06x04 - Behind the Lines

[bunniefuu]

Captain's Log, Stardate 51 145.3.

The Defiant has been operating
out of Starbase 37 5

conducting forays
into Dominion controlled space.

While the missions have taken
a toll on my people

they remain determined to do

whatever it takes
to win this w*r

as do l.

Here you are.

Where did you get your
hands on Saurian brandy?

ln the middle of a w*r, no less.

lt's a busy starbase.

l may be a cadet,
but l'm still a Ferengi.

Lucky for us.

Excuse me, Captain.

The power cell
from the phaser array.

We used it up
on the last mission.

Take a good look at this,
people.

lt says something
about this ship.

lt says that we will fight

and we will keep on fighting
until we can't fight anymore.

Yes, sir.

You don't just throw
something like this away.

No, sir.

Admiral on deck.

As you were.

Ben.

Admiral.

Um, let's, uh, take a walk.

What was going on in there?

Just a little ritual
we fell into.

lt kind of helps
the crew unwind.

Well, they deserve it.

They did a hell of a job.

Thank you, sir.

But you didn't come here
to tell me that, did you?

No, l didn't.

Ever since this w*r began,
the Dominion's been able

to outmaneuver us at every turn.

Wherever we send our ships

they seem to be there
waiting for us.

l've noticed that.

lt was enough to make you think

that they were
smarter than we are.

But they're not.

They just had an edge that we
didn't know anything about...

until yesterday.

Starfleet lntelligence

has located
a massive sensor array

hidden on the periphery
of the Argolis Cluster.

The damn thing's capable

of monitoring ship movements
over five sectors.

That's how they managed
to stay one step ahead of us.

They've had an enormous
tactical advantage.

l want you
to take it away from them.

Gladly, sir.

lt won't be easy.

The array is heavily defended.

This is the intelligence report.

Look it over.

l want an att*ck plan
on my desk by 0800.

You'll have it.

There he is.

Damar's a creature
of habit, all right.

After a hard day at work,
he deserves his glass of kanar.

''Why are the Jem'Hadar
always in here?''

He asks himself.

They don't drink.
They don't eat.

They don't gamble.

All they do is take up space.

Damar asks his bartender

if he found a padd
he was working on the other day.

My brother tells the truth.

He hasn't seen it.

Damar doesn't like that.

The padd contained a draft copy

of a secret memorandum
he was working on

concerning the shortage
of white.

ln it, he speculates
that, without the drug

the Jem'Hadar will run amok

k*lling everyone
and everything in their path.

Damar recommends
that if the Cardassians

can't bring down the minefield

and reopen the supply-line
from the Gamma Quadrant

they should poison
the last ration of white

eliminating the Jem'Hadar
before it's too late.

How did you get ahold
of Damar's padd anyway?

l'm good with my hands.

Here we go.

They've seen him.

Damar.

The missing padd.

Where'd you find that?

Damar accuses them
of stealing it.

But they say they found it
outside their quarters...

right where l left it.

...have you and your whole race
thrown off of this station!

l knew this was going to work.

The Cardassians
and the Jem'Hadar

can pretend to be allies...

but they hate each other.

Get out of my way!

Ow.

When l confronted them,
they att*cked me.

l don't care what they did.

You should never have let

this situation
get out of hand.

Get out!

How could Damar be
so stupid as to leave

such an inflammatory document
lying around for anyone to find?

Your men stole it from him.

Jem'Hadar are not thieves.

And Damar is not a liar.

Keep your voice down.

Our men need to see
that we're still allies.

Smile.

Dukat.

l'm smiling.

Gentlemen, l suggest
we get everyone out of here

as soon as possible.

Odo's right.

Tell your men they're
confined to quarters

pending disciplinary hearings.

l'll do the same.

And keep smiling.

Come.

According to lntelligence

the array is capable
of detecting cloaked ships

as far as two light years away.

By the time the Defiant
goes around the Argolis Cluster

the Dominion will already know
we're coming.

You'll have a dozen
Jem'Hadar ships on you

before you can even get close.

That's why we need the element
of surprise on our side.

lt's the only way.

What are you suggesting?

That l take the Defiant
through the Argolis.

You can't get a ship
through there.

You'd be cut to pieces
by the gravimetric shear.

That's exactly
what the Dominion thinks.

But if we come at them
from the Argolis

they won't know what hit them.

What makes you think
you can get through?

Dax says she can navigate

around the gravimetric
distortions.

She's studied
protostar clusters.

She knows what to look for.

lt's a gamble

but it's one
l'm willing to take.

All right.

Let's give it a sh*t.

When can you leave?

As soon as we finish repairs
on the Defiant.

Keep me posted, Captain.

You wanted to see me.

Well?

Don't you have
something to say to me?

About what happened at Quark's?

Yeah.

lt worked better
than l expected.

l knew you were behind it!

Of course you did.

We discussed it
at our last resistance meeting.

And l said it was a bad idea.

Yes, you did.

And then you walked
out of the room

like there was nothing
left to say.

But Rom and Jake stayed

and we discussed it,
and you know what?

l decided it was a good idea.

So you went ahead
and did it behind my back?

Why are you taking this
so personally?

How do you expect me to take it?

l spend my days sitting on the
Council with Dukat and Weyoun

doing whatever l can
to make sure that Bajor

survives this w*r intact.

The last thing l need

is to have you running around
causing mayhem.

Do you have any idea
what Dukat would do

if he found out
you were behind it?!

lt's all the excuse
he would need

to throw every Bajoran
off this station.

The Federation
is losing this w*r.

We can't sit by and do nothing.

There are limits
to what we can do.

l'm beginning to think

you shouldn't have agreed to sit
on that Council.

lt's as if you're so invested

in making sure
the station runs smoothly

you've forgotten
there's a w*r going on.

Are you questioning
my loyalties, Major?

l need you, Odo.

The resistance needs you.

Answer me.

Are you questioning
my loyalties?

Oh, of course not.

That's not what this is about--

Hello, Odo.

lt's good to see you again.

Leave us.

l need to speak with Odo.

Do you?

lt's all right, Nerys.

l may as well hear
what she has to say.

Are you sure?

You called her ''Nerys.''

What of it?

Well, you used
to call her ''Major.''

Using the name of a solid
denotes intimacy.

You're a long way from home.

Here to keep an eye
on the w*r effort?

l'm content to leave the details
of the w*r to the Vorta.

Then what brings you
to Deep Space 9?

You.

l was trapped
in the Alpha Quadrant

when Captain Sisko mined
the entrance to the wormhole.

l have spent too much time
with solids.

l came because l felt the need
to be with one of my own.

Ah.

Well, that's ironic

considering what happened
the last time we crossed paths.

You caused the death
of a fellow changeling, Odo.

Turning you into a solid

was the only punishment
severe enough for your crime.

And now
that l'm a changeling again

you come here
as though nothing ever happened?

We have forgiven you.

Well, l haven't forgiven you.

lt is time to put
the past behind us, Odo.

And what about the present?

You're waging a w*r
against my home.

This is not your home.

You belong with your own kind

as part of the Great Link.

l'm quite content here,
thank you.

You say that
because you don't know

what you're capable of becoming.

Perhaps if we spent
some time together

you might begin to understand.

Admiral, you wanted to see me?

l just got word.

Captain Bennet's promotion
has come through.

At my recommendation

Starfleet's putting
her in charge

of Seventh Tactical Wing.

She was one of the best
adjutants l've ever had--

a strong grasp of strategy

and ability to see
the big picture.

Sounds like it's
not going to be easy

to find someone
to take her place.

l already have-- you.

Sir?

l've been very impressed with
you over these past few weeks.

l think we would
make a good team.

Thank you, sir.

Your new assignment
is effective immediately.

lmmediately, sir?

What about the Argolis mission?

Commander Dax will
captain the Defiant.

She is up to it, isn't she?

Oh, absolutely, sir.

l guess l'd just
gotten used to the idea

of commanding
the mission myself.

Look over
these tactical reports.

l want your thoughts
on the Bolian operation.

We'll meet here at 0600.

Ben...

congratulations.

Legate Krim will be arriving
in the morning.

l'll have a security detail
escort him to your office.

Well, if that's all...

Founder, you honor us
with your presence.

l understand the w*r
is going well.

Only because
l've followed the plan

the Founders laid out for me.

Welcome to Terok Nor.

l'm glad we're finally
getting a chance to meet.

As leaders
of our respective worlds

you and l will be
taking our people

into a future
that l'm quite confidant--

What about the minefield?

Why hasn't it been deactivated?

Yes, Dukat.

This delay is intolerable.

There are thousands
of Jem'Hadar ships

stranded on the other
side of the wormhole

waiting to come through
and join the w*r effort.

Maybe you haven't read
the latest reports

but even without those ships

l'm still winning this w*r.

You're winning?

l assure you,
l'm intimately involved

in all m*llitary decisions.

See to it
the minefield is brought down.

Of course.

We've imposed our presence
on you long enough.

lf there's anything you need
while you're here

please, let me know.

Do they always compete
with one another like that?

As a matter of fact, they do.

You have to interact
with them often.

lt must be trying for you.

lt hasn't been easy.

Now, if you'll excuse me

l have some work
to do in my quarters.

May l walk with you?

To become a thing
is to know a thing.

To assume its form

is to begin to understand
its existence.

You tried to teach me that
when l visited our homeworld.

Hmm...

l remember.

l didn't understand

what you meant by it at first.

So when l returned
to the station

l got rid of all the furniture
l used to have in my quarters

and replaced it
with these objects.

l've assumed every shape
in this room.

l suppose
if it weren't for you

l never would have known
the simple pleasure

of spending time existing
as a stone or a branch.

l'm glad you learned
something from your visit.

Your arrival was a time
of great joy for the Link

and your departure,
a time of great sadness.

lf only you had stayed
with us, Odo...

l couldn't.

You chose the solids.

And l haven't regretted it.

Not even a little?

l do think about the Link
from time to time.

lt's there for you.

l can't.

Why?

Because of Kira?

You still have feelings
for her, don't you?

But she doesn't share them.

l'm sorry.

Aren't you going to tell me

l shouldn't waste my time
with a solid?

You love her.

And l wish l didn't.

l'm so vulnerable to her.

All she has to do is smile at me

and l'm happy beyond reason.

A minor disagreement between us

and l'm devastated.

lt's absurd.

Sometimes, l wish l could
reach inside myself

and tear out
my feelings for her.

But l can't.

Poor Odo.

l don't want your pity.

l am not offering pity.

What l need is some peace.

What you need is clarity.

l can give you that.

Do you want me to stop?

That'll be all.

What are you doing here, Damar?

Did Dukat demote you
to security detail?

What can l do for you, Major?

l'm looking for Odo.

Well, he's not here.

Do you know where he is?

Yes.

That's good.

lt's good to know
where your boss is.

He's in his quarters

with the other shape-shifter.

Jealous, Major?

Try to stay out of trouble,
Damar.

You don't want to end up
on sanitation duty.

Come in.

Odo?

Nerys.

l dropped by your office

and Damar told me
you were here with her.

She was here,
but she's gone now.

You all right?

What did she want?

She didn't want anything.

Then what was she doing here?

l know how you feel
about her, Major

but there's no reason
to be concerned.

You don't know how much
l wish l could believe that.

You didn't link
with her, did you?

Actually, l did.

You did?

What were you thinking?

She didn't find out
about the resistance

if that's why you're worried.

lt's not.

The Link isn't about

exchanging information.

lt's about merging thought
and form, idea and sensation.

That sounds like a perfect way
to manipulate someone.

She's not manipulating me.

Ever since the day
you two crossed paths

she has lied to you, tricked you

stood in judgment of you.

l don't trust her.

l don't understand how you can.

l linked with her.

lf she had any hidden motive

l would have sensed it.

She's just trying
to teach me about myself--

about what l'm capable
of becoming.

An intergalactic w*rlord, maybe?

Because that's what she is.

Who knows?

By linking with her

l might be able
to make her understand

that the Federation doesn't
pose a thr*at to her people.

You believe you can convince her
to call off the w*r?

lf you could
experience the Link

you'd understand the effect
it has on my people.

You'd realize
that anything is possible.

l'm only beginning
to understand it all, myself.

l still have so many questions.

Now that she's here, l have
a chance to find some answers.

Odo, this isn't the time

to go off on some kind
of personal quest.

There's too much at stake.

After the w*r is over,
do whatever you need to do.

lf you feel you need to go
and join the Great Link

l'm...
l'm not going to stop you.

But for right now

l need you here-- focused.

Please promise me

that you're not going
to link with her again.

Not until this is over.

All right.

l won't.

Now, if you'll excuse me

l have to get to work.

l'll see you
at the resistance meeting.

Are you two ever
going to be finished?

Just a few more minutes,
Commander.

That's ''Captain.''

lt's an old naval tradition.

Whoever's in command of a ship,
regardless of rank

is referred to as ''Captain.''

You mean, if l
had to take command

l would be called
''Captain,'' too?

Cadet, by the time
you took command

there'd be nobody left
to call you anything.

Good point.

Come to take a last look around?

Not a last look, l hope.

How are the repairs coming?

Almost done.

l wouldn't get too comfortable
in that chair, old man.

When this w*r is over,
l'm going to want my ship back.

Fine. When this w*r's over,
l'm going on a honeymoon.

All done here, Captain.

-Very well.
-All right.

Plot a course
for the Argolis Cluster

and prepare for departure.

Aye, Captain.

Benjamin...

l wish you were coming with us.

You'll do fine.

Pardon our appearance.

We're renovating.

Kanar.

Not that one.

The '27.

'27?

Expensive.

l can afford it...

on a Gul's salary.

Wait a minute.

You started a fight in my bar

and now you're
getting a promotion?

What kind of way is that
to run an army?

Dukat wasn't happy
about what happened.

l had to find a way
to make it up to him.

l hope it was something big.

Let's just say...

it will change
the course of history.

As a businessman

l'm very interested
in the course of history.

This one's on me.

Well, that's very kind
of you, Quark...

but l can't talk about it.

Of course.

l understand.

Here.
Let me pour you another.

There's obviously
a lot of bad blood

between the Cardassians
and the Jem'Hadar.

lt wouldn't take much

to get them to go
at each other again.

Yeah, l'm not sure
we want to do that.

But it worked so well.

What do you think, Odo?

l'm not sure it's a good idea.

Then we'll do something else.

Major--

Something

that we can all agree on.

Who could that be?

We're just sitting here

enjoying each other's company.

Right.

Come in.

Brother...

are you all right?

No, l am not all right.

l just shared a bottle
of kanar with Damar.

That rhymes.

You're drunk.

Of course l'm drunk.

l wouldn't risk coming in here

and associating myself
with your little resistance cell

if l wasn't drunk.

Oh, well then maybe
you'd better leave

before someone sees you.

l tried.

l tried my best

to run my establishment
under this occupation.

But you know what?

lt's no fun.

l don't like Cardassians.

They're mean and arrogant.

And l can't stand the Jem'Hadar.

They're creepy.

They just stand there
like statues

staring at you.

That's it.

l don't want to spend
the rest of my life

doing business
with these people.

l want the Federation back.

l want to sell root beer again.

All right.

You made your point.
Relax.

How can l relax

when there are thousands
of Jem'Hadar ships

sitting on the other side
of the wormhole

waiting to come through?

Don't worry about it.

They're stuck there.

Not if what Damar told me
is true.

What are you talking about?

He said he came up with a way
to deactivate the mines.

Dukat wants him to start
field tests right away.

Come on, Quark, think.

Did Damar say anything
about how he was planning

to deactivate the mines?

Yes.

He said something
about the station's...

defector.

Defector?

That's impossible.

The only person on the station

who knows anything
about the mines is...

Me.

Defector.
That doesn't sound right.

Maybe it was... deflector?

Yeah.

Yeah, that's it.

He said something
about using the station's...

deflector array.

What do you think, Rom?

l'm glad it wasn't me.

About the deflector array.

ls there any way to use it
to deactivate the mines?

No.

l designed the mines
to be self-replicating.

The only way to keep them
from replacing themselves

is to isolate them
in an anti-graviton beam.

The deflector array
can't do that.

Unless...

you reconfigured

the field generators

and refocused the emitters

which would turn
the deflector array

into one big anti-graviton beam.

Why didn't you think of that
when you set up the mine field?

Uh, l don't know.

Uh, he doesn't know.

Quark.

How can we disable
the deflector array?

All you have to do is
access the EPS feed

and overload the waveguide.

All right, let's do it.

But there's no way
to get to the EPS feed.

lt's in a secured conduit
rigged with alarms.

Odo, can you
disable those alarms?

l can take them off-line
for about five minutes

if l run a security diagnostic.

Will that give you enough time?

l think so.

l'll run the diagnostic

as soon as l get to my office.
in the morning.

All right.

You and l will meet here.

At exactly 0800

you will begin the diagnostic.

Has there been any news, sir?

None.

The Defiant has been gone
over 16 hours.

Mr. Worf

l know
this is difficult for you.

Yes, sir.

But l sense it is
more difficult for you.

The Defiant is your ship.

Dax'll bring her home.

Besides

there's no way she's going
to miss her own wedding.

No, l suppose not.

As soon as l hear anything,
l'll let you know.

Thank you, sir.

Captain--

you should get some rest.

Not tonight, Mr. Worf.

Not tonight.

Ben?

Admiral.

lt's late.

l know. l was just waiting
to see if there was any news.

Ben, we've got a big day
ahead of us tomorrow.

l want to nail down the details
on the Bolian operation.

l need you focused.

l will be.

l know how you feel
about your crew

but you and l are responsible
for an entire tactical wing.

Thousands of lives depend

on the decisions
we make tomorrow.

You can't afford
to be awake all night

worrying about one ship.

Admiral, you can
order me to my quarters

but there's no way
l'm going to sleep.

Not as long as the Defiant
is out there.

All right, as you wish

but you should
understand one thing.

With any luck, we'll be sending
the Defiant on a lot of missions

and you're going
to have to get used to it.

Good night.

Have our people always
been shape-shifters?

Or was there a time
when we were like the solids?

Eons ago, we were like them

limited to one form,
but then... we evolved.

Ah...

On the homeworld

are you always in the Link

or do you sometimes
take solid form?

We prefer the Link

but, on occasion,
it is interesting

to exist as something else--

a tree perhaps...

a cloud in the sky.

Ah... a cloud.

How many of us are there?

Oh...

so many questions, Odo.

l'm sorry

but there's still so much
that isn't clear to me yet.

lf you link with me again

everything
will be made clear to you.

You have to understand

that the Link is
very overwhelming for me.

Right now, it's easier to talk.

But words are so clumsy

so imprecise.

Even so.

As you wish.

You haven't told me your name.

What use would l have
for a name?

To differentiate yourself
from the others.

l don't.

But you are a separate
being, aren't you?

ln a sense.

When you return to the Link

what will become of the entity
l'm talking to right now?

The drop becomes the ocean.

And if you choose
to take solid form again?

The ocean becomes a drop.

Ah...

yes.

l think l'm beginning
to understand.

Then you can answer
your own question.

How many of us are there?

One.

And many.

lt depends
on how you look at it.

Very good.

You are beginning to understand.

But there's so much
you don't know.

Tell me.

Oh.

Words are insufficient.

Link with me again.

lt is the only way l can give
you the understanding you seek.

l can't.

Why not?

l promised Kira.

She is a solid.

This has nothing to do with her.

This is about you,
about what you want.

Am l early?

A little.

l hope there's more
than just fruit in that basket.

l needed a place
to hide my tools.

ln case anybody asks,
l'm making a delivery.

Right.

Here's your fruit.

l didn't order any fruit.

Oh, your brother sent this,
didn't he?

lf he is trying to win me over

tell him it's just
not going to work.

Better yet,
l'll tell him myself.

Odo should be
in his office by now.

Now.

Remember, he's going to
interrupt the sensor alarms

at exactly 0800 hours.

l'll be ready.

lf there's a problem,
l'll contact you.

Good luck with your delivery.

Computer, time.

0700 hours, 58 minutes.

Two minutes to go.

Odo.

Kira to Odo.
Please respond.

Kira to Odo.

Odo, answer me.

Computer, time.

0700 hours, 59 minutes.

Hello, Major.

Just the person
l was looking for.

Congratulations
on your promotion

but we'll have to discuss

the personnel report
another time.

We'll discuss it now.

l don't think so.

Kira to Rom.
Don't open that hatch.

l already did.

Get out of there.

lntruder alert.

Come with me.

Well, well...

what do we have here?

Captain's Log, Tactical Update,
Stardate 51 149.5.

The Defiant has returned
to Starbase 37 5

after its successful att*ck
on the Dominion sensor array.

Admiral Ross and l
have recommended

that Commander Dax
and the entire Defiant crew

be cited for exceptional
performance of their duties.

Admiral on deck!

Carry on.

Nog, Saurian brandy
for the brass.

Dax, could you
tell Ensign Kirby

how l took over the con

when Lieutenant Haj was injured?

She doesn't believe me.

Frankly, l'm not sure
l believe it happened myself.

Sir. Sir.

Congratulations, Captain.

Thank you, sir.

Will you excuse me a minute?

Julian needs me.

Certainly.

Here you are.

Don't ask where he got it.

Don't worry.

l don't want to know.

Here's another one, Captain.

Take a good look...

because this says
something about us--

that we're willing to fight

and that we'll keep on fighting

until we can't fight anymore.

Yes, sir!

You don't throw
something like this away.

No, sir!

Hear, hear.

They're a good crew.

The best.

What do you say
we get back to work?

What the hell happened?

Why didn't you
disable that alarm?

lt's difficult to explain.

Rom is sitting in a holding
cell being interrogated.

He was counting on you.

l was counting on you!

l know.

You know?

Do you realize
what you just did?

You just handed the Alpha
Quadrant to the Dominion.

l was in the Link.

Are you saying you forgot?

l didn't forget.

lt just...
didn't seem to matter.

A lot of people
are going to die.

Don't you care?

lt has nothing to do with me.

How can you say that?

lf you could experience the Link

you'd know
why nothing else matters.

The last five years--

your life here, our friendship--

none of that matters?

lt did... once.

l wish l could
make you understand

but you can't.

You're not a changeling.

You're right.

l'm a solid.

You look troubled, Odo.

Did she upset you?

No, not really.

Ah.