1:[1,#b],2:[3,#i]@1“Homefront”@2Deep Space Nine episode #83
Written by Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Directed by David Livingston
Stardate 49170.65
First aired in 1995
GUEST STARS
Leyton ROBERT FOXWORTH
Jaresh-Inyo HERSCHEL SPARBER
Benteen SUSAN GIBNEY
Nog ARON EISENBERG
Joseph Sisko BROCK PETERS
Evidence that Changelings are targeting Earth sends Sisko back to his home planet, where he and Odo must prevent -- or prepare for -- war with the Dominion.
An explosion at a Federation/Romulan diplomatic conference on Earth has killed twenty-seven people. Most disturbing is evidence that the bomb was set by a Changeling -- meaning the Dominion has reached Earth. Sisko and Odo are summoned to San Francisco to advise Admiral Leyton, the head of Starfleet Operations, on the Dominion. Once there, Leyton informs them that, effective immediately, Sisko will be in charge of Starfleet Security on Earth.
A trip to Earth also means a visit home for Sisko and his son, Jake. They head to the New Orleans restaurant owned and operated by Sisko’s father, Joseph. Later, Sisko and Leyton meet with Federation President Jaresh-inyo, who balks at Sisko’s ideas for increasing security. But when Sisko’s briefcase suddenly morphs into Odo, Jaresh-Inyo sees the seriousness of the Dominion threat, and agrees to allow Sisko to implement blood-screening measures on Starfleet officers and high-ranking Federation officials.
On the grounds of Starfleet Headquarters, Odo encounters Leyton and his executive officer, Commander Benteen. During their conversation, Odo suddenly grabs Leyton’s hand, which then dissolves into gelatinous goo. Revealed to be a Changeling, the duplicate morphs into a bird and flies away. The real Leyton is extremely upset by this news, but his discussion with Sisko is interrupted by an urgent call from Jake -- Joseph has been arrested.
Sisko returns to New Orleans, where his father has refused to submit to the blood testing now required of all relatives of Starfleet members. Joseph angrily retreats to his restaurant kitchen to chop vegetables, but cuts his finger. Sisko can’t help checking the knife to make sure the blood doesn’t become Changeling goo. That night, Earth’s entire power-relay system goes off-line. When Leyton blames sabotage, Sisko surmises the Changelings have left Earth defenseless.
Sisko and Leyton use the systems of an orbiting starship to transport to the President’s office, and convince him to declare a State of Emergency on Earth. Armed Starfleet troops are quickly mobilized across the planet. Sisko prepares his homeworld for war with the Dominion.
~1:[2,#b],3:[3,#i]@1“Paradise Lost”@2Deep Space Nine episode #84
Teleplay by Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Story by Ronald D. Moore
Directed by Reza Badiyi
No Stardate Given
First aired in 1996
GUEST STARS
Leyton ROBERT FOXWORTH
Jaresh-Inyo HERSCHEL SPARBER
Benteen SUSAN GIBNEY
Nog ARON EISENBERG
Riley Shepard DAVID DREW GALLAGHER
Security Officer MINA BADIE
Academy Commandant RUDOLPH WILLRICH
Joseph Sisko BROCK PETERS
Preparing Earth for war with the Dominion, Sisko and Odo discover evidence of a Starfleet plot to seize control of the planet from the Federation.
When Dominion sabotage is blamed for a planetwide power outage, Starfleet stations troops all over Earth to prepare for an invasion. However, Sisko is suspicious when he learns that Red Squad, an elite group of Starfleet Academy cadets, was demobilized shortly after the State of Emergency was declared. By pretending to know about the mission, he tricks a Red Squad member into revealing that his group was ordered to create the power outage. Sisko fears Admiral Leyton is planning to overthrow the Federation government and replace it with military rule.
Federation President Jaresh-Inyo is unconvinced, but he agrees to force Leyton and his troops to stand down if Sisko brings him proof. Later, Leyton confronts him and tries to convince Sisko that martial law is the only way to deal with the Dominion threat. But Sisko refuses to participate in what amounts to treason against the Federation, so Leyton relieves him of his duties running Starfleet Security and orders him back to Deep Space Nine. On the grounds of Starfleet Headquarters that night, Sisko is approached by a Changeling in the form of O’Brien, who reveals that he is one of four Changelings on Earth. Their plan -- use fear and paranoia to their advantage against the humans.
Sisko sends a message to Deep Space Nine and sets a plan in motion, then returns to his former office with Odo, who breaks into Leyton’s classified Starfleet files. They surmise that Leyton’s coup is scheduled to take place the day before the President’s upcoming speech. Armed with new information, Sisko pays a visit to Jaresh-inyo’s office, where Leyton, Commander Benteen, and four security guards are waiting for him. They force Sisko to give them a blood sample in front of the President, and his blood promptly morphs into Changeling goo.
With Sisko in a holding cell, Leyton admits that he faked the blood test and tells Sisko he’ll be set free after the coup. But after Leyton leaves, Odo helps Sisko escape and tells him the Defiant is headed for Earth. Sisko soon confronts Leyton with a phaser and demands his resignation -- Lieutenant Arriaga, in custody on the Defiant, has admitted to helping Leyton make it look like a cloaked Dominion fleet was entering the Alpha Quadrant. Leyton responds that he has sent the Lakota to stop the Defiant, telling the Lakota crew that the Defiant is manned by Changelings.
The Lakota attacks the Defiant, and, realizing they have no choice, Worf orders his crew to fight back. In the heat of the battle, Leyton gives Benteen, who is commanding the Lakota, orders to destroy the Defiant -- not just disable it. Uncomfortable with killing fellow officers, she instead shuts down her weapons and allows the Defiant to proceed to Earth. His most loyal officer having deserted him, Leyton realizes he has lost and removes his admiral’s pips. With order restored on Earth, Sisko determines to not let fear conquer his homeworld for the Dominion.
~1:[1,#b],2:[3,#i]@1“Crossfire”@2Deep Space Nine episode #85
Written by Rene Echevarria
Directed by Les Landau
No Stardate Given
First aired in 1996
GUEST STARS
Shakaar DUNCAN REGEHR
Sarish BRUCE WRIGHT
Odo’s hidden feelings for Kira interfere with his duty to protect the Bajoran First Minister -- who also happens to be attracted to her.
First Minister Shakaar arrives at Deep Space Nine to negotiate for Bajor’s early admittance into the Federation. The dignitary creates quite a stir around the station. -- especially with Kira, a friend since she worked for him in the Resistance. Soon after his arrival, Odo learns that “The True Way,” a Cardassian extremist group, is planning to assassinate Shakaar. Security is beefed up throughout the station, and Odo personally shadows him. But when Shakaar takes a leisurely stroll with Kira, Odo’s hidden affection for her leaves him with an uncomfortable feeling.
After a tough round of negotiations, Shakaar asks Odo to accompany him back to his quarters. Once there, Shakaar awkwardly admits that he’s failing in love with Kira, and wonders if Kira has any similar thoughts about him. Since Odo’s own feelings for Kira go beyond mere friendship, he realizes that he now has a rival for her affections.
At their weekly security meeting, Kira is distracted, which concerns Odo. She begs off early to give Shakaar a tour of the station, and Odo has to follow them as part of his security duties. He sees the two grow closer and almost kiss before remembering they’re not exactly alone. Soon after, the three enter the Turbolift, and Worf announces over the com that they must be re-routed. Odo asks Worf to verity his security code before control is transferred -- just as Shakaar makes a dinner date with Kira. Distracted, Odo releases the Turbolift before verifying Worf’s code, and the Turbolift suddenly goes into freefall.
Thinking quickly, Odo is able to morph into metal rods and stop the Turbolift, saving their lives. Afterward, he admits to Sisko with some embarrassment that he allowed the saboteur to act by turning over control of the Turbolift without verification. Realizing that he has to do something, Odo heads for Kira’s quarters, and the guards reveal that Shakaar has been inside with her since returning from dinner -- three hours ago. Odo relieves a guard and stands outside her door until morning, when Shakaar finally departs. She happily tells Odo about her developing relationship with Shakaar, after which Odo leaves, only to discover that Worf has apprehended the saboteur without his help. Hurt and frustrated, Odo returns to his quarters and, in an uncharacteristic fit of rage, demolishes everything.
Disturbed by the noise, Quark comes to Odo’s quarters and is surprised by what he sees. He tells Odo that he has to resolve his feelings for Kira one way or another in order to regain control of his life. Odo returns to Kira’s quarters and tells her he wants to stop their weekly meetings. She’s puzzled, but doesn’t push him, and Odo forces himself to get his mind back on his job -- and nothing else.
~1:[3,#b],4:[3,#i]@1“Return to Grace”@2Deep Space Nine episode #86
Teleplay by Hans Beimler
Story by Tom Benko
Directed by Jonathan West
No Stardate Given
First aired in 1996
GUEST STARS
Dukat MARC ALAIMO
Ziyal CYIA BATTEN
Damar CASEY BIGGS
A demoted Dukat enlists Kira’s aid in regaining his former status in the Cardassian Empire.
At First Minister Shakaar’s request, Kira prepares to travel to a Cardassian outpost to share Bajoran intelligence about the Klingon Empire. She is surprised to discover that her old nemesis, Dukat, has been demoted from his powerful position and is now commander of a freighter that will take her to the outpost. Dukat reveals that he is in this situation because he brought Tora Ziyal, his daughter by his Bajoran mistress, back to Cardassia a move which destroyed his life and career. Ziyal and her father are now outcasts, and the freighter is their home. Upon arrival at the conference site, Kira and Dukat find that Klingons have attacked the outpost and all the Cardassian and Bajoran diplomats are dead.
The Klingon Bird of Prey responsible for the attack immediately detects Dukat’s ship, but he is both humiliated and angry when the ship ignores his vessel, even after the freighter’s feeble attempt at intervening. After the Bird of Prey leaves the area, Kira suggests they adapt the outpost’s more powerful weapons for use on the freighter before pursuing the Klingon ship.
As they work to install the outpost disruptor to the freighter, Dukat tells Kira that stopping the Klingon ship will allow him to regain his standing in the Cardassian Empire. Later, Kira gives Ziyal some crude military training, beginning to bond with the young woman. Soon, Kira and Dukat deduce that the Bird of Prey’s next target will be Loval, a remote world where the Cardassians have a secret weapons research installation. Once in orbit, the freighter sends out a false signal to mislead the Klingon ship into believing it has a valuable cargo, hoping to lure the Bird of Prey into firing range. It works, and the Klingons soon appear.
As expected, the Klingons lock a tractor beam on the freighter, giving Dukat the opportunity to fire his disruptor blast. Crippling the Klingon ship, Kira and Dukat commandeer it and transport its crew onto the freighter, while beaming their own crew to the Klingon ship, after which Dukat destroys the freighter, killing the Klingons. He reports his capture of the Klingon ship -- and the valuable information it contains -- to his government, but is shocked to learn that the Cardassians want to reach a diplomatic solution instead of seeking retaliation. Disgusted by his people’s change of heart, Dukat vows to fight the Klingon Empire alone.
Dukat asks Kira to join him, reminding her that after Cardassia, Bajor will probably be the next target of the Klingons. But she realizes that the life of a soldier is no longer for her. She also knows it’s no life for Ziyal, and takes the young woman back to Deep Space Nine with her to live until Dukat’s war is over.
~1:[4,#b],5:[3,#i]@1“The Sons of Mogh”@2Deep Space Nine episode #87
Written by Ronald D. Moore
Directed by David Livingston
Stardate 49556.2
First aired in 1996
GUEST STAR
Noggra ROBERT DOQUI
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
Kurn TONY TODD
Cast out of Klingon society because of Worf’s dishonor, his outcast brother asks Worf to kill him.
Worf’s brother Kurn arrives unexpectedly and asks Worf to kill him. He explains that since Worf sided with the Federation against the Klingon Empire, Kurn and his family are outcasts on the homeworld. Having lost everything, he can only regain his honor through the Mauk-to’Vor, a death ritual which only Worf can perform. Worf reluctantly decides to carry out his brothers wish and fatally stabs Kurn, but Dax and Odo burst in just in time to transport Kurn to the Infirmary.
Luckily, Kurn survives, albeit unhappily. Meanwhile, Sisko grows suspicious of Klingon “military exercises” Kira and O’Brien saw just outside Bajoran space and orders them to investigate. Later, Worf, hoping to give Kurn a purpose on the station, convinces Odo to make him a deputy on his security force.
Kurn takes the job, and initially performs well. Meanwhile on the Defiant, Kira and O’Brien encounter a damaged Klingon ship in the area of the exercises, and the injured crew is forced to request a tow back to Deep Space Nine. Later, Worf finds Kurn again in the Infirmary, and discovers that his brother allowed himself to be attacked, hoping to die this way. Odo refuses to work with a man carrying a death wish and fires Kurn. Miserable, Kurn says that his life is in Worf’s hands.
While investigating the explosion that disabled the Klingon ship, Worf realizes that it was laying a minefield of cloaked explosives to cut off the Bajoran system from the rest of the Federation --a precursor to war. In order to disable the mines, they need their coordinates. Worf and Kurn have their features and DNA signatures temporarily altered and make their way onto the disabled ship. They soon find the deployment plan for the mines, but a Klingon officer suddenly walks in on them.
Kurn kills the intruder, which shocks Worf until Kurn reveals that the Klingon had a knife and was preparing to kill him. But Kurn’s act only sinks him deeper into depression as he realizes his dishonor is complete. With this in mind, Worf makes the ultimate sacrifice. He has Kurn’s features altered once again and has his memory erased, allowing Kurn to start life over again with a new identity. Kurn has regained his place in Klingon society - but Worf has lost his only remaining link to that society forever.
