Hey, Jake. What's all this?
My science project.
l'm growing Bajoran katterpods
to see which hybrid yields the biggest root.
You're just going to watch it grow?
Yeah. Pretty neat, huh?
Not bad, but don't you think it's a little low-tech?
l'm a low-tech kind of guy, Dad.
l still think you can do something more challenging.
lf you could do any science project you wanted to,
anything, what would it be?
Learn how to pilot a runabout?
That's not exactly a science project, is it?
Second choice.
- Visit the Gamma Quadrant? - What would you do there?
l don't know. l...
l could do a planetary survey.
Not bad.
- All right. Let's do it. - Really?
lt will be like a working vacation.
That's great! Thanks, Dad.
- We'll have a great time. - We will.
A Bolian freighter is due in day after tomorrow.
We'll outfit another group of settlers leaving for New Bajor.
l heard their new irrigation system is something to see.
- You ought to take a look. - Not this trip.
l want to spend some time alone with Jake.
When's the Odyssey due back from Cardassia?
Three days.
lt's a shame l'll miss your reunion with Captain Keogh.
Don't you find him just a little arrogant?
He said the same thing about you.
Did he?
Commander, your son's here to see you.
Send him in. He's really looking forward to this trip.
l was talking to Nog and it turns out he's having trouble
coming up with a science project,
so l said he could be my partner.
We can finish this up later.
Partner?
Mrs O'Brien said it's OK. So l invited Nog to come with us.
Now, hold on a second, Jake-o.
lf Nog doesn't get a good grade on this project
he's going to drop out of school.
l can't let that happen.
He can help analyse information when we get back.
Mrs O'Brien said he'd have to be an equal partner.
Come on, Dad.
He's my friend.
l have to help him.
Morn, you've been sitting here all day staring at the same drink.
Talk to me. l want to help.
l'm not just your bartender, l'm your friend.
Whatever's wrong, l'm here for you. Hold that thought.
What did he say?
- What did who say? - Commander Sisko. About my idea.
You mean using the monitors on the station to sell merchandise?
Stop torturing me, Odo. Tell me what he said.
- Guess. - He said yes.
Guess again.
lt would triple my profits. How could he refuse?
Maybe he doesn't like you.
Don't be ridiculous. Major Kira doesn't like me.
- Sisko... - Doesn't like you.
- What did l do to him? - l could think of a few things.
That's nothing. Can l change his mind?
Ha!
- Uncle Quark? - Not now.
l wanted to tell you l can't work my shifts the next few days.
l'm going to the Gamma Quadrant with Jake and his father.
You're going to the Gamma Quadrant with Commander Sisko.
How lucky for you.
l always wanted to see the cockpit of a runabout.
How do you fire the phasers?
- Nog, you promised. - l won't touch.
Why don't you store the gear
while l go through prelaunch?
l'll do it.
l'll be right there.
- Fire the phasers? - He was just kidding.
l know this isn't the trip you planned,
but Nog's a great guy.
l just hoped you and l could spend this time together.
We will.
You won't even know Nog's along.
There you are! Where do l put my bags?
Uncle Quark, what are you doing here?
- l'm going. - Since when?
You don't expect my nephew
to go to the Gamma Quadrant
without supervision?
Some of my best friends are humans.
But my brother Rom isn't as liberal as l am.
He's never been comfortable about Nog's friendship with Jake.
Tell Rom not to worry. l'll take good care of the boy.
And l won't try to corrupt him with my human values.
l know that, but Rom is convinced
all humans look down upon Ferengi
and by allowing me to come on this trip you can prove him wrong.
He is wrong, isn't he?
Dad, please.
OK. Let's get going before anyone else shows up.
Thanks, Dad. Thanks.
This place is great.
Surveys suggest it's a lot like earth during the early Devonian period:
a lot of plant life, fish, some insects,
but no predators or large animals.
- Pretty, huh? - What's pretty about it?
They mean the trees and stuff.
This is close to paradise.
You just need to allow yourself to see it.
l'll tell you what l see: exploitable resources.
You want to cut down these trees
and strip mine the entire planet.
As a wise man once wrote, 'Nature decays, but latinum lasts forever.'
Rule of Acquisition number 102.
Good lad.
Nog, get some ointment from my bag.
- What's the problem? - l get a mild reaction.
- To what? - Nature.
You should sleep on the runabout.
And miss all the fun? Never.
l'm really looking forward to our getting to know each other better.
That's much better.
- Now, if only it wasn't so hot. - l hadn't noticed.
lt isn't the heat so much as the humidity and the insects,
the stench of these flowers.
l'm glad we could talk like this.
There's nothing like facing the wilderness to bring people closer.
- The answer is still no. - No to what?
l won't allow you to sell merchandise over the monitors.
Why not? lt's a brilliant idea.
With my connections l could offer a range of merchandise
which can't be acquired in this sector.
- Such as? - Collectibles.
Andorian jewellery,
Vulcan lDlC pins, Bolian crystalsteel.
And with my low overhead
l could offer these items at a significant discount.
Quark, you're wasting your time and mine.
Did l mention l was going to donate
2% of my net profits to the Bajoran fund for orphans?
3% ?
So how's it going?
The atmosphere is 77% nitrogen,
21 % oxygen, and 2% carbon dioxide.
The water contains traces of copper, nickel, and a little birythium.
- You're showing lead. - We think it's localised.
We'll check other water sources to be sure.
Wait until tomorrow. l'm starting dinner.
- Jumbalaya? - How did you know?
- Jumba what? - You'll love it.
The two of you did good work today.
Yes!
- Anyone want some more? - Not me.
Me neither, but it was very good.
l'm developing a taste for human food.
Quark?
l still say there's some dirt in the sauce.
And these bugs.
Look at this. They get into everything. lt's disgusting.
l thought Ferengis liked eating bugs.
Only certain bugs. Ferengi bugs.
Nog, get some more ointment for the back of my neck.
Yes, Uncle.
Get a good night's sleep. We have another big day tomorrow.
l'll start cataloguing the plant life first thing in the morning.
You know what this reminds of?
A camping trip we took on ltamish lll.
l don't think l remember you, me, and Mom ever having more fun together.
lsn't that where l taught you how to water-ski?
Mom taught me how to water-ski.
Yes. She always was the graceful one.
You know, Jake...
- We need to get away more often. - l'm ready whenever you are.
l'm sure Nog is too.
l'm joking.
Argh! l'm on fire!
l'm on fire!
Quark! Cover it up!
- Are you all right? - No! l am not.
My ears itch, my nose is running, l'm eating bugs...
One minute l'm picking bugs out of that jumba-what's-a-pot,
the next thing l know, whoosh!
Quark, calm down.
Sit down and try to stay out of trouble.
What did l do?
l'd better go see if he's OK.
- See what you've done? - Me?
The boy couldn't stand seeing his favourite uncle insulted.
l guess Rom was right. You don't like Ferengi, do you?
That is not true.
Name me one Ferengi you do like.
You see, l was right.
You Federation types are all alike.
You talk about tolerance and understanding
but you only practice it towards people who remind you of yourselves.
Because you disapprove of Ferengi values,
you scorn us, distrust us, insult us every chance you get.
l don't have to stand here and defend myself.
Could your son marry a Ferengi?
- l never thought about it! - See?
Don't hurt me.
- How many are there? - Just us two.
Not you, the Jem'Hadar.
We don't know who you're talking about.
We are not your enemies.
Then you'd better run.
lt's too late.
You're done running.
This has not been a good day.
Dad, this is Jake. Where are you?
- Dad, answer me. - Something's happened to them.
An attack by a wild animal?
There aren't any wild animals, just insects and plants.
Maybe they were attacked by a vicious tree?
Take a look at this.
Trees don't wear boots.
- We'd better beam up to the runabout. - We can't run because we're scared.
Who said anything about being scared?
l just thought the runabout would be a good place to plan our next move.
There's nothing to plan. My dad never would have left here,
not unless he was in trouble.
We can track him with the tricorder.
Hey! Wait for me!
Hey!
ls anybody there?
Hello? We're humanoids.
We require food and water.
- Hello? - Quark, shut up.
This is your fault. They were after you, not us.
Say something. Tell them you've never seen us before.
We have nothing to do with her. This is a misunderstanding.
- Quark... - l can express my opinion.
l'll put my fist in your opinion.
You don't scare me. You know why?
l'm already more scared than l've ever been.
- You're not helping anything. - l'm not?
l don't see you coming up with any ideas. Or her.
lf she wants to help us, she will.
She's even more scared than you are.
Believe me, she's not.
She's obviously been running from these people for a while.
She's probably been through a lot.
She doesn't know who we are.
l hope Jake and Nog stay out of sight until help gets here.
Nog's not a fool. He'll find a hole and climb in.
l'm not so sure about Jake.
lf l know him, he'll be looking for us.
Did you learn how to neutralise security fields in Starfleet?
l've never seen anything like this before.
- lt seems to... - Don't.
The security barrier will kill you.
Thanks for the warning.
- l have no wish to see you hurt. - A lovely sentiment.
How did you know that the security barrier is lethal?
Everything about the Jem'Hadar is lethal.
Anything you could tell me about them might be helpful.
You've never heard of the Jem'Hadar?
We're not from around here.
My name is Benjamin Sisko.
l'm from the United Federation of Planets.
We came through a wormhole.
Our home is thousands of light years away.
My name is Eris.
l'm glad to meet you...Eris.
That's Quark.
- Tell me about the Jem'Hadar. - They're the most feared soldiers
in the Dominion.
The Ferengi have tried to open trade negotiations with the Dominion.
We've never heard of the Jem'Hadar.
Then you've been fortunate.
Negotiations with the Dominion can be a dangerous thing.
Then why would anyone do business with them?
The Dominion decides that you have something that they want
and then they come and take it by negotiation or by force.
Believe me, l know. l've seen it happen on my own world.
Kurill Prime was offered entry into the Dominion.
They thought our telekinetic powers would be useful.
That's what you used to knock me down.
When Kurill refused the Dominion's offer,
they sent in the Jem'Hadar.
They destroyed our communication centre,
they executed our leaders,
and before we realised it they had seized control of the entire planet.
- How did you manage to escape? - l was on a freighter.
We fled, but they came after us.
Why?
My mother was an outspoken opponent of the Dominion.
They wanted to make an example of us.
That thing around your neck...
lt suppresses my telekinetic abilities.
Without it, l might be able to break through the barrier.
We'll find a way to get it off.
Even if we get past the barrier...
no one ever escapes from the Jem'Hadar.
Luckily for us, they seem as sure about that as you do.
Look around you.
They placed us in the same field.
l've never seen more than four guards on duty at once.
There's only this single containment field
between us and freedom.
They're overconfident and that will get us out of here.
Maybe if l can pry off that casing,
l can get at the locking mechanism. May l?
Of course.
Are you sure you can read that?
Pretty sure.
We've walked for hours and you're only pretty sure?
Would you be quiet? l'm picking up humanoid life-forms.
- They don't look friendly. - l wish we could get closer.
l don't think they would look any friendlier close up.
Hello!
l know someone must be listening to me out there.
Do we have to take him with us?
He's not so bad.
Doesn't he realise he's not accomplishing anything?
We need to know what the Jem'Hadar plan to do with us.
We need to get their attention. And l know...
That's enough.
...that Quark is hard to ignore.
l'm Commander Benjamin Sisko of the United Federation of Planets.
Why are we being held here?
- That's not my concern. - Then let us go.
The founders don't want you released.
- And who are the founders? - That's not your concern.
This isn't getting us anywhere.
How would you like a thousand cases of tulaberry wine?
Don't bother, Commander.
l'm not going to do any permanent damage.
lf the founders give the orders, l want to meet them.
- Those aren't my orders. - The founders don't exist.
The founders exist. They created the Dominion.
And the Jem'Hadar are their servants?
A Ferengi and a human.
l was hoping the first race l'd meet from the other side would be the Klingons.
- l'm sorry to disappoint you. - lt's too late for apologies.
The Dominion will not stand by
and allow ships from your side to violate our territory.
l hear the Klingons are effective warriors.
What's that weapon they're so fond of? The bat'leth?
l am not interested in discussing the Klingons.
All right. Then what about the Cardassians?
Are you satisfied with the treaty your Federation made with them?
lt seems a tactical error.
How do you know so much about our side?
We gain more knowledge every day
and now we have you to help us learn more.
l don't plan on telling you anything.
- l won't be asking the questions. - Who will?
l was really hoping to meet a Klingon.
Now that we're all friends l feel so much better.
- l hope this works. - l came up with a plan.
Computer, scan our base camp for human and Ferengi life signs.
One human and one Ferengi located.
That's them!
Computer, beam the two life-forms up.
Unable to comply.
Subjects are located inside a spatial distortion field.
l knew it couldn't be that easy.
We'd better go back to the station for help.
Computer, fly us back to the station.
Please restate command.
Computer, disengage autopilot and lay in a course back to the wormhole.
Enter authorisation code.
- Go ahead. - l don't know it!
Vessel approaching from the planet's surface, bearing 173 mark 281.
Computer, evasive manoeuvres! Fire phasers!
Launch torpedoes...and escape pods!
Computer, display approaching ship on the monitor.
Where did the ship go?
The vessel has entered warp bearing 171 mark 259.
- Maybe they didn't see us. - Maybe we're not what they're after.
- So what do we do now? - Shut down the autopilot.
How do we do that?
l guess we'll find out how much l learned working for Chief O'Brien.
- What's the E.T.A. on the Odyssey? - They're due in eight hours.
The neutrino levels in the wormhole are elevated.
Hail them, Lieutenant.
- No answer. - Shields up. Go to yellow alert.
lntruder in ops. Activate a level 3 containment field.
l'm Major Kira Nerys, first officer of this station.
Excuse the containment field.
You should identify yourself
before transporting into someone else's command centre.
l'm Third Talak'talan of the Jem'Hadar.
Your commander has been detained for questioning by the Dominion.
- Detained? For how long? - lndefinitely.
That happens to anyone who interferes with the Dominion.
What kind of interference?
Coming through the anomaly is interference enough.
lf you don't want to offend the Dominion,
stay on your side of the galaxy.
Detaining Commander Sisko
won't stop us from exploring the Gamma Quadrant.
We anticipated that response.
Security team to ops.
Here's a list of vessels we've destroyed for violating our territory.
Where did you get this datapadd?
From the Bajoran colony on our side of the anomaly.
You should be proud. They fought well for a spiritual people.
l hope we won't have to repeat this lesson.
Chief, lock a tractor beam onto his ship.
l can't establish a lock. They must have unfamiliar deflectors.
They've entered the wormhole. We've lost them.
Got it.
lt resembles a multiple-locking system.
Even if l can break through the barrier, how will you get off the planet?
We'll try to find my son. We'll use his communicator
to signal my ship and transport us off the surface.
And then what?
You're welcome to come back to the station with us.
Starfleet would like to hear about the Dominion.
l'd be glad to tell them all l know.
Quark, maybe you'd better take a look at this.
Sure.
''Quark, be quiet. Quark, stand watch. Quark, pick a lock.''
All you ever do is order me around.
- l know why humans don't like Ferengi. - Not now, Quark.
Humans used to be a lot like Ferengi:
greedy, acquisitive, interested only in profit.
We remind you of a past you'd like to forget.
- We don't have time for this. - But you're overlooking something.
Humans used to be a lot worse than the Ferengi:
slavery, concentration camps, interstellar wars...
We have nothing in our past
that approaches that kind of barbarism.
You see? We're nothing like you.
We're better.
Now...if you'll excuse me...
l have a lock to pick.
This shouldn't be so hard.
l watched Chief O'Brien run a check on the navigational array.
lt seems you didn't watch very closely.
- Try that one. - l don't think that's it.
- Try it. l have a hunch. - All right. Let's see.
Warning. Warp core collapse in 10 seconds.
- Nine, eight... - Put it back, put it back!
Six...
Warp core containment field stabilised.
- Sorry. - Wait a second...
- The ''G'' and ''N'' relay. - What about it?
O'Brien talked about the autopilot being connected
to the guidance and navigational relay.
lt was this round thing, with this square part on the bottom.
l got it.
- ls that it? - l hope so.
Computer, what's the status on the autopilot?
That system is not functional.
All right! Lay in a course for the wormhole at warp 8.
Unable to comply. The automatic pilot system is not functional.
- Now what? - We'll have to try and fly it ourselves.
Starfleet's orders are simple.
No traffic through the wormhole
until we can investigate the Jem'Hadar's threat.
What about Benjamin and the others?
His return is a top priority.
lf you're going to rescue them, we're coming.
Apart from Major Kira and Mr O'Brien, you haven't had combat experience.
We fought the Maquis.
The Dominion will have sharper teeth than the Maquis.
Then you'll need all the help you can get.
Mr O'Brien, can you equip the two remaining runabouts
with extra banks of photon torpedoes?
l already started retrofitting their weapons systems.
lt will take a few hours to off-load personnel from the Odyssey.
- You were planning on doing that? - Do you want to serve on a starship?
- l'm happy where l am. - Good.
- Be prepared to leave at 13:00 hours. - Yes, sir.
- You said Keogh didn't like you. - Did l say that?
You heard him. We got three hours.
Station security is to be on maximum alert.
l want random patrols of all corridors and periodic sensor sweeps.
The provisional government will send us extra security personnel.
This outlines how l want them deployed.
That will be all.
Captain Keogh has moved up our departure time.
l'm on my way to meet Chief O'Brien and Lieutenant Dax at the Mekong.
Don't you want to stay and oversee things here on the station?
l don't know what we'll come up against there.
Your duties do not require you to come.
l figure while you and the others are trying to rescue Sisko and the boys,
someone ought to be there to look out for Quark.
Quark? You're joking.
- l thought you hated Quark. - l do.
But l'd rather see him in jail than in the hands of the Dominion.
lf anything happened to him you'd miss him too.
l'd be willing to take that chance...
...but not today.
l'd better get to the Orinoco.
Odo...
Keep your head down.
Make sure you do the same.
Where's the welcoming committee?
- Maybe the Jem'Hadar were bluffing. - Or it's a trap.
Odyssey to runabouts.
Preliminary tachyon scans are negative.
The Dominion could have cloaking technology.
We'll keep our eyes open.
l'm telling you, we should go to warp.
- First let me try flying at impulse. - How hard can it be?
Making course corrections manually isn't easy.
- At this speed, it will take weeks. - lt will take about five years.
Can't we reassemble the autopilot?
lt's a lot easier taking things apart than putting them back together.
Three ships coming out of warp.
- Where? - Right there!
Mekong to Rio Grande.
- Chief, it's me, Jake. - Are we glad to find you.
- Where's your father? - He and Quark were taken prisoner.
Jake, come to a full stop. l'll beam aboard.
Having trouble getting it out of orbit?
We have to go back and save my Dad.
Don't worry, son. That's exactly what we're going to do.
This is a very sophisticated device.
Most telepathic suppressors are much bulkier.
There might be a market for this.
- You're hurting me. - l don't have much to work with.
- You've been at it for hours. - lf you would just stay still, l'd be...
...done.
- All right. Let's get out of here. - Stand back.
Quark, move it!
- Thanks. - You're welcome.
Let's go.
l'm picking up something on scanners.
Odyssey to runabouts.
We're detecting three incoming ships in attack formation.
Shields up. Red Alert.
Odo, take the helm. l'll handle the targeting controls.
Half the systems in this ship are disabled. l'll have to break formation.
We'll try to screen you from enemy fire.
What about my dad?
l'd first like to locate Commander Sisko.
You only have 10 minutes.
Enemy ships within range.
Runabouts, break formation, attack pattern delta.
Here they come.
l'm getting casualty reports on decks 4, 5, 8 and 17.
We have a plasma leak in our ship.
Deploy damage-control teams. Keogh to runabouts.
They're using a phased polaron beam to penetrate our shields.
Have you altered your harmonics?
We've run through the entire spectrum. None of the frequencies are effective.
Divert shield power to weapons.
After five minutes we're getting out of here.
Dax, let's take some pressure off the Odyssey.
Hang on.
Wait. Stop.
l got to start using one of those holosuite exercise programmes.
He's slowing us down. He can hide.
We'll transport him to safety later.
No. We never would have gotten away without him.
Thank you, Commander.
l'm glad someone around here appreciates me.
Dad!
This has turned into some science project.
Uncle Quark!
Nog, you're never going on a field trip again.
Take Eris back to the passenger compartment and wait there.
Jake...
Well done.
- The controls are dead. - We've lost our sensors!
Break off, Mekong. We'll lay down covering fire.
- Acknowledged! - Rio Grande to Odyssey.
- We've got Sisko. - Well done, Chief.
Damage-control team to level 7.
Our tactical control system is down.
Bridge to engineering. Get that ship back on line.
We've got what we came for.
We'd better pull back before...
Their communications array must have been hit.
Kira, Dax, you heard him. Let's get out of here.
A Jem'Hadar ship is making a direct run at the Odyssey.
Move to intercept.
We were retreating. There was no need for a suicide run.
That's how far they're willing to go.
Set a course for the wormhole.
Commander, wait.
We need to talk.
l can't believe l'm on the other side of the galaxy.
You'll get used to it.
Move away from her.
- l don't understand. - l've been looking over this collar.
l thought if l replicated it l might be able to turn a tidy profit.
l was surprised that there's nothing in here.
lt's just a complicated locking device.
You could have used your telekinetic abilities at any time.
- So, why didn't you? - You seem to know the answer.
The Jem'Hadar wanted us to escape, didn't they?
That was the plan: for us to bring you back here
so you could spy on the Federation.
Well done.
- You're one of the founders? - You think they would bother with you?
Constable.
Madam, if you'll come with us.
You have no idea what's begun here.
Chief!
l'm picking up a transporter signature but l can't trace it.
She's hasn't materialised on the station.
- Then where is she? - She'll be back. But who with?
lf the Dominion enters the wormhole,
the first battle will be fought here,
and l intend to be ready for them.

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