In The Hands of the Prophets

On the promenade, Miles and Keiko stand at a stall… he takes a “jumja stick” and begins to enjoy it. Keiko says that it’s too early for her, and begins to tease O’Brien about his apprentice – who, apparently has taught him about many things.

In the classroom, we meet Vedek Winn (shudder) who enters as Keiko is explaining the wormhole… Winn says that she cannot allow lessons about the wormhole to continue if the Prophets are not mentioned. Keiko says that teaching Bajoran religion is her job, but Winn doesn’t buy it.

In the security office, Neela is working on a subprocessor as O’Brien enters late. She has completed the work and O’Brien searchs his toolkit for the specific tool – an EJ7 – to secure the processor… but it’s missing, this is bizarre – O’Brien never loses his tools.

In Sisko’s office, Keiko explains her concern about Vedek Winn. Sisko invites Kira into this conversation, and she agrees with Winn to the surprise of Keiko. The Commander heads into the Bajoran temple, where Winn addresses him as the Emissary… and despite Sisko’s objections, she continues to tell him that he is the chosen one. Winn threatens that if Keiko does not recant her teachings of the wormhole, she cannot be held for the consequences.

In Ops, Neela and O’Brien enter … still trying to track down the missing tool. Dax asks the Chief if he has seen Ensign Aquino, and he hasn’t. Eventually the engineers track down the tritanium signature to a conduit… they head down there to discover a puddle of gloop, which includes some organic material. They take a sample to Bashir.

A little while later, O’Brien tells Keiko in a turbolift about Aquino’s log entry from the night he died. They exit to the promenade, where the jumja salesman refuses to sell to them. After a brief confrontation, they continue to the school where Vedek Winn is speaking to a crowd of Bajoran families. She insists that Keiko back down from teaching “against the Prophets” but Keiko refuses, so Winn lead the Bajoran families away.

In Ops, the senior staff gather to discuss the possibilites surrounding Aquino’s death… the conduit could’ve been reactivated by a computer malfunction. But Miles doesn’t buy it… because you don’t take a Chief’s tools without asking. Feeling O’Brien’s gut may have some merit, he orders Odo to investigate further.

Jake enters and he and his father head to the couch in his office. They discuss a parrallel between Galileo’s persecution and the current situation. Sisko explains that there are two different philosophies, neither of which are wrong… but both that clash.

Sisko heads to Bajor and meets Vedek Bareil in his sanctuary. He explains that some people fear Sisko because he walked with the Prophets, others because Winn told them to. Bareil can’t support the Commander because of the current climate – with the impending Kai election (seems very similiar to the Catholic Church and their electing of a Pope…)

The Commander returns to a very empty Operations… Kira explains that several Bajoran’s called in sick. Sisko explains that he is there to build a friendly relationship, and nothing more… he lays down the law, that the sick crewmembers better get well soon or they’ll be reassigned.

Odo and Bashir enter, and the Doctor explains that Acquino was murdered by a phaser blast set to kill before being dumped in the conduit. Shortly afterward, in a staff meeting – Bashir explains that the Ensign was murdered the day before the incident at the school. But Odo explains Acquino actually went to runabout pad C and not the conduit as the log says.

Neela and O’Brien investigate pad C, but can’t find anything wrong. They pause to talk about Acquino and why the Bajoran and Starfleet crews don’t socialise… for no real reason.

Later, O’Brien approaches Odo at the replimat… after running a diagnostic across the board, he’s found a security bypass module at pad A. Odo says that it makes sense, Acquino must’ve interrupted a would-be saboteur who changes his plan from pad C to pad A… someone must’ve wanted to steal a runabout. Suddenly there’s an explosion from the school.

Odo and O’Brien race over, concerned for his wife he calls for her… but she’s not inside thankfully. Once the fire’s put out… Odo, Kira and Sisko discover that a simple homemade bomb is the cause. Vedek Winn approaches as a crowd gathers… Sisko says this is the work of a violent mind who has been influenced by Winn’s teachings.

A whiles later, in Ops… Sisko receives a hail from Vedek Bareil who has accepted his “offer” of a tour. In the temple, Neela speaks with Winn… and as all good villans eventually do… they discuss “going through with it” and that Neela has no way off the station. Winn, in what becomes her fashion, twists the teachings of the Prophets to her needs and Neela agrees what must be done, must be done.

Back in Ops, O’Brien discovers a file that has been locked by his codes – but he can’t access it so he enlists Dax’s help to decrypt the file. As the computer works, Bareil arrives to a crowd that follows him along the promenade. And as he and Winn talk in a public forum, O’Brien and Dax hack the file and discover that the program is an escape route to deactivate forcefields.

O’Brien heads to the security office where he discovers the subprocessor which Neela fixed has been tampered with, and the promenade’s weapon sensors are off-line. O’Brien fills Sisko in, and he narrowly averts the assassination of Bareil by Neela. Kira confronts Winn, realising that she isn’t the holy one she thought. Winn admits nothing and leaves.

Later, in Ops… Sisko approaches a defeated Kira, who explains Neela insists she acted alone. Kira explains she’s forgotten OK… and that she doesn’t think Sisko is the devil. Feeling progress has been made, they enter his office and we end the season.