Dramatis Personae

In Sisko’s office, Kira enters and complains about a Valerian transport that has requested permission to dock. The Valerian’s are known to transport weapons grade Dolamide to the Cardassians. There is no proof that these Valerian’s are trading, so there is no reason to deny the request. Kira sets about proving that they are.

Suddenly a Klingon ship returns through the wormhole, and promptly explodes. An officer beams over and speaks one word before dying “Victory.” He was killed by a weapon blast to the chest. The vessel was on a biosurvey mission, confounding the confusion.

O’Brien and a lost-in-thought Dax head to a runabout to search for the Klingon ships black box. The Valerian transport, Sherval Das, hails requesting clearance to dock – which Kira denies. And after some complaining from the transport captain, Sisko allows the ship to dock. Kira is building some circumstantial evidence about the route this ship has taken.

In the bar, Odo is questioning Quark about the Klingons before they left, he says one of them mentioned a glorious mission. They were going to be coming back with something that would make enemies of the Klingon Empire tremble. As Odo leaves, he struck by severe pain… his face convulses and he collapses.

In the infirmary, Bashir has no idea how he is, or what was / is wrong with him. Bashir intimates to him that there is going to be trouble if the Constable doesn’t choose a side. In Sisko’s office, Kira barges in saying she’s got evidence that the Valerian’s are running dolamide… the Commander doesn’t seem at all interested. The two come close to blows, but Kira backs down.

In the runabout, they find the Klingon secondary hull… and O’Brien asks Dax where she stands between Kira and Sisko. He says that there are plenty of “misguided Bajorans that think they could go it alone.” He warns that Dax shouldn’t get too close to Kira, “remember where your loyalties lie.” The panel bleeps, they’ve foudn the mission recorder.

In the Security office, Kira enters and explains that she needs Odo’s help to get solid proof that the Valerian’s are smuggling. She wants him to board the ship, and he says that he’ll keep them both informed… but Kira doesn’t want that. She says to forget the whole idea, but warns him to remember who his friends are should he have to choose sides.

Listening to the first log recovered, it’s clear now that there are two factions developing. Sisko is bored and retires to build … something, so O’Brien takes over the Federation side. At Quarks, Kira and approaches Dax and suggests that it’s time to take over the station. The Ferengi hears it, and is slammed against the wall by Kira.

Concerned by what’s going on, Odo tries to tell Sisko, who’s now in his quarters with Starfleet security guarding him. Sisko doesn’t seem at all interested. Back in his office, Odo discovers that communication both to Bajor and Federation space has been blocked by each side. Kira enters and offers to give Odo cart blanche to run the station as he sees fit.

Odo works on Doctor Bashir who discovers a telepathic field, which could only have come from the Klingon ship. Meanwhile, O’Brien is working on breaking the lockouts on the Valerian ship so that he and Sisko can escape back to the Federation… and as Sisko stands in front of his office a Bajoran officer approaches him with a needle, but before he can jab the Commander… Sisko beats him down.

Just as Sisko is about to inject the officer, Kira arrives and takes control of Ops. Sisko and O’Brien beam away… Dax, on Kira’s side, forgot to disable the transporter. Sisko seeks Odo’s help to run to the Valerian ship, and he guides him to a cargo bay as Bashir finishes working on a way to defeat the telepathic field.

Annoyed, Kira calls Odo and asks which side he’s on. The Constable skillfully says that he’s on hers, and that he’s lured the Starfleet officers to the cargo bay. All the senior officers converge, and Odo initiates the computer program to defeat the field… and everyone is saved.