No, no, it is not there!
Am I the only one here?
Is that it? Hm-hm-hm? Is that it?
Am I the only one who sees? Hm, hm, hm, hm?
And what is that incessant noise?
Calm down.
Am I talking too fast, Doctor?
Having trouble keeping up, hm, hm, hm?
I don't want to see you get upset, Jack.
Please don't leave us here, Karen, please!
It's only for a few weeks, Patrick.
You know why they brought us here, don't you?
Why they carted us
halfway across the quadrant?
They're going to experiment on us.
Stop it, Jack. ( whimpers )
They want to find out what makes
our genetically engineered brains tick.
They're going to cut our heads open
and see what comes out!
( sobbing ) ( laughing )
He's just trying to scare you.
KAREN: Don't listen to him.
Now, I told you
why I brought you here, remember?
Mm-hmm.
To meet that doctor, Dr. Bashir?
You know.
The handsome one.
KAREN: He was genetically enhanced
when he was a boy, just like all of you.
No, no! He's not like us.
I never saw him at the Institute.
He wasn't locked away, hm-hm, for being too smart, hm-hm?
He's passed himself off as normal.
He's Mr. Normal Starfleet man, mm-hmm.
Mr. Productive Member of Society.
Well, maybe we can learn to be just like him.
Wear little uniforms, hm? Yes, sir!
No, sir!
Thank you, sir!
I don't like it here.
It's going to be all right.
Dr. Bashir is going to work with you
for a while, that's all.
Just think of it
as a little vacation from the Institute.
No, no, this is not happening, no.
It is happening, Jack, and you're going
to have to try to make the best of it.
I'm going to make the best of it.
See the way he's looking at me?
He's in love with me already.
Give me that!
I want to go home. ( door chimes )
It's him.
See that?
That's what I'm going to do
to your boyfriend.
( chuckles )
Give me the padd.
Sorry.
You're not sorry.
We both know that.
You did it on purpose because you're upset
but there are better ways of dealing with being upset.
I'll work on it.
All right, well...
I'll see you all in a few weeks.
( whimpering ) Patrick, it's fine. It's fine.
Go on.
Bye, Sarina.
You all right?
Oh, it's nothing.
Just another run-in with Jack.
Like I said in my report
don't turn your back on him.
Well, we better get you down to the Infirmary.
I'm fine. You go on in.
They're about as ready to meet you
as they'll ever be.
I just hope you have better luck
getting through to them than I've had.
Captioning sponsored by PARAMOUNT PICTURES
Hello?
( maniacal chuckling )
Funny. He doesn't look like a mutant.
Is that you, Jack?
He knows me. He knows my name.
I didn't tell him my name.
It's all right.
I just read Dr. Loews' report, that's all.
I knew that.
Hello, Sarina.
JACK: What is he talking to her for?
He read the reports.
She won't answer you.
Didn't you read the reports? Hm-hm-hm?
Would anyone mind if I turned on the lights?
Would anyone mind if he turns on some lights?
Go ahead, we're not mole people, you know.
Computer, lights.
Hello.
Lauren.
I know what you're thinking, Julian
but I'm not that kind of girl.
JACK: Bashir, was it? Hm.
Rings a bell, rings a bell.
Bashir, Bashir, Bashir, Bashir, Bashir...
Ah, got it, got it!
15th-century poet— Singh el Bashir.
Any relation?
Yes, actually.
His work was totally derivative.
He was a plagiarist.
You knew that. You had to know that.
Yet you come in here
bragging about it anyway, hm, hm.
Why? Hm? Hm?
( chuckling )
You're the one who brought it up.
Well, what was I supposed to do—
just let you get away with it? Hm-hm-hm?
That noise!
Tell me, Doctor, what kind of enhancements
did your parents have done to you?
Mental abilities, mostly
but they had my hand/eye coordination
reflexes and vision improved as well.
Can you do that? Hm-hm-hm?
I doubt it.
Yeah, what happened?
Uh, your parents couldn't afford the full overhaul, hm-hm?
He turned out all right.
You're not exactly known for being very discriminating, hm?
I turned you down, didn't I?
And you're still regretting it!
The cube root of 329— what is it?
6.903.
LAUREN: Very good!
And you didn't even use your fingers.
He's a mutant, just like the rest of us.
No, no, no, he is not like us.
He passed as normal.
Is that true?
Did you pass as normal? Is that true?
My genetic status was discovered a year ago.
LAUREN: How'd you manage to hide it
for so long?
I did my best not to exploit my abilities.
Mm-mmm, so no one would suspect.
Very clever. I'm impressed. ( chuckles )
Now, that's not right!
There are reasons why DNA resequencing is illegal.
There are reasons why people like us
are barred from serving in Starfleet.
We have an advantage.
Normal people can't compete. It's not fair.
Maybe you're right.
Maybe I should have said something sooner.
There are rules—
uh, uh, don't talk with your mouth full
don't open an airlock when somebody's inside it
and don't lie about your genetic status.
No, no, no, you did. You lied.
You'd lied, and-and then when you got caught
you cut a deal with Starfleet, hm, hm, hm, hm?
You-you got yourself off the hook.
If you'd told the truth
you could have lived with us at the Institute.
Hm, he's right, you know.
Then they would have put you away.
They don't put people away
for being genetically engineered.
No, no, no, no, they just won't let you
do anything that's worth doing!
No, no, they are afraid that people like us
are going to take over!
Well, it happened before.
People like us did try and take over.
Oh, no, no, I knew you were going to do that.
I knew that you were going to trot out the Eugenics War.
I'm not trotting out anything.
All I'm saying is there's a good reason
why we've been barred from certain professions
but that doesn't mean we can't be
productive members of society.
Yeah, here it comes—
the "We Can Still Contribute" speech.
No, no, no, no.
I will not forget what was done to me.
I will not be a part of a society
that put me away for being too smart! No, no!
All right, then.
Seeing as though you have all the answers already
I'll spare you the speech.
I'm having dinner with some friends.
What? You think we don't eat? We eat.
We're going to eat right now.
Hm? Y-Yum-yum.
I'll go set the table.
Don't worry about us.
We'll be fine. Hm.
Thanks for scaring him off.
BASHIR: All I kept thinking was
"There, but for the grace of God, go I."
DAX: How do you mean?
My parents managed to find a decent doctor
to perform the DNA resequencing on me.
These four weren't so lucky.
They all suffered unintended side effects
and by the time they were five or six
their parents were forced to come forward
and admit they'd broken the law
so that their children could get treatment.
Hm. Perhaps they waited too long.
Yeah. There was nothing
the doctors at the Institute could do for them.
These cases are so rare. There's no standard treatment.
I can't imagine
it was a very stimulating environment for them.
That's what Dr. Loews thought
when she first came to the Institute.
She got permission to separate them from the other residents
so that she could work with them.
Why did she bring them here?
She thought they might respond
to meeting someone like them who was leading
a normal life.
She was also hoping that one day
they might be able to live on their own and be productive.
Well, let's hope they don't become too productive.
Might make the rest of us look bad.
It is not a laughing matter.
If people like them are allowed to compete freely
then parents would feel pressured
to have their children enhanced
so they could keep up.
That's precisely what prompted the ban on DNA resequencing
in the first place.
Giving them a chance to contribute
doesn't necessarily mean sanctioning
what was done to them.
They didn't ask to have their DNA tampered with.
They were only children.
And why should they be excluded
just because their parents broke the law?
You're right.
It's not quite fair...
but even so, it seemed like a good way to discourage
genetic tampering.
O'BRIEN: Besides, it's not as if
we're trying to exclude them from anything.
We're just... talking about...
you know, limiting what they're allowed to do.
Like joining Starfleet.
Exactly.
BASHIR: Are you saying
that I shouldn't be allowed
to wear this uniform?
Well, you are an exception.
Ah, an exception.
I should be used to that.
I've been one all my life—
first, because of the DNA resequencing
and now, because I've been allowed to join Starfleet.
Perhaps I should not have said anything.
No. No, it's all right.
SISKO: Well
does anyone care to speculate
about what Gul Damar is going to say in his speech?
Nothing we're going to like, I'll bet.
It should be starting any minute.
If he's going to announce
another new battle offensive
it's going to spoil dessert.
JACK: Can you hear me?
H-Hello, calling Dr. Bashir.
( sighing ): Jack...
Hello. Anybody there? Hm-hm?
Did you give them access to the com system?
Hello? Hello? Dr. Bashir? Hm? No, they must have broken in somehow. Oh!
I'd love to stay and chat about our impending doom, but...
JACK: I can't take it!
Would you do something about that noise!
What noise?
What kind of sick game
are you people playing, hm?
What are you talking about?
Can't you hear it?
We complained, and two very cute engineers came by
and said there was nothing wrong.
Wait a minute.
Is it a kind of high-pitched whine?
Yes! Thank God!
See? I told you we weren't crazy.
Hm-hm-hm?
You are a mutant.
You are.
Now, do something about that noise
or I will snap her neck.
I called Chief O'Brien.
Now, let her go.
Maybe I'll wait until he gets here.
If you don't let her go
I'll tell the Chief the noise went away
by itself.
You think I want to be doing this?
I'm just making sure things get done.
Unbelievable.
This is the thanks I get.
Are you all right?
( door chimes )
( sighs heavily )
Come in.
Miles...
I wonder if you could find out
what's making that noise.
I know you can't hear it, but it's there—
probably a sympathetic vibration
in the power coupling or something.
What do you know? You're right.
JACK: Well, why don't you fix it
dear fellow, dear fellow?
Well, why don't you fix it
before I go mad?
( quietly ): He's married.
Too bad.
Sounds like the plasma flow's out of sync.
You're right.
Better realign it.
I was just thinking that.
Yeah. Ooh!
It's about to start.
Almost finished.
There.
JACK: Finally.
LAUREN/PATRICK: Ah!
Much better. Thank you, Chief.
DAMAR: Fellow citizens
these are great days for Cardassia.
Together, with our Dominion allies
we have given our enemies cause to fear us once more.
Can't argue with that.
Who's he?
It's Damar, the new head
of the Cardassian government.
"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown."
He's sad.
Ashamed is more like it.
Why do you say that?
Shh!
we are poised to make
another bold step to ensure our future.
Peace!
Looks like a man who doesn't sleep.
"Methought I heard a voice cry, 'sleep no more!
'Damar does murder sleep.'"
He's killed someone!
Someone close to him.
How could they know that?
shed their blood to defend their home.
Their sacrifice must not be in vain.
The peace we seek
will honor their memory and preserve the gains
for which they gave their lives.
I challenge the Federation to answer my call for peace.
I am ready at any time to meet with its representatives
to discuss how we can put an end to hostilities.
As your leader...
Pretender! You don't belong on that throne, and you know it.
everything in my power to protect Cardassia.
Someone's making him say all this. He doesn't want to.
forward into a new era.
This I vow with my life's blood...
for my sons...
for all our sons.
Did any of you know who Damar was before today?
JACK: No, no, no, but it's obvious who he is.
The pretender... ( chuckles )
who-who killed the king and seized the throne.
Not the king. He's still alive.
Oh, the queen, maybe... ( gasps )
Or a princess. Mmm.
Yes. Ziyal.
That's Gul Dukat's daughter.
JACK: And now, the pretender
finds himself in league with
a-a-a dark knight that he can't control. Hm, hm?
Weyoun?
JACK: It's not a bad story.
Epic, really.
What else can you tell us? Hm, hm?
It was amazing.
They pieced together the entire story
of how Damar came to power.
Weyoun is the dark prince
Gul Dukat is the deposed king
Damar is the pretender
to the throne, and Ziyal is
the innocent princess he murdered.
And now the pretender is wracked with guilt over what he's done.
And they got all this just from watching Damar's speech?
Oh, they were fascinated by the whole thing.
They kept bombarding me
with questions about Cardassia and the war.
I've never seen them so engaged.
And you want to keep them engaged.
I'd like to try.
I'm just running out of material.
What do you mean?
Well, they've already gone
through everything the computer has
on Cardassia and the Dominion.
Roll out the red carpet.
Visitors?
Starfleet has decided to listen
to what Damar has to say.
He and Weyoun will be arriving in the morning
and I am the lucky one who gets the chance
to sit across the table from them.
That's great!
KIRA: It's hard to believe
that the Dominion really wants peace.
I wouldn't be surprised if they were
just stalling for time in order to regroup.
Sir, is there any chance I can get a transcript
of the negotiations?
You can do better than that.
The Dominion has insisted on recording the proceedings
so that everyone can see
that their desire for peace is sincere.
Perfect.
You shouldn't have agreed to that, Benjamin.
Now you have to be on your best behavior.
Hm.
So, the pretender and his dark knight
are coming to the station, hm, hm?
And the story's not over, eh?
Peace talks could be interesting.
I'd say so
and the best part is
we're going to have ringside seats.
( whining )
( Patrick laughing )
Mmm-mmm!
Ah, Major!
Welcome to Deep Space 9.
How nice to see you again.
Can I give you a word of advice, Weyoun?
By all means.
You're welcome to play your little
"we're all friends here" game with me
but I wouldn't try it with Captain Sisko.
He's not in the mood.
DAMAR: We're on a mission
of peace, Major.
Maybe he should get in the mood.
This is the border as it existed
before hostilities broke out.
This is the border we are now proposing.
This arrangement would award disputed star systems
to the side that already has effective control over them.
On the balance, we are giving up more than you.
JACK: Computer, freeze program.
Computer...
Hi. Uh, listen.
Go to native language mode
and replay time code 7-6-1 through, uh, uh...
7-6-9, hm, hm.
Eee-ja maa'na hoo'va-baa'li jen'ku'rada sen'to.
JACK: Got you!
Did you hear that, hm, hm, hm?
He used the passive voice transitive, hm, hm.
Since when could you speak Dominionese?
Hm, since this morning.
That phrasing is only used to make a request
not a statement.
They are up to something, hm, hm, hm.
( Patrick laughing )
What is it, Patrick?
Did you see something?
( dismissive grunt )
You can tell us.
They want the Kabrel system.
How do you know?
They kept avoiding it with their eyes.
Are you sure?
They kept avoiding it.
Told you they were up to something, hm, hm?
End program.
BASHIR: All right, they want
the Kabrel system, but why?
LAUREN: I don't know, but they're willing
to give up a lot to get it.
The mizainite deposits on Holna IV alone
are enough to keep their shipyards running for years.
Yes, yes, yes, that's typical Dominion strategy.
They offer to give up something valuable
in order to hide the fact that they want something
even more valuable in the long term, hm, hm, hm.
See, that's how they think. Big picture.
They don't worry about what's going to happen tomorrow.
No, no, no. They're thinking long term.
They're thinking what's going to happen a year from now
a-a-a decade, a century, hm, hm, hm, hm, yes, yes.
There must be something special about the Kabrel system.
LAUREN: Nothing on the first planet but some simple
protozoids and tri-nucleic fungi.
The second planet has some cormaline deposits
but they're common enough.
Okay, okay, okay, maybe there's another reason, hm.
Does it have any strategic value, hm, hm?
( padd beeping )
LAUREN: Not that I can see.
They wouldn't want to build a base there.
JACK: Why not, why not? Hm, hm?
Seems perfectly suitable. Hm, hm?
LAUREN: It's not an optimum situation.
It's a binary system.
There's a lot of ionic interference there.
JACK: All right, all right, forget it.
Does this have anything to do
with what we're talking about, Sarina?
Can we take it?
JACK: like an ancient technology, hm, hm, hm?
There's no evidence of anything like that.
Any idea what this might mean?
SISKO: Chemistry was never my strong suit.
What is it?
BASHIR: It shows
how you can break down tri-nucleic fungus
to make yridium bicantizine
one of the active ingredients in ketracel-white.
That's why the Dominion wants the Kabrel system
so that they can manufacture the drug
right here in the Alpha Quadrant.
According to our calculations
they'll be able to manufacture enough
to supply the Jem'Hadar indefinitely.
I was going to recommend
that the Federation accept the proposed border.
It could've cost us the Alpha Quadrant.
Actually, sir, we should give them Kabrel.
Why is that?
If we don't
the Dominion will be forced to attack
before their stockpile of white runs out.
Here are the casualty projections.
As you can see, an attack would result
in devastating casualties for both sides.
Y-You're suggesting we stall?
It will buy us time to rebuild our defenses
and bring the Romulans into the alliance.
The Romulans.
According to our analyses—
there it is—
they'll vote to abandon their nonaggression pact
with the Dominion at next year's plenary session.
By which time, internal pressures
between the Cardassians and the Dominion will have erupted
and after three years
six months and 27 days, we predict that, uh...
Hang on a minute, Doctor.
How'd you come up with all this?
Two days ago, you said these people
were impossible to deal with.
Now they're turning out projections
that it would take Starfleet Intelligence months
to come up with.
We're mutants.
I know.
We're not exactly qualified for this kind of work
and it could be said that, uh... it is beyond the limits
of what people like us should be allowed to do.
But I think if you allow me
to walk you through our analyses
you'll be impressed.
All right, Doctor, go ahead.
Thank you, sir.
The way
our statistical analysis works
the further into the future you go
the more accurate the projection.
It's based on a kind of nonlinear dynamics
whereby small fluctuations tend to factor out over time.
The net result is...
Just a minute, Doctor.
Why don't we go back to the beginning
and take me through this step-by-step...
nice and easy.
Gladly, sir.
Captain Sisko said he would take our analyses
to Starfleet Command right away.
Imagine that— Starfleet Command. Hm.
All those admirals.
It's a party!
BASHIR: It is now.
We need music.
Computer, music.
Make it grand.
A waltz.
( "Blue Danube" plays )
Ah!
Care to dance?
LAUREN: Coward.
He tried.
I meant her.
( door chimes )
Come in.
Chief.
What a pleasant surprise.
I, uh...
I need to replace that power coupling.
Don't mind us.
Hi.
No, thanks.
It's a party.
No, I need to get to work.
( sobbing )
I didn't mean to...
It's just that I-I need to get
this coupling replaced.
( music ends )
What did you do, Chief?
Nothing!
What's the matter, Patrick?
He doesn't like me.
Well, sure, I do.
( crying continues )
See?
LAUREN: The Chief doesn't like
any of us.
Do you, Chief? Julian...
JACK: He's just jealous
you're spending so much time with us.
His wife's away.
He misses his friend.
I do not.
It's all right, Julian.
Go play with your friend.
We'll be fine.
You want me to play with you
do you, Chief?
No!
( snickers )
Yes, you do.
( chuckles )
Come on, let's go to Quark's.
I-I'm going to need those.
No, you don't.
There's nothing wrong with that power coupling.
Well...
it's... going to have to be replaced sometime.
( chuckling )
Ready?
( laughter continues )
Ready. Yeah.
I'm sorry.
The last thing in the world
I wanted to do was upset them.
Oh, it's all right.
The only reason Patrick gets so emotional...
is because he likes you.
He does?
Oh, yeah, they all do.
What? Because I got rid of that noise?
Oh, no, it's not just that.
They feel comfortable being around you.
What was the word Jack used?
"Uncomplicated."
Uncomplicated.
Oh, yes, they're amazingly insightful.
They have ways of seeing things
other people don't.
And saying things other people don't.
Yeah. They are pretty candid, aren't they?
( chuckles ): They sure are.
Funny thing is
I'm actually beginning to enjoy their company.
Hey! What are you doing?
Get back!
You know, I was thinking.
Starfleet Command might do all right
to take them on as a team of advisers.
Oh, I don't know.
Oh, I can't imagine them in a room
with a bunch of admirals
unless they're going to teach them how to dance.
( chuckling ): We were celebrating.
Yeah, whatever.
Ah, they really are quite brilliant, though.
I mean, once we actually started working, it was incredible.
We were all on the same wavelength—
talking in shorthand, finishing each other's sentences.
I've never had that with anyone else.
Well, after being with them, I can understand
how the rest of us must seem a little uncomplicated.
Well, I wouldn't say that exactly.
More like... slow.
Ha-ha. Must be very frustrating for you.
( chuckles )
I don't mind.
Makes me feel superior.
Oh, glad to be of service.
Ah, I appreciate it.
It's not always easy walking amongst the common people.
Ah, it's probably best
to keep your expectations low, huh?
Ha! That way
we can surprise you every now and then.
( sighs )
Another game?
Sure. But do I have to stand so far back?
Oh, I-I-I make one lucky shot
and you're ready to come down to my level.
I like to win, just like the next man.
Get back there. Come on.
( sighs )
I've got good news.
Starfleet Command was so impressed
with our analysis they've agreed
to let us have access to classified information
regarding Starfleet's battle readiness.
Is something wrong?
We have new long-term projections.
You-you better take a look.
You're not going to like it.
Well? Hm, hm?
( sighs ): Everything checks out.
I was hoping
you were going to find a flaw.
Nope.
So then you agree with our conclusion, hm, hm?
It's inescapable.
There's no way the Federation
is going to be able to beat the Dominion.
We have no choice.
We're going to have to surrender.
Surrender to the Dominion—
not on my watch.
Sir, I understand how you feel.
I don't like it any more than you do
but it's the best option.
We've run dozens of different scenarios.
Even if something unlikely were to happen
tilting the scales in our favor—
such as an anti-Dominion coup on Cardassia—
we'll still lose this war.
But that doesn't mean we just give up and roll over.
But if we fight
there will be over 900 billion casualties.
If we surrender, no one dies.
Either way, we're in for five generations
of Dominion rule.
Eventually a rebellion will form
centering on Earth.
It'll spread... and within another generation
they'll succeed in conquering the Dominion.
The Alpha Quadrant will unite and a new, stronger Federation
will rule for thousands of years.
But since we can't win this war
why don't we save as many lives as we can?
I know it's difficult to accept.
I don't accept it.
Your entire argument
is based on a series
of statistical probabilities and assumptions.
They're not just assumptions.
If you want me to take you through the equations
I will.
Even if I knew with a hundred percent certainty
what was going to happen
I wouldn't ask an entire generation of people
to voluntarily give up their freedom.
Not even to save over 900 billion lives?
Surrender is not an option!
Now I'm happy to hear your group's advice
on how to win this war
but I don't need your advice on how to lose it.
We can't win this war.
I don't care if the odds are against us.
If we're going to lose
then we're going to go down fighting
so that when our descendants
someday rise up against the Dominion
they'll know what they're made of.
With all due respect, sir
aren't you letting your pride get in your way?
All right, Doctor... you've made your recommendation.
I'll pass it on to Starfleet Command.
Without adding your voice to it, they'll dismiss it out of hand.
I'm counting on it.
So we go down fighting.
How terribly courageous of us.
( door opens, closes )
What do you think?
It's pretty grim.
It's not just grim...
it's hopeless.
We can't beat them, Miles.
Well, it doesn't look like it, does it?
We have to avoid a long, drawn-out war.
You mean surrender?
I know...
it's an ugly word
but the facts are facts.
I don't know, Julian.
Don't tell me you agree with the Captain.
I suppose I do.
Well... is there some part of the analysis
y-you didn't understand?
Because if there is, I-I-I'd be happy to explain.
I understood it perfectly.
Believe it or not.
That's not what I meant.
All I'm saying is
that you have to look at the bigger picture.
Well, I'm trying, but maybe I'm too uncomplicated
to see it properly.
I didn't say that.
You don't have to.
The way you're acting...
you think nobody with half a brain
could possibly disagree with you.
Frankly, I don't see how they can.
Well, I can see two possible explanations for it.
Either I'm even more feebleminded
than you ever realized
or you're not as smart as you think you are.
( sighs )
FEMALE: Good, good, stop.
MALE: One more!
ALL: Dabo!
Looks like your lucky day.
Please.
You and I both know
these games of chance are no such thing—
the odds are in the house's favor.
Shh. Don't say that.
People are trying to have fun.
Sooner or later, no matter how perfectly I play
no matter how well I hedge my bets
I'm going to lose.
Why are you trying to spoil
everyone's good time?
Look around.
These people are enjoying themselves.
Half of them know the odds are against them
but they don't care.
They're here because they want to believe they can win.
Is that so bad?
They're fools.
Why don't you just take your winnings
and call it a day?
Because I'm trying to prove a point.
There is no way to win.
Stop saying that.
There! You see?
We're all as good as dead.
Doctor... take it easy.
It's just a game.
You're right.
It's not as if 900 billion lives were at stake.
I just got word.
Starfleet rejected our recommendations.
JACK: I knew it!
LAUREN: It's kind of a relief
in a way.
I mean, who wants to wave a white flag?
They're the cowards.
They don't have the courage to see the truth.
You may be right
but there's nothing we can do.
No, no, no, we can't just take this lying down.
The stakes are too high.
We've got to take matters into our own hands.
How, Jack? What can we do?
BASHIR: We can't force
Starfleet to surrender.
If we can't head off the war
then there might be a way to make it a lot less bloody.
How?
Look at this—
Starfleet battle plans, uh, fleet deployments.
Do you know what the Dominion could do with this information?
They could take the Alpha Quadrant in a matter of weeks.
With a lot fewer Federation casualties
than in a drawn-out war.
There wouldn't be more than
two billion casualties.
That's a lot better than 900 billion.
Wait a minute!
It's one thing for us to try and avert a war
but it's quite another for us to take it on ourselves
to trigger an invasion
that's going to get a lot of people killed.
It's not our place to decide who lives and who dies.
We're not gods.
Maybe not, but we're the next best thing.
Can you hear yourself?
That's precisely the kind of thinking
that makes people afraid of us.
I don't care.
I'm willing to make this decision.
It's not our decision to make.
We presented our case to Starfleet.
They rejected it. Case closed.
Not closed!
We're going through with this.
Well, I'm not going to be a party to treason.
Call it what you want, but I am willing to do it
if it means saving billions of lives, hm, hm.
So are you with us? Hm, hm?
No! Haven't you been listening?
Fine!
Mmm...
So how do we contact the Dominion?
( sighs )
( door opening )
WEYOUN: Still at it, I see.
I've been looking over
Sisko's latest counterproposal.
We don't seem to be getting anywhere with him.
Not very encouraging, is it?
I don't know why you had me
call for peace talks in the first place.
My, my. How quickly you've taken to your new role.
And to think, only a short time ago
you were nothing more than Gul Dukat's Adjutant.
I appreciate the faith you've shown in me.
Then show some faith in me.
Don't be like your predecessor, second-guessing my every move.
It should be clear to you by now that no one is irreplaceable.
Now...
I just received a very interesting message
from an unidentified party
claiming to have some information
that could be very beneficial to us.
What sort of information?
I don't know
but we're going to find out.
Computer...
Computer, respond.
Sarina, where is everyone?
Did they arrange a meeting with the Dominion?
Listen, we have to stop them before it's too late.
Untie me.
Please, Sarina.
You don't want the deaths
of so many people on your hands.
It's Jack, isn't it?
Are you worried what he'll think?
I've seen the way you look at him
when you think no one's watching.
I know how much you care
but if you don't help me stop them
you know what's going to happen?
They're going to be arrested and charged with treason
and you're never going to see any of them again.
You're never going to see Jack again.
I'm Patrick.
Patrick!
Come on.
Hello, everyone.
He's not supposed to be here.
No, no, no, he's not.
I-I don't understand.
Well, why don't we all go back to your quarters
and I will explain it to you.
No. We've got to do this.
Lives are at stake.
Don't interfere, Julian.
You have no right.
You're in enough trouble already, Jack.
Don't make it any worse.
Now, we can do this
the easy way...
or the hard way.
It's up to you.
Where are they?
They'll be here.
This is ridiculous.
Sneaking into a storage bay for a secret meeting.
I'm not some agent of the Obsidian Order.
I'm the leader of the Cardassian Empire.
Don't let it go to your head.
You serve only at the Dominion's pleasure.
Besides, I think it's exciting.
( door opens )
They're here.
Odo?
Yes, I know.
I honor you with my presence.
We... seem to have gotten ourselves lost.
Mm-hmm.
They're not coming.
Who's not coming?
( chuckles )
I had a feeling you were going to say that.
Shall I escort you to your quarters?
You won't be going to prison.
What are they going to do to us?
Nothing bad.
You'll be going back to the Institute together.
It doesn't matter what happens to us.
Don't you realize what you've done, hm?
I've kept you from committing treason.
Are we supposed to thank you?
900 billion people are going to die.
You don't know that.
Didn't you sit here
and go through the projections with us?
Hm, hm, hm? Didn't you?
He was here, Jack.
I remember.
Maybe our projections were wrong.
How can you say that?
We factored in every contingency, hm.
Every variable.
The equations don't lie.
You! You.
You ruined everything.
What do you make of that, Jack?
Why didn't you anticipate that?
Why didn't you factor her into your equation?
Because you thought you knew everything
but you didn't even know
what was going to happen in this room.
One person derailed your plans.
One person changed the course of history.
Now, I don't know about you
but that makes me think that maybe, just maybe
things may not turn out the way we thought.
I heard what happened.
It was a pretty close call.
Yeah. Luckily, I managed to intercept them in time.
No, that's not what I meant.
I was talking about when
you had to decide whether or not
to meet with the Dominion.
It can't have been easy for you.
I know how you wanted to try to save as many lives as possible.
That's probably what makes you such a good doctor.
Fortunately, this doctor is also a Starfleet Officer.
We thought we were so smart.
We thought we could predict the future.
It was my fault
not theirs.
I should never have let things go so far.
If I hadn't been so bent on trying to prove to the world
that they had something to contribute...
They did contribute.
It seems to me we've become far too complacent
about the Dominion.
We may have driven them back into Cardassian space
but we haven't beaten them yet.
I can only hope.
Well, the odds are stacked against us.
All we can do is give it our best shot.
You're not going to cause any more trouble, are you?
Not this time.
I'll double-down.
Risky.
Maybe there's a better bet
but sometimes when the odds are so stacked against you
you've just got to take a chance.
I admire your courage.
ALL: Dabo!
Well, what do you know?
We have a winner.
O'Brien to Bashir.
Go ahead.
You wanted to know when a certain transport was leaving.
Oh, thanks.
There is one problem, though.
We've got some passengers that are refusing to board
unless you come see them.
I didn't think you'd want to see me again.
LAUREN: Believe me
I wouldn't mind if our predictions
turned out to be wrong.
Jack's still furious, but...
I didn't want to leave without saying good-bye.
Will you come visit us?
What?
Oh, uh, yeah, I'd like that.
You did the right thing, you know.
One of these days, he'll understand that.
So... you ready to go?
Not so fast.
There's one thing I need to know, Doctor.
If-If we can come up with a way to beat the Dominion
will you listen?
I can't think of anything I'd like better.
Good.
Good, good, all right, let's go then.
Let's go.
Bashir to O'Brien.
Four to beam out.
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