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With the Federation's help, the
Bajoran government is about to perform a massive energy transfer
by tapping the molten core of its fifth moon, Jeraddo. In
preparation, Kira and Dax make an orbital inspection of the moon
in a Runabout, trying to confirm that all of the inhabitants
have been evacuated. Dax's sensors detect an unknown humanoid
presence on the surface, and Kira beams down to investigate. She
materializes near a small cottage, only to be stopped in her
tracks by a Bajoran couple in their forties, who point
menacing-looking farm implements at her. Then, a tall,
craggy-faced Bajoran farmer steps out of the cottage. Bewildered
by his casual attitude, Kira informs him that his group needs to
leave the moon — but he'd much rather discuss that over supper
in his cottage, and she reluctantly consents.
On the station, Nog and Jake,
having discovered that Nog's uncle Quark has been stuck with a
huge supply of Cardassian yamok sauce and no Cardassians to eat
it, see an opportunity to make a quick buck — or, in this case,
five bars of gold press latinum. They try to sell it to a
Lissepian freighter captain who has dealings with the
Cardassians. He talks them instead into a trade — a hundred
gross of self-sealing stem bolts in exchange for their yamok
sauce. They make the deal, then plot to figure out how to get
the sauce from Quark.
Back on the moon, after telling Dax to return to the station,
Kira talks with the farmer, who introduces himself as Mullibok,
while helping him prepare supper. Learning that he and his
friends, Baltrim and Keena, fled to the moon years ago to escape
the Cardassians, she explains that Bajor is now once again safe
and that they will have to move there. Mullibok refuses to leave
— his life is on the moon, and it is where he plans to die.
Eating dinner, Kira and Mullibok talk about how he built a life
for himself on the moon. He tricks her into admitting that she
and the Bajorans beat the Cardassians through sheer
stubbornness, which is exactly the stand he is taking in
refusing to leave. As far as he is concerned, the Bajorans can
come crack open the moon whenever they are ready. He's not going
anywhere.
Managing to relieve Quark of his unwanted yamok sauce, Nog and
Jake are now the proud owners of a whole lot of stem bolts. Now
that they have them, however, they don't know what to do with
them — or, for that matter, even know what they do. But Nog gets
another idea — find out who the Lissepian was trying to sell
them to in the first place, and unload them on that individual
at a discount. While the partners continue to scheme, Kira tells
Sisko and Minister Toran, the Bajoran in charge of the energy
project and of the problems on the moon. Toran refuses to hold
up progress for three stubborn hold-outs, and forces Kira —
under protest — to remove the residents. She returns to Jeraddo
with two security guards. While Kira tries to reason with
Mullibok, the other two Bajorans get dragged back to the
cottage. This enrages Mullibok, and he tries to kill the
interlopers. Instinctively, a guard fires his phaser, wounding
the farmer severely. Heartbroken and teary-eyed, Kira orders
medical assistance.
Nog and Jake, having contacted the Bajoran who first backed out
of the stem bolt deal, try to get gold press latinum from him in
exchange. But, again, the two find themselves making a trade —
this time, for seven tessipates of land. Jake thinks they
finally have something they can work with, but Nog is getting
discouraged. Back on Jeraddo, Bashir tends to Mullibok's wounds,
but insists on taking him back to the station for proper care.
Baltrim and Keena have been evacuated to Bajor, but Mullibok
stands his ground. Kira tells Bashir to leave — she will stay
with him until he gets better. Bashir returns and reports this
surprising development to Sisko, who goes to the moon himself
and confronts the recuperating Mullibok. Knowing the farmer
can't be swayed, Sisko talks with Kira alone and reminds her
that, no matter how much she is like Mullibok, that way of life
is now behind her. Appealing to her now as a friend, Sisko tells
her that Mullibok's fate is already decided — hers isn't. He
then leaves her — with much to think about.
That night, Kira watches over Mullibok, and as he awakens from a
nightmare, tries to make him more comfortable. He pretends to be
gruff, but is glad to have her nursing him back to health, and
goes back to sleep. Meanwhile on the station, Nog and Jake
overhear a conversation between Quark and Odo, from which the
boys learn the Bajoran government wants to buy their land. Nog
approaches the surprised Quark with a proposition — one that
will cost him only five bars of gold press latinum. The crafty
Ferengi catches on.
The next day, Kira wakes up to find Mullibok outside, finally
finishing a kiln that he had been building. As he fires it up,
Kira says it is time for her to now finish her work. He declares
that as long as his cottage stands, he stays. With that, Kira
takes her phaser and destroys the kiln, then takes a torch and
sets the cottage on fire. He tells her to turn the phaser on
him, but she refuses. Finally, sadly, he says if he leaves, he
will die. Kira reassures him that he won't, and offers her hand,
but he turns his back. She reaches to him one last time as she
beams away ... |
