 Kira protests when Sisko allows a
Valerian ship to dock at the station, because she believes that
the Valerians are supplying weapons-grade dolamide to the
Cardassians. However, before the Valerian ship even arrives, a
Klingon vessel blasts through the wormhole and explodes. One
critically injured Klingon from that ship transports to the
station, shrouded in a strange violet light, and dies
immediately after uttering the word "victory" — a curious
declaration since his ship was supposed to be on a scientific
mission. Dax and O'Brien are sent in a Runabout to search for
the ship's mission recorder. While the Valerian vessel docks,
despite Kira's unusual efforts to delay it without Sisko's
knowledge. Odo learns from Quark that the Klingon mission
involved procurement of something that would "make the enemies
of the Klingon Empire tremble." Suddenly, Odo mysteriously
becomes paralyzed with pain, his head splits in two, and a
panicked Quark calls for Dr. Bashir.
When Odo regains consciousness
in Bashir's infirmary, he is struck by the doctor's cold,
calculating tone and his sudden interest in Kira, Sisko, and the
Valerian situation. Meanwhile, Kira and Sisko have an
uncharacteristically angry exchange over the Valerians, while
aboard the Runabout, Dax and O'Brien also seem to undergo
personality changes, O'Brien turning very cold and suspicious,
asking Dax whether her loyalties lie with Sisko or Kira, while
Dax becomes dreamy and removed. Kira, taking on a sensually
manipulative tone, later tries to convince Odo to go behind
Sisko's back and sneak aboard the Valerian ship — Odo refuses.
Dax and O'Brien show a barely-legible recording made by the dead
Klingon indicating mutiny aboard his ship, and the presence of
some alien energy spheres, but Sisko doesn't seem to care. Soon
afterward, Kira approaches Dax and tries to enlist her
allegiance against Sisko, attacking Quark when she notices him
eavesdropping. Quark complains to Odo and tells him of Kira's
plot against Sisko. Noticing the odd behavior developing among
the personnel, Odo goes to find Sisko in Ops, and is shocked to
see O'Brien sitting in Sisko's chair, settled in like he owns
the place, trying to piece together the mission recorder's log
entries. O'Brien tells Odo he believes Sisko's life is in danger
because of the mutiny Kira is planning. Odo finally locates
Sisko in his quarters, telling him that he fears what happened
on the Klingon ship may be occurring on the station. Sisko,
however, is only concerned with designing a clock. Odo realizes
at this point that he's on his own.
When Odo returns to his office, Kira surprises him with news
that she has made sure the Valerian ship cannot leave until she
lets it. He learns that Kira is about to go after Sisko and
O'Brien. Hoping it might provide an explanation, Odo reviews the
reconstructed journal of the dead Klingon and finds a mention of
telepathic energy spheres, containing an archive which described
a power struggle that destroyed an ancient alien race called the
Saltah'na. Odo cautiously approaches Bashir for help, making the
suspicious doctor believe he's working to benefit whoever seizes
control of the station. They theorize that the Klingon ship was
destroyed after an energy matrix from the spheres affected the
crew's minds, causing them to reenact that struggle. The Klingon
apparently brought the matrix to the station inadvertently, and
it influenced everyone in Ops but Odo. While Bashir works to
eliminate the matrix's effects, one of his allies tries to
attack Sisko with a tiny device. Sisko retaliates against the
young ensign, sure that Kira put him up to the mutinous action,
until Kira herself arrives, pointing a phaser at Sisko.
Before Kira's guards can take Sisko and O'Brien, the pair
dematerialize and beam into an airlock, from where they attempt
to escape to the Valerian ship, enlisting Odo's help to
eliminate the forcefields blocking their path. Odo lures all the
affected individuals together, then activates Bashir's matrix
interference signal. The violet-colored energy influence is
successfully purged long enough for Odo to release it into
space. Life returns to normal on the station, and Sisko and Kira
bury their differences.
See Also: Image Captures |
