We have six Byzatium transports coming in.
- l need more cargo space. - Off-load them into cargo bays 3 and 4.
We're pushing our storage capacity as it is.
That reminds me we got a message
saying the Byzallians want to move up their conference by a week.
l haven't had a chance to read last night's reports.
- Anything else l should know? - Well...
What?
Starfleet wants a report on our computer calibration subroutine.
- The whole subroutine? When? - Tomorrow.
The scheduled transport has been delayed.
l need those medical supplies this week.
We don't have a runabout to go to Vulcan right now.
l'm supposed to set up a field hospital
for a new colony on Campor lll next week.
lf l don't get those supplies, the schedule could be set back by...
Listen, you can't have a runabout, you can't get your medical supplies,
and l don't give a damn about the colonisation schedule.
They can make do with a box of bandages.
Stop right there, Major.
- When was your last day off? - l don't know.
lf you can't remember, it's been too long.
You're off duty as of now.
What do you mean, l'm off duty? You can't do that.
Yes l can. Not even Commander Sisko
can overrule my judgement as chief medical officer.
Wait a minute, Julian... Just because l snapped...
My diagnosis is that you're overworked
and suffering from extreme stress and borderline exhaustion.
As for my prescription...
Follow me.
Karvino juice, Lorvan crackers,
a holosuite programme,
a jumja stick and gambling tokens.
At least two items must be used
and fully enjoyed before you leave this facility.
l'll be giving you a report of her activities.
lf l hear you didn't relax and enjoy yourself,
we'll do this every night until you do.
Have fun.
Looks like your evening is all planned.
Hope you've got room for the unexpected.
- Welcome on board, Commander. - Thank you. Call me Will.
What brings you here?
Strictly pleasure. l've built up three months of leave
and Dr Crusher insisted that l take some of it.
She nearly shoved me out the airlock.
DS9 isn't known as a vacation spa.
l was on my way to Risa.
The last time l was here,
l only spend two hours at Quark's.
When l left, l had all his latinum
and a date with a dabo girl.
Be careful.
His dabo wheel has been stingy lately.
One of his dabo girls is dating my son.
l'd better stick to the holosuites.
lt sounds safer. All the way around.
Who's in there?
- What? - Who's with Benjamin?
lt's Will.
Commander Will Riker from the Enterprise.
- Will Riker. - You know him?
l met him a year ago at Quark's.
He's quite a dabo player.
- Do you know him? - Yes, a little.
l met him at Quark's last night.
You met him last night and...
And we talked.
And then...
And then we talked.
For three hours.
No. We just talked.
And yes, he's a warm, charming man.
But l'm involved with someone.
Of course.
So why do you keep glancing at Sisko's office?
lf you have time, you're invited for dinner with me and Jake.
l might take you up on that.
l hope you're not here for another loan.
Have you forgotten who staked you three strips of latinum?
Sorry, most of that night is still a blur.
- How have you been, Dax? - Fine.
l'd better let you get back to work.
l hope to see you again. Major.
Commander.
- Ooh! l'm sorry. - lt's all right.
My mind was a million light years away.
- Are you shopping? - Just exploring the Promenade.
l thought of going to Quark's but wasn't in the mood.
- Where are you off to? - l was about to call it a night.
l see. Well, goodnight.
Goodnight.
Commander.
Would you like a tour of the station?
l'd love one. Where should we begin?
We could walk along the Promenade. There is quite a bit to see.
Will we see your new starship?
- The Defiant. - Yes. l hear it's quite a vessel.
l'm sure that could be arranged.
Please identify for access to U.S.S. Defiant.
- Major Kira Nerys, Bajoran militia. - ldentity confirmed.
- William Riker, Starfleet. - ldentity confirmed.
Chief. l didn't know anyone else was on board tonight.
l hadn't planned to... Ouch!
l was doing some extra work on the deflector targeting arrays.
Commander, l heard you were aboard, but l...
l've nothing to say to you. l think you know why.
Maybe we should come back another time.
No, Major, it's all right. l was just leaving.
Commander.
What was that all about?
lt's a long story. l'd rather not get into it.
- Let's see this ship of yours. - OK.
l'll show you the tactical systems first.
You'll be surprised at how big a punch this little ship has.
Running the plasma conduit through the phaser coupling
has doubled your phaser power.
Doesn't that reduce warp speed?
No. ln fact, it's 30% more efficient.
That's ingenious.
l'd like to see how it's routed through the tactical display.
Command authorisation required.
New security procedure. Computer, release bridge lockout.
Authorisation Kira delta five four seven alpha.
Thank you.
What's going on?
Something's happened to the warp core on the Defiant.
- Anyone on board? - O'Brien was working there. But...
lncoming signal from the Defiant. lt's Commander Riker.
On screen.
Riker to Sisko. There's been an accident.
A plasma conduit exploded. Major Kira was injured.
We're 45 seconds from a core breach. Release the clamps.
We'll beam you out as soon as you're clear.
- Docking clamps released. - l'm engaging thrusters.
- 1 5 seconds. - Lock on and beam them away, Chief.
- l can't get a lock. lts shields are up. - What?
She's gone into warp. l've lost them.
We're beyond their sensor range.
Lay our course for the Badlands.
- Secure that conduit. - Right.
Course laid in. We'll be there in six hours.
- You did it, Tom. - lt's not over yet.
Nine years ago, a transporter accident created two William T. Rikers.
One returned to his ship, the other was marooned on Nervala lV.
The second Riker was discovered two years ago.
He used his middle name Thomas to distinguish himself from the other Riker.
The two men are physically identical, right down to their DNA coding.
The security computer couldn't have known that it was Thomas,
not William who boarded the Defiant.
This is a very entertaining story but... why am l listening to it?
We have reason to believe that Thomas Riker is a member of the Maquis.
What?
Thomas Riker was serving aboard the starship Gandhi.
There, he began to express certain political opinions,
which supported the Maquis and their goals.
Are you telling me...
that one of the most heavily armed warships in this quadrant
is now in the hands of Maquis terrorists?
Do you have any idea how the Central Command will respond?
They'll want to conduct a search in the Demilitarised Zone.
We understand that.
But any entry into the zone must be a joint operation
between Cardassia and the Federation.
The Central Command will not be interested
in any joint operation.
They won't believe your story
about transporter duplicates and security failures.
They'll assume that Starfleet wanted the Maquis to have the Defiant
and they will respond accordingly.
What does that mean exactly?
lt means they'll seize this opportunity to finally eliminate the Maquis.
They will send a fleet into that zone.
Starfleet will cooperate in a search for the Defiant.
But they will not allow the Central Command to use this
as an excuse for a full-scale invasion.
Of course not.
So you will send your own fleet to protect Federation colonies.
But, at some point, the two fleets will meet.
Tensions will rise, nerves will fray,
and someone will make a mistake.
And we'll have a war on our hands.
- lt is a prospect l do not relish. - Neither do we.
That's why we need to work together to prevent it.
Unless l can bring something back to Central Command
to prove your good faith...
and your willingness to help stop the Defiant...
nothing can prevent this conflict from beginning.
Then bring me with you.
l can help you stop the Defiant and prove our good faith.
l was in charge of the shipyard where the Defiant was built.
l helped design it.
l know her vulnerabilities and her weaknesses.
You'll help us destroy one of your own ships?
l want to try and disable it first.
Oh, l'm sure you do.
But you are in no position to bargain here, Commander.
You want to prevent a war?
You come back to Cardassia with me
and you help me destroy the Defiant.
l don't care who you are or what your name is.
l'm sorry about lying to you, and l'm sorry about using you.
lt was an operational necessity. You were a resistance fighter.
You do things you're not proud of to accomplish the mission.
You've accomplished your mission, so now what?
The Cardassians and Starfleet will be looking for you.
How far can you get before they find you?
A lot farther than people anticipate.
Kalita to Riker. We've reached the rendezvous point.
l'm on my way.
- The other ship has arrived. - The team is ready.
Lower the shields and beam them aboard.
They are heading for the border.
All defence systems operational. Warp power standing by.
Lay in a course for the Cardassian border.
- Course already laid in. - This ship was built to fight.
lt's time she got her chance. Engage.
Commander's log. Stardate 48467.3.
Gul Dukat and l have arrived on Cardassia Prime.
What l am about to do goes against 20 years of Starfleet training:
help an enemy hunt down one of our own ships.
This is where l'll be conducting the search for the Defiant.
From this room, l can control every Cardassian ship,
outpost and space station anywhere in our...
Commander, allow me to introduce Korinas,
our observer from the Obsidian Order.
- Commander Sisko. - Korinas.
- Welcome to Cardassia Prime. - Thank you.
Excuse me.
Secure that console while the human is here.
Anything else classified level 4 or above should also be secured.
Although we all respect Gul Dukat's decision to bring you here,
we must take precautions.
Of course. l would have done the same.
But then l would have been more discreet.
Since you're here to provide technical expertise on the Defiant,
l suggest you begin by briefing us on the ship's defensive capabilities.
Please describe the weapon systems of the Defiant,
beginning with its phaser array...
Before we discuss weaponry,
there is a more urgent matter you should be aware of.
The Defiant is equipped with a cloaking device.
l wondered if you were going to share that detail.
- You knew about this? - The Obsidian Order knew
about the loan of a cloaking device from the Romulans.
And the Order chose not to share this intelligence
with the Central Command?
The Order had not considered this cloak to be a threat against Cardassia.
Under our terms of agreement,
the device was to be used only in the Gamma Quadrant
and only in exchange for our intelligence reports on the Dominion.
Your Lieutenant Riker isn't likely to respect that agreement.
And there's no way to locate a ship under cloak.
There is one possibility.
The Dominion penetrated the cloak by using an anti-proton beam.
Can you give us the specifications of that beam?
Not precisely, but l can give you what we've learned from our sensor logs.
lt will give you a chance to find the Defiant before she attacks.
We're approaching the security perimeter.
All right, this is it. Red alert.
Cloak the ship. Stand by weapons.
Squadron Baker are at the checkpoint.
Transmit the go-ahead signal.
We'll be in Cardassian sensor range in five minutes.
There's a perimeter alert in the Almatha sector.
Put it on the main viewer.
Who's commanding the nearest outpost?
Gul Toran. He's identified the vessel. lt's the Defiant.
Order all warships in that sector to converge on the Defiant.
Something's wrong. Why wouldn't they be cloaked?
Can you show me the sensor information on the Defiant?
The Defiant is attacking Outpost 61 .
Tell Gul Toran that he can pursue the Defiant
into the Demilitarised Zone.
No, don't call your ships off the border.
You don't expect me to break off pursuit just because the treaty...
That's not the Defiant. lt's a decoy.
They're drawing your patrol ships out of position.
lt's a fake warp signature identical to the Defiant's,
but the phase variance and subspace harmonics don't match.
Order Toran to break off pursuit. Have him redeploy...
Sir, another perimeter alert! Outpost 4 7 has detected a cloaked ship.
Tell Toran to head for Outpost 4 7.
The Defiant has decloaked and has begun to attack the outpost.
We've lost contact with Outpost 4 7.
lncoming message from Gul Toran.
The Defiant has recloaked. lts last known heading was 1 48, mark 21 5.
lt's headed directly into the heart of Cardassian territory.
Commander Sisko, you should be commended.
l wish we had someone with such keen tactical instincts
who could have prevented this invasion of our territory.
We're past the security perimeter, out of their sensor range.
They're using anti-proton beams to scan for us.
Adjust the cloak's resonance frequency.
- Damage report. - Six hits on the port shields.
Minor damage to the hull, but all systems are operational.
Set a course for the shipyard at Omekla lll. We'll let that be...
Report.
We've lost main power.
- Two plasma conduits blew out. - Where?
Deck 3, section 1 5. Crew quarters.
lt looks like Major Kira has been busy.
You crossed the converter with the plasma manifold?
- That's right. - Nice work.
- We'll bypass this in 30 minutes. - At least we'll be visible.
Fortunately, l took us into a nebula. No one will see us.
Thanks.
- The plasma relay could have exploded. - That was the idea.
You spent your life fighting the Cardassians.
l know you sympathise with what we're doing.
l fought them because they invaded my home.
You don't live in the zone. Why are you in this fight?
People are dying there and Starfleet isn't doing a thing about it.
Taking the Defiant raises the stakes. They will send a fleet after you.
They'll kill more people hunting you down than during the border raids.
Assuming we stay in the Demilitarised Zone.
Let's go to the bridge where we can keep an eye on you.
1 5 outposts have checked in. No sign of the Defiant.
1 4 cubic light years of space have been scanned
with anti-proton beams... no Defiant.
What are the possibilities?
They're heading deeper into Cardassian space.
They're laying low and waiting for some unknown reason.
Dukat, are you listening to me?
l'm sorry. l was thinking about my son's birthday.
- Really? - Yes. Today is his 1 1th birthday.
l'd promised to take him to the amusement centre in Lakarian City.
He's always wanted to go.
But l never have the time.
l told him, ''This year will be different, Mekor.
''This year l will make the time.''
l've had the same experience with Jake.
At that age, they never understand, do they?
You just hope that one day, they'll look back and say,
''Now l understand. Now l know why he did that.''
When my son looks back on this day,
the only thing he'll remember
is that a Federation officer on a Federation ship invaded his home
and kept his father away from him on his 1 1th birthday.
And he won't look back with understanding...
He'll look back with hatred.
And that's sad.
The cloak is operating normally,
but the plasma conduit damages caused a neutrino leak.
The Cardassians might detect it even through the cloak.
Lay in a course for Omekla lll.
- Engage at warp 8. - Aye, sir.
Omekla lll? You're heading for the shipyard?
There are half a dozen better targets in this sector.
l hope the Cardassians have the same reaction.
''What's he doing and why?''
All right. You're trying to keep them off-balance, keep them guessing.
Why?
The Maquis have heard rumours
about shifting loyalties in the Cardassian government.
Certain hardline elements were unsatisfied with the Federation Treaty
and are looking for a way to scrap it.
We found an intelligence report
outlining a suspected military build-up in the Orias system.
A build-up that even the Central Command is unaware of.
You've done all this to attack a secret base
that may or may not exist?
l'm convinced that it does.
They're building an invasion fleet.
lf we let them finish it, these renegade Cardassians will use it.
You're not cut out for this, are you?
Being a terrorist, l mean.
- You're not very good at it. - Really?
You're like a Starfleet officer who's more interested in reports
and Cardassian politics than in actually hurting Cardassians.
You command one of the most powerful ships in this quadrant.
Why aren't you out attacking every Cardassian outpost along the border?
Because the stakes here are far greater than border outposts.
Not for the Maquis there're not, because the Maquis are terrorists
and all terrorists care about is attacking the enemy.
l know. l was a terrorist. And if l'd had this ship then...
l would have destroyed Deep Space 9.
l would have hit the Cardassians so hard they would have screamed for peace,
but l wouldn't have gone flying off into Cardassia on some wild goose chase.
l guess we're different kinds of terrorists.
No. You're trying to be a hero...
Terrorists don't get to be heroes.
We'll see.
This is how your ships were deployed before the first Defiant attack.
This is where they are now. Don't you see what happened?
Each Defiant attack was designed to draw your ships away from that sector,
leaving it virtually defenceless.
There's nothing of value in that sector.
There must be something. Are there any M-class planets there?
There's one. Orias lll.
But it's uninhabited. lt's desolate.
Everything seems to point to the Orias system.
lt might be worth sending one warship in case the Defiant shows up.
All right. Contact Gul Ranor.
- Tell him to dispatch one warship... - No.
You'll send no ships to Orias.
You're here as an observer. You have no authority...
That sector is under our direct control and you will not enter it.
- Why? - That matter is classified.
You can file a complaint with the Central Command later.
Open a channel to Gul Ranor now.
Any warship sent into the Orias system will be destroyed.
Are you saying that you will fire on another Cardassian ship?
What l'm saying is that the Obsidian Order
will take whatever steps are necessary to protect the Orias system.
And so will l.
l've spoken to a few friends in the Central Command.
The Obsidian Order isn't giving them any answers either.
The Order has to answer to someone.
ln theory, they answer to the political authority of the Detapa Council.
ln practice, we run our own affairs.
Not a very efficient system.
lt's worked for over five centuries.
There's an incoming message from the warship Kraxon.
They've found an unusual neutrino signature in their sector.
lt looks like radiation from a damaged warp plasma relay.
- ls this signature moving? - No.
But they're scanning the area with anti-proton beams.
Where is the Kraxon?
lf it is the Defiant, they're in position for the Orias system.
We still don't know that Orias is the target.
l can't risk pulling ships away from other potential targets
to chase down a neutrino signature.
- They're doing another pass. - Any other ships nearby?
There are nine Galor-class cruisers about six light years away.
- Any ships between us and Orias? - No.
lf you make a run for it, that ship will see a signature change,
they'll call their nine friends, and you'll have a fleet chasing you.
They can chase me all they want. As long as they don't catch me.
The neutrino signature has just phase-shifted.
lt's now moving at warp speed towards the Orias system.
Order the Kraxon to pursue at maximum warp
and all other ships to follow.
They're pursuing but won't catch us before we reach Orias.
Full scan. l want to see everything in that system.
When you make out your report for the Obsidian Order,
tell them that l could have stopped the Defiant from reaching Orias
if you hadn't interfered.
They will never reach Orias. You can count on that.
- Three more ships in the Orias system. - What kind of ships?
Cardassian warships. Keldon-class.
- Whose ships are those, Korinas? - Why are you asking me?
Because if they were military ships, l would know about them.
So that leaves the Obsidian Order.
- l thought they didn't have any ships. - They're not supposed to.
ln fact, they're explicitly forbidden from having any military equipment.
We'll have to fight our way to Orias.
Listen to me.
Those ships will lock on to our neutrino leak and open fire.
- You'll have to fight back. - With this ship, it'll be a short fight.
Let's say you disable or even destroy those ships.
Fighting them will slow us down, and the 1 0 ships behind us will catch up.
- Not even the Defiant can win. - We've come too far to quit.
You're an experienced Starfleet officer. Analyse the situation.
Going to Orias is suicide.
The smart move is to leave while we can.
Maybe a Starfleet officer would do that,
maybe Will Riker would do that, but l'm going to continue the mission.
lt's not about the mission, is it?
Or the colonists in the zone. This is about you, isn't it?
You and the other Riker, the man with your face, your name and your career.
You're looking for a way to set yourself apart.
You shouldn't go fishing today. You won't catch anything.
Take us in.
You want to know what's going on in Orias?
l know how you can find out.
Give Riker a chance to surrender.
The Defiant's scanned the system by now.
lts sensor logs can tell you all you want to know.
l'd be happy to accept his surrender but he won't hand over his logs.
He will, if you release Kira,
turn the ship and the Maquis over to the Federation.
lmpossible.
l cannot allow terrorists to walk away after invading our territory...
Then you must decide which is important to you -
your sense of Cardassian justice
or the information in the Defiant's sensor logs.
l do want that information, Commander.
And l am willing to return your ship.
But someone has to pay for what's happened
and l don't want that someone to be me.
lf you return the Maquis to the Federation, they will stand trial.
- A Federation trial. - lt's the best l can do.
All right. l would be willing to hand over Major Kira,
the Maquis and the ship.
But not Riker. He led the mission.
lf l can bring him to justice and obtain the information on Orias,
that might be enough for Central Command.
Hm...
l might be able to get him to do it on one condition.
Cardassian sentences are determined well in advance of the trial.
l'd like you to arrange a sentence other than death.
l'll have to clear that with the Ministry of Justice.
You'd better make it quick.
We're approaching the first cruiser.
lt'll be in phaser range in 1 5 seconds.
Go to impulse, decloak the ship,
raise shields and stand by phasers.
Go to heading 1 1 8, mark 31 0. Lock on phasers.
Fire.
Direct hit on their port nacelle. Their shields are down by 30%.
We've been hit on our starboard shield.
- Shields holding. - Quantum torpedoes. Full spread.
- Torpedoes locked. - Fire.
Their defence systems are off-line. They've lost main power.
Three more cruisers have just appeared.
That makes five ships ahead of us and 1 0 behind.
Resume our original course to Orias.
Stand by emergency power to the shields.
lncoming message from Cardassia Prime.
lt's Gul Dukat and Commander Sisko.
On screen.
This is Gul Dukat of the Second Order.
l am authorised to tell you
that if you surrender your ship none of you will be harmed.
ls that right?
Listen to him, Lieutenant. lf you surrender,
the Defiant and its crew will be handed over to the Federation.
- Why the sudden generosity? - He wants the Defiant's logs on Orias.
They're worth more to him than Maquis prisoners.
l don't buy it. The Cardassians won't let us just walk away.
You're right. Someone has to pay the price.
Me.
The deal is you'll be tried and convicted in a Cardassian court,
then sentenced to spend the rest of your life
in the Lazon ll labour camp.
No death sentence? That must have taken some doing.
Some.
Give me a moment.
Tom.
There's no reason for you to continue.
They're offering you a way out. Refusing it would mean you want to die.
- l have a mission to complete. - That mission is over.
You'll never make it to Orias, you know that.
There are five ships ahead of you
but there may be 50 waiting there for all we know.
Be a Starfleet officer one last time. Think of your crew.
You want to go out in a blaze of glory
they'll talk about for the next 1 0 years.
Don't drag them along with you.
On screen.
- l agree to your terms. - You need to reverse course
and surrender to one of the ships that's been following you.
- Why? - lt'll take too long to explain.
But the ships coming out of Orias are not under Dukat's control.
l've ordered the Kraxon to shield you as soon as you arrive.
- You'll be safe once you get there. - Understood.
Turn us about. Lay in a course to the Kraxon.
Do it.
Those are faster than any Keldon-class ships l've ever seen.
What's going on in that system?
We're 1 00 million kilometres from the Kraxon.
- lncoming message. - Let's hear it.
'This is Gul Ranor of the Kraxon.
Cut your engines in five seconds, and we'll shield you.
Acknowledged. Kalita...
All stop.
They won't fire on another Cardassian ship.
They can't.
They're moving off. They've set course back to the Orias system.
Transmit the Orias lll sensor logs to the Kraxon.
And tell them to prepare to beam me aboard.
l'm turning command over to Major Kira. She'll get you back to the Federation.
l'm holding you responsible to see that they get a fair trial.
l give you my word.
We'll get you out of there. l promise you that.
- Riker to Kraxon. - Go ahead.
One to beam up.
Set course for the Federation.
Warp 8.

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