- "Peldor joi," Emissary. - "Peldor joi" to you, too.
lt looks like the festival was a big success.
Everyone seemed to enjoy it.
- Thank you, Captain. - For what?
For insisting that the festival take place despite the war.
War or no war, we have a lot to be grateful for and we must remember that.
We must. Shouldn't you be heading to the wardroom for the ceremony?
- On my way. Let's go. - Come on, you guys.
Mummy, look. lsn't it pretty?
Captain.
- Nerys, l've been looking for you. - l don't feel like talking to you.
- Don't you want to hear my side? - No.
Someone has to maintain order on the Promenade.
- You arrested a Vedek. - l'd hardly call it an arrest.
He wasn't in the holding cell for more than an hour. He broke the law.
Fundraising on the Promenade without a licence is forbidden.
Vedek Solis was raising funds for Bajoran flood victims.
A worthy cause. Nevertheless, station regulations are...
l don't care about station regulations.
- ls that the Orb of Contemplation? - Goodbye, Odo.
To Captain Benjamin Lafayette Sisko, in recognition of remarkable leadership
and meritorious conduct against the enemy
and for acts of bravery displayed during the battle to retake Deep Space 9.
Starfleet Command presents you the Christopher Pike Medal of Valour.
- Congratulations, Ben. - Thank you, Admiral.
To think l knew him when he was a callow youth.
l bet even then he showed signs of greatness.
l'm proud of you, Dad.
lf you would all excuse us l'd like a few words with the Captain.
Good news, Ben.
Starfleet Command decided we've waged a defensive war long enough.
They figure we won't win unless we fight in Dominion territory.
l know you've been saying that
since the Romulans opened a second front with the Dominion.
Your message finally got through.
- When do we go? - That all depends on you.
- Me? - That's right, Ben.
Starfleet has chosen you to plan the invasion of Cardassia.
Finally! l've been waiting 20 minutes for you to get out of that holosuite.
- l'm sorry. We lost track of time. - Doing what?
You were supposed to exercise. l don't see any sweat.
Where are the bruises, broken bones, blood?
- We were talking. - For an hour and 45 minutes?
lt is a private matter.
We're thinking about having a baby.
lt was a private matter.
- Kira to Worf. Report to ops. - Acknowledged.
You two are awfully quiet.
Look, l don't want to dampen your spirits, Jadzia, but...
l told you before that, medically,
it wouldn't be easy for a Trill and a Klingon to have a child.
l'm worried the kid will look like his father.
l hope she does.
A baby?
lt's bad enough she married that Klingon psychopath.
Do you have any idea what that means?
That their marriage is going to last a lot longer than we thought.
Five squadrons of Jem'Hadar attack ships.
That's the entire Dominion fleet protecting the Chin'toka System.
Only five squadrons.
lt appears you've found the weak spot we've been looking for.
All we have to do is to convince the Romulans to join us.
That will not be an easy task. They're arrogant and untrustworthy.
Without their help we have little chance of success.
We will succeed! Mark my words.
By this time next year, the three of us will drink bloodwine
in the halls of Cardassia's Central Command.
- You're worrying over nothing. - Am l?
lt's a mistake to underestimate our enemy, Damar.
You're spreading our forces too thinly.
Until we have Gamma Quadrant reinforcements, we have to make do.
We needed new ships on the Romulan front, so l sent them.
And in doing so you left the Chin'toka System vulnerable.
Not as vulnerable as you think.
We don't need starships to protect Chin'toka. Not anymore.
These are our new, unmanned, orbital weapon platforms.
Their hulls are protected by regenerative force fields
and their arsenals consist of 1,000 plasma torpedoes.
- l like them. - l've already ordered their deployment.
- Legate Damar, we have a problem. - What kind of a problem?
Me.
Well. lsn't anyone going to welcome me home?
Heroes get welcomed home, Dukat, not failures.
You've forgotten that your leadership nearly lost the Dominion this war?
As l recall, Weyoun, you were standing right by my side
agreeing with every decision l made.
lf you're here because of what happened to your daughter...
Damar... You disappoint me.
l would have thought you, of all people, would be glad to see your old mentor.
l don't hold you responsible for Ziyal's death.
You fired the phaser, but Benjamin Sisko forced your hand.
That's why l'm here.
The time has come to take my revenge against the good captain.
We're in the middle of a struggle for the control of the entire Alpha Quadrant
and all you care about is quenching your petty thirst for revenge.
- You haven't changed a bit. - On the contrary. l'm a new man.
l no longer have a need for conquest or power.
l'm far beyond all that.
l exist in a state of complete clarity,
a clarity l intend to share with the universe.
You're right, Dukat, you have changed.
You've gone from being a self-important egotist to a self-deluded madman.
l hardly call that an improvement.
- l don't have time for this. Remove him. - Wait.
- Why did you come? - lsn't that obvious?
To give you what you desire above all else. The Alpha Quadrant.
All l need is a certain Bajoran artifact,
one of many the Cardassians appropriated during the occupation.
How is this artifact going to help us?
Let's just say it will make it possible
for Dominion reinforcements to come through that wormhole
and destroy Captain Benjamin Sisko and the Federation,
once and for all.
Really, Captain. l see no reason to sit here
and allow this Klingon jackal to call me a coward.
This jackal has more courage than the entire Romulan Senate.
- You see my point? - General, you must try to remain calm.
This is not the time for calm.
lt's time to strike the enemy and strike them hard!
We need to exploit their weak point.
This "p'tagh" would rather sit home and count his dead.
lf we invade Cardassia now all we will do is count our dead.
Gentlemen, please. We're allies, remember that.
What good is an ally who will stab you in the back?
Notice the primitive rage in his eye, the uncontrolled brutality?
Klingons can be quite entertaining, can't they?
Every Romulan zoo should have a pair.
Sit down, General!
Save your anger for the Dominion.
Senator...
- You've studied our invasion plans. - Yes, l have.
l continue to find them premature.
Let the Dominion continue to send its fleets against us
and we will annihilate them one by one.
They'll continue rebuilding their ships and send more.
The Dominion breed Jem'Hadar faster than we can destroy them.
The only way to achieve lasting victory is to demolish their shipyards,
their weapons plants,
to force them to retreat deeper into their own territory,
until our ships can surround their headquarters on Cardassia Prime
and they will have no choice but to surrender.
l know it won't be easy.
l know that we will pay a heavy price for every system we take from them.
But that's the only way to drive the Dominion from the Alpha Quadrant
and that is a goal we all share!
Klingons, humans...and Romulans.
Here's to those who love not wisely, no, not wisely but too well
To the girl who sighs with envy
When she hears that wedding bell
To the guy who'd throw a party
lf he knew someone to call
Here's to the losers
Bless them all
Hey Tom, Dick and Harry
Come in out of the rain
Those torches you carry
Must be drowned in champagne
Here's the last toast of the evening
Here's to those who still believe
All the losers will be winners
All the givers shall receive
Here's to trouble free tomorrows
May your sorrows all be small
Here's to the losers
Here's to the losers
Here's to the losers
Bless them all
That was great, Vic.
lt's not one of the most requested songs, but l'm glad you liked it.
- So, why the long face? - lt's a long story, friend.
This wouldn't be about Dax's baby, would it?
- ls he a telepath? - No, l'm a hologram.
- A very smart one. - lt's simple.
Take one beautiful, happily married filly
and the possibility of her giving birth to a foal and what does it leave you?
Lovesick stallions that never got out of the starting gate.
You have any idea what he's talking about?
l got news for you guys. lt's time to move to greener pastures.
lt's tough to lose a woman like Dax.
l hate to break it to you, but you lost her a long time ago.
You both did. But lucky for you, space is big.
There are other nice girls out there. With or without spots. "Capisce?"
That's it? That's supposed to cheer us up?
The truth shall set you free.
- You feel any better? - A little.
- How about you? - l guess.
Good, because you were starting to depress the band.
Thanks, Vic. We appreciate the advice.
l like this place. l may drop by more often.
Anytime, pally. Anytime.
Nice guys...but absolutely clueless.
- So when do we leave? - We?
l'm a journalist, remember?
That may be true, but you're not going.
But, Dad, we're talking about the invasion of Cardassia.
A savage thrust into the heart of the Dominion.
l mean, that's not how l would write it.
That's a relief, but you're still not going, son.
l have to go. lt's my job. lf you don't want me on the Defiant, fine.
l'll go with General Martok.
Get the story from a Klingon perspective.
All right, Jake, the Defiant it is.
- So when do we leave? - Just keep your bags packed.
Yes, sir.
Don't worry, Dad. We'll watch out for each other.
- The Sisko is of Bajor. - lt is where he belongs.
lt is where he is meant to be.
Are you telling me not to go to Cardassia?
The Sisko is of Bajor.
lt is dangerous to walk a different path.
Dangerous? ln what way?
The Sisko must not leave the chosen path.
- The Sisko is of Bajor. - lt is where he belongs.
Why is it dangerous to leave?
And how will it affect Bajor? You have to tell me.
The Cardassians call them orbital weapon platforms.
lntelligence indicates the Dominion has placed hundreds of them
throughout the Chin'toka System.
- Are they operational? - Not yet.
- How much time do we have? - Two, maybe three days.
lt would appear that your weak spot is about to become much stronger.
Leave it to a Romulan to run at the first sign of trouble.
And leave it to a Klingon to leap to the wrong conclusion.
The Romulan Empire has agreed to join the invasion of Cardassia
and we live up to our agreements.
But can the invasion be launched before the defensive grid is activated?
We'll have to leave first thing in the morning.
Then it's settled. Good luck, gentlemen.
- Good luck to all of us. - Romulans don't believe in luck.
All the better! lt leaves more for the rest of us.
You've been quiet, Ben. Those weapon platforms worry you?
lt's not about that, sir.
lt's about the Prophets... the wormhole aliens.
They spoke to me last night.
l hope they gave the mission their blessing.
They told me not to go to Cardassia, that l should stay here.
- Did they give you a reason? - Nothing concrete.
- Just that it's too dangerous. - ln what way?
Dangerous to you, to the mission, to Bajor?
- l'm not sure. - What is it you're telling me, Ben?
- You want permission to stay behind? - lt's not about what l want.
lt's about what the Prophets want.
That's not a good enough answer from a Starfleet captain.
The Prophets don't see me as a Starfleet captain.
- They see me as their Emissary. - That's the problem, isn't it?
For the past six years you've tried to be both.
Up to now, l've been patient.
l've gone out on a limb for you many times, but this is it.
You must make a decision. You are the Emissary or a Starfleet captain.
You can't be both.
l'll be on the Defiant bridge at 0500.
A combined fleet at Deep Space 9?
Composed of Federation, Klingon and Romulan ships.
You think they'll head for the Chin'toka System?
- l would. - Then we have nothing to worry about.
The weapon platforms will be operational in time to greet them.
- That's very comforting, if it's accurate. - l'll make sure that it is.
Gentlemen, l hope l'm not interrupting.
- What is it now, Dukat? - l've found it.
Behold...the key to victory.
l see you remain sceptical. You won't be for long.
Over the past few months, l've immersed myself
in the study of the Bajoran ancient texts
and l've come to realise that the wormhole
is much more than the gateway to the Gamma Quadrant.
lt's the temple of the Prophets.
lt's from there that they smile benevolently down on Bajor.
lt's from there that they protect that world and its people.
The sad truth is we wasted our time fighting the Bajorans
when we should have been fighting their gods.
- How do you fight a god? - l'll show you.
You see...we have an ally we never knew we had.
You may want to step back.
Dukat!
Your concern is touching...but unnecessary.
Busy?
A little.
l'm leaving with the task force in the morning.
l heard.
- And? - And l'm sorry l arrested him.
l was just trying to do my duty, but l see how it might have seemed excessive.
- What are you talking about? - Vedek Solis.
- That's why you're here, isn't it? - No.
But now l know why you've been avoiding me.
l haven't been avoiding you.
- l've been helping you to avoid me. - Why would l want to do that?
Because you don't want us to be together anymore?
ls that what you've been thinking?
Odo, we had an argument. People have them all the time.
Look at Dax and Worf. They love each other, but fight all the time.
- You're saying you love me? - Don't change the subject.
- Which is? - l don't know any more.
- But you're no longer angry with me? - No.
- But it was wrong to arrest the Vedek. - l see.
l thought that we could spend my last night on the station together.
- That's a wonderful idea. - Then l will see you later.
- l look forward to that. - Good.
You know, Nerys...
observing humanoid relationships and being in one...
are very different things.
Like night and day.
lt's an ungodly hour to go to war.
- You can quote me on that. - l will.
Jadzia, will you look in on Keiko and the kids?
- You can count on it. - And try to keep Julian out of trouble.
Now, that's pushing.
- lt's your station, old man. - l'll take good care of her.
- Give my best to the Jem'Hadar. - Oh, l'll do that.
- l prayed at the shrine for you two. - About having a baby?
The Prophets can be helpful in such matters.
l hope they're listening.
Did you hear that? We have the Prophets on our side.
According to Dr Bashir we need all the help we can get.
Just remember when you get back, we have a lot of work to do.
l don't consider that work.
- l wish l was going with you. - You are...
...in here.
l love it when you get romantic.
- Captain on the bridge. - As you were.
- You got here early. - This is a momentous occasion.
lt's not every day l journey to liberate my homeworld.
- That's one way to put it. - This is General Martok to all ships.
Assume tactical formation. We are moving out.
- Take us to Cardassia, Mr Nog. - Aye, sir.
The enemy fleet is approaching the Chin'toka System.
What's the status of our weapon platforms?
Still off-line.
You Cardassians are proving to be quite a disappointment.
l'll remind you that you said that.
We're in luck, Captain. The defensive grid is still off-line.
Jem'hadar fighters approaching, bearing 059, mark 031.
They must know they don't stand a chance against a fleet this size.
That will not matter to the Jem'Hadar.
- Sit down, Jake. - All right.
- Martok to Sisko. - Go ahead.
My attack wing is closest to the Jem'Hadar. Preparing to engage.
Good luck, General.
- l thought Jem'Hadar were crazy. - There's method to their madness.
They're inflicting damage on the Klingons.
And getting their weapon platforms operational.
Sisko to Martok.
The Jem'Hadar have crippled or destroyed 15 of my ships.
- Do you need assistance? - That won't be necessary.
Commence firing on the weapon platforms.
- l believe you owe me an apology. - l believe you're right.
lf Dukat gets our reinforcements through the wormhole...
l'm not sure how much faith l have in this... What did he call it?
- Pah-wraith. - Pah-wraiths and Prophets?
This talk of gods strikes me as nothing more than superstitious nonsense.
You believe that the Founders are gods.
- That's different. - ln what way?
The Founders are gods.
We are unable to penetrate their force fields.
Captain, l've noted something odd about those platforms.
Don't keep it to yourself, Mr Garak.
Not one of them seems to have a power generator on board.
Each one seems to be getting power from a central source.
We've got to find the source and destroy it.
- Chief? - l'm on it.
According to the DNA scans
the ovarian resequencing enzymes l gave you appear to be working.
- Worf and l can have a baby? - lt looks that way.
l didn't expect such positive results so early. lt's amazing.
Thank you, Julian!
- lt's part of being a doctor. - lt's more than that.
You're a good friend. You always have been.
And l always will be.
l'd better get back to work. But first l'll stop by the Bajoran shrine.
- What for? - Kira said a prayer for me and Worf.
She told the Prophets how much we wanted a baby.
l'd say they've been listening... if you believe in the Prophets.
Well, l do today.
l'm not sure if l'm doing this correctly. l don't come here a lot.
To be honest l feel more comfortable thinking of you as wormhole aliens, but...
Kira believes you're much more than that.
Maybe she's right. l don't know.
But if you are Prophets and you're listening
l just want to say...
Dukat.
- Dad, what is it? - Captain?
l'm not sure. l think l felt the Prophets reaching out to me.
Something's wrong.
Sir, l found it.
There's a subspace power generator on a small moon orbiting the far planet.
lt's transmitting energy to the weapon platforms.
Captain?
- Take us there, Mr Nog. - Aye, sir.
Get him back to his quarters. Don't worry. We'll get the job done.
l know this is small comfort...
but l never intended you any harm.
- Approaching the target. - On screen.
- Target locked. - Fire.
We are unable to penetrate the moon's defensive grid.
Sir, l have an idea. Maybe we can't destroy that power generator,
but l bet those weapon platforms could.
Why would they fire on their own power source?
We'd fool the targeting systems into thinking the generator's an enemy ship.
We can use our deflector array to imprint a Federation warp signature
on the generator's energy matrix.
lt is worth a try.
Evasive manoeuvres, Mr Nog. Pattern Theta.
lnduction stabilisers set. Booster modulators synchronised.
- Ready to activate deflector. - Do it.
We did it!
Martok to Defiant. Well done, Major.
We will begin transporting ground troops to both planets immediately.
Major, we're receiving a priority one transmission from Deep Space 9.
lt's from Julian.
This is a disaster. Federation soldiers have landed on Cardassian soil.
Now you tell me the wormhole is gone, and with it,
any chance of Gamma Quadrant reinforcements.
l'm well aware things didn't turn out quite the way l'd planned,
but l assure you we still achieved a great victory.
Forgive me if l don't share your euphoria.
You should. The Bajoran people have been cut off from their gods...
perhaps forever.
How does that help us?
Because Sisko has been cut off from the Prophets.
And without the Prophets he's just another Starfleet captain.
That's supposed to make me feel better?
Believe me...it will.
Emissary, Emissary.
Emissary. My mother says all the Orbs are dark.
That the Prophets have abandoned us. You have to find them, Emissary.
You have to ask them to come back.
l will try.
l managed to save the Dax symbiont.
We have to get it to Trill as soon as possible.
There was...nothing l could do for Jadzia.
l'm sorry.
Save your strength.
Our baby would have been so beautiful.
The funeral service is due to begin in a few minutes, Jadzia.
But l need to talk to you one last time.
When l first met you you told me that my relationship with Jadzia Dax
wouldn't be any different than the one l had with Curzon Dax.
Things didn't work out that way.
l had a hell of a lot of fun with both of you.
But Curzon was my mentor.
You...you were my friend and l am going to miss you.
l should've listened to the Prophets and not gone to Cardassia.
Then maybe you'd still be alive.
Damn it!
Why aren't you still here, Jadzia?
l need you to help me. Something's happened to the Prophets,
something that's made them turn their backs on Bajor and l'm responsible.
l don't know what to do about it, how to make it right again.
l've failed as the Emissary
and for the first time in my life l've failed in my duty as a Starfleet officer.
l need time to think...
clear my head.
But l can't do it here, not on the station, not now.
l need to get away...
...and find a way to figure out how to make things right again.
l have to make things right again, Jadzia.
l have to.
The station's all yours, Major. She'll be here when you get back.
This leave you're taking, sir. How long will you be gone?
- l don't know exactly. - We'll be waiting.
Good luck, sir.
Thanks, Chief.
My thanks to all of you.
Let's go home, Jake.
Landing pad C.
l was afraid of that. He's not sure he's coming back.
- What makes you say that? - His baseball...he took it with him.
Dad.
Grandpa's ready to close the restaurant.
He wants to know when you're coming in.
ln a little while.

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