrorism and asks for asylum, and thanks to Kira's impassioned plea to a wary Sisko, he gets it.

A day or so later, Klingon sisters Lursa and B'Etor arrive at the station and arouse Odo's suspicions, prompting him to tail them to a secret meeting with Tahna in the Cargo Bay. Odo assumes the shape of a rat and follows them in, and overhears as they demand a payment in gold from Tahna in exchange for an undisclosed item.

Sisko gives Kira approval to help two more Khon-Ma members receive asylum. But when Odo informs him of the exchange he witnessed in the Cargo Bay, Sisko is suddenly unsure of Kira's loyalty. Meanwhile, Lursa and B'Etor visit Garak in his shop, where they make a deal to trade Tahna for more gold. And in Tahna's quarters, Kira is shocked when he reveals that he is still a member of the Khon-Ma and came to Deep Space Nine on purpose, to enlist her help in a plan to win Bajor's freedom.

On the Promenade, Garak seeks out Bashir and asks the doctor to meet him in his shop at a specific time. Confused, Bashir runs to Sisko, who suggests he attend the meeting. When he arrives at the shop, Bashir is hustled into a dressing room just before Lursa and B'Etor arrive. Hidden from view, he overhears as Garak gets them to reveal that they are selling Tahna a cylinder of bilitrium, an ingredient needed for a very powerful bomb.

The entire crew assembles to discuss the dangerous situation, and after much deliberation, Sisko decides to let Kira take Tahna to meet the Klingon sisters. The exchange is made, and Cardassian forces, alerted by Garak, appear and threaten to fire. Sisko and O'Brien threaten to fire as well, but all are forced to let Tahna proceed with his plan when he reveals that his bomb will spread radiation across the entire system. He tells Kira that his target is the wormhole, which he wants to close off in order to diminish Bajor's importance to the Federation and the Cardassians so that they will leave the planet to the Bajorans. He attempts to release the bomb, but Kira is able to delay him so that the bomb explodes harmlessly at the other side of the wormhole. The pair are then transported back to the station, where Tahna is arrested and Kira is left to wonder whether she betrayed or helped her people.

A Man Alone

Stardate: 46421.5

The adjustment period aboard Deep Space Nine continues as transplants from across the galaxy attempt to come to terms with their new life and each other. O'Brien's wife Keiko misses the Enterprise and her career as a botanist. Sisko's son, Jake, plagued by loneliness, eases his boredom by befriending a rowdy Ferengi boy named Nog. Meanwhile, Odo is faced with a more pressing problem when he spies Ibudan, a Bajoran he once arrested for murder, gambling in Quark's. He attempts to rid the station of the criminal, first by ordering him to leave and later by asking Sisko to throw him off the station, but neither effort proves successful. However, Odo soon gets his wish despite this lack of cooperation when Ibudan is found stabbed to death in a Holosuite.

Sisko orders an investigation of the killing, only to find his son Jake is also in trouble for playing pranks around the station with Nog. Strangely, this awkward situation between father and son creates an opportunity for Keiko, who volunteers to supervise the children of Deep Space Nine by starting a school. Later, Odo becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation when mounting evidence, including the fact that the killer was most likely a shape-shifter, points to him.

Deep Space Nine's residents soon become suspicious of Odo, and although many officers believe their colleague's claims of innocence, Sisko relieves him of duty as Chief of Security. Keiko also faces trouble in her own endeavors when members of the diverse space station community resist the idea of sending their children to a Federation school. While she tries to recruit students, Bashir works to prove Odo's innocence, experimenting with DNA fragments that were found in the dead Bajoran's Holosuite.

Discouraged by the public's response to her school, Keiko considers abandoning her plans but is encouraged to press on by her husband. Meanwhile, Odo finds himself ostracized by the public, as angry residents vandalize his office and threaten his well-being. Bashir continues his investigation of the DNA patterns found in Ibudan's Holosuite, hoping to solve the mystery by causing them to replicate into the form of the being it belongs to.

Responding to the tension aboard ship, Sisko and Kira order more security to protect Odo. As they confront an angry mob's demand for justice, Bashir provides a more definite solution to Odo's problem when he reveals the result of his experiment. The murdered man was not Ibudan, but a clone he created and killed in order to frame Odo for his murder. His rank restored, Odo soon finds the real Ibudan aboard his ship, and since murdering a clone is still a crime, he is finally able to arrest his man.

Babel

Stardate: 46423.7

Frustrated by the mechanical problems on the space station, O'Brien attempts to fix the food replicators. Little does he know, an alien device has found a way into the station circuitry.

For some unknown reason, O'Brien speaks to Kira in gibberish when she approaches him in the Ops center. Bashir examines him and finds no physiological damage, and diagnoses him with an unusual form of aphasia -- a dysfunction in the brain that renders him incapable of expressing himself to others. Soon, Dax also falls victim to the mysterious ailment.

Suspicious of the nature of this aphasia, Bashir runs a neuro-synaptic comparison of Dax and O'Brien and finds that they share a common virus. Sisko and Bashir encounter two more afflicted crewmembers, and Sisko establishes a quarantine on Deep Space Nine.

Odo discovers that Quark has illegally accessed crew replicators to fulfill his orders, inadvertently contaminating all of his customers with the strange virus in the command level replicators. On a hunch, Bashir tests an air sample and learns the virus has mutated to an airborne form -- meaning the station population may get infected.

Upon close inspection of an access tunnel, Kira encounters the alien device that O'Brien unknowingly triggered to unleash the virus. Kira suspects Cardassian sabotage. All crewmembers agree something must be done soon, due to the epidemic proportions the virus has reached. Not even Dax and Jake could escape contamination.

Bashir then informs Sisko that the virus was probably created by Bajorans, and Sisko assigns Kira the task of investigating this theory. Meanwhile, O'Brien has contracted a high fever and may die if Kira does not quickly find an antidote. Kira manages to locate Surmak Ren, an underground Bajoran scientist who seems to know something about the virus.

Meanwhile Sisko and Odo attempt to prevent Jaheel from breaking quarantine by leaving Deep Space Nine. Jaheel doesn't comply with Sisko's order, and his efforts in breaking away put the docking ring in jeopardy. While trying to rectify the situation, Sisko comes down with the virus, rendering his commands incomprehensible. Odo and Quark take control, and are able to push Jaheel's ship free of the docking port.

At the same time, Kira, determined to find the antidote, orbits Bajor in a runabout and transports Surmak aboard against his will. Surmak eventually agrees to help develop an antidote, and follows Kira to Deep Space Nine. Fortunately for all, Surmak is successful and life on the station resumes a normal pace.

Captive Pursuit

Stardate: Unknown

While listening to a complaint about Quark's lascivious behavior from a Dabo girl, Sisko is alerted that an alien vessel is coming through the wormhole. The vessel contains a reptilian being named Tosk, who reluctantly agrees to allow O'Brien to tow in his destroyed ship.

O'Brien then boards Tosk's ship to inspect its systems and introduce himself. Though suspicious of O'Brien's kindness, Tosk follows him onto the Promenade and is fascinated by all that he sees. After talking awhile, O'Brien learns that Tosk is very different from human beings -- he requires very little sleep, food, and he has no sense of humor. His behavior seems odd to O'Brien, and he alerts Sisko to keep an eye on him.

After talking more with Tosk while repairing his ship, O'Brien tells the rest of the officers that he thinks Tosk is in danger. Then, Odo discovers Tosk altering a junction box in a remote corridor and apprehends him. Much to Sisko's frustration, Tosk does not respond to questioning, and O'Brien feels partially to blame for the mess because he introduced Tosk to the station.

Later, a new ship with emission patterns that match those of Tosk's ship arrives at Deep Space Nine, and three aliens beam aboard without invitation. The beings are hostile, and a phaser battle ensues as they are able to enter Odo's security office and capture Tosk.

The lead alien then informs Sisko that he is a hunter and Tosk is his prey. Sisko tells the hunter that his type of blood sport is no longer practiced at this station. Against his better judgment but in accordance with Starfleet's Prime Directive, Sisko agrees to release Tosk into the hunter's custody. Then Kira, sensitive to O'Brien's feelings of despair for his new friend, suggests that Tosk request asylum -- thus allowing him to be protected by the Federation.

Alas, Tosk refuses to go against his culture and does not ask for asylum. However, O'Brien, claiming to have orders from Sisko, intervenes when the Hunter tries to take Tosk off the station. O'Brien programs a security checkpoint to debilitate the Hunter as they pass through it, and he grabs Tosk and leads him to a narrow escape.

Sisko reprimands O'Brien for taking matters into his own hands, yet it is obvious that Sisko thought he did the right thing. Killing, they agree, simply for the sake of sport should not be allowed in any star system.

Q-Less

Stardate: 46531.2

Returning from a mission to the Gamma Quadrant on the other side of the wormhole, Lieutenant Dax and an ensign are trapped in their Runabout. While O'Brien works to free them, Dr. Bashir sees there are actually three people inside the scout ship. When they get the hatch open, O'Brien recognizes the third occupant as Vash, a woman he met while serving on the Enterprise. He and Sisko wonder how she got to that distant part of the galaxy two years ago. Their answer, unknown to them, stands nearby -- the mysterious Q.

Suspicious, Sisko tries to learn more about Vash and her claims to be an archeologist. Meanwhile, Vash, now back in Federation territory, makes plans to leave the station. She locks away her valuable artifacts from the Gamma Quadrant, including a beautiful geode that glows with a pulsating internal light. Sisko questions Vash about how she arrived there without going through the wormhole, but she keeps the matter to herself. She also learns from him that Earth's Daystrom Institute is interested in her adventures, which could mean free passage back home. O'Brien reveals to Sisko that Vash and the Enterprise's Captain Picard were once very close friends, but their discussion is interrupted by a sudden and brief loss of power throughout the station. Dax points out that a similar phenomenon happened when she was on the runabout Ganges. Suspicions increase.

Later, Q pops in on Vash in her quarters, attempting to revive the partnership they once had. Vash, however, is uninterested. She is then visited by Quark, who has learned of her prized treasures and smells profit in the air. They form an agreement to hold an auction at the station for her artifacts, from which Quark will get a small percentage. Meanwhile, Bashir, infatuated with Vash, stops by to invite her to dinner. She agrees. But Q interferes with the date by making Bashir too tired to meet her.

These minor mysteries begin to make sense when O'Brien recognizes Q from the Enterprise. He immediately warns Sisko and the other officers about the alien prankster, and when the station experiences a major drop in the main power grid, O'Brien attributes it to one of Q's jokes. Sisko is not amused.

Meanwhile, Quark haggles with Vash over the price of her geode. He senses great value for himself from the artifact, but Vash isn't about to sell it to him for next to nothing. Sisko then arrives to speak with Vash in private, but Q appears and confronts the commander. True to his character, Q places himself and Sisko in a circa 1900 boxing ring, but is surprised when Sisko actually punches him in the face. The setting reverts to normal, and Vash asks Sisko to help her be rid of Q. Sisko isn't sure what he can do.

The next day, the station experiences another great loss of power, but this time the officers notice that these episodes are facilitating a series of hull fractures. Sisko reconsiders whether or not Q is really responsible for this. At this rate, station life support will fail in fourteen hours. Sisko and the rest of the officers decide to flood the station with a small amount of tridium gas in order to trace the source of the power drain.

Q persists in pestering Vash to rejoin him on his travels. She still refuses, and he briefly forces her to experience some of the ghastly things that could happen to her in the galaxy without his protection. Q then appears with Sisko and his fellow officers, taunting them to find a solution to their predicament, and mentions to Sisko that maybe Vash is more dangerous to the station than they realize.

Later, Quark holds an auction at his bar, but it is interrupted by a violent shaking. Apparently, the station's graviton field has increased, and it is being pulled toward the wormhole by an unknown force -- one that's not Q or the wormhole itself. Quark's auction continues even though Q warns the crowd that the space station itself may be destroyed any minute.

Dax suggests bringing the reactors back on line to render the power drain large enough to trace. They then determine that the drain is originating from Quark's bar. Sisko, Kira, and Dax rush to the bar, and find that Vash's glowing geode is what's causing the drain. O'Brien transports the artifact off the station just before it explodes in a brilliant flash of light, from which emerges a winged energy creature that soars into the distance.

With everything returned to normal, Vash prepares to return to Earth. She and Q exchange goodbyes, both acknowledging that they will miss each other. After that, as always, Q disappears -- and who knows when he'll return? Vash, on the other hand, decides on impulse to instead explore a new archeological site, and strikes up a partnership with -- Quark!

Dax

Stardate: 46910.1

Lieutenant Dax, preparing to return to her quarters for the evening, is being observed by a male Trill named Selin Peers. Ilon Tandro, a humanoid from Klaestron IV, joins him in the shadows. Confirming Dax's identity with Peers, Tandro and two of his officers succeed in taking her hostage. Bashir, unable to save her, alerts the other officers. Sisko, Kira, and Odo attempt to locate them, but Dax's combadge was removed and left behind. To Odo's amazement, Tandro and the two officers, with Dax in tow, avoid the security tracking grid with ease. To complicate matters, Sisko realizes that the abductors have disabled the station's tractor beam. Kira finally discovers them in an airlock and imprisons the group in a force field. However, they deactivate it and board a Klaestron ship. Sisko, though, manages to get the tractor beam working again, and they are able to keep the ship from escaping.

Forced to re-enter the space station, Tandro informs Sisko that this is an extradition mission. Dax is under arrest -- charged with treason and the murder of Tandro's father, General Ardelon Tandro, 30 years ago. Sisko realizes that he is accusing Curzon Dax, not Jadzia, of committing the crimes on Klaestron IV. For some reason, however, Dax refuses to tell Sisko what happened back then.

In Dax's defense, Sisko and Kira tell Tandro that, since the space station is technically Bajoran, an extradition hearing must be held before they can release Dax to him. Quark reluctantly agrees to allow the hearing to be held in his bar. At the hearing, Sisko tries to convince Judge Els Renora that Jadzia Dax is an entirely different entity than Curzon. Due to the unusual circumstances, Renora agrees to extend the proceedings.

Sisko, determined to keep Dax alive, directs Kira, Bashir, and Odo to dig up all of the evidence they can find to prove Dax's innocence. Odo, on Klaestron IV, contacts Enina, Tandro's mother, who claims that Curzon Dax had nothing to do with the death of her husband. She also claims that Tandro is obsessed with his father's death, and that Tandro believes Curzon was responsible because he can establish the whereabouts of all suspects except himself. In short, Dax has no alibi.

The hearing resumes, and Tandro calls Selin Peers, the Trill who helped locate Dax, to the witness stand. Although Peers confirms that if a Trill committed a crime, the symbiont's future host body would know and feel everything involved with that crime, Sisko establishes that with each new host, a new and different personality results from the joining. A recess is called, and Dax remains tight-lipped. She asks Sisko to please end his efforts on her behalf, which leaves him wondering.

Bashir is called to testify that Curzon and Jadzia are two physically distinct individuals. Unfortunately, Tandro then indicates it is impossible to determine whether or not the brainwave patterns of the symbiont have changed since they joined the new host, Jadzia.

In a last effort, Sisko calls himself to the witness stand and allows Kira to interrogate him. She and Tandro take their turns questioning Sisko, after which a one hour recess is declared. Suddenly, Sisko receives an urgent message from Odo on Klaestron IV, that reports all evidence points to Curzon Dax and Enina Tandro having an affair 30 years ago -- which grants Curzon a perfect motive for murder. Jadzia, confronted with this information, admits shame over the marital indiscretions, but still neither admits or denies any knowledge of the murder.

Returning from the recess, Dax takes the witness stand. Tandro proceeds to pin her down with questions, when he is interrupted by the surprise appearance of his mother, Enina. She admits, to everyone's astonishment, that Curzon could not have been responsible for her husband's murder. When the crucial transmission was made that resulted in his death, she and Curzon were in bed together. Dax is free to go, Sisko and the other officers are relieved, and life on Deep Space Nine returns to normal.

The Passenger

Stardate: Unknown

Traveling in a runabout, Kira and Bashir pick up a distress signal from a disabled Kobliad ship. They beam over to discover an injured Kobliad woman named Ty Kajada, a security officer. Her passenger -- a murderer named Rao Vantika, who had set the ship on fire in order to escape. Vantika has been seriously hurt, and after attempting to strangle Bashir, falls over dead. Kajada collapses from her injuries. When she regains consciousness aboard the space station, she tells Bashir that Vantika has faked his demise before and asks the doctor to run tests to prove he is dead. Later, Bashir, Sisko, Dax, and Kira determine that Vantika was probably heading for Deep Space Nine to steal a shipment of deuridium, a rare substance that prolongs the dying Kobliad race's lifespan. Sisko orders Lieutenant George Primmin, a Starfleet security officer assigned to protect the deuridium, to defer to Odo's plan to guard that shipment when it arrives at the station. However, when Odo attempts to access his plan on the computer, it is gone. Everything in the station computer's active memory has been accessed and purged -- something Kajada grimly reports that Vantika has done before.

The computer mystery enables Kajada to convince Sisko assume that Vantika is still alive. That night, Quark also learns that Kobliad still lives when, hidden by darkness, Vantika orders the Ferengi to follow through on his promise to hire mercenaries to help him obtain the deuridium.

The next day, Bashir tells Kajada that his tests prove Vantika is really dead. He goes on to meet with Dax, who is exploring the idea that while Vantika's body is gone, his consciousness may have found a way to live on in another person's brain. The pair immediately suspect Kajada, deducing that Vantika could be occupying her brain without her knowledge while he waits for the deuridium. They share this theory with Sisko, and the group decides that Kajada must be watched. Meanwhile, at Quark's, the mercenaries arrive -- an alien named Durg and two Bajoran accomplices. Their haggling with Quark is interrupted by the sound of a woman screaming. Kajada, who was spying on the group, falls from the third floor balcony.

Now in the infirmary, Kajada reveals that she did not fall, but was actually pushed by Vantika. Meanwhile, Dax, who has been trying to discover how Vantika could transfer his consciousness into another person's brain, shows Sisko a small device buried under the dead Kobliad's fingernails. She believes Vantika stored his consciousness in the device as bio-electric pulses, in case he needed an escape route. As soon as Kajada's condition is stabilized, they can confirm the theory by examining her. Meanwhile, Quark, Durg, and the mercenaries prepare to meet Vantika in person -- and are shocked when he arrives in the physical form of Bashir.

Hoping to share her discovery with Bashir, Dax is surprised to find his combadge abandoned on a counter. Meanwhile, Primmin discovers that the station's defense array has been rigged to shut down -- which will allow Vantika to hijack the freighter carrying the deuridium. A grateful Odo informs Sisko of their discovery just as the freighter enters the vicinity. The group notices a runabout going out to meet the vessel just as Dax joins them with the announcement that Bashir is missing. Vantika and the mercenaries commandeer the freighter -- killing its crew. Suddenly, the hijacked ship is captured by a tractor beam from the space station. Sisko hails the freighter and speaks with Vantika, who threatens to destroy Bashir's body and the ship if he is not allowed to proceed. The ship's shields are up, so Bashir cannot be transported out. Dax is able to temporarily disrupt Vantika's control over Bashir by using an electromagnetic pulse to disrupt Vantika's neural energy patterns. She tells the dazed Bashir to lower the shields. He does, and the group transports him back aboard Deep Space Nine where he is purged of his evil possessor. A recovered Kajada is given Vantika's remains, and she destroys them, and her nightmare, with a single phaser blast.

Move Along Home

Stardate: Unknown

Commander Sisko, in dress uniform, prepares to receive the first formal alien delegation from the Gamma Quadrant -- a group from a newly discovered species known as the Wadi. Sisko, Kira, Dax, and Bashir greet the new representatives from this race at one of the docking bays, after the Wadi's arrival through the wormhole. But the leader of the group, a humanoid male named Falow, dispenses quickly with the pleasantries. He and his companions want to be taken immediately to Quark's, where they have heard they will find games to play. The disappointed officers escort the delegation.

Quark, upon meeting the Wadi, senses profit in the making. The aliens show Quark they have much to wager in priceless gemstones, and quickly learn how to play the game of Dabo. Hours later, they are still going strong and winning big at the Dabo table. A weary Sisko decides to call it a night, leaving the Wadi with an equally tired Quark. He unsuccessfully tries to discourage them into leaving. Discreetly, he has one of his assistants rig the Dabo table to make the aliens start losing, hoping that will do the trick. Unfortunately, Quark's accomplice is caught by the Wadi. The Ferengi fears reprisal from the visitors. But Falow decides instead to have Quark participate in playing a new game -- one of Falow's choosing. He opens a rectangular metallic case, which releases a blinding flash of light. When it clears, the Dabo table is gone -- replaced by a strange alien game board. The game is called Chula. Quark's objective -- to move his four oddly shaped onyx figurines around the serpentine downward spiral of the board. Quark watches with apprehension as the board is set up and the Wadi begins placing bets. Meanwhile, Sisko, sound asleep in his quarters, turns over in his bed. He wakes up to find himself dressed in standard uniform, lying on a hard stone floor instead of the bed. He is no longer on the space station, but in an alien corridor, empty but for a series of doors with strange markings -- and totally alone.

Determining he is in no holodeck illusion, Sisko tries each of the doors, looking for escape. He finally opens one, only to find Falow on the other side, instructing Sisko cryptically to move along home, after which the door quickly closes. Then a piercing scream leads Sisko down the corridor, where he discovers a terrified Bashir, trying to wake himself up from what he thought was a bad dream. Kira and Dax turn up next. Together, they try to find the way "home."

Learning from Sisko's son that the commander has disappeared from the station, Odo soon discovers the other three senior officers are also gone. Back at Quark's establishment, the Ferengi is forced to begin play on the new game, even though he does not yet know the rules. He places a minimum bet and rolls the alien dice. Falow states that the combination will cause Quark's pieces to meet the Chandra.

In the labyrinth, Sisko and the other officers follow a singing voice to discover a young Wadi girl chanting a rhyme while playing an alien game similar to hopscotch. A force field keeps them from getting to a door on the far side of the room, but the girl can pass through it without a problem. Dax determines they can get to the door that only by repeating the rhyme and performing the hopscotch-like moves. The four officers do it, and are able to exit, with the girl telling them they are at the Third Shap. As this happens, the Wadi group in Quark's goes wild because he has reached the next level. The befuddled Quark wins a nice payoff, not realizing the connection.

Falow proposes to Quark that he can progress faster by taking a shortcut on the board, although it doubles the risk to his game pieces. However, a successful move can also double his winnings. While he thinks, Odo arrives, asking Quark if he might know anything about the missing crew members. A knowing look from Falow causes Quark to make the connection with the four game pieces and the four missing officers. Realizing that the lives of Sisko and the others are literally in his hands, Quark chooses to move the pieces along the safer path. The four officers, meanwhile, continue along the alien corridors, slowly realizing that they may indeed be pawns in one of the Wadi games. A door opens revealing a Wadi party in a smoke-filled room. Falow and other revelers carry drinks. The officers begin to cough violently form the smoke, until Bashir discovers the drinks are really an antidote. A back door to the room opens, and Falow announces the proclamation of Shap Four. The party vanishes and the officers exit through the door. Back at Quark's, huge reactions with the success. A larger pile of jewels is shoved toward a happy Quark, while Odo watches with displeasure.

Discovering a strange bi-polar current aboard the Wadi vessel, Odo finds a room on the ship that emits a blinding light. He enters the chamber, and suddenly appears in Quark's. Odo tries to break up the game. But Falow, knowing that Odo is putting the pieces together, tells Quark the game must continue or he will lose his players. Quark, with Odo's prodding, decides to continue his game pieces along the safer path. He rolls the dice. The Wadi gasp, and Falow announces that it is an unfortunate roll. In the maze, the officers hear a weird energy surge building, which becomes an ominous swirling field which they try to elude. But Bashir is caught by it and swept away. Back to the game, the Bashir game piece is placed in a holding area on the board. Quark decides to gamble, despite Odo's protestations, and take the pieces on a shortcut, hoping to end the game in one move. The chance doesn't work, though. The resulting dice roll causes Falow to declare that Quark must sacrifice one game piece so that the other two may live. Quark begs to not be forced into picking a piece. Falow leaves it for the board to determine at random. As the final wagers are placed, Sisko, Dax, and Kira continue wandering through the corridors. They hear Bashir, shouting he's found the way home. Following his voice, they enter a cavern. The ground begins to shake, causing Dax to injure her leg. Falow again appears, telling them to go to Shap Six. Not finding Bashir, the officers try to escape, but massive quakes in the cavern open an abyss into which they fall helplessly. Suddenly, all four of them find themselves back in Quark's establishment. Falow then informs them that even though Quark lost, they were never in any real danger. It was only a game, after all. Sisko and the others realize this predicament wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for Quark's cheating. As for whether or not he learned his lesson ...

The Nagus

Stardate: Unknown

It's business as usual for Quark at his bar, until he is approached by a Ferengi named Krax, who presents his father, Grand Nagus Zek, the elderly, shrewd, revered leader of the Ferengi business empire, accompanied by his Hupyrian servant, Maihar'du. Quark and his brother Rom, in awe and fear, quickly try to show Zek the respect he deserves, and set him up with five of Quark's favorite holosuite fantasies. However, Quark is worried that the legendary Ferengi is really on the station to buy the establishment -- at a price which Quark can't refuse -- dirt cheap. Zek then emerges from the holosuite, quite satisfied, and makes Quark invite him to dinner. Quark is quite dissatisfied with this.

Meanwhile, O'Brien, playing substitute teacher at the station's school until his wife returns from Earth, takes note of Nog's falsehood as to why his homework isn't done -- and even more so, Jake's reluctant willingness to cover for his Ferengi friend's lie. He voices his concern to Sisko, advising him to find a way to separate the two children. Sisko understands, but also fears that trying to force them apart will ultimately work against his relationship with his son.

That evening, in Quark's quarters, Zek, Krax, and Rom are in the midst of dinner, with Maihar'du and Nog performing the serving duties. Zek states how pleased he is with the bar's success, which worries Quark even more. But Zek is enraged when he learns that Nog attends school, upon which Rom tells his son to immediately stop going. That dealt with, Zek gets to the business at hand -- he wants the bar, but only for the next day, with Quark playing host to a very important conference to be held there. The purpose -- the future of the Ferengi. And the future lies -- in the Gamma Quadrant.

Many important Ferengi arrive at the station for the conference, including a very belligerent one named Gral, who does little to hide his dislike for Krax. Much to Quark's surprise, Zek demands that he stay for the discussion. Then, much to everyone's surprise, Zek announces that he is stepping down as Grand Nagus, and that the Ferengi who will replace him and lead their greedy ventures into the Gamma Quadrant -- is Quark! The conference erupts into chaos, and Quark stands in shock.

With great power comes many friends, Grand Nagus Quark quickly discovers. Also, potential threats, as he learns from an encounter with Gral, who offers to "protect" Quark from harm -- in exchange for Gral's pick of the most lucrative opportunities in the Gamma Quadrant -- a trade that Quark would be wise not to refuse. Terrified, he goes to Zek, who basically tells him that threats come with the job. While Quark is asking more advice, Zek quietly passes away, leaving the new Grand Nagus to figure it all out for himself. The bar is closed to honor Zek's passing, and the Ferengi group holds the funeral service there. Quark makes Rom, the only person he trusts, his bodyguard. However, Rom says he had hoped to now run the bar, which Quark thinks is absolutely absurd. During the proceedings, Nog meets secretly with Jake, and they decide to remain friends despite their parents' feelings.

Odo comes to the funeral ceremony, asking to have the body autopsied, which he learns is impossible because Krax is selling the "vacuum desiccated" remains as prized collectibles. Odo leaves, treating Quark with the same old disrespect as he departs. Suddenly, while Quark stoops down to pick up someone's loose coin, a glowing sphere whizzes by, barely missing his head, and blasting a hole in the far wall. Sisko, Odo, and O'Brien investigate, determining it was a Ferengi locator bomb -- meant for Quark. But the new Grand Nagus refuses their help. Odo, however, suspects the culprit is Maihar'du, the only one among the group who didn't attend the funeral. Meanwhile, Quark's generosity with fellow Ferengi causes his popularity to increase, and worry to rise with the real would-be assassins -- Rom and Krax!

Sisko becomes frustrated when Jake doesn't return home for dinner. On the advice of Dax, he sets out for one of the cargo bays, where the computer has located Jake. Walking in quietly, he is surprised to discover Jake with Nog, with Jake patiently teaching the young Ferengi boy how to read.

At the same time, while Quark prepares for his first trip through the wormhole, Rom unsuccessfully asks him again if he is willing to turn the bar over to him. As far as Rom is concerned, that seals his brother's fate. He and Krax escort the Grand Nagus into an airlock tunnel, where a Ferengi ship supposedly awaits. But Quark, now sealed in the tunnel alone, sees that the only thing on the other side is empty space. Just as Rom and Krax are about to eject him into the cosmos, Zek arrives with Odo and Maihar'du. While Quark is freed, Zek explains that he faked his death by going into a Hupyrian sleeping trance. The reason -- to test his son and his worthiness to be Zek's successor -- a test Krax failed miserably. Zek, resigned to the fact that he cannot yet retire, thanks Quark for his help and departs. Quark, on the other hand, deals with Rom for trying to murder him -- and congratulates his brother for such wonderful treachery! Rom is a true Ferengi, after all.

Vortex

Stardate: Unknown

While haggling with a pair of twinned Miradorns over a valuable goblet for which he had agreed to provide a buyer -- until learning that the artifact in question may have been acquired illegally -- Quark is interrupted by a newly-arrived alien from the Gamma Quadrant named Croden, who bursts in on the meeting brandishing a phaser and demanding the goblet for himself. A battle erupts, and Croden ends up killing one of the twins. Odo, who observed the exchange in disguise after becoming suspicious, morphs back into humanoid form and breaks up the fight, taking Croden into custody and ordering the others to meet with him and Sisko. The surviving twin, Ah-Kel, makes it clear that he is determined to get revenge by killing Croden. Meanwhile, Croden, in a holding cell, shows little remorse, and little interest in anything but food. However, he manages to mention during a conversation with Odo that he has encountered other "Changelings," or shape-shifters, in the Gamma Quadrant. Odo is suspicious, but intrigued.

Sisko decides the best course of action is for he and Dax to locate Croden's home planet of Rakhar and notify the authorities while increasing security to protect him from Ah-Kel. Odo, already suspecting that Croden staged the attempted "robbery" with Quark, tries to learn more about Croden's origins from the Ferengi. Later, Croden tries to appeal to Odo, offering to take him to a place where other Changelings may still live, but Odo is still distrustful. Croden then gives him a locket containing an odd stone that morphs into an intricate metallic object and back to its original shape. He tells Odo the stone is from the colony of changelings.

Dax and Sisko make contact with Rakhari officials, who call Croden a criminal and an "enemy of the people" and demand his immediate return. Meanwhile, Odo takes the stone to Bashir, who analyzes it and determines that it is an amalgam of organic material and some sort of crystal, and that the only life form bearing even a passing resemblance in structure is Odo. Unable to help being fascinated, Odo breaks down and asks Croden where he got the stone. Croden says it came from an asteroid in the Chamra Vortex, on the other side of the wormhole. Claiming that he chanced upon a changeling colony on this uncharted asteroid, Croden offers to take Odo into the dangerous, uncharted territory. But Odo still cannot trust Croden, and does not respond to his offer. Sisko, after returning from Rakhar, tells Odo to escort the prisoner home. Odo and Croden board a Runabout and set a course through the wormhole for the planet, escaping the detection of Ah-Kel, who still wants Croden for himself.

En route to what he knows will be his doom, Croden again tries to win Odo's trust, explaining that he was also an outsider on his own planet and that the Rakharis killed his family. Back on the space station, Ah-Kel threatens Quark, who directs Ah-Kel toward Odo and Croden rather than risk getting caught for his own part in the Miradorn's death. Now in pursuit, Ah-Kel attacks Odo's ship, but Odo refuses to surrender his prisoner despite the fact that he cannot outrun Ah-Kel. With no other choice, he lets Croden pilot the ship through the Vortex, where the ionized gasses will hide them from Ah-Kel's sensors. To Odo's surprise, Croden lands the Runabout on the asteroid where the shape-shifters supposedly live.

Croden anxiously rushes into a cave, almost losing Odo, who angrily demands to know what is really going on. Croden finally admits the truth -- the morphing stone is actually a key to a stasis chamber, inside of which is his peacefully-sleeping daughter, the only member of his family he could save when the Rakhari forces attacked them. He introduces Odo to the girl, Yareth, and tells her Odo will take her to a safe place while Croden will return to face the authorities on Rakhar. Suddenly, an explosion rocks the cave. Odo is knocked unconscious, but rather than using the moment to escape, Croden carries him back to the ship, saving his life. Odo regains consciousness back on the Runabout, with Ah-Kel's ship still in pursuit. He takes control and is able to trick Ah-Kel into destroying his own ship before leaving the Chamra Vortex for good. Once outside, Odo surprises Croden by having the alien and his daughter transported aboard a Vulcan ship, protecting them both from imprisonment or death on Rakhar. In exchange for his kindness, Croden gives Odo the changeling stone, a reminder that other shapeshifters may really exist out there somewhere.

Battle Lines

Stardate: Unknown

Kai Opaka, Bajor's spiritual leader, pays a surprise visit to the station -- her first journey away from her home planet. Sisko, Kira, and Bashir escort her on a tour of the station, and although the Kai seems preoccupied, she expresses her desire to go through the wormhole. Sisko accommodates her request, and she travels with the three officers in the Yangtzee Kiang, through the spectacular anomaly and into the Gamma Quadrant. However, though she acts impressed, she still seems distant. But, as they prepare to return, Kira suddenly picks up a narrow band subspace signal. Despite the unknown origin, Opaka encourages Sisko to investigate. They discover a small, meteor-pocked moon, around which orbits a network of artificial satellites, one of which fires an energy blast at the Runabout, severely disabling the vessel. The Yangtzee Kiang crashes violently on the moon's surface. Sisko, Bashir, and Kira free themselves from the wreckage, pulling out Opaka's limp body. Bashir works to revive her, but with no success. The Kai is dead. Before they can absorb the impact of this tragedy, a group of battle-scarred humanoids brandishing weapons appears, capturing the officers.

While Dax and O'Brien prepare to leave the station in search of the senior officers, Sisko, Kira, and Bashir are taken into a large cave, where the leader of the group, Golin Shel-la, explains that he and his people, the Ennis, are suspicious of strangers, because they are at war with a brutal enemy, the Nol-Ennis. He explains that both sides in this war are kept prisoner on the moon by the orbiting satellites, and that he fears his enemy will assume that Sisko's group, by their mere presence in the Ennis camp, has allied with Shel-la. They have no doctors, but many wounded, to whom Bashir gives assistance, as well as to an injured Kira, who is still suffering from the loss of the heart and soul of her home planet. Suddenly, the sound of weapons fire -- three Nol-Ennis, with their leader, Zlangco, make a surprise attack on the camp, killing Shel-la and other Ennis. Kira leaps into the fray, using a phaser to bring down part of the cave ceiling on the attackers, causing Zlangco to retreat. The officers barely have time to check the dead and wounded when a silhouette appears in the cave entrance. It is Kai Opaka -- come back to life!

Bashir examines Opaka, who is just beginning to grasp her situation. The doctor determines that her physiology has been radically altered, and that there is some kind of bio-mechanical presence on the cellular level controlling her metabolic processes. Then, amazingly, Shel-la and the other dead Ennis begin to stir. They are coming back to life. Bashir finds that their bodies have gone through the same type of alterations as Opaka's. Sisko learns from Shel-la that the Ennis and the Nol-Ennis had been fighting the war for untold generations on their home planet, and when their world's mediators could not arbitrate a cease-fire, the two sides were banished to the moon. As part of the punishment, they have been condemned to fight for eternity -- they can never truly die. Sisko suggests a resolution -- once his group is rescued, he will transport both sides away from the moon in order to end the battle, and he convinces Shel-la to attempt a truce with Zlangco.

In the Gamma Quadrant, Dax and O'Brien search for the officers in a Runabout, frustrated at the lack of clues. O'Brien then comes up with a way to detect the specific magnetic resonance patterns that Sisko's vessel emits, and tries to create a device to perform that function. Meanwhile, at the Runabout crash site, Sisko meets with Zlangco, who has agreed to listen to his proposal. But Zlangco is very distrusting, and once Shel-la states that he would never allow one Nol-Ennis to leave the moon alive, another battle between the two groups begins -- and this time, Sisko is in the middle. Just as he is about to receive a potential death blow, Bashir knocks him to the ground. The doctor has discovered from the Runabout's computer that they cannot afford to die here -- not even once.

O'Brien's plan has worked. He and Dax have located the moon. Wisely avoiding the satellites, they try to get a communication through the defense-net. On the surface, Bashir explains that artificial microbes restore a person's body after death, but that body then becomes permanently dependent on those microbes for all cellular functions. The worst part is, anyone with these microbes would die if taken away from the moon -- including Kai Opaka. Then, Dax and O'Brien make contact with Sisko, but they can't beam up anyone until they figure out how to get a transporter signal through the net. While they work on that, Sisko and Bashir return to the cave to tell Opaka and Kira the truth about the Kai's condition. But she has already decided to stay on the moon. Here, she has found the answer to all the prophecies of her life -- to teach people who know only how to die, how to now live. O'Brien then signals that he has a way to divert one of the satellites, and he can beam up the officers within minutes. Sisko tells the returning Shel-la that the Ennis cannot leave the moon, but Bashir suggests he can disable the program in the microbes, which would allow them to finally die when their time comes. But Shel-la unfortunately sees this as the ultimate opportunity to finally wipe out the Nol-Ennis for good. Stunned, realizing there is no hope, Sisko, Kira, and Bashir beam up when O'Brien signals ready, leaving Shel-la to lunge into another battle, and Kai Opaka remaining as their only hope for peace in an endless war.

The Storyteller

Stardate: 46729.1

Sisko and Kira play host on the space station to the leaders of two rival Bajoran factions -- the Paqu and the Navot. Sisko has stepped in to mediate their land dispute in an effort to avert civil war. But he and his first officer are surprised when they meet Varis Sul, Tetrarch of the Paqu, and see that she is a 15-year-old girl. Meanwhile, Bashir and O'Brien, in response to an emergency, beam down to a Bajoran village from their orbiting Runabout. Warned that the entire village is in grave danger, they meet Faren Kag, the magistrate, who takes them to a deathly-ill, bedridden older man known as the Sirah, being tended to by Hovath, a young Bajoran male. Learning that the Sirah is the only person who is ill, Bashir and O'Brien are told that if he dies, the entire village will die.

Sisko and Kira bring together Varis with Woban, the large, gruff Navot leader, for an informal discussion about their dispute before official negotiations begin, a talk that only serves to show how far apart the two sides really are, resulting in a frustrated Varis storming out. Jake and Nog see her walking through the Promenade, and the Ferengi boy becomes instantly infatuated with her, telling Jake that he must meet her. Back at the Bajoran village, the Sirah stirs from his sleep, takes O'Brien's hand, and voices satisfaction that the prophets haven't failed. Bewildered by this, O'Brien and Bashir meet with an anxious Faren, who is told that the Sirah is dying of old age. Faren tells them that the Sirah is needed to protect the village from the Dal'Rok, a terrible creature that appears every year for five nights, and that this is the fourth night this year. If the Sirah cannot even get out of bed tonight, the village is doomed.

That night, against Bashir's better judgment, the Sirah walks into the village square and onto his platform. As the Bajorans gather below, the Dal'Rok, a large, ominously rolling energy cloud, appears in the sky, bringing a harsh wind that whips at the village. Above the wind, the Sirah shouts a story about the Dal'Rok, with the crowd below responding as a unit to his words. Particles of white light rise up to the cloud, causing it to shrink slightly. But the Sirah suddenly collapses, the white lights disappear, and all havoc breaks loose as the Dal'Rok lets out a beam of destruction into the panicked village. Bashir and O'Brien run to the Sirah's aid, but the dying man pulls O'Brien close, instructing him to tell the story.

Eventually, the Dal'Rok is driven away. However, the Sirah finally dies. But as far as the villagers are concerned, O'Brien is now the new Sirah. He is at a loss for words. Back on the station, Varis shares with Jake and Nog her frustrations -- she has land that the Navot faction wants, but she doesn't want to give it up. The infatuated Nog tells her she can turn this problem into an opportunity if they have something she wants. This prospect gives her thought.

The morning after the Sirah's death, O'Brien and Bashir have no idea how the Dal'Rok was stopped -- or what will happen when O'Brien is expected to lead the story again. Faren then leads a group of villagers to O'Brien, who is showered with gifts. Faren stays behind, telling a reluctant O'Brien that he must once again tell the tale tonight. The Bajoran is so secure in his faith, O'Brien knows that nothing he can say will change his mind. He and Bashir choose to uncover what the Dal'Rok really is and try to destroy it before nightfall. Their analysis of a wall destroyed by the energy cloud reveals a neutrino trace -- which is odd if the Dal'Rok has no physical substance. But villagers then approach the two, wanting the blessing of the new Sirah. Not comfortable with this, O'Brien goes into the Sirah's chamber, where he encounters Hovath, who was the apprentice of the older man. But Hovath won't answer O'Brien's questions about the Dal'Rok, and instead tries to kill him. Bashir comes in and helps disarm Hovath, who says that O'Brien isn't the true Sirah -- Hovath is.

Bashir and O'Brien learn from Hovath that the Sirah allowed him to tell the story one night, but he failed to control the Dal'Rok, and several people were injured. He shows them the Sirah's bracelet, which has mounted into it a fragment of an orb from the celestial temple -- it channels the villagers fears and creates the Dal'Rok. The first Sirah did this as a way of uniting the people, who at the time were divided by hate. Having a storyteller helps the villagers to focus their thoughts, which creates the white lights that defeat the energy force. This secret has been kept for years. O'Brien is ready to let Hovath tell the story, when Faren steps in, saying Hovath has already failed, and only O'Brien can lead the people. O'Brien can't find any way out of this.

On the station, Varis -- after talking with Nog and Jake again -- approaches Sisko with an opportunity -- one that may make both sides happy. Meanwhile, in the Bajoran village, O'Brien awkwardly tries to tell a story to the villagers. The Dal'Rok appears, but he can't control it. The villagers begin to panic, but Hovath steps in, calms everyone, and tells the story. The lights appear, and the Dal'Rok is defeated for another year. A relieved O'Brien suggests to Bashir they leave before the villagers change their minds. Back at the station, Sisko and Varis prepare to go back to the negotiating table, sure that she has devised a solution that will please both sides in the dispute. But before they go in, she thanks Nog for his suggestion -- with a kiss on the cheek.

Progress

Stardate: 46844.3

With the Federation's help, the Bajoran government is about to perform a massive energy transfer by tapping the molten core of its fifth moon, Jeraddo. In preparation, Kira and Dax make an orbital inspection of the moon in a Runabout, trying to confirm that all of the inhabitants have been evacuated. Dax's sensors detect an unknown humanoid presence on the surface, and Kira beams down to investigate. She materializes near a small cottage, only to be stopped in her tracks by a Bajoran couple in their forties, who point menacing-looking farm implements at her. Then, a tall, craggy-faced Bajoran farmer steps out of the cottage. Bewildered by his casual attitude, Kira informs him that his group needs to leave the moon -- but he'd much rather discuss that over supper in his cottage, and she reluctantly consents.

On the station, Nog and Jake, having discovered that Nog's uncle Quark has been stuck with a huge supply of Cardassian yamok sauce and no Cardassians to eat it, see an opportunity to make a quick buck -- or, in this case, five bars of gold press latinum. They try to sell it to a Lissepian freighter captain who has dealings with the Cardassians. He talks them instead into a trade -- a hundred gross of self-sealing stem bolts in exchange for their yamok sauce. They make the deal, then plot to figure out how to get the sauce from Quark.

Back on the moon, after telling Dax to return to the station, Kira talks with the farmer, who introduces himself as Mullibok, while helping him prepare supper. Learning that he and his friends, Baltrim and Keena, fled to the moon years ago to escape the Cardassians, she explains that Bajor is now once again safe and that they will have to move there. Mullibok refuses to leave -- his life is on the moon, and it is where he plans to die.

Eating dinner, Kira and Mullibok talk about how he built a life for himself on the moon. He tricks her into admitting that she and the Bajorans beat the Cardassians through sheer stubbornness, which is exactly the stand he is taking in refusing to leave. As far as he is concerned, the Bajorans can come crack open the moon whenever they are ready. He's not going anywhere.

Managing to relieve Quark of his unwanted yamok sauce, Nog and Jake are now the proud owners of a whole lot of stem bolts. Now that they have them, however, they don't know what to do with them -- or, for that matter, even know what they do. But Nog gets another idea -- find out who the Lissepian was trying to sell them to in the first place, and unload them on that individual at a discount. While the partners continue to scheme, Kira tells Sisko and Minister Toran, the Bajoran in charge of the energy project and of the problems on the moon. Toran refuses to hold up progress for three stubborn hold-outs, and forces Kira -- under protest -- to remove the residents. She returns to Jeraddo with two security guards. While Kira tries to reason with Mullibok, the other two Bajorans get dragged back to the cottage. This enrages Mullibok, and he tries to kill the interlopers. Instinctively, a guard fires his phaser, wounding the farmer severely. Heartbroken and teary-eyed, Kira orders medical assistance.

Nog and Jake, having contacted the Bajoran who first backed out of the stem bolt deal, try to get gold press latinum from him in exchange. But, again, the two find themselves making a trade -- this time, for seven tessipates of land. Jake thinks they finally have something they can work with, but Nog is getting discouraged. Back on Jeraddo, Bashir tends to Mullibok's wounds, but insists on taking him back to the station for proper care. Baltrim and Keena have been evacuated to Bajor, but Mullibok stands his ground. Kira tells Bashir to leave -- she will stay with him until he gets better. Bashir returns and reports this surprising development to Sisko, who goes to the moon himself and confronts the recuperating Mullibok. Knowing the farmer can't be swayed, Sisko talks with Kira alone and reminds her that, no matter how much she is like Mullibok, that way of life is now behind her. Appealing to her now as a friend, Sisko tells her that Mullibok's fate is already decided -- hers isn't. He then leaves her -- with much to think about.

That night, Kira watches over Mullibok, and as he awakens from a nightmare, tries to make him more comfortable. He pretends to be gruff, but is glad to have her nursing him back to health, and goes back to sleep. Meanwhile on the station, Nog and Jake overhear a conversation between Quark and Odo, from which the boys learn the Bajoran government wants to buy their land. Nog approaches the surprised Quark with a proposition -- one that will cost him only five bars of gold press latinum. The crafty Ferengi catches on.

The next day, Kira wakes up to find Mullibok outside, finally finishing a kiln that he had been building. As he fires it up, Kira says it is time for her to now finish her work. He declares that as long as his cottage stands, he stays. With that, Kira takes her phaser and destroys the kiln, then takes a torch and sets the cottage on fire. He tells her to turn the phaser on him, but she refuses. Finally, sadly, he says if he leaves, he will die. Kira reassures him that he won't, and offers her hand, but he turns his back. She reaches to him one last time as she beams away ...

If Wishes Were Horses

Stardate: 46853.2

While Sisko, Kira, and Dax investigate readings of unusually high thoron emissions coming from the plasma field in their area of space, O'Brien reads his daughter Molly a bedtime story about Rumpelstiltskin, after which the mystical dwarf actually appears in her bedroom. Shocked, O'Brien discovers that not only does he seem real, he doesn't disappear when his name is spoken as in the fairy tale. He calls Sisko on his combadge, but Sisko has become otherwise preoccupied when he finds himself face-to-face with Buck Bokai, a long-dead baseball player who has come to life from Jake's holosuite game. An even more shocking surprise greets Bashir, when he is awakened in his quarters by the caress of Dax's hand, then finds her trying to uncharacteristically smother him with affection. The senior officers are then summoned to Ops, where they are joined by Rumpelstiltskin and Bokai. Sisko asks Dax if this phenomenon could be connected to the thoron emissions, but she seems confused by the question. Suddenly, the officers hear a voice from behind, and turn to see ... another Dax!

Bashir's tricorder analysis confirms that the three newcomers are definitely not holograms, but quite real. Sisko surmises that all of them were born of imagination, the thought of which makes the new Dax even more flirtatious with the embarrassed Bashir. Suddenly, Odo's voice breaks through to tell them that it is snowing on the Promenade, while in Ops the three fantasy characters mysteriously disappear one by one. Dax's analysis of the plasma field reveals that its wave fronts are converging toward a single point; whatever falls in there just disappears. While Sisko orders a probe prepared to investigate, Odo finds the snow gone, but now an alien animal is running loose, and Quark is walking with his arms around two affectionate, scantily-clad women. The Ferengi is quite happy, until he sees his patrons are fulfilling their fantasies by winning big at the dabo table. In the science lab, Dax and Bashir learn the wormhole is helping to make the rupture in space larger -- and the tension between the two is increasing as well, especially after the new Dax appears to taunt the original. All this stops, however, when the computer discovers that a similar rupture formed in the Hanoli star system in the twenty-third century -- and Dax recalls that when the rupture exploded, that system was destroyed.

The probe is launched, but while the officers work to gather data, O'Brien is annoyed by Rumpelstiltskin's return, and the dwarf strikes a raw nerve by hinting at a threat toward O'Brien's daughter. The probe's analysis from the center of the anomaly reveals that it's getting larger. While they deal with this new development, Sisko finds himself cultivating a more personal rapport with Bokai. Later, the three products of the imagination meet privately, with Rumpelstiltskin and the new Dax baffled as to why they are being rejected by those who first thought of them. But Bokai reveals that he has found a soft spot in Sisko, and that because of this, they should continue to stay -- for as long as it takes.

Sisko, Kira, O'Brien, Dax, and Bashir meet and decide to prepare a pulse wave torpedo for the purpose of trying to seal the rupture, even though that tactic was unsuccessful when a Vulcan science mission attempted the same thing in the Hanoli system. O'Brien is betting the more sophisticated version they can use now might be able to contain the internal reaction. Sisko sets O'Brien to the task -- but if the plan fails, the entire Bajoran system could be destroyed. Preparing for the worst, Kira goes to coordinate evacuation of the pylons, but encounters a section on fire, from which emerges a man ablaze, who comes toward her but then disappears. Meanwhile, Odo tries vainly to control the situation on the Promenade, and finds brief satisfaction when his imagination conjures an image of Quark in jail, while Jake tries to resist Bokai's temptation to desert his homework and play ball. In Ops, Dax reveals that the rupture has expanded dramatically, and the rate of expansion is increasing. She puts an image of the rift on the viewscreen, and everyone -- including the three fantasy constructs -- watches as the phenomenon sucks in space matter all around it.

O'Brien launches his altered photon torpedoes into the rupture, and the rift swallows up the detonation. Their instruments show they aren't getting a controlled collapse; readings inside the rupture are off the scale. Suddenly, an intense flash, then a massive hit throws everyone to the floor, including the fantasy Dax, who hits her head in the fall. The sensors are knocked out, and while O'Brien attempts repairs, Bashir tends to the new Dax, who can't stay conscious. When the sensors come back on line, they reveal the torpedoes have had no effect. Then, Rumpelstiltskin pipes in with a suggestion -- he'll close the rift in exchange for O'Brien's daughter. The suggestion infuriates O'Brien, who grabs the dwarf. But Sisko has finally put together the pieces of the puzzle -- the entire rupture is a product of their imaginations, and he drills that thought into his officers. True to his belief, the rift vanishes, as well as the three fantasy beings. Later, the danger gone, Sisko sits alone in his office, when Bokai reappears, and reveals that he and his companions are beings on an extended mission exploring the galaxy. They traveled through the wormhole recently, observing, gaining understanding, and explains that only the powerful imaginations on the station placed everyone into inadvertent jeopardy. Then, Buck mysteriously disappears before he tells Sisko where they came from ...

The Forsaken

Stardate: 46925.1

Bashir plays reluctant host to a delegation of Federation ambassadors, one of whom happens to be Lwaxana Troi, mother of the Enterprise's counselor, Deanna Troi. Lwaxana creates a scene in Quark's when she discovers her priceless hairbrooch has been stolen, but Odo catches the culprit and returns the heirloom to her. The Betazoid develops an instant attraction to the shape-shifter. Meanwhile, much to Sisko's chagrin, Bashir brings the other three ambassadors to Ops, where a frustrated O'Brien struggles with the station's uncooperative computer. Then, an unidentified vessel comes through the wormhole. Unoccupied, it appears to be an alien probe. Sisko has it towed to a position a few hundred meters from the docking ring, while they attempt to establish a link to download information. Elsewhere, Lwaxana, dressed to kill, makes a move on Odo, who upon realizing her intentions, nervously avoids her and makes a beeline for Ops.

Much to O'Brien's surprise, getting the station's computer to perform a data transfer from the probe is unusually easy. While he and Dax work with the data, Odo seeks Sisko's advice about Lwaxana's romantic advances, but finds Sisko amused that the shape-shifter can handle thieves and killers but not an amorous Betazoid woman. Odo returns to the Promenade, runs right into Lwaxana, then tries to escape into the turbolift, but she gets in with him. Suddenly, it stops between floors -- the power has failed. Odo signals to be beamed out, but then the transporter also mysteriously goes dead. Lwaxana finally has Odo where she wants him -- alone at last.

O'Brien is baffled to find that both the turbolift and the transporter are in working order, even though they aren't working. Told that he can't even shape-shift his way out, Odo is resigned to being stuck with Lwaxana for a while. Odo suggests that he and the Betazoid pass the time quietly, but no such luck -- Lwaxana rambles on and on. Back in Ops, O'Brien informs Sisko that the computer rerouted the E-P-S power flow uncharacteristically fast, but for some reason still didn't activate the turbolift circuits. O'Brien's gut instincts tell him that, strange as the notion sounds, the computer's personality has changed -- becoming more obedient, and performing as if it wants constant attention -- much like ... a child.

Sisko, Kira, O'Brien, and Dax discuss the mystery, and a theory develops that they may have actually downloaded a non-biological lifeform into the computer. O'Brien suggests that transferring all of that downloaded programming off the station might purge the lifeform, and sets to attempt the procedure, but the computer seems to be stopping him at every turn. In the turbolift, meanwhile, Odo shares some private thoughts about his background with a sympathetic Lwaxana, who notices that he isn't looking well. He reminds her that he must revert to a liquid state every sixteen hours -- and this is now hour fifteen. While time continues to tick away, O'Brien attempts a manual transfer out of the computer, but sparks suddenly fly from his console during the process, followed by a plasma explosion around the station's guest quarters. Fire breaks out in the corridor, trapping Bashir and the three ambassadors.

While Sisko, Kira, and a rescue team try to cut their way into the corridor, O'Brien acts on a hunch and begins to construct a subprogram within the computer that will attract the entity, which he feels is actually acting like a stray puppy. In the turbolift, Odo cannot hold his shape any longer, so Lwaxana lifts her dress to form an improvised basin, into which Odo dissolves safely to his liquid form. Back in Ops, O'Brien has the computer route all back-up functions through his new subprogram, after which all systems come back on line. Sisko and Kira, now able to get into the fire-scorched corridor, search through the rubble, and are surprised when Bashir and the ambassadors come out from a wall compartment, soiled but safe. Lwaxana and Odo, now back in his humanoid form, are freed from the turbolift, and she leaves him with a hint of romance to follow when they meet next, O'Brien explains to Sisko that the subprogram he built will keep their "adopted pet" lifeform happy, busy, and out of their way from now on.

Dramatis Personae

Stardate: 46922.3

Kira protests when Sisko allows a Valerian ship to dock at the station, because she believes that the Valerians are supplying weapons-grade dolamide to the Cardassians. However, before the Valerian ship even arrives, a Klingon vessel blasts through the wormhole and explodes. One critically injured Klingon from that ship transports to the station, shrouded in a strange violet light, and dies immediately after uttering the word "victory" -- a curious declaration since his ship was supposed to be on a scientific mission. Dax and O'Brien are sent in a Runabout to search for the ship's mission recorder. While the Valerian vessel docks, despite Kira's unusual efforts to delay it without Sisko's knowledge. Odo learns from Quark that the Klingon mission involved procurement of something that would "make the enemies of the Klingon Empire tremble." Suddenly, Odo mysteriously becomes paralyzed with pain, his head splits in two, and a panicked Quark calls for Dr. Bashir.

When Odo regains consciousness in Bashir's infirmary, he is struck by the doctor's cold, calculating tone and his sudden interest in Kira, Sisko, and the Valerian situation. Meanwhile, Kira and Sisko have an uncharacteristically angry exchange over the Valerians, while aboard the Runabout, Dax and O'Brien also seem to undergo personality changes, O'Brien turning very cold and suspicious, asking Dax whether her loyalties lie with Sisko or Kira, while Dax becomes dreamy and removed. Kira, taking on a sensually manipulative tone, later tries to convince Odo to go behind Sisko's back and sneak aboard the Valerian ship -- Odo refuses.

Dax and O'Brien show a barely-legible recording made by the dead Klingon indicating mutiny aboard his ship, and the presence of some alien energy spheres, but Sisko doesn't seem to care. Soon afterward, Kira approaches Dax and tries to enlist her allegiance against Sisko, attacking Quark when she notices him eavesdropping. Quark complains to Odo and tells him of Kira's plot against Sisko. Noticing the odd behavior developing among the personnel, Odo goes to find Sisko in Ops, and is shocked to see O'Brien sitting in Sisko's chair, settled in like he owns the place, trying to piece together the mission recorder's log entries. O'Brien tells Odo he believes Sisko's life is in danger because of the mutiny Kira is planning. Odo finally locates Sisko in his quarters, telling him that he fears what happened on the Klingon ship may be occurring on the station. Sisko, however, is only concerned with designing a clock. Odo realizes at this point that he's on his own.

When Odo returns to his office, Kira surprises him with news that she has made sure the Valerian ship cannot leave until she lets it. He learns that Kira is about to go after Sisko and O'Brien. Hoping it might provide an explanation, Odo reviews the reconstructed journal of the dead Klingon and finds a mention of telepathic energy spheres, containing an archive which described a power struggle that destroyed an ancient alien race called the Saltah'na. Odo cautiously approaches Bashir for help, making the suspicious doctor believe he's working to benefit whoever seizes control of the station. They theorize that the Klingon ship was destroyed after an energy matrix from the spheres affected the crew's minds, causing them to reenact that struggle. The Klingon apparently brought the matrix to the station inadvertently, and it influenced everyone in Ops but Odo. While Bashir works to eliminate the matrix's effects, one of his allies tries to attack Sisko with a tiny device. Sisko retaliates against the young ensign, sure that Kira put him up to the mutinous action, until Kira herself arrives, pointing a phaser at Sisko.

Before Kira's guards can take Sisko and O'Brien, the pair dematerialize and beam into an airlock, from where they attempt to escape to the Valerian ship, enlisting Odo's help to eliminate the forcefields blocking their path. Odo lures all the affected individuals together, then activates Bashir's matrix interference signal. The violet-colored energy influence is successfully purged long enough for Odo to release it into space. Life returns to normal on the station, and Sisko and Kira bury their differences.

Duet

Stardate: Unknown

A Kobheerian freighter transports a passenger onto the space station who has a medical condition known as Kalla-Nohra. Kira recalls that the only cases of this were the result of a mining accident at a Bajoran forced labor camp she helped liberate years ago. She goes to the Infirmary, and is taken aback when the patient is a middle-aged Cardassian male. He flees but runs right into Odo, who places him in a holding cell based on Kira's charge that, because he is a Cardassian with Kalla-Nohra, he had to be part of the military operation at the Gallitepp camp, and therefore a war criminal. When Sisko confronts the Cardassian, Marritza, about this, he claims that he does not have that particular condition, but one with similar symptoms. However, Bashir is certain that Marritza really does have Kalla-Nohra. Then, Sisko speaks with Kaval, the Bajoran Minister of State, who makes it clear that this is becoming a matter for his people, not the Federation, and if Marritza was at Gallitepp, Sisko will turn him over to Bajor -- whether he wants to or not.

Kira pleads her case, and Sisko agrees to let her handle the investigation. Odo's background check confirms Marritza's claims about being an instructor for the past few years. Unconvinced, Kira interrogates Marritza, who eventually admits he was at Gallitepp -- as a filing clerk. He claims there were no atrocities at the labor camp -- just rumors started by the camp's leader, Gul Darhe'el, to create fear in the Bajorans. Growing tired of this, Marritza insists on being released, and hits a nerve with Kira when he tells her she doesn't care about truth -- only vengeance.

The Cardassian Gul Dukat communicates with Sisko, but he refuses to release Marritza until his identity is confirmed. Later, in Ops, the officers examine the only image found in the Bajoran archives of Marritza at Gallitepp, but the Cardassian with that name in the picture bears absolutely no resemblance. Surprisingly, though, they do find a perfect match with another -- Gul Darhe'el, the "Butcher of Gallitepp." Kira confronts Marritza, who admits to being the notorious leader and assuming Marritza's identity. With disbelief, she listens to him brag about the countless atrocities he committed, brushing aside Kira's threat of paying for his crimes, and proclaiming that he accomplished more than her resistance group ever did. Kira sees her words mean nothing to one who feels so superior.

Kira seeks solace by talking with Odo, who points out something very odd about Marritza's claims. How did he know to which resistance group Kira belonged? She confronts the Cardassian with this, and he claims that he was kept informed of everything regarding the resistance. Meanwhile, the suspicious Odo discovers Marritza was seeking information on Kira months ago; then a conversation with Gul Dukat reveals that not only is Gul Darhe'el dead, but he attended the funeral himself. Dukat allows Odo limited access to Cardassian files in order to get to the bottom of this. In the holding area, Kira and Marritza continue to debate, and he reminds her that he wasn't the only one who killed innocents -- her terrorist attacks certainly murdered their share of Cardassian civilians. The discussion reaches a fever pitch when Odo pulls her away with his news. He isn't certain why yet, but he is sure Marritza wanted to be caught.

The evidence against Marritza mounts: Odo has seen Gul Darhe'el's death certificate; the labor camp leader wasn't on Bajor when the mining accident causing the Kalla-Nohra condition occurred; Marritza resigned from his teaching position two weeks ago and put all his affairs in order, he specifically requested passage to the space station; and Bashir has found enough medical clues to deduce Marritza apparently had his face changed to look like Gul Darhe'el. Kira tells him what she now knows, and finally, reduced to a tortured, saddened man, Marritza admits the masquerade. Kira moves to release him, but he begs to keep up the ruse, hoping that forcing attention to Cardassian crimes will force Cardassia to admit its guilt -- and maybe bring about a new empire. Kira, not willing to let him sacrifice his life, prepares to return him home when a Bajoran man comes through the crowd in the Promenade and plunges a dagger into Marritza, killing him. The Bajoran, Kainon, claims that the fact Marritza is a Cardassian was reason enough to take his life. Kira, shaken and totally forlorn, whispers that it wasn't ...

In the Hands of the Prophets

Stardate: Unknown

While Keiko O'Brien is teaching her students about the scientific aspects of the wormhole, a Bajoran woman in religious garb, Vedek Winn, observes the class and calmly objects to Keiko's secular methods of instruction. According to Winn, it is not science that guides ships safely through the wormhole, but "the hands of the prophets," and Keiko's words are a blasphemy the Bajoran cannot allow to continue. In Ops, Sisko listens to Keiko's concerns, but Kira expresses her support for Winn, suggesting to the defensive teacher that informing Bajoran children only about the science of the wormhole without placing it into a spiritual context is akin to imposing a philosophy on them. Sisko talks with Winn in the station's Bajoran shrine, and although she is honored to meet the "Emissary" to the prophets, Winn refuses to step back from her stance, warning that she won't be responsible for any consequences that result if Keiko continues her teachings.

O'Brien, working with his young Bajoran apprentice, Neela, is concerned when he cannot locate one of his tools, one which can be used to access every critical system on the station. When it turns out Ensign Aquino is also missing, they make a search, finding the melted remains of the instrument in a large power conduit -- plus traces of organic material, which prove to be human remains. Apparently, Aquino went to fix an irregularity in the conduit, and accidentally got caught in the power flow and killed. Later, O'Brien and Keiko find to their dismay that some Bajorans are treating her with contempt. In front of the school, the O'Briens find Bajoran parents and the students, including Jake, listening to Winn, who asks Keiko to stop teaching about the wormhole altogether if she will not instruct the children about the spiritual aspects. When Keiko refuses, Winn leads away the Bajorans in silent protest. O'Brien comforts his saddened wife.

O'Brien is still puzzled by Aquino's death, and Sisko asks Odo to investigate further. Jake then approaches his father about the school situation, and Sisko explains to him the importance of respecting the beliefs of others. Realizing the growing uneasiness on the station, Sisko seeks help on Bajor from Vedek Bareil, a spiritual leader who is the leading candidate to become the planet's next Kai. Although his ideology is quite different than Winn's, Bareil will not risk his growing status to help Sisko get an audience with the Vedek Assembly. Frustrated, Sisko returns to the station and finds that three Bajoran crewmembers failed to report for duty due to "illness," according to Kira. Tension builds between the two as Sisko grows tired of these games, but Odo and Bashir interject with the results of their investigation -- Aquino was really killed by a phaser blast.

The officers discuss the murder, and Odo reveals that, according to turbolift records, the ensign's true destination that fateful night was Runabout pad C. While O'Brien and Neela investigate the area, Odo goes to the Promenade just as more Bajorans, members of an orthodox spiritual order, arrive on the station to support Winn. O'Brien finds Odo and reports something most unusual -- a security bypass module was placed at Runabout pad A. Odo deduces that Aquino must have interrupted someone planning to steal a Runabout from pad C. The ensign was killed, and the culprit went to pad A to escape later detection. Odo and O'Brien suddenly hear an explosion, and rush to find Keiko's school engulfed in flames.

The wreckage is examined, revealing the school was destroyed by a homemade bomb. Winn approaches the area, and an angry Sisko lets her know that, despite this terrorist act, the majority of Bajorans do not feel the contempt she does for the Federation. As he leaves, Winn is surrounded by her supporters, and silently acknowledges Neela in the crowd. Then, in the Bajoran shrine, Neela reveals privately to Winn that the officers know about the Runabout, leaving Neela with no mode of escape, but Winn insists their secret plan must be carried out -- it is "the will of the prophets." Later, Sisko is pleased as Bareil arrives at the station to survey the situation, and while they move through the huge crowd of Bajoran well-wishers with Kira, O'Brien finds an unknown file in the computer, which turns out to be a series of forcefield overrides to Runabout pad A -- an escape route from the Promenade. While Bareil and Winn together go to the remains of the school, O'Brien suspects the weapons detectors are disabled, and urgently tells Sisko only Neela -- the last person to repair that unit -- could have done it. Sisko spots Neela in the crowd, calmly pulling out a phaser, and he knocks her to the ground, making Neela miss her target -- Bareil. It is discovered Winn started the religious controversy as a ruse to have Bareil assassinated before he could be made Kai. But in the end, it only serves to strengthen the alliance between Sisko and Kira.

The Homecoming

Stardate: Unknown

Kira is intrigued when Quark presents her with an earring he claims was delivered from Cardassia IV. She immediately recognizes the earring as that of Li Nalas, who according to legend is the greatest Bajoran resistance fighter ever. Li has been missing and presumed dead, but the earring indicates that he is alive, and Kira believes it was smuggled out as a cry for help. She asks Sisko for a Runabout to rescue Li, telling him that Li is exactly the sort of leader the increasingly factionalized Bajoran people need. Sisko is skeptical about the dangerous mission, but promises to think about it, when Odo and O'Brien approach Sisko with another problem. Graffiti bearing the insignia of "The Circle," an extremist group that wants to rid Bajor of all non-Bajorans, has appeared around the station. Sisko is troubled by this reminder that tensions on Bajor are definitely growing.

With this in mind, and with encouragement from Dax, Sisko agrees to let Kira have the Runabout on one condition -- O'Brien must accompany her on her mission into Cardassian territory. At first, Kira objects, worried that the presence of a Federation officer will only complicate things. However, Sisko is unwilling to bend, so Kira reluctantly agrees and the two head off.

After near-detection by the Cardassian forces, Kira and O'Brien land inside a prison camp where Bajorans break rocks in the sun. Kira flirts with an overseer in order to get inside the prison forcefield, then she and O'Brien make a surprise assault and get to the prisoners. Li is confused, unsure why these strangers have come for him. His friend Borum reveals that he smuggled the earring out in order to get Li rescued. The group prepares to leave as Cardassian guards come at them with phasers blazing. Li is hit, and the group makes the grim realization that they cannot escape with all of the other prisoners. Borum orders Kira to take Li back to Bajor and insists that he and three other prisoners will hold off the Cardassian troops. Reluctantly, Kira allows Borum and the others to sacrifice themselves in order to save Li.

Back on the station, Li is given medical attention while Kira inadvertently steps in on a message from Cardassian leader Gul Dukat. She is shocked to hear Dukat apologize for the existence of the prison camp, and is skeptical when he announces that all of the remaining prisoners will be released. Sisko also has trouble believing Dukat's words, but encourages Kira to be pleased with what has been achieved. The sudden arrival of Li has caused a tremendous commotion on the station, as Bajorans openly stare at him in awe. Li, however, seems strangely uncomfortable with the attention. He politely stands by while Minister Jaro from Bajor makes a speech publicly welcoming him home, and only relaxes when Sisko finally escorts him to his quarters. There, Sisko hints at the trouble on Bajor and asks Li for help in bringing stability to the planet. Meanwhile, at the counter of his closed bar, Quark is attacked by three masked, hulking figures who force him to the floor and burn his flesh with a sort of branding iron.

While Dr. Bashir aids Quark, Li is told that Quark's assailants are members of The Circle. Li is shocked that Bajorans have done such a thing, and Sisko explains that many Bajorans are turning to The Circle because they have grown impatient with their government. Kira adds that the Bajorans need a leader who will speak out against extremist groups, at which point all eyes turn to Li. He, however, wants no part of it. A short while afterward, the Bajoran hero Is caught trying to secretly leave the station for the faraway Gamma Quadrant.

Forced to explain himself, Li painfully reveals that the bravery he is so famous for is based entirely on rumors. He killed an unarmed, unclothed Cardassian, and when the Bajorans learned that this dead Cardassian was a great fighter, Li's encounter -- and everything he did that followed -- grew to reach mythic proportions. Because the stories that made him a legend are false, Li feels unworthy of leading the Bajorans. But Sisko disagrees. He explains that the Bajoran people need a legend, and that they look to Li as a symbol of what is best in themselves. Realizing that Sisko is right, Li agrees to assume whatever role is needed, which soon results in a surprising development. Minister Jaro announces that Li has been named Bajoran Liaison Officer to Deep Space Nine -- the position currently held by Kira. Over Sisko's objections, Jaro states that Kira has been dropped from the station and has been called back to Bajor.

The Circle

Stardate: Unknown

After Minister Jaro dismisses Major Kira and sends her back to Bajor, Sisko angrily confronts him about his actions. Jaro is surprised that Sisko is not happy to be rid of his troublesome officer, but assures him that Kira has been promoted. He also reminds Sisko that he couldn't have a better replacement than war hero Li Nalas, who will be safer from Bajor's escalating violence if he remains on Deep Space Nine. Sisko receives an eerie reminder of that violence when he returns to his quarters and finds his door has been vandalized with The Circle's insignia. Kira, meanwhile, is not happy about leaving, a fact she discusses with the rest of the crew as they stop by her quarters to see her off. Odo encourages her to fight for her job, but Kira is resigned to her fate. Then, Bajoran spiritual leader Vedek Bareil arrives unexpectedly. Although he starts out talking about the proliferation of weapons on Bajor, he ends up changing the subject and inviting Kira to spend some time at his monastery. She accepts, but before she leaves, Sisko promises to fight to have her reinstated.

In the monastery, Kira grows uncomfortable with both her feelings of uselessness and her growing attraction to Bareil. Bareil leads her to a chamber of the temple shrine, where he leaves her alone with one of the sacred orbs. Kira is suddenly enveloped by light and mysteriously transported to a room full of Bajoran legislators, plus Dax, Vedek Winn, Jaro, and Bareil. Kira is urged to listen to the legislators. Suddenly, she realizes that she is naked, just as Bareil appears from behind and kisses her. As they kiss, an explosion of sound interrupts the moment and she finds herself fully dressed, standing alone in the shrine chamber. Later, when Bareil asks Kira what she experienced, she lies about it, even when Bareil says that she has been in one of his visions.

Back on Deep Space Nine, Quark fills Odo in on an important piece of information -- the Kressari have been supplying arms to The Circle. Without Kira to help him, Odo needs Quark's assistance to learn where the weapons are being delivered, and forces the Ferengi to act as his deputy. The officers delay the departure of a Kressarian freighter long enough for Odo to sneak aboard in liquid form and then disguise himself as a rat. At the same time, Sisko travels to Bajor to tell Kira about the arms shipments and warn her about the imminent coup. He again promises to help her return to the space station. However, soon after he leaves, she is drugged and kidnapped by three masked men.

On the Kressari ship, Odo learns that the Cardassians are really behind the arms shipments, secretly supplying the Kressarians with the weapons being taken to Bajor. Meanwhile, Kira awakens in an underground bunker, where Minister Jaro reveals that he is The Circle, and that he assigned Li to the station so the war hero wouldn't gain the devotion of the Bajorans. Jaro then passionately declares that, thanks to his work, Bajor will soon no longer be powerless in the face of others, and the Federation will be forced to leave. Back at the station, Quark tells Sisko where Kira has been taken, and Sisko, Li, and Bashir hurry to Bajor to rescue her. Surprising Kira's captors, they find her, cut and bleeding, and transport her back to their Runabout.

Soon after the group arrives at the station, Odo returns and informs Kira that the arms shipments to The Circle are coming from the Cardassians, who hope a resulting coup will get rid of the Federation so they can eventually retake Bajor. Back on Bajor, Jaro has no idea of this, and congratulates Vedek Winn on their pending success. Desperate, Sisko tries to put Li in touch with Bajor's Council of Ministers to tell them the truth, but all communications with the planet have been severed. Instead, he summons the aid of Admiral Chekote at Starfleet Command, and the two soon realize that Bajor is set to erupt in a full-scale revolution. With Bajoran assault ships scheduled to reach Deep Space Nine in only seven hours, the Admiral orders Sisko to conduct a complete evacuation of the station, but Sisko secretly plans to make one last stand against the approaching Bajoran forces.

The Siege

Stardate: Unknown

With less than five hours remaining before Bajoran forces are due to arrive, Sisko continues to evacuate Deep Space Nine. He elects to remain aboard to delay the station takeover, and is pleased when his officers choose to stay with him. Kira maintains that the only real hope of stopping The Circle is to get evidence of the secret Cardassian involvement with Bajor's Chamber of Ministers. With communications jammed and all Runabouts involved in the evacuation, she and Dax arrange to get taken to the Lunar-V base, where ancient Bajoran raiders -- the only transportation available -- await them. Meanwhile, the Promenade is in total chaos with almost everyone, including Bajorans, making attempts to flee. Li is able to convince some of his people to stay, but there are still too many passengers and too few ships. This is because Quark, true to form, has seized the opportunity to make money by selling seats, and has accidentally "overbooked" and sold more seats than are actually available. Luckily, all civilians, including O'Brien's family and Sisko's son, are able to escape the coming siege.

Some time later, Bajoran raiders, led by Colonel Day and Over-General Krim, arrive at Deep Space Nine. Seeing no Federation members anywhere, they cautiously assume that the station has been abandoned, not realizing that a small team led by Sisko is hiding. Eventually, however, Krim decides that some people may still be aboard when it's noticed that the internal security system has been disabled. He reports this to Minister Jaro, who reminds Krim and Day that it is most important they take Li Nalas alive, to seal their victory.

Hidden in the conduits, Sisko and Bashir command two teams of would-be resisters, while Odo spies on the Bajorans. When Odo reports that a six-man team is preparing to search the cargo deck, Bashir and his group successfully intercept the soldiers and take them prisoner. Meanwhile, on one of Bajor's moons, Kira and Dax locate a dilapidated raider and manage to get it flying, but are soon intercepted by two highly superior Bajoran ships. Kira attempts to fly into Bajor's atmosphere to evade the attacking vessels, but they are hit and crash onto the planet's surface.

In an effort to stall the Bajorans, Day is lured into a holosuite, where he attempts to "capture" holographic images of the crew. The images fade from view and the door locks, giving Sisko, via voice communication, an opportunity to tell Day about the Cardassian plot, and that proof is on the way to Bajor. However, Day is unimpressed and neglects to tell Krim about the plot after he is released from the suite. Instead, they set about searching the conduits for the Starfleet team.

Amidst the Runabout wreckage, Kira, who is badly hurt, tries to convince Dax to leave her and deliver the evidence to the Chamber of Ministers herself. But Dax refuses to abandon Kira, and the two are soon discovered. Luckily, the Bajorans who found them have been sent by Bareil, who has Kira's wounds tended to at his monastery and helps disguise her and Dax as monks. Despite Kira's protests, he insists on accompanying the women to the Chamber of Ministers. Back at the station, Bashir creates a diversion, giving an armed O'Brien, Li, and Sisko access to Krim, who they eventually corner at gunpoint, forcing him to listen.

On Bajor, a session of the Chamber of Ministers is interrupted by the arrival of Kira, Dax, and Bareil. Jaro immediately recognizes Kira and orders guards to seize her, but she tells the Ministers about how the Cardassians are secretly behind the coup and provides evidence to prove it. Jaro is left in a state of shock, refusing to believe that he has played into the hands of the Cardassians. Vedek Winn quickly sides with Kira and the other Ministers against her one-time ally. The news soon reaches Deep Space Nine, where Krim, realizing that Bajor's provisional government still stands, recognizes that it is his duty to return the station to Sisko and the Federation, and does so. However, Day refuses to give up the fight, and pulls a phaser on Sisko. Li steps in to take the full force of the shot and dies, escaping the responsibility of leadership that he dreaded so much. The next day, the crew, especially Kira, mourns Li's loss, but their sadness is tempered by the arrival of the evacuees and the realization that life on Deep Space Nine will soon be back to normal.

Invasive Procedures

Stardate: 47182.1

A violent plasma storm leads to the evacuation of Deep Space Nine, leaving a skeleton crew behind to maintain the station. Odo is suspicious when he learns that Quark is hiding in an airlock, but can pin nothing on the Ferengi. The crew picks up a distress signal from a cargo ship that has been damaged and needs assistance. O'Brien and Odo meet the ship at a docking bay, where the "victims," a humanoid female named Mareel, Klingon mercenaries T'Kar and Yeto, and a nervous male Trill named Verad, pull weapons on the pair and force Odo to assume liquid form and get into a small box. The group then forces Bashir to put Odo in stasis, and finally winds up in Ops, taking everyone hostage. O'Brien deduces that Quark is connected to their plight, unaware that, at that very moment, Yeto is revealing to the Ferengi that, what Quark thought was commerce, was really a trick to get the group aboard. T'Kar reveals the reason for the takeover -- the timid Verad is actually the leader and has come to steal Jadzia's symbiont.

Unable to look Dax in the eyes, Verad says he has spent his whole life trying to qualify for symbiosis, but has been deemed an unacceptable candidate. Tired of his mediocre life, he has decided to take Dax's symbiont and escape into the Gamma Quadrant. Dax urges him to reconsider, reminding him that most Trills are not chosen for symbiosis, and that improper joining can cause psychological damage to both symbiont and host. But Verad threatens to kill the rest of the crew if Dax refuses, and she agrees to go through with the procedure that will surely kill her. Mareel gives Verad a tender kiss goodbye, and Bashir reluctantly performs the operation, solemnly removing the symbiont. Back in Ops, Mareel tells Kira about her love and devotion to Verad when Sisko jumps in, warning her that Verad is sure to be greatly changed after the surgery, becoming a mixture of Verad, Dax and all of Dax's previous hosts. Mareel replies that she will always love him, just as a far more confident Verad walks in, but he is now Verad Dax.

While Bashir desperately tries to hold on to Jadzia's life, Sisko talks with Verad, tapping into the lifelong friendship he and the Dax symbiont have shared. Verad reminisces about old times until the memories begin to involve Jadzia, who, Sisko reminds him, is currently dying because of Verad. Sisko urges Verad to give the symbiont back to Jadzia, but Verad is unwilling to part with it, explaining that another joining so soon may destroy the symbiont. Sisko, willing to take that risk, walks out, saying that their friendship is over.

Unable to convince Verad Dax, Sisko turns his attention back to Mareel, urging her to talk with Verad and see for herself how much he has changed. She refuses, claiming to want to let him rest, but Sisko's words are getting to her. Meanwhile, Quark, trying to atone for what he's done, jumps T'Kar and is immediately injured. Verad Dax and Mareel make their plans to escape, and Verad tells her he will leave first and she is to meet him at a designated rendezvous point. Despite his assurances, Mareel is hesitant, realizing that Verad has, in fact, changed. Back in surgery, Bashir knocks Yeto unconscious with a hypospray and then he and Quark release Odo from stasis. Soon afterward, Verad attempts to contact Yeto and realizes that Odo must have been freed. He decides to leave immediately with T'Kar, taking Kira along as a hostage and leaving the dying Jadzia behind.

With Verad Dax gone, Sisko turns back to Mareel, who reveals that Verad has lied to her for the last time and that she fears he will not meet her as planned. Sisko takes advantage of her sadness, reminding her that the old Verad still cares about her, and that by saving Jadzia, Verad will be saved as well. Meanwhile, Verad arrives in the airlock to discover that his ship is not there. Odo suddenly appears, morphing out of a tool cart, and tells him that he released the docking clamps. Kira then attacks T'Kar and a struggle ensues, but Verad escapes to a Runabout airlock just as Sisko appears and pulls a phaser on him. Verad tells Sisko he doubts his old friend will fire and risk killing the Dax symbiont. But Sisko does fire, and Verad soon wakes up in surgery. Although Mareel professes her undying love for him, he is inconsolable over the loss of the symbiont. Dax, however, is back to normal, with the addition of all of Verad's memories and feelings.

Cardassians

Stardate: 47177.2

Bashir is surprised when his "friend" Garak, a Cardassian tailor, is attacked and bitten by a Cardassian boy who is visiting the station with his Bajoran father. The boy, Rugal, is an orphan abandoned after the war who was adopted by a Bajoran family. No sooner does Bashir tell the crew about the incident than Cardassian leader Gul Dukat contacts Sisko asking him to investigate. He claims any information will help in his quest to bring the Cardassian war orphans back home. Sisko begins by speaking to Proka, the boy's Bajoran father, who tells him that, while he has been honest with Rugal about the Cardassians and their atrocities, he loves Rugal as if he were his own child. This is contradicted by an alien named Zolan who was with the pair when the incident occurred. He tells Bashir that Rugal has been mistreated by his adoptive family and forced to hate himself for his heritage. Proka vehemently denies this, but Sisko insists that the boy be taken into station custody.

Later, Bashir discusses the situation with Garak while tending to his wounded hand. Garak laughs when he learns that Gul Dukat is claiming to want to save Cardassian war orphans and implies that Dukat is lying, indicating that he was in charge of the very operation that left those orphans behind. Bashir promptly brings this information to Sisko, who happens to be in the midst of a conversation with Dukat about the possibility of returning Rugal to Cardassia. Bashir boldly interrupts and asks Dukat why he left the orphans on Bajor, and Dukat responds that the civilian leaders ordered it. Unsure who to believe, Sisko requests a meeting with Garak, who proceeds to deny ever saying anything about Dukat to Bashir. Bashir follows Garak out and confronts him about his lies, and he angrily tells Bashir that the information he shared was confidential. Meanwhile, Rugal moves in with O'Brien and Keiko, and soon reveals to O'Brien that he hates the Cardassians and hates being one. He says that while his parents also despise his people, they love him and have never mistreated him.

That night, Garak wakes Bashir up and says that they must go to Bajor immediately. Bashir approaches Sisko for approval to use a Runabout just as Gul Dukat sends a communication to Sisko stating that Rugal is the son of Kotan Pa'Dar, one of Cardassia's most prominent political figures. Pa'Dar is en route to retrieve the boy and take him home to Cardassia. Still confused, Sisko lets Bashir travel to Bajor with Garak to investigate. While visiting an orphanage, Garak accesses and downloads all of the region's computer files on orphan resettlement, but is initially unable to find any record of Rugal.

On route back to Deep Space Nine, Bashir grows suspicious of Garak and questions him about what is going on. Garak indicates that Pa'Dar and Dukat are political enemies, and that Dukat's interest in the boy is suspect. Pa'Dar soon arrives at the station and goes in search of his son, but first encounters O'Brien, who warns him of the boy's negative attitude toward his heritage. Pa'Dar replies that losing his son was a terrible tragedy and he is determined to bring him home, but when he meets Rugal, the boy angrily refuses to go. Proka insists on retaining custody, and Pa'Dar turns to Sisko to mediate the situation just as Gul Dukat makes his unexpected arrival at the station.

Dukat, Pa'Dar, Proka, Rugal, and Sisko meet to decide who should get custody of Rugal. Sisko is suspicious that Dukat has come so far for a simple custody hearing, especially since he and Pa'Dar have been political enemies. However, Garak learns more about Dukat's motives when he realizes that Rugal's name has probably been deliberately erased from the orphan resettlement files. He tracks down the Bajoran official who originally wrote the file and learns that Rugal was brought from Terok Nor, which was the space station's name under Gul Dukat's command. Apparently, Dukat deliberately left Rugal behind in hopes of someday using this to humiliate his adversary, Pa'Dar. When Sisko learns of this, he decides to let Pa'Dar take Rugal back to Cardassia despite the obviously distraught boy's unwillingness to go, realizing that the innocent father has a right to attempt to raise his child.

Melora

Stardate: 47229.1

The crew welcomes Ensign Melora Pazlar, a cartographer on a mission to chart the Gamma Quadrant. Melora is an Elaysian, a species from a planet with very low gravity, and because of this, she must use a wheelchair and braces to get around in "normal" conditions. Bashir has prepared the station with special ramps to give her access, but she makes it very clear that she does not need or want special treatment and hates being regarded as a person with a "problem." Meanwhile, Quark welcomes his own visitor, Fallit Kot, an old acquaintance who announces that he has come to the station to seek revenge against the Ferengi by killing him. Later, despite the obvious strain gravity puts on her, Melora meets with Sisko and tries to convince him to let her pilot a Runabout around the Gamma Quadrant on her own. Sisko is understanding, but insists that Dax accompany her, leaving Melora stung. Bashir then visits her in her quarters, which he has equipped with a special device that reduces gravity and lets her "fly" around. He asks her to join him for dinner, and she agrees.

Back at the bar, Quark prepares a sumptuous feast for Kot, but is unsuccessful in convincing his enemy to spare him. At the same time, Bashir and Melora enjoy their own meal, and the two begin to feel a strong attraction. Later, while preparing for her mission, Melora trips and falls in a doorway and is unable to get up. Dax finds her there and summons Bashir, then helps her to the infirmary. This incident has obviously humiliated Melora, but Bashir is understanding and reminds her that in space, everyone needs help now and then. This helps Melora feel comfortable with her new friend, so she turns down the gravity in her room and shows him how he can "fly" around with her. The two are soon caught up in the moment and share a passionate kiss.

On route to the Gamma Quadrant, Melora shares her concern over her feelings for Bashir with Dax. Dax encourages her to enjoy the romance rather than worry about any potential problems. Back at the station, a worried Quark tells Odo about Kot's plan to kill him -- but this seems to please Odo more than it concerns him. Still, he promises to do his job. Later, Melora returns and seeks out Bashir, who has a surprise. He has been doing research on a neuromuscular adaptation theory that could possibly help her walk without a wheelchair, or her servo controls.

In the Infirmary, Bashir tries the new technology out on Melora, and is thrilled when she is suddenly able to lift her leg and is soon walking with just a little help from Bashir. Back in her quarters, he advises her not to use the low-gravity field actuator because it will "confuse" her motor cortex. She readily agrees to refrain, but, once he leaves, can't help missing her ability to fly. Meanwhile, Odo summons Fallit Kot to the security office and tells him that, while he sympathizes with his dislike of Quark, he cannot allow Kot to kill him. Kot feigns innocence, claiming that he never threatened Quark's life, but Odo later warns Quark to carry a combadge at all times and to be prepared to contact him. Sure enough, Kot appears in Quark's quarters that night and attacks him. Quark strikes a bargain for his life, offering Kot 199 bars of gold-press latinum he will receive through a trade with an alien named Ashrock.

The next day, Melora reveals to Bashir that she is feeling some apprehension about the fact that the effects of his treatment will soon be permanent. Not wanting to delude her, Bashir reminds her that she must give up her ability to fly if she wants to be able to walk. Meanwhile, Quark and Kot conduct their trade with Ashrock, after which Kot blasts Ashrock with a phaser and takes Quark hostage. They flee into a Runabout, trapping Dax and Melora inside, and Kot orders Dax to pilot the ship away from the station. Sisko, Kira, and O'Brien latch onto the Runabout with the tractor beam, but Kot responds by firing a phaser at Melora and knocking her to the floor, leaving her helpless. Moving fast, Sisko, O'Brien, and Bashir transport to another Runabout and Kira releases the tractor beam, letting Kot take off into the wormhole with the others in hot pursuit. Soon, Kot realizes he is being followed and orders Dax to fire on Sisko's ship. Before she can, Melora crawls across the floor unnoticed and reaches a switch that disengages the ship's gravity. Back in her "normal" state, she disables Kot, saving the day. Later, back at the station, she tells Bashir that she has decided against continuing the treatments. While he is obviously disappointed, he understands her decision, and is happy to simply be able to continue to get to know this remarkable woman.

Rules of Acquisition

Stardate: Unknown

While engaging in a game of Tongo with Rom, Dax, and a young Ferengi waiter named Pel, Quark is hailed by his leader, Grand Nagus Zek, who has good news for him -- Zek has chosen him to act as his chief negotiator in the Ferengi expansion into the Gamma Quadrant. Soon afterward, Zek meets with Sisko and Kira, hoping they will let him use the station for a business conference with the Dosi, a race from the Gamma Quadrant, and they reluctantly agree. Zek then goes to Quark's quarters and instructs him to purchase ten thousand vats of tulaberry wine from the Dosi, a move he feels will establish a strong Ferengi presence. Quark later brags about his profitable assignment to Rom, but Pel, who overhears them, warns him to be wary of Zek's motives, since Zek will be credited for success but Quark will almost certainly be blamed for any failure. Impressed, Quark asks Pel to serve as his assistant, leaving Rom stung. Pel then returns to his quarters, removing his false earlobes and revealing that he is actually a female.

The Dosi arrive on Deep Space Nine, and Quark nervously begins negotiations with Inglatu, the disagreeable leader, and Zyree, an equally difficult female. Things get off to a bad start when Inglatu says he will only sell Quark five thousand vats of wine, then demands to deal with Zek directly, but Pel steps in and firmly states that Quark is the sole contact in the negotiations. Still, Quark is shaken, and is even more upset when Zek informs him that he now wants one hundred thousand vats of wine, but Pel steps in and tells Zek this is a wonderful idea. She then steals a moment alone with Quark and convinces him that he is capable of negotiating this deal. Dax quietly observes the entire interaction and, the next day, questions Pel about her loyalty to Quark, then hears that Pel is not only in love with Quark, she is also a female, having disguised herself as a male to escape the domestic drudgery that is a Ferengi female's legally-mandated lot in life.

The next day, Quark relays to Zek that negotiations did not go well -- the Dosi have left the station. Zek becomes enraged, but Pel tells him that they will travel to the Gamma Quadrant and make the deal with the Dosi in their territory. Soon, she is alone on a ship with Quark, and almost reveals her secret as the sexual tension mounts, leaving Quark vaguely troubled. Meanwhile, back on the station, a jealous Rom ransacks Pel's quarters and learns the truth about her gender.

In the Dosi homeworld, Quark boldly approaches Inglatu with the contract, but he still refuses. Quark decides to camp out on the planet to be close to Inglatu in case he changes his mind, putting Pel, who is sharing a tiny tent with him, in an awkward position. Unable to resist, she impulsively kisses Quark, but Zyree enters before he can react, and reveals that Inglatu doesn't have one hundred thousands vats of wine to sell. However, she tips off Quark to the Karemma, an important power in the Dominion, a mysterious group who holds sizable influence in the Gamma Quadrant. Realizing that this information, not the wine, is what Zek really wants, he and Pel return to the station. Quark refuses to talk with Pel about the kiss and goes straight to meet with Zek, who promises Quark a percentage of every Ferengi opportunity in the Gamma Quadrant in exchange for a meeting with a member of the Dominion. Suddenly, Rom interrupts and pulls Quark away, telling him the truth about Pel. Quark promptly faints.

In the Infirmary, Rom reminds Quark that since she wears clothes and tries to earn profit, Pel has violated Ferengi law and should be punished. Afraid to ruin his reputation with Zek, Quark promises to give Rom the bar in exchange for his silence. Quark then visits Pel in her quarters and tells her to leave the station. She tells Quark that she loves him, but despite his feelings for her, he tells her he would not be happy with a non-traditional Ferengi wife. Determined to make her point, Pel confronts Zek and reveals her true identity. Zek threatens to imprison both her and Quark, who is guilty of the Ferengi crime of taking business advice from a female, until Quark reminds Zek that he, too, is guilty. Zek agrees to keep quiet, costing Quark his potential Gamma Quadrant profits. Pel leaves the station to continue her adventures, and Quark is left with nothing but the sadness of his first lost love.

Necessary Evil

Stardate: 47282.5

A beautiful Bajoran woman, Pallra, calls Quark to Bajor and persuades him to retrieve a strongbox her late husband kept hidden on Deep Space Nine. He agrees, unaware that a stranger named Trazko has observed their entire interaction, with Pallra's knowledge. Later that night, Quark and Rom sneak around the Promenade until they find the hidden panel that conceals the strongbox. Quark opens the box and sees that it only contains a list of Bajoran names. Suddenly, Trazko appears, and Quark realizes that Pallra probably sent him. Trazko takes the list from Quark and shoots him with a phaser, apparently killing him and leaving a panic-stricken Rom shouting for help.

While Bashir works frantically to save Quark, Odo questions Rom about the robbery and attack. Rom denies knowing what Trazko took from Quark, but when Odo accuses him of killing his brother, he tells him about the list. When Rom tells Odo the box was found on the site where the station's old chemist's shop used to be, Odo flashes back to a conversation he had with Gul Dukat five years earlier. The owner of the shop, Vaatrick, was murdered, and Dukat essentially forced Odo to investigate the killing. Odo questioned the dead man's widow, Pallra, about her husband's death, but while he was suspicious of her, she said her husband's alleged mistress probably killed him in a jealous rage. That mistress, she said, was Kira Nerys. Odo then comes out of the flashback and realizes that the attack on Quark could be related to this still-unsolved murder.

Odo tries to help Rom remember the names on the list. Rom can only remember one, which he thinks is Ches'so, and Odo then asks Kira if she knows the name. Kira says she does not, and Odo has another flashback to the time he interrogated Kira about Vaatrick. Kira denied the murder and the alleged affair, saying only that she and Vaatrick were friends. Later, Odo became even more suspicious when he spotted Dukat and Pallra kissing. This feeling remains after his flashback ends, sending Odo to Bajor to question Pallra about the list of names. She denies knowing anything about it, and says she does not recognize the name Ches'so. Odo then asks her how she found the money to pay her power bill, telling her that he knows her power had been cut off for non-payment. Pallra says a friend gave her the money but refuses to identify him.

While Quark continues to fight for his life, Kira tells Odo that she located Ches'so, whose real name is Ches'sarro, but that he drowned mysteriously the previous evening. Sure that Pallra is somehow involved, Odo orders a full examination of the man's death as well as an investigation into Pallra's bank records. Odo then has another flashback to when he first met Quark, remembering that Quark told Odo that Kira paid him to say she was at the bar the night Vaatrick was murdered. Sometime after the flashback ends, Odo shows Sisko the list of Bajoran names, which he compiled after looking through Pallra's communication records. Since every man on the list apparently transferred Bajoran currency into her account, Odo realizes that Pallra has been blackmailing them by threatening to expose their collaboration with the Cardassians.

Odo then flashes back to a conversation he had with Kira in which he confronted her about paying Quark to be her alibi. Kira once again insisted that she did not kill Vaatrick, but admitted that she was a member of the Bajoran underground and had sabotaged the ore processor the night he was killed. Since the crime was punishable by death, Odo mentioned nothing of it when Dukat entered the room, and simply told the Cardassian that Kira was not their murderer. Back in the present, Trazko enters the Infirmary with plans to finish Quark off, but Rom appears and the two begin fighting. The melee is loud enough to attract security, and Odo arrives to take Trazko to a holding cell. Later, Odo arrests Pallra for blackmail, despite the realization that Kira did kill Vaatrick that night five years ago -- not because they had an affair, but because he was a Cardassian collaborator who caught her trying to steal the list. While he has no intention of prosecuting her and -- says they can remain friends, both Odo and Kira realize the bond of trust between them may be changed forever.

Second Sight

Stardate: 47329.4

On the fourth anniversary of his wife's death, Sisko takes a melancholy late-night stroll along the Promenade, where a lovely alien woman named Fenna engages him in conversation. Strangely, however, Fenna disappears almost as quickly as she appeared. The next day, Sisko and Dax meet with Professor Seyetik, an expert in bringing dead planets back to life, who has come to re-ignite the dead sun of solar system Epsilon 119. Sisko and Dax discuss the upcoming mission over dinner, but Dax notices that Sisko is strangely distracted. Once the meal is over, he wanders back to the spot where he met Fenna, and is delighted when she suddenly reappears. They make plans for a picnic the next day, but when he asks her to tell him about herself, she runs away without warning.

Sisko asks Odo to look for Fenna, and is then approached by Dax, who questions him about the woman she saw him with the previous evening. Since he knows almost nothing, there isn't much to tell. That night, he, Dax and the rest of the senior staff join Seyetik on the science vessel Prometheus for dinner, where the professor bores them all with endless accounts of his intellectual escapades. Finally, he introduces his wife, Nidell -- and Sisko and Dax are shocked that the woman looks exactly like Fenna. Strangely, she doesn't seem to recognize Sisko at all.

After the meal, Sisko tells Dax that he is almost certain the shy Nidell is the same outgoing Fenna he met on the Promenade the day before. He casually mentions the meeting to Nidell, but she claims to have never seen Sisko before. However, she is visibly disturbed when he mentions the name Fenna. Back on Deep Space Nine, Sisko tells Odo to call off the search for Fenna since he found her on the Prometheus. Odo replies that this is impossible since no one but Seyetik has been off the vessel since it docked at the station. Frustrated, Sisko heads back to his quarters and finds Fenna waiting for him. When he tells her about Nidell, she obviously has no idea what he is talking about. Sisko continues to press Fenna, asking where she came from, and she tells him that she came to the station to find him. Fenna kisses him passionately, but after he returns the kiss, she disappears -- right before his eyes.

While Dax prepares for her mission with Seyetik, Sisko announces that he is coming along, hoping this will help him unravel the Fenna mystery. Soon, the Prometheus is headed toward Epsilon 119, with Seyetik prattling on in his usual fashion. He finally tells the story of how he met Nidell when he brought her planet, New Halana, back to life. Hoping this is a clue, Sisko visits Nidell in her quarters, but she says she is too sick to see him. Sisko returns to his guest quarters, where Fenna is waiting for him. Immediately, Sisko summons Dax, who scans her with a tricorder and announces that Fenna is made of pure energy. Sisko then leads Fenna back to Seyetik's quarters where Nidell is on the floor, unconscious. A panicked Seyetik begs him to help, and much to Sisko's surprise, recognizes Fenna.

Seyetik explains that Nidell is a psychoprojective telepath and that Fenna is just one of many images she has created. Sisko asks Seyetik why this is killing her, and the professor explains that Halanans lose control of this ability while under stress. He sadly admits that he is probably the cause of that stress, but adds that since Halanans mate for life, Nidell can never leave him. When Fenna realizes she truly has no past to tell Sisko about, it becomes clear that Seyetik's story is true. Realizing that their love is only a dream, Fenna kisses Sisko goodbye and prepares to return to Nidell to save her life. At that moment, Dax summons Sisko to the Bridge -- Seyetik has taken a shuttlepod and is heading toward the dead sun. Realizing the professor means to kill himself, Sisko tries to stop him, but Seyetik insists that he wants to set Nidell free. His ship explodes on impact, the sun is brought back to life, and Fenna slowly disappears. Back on Deep Space Nine, Nidell recovers, but because she cannot remember her "life" as Fenna, her feelings for him are gone. She leaves the station to return to New Halana, and Sisko is left to cope with the pain of another lost love.

Sanctuary

Stardate: 47391.2

When a ramshackle alien vessel is detected making its way through the wormhole, the ship's four passengers are transported to Deep Space Nine. The humanoid aliens, led by a female named Haneek, are unable to communicate with the crew since the universal translator has trouble with their language, but they instinctively trust Kira. Because of this, she leads the group to the Infirmary, reassures them as Bashir treats their wounds, and shows them to their quarters. There, the translator begins making sense of Haneek's words, and Kira discovers that Haneek's people, the Skrreeans, need help immediately. With Kira's encouragement, Haneek communicates that there are three million of them on the other side of the wormhole who must be brought through.

Haneek meets with the crew to discuss her problem, and is surprised to see men in positions of authority -- all Skrreean leaders are women. She explains that, while she is just a farmer, she is the first of her people to find the legendary "Eye" (the wormhole) that supposedly leads to Kentanna, the mythical home of her race. Most of her leaders were killed by the T-Rogorans, who conquered their people and have since been conquered by the Dominion. Sisko promises to help the displaced Skrreeans find a homeland, and soon afterward, Kira informs Haneek that several Skrreean ships have been located. She suggests that, as the first through the wormhole, Haneek should greet them, and the visitor welcomes a large group of refugees who soon overrun the Promenade, enjoying their first taste of freedom.

While her son Tumak is taunted by Nog, Haneek is made leader of the search by her grateful people, but privately tells Kira she fears that she will not find Kentanna. However, her confidence soon strengthens, and she requests a map of the sector to help locate her homeland. Later, Nog attempts to apologize to Tumak, but he starts a fight that Quark breaks up, making disparaging remarks about the Skrreeans that obviously hurt Tumak. Luckily, Sisko has found a planet, Draylon II, that will make a good home for the aliens. He, Kira, and Dax break the good news to Haneek, but she has news of her own -- she has found her Kentanna, and it is Bajor.

Sisko and Kira meet with Haneek and Bajoran officials Minister Rozahn and Vedek Sorad, and Rozahn tells Haneek that the Skrreeans' request for immigration has been turned down. She cites Bajor's own problems as a reason, but Haneek pleads with her, promising that her people only wish to settle in a deserted area and transform it into farmland -- something that could help Bajor, which is in the midst of a famine. Still, Rozahn is afraid of being forced to "take care of" the refugees, and when Haneek asks Kira for support, she is shocked that Kira agrees with Rozahn. Later, Kira attempts to explain herself, but Haneek refuses to forgive her. Their tense meeting is interrupted by a summons from Sisko -- Tumak has taken a ship and is headed for Bajor.

Sisko tells Haneek that Tumak's ship has a dangerous radiation leak, but Tumak will not respond to their hails. Haneek attempts to communicate with her son just as two Bajoran ships detect the Skrreean vessel. Kira begs them to let Tumak land, pointing out that he is only a boy, but the Bajorans refuse, saying they have strict orders to refuse access to all Skrreean ships. Sisko hails Bajoran General Hazar, who agrees to tow Tumak if he turns off his engines. But as Haneek again implores her son to do so, he fires on the Bajorans. They return fire before Hazar gives the order to refrain, and while their phasers miss the Skrreean vessel, the fire interacts with the radiation leak and the ship explodes. Later, as the Skrreeans begin to relocate to Draylon II, Kira meets with Haneek again. Hurt and angry, Haneek tells Kira that the Bajorans have made a mistake based on fear and suspicion. As she leaves the station behind, Kira is left wondering if perhaps she is right.

Rivals

Stardate: Unknown

Over a drink at Quark's, a middle-aged alien widow, Alsia, tells an alien man, Martus, how she plans to invest her life savings in a large mining concession. Just as Martus offers to become her partner, Odo arrives and arrests him -- for swindling a couple on the station. Martus is locked in a holding cell and meets a sickly alien named Cos, who laments that he lost everything he ever had because of a gambling device that always brought him bad luck. He activates the device and exclaims with surprise that he won -- and then dies without warning.

Meanwhile, O'Brien worries to Keiko that he is getting old after Bashir literally destroys him in a racquetball game. Bashir also talks about the game with Dax, concerned that if he gives O'Brien the rematch he has demanded, O'Brien will have a heart attack. Later, Martus is released from his cell and heads straight for Quark's with the gambling device, with which he has been playing and winning consistently. Quark feigns disinterest in the device, but offers to buy it for a pittance. This is all Martus needs to realize it has value, and he heads for the Promenade with the machine. Within minutes, he has convinced a widow named Roana to let him turn her shop, which she is vacating, into Club Martus -- Deep Space Nine's newest bar.

Furious at the prospect of competition, Quark begs Sisko to kick Martus off the station, but Sisko refuses. To add insult to injury, Martus takes on Rom as a minor partner. Later, Roana arrives at the club, and Martus toasts their joint success, feigning romantic interest in his new partner. He also shows her the gambling table, where several happy patrons are playing with replicas of the device he acquired from Cos. Quark's, on the other hand, is basically deserted, except for a very forlorn O'Brien, who has just lost another racquetball game to Bashir. His tale of woe gives Quark an irresistible business idea that will help him top Martus. Meanwhile, in Ops, Sisko notices that there have been several strange reports of bad luck on the station. Dax remarks that her luck has been especially good, just as several patrons of Martus's bar simultaneously hit the jackpot on the gambling device.

The next day, Quark summons O'Brien and Bashir to his bar, surprising them with the announcement that his tables are open for betting on a racquetball game they will play tomorrow. When he promises to donate half of the proceeds to charity, both men realize they cannot say no. In the meantime, the station's run of bad luck continues, and Sisko asks Dax to investigate. Martus's luck appears to change for the worst, when his bar is literally deserted before the big match. To make matters worse, Roana announces that she is shutting him down. Forlornly, he pushes the button on his gambling device, and comes up a loser for the first time. Still, he isn't ready to give up, and approaches Alsia with his profits, giving them to her to invest in the mining project.

During her investigation, Dax discovers that trillions of solar neutrinos aboard the station are not spinning in accordance with the laws of probability. She searches for a correlation as Bashir and O'Brien begin their match. O'Brien plays surprisingly well, and Bashir is unable to keep up. But O'Brien senses that something is wrong and stops the game. He throws the ball against the wall, and when it bounces back directly into his hand no matter how it's thrown, he summons Dax and Sisko. The two of them go to Club Martus, where they realize that the gambling devices are to blame. Unable to disconnect them, they destroy them with phasers over Martus's objections, and then Odo arrives to re-arrest Martus on the earlier swindling charge. Back in the holding cell, he encounters Alsia, who he learns was out to swindle him. But all is not lost. Quark arrives to bail him out, enjoying the fact that he once again has the upper hand.

The Alternate

Stardate: 47391.7

Dr. Mora Pol, the Bajoran scientist who studied Odo after he was discovered, arrives on Deep Space Nine with the announcement that he may have a clue to Odo's origins. The scientist's presence makes Odo, who did not relish his life as a "living experiment," somewhat uncomfortable, but he cannot resist the prospect of possibly finding others like him. With this in mind, he asks Sisko for a Runabout to take to the Gamma Quadrant, where Mora has discovered some unique DNA patterns that resemble Odo's. Odo, Mora, Dax, and another scientist, Dr. Weld, head for the Gamma Quadrant and transport to the surface of the planet where the DNA was discovered. There, the group explores some stone ruins until Weld discovers a tiny lifeform that may be related to Odo. They prepare to transport back to the Runabout, but at that moment, the planet is rocked by tremors and clouds of a volcanic gas are released. Mora, Dax, and Weld are all incapacitated by the fumes, but Odo is seemingly unaffected and transports them all back to the ship.

Odo pilots the Runabout back to the station and the others are transported to the Infirmary. Later, O'Brien, filling in for the ailing Dax, attempts to classify the lifeform the group retrieved, and tells Odo that he is having a hard time because the organism keeps changing and reproducing. That night, Kira summons Sisko with some disturbing news -- someone has ransacked and almost completely demolished the Science Lab.

The officers realize the lifeform is missing, and since there is no sign of a break-in, O'Brien theorizes that the lifeform itself caused the damage. Sisko orders a sweep of the station to search for it, while O'Brien searches the conduits. Communicating with Sisko and Odo, O'Brien learns that there was a power interruption and a temperature increase in the Science Lab at the time of the "disturbance. " Suddenly, the dead remains of the lifeform, which appears to have grown, fall on O'Brien. Bashir studies the inert material later that evening, and is attacked by a strange creature. He is able to fend off the creature, but it disappears into the night.

The officers assemble to investigate, then Mora accompanies Odo to the lab, where a recovered Dax discovers the lifeform from the planet is not the same creature that is wreaking havoc on the station. Mora looks at the data and realizes that instead, the violent creature's DNA matches Odo's. Without telling Dax, he tracks Odo down and breaks the news.

Odo declares that he was in his pail during the attacks and is upset by Mora's accusations that he may inadvertently be responsible. However, Odo realizes that the gas from the Gamma Quadrant planet may be to blame, sees through the doctor's concern, and firmly tells Mora that he will not leave with him and become his subject again. At that moment, Odo morphs into the creature. Sisko orders the power shut off and Mora lures the creature to the Promenade, where it is captured and morphs back into Odo. Odo is then taken to the Infirmary and cleansed of the gas, and Mora pays him a visit. The doctor apologizes for the pain he caused his former subject, and Odo, having forgiven Mora, finally begins to form a true bond with his mentor.

Armageddon Game

Stardate: 47529.4

Bashir and O'Brien travel to a lab orbiting T'Lani III in an effort to eliminate the Harvesters -- a deadly bio-mechanical weapon used in the centuries-long war between the Kellerun and T'Lani societies. Working with scientists from both races, they finally find a solution, and the Kellerun Ambassador, Sharat, orders the group to destroy the entire remaining supply. However, just as their mission is about to be accomplished, two armed Kellerun soldiers enter the lab and start firing. Bashir and O'Brien manage to kill their assailants, but fail to notice that during the fighting, a small amount of Harvester material spilled onto O'Brien. As more Kellerun soldiers arrive, the pair attempt to transport to their Runabout, but are unable. Instead, they beam to the surface of T'Lani III.

Ambassador Sharat and T'Lani Ambassador E'Tyshra inform Sisko that O'Brien and Bashir were killed when O'Brien accidentally activated a hidden security device that emitted a deadly pulse of radiation. They hail the pair as heroes and give Sisko a video recording of the tragedy. Sisko, Dax, Odo and Kira later view the recording, and, not realizing it has been altered, accept that their crewmates are dead. Back on T'Lani III, however, Bashir and O'Brien are alive, and have set up a base in a deserted military command center in hopes of finding a way to communicate with the space station. O'Brien begins to work to repair an old com-panel, but suddenly feels feverish. Bashir examines him, and reveals that O'Brien has been infected by the Harvesters.

Sisko is saddled with the difficult news of telling Keiko O'Brien of her husband's demise. After viewing the tape, Keiko points out a major inconsistency. The tape shows O'Brien drinking coffee in the late afternoon -- something Keiko insists he never does. She believes this indicates the tape has been tampered with, and Sisko travels to T'Lani III with Dax to find out why. Meanwhile, with O'Brien's coaching, Bashir works to repair the companel. O'Brien continues to worsen, and is horrified to discover that he can no longer feel his legs.

Despite his condition, O'Brien is able to help Bashir get the companel up and running, and Bashir sends out a weak distress signal. Sadly, both realize that O'Brien will probably die if the signal is not answered soon -- by the right people.

Meanwhile, Dax tells Sisko five minutes have been erased from the computer log on Bashir and O'Brien's Runabout, and that the time of the erasure proves that the pair could have been alive after they were supposedly killed. Soon afterward, E'Tyshra and two T'Lani soldiers arrive at Bashir and O'Brien's hiding place. The pair are thrilled to see them, until Sharat and his soldiers also arrive. Together, the Kellerun and T'Lani officials inform Bashir and O'Brien that they must be killed since they know too much about the Harvesters and could reproduce them.

Just as a soldier prepares to kill them, Bashir and O'Brien are beamed away to their Runabout, where Sisko and Dax are waiting. Bashir immediately injects O'Brien with a hypospray and the group flees the area. However, they soon realize that a T'Lani vessel is pursuing them. The enemy ship fires a warning shot and Sisko hails his assailants, who demand Sisko turn over Bashir and O'Brien. Sisko refuses and sends the Runabout directly toward the T'Lani vessel. Seeing no other choice, E'Tyshra and Sharat blow up the Runabout, only to realize that Sisko, Dax, O'Brien and Bashir transported to a second Runabout and have left the area. The group arrives safely home, and O'Brien is able to recover.

Whispers

Stardate: 47581.2

After returning from an assignment in the Paradas system, O'Brien notices that everyone on the station is treating him differently. His wife, Keiko, acts strangely distant towards him and meets secretly with Sisko, while Ensign DeCurtis has been ordered to realign the station's security net without O'Brien's knowledge. Things get stranger when Bashir insists on giving O'Brien a physical, and Sisko orders him to submit to the examination. O'Brien then meets with Sisko in his office, and Sisko questions him about his experiences with the Paradas, who are preparing to arrive on Deep Space Nine for peace talks. He is surprised when, instead of having him work to prepare the station for the Paradas arrival, Sisko orders him to repair the upper pylons, which O'Brien had fixed just before he left.

Later, Ensign DeCurtis refuses to allow O'Brien to check the quarters assigned to the Paradas, explaining that only Kira has the access codes. Sisko orders O'Brien back to the upper pylons. Suspicious, O'Brien pretends to leave, but secretly watches as DeCurtis enters the quarters without Kira's help. He then returns to his quarters for dinner, where he is overcome with the unsettling feeling that Keiko is not really his wife.

After Keiko goes to bed, O'Brien searches the computer for any anomaly aboard the station that could be causing the crew to turn against him, and learns that he has been denied access to all logs dated after his return from the Paradas system. He also discovers that his logs, even his personal ones, have been analyzed by other crewmembers. At this point, Odo returns from a trip to Bajor, and O'Brien is thrilled to finally have an ally. However, when Odo summons O'Brien to the Security Office to discuss what he has learned, O'Brien quickly realizes from Odo's distant tone that he, too, is now in on the conspiracy. O'Brien prepares to leave, but is stopped by Sisko, Kira and Bashir, who is wielding a hypospray. Thinking quickly, O'Brien steals Kira's phaser and escapes into an airlock.

O'Brien transports to a Runabout and finally makes his escape in a hail of phaser fire, despite Sisko's orders to remain behind. O'Brien then contacts Admiral Rollman to tell her about the conspiracy, but she, much to his dismay, is apparently also a part of it. Realizing he has nowhere else to turn, O'Brien decides to look for answers where his troubles began -- in the Paradas System.

With a Runabout in hot pursuit, O'Brien heads for the Paradas system and manages to elude his would-be captors. When he learns that three passengers have beamed from the Runabout to the surface of Parada II, he follows, and finds Sisko and Kira meeting with Coutu, a rebel Paradas leader. The suspicious O'Brien attempts to shoot Coutu, but a guard shoots and fatally wounds him. As O'Brien lays dying, he is shocked to see another O'Brien appear in the room with Bashir. Coutu explains that this is the real O'Brien, who was captured and held hostage during his Paradas mission. The O'Brien who returned to the space station was actually a replicant who was programmed to assassinate someone at the peace talks. The false O'Brien dies, finally knowing the truth.

Paradise

Stardate: 47573.1

While surveying nearby star systems for M-Class planets, Sisko and O'Brien locate a planet that already supports a colony of humans. They transport to the surface, and learn that none of their equipment functions -- a duonetic field seems to be preventing any E-M activity. They are discovered by two colonists, Joseph and Vinod, who explain they have been stranded on the planet ever since landing ten years ago. None of their technological systems have worked since. Sisko and O'Brien are taken to meet the rest of the group, including Alixus, who is Vinod's mother. Alixus calls their attention to how well the group has done without technology. She expresses pride for their community and confirms that, even if a rescue party arrives, she will never leave.

Back on the station, Kira and Dax notice that Sisko's Runabout, the Rio Grande, is not responding to their hails. Meanwhile, Sisko asks for any technological assistance that may help him restore contact with the ship, but Joseph explains that all such materials were thrown away when Alixus recommended they abandon their dependence on technology. Sisko and O'Brien are then asked to the bedside of a woman dying from the bite of a local insect. O'Brien suggests adapting their combadges to the energy of the duonetic field in order to make contact with the Rio Grande. To Sisko's shock, Alixus pulls him aside and tells him she will not allow any talk about technology.

Kira and Dax locate the Rio Grande -- flying aimlessly through space -- and set course for the ship in a Runabout. Meanwhile, Sisko and O'Brien join the others at work in the fields, where they discover one of the colonists has been imprisoned in a metal box for stealing a candle. They are shocked by this harsh method of "discipline," but Alixus defends her views. That night, one of the women, Cassandra, visits Sisko with the apparent intention of seducing him. Rebuffing her, he immediately confronts Alixus, who admits sending Cassandra to him. Suspicious, Sisko questions Alixus about how she conveniently managed to end up on a planet that so completely supports her philosophy of life without technology.

Sisko continues to work, but learns Alixus is rationing the water because the colonists failed to win him over. Suddenly, Alixus announces that the sick woman has died, and O'Brien was caught trying to make his equipment function. Because Sisko is O'Brien's commanding officer, she declares he must spend time in the metal box as punishment.

Later, a parched but defiant Sisko meets with Alixus, who promises to give him and the entire colony water if he will only adopt their ways. Sisko silently refuses, returning to his metal prison instead. A frustrated O'Brien searches the area, and finds a hidden box containing working technological equipment. He returns to the group with a now-functional phaser, releases Sisko, and reveals he has found the source of the artificially-created duonetic field. Realizing she's been caught, Alixus admits to creating the situation that has kept them there. Her people turn against her, now knowing the truth, but they ultimately elect to stay. Kira and Dax finally make contact with Sisko and O'Brien, and Alixus and Vinod transport to the Runabout with them, no longer welcome in the society they created.

Shadowplay

Stardate: 47603.3

In the Gamma Quadrant, Dax and Odo detect an unusual particle field on the surface of an unexplored planet. Transporting to the source, they find an alien village and some kind of reactor emitting the particle field. They are then taken prisoner by Colyus, Protector of an Yaderan colony which settled in a valley there. He explains that Dax and Odo's arrival coincides with the mysterious disappearances of 22 people. Odo and Dax are sympathetic to Colyus's plight and offer their help in solving the mystery. They meet Rurigan, an elderly man whose daughter is the most recent victim, and Odo questions Rurigan's young granddaughter, Taya, the last person to see her mother before she vanished.

The next day, Odo tries to establish a rapport with the shy Taya, and she opens up to him and talks about her life and her mother. Odo is surprised when she explains that the Yaderans never leave their valley, and reveals Rurigan thinks her mother will never return, but Odo vows to bring back the missing woman.

Odo learns from Rurigan that he is one of the founding members of the village, the oldest one remaining, and that he is dying. He also assures Odo that searching away from the valley for the missing people would be futile. Still, Odo is determined to investigate, and goes with Dax and Taya to the edge of the valley. As Dax and Odo pass some bushes, the Yaderan sensing device Dax is carrying disappears. Then Taya reaches past the bushes, but her arm disappears up to the elbow, then rematerializes as she pulls it back closer to her face.

After some investigation, Dax and Odo share their surprising findings with Colyus. The entire village, including all the people, is an elaborate holographic projection, created by the village reactor that generates the particle field. The reactor is breaking down, causing people to disappear. After the villagers see this for themselves, Colyus convinces them that -- real or not -- if they are to survive, Dax and Odo must be allowed to shut down the reactor and repair it before it experiences a complete failure. Dax proceeds, and the village vanishes, leaving Dax and Odo standing -- with a very real Rurigan.

Rurigan explains that when the Dominion took over Yadera Prime and destroyed his life, he came to this planet and used a holo-generator to recreate the world he had lost. Realizing his illusion may be forever gone, Rurigan reluctantly asks to be taken back to his homeworld. But Dax and Odo have a different view of the situation. They show Rurigan that, if the Yaderans are real enough for him to develop feelings, they are real enough to deserve a chance at survival. Dax and Rurigan repair the reactor, and the entire society reappears, including his missing daughter and the rest of the people who vanished.

Playing God

Stardate: Unknown

Arjin, a Trill initiate trying to qualify for joining with a symbiont, is nervous that he must study under Dax, having heard horror stories about the tough-as-nails Curzon and other hard-to-impress Dax hosts. However, when he meets Jadzia Dax in Quark's, it is he who is taken aback by her casual, lighthearted demeanor. Later, Dax and Arjin take a Runabout into the Gamma Quadrant, and she explains that he doesn't have to worry about impressing her. Suddenly, the Runabout gets snagged on a small mass of protoplasm in a subspace pocket -- an unidentifiable mass.

The crippled Runabout returns to the station with the matter still attached. While O'Brien prepares a containment chamber for the mass in the Science Lab, Dax takes Arjin to dinner, where she expresses worry that he only seems concerned with meeting other people's expectations, and observes that Arjin has few aspirations or goals beyond being joined. She later reveals to Sisko her reluctance in confronting Arjin about her impressions because Curzon Dax, who trained Jadzia, was hard on her -- to the point of giving her an unfavorable recommendation. Sisko insists that it is her job to be honest with Arjin in order to help him learn.

O'Brien discovers that Cardassian voles -- small, rodent-like creatures that have infested the station -- shorted out the containment field that held Dax's protoplasm, which is now glowing. While she and Arjin study it, Dax finally tells him her concerns, which causes Arjin to angrily leave the room, thinking the worst. Later, Dax reports that the matter is actually a rapidly-expanding proto-universe, which, as it grows, is displacing universe. Sisko reluctantly decides that their only option is to destroy it, until Dax finds indications of life within it.

Sisko is left with a tough dilemma -- deciding how to protect the station without destroying the matter and possibly murdering an entire civilization. While he ponders his choices, Dax locates Arjin and explains how the shy Jadzia made it through the program despite Curzon -- and finding a newfound inner strength in the process. As she urges Arjin to do the same, Sisko arrives with his decision -- he has opted to try and take the matter back through the wormhole. Dax invites Arjin to pilot the Runabout with her, and he agrees.

O'Brien creates the strongest containment field he can for the matter, but it begins to collapse once the Runabout encounters vertiron nodes in the wormhole. Dax orders Arjin -- an expert pilot -- to navigate through the veritable minefield of nodes, despite his reluctance. The field then collapses, leaving no margin for error, but Arjin succeeds in getting through the wormhole, returning the developing universe to its subspace pocket, and finally winning Dax's respect.

Profit and Loss

Stardate: Unknown

Sisko and the Ops crew pull in a small, severely damaged Cardassian vessel containing three passengers -- Professor Natima Lang and her students, Hogue and Rekelen. Natima explains that their ship was damaged when they were caught in a meteor swarm, and Sisko says the trio can stay until the vessel is repaired. Meanwhile, Odo tries to confirm a rumor that Quark has obtained a small cloaking device. Quark begins to deny the accusations, but loses his train of thought when he suddenly sees Natima, who happens to be the former love of his life. Quark goes after Natima, hoping to pick up where they left off years before, but Natima insists she wants nothing to do with him. Their interaction is observed by Garak, the lone Cardassian on the station. When Natima sees him, she hurries her students out of the bar, desperate to leave the station immediately. Meanwhile, O'Brien, who has been working on Natima's ship, tells Sisko that it was really damaged by a Cardassian attack. Natima admits this is true, and that her students will be killed if they don't get to safety.

Natima explains that her students are leaders of the Cardassian underground movement which is fighting the military establishment to build a non-violent future for their people. Their views have made them fugitives, so Sisko agrees to hurry the repair work on their vessel. Soon afterward, the station is approached by a Cardassian warship which prepares to attack the station. As it does, Garak appears in Ops and tells Sisko they need to talk.

Garak says that the students are terrorists and urges Sisko to turn them over to the Cardassian government, but he refuses. Meanwhile, Quark, still hoping to get to Natima, tells her students he will give them the cloaking device for their escape only if they convince her to remain behind with him. But when Quark later arrives at Natima's quarters with the device, she tells him she no longer loves him and will not stay, then takes a phaser and reluctantly shoots him.

Quark is more surprised than hurt, and Natima, unable to deny her feelings any longer, admits she still loves him, but feels she cannot abandon her cause. Quark, however, finally convinces her otherwise. Unfortunately, no sooner does Natima agree to remain there than Odo arrives to arrest her. Sisko explains that the Bajoran government has agreed to a prisoner swap with Cardassia, and he is forced to abide by their decision. Meanwhile, Gul Toran arrives on the station and meets with Garak, who informed the Cardassian government about Natima and her students. Toran tells Garak this alone is not enough to end his exile, and that if he hopes to return to Cardassia, he must kill the fugitives.

Quark convinces Odo to release the prisoners, but as the trio prepares to leave, Garak shows up, ready to kill them all. Then Gul Toran arrives, sensing Garak's hesitancy, and decides to kill the prisoners himself. But Garak will not allow it, kills Toran, and lets the students go. Natima tells Quark that she must leave with them, and Quark does not stop her, knowing he will wait faithfully for the day when they can finally be together again.

Blood Oath

Stardate: Unknown

The relative calm of Deep Space Nine is shattered by the arrival of three aged Klingon warriors -- drunken, overweight Kor; warlike Koloth; and their leader, Kang. The three came to find Curzon Dax, and are surprised that he is no longer alive. Kor has no problem adjusting to Dax in her new, female form, while Koloth scoffs at the idea that she was once his old friend Curzon. However, Kang has the most trouble accepting Jadzia, because he has come with a mission. The group's greatest adversary, a man known as the Albino, has been located, and the foursome can now fulfill the blood oath they made decades ago to kill him.

Dax is unsure of whether or not she can go through with the oath that Curzon made. Kang reminds her that as a Trill, she has no obligation to fulfill what her symbiont promised. Still, Dax knows that a Klingon blood oath can never be broken, and confused, she seeks Kira's advice, telling her the story of how this began. After the Klingons were victorious over the Albino, he murdered the firstborn sons of Kor, Koloth, and Kang. The three took a blood oath of revenge, and Curzon Dax, as the godfather to Kang's slain son, took one as well. Compelled to keep that oath, Dax visits Koloth in a holosuite and engages in battle with him, successfully holding her own and winning his support. However, Kang still refuses to let Dax participate.

Dax meets with Kang and uses Curzon's deep understanding of the Klingon race to force him into changing his mind. However, while Kang agrees to let her go, Sisko, who has learned of Dax's plan from Kira, does not, and reminds her of her duty to Starfleet. Dax tells him that she will still go, and is ready to face the consequences when she returns -- if she returns.

The foursome travels to the Albino's world, and almost immediately, Dax and Kang clash over the best course of action -- Kang wants to march up and fight the Albino in full view of everyone, while Dax believes a more clandestine course of action would be more appropriate. Meeting privately, Kang admits to Dax that the Albino actually invited him, giving the aged warriors a chance to die with honor. Dax suggests it would be better to win with honor, and proposes a plan to increase their advantage. Kang, newly impressed, agrees to go along.

The group puts their counterattack into effect, surprising the Albino in his command post. The Klingons perform admirably despite their age, defeating the guards before Koloth is killed and Kor wounded. Kang is mortally wounded and falls to the ground, but Dax is then able to disarm and corner the Albino. Faced with the opportunity to kill him, she hesitates, but Kang is able to summon the last of his strength and deliver the death blow himself before dying. After bidding farewell to Kor, Dax returns to the station, a different person after her experience.

The Maquis

Stardate: Unknown

The worst is feared when a Cardassian freighter, the Bok'Nor, explodes while departing the station. Dax determines it was no accident, since it appears an implosive device was placed aboard the ship. Worried how this will affect Federation colonies in the newly-established Demilitarized Zone, Lieutenant Commander Cal Hudson, an old friend of Sisko's who serves as Starfleet's attache to the colonies, is called in to help. He hints that the colonists, who, thanks to the treaty, are suddenly living in Cardassian territory, feel abandoned by the Federation.

Sisko returns to his quarters to find Gul Dukat waiting for him, insisting he is there to talk with Sisko privately, without the Cardassian government's knowledge. He says certain Federation members are responsible for the destruction of the Bok'Nor, and insists Sisko accompany him to the Volan Colonies in the Demilitarized Zone. Sisko, intrigued, agrees, and the two set off in a Runabout. When they reach the area, they encounter a Federation ship under attack by Cardassians -- a clear violation of the treaty. Surprised, Dukat orders his own people to stand down and threatens to fire, but another Federation ship arrives and destroys both Cardassian vessels. A war appears to be breaking out.

The two leaders join a meeting at one of the colonies, where Cal Hudson, his Cardassian counterpart Gul Evek, and a few colonists are present. Evek insists the colonists are engaging in organized terrorist activities, and tells Sisko he can prove this because they have the confession of the man who destroyed the Bok'Nor. He then shows the recorded confession of William Samuels, a colonist who Evek says was apprehended on Deep Space Nine. When Sisko asks to talk to Samuels, Evek reveals his body -- an apparent suicide -- which infuriates the colonists.

Later, Sisko wonders if Cardassian fears about organized terrorism are true, and while Hudson says he is aware of no such campaign, he also admits he wouldn't blame the colonists. Sisko and Dukat then return to the station, and Dukat admits he knew Samuels had been apprehended, but denies knowledge of his suspicious death. Soon afterward, O'Brien approaches Sisko with bad news -- the device that destroyed the Bok'Nor was a Federation device, apparently proving the colonists are responsible. Then, Gul Dukat is kidnapped from the station.

While the crew works to determine where the kidnappers have gone, they receive a transmission from the Demilitarized Zone, where a group called the Maquis is claiming to have abducted Dukat. Sisko, Kira, and Bashir follow the kidnappers to a stretch along the Cardassian border known as the Badlands, where they detect life on a large asteroid. They transport to the surface and are taken prisoner by a band of armed Federation colonists led by Cal Hudson.

Sisko, Kira, and Bashir are held in a Maquis camp, but Gul Dukat is not there. Cal Hudson then tells Sisko he is leaving Starfleet to work with the rebels, certain Cardassia is violating the Federation treaty by smuggling weapons into the Demilitarized Zone, and insisting he and the Maquis will do anything to stop them. Sisko offers to help his friend use more peaceful methods, but Hudson refuses, then stuns Sisko and his comrades in order to slip away. Back on Deep Space Nine, Sisko receives little help from Admiral Nechayev, who insists the treaty be upheld. Unwilling to give up on Hudson, Sisko does not report his friend's betrayal, then meets with Cardassian Legate Parn, who blames Dukat for the weapons smuggling. The encounter convinces Sisko that Cardassia is definitely smuggling weapons -- but not through Dukat.

The crew finds Gul Dukat and the Maquis hidden on a small planet, and Sisko, Bashir, and Odo take a Runabout to bring him back. A tense standoff ensues, and when one of the Maquis opens fire, Sisko is able to gain control, rescue Dukat, and take prisoners. However, Sisko leaves one Maquis member behind, asking him to tell Hudson that Starfleet knows nothing about his betrayal and he still has time to change his mind.

Upon their return to the station, Sisko tells Dukat that the Cardassians have turned against him. Not surprised, Dukat joins forces with Sisko, offering to help stop the smuggling if Sisko will help him stop the Maquis. Later, Quark, who has been arrested for helping sell weapons to the Maquis, reveals a list of what the group has. Dukat believes the Xepolites are transporting the weapons for the Cardassians, so they soon locate a Xepolite ship and prepare to board it.

Locked in Odo's holding cell with Sakonna, the Maquis' Vulcan liaison, Quark convinces her to reveal the rebels' next step -- a plan to attack a weapons depot hidden in a Cardassian civilian population center. Sisko tries to talk to the Maquis one last time, warning them that he will stop their plan. Hudson then arrives, and when Sisko tells him he will be able to stop the Cardassian weapons shipments, Hudson replies that he is determined to fight this war and win anyway, ultimately rejecting Sisko's offer to return to Starfleet.

Dukat learns that the targeted weapons depot is located in the Bryma Colony, then joins Sisko and the senior officers for one last stand against the imminent Maquis attack, taking three Runabouts to stop the group before it gets to the planet. When the Maquis ships finally appear, the initial skirmish results in damage on both sides, leaving only Sisko and Hudson in a final face-off. Sisko successfully stops his friend, then allows him to escape. Sisko returns to Deep Space Nine a hero, but wonders if he has really stopped a war, or merely delayed the inevitable.

The Wire

Stardate: Unknown

While having his weekly lunch with Bashir, Garak is suddenly overcome by extreme pain. It subsides just as quickly, but when the worried Bashir attempts to help him, Garak angrily refuses to go to the Infirmary and cuts short their meal. Later, Bashir is suspicious when he overhears Garak asking Quark to order a piece of merchandise for him. Bashir returns to work in the Infirmary, and soon gets a call from Quark asking for help in the bar. He arrives to find Garak, extremely drunk and obviously in pain. Bashir tries again to convince Garak to submit to an examination, but the Cardassian refuses -- until the pain causes him to collapse.

An examination reveals that Garak has a small implant in his brain, and Bashir believes Quark may know something he's not telling. He and Odo monitor Quark's transmissions that evening, and they hear him attempt to order a piece of Cardassian biotechnology. However, he is unable to obtain it since the piece is classified by the Obsidian Order -- the eyes and ears of the Cardassian Empire. Odo and Bashir conclude that the implant must be some sort of punishment device. Bashir leaves to confront Garak, and discovers that he has left the Infirmary.

Bashir barges into Garak's room, where he is injecting a powerful pain killer. Garak reveals he received the implant from the head of the Obsidian Order, Enabran Tain, when he was once a member, and it was designed to make him immune to pain if ever caught and tortured. Unfortunately, he has been using it to cope with the pain of his exile on Deep Space Nine, and now that he is addicted to it, the device is malfunctioning from constant use. Garak refuses Bashir's help, saying he deserves the pain for past misdeeds, including ordering a ship carrying his best friend, Elim, destroyed. Garak then loses consciousness.

Bashir turns off the implant and Garak wakes up, enraged now that his supply of pain-killing endorphins has been cut off. He rants and raves about Elim, this time saying the two of them freed Bajoran prisoners, which resulted in Elim's execution and his own exile. Garak then dismisses Bashir's words of friendship before collapsing again, near death. Bashir debates over reactivating the implant to prolong his life, but Garak wakes up and says he never wants the device turned on again. Bashir decides the only option remaining is to locate Enabran Tain.

After making the trip into Cardassian territory, Bashir finds Tain and realizes that the man has been monitoring his and Garak's every move. Tain is quickly convinced to give Bashir the information he needs to save Garak's life. As he is leaving, Bashir asks Tain what really happened to Elim, and Tain laughs and tells him that Elim is Garak's first name. Back at the station, Garak quickly recovers and resumes his weekly lunches with Bashir. Confused, Bashir asks him which of his stories of exile is true. Garak replies that they all are -- especially the lies.

Crossover

Stardate: 47879.2

After experiencing operational difficulties while traveling through the wormhole, Kira and Bashir find themselves in an alternate universe where the space station is populated by exact doubles of Garak and Odo, and is run by Kira's counterpart, Kira II. In this universe, they have no knowledge of the wormhole, and humans have no rights whatsoever. Because of this, Bashir is sentenced to manual labor, working under the sadistic, human-hating Odo II. Later, Kira II tells Kira about the last crossover, which occurred with Captain Kirk a century ago. That incident led to the formation of a powerful alliance between the Klingon and Cardassian empires in which Bajor is also a major player. Kira II tells Kira that she cannot allow Kira and Bashir to live, but Kira convinces her counterpart to spare them and let her try to find a way back.

Kira steals a moment with Bashir and tells him what she knows. Since a transporter accident caused the last crossover, he thinks they might be able to escape using another one, and tries to talk O'Brien's counterpart into helping him. Unfortunately, the beaten, put-upon Terran has little interest in risking the wrath of his superiors. Meanwhile, Kira almost succeeds in securing Quark II's help, but he is arrested by Garak, Kira II's aide, for helping Terrans escape the station.

Kira then meets Sisko's counterpart, who receives better treatment than the other Terrans because he runs missions for Kira II. Afterwards, Kira II reassures Kira that she has nothing to fear, and suggests they should become closer. Later, Garak II tells Kira that he intends to dispose of Kira II, and that he will let Kira and Bashir escape if she pretends to be Kira II, then resign and allow Garak II to take over. Garak II then reveals Bashir will be killed if she does not comply.

Kira hurries to Bashir and tells him they must find a way back to the Runabout and make their escape through the wormhole. She fills Sisko II in on Garak II's plan, hoping he will help out of loyalty to Kira II, but he is unmoved. That night, Garak II prepares to put his plan into effect at a lavish party thrown for Kira by Kira II. Meanwhile, Bashir is able to take advantage of an accident at the ore-processing plant where he labors, killing Odo II and escaping.

News of Bashir's escape soon reaches the party, while Bashir manages to locate O'Brien's counterpart, who decides to help this time. However, the two are caught and brought to the party to face Kira II. Despite Kira's pleas, Kira II sentences Bashir to death. When she turns to O'Brien II, he makes an impassioned speech, telling the assembled crowd what Bashir has revealed about a universe where Terrans have respect and dignity. His words move Sisko, who turns on Kira II and helps Kira and Bashir to escape. The two return to their universe, leaving Sisko and O'Brien's counterparts to fight for their rights in their own world.

The Collaborator

Stardate: Unknown

Bajor is about to elect a new spiritual leader, and Kira's lover, Vedek Bareil, is the leading candidate, having been Kai Opaka's personal choice to succeed her. After spending time with Kira on the station, Bareil prepares to return to Bajor, but the two of them first come across Vedek Winn, who is running against Bareil for Kai. Kira can barely contain her anger toward Winn, as she still blames her for an attempt made on Bareil's life. After this confrontation, Kubus, an older Bajoran, attempts to come onto the station unnoticed, but is spotted by another Bajoran, who recognizes him as a known Cardassian collaborator. As a crowd gathers, Odo arrives and arrests Kubus, while an inconspicuous Winn watches the entire scene.

From his cell, Kubus tells Odo and Kira that he wants to return to Bajor, where he can live out his last years, but Kira insists he remain in exile. Later, however, she learns that Vedek Winn has met privately with Kubus and now plans to take him back to Bajor. Kira stops her ship from leaving, then finds out that Winn has been investigating the Kendra Valley Massacre, in which 43 Bajoran freedom fighters, including Kai Opaka's son, were killed by the Cardassians. A Bajoran monk, Prylar Bek, admitted to betraying the group's location before committing suicide. Winn then reveals to Kira that she has given Kubus sanctuary in exchange for information about the massacre -- information that implicates Vedek Bareil as the collaborator who ordered Bek to reveal the location.

Winn offers Kira the chance to prove Bareil innocent before the accusations become public. Kira questions Kubus, who reveals Bek saw Bareil just after the massacre, then killed himself. Bareil later claims to Kira that he only counseled the troubled monk. Odo then makes a disturbing discovery. The communications records between Bek and the Vedek Assembly for the week leading up to the massacre have been sealed -- an act which only a Vedek, like Bareil, could perform.

Kira and Odo find Quark and convince him to bypass the seal for them. When he does, he finds that all transmission records have been erased. O'Brien attempts to learn who did this by searching for fragments of the responsible party's retinal scan and cross-referencing the data with the Assembly archives. Kira's worst fears are realized when O'Brien's search identifies Vedek Bareil.

Kira goes to Bajor and confronts Bareil with what she has learned, and he admits that Bek was ordered to reveal the location of the Kendra Valley resistance fighters to prevent the Cardassians from wiping out every village in the area in search of them -- a scenario in which more than a thousand Bajorans would have died instead of 43. Feeling betrayed, Kira is unable to forgive Bareil. Later, she reluctantly contacts Winn, who says that Bareil has withdrawn from the election. Certain that he is too honorable to cover up his own misdeeds, Kira investigates further. After Winn becomes the new Kai, Kira again finds Bareil and presents proof that he did not give Bek the order, then tells him that she has figured out the truth. All this time, Bareil was covering for the real collaborator -- Kai Opaka, who sacrificed her son to save the Bajoran villagers. Bareil kept Opaka's secret, but at the cost of handing the spiritual leadership of Bajor to Winn.

Tribunal

Stardate: 47944.2

While leaving for a vacation with Keiko, O'Brien encounters Boone, a former crewmate from the Rutledge. The two exchange pleasantries and O'Brien hurries off, eager to start his trip. In his haste, O'Brien fails to notice that Boone has recorded his voice. Later, as he and Keiko head toward their destination in a Runabout, they are stopped by a Cardassian vessel. To Keiko's horror, Gul Evek beams aboard and arrests O'Brien, taking him back to Cardassia Prime without telling him what he has supposedly done.

O'Brien is "interrogated" by his captors until he meets Makbar, who will represent the state in the case against him. However, she refuses to tell O'Brien what charges he faces. Later, on the space station, Sisko is contacted by Makbar, who tells him that, as with all Cardassian trials, O'Brien's serves only a ceremonial function -- he has already been proven guilty and will be executed. Odo, who served the Cardassians during the occupation, volunteers to serve as O'Brien's Nestor, or advisor, then Odo and Keiko set off for Cardassia.

O'Brien meets Kovat, the lawyer assigned to him by Cardassia, but he is only interested in obtaining a confession, and O'Brien still has no idea what crime he has allegedly committed. Meanwhile, Sisko and his officers discover that several warheads have been smuggled off the station -- possibly to a group of Federation colonists-turned-terrorists known as the Maquis. Kira shows them that O'Brien's voice is on the security log requesting access to the weapons locker. Later, Odo arrives on Cardassia to advise O'Brien, and immediately questions him about the warheads, but O'Brien denies any knowledge of the weapons.

Back on the space station, Dax and Bashir determine that the security log recording of O'Brien's voice has probably been fabricated. When Kira arrives and tells them that O'Brien was seen talking to Boone just before the weapons were stolen, Sisko orders him brought in for questioning. Boone admits to nothing, even though he is promised protection from the Cardassians. They seem to be at a dead end, until a Maquis member secretly approaches Bashir and tells him that Boone is not one of them. At O'Brien's trial, both Makbar and Kovat continue to convince him into confessing, but the defendant remains firm. Odo attempts to introduce the evidence that will clear him, but the court refuses. Meanwhile, at the station, Sisko orders Boone to submit to a medical examination. Soon afterward, just as the Cardassian court prepares to move forward on the guilty verdict, Sisko escorts Boone into the courtroom, and Makbar suddenly announces that she will release O'Brien into Sisko's custody. As they head home, Sisko explains that Bashir discovered that Boone was really a Cardassian surgically altered to look like him. When Makbar saw him, she knew Sisko had the evidence needed to publicly embarrass Cardassia, so she let O'Brien go. O'Brien and Keiko express their relief, and Sisko sends them off on their well-deserved vacation.

The Jem'Hadar

Stardate: Unknown

Sisko's plans for father-son bonding are ruined when Jake invites Nog to accompany them on a trip to the Gamma Quadrant. Quark insists on coming to escort his nephew, and the not-so-happy foursome wind up camping out on a primitive, uninhabited planet. Quark and Sisko argue, sending an embarrassed Nog off into the woods, with Jake chasing after him. Then, a terrified alien woman runs out of the forest, telling Sisko and Quark that she is running from a group of alien soldiers called the Jem'Hadar, who then suddenly appear and take the trio prisoner.

Returning to camp to find Sisko and Quark gone, Jake and Nog set out in search of them. Meanwhile, Sisko, Quark and the woman, Eris, are taken to a cave where they are imprisoned by a force field. Eris is unable to disable the field telekinetically because of a collar the Jem'Hadar have placed around her neck. She tells Sisko that the Jem'Hadar are soldiers of the Dominion, who rule the Gamma Quadrant, and is resigned to the fact that they are doomed. Sisko, however, is sure they can outsmart the four guards stationed to watch them, and decides to start by removing Eris' collar. While he works on it, Jake and Nog find the cave where Sisko and Quark are being held, but cannot get past the guards to save them.

Third Talak'talan, leader of the Jem'Hadar group, tells Sisko, Quark and Eris that the Dominion will no longer tolerate the presence of ships from the other side of the wormhole. Meanwhile, Jake and Nog return to the runabout and try to beam Sisko and Quark aboard. When this fails, Jake realizes he'll have to get help, but can't disengage the ship's autopilot to escape orbit. Later, Talak'talan materializes on DS9 and tells the crew that Sisko is being detained by the Dominion, then transports away before he can be caught.

After several hours, Sisko is finally able to remove part of Eris' collar, and enlists Quark to pick the lock. Meanwhile, Jake is finally able to disengage the autopilot. Back at the station, Captain Keogh of the starship Odyssey arrives and informs the crew of his plans to rescue Sisko. Kira, Dax, Bashir, Odo and O'Brien take off in two runabouts, following the Odyssey through the wormhole and eventually finding Jake and Nog. O'Brien beams aboard their ship and promises to take them back to rescue Sisko and Quark.

Quark manages to remove Eris' collar, then she disengages the force field, and the three escape. Meanwhile, the Odyssey and the runabouts are attacked, while O'Brien beams aboard Sisko, Quark and Eris. One of the Jem'Hadar ships then flies directly into the Odyssey and destroys it in a suicide run. Back at the station, Quark discovers Eris' collar is a fake, and they deduce that she is a spy for the Dominion. But, before they can arrest her, she disappears -- leaving the crew with the realization that their dealings with this new enemy have only begun.

The Search

Stardate: 48213.1

Preparing for possible invasion by the Jem'Hadar, the soldiers of the Dominion, Kira determines that Deep Space Nine lacks the firepower to defend itself -- until Sisko arrives in an experimental vessel called the Defiant, a warship originally designed to fight the Borg. His plan is to travel with his officers into the Gamma Quadrant and locate the "Founders," the unseen leaders of the Dominion, with the purpose of demonstrating the Federation's peaceful intent. If this is impossible, the presence of the Defiant with all of its weaponry will show Sisko's determination to defend against an invasion. Along for the mission is T'Rul, a Romulan with a cloaking device, which will render the Defiant invisible from the Jem'Hadar during the search. Guarding the device is Lt. Commander Eddington of Starfleet Security, who has been ordered to assume Odo's duties. Realizing he is being relieved, an angry Odo resigns.

Meanwhile, Sisko coerces Quark into joining the mission because of his past dealings with the Karemma, a race that lives under Dominion rule. Odo also comes aboard the Defiant at the request of the Bajoran government, but shows to be more edgy than normal. After entering the Gamma Quadrant, T'Rul engages the cloaking device, allowing the Defiant to barely escape detection from two Jem'Hadar ships.

Ornithar, a Karemma official, is brought aboard the Defiant and reveals to Quark and Sisko that a race called the Vorta has ordered all communications for the Dominion directed to a relay station on Callinon VII. Odo's curiosity draws him strangely toward starcharts of the sector, specifically those of the Omarion Nebula. Quark then disembarks while the Defiant heads for the Callinon system. Once there, Dax and O'Brien transport to the unmanned facility. But just as Dax notices that most of the outgoing transmissions are being sent to specific coordinates, her communications to Sisko are cut off. With Jem'Hadar ships on the way, he reluctantly leaves the two behind and orders a course set for the coordinates.

Kira confronts Odo in his quarters to discuss his odd behavior. He confides to her about feeling a mysterious compulsion to travel to the Omarion Nebula -- and is convinced that he must go there immediately. Kira tries to make sense of this, but they are interrupted when the Defiant is attacked by three Jem'Hadar vessels.

The Defiant is pummeled by the onslaught, and is boarded by Jem'Hadar soldiers, who overwhelm the bridge crew. Kira and Odo defend themselves, but Kira is shot and falls unconscious. She awakens aboard a shuttlecraft with Odo, who has left the Defiant dead in space. His course -- for the Omarion Nebula ...

Odo and Kira have landed on a lone planet in the Omarion Nebula, which they have discovered is Odo's homeworld. A Female Shapeshifter encourages him to begin the slow process of learning who he is, and discovering the bond they share, known as the "great link." Odo is pleased to be reunited with his people, but they don't like Kira because she is a "solid" lifeform. Meanwhile, forced to abandon the Defiant during the Jem'Hadar attack days before, Sisko and Bashir are traveling alone in a shuttle when O'Brien and Dax, who have met the Founders, rescue them. Upon returning to the space station, Sisko learns that the Federation is negotiating a peace treaty with the Dominion, represented by one of the Founders, Borath.

When Sisko finds out that the Romulans have been excluded from the peace talks, he expresses his concern to Admiral Nechayev, but she dismisses his fears. On the other side of the wormhole, Kira is unable to contact Sisko because of interference from a hidden power source, while Odo struggles with his "lessons" at shapeshifting. Later, the Female Shapeshifter tells Odo that they came to this secret planet a long time ago, as a result of persecution at the hands of the Solids, then reveals he was sent as an infant to explore the galaxy, then return home.

While looking for Odo, Kira discovers a locked door -- something for which shapeshifters would have no use. This arouses her curiosity. Back on the space station, a fight erupts between O'Brien and a Jem'Hadar soldier because the newcomers have been given free reign. Sisko then discovers that the Federation has signed the treaty, agreeing to give control of the Bajoran sector -- including the station and the wormhole -- to the Dominion. Over Sisko's objections, he and his crew will be reassigned.

A happy Odo tells Kira he has decided to remain with his people, but Kira asks him to help her get to the hidden power source before she departs. He is intrigued when Kira reveals it is behind the locked door she has found. Meanwhile, Jem'Hadar soldiers shoot Romulan officer T'Rul in cold blood, then attack an outraged Sisko. Deciding that matters have gotten out-of-hand, Sisko then bands with Garak, Dax, Bashir, and O'Brien on a suicide mission to steal a Runabout, collapse the wormhole, and keep the Dominion on its side of the galaxy forever.

Garak is killed while Sisko and the others escape. Once aboard the Runabout, they fire on the wormhole, collapsing it in a blinding explosion. Meanwhile, Odo unlocks the mysterious door, where he and Kira find Jem'Hadar soldiers waiting. The two are taken to an interrogation room where Sisko and the Defiant crew sit with their eyes closed, devices attached to their heads. Borath is there, revealing that he is really a Vorta, experimenting on the crew to determine how much they will sacrifice to avoid war with the Dominion. The Female Shapeshifter then arrives, disclosing that her people are the mysterious Founders. Saddened that his own race is responsible for so much death and misery, Odo demands that his friends be released, then chooses to return with them. Surprised that their experiences since the Defiant attack didn't really happen, Sisko and the crew head back to the station. Knowing the truth about his people, Odo realizes now that, even though he may feel like an outsider, his place is with his friends.

The House of Quark

Stardate: Unknown

With bar business especially slow, Rom complains to Quark that their only customer, a Klingon named Kozak, says he's out of money. Quark approaches Kozak, who responds by pulling a knife. But he is so inebriated that he trips and falls on the blade, killing himself. Quark is horrified, but when the bar is flooded with patrons flocking to see what happened, he recognizes a good business opportunity and takes credit for killing Kozak in self-defense. Thrilled with his newfound popularity, he ignores Odo's warning that Kozak's family might retaliate. Sure enough, D'Ghor, Kozak's brother, soon arrives and collars Quark.

A fearful Quark prepares to tell D'Ghor the truth, but learns that his life would be spared only if Kozak died honorably in battle. Thus sanctioned, Quark continues to revel in his role as a "slayer of Klingons" until Grilka, Kozak's widow, arrives and realizes the Ferengi is lying. She takes Quark to the Klingon home world against his will, where she explains that a provision in Klingon law grants consideration to a female left without a male heir after the accidental death of a spouse. This might allow her to lead her own House. But since Kozak instead died "in battle," the lack of a male heir would cause the House of Kozak to fall, and D'Ghor, who has been enemies with his brother's family for years, could take over. Unwilling to let that happen, Grilka conducts a ceremony where Quark winds up married to the widow.

Grilka brings Quark before the Klingon High Council and presents Quark as her husband, reminding the Council that, as Kozak's killer, Quark may be invited to take his place, and his wife. Much to the chagrin of D'Ghor, Council leader Gowron promises to consider her words, allowing the House of Kozak to be known as the House of Quark until he reaches a decision.

Grilka is not certain what to do next, until Quark volunteers to go over the financial records of the House. He discovers that D'Ghor has been systematically attacking Kozak's family's assets for years, weakening the House in order to prime it for a takeover. Together, Quark and Grilka present their findings to the High Council. But instead of conceding defeat, D'Ghor demands vengeance through personal combat, revealing that Quark lied about Kozak's death by bringing in Rom as a surprise witness.

With his life now on the line, Quark decides to run rather than face D'Ghor in battle. This means Grilka must return to Gowron without a husband, and with little chance of stopping D'Ghor from taking everything she has. Surprisingly, however, Quark arrives at the Council meeting armed to fight. As D'Ghor prepares to attack him, Quark suddenly tosses away his bat'leth sword, then reminds the Council that killing a defenseless Ferengi would be an execution instead of a honorable victory. An unmoved D'Ghor prepares to deliver the death blow anyway, but Gowron stops him, ashamed by his total lack of honor. Gowron then grants Grilka special dispensation to lead her House on her own. Quark is given a divorce, and he returns to Deep Space Nine a true hero in his brother Rom's eyes.

Equilibrium

Stardate: Unknown

While experimenting with a keyboard, the musically untrained Dax inexplicably plays a melody she seems to remember from somewhere, then suddenly develops a short temper toward her fellow crew members. She soon wanders onto the Promenade, where everyone mysteriously vanishes. A robed, masked figure stands above her, then a longer version of the melody begins to play. Dax is gripped with fear as the figure appears again, blocks her path, then removes the mask, only to reveal another. She then backs into Quark, at which point the Promenade is bustling with life again -- and the masked figure is gone.

Concerned about the hallucination, Dax has Bashir examine her. He discovers that her levels of isoboramine, a neurotransmitter that mediates synaptic functions between Jadzia and the Dax symbiont, are dangerously low. Aboard the Defiant, Sisko and Bashir go with Dax to the Trill homeworld, where the Symbiosis Commission's Dr. Renhol administers a drug to bring up Dax's isoboramine levels. But Dax later has another hallucination in which two men from the Commission, dressed in uniforms dated about a hundred years earlier, attempt to capture her.

Dax meets with Timor, one of the Guardians, who are unjoined Trill dedicated to caring for symbionts. He says Jadzia is really experiencing memories from one of Dax's previous hosts. Later, the Defiant's computer identifies the mysterious music as a piece composed over 80 years before by a Trill named Joran Belar. When Dax is shown a picture of him, she suddenly experiences another hallucination in which the masked figure kills a Trill doctor and is revealed to be Joran. Dax then has a seizure and goes into neural shock.

Dr. Renhol says that if Dax's isoboramine levels don't improve in forty-eight hours, the Dax symbiont will have to be removed and Jadzia's life sacrificed. Desperate to save their friend, Sisko and Bashir turn to Timor, but he becomes nervous and evasive, leading them to believe he is hiding something. They access Joran's file, and find it has been purged. Sisko and Bashir then contact Joran's brother, Yolad, who says his sibling was killed after murdering the doctor who felt Joran was not suitable for being joined with a symbiont. Then, Yolad confides that he believes his brother actually was joined, despite claims in the official records to the contrary. Sisko and Bashir realize then that the symbiont was probably Dax.

Sisko and Bashir confront Dr. Renhol just as she is preparing to remove the Dax symbiont from Jadzia, then reveal that they have discovered the cover-up. Dax was once mistakenly joined with Joran, and this knowledge was blocked from Dax's memory -- but now the memory block is deteriorating. They also know that Joran's experience contradicts claims that only one out of a thousand people is suitable for joining. In reality, almost half the population can be joined, a fact that would cause chaos as everyone fought to possess the few prized symbionts. When Sisko and Bashir threaten to reveal this secret, Dr. Renhol allows them to try and save Jadzia. They return to Timor, who has Dax enter the pool of symbionts, where the memories of Joran are safely re-integrated with her other memories. She emerges ready to deal with this painful, secret past -- a whole new lifetime of thoughts.

Second Skin

Stardate: Unknown

Kira is surprised when she sees records indicating that she was incarcerated at Elemspur, a Cardassian prison, 10 years ago. Certain she was never at the prison, Kira tracks down a man listed as her one surviving cellmate. The stranger claims to remember Kira, but she has no idea who he is and decides to learn the truth. Kira departs for Bajor, but is kidnapped, waking up on Cardassia, where an official named Entek tells her she has been brought home. Looking in a mirror, Kira is horrified to see that she now looks like a Cardassian.

Entek gently tells her she is Iliana Ghemor, a field operative of the Obsidian Order who volunteered for an undercover assignment on Bajor a decade ago. The Cardassians captured the real Kira, gave her memories and appearance to Iliana, then sent the replacement back to Bajor to infiltrate the resistance. Entek leaves, giving the disbelieving Kira a data rod containing a personal message Iliana recorded before she left. Soon afterward, Legate and Central Command member Tekeny Ghemor arrives, claiming he is her father and they are in his home. Kira dismisses him, and is surprised when he seems genuinely hurt that his daughter's suppressed memories haven't yet returned.

Back on Deep Space Nine, Garak reveals that Kira may be held by the Obsidian Order. Sisko decides to go to Cardassia and find her, forcing Garak to join him and Odo. On Cardassia, Ghemor tries desperately to jar Kira's memory of her life as his daughter, but she refuses to either believe him or trust his intentions. Entek attempts to interrogate Kira, saying they need information from Iliana's mission, but is frustrated that her memory is not resurfacing. Entek then shows her a younger Kira's dead body, which has been cryogenically preserved, looking just like it did in the prison record.

Kira believes the body to be a fake, but Entek then speaks of experiences she has never told another person. For the first time, Kira begins to doubt herself, but she doesn't give up and decides to escape, only to have Ghemor catch her. Later, Entek returns and begins to interrogate her yet again. An angry Ghemor comes in and dismisses Entek, invoking his status with the Central Command, then tells Kira that, even though it will break his heart, he will get her away from Cardassia.

As the final arrangements are made, Ghemor reveals that he is a dissident. This puts the pieces of the puzzle together for Kira. She realizes that Entek is not really after her, but is only using her resemblance to Ghemor's daughter to get him to betray the Central Command. Entek then enters with two Obsidian Order agents who surround Kira and Ghemor. But Sisko, Garak, and Odo appear and stop them, with Garak killing Entek in the process. Ghemor returns with Kira to Deep Space Nine, where tests prove she is Bajoran. Ghemor vows to find his real daughter, but also tells Kira that, until then, she is the closest thing to family he has.

The Abandoned

Stardate: Unknown

A Boslic Captain talks Quark into purchasing the wreckage of a ship that crashed in the Gamma Quadrant. Unfortunately, he ends up with much more than he bargained for when he finds a newborn alien infant hidden inside. Quark brings the baby to the Infirmary, where the child's presence reminds Sisko of his teenaged son Jake's own infancy -- and Sisko's fatherly concern now that Jake is dating Mardah, a 20-year-old Dabo girl. Bashir notices that the baby has a phenomenal metabolic rate, and the child develops so rapidly that he changes from an infant to what looks like an eight-year-old boy in a few hours.

While the boy is no more than two weeks old genetically, he is already able to speak. Bashir soon determines that his advanced skills are artificially implanted as the result of genetic engineering. The crew quickly sees what kind of alien he is when the boy matures again -- into a violent, teenaged Jem'Hadar.

Sisko plans to send the teenager to Starfleet Command for study, but Odo objects, knowing what it is like to live as a lab specimen. Despite the danger the Jem'Hadar poses, Odo wants to prove that he isn't just a programmed killing machine. He asks Sisko to let the boy stay, thinking he can control the alien since Jem'Hadar soldiers are bred to serve Odo's race of shapeshifters. Because the child's race is dangerous to the Federation, Sisko is reluctant, but he lets Odo work with the boy. Later, Mardah joins Sisko and a nervous Jake for dinner. But, despite his initial thoughts, Sisko finds Mardah to be very nice -- and learns some things about Jake in the process. Meanwhile, Odo talks to the alien, who shows his obedience, then expresses a desire to stay in Odo's quarters, which he allows.

Odo talks at length with the teenager, and learns that he wants to know more about the Jem'Hadar. But the boy's only desire seems to be for violence. Kira warns him that the child may be a lost cause -- if he was engineered to kill, Odo will not be able to change him. Odo tries to show the teenager that there is more to life than fighting, but a holosuite battle reveals that the bloodlust remains. Later, Sisko has word that Starfleet has sent a ship to pick up the young Jem'Hadar. But before Odo can leave to tell the boy, he suddenly appears in the room, pulls a phaser on Sisko, and announces that he refuses to go where they plan to send him.

The teenager demands a Runabout so he and Odo can go home to the Gamma Quadrant, then takes him through the corridors en route for the vessel. Much to Odo's disappointment, the boy reveals that he wants to be a Jem'Hadar. But when Sisko attempts to stop him from leaving, Odo intercedes, insisting on returning the teenager to his homeland. Knowing that the Jem'Hadar will either kill someone or be killed rather than go with Starfleet, Sisko agrees. Odo handles this final task and returns to the station, sadder but wiser for his experience.

Civil Defense

Stardate: Unknown

While working in the station's ore processing unit, O'Brien and Jake accidentally activate an automated Cardassian security program, which traps the pair and Sisko in the room. Throughout the station, monitors display an old message from Gul Dukat warning of a Bajoran "worker revolt" in the unit. Dax tries to beam out the three, but the computer requests an access code, which the Cardassians never revealed when they abandoned the station years ago. Jake crawls through a pipe and opens the hatch to the ore chute, allowing Sisko and O'Brien to get out just as lethal neurocine gas is released. Dukat's image reappears, announcing that the "workers" have escaped, after which the doors to Ops all slam shut.

Sisko, O'Brien, and Jake are now trapped in an ore processing bay. A force field keeps Dax, Bashir, and Kira stuck in Ops, while another one holds Odo and Quark in the Security Office. Dax inadvertently activates the security program's second level, a program designed to release neurocine gas through most of the station in five minutes. Garak suddenly arrives at Ops, using his Cardassian access code -- which only works for him -- to enter through the force field. At his suggestion, Kira destroys the life support system, which stops the gas and gives them twelve hours to regain control before the oxygen is depleted. Unfortunately, Kira's phaser blast has activated the third phase of the program. Dukat's recorded message now declares that the station is programmed to self-destruct in two hours.

Garak tries to make the computer think he is Dukat, but ends up initiating level four of the program -- a series of phaser blasts which forces everyone to take cover. Then, to everyone's surprise, Gul Dukat transports into Ops to taunt the officers. But he can't leave the station when he tries, then a recorded message from his old superior, Legate Kell, appears. Dukat won't be allowed to flee his post during the "revolt," states the message -- and his code won't stop the self-destruct.

They determine that the only option would be to reach a control junction and disengage the laser fusion initiator, but can't do anything while trapped in Ops. Meanwhile, Sisko, O'Brien, and Jake blast open the bay doors by detonating the unstable ore left inside, but are stopped from going far by more force fields. Back in Ops, Dax suggests creating a power surge to short out the force fields all over the station. The plan works, and Kira informs Sisko they have ten minutes before self-destruction. Sisko, O'Brien, and Jake have the only chance of reaching the control junction. Realizing they may not have time to disable the fusion initiator, Sisko decides instead to direct the explosion into the deflector shields. He crawls through a burning conduit, makes the adjustments, and as the destruct command is initiated, the shields absorb the blast and the station is saved.

Meridian

Stardate: 48423.2

While exploring the Gamma Quadrant in the Defiant, Sisko, Dax, Bashir, and O'Brien are shocked when a planet appears where none existed before. They are contacted by a woman named Seltin, who invites them to join her people on their world for a meal. During the feast, Seltin explains that the planet, Meridian, shifts between this dimension and another, where they exist as pure consciousness. When they return to this dimension, it is as if no time has passed for them even though decades have gone by in reality. Dax is intrigued by a Meridian named Deral, who explains to her that the periods when his planet exists in this dimension are getting shorter -- this time, they will only be visible for 12 days, after which Meridian will shift back into its non-corporeal state for 60 years. Those intervals returning to Dax's dimension will soon be cut to a matter of minutes, after which the planet will become too unstable and simply cease to exist.

Sisko volunteers to help find a way to stabilize Meridian's dimensional shifts. Dax notices a possible anomaly in the sun's fusion cycle, and a probe is sent to investigate. While awaiting the readings, Dax and Deral take a long walk through Meridian's landscape, during which they give in to their growing attraction and kiss.

Dax soon discovers an imbalance in the sun's core is triggering the dimensional shifts. Unfortunately, while it is possible to equalize the time between shifts, it cannot be accomplished before the five days Meridian has left remaining in this dimension. Dax and Deral realize they will not see each other again until his planet returns in 60 years. Unwilling to lose her, Deral decides to leave Meridian and his people in order to go with Dax to the Alpha Quadrant.

Seltin is thrilled to hear that the next time Meridian returns to this dimension, it will remain for 30 years, allowing the group to have families and expand the settlement. But she is less than thrilled with Deral's announcement that he is leaving with Dax. He knows that the small society can't afford to lose a member, but remains determined to be with the woman he loves. Noticing Deral is torn, Dax presents an alternative -- having her molecular structure altered in order to survive the dimensional shift. Realizing it's the only way they can be together, Dax decides to do this so she can remain on Meridian with Deral.

As the shift of Meridian begins, Dax's presence interferes with the process, making the planet unable to completely enter the other dimension. Trapped, Dax is left unable to breathe, but is then beamed aboard the Defiant. Sisko informs her that Meridian shifted successfully after her disappearance, letting Dax know that Deral is alive, but lost from her life for the next 60 years.

Defiant

Stardate: 48467.3

When Commander William Riker from the Enterprise visits the station, an intrigued Kira takes him on a tour, particularly of the Defiant. On the bridge of the docked ship, Kira uses her access code in order to show him more of the Deflant's operations. But as the ship springs to life, Riker suddenly stuns Kira with a phaser blast, then a man and a woman, Tamal and Kalita, transport aboard. Riker fakes an emergency on the warship and convinces Sisko to have it freed from the dock. The Defiant then engages warp drive and leaves the sector, at which point it is revealed that the man stealing the vessel is actually Thomas Riker, Will Riker's duplicate, created as the result of a freak transporter accident nine years ago.

Sisko and Odo inform Gul Dukat that Thomas Riker -- who is believed to be a member of the Maquis, a terrorist group fighting against Cardassia -- has stolen the Defiant. They fear that Dukat's superiors at Cardassian Central Command will assume Starfleet wanted the Maquis to have the warship. This would give the Cardassians an excuse to launch a full-scale invasion into the Demilitarized zone between their territory and Federation space in order to find the Defiant. Seeing no other option, Sisko agrees to join forces with Dukat to help destroy the vessel. Meanwhile, Riker makes a rendezvous with a group of Maquis ships, then gives the order to head for the Cardassian border.

Sisko accompanies Gul Dukat to the Cardassian homeworld's War Room, where they meet Korinas, an observer from the Obsidian Order. Sisko reveals that the Defiant has a cloaking device, but admits the ship may be detectable with an anti-proton beam. Meanwhile, Riker uses a decoy vessel to lure away Cardassian warships, then slips into their territory. Kira then sets off an explosion on board, which disables the cloaking device and causes the Defiant to lose power.

The Defiant is repaired, and Riker reveals to Kira that he believes renegade Cardassians have a secret base in the Orias system where they are building an invasion force. His mission is to destroy that operation. In the War Room, Sisko realizes that the Orias system is the Deflant's destination and suggests that a warship be sent there, but Korinas objects, informing them that the sector is controlled by the Obsidian Order -- and any warship that enters will be destroyed.

The Defiant is located heading toward the Orias System and Dukat sends ten ships in pursuit. But he and Sisko are surprised when three more Cardassian warships suddenly appear in the sector, and they realize that the vessels belong to the Obsidian Order. On the Defiant, Riker engages in battle and finds himself at a considerable disadvantage. Then Sisko comes up with a plan. Since Dukat wants to know what the Obsidian Order is hiding, Sisko proposes that he allow the Defiant to safely return to Federation space in exchange for the information on the Orias system gathered in the Defiant's sensor logs after entering the area. Dukat accepts, provided the Cardassians also get Riker as a prisoner. Riker agrees and surrenders to Dukat's forces in order to save his friends on the Defiant, then prepares to spend the rest of his life in a Cardassian labor camp.

Fascination

Stardate: Unknown

The Bajoran Gratitude Festival, an annual celebration, is about to get underway, and both Kira and O'Brien await the arrival of their loves. But while Kira's encounter with Bareil is sweet, O'Brien's long-anticipated reunion with his wife Keiko is strained -- she is exhausted and their daughter, Molly, is sick. To make matters worse, Lwaxana Troi also arrives, and immediately seeks out Odo, hoping for a romantic rendezvous, but he is uninterested. Similarly, Kira is too busy setting up for the festival to spend time with Bareil, and Keiko is too tired to enjoy her time with her husband. But at the opening festivities, Lwaxana experiences a brief headache, which Bareil and Jake seem to feel simultaneously.

As the festival gets underway, Bareil and Kira finally find some time to spend together, but are interrupted by Jake, who insists on speaking with Kira in private. Once Bareil leaves, Jake shocks Kira by saying he is in love with her. Bareil, meanwhile, wanders to Dax, and finds himself suddenly smitten with her. As all this happens, Lwaxana continues her futile pursuit of Odo, then has another brief headache near Dax, who appears to feel it also. O'Brien's romantic endeavors are also thwarted as Keiko says her research on Bajor will keep her there for another few months, then storms away from her angry and hurt husband.

O'Brien talks with Quark, where the proprietor treats him to a taste of the Ferengi philosophy on women, inadvertently showing O'Brien how much Keiko means to him. Meanwhile, Kira finds Bareil, and is hurt when he dismisses her as no more than a friend. Dax, while hiding from Bareil, has joined Sisko, and surprises her friend with the announcement that she is really in love with him.

Bashir's examination of Dax reveals nothing wrong, and she pretends it was all a joke until she and Sisko are alone again, at which point she kisses him. Meanwhile, O'Brien speaks to Keiko through her locked bedroom door, telling her he will resign to stay together, but Keiko says she needs to think about it. Later, Odo, Lwaxana, and Bashir see Kira on their way to Sisko's upcoming party, and Lwaxana feels another headache, at which Bashir and Kira react. The two of them then go to the Infirmary, where they immediately kiss passionately.

At the party, Sisko watches in horror as Dax chases him, Bareil chases Dax, Bareil hits Sisko, Dax slugs Bareil, Jake moons over Kira, and Kira and Bashir can't keep their hands off each other. Keiko arrives at the party in a stunning red dress, walks up to her husband and tells him not to resign, then kisses him. Quark shows up, then proclaims his undying love for Keiko. Luckily, Sisko and Odo notice that before Quark saw Keiko, Lwaxana had a headache, after which Quark seemed to feel the same headache. Bashir discovers that Lwaxana has Zanthi Fever, in which Betazoids experiencing a headache from the condition project their amorous feelings for someone onto those in close proximity. To Sisko's surprise, it only affects people who already have a pre-existing latent attraction. Bashir cures her and says everyone will be back to normal in a few days. But for Keiko and O'Brien, the effects of this Gratitude Festival are real.

Past Tense

Stardate: 48481.2

En route to a symposium in San Francisco, Sisko, Dax and Bashir are lost during transport to Earth from the Defiant. The trio materializes in San Francisco, but in the year 2024. Apprehended by a pair of policemen, Sisko and Bashir are taken to a "Sanctuary District"--a gated area of the city where homeless, mentally ill and unemployed people are locked away from the rest of society.

Separated from the others, Dax is found by a prominent businessman named Chris Brynner, who takes her to his office and helps her obtain the ID card necessary to exist in this society. Dax doesn't reveal where she comes from, but tells him that her friends are missing. Meanwhile, in the Sanctuary District, Sisko and Bashir are taken to a processing center, where no records of their existence are found. Sisko learns the date and realizes that they have arrived just days before a crucial event in history, the Bell Riots, which occurred in the area of the city where he and Bashir are now confined.

Sisko tells Bashir that residents in the District will take hostages, but a man named Gabriel Bell, after whom the riots were named, will sacrifice his life to save them. Hundreds of innocent people will be killed during the riots, but Sisko and Bashir can do nothing, or this pivotal moment in history, which led to sweeping social reforms, could be altered forever. Later, Sisko and Bashir are given ration cards to obtain meals and sent out to find a place to sleep among the abandoned buildings.

On the Defiant, Kira, Odo and O'Brien realize their comrades were transported back in time, but cannot pinpoint the exact date, and have only a limited number of search attempts they can make. In the Sanctuary District, Sisko and Bashir meet Webb, a homeless but proud man who asks them to try and help the community, but they must refuse his request in order to avoid any contact that could change history. Later, Sisko and Bashir end up in a scuffle over Bashir's food card, during which a bystander who steps in to help is killed. Sisko is shocked to discover the dead man is Gabriel Bell.

When Kira attempts to contact Earth to discuss the situation, she learns that everything connected with Starfleet has vanished. Odo, O'Brien and Kira realize their missing crewmates have altered history, and that the Defiant is all that remains of the Federation. Back in the past, Chris Brynner does some research and learns that Jadzia's friends are among the thousands of people behind the walls of the Sanctuary District. Meanwhile, Sisko and Bashir realize that they must step in to undo the damage to history resulting from Bell's death. They arrive at the processing center just as the residents take hostages. As the riots begin, Sisko joins the aggressors, identifying himself as Gabriel Bell.

Sisko, posing as Gabriel Bell of the 21st century, takes charge of the hostage situation in the Processing Center as rioting begins within the Sanctuary District, and tells the angry residents that this is their chance to voice their grievances. Bashir reminds him that Bell is destined to die at the end of this turning point in Earth history. On the outside, Dax realizes that Sisko and Bashir are in danger and prepares to locate them. Meanwhile, Kira and O'Brien attempt transporting into different time periods to find their friends, with no success. Back in the center, Sisko convinces Webb, a decent family man, to act as their representative, but Webb is cut off from the computer interface terminal when he tries to communicate their plight. Then, police Detective Preston contacts Webb and asks to meet him.

Sisko joins Webb for the meeting, where they demand that all Sanctuary Districts be closed and the Federal Employment Act reinstated, and Preston agrees to present their demands to the Governor. Preston is later met by Chris and Dax, who can't convince the official to help them locate Sisko and Bashir. Determined, Dax waits until they aren't looking and slips away.

Kira and O'Brien transport once more into the past, but again choose the wrong time period. Meanwhile, as the riots continue, Preston offers to reduce the charges against Sisko and Webb if they release the hostages, but the two refuse to back down from their demands. Later, Dax is brought to the center, her combadge taken after having been captured upon entering the Sanctuary District.

Dax plays along with Sisko and Bashir, then tells them she can convince Chris to restore the group's computer access. After recovering her missing combadge, Dax slips back into the outside world. Soon, scores of residents are telling their stories to millions of people over the computer interface. Unfortunately, the Governor is unmoved, and tells Detective Preston to send in her troops.

Kira and O'Brien transport to the correct time period and soon locate Dax. Meanwhile, Sisko and Webb herd the hostages into a safe area of the center, just before a SWAT team bursts in, killing Webb and most of the others. One of the officers accidentally shoots at a hostage, but Sisko jumps in front of the man and takes a bullet to the shoulder. As the SWAT team leaves the center and National Guard personnel take control of the Sanctuary District, Sisko and Bashir are allowed to leave, and their ID cards are switched with those of two dead men. The former hostages promise to tell what really happened, and Sisko and Bashir return to the future, having restored history to its normal course.

Life Support

Stardate: 48498.4

When a serious accident nearly destroys a Bajoran transport arriving at the space station, Kai Winn manages to escape basically unharmed, but Vedek Bareil is critically injured. As Bashir operates on him while Kira worries, Winn informs Sisko that they were en route to a secret meeting to initiate peace talks with the Cardassian Central Command, and reveals that Bareil is the driving force behind the discussions. Unfortunately, Bashir is unable to save Bareil. However, as the doctor prepares to perform an autopsy, he notices a faint indication of life. After hours of intense work on Bareil's brain, Bashir is able to revive the dead man.

Bashir says Bareil could be back on his feet in a few weeks. But Winn is anxious to resume talks right away, and since Bareil is also determined, Bashir agrees to let him advise Winn from his bed. However, Bareil's circulatory system begins to fail, and Bashir tells him that he must be placed in stasis for an undetermined period of time. Feeling the obligation to bring about peace between Bajor and Cardassia, Bareil insists that Bashir find another solution. The doctor suggests an experimental drug that will let Bareil function for a few days -- at the possible expense of his life. Against Bashir's judgment, Bareil tells him to try it.

Winn begins negotiations at the station, and it quickly becomes apparent that she is not comfortable in the role. Winn states to Sisko that, without Bareil, any hope of peace will die. Toward that end, she continues to ask him for advice, despite his obvious agony. Bashir then tells Bareil that the drug has already done irreversible damage to his organs. While artificial replacements can be inserted, Bashir recommends that Bareil go into stasis to avoid further damage, but he implores Bashir to do whatever is necessary to keep him going through the negotiations. The doctor turns to Winn, asking her to release Bareil from any more responsibility. But Winn is afraid to stand alone and refuses. However, when she returns to Bareil for another round of advice, his brain begins to fail.

The damage to the left side of Bareil's brain is irreversible, and Bashir grimly reports that he will not regain consciousness on his own. At the insistence of Kira and Winn, Bashir uses artificial brain implants to revive Bareil once again. Kira is by Bareil's side when he recovers from the surgery, and is devastated to discover that his feelings and emotions are basically gone. However, he retains the capacity to help Winn through the final negotiations, and the peace treaty is signed. But the other half of Bareil's brain soon begins to fail. Kira begs Bashir to save him with another artificial implant, but the doctor gently refuses, unwilling to reduce Bareil to a machine. Kira sadly accepts his words and asks to be left alone with the man she loves for the final hours of his life.

Heart of Stone

Stardate: 48521.5

While traveling in a Runabout, Kira and Odo learn that a Maquis ship has ambushed a Lissepian vessel. They pursue the attacking ship to a deserted moon, where it crashes. Kira and Odo land on the moon, which is virtually uninhabitable and rocked by seismic activity. They split up within a group of caverns where the fugitive may be hiding, but Kira soon summons Odo with a distress call. He hurries to her side to find a crystal formation growing around Kira's foot, trapping her.

The crystal, which Odo cannot break, rapidly grows to just above Kira's knee. Atmospheric interference makes it impossible for him to either free her with the Runabout's transporter or send a distress signal back to the station. Odo then returns to the caverns to hear the sound of phaser blasts. Kira says that she just exchanged shots with the Maquis fugitive, but both missed. This, however, is the least of her problems -- both her legs are now entirely covered in crystal.

Tremors shake the cavern while the crystal continues to grow around Kira. Odo brings in equipment to build a makeshift ultrasonic generator in an attempt to shatter the crystal. It has now grown to cover Kira's rib cage, making it difficult for her to breathe. Odo realizes that finding the right frequency might take longer than the few hours left before Kira is covered completely, but he is determined not to leave her stranded, and they betray just a bit of emotion toward each other. Then, suddenly, the cavern is shaken by a powerful tremor.

Odo morphs into a dome to shield Kira and the generator from the falling debris. But after trying every possible frequency, the crystal remains intact and grows to reach the middle of Kira's chest. Realizing there is nothing more Odo can do, Kira orders him to leave and save himself.

Odo refuses to go, despite Kira's reminder that if he stays, he will die along with her. But Odo says he cannot leave -- because he is in love with Kira. After a moment, Kira shocks Odo by replying that she is in love with him, too. The increasingly suspicious Odo remains virtually silent for an hour, while the crystal grows up to Kira's neck. But when Kira then admits she isn't really in love with him, Odo realizes that she would never risk their friendship by lying. He points a phaser at her and demands to know what happened to the real Kira. The woman and crystal then morphs into the female shapeshifter Odo met when he discovered his homeworld. Knowing Odo's feelings for Kira, she planned the entire scenario to trick Odo into believing Kira died, hoping this would prompt him to return home. Angry, Odo makes her reveal Kira's location, and he then rescues his friend. They then return to the station, with Odo's deepest feelings still a secret from Kira.

Destiny

Stardate: 48543.2

In the wake of the peace treaty with Cardassia, Sisko is excited about working with two Cardassian scientists who are assigned to help deploy a subspace relay in the Gamma Quadrant -- a project which, if successful, will allow communication through the wormhole for the first time. But Vedek Yarka warns that an old Bajoran prophecy predicts destruction of the wormhole, as three "vipers" will return to their "nest" in the sky. He deduces that the scientists are the vipers and the station must be their nest. Still, there are only two Cardassians arriving, and Sisko believes the project is too important to abandon. Later, the Cardassian scientists, Ulani and Gilora, arrive, and immediately put the crew at ease with their friendly manner. However, when they announce that another scientist will soon be joining them, Kira is concerned, believing this is the third "viper" in the prophecy.

Yarka begs Kira to have Sisko send away the Cardassians, but she will not let her faith interfere with her duties. After Dejar, the third scientist, arrives at the station, Gilora and O'Brien prepare to receive the signal from the Gamma Quadrant, while Dejar and Ulani travel there with Sisko, Kira, and Dax on the Defiant in order to set up the relay. As soon as they arrive, the crew encounters a large rogue comet, which Kira sees as the "sword of stars" mentioned in the prophecy.

Kira tells Sisko she believes the prophecy is coming true, and that Sisko, as the Emissary of Bajoran lore, must make a decision just as it foretells. Sisko, however, has always been unwilling to accept that he actually is the Emissary. He then has Dax send the first transmission through the wormhole, but it fails. The modified signal instead triggers the wormhole to open violently and experience a brief, drastic increase in gravity, which alters the comet's course, causing it to head directly for the anomaly. If the comet enters it, the material in the core will make the wormhole collapse permanently -- which is apparently part of the prophecy.

Back at the station, O'Brien and Gilora modify the Defiant's phasers in order to vaporize the entire comet at once. But when the ship returns to the Gamma Quadrant to implement the plan, the weapons relay malfunctions, causing the phasers to instead fire a standard burst, which splits the comet into three fragments -- all of which remain on course for the wormhole.

Gilora reveals that Dejar, who is a member of the Obsidian Order, sabotaged the phasers. Once Dejar is detained, Sisko and Kira board a shuttlepod and maneuver it between the comet fragments, generating a subspace field around the pieces as they travel through the wormhole. The pair is successful, as the fragments safely enter the Alpha Quadrant with just a minimum of the deadly material leaking into the wormhole. Amazingly, the material also forms a subspace filament which allows transmissions to come from the Gamma Quadrant. Kira realizes that the prophecy has come true -- the symbolism was just interpreted incorrectly. The "vipers" were actually the comet fragments, which permanently wedged open the "temple gates" of the wormhole. Sisko returns to the station with new respect for Bajoran prophecy, and for his own prophesized role in Bajor's fate.

Prophet Motive

Stardate: Unknown

Zek, the Ferengi Grand Nagus, pays a visit to Deep Space Nine and moves in to Quark's quarters, where he undertakes an important project. After displacing Quark from his home, the Nagus reveals that he has been rewriting the Rules of Acquisition. Overcome with excitement, Quark and his brother Rom rush to read the volume, thrilled to have a head start on what they think will be the path to unimaginable profit. But they are shocked to read the first rule: "If they want their money back ... give it to them."

Quark and Rom read through the New Rules of Acquisition, which have been revised to reflect qualities of kindness instead of profit and greed. Amazingly, Zek is advising his people to change their ways. Quark is mortified, especially after he later discovers that Zek has established a Ferengi Benevolent Association -- and named Rom the senior administrator of the project.

Zek believes Rom can be molded into a new kind of Ferengi who operates "beyond greed." But Quark will have nothing of it -- he is convinced something is wrong with the Nagus. He is unsure what to do next, until Zek tells him about the gift he plans to present to the Bajoran people. Quark and Rom later sneak into the Nagus's shuttle to see the gift for themselves, and are astonished to find one of the missing orbs of the Bajoran prophets.

Against Quark's warning, Rom opens the box containing the orb. Quark is exposed to the sacred object, which shows him a vision in which the Grand Nagus reveals the New Rules of Acquisition were a gift. After recovering from the experience, Quark realizes the Rules are not a gift to the Ferengi people, but a gift to Zek from the aliens within the wormhole. Checking Zek's logs, Quark learns that he did visit the wormhole for a brief period, during which he could have communicated with the aliens. Quark surmises that he was hoping to use their ability to see through time to make profit, but something must have gone wrong. He decides the only way to help Zek is to take him back to the wormhole.

Inside the wormhole, Quark encounters the aliens, who explain that they were so bothered by their encounter with the materialistic Zek that they restored him to an earlier, less adversarial state of existence. They threaten to do the same to Quark, but he instead offers a bargain -- if they return Zek to his original state, they will never be bothered by another Ferengi. The aliens agree, Zek is back to normal, and the Ferengi way of life is saved.

Visionary

Stardate: Unknown

A Romulan delegation arrives to study reports on the Dominion, a privilege granted in exchange for the use of a cloaking device aboard the Defiant. Meanwhile, O'Brien, at Quark's riding out a mild case of radiation poisoning from an accident, is suddenly transported to another part of the bar, where he sees himself having a conversation with Quark. He just as suddenly returns to where he was, then falls over in pain. Bashir blames the radiation and assures O'Brien that hallucinations are a normal side effect. But when O'Brien returns to the bar five hours later, he has the same conversation with Quark that he "hallucinated." Dax theorizes that O'Brien's exposure to radiation could have caused him to temporarily shift five hours forward in time. Then, O'Brien experiences another timeshift -- into the middle of a brawl in Quark's between the Romulans and some Klingons.

Bashir examines O'Brien in the present and determines that the timeshifts pose a serious threat to his life. Five hours later, O'Brien returns to Quark's to wait for the brawl, and the Klingons soon arrive and exchange blows with the Romulans. O'Brien timeshifts again, and this time sees himself in a corridor. He watches as his future self opens a wall panel and is killed by a blast from a hidden phaser.

After shifting back, O'Brien leads Sisko and Odo to the wall panel, but they find nothing. They assume that a weapon will soon be placed within it over the next five hours. While Bashir works to rid O'Brien's body of the residual radiation, Kira reports that she has moved the Romulans to the quarters adjacent to the wall panel. When Odo discovers that someone has put a surveillance device behind the panel, he suspects the Klingons are spying on the Romulans. O'Brien then shifts five hours into the future again -- and sees his dead body in the Infirmary.

In the future, Bashir reveals to O'Brien how the radiation killed him. When O'Brien shifts back, the doctor is able to use this knowledge to save him. Meanwhile, Dax locates the cause of the shifts, which is a quantum singularity orbiting the space station. It periodically affects the radiation in O'Brien's body and triggers the timeshifts. O'Brien then shifts again into the future and finds himself aboard a crowded Runabout in the midst of an emergency evacuation -- during which he watches as the station explodes and the wormhole collapses.

Hoping to learn how both the station and the wormhole are destroyed, O'Brien uses a device to flood himself with radiation in order to travel to the future again. Once there, he and his future self join forces, discovering that the quantum singularity is inside a cloaked Romulan Warbird, which becomes visible and attacks the station. While the timeshifting O'Brien becomes dangerously sick from the radiation, his future self is forced to take the device and return to the other's time period, where he tells Sisko what will happen. The commander deduces that the Romulans plan to eliminate the threat posed by the Dominion, making the station's destruction look like an accident from the wormhole collapse. Sisko expels the Romulans, and the future O'Brien must get used to living a few hours in his past.

Distant Voices

Stardate: Unknown

An alien named Altovar approaches Bashir to obtain a restricted substance. The doctor refuses, prompting Altovar to later break into the Infirmary. Bashir arrives and tries to stop him, but the alien renders him unconscious with an electrical discharge. When Bashir recovers, he finds the temples of his hair graying, and the station dark and deserted. Just the most vital systems still function, and although he periodically hears strange whispering sounds, the only inhabitants found are Garak and a terrified Quark. Bashir and Garak split up in hopes of learning the fate of the others. Suddenly, his path is blocked by a forcefield, and he senses a presence coming toward him.

Thinking quickly, Bashir ducks inside a turbolift and narrowly escapes the pursuing Altovar. He exits to find Kira, O'Brien, Odo, and Dax engaged in a heated discussion. Bashir now appears to have aged 25 years, but the group is too busy debating each other to notice. The doctor realizes that the whispering, the crew's strange behavior, and the technical problems must be connected. O'Brien fixes the communications relay, and the group hears the same whispers. As the sounds become clearer, they prove to be the distant voices of the crew, stating that Bashir is in a telepathically-induced coma and will be dead in less than three hours. The doctor scans himself and discovers that he is indeed in a coma.

Bashir realizes that the rest of the group really isn't there -- this scenario is actually happening in his mind, which is represented by the station, and the others just embody different aspects of his personality -- fixing the station will bring Bashir out of his coma. Unfortunately, Dax is captured by the alien, and Bashir suddenly finds himself with Garak, who directs the doctor to Ops in order to repair the damage. On his way, Bashir sees Sisko, who represents the best aspects of the doctor's personality. But Altovar captures Sisko, then tells Bashir he will kill each part of his personality before finally letting him die.

While trying to get to Ops, Bashir, who appears about 75 now, finds Kira dead and Odo dying. He and O'Brien end up at Quark's, where the crowd is betting on how and when Bashir will die. Altovar appears, killing Quark, and Bashir starts to run away, but is terrified to discover he has broken his hip.

Bashir, now about 100 years old, is helped to Ops by Garak, who keeps encouraging him to give up. Bashir then realizes that Garak is actually Altovar. At this point the alien reveals his true form, but Bashir, having recovered some of his confidence, gains the upper hand. He returns to the Infirmary, realizing that this is the center of his world -- and, therefore, the place from which he should repair the damage. Immediately, he is able to restore the lights, trap Altovar in a forcefield, and disintegrate the alien. He then quickly regains consciousness, surrounded by his crewmates, who he prepares to tell of his bizarre experience.

Through the Looking Glass

Stardate: Unknown

Sisko is abducted by a double of O'Brien, who takes him to the mirror universe that Kira and Bashir visited a year ago. This O'Brien explains that Sisko's counterpart, the leader of the Terran rebellion against the Klingon/Cardassian Alliance, has been killed. O'Brien wants Sisko to pose as his dead double and convince a Terran scientist with the Alliance to join the rebels. That scientist is Jennifer Sisko, the counterpart of Sisko's late wife. Since she is building a device that will betray the secret location of the rebels, Sisko must convince her to join them before she completes her work or the rebels will have to kill her. Unwilling to watch Jennifer die again, Sisko agrees to intervene. He meets the rebel counterparts of Bashir, Rom, Tuvok from the starship Voyager, and also Dax, who is Sisko's mistress in this universe. Only O'Brien knows that Sisko is an impostor.

Terok Nor, the mirror Deep Space Nine, is ruled by Kira for the Alliance. She tells Jennifer that the bloodshed against the Terrans will end once her device is completed. But later, Kira tortures Terran slaves in the ore processing center with the help of Garak, her chief aide. Then, Kira discovers that Sisko is still alive.

With communicators hidden under their skin, Sisko and O'Brien take a rebel ship to Terok Nor. They are immediately captured and taken to Kira, who sends O'Brien to ore processing with the slaves and takes Sisko to her quarters. Later, Sisko meets Jennifer, who despises him, and without revealing his true identity, apologizes for his past treatment of her, then says that he has come to rescue her.

Sisko tries to convince Jennifer that the Alliance is her real enemy, and plans to kill the rebels once they are found. Sensing he may be winning her confidence, Sisko signals O'Brien. In ore processing, O'Brien receives the signal and causes a malfunction that allows him and the Terrans to escape. Meanwhile, Jennifer agrees to leave with Sisko, they meet O'Brien, then head for a waiting ship.

Before they can escape, however, they are cornered by Kira and her troops. While Kira waits for Sisko to surrender, he slips away and herds his entire group into the ore processing center, where they seal themselves within. When Kira, Garak, and her soldiers finally force their way in, Sisko calmly tells her that he has activated the station's self-destruct sequence, which only he can stop. Kira reluctantly agrees to let Sisko, Jennifer, O'Brien, and the Terrans go free in order to halt the imminent destruction. Sisko and the others return to the rebel encampment, where Jennifer admits to realizing that he's not really her husband. She kisses him goodbye, and Sisko returns to his universe just a bit sadder.

Improbable Cause

Stardate: Unknown

A peaceful afternoon is shattered when Garak's shop is destroyed by an explosion. Although the blast initially appears to be accidental, further investigation reveals that the explosion was, in fact, rigged to look like an accident. Sisko and Odo ask Garak who might want him dead, but the Cardassian is, as always, secretive. However, Odo learns that the blast was triggered by a sensor favored by Flaxian assassins, and realizes a Flaxian named Retaya arrived that morning.

Questioning Retaya reveals nothing, and Odo allows him to leave, then cancels Garak's security escort, hoping this will coerce Garak into sharing what he may know about the assassination attempt. Later, when Odo boards a Runabout to follow Retaya, Garak awaits him. Odo reluctantly agrees to let him go along as he follows the suspect. Unfortunately, they learn little about Retaya's motives -- his ship explodes just as he goes into warp.

An analysis reveals that the Romulans were behind the explosion. Odo surmises that they hired Retaya to kill Garak -- but why? Odo learns from an informant that the Romulans may be planning to invade Cardassia. He is also told that five former Obsidian Order operatives "coincidentally" died the day Garak's shop exploded. Odo shows Garak the list of dead men, then confronts him with the deduction that Garak blew up his own shop just to get Odo involved. Garak finally admits that he and the deceased were all associates of Enabran Tain, the past leader of the Obsidian Order. Realizing Tain might also be in danger, Garak attempts to contact him, and upon learning his former boss left mysteriously the day before, sets off with Odo to find him.

Garak instructs Odo to head for a planet near the Cardassian border where Tain has a safe house. Before they arrive, however, they are intercepted by a Romulan Warbird and captured. Inside the ship, they are brought before Tain, who shocks them with the news that he ordered the attempt on Garak's life.

Tain tells the pair that the Romulan Tal Shiar and the Obsidian Order have joined forces, preparing to take a fleet of Romulan and Cardassian warships into the Gamma Quadrant. Their mission is to destroy the Dominion by eliminating the Founders, after which Tain plans to resume his post as head of the Order. Hence, the reason why he ordered the deaths of Garak and anyone else with information that could be used against him. However, now that Garak is on board, Tain offers his protege a chance to work with him again. Despite Odo's warnings not to trust Tain, Garak says yes, leaving Odo to face the Romulans and an uncertain fate.

The Die Is Cast

Stardate: Unknown

After rejoining his former Cardassian mentor, Enabran Tain, Garak helps him in a joint mission with the Obsidian Order and the Romulan Tal Shiar. Tain has masterminded a plan to destroy the Founders -- Odo's people, who rule the Dominion -- and their homeworld. Tain, along with Colonel Lovok of the Tal Shiar, leads a fleet of cloaked Romulan and Cardassian ships into the Gamma Quadrant, commanding them from their Romulan Warbird. Garak is told to question Odo, who is being held prisoner aboard Tain's ship. However, Odo says he knows none of his people's secrets. On the station, Sisko learns of Tain's mission, and is warned by Starfleet's Admiral Toddman to prepare for retaliatory attacks by the Jem'Hadar.

Fearing Odo is aboard one of the Romulan ships, Sisko and his officers, including Security Chief Eddington, defy a direct order from Toddman and take the Defiant into the Gamma Quadrant to search for Odo. Soon afterward, the ship suddenly and inexplicably decloaks, leaving them vulnerable to attack by the Jem'Hadar, the Dominion's soldiers. Meanwhile, as Tain, Garak, and Lovok head for the Founders' planet, Tain urges Garak to interrogate Odo and learn if his people have a secret defense system. Garak agrees, but finds himself conflicted.

On the Defiant, Eddington confesses to sabotaging the cloaking device, under orders from Toddman to prevent pursuit of Tain's fleet. Back at the Romulan ship, Garak interrogates Odo using a device that prevents him from changing his shape. Odo insists he is not hiding anything, but Garak persists, and Odo begins to literally dry up and fall apart. Unable to watch Odo's excruciating agony, Garak begs him to talk, and Odo reveals his secret -- he wants to rejoin his people. Shaken, Garak deactivates the device and lets Odo finally morph into liquid form.

Garak claims that Odo knows nothing, and Tain orders Odo killed. However, Lovok and Garak convince him to spare Odo for later Romulan study. The fleet then reaches the Founders' planet and opens fire, destroying part of the surface, but there is no change in the life form readings. Garak discovers their ships have been lured into a trap -- the planet is actually deserted. As he explains, their vessels are suddenly surrounded by 150 Jem'Hadar ships.

The Jem'Hadar attack, and Garak takes advantage of the chaos to escape and rescue Odo. Surprisingly, Lovok helps them get to their Runabout and reveals he is actually one of the Founders. His people learned of Tain's plan and encouraged it in order to bait the Obsidian Order and Tal Shiar into annihilation. Lovok tries to convince Odo to return home, but he refuses. Forced to leave behind Tain, Odo and Garak escape on their ship, and the Defiant rescues them from the Jem'Hadar assault. The Romulan/Cardassian fleet is destroyed as the crew returns to the Alpha Quadrant, barely escaping with their lives.

Explorers

Stardate: Unknown

Sisko returns from a trip to Bajor with the blueprint for an ancient space vessel that operates like a sailboat, using solar pressure for propulsion. According to legend, the Bajorans used these ships to explore their star system 800 years ago, even going as far as Cardassia. Sisko decides to build one himself to see if this was possible, and painstakingly recreates the vessel, determined to prove the design was spaceworthy. He hopes to have Jake join him on the adventure.

After initially declining his father's invitation, Jake reconsiders, and the two prepare to depart the station. Before they do, Gul Dukat warns Sisko against putting so much stock in a Bajoran "fairy tale" of ancient contact. Sisko feels Dukat is only interested in disproving the notion that the Bajorans, not the Cardassians, were the first people between the two races to develop interstellar travel.

The trip gets off to a smooth start, and both Sisko and Jake enjoy their time together. Jake seizes the moment to tell his father that he has been offered a writing fellowship in New Zealand, and Sisko is thrilled, yet distressed because those studies will take his son away from Deep Space Nine. But before they can discuss it, one of the ship's sails gives way, forcing them to struggle for control.

Sisko jettisons the sail, concerned about continuing. Jake reminds his father that the ancient Bajorans probably ran into similar problems and didn't give up. Convinced, Sisko decides to proceed on course. Jake then reveals that he plans to delay taking the fellowship for a year because of his concerns that Sisko hasn't had someone special in his life since his wife's death. Then, without warning, their ship is caught in an eddy of light that inexplicably takes it to warp speed.

After the ship is thrown free of the invisible current, Sisko discovers he has no idea where they are, and fears the eddy, composed of faster-than-light tachyons, has carried their vessel light years away. Suddenly, Gul Dukat informs the two that they have entered Cardassian space. As Sisko and Jake realize they just proved the same thing could have happened 800 years ago, Dukat reluctantly congratulates them on recreating the journey of ancient Bajoran explorers who did successfully reach Cardassia then, and welcomes the two with a stellar fireworks display.

Family Business

Stardate: Unknown

In Quark's, an agent named Brunt from the Ferengi Commerce Authority (FCA) -- their version of the IRS -- serves Quark with a Writ of Accountability for improper supervision of a family member. Quark and Rom's mother, Ishka, is charged with earning a profit -- an illegal activity for Ferengi women. As the family's eldest male, Quark is held responsible. He and Rom return to their homeworld, Ferenginar, where Quark must convince Ishka to confess, as required by Ferengi law.

The brothers arrive at their childhood home with Brunt, but Quark is not comfortable with seeing his mother again. They are surprised to find Ishka wearing clothes, which is also illegal for Ferengi women. Brunt tells Quark he has three days to get his mother to sign a confession, then leaves. Later, Ishka confirms over dinner that she broke Ferengi law by investing a portion of her monthly stipend from Quark, earning a meager three bars of latinum in the process. Still, she refuses to confess, which angers her oldest son.

In her room, Ishka reveals to Rom that she will not admit to being wrong -- this is a matter of pride, and proof that she is just as capable of earning profit as a man. But Quark discovers that Ishka has actually been conducting business transactions under dozens of aliases all over the Ferengi Alliance, making much more than just three bars of latinum. Even if Quark sells everything he owns, he will be unable to pay back what his mother has earned. Quite simply, he's ruined.

Quark confronts Ishka, who accuses him of being jealous of her financial acumen -- just like his deceased father. With that, an infuriated Quark decides to turn in Ishka to the FCA. Rom tries to stop him, but the conversation deteriorates into a brawl, after which Ishka declares that if Quark insists on reporting her secret transactions, then she won't stand in his way.

In the Tower of Commerce, Quark waits outside Brunt's office when Rom suddenly rushes in with the news that Ishka will split her profits with Quark, fifty-fifty. Seeing the entire affair in a different light, Quark hurries home to accept Ishka's offer. But when he arrives, Quark learns Rom made up the story, lying to both of them to force a conversation between the two. Alone with Quark Ishka tells him that, since he is her son, she will sign the confession and give back the money. Later, she pays her reparations to Brunt, and a relieved Quark says his good-byes and leaves. Now alone with Rom, Ishka reveals that she outsmarted Quark and the Ferengi government yet again -- by giving up only a third of her profits.

Shakaar

Stardate: Unknown

When the First Minister of the Bajoran Provisional Government dies, Kai Winn is appointed to his duties and about to be formally elected. Later, Winn approaches Kira with a special request. A group of farmers in Kira's home province refuse to return some soil reclamators that Winn needs for Bajor's recovery efforts in Rakantha Province. Their leader, Shakaar, also led Kira's resistance cell during the occupation, so Winn wants Kira to convince him to return the property. Kira is reluctant to go up against a friend, but agrees to do it for the good of Bajor.

Kira returns home and finds Shakaar, who calmly tells his side of the story: he only received the reclamators two months before, after a three-year wait, and was told that he and fellow farmers Furel and Lupaza would have their use for a year. But when Winn took over, they were ordered to return them immediately. Since the Rakantha project is geared toward farming products for export, while Shakaar's farmers are trying to feed their people, he sees his project as far more important. Kira encourages him to meet with Winn, hoping they can compromise.

Kira tells Winn that she has arranged a meeting, to which she agrees. Later, as Kira briefs Shakaar for the discussion, two security officers arrive to arrest him. Infuriated that Winn lied, Kira helps subdue the officers and escapes with Shakaar.

Now fugitives, Shakaar, Kira, and their comrades hide in the mountains where they once eluded the Cardassians. Weeks later, as Bajoran troops close in, Shakaar's exhausted group realizes there is no option but to stop running and fight. Reluctantly, he and Kira lead them into a canyon to set up an ambush.

Hiding in the canyon, Shakaar and Kira watch as the Bajoran troops enter their trap. But as they see the faces of their "enemies," the realization hits that they will be shooting former comrades-in-arms. Unwilling to do this, Kira and Shakaar drop their weapons and, after a brief conversation with the leader, Lenaris, a cease-fire is called. Later, Lenaris takes Kira and Shakaar to Winn's office, where Shakaar informs her that he has decided to enter the election for First Minister. Realizing a competitive election with the popular Shakaar will expose how Winn's actions brought Bajor to the brink of civil war, Winn decides to step down from the race.

Facets

Stardate: 48959.1

Jadzia Dax prepares for her zhian'tara, the Trill Rite of Closure. During the ritual, Jadzia will meet Dax's previous hosts, which will be accomplished by transferring the memories of each into someone's body. Sisko, Kira, Bashir, Odo, Quark, O'Brien, and Leeta agree to participate, and a Guardian performs the ceremony. Kira undergoes the transference first, becoming Lela, Dax's initial host.

The Guardian leaves Jadzia alone with Lela, who exhibits several traits Dax has inherited. So do subsequent hosts O'Brien/Tobin and Leeta/Emony. Quark experiences some discomfort hosting a female entity, Audrid, while Bashir/Torias regrets that an accident ended his life too soon. Jadzia then prepares for her most difficult meeting -- with Joran, who once committed murder. Sisko has volunteered to host his memories, and the transference is conducted inside a holding cell.

Sisko/Joran berates Jadzia, telling her she is not worthy of the Dax symbiont, then tricks her into lowering the forcefield and attempts to choke her. But Jadzia overpowers him with a few Klingon-style blows, bringing Sisko back. Later, she admits to Sisko that she may have put off her zhian'tara because she is afraid of not measuring up to the other hosts. Jadzia is still haunted by the time Curzon forced her out of the Initiate program. Did he feel she just wasn't good enough?

Odo has volunteered to host Curzon, and when the transfer occurs, he literally morphs into a combination of himself and the old man. Odo/Curzon is thrilled to see Sisko. When Jadzia joins them in Quark's, Sisko leaves, knowing she needs to speak with Odo/Curzon about her feelings of insecurity. But he says nothing to make her feel better, only that he felt sorry for her. Jadzia replies that when Curzon's memories are restored to her, she fears that without his respect, she won't respect herself. Odo/Curzon happily answers that she won't have that problem -- Curzon and Odo love being joined, and have agreed that Curzon should stay in Odo's body permanently.

With Jadzia in danger of losing a part of herself, Sisko offers to talk to Odo/Curzon. Instead, she works up the courage to face him herself and demands that her memories be returned. Odo/Curzon initially refuses. But Jadzia stands up for herself, and uncovers the surprising fact that Curzon forced her out of the program because he was in love with her. She tells Curzon that she loves him too, and that they can be joined forever through Dax if he returns to her body. This convinces Odo and Curzon to separate, and Curzon's memories return to Jadzia, finally giving her the self-confidence she needs.

The Adversary

Stardate: 48962.5

During a party celebrating Sisko's promotion to Captain, Admiral Krajensky takes him aside and quietly reveals that there has been a coup on the Tzenkethi homeworld that could threaten Federation colonists. Sisko and his crew are to take the Defiant and Krajensky to this sector. Soon after departing, they receive a distress signal from a colonist indicating that Barisa Prime is under attack from the Tzenkethi. The signal then goes dead -- the colony has apparently been destroyed.

The crew sets course for Barisa Prime, but when Sisko tries to notify Starfleet Command, power fluctuations in the ship's communications circuitry prevent it. O'Brien and Dax go to work on the problem, and discover strange alien devices attached to almost every critical system throughout the ship. They determine that there is a saboteur aboard. Dax scans each member of the crew, and when she gets to Krajensky, he suddenly morphs into a Changeling and escapes.

The Changeling takes control of the Defiant, activating the cloaking device and arming the ship's weaponry. Sisko realizes that the visit from Krajensky, the coup, and the transmission from Barisa Prime were all faked -- the Dominion is hoping to start a war between the Federation and the Tzenkethi. With the Defiant primed for battle and within seven hours of the Tzenkethi border, this looks likely if the Changeling is not located and stopped. Later, Dax is found unconscious in the engine room, forcing O'Brien to try to regain control of the ship without her. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Sisko decides that if this cannot be accomplished before they cross the border, he will be forced to destroy the Defiant.

Since the Changeling can take the form of any crew member, the officers are paired off for the search. Later, Sisko, Odo, Kira, a Bolian officer, and Eddington are separated from their partners, and each is suspicious that another is the Changeling. Odo remarks that the bleeding Sisko cannot be, because his blood would have reverted to a gelatinous state when leaving the body. Bashir draws blood from everyone, and when Eddington's seems to morph into orange goo, he is taken into custody. However, another Bashir is found, revealing that the duplicate is the Changeling. He escapes again as the ship enters Tzenkethi space.

With twelve minutes left before the ship's attack program will activate, Sisko initiates the auto-destruct sequence. O'Brien begins a last-ditch effort to access the sabotaged systems when two Odos appear. The Changeling then assumes his true form and attacks. During their fight, he takes a fatal fall into the warp core. But before dying, he whispers something to Odo. Regaining control of the Defiant, Sisko cancels the auto-destruct program. But the crisis isn't over. Odo later reveals to Sisko the Changeling's last words: "You're too late. We're everywhere."

The Way of the Warrior

Stardate: 49011.4

A fleet of Klingon ships is stationed around Deep Space Nine, and the Promenade is swarming with Klingons. However, the warriors aren't their usual antagonistic selves. General Martok, who leads the force, tells Sisko they have come to help the Federation fight the Dominion. Sisko finds this odd, since the Federation neither requested nor expected help. Garak and Odo then have a run-in with Drex, a young Klingon, who later attacks Garak for no apparent reason.

When a freighter is stopped by a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, Sisko confronts its commander, Kaybok. Under orders from the Klingon High Council to assist the Federation alliance, he insists the freighter must be inspected for Changelings. But Sisko, aboard the Defiant, forces him to let the vessel pass. Martok later has Kaybok killed for not carrying out his orders. Since Martok will not explain their motives, Sisko summons Lieutenant Commander Worf, formerly of the Enterprise, hoping the Klingon officer can determine their plans.

Worf starts a fight with Drex, Martok's son, in order to get the general's attention, but Martok won't reveal why the Klingons are on Deep Space Nine. Worf's allies are equally closed-mouthed, but he soon learns the truth from a Klingon officer indebted to his family. Realizing he is betraying his own people, Worf reluctantly informs Sisko that the Klingons are planning a massive invasion of Cardassia. Apparently, a coup on that world has left a civilian regime in power, one which the Klingons insist is backed by the Dominion. But, with no proof to support this belief, Martok is asked by Sisko to call off the invasion. However, the Klingon general instead leads his fleet on a course into Cardassian space.

The Federation orders Sisko to remain neutral until word is heard from the Klingon leader, Gowron, who Worf believes is using the Dominion takeover idea as an excuse to reclaim their race's warrior heritage. Garak is allowed to learn about the dire situation, after which he tips off Gul Dukat on their homeworld, allowing the Cardassians a chance to defend themselves. The Federation condemns the invasion, at which point the Klingon Empire withdraws from their peace treaty. Gowron then comes to Deep Space Nine and offers Worf the chance to redeem himself by joining his people in the assault on Cardassia.

Torn between his duty and his people, Worf declines, prompting Gowron to excommunicate Worf's entire family. Worf then attempts to resign from Starfleet, but Sisko refuses to accept his resignation at this critical time. Sisko decides it's time to speak with Dukat, now part of the new government, and tells him that he will help escort the ruling council out of the war zone, even though, as Worf points out, he might actually be helping the Dominion. Sisko, Worf, Dax, and Bashir take the Defiant to a rendezvous point, where Dukat's ship is under heavy fire. The Defiant decloaks and prepares to attack the Klingons, ending two decades of peace.

While engaged in battle with the Klingon vessels, Sisko and his officers beam aboard the Cardassians, losing the Defiant's cloaking device in the process. They head back to the station with two Klingon ships in pursuit, while Bashir tests the blood of the council members to make sure they aren't Changelings. When they finally reach Deep Space Nine, several dozen Klingon ships arrive ready to attack.

Sisko prepares the station for the imminent onslaught. Martok demands for him to surrender the council members, but is told that the Cardassians are not Changelings. However, Gowron says that this doesn't matter because the Alpha Quadrant will be safer with Klingons in control of Cardassia. Sisko refuses his demands and warns Gowron that several weapons upgrades have been made to the station. Gowron dismisses the threat and the Klingons attack.

Deep Space Nine opens fire, inflicting heavy damage on the Klingon fleet, but Gowron doesn't give up, and Klingon boarding parties begin to overrun the station, fighting in Ops and on the Promenade. The attackers are contained, then several Starfleet ships appear on the scanners. Sisko points out to Gowron that splitting the Federation, the Klingons, and the Cardassians is probably just what the Dominion wants. Gowron sees the logic and opts to stand down, but tells Sisko that he will not forgive or forget what has happened. Afterward, Sisko convinces Worf to remain as his new Strategic Operations Officer. But Dax interrupts the celebration with some grim news. The Klingons are refusing to give up the Cardassian colonies they've seized, meaning they are there to stay.

The Visitor

Stardate: Unknown

Decades into the future, an elderly Jake Sisko is visited at his New Orleans home by a young, aspiring author named Melanie, who is curious to know why he stopped writing at age 40. Jake reveals how he lost his father, Benjamin Sisko, when just 18-years old. The younger Sisko had gone along on the Defiant to witness a rare inversion of the wormhole that happens just once every 50 years. During the trip, Sisko was hit by a bolt of energy from the malfunctioning warp core, after which he dematerialized, eventually given up for dead by his anguished crew.

Months later, Sisko appeared in his son's room briefly, then vanished. The incident was dismissed as a nightmare until, after a few more months passed, Jake again saw his father. This time, he was able to touch him, and immediately summoned help. Sisko was taken to the Infirmary, where the officers realized his temporal signature had been altered during the warp core accident. But before they could save him, he dematerialized again, while his son watched helplessly.

For the next few months, Dax and O'Brien tried to locate Sisko, but were soon forced to abandon the station to the Klingons. Jake returned to Earth, became a writer, got married, and started to put the past behind him. Then, while Jake was in his mid-thirties, his father appeared in his home. This time, Jake was overcome with guilt, upset over doing nothing to help his father for all those years. So when Sisko dematerialized yet again, Jake became obsessed with getting him back. He abandoned his writing to study subspace mechanics, losing his wife in the process. But, after many years, Jake was prepared for his one chance to recreate the accident -- the wormhole was scheduled to invert again. Reunited with a much older Defiant crew, led by Captain Nog, Jake returned to the scene of the accident, and wound up with Sisko in a subspace limbo. Unfortunately, the plan didn't work, and Jake was only able to spend a few moments with his father, who begged Jake to make a life for himself before it was too late.

The aged Jake finishes his account by presenting the departing Melanie with a collection of stories he's written to fulfill his father's wishes. He then reveals that Sisko is scheduled to appear -- and Jake has finally learned how to save him. If he dies while his father is with him, the "cord" which has been pulling Sisko through time with his son will snap, springing Sisko back to the moment of the accident. Sisko arrives, stunned to learn that Jake has poisoned himself. But Jake tells his father that he wants another chance to go through life with his dad. He dies, and Sisko is suddenly back on the Defiant at the fateful instant. This time, he ducks before the bolt from the warp core strikes, avoiding the accident, and giving him a second chance at life with his son.

Hippocratic Oath

Stardate: 49066.5

Returning from a mission in the Gamma Quadrant, Bashir and O'Brien respond to what they believe is a ship in trouble on a remote planet. Instead, a plasma field causes them to crash-land on the surface, where they become prisoners of Jem'Hadar soldiers. They intend to kill the pair, but when they learn Bashir is a doctor, the leader, Goran'Agar, orders the men taken to a holding area.

Goran'Agar soon takes Bashir to a makeshift lab where he must carry out scientific research -- or die. Goran'Agar explains that he has been mysteriously cured of his addiction to Ketracel-white, the drug the Dominion genetically-engineered the Jem'Hadar to require for survival. Goran'Agar wants Bashir to find the cure so that his soldiers can escape the Dominion's tyranny -- a task he must complete before their drug supply runs out in five days. Bashir requests O'Brien's assistance, and they work on a device to help them escape, pretending it is actually part of Bashir's research. But a soldier named Arak'Taral becomes suspicious and activates the device, injuring Meso'Clan, another Jem'Hadar. Arak'Taral grabs O'Brien and threatens to kill him, but Goran'Agar orders him spared.

Having decided to stop living by the Dominion's brutal rules, Goran'Agar also spares Meso'Clan, who would have been otherwise killed by the uninjured soldiers. Bashir is excited by this show of compassion, and later tells O'Brien that he believes they should help Goran'Agar. If they can free the Jem'Hadar from their Dominion leash, he reasons, this could reduce the Dominion threat to the Alpha Quadrant. O'Brien doesn't share Bashir's sentiments -- the Jem'Hadar are bred to kill. He flatly refuses to help, so the doctor pulls rank and orders him. Instead, O'Brien engineers his own escape into the planet's dense jungle.

Goran'Agar orders Arak'Taral to bring back O'Brien alive. But when the order is refused, the Jem'Hadar commander realizes his men will no longer obey him. Bashir suggests that Goran'Agar find O'Brien first, promising in return to stay and continue working. While O'Brien is being hunted, Bashir makes progress and soon is onto a discovery that could lead to a cure. At that moment, O'Brien walks in, ready to help Bashir escape, but is shocked when the doctor refuses to go.

Certain the Jem'Hadar will kill Bashir even if he finds the cure, O'Brien destroys the experiment. Goran'Agar sees the damage and sadly allows them to leave, saying he will kill his soldiers in combat rather than subject them to the pain of dying without the drug. Bashir and O'Brien return to the station, each disagreeing with the actions of the other, but at least coming to an understanding.

Indiscretion

Stardate: Unknown

A Bajoran smuggler tells Kira he has recovered a piece of metal that might be from the Ravinok, a Cardassian ship that disappeared six years ago with a group of Bajoran prisoners. A good friend of Kira's was among those lost, and she makes immediate plans to investigate, but learns a Cardassian representative wants to accompany her. Kira reluctantly agrees, then discovers that the representative is her nemesis, Dukat. The two take a Runabout, meet the smuggler, and authenticate the metal fragment, which was found in the Dozaria system. They then land on a desert planet in that system and encounter the wreckage of the Ravinok.

Kira and Dukat notice 12 graves near the site, but since several more people were on the ship, they realize some survivors may still be alive. First, however, Dukat opens the graves in order to identify bodies, and is overcome with grief when he finds the remains of a Bajoran woman who was his mistress. Kira's surprise turns to hope when it turns out that her friend was not among the dead. They soon set off on foot, scanning the planet for survivors. While setting up camp, Dukat reveals that he had a daughter with his mistress, Tora Ziyal, a girl who is one of the possible survivors. Unfortunately, if he finds her alive, he'll have to kill her.

Kira tells Dukat she won't allow him to kill Ziyal. But he insists that if her existence is revealed, he'll lose his wife, his family, and his unstable position in Cardassian government. Soon, Kira and Dukat discover a mining operation of Bajoran and Cardassian prisoners, supervised by members of a race known as the Breen. Dukat sees his half-Cardassian, half-Bajoran daughter among the prisoners.

Kira and Dukat, disguised as Breen, overcome the guards and round up the prisoners. Kira is crushed to learn that her friend died two years earlier, but Dukat is only interested in finding his daughter. When more Breen guards attack, Dukat escapes from Kira's gaze and runs off after Ziyal. When he finds her, she instantly recognizes her father, thrilled to see him despite the fact that he is aiming a phaser rifle at her. Kira arrives and tries to stop him, and the little girl realizes what is happening. Still, Ziyal refuses to run, telling her father she'd rather die if she can't go with him. She hugs him affectionately, and Dukat, shaken with emotion, decides to take Ziyal home -- even if it costs him everything he has.

Rejoined

Stardate: 49195.5

Sisko summons Dax to his office with some serious news. A group of Trill scientists, led by Dr. Lenara Kahn, will be using the Defiant to conduct experiments. Lenara is a joined Trill who, while her symbiont was joined to a previous host body, was married to one of Dax's former male hosts, Torias. Dax shows some concern, since Trill society expressly forbids relationships with lovers from past lives. The penalty for "reassociation" is exile from the Trill homeworld and the eventual death of the symbiont when the current host dies. However, Dax decides to make the best of it, believing she can control any feelings she may still have for her former wife, and even chooses to attend a dinner reception for the scientists. There, the two women meet at the buffet table and share a laugh. Despite the casual tone of their conversation, however, an attraction begins to develop between the two.

The Trill team -- Lenara, her brother Bejal, and Dr. Pren -- begins work on the experiment to create an artificial wormhole. As science officer, Dax is involved, which keeps her near Lenara. The women can't resist the urge to talk about the past, so Dax invites her to dinner, with Bashir as chaperone. That night, he politely listens as Dax and Lenara talk about old times and their lives since the marriage of their previous hosts. It's almost a relief for Bashir when he is summoned to the Infirmary, leaving the former spouses alone. Feeling more at ease, Dax takes hold of Lenara's hand, which Pren happens to quietly notice.

When work resumes on the Defiant, the closeness between Dax and Lenara is obvious, reaching a crescendo when the two women hug after the first phase of the experiment proves successful. Soon after, Bejal confronts his sister on the station, and she insists that nothing is going on between the two. Lenara later visits Dax's quarters to tell her what happened. There, the two give in to the building passion between them and kiss. Lenara then forces herself to leave, and Dax remains to struggle with her emotions.

The next day, Dax turns to Sisko for advice. He pushes her to fight the attraction to Lenara out of duty to ensure the continuation of the Dax symbiont. But Dax, realizing that she loves Lenara, is unsure. Later, on the Defiant, the scientists proceed with the second phase of the experiment when their artificial wormhole collapses in a blast of energy which slams into the ship. Lenara is knocked unconscious in the engine room, separated from the others by a roaring plasma fire. Dax risks her life to save Lenara -- and the two women realize that they never want to lose each other again.

Afterward, Dax checks on Lenara in her quarters, and the scientist worries about her failed experiment and the extra work she knows she'll have to put into it. Dax seizes the moment and invites Lenara to stay at the station -- with her. Lenara, however, cannot bring herself to take that final step, painfully refusing to break their society's rules. Dax desperately asks her to stay, but Lenara leaves, preserving Dax's life -- and breaking her heart.

Starship Down

Stardate: 49263.5

Sisko and his officers take the Defiant to a remote system in the Gamma Quadrant for a trade discussion with the Karemma representative, Hanok. During the talks, two approaching Jem'Hadar warships are detected. The enemy vessels target the Karemma ship, which flees into the gaseous, volatile atmosphere of a nearby planet. Sisko enters the dangerous area in pursuit, and the Defiant is blinded and buffeted by high turbulence. They employ an echo-location technique to find the other ships. But the pulse gives them away to the Jem'Hadar, who attack and cripple the Defiant. Dax goes below to help get the engines on-line, but a hull breach develops, endangering her and others on that deck.

After evacuating Sickbay, Bashir notices Dax trying to escape. Just then, the forcefield that protects her collapses, allowing the deadly atmosphere to enter. Sisko orders Bashir to seal off the area, but just as he does, the doctor steps inside to rescue Dax and drags her into the turbolift, trapping both of them. Meanwhile, on the Bridge, the engines come to life, indicating that Dax was successful. O'Brien arms two atmospheric probes with quantum torpedoes and the crew resumes its search for the Karemma vessel. However, a Jem'Hadar ship finds the Defiant and opens fire, damaging it severely before the Defiant destroys it.

The Bridge is on emergency power only, while Sisko is seriously injured. Kira discovers that he has a concussion, meaning she must keep him from losing consciousness or risk having him slip into a coma. In the turbolift, Dax and Bashir have only limited air remaining; while, in the Mess Hall, Quark is trapped with Hanok. Worf makes it from the Bridge to the Engine Room, where O'Brien and his engineers are working to restore the ship's systems. Then, the echo-location scanner picks up torpedoes heading for the Defiant. The ship manages to elude one, but the other embeds itself into the Mess Hall bulkhead -- still primed to detonate -- and surprising Quark and Hanok.

Quark and Hanok realize they must work together to diffuse the torpedo before it blows. Meanwhile, the engineers come up with a new plan to fire phasers through the Deflector Array -- which will only be good for one shot. And as Sisko slowly slips out of consciousness, Kira risks killing him by injecting a stimulant.

In the Mess Hall, Quark and Hanok manage to remove the torpedo casing and deactivate the warhead. On the Bridge, Sisko awakens, indicating to Kira that she did the right thing. In Engineering, O'Brien locates the Jem'Hadar ship, which is lured to a decoy using the remaining atmospheric probe. Worf's team destroys the enemy ship with the Deflector Array and rescues the Karemma crew. Bashir and Dax are freed, and the repaired Defiant returns to Deep Space Nine.

Little Green Men

Stardate: Unknown

Quark is excited to receive a shuttle his cousin Gaila has owed him for ten years, and decides to use it to fly Nog to Starfleet Academy on Earth--while doing a little smuggling on the side. But, just as the shuttle enters Earth's system, Rom is unable to take the ship out of warp, and realizes that the spiteful Gaila designed the ship to malfunction. Luckily, Rom figures out how to stop the ship and make an emergency landing. However, when the three travelers wake up after the crash, they find themselves in an examining room--in July 1947 at Roswell, New Mexico.

Outside the room, a team of United States military and science personnel has assembled, including General Denning, Captain Wainwright, Professor Carlson, Nurse Garland, two M.P.s, and a German shepherd. The group observes the Ferengi trio, who they believe to be Martians, then enter the room and attempt to communicate. Unfortunately, none of the three can either understand or talk back, since their universal translators were damaged in the crash. Realizing, however, that these are primitive humans, Quark smells profit. While Carlson and Garland observe the aliens, Rom manages to convey to the nurse that he wants her hairpin, then uses it to work on the translators. Garland then summons the others--Quark is speaking English, and he has a business proposition for them!

Quark explains the translator to his stunned hosts, then offers to sell them advanced technology. However, the suspicious General Denning demands that Quark tell him why they are really on Earth. Quark insists they have come to do business, if not with the Americans, then with the Russians. Later , when the three are alone again, Quark watches with surprise when the dog suddenly morphs into Odo, who stowed away on the shuttle to catch Quark smuggling. Odo tells the group where their ship is hidden, but Quark doesn't want to leave. He's sure he can manipulate the primitive humans and become Earth's ruler, caring nothing about how he would alter history as a result. But Quark's thoughts of conquest are put on hold when he, Rom, and Nog are forcefully taken to an interrogation room.

Quark is repeatedly injected with truth serum, but it doesn't work on the Ferengi. Nog then steps in and claims they are the first of an invasion fleet that has come to take over Earth. He gets Captain Wainwright to untie him and uses the opportunity to deck his captor. Carlson and Garland, not pleased with the treatment of the aliens, step in to help them escape and return to their ship. When General Denning tries to stop them, Odo appears to save the day, and the group takes off. They use an atom bomb test blast to help send the ship back to their present, and are able to drop off Nog at Starfleet Academy after all.

The Sword of Kahless

Stardate: Unknown

Worf prepares to accompany Dax and Kor, a legendary Klingon warrior, on a mission to recover the Sword of Kahless, the mythical, millennium-old weapon of the Klingon Empire's first leader -- an artifact missing for centuries. When the drunken Kor finally retires to his quarters after first speaking with Worf, he is attacked by a Lethean, who reads his mind, then erases the incident from Kor's mind. The next day, Sisko -- hoping to restore Federation/Klingon relations -- allows them the use of a Runabout for travel to the Gamma Quadrant world where the Sword is believed to be located. Upon arrival, the three get into a deserted, protected chamber, but find that all the artifacts hidden there have been removed.

Kor is crestfallen. But Worf, unwilling to give up, discovers another hidden chamber, where they finally find the Sword of Kahless. They prepare to depart, but are met by Toral, a Klingon enemy of Worf's, with four soldiers and the Lethean. A fierce battle for the Sword ensues, and while Worf is wounded, the three manage to escape with it into a cave-tunnel and trap their adversaries in the chamber. Once free, they discover that contact with their Runabout has been blocked -- they'll have to make their way to the surface on foot for a chance to transport off the planet.

As they travel, Kor begins to feel contempt for Worf, dismissing him as "too human." Worf also becomes less-than-enamored with Kor, especially when Kor hints that he will not present the Sword to the emperor as planned -- he will use it to unite the Klingons himself! Later, Worf decides that it is his destiny, not Kor's, to possess the Sword and lead his people.

The seemingly-endless journey takes the three of them to an abyss, where Kor slips and loses his footing, but still holds the Sword. Worf saves Kor by grabbing the other end. Straining, he tries to convince Kor into letting go and landing on a dangerously small ledge, but Kor refuses. Finally, Dax has to intervene and help pull up Kor. Tired of their fighting for possession, she insists on holding the Sword for the remainder of the trip, even while she sleeps.

Dax is awakened by the sound of Worf and Kor, ready to fight to the death. Suddenly, Toral, the other Klingon warriors, and the Lethean attack, but the three are able to defeat them, Kor wielding the Sword -- which seems to make him invincible. Then, Worf and Kor turn on each other, and Worf is on the verge of killing Kor when Dax stuns each of them with her phaser, then transports the three of them back to the Runabout. Later, onboard, Worf and Kor realize that the Sword turned the two against each other, and will probably divide the Klingon people as well. Because of this, they transport the Sword into space, hopefully not to be found for at least another millennium, when the Klingons may be ready for it.

Our Man Bashir

Stardate: Unknown

Bashir is enjoying a holosuite program that casts him as a super suave, 1960s Earth secret agent when Garak intrudes on his fantasy, convincing the doctor to let him stay. At the same time, Sisko, Kira, Dax, Worf, and O'Brien transport from a Runabout just before sabotage causes it to explode, but the force of the blast blows out the Transporter during Eddington's rescue attempt. He is able to store their patterns with an emergency computer override -- but where?

Kira suddenly appears in Bashir's program as Anastasia, a Russian spy -- and is completely oblivious to her true identity as Kira. Concerned, Bashir contacts Ops, and Eddington tells him about the accident. Realizing this is where the physical patterns of the officers are now stored, he tells Bashir to keep the program going, since ending it could end his crewmates' lives. Playing along, Bashir asks Kira to explain their assignment, and she tells him about a string of artificial earthquakes and the disappearance of Professor Honey Bare, whose photograph looks just like Dax. Bashir and Garak are even more surprised, however, when O'Brien appears as Falcon, the program's hired assassin, and pulls a gun on them.

The three overpower O'Brien and his two henchmen, then Kira prepares to kill him. But Bashir stops her, realizing that she would be killing the real O'Brien's body instead of a program. Traveling to Paris, Bashir poses as a noted scientist, believing a Dr. Noah may be behind the disappearance of Professor Bare. Bashir, Garak, and Kira meet up with Worf, who is now Duchamps, Dr. Noah's assistant. He knocks the three unconscious, and they wind up at Dr. Noah's headquarters on the slope of Mt. Everest. There, they meet Noah, who is actually Sisko.

Sisko explains his diabolical plan to destroy the planet by creating artificial quakes that will release lava from the Earth's core. As it shrinks, oceans will flood everything but Mt. Everest, where Noah will start a new society there on his "island." The scientist helping Noah is Professor Bare/Dax, who appears to be assisting voluntarily. After explaining his plan, Sisko reveals that O'Brien is also working for him, and that he knows Bashir is really a secret agent. They then take Bashir and Garak to a cave, where they are handcuffed to a laser which in five minutes will drill a hole into the ground, releasing a pool of lava into the cave and killing them.

Luckily, Dax lets her attraction to Bashir get the better of her and rescues him just in time. Garak then tries to end the program, but Bashir shoots him, proving he is serious. They return to the control room, where Bashir pretends to want to join Sisko's side, then actually deploys his deadly device and destroys the world. Unsure what to do, Sisko prepares to shoot Bashir anyway, but suddenly dematerializes along with the rest of the trapped physical patterns, which are finally reunited with their neural patterns on the Defiant's transporter pad. Only Garak and Bashir remain in the program. Like true secret agents, they actually saved the day.

Homefront

Stardate: Unknown

An explosion at a Federation/Romulan diplomatic conference on Earth has killed 27 people. Most disturbing is evidence that the bomb was set by a Changeling -- meaning the Dominion has reached Earth. Sisko and Odo are summoned to San Francisco to advise Admiral Leyton, the head of Starfleet Operations, on the Dominion. Once there, Leyton informs them that, effective immediately, Sisko will be in charge of Starfleet Security on Earth.

A trip to Earth also means a visit home for Sisko and his son, Jake. They head to the New Orleans restaurant owned and operated by Sisko's father, Joseph. Later, Sisko and Leyton meet with Federation President Jaresh-Inyo, who balks at Sisko's ideas for increasing security. But when Sisko's briefcase suddenly morphs into Odo, Jaresh-Inyo sees the seriousness of the Dominion threat, and agrees to allow Sisko to implement blood screening measures on Starfleet officers and high-ranking Federation officials.

On the grounds of Starfleet Headquarters, Odo encounters Leyton and his executive officer, Commander Benteen. During their conversation, Odo suddenly grabs Leyton's hand, which then dissolves into gelatinous goo. Revealed to be a Changeling, the duplicate morphs into a bird and flies away. The real Leyton is extremely upset by this news, but his discussion with Sisko is interrupted by an urgent call from Jake -- Joseph has been arrested.

Sisko returns to New Orleans, where his father has refused to submit to the blood testing now required of all relatives of Starfleet members. Joseph angrily retreats to his restaurant kitchen to chop vegetables, but cuts his finger. Sisko can't help checking the knife to make sure the blood doesn't become Changeling goo. That night, Earth's entire power-relay system goes off-line. When Leyton blames sabotage, Sisko surmises the Changelings have left Earth defenseless.

Sisko and Leyton use the systems of an orbiting starship to transport to the President's office, and convince him to declare a State of Emergency on Earth. Armed Starfleet troops are quickly mobilized across the planet. Sisko prepares his homeworld for war with the Dominion.

Paradise Lost

Stardate: Unknown

When Dominion sabotage is blamed for a planetwide power outage, Starfleet stations troops all over Earth to prepare for an invasion. However, Sisko is suspicious when he learns that the Red Squad, an elite group of Starfleet Academy cadets, was demobilized shortly after the State of Emergency was declared. By pretending to know about the mission, he tricks a Red Squad member into revealing that his group was ordered to create the power outage. Sisko fears Admiral Leyton is planning to overthrow the Federation government and replace it with military rule.

Federation President Jaresh-Inyo is unconvinced, but he agrees to force Leyton and his troops to stand down if Sisko brings him proof. Later, Leyton confronts him and tries to convince Sisko that martial law is the only way to deal with the Dominion threat. But Sisko refuses to participate in what amounts to treason against the Federation, so Leyton relieves him of his duties running Starfleet Security and orders him back to Deep Space Nine. On the grounds of Starfleet Headquarters that night, Sisko is approached by a Changeling in the form of O'Brien, who reveals that he is one of four Changelings on Earth. Their plan: use fear and paranoia to their advantage against the humans.

Sisko sends a message to Deep Space Nine and sets a plan in motion, then returns to his former office with Odo, who breaks into Leyton's classified Starfleet files. They surmise that Leyton's coup is scheduled to take place the day before the President's upcoming speech. Armed with new information, Sisko pays a visit to Jaresh-Inyo's office, where Leyton, Commander Benteen, and four security guards are waiting for him. They force Sisko to give them a blood sample in front of the President, and his blood promptly morphs into Changeling goo.

With Sisko in a holding cell, Leyton admits that he faked the blood test and tells Sisko he'll be set free after the coup. But after Leyton leaves, Odo helps Sisko escape and tells him the Defiant is headed for Earth. Sisko soon confronts Leyton with a phaser and demands his resignation -- Lieutenant Arriaga, in custody on the Defiant, has admitted to helping Leyton make it look like a cloaked Dominion fleet was entering the Alpha Quadrant. Leyton responds that he has sent the Lakota to stop the Defiant, telling the Lakota crew that the Defiant is manned by Changelings.

The Lakota attacks the Defiant, and, realizing they have no choice, Worf orders his crew to fight back. In the heat of the battle, Leyton gives Benteen, who is commanding the Lakota, orders to destroy the Defiant -- not just disable it. Uncomfortable with killing fellow officers, she instead shuts down her weapons and allows the Defiant to proceed to Earth. His most loyal officer having deserted him, Leyton realizes he has lost and removes his admiral's pips. With order restored on Earth, Sisko determines to not let fear conquer his homeworld for the Dominion.

Crossfire

Stardate: Unknown

First Minister Shakaar arrives at Deep Space Nine to negotiate for Bajor's early admittance into the Federation. The dignitary creates quite a stir around the station -- especially with Kira, a friend since she worked for him in the Resistance. Soon after his arrival, Odo learns that "The True Way," a Cardassian extremist group, is planning to assassinate Shakaar. Security is beefed up throughout the station, and Odo personally shadows him. But when Shakaar takes a leisurely stroll with Kira, Odo's hidden affection for her leaves him with an uncomfortable feeling.

After a tough round of negotiations, Shakaar asks Odo to accompany him back to his quarters. Once there, Shakaar awkwardly admits that he's falling in love with Kira, and wonders if Kira has any similar thoughts about him. Since Odo's own feelings for Kira go beyond mere friendship, he realizes that he now has a rival for her affections.

At their weekly security meeting, Kira is distracted, which concerns Odo. She begs off early to give Shakaar a tour of the station, and Odo has to follow them as part of his security duties. He sees the two grow closer and almost kiss before remembering they're not exactly alone. Soon after, the three enter the turbolift, and Worf announces over the com that they must be re-routed. Odo asks Worf to verify his security code before control is transferred -- just as Shakaar makes a dinner date with Kira. Distracted, Odo releases the turbolift before verifying Worf's code, and the turbolift suddenly goes into freefall.

Thinking quickly, Odo is able to morph into metal rods and stops the turbolift, saving their lives. Afterwards, he admits to Sisko with embarrassment that he allowed the saboteur to act by turning over control of the turbolift without verification. Realizing that he has to do something, Odo heads for Kira's quarters and guards reveal that Shakaar has been inside with her since returning from dinner -- three hours ago. Odo relieves a guard and stands outside her door until morning, when Shakaar finally departs. She happily tells Odo of her developing relationship with Shakaar, after which Odo leaves, only to discover that Worf has apprehended the saboteur without his help. Hurt and frustrated, Odo returns to his quarters and in an uncharacteristic fit of rage, demolishes everything.

Disturbed by the noise, Quark comes to Odo's quarters and is surprised by what he sees. He tells Odo that he has to resolve his feelings for Kira one way or another in order to regain control of his life. Odo returns to Kira's quarters and tells her he wants to stop their weekly meetings. She's puzzled, but doesn't push him, and Odo forces himself to get his mind back on his job -- and nothing else.

Return to Grace

Stardate: Unknown

At First Minister Shakaar's request, Kira prepares to travel to a Cardassian Outpost to share Bajoran intelligence about the Klingon Empire. She is surprised to discover their her old nemesis, Dukat has been demoted from his powerful position and is now commander of a freighter that will take her to the outpost. Dukat reveals that he is in this situation because he brought Tora Ziyal, his daughter by his Bajoran mistress, back to Cardassia, a move which will destroy his life and career. Ziyal and her father are now outcasts, and the freighter is their home. Upon arrival at the conference site, Kira and Dukat find that Klingons have attacked the outpost and all the Cardassian and Bajoran diplomats are dead.

The Klingon Bird-of-Prey responsible for the attack immediately detects Dukat's ship, but he is both humiliated and angry when the ship ignores his vessel, even after the freighter's feeble attempts at intervening. After the Bird-of-Prey leaves the area, Kira suggests they adapt the outpost's more powerful weapons for use on the freighter before the Klingon ship.

As they work to install the outpost's disruptor on the freighter, Dukat tells Kira that stopping the Klingon ship will allow him to regain his standing in the Cardassian Empire. Later Kira gives Ziyal some crude military training, beginning to bond with the young woman. Soon Kira and Dukat deduce that the Bird-of-Prey's next target will be a remote world where the Cardassians have a secret weapons research installation. Once in orbit, the freighter sends out a false signal to mislead the Klingon ship into believing it has a valuable cargo, hoping to lure the Bird-of-Prey into firing range. It works and the Klingons soon appear.

As expected, the Klingons lock a tractor beam on the freighter, giving Dukat the opportunity to fire his disruptor blast. Crippling the Klingon ship, Kira and Dukat commandeer it and transport its crew onto the freighter, while beaming their own crew to the Klingon ship, after which Dukat destroys the freighter, killing the Klingons. He reports his capture of the Klingon ship -- and the valuable information it contains -- to his government, but is shocked to learn that the Cardassians want to reach a diplomatic solution instead of seeking retaliation. Disgusted by his peoples' change of heart, Dukat vows to fight the Klingon Empire alone.

Dukat asks Kira to join him, reminding her that after Cardassia, Bajor will probably be the next target of the Klingons. But she realizes that the life of a solider is no longer for her. She also knows it's no life for Ziyal, and takes the young woman back to Deep Space Nine with her to live until Dukat's war is over.

Sons of Mogh

Stardate: 49556.2

Worf's brother Kurn arrives unexpectedly and asks Worf to kill him. He explains that since Worf sided with the Federation against the Klingon Empire, Kurn and his family are outcasts on the homeworld. Having lost everything, he can only regain his honor through the Mauk-to'Vor, a death ritual which only Worf can perform. Worf reluctantly decides to carry out his brother's wish and fatally stabs Kurn, but Dax and Odo burst in just in time to transport Kurn to the Infirmary.

Luckily, Kurn survives, albeit unhappily. Meanwhile, Sisko grows suspicious of Klingon "Military Exercises" witnessed by Kira and O'Brien outside Bajoran space and orders them to investigate. Later, Worf, hoping to give Kurn a purpose on the station, convinces Odo to make him a deputy on his security force.

Kurn takes the job, and initially performs well. Meanwhile on the Defiant, Kira and O'Brien encounter a damaged Klingon ship in the area of the exercises, and the injured crew is forced to request a tow back to Deep Space Nine. Later Worf finds Kurn again in the Infirmary, and discovers that his brother allowed himself to be attacked, hoping to die this way. Odo refuses to work with a man carrying a death wish and fires Kurn. Miserable, Kurn says that his life is in Worf's hands.

While investigating the explosion that disabled the Klingon ship, Worf realizes that it was laying a minefield of cloaked explosives to cut off the Bajoran system from the rest of the Federation -- a precursor to war. In order to disable the mines, they need the coordinates. Worf and Kurn have their features and DNA signatures temporarily altered and make their way onto the disabled ship. They soon find the deployment plan for the mines, but a Klingon officer suddenly walks in on them.

Kurn kills the intruder, which shocks Worf until Kurn reveals the Klingon had a knife and was preparing to kill him. But Kurn's act only sinks him deeper into depression as he realizes his dishonor is complete. With this in mind, Worf makes the ultimate sacrifice. He has Kurn's features altered once again and has his memory erased, allowing Kurn to start life over again with a new identity. Kurn has regained his place in Klingon society -- but Worf has lost his only remaining link to that society forever.

Bar Association

Stardate: Unknown

After suffering for weeks with an ear infection without a day off, Rom finally collapses in Quark's bar and is taken to the Infirmary. Bashir is outraged that Quark refuses to give any employees sick leave and casually suggests that Rom form a union. When Rom returns to work, Quark announces that he is cutting the salaries of his employees to compensate for declining profits. Angered at this mistreatment and inspired by Bashir's words, Rom calls a secret meeting of Quark's waiters and Dabo girls and announces that he wants to start a union.

While some of the Ferengi employees are initially fearful about angering the Ferengi Commerce Authority, Rom says that they have little to lose, and the union is formed. He makes up a list of demands -- increased pay, shorter hours, paid sick leave -- and presents them to Quark, who simply laughs them off. But Rom has the last laugh when he tells his brother that the new union is now on strike.

Rom pays customers to stay out of Quark's -- a tactic that seems to be paying off, because the bar is practically deserted. On Sisko's orders, Odo refuses to disperse the strikers -- even when Worf, O'Brien and Bashir wind up in a brawl. However, Sisko does threaten to collect Quark's back rent if he doesn't settle, so Quark offers Rom a bribe to stop the strike. Rom refuses -- but Quark's problems may be solved anyway. Liquidator Brunt from the FCA has arrived, and promises Quark he will put a stop to the strike by any means necessary.

Brunt crashes a union meeting and threatens the Ferengi workers if they don't return to Quark's. However, Rom inspires his troops once again, and they rededicate themselves to the strike. Later Quark tries to talk Rom into giving up, worried about what the FCA will do to his brother, but Rom holds firm. Things only get worse when Brunt has his Nausicaan thugs beat up Quark as an example.

In the Infirmary, a wounded Quark offers to secretly honor the demands of the strikers as long as Rom disbands the union and pretends that Quark has won, to which Rom agrees. Once everyone returns to work at their new, higher salaries, Rom announces that he has quit to work for the station as a repair technician -- having proven to himself that he can really survive on his own, without Quark's "help."

Accession

Stardate: Unknown

A centuries old Bajoran vessel mysteriously exits the wormhole, and its passenger, a legendary Bajoran named Akorem Laan, is immediately beamed to the Infirmary. Shocked to learn that more than 200 years have passed since he left Bajor, he tells Sisko and Kira that he had an accident in space and was saved by the Bajoran Prophets, which led him to believe that they have chosen him to be the Emissary. Sisko, who was never comfortable with the assumption that he was Emissary, steps aside to let Akorem assume the revered position. Soon afterward, Akorem makes his first public address, telling the crowd that the prophets chose him to return Bajor to the old ways -- including strict adherence to a caste system that restricts people to specific "D'jarras," or occupations.

Sisko is disturbed, since caste-based discrimination goes against the Federation Charter, which will cause Bajor to be excluded from the membership, but Akorem is convinced he is following the wishes of the Prophets. That evening, Sisko is so troubled, he has a nightmare and is unable to get back to sleep. He goes for a walk on the Promenade and encounters a vision of Kai Opaka, who warns Sisko that he does not know himself.

Bashir tells Sisko that he experienced an "Orb Shadow" -- a phenomenon encountered by people who've been exposed to the Bajoran orbs, but which only occurs if the advice the Prophets tried to give has been ignored. Later, Sisko reveals to Kira that he believes he has failed in his mission to bring Bajor into the Federation. Kira assures him that it isn't his fault, but complicates his dilemma by telling him she plans to resign her post to follow her D'jarra and become an artist.

Sisko's contemplative mood is interrupted when Odo summons him to the Promenade -- a Bajoran monk has died. Vedek Porta states that he is responsible, saying he pushed the man to his death because he refused to resign, even though his family's D'jarra is "unclean." Appalled, Sisko requests another meeting with Akorem and admits that giving up his position as Emissary was a mistake, then reveals that he is forced to challenge Akorem's claim. Since they have no other way of proving which is the real Emissary, Sisko suggests that the two of them go to the wormhole and ask the Prophets.

In the wormhole, the aliens within reveal that Akorem was sent into the future for Sisko -- the true Emissary. At Sisko's suggestion, the aliens return the dejected Akorem to his own time, to live out his life without any memory of the future. Sisko is finally convinced that he is the Emissary and ready to handle the responsibility.

Rules of Engagement

Stardate: Unknown

While under Klingon attack, Worf ordered for the Defiant to fire on a vessel that decloaked in front of it, apparently unaware that it was a Klingon transport until too late. While Admiral T'Lara oversees the hearing, Ch'Pok, the Klingon Advocate, accuses Worf of negligence brought on by his inherent bloodlust. Sisko, Worf's defense counsel, counters that this was a tragic, unavoidable accident. Later, Dax is called to the stand, where she is forced to reveal that the day before the attack, Worf fought a simulated holosuite battle in which he ordered the destruction of a town filled with Klingon civilians.

Other witnesses are called to help determine Worf's state of mind. Sisko says that he was confident putting Worf in charge of what was supposed to be a humanitarian mission delivering aid to a Cardassian colony. But Quark reveals that Worf told him before leaving that he hoped the Klingons attacked -- ostensibly so that he could retaliate.

Odo investigates the history of the dead Klingon transport captain, but learns nothing incriminating. Later, Kira is questioned about the events leading up to the battle and states that she believes Worf was correct in giving the order to fire. But, when O'Brien is questioned, he is forced to reveal that, had he been in command, he would have acted differently. Later, Ch'Pok suggests that Sisko concede before Worf takes the stand, promising to spare Worf's life. Sisko refuses.

On the stand, Worf says he still believes firing on the transport was the only option under the circumstances. But when Ch'Pok questions, he infuriates Worf by suggesting he destroyed a ship of innocent people to prove himself a true Klingon. Angered, Worf attacks Ch'Pok, proving that, contrary to what he has said, he would knowingly attack an unarmed opponent. Satisfied, Ch'Pok rests his case.

Just when Worf appears to be doomed, Sisko presents new information to T'Lara and Ch'Pok. Apparently, every passenger Worf supposedly killed was also aboard a vessel that crashed a few months earlier -- but all "miraculously" survived the accident, only to "coincidentally" die months later on the transport. Sisko forces Ch'Pok to admit that the entire affair could have been staged to discredit Worf. Afterward, Sisko chastises Worf for an attitude that puts winning over innocent lives, then concedes Worf was lucky and softens the blow by expressing his belief that Worf will make a fine Captain someday.

Hard Time

Stardate: Unknown

A shaken O'Brien returns to Deep Space Nine after his mind has been altered to make him believe that he spent the last two decades in prison. Accused of espionage by the Argrathi, he was given the painful memories of a 20-year incarceration -- the alien race's time- and money-saving alternative to constructing jails -- and released before his fellow officers could arrive to stop the punishment. Although the process took only a few hours, the effect on O'Brien is clearly devastating, and while he's told what he went through was not real, the memories are too vivid to be dismissed. While Bashir explores how to erase those memories, O'Brien must see a counselor to help him handle the intense psychological effects.

Bashir determines that, since O'Brien was subjected to a time-compressed interactive simulation of the prison experience, it feels like he really lived those 20 years. Only erasing O'Brien's mind can eliminate the memories. Since this isn't an option, O'Brien is forced to tough it out, and he tries to throw himself back into his work and life with his daughter and pregnant wife. But he can't escape the memories of his imaginary ordeal and of Ee'char, his cellmate and only friend.

As time goes by, O'Brien's nerves begin to fray. He imagines seeing Ee'char around the station, although he knows the alien wasn't real -- and even hallucinates a conversation with him while sitting in Quark's. Worse, he begins snapping at others, including Bashir, Quark and Odo.

Having learned about his behavior, Sisko relieves O'Brien of duty and orders him to resume counseling sessions immediately. Angry, O'Brien confronts Bashir for informing Sisko. Just then, Ee'char appears to O'Brien and encourages him to let Bashir help, but O'Brien storms back to his quarters instead, where he snaps at his daughter Molly and almost hits her. Upset that he could have harmed his child, O'Brien goes to the Cargo Bay, takes out a phaser, and prepares to shoot himself.

Bashir arrives just as O'Brien is about to pull the trigger and engages him in conversation, causing O'Brien to finally reveal the source of his pain. While in prison, he killed Ee'char, whom he believed was hoarding food from him. O'Brien sees the experience as proof that his humanity is gone, making him a potential danger to family and friends. But Bashir reminds him that this memory is part of his cruel punishment at the hands of the Argrathi, and if he gives in to these feelings, they win. This provides O'Brien the strength to face his ordeal, and with the help of his counselor and some medication, he is soon on the road to recovery.

Shattered Mirror

Stardate: Unknown

Jake can hardly believe his eyes when his father introduces him to a woman who looks, talks and acts exactly like his late mother, Jennifer. She and Sisko reveal that this is Jennifer -- at least, her double from a mirror universe which Sisko once visited, where she was married to his now-dead counterpart. Sisko leaves the two of them alone for awhile. But when he returns, Jennifer and Jake are nowhere to be found. All that remains is a small device, which Sisko realizes is used for transport to the mirror universe. He activates it and appears on Terok Nor, the other universe's Deep Space Nine, where he meets O'Brien's rebel counterpart and announces he is taking Jake home. Pointing weapons at Sisko, O'Brien replies that neither he nor Jake is going anywhere.

O'Brien tells Sisko they need his help in their fight against the tyrannical Alliance forces. The rebel group built its own Defiant, but is having trouble making the powerful warship operational, and the Alliance is due to attack Terok Nor in four days. Sisko asks to see Jake, who tells his father he came to be with Jennifer. Angry, Sisko takes Jennifer to task for using his son, but still agrees to help. Elsewhere, leading a fleet of Klingon and Cardassian ships, the Alliance Regent, Worf's counterpart, lashes out at Garak's counterpart for losing Terok Nor to the rebels. Garak swears his loyalty as they prepare to take back the station.

Sisko meets up with the counterpart for Kira, once Terok Nor's leader but now a prisoner of the rebels. Meanwhile, Worf learns about the Defiant's construction and increases the fleet's speed to the station. Back on Terok Nor, Jake grows more fond of Jennifer, despite Sisko's concerns, and Jennifer reveals to Sisko that she can't stop thinking of Jake as the son she'll never have. Their moment is interrupted by news that the Alliance fleet is less than eight hours away.

Needing another plan, Sisko asks Kira for help, reminding her that Worf and the Alliance probably blame her for the loss of Terok Nor. Kira tells Sisko that Alliance ships have targeting systems that are easily fooled, information he uses to create a diversion while finishing work on the Defiant. Jennifer assists him and talks about her deepening bond with Jake, then decides to return the child to Deep Space Nine and out of harm's way. The Defiant now ready, Sisko volunteers to lead its rebel crew in battle. Meanwhile, Jennifer prepares to send Jake home. But the pair encounters the evil Kira, who has now escaped and trains her weapon on them.

Kira plans to take Jennifer as a hostage in order to get back into the Regent's good graces -- then prepares to fire on Jake. But Jennifer jumps into the line of fire, struck to the ground by the blast. Learning the truth about Jake and Jennifer's connection, Kira spares his life -- but promises to collect on this debt later. Back on the Defiant, Sisko, O'Brien and the rebel crew force Worf and the Alliance to retreat after a fierce battle. Sisko returns to Terok Nor, but arrives to find Jake at Jennifer's deathbed. She summons the strength to wish him goodbye, then dies, leaving father and son to deal with her loss a second painful time.

The Muse

Stardate: Unknown

Lwaxana Troi pays a visit to Odo's office with the surprising news that she is pregnant. She is thrilled to be having a baby boy, but her Tavnian husband insists she adhere to the custom of giving him their son to raise alone until the child is 16. Unwilling to give away the baby, Lwaxana decides to give birth to him on Deep Space Nine. Meanwhile, a mysterious alien woman named Onaya arrives on the station, telling Jake that she can help him with his writing.

Lwaxana finagles an invitation to Odo's quarters, and while Odo is initially uncomfortable -- she once had a romantic interest in him -- he starts to warm up to Lwaxana and even feels her belly as her baby kicks. Meanwhile, Jake opts out of a trip with his father and shows up at Onaya's quarters. She encourages him to write on paper, something he has never done before, and touches him as he works. Amazingly, Jake's thoughts flow more freely than ever before, and he is clearly excited by what is happening. What he fails to notice, however, is that Onaya is somehow drawing energy from him as he writes.

Lwaxana and Odo continue to bond until her husband Jeyal arrives on the station. Odo tells him that he plans to marry Lwaxana, which will cause her union with Jeyal to be automatically annulled and give Odo claim to her child. He tells Lwaxana of the plan -- they will marry in a legal Tavnian ceremony, she will have the baby, and after a few months, they will get an annulment of their own. But Lwaxana informs Odo that in order for the marriage to be valid, he must convince Jeyal that he truly loves her. Meanwhile, back in Onaya's quarters, Jake continues to write, unaware that Onaya is literally sucking the life out of him.

The officers assemble for Odo and Lwaxana's wedding, where he surprises everyone by revealing true, heartfelt feelings for her. Even Jeyal is unable to deny his sincerity, so the two are married and Jeyal leaves the station. Jake, meanwhile, is still writing, drained and exhausted but determined. Onaya, who can't absorb any more of his energy at the moment, insists he rest. He reluctantly agrees, but passes out while heading for his quarters. Bashir tells Sisko, who has just returned, that something has been stimulating Jake's cerebral cortex to the point of near-synaptic collapse. But soon after they leave the unconscious Jake, Onaya appears and takes him away.

Using traces of Onaya's energy as a lead, Sisko sets off to find his son, while Jake, near collapse resumes his writing while Onaya absorbs energy. Suddenly, Sisko bursts in to their hiding place, phaser in hand. Onaya tells Sisko that she gave countless legendary creators their inspiration -- and immortality -- at the cost of their lives. Sisko tries to stop her from leaving, but she transforms into an energy being and disappears. Meanwhile, Lwaxana informs Odo that she is also leaving to have her baby on her homeworld. Odo is surprised and disappointed, but understands. Later, Sisko reads Jake's unfinished manuscript and is clearly impressed. Jake worries to his father that Onaya deserves the credit, but Sisko reminds him that the words and ideas were his own -- she only used her power to draw them out. All Jake needs to do is find that power within himself.

For the Cause

Stardate: Unknown

With the conflict between the Klingons and the Cardassians taking its toll, a shipment of desperately needed replicators destined for Cardassia is set to pass through Deep Space Nine. Odo and Lieutenant Commander Eddington of Starfleet Security recommend heightened measures to deter both the Klingons and the terrorist group known as the Maquis, then reveal some troubling news -- they believe there is a Maquis smuggler aboard the station, and they have shreds of evidence that the smuggler is Kasidy Yates, Sisko's romantic interest. After hearing the basis for their suspicions, Sisko gives the go-ahead to find a reason to search her ship.

When Kasidy tries to leave for her next delivery, Odo insists on making an emergency health inspection of her ship. Upset that the inspection will make her miss her rendezvous, Kasidy appeals to Sisko, who grants her permission to leave. However, he has the Defiant follow Kasidy and observe her actions. Suspicions are confirmed when her ship meets a Maquis vessel in the Badlands.

Back at the station, Eddington and Worf brief Sisko on their findings. When Kasidy returns, Sisko is clearly uncomfortable. Later, when Odo and Eddington recommend following Kasidy's ship to its next rendezvous and arresting all parties involved, Sisko is forced to agree -- and chooses to command the Defiant, leaving behind Eddington to wait for the replicators. Sisko makes a last-ditch effort to stop Kasidy, suggesting she let her first officer handle the delivery instead. Kasidy tells him she has to honor her commitment, then leaves.

On the Defiant, Sisko follows Kasidy's vessel in the Badlands, but no Maquis ship arrives to meet her. After waiting for several hours for a rendezvous to happen, Odo suspects that this may all be a ruse to lure Sisko away from the station. They beam aboard Kasidy's ship and Sisko demands to know why he has been baited, but she reveals that her orders were only to meet a Maquis ship-which has still not arrived. Meanwhile, back at the station, Eddington pulls a phaser on Kira, knocks her unconscious, then takes control of Deep Space Nine.

Realizing the truth, Sisko hurries back to the station, but he's too late. A Vulcan freighter has already taken the replicators, and Eddington, a Maquis spy, has gone with it -- leaving Sisko coldly determined to see the traitor court-martialed someday. However, when Kasidy returns to Deep Space Nine to turn herself in for her crimes, Sisko is much warmer. Kasidy admits her love for him, and Sisko promises to wait for her if she goes to prison.

To the Death

Stardate: 49904.2

When a Jem'Hadar strike force attacks the station, Sisko takes Worf, Dax, Odo, and O'Brien with the Defiant and pursues them into the Gamma Quadrant. The crew comes upon a disabled Jem'Hadar warship emitting a distress signal, and transports aboard the survivors, six Jem'Hadar and Weyoun, their Vorta master. Weyoun reveals that they were attacked by the same Jem'Hadar who surprised Deep Space Nine. He then tells Sisko privately that the attackers are Jem'Hadar renegades who have turned against the Dominion and are trying to restore an ancient alien Gateway -- a sophisticated Transporter that would give them the power to go anywhere instantaneously. This could give them the potential to take over the Gamma Quadrant and the Federation. Sisko agrees to join Weyoun and destroy the Gateway, which is located on the surface of a remote planet.

The officers are surprised to learn that they will be working with Weyoun and the six Jem'Hadar. Sisko also tells them that the Jem'Hadar don't know about the Gateway -- they think they are only out to stop the disloyal renegades. Later, Sisko establishes order by insisting that the Jem'Hadar Omet'iklan, hints that things will change after their assignment is completed, they form an uneasy alliance.

Omet'iklan tells Sisko that the only way this troops will respect Sisko's crew is to fight alongside them on the planet, then suggests they work in mixed teams, only Weyoun refuses. But when Omet'iklan reveals that his men already know about the Gateway's existence, Sisko agrees, and the Jem'Hadar and Defiant crews begin working together. Their alliance is tested, however, when a Jem'Hadar named Toman'torax attacks Worf. After helping Sisko break up the fight, Omet'iklan kills his man in a display of Jem'Hadar discipline. Sisko refuses to do the same with Worf, however, and Omet'iklan promises to kill Sisko when the mission is over.

Worf learns of Omet'iklan's intentions, and warns the captain against joining the away mission on the planet. Sisko insists on going, however, and promises to watch his back. The Defiant soon arrives at the planet. When the teams transport to the surface, however, they learn that their phasers and combadges have been rendered unusable by the energy from the Gateway -- just as a team of renegade Jem'Hadar materializes before them and attacks.

A bloody battle ensues, but all the key players on Sisko's team manage to survive this initial confrontation. The group makes its way to the Gateway chamber, engaging in hand-to-hand combat all the way. While weaving through the corridors, Sisko saves Omet'iklan's life, much to the Jem'Hadar's surprise. The entire group then escapes the chamber moments before O'Brien's explosive device destroys the Gateway, which allows their weapons to function again. Omet'iklan turns his phaser on Weyoun -- killing him for questioning his group's loyalty -- but spares Sisko's life. The Jem'Hadar then separate from the Defiant crew with the grim reminder that the next time they do battle, it will be on opposite sides.

The Quickening

Stardate: Unknown

The attackers contaminated the inhabitants with a terminal disease that is passed on from generation to generation. The Blight, as the malady is known, causes blue lesions all over the faces of sufferers. When the afflicted near death -- a period called "the quickening" -- the welts become red and inflamed while the disease grows very painful. Bashir and Dax transport to the planet's surface, where they encounter a woman and take her to a hospital. But they soon discover that Trevean, the hospital's "healer," is in reality a man who poisons those who are quickening in order to end their suffering. Bashir wants to help save them, but Trevean insists that there is no cure.

However, a woman named Ekoria privately seeks Bashir's help -- she is pregnant, and afraid she will not live to have her baby. Bashir and Dax decide to stay and try to find a cure, while Kira leaves in the runabout so the Jem'Hadar -- hopefully -- won't detect their presence. Bashir then begins studying the disease. With Ekoria as a volunteer, he isolates the virus, but since she is in the dormant phase, he cannot complete his research. However, few people in the quickening stage are willing to help him -- even if it means they could be saved. Bashir fixes a boy's broken arm to prove that his healing powers are advanced. However, Trevean tells him that his people have been fooled before, and that no one has yet found a cure. Finally, Epran, a man in the quickening stage, volunteers, and a few days later, Bashir has a makeshift infirmary full of patients, all in a similar condition.

He injects everyone with doses of what he believes may be a cure. After a little while, however, Epran suddenly gets dramatically worse. Bashir discovers the virus is mutating. Realizing the electromagnetic fields from his medical instruments are responsible, he frantically shuts down everything, but it's too late -- all the patients die horrible, painful deaths. Trevean shows up to put the sufferers out of their misery, while Bashir reflects on his failure. Later, he runs into Ekoria, who has entered the quickening phase. Realizing she will probably die before her child is born, Bashir gains new resolve, then chooses to stay on the planet while Kira and Dax return to the Alpha Quadrant.

After drawing Ekoria's blood, Bashir is disappointed to discover that her body has not one trace of the antigen he had given her. Knowing Ekoria will not survive to see her baby born naturally, Bashir decides to induce labor in two weeks. Ekoria's suffering worsens, and Trevean eventually goes to see her, offering to help her and the unborn child die. But Ekoria chooses to give her baby a chance to live, and Trevean wishes her well. Finally, the child is born, and Ekoria lives just long enough to see a miracle. While the antigen did not work on her, her baby is born without lesions -- meaning he doesn't have the Blight, and that the fetuses of pregnant women can be vaccinated against it. While Ekoria's generation will die, their children will survive, and her people's suffering will finally end.

Body Parts

Stardate: Unknown

Quark returns from a visit to Ferenginar with the distressing news that he has Dorek Syndrome, an extremely rare disease that should end his life within a week. Since a Ferengi must pay off his debts before he dies, Quark decides to put up his remains for bidding on the Ferengi Futures Exchange to earn the needed latinum. Meanwhile, Bashir, Kira and the pregnant Keiko O'Brien return to the station after a serious accident. But when O'Brien visits the infirmary to check on his wife, he discovers that Kira is now carrying the unborn child.

O'Brien and Keiko slowly absorb the news that Kira will have to take their child to term. In the meantime, Quark is depressed by the lack of bidding for his remains. Then, a huge anonymous bid of 500 bars of latinum is placed, which he immediately accepts, happy to die a winner. But Quark soon gets a message from his doctor -- he does not have Dorek Syndrome after all. Quark quickly sets about undoing all his debt-settling work and preparing for a long life. But that night, he gets a surprise visit from Brunt, the feared Ferengi Liquidator, who informs Quark that he purchased his remains -- and he intends to collect, no matter what.

Quark tells Brunt that the diagnosis was a mistake. But Brunt insists that Quark honor his contract and surrender his body parts within six days -- period. The only way for Quark to save his own life is to break the contract, an appalling option to him, and one which will render him a pariah in Ferengi society. Realizing he has no choice but to die, Quark tries recruiting Garak to perform the deed.

Rom is horrified by his brother's decision, but Quark insists that a true Ferengi has no other choice. Garak is more than willing to kill Quark, and the pair begins exploring several options in a holosuite. Quark decides that he wants his death to come as a painless, bloodless surprise. Garak assures him that he can pull this off, and Quark realizes that he has just signed his own death warrant. That night, he nervously enters his quarters, and within moments, he arrives at the Ferengi version of the afterlife -- the Divine Treasury. Apparently, Garak was true to his word -- Quark didn't feel a thing.

After much thought, Kira moves in with the O'Briens so that their unborn child can be close to them. Back in the Treasury, Quark meets Gint, the First Grand Nagus, who looks strangely like his brother, Rom, and reveals that this is actually a dream. He urges Quark to break the contract with Brunt, stating that the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition are only guideposts. Then Brunt appears to remind Quark of the consequences involved with not honoring the contract -- including poverty and exile from Ferenginar. Quark awakens from the dream, realizing what he must do. He finds Brunt at the bar and returns the 500 bars of latinum, plus interest. Brunt seizes Quark's assets, leaving him with nothing but the empty bar. But later, Sisko, Bashir, Dax, Odo, and many others step in to help, filling up the bar again and letting Quark know he still has the most valuable asset of all -- friends.

Broken Link

Stardate: 49962.4

Odo is rushed to the Infirmary when he suddenly collapses. After a thorough examination, Bashir determines that Odo is losing the ability to maintain his solid form, but it is unclear as to why. Despite his protests, Bashir gives the patient strict orders to remain under observation since movement could bring on another attack. Odo reluctantly consents, until Kira brings him the day's criminal activities report to take his mind off his troubles. He sees a suspicious notation, leaves the Infirmary to investigate, and promptly collapses into a puddle of goo.

His condition worsening, Odo realizes there is only one place he can find help -- with his people, the Founders. Sisko, O'Brien, Worf, Bashir, Dax, and Garak take him into the Gamma Quadrant on the Defiant to find his mysterious homeworld. Soon, the Defiant, is intercepted by a squadron of Jem'Hadar warships.

Three Jem'Hadar warriors and the Female Shapeshifter who confronted Odo in the past materialize on the bridge. She has come for him, stating that only returning to this homeworld's Great Link can help him, and takes over the ship's navigation controls to keep secret their destination. She then meets with Odo and is able to stabilize his condition temporarily by linking with him. He then realizes that the Founders caused his illness to force him to return. As the only Changeling to kill another of his kind, Odo has been brought back to be judged by his own people.

The Female Shapeshifter explains that Odo must rejoin the Great Link, not only to be cured of his illness, but in order to allow his people to determine whether his actions were justified, and what punishment should be given. Sisko and the others try to develop a plan to protect Odo, but he tells them that he wants to be judged. Upon arrival at the homeworld, Sisko and Bashir transport to the surface with Odo and the Female Shapeshifter, then watch helplessly as the Changelings disappear into the sea of goo that is Odo's people -- joined in the Great Link.

On the Defiant, Worf catches Garak attempting to fire the ship's weapons on the planet, refusing to help him commit genocide on the Founders and kill Sisko, Bashir, and Odo in the process. Later, Odo is expelled from the Great Link -- as a human. The Female Shapeshifter explains that this is their punishment, but left Odo's face as it was to remind him of what he lost. Soon after returning to the station, a message from Gowron, leader of the Klingon Empire, is received. As the crew watches what borders on a declaration of war against the Federation, Odo reaches a startling realization. Gowron is not a Klingon at all. He is a Changeling.

Apocalypse Rising

Stardate: Unknown

Sisko approaches Starfleet Command with Odo's suspicion that Gowron, the Klingon leader, is really one of Odo's people -- a Changeling.

Sisko is then instructed to expose the Changeling. He is given four emitters that, when set up and activated around the Gowron impersonator, will force him to revert to his gelatinous state. The challenge is getting into Klingon territory while the warrior race is at war with the Federation -- not to mention getting four individuals close enough to Gowron to expose him. Bashir solves this problem by surgically altering Sisko, Odo, and O'Brien to look like Klingons, while slightly altering Worf's appearance so he won't be recognized.

The foursome is taken into enemy territory on Gul Dukat's Klingon Bird-of-Prey, while Worf drills the group on Klingon behavior. Dukat also creates Klingon identities for the team and adds them to the list of candidates for the Order of the Bat'leth -- an honor that will be bestowed by Gowron himself. The men plan to use their emitters on Gowron during the ceremony. Dukat's ship arrives at their destination, where he leaves Sisko, Odo, O'Brien, and Worf on their own.

The Klingons arrive at the Hall of Warriors, where the Ceremony of Commendation has begun. Sisko and the others blend in as best as they can until General Martok -- Gowron's right-hand man -- arrives, meaning Gowron won't be far behind. They hurry to set up their emitters, but Martok seemingly recognizes O'Brien, who is able to fool Martok into believing they fought side-by-side in battle. No sooner is O'Brien in the clear than a drunken Klingon bumps into Odo, causing him to drop his emitter. Another Klingon picks it up, demanding to know what it is. Worf hurries over and pretends the emitter is a prize from the battle. This is enough to send away the Klingon, just as Gowron enters the hall. Odo attempts to again set up his emitter, but a young Klingon has taken the designated spot. Acting every bit the warrior, Odo makes him move and finally accomplishes his task. Sisko is about to trigger the emitters when his name is called to accept his award. After he does, Sisko steps off the platform and prepares to finally activate the emitters. At that moment, he is knocked to the floor. Martok has recognized him and throws Sisko and the others into a cell.

In private, Martok admits to Sisko that he also suspects Gowron has been replaced by a Changeling. Since the emitters have been destroyed, he says Gowron must be killed in order to prove his identity, and leads the four back into the hall. But when Worf attacks Gowron, the Klingon leader insists on fighting one-on-one -- behavior typical of a real Klingon. Martok wonders aloud why Sisko doesn't just shoot Gowron, and Odo realizes he has no concept of honor -- meaning he must be the real Changeling -- and exposes Martok. Everyone fires their weapons at Martok, who promptly turns into goo. Gowron realizes that the Founders misled Odo into thinking he was a spy so that the Federation would eliminate him and allow Martok to take control. But Gowron is still doubtful the war will end, since Klingons never turn back from battle. Still, he agrees to call a temporary cease-fire, and sees that Sisko and the others are delivered safely back to Deep Space Nine.

The Ship

Stardate: 50049.3

While exploring a Gamma Quadrant world, Sisko, Dax, Worf, O'Brien, and Muniz -- one of O'Brien's men -- watch as a Jem'Hadar warship crashes into the planet's surface.

The ship survives the impact, and Sisko's group finds a way into the alien craft. Once inside, they determine that all aboard are dead, and Sisko -- realizes the tactical advantage that could be gained -- decides to get the ship back to Deep Space Nine for study. He sends for the Defiant to haul the vessel with its tractor beam, while O'Brien and Muniz try to get the ship's systems on line. However, their work stops when another Jem'Hadar warship appears and destroys their orbiting runabout, killing all of Sisko's crewmembers still aboard.

Sisko and the others on the surface flee inside the Jem'Hadar ship for cover. Muniz is wounded, but all make it inside alive. They prepare for the Jem'Hadar soldiers to transport inside and kill them, but no one comes. Instead, a Vorta -- the race that the Jem'Hadar serves -- named Kilana makes contact and requests a meeting with Sisko outside. Kilana asks him to relinquish the ship, but he refuses. While they talk, a Jem'Hadar soldier secretly materializes aboard the vessel.

On the ship, the crew spots a sensor device that wasn't there when they arrived. They then see the Jem'Hadar soldier, and the invader is killed after a brief fight. Since the Jem'Hadar won't attack the vessel, the crew realizes there must be something onboard they want. Meanwhile, Muniz's condition worsens -- the bleeding won't stop. O'Brien realizes he is dying. Later, Kilana requests another meeting and offers Sisko the ship in exchange for what she really wants -- the item hidden aboard. Sisko refuses, not believing Kilana will really let him take the vessel. Kilana doesn't trust Sisko to bring her the item, so she won't tell him what it is. She then dematerializes, and huge explosions begin rocking the ship. The explosions continue, and Muniz grows weaker. Finally, O'Brien is able to restore main power, giving Sisko hope that they may be able to fly the vessel. They strap Muniz to the bulkhead and attempt to make their move. Unfortunately, an imminent core breach forces Sisko to cut power. O'Brien unstraps Muniz, only to make the horrible realization that his friend is dead. Then, suddenly, Dax notices liquid dripping to the floor. They look up, and see a Changeling.

The creature tries to attack Sisko and Dax, but it cannot hold its shape. They realize it is dying -- and that this is what the Vorta wants. The Jem'Hadar couldn't attack the ship and risk killing a Founder. As the creature dies, it emits a high-pitched humming sound. Then the sound stops -- along with the explosions outside the ship. Kilana then materializes in front of Sisko. They realize that their mistrust has cost two lives -- if she had told Sisko about the Founder, he would have let her take the creature before it died. If Sisko had trusted Kilana to come aboard and get what she wanted, he could have taken the ship before Muniz died. He is left to ponder the cost of their mistrust as the Defiant arrives to tow the Jem'Hadar vessel.

Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places

Stardate: Unknown

While having a drink with Dax, Worf is taken by the sight of Grilka, a Klingon woman, as she enters the station with Tumek and her guard, Thopok. Worf falls instantly in love, and watches, horrified, as Grilka kisses Quark. Grilka is Quark's ex-wife, thanks to a complicated marriage of convenience. Undaunted, Worf decides to pursue Grilka, and tries to capture her attention at Quark's. He is crushed when Tumek says that, since Worf is dishonored among Klingons, Grilka can never mate with him. Tumek then adds insult to injury by commenting that Worf's human upbringing shows he knows nothing about how to pursue a Klingon woman.

Later, Quark asks Worf and Dax for help. Grilka has invited him to dinner in her quarters, and he has no idea what to do. Despite his feelings for Grilka, Worf offers some courtship pointers and the evening is a huge success. Quark thanks Worf enthusiastically for his help, commenting that Worf seems to have the key to Grilka's heart. Quark asks Worf to help him win Grilka and, seeing it as a chance to prove he knows plenty about Klingon women, Worf agrees.

In a holosuite, Worf and Dax help Quark act out a Klingon battle scene, which bores Quark until he learns that the fight culminates with the male and female warrior joining in mad, passionate love. Later that night, after he and Grilka have apparently acted out the ritual on their own, Grilka and Quark share a romantic drink. Watching them outrages Thopok, and he challenges Quark to fight to the death.

Quark's situation is hopeless -- if he doesn't fight, he loses Grilka. If he does, he loses his life. But Dax has an idea. Worf uses a virtual control device to move Quark's body, effectively fighting for him. With the plan ready, Dax questions Worf about his attraction to Grilka andhints that he should pursue someone more attainable. Worf, however, is clueless to Dax's advances. Later, the battle begins, and with Worf hidden in a holosuite controlling Quark's every move, the Ferengi performs admirably -- at least until Worf accidentally damages the virtual control device. Quark is left defenseless in the middle of the battle of his life.

Quark stops the fight and, realizes he must come up with a solution, stalls. Pretending that Ferengi tradition demands that he make a lengthy speech about his beloved, he begins talking about Grilka, while Worf and Dax rush to fix the virtual control device. They are successful, and the fight is on again -- Quark quickly knocks Thopok to the floor. But instead of killing his opponent, Worf has Quark deliver his sword to Grilka, allowing her to discharge Thopok while letting him retain his honor. Now alone, Quark and Grilka fall all over each other passionately. Elsewhere, alone with Dax, Worf finally succumbs to her advances, realizing that his ideal woman may have been in front of him all along.

...Nor the Battle to the Strong

Stardate: Unknown

Writing a profile on Dr. Bashir, Jake Sisko is traveling with him in a runabout when they get a distress call from a Federation colony under attack by Klingons. Sure that watching a doctor treating battle casualties will make for an interesting story, Jake convinces Bashir that they must go, despite concern over taking the 18-year-old Sisko to a battleground. Once they arrive, Jake is stunned by the sight of scores of wounded and dying people. But before Jake can process what he has seen, he and Bashir are asked to lend a hand to the overburdened medical team.

Jake is put to work moving patients, and winds up exhausted and bloodied. Unfortunately, the team won't have much time for rest -- the Klingons are supposedly regrouping and preparing to attack again. Jake hears that the Klingons will probably capture the settlement in two days, and he can barely hide his concern. Suddenly, the power goes out -- the Klingons have disabled the reactor. With life-support knocked off-line, the patients are in grave danger. Bashir remembers the portable generator on the runabout, and he and Jake set off to get it, but when explosions rip into the ground around them, Jake panics and runs away.

Fleeing aimlessly, Jake is mistaken for a Klingon by a dying soldier, who knocks him down with his rifle butt. Jake wants to get help for the man, thinking this will somehow change what he has done. Sadly, the soldier is too far gone, and Jake can only stay with him until he dies. Then he runs again.

Sisko heads toward the imperiled settlement in the Defiant, but is days away from reaching the planet. Meanwhile, Jake returns to the cavern where the medical team is based, and, since no one saw him run away, pretends he was knocked out by the explosions. Bashir is angry at himself for putting Jake in danger, which only makes Jake feel worse. Talk of the imminent Klingon invasion only adds to it -- and Jake angrily snaps at the gallows humor employed by the rest of the group as they await their fate. Bashir calls him outside to talk, but Jake is too ashamed of himself to admit to Bashir the truth about what happened, and refuses to talk at all.

While Jake is sleeping, the Klingon force finally attacks. The medical team prepares to evacuate everyone through a long tunnel. The petrified Jake hides alone as explosions rock the compound. A guard defending the tunnel entry is shot and killed -- and two Klingons begin to fire at Jake. In a panic, he grabs a weapon and starts firing wildly in the direction of the Klingons, closing the entrance of the cave in an avalanche of debris, some of which collapses on him. Later, Jake awakens to see Sisko and Bashir, who tell him that his actions stopped the Klingons and saved the patients. Jake, however, refuses to let himself off the hook. Instead of writing the article about Bashir, he writes about his own behavior during the heat of battle, admitting that the line between courage and cowardice is thinner than he thought.

The Assignment

Stardate: Unknown

Meeting Keiko upon her return from Bajor, O'Brien is shocked when his wife says, in her own voice, that she is really an entity that has taken possession of Keiko's body and is holding her hostage. She states O'Brien must reconfigure some communication and sensor relays on the station or Keiko will be killed, and sends Keiko into a convulsion to prove her point. Seeing no other alternative and assured no one will be harmed, O'Brien reluctantly agrees to the entity's demands.

Since he must pretend everything is normal, O'Brien attends the birthday party Keiko planned for him. The entity fools their friends, so no one suspects anything. The next morning, she orders him to recalibrate and sequence the impulse response filters in the subspace communication emitters. O'Brien isn't sure this complicated assignment won't hurt the station, and decides to go to Captain Sisko. As he walks toward the captain on the Promenade, he suddenly hears his wife call him, and looks up to see Keiko, her eyes filled with tears, leaning over the railing on the upper level. Before his horrified eyes, she plummets to the Promenade.

Keiko was lucky -- she was left with no permanent injuries. O'Brien hurries in to see her, and winds up speaking to the entity still inside her. It warns him again to not tell Sisko, and says he has thirteen hours to complete his task. With no idea how he will finish in time by himself, O'Brien swears Rom to secrecy and puts him to work on the project. At three that morning, a worried Dax approaches O'Brien. She inadvertently discovered O'Brien's alterations and is led to the conclusion that there is a saboteur. Sisko calls an emergency meeting, where O'Brien must pretend to know nothing. Keiko interrupts the meeting and reminds O'Brien that he is running out of time. When Odo brings in Rom for questioning, O'Brien uses the opportunity to finish his work. But Rom refuses to speak to anyone but O'Brien -- alone. This forces O'Brien back to Security. Rom secretly tells O'Brien he has done as he's been told and hasn't revealed anything. He only has one question. Why are they recalibrating the deflector in order to kill the aliens within the wormhole?

The question brings it all together for O'Brien. Their recalibrations will focus a beam at the wormhole that, while harmless to humanoids, will be deadly to the aliens inside it. Rom reminds O'Brien that these aliens are the Bajoran Prophets, and is told that, according to Bajoran legend, Pah-wraiths are the enemies of those Prophets. Keiko visited the mythical home of the Pah-wraiths during her trip to Bajor -- and it is apparently one of them who is using her body. O'Brien finishes his job, but is confronted by the suspicious Odo. Unable to lose any more time, O'Brien knocks him out, then arranges to meet the Keiko entity in a runabout. They take off and target the center of the wormhole. Sisko orders O'Brien back, but he activates the beam. Instead of firing into the wormhole, however, the beam blasts the runabout. Keiko is hit with a massive shock and falls to the ground. However, she awakens free of the Pah-wraith. Having saved his wife, O'Brien then returns to the station ready to explain his bizarre behavior to Sisko and the crew.

Trials and Tribble-ations

Stardate: 4523.7

The Defiant is returning from Cardassian space with the Bajoran Orb of Time. A Klingon named Arne Darvin, surgically altered to look human, has come aboard as a passenger. He uses the Orb to send the Defiant more than one hundred years into the past--near the original Enterprise as it orbited Deep Space Station K-7. Records reveal Darvin was a spy then, and that he was caught having poisoned a shipment of grain on the station. Darvin is out to change history, possibly by killing Captain James T. Kirk, who originally exposed him as the spy.

While Sisko, Dax, Bashir, and O'Brien dress in period uniforms and search the Enterprise for Darvin, Odo and Worf, disguised as civilians, do the same on the station. Soon they are interacting--albeit as little as possible--with Starfleet legends from a century ago. Odo, at the station's bar, watches as Lt. Uhura has her first encounter with a furry, cooing, adorable little creature known as a Tribble.The Enterprise goes to red alert--a Klingon ship is approaching the station! But they only want shore leave. Later, in the K-7 bar, Bashir and O'Brien join Worf and Odo, and are swept into a brawl between the Klingons and Enterprise crew members, including Mr. Scott and Ensign Chekov. Odo and Worf spot Darvin during the fight, just as Bashir and O'Brien are taken by Enterprise security personnel.

Bashir and O'Brien are questioned by Captain Kirk himself, then soon notice that the Enterprise is littered with Tribbles. Meanwhile, Worf and Odo materialize on board the Defiant with Darvin. He reveals that he planted a bomb in one of the Tribbles, set to kill Kirk within the hour. Sisko and Dax go to the Enterprise Bridge and scan the starship, but find no explosive. That leaves a manual scan aboard K-7, but there are over a million Tribbles involved. Realizing the bomb is in the storage compartments, Sisko and Dax enter the bin where the poisoned grain is stored, and see that the Tribbles have eaten it all and died. They scan the compartment--while Kirk opens the outside door and is hit by a stream of falling Tribbles. Luckily, Sisko finds the explosive Tribble before it finds Kirk and has the Defiant beam it into space, where it detonates harmlessly. The timeline continues uninterrupted, allowing Kirk to expose Darvin as before.

Let He Who Is Without Sin...

Stardate: Unknown

Worf's relationship with Dax hits a rough spot, and he plans to discuss his feelings during their vacation on Risa. But things go from bad to worse when they -- along with Bashir, Quark, and Leeta -- arrive on the beautiful, climate controlled "Pleasure Planet." Worf learns that the Temtibi Lagoon's "social director," Arandis, is the former lover of Curzon Dax. Pascal Fullerton -- Chairman of the New Essentialists Movement, a group bent on "restoring the moral and cultural traditions of the Federation" -- approaches Worf. Fullerton's goal is to shut down Risa.

Worf immerses himself in New Essentialist literature and attends the group's rally. Fullerton makes a speech warning that Risa's focus on pleasure is just one example of how the Federations citizens have become soft and weak -- traits which will render them defenseless if an enemy attacks. Later that night, a group of Essentialists storm the Risian Solarium, armed with phaser rifles.

Worf realizes that the attack is just a stunt to convince the Risian vacationers that they are vulnerable. That evening, Worf accuses Dax of not taking their relationship seriously. The next day, Worf sees Dax with Arandis, assumes the worst, and is overcome with jealousy. He goes to Fullerton's chambers and announces he knows how to drive the guests from Risa.

Soon afterwards, a powerful storm rocks Risa, putting an end to the resort's outdoor activities. Arandis realizes that rain indicates a problem with the planetary weather grid. Fullerton and Worf arrive and reveal that Worf has rigged a tricorder to sabotage the grid. Risa will experience its normal rainy climate for the next few days.

A furious Dax accuses Worf of destroying Risa because he does not trust her. He reluctantly reveals that his restrained attitude results from a childhood incident when he accidentally killed a human boy while having fun. Dax begins to understand, but the moment is shattered when a powerful earthquake shakes Risa. They rush to Fullerton's headquarters and Worf takes back the doctored tricorder, ending the shaking. He then reminds Fullerton that trust is also a traditional Federation value. After the weather grid restores the resort's pleasant climate, Worf is ready to enjoy what's left of their vacation, now that he has learned to trust Dax.

Things Past

Stardate: Unknown

Sisko, Odo, Dax, and Garak are found unconscious in their runabout. While Bashir attempts to revive their bodies in the present, Sisko and the others wake up on Terok Nor -- the station's previous name -- during the Cardassian occupation of Bajor. They look normal to each other, but everyone else sees them as Bajorans. Odo, who was once Terok Nor's Chief of Security, seems particularly agitated and anxious. They spot Odo's predecessor, Thrax, which indicates that they have gone back in time at least nine years. Two soldiers then haul away Dax.

While Dax learns she has been selected to be Dukat's "friend," Garak scans the group to determine their identities. Sisko is a Bajoran named Ishan Chaye. Garak is Jillur Gueta. He then scans Odo, who supplies his own name -- Timor Landi. Odo awkwardly explains that Timor, Ishan, and Jillur were falsely accused of trying to assassinate Gul Dukat on the Promenade -- and were publicly executed there.

They realize that this is actually seven years ago, and Odo had taken over for Thrax as Security Chief. Since they must get off the station before their pending execution, Sisko contacts the Bajoran Resistance. However, the attempt on Dukat's life occurs before they leave, and Sisko, Odo, and Garak are arrested.

In a cell, Odo tries to convince Thrax to investigate further, but he refuses. Dax escapes from Dukat, frees her friends and leads them toward Dukat's shuttle. Thrax blocks their path and a fight ensues where he is revealed to be a Changeling. the group moves on toward the airlock, but as they enter, they suddenly find themselves back in the cell, where a soldier tells them they will be executed in two hours.

Sisko realizes everything leads back to Odo. Thrax and Odo appear on the Promenade, watching as Sisko, Dax, and Garak are about to executed. Odo exclaims that he won't let this happen again. The scene changes, leaving Odo alone with his friends. Further down the Promenade, they see the execution, with Odo wearing Thrax's uniform looking dispassionately. A horrified Odo admits that he -- not Thrax -- allowed the innocent Bajorans to die. Odo then wakes up in Deep Space Nine's Infirmary. Bashir tells him that a plasma storm the runabout encountered caused Odo's mind to lock his friends into a version of the Great Link. Odo realizes that his guilt forced him to relive the incident and face his failure.

The Ascent

Stardate: Unknown

Odo is dispatched to escort Quark to a Federation Grand Jury hearing, an eight-day journey away. Halfway to their destination, Quark hears a strange buzzing noise. When he and Odo investigate, they find a bomb aboard the runabout.

They contain the explosion in a transporter beam, but the runabout is still severely damaged. Forced to crash-land on a frozen, desolate planet, Odo and Quark learn that they lost their communications system, their replicator, and most of their rations in the explosion. They are left with a horrifying choice -- starve to death or freeze to death -- when Quark has an idea. Taking the runabout's subspace transmitter, he suggests they haul the heavy piece of equipment up an enormous mountain, where the atmosphere may be thin enough to send a signal for help.

Sharing one set of cold-weather gear between them, they make their way toward the mountain, bickering all the way. Quark is ready to give up when Odo encourages him with an estimate of six hours before reaching the top of the mountain. But Odo is wrong. As they clear the trees, they come to the edge of a steep cliff overlooking a deep valley. The mountain is actually days away.

With no other choice, Quark and Odo make their way down into the valley toward the mountain. The pair argues throughout the journey, even as they finally begin to climb the mountain. Words soon escalate into a shoving match, and they wind up sliding down the mountainside. While Quark is unhurt, Odo's leg is broken.

Quark tries to drag Odo up the mountain, but is soon proves to be too much work for him. Odo insists that Quark leave him behind andcontinue alone to the top, but Quark, exhausted and hungry, is ready to give up. After Odo tries to take the transmitter himself, broken leg and all, Quark is shamed into resuming his attempt. But when night falls, Odo is still alone, assuming that Quark failed to reach his goal and died. As Odo prepares to do the same, he is suddenly transported off the mountain. He finds himself on the Defiant -- where Bashir, Dax, and Worf inform him that Quark indeed made it to the top and was able to signal for help. The longtime adversaries return to Deep Space Nine with an uncomfortable new aspect to their relationship -- the fact that Quark saved Odo's life.

Rapture

Stardate: Unknown

When Sisko see a painting depicting B'hala, Bajor's legendary lost city, is returned by the Cardassians, Sisko is inspired to search for the famed site. The painting depicts an obelisk that, according to legend, marked the city's coordinates in the universe. Sisko studies the visible markings, then recreates the obelisk in the holosuite to try to determine what the hidden markings might be. After working until three in the morning, he tries to save his work, but the holosuite system shorts and knocks him unconscious. In the infirmary, Bashir tells Sisko his brain has been overloaded, and his senses will be enhanced for a few days. The doctor lets him go, but warns him to return if he experiences any side effects. That night, during dinner, Sisko absentmindedly cuts his fruit into a series of shapes, then realizes that they are missing marking from the obelisk. He returns to the holosuite, but is interrupted by a call from Admiral Whatley -- Bajor has been accepted into the Federation, and the ceremony will be held on Deep Space Nine.

Back in the holosuite, Sisko has a vision that he is in B'hala. During the vision, he briefly understands all of Bajor's history and can see its future. Afterwards, he continues to study the obelisk, and just as he determines where B'hala should be located, Kasidy Yates, his old girlfriend, returns from prison. He invites her to accompany him to Bajor immediately, and, thrilled to be accepted back into his life, she agrees. On Bajor, Sisko is stricken with a painful headache. He ignores it, and soon finds the lost city of B'hala.

The Bajorans regard Sisko's discovery as a miracle and, for the skeptics, confirmation that he is the Emissary. Admiral Whatley, however, is more concerned that Sisko devote his energy to Bajor's admission into the Federation. He visits Sisko at the site on Bajor and asks him to come home. Sisko begs for more time, sensing that the lost city holds answers to some important questions. Reluctantly, the Admiral agrees -- provided Sisko submit to a physical when he returns. When Sisko gets home, he seems to have psychic powers. Unfortunately, his headaches are getting worse.

Bashir determines that Sisko's headaches are life-threatening and asks to operate immediately. Sisko refuses, unwilling to put a stop to the visions. Jake and Kasidy are crushed, but Sisko is determined to see his visions through. He asks Kai Winn to help him consult the Orb of Prophecy, and while he sits with the powerful orb, the ceremony admitting Bajor to the Federation is put on hold. An angry Admiral Whatley finally begins the ceremony without Sisko, and the captain suddenly appears, weak and in obvious pain. He warns the assembled that if Bajor joins the Federation now, it will be destroyed.

Sisko is then rushed to the infirmary, where Bashir grimly reports that he must operate immediately to save his life. Since Sisko himself refused the operation, Jake, as the next-of-kin, must decide his father's fate. Unwilling to let his father die, Jake goes against Sisko's wishes and okays the operation. Sisko awakens to anguish at the loss of his visions. However, he was able to convince the Bajorans to put their admission to the Federation on hold. Kasidy gently reminds him that while he has lost something very important to him, what he saved -- his life with his son -- is even more precious.

The Darkness and the Light

Stardate: 50416.2

Kira is shocked and saddened when Latha Mabrin, a fellow member of the Shakaar Resistance Cell-turned Vedek, is murdered.

Kira's shock turns to fear, however, when she receives a recorded message moments after learning of the murder. Her message consists of a picture of Latha appearing on the computer screen, and a scrambled voice saying simply, "That's one." Odo is unable to trace the message, which Kira interprets as a threat to all the former members of the Shakaar Resistance Cell. Kira makes arrangements to transport Resistance member Fala onto a runabout returning to the station. But something goes wrong during the transport, and Fala is killed.

An investigation reveals the Fala was killed by a tiny detonator programmed to scramble the transporter beam. A message from the scrambled voice saying "That's two" is soon delivered on a PADD. Later, while working on the case in Odo's office, Kira receives a "That's three" message displaying the face of Mobara, another member of the Shakaar. Immediately, they begin efforts to contact him, hoping to stop his murder. Kira returns to her room in O'Brien's quarters to rest, but is jolted by a loud crash outside her door.

Phaser drawn, Kira creeps into the living room, ready to face the assassin. Instead, she comes face to face with Furel and Lupaza, two more members of the Shakaar who have come to help her. Thinking her bodyguard was the killer, they attacked him -- causing the noise Kira heard. Furel and Lupaza volunteer to hunt down the assassin for Kira. She prefers to handle her problem within the boundaries of the law, but allows Furel and Lupaza to stay with her in the O'Brien quarters to "protect" her and the O'Briens' unborn child. Later, the grim, but not unexpected, news of Mobara's death arrives. During a staff meeting, Odo surmises that whoever is doing the killing most likely has a vendetta against Kira -- and that she is also a likely target. Nog, Dax and Kira work with the scrambled voice, hoping it will provide a clue, but the voice used in the messages turns out to belong to Kira. Their work is interrupted by news that there has been an explosion in the O'Brien quarters. O'Brien was not home at the time, but Furel and Lupaza are dead.

Odo tells Kira that he has compiled a list of possible suspects with the skills, opportunity and motive for these attacks. He refuses to give Kira the list, afraid the very pregnant woman will head off in search of the killer on her own. Kira pretends to have no intention to leave the station, but the moment Odo leaves, she transports into his office, steals the file and shuts down Odo's computer so she can't be followed. Then she takes off in a runabout. After eliminating several suspects, she arrives at the home of Silaran Prin. Almost instantly, she is placed in a restraining field and told she will die.

Silaran, who was severely disfigured in a Resistance bombing, is punishing those involved -- especially Kira, who was the ringleader. He points out that he has not killed indiscriminately like Kira. The bombing in which he was injured killed civilians, women and children. He tells Kira that he will spare her baby, but kill her, and prepares to operate. Kira warns him that this will kill the baby, which is not Bajoran, but human, meaning it has special needs. Silaran is unmoved. Thinking quickly, Kira begs for a sedative, realizing that the herbs she has taken for her pregnancy have rendered most sedatives ineffective. She pretends to fall asleep, then lunges at Silaran, attacking and killing him. Sisko, Bashir and Odo arrive to rescue her, but Silaran is already dead, and Kira, shaken and sobered by her experience, only wants to go home.

The Begotten

Stardate: Unknown

The station is buzzing with the news that Kira has finally gone into labor. But Odo is surprisingly uninterested, having his own "baby" to deal with. The former Changeling has purchased an ailing infant Changeling from Quark, and, after Dr. Bashir heals the creature, begins the task of trying to teach his "child" to shapeshift. He is clearly displeased when Dr. Mora, the Bajoran scientist who "raised" Odo, arrives on the station to help.

Dr. Mora and Odo immediately clash over how to best raise the Changeling. Odo, still angry at the invasive methods Dr. Mora employed with him, hopes to reach the infant through encouragement. Mora, however, insists on probing and measuring the little creature, to Odo's horror and disgust. Unfortunately, Odo makes little progress using his own methods, and Mora is quick to point this out. Odo refuses to even consider the doctor's expertise until Sisko informs him that Starfleet Command wants Odo to establish communication with the Changeling as soon as possible -- or lose the infant to Starfleet. Unwilling to give his "baby" up, Odo has no choice but to listen to his old nemesis.

Using Dr. Mora's equipment, Odo employs electric shocks -- the same methods Mora used to teach him to shapeshift, to prod the changeling into holding several basic forms. As he experiences his first success, Odo tries to resist bonding with Mora, who, when he taught Odo, experienced the same sense of pride Odo now feels. However, they are both amazed when the creature forms a face with eyes, and uses them to peer at Odo.

The moment brings Odo and Mora together -- especially when Mora admits to Odo that his caring seems to have helped him form a connection with the baby. Mora's support helps Odo to finally forgive him and actually thank him for helping him to become more than a simple lump of organic material. He invites Dr. Mora to celebrate their success with a glass of champagne, and Mora happily accepts. Odo winds up at Quark's, where he offers his heartfelt thanks to the Ferengi for changing his life. Unfortunately, the happy mood is shattered when Odo receives word that the little creature is dying.

Desperate, Odo begs Dr. Bashir to save his "child," but there is nothing that can be done. Odo then takes the goo into his hands and begs the little creature not to die. It does anyway, but as a final "gift" to its mentor, the infant changeling merges into Odo and restores his shapeshifting abilities.

For the Uniform

Stardate: 50485.2

Sisko encounters Michael Eddington, his former Starfleet Security Chief, who betrayed him and joined the Maquis.

Obsessed with capturing the traitor, Sisko pursues him in the Defiant. But when Sisko gives the order to fire, the Defiant experiences a massive computer failure -- caused by Eddington. He leaves Sisko angry and humiliated, and facing a long trip home.

The Defiant is towed back to Deep Space Nine, and O'Brien begins the massive job of bringing the ship back on-line. Adding insult to injury, Sisko learns that Captain Sanders of the Malinche has been assigned to apprehend Eddington since Starfleet feels Sisko hasn't himself been able to do the job in the past eight months. But when he learns that Eddington attacked Cardassian colonies in the DMZ with a biogenic weapon, Sisko sees his chance. Despite the fact that the Defiant is not ready, he prepares to take his ship back into space.

The ship lurches out of the station and soon encounters Eddington again, who taunts Sisko. The captain realizes too late that he was baited to false coordinates. As the crew sets off to find Eddington's real location, a distress call is received from Malinche -- Maquis forces ambushed and disabled the starship.

Sisko determines Eddington's next planetary target, but is too late to stop him from releasing his biogenic weapon into the atmosphere. The Defiant chases after Eddington's fleeing ship, but he cripples a transport vessel evacuating Cardassian civilians, forcing Sisko to break off his pursuit and rescue the helpless Cardassians.

Stumped as to how to get Eddington, Sisko realizes that the renegade sees himself as a noble hero and Sisko as a villain. In order to stop Eddington, Sisko decides he must do something truly villainous. He prepares to poison the atmosphere of the Maquis colony in retaliation and reveals his sinister plan to all. Eddington is prepared to call his bluff. Amazingly, Sisko orders the deadly torpedoes launched, and the Maquis scramble to evacuate. Sisko says that he is prepared to eliminate every Maquis colony in the DMZ, and Eddington, realizing Sisko is serious, does the "heroic" gesture of offering himself in exchange. Eddington is captured, and Sisko's vendetta is finally over.

In Purgatory's Shadow

Stardate: Unknown

When the station picks up a mysterious coded message from inside the Gamma Quadrant that appears to be Cardassian, Garak is asked to analyze it. He reports that the message is insignificant, but is later caught trying to sneak off the station in a runabout. He then admits that the message is some sort of distress call from his mentor Enabran Tain, the former head of the Obsidian Order. Garak convinces Sisko to allow him to travel to the Gamma Quadrant to search for Tain, but Sisko sends Worf along as a "chaperone."

Garak and Worf bicker consistently and find nothing. Finally, Worf announces that they can go no further and takes the ship out of warp, explaining that the source of Tain's signal is deep in Dominion space. Garak, however, is unwilling to give up, and pushes Worf to travel through the nebula to avoid detection. Worf reluctantly agrees, and almost immediately upon entering the nebula, they wind up in the midst of the Jem'Hadar fleet.

Worf realizes that the entire fleet can only be assembled for one reason -- they intend to invade the Alpha Quadrant. He immediately sends a warning message to the station, but is not confident it will get through. Moments later, four Jem'Hadar soldiers materialize on the ship and take Worf and Garak prisoner. Back on Deep Space Nine, the crew is able to decipher enough of Worf's signal to realize the Dominion is coming. Sisko sends Kira to find Worf and Garak, but they are already imprisoned in a Dominion detention center, where they are told they will remain until they die.

Inside the camp, Worf meets Martok, the Klingon general who was replaced by a Changeling. Martok leads Worf and Garak to Tain, himself a prisoner, who is dying. Instead of being thankful to Garak for coming, Tain chastises him for allowing himself to be taken prisoner. Meanwhile, Kira returns with grim news that at least 50 Dominion ships are headed their way. With reinforcements at least two days away and only Gul Dukat on hand to help out, Sisko sees only one choice -- sealing the wormhole. If Worf and Garak don't escape in 36 hours, they will be trapped. Meanwhile, Worf and Garak are introduced to another prisoner: Bashir ... meaning the Bashir at the station is a Changeling.

On the station, the Bashir Changeling begins making himself useful to Dax and O'Brien while they work out the technology that will seal the wormhole. In the internment camp, Garak meets with Tain again, desperate for a kind word from his mentor before the old man passes on. When Tain makes Garak promise to escape as a final request, Garak makes a request in return -- that Tain acknowledge him as his son. He does, and father and illegitimate child share a memory before Tain dies peacefully. His mission complete, Garak is ready to find a way out. But he may be too late. On Deep Space Nine, the crew shoots a particle beam at the wormhole, intending to close it. However, something goes wrong. The wormhole remains open, and the Jem'Hadar fleet begins pouring through.

By Inferno's Light

Stardate: 50564.2

As the station prepares for a Dominion attack, the enemy fleet coming through the wormhole suddenly turns toward Cardassian space. Gul Dukat breaks formation and follows, apparently bent on taking on the enemy himself. The Deep Space Nine crew worries for his safety, until he reveals that he has spearheaded negotiations resulting in Cardassia's agreement to join the Dominion -- with Dukat as Cardassia's leader. In the Dominion Internment Center, Worf, Martok, Bashir and Garak mastermind an escape plan that will require Garak to spend hours in a tiny crawlspace reconfiguring a transmitter to beam them back to their runabout.

In the Internment Center, Worf is forced to fight Jem'Hadar soldiers to prepare them for their battle against the Klingons. While Worf fights, Garak works on the transmitter, as other prisoners stand guard. On Deep Space Nine, Sisko convinces Klingon Chancellor Gowron to reinstate their treaty with the Federation in order to fight the Dominion and Cardassians together. Meanwhile, the Changeling impersonating Bashir slips away and into a runabout.

Worf continues his battles with various Jem'Hadar soldiers, but while he keeps winning, he keeps getting weaker. Bashir warns him to stop, but Worf is determined to fight to the death, impressing General Martok with his deep sense of Klingon honor. Garak, who suffers from intense claustrophobia, panics in the crawlspace and must be rescued. Meanwhile, Dukat offers to spare the station if the Federation agrees to join the Dominion. Sisko refuses, and Dukat warns him that Deep Space Nine will be a target.

In the Internment Center, Garak regains his bearings and re-enters the crawlspace to finish his job. While Worf struggles through a fight with the head of the Jem'Hadar guards, a group of soldiers arrives at the prisoners' barracks looking for Garak. On Deep Space Nine, the combined Federation and Klingon forces prepare to take on the Dominion. Even the Romulans arrive to help. No one sees Bashir take off alone in a runabout -- just as the Dominion fleet prepares to enter Bajoran space.

Back at the Internment Center, the Jem'Hadar guards discover Garak's crawlspace and head inside. The prisoners kill them, saving their chances of escape. Meanwhile, Worf, near death, insists on continuing the fight, even when Martok tells him to stop. Impressed, his opponents yield, and the Vorta in charge orders both combatants killed. But Worf dematerializes and appears on their runabout with the rest of the prisoners -- Garak was successful. The real Bashir sends a message to Deep Space Nine revealing the Bashir they have been dealing with is a saboteur. They locate the Bashir Changeling on the runabout, heading straight for the sun with a trilithium explosive, which if it explodes in the sun, will destroy the station and the entire combined fleet. Kira and Dax take off after him and destroy the runabout just in time. Sisko tells his fleet of unlikely allies that no attack is imminent -- at least not today.

Later, Garak, Worf, Martok and the real Bashir return, and Martok is made commander of the Klingon forces on Deep Space Nine. But there is no time to celebrate. Gul Dukat sends a message to Sisko indicating that the battle for the Alpha Quadrant has just begun.

Doctor Bashir, I Presume?

Stardate: Unknown

Bashir is informed of the project by Doctor Lewis Zimmerman, the scientist in charge. As part of the process, Zimmerman must learn everything he can about Bashir, from childhood quirks to his interpersonal relationships, a procedure that includes interviews with Bashir's family, friends and co-workers. Uncomfortable with this, Bashir requests that Zimmerman refrain from speaking with his parents.

Zimmerman begins the task of interviewing the crew, taking note of all of their feelings, good and bad, about Bashir. The next day, Bashir is horrified when two unexpected visitors arrive -- his parents.

Bashir is clearly uncomfortable with his mother and father, and clearly upset when they tell him they have come in response to Zimmerman's request. Later, Bashir attempts to prepare his parents for their interview, especially concerned that they keep a certain childhood secret -- one that, if revealed, could destroy his career.

Bashir's parents later tell their son that they won't divulge the fact that he was genetically enhanced as a child -- not realizing they are talking to his holographic version while O'Brien and Zimmerman witness the exchange. Since genetic engineering is illegal, Zimmerman's pending report could cause Bashir to be immediately expelled from Starfleet once the truth comes out. Because of this, Bashir sees no alternative other than to resign before that report is filed.

Angry and defeated, Bashir confronts his parents and tells them his intentions. But when he goes to Sisko, Bashir finds that a solution has already been worked out with Starfleet. His father, Richard, will spend two years in a minimum security prison, in return for letting his son retain his Starfleet commission. Bashir reluctantly but gratefully accepts his father's sacrifice and bids his parents farewell, saddened by the turn of events, but happy that he and his father may be rewarded with a stronger relationship.

A Simple Investigation

Stardate: Unknown

In Quark's, Odo meets a beautiful woman named Arissa and is impressed by her powers of observation. Later, he is surprised when the same woman is arrested for trying to break into the station's computer. Odo questions her about the man she was waiting for in Quark's -- an Idanian named Tauvid Rem. Arissa tells Odo Tauvid has information about the daughter she gave up fifteen years before. Odo takes her to Tauvid's quarters, where they discover he has been killed.

Soon afterward, Odo catches Arissa retrieving a datacrystal Tauvid hid. She admits to Odo that she doesn't really have a daughter, and tells him that she came to meet with Tauvid because she wants to escape working for the Orion Syndicate -- a notorious criminal organization. Her boss, a man named Draim, probably had Tauvid killed to keep her from getting the unknown information contained in the crystal.

Odo hides Arissa in his quarters as he begins an investigation, while Dax and O'Brien attempt to access the heavily protected datacrystal. Arissa tells Odo how she began to work for Draim, only to want out when she learned the deadly consequences her assignments meant for others. Odo encourages her to testify against Draim and take back her life. That night, he returns to his quarters, where the two of them give in to their growing attraction to each other.

After spending a passionate night with Odo, Arissa sends a message to Draim proposing an exchange -- the crystal for her life. Draim agrees, but instructs his hit men, Traidy and Sorm, to kill her after the crystal is retrieved. Meanwhile, an Idanian official arrives, informing Odo that Arissa is not who she appears to be, but actually an Idanian agent given a new identity in order to infiltrate Draim's organization. Even Arissa does not know this, since her memory has been erased. The crystal contains all of her real memories. The Idanian asks to be taken to Arissa, and Odo quickly complies -- only to find both the woman and the crystal missing.

Arissa prepares to give Traidy the Crystal in exchange for her life. But just as he and Sorm try to ambush her, Odo and the Idanian save Arissa. Later, her memories and true appearance are restored. She and Odo then meet one last, painful time, after which Arissa returns to her married life -- and Odo is left brokenhearted.

Business as Usual

Stardate: Unknown

Quark's cousin Gaila arrives at the station with a business proposition. He offers a piece of his weapon-selling business to Quark -- which would pay off all of Quark's debts within a month. But the best part is Quark will technically not be breaking the law. Instead, he will be in charge of "hospitality," showing customers a good time and allowing them to test harmless replicas of their offerings in his holosuites. Once Quark agrees, Gaila introduces him to his associate, Hagath, who takes to Quark immediately, but warns the Ferengi never to cross him. Soon, the trio is in business, and Quark is making more latinum than he ever imagined.

Odo learns of Quark's activities and arrests his nemesis. But the Bajorans have him released because Hagath and Gaila gave them arms during the Cardassian resistance. Later, Quark is present when Hagath fires Farrakk, an associate who has been performing substandard work. Quark is shocked when Gaila later reveals that Hagath had him killed, reminding Quark that he must never go against his new boss.

The pressure builds when the Regent of Palamar, a very important client, arrives to do business with Hagath, but Quark impresses Hagath with his preparations. The Regent requests weapons to kill millions, and while Gaila and Hagath immediately begin to determine what will do the job most effectively, Quark is horrified. He later confides this to Gaila, who reminds his cousin of the money to be made, not to mention the fact that Hagath will kill him if he blows this deal.

Quark, having been alienated by Sisko, Dax and everyone else because of his arms dealings, lets his conscience get the better of him and realizes that he must do something. He decides that he has to stop Hagath, even if he must sacrifice his own life in order to save millions of others.

Having delayed the transaction with the Regent, Quark brings General Nassuc, the Regent's enemy, to the station, also to buy arms -- and supposedly to double their profits. In actuality, however, Quark arranges for Nassuc to "accidentally" encounter the Regent -- and disappears before the fireworks begin. Gaila and Hagath flee with Nassuc in pursuit, and the Regent is killed. Quark has escaped with his life -- and all of his debts paid.

Ties of Blood and Water

Stardate: 50712.5

Kira meets Tekeny Ghemor, a known Cardassian dissident, hoping he will lead the opposition to the Cardassian/Dominion Alliance. Ghemor reveals he hasn't long to live but he may still be able to help Kira's cause with a Cardassian ritual in which the dying reveal secrets to their family to use against their enemies. Since Ghemor apparently has no living relatives, he asks Kira, who the Cardassians once kidnapped and surgically altered to look like his long-lost child, to be his "daughter" one last time. Sisko points out that this is an incredible opportunity to learn Cardassian secrets. Kira reluctantly agrees to the task.

Kira sets up at Ghemor's deathbed, where they begin. Ghemor struggles against agonizing pain to share his secrets, and Kira struggles with memories of her own father, Taban, and his death by the Cardassians years before. Meanwhile, Gul Dukat arrives via Jem'Hadar battleship, demanding Ghemor's return.

Dukat and his Dominion cohorts board the station and go to Ghemor, who refuses to leave with them, even when Dukat tempts him with a reunion with his real missing daughter, Iliana. Later, Dukat tells Kira that Ghemor is not the man she thinks he is -- he participated in a notorious massacre at a Bajoran monastery, and proves it by handing her Ghemor's military file.

Returning to Ghemor, Kira angrily confronts him and, despite his apologies, leaves him to die alone. Odo reminds Kira that Ghemor was only 19 at the time of the massacre, then suggests Kira might really be upset about something else. Kira again recalls when her father was dying, and remembers leaving to fight with his attackers instead of staying by his side as he wished. Bashir interrupts her with news that Ghemor will be dead within the hour.

Kira refuses to go to Ghemor's side, then again thinks back to the past, and remembers returning from battle to learn that her father died calling her name. The memory is too much -- Kira goes back to Ghemor's bedside and takes his hand, finally able to help him die in peace. As a final gesture, she takes Ghemor's body to Bajor and buries him next to her father.

Ferengi Love Songs

Stardate: Unknown

Depressed over his lot in life -- especially being blacklisted by the Ferengi Commerce Authority -- Quark goes to his homeworld of Ferenginar for some comfort from his mother, Ishka. The free-thinking Ishka is sympathetic, but clearly uneasy over his declaration that he will be "living" with her for an unspecified period of time. Quark soon learns the reason behind her uncertainty. When he enters his old bedroom, he finds Grand Nagus Zek -- the Ferengi leader -- hiding in the closet! It turns out that Ishka and Zek are in love.

Zek demands Quark keep their affair a secret, and Quark agrees, thrilled that his mother is now the beloved of the most powerful man on his homeworld. But when Quark hints that he would like Zek to reinstate his revoked business license, Zek refuses, reminding Quark that it is up to the FCA. Quark returns to his room, where Liquidator Brunt, the FCA agent who revoked his license, confront him.

Brunt offers to give Quark a new business license if he breaks up Zek and Ishka. Quark agrees, and soon places doubts in Zek's head about Ishka's motives. The plan works -- his mother is left heartbroken. Quark feigns sympathy, then contacts Brunt, who keeps his word and gives him the business license.

Zek offers Quark the position of First Clerk. Quark happily accepts -- then discovers the Nagus is not the profit-making whiz he once was. By day's end, the Ferengi market exchange has experienced a drastic slide due to the Nagus's failing memory. A stunned Quark returns home, where Ishka reveals that she had been helping Zek. Quark realizes that his mother was more than Zek's lover -- she was the power behind the throne. Ishka, in turn, realizes that Quark turned Zek against her, and may have destroyed the Ferengi economy in the process.

Quark encounters Brunt, who reveals that the entire plan was a set-up designed to help him become the new Grand Nagus. Quark is free to return to Deep Space Nine, but feels too guilty over what he has inadvertently done. The next day, Quark saves Zek by supplying him with enough brilliant advice to turn around the economic situation, but then reveals that the advice actually came from Ishka. After Quark admits to breaking them up, Zek and Ishka happily reunite.

Soldiers of the Empire

Stardate: Unknown

General Martok receives orders from the Klingon High Council to search for a Klingon vessel, the B'Moth, missing near the Cardassian border. The mission will be Martok's first since he escaped from a Dominion prison. Assigned a Klingon ship, the Rotarran, to command, he gets permission to take along Worf as his First Officer, while Dax joins them as the ship's Science Officer. They board their vessel and begin the search, only to discover that their crew is hardly the group of proud Klingon warriors they expected. Instead, it is an embittered ensemble whose morale has been destroyed by a series of punishing losses at the hands of the Jem'Hadar.

Martok expresses his concern to Worf, who replies that the best way to restore morale is with a victory. Martok agrees, but wants to proceed cautiously. Meanwhile, Dax is disturbed by the self-loathing among the crew. She is clearly worried when Worf alerts them to a Jem'Hadar ship located dead ahead.

The enemy vessel, unaware of the cloaked Klingon ship, begins to move away. But Martok refuses to attack, ordering the crew to return to its original course. Dax later warns Worf that Martok's actions have contributed significantly to the morale problem aboard. Her feelings prove correct when members of the crew, unable to take our their frustrations on their enemies, turn against each other.

The crippled B'Moth is found just within Cardassian space, but Martok fears the Jem'Hadar left it behind as a trap. When Martok refuses to let the crew enter Cardassian territory to rescue the survivors, Worf realizes Martok is paralyzed by fear of the Jem'Hadar. Reluctantly, he decides to challenge Martok for control of the ship, even if, according to Klingon protocol, he must kill him.

Worf gives the order to rescue the B'Moth survivors, and challenges Martok. The two begin a life-and-death knife fight for control. The crew's spirits are heightened by their bloodlust. Worf sees that Martok's fear is gone and allows him to win the fight, sustaining a nasty wound just as a Jem'Hadar ship approaches. The revitalized crew, led by Martok, defeats the enemy vessel and rescues the B'Moth survivors, returning to Deep Space Nine as victors for the first time. Martok is forever grateful to Worf for reminding him of his duty as a Klingon warrior.

Children of Time

Stardate: 50814.2

In the Gamma Quadrant, Dax insists on investigating a planet surrounded by an energy barrier. But the barrier cripples the Defiant and causes Kira to be "duplicated" for a moment -- she will die without eventual medical attention back on Deep Space Nine. A colony lives on the planet, and the leader, Miranda O'Brien, reveals that in two days, when the Defiant departs, the barrier will cause the ship to crash on the planet -- 200 years in the past. Stranded for life, the crew will found this colony. The planet, Gaia, is populated by their descendants! Sisko realizes that this foreknowledge will allow his crew to now avoid that crash, but by altering history, the colony will cease to exist. However, Dax's descendant, Yedrin, has a plan to duplicate the Defiant when it reenters the barrier, allowing the original crew to return home while the duplicate crew can fulfill its destiny by crashing on the planet.

Odo's older self is still alive after 200 years, and looks more human. He reveals to a stunned Kira that he has always been in love with her. Meanwhile, Dax learns Yedrin's real plan is to recreate the crash, ensuring that his people do survive.

Yedrin admits that, as the current host of the Dax symbiont, he feels responsible to protect the society Jadzia's judgment error helped to create. Sisko sympathizes, but will not sacrifice Kira's life or ask his crew to leave behind their own lives just to guarantee the continued existence of their descendants. However, Kira feels they can't run away from their destiny -- even if that means she has to die.

Sisko is still unwilling to passively let history repeat itself. He and his sad crew join their descendants for a planting ritual on what will be their final day of existence. O'Brien becomes deeply moved by their plight. Unable to bear the thought of them vanishing, he and the others realize they can't let these people die.

The older Odo tries to convince Kira to not sacrifice herself, but Sisko's people prepare to recreate the crash and face their destiny. However, at the crucial moment, the Defiant veers off course -- someone changed the flight plan. They safely exit the barrier, and their descendants vanish as if they never existed. Later, the "real" Odo reveals to Kira that it was the older Odo who sabotaged the ship -- sacrificing the colony just to give Kira and his younger self a chance at love. After this shocking revelation, the old friends wonder where their relationship will go next.

Blaze of Glory

Stardate: Unknown

A secret message is intercepted and delivered to Sisko. The few Maquis terrorists who have not been wiped out by the Dominion have initiated a massive retaliatory strike against Cardassia, launching a series of missiles due to arrive in eleven days. Now that Cardassia is under Dominion protection, an all-out war is likely unless the undetectable missiles are stopped. Seeing no alternative, Sisko goes to Michael Eddington, the former Starfleet officer-turned-Maquis leader, now in prison. Eddington refuses to tell Sisko how to stop the missiles, so Sisko takes the handcuffed Eddington to compel him to help.

Approaching the area where the secret Maquis launch site is hidden, Sisko forces Eddington to avoid two pursuing Jem'Hadar warships. Eddington tells Sisko that he will direct him to the secret location -- the only place where the missiles can be deactivated. Afterward, however, he intends to kill Sisko.

The Jem'Hadar warships return, forcing Eddington to try a different, more dangerous plan -- risking Sisko's life. But it works, although Sisko is injured -- and angered -- in the process. They soon arrive at Athos IV, a tiny, fog-bound planet where the launch site is hidden. Landing on the planet, they head for the location -- only to come face to face with two Jem'Hadar soldiers

Sisko and Eddington kill the soldiers, but realize the place will soon be crawling with them. They finally reach the command center and enter the building. Sisko is surprised to find a dozen Maquis prisoners, including the woman who sent the original message announcing the missile launch. Eddington introduces the woman, Rebecca, as his wife.

Eddington reveals to Sisko that there are no missiles at all -- Rebecca sent the message to let Eddington know they had safely escaped the Dominion and arrived at Athos IV. Eddington knew he would need Sisko's help to evacuate them, and tricked him in order to reach the location. Unfortunately, the Jem'Hadar found the site first. Sisko is angry but relieved. He and Eddington fight off the Jem'Hadar while directing the prisoners toward the runabout, but Eddington is shot. Forcing Sisko and the others to escape without him, Eddington is killed while valiantly battling the soldiers.

Empok Nor

Stardate: Unknown

With Deep Space Nine in disrepair, O'Brien is unable to replicate the Cardassian materials he needs to fix it. He assembles a team of engineers and leads a salvage mission to Empok Nor, an abandoned Cardassian space station, bringing along Garak to foil any security measures. They soon enter the eerie, deserted station and begin to work. Garak is disturbed to find two stasis tubes have recently been activated, each large enough to contain a Cardassian adult. Meanwhile, Nog, sent back to the runabout, is shocked to see the ship drift away and explode.

The two Cardassian occupants of the stasis tubes are apparently on the loose. O'Brien and the group must modify some of Empok Nor's systems to send out a distress signal -- forcing the team to split up and make themselves more vulnerable. The Cardassians soon locate two of O'Brien's crewmembers and kill them.

Garak decides to track down the Cardassians. Killing one of them, he returns to the group and reports that the dead Cardassian was under the influence of a drug designed to make him aggressive. O'Brien speculates that the drug made the two uncontrollable, forcing their former comrades to leave them behind in the stasis tubes. The wary group returns to work in teams, but two of them are soon attacked. Garak eliminates the remaining Cardassian just after one of the two crewmembers is killed. Then Garak turns to the surviving man, Amaro, and stabs him viciously.

With his dying breath, Amaro tells O'Brien that Garak stabbed him. Grimly, O'Brien realizes that Garak has also been exposed to the drug. Left alone with Nog, they must find and stop Garak, even if it means killing him. But Garak soon captures Nog and challenges O'Brien to save him.

O'Brien is forced to take on Garak, man-to-man. Both initially bring weapons, but discard them and begin the battle, with the bound Nog watching helplessly. O'Brien is soon overpowered, and it looks as if he will lose the fight and his life. But a simple tap to his com-badge makes him the winner -- the signal triggers a phaser he has rigged to explode, knocking Garak unconscious. He survives the explosion, however, much to O'Brien's relief. The drug is removed from Garak's system and Deep Space Nine is repaired.

In the Cards

Stardate: Unknown

As the Dominion threat to the Alpha Quadrant intensifies, Jake notices Sisko growing increasingly depressed. Hearing that Quark plans to auction off a collection of antiquities that includes a vintage Willie Mays baseball card, he decides obtaining the card for his father is the perfect way to life his spirits. Jake persuades Nog to use his life savings to bid on the collection, but a man named Dr. Giger outbids them, taking the card and crushing Jake's hopes.

Jake and Nog approach Dr. Giger with an offer to buy the card, but he refuses. However, after researching their backgrounds Giger offers to trade them the card for various pieces of equipment and medical supplies. Upon Nog's insistence, Giger reveals he needs the items to develop a machine that will deliver eternal life by "entertaining" cells -- preventing them from dying of boredom. Jake's determination to get the card leads them to agree to Giger's terms.

Meanwhile, Kai Winn meets with Dominion representative Weyoun on the station to discuss the Dominion's wish to sign a non-aggression treaty with Bajor. Sisko feels strongly that this would be an unwise move and convinces Winn to stall the proceedings. Later, Jake and Nog return to Giger's quarters with the last of the items he requested, only to find that Giger and his equipment are gone.

After learning that Odo has no record of Giger being on the station, Jake and Nog spot Kai Winn on the Promenade, talking with a man who bid against them at the auction. Jake assumes they kidnapped Giger and confronts the Kai. This lands him and Nog in Sisko's office where, determined to keep the baseball card is secret, Jake tells his father they were drunk. Sisko confines them to quarters, but on their way they are suddenly transported to a Jem'Hadar interrogation room.

Jake and Nog explain their quest to obtain the baseball card from Giger, who is being held captive, but Weyoun believes they are plotting against him. Desperate, Jake makes up a story about working for Starfleet Intelligence. The tale is so preposterous Weyoun decides he believes the first story. In fact, he is actually interested in Giger's work! Weyoun lets the boys take the baseball card, which, as Jake predicted, succeeds in improving his father's mood.

Call to Arms

Stardate: Unknown

When Starfleet Command notifies Sisko that he must stop further Dominion reinforcements from reaching Cardassia, he decides to mine the entrance to the wormhole -- a move that will likely lead to war.

Dax, Rom, and O'Brien hatch a plan to fill the wormhole entrance with self-replicating mines, but the entire minefield must be in place before it can be activated. This means the plan is likely to be detected, and the Defiant attacked, before the minefield is ready. When Sisko reveals that Starfleet cannot send reinforcements, the crew realizes the station may be lost. Shortly after Dax and O'Brien set off to deploy the minefield, Weyoun, the Dominion representative, arrives with a warning that they will take over the station unless Sisko removes the mines.

Refusing to back down, Sisko alerts the crew to the Dominion's impending attack. He asks General Martok to patrol the border and informs Kira he will endorse the non-aggression pact the Dominion proposed to Bajor, hopefully ensuring the planet's survival. After hurriedly marrying Rom and Leeta, Sisko is notified by Martok that the Dominion force should arrive within the hour.

The station is evacuated while Sisko, his officers, and a few others remain behind. As the battle begins, they fight the Jem'Hadar from the station while Martok and his troops protect the Defiant, allowing Dax and O'Brien time to finish the minefield. With the Dominion continuing to bear down, Sisko orders all remaining Starfleet personnel to evacuate.

Sisko addresses Kira, Odo, Quark, Rom, Morn, and the few others who will remain behind, promising to fight until he can return to the station. He also reveals that while they were keeping the Dominion occupied, the rest of the Federation fleet was destroying Dominion shipyards in Cardassian space. Preparing for a rendezvous with a Federation task force and a final battle with the Dominion, Sisko joins his crew and departs in the Defiant. Unfortunately he must leave without Jake, who secretly arranged to remain behind and report on the imminent events. Back on DS9, Kira, Odo, and their remaining comrades disable the station before surrendering their home to Gul Dukat and the Dominion.

A Time to Stand

Stardate: Unknown

Several months into their war against the Dominion/Cardassian alliance, the Federation is fighting a losing battle. Having long ago abandoned Deep Space Nine, Sisko and his crew have been taking on the enemy from the Defiant. But they grow more and more demoralized as fleets of promised reinforcements are demolished. Reacting to the heavy losses, Federation Admiral Ross informs Sisko that he is no longer in command of the Defiant.

Ross soon reveals that the crew's new mission is to destroy the main Alpha Quadrant storage facility of ketracel-white, the drug to which the Jem'Hadar are genetically addicted. Without it, they will die. Ross reveals that he has a secret weapon to help them infiltrate Cardassian territory -- a Jem'Hadar attack ship Sisko captured the year before.

The crew soon embarks in the alien vessel. Unfortunately, the headsets used for piloting are painful for humans, and Sisko struggles with intense headaches. Suggesting Cardassian physiology may be more compatible, Garak volunteers to wear the headset, further proving his loyalty to Sisko. Meanwhile, Nog delivers some bad news -- a Federation ship, the Centaur, is firing on them.

Unable to identify themselves, Sisko suggests heading into Cardassian space in hopes that the Centaur will not follow. When the Federation captain doesn't give up, Sisko orders O'Brien to fire at his weapons array. The Centaur turns back toward Federation space, and the crew soon realizes why -- three Jem'Hadar warships are approaching. Luckily, the enemy passes them without incident. Sisko discovers from where the ships came -- the asteroid where the ketracel-white is stored. O'Brien sends down empty canisters to be "filled," with a bomb hidden inside one of them. Just as they prepare to leave, the facility raises its safety net, trapping the ship.

Sisko realizes that the explosion will disable net before it hits them, meaning they have a chance to outrun the blast. They prepare to leave when the explosion hits early! The crew is able to ride the "wave" to safety, and the facility is successfully destroyed. However, the ship has been left without warp drive -- and more than 17 years from the nearest Federation Starbase.

Rocks and Shoals

Stardate: 51107.2

Traveling in a crippled Jem'Hadar warship, Sisko and his crew enter an uncharted nebula. They crash in the ocean of a desolate planet, and Dax is seriously wounded. Bashir stabilizes Dax's condition, after which the group takes shelter in a cave. Later, while Garak and Nog are searching for food and water, they are captured by Jem'Hadar soldiers who also crashed on the barren world.

Garak and Nog are taken to Keevan, the badly wounded Vorta leader of the stranded Jem'Hadar. When Garak reveals there is a doctor in their group, Keevan orders his soldiers, led by Remata'Klan, to locate the Starfleet unit without engaging them in battle. Meanwhile, Sisko and the crew try to locate their missing comrades. They are spotted by the Jem'Hadar who, ignoring Keevan's instructions, open fire.

Remata'Klan frantically orders his soldiers to lower their weapons. The Jem'Hadar retreat, and Keevan gives Remata'Klan a new mission. Soon afterward, he arrives at the Starfleet camp and reveals to Sisko that Garak and Nog are being held as prisoners. Keevan wants to trade them for Sisko and Bashir, and after Remata'Klan gives his word that no one will be harmed, Sisko agrees.

Sisko and Bashir soon learn that they were summoned to save Keevan's life. Once the Vorta's condition improves, he reveals that his Jem'Hadar group has been marooned. Unfortunately, he has only one vial of ketracel-white, the drug used to control the Jem'Hadar, left to give them. The soldiers are already suffering from withdrawal, and once the drug is completely gone, they will go insane and kill everyone. To stop this, he will order his troops to attack the Starfleet base camp -- but will provide Sisko with their plans. This will enable the Jem'Hadar to be ambushed and killed, Keevan to surrender and O'Brien to repair Keevan's communication system. Sisko is disgusted that Keevan will turn against his men to save himself, but sees no other choice.

At dawn, Remata'Klan and his men are trapped by the Starfleet crew, but Sisko offers to help the group escape. Remata'Klan refuses to surrender, explaining that as a Jem'Hadar he has no choice but to follow Keevan's command. Sadly, Sisko orders his crew to proceed, and the Jem'Hadar troops are massacred. The communication equipment is repaired, and Worf answers their call for help.

Sons and Daughters

Stardate: Unknown

While the war between the Federation and the Dominion continues, Klingon General Martok docks his ship to take on reinforcements. Worf is shocked to see that one of the new recruits is his estranged son, Alexander. Worf reveals that he sent Alexander to live with his foster parents on Earth years before, after the boy showed no interest in becoming a warrior. Martok encourages Worf to mend fences with his son, but the attempt soon deteriorates.

In the mess hall, Alexander engages in a fight with Ch'Targh, a grizzled Klingon veteran. Worf, seeing that the boy is losing badly, stops them. Angry and humiliated, Alexander tells his father that he had no right in interfere. Ch'Targh echoes the young Klingon's feelings, reminding Worf that he won't be able to come to his sons aid when he is fighting the Jem'Hadar.

Later, the bridge crew responds to an appaarent Jem'Hadar attack. When the expected torpedoes never hit, Worf realizes Alexander simply forgot to erase a battle simulation program from the sensor display. The others laugh about the incident, actually welcoming Alexander into their ranks. Worf, however, is angry and embarrassed that his son is the ship's fool.

Determined to make a warrior out of Alexander, Worf spars with him using a variety of Klingon weapons. The boy's skills are lacking, and the practice session turns into an angry confrontation. Later, Martok informs Alexander that he is being transferred off the ship at Worf's request. Devastated, Alexander confronts his father and accuses him of trying to get rid of him, just like when he was a boy. Worf is stung by the truth of these words, but has no time to mull over them -- the ship has come under Jem'Hadar attack.

When Alexander's sensor panel is destroyed during the battle, he and Ch'Targh volunteer for the deadly task of sealing a plasma leak. Realizing he may never see his son again, Worf is filled with emotion. Luckily, the Jem'Hadar ships are destroyed, and Alexander and Ch'Targh successfully complete their task. Worf apologies for the past and promises to teach Alexander to be a warrior if he will teach him to be a father. To make their reunion complete, he and Martok formally welcome Alexander into the House of Martok.

Behind the Lines

Stardate: 51149.5

Admiral Ross at Starbase 375 uncovers a major reason for the Dominion's dominance -- a sensor array monitoring all activity across five sectors. Sisko soon formulates a risky plan to disable it. Back on Terok Nor -- the Cardassian name for Deep Space Nine -- Kira and her "resistance cell" of Jake, Rom and Odo work to foster ill will between the Cardassians and the Dominion. When Odo speaks out against her latest scheme, Kira begins to question his loyalty.

Later, Admiral Ross promotes Sisko, removing him from the Defiant. Dax, now in command of the ship, will run the mission without him. Meanwhile, Odo is surprised to encounter on the station the Female Shapeshifter who once took away his changeling abilities. She tells Odo that he has been forgiven for killing one of his people, and, playing on the pain of his unrequited love for Kira, persuades him to link physically and merge with her.

When Kira learns of this, she asks Odo not to link with the Female Shapeshifter again, which he promises. Later, Quark barges in on Kira's secret meeting with Jake, Rom and Odo. He learned that Damar, Gul Dukat's second-in-command, has figured out how to use the station's deflector array to deactivate Rom's self replicating minefield -- the one thing that stands between the station and hordes of Jem'Hadar troops waiting on the other side of the wormhole.

Based on information Quark provided, Kira devises a plan to disable the deflector array. Odo will run a security diagnostic, giving Kira and Rom a five-minute window to sabotage the equipment before being detected. But the next morning, while Kira and Rom prepare for their mission. Odo again links with the Female Shapeshifter, ignoring his promise to Kira. When Kira goes to the Security Office, she finds it empty, and Odo doesn't respond to her calls.

Kira hurries to call Rom, but she's too late, and Rom is arrested. Furious, Kira barges into Odo's quarters and is shocked when he serenely admits that he did indeed rejoin the link. Suddenly, for the first time ever, Kira and Odo are on opposite sides, and she regards her longtime friend as an enemy. But all is not lost. Light years away, the Defiant returns to Starbase 375 intact, and Sisko wistfully witnesses the celebration of Dax's first successful mission.

Favor the Bold

Stardate: Unknown

The Federation continues to lose the war with the Dominion/Cardassian Alliance -- and morale is sinking fast. Realizing that the Federation needs a major victory, Sisko launches a plan to retake Deep Space Nine, using a task force comprised of ships throughout the Starfleet. Meanwhile, Odo continues to struggle with reconciling his thoughts for the Female Shapeshifter and remaining loyal to his friends, especially Kira. Despite his mixed feelings, he cannot resist linking -- joining physically -- with the fellow Changeling.

Rom is sentenced to execution for interfering in Dominion efforts to destroy the minefield barricading Jem'Hadar reinforcements on the other side of the wormhole. When Quark promises his brother he will find a way to free him, Rom tells him it is more important that he destroy the beam being used to take down the minefield. Kira asks Ziyal to convince her father, Gul Dukat, to release Rom, but Dukat turns his daughter down. Meanwhile, Quark learns that the minefield will be destroyed within a week, allowing thousands of Dominion troops to come through the wormhole and flood the Alpha Quadrant.

Quark and Kira realize they must warn Starfleet, so Jake smuggles out an encrypted message to his father. Sisko receives it and realizes he must begin his mission immediately, although needed reinforcements are days away from arrival.

Tracking the movements of the Federation fleet, Dukat and Weyoun realize something big is being planned. However, Dukat is more concerned about reconciling with Ziyal. He sends Damar, his second-in-command, to convince her to speak with him, but Damar, who dislikes Ziyal, is rough with the girl. Kira witnesses this and angrily attacks Damar, nearly killing him. Meanwhile, Sisko returns to the Defiant to personally lead the task force for his pivotal mission.

Dukat realizes the Federation troops are headed for the space station but is confident they won't have a chance once the minefield comes down. A bruised Damar asks Dukat for permission to arrest Kira, but Dukat only cares about what transpired between Damar and Ziyal. Odo has a disturbing conversation with the Female Shapeshifter, but when he later tries to talk to Kira, she refuses to accept his apology. Meanwhile, Sisko and his troops -- headed for a wall of over one thousand Dominion ships -- face what appears to be a suicide mission.

Sacrifice of Angels

Stardate: Unknown

With Sisko in command of the Defiant, the Federation fleet reaches the Dominion line of ships standing between it and Deep Space Nine. Sisko orders his troops to target only the Cardassian vessels, hoping to provoke them into breaking formation. On the space station, Damar -- Gul Dukat's aide -- is concerned that Kira, Jake, and Leeta might try to sabotage their plans again, so Dukat orders them held for questioning. The minefield that barricades the wormhole will be destroyed in hours, allowing thousands of waiting Dominion ships to invade the Alpha Quadrant and defeat the Federation.

Although Dukat catches on to Sisko's plan, he lets his enemy through with hopes of toying with him later. Knowing it's a trap, Sisko insists on staying his course. Meanwhile, Odo is upset when he learns that Kira has been arrested.

The battle rages on, and the Defiant is the only ship to get through the Dominion line, with the help of Worf's Klingon reinforcements. On the station, Quark and Ziyal break out Rom, Kira, Jake and Leeta from prison. As Odo joins forces with his former comrades, Rom and Kira hurry to cut off power to the weapons array which will detonate the minefield, but are too late. Grimly, Sisko exercises his only remaining option and takes the Defiant into the wormhole.

Inside the wormhole, the entire Dominion fleet -- and certain destruction -- awaits the single ship. Suddenly, the wormhole aliens communicate with Sisko -- they do not want him to die. Sisko pleads with them to save the Bajorans, who created an entire religion around them. He is then abruptly returned to the Defiant, but the enormous Dominion fleet still approaches.

Sisko gives the order to fire, but the ships are hit with a series of energy jolts and mysteriously disappear. Dukat is shocked when the Defiant emerges from the wormhole -- alone. As Sisko opens fire in the station, Damar learns 200 more Federation ships are headed their way. The Dominion troops are all ordered to retreat to Cardassia, and Dukat asks his daughter to accompany him, but Ziyal refuses. She reveals that she helped Kira and the others escape from the holding cell, but she tells Dukat that she loves him just before Damar kills her. Devastated, Dukat remains -- a shell of his former self -- while the others evacuate and Sisko and the crew joyfully return home, achieving a major victory in the ongoing war.

You Are Cordially Invited...

Stardate: 51247.5

With war still raging throughout the galaxy, and life returning to normal on Deep Space Nine, Worf and Dax resume planning their long-awaited wedding. Since Dax will be joining Worf's surrogate family, the House of Martok, she agrees to endure the traditional evaluation by the mistress of the house, Martok's wife, Sirella. Confident that she will be liked and accepted, Dax is surprised when she learns that as a non-Klingon she will almost certainly fail to gain Sirella's favor.

Learning that Sirella disapproves of Dax, Worf asks Martok to intervene. Martok refuses to get involved, but agrees to participate in Kal'Hyah, the traditional Klingon "bachelor party." Sisko, O'Brien, Bashir, and Alexander -- Worf's son -- eagerly join them, but are disappointed when they learn that the "party" is light on fun and heavy on fasting, bloodletting, and other uniquely Klingon forms of torture.

Meanwhile, Dax endures her own form of Klingon torture as she struggles to please Sirella. When she is asked to recite the history of the House of Martok, Dax gleefully reveals her discovery that Sirella has no imperial blood, and is in fact descended from a concubine. Naturally, Sirella is infuriated.

Ready for a little fun, Dax throws herself a pre-wedding party. In the midst of the drinking and debauchery, Sirella demands that Dax join her for a ritual. When Dax tells her to leave, Sirella threatens to cancel the wedding. The confrontation ends with Sirella declaring Dax an enemy. The next morning, Worf informs Dax that Sirella has forbidden her to join the House of Martok. He asks her to beg Sirella's forgiveness, but Dax refuses to endure that humiliation just so Worf can have a Klingon ceremony. Angrily, both Worf and Dax call off the wedding.

Martok convinces Worf to apologize to Dax, but she refuses to change her mind. Determined to see the lovers wed, Sisko goes to see Dax himself. She describes the indignities to which she has been subjected, reminding Sisko that, as Curzon Dax, she was Federation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire! Sisko gently points out that Sirella only sees her as a young woman who wants to marry into her family. He states that Dax knew what she was getting into when she agreed to marry Worf, and that she must honor the traditions of his people. Warmed by her deep love for Worf, Dax follows Sisko's advice, and she and Worf are married -- with Sirella's blessing.

Resurrection

Stardate: Unknown

When a stranger beams aboard the station and takes Kira hostage, she is shocked to see that he looks exactly like her dead love, Vedek Bareil. He reveals that he is Bareil -- the mirror universe version -- and is running from the evil Alliance of his universe. Even though he attacks her, Kira refuses to press charges after he is captured. Sisko is concerned that she is letting his resemblance to her late lover influence her actions, but agrees to allow Bareil to remain on the station.

When Kira informs him that her Bareil was a religious leader, Bareil laughs at the idea, telling Kira that his life as a thief is far from spiritual. But later, he joins Kira at services and attempts to learn more about the Bajoran faith in his "new" universe. Impressed, Kira invites him to join her for dinner with Worf and Dax. The evening is a huge success, and Bareil ends up spending the night with Kira.

The next morning, Bareil is exposed to the Bajoran Orb of Prophecy and Change, an experience which is both powerful and exhausting. Kira understands and sends him off for some rest. No sooner does he enter his quarters than the Intendant -- the alternate universe double of Kira -- appears and kisses him.

The Intendant presses Bareil about his feelings for Major Kira. He tells her that he thinks Kira is wonderful, but she reminds him that, as a thief, he is not worthy of her. She also reminds him of his purpose -- to steal the orb and gain the power to unite the Bajoran people in a war against the Alliance. Later, Quark remarks to Kira that her friend has a tendency to spend hours at the Bajoran temple. While she reminds him that Bareil is in the midst of a religious experience, Quark points out that he could also be planning to rob the place.

That night, Bareil attempts to steal the orb, but finds Kira waiting for him. The Intendant arrives, announcing that they are wired for transport home. Kira warns Bareil against giving the Intendant the sacred object and reminds him of the power of his orb experience. Amazingly, her words reach him. He stuns the Intendant with a phaser blast and reveals to Kira that when he looked into the orb, he saw the two of them together with a family on Bajor. Unfortunately, he still feels unworthy of Kira. Leaving the orb behind, he departs the station with the Intendant, sure he can convince her to forgive him.

Statistical Probabilities

Stardate: Unknown

With the secret of his genetically-engineered past out in the open, Bashir is asked to work with a group of others like him. Aggressive Jack, sensual Lauren, giddy Patrick, and shy Sarina are highly intelligent -- but equally dysfunctional -- and have spent their lives in an institution. It is hoped that Bashir can help them assimilate into "normal" society, and while he is initially put off by their antisocial behavior, Bashir is excited by the prospect of helping them succeed.

When Gul Damar, the new head of the Cardassian government, announces that Cardassia and the Dominion want to open peace talks with the Federation, Jack, Patrick, and Lauren put together the story of how Damar came to power -- just by watching his speech. Bashir asks Sisko for a transcript of the upcoming talks so that his charges can analyze the proceedings.

Damar and the Dominion's Weyoun appear ready to concede territories, but Bashir's group spots a problem. They determine that the enemy alliance is not mentioning a star system which contains the raw materials for ketracel-white, the drug used to control the Jem'Hadar, because they want it for themselves. Bashir presents this information, along with a dizzying array of further predictions, to Sisko. When he sees that the projected outcomes are all backed up with equations, Sisko informs Starfleet Command of the group's talents. Starfleet responds by giving them access to classified information on its battle readiness.

The savants determine that the Federation will lose the war, with casualties in the hundreds of billions. Bashir takes this grim news to Sisko, advising that the Federation surrender. Naturally, Sisko refuses, and without his endorsement, Starfleet rejects Bashir's recommendation. Hearing this news, the group decides to give the Dominion leaders information that will help them take control of the Alpha Quadrant. While the plan will save lives, Bashir refuses to participate, forcing Jack to incapacitate him.

The group arranges a meeting with Weyoun and Damar, and Sarina is left behind to guard Bashir. After convincing her to free him, Bashir alerts Odo to the impending meeting, and the plan is foiled. The savants are sent back to the institution, and Bashir takes comfort in the fact that if they couldn't foretell Sarina's defection, perhaps their predictions of doom for the Federation may also be wrong.

The Magnificent Ferengi

Stardate: Unknown

The Grand Nagus calls with news that Quark's mother, Ishka, has been captured by the Dominion. He enlists Quark to rescue her, offering a substantial reward if he succeeds. Quark persuades Rom to join the mission to save their mother, telling him that they will lie about the reward in order to keep most for themselves. The two then recruit Nog for his Starfleet expertise, while fellow Ferengis Leck, Gaila and Brunt form the rest of the team.

While running battle simulations in the holosuites, Quark realizes they have no hope of taking back Ishka by force. Rom suggests doing what Ferengis do best -- making a deal. With Sisko's blessing, Quark obtains the release of a Vorta, Keevan, from prison, and makes a deal with the Dominion to exchange him for Ishka. The team heads to Empok Nor, a deserted Cardassian space station, to make the exchange, but Keevan warns them that the Dominion intends to kill him, and will no doubt kill the Ferengi team as well.

At the station, Gaila falls asleep while he is supposed to be guarding their prisoner, and Keevan escapes. Luckily, Quark had Rom disable the ship's engines in anticipation of such a problem, so the group is able to apprehend Keevan. When they return to their base camp, dozens of Jem'Hadar soldiers are waiting for them.

Quark meets with Yelgrun, the Vorta who is holding Ishka prisoner. Yelgrun asks for Keevan, but instead of making the exchange, Quark responds with a list of demands designed to ensure his group's -- and his mother's -- safety. After some initial reservations, Yelgrun gives in, and he and Quark agree to exchange prisoners in a half hour. Quark goes back to complete the final preparations, but Rom accidentally reveals to the rest of the group that he and Quark are withholding some of the reward money. A fight ensues, and Keevan -- their bargaining chip -- is mistakenly killed.

Unwilling to leave without Ishka, Nog engineers a desperate solution -- wiring Keevan with neural stimulators so it will look as if he's still alive. When the sides exchange their prisoners, sending each to walk toward the other group, Yelgrun immediately senses something is wrong. However, by the time he calls for his guards to attack, the rest of the Ferengi team arrives and kills them. The group heads back to Deep Space Nine with Yelgrun as their prisoner, Ishka free, and Quark a hero.

Waltz

Stardate: 51413.6

En route to Gul Dukat's war crimes investigation, Sisko meets with the former Cardassian leader, now a prisoner. Dukat, who suffered a nervous breakdown over the death of his daughter, assures Sisko that he has recovered. Suddenly, the starship transporting them is destroyed by Cardassian troops. Sisko is seriously injured, but Dukat escapes with him to a nearby planet and tends to his wounds. When Sisko regains consciousness, Dukat informs him that they are stranded and he is sending out a distress signal.

Unbeknownst to Sisko, Dukat hallucinates encounters with Weyoun and Damar, who advise him to kill the Starfleet captain. Dukat reveals that he intends to -- after Sisko shows him the respect he deserves. While Dukat "talks" with his colleagues, Sisko notices that the communications system is, in fact, not sending out a signal. When Dukat returns, Sisko tests him by asking him to check the system. He does, telling Sisko the unit is working fine.

Meanwhile, Worf searches for Sisko in the Defiant, but has limited time before he must leave to escort a convoy of Federation ships. Sisko adjusts the communications system while Dukat is out, but must stop when he returns and "play along" while Dukat defends his treatment of the Bajorans. When Dukat starts "arguing" with Kira, Sisko realizes something is very wrong. He pretends to agree with Dukat, and the ruse almost works until Dukat notices that the distress signal is now on-line. He destroys the com system and attacks the defenseless Sisko.

On the Defiant, Worf runs out of time and must leave to escort the convoy, but continues searching a bit longer. Meanwhile, Dukat continues to push Sisko for his approval. Bruised and battered after Dukat's attack, Sisko invites him to talk about his experience with the Bajorans. While Dukat screams about wanting to kill them all, Sisko knocks him out with a metal bar and, despite his weakened condition, escapes to the shuttle.

Dukat recovers and follows Sisko outside, tackling him to prevent his escape. But when Sisko challenges his enemy to kill him, Dukat instead leaves Sisko behind and takes off in the shuttle, vowing to destroy Bajor. The Defiant crew then picks up Dukat's signal and finds Sisko. Dukat, however, escapes, leaving Sisko grimly aware of the battle over Bajor that is sure to come.

Who Mourns for Morn?

Stardate: Unknown

The crew is shocked to learn that Morn has been killed in an ion storm. True to form, Quark sees an opportunity for profit and throws a memorial party at his bar. Sisko interrupts with surprising news -- Morn has left Quark his entire estate. Although Morn's financial records indicate that he was broke, Quark searches Morn's quarters for hidden assets. Instead, he finds Morn's ex-wife, Larell, who tells Quark about Morn's hidden retirement fund of a thousand bars of latinum.

Quark offers Larell ten percent to keep her out of his hair, but he is unable to find the loot. He returns to his quarters to find two alien brothers, Krit and Nahsk. Claiming to be Morn's business associates, they tell Quark that Morn owes them all of the latinum. Quark tries to bargain when Nahsk smashes one of Morn's paintings over Quark's head. The two parties finally agree to a figure of fifty percent, and the brothers leave. Moments later, Quark discovers a storage locker claim slip woven into what's left of the painting.

Quark opens the locker, but finds only one bar of latinum inscribed with a message that the rest is in a bank. He hurries home to send for the rest of his inheritance, but another stranger, Hain, emerges from the shadows.

Claiming to be a security officer from Morn's home planet, Hain explains that Morn is a prince, and that his latinum is the property of the royal family! When he learns Larell is on the station, he offers Quark a reward for her capture. Later, Quark finds Larell waiting for him in his quarters. Krit and Nahsk soon show up, followed by Hain. Quark learns that their stories are all lies -- the four of them robbed a bank with Morn, who ran off with all of the money. With the statute of limitations now expired, they came to collect, and now that Quark has sent for the latinum, they no longer need him.

Quark reminds the group that he must be there to take the delivery, so they agree to split the money five ways. However, the "partners" try to double cross each other, and Quark runs for cover until Odo arrives to arrest the four thieves. He excitedly examines the latinum, only to discover that the bars are worthless gold. Resigned to his fate, Quark returns to the bar to find Morn, alive and well. He faked his own death, leaving Quark to get the others out of the way. Morn then reveals where he really hid the latinum -- he regurgitates 100 bars worth as a reward for Quark, making the whole experience a worthwhile one after all.

Far Beyond the Stars

Stardate: Unknown

After a friend's ship is destroyed and Sisko considers leaving Starfleet, he begins having visions of his crew as 1950s Americans. Bashir's examination reveals unusual synaptic patterns, but before Sisko can discuss treatment, he finds himself in 1953 New York City as Benny Russell, a writer for a science-fiction magazine. Fellow staffers resemble O'Brien, Kira, Bashir, Dax, and Quark in human form, and their editor, Pabst, looks like a human Odo. Writing assignments are given as illustrations, and each writer creates a story to fit their drawing. Benny's illustration is a crude version of Deep Space Nine.

Benny writes of Captain Benjamin Sisko and his space station, Deep Space Nine. He shows the story to his girlfriend, Cassie (Kasidy Yates) and to the others at work. While everyone is impressed, Pabst refuses to publish it, telling Sisko that his readers will not accept a Negro man as the head of a space station.

That night, Benny encounters a preacher (Joseph Sisko) who urges him to "write the words." He pens another story starring Ben Sisko, forgetting all about his date with Cassie. Later, she arrives at Benny's apartment and coaxes him to dance with her. Suddenly, he is Sisko again, dancing with Kasidy on the station. Back as Benny, he tells Cassie he fears he is becoming Captain Sisko.

Benny returns to work determined to see his stories published. Albert (O'Brien) suggests making the first story a dream, and Pabst agrees that a young Negro man's vision of a better future is acceptable. That night, Benny's celebration with Cassie turns ugly. First, the preacher warns him of trouble ahead. Then, after two malicious police officers (Dukat and Weyoun) kill a Negro teenager (Jake Sisko), they turn on Benny and beat him mercilessly.

Weeks later, the day Benny's story is to be published, Pabst breaks the news that the magazine's owner refused to distribute the issue -- and that Benny has been fired. Devastated and at the breaking point, Benny tearfully declares that Ben Sisko and his future are real and cannot be destroyed. He is taken away in an ambulance, where he finds the preacher comforting him, then he wakes up on Deep Space Nine as Sisko again. Told he was unconscious only a few minutes, his brain readings have now returned to normal. Encouraged by his dream and its message, Sisko decides to stay with Starfleet and Deep Space Nine.

One Little Ship

Stardate: 51474.2

In order to investigate a rare subspace phenomenon, Dax, O'Brien and Bashir board the runabout, Rubicon, that is shrunken to four inches long. They are both assured this effect will be reversed once they leave the anomaly. Suddenly, the Defiant, tethered to the tiny runabout, is attacked and Sisko and the others are overtaken by the Jem'Hadar. The miniature runabout and its crew survives, but they exit the anomaly through a different route -- without returning to normal size.

The runabout cannot enter the anomaly again without help, so Dax, O'Brien and Bashir pilot their vessel inside the Defiant. Meanwhile, the Jem'Hadar, unable to restore warp drive to the captured ship, force Sisko and his crew to guide them through the mechanical repairs. When the Jem'Hadar leader, First Kudak'Etan, sends away his Vorta's attack ship with assurance that the warp drive will soon be operational, Sisko seizes the opportunity to hatch a plan to retake the Defiant.

The runabout crew members find themselves in the Engine Room, where they realize the Jem'Hadar have overtaken the ship. Sisko, Worf, Kira and Nog work at the controls, trying to appear as if they are repairing the warp drive while they secretly retrace each other's steps. Dax sees that Sisko is trying to retake control of the ship from the operations console, but his plan cannot work unless Dax and her crew can pilot the runabout to the Bridge and help them from there.

They reach the Bridge, but are unable to release the command codes to transfer control to Sisko. O'Brien and Bashir leave the ship to do the job manually, with Dax beaming down oxygen molecules for them to breathe. Unaware of their crewmates' presence onboard, and feeling the time pressure bearing down, Kira continues to stall while Sisko infects the warp drive with a virus.

O'Brien and Bashir release the codes and are beamed back to the runabout. Just as Nog realizes that command functions have been transferred to Engineering, Kudak'Etan catches on to the crew's act. He prepares to put the ship in warp drive, not knowing about the computer virus. Just then, the runabout arrives, surprising the unsuspecting Jem'Hadar, and the "full-sized" crewmembers gain the upper hand. After disabling the virus, Sisko floods the ship with poison gas, subduing the remaining Jem'Hadar. The Defiant is liberated thanks to their tiny crewmates, who are soon returned to the anomaly and their normal size.

Honor Among Thieves

Stardate: Unknown

Starfleet Intelligence recruits Chief O'Brien to infiltrate the Orion Syndicate, the Alpha Quadrant's leading organized crime ring, to find a Starfleet informant. Posing as a handyman, O'Brien makes contact with a trio from the Syndicate by repairing a piece of their equipment. After researching O'Brien's fake background, Bilby, the leader of the trio, decides to bring him into his circle of associates.

O'Brien fixes some faulty rifles Bilby procured for Raimus, his superior in the Syndicate. Bilby is so impressed by O'Brien's skills and honesty that he bonds with his new acquaintance, telling him about his beloved family. After Bilby reveals the identity of the informant, he takes O'Brien to meet Raimus. At the meeting, O'Brien is surprised to see that Bilby's boss is accompanied by a Vorta. Later, when he tells his Starfleet contact, Chadwick, O'Brien's assignment is extended so that he may learn why the Dominion is involved with the Syndicate.

Proving himself as a valued member of the team, O'Brien helps his new associates rob a bank. The more time he spends with Bilby, the more he worries about the man and what will happen to him when his assignment ends. O'Brien expresses his concerns to Chadwick, who assures him that Bilby will be safest in a Federation prison -- provided Starfleet gets him before the Syndicate. But O'Brien is still troubled by the idea of betraying his friend.

Raimus and the Vorta want Bilby and his team to execute the Klingon ambassador to Farius -- using Klingon rifles to make it look as if the dignitary was killed by fellow countrymen. The Dominion hopes this will lead to the end of the Klingon alliance with the Federation. As Chadwick prepares to warn the ambassador, O'Brien realizes that the Klingons will kill Bilby and his men, so he hurries to Bilby's apartment to stop him.

O'Brien tells Bilby that he is working for Starfleet, and reveals the pending Klingon ambush. At first, Bilby refuses to believe O'Brien, but once he does, he insists on continuing with the mission, feeling it is the only way to protect his wife and children from Syndicate retribution for his mistake in trusting O'Brien. Knowing he will be killed, Bilby asks O'Brien to care for his cat, and the two men part for the last time. O'Brien returns to Deep Space Nine saddened that he has sent a friend to his death.

Change of Heart

Stardate: 51597.2

When Dax and Worf are sent to the Badlands to meet with a Cardassian double-agent, they receive an encrypted subspace transmission from Lasaran, the operative. He has information about where the Founders are located in the Alpha Quadrant, but before he will reveal anything, he wants Dax and Worf to help him defect. In three days, he plans to walk into the jungle on the planet Soukara. Since Dax and Worf will be unable to beam him off the planet, they are to rendezvous with him in the jungle. Seeing no alternative, they agree to the plan.

Dax and Worf head immediately for the Soukara system, successfully landing the runabout in the middle of the jungle. They have just under two days to reach the rendezvous point, and although this is about 20 kilometers away, they will have to penetrate the Dominion's sensors and get past their patrols.

Reconfiguring their tricorders to mask their lifesigns, Dax and Worf are able to begin their trek through the jungle. They hike the entire day, finally stopping to make camp after night falls. Despite the difficulty of the journey, it is almost like a honeymoon for the newlyweds, who enjoy talking and joking together. However, they soon realize they are in the path of a Jem'Hadar patrol.

With no way to escape, they quickly formulate a plan of attack. They manage to kill all three Jem'Hadar, but Dax is shot with a disruptor that leaves an anti-coagulant in her wound -- meaning the bleeding cannot be stopped. With the help of painkillers and regular plasma transfusions, they continue their trek, but Dax's injuries impede their progress, and eventually she loses the ability to walk.

Worf realizes that Dax's only hope for survival is surgery. Since they cannot abandon their mission, Dax and Worf both decide Worf must keep going, leaving Dax behind to die. The newlyweds share a kiss goodbye, and Worf heads off into the jungle. But as he gets farther and farther away, Worf realizes he cannot complete the mission. Instead, he rushes back to the now-unconscious Dax, reaching her just in time to save her life. Back on Deep Space Nine, he learns she will recover, but their mission is a complete loss -- Lasaran has been killed. Sisko informs Worf that, as Captain, he must tell Worf he made the wrong choice, but as a man and a husband, he probably would have done the same thing.

Wrongs Darker than Death or Night

Stardate: Unknown

On her late mother Meru's birthday, Kira receives a transmission from Gul Dukat in which he tells her that Meru, who supposedly died when Kira was three, was actually his lover for many years and left her family to be with him. When Kira's investigation fails to prove Dukat false, she asks Sisko, as the Emissary, to permit her to consult the Bajoran Orb of Time. He agrees, and Kira finds herself in the past, at a refugee center where she comes face to face with her long-lost family, who does not realize her true identity.

Kira and Meru are taken from the camp to become "comfort women" for Cardassian troops. The sight of her mother being torn from her children is painful for Kira, and she vows to help her return to her family. The women are taken to the Terok Nor space station, where, despite her sadness, Meru is overwhelmed by the bounty of food and other comforts. Later, she is singled out for special attention by Gul Dukat, the Prefect of the station.

Meru confesses to Kira that she has what she always dreamed of -- enough to eat, beautiful clothes -- but at the cost of her family. Later, Kira learns that her mother has become Dukat's mistress. When Kira confronts a guard and demands to see Meru, she is thrown out into the station's Bajoran ghetto.

Kira befriends a Bajoran named Halb, who asks her to help attack the Cardassians, but she is suddenly summoned to meet with Meru. When her mother begins singing Dukat's praises, it is too much for Kira to bear. She angrily reminds Meru that Dukat is not only responsible for killing innocent Bajorans, but also for separating her from her family. Meru explains that Dukat has promised to provide her husband and children with food and medical supplies. Kira accuses Meru of becoming a collaborator and storms out, hatching a plan with Halb to smuggle a bomb into Dukat's quarters. The blast will kill her mother, but Kira no longer cares.

Pretending to have had a change of heart, Kira returns to Dukat's quarters to apologize to Meru, then secretly hides the bomb. She is preparing to leave when Dukat gives Meru a recorded message from Kira's father. He thanks his wife for what she has done, telling her that she has saved their lives. Kira realizes that if her father could forgive her mother, she must forgive her also. She warns Dukat and Meru about the bomb, and they escape just before it detonates. Kira returns to the station with the painful knowledge that Dukat's story is true.

Inquisition

Stardate: Unknown

Internal Affairs Officer Sloan arrives on the station, announcing that there has been a possible security breach. He believes an officer may be passing information to the Dominion and promptly confines the senior staff to quarters. Later, Sloan summons Bashir for a brief interview, which appears to go well. Back in his room, however, the doctor learns that O'Brien was interrogated for two hours -- about him. Just then, Bashir is taken to a second meeting with Sloan.

Sloan questions Bashir about his time as a Dominion prisoner and picks apart the story of his incarceration and escape. He tells the doctor that because of his superior, genetically engineered mind, the Dominion may be using him as a spy without his conscious knowledge. Bashir doesn't buy the story, and Sloan angrily drags him to a holding cell.

When Sisko sits in on the next interrogation, Sloan reminds him that Bashir recently advised on surrendering to the Dominion, and that he lied about being genetically engineered. In a private meeting, Sisko asks Bashir if Sloan's theory is medically possible, and Bashir realizes that Sisko doubts his innocence. Later that night, Sloan arrives in Bashir's cell to take him to a starbase for further questioning, but the doctor is suddenly transported onto a Cardassian ship.

He is welcomed by Weyoun, who asserts that Bashir was indeed "broken" by the Dominion. Since he has no memory of being a spy, Bashir decides that Weyoun and Sloan must be working together to concoct the story. Just then, the Defiant attacks, and Kira and Worf take him back to their ship. As his fellow officers unite against him, Bashir notices something is wrong -- O'Brien suffered a recent shoulder injury but shows no symptoms. Suddenly, everything fades away. He was in a Federation holographic simulation. Now, he faces the real Sloan.

Sloan explains that he works for a secret division of Starfleet Intelligence -- Section 31 -- that eliminates dangers to the Federation without answering to anyone. They secretly took Bashir from the station and put him through a series of tests, which he passed. Bashir is horrified when Sloan invites him to join their group, then turns him down. Later, when he tells his story to Sisko, who thought the doctor was at a medical conference, Bashir gets an unwelcome assignment. Sisko surmises that Sloan will not give up hope of recruiting Bashir, and that when he returns, Bashir must join the secret unit -- as a spy for the captain.

In the Pale Moonlight

Stardate: 51721.3

Going over casualty lists, Sisko realizes there is only one hope of winning the war -- the Romulans, who signed a non-aggression pact with the Dominion -- must be convinced to join the Federation/Klingon Alliance. Sure that the Dominion will eventually invade Romulus anyway, Sisko recruits Garak to discreetly obtain evidence from Cardassia that will bring the Romulans into the war.

Sisko soon learns that several Cardassians expressed a willingness to help Garak, but all were killed within one day of speaking with him. Undaunted, Garak suggests that he and Sisko manufacture false evidence of an impending Dominion attack on Romulus, then call a secret meeting with a Romulan senator scheduled to be in the sector and present it to him. Frustration with the war convinces Sisko to agree, and when Garak recruits a condemned prisoner named Tolar to create the crucial evidence, the scheme begins.

Garak locates the Cardassian data rod necessary for the forgery, but Sisko must reluctantly trade a rare and dangerous compound for it. Then he, Garak, and Tolar get to work, creating a recording of a holographic meeting in which Weyoun, the Dominion leader, and Cardassia's Damar discuss plans to invade Romulus. Soon afterward, Senator Vreenak arrives.

Vreenak is condescending, sure that the Federation is about to fall to the Dominion. But when Sisko tells him the Dominion is planning to invade Romulus, Vreenak's mood changes. Sisko takes him to a secured holosuite and shows him the recording of the "meeting," after which Vreenak asks to examine the data rod. He later faces Sisko and announces that the rod is a fake.

A furious Vreenak leaves the station, vowing to expose Sisko to the entire Alpha Quadrant. Instead, the Romulan's shuttle explodes, killing him and damaging the forged data rod. An investigation points to the Dominion, but while the rest of his crew is ecstatic, Sisko is infuriated. He confronts Garak, who admits he suspected the rod might not pass inspection and placed a bomb on Vreenak's shuttle to guarantee the plan worked. Sure enough, it does -- the Romulan Empire formally declares war against the Dominion. Sisko is upset to have lied and cheated, but with a possible victory finally in sight, he decides it's a feeling with which he can live.

His Way

Stardate: Unknown

Bashir shows off his new holosuite program, a 1960s Vegas singer named Vic Fontaine who performs in a lounge full of martini-swilling customers. While Vic is only a hologram, he is extremely perceptive and immediately senses Odo's unrequited love for Kira. Soon afterward, Kira leaves for Bajor to visit her ex-lover Shakaar -- a move which clearly upsets Odo. He "borrows" Bashir's program and asks Vic for a little romantic advice.

After turning Odo into a tuxedo-clad piano player, Vic invites a pair of beautiful holo-showgirls into the picture. They cozy up to Odo, but he has trouble mustering up feelings for anyone but Kira. Vic reminds him that the best way to feel comfortable with Kira is to practice with these other women. After a week of Odo visiting the Holosuite, Vic introduces his pupil to Lola, a sexy holographic chanteuse who looks exactly like Kira.

At first, Odo manages to flirt quite successfully with Lola, but as he is about to kiss her, he breaks away. Odo tells Vic that he is unable to forget that Lola is just a hologram because she doesn't act like Kira. A few days later, Kira returns to the station, and Odo can barely speak to her. Deciding to play matchmaker, Vic interrupts Kira's visit to a holosuite and tells her he's aware about Odo's feelings. Then, he insists she return that night for a special dinner with Odo.

Vic tricks Odo into attending the dinner by telling him he has perfected a Kira hologram. The evening is beautiful -- Kira and Odo are dressed to the nines, and Vic serves them an elegant meal. They chat about the irony of spending their "first date" in a holosuite and even dance while Vic croons a period standard. However, as Kira talks about leaving the holosuite, Odo reveals that he thinks she is actually a hologram. When Vic sheepishly informs Odo that he has been dancing with the real Kira, Odo is embarrassed and abruptly leaves.

Believing he has blown his last chance with the woman he loves, Odo is surprised when Kira approaches him on the Promenade and insists that he meet her for dinner that night. The two argue heatedly, their passions exploding when Odo finally grabs Kira and kisses her in full view of everyone. A few days later, Odo visits Vic in the holosuite to deliver thanks for bringing him and Kira, now a couple, together.

The Reckoning

Stardate: Unknown

Sisko is called to Bajor when an ancient tablet addressing the Emissary is discovered. Seeing the tablet, Sisko launches into a vision, during which the Prophets tell him "The Reckoning" must begin. Since no one knows exactly what this means, Sisko takes the tablet back to Deep Space Nine for Dax to translate. Kai Winn arrives on the station and pushes Sisko to return it, but he refuses, convinced he is doing the will of the Prophets.

Soon afterward, the wormhole begins opening and closing. When the Kai informs Sisko that Bajor is suffering floods and tornadoes and accuses him of angering the Prophets, Sisko agrees to return the tablet on the next morning's transport. Later that night, Sisko examines the tablet one final time. He instinctively smashes it on the ground, releasing a strange vortex of violent energy.

Sisko tells Winn he believes he has done what the Prophets wanted him to do. While privately moved, she refuses to acknowledge Sisko's faith in her gods and continues to blame him for the destruction affecting Bajor. In the midst of Winn's ranting, Sisko is called to the Promenade, where Kira is ablaze with bluish energy. He realizes that she is no longer Kira, but a Prophet announcing it is time for the Reckoning.

The Kira/Prophet reveals she is to fight an epic battle with an Evil One, a Pah-wraith banished from Bajor's celestial temple. Winn is thrilled -- according to prophecy, the defeat of the Evil One will usher in Bajor's Golden Age. Feeling he has no choice but to allow the battle, Sisko orders the station evacuated. Dax and Bashir rig a panel with radiation that will force the Prophet to leave Kira's body, but Sisko insists the showdown proceed without interference. He stands by his decision even when the Pah-wraith takes over the body of his son, Jake.

Sisko watches helplessly as both Jake and Kira are wracked by the conflict. Dax suggests using the radiation, but Sisko refuses, believing that the Prophets will protect his son. When the Kai sneaks away and triggers the radiation, she ends the battle before one of the combatants is defeated. Later, Kira escorts her off the station and is shocked to hear the religious leader praising herself for saving Deep Space Nine. Kira answers her with a conviction she has never known before, telling Winn she has defied the Prophets so completely that even they may not know what it means for Bajor.

Valiant

Stardate: Unknown

En route to Ferenginar, Jake and Nog are attacked by a Jem'Hadar vessel. When they are suddenly beamed aboard the Valiant, a Defiant-class warship, Nog recognizes the crew of young adults as Red Squad, an elite corps of Starfleet cadets. The 22-year-old captain, Tim Watters, explains that his crew, originally on a training mission, became trapped in Dominion space when the war broke out. All of the regular officers were killed, but before he died, the captain ordered Watters to assume command. With Starfleet unaware of the situation, Watters is trying to complete the Valiant's mission to gather data on a new Dominion battleship. Caught up in Watters's fervor, Nog agrees to join the crew as Chief Engineer.

While Nog and Watters hit it off, the captain is less enamored of Jake, the only civilian on the ship. When a member of his crew, Chief Collins, becomes homesick after speaking with Jake, Watters calls the young Sisko into his office and warns him to stay away from her.

Nog successfully completes his first assignment, which is to adjust the Valiant's warp capabilities, by making the same modifications he once saw O'Brien make to the Defiant. He proudly tells Jake of his accomplishment, but his friend is upset that Nog joined the Squad so quickly. Their conversation is suddenly interrupted when the ship goes to Red Alert -- the target is in sight.

The crew carries out their mission without being detected, but Watters rallies them to now attempt to destroy the enemy ship. Although Jake says that the plan is too risky, Watters only has to remind the group that they're Red Squad -- capable of doing anything -- and the room erupts in cheers. Even Nog gives the plan his support. Later, Jake confronts his friend over what he believes is a suicide mission and reveals that he has spoken with Collins against orders. Watters, secretly watching on a monitor, has Jake arrested and sent to the Brig.

The battle begins, and the Valiant sustains heavy damage. When the torpedo specially rigged to destroy the Dominion ship doesn't work, the enemy retaliates by unleashing an all-out attack. Soon, Nog and Collins are the only two left standing. After freeing Jake from the Brig, the three manage to flee in an escape pod moments before the Valiant explodes. The Defiant picks up the three survivors, and Nog, shaken by the experience, resigns from Red Squad.

Profit and Lace

Stardate: Unknown

Grand Nagus Zek and Ishka, Quark and Rom's mother, arrive on the station to announce that, thanks to his relationship with the proudly feminist Ishka, Zek has added a new amendment to the Ferengi Bill of Opportunities giving females equal rights. Unfortunately, this has plunged the entire Ferengi society into chaos, Zek has been deposed as Grand Nagus, and Liquidator Brunt is now Acting Grand Nagus -- a position that will become permanent in three days. Sure that Ishka's amazing business sense will win them over, Zek invites the commissioners of the Ferengi Commerce Authority to the station, but cola magnate Nilva is the only one who agrees to a meeting.

Brunt arrives on the station and threatens to liquidate Quark and Zek. This prompts Quark to angrily confront his mother, who has a heart attack. While Bashir assures everyone she will survive, Ishka will be unable to meet with Nilva -- leaving Zek without a Ferengi female to prove gender equality is a good idea. With no other choice, Quark allows Bashir to temporarily turn him into a female.

The procedure transforms Quark into a lovely female they call Lumba, and thanks to the hormones, an emotional wreck. Between crying jags, he studies his mother's notes and practices walking and talking like a female. When Nilva arrives a day early, Zek enlists Nog to distract the commissioner.

Nilva insists on seeing Zek immediately. On the way, he and Nog run into Brunt, who spills the beans about Ishka's condition. Nog leads Nilva to Rom's quarters, promising him a meeting with Zek's other female advisor, Lumba. Instantly smitten, Nilva decides to take Lumba to dinner. Quark is charming, easily convincing the commissioner that equal rights for females will expand the Ferengi economy. Unfortunately, he is so charming that Nilva invites him back to his quarters.

While Quark desperately fends off Nilva's romantic advances, Brunt suddenly bursts in to tell Nilva that Lumba is actually a male. Quark slips out of his dress, and his hormone-enhanced body convinces his suitor that he is all woman. Nilva promises to do everything he can to ensure Zek remains Grand Nagus, and Quark, having gained new insight into the female psyche, wins back his now-recovered mother's love.

Time's Orphan

Stardate: Unknown

O'Brien is reunited with his wife, Keiko, and their two children. But during a celebratory picnic on a nearby planet, eight-year-old Molly falls into a vortex of swirling energy. When the rest of the crew arrives to help, they determine Molly slipped through a time portal that sent her back 300 years, to a time when the planet was uninhabited. They reactivate the portal and transport her out, but their calculations are off by a decade. When Molly materializes on the transporter pad, she is an 18-year-old woman.

Since she has been without human contact for ten years, Molly is like a wild animal, terrified of her parents and unable to speak. At Bashir's suggestion, a cargo bay is transformed with a tree, grass, and some boulders. There, the O'Briens begin the painful process of regaining their daughter's trust. When Keiko presents her with her favorite doll, Molly smiles for the first time.

Molly continues to make progress and learns to follow simple commands. She soon utters her first word -- "Home" -- and Keiko and O'Brien excitedly take her back to their quarters. When she shows them a photo taken at the picnic site, they realize Molly regards that planet as her home. Desperate to make his daughter happy, O'Brien recreates the spot in a holosuite. The plan works until the O'Briens must relinquish the suite to other customers. Scared by the hubbub of Quark's bar, Molly panics and stabs a customer with a broken bottle.

Sisko and Odo sadly inform O'Brien that Federation officials want Molly committed to a special care center. Knowing that forcing her to stay inside a confined facility over a long period of time will kill her, O'Brien plans to steal a runabout and take Molly to her planet. Once there, he will send her back through the time portal so no one will be able to find her. Although they will never see her again, O'Brien and Keiko know this is their only chance to save their daughter. However, they are caught before they can leave the station.

Odo comes to the scene and allows the O'Briens to proceed. They return to the planet, where they tearfully send Molly back through the vortex with her favorite doll. When Molly arrives, she recognizes her eight-year-old self hiding behind a boulder. Little Molly is frightened, but her older counterpart gives her the doll and sends her through the portal to be reunited with her family.

The Sound of Her Voice

Stardate: Unknown

Onboard the Defiant, Sisko and the crew pick up a distress signal and the voice of Captain Lisa Cusak, whose escape pod has crashed on a remote planet following the destruction of her ship. Although two-way communication has not been established, Lisa transmits her voice constantly as the crew begins the six-day trip to rescue her. O'Brien listens to the sometimes-amusing monologue and is surprised when she -- having overheard a conversation between him and Kasidy Yates -- suddenly speaks to him. Both realize contact has been established, and Lisa finally knows she will be rescued.

The stranded captain reveals she has been giving herself triox injections to compensate for the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but there is not enough to last until the Defiant arrives. Dr. Bashir advises lowering her dosage, hoping her body will be strengthened enough to help her survive. In the meantime, the crew members agree to take shifts talking to Lisa to keep her alert.

Proving to be as good a listener as she is a talker, Lisa has a great sense of humor and a refreshingly positive attitude. She advises Sisko on his romantic problems, helps O'Brien cope with his anger over the war, and even gets Bashir to forget about his work and loosen up. When Lisa runs out of triox, Bashir realizes she cannot survive more than two days -- and the Defiant is still three days away.

Determined to save his new friend, Sisko gives the risky order to deplete the phaser reserves and use the extra power to increase the ship's speed. They reach the planet's orbit just as Lisa loses consciousness, but there is more bad news -- the planet is surrounded by an energy barrier the Defiant cannot penetrate.

Sisko, O'Brien, and Bashir put their lives on the line to break through the barrier in a shuttle pod. They are able to reach the planet's surface and locate the crash site, but when they enter the cave where Lisa has taken shelter, they find a skeleton -- Lisa has been dead for over three years. O'Brien surmises that the energy barrier must have time-shifted the radio signals, enabling the captain to contact the Defiant crew three years in the future and their messages to travel back to the past. Although Lisa was dead all along, the crew members feel the loss and take her back to Deep Space Nine for an Irish wake among friends.

Tears of the Prophets

Stardate: Unknown

Starfleet Command decides to take the offensive in the war against the Dominion, and Sisko is chosen to lead the invasion of Cardassia. The first target is the Chin'toka System, picked for its diminished defenses. Unfortunately, the crew is unaware that the Cardassian/Dominion Alliance has secretly deployed hundreds of orbital weapon platforms to protect the system, and that Gul Dukat has returned claiming he has the key to destroying Sisko and the Federation.

Sisko and Klingon General Martok meet with Romulan Senator Letant and convince his people to join the invasion force. Later, the Bajoran Prophets -- the mysterious aliens who reside in the wormhole -- appear to Sisko in a vision and advise him not to go to Cardassia.

Sisko requests permission to heed the Prophets' warning, but Admiral Ross orders him to choose once and for all between his roles as the Bajoran Emissary and a Starfleet Captain. Sisko decides to proceed with leading the invasion, leaving Dax in charge of the station. Meanwhile, Dukat reveals his plan is to drive the godlike Prophets from the wormhole. Releasing an energy vortex from a Bajoran wooden figurine, his body is taken over by an evil Pah-wraith.

The invasion force reaches Cardassian space just before the defensive system becomes operational. Discovering all of the platforms are using the same power source, the crew tries to locate it. Back on the station, Dukat, possessed by the Pah-wraith, materializes in the Bajoran shrine and injures Dax critically, then destroys the sacred orb. The wormhole implodes and, at that instant, Sisko staggers back with the uneasy feeling that the Prophets are reaching out to him.

The power source is destroyed, disabling the weapon platforms and allowing Sisko's forces to invade Cardassian soil. However, their celebration is cut short by an urgent message from the station. They return, and although Dr. Bashir was able to save the Dax symbiont, Jadzia dies. Sisko, seeing that the wormhole has closed and all of the orbs have gone dark, fears that the Prophets have abandoned Bajor. Believing he has failed as both Emissary and Captain, Sisko decides he needs time to think about how to make things right. He takes a leave of absence from Deep Space Nine, returning with Jake to Earth.

Image in the Sand

Stardate: Unknown

Three months after a possessed Gul Dukat killed Jadzia Dax and sealed the wormhole, life on Deep Space Nine has changed. Kira, the acting commander, is upset when Admiral Ross informs her that the Romulans will set up a station office, while Sisko has retreated to Earth to contemplate a way of contacting the Bajoran Prophets -- the aliens who reside within the wormhole. When the vision of a woman's face, buried in the sand, appears to Sisko, he sketches her, and Jake Sisko recognizes her from one of his grandfather's photos.

Meanwhile, at the station, Kira meets Cretak, the Romulan Senator, and agrees to let her set up a hospital on an uninhabited Bajoran moon to care for wounded Romulan soldiers. Back on Earth, Sisko asks his father about the woman in the photo, but Joseph, upset, refuses to identify her. Sisko persists and Joseph acquiesces: the woman was his wife, and Sisko's mother.

Joseph explains that the woman, Sarah, left him when Sisko was a baby and later died. Because Sisko's stepmother raised him as her own, Joseph never revealed the truth. He gives Sisko a locket that once belonged to Sarah, and Sisko finds upon it an ancient Bajoran inscription that reads "The Orb of the Emissary." This causes him to wonder if another Bajoran orb exists, which would allow access to the Prophets.

Sisko realizes he must go to the planet Tyree, the setting of his original vision. But while preparing, he is stabbed by a Bajoran who is determined to stop Sisko's quest. Back on Deep Space Nine, Odo shows Kira data indicating that the Romulans are arming the Bajoran moon with plasma torpedoes. Kira demands that Cretak remove the torpedoes -- or she will.

Meanwhile, a healed Sisko explains to Jake and Joseph that his attacker was a member of a cult that worships the Pah-wraiths -- the enemies of Bajor's Prophets. Joseph realizes that if the attacker knew of Sisko's discovery, the Pah-wraiths must know as well, and Sisko could be in grave danger. He and Jake decide to accompany Sisko to Tyree. But just as the three generations of Siskos are about to leave, a young female Trill arrives at the restaurant. She is Ezri -- the new host of the Dax symbiont.

Shadows and Symbols

Stardate: 52152.6

Sisko meets Ezri, the new host of the Dax symbiont, before departing Earth for the planet Tyree with his father, Joseph, and son Jake. Ezri wishes to accompany them on their search for Bajor's mythical Orb of the Emissary, which Sisko has been led to believe exists. Back at the station, Kira prepares a blockade to stop the Romulans, who have placed weapons on a Bajoran moon. On a Klingon ship, Worf, O'Brien, Bashir, and Quark embark on a mission of their own: to destroy a Dominion shipyard, thus securing a place for the spirit of Worf's dead wife Jadzia in the sacred Klingon afterlife of Sto-vo-kor.

Sisko and his crew arrive on Tyree. Guided by his visions, they begin a long trek across the vast desert terrain. Eventually, Sisko stops and digs on a seeming whim, while his father, son, and Ezri can only watch.

Kira sets her blockade with old Bajoran ships, and four Romulan warbirds approach, just hours away; while Worf and his companions prepare to face their own danger in Jadzia's name. On Tyree, Sisko's digging uncovers an Orb ark, but dangerous visions cause him to hesitate from exposing the Orb within.

Back on the Klingon ship, Worf, having reached the star system where the shipyard is located, masterminds a plan in which his vessel will fly toward the sun and trigger a plasma ejection that will destroy the Dominion facility and illuminate the gates of Sto-vo-kor for Jadzia. Meanwhile, Sisko's visions force him to inexplicably and hastily bury the ark containing the Orb without opening it.

Worf and his comrades manage to execute their plan and demolish the shipyard -- a victory that finally allows for Jadzia's entrance into Sto-vo-kor. At the same time, Kira successfully causes the Romulans to back down. On Tyree, Ezri forces Sisko to open the ark. But when he does, an energy vortex is unleashed which opens the wormhole and expels from it the Pah-wraiths -- the enemies of the Prophets -- who sealed the anomaly. His mission successful, Sisko encounters what appears to be his dead mother Sarah. After commending him, she reveals that she is one of the wormhole aliens, who took over the real Sarah's body years ago to ensure Sisko's birth and the fulfillment of his destiny.

Afterimage

Stardate: Unknown

In addition to coping with the memories of her "past lives," Ezri Dax must deal with the range of reactions her presence generates on Deep Space Nine. Kira awkwardly tries to make conversation; Sisko is happy to have his old friend back; Quark flirts with her; and Worf, pained by the memory of his dead wife Jadzia, which Ezri's presence provokes, makes it clear he wants nothing to do with her. Elsewhere, Garak inexplicably collapses and is rushed to Bashir's care.

Worf's obvious discomfort around Ezri is one of the reasons she tells Sisko she plans to leave the station and resume her duties as a starship's assistant counselor. Seizing the opportunity, Sisko implores her to counsel Garak, who is incapacitated by a series of claustrophobic attacks. Knowing Starfleet needs Garak's expertise at decoding Cardassian military transmissions, Ezri agrees to help.

While Ezri works to get to the root of Garak's problems, Worf becomes irritated with Bashir when he sees the doctor socializing with her. Sisko offers Ezri a position as Deep Space Nine's counselor. She'd like to accept, but thinks her continued presence would make Worf too uncomfortable.

Ezri's fears are realized when a jealous Worf warns Bashir and Quark to stay away from her. Meanwhile, Garak's emotional troubles come to a head when he insults Ezri's professional skills, and argues that she's too confused about her own identity to help anyone else. Ezri is devastated by Garak's tirade, which confirms all her worst fears about herself.

Shaken by her confrontation with Garak, Ezri resolves to resign from Starfleet. But on the eve of her departure, she helps Garak realize that his decoding work has made him feel like a traitor to the Cardassian people, and he subconsciously "escaped" the task by bringing on the debilitating attacks. Garak accepts that the Dominion must be stopped, and agrees to resume the decoding. After O'Brien helps Worf see that treating Ezri badly is a dishonor to Jadzia's memory, Worf urges Ezri not to leave the station on his account. She agrees to stay, and is rewarded with a promotion to Lieutenant.

Take Me Out to the Holosuite

Stardate: Unknown

Vulcan Captain Solok brings his starship to Deep Space Nine for repairs made necessary from combat skirmishes. Convinced his all-Vulcan crew is the finest in the fleet, he challenges former classmate and longtime rival Sisko to a baseball game in the holosuite. With only two weeks to whip his team into shape, Sisko vows he's going to beat Solok -- even though Jake is the only other person residing on the station who has ever played baseball.

The training sessions are grueling. Sisko's team is plagued by injuries and inexperience. When one such injury sidelines O'Brien, Sisko makes him a coach, then pulls some strings to enlist his traveling girlfriend Kasidy Yates -- who knows how to play -- as a replacement. Unfortunately, Sisko has neither the time nor the patience to train his weaker players, and in a fit of frustration, he throws a well-meaning but inept Rom off the team.

Rom's abrupt dismissal nearly causes Sisko's squad to quit in protest, but Rom insists they continue on without him. Privately, Sisko confides in Kasidy the real reason why he's taking Solok's challenge so seriously. He recounts how Solok once humiliated him publicly when they were both in Starfleet Academy. Ever since, Solok has always gloated about Vulcan superiority in all things, and now Sisko can't bear the thought of Solok beating him at his own game.

Game day arrives. The teams gather in the holosuite. The first Vulcan who steps up to bat slams a home run -- and the game goes downhill from there. By the top of the fifth inning, Sisko's team is losing to Solok's, 7-0. Just when things couldn't get any worse, Sisko gets thrown out by Odo, who's umpiring the game.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Rom's son Nog manages to make it to third base. The crew is down 10-0 and they'd desperately like to score a run. Realizing that Rom's feelings are more important than winning, Sisko arranges to put the Ferengi into the game. Rom accidentally hits a perfect bunt, which brings Nog home and unleashes a joyous celebration -- so joyous it stops the game and disturbs Solok. Later, celebrating at Quark's, Sisko and his ebullient crew toast the triumph of team spirit over Vulcan "superiority."

Chrysalis

Stardate: Unknown

A group of genetically enhanced humans, once under Bashir's care, escape from their medical facility home in the hopes that the doctor -- who himself was genetically engineered as a child -- can cure their friend Sarina. Sarina's enhancements left her in a catatonic state, and Bashir attempts an untried procedure on her brain that initially appears to have no effect. However, a few days later, Sarina speaks for the first time.

Now cured, Sarina delights in all that she sees and hears. She's deeply grateful to Bashir for helping her, and he's moved by the sight of Sarina blossoming before his eyes. Overnight, she has gone from a state of silence to one of bliss. In some ways, it's overwhelming to Sarina, who confides that she's afraid to sleep out of fear that she could wake up the way she once was.

Hoping to expand Sarina's social circle beyond the dysfunctional friends who brought her to the station, Bashir takes her out to Quark's, where she charms the doctor and everyone around her. Later, Bashir acknowledges that Sarina no longer belongs in the medical facility to which her friends must soon return, and smitten with her, he kisses Sarina tenderly.

Bashir tells O'Brien that Sarina is the woman of his dreams. For years, he has longed to meet a genetically engineered person, like himself, who is able to live a normal life. O'Brien is concerned that things are moving too quickly, but Bashir won't hear of it. He asks Sarina to go away with him for a week. Becoming more and more overwhelmed by the sudden changes in her life, she nevertheless agrees. Yet when she stands him up for dinner, Bashir is stunned to find Sarina in her quarters, reverted to her original unresponsive state.

When he can't determine why Sarina has relapsed, Bashir asks her genetically enhanced friends for help. They inform him that Sarina can still talk -- but for some reason she's afraid. Eventually, Sarina confesses the truth behind her fear -- she cannot be the woman Bashir wants. He realizes that in his loneliness, he pushed her into something for which she wasn't ready. Knowing he must let her discover life on her own, Bashir bids Sarina a reluctant farewell.

Treachery, Faith, and the Great River

Stardate: Unknown

Odo is lured to a secret meeting site, where he finds himself face to face with Weyoun, the Vorta leader of the enemy Dominion. Weyoun announces that he's decided to defect and, in exchange for asylum, he promises to provide valuable information that could help the Federation win the war. After the two board Odo's runabout, the ship is hailed by the Cardassians. Odo is shocked when the monitor displays Weyoun standing beside Damar.

The Weyoun Odo has taken aboard the runabout is actually a clone known as WV-Six, while the "real" Weyoun -- the seventh clone -- is still loyal to the Dominion cause. When WV-Six defies Weyoun's order to activate his termination implant, and Odo refuses to turn him over, Damar and Weyoun vow to destroy the Federation ship. But WV-Six doubts the verity of Weyoun's threat -- for Odo is a Founder, the race worshipped by the Vorta. Nonetheless, Damar summons the Jem'Hadar, and they besiege the Federation craft with gunfire.

WV-Six informs Odo of the attacking ship's weakness, and Odo destroys it. While awaiting the enemy's next move, WV-Six explains why his people worship Odo's race: the Founders transformed WV-Six's ape-like ancestors into powerful beings. Odo responds by pointing out that the Founders are also responsible for a war that has killed millions. WV-Six reveals a stunning fact: the Founders are dying from a sickness that is spreading rapidly through their ranks.

Weyoun explains that because Odo left his people long ago, he is the only Changeling not infected by the virulent disease. WV-Six expresses his hope that Odo will use the opportunity to build a new, more peaceful Dominion. After Odo hides the runabout inside a frozen comet, four more Jem'Hadar ships attack and blast their way through the icy field.

Odo tries to outrace the ships, but the runabout is subjected to constant pounding. To call off the attackers and save Odo, WV-Six contacts Weyoun and Damar, then activates the termination implant. Before WV-Six dies, he asks for, and receives, Odo's reluctant blessing. Back at the space station, Odo worries about the future: though his people are dying, they are still the enemy. Regardless of the war's winner, Odo is destined to lose.

Once More Unto the Breach

Stardate: Unknown

Worf is surprised to be paid a visit by Kor, an aging Klingon war hero. Kor admits that his ambition has earned him countless enemies, and that consequently he has been unable to secure the command of a ship. Worf promises to find him a military command, and approaches General Martok with the request -- which is angrily refused. Martok explains that years earlier Kor had denied Martok officer status because he was descended from a common house. Undaunted, Worf appoints Kor as a third officer on the Ch'Tang, Martok's flagship, where he is treated with awe by the crew -- much to Martok's chagrin.

Back at the space station, Quark overhears Ezri talking to Kira, and mistakenly believes Ezri wants to reunite with Worf. Meanwhile, the animosity between Martok and Kor intensifies as the crew of the Ch'Tang leads a group of Klingon ships on an attack of Trelka V.

In the heat of the battle, both Martok and Worf are knocked unconscious. Kor immediately takes command of the ship. Unfortunately, the aging Klingon becomes delusional, believing he's fighting a battle from the past, and nearly destroys the Ch'Tang. Martok regains consciousness in time to save his ships, and orders Kor off the Bridge.

At the station, Jake urges Quark to tell Ezri that Worf is not the man for her, while Worf, on the ship, confronts Kor over his erratic behavior. He informs Kor that he's no longer up to the challenge of active duty, and removes him from the personnel roster. Although Martok and his officers taunt Kor, Martok admits that he finds no joy in Kor's downfall -- however, there's no time to contemplate the sad turn of events when ten Jem'Hadar warships begin pursuing the Klingon vessels.

Knowing that their only hope for escape is to engage the warships in battle using a single Klingon ship as a decoy, Worf prepares to lead an attack that will mean certain death for him. Martok's aide Darok overhears the plan, and relays it to Kor, who intercepts Worf on his way to battle, then tranquilizes him with a hypospray. Kor beams himself aboard the designated ship, where he dies a warrior's death in a fierce battle which inspires the respect of Martok and his crew. For his part, Quark is delighted when he learns that Ezri has no interest in reuniting with Worf after all.

The Siege of AR-558

Stardate: Unknown

While making a supply run to the front lines, on the barren planet AR-558, Sisko encounters Starfleet troops that have been decimated during their five-month occupation of the largest Dominion communications array in the sector. If they can figure out how it works, Starfleet will be able to tap into Dominion transmissions. In addition to daily skirmishes with the enemy, the shell-shocked forces are constantly threatened by "Houdinis" -- anti-personnel mines that "hide" in subspace, then explode without warning. Determined to help commanding officer Nadia Larkin and her troops, Sisko stuns his crew by announcing that they're staying at the site indefinitely.

The situation is grim. Jem'Hadar forces send in holographic soldiers, which draw Starfleet fire, to determine troop strength without risking casualties. Sisko decides to take action. He orders Ezri and Larkin's chief engineer Kellin to devise a way of exposing the invisible Houdinis, and against Quark's wishes, sends Nog, Larkin and a battle-hardened soldier named Reese on a scouting patrol to pinpoint the enemy's location.

Nog is instrumental in discovering the Jem'Hadar camp, where troops outnumber Sisko's forces by three to one. But while heading back to report their findings, Larkin is killed by an enemy phaser bolt and Nog is struck down. Reese rushes the injured Ferengi back to base camp, where Quark later angrily informs Sisko that Nog will lose his leg.

While Nog recuperates at a makeshift infirmary, Ezri and Kellin are able to materialize the Houdinis. Rather than disarm the mines, Sisko has them relocated to the ravine through which the enemy must pass to reach the outpost. The first wave of Jem'Hadar soldiers is destroyed when they try to attack, but soon, a swarm of enemy warriors invades the site.

As the Jem'Hadar charge continues, Starfleet troops engage in hand-to-hand combat to defend their position: Kellin dies while saving Ezri's life; Quark kills a soldier who bursts into Nog's room; and Sisko rescues Bashir from a nearly fatal attack. Later, when the battle is over and fresh reinforcements arrive, allowing Reese and the other survivors to leave, Sisko reflects on the human toll that's been paid to retain control of the outpost, and on the importance of never forgetting the soldiers who have died.

Covenant

Stardate: Unknown

Vedek Fala, a Bajoran monk and Kira's former teacher, pays her an unexpected visit. He gives Kira a crystal which transports her to Empok Nor, where, to her horror, she is met by her old enemy Dukat -- a Cardassian who oversaw the occupation of Bajor. He is now the leader of a Bajoran religious faction which worships the Pah-wraiths -- the corporeal enemies of Bajor's Prophets. Dukat wants Kira to join his followers on the abandoned Cardassian space station.

Although Kira is suspicious of Dukat's motives, Pah-wraith convert Fala tries to convince her that the Cardassian has changed. While being held against her will, Kira meets Dukat followers Mika and Benyan, a Bajoran couple who were granted his permission to have the first baby on Empok Nor. The community's devotion to Dukat becomes clear when Kira takes aim at him with a stolen phaser, and residents shield him with their bodies, then knock her unconscious.

When Kira regains consciousness, she confronts Dukat about his long affair with her mother during the Bajoran occupation, and is stunned when he expresses regret. Their conversation is cut short by word that Mika is in labor. To everyone's surprise, Mika's baby is half-Bajoran and half-Cardassian. Dukat proclaims that the infant is a miraculous, living symbol of his covenant with the Bajoran people, though Kira is certain Dukat fathered the child.

While Kira questions Fala and Benyan about the baby's paternity, Dukat meets with Mika, who fears she won't be able to keep the explosive secret that they slept together. Desperate to cover his tracks, Dukat sets up an "accident" which nearly claims Mika's life. Kira saves her, and in front of Dukat's followers, accuses him of impregnating Mika. In response, Dukat announces that the Pah-wraiths want the group to join them -- by committing mass suicide.

Kira is locked in a room while Dukat proceeds to the temple, where his followers are ready to ingest poisonous capsules. Kira escapes, interrupts the deadly ceremony and exposes Dukat as a fraud who never intended to kill himself. After Dukat flees, a disillusioned Fala takes a fatal capsule, and the Defiant arrives to rescue Kira and the other remaining followers.

It's Only a Paper Moon

Stardate: Unknown

After losing his leg in battle, a somber Nog returns to the space station to recuperate. The crew try their best to cheer him up, but the young ensign is struggling, both emotionally and physically, to cope with his disability, even though his new biosynthetic leg works perfectly. After pushing away those who try the most diligently to help, Nog decides to take his medical leave in the holosuite world of 1962 Las Vegas lounge singer Vic Fontaine.

Although Rom is skeptical of his son's decision, Ezri supports Nog's desire to escape for a period. Ezri briefs the holographic Vic on Nog's condition, and explains that although Nog seems to depend on a cane, the problem is purely psychological. That evening, Nog is upset to find Jake and his date Kesha in Vic's lounge. Nog's sensitivity about his handicap erupts in an angry outburst, and he punches Jake. In response, Vic throws Nog out of his club.

A chastened Nog apologizes to Vic and offers to straighten out the singer's tangled financial affairs. Later, Ezri comes looking for Nog to discuss the incident, and to persuade him to leave the illusory world of the holosuite. Nog refuses, and threatens to resign his commission if Ezri tries to force him out. What's more, Nog announces his plan to expand Vic's "business" by building a new casino.

While observing Nog from a discreet distance, Ezri notices that he's no longer limping, nor does he need to use a cane. He's even upbeat when Rom and Leeta visit him at the club. Ezri congratulates Vic on Nog's progress, but intimates that it's time for Nog to come back to reality. Vic picks up Ezri's cue and tells Nog to leave. When he protests, Vic abruptly ends the program.

At first, Nog tries to reactivate the holosuite, but O'Brien informs him that Vic controls the program. Vic reappears, and despite Nog's reluctance to leave the safety of Vic's virtual world, the singer convinces Nog that he must. Later, Nog visits Vic to thank him for his help, and to surprise Fontaine with the news that his uncle Quark has agreed to keep Vic and his holosuite club running around the clock -- in essence, giving the lounge singer a "real" life.

Prodigal Daughter

Stardate: Unknown

Sisko is furious when he learns O'Brien has vanished while on a secret trip to New Sydney, where he was searching for the widow of a criminal named Bilby, whom he befriended while undercover. Because Ezri's family owns a mining operation in the system, Sisko asks her to help find O'Brien. Ezri returns home, where she's reunited with her domineering mother, Yanas Tigan -- a shrewd businesswoman -- and her brothers Norvo and Janel, who work for the business.

Ezri's visit allows her to catch up with Norvo, a sensitive artist unsuited for the mines and ruled by his mother's iron hand. Ezri's heated criticism of Yanas' tyrannical treatment of Norvo is cut short by the arrival of O'Brien, who's been rescued by the local police from a run-in with the Orion Syndicate, of which Bilby was an operative. He announces that he found Morica Bilby -- dead.

O'Brien contends that Bilby's wife was killed by the Syndicate, a theory dismissed by a police lieutenant who insists that the criminals would never murder the widow of one of their own. Later, a self-described "commodities broker" named Bokar sees O'Brien in the mines and warns Janel that O'Brien's life will be in danger if he doesn't leave immediately.

Sensing Bokar may be a member of the Syndicate, O'Brien acquires Ezri's permission to check the mining company's financial records. He's stunned to learn that Morica Bilby was on the Tigan payroll at the time of her death -- a fact which links the Syndicate to Ezri's family. O'Brien informs a disbelieving Ezri that someone close to her may be involved in Morica's murder.

Ezri orders O'Brien to withhold his findings from the police until she speaks with her family. Confronted with the truth, Janel admits that Morica was on the payroll as a favor to Bokar and the Syndicate, which bailed the mining company out of a financial crisis, but he denies killing Morica. Angered that her son struck such a corrupt deal behind her back, Yanas doubts his innocence. To everyone's surprise, Norvo confesses, saying he took action after Morica tried to extort more money from the family. As a result, Norvo is sentenced to 30 years in prison, while Yanas is left wondering what role she played in his downfall.

The Emperor's New Cloak

Stardate: Unknown

Grand Nagus Zek, the ruler of the Ferengi empire and paramour to Quark and Rom's mother, disappears while on a business trip to the mirror universe. Ezri's counterpart from that universe delivers word that Zek is a prisoner of the evil Alliance and will be killed unless Quark can secure a cloaking device, which renders a ship invisible. Quark and Rom steal one from a Klingon vessel, then accompany Ezri back to the mirror universe to retrieve Zek

Once there, Rom, Ezri and Quark are held captive by Bashir and O'Brien's mirror universe doubles, who are rebels in the resistance movement against the Alliance. The two intercept the cloaking device before it falls into the hands of the enemy, but later, a mirror universe Ferengi named Brunt retrieves the device and frees Quark and his fellow captives.

Quark, Ezri, Rom and Brunt bring the cloaking device to the Alliance leader -- Worf's counterpart -- who rules from his Klingon flagship. With possession of the device, the Alliance will soon be able to crush the rebellion. Unfortunately, Worf, known in this universe by the title of Regent, not only refuses to turn Zek over in exchange for the coveted mechanism, he throws Quark and Rom into Zek's prison cell. The mercenary Ezri has betrayed them.

Brunt tries to convince Ezri to lobby the Intendent, Kira's mirror universe double, for Quark and Rom's release. The Intendent then kills Brunt, branding him a traitor. Rom is called in to activate the cloaking device, and Ezri hints that compliance is the key to Quark and Rom's survival. Yet as soon as the device is operational, the Regent orders his enforcer Garak to kill the prisoners.

Meanwhile, with Bashir and O'Brien in pursuit of Rom and Quark, the Regent orders an attack on the rebels' ship, which the cloaked Klingon vessel has been trailing. But once the assault begins, Worf's ship loses power: Rom sabotaged its primary systems when he activated the cloaking device. Following her conscience, Ezri prevents Garak from killing Quark and Rom, while O'Brien and Bashir force the Regent to surrender. Although Ezri allows the Intendent to escape, Quark and Rom are assured a safe return home with Zek.

Field of Fire

Stardate: Unknown

A young lieutenant named Ilario is found dead in his quarters. An investigation reveals he was shot by a TR-116 rifle, a weapon developed but never mass-produced by Starfleet. Meanwhile, Ezri confronts one of Dax's previous incarnations in a dream: Joran, a self-professed murderer, urges Ezri to channel his disturbing memories and enable him to assist her in apprehending Ilario's killer. When Ezri awakens, she learns that a second murder has occurred.

The latest victim is a science officer who was also fatally shot by a bullet from a TR-116. Sisko enlists Ezri's aid in tracking the sniper, who seems to be targeting officers. Desperate to end the killing spree, Ezri summons Joran in the hope that he can help her understand the murderer's mind and thereby stop him.

Ezri finds it disturbing to work with Joran, a remorseless predator who exhorts her to tap into her killer instincts. Joran directs Ezri to the slain officers' quarters to search for clues which could provide insight into the killer's psychology, but she finds nothing suspicious. Later, in Quark's, Ezri sees an officer being pursued by Security. Assuming he's the murderer, the angry Ezri knocks him to the ground and raises a knife to stab him, but Odo disarms her.

Shaken by the realization that she almost killed a man -- who turns out to be unrelated to the slayings -- Ezri is then rocked by the news that a third officer has been murdered. Ezri and Joran investigate the latest victim's room, and Ezri uncovers the link between them all: each is laughing in photos displayed in their own respective quarters. She surmises that the killer is probably a Vulcan who was traumatized by an extreme personal loss which exacerbated his or her natural distaste for those who show such emotions as laughter. Later, Joran spots a Vulcan science officer and coolly informs Ezri that he is the killer.

Ezri identifies the Vulcan as Chu'lak, and learns he recently survived a devastating massacre by the Jem'Hadar. Spurred on by Joran, Ezri shoots Chu'lak after he takes aim at her with a TR-116. The wounded Vulcan confesses to the murders, but rather than finish him off as Joran urges, Ezri summons medical aid. With the case closed, Ezri reburies Joran's memories within her, knowing she must remain vigilant about her submerged violent instincts.

Chimera

Stardate: Unknown

Odo returns from a conference with an unexpected guest: a Changeling who tracked and boarded his runabout. Odo recognizes him as one of "the hundred" shapeshifters who were, like himself, sent out as infants into the galaxy to learn about other species. Back at the station, Sisko warily releases the visitor to Odo's custody. The Changeling, known as Laas, queries Odo about their unique species -- with which Laas has made no contact since his infancy -- and "the Link," a Changeling ritual that allows shapeshifters to meld with one another and thereby form a single, sentient collective entity.

After Odo informs Kira that he has linked with Laas, Kira, worried that Laas may be a Founder intending to lure Odo back to the Dominion ranks, asks to meet him. Odo introduces Laas to Kira, Bashir, Ezri and O'Brien. Unfortunately, Laas mistrusts humanoids, insisting to Odo that, in all of his prior encounters, they have been intolerant of shapeshifters, and he consequently treats the four with blatant hostility. Privately, Laas urges Odo to join him in seeking out "the hundred" to form a new Link that will allow them to live freely as Changelings.

When Odo recounts the conversation with Kira, she's troubled by the fact that Odo didn't refuse Laas' offer outright, though Odo assures her he's happy, and decides he will stay. Later, after being harassed for changing form in public, Laas argues heatedly with a pair of Klingons who brutally attack him. Angered and defensive, Laas fatally stabs one of them.

Odo learns that the Klingons plan to prosecute Laas for the murder. He suspects the case is driven by anti-Changeling prejudice, and protests that Laas will never get a fair trial. When Odo visits Laas in his holding cell, the Changeling taunts Odo by claiming that he is accepted by his friends only because he has assumed their form. Talking with Kira, Odo admits that he sometimes wonders what it might be like to live among his own people. Wanting Odo to be happy, Kira allows Laas to escape from his cell.

While Sisko orders a massive search for the fugitive, Kira tells Odo where he can find Laas. Odo goes to Laas' hiding place, but to the Changeling's dismay, Odo explains that he's not going with him because he loves Kira. Laas departs alone to continue his search, and Odo returns to Kira's waiting arms.

Badda-Bing Badda-Bang

Stardate: Unknown

While relaxing in Vic's Las Vegas holosuite lounge, O'Brien and Bashir are surprised by the arrival of mobster Frankie Eyes, who announces that he's bought Vic's hotel. After Frankie fires Vic, the crew learns that Frankie was written into the holosuite program by Vic's designer. Upset by Frankie's treatment of Vic, and by the knowledge that the lounge's atmosphere will now change, the crew decides it must rid the program of Frankie. But to accomplish this task, they realize, he must be eliminated in a way that is period-specific to Fontaine's era: 1962. The task takes on greater urgency when Vic is beaten up.

Vic reveals that he was assaulted by Frankie's bodyguard Cicci. Eager to discover Frankie's weak spot, Odo and Kira go undercover in the casino to do some research. Frankie takes a liking to Kira, and while the two flirt, Odo learns that Frankie works for crime boss Carl Zeemo, who expects to receive from Frankie a large skim of the hotel's huge daily profits. The crew hatches a plan to rob the casino, hoping it will cause Zeemo to "bump off" Frankie in retaliation.

The plot is set in motion when the crew infiltrates the casino staff, and Vic convinces Frankie to let him bring his high rolling contacts into the casino -- who, unbeknownst to Frankie, are Starfleet officers! Meanwhile, Sisko resents Kasidy's participation in the plan, admitting he hasn't visited Vic's because of how blacks were treated in Las Vegas in the 1960s. She urges him to reconsider, citing as reason the comfort she and Jake have both felt in the lounge, and soon Sisko agrees to play a pivotal role as a big-money gambler.

Vic walks the crew through their complex plan, to be executed the following night while Zeemo is in town, and which allows them only six minutes to pull off the heist. Though all crew members are well-prepared for their roles, the actual evening presents several glitches to the plan -- most notably when Nog discovers that the lock on the safe is of a different make than expected. While he struggles to crack the lock, Zeemo arrives early to pick up his cash.

Noticing Zeemo's premature entrance, Vic does his best to stall him, while the other crew members fabricate enough stories and distractions to allow a successful Nog and Odo to slip away with the cash. After Zeemo discovers an empty safe, his thugs lead Frankie and Cicci out of the casino -- leaving Vic to his cherished role as lounge owner and the crew to theirs as satisfied patrons.

Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges

Stardate: Unknown

On the eve of Dr. Bashir's departure for a conference on the Romulan homeworld, he's visited by Sloan, the director of Section 31, a secret and unsanctioned extremist entity within Starfleet Intelligence.

Sloan asks a reluctant Bashir to gather information on the Romulan leadership. Bashir reports the request to Sisko, who worries that although Starfleet Command has officially condemned Section 31, someone in its membership may actually be protecting the group. After consulting with Admiral Ross, Sisko advises Bashir to play along with Sloan in order to determine Sloan's motivations.

En route to the conference, Bashir and Ross run into Sloan, who is posing under an assumed identity. Later, Sloan gives Bashir the job of diagnosing whether or not Koval, a key Romulan who opposes the Federation Alliance, is suffering from a degenerative disorder. Sloan hopes to use that knowledge to block Koval's assignment to the Romulans' powerful Continuing Committee.

Shortly after arriving on Romulus, Bashir meets Koval. When Sloan queries Bashir about Koval's health, it becomes clear to Bashir and Ross that Sloan plans to assassinate Koval by accelerating his illness. Ross vows to arrest Sloan to prevent the deadly plot from moving forward, but to Bashir's dismay, Ross is apparently felled by an aneurysm before detaining Sloan.

With Ross incapacitated, Bashir shares his suspicions about Sloan's intent to assassinate Koval with Senator Cretak, and presses her to access top secret documents from Koval's database to help thwart the murder. Meanwhile, a wary Koval turns the tables on Bashir by luring him into an interrogation, where he uses painful, but ineffective, tactics to ascertain for whom the doctor is working.

Bashir is brought before the Continuing Committee, where he learns that Cretak was arrested for trying to tap into Koval's database. What's more, Bashir is led to believe that Section 31 is nothing more than an elaborate cover for Sloan's personal desire to avenge the death of his mentor. But after Sloan is vaporized by Koval while trying to escape, Bashir confronts Ross. The admiral admits that Koval is a Romulan "mole" working for the Federation and that Sloan is still alive -- and still running Section 31, which "officially" doesn't exist.

Penumbra

Stardate: 52576.2

As Sisko revels in the purchase of Bajoran land, where he hopes to finally build his dream house, word reaches the station that Worf is missing in action after a fierce battle with the Dominion. Due to strategic concerns, Sisko calls off the search party before Worf can be found. Overcome by memories of Jadzia's life with Worf, Ezri steals a runabout and goes in search of Worf herself.

Sisko orders Ezri to return, but she refuses -- and instead traces a possible route Worf may have taken in his escape pod. That evening, Sisko shows Kasidy a model of his dream home and asks her to marry him. She joyously accepts. Meanwhile, Ezri locates Worf's pod and beams him aboard.

At Dominion headquarters, the rapidly deteriorating Female Shapeshifter makes it clear to Weyoun that she expects him to find a cure for the disease plaguing her people. Aboard the station, Jake is honored when Sisko asks him to be his best man. Traveling in the runabout, Ezri's strained attempts to converse with Worf are interrupted by an attack from the Jem'Hadar. Forced to abandon ship, they beam safely down to a planet in the Goralis system, but neglect to pack the equipment necessary for alerting the station to their location.

Sisko and Kasidy discover that their plans for a simple wedding may go awry because the Bajorans expect the captain, whom they consider their Emissary, to hold a lavish ceremony. Meanwhile, Dukat unexpectedly appears in Damar's quarters on Cardassia to request a favor. After several days stranded alone on Goralis, Worf and Ezri's conflicting emotions culminate in a passionate encounter. Later, they're confronted by two Breen soldiers, who open fire with their phaser rifles, blasting the two -- who fall to the ground unconscious.

Worf and Ezri awake in a cell aboard a Breen ship, unsure of why they've been taken prisoner. In the meantime, Dukat, now surgically altered to look like a Bajoran, plots his next move. Back at the station, Sisko is summoned by the Sarah Prophet, who warns him that he must not marry Kasidy. After Sisko protests, she ominously announces that his greatest trial is about to begin.

'Til Death Do Us Part

Stardate: Unknown

Kai Winn arrives at the station to "assist" Sisko with his wedding, and he admits the Prophets warned he would face a great trial in his future. Later, Winn has a long-awaited vision from the Prophets, who reveal that a "Guide" will soon visit her; the Prophets hope that, together, the two will lead Bajor's Restoration. Shortly before Sisko tells Kasidy that they must call off their wedding, Dukat, surgically altered to look like a Bajoran, appears on the Promenade.

Devastated by the break-up, Kasidy prepares to leave the station. Winn offers her regrets to Sisko, but happily reveals that the Prophets spoke to her in a vision. Meanwhile, Ezri and Worf are still being held captive by Breen soldiers, who drag Worf out of his cell. Posing as a simple farmer named Anjohl, Dukat calls on Winn, and convinces her that he is the Guide the Prophets promised.

Sisko confides in Kira about why he can't marry Kasidy, and she supports his decision to follow the will of the Prophets. Meanwhile, Weyoun and the Female Shapeshifter, who still suffers from the disease that is killing her people, travel on a Jem'Hadar battleship to a rendezvous point. Worf is returned to his cell after being tortured by Breen interrogators, who take away Ezri.

Kai Winn dines with Dukat, and is pleased when Dukat makes it clear that he doesn't understand why Sisko has been chosen as their Emissary. She's also astonished when Anjohl "reveals" that she had a hand in saving his life during the Cardassian occupation of Bajor; this news only further validates Winn's belief that the two are part of the Prophets' greater plan. Later, Dukat goes to Winn's quarters to report a sign from the Prophets, then they kiss.

Unwilling to lose the woman he loves, Sisko defies the Prophets and again proposes to Kasidy -- who makes him promise he won't change his mind this time. The Sarah Prophet warns Sisko that, should he proceed with the marriage, he will know only sorrow -- but he marries Kasidy in a hasty ceremony anyway. As the Jem'Hadar ship speeds toward its destination, Breen soldiers are transported with Worf and Ezri to the Jem'Hadar bridge. They are shocked when Weyoun announces the birth of an alliance between the Dominion and the Breen.

Strange Bedfellows

Stardate: Unknown

Worf and Ezri are beamed aboard a Jem'Hadar ship, where the Female Shapeshifter and Thot Gor, the respective leaders of the new Dominion-Breen alliance, prepare to sign a treaty designed to destroy the Federation and end the war. However, Damar objects to signing it because of concessions, made to Thot Gor, which could harm Cardassia. Meanwhile, Kai Winn and Dukat seal their bond by pledging to restore Bajor -- even if the Emissary stands in their way.

Kasidy has difficulty adjusting to her new role as the Emissary's wife, and is frustrated when Sisko asks her to preside over a special blessing ceremony. On Cardassia, Ezri and Worf learn that Weyoun and Damar plan to put them to death. Enraged, after being taunted with the possibility that Ezri may harbor feelings for Bashir, Worf kills Weyoun. Back at the station, Winn has a disturbing vision of the evil Pah-wraiths -- the enemies of her people's Prophets.

Already skeptical of the new alliance, Damar is uncomfortable when the new Weyoun clone allows Thot Gor classified access, while elsewhere, Worf and Ezri break out of their cell, but are quickly apprehended. On Deep Space Nine, Kasidy discusses her situation with Kira, and Bashir leads O'Brien to believe he's attracted to Ezri. In Winn's quarters, she angrily orders Dukat to leave after he urges her to turn away from the Prophets and worship the Pah-wraiths.

Eager to prove her loyalty to the Prophets, Winn summons Kira, who advises her to step down. Back on Cardassia, a devastating battle for Cardassian troops leaves Damar feeling betrayed by the alliance. Later, on the eve of their execution, Ezri asks Worf if he loves her, but he evades the question.

To Sisko's delight, Kasidy agrees to preside over the special ceremony. O'Brien gets Bashir to admit he cares for Ezri, while Worf confesses he doesn't love Ezri as he loved Jadzia. Ezri, however, realizes she has feelings for Bashir. But as they're led to the execution chamber, Damar shocks them by arranging an escape route and imploring the two to tell the Federation they have an ally on Cardassia. On the station, the balance of power shifts yet again when Kai Winn, convinced she's been abandoned by the Prophets, tells Dukat she's ready to walk the path of the Pah-wraiths -- and the two villains vow to overcome all foes.

The Changing Face of Evil

Stardate: Unknown

While Dominion and Breen commanders exult in their sneak attack, their supposed ally -- Cardassian leader Damar -- secretly plots to free his homeland from Dominion occupation. Meanwhile, on Bajor, Dukat tells Kai Winn she must release the Pah-wraiths -- the non-corporeal enemies of her people's gods -- from the planet's fire caves by reading the ancient forbidden text of the Kosst Amojan.

Ezri Dax and Worf discuss Ezri's attraction to Bashir, and she wrestles with telling Bashir how she feels. Ignoring the warnings of her assistant Solbor, Winn opens the Kosst Amojan, and is surprised to find blank pages inside. Dukat thinks it's a trick, but Winn believes the words are just hidden and she must determine how to reveal them.

At Quark's, Bashir asks Ezri why she's been avoiding him since her return, but he's called away before Ezri can confess her feelings. A short time later, Sisko receives word that the Breen have launched a counteroffensive against the Federation's lone foothold in Dominion territory: the Chin'toka System.

Sisko and his crew depart on the Defiant to rendezvous with Federation ships in the Chin'toka System. Winn is upset that she still hasn't found the answers she needs in the sacred texts, while in Damar's quarters, he makes final preparations for the Cardassian offensive. The Female Shapeshifter and Weyoun head to the Chin'toka System to observe the Breen-Federation showdown.

During a fierce battle with the Breen, the crew is forced to abandon ship. Although they escape unharmed, the Federation loses its Cardassian foothold -- and the Defiant is destroyed. Back on Bajor, Winn murders Solbor after he exposes Dukat's true identity and their devotion to the Pah-wraiths. When drops of Solbor's blood fall on the pages of the Kosst Amojan and reveal Bajoran writing, Dukat urges Winn to seize the power the Pah-wraiths are offering her. The crew monitors a transmission by Damar, who announces that Cardassian rebels have attacked Dominion outposts. Sisko knows that the Federation must help Damar, who could be the key to saving the Alpha Quadrant.

When It Rains...

Stardate: Unknown

Eager to aid Damar's rebel movement on his homeworld against the Dominion, Sisko orders Kira to put her antipathy for the Cardassian aside and train his staff in resistance tactics. Bashir asks Odo to assist in his medical project by donating the Changeling-equivalent of a skin sample. On Bajor, Kai Winn studies the forbidden text of the Kosst Amojan to learn how to release the evil Pah-wraiths. Hoping to ease Cardassian sentiment against the Bajoran Kira, Sisko gives her a Starfleet commission and uniform.

Damar and his Cardassian assistant Gul Rusot await Kira's arrival, realizing she has the skills they need to prevail. General Martok prepares to be inducted into the Klingon Order of Kahless by Chancellor Gowron. Bashir and Ezri meet, but he incorrectly assumes she loves Worf. Studying Odo's sample leads Bashir to conclude that Odo is infected with the deadly Founders' disease.

Although shaken by Bashir's findings, Odo insists he and Kira proceed with the Cardassian mission. In Kai Winn's office, Dukat is blinded when he sneaks a look at the Kosst Amojan. Hoping to find a cure, Bashir unsuccessfully tries to get Odo's medical records from Starfleet Medical. Following Martok's induction, Gowron betrays him by overtaking his command of the Klingon forces.

At the rebel outpost, Damar's staff bristles at some of Odo and Kira's strategic advice. With Sisko's help, Bashir secures Odo's medical file, only to realize it's fake. To their horror, O'Brien and Bashir theorize Odo's records were altered by Section 31, an insurrectionary group within Starfleet, which doesn't want Bashir to cure the disease. Later, one of Damar's officers tries to provoke Kira by reminding her of Odo's past "collaboration" with the enemy, while privately, Odo notes the first signs of the deadly disease taking hold.

Kai Winn puts the blind Dukat on the streets as punishment for defying the Pah-wraiths. Martok is shocked when Gowron, hoping to restore the glory of the Klingon Empire, selfishly proposes sending far-outnumbered Klingon troops into Domionion territory. Bashir suspects Section 31 created the virus and infected Odo as a carrier in a genocidal plot. With O'Brien's help, Bashir vows to discover the cure he feels certain Section 31 has in its possession.

Tacking Into the Wind

Stardate: Unknown

While Kira reviews tactical plans with the Cardassian Resistance leaders, Odo returns from a mission, weakened by the disease that's ravaging his race. At the station, Bashir works through the night, trying to find a cure for Odo, while Sisko reproves Chancellor Gowron for reckless attacks which left General Martok injured. Back at rebel headquarters, Kira, eager to discover why the Federation's Klingon ships aren't damaged by Breen-Dominion technology, proposes stealing the enemy's weaponry so that the Federation can engineer a countermeasure.

Meanwhile, as Martok undergoes surgery, Worf tells Sisko of a plan for dealing with Gowron's self-serving offensives. At rebel headquarters, Rusot tries to provoke leader Kira, who was once an enemy, by claiming that her tactics are motivated by a desire to kill Cardassians rather than to conquer the Dominion. Later, the Cardassian Garak advises Kira to kill Rusot before he kills her.

Back at the station, Worf urges the recovering General Martok to challenge Gowron before he ruins the Klingon Empire -- but Martok refuses to defy the ruler of his people. En route to secure the Breen weapon, the Cardassian Resistance leader Damar learns that his family was killed by the Dominion.

At Quark's, Worf confesses to Ezri that he was wrong for asking Martok to revolt against Gowron; but Ezri disagrees, contending that corruption among the Klingon leadership could prove fatal to the Empire. Damar, Rusot, and Garak escort Kira, posing as a prisoner, onto a Jem'Hadar ship which contains the Breen technology. Morphing into the Female Shapeshifter, Odo helps them overtake the vessel, but their plans for a quick getaway are slowed when they learn that the energy-dampening weapon is still being installed.

Kira refuses to leave without the weapon. At the station, O'Brien and Bashir hatch a plot against Section 31, which might lure an operative who holds Odo's cure. Back on the Jem'Hadar bridge, Damar kills a defiant Rusot. Fully united, Kira, Garak and Damar depart with the Breen weapon. In the Klingon war room, Worf denounces Gowron's corrupt leadership and, in a fierce battle, kills Gowron and declares Martok the rightful leader of the Empire. At Quark's, Ezri and Worf toast the truly honorable Chancellor Martok.

Extreme Measures

Stardate: 52645.7

When Kira brings a terminally ill Odo back to the station for medical treatment, he orders her to leave him and return to help the Cardassian Resistance. Later, O'Brien and Bashir inform Sisko of their plan to lure a Section 31operative, who may hold the cure to Odo's disease, to the station. The scheme works when Sloan, the director of the unsanctioned Starfleet extremist organization that infected Odo -- as part of a genocidal plot against his people -- arrives. But when Bashir places a Romulan mind probe on the agent, who refuses to give information regarding a cure, Sloan attempts suicide in the science lab by activating a neuro-depolarizing device in his brain.

Although Bashir manages to stabilize Sloan, he has suffered severe brain damage and the doctor expects him to die within an hour. Refusing to give up, Bashir masterminds a device that will allow him to link his mind to Sloan's and discern the cure. O'Brien, worried that Bashir will be incapable of returning from the mind-link, insists on joining him.

Inside Sloan's brain, O'Brien and Bashir meet Sloan's wife, who hands Sloan a recorded file which supposedly contains the cure. But when Sloan offers it to Bashir, a phaser bolt hits him in the back; the shot has been fired by a second Sloan, who vanishes with the file, leaving O'Brien and Bashir alone in Sloan's mind.

In the science lab, Sisko and Ezri discover the unconscious bodies of O'Brien, Bashir and Sloan, while, inside Sloan's brain, O'Brien and Bashir seek a way out -- but before they can escape, the two men are confronted by another Section 31 operative, who injures them with phaser fire. Intent on escaping death, the two men appear to regain consciousness. Back at the science lab, Bashir insists they must reenter Sloan's brain -- but the agent dies.

Soon, Bashir and O'Brien realize that Sloan's mind is playing tricks on them: they're not in the science lab after all; they're still inside his brain. Knowing the clock is running out, they search Sloan's mind for clues and, finally, find the information they desperately want. The two escape just before Sloan really dies -- and deliver to a grateful Odo the hypospray which saves his life.

The Dogs of War

Stardate: Unknown

While Sisko takes command of a new ship named in honor of the Defiant, Kira, Garak and Damar barely escape a Dominion ambush on Cardassia and are forced into hiding. Quark receives a static-filled message from Grand Nagus Zek, the Ferengi leader, that he's being named Zek's successor. Now cured of the deadly Changeling virus, Odo is outraged to learn that he was infected by Section 31 -- an unsanctioned extremist organization within the Federation -- but promises Sisko he won't take matters into his own hands.

Over lunch, Bashir and Ezri confess their mutual attraction, but decide to remain friends. On Cardassia, Weyoun publicly announces that Damar and his collaborators were killed shortly after arriving on the planet. Although Damar is still very much alive, he, Kira, and Garak are stunned by the news that Dominion forces have eliminated all eighteen rebel bases of the Resistance.

To Quark's horror, he learns that Ferenginar has instituted democratic changes -- which he's determined to reverse. Back on Cardassia, Kira realizes that Damar's "death" has catapulted him to legendary status, and urges him to openly rally the Cardassian people against the Dominion. Meanwhile, the Female Shapeshifter devises a strategic retreat of Dominion forces to Cardassian space.

At the station, Quark agrees to sell his bar to Rom, and vows he'll reject his new position unless Zek lets Quark rule in the traditional Ferengi way. In the meantime, Garak slips into enemy Jem'Hadar barracks; on his way out, he's detained by guards. Kira and Damar watch from a distance, alarmed, because a bomb which Garak planted inside is set to detonate at any moment.

The trio overpowers the guards moments before the bomb explodes, and Damar galvanizes a crowd gathered near the scene. At the station, Bashir and Ezri share a passionate kiss; to everyone's surprise, Zek taps Rom as the new Grand Nagus. Sisko, Admiral Ross, and Chancellor Martok discuss the Dominion withdrawal and agree to attack the enemy at its new defense perimeter within Cardassian territory. Later, Kasidy tells Sisko that she's pregnant, and he silently shares her concern that the Prophets may react negatively to the blessed event.

What You Leave Behind

Stardate: Unknown

While Dukat and Winn enter the Fire Caves, the first power outage strikes on Cardassia. The Female Shapeshifter realizes that the Cardassian people are rising up against the Dominion -- and she promises severe retaliation.

Monitoring events from their basement hideout, Kira, Damar and Garak are horrified when Weyoun announces that, as punishment for every act of sabotage committed by rebel forces, one Cardassian city will be leveled. Reacting to the decree, Kira decides they must attack Dominion headquarters. Entering Cardassian space aboard the Defiant, Sisko prepares his crew to engage the Dominion-Cardassian-Breen fleet in battle.

As the Federation forces strike, the Defiant is rocked by enemy fire. Back on Cardassia, Jem'Hadar soldiers burst into Damar's hideout. Suffering heavy losses in space, Sisko, Admiral Ross and Chancellor Martok strategically realign their attack. Meanwhile, word of Damar's capture reaches the Female Shapeshifter, who orders Weyoun to have Damar, Kira and Garak executed.

Before the order can be carried out, Cardassian soldiers revolt and rescue the rebel trio. Meanwhile, in the heat of battle, the Defiant crew is elated when Cardassian ships switch sides and attack the Dominion fleet. In retaliation, the Female Shapeshifter orders the complete extermination of the Cardassian race -- and a Dominion retreat to Cardassia Prime. Emboldened by the Cardassian about-face, Sisko, Ross and Martok decide to press forward in an attempt to end the war once and for all. On Bajor, Winn chants from the Kosst Amojan, brings the Fire Caves to life, and attempts to release the Pah-wraiths. And back on Cardassia, Kira, Damar and Garak lead an invasion of Dominion headquarters. Damar is killed by Jem'Hadar guards, but inspired by his leadership, the rest of the resistance presses on.

While Sisko, Ross and Martok plan a final assault in space, Kira and Garak lead the Cardassian resistance on the ground into Dominion headquarters and overtake the Briefing Room. Kira orders the Female Shapeshifter to surrender, but she refuses; soon after, the defiant Weyoun is killed by Garak.

When Kira alerts Sisko to the situation on Cardassia, Odo asks to meet with the Female Shapeshifter. In the Fire Caves, Winn poisons Dukat with a glass of wine -- and presents his body as a religious sacrifice to the Pah-wraiths. Hoping to commune with the Female Shapeshifter, Odo links with her and heals the Shapeshifter of the disease that has ravaged their people. Transformed by the experience, she orders a cease-fire. Eager to cure the rest of the ailing Shapeshifters, Odo informs a deeply saddened Kira that he is returning to his homeworld.

With the signing of surrender documents, the war officially ends. Later, Worf agrees to become the Federation Ambassador to Kronos and O'Brien announces that he's returning to Earth to teach. The crew holds a farewell party for Worf, O'Brien and Odo. Meanwhile, the Pah-wraiths bring Dukat, as a Cardassian, back to life in the Fire caves, and Sisko abruptly leaves the party -- after a vision from the Sarah Prophet -- to visit the site. Sisko confronts Dukat, and Winn is sacrificed to the Pah-wraiths; Sisko tackles Dukat and, along with the text of the evil Kosst Amojan, they plunge into the fiery abyss. Sisko "awakes" in a great vision: the Sarah Prophet assures him that he has completed his task by returning the Pah-wraiths to the Fire Caves; she then informs Sisko that he must now join the Prophets.

Back on the space station, Kasidy has a vision of Sisko in which he explains his reason for remaining with the Prophets -- and he promises to return someday. In the meantime, Jake Sisko grapples with his father's departure; Bashir and O'Brien bid a fond farewell; Ezri Dax says goodbye to Worf; and Kira leaves Odo on the Changeling planet where a sea of ailing Shapeshifters awaits his curative link. At Deep Space Nine, Kira takes command of the Captain's chair, Ezri and Bashir plan their future, and, despite her own feelings of loss, Kira reaches out to comfort a fatherless Jake.