099. Apocalypse Rising

When Sisko approaches Starfleet Command with Odo's suspicion that Gowron, the Klingon leader, is really one of Odo's people -- a Changeling impersonating Gowron -- he is instructed to expose the Changeling. Sisko 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 listof 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 Klingon's 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 prize from the battle. This is enough to send the 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In private, Martok admits to Sisko that he that he also suspects Gowron has been replaced by a Changeling.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.

100. The Ship 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 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 U.S.S. 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 n 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 onecomes. Instead, a Vorta -- the alien 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 rockingthe 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 U.S.S. Defiant arrives to tow the Jem'Hadar vessel.

101. Looking for Par'Mach In All The Wrong Places

While having a drink with Dax, Worf is taken by he 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 otherpassionately. Elsewhere, alone with Dax, Worf finally succumbs to her advances, realizing that his ideal woman may have been in front of him all along.

102. Nor The Battle To The Strong

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 eighteen-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 Klingonshave 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 himselffor 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 theKlingons 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.

103. Trials and Tribble-ations 4523.7/Stardate Unknown

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 U.S.S. 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.

104. The Assignment

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 come communication and sensor relays on the station of 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 complicatedassignment 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.

105. Let He Who Is Without Sin...

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 RisianSolarium, 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 trusther. 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.

106. Things Past

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 and 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 werepublicly 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.

107. The Ascent

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 U.S.S. 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.

108. Rapture

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 thatthe lost city holds answers to some important questions. Reluctantly, the Admiral agrees -- provided Whatley 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.

109. The Darkness and the Light 50416.2

Kira is shocked and saddened when Latha Mabrin, a fellow member of the Shakaar Resistance Cell-turned Vedek, is murdered during ceremony. Her 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 her 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 deatharrives. 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 aRunabout. 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.

110. The Begotton

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 StarfleetCommand 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 experienced the same sense of pride Odo now feels when he taught Odo. 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.

111. For the Uniform 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. Heprepares 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.

112. In Purgatory's Shadow

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 thenebula, 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 finalrequest, Garak makes a request in return -- that Tain acknowledge 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.

113. By Inferno's Light 50564.2

As the station prepares for a Dominion attack, the enemy fleet 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 spear headed 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 crawl space 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 he fights, Garak works on the transmitter, while other prisoners stand guard. On Deep Space Nine, Sisko convinces KlingonChancellor Gowron to reinstate their treaty with the Federation in order to fight the Dominion and Cardassians together. Meanwhile, the Bashir Changeling 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 crawl space 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 reenters the crawl space to finish his job. While Worf struggles through afight with the head of the Jem'Hadar guards, a group of soldiers arrive 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 crawl space and head inside. The prisoners kill them, saving their chances of escape. Meanwhile, Worf, near death, insists on continuing he 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 theBashir they have been dealing with is a saboteur. They locate the Bashir Changeling on the Runabout, heading straight for the sun, which if it explodes, will destroy the station and the entire fleet. Kira and Dax take off after him and destroy the ship just in time. Sisko tells his fleet of unlikely aliens 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.

114. Dr. Bashir, I Presume

Bashir is chosen as the model for Starfleet's holographic doctor program. He is informed by Doctor Louis Zimmerman, the scientist in charge of the project. 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, 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 theirinterviews-especially concerned that they keep a 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 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, he 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 for subjecting Bashir reluctantlybut 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.

115. A Simple Investigation

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. Quark 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 our when she learned the deadly consequences her assignments meant for others. Odo encourages her 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. Thecrystal contains all of her real memories. The Idanian asks to be taken to Arissa, and Odo quickly complies -- only to find both 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.

116. Business as Usual

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 build 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, has let his conscience get the better of him, realizing 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.

117. Ties of Blood and Water 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 nineteen 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 the 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 to die in peace. As a final gesture, she takes Ghemor's body to Bajor and buries him next to her father.

118. Ferengi Love Songs

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 F.C.A. Quark returns to his room, where Liquidator Brunt, the F.C.A. 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.

119. Soldiers of the Empire

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 heighten 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.

120. Children of Time 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.

121. Blaze of Glory

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 Four, 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 Four. 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 releived. 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.

122. Empok Nor

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.

123. In the Cards

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 boys take the baseball card, which, as Jake predicted, succeeds in improving his father's mood.

124. A Call to Arms 50975.2

As another convoy of Jem'Hadar ships emerges from the wormhole toward Cardassia, Sisko and his officers face the grim realization that the Dominion is taking over the Alpha Quadrant. 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'Brian 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'Brian 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'Brian 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 the 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 Deep Space Nine, Kira, Odo, and their remaining comrades disable the station before surrendering their home to Gul Dukat and the Dominion.