Last time on Deep Space Nine:
The admirals are worried
the destruction of the Bok'Nor might jeopardise the treaty.
As the officers on the Cardassian border
we've been asked to assess the risk.
- l wish to procure weapons. - l beg your pardon?
Guns, phaser banks, photon torpedoes...
troop transports and a number of cobalt-thorium devices.
You're a gun runner?
l'll help you find out the truth about the Bok'Nor.
- Why help me? - Because l know the truth.
l've got people out there killing people. Should l turn a blind eye?
They must defend themselves.
- They've crossed the line. - lf Starfleet is unwilling...
They chose to live with the Cardassians!
l didn't! But l lived with them for 26 years before the liberation.
l know what those colonists are going through.
We received a subspace transmission from the Demilitarised Zone.
A group there says they kidnapped Dukat.
They're calling themselves ''The Maquis''.
l'm glad you had no trouble finding us, Ben.
lt seems that one disaster after another
keeps bringing us back together again.
And now for the conclusion.
You should have seen the look on your face
when you saw me standing there.
l hardly recognised you without your uniform.
lt's been feeling a little tight lately.
Just like that.
- lt's just a uniform. - ls it?
- l remember when you first wore it. - Yes. Graduation day.
We swore that we'd be Starship captains by the time we were 30.
- And admirals by 40. - Yes.
l think we've both done pretty well for ourselves.
Yes, we have, haven't we?
But now, l've got something better.
These settlers, Ben...
if you saw all they have accomplished without any help,
then you'd fight along with them.
l don't think so.
They've travelled out here and built homes out of the wilderness.
l can't turn my back on them.
l know, but your joining the Maquis isn't helping anyone.
You're endangering the treaty and putting millions of lives at risk.
The Federation believes it can solve every problem with a treaty
but out here on the frontier, without the Federation to back them up,
a treaty is only a piece of paper.
Can you prove that the Central Command violated the treaty?
Not yet but we will.
lf you're depending on Dukat, you'll be disappointed.
- We'll see. - l want him back, Cal.
- He's not here. - Then where is he?
l never thought l'd see the day
when you'd side with a Cardassian against me.
- l'm on your side! - You've got a funny way of showing it.
l'm trying to stop you from making a mistake.
The Federation believes in the treaty. lf you destroy it,
Starfleet will come after you and they'll put you behind bars.
lf we work together to end the violence...
lt won't end while Central Command smuggles weapons to its colonies.
l wish there were a better way to handle this thing.
Nobody wants peace more than the Maquis.
You'll blow up ships to get it?
The Bok'Nor won't smuggle weapons again.
lts crew members won't be returning home to their families either.
You say the Central Command is behind the smuggling.
Let's prove it.
We'll go to Cardassia, find evidence to back you up
and take it to the Federation.
The Federation abandoned us.
Told us to take care of ourselves.
That's what we intend to do.
But you could be invaluable to us. Let us use your station.
- For what? - Maintenance.
l can't allow that.
Every week innocent people are murdered by the Cardassians.
l will not allow those deaths to go unpunished.
You don't want peace, Cal. You want revenge.
l prefer to call it retaliation.
l am sorry we won't be working together, Benjamin.
lt would have been nice.
Like...old times.
- Commander! - Sorry, Benjamin.
Knowing Ben's temper when he wakes up, we won't want to be here.
Let's move out!
Here we go. Let's go. Come on.
l want to speak with the Cardassian Central Command.
Legate Parn will arrive within the hour.
l'm honoured.
l also want to speak with Starfleet.
Admiral Nechayev is already here.
The Maquis must have transferred Dukat off their ship.
Find out where he is.
l'll retrace their warp trail.
Do it.
Admiral.
The Cardassians are on military alert
in response to the kidnapping of Dukat.
l'm not surprised.
- The security chief, the shape-shifter... - Odo.
Wouldn't you be better off
with a Starfleet officer heading your security team?
- l have complete faith in Odo. - lf you say so.
As for Dukat, we are taking
all possible steps to locate him.
Keep me informed of your progress.
l will, but there is a bigger issue here
than rescuing Dukat - the Maquis.
The Maquis are a bunch of irresponsible hotheads.
These hotheads are responsible for the bombing of the Bok'Nor.
We never should have allowed colonists
to remain in the Demilitarised Zone.
They're there, and they're not leaving.
Commander Hudson has lived with these people.
What's his analysis?
l'll...have to ask him.
You do that.
And Commander, l want you to find the Maquis.
Remind them that they're citizens of the Federation.
That we must preserve the treaty with the Cardassians.
Who may not be honouring it.
Are you questioning Federation policy, Commander?
The situation in the Demilitarised Zone is deteriorating rapidly.
l think you're overstating the problem.
Establish a dialogue.
The Maquis are Federation citizens. They'll listen to reason.
Good luck, Commander.
Establish a dialogue? What does she think l've been doing?
Belonging to the Federation does not mean that people are saints.
Do you know what the trouble is?
The trouble is Earth.
On Earth, there is no poverty, no crime, no war.
Out of the windows of Starfleet headquarters is paradise.
lt's easy to be a saint in paradise
but the Maquis do not live in paradise.
ln the Demilitarised Zone all the problems haven't been solved yet.
Out there, there are no saints, just people -
angry, scared, determined people,
who will survive whether the Federation likes it or not.
Makes sense to me.
l'm glad someone understands.
Legate Parn's ship just put in at docking bay 5.
Maybe you'll give the same speech to him.
l just might do that.
- Odo to Sisko. - Go ahead, Constable.
l've caught one of the Vulcan's accomplices.
l assure you, l had no idea
Sakonna was planning to kidnap Gul Dukat.
Really? Why were the two of you spending so much time together?
lt's no crime keeping company with a beautiful female.
Try it, Odo. lt might improve your disposition.
A Vulcan would be interested in you for your lobes?
Vulcans are a species that appreciate good ears.
Commander, this is very embarrassing,
discussing my personal life in such surroundings.
You'll have much bigger problems
unless you tell me what arrangement you had with this woman.
All right. But l want to make it clear
that l was led astray by her feminine wiles.
Save the excuses. Just tell us what you were up to.
Sakonna was in the market for certain items
which l was able to obtain.
At a considerable discount.
What items?
We're waiting.
Let's see... Where to begin?
She wanted some deflector shields, navigational arrays,
maybe a couple hundred photon torpedoes...
Photon torpedoes!
And pulse cannons and some high-energy disrupters.
You sold weapons to terrorists!
l did not.
The Pygorians sold them the weapons.
l merely made some introductions.
And l hadn't heard of the Maquis until recently.
l want a list of every weapon she purchased.
And if you need someone to testify against Sakonna,
- l'd be willing. - Would you?
ln a second, and anyone else who needs testifying against.
l'll tell you one thing - Sakonna was on a tight clock.
Whatever she needed weapons for will happen in a few days.
Just get me the list.
You'll be going out to search for Dukat?
- When we know where to look. - l want to go.
- l'll be happy to have you. - And how long do l keep him here?
Forever.
Odo...
This isn't funny. Odo!
This is Legate Parn. He insisted on seeing you.
My business here is crucial so it demands immediate attention.
As a member of the Cardassian Central Command l assure you
what we have to discuss is most crucial indeed.
l understand. We are doing everything we can to find Gul Dukat.
Commander, your efforts are appreciated but unnecessary.
Central Command has learned that Gul Dukat
was the leader of a small group of misguided officers
who were funnelling weapons to our colonies in the Demilitarised Zone.
The Maquis were right.
Settlers are being supplied by Central Command.
Dukat and the others operated without our knowledge.
Central Command would never violate our treaty with the Federation.
We've arrested Dukat's co-conspirators and they shall be dealt with.
- Where does that leave Dukat? - With the Maquis, where he belongs.
You don't want him back?
- The Maquis will execute him? - l wouldn't be surprised.
lt makes no difference who does it.
They'll use Dukat's death as an excuse to send in troops.
l can assure you that there shall be no retaliation.
We have no desire to go to war with the Federation.
- You have my word. - Your word?
Major.
l found our little talk enlightening.
l hoped you would.
l have some business to attend to but l hope you'll enjoy the station.
Thank you, but l, too, must attend to my business.
Besides, l am afraid this place has lost its charm
since the last time l was here.
- l don't believe a word. - Neither do l.
But he told me something l needed to know.
Cal was right.
The Central Command is smuggling weapons into the Demilitarised Zone.
We just heard that three Federation settlers were killed on Hakton Vll.
lt was in response to the destruction of the Bok'Nor.
The Maquis will strike back.
Chief, what have you found?
Based on their warp drive,
l plotted the course of the ship that took Dukat.
Long-range sensors show no other vessels travelling along that route.
They didn't transfer him to another ship. What about a planet?
lt's possible. They went past five M-class planets.
l've downloaded their coordinates into the Rio Grande's computer.
Good work.
Sisko to Odo.
Find Dr Bashir and meet me at landing pad C.
There's no reason to go after Dukat. They don't want him back.
You suggest we leave him?
Why risk our lives over someone who's caused so many deaths?
He's getting what he deserves.
The Central Command wants him dead.
That's reason enough for us to want him alive.
Landing pad C.
My mind to your mind.
Your thoughts to my thoughts.
My mind to your mind.
Your thoughts to my thoughts.
- My mind to your mind... - What is wrong?
lt's not working.
That is what's wrong.
This is quite puzzling. l am unable to establish a mind-meld.
lt would appear he has the ability to shield his thoughts.
Simply a matter of discipline.
- Now what do we do? - l will rest and then try again.
You people really do not do this very well.
On Cardassia, we know how to extract information,
though it can get a bit unpleasant,
and we all know how the Federation dislikes unpleasantness.
l share very few sentiments with the Federation.
Oh, that's right. You're renegades, aren't you?
Or so you'd like to think.
Unfortunately, the Federation has taught you your lessons all too well.
You simply lack the commitment it takes to do what is necessary.
- Tell that to the crew of the Bok'Nor. - Anyone can blow up a ship.
Ha!
But to look your enemy in the eye
knowing you'll remember his face forever...
Now, that takes...
a stomach much stronger than you'll ever have.
- We will see about that. - No!
He's right.
We do not possess the Cardassian gift for inflicting pain.
There. You see?
Nor would we want such a gift.
But we need to know when the Central Command is sending more weapons.
So l'll take over this interrogation.
We can find out just how committed l am.
l don't think anyone's that interested.
- We're not here to fight. - Let us go about our business.
- l'm not leaving without Dukat. - Then you're not leaving.
We're all on the same side here. Why not work together?
Will you stop talking and shoot them?
- No. - What are you waiting for?
Put down your weapons.
Do as he says.
Shoot them!
Let him go! l said let him go!
Odo, get these people secured on the runabout.
- Except this one. - l'm free to go?
Tell Cal Hudson l haven't told Starfleet anything.
We can solve this but we're running out of time.
Tell him l still have his uniform. He can have it back anytime he wants.
Enter.
l came by to see how you were doing.
l find a good meal extremely relaxing, especially after a difficult day.
So do l.
l wonder what else we have in common.
Very little, l imagine.
Other than the fact that you have my office.
Tell me. What's going to happen with your prisoners?
They'll be tried under the Federation code of justice.
And if they're found innocent?
lf they are, they'll be set free.
How barbaric. ln Cardassia,
the verdict is always known before the trial begins
and it's always the same.
- Why bother? - Because the people demand it.
They enjoy watching justice triumph over evil...every time.
They find it comforting.
Don't you ever try an innocent man by mistake?
Cardassians don't make mistakes.
l'll have to remember that.
Commander...
One thing does puzzle me.
Surely the Central Command was informed of my kidnapping.
They learned about it immediately.
Why was l rescued by you?
Why wasn't the station surrounded by Cardassian ships
demanding my release?
We did receive a visit from Legate Parn.
l'm sure he made some rather ugly threats on my behalf?
He said that you were the one responsible
for smuggling weapons into the Demilitarised Zone,
that if the Maquis did not execute you, they would.
After a comforting trial, l'm sure.
lt seems my relationship with the Central Command
has somewhat deteriorated.
l knew this was inevitable when we withdrew from Bajor.
Are you saying they blamed you for the withdrawal?
There are those who believe l should have killed every last Bajoran
while l had the chance.
Oh, well.
lt's too late for that, l'm afraid.
- lt seems l was mis... - Mistaken about the arms shipment?
lt appears l was misinformed.
l'm beginning to believe the Central Command is smuggling weapons
into the Demilitarised Zone after all.
Then you really didn't know?
No.
They never bothered to tell me.
lf l help you stop the smuggling,
will you help me stop the Maquis?
You have a deal.
l've scheduled a staff meeting for 0900.
Commander... Thank you for coming to my rescue.
l'm sure you would have done the same for me.
Do you have the list of weapons Sakonna bought?
l do and quite a list it is.
Six ship-mounted high-energy disruptors,
200 photon torpedoes and a dozen pulse cannons.
With that firepower we could have launched an assault on Cardassia.
And lost.
The Maquis are ready for something bigger than border skirmishes.
They're planning their first attack any day now.
Has Sakonna helped?
Have you ever interrogated a Vulcan?
- No. - Neither had l.
l wouldn't advise it.
That calm voice that tells you nothing, that impassive stare...
- lt can be quite frustrating. - Perhaps l could question her.
- No. - Pity. l like a challenge.
Find out how they get weapons into the Demilitarised Zone.
- By way of a Xepolite free trader. - Why the Xepolites?
Xepolites have often served as intermediaries for us.
So have the Lissepians.
But the Xepolites have never been caught.
The Xepolite ship isn't responding to our hails.
Would you respond if your cargo bays
were full of Cardassian weapons?
Let's see what they're carrying.
Our scanners can't penetrate their hull.
lt's composed of a sensor-reflective material.
They obviously value their privacy.
Chief, you and Gul Dukat remain here. Major, you're with me.
Let's see if it's their privacy or their guilt they're trying to protect.
They just raised their shields.
You're wasting time.
Xepolite ships can reach warp 9.8. We'll never catch them.
What would you suggest?
Breach their shields and destroy their bridge.
Killing everyone there?
Then use a tractor beam to tow it back to the station.
Very simple, very effective.
- And needlessly bloody. - Sounds like a Cardassian plan.
Fire a phaser over their bow. Get their attention.
Yes, sir.
That woke them up. They're hailing us.
On my monitor, Chief.
l am Drofo Awa, hetman of this vessel.
What do you want from us?
l'm Commander Benjamin Sisko of the Federation.
We believe you're carrying Cardassian weapons to their colonies.
Well, then, you believe wrong, Commander.
My ship is carrying five kilotons of Regrean wheat husks, nothing more.
Five kilotons - that's a lot of wheat husks.
l'd like to see what that looks like.
Permission denied.
lf you board my vessel l will consider it an act of piracy.
ls that clear?
You're not going anywhere until we search your ship.
- ln that case... - ln that case,
you will do as you're told.
Give us access to your ship
so that we can verify you are indeed smuggling Cardassian weapons.
Follow us back to Deep Space 9, where your cargo will be confiscated.
You will confess everything you know about smuggling weapons.
You will sign that confession, then you will be allowed on your way.
- ls that clear? - But you're a Cardassian.
l'm not just any Cardassian.
l'm Gul Dukat, commander of the Second Order.
You have 15 seconds to lower your shields or we'll destroy you.
- Ten. - lt's not that simple!
- Seven. - l've been paid.
- Four seconds. - Stop counting!
He's lowering his shields.
l'll await your arrival, Commander.
l think you can handle it from here.
l hope you're happy.
l am a Vulcan. My emotional state is irrelevant.
l'm a Ferengi and my emotional state is very relevant
and right now, l'm miserable and it's all your fault.
You were well paid.
Not well enough. l know the Cardassians can't be trusted.
They'd love to destroy the Federation colonies in the Demilitarised Zone.
- Then you agree with our position? - No.
- Why not? - Because your position is illogical.
Do you propose to lecture me on logic?
l don't want to, but you leave me no choice.
lt all comes down to the third Rule of Acquisition.
- You don't know it? - l do not know Ferengi philosophy.
l'll give you a copy of the Rules. They come in handy.
Now, the third Rule clearly states,
''Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to.''
l fail to see how that applies to my situation.
You want to acquire peace.
Fine. Peace is good. But how much are you willing to pay for it?
Whatever it costs.
That kind of irresponsible spending causes businesses to fail.
You're forgetting the third Rule.
Peace could be bought at a bargain price.
- You don't even realise. - l find this very confusing.
Then l'll make it so simple that even a Vulcan can understand.
The Central Command has been caught red-handed
smuggling weapons to their settlers.
So every ship that approaches the Demilitarised Zone will be searched.
Without the support of the Central Command,
Cardassian settlers won't want to fight.
You forget the weapons they already have.
They have weapons. You have weapons. Everyone has weapons.
But right now, no one has a clear advantage.
So the price of peace is at an all-time low.
This is the perfect time to sit down and hammer out an agreement.
Attacking the Cardassians now will only escalate the conflict,
and make peace more expensive in the long run.
Now, l ask you, is that logical?
A concealed weapons depot
located within a civilian population centre?
The Maquis will attack the depot sometime within the next 52 hours.
But Sakonna didn't tell you where the depot is.
She says she doesn't know.
- l believe her. - Because Vulcans don't lie?
- As a rule. - They don't blow up ships as a rule.
But let's assume she's telling the truth.
You haven't shared this information with the Central Command?
- l haven't. - Good.
They would never trust you to handle this.
But they could tell me where the weapons depot is.
Leave that to me.
l may not be a favourite with Central Command
but l know people who are.
l'll go to Volon lll, try to talk some sense into the Maquis.
- And if you can't? - Don't worry.
l said l would stop the Maquis and one way or another, l will.
l've also been informed that 35 people had to be hospitalised
on Umoth Vlll after eating from public food replicators.
Sabotage is suspected.
Guards should be posted at all public replicators
- throughout the colonies. - Thank you.
Now, about the new curfew...
Commander Sisko, what a pleasant surprise.
l'll finish and we can talk privately.
No. l want everyone to hear what l have to say.
l don't know how many of you here actually belong to the Maquis.
Those of you who don't probably have friends who do.
So please pass along what l am about to tell you.
There is a treaty between Cardassia and the Federation.
lf you're an enemy of Cardassia you're an enemy of the Federation.
- That is outrageous. - Agreed.
The Maquis is planning to attack a Cardassian weapons depot.
My advice to them and you is to call it off
because l'll be waiting there and l will stop you.
A very rousing speech, Ben.
My best rebuttal would be to kill you.
But you won't.
- What is this? - Your uniform.
- You are an optimist. - l have every reason to be.
Now that we've stopped the shipments of Cardassian weapons,
there's no longer any need for the Maquis.
We can reach a peace agreement with the Cardassian colonies.
- lt's too late for that. - ls it?
We're in a war and l intend to win it.
l could use your help, Ben,
and l'm asking you as a friend.
As a friend...
l have to say no.
lf you attack the depot you'll have to get through me first.
l hope not. l truly hope not.
The Bryma colony - that's the location of the weapons depot.
Then we must prevent the Maquis from reaching Bryma.
We'll have to intercept them before sensors detect them.
lf the Cardassian settlers suspect they might come under attack
they'll send for reinforcements.
lf the Maquis launch an assault, Central Command will have to respond.
We could wind up with a full-scale war.
We have to stop the Maquis.
Our runabouts will take up a defensive position
outside the Bryma colony's sensor range.
To detect incoming ships we can hide sensors
in the system's Oort cloud.
That way we can spot the Maquis.
How many Maquis ships are there?
Only two ships can mount the weapons.
We'll have three ships. They'll have two.
That won't give us much of an advantage.
The colonists are used to being outnumbered.
- How do we stop them? - What's that expression?
''Shoot to kill.''
We'll stop them with words if possible, with force, if necessary.
- lf they fire we can shoot back. - Correct.
We'll try to disable their warp engines and weapons arrays.
l hope the Maquis will be as obliging to you.
Rio Grande to Mekong and Orinoco. How do you read me?
Orinoco here. You're loud and clear.
Mekong here. Communications channel is fully operational.
The sensor probes still haven't detected any sign of the Maquis ships.
Do you think they're coming? They know we're waiting.
They may have postponed the attack time by a day or a week.
lf they wait, the weapons depot might be moved to another location.
l'm picking up two Federation ships headed our way.
Sisko to Hudson.
This won't work. Turn those ships around before someone gets hurt.
Please, Ben, don't make me open fire on you.
- He won't listen. - lnitiating evasive manoeuvres.
- Signal Niles to follow my lead. - Right.
- They're making a run for it. - Lock on tractor beams.
- Damn it! - They've got Niles too.
- Let us go. - You know l can't.
Then l suggest you duck.
Fire on their beam emitter.
- What are you waiting for? - We're losing tractor lock.
Commence firing.
Niles' propulsion system is down. He's drifting.
We'll have to even the odds.
They've hit our navigational array. l've lost altitude control.
Compensating with manual thrusters.
lt's not working. Thrusters are still locked.
Chief, you go after the Orinoco. l'll handle Hudson.
Major, we'll beam you out of there.
They're coming back around.
lt's just you and me, Ben.
- You can't start a war. - l'm not turning back.
You're not going forward.
We're hit.
- Our torpedo tubes are out. - Switch to phasers.
- Come about. Heading 115, mark 326. - Got it.
We've taken a direct hit on our primary fusion core.
lnitiating emergency core shutdown.
The port nacelle is flooded with ionised deuterium.
We've lost both warp and impulse engines.
We still have manoeuvring thrusters.
They're coming back around. Use the phasers.
They've knocked out the power couplings to our weapons array.
- What do we do? - We get the hell out of here.
Now's your chance - fire.
- lt's over, Cal. - For now, anyway.
Next time, send someone else. lt's wrong, us shooting at each other.
Stand down!
- l don't think so. - He's getting away!
You run now, Starfleet will track you down.
You won't be safe anywhere, not even in the colonies.
l have a lot of friends.
And l've got to help the Maquis finish this.
You'll be an outlaw, a hunted man.
You're throwing away your entire life.
And beginning a new one.
What are you waiting for? He's helpless. Finish him.
l'm going to miss you, Ben.
You've been a good friend.
- So have you. - No!
l thought you were strong, Commander.
You're not. You're a fool.
A sentimental fool.
l stopped the Maquis.
But l will not kill a good man.
You disappoint me.
l won't lose any sleep over it.
Mr O'Brien, l could use some help with these engines.
Yes, sir.
Commander, Gul Dukat has left the station.
He'll be glad to go home.
O'Brien says the Orinoco and Rio Grande will be fixed soon.
Thank you, Major.
l just got a communiqué from Starfleet,
congratulating me on my good work
and thanking me for preserving the peace with the Cardassians.
You deserve it. You prevented a war.
Did l?
Or did l just delay the inevitable?

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