 After rejoining his former Cardassian mentor, Enabran Tain, Garak helps him in a joint
mission with the Obsidian Order and the Romulan Tal Shiar. Tain
has masterminded a plan to destroy the Founders — Odo's people,
who rule the Dominion — and their homeworld. Tain, along with
Colonel Lovok of the Tal Shiar, leads a fleet of cloaked Romulan
and Cardassian ships into the Gamma Quadrant, commanding them
from their Romulan Warbird. Garak is told to question Odo, who
is being held prisoner aboard Tain's ship. However, Odo says he
knows none of his people's secrets. On the station, Sisko learns
of Tain's mission, and is warned by Starfleet's Admiral Toddman
to prepare for retaliatory attacks by the Jem'Hadar.
Fearing Odo is aboard one of the Romulan ships, Sisko and his
officers, including Security Chief Eddington, defy a direct
order from Toddman and take the Defiant into the Gamma Quadrant
to search for Odo. Soon afterward, the ship suddenly and
inexplicably decloaks, leaving them vulnerable to attack by the
Jem'Hadar, the Dominion's soldiers. Meanwhile, as Tain, Garak,
and Lovok head for the Founders' planet, Tain urges Garak to
interrogate Odo and learn if his people have a secret defense
system. Garak agrees, but finds himself conflicted.
On the Defiant, Eddington confesses to sabotaging the cloaking
device, under orders from Toddman to prevent pursuit of Tain's
fleet. Back at the Romulan ship, Garak interrogates Odo using a
device that prevents him from changing his shape. Odo insists he
is not hiding anything, but Garak persists, and Odo begins to
literally dry up and fall apart. Unable to watch Odo's
excruciating agony, Garak begs him to talk, and Odo reveals his
secret — he wants to rejoin his people. Shaken, Garak
deactivates the device and lets Odo finally morph into liquid
form.
Garak claims that Odo knows nothing, and Tain orders Odo killed.
However, Lovok and Garak convince him to spare Odo for later
Romulan study. The fleet then reaches the Founders' planet and
opens fire, destroying part of the surface, but there is no
change in the life form readings. Garak discovers their ships
have been lured into a trap — the planet is actually deserted.
As he explains, their vessels are suddenly surrounded by 150
Jem'Hadar ships.
The Jem'Hadar attack, and Garak takes advantage of the chaos to
escape and rescue Odo. Surprisingly, Lovok helps them get to
their Runabout and reveals he is actually one of the Founders.
His people learned of Tain's plan and encouraged it in order to
bait the Obsidian Order and Tal Shiar into annihilation. Lovok
tries to convince Odo to return home, but he refuses. Forced to
leave behind Tain, Odo and Garak escape on their ship, and the
Defiant rescues them from the Jem'Hadar assault. The Romulan/Cardassian
fleet is destroyed as the crew returns to the Alpha Quadrant,
barely escaping with their lives.
See Also: Image Captures |
