A lot of kick for a '45 Dom.
Thank you, Mister...?
Mister...?
Bashir.
Julian Bashir.
Who's that?
An uninvited guest.
Excuse me.
Nice tux. Thank you.
Now...
get out.
But, Doctor, I've only just arrived.
Breaking into a holosuite during someone's program
is not only rude, it's illegal.
I should call Odo and have you arrested.
What an extreme reaction that would be.
You must be very embarrassed by this program.
I'm not embarrassed.
I'm annoyed that you have intruded into my privacy.
Oh, privacy, indeed.
I think it goes far deeper than that, Doctor.
Ever since you've received this new program,
you've spent virtually every free hour
in the holosuite.
But you haven't told anyone what the program is.
Am I supposed to?
No, no. No.
But you're such a-- forgive me--
a talkative man
and it's so unusual for you to have secrets.
I must have picked up that habit from you.
Now, if you will excuse me.
Is this fantasy of yours...
truly revealing of your inner psyche?
What?
Is that why you're so protective?
Are you afraid that I'll find out
some humiliating secrets of the real Julian Bashir?
This is a fantasy.
I'm not hiding anything.
Well, if you've nothing to hide, then why not let me stay?
-All right. -Ah.
Now, I have to be at work in two hours, and I'd like
to enjoy myself.
So keep quiet and don't rain on my parade.
Parade?!
Never mind.
Don't worry, Doctor.
I can be very discreet.
You'll barely know I'm here.
Good.
But if I may make one observation...
-Garak... -I only want to point out
that your lovely companion is leaving.
Odd.
She seemed so interested
in your advances just a moment ago.
I wonder what scared her away.
Oh, no.
I do apologize.
You must be incensed.
In fact, if I were in your shoes
I'd grab a bottle of champagne and shoot me.
I can see I'm going to regret this.
Don't worry, Doctor.
We're going to have a wonderful time.
After all, what could possibly go wrong?
You live here?
That's right.
Decorate it yourself?
The decor is appropriate for the period-- 1964.
How did you pronounce the name of this city?
Kowloon.
It's part of Hong Kong.
And the nightclub was in Paris
which, if I remember correctly
was on the other side of the planet.
Mr. Bashir
I didn't expect you home so soon.
I decided to leave Paris a little early.
Allow me to introduce my friend, Mr. Garak.
Garak, this is my personal valet, Mona Luvsitt.
Pleased to make your acquaintance.
Would you like to change into something more comfortable?
Oh, that would be perfect.
Let's see if we can find Mr. Garak something as well.
I'll see what I can do.
Would you like me to put this away?
Please.
Care for a drink?
Not just yet.
Is she your valet, or your personal assassin?
Valet.
Mona's very capable.
She speaks seven languages
has degrees in biology, chemistry, physics
can fly anything from a jet to a helicopter
and makes an excellent martini.
Cheers.
Is there anything else I can do for you?
I'll let you know.
I take it your character
is some kind of rich dilettante
with a fascination for women and weapons.
Actually, my character is far more disreputable.
I'm a spy.
A spy?
And you live here?
Yes.
I work for one of the nation-states
of this era, Great Britain
which is battling various other nations
in what is called the "Cold War."
This apartment, my clothes, weapons, even my valet
were provided to me by my government.
I think I joined the wrong intelligence service.
Orinoco to Deep Space 9.
This is Captain Sisko requesting landing clearance.
Welcome back, Captain.
You're cleared to set down on Landing Pad 3.
How was the conference?
Informative, but I've got
a ship full of tired officers here.
I think we'll all be happy to be in our own beds tonight.
I can imagine.
There's some message traffic from Starfleet Command
for you to look at, but nothing...
Captain, there's some kind of power surge in the warp core.
Looks like a fluctuation in the plasma coils.
We'd better take the warp core off line.
I can't.
There's something wrong
with the command control systems.
I'm completely locked out.
Magnetic interlocks are failing.
Warp core breach is imminent.
Eject the warp core.
The ejection system isn't responding.
Correction. The ejection system is missing.
We've been sabotaged.
Ten seconds to warp core breach.
Orinoco, cut your impulse engines
and drop your deflectors.
We're going to try to beam you out of there.
Acknowledged.
Cut main power.
I've locked on. Energizing.
What happened?
Captain Sisko's runabout
exploded while I was trying to beam them back.
Some of the energy traveled
back along the transporter beam and blew up
the primary energizing coils.
Do we still have their patterns?
Yes, they're in the buffer.
But the patterns will start to degrade
if not used immediately.
We need to store the patterns somewhere.
No, this is more complicated
than just an ordinary transporter pattern.
We're going to have to preserve all the neural signatures
of everyone on that runabout.
Do you know how much memory it would take
to save just one person's neural signature, much less five?
I don't think we have any choice.
Computer, I need to store all data
currently in the transporter pattern buffer.
Where can I save it?
There is insufficient computer memory to save the data.
Pattern buffer is beginning to lose coherence.
The patterns will start to degrade any second now.
Computer, what if we wiped all computer memory in every system
on the station, and then stored the patterns?
That procedure has not been tested.
It cannot be predicted.
The buffer is depolarizing.
Computer, this is a command priority override.
Wipe all computer memory necessary
in order to save the patterns from the buffer.
Authorization: Eddington- zero-six-five-alpha enabled.
Executing command override.
Tricorder.
The buffer's lost coherence.
The patterns are gone.
Did the computer save them in time?
I think so, but I'm not sure where.
Thank you, my dear.
Yes, this should do nicely.
Although I'm not too sure about the collar.
It's perfect.
Oh?
I'll have these cleaned right away.
Thank you.
Isn't this a rather ostentatious life for a spy?
It's all part of my cover.
I'm posing as a wealthy jet-setter
so I have to act like one.
Jet-setter?
People of this era used to travel in...
Julian.
I must have fallen asleep.
Very funny.
Who else did you invite along with you today?
Well, this wasn't my idea.
Major?
Colonel, actually.
Colonel Anastasia Komananov, KGB.
Oh, Julian, I never thought I'd see you alive again.
Not after you fell out of that dirigible over lceland.
I had a parachute
and there was a submarine there waiting for me.
But how did you know about that?
Have you been downloading my holosuite program?
Oh, Julian, you are not well.
Let's lie down.
I must say
Major Kira's certainly throwing herself into the role, Doctor.
Nerys, please...
Who is this Major Nerys Kira?
Kira Nerys, actually.
Perhaps...
this isn't Major Kira after all.
I'm beginning to think you're right.
Computer, restore the image
of Colonel Komananov back to its original parameters.
Unable to comply.
The character parameters of Colonel Komananov are correct.
I'd say someone's
been tampering with your program, Doctor.
Julian, we don't have time for games.
There is much to talk about.
Excuse me.
Computer, freeze program.
Unable to comply.
Computer control has been disrupted
due to station-wide emergency.
Emergency?
Bashir to Ops. What's going on?
We've got our hands full right now, Doctor. Stand by.
Odo, wait.
Doctor, where are you and do you have access
to a working computer console?
I'm in Holosuite 3.
The program's running, but it won't comply with my commands.
The program is still running?
I demand to know who you are talking to.
Julian, tell me!
That sounded like Kira.
Not exactly.
Someone has replaced one of the characters
with the image of Major Kira.
What's going on?
Stay where you are, Doctor.
Keep the program running for now.
We'll get right back to you.
Julian, talk to me.
Tell me what is happening.
I'm not sure myself.
Ops to Bashir.
Doctor, whatever you do, don't end that program.
Why not?
There's been a transporter accident.
We believe the holosuite memory core
is holding the transporter patterns
of five crew members.
If you stop the program, their patterns might be lost.
How could that happen?
It's a long story
but, at this moment, the patterns
of Captain Sisko, Kira, Worf, Dax and O'Brien
exist only in the holosuite database.
Don't leave the holosuite.
If you do, it might disrupt the holo-imaging array
and right now, we can't take any chances.
You'll have to stay in there
and keep the program running for now.
Understood.
We'll get back to you, Doctor.
Oh, Julian...
you are so tense.
It's been one of those days.
I wish I could relax you
but I am here on business.
In the last 24 hours
a series of earthquakes have struck cities
from Vladivostok to New York.
Our seismologists have analyzed the earthquakes
and have come to the conclusion that they are artificial.
So? That's not so difficult.
One only has to...
Garak.
Your friend seems to know something.
Believe me, he knows nothing.
If you say so.
Because of the global nature of this crisis
my government and yours have decided to cooperate.
We will be working...
very closely.
I'm sure we will.
Our assignment is to find out who caused the earthquakes
and what they want.
A rather vague assignment.
We do have one clue.
One of the world's leading seismologists
Professor Honey Bare, has vanished.
We believe... she has been kidnapped.
I didn't think she was your type.
You said she's been kidnapped?
We think so.
She disappeared only a few hours
before the first quake struck New York City.
Doctor, we're in the middle of an emergency.
Is this really the time to be playing games?
Look.
Interesting.
If Honey Bare is killed, the computer
will erase her character from its program.
Now, since the program thinks that Dax is Honey Bare...
The computer would actually be erasing Commander Dax's pattern.
Kira... uh, Ana...
do you have any idea where Professor Bare is?
She was last seen...
I'll be right with you, Mona.
Chief...
No.
It's Falcon.
Nice to see you, Mr. Bashir.
Now I think we have a little unfinished business.
Surprised to see me, Mr. Bashir?
You could say that.
Well, you should use something
a little more lethal than a champagne cork.
Something...
Iike this.
Wait.
Wait, please.
Let us have one last kiss.
Why not?
I've always been a romantic at heart.
Earring.
All right, Bashir, that's enough.
Interesting jewelry.
I bought those for Anastasia last Christmas.
You're bleeding.
The holosuite safeties must be off.
Time to clip this bird's wings.
No!
Nyet! What are you doing?
We can't kill him.
Julian, what are you saying?
He's been trying to kill you for nine years.
I wouldn't dismiss her idea so quickly, Doctor.
But that's Miles.
No, as you pointed out, he's Falcon--
a hired assassin who's going to do
everything he can to kill you
and without the holosuite safeties in place
he may just do that.
Well, what do you want me to do-- kill him?
I want you to stop treating this like a game
where everything's going to turn out all right in the end.
Real spies have to make hard choices.
You want to save Dax?
Fine, but you may not have the luxury
of saving everyone.
Who is Dax?
Eventually, you may have to let someone die.
I'll deal with that situation
if and when it happens.
In the meantime, we have to find Dax.
Who is Dax?
Ana, I promise I'll explain everything later.
Now, you said Professor Bare had been kidnapped.
Do you have any suspects?
We believe that Dr. Noah is behind the abductions.
During the last two years, he has kidnapped
an elite group of 60 artisans and scientists
from around the world.
No one knows why or where he has taken them
but our sources tell us that each of the missing peoples
was invited to meet Dr. Noah at a club in Paris
shortly before they disappeared.
The Club lngenue.
Da.
I had a feeling.
Sorry, my dear.
I hope you remember how to tie a bow tie.
We're going to Paris.
Who is Dax?!
I've had to make
a few modifications to this holosuite over the years.
A few?
It's like a junkyard in here.
My brother won't let me buy new components
so I've had to scavenge for what I need.
I'm barely breaking even on the holosuites as it is.
If I had to buy new equipment every time there was a glitch...
Where's the core memory interface?
Oh... it's... right behind the spatula.
The spatula?
It's made of a copper-ytterbium composite--
the perfect plasma conductor.
I found them.
All five of their physical patterns are in here...
and they're stable.
Why here?
The holosuite is specifically designed
to store highly complex energy patterns.
The computer's processing their physical patterns
as if they were holosuite characters.
The trouble is...
I'm not reading any neural energy.
Neural energy
has to be stored at the quantum level.
The holosuite can't handle that.
So, if their physical bodies are stored here
where are their brain patterns?
Everywhere else.
Their brain patterns are so large
that they're taking up
every bit of computer memory on the station--
replicator memory, weapons, life supports.
He may be right.
So what do we do about it?
How do we get them back?
Uh, I'd like to see Dr. Noah.
I have an invitation.
May I see your invitation?
Dr. Noah?
I am Duchamps.
I am Dr. Noah's... associate.
May l?
My name's Merriweather--
Patrick Merriweather, and this is my wife
Anastasia, and my friend, Mr. Garak.
Charmed.
Your invitation, Mr. Merriweather.
I... don't have one.
Dr. Noah does not like unexpected guests.
Oh, I believe Dr. Noah would be very interested
in meeting my husband.
He's one of the leading geologists in the world.
Now, why would that interest Dr. Noah?
Oh, we believe he's taken
quite an interest in the sciences.
After all, he has invited several
of the world's top scientists to this... club.
Isn't that true?
I must say, I feel a little insulted
by being left out of such an illustrious group.
How unfortunate.
Of course...
a meeting still can be arranged
for a price.
Oh?
Five million francs.
No problem.
I do not understand.
Where's the rest of your money?
Right in front of you.
Shall we begin?
A Cardassian separatist group
calling themselves "The True Way"
has claimed responsibility for sabotaging the runabout.
Ever heard of them before?
Mmm. They're opposed to the peace treaty.
They blame the Federation for Cardassia's economic
and political troubles, et cetera, et cetera.
Until now, they've never committed any terrorist actions
to support their beliefs.
What have you found?
From what we can tell, Quark was right.
The computer has stored the neural energy patterns
of everyone on the runabout throughout the entire station.
Don't everyone thank me at once.
What we need to do
is reintegrate their neural patterns
with their physical patterns from the holosuite
and rematerialize them.
I say we use the Defiant.
Its power systems and computers are independent of the station
and it has its own transporter.
Sounds good, except...
Except what?
Well, my equipment isn't designed
to interface with Starfleet systems.
I may have to make some modifications.
Card.
Nine.
Five million francs.
You're quite a baccarat player, Mr. Merriweather.
Baccarat and geology are my life.
Now then
Mr. Duchamps, I believe I've met your conditions.
When do we leave?
Right now.
Another decorator's nightmare.
This era had a distinct lack of taste.
Where are we?
Welcome to paradise, Mr. Merriweather.
I believe you've been looking for me.
My name is Hippocrates Noah.
Mr. Merriweather...
I understand your field is geology.
That's right.
Then I am sure you can appreciate
the stones in my most recent acquisition.
A most striking display...
of rubies... tourmaline...
sapphire... topaz...
and judging by the high chromium content of the rubies,
I'd say they come from
the hydrothermal deposits on the Tibetan plateau...
which isn't surprising
considering we're on the southeastern slope
of Mt. Everest at about... 22,000 feet, I should say.
25, actually.
You must not get many tourists.
My guests and I place a premium on our privacy.
We don't want any unwelcomed guests
such as men sent by governments
who disagree with my political philosophy.
And what is your philosophy?
Are you some kind of anarchist?
Quite the opposite.
I believe in an orderly world...
a far cry from the chaos we find ourselves in today.
We are building a new future here.
A new beginning for mankind.
A new chapter in human history
will open right here on my island.
Island?
Forgive me.
Sometimes I do get ahead of myself.
Allow me to explain.
We're almost ready.
I've programmed the laser sequence
and I'm making some last-minute adjustments
to a South American site.
I do have every confidence in you, my dear.
She's working with him.
You see, Mr. Merriweather
not only do I intend to create a new future
I intend to create a new world.
At each one of these points
I have hidden a new form of laser--
one that can penetrate the Earth's crust
down into the mantle itself.
The global earthquakes.
Those were only tests.
Soon, I will activate all of these lasers together
and when I do, they will produce
worldwide earthquakes the likes of which
we have never felt before.
Killing everyone on the planet.
More than that.
There comes a time when a house has been so damaged
by termites that you must
not only kill the termites, but demolish the house
and build again.
The quakes are only a minor side effect.
The real goal of this project
is to have these lasers of mine
produce massive fissures in the Earth's crust
releasing millions of tons of molten lava.
Now, Mr. Merriweather, you're the geologist.
Tell me, what happens next?
Once that much lava is released
the tectonic plates would begin to settle.
And the surface of the planet will shrink
just like letting air out of a balloon.
But if the surface of the Earth shrinks
the oceans...
Will cover the Earth.
Diabolical.
Visionary.
I am going to let mankind begin anew...
here... on this island paradise.
The only place that will remain above water
on my brave new world.
And that is why I have gathered
the finest minds, the very best that mankind has to offer.
We will repopulate and start a new human race.
Pity you won't be able to join us.
Are you revoking my invitation?
Oh, I intend to do more than that... Mr. Bashir.
Not only have I brought the greatest minds
to my mountain retreat
but I have also hired the greatest protection
that money can buy.
I believe you already know my newest employee.
Is all this really necessary?
It's the best I can do.
How long until we're ready
to try retrieving their patterns?
I'd say... another hour.
O'Brien's going to kill me when he gets back.
This is one of 74 lasers
that I've deployed around the world.
When I throw that switch
it will begin a five-minute countdown
that even I can't stop.
And once the laser fires, the whole cave
will be filled with molten lava.
Where's Colonel Komananov?
She's a spirited individual--
young...
healthy.
We'll need women like her
to help propagate the second human race.
Try to stay cool, Mr. Bashir.
So what do we do now?
I'm thinking.
Think faster.
I don't know if I've made this explicit to you or not, Doctor
but I really don't want to die chained to a 20th-century laser.
I think it's time to end this program.
We can't do that.
We'd wipe out the patterns of Sisko and the others.
Then may I suggest calling Commander Eddington
and having him send someone in here
to remove these handcuffs?
You heard what Odo said-- we don't know what'll happen
if we interrupt the holo-imaging array
by calling for the doors.
The entire program might collapse and kill them all.
Well, I only know one thing for sure, Doctor
that when the molten lava begins pouring into this cave
you and I are going to be very uncomfortable.
Who's that?
It's our ticket out of here.
What a waste...
that no one can see what a beautiful woman you are.
Is that your plan?
Shut up.
Noah only wants you for your mind.
He can't appreciate the woman inside you.
Honey, would you grant me
one last request... and take off those glasses?
Oh...
Like this?
Yes.
You know
your hair would look so much better
if it were free.
I must say, Doctor
this is more than I ever wanted to know
about your fantasy life.
There...
that's the last thing I want to remember
before I die.
Thank you.
I'd give you both some privacy if I could.
Great plan.
Now can we call Eddington?
That will not be necessary.
Honey has given me all we need.
Hmm-- kiss the girl, get the key.
They never taught me that in the Obsidian Order.
Come on!
We have to get to the control room.
What?!
If this program ends like the others
either Komananov or Honey Bare will be killed by Dr. Noah.
The other's supposed to end up with me.
In either case
we have to make sure that both of them survive.
You expect to take on Noah and his men with that?
It's my fantasy.
Trust me.
No!
This has gone far enough.
It's time to cut our losses.
We can't do that.
Kira or Dax might...
Yes, they might be killed, and that is unfortunate
but there comes a time when the odds are against you
and the only reasonable course of action is to quit.
Quit?
Yes!
Is that what they taught you at the Obsidian Order?
To give up when things get tough?
As a matter of fact, they did.
That's why I've managed to stay alive
while most of my colleagues are dead
because I know when to walk away
and that time is now. Now!
And you'd know that, Doctor, if you were
a real intelligence agent.
Oh, so that's what this is all about.
The fact that my fantasy happens to step
on what you consider to be your private domain.
Well, what's the matter, Garak?
Have I bruised your ego by playacting at something
you take so very seriously?
That's something else you've yet to learn, Doctor.
A real intelligence agent has no ego, no conscience,
no remorse-- only a sense of professionalism
and mine is telling me that it's time to go.
Computer!
Don't!
Or what?
You'll kill me?
If you call for the exit
you might kill Sisko and the others
and I am not prepared to risk that.
I'm afraid I don't believe you'll pull that trigger.
I wouldn't be so sure about that.
It's time to face reality, Doctor.
You're a man who dreams of being a hero
because you know, deep down, that you're not.
I'm no hero either
but I do know how to make a choice
and I'm choosing to save myself.
Computer
show me the mechanism...
Oh!
You'll be fine.
It's just a flesh wound.
That was awfully close.
What if you'd killed me?
What makes you think I wasn't trying?
Doctor, I do believe there's hope for you yet.
I'm so relieved.
Now we have to get to the control room.
Are you coming or not?
Well, who am I to question Julian Bashir, secret agent?
Lead on.
Everybody stay where you are.
Julian.
Your weapon, Dr. Noah.
This is your doing.
You let them go.
I'm sorry, Doctor.
Julian, you are just in time.
He was about to activate
the final sequence of the lasers.
Kill him, Julian.
Not this time, Ana.
Well, then I will.
No!
What are you doing?
Making a mistake.
Thank you, Mr. Duchamps.
Eddington to Bashir.
We're going to try
rematerializing their patterns in about two minutes.
Understood.
And what is it you understand, Mr. Bashir?
That you should have killed me when you had the chance?
I agree.
But, then again, I suppose it wouldn't be very... heroic.
I, on the other hand
have no pretensions about the idea of being a hero.
Wait!
Maybe I'm tired of being a hero.
Maybe I've thought over what you've said
and decided that you're absolutely right.
About what?
Everything-- the decadence
of the world, the need for order.
The more I think about it, the more I realize
that your way may be the only way.
Ha!
You expect me to believe that?
You are Julian Bashir
a man who has spent his entire life
dedicated to fighting against...
Yes!
But that's all about to end now, isn't it?
You're going to destroy this world and start a new one.
What's the use of me continuing to defend a doomed planet?
Can you see the sense in that?
-No. -No.
I'm an intelligence agent
and if there's any one thing I've learned
it is that there comes a point when the odds are against you
and there is no reasonable course of action but to quit.
How do you think I've managed to stay alive so long
when all of my compatriots are dead?
It is because I have known when to walk away.
Rom to Ops. I'm ready.
You can start transferring the neural energy to the Defiant.
Acknowledged.
Beginning data transfer.
You make a very interesting argument, Mr. Bashir.
But I'm afraid I've been looking forward to killing you
for a long time.
You need to move beyond that.
You need to start thinking about your new world order.
You may even need someone like me.
If you think that by going over there
you are going to destroy my control console
you are wasting your time.
I don't intend to destroy your console, Doctor.
I intend to use it.
You've just activated the final laser sequence.
You've destroyed the world.
Data transfer complete.
I am reestablishing computer control
over the station.
It's working just as you planned.
You've done it, Doctor.
Yes.
But somehow, I didn't expect to win.
I suppose
the only thing left to do now is to kill you.
What happened, Commander?
What did you do to my ship?
It's going to take some explaining.
Eddington to Bashir.
We've got them, Doctor.
You can leave the holosuite now.
Thank you.
Interesting.
You saved the day by destroying the world.
I bet they didn't teach you that at the Obsidian Order.
No, no, there was a great deal they didn't teach me.
Like the value of a good game of chance
or how indulging in fantasy keeps the mind creative.
Lunch tomorrow?
Of course.
But why don't we have it at your place...
in Hong Kong.
Unless, of course, this was your last mission.
Oh, I think it's safe to say
that Julian Bashir, secret agent, will return.
Hmm...

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