Favor the Bold (episode)

The Cardassians begin to implement a plan to reopen the wormhole; Sisko gathers an assault fleet to recapture Deep Space Nine.

Summary

Somewhere in space, the USS Defiant is venting plasma. Her weapons are off-line and her shields are at 30%. Two Jem'Hadar fighter ships approach and attack. A Klingon bird-of-prey decloaks and destroys one of the Jem'Hadar ships. The Defiant brings its weapons online and destroys the other. The Klingon ship is the Rotarran. The Rotarran and the Defiant have been playing this game for a while. Just then they receive new orders from Starfleet to fall back. The crew complains that it seems that all they've been doing lately is retreating. Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax, captaining the Defiant, and her fiance, Lieutenant Commander Worf, captaining the Rotarran, agree to meet at Starbase 375. There, Captain Benjamin Sisko tells Dax that he's got a plan to retake Deep Space 9.

The next day, Sisko describes his plan to a roomful of admirals. Elements from the Second, Fifth, and Ninth Fleets will be peeled off the front lines and sent to retake DS9. Admiral Coburn objects that the plan leaves Earth exposed. Sisko responds that the Third Fleet will still be there to protect Earth. Besides, the Dominion won't attack Earth. Earth isn't the key to the Alpha Quadrant; the wormhole is. And whoever controls Deep Space 9 controls the wormhole.

On Terok Nor, the Dominion/Cardassian name for Deep Space 9, Quark and Major Kira Nerys attempt to see Odo about releasing Rom from his Dominion holding cell. But Odo's quarters are guarded by Bajoran and Jem'Hadar security, and Odo won't see anyone. The Bajoran informs them that Odo has been with the Female Changeling for three days.

Inside, the Female Changeling and Odo have just had sex in the manner of solids. The Female Changeling observes that the solids' version of intimacy pales in comparison to the changelings' linking. They discuss Odo's previous experiences with sex. The Female Changeling guesses that Odo regrets not having had it with Kira. But Odo doesn't want to talk about Kira. He says that he has a Ruling Council meeting to attend. The Female Changeling says that that meeting took place three days ago. Odo is shocked at the passage of time. The Female Changeling tells him not to worry anymore about solids' meetings and schedules: we're changelings; we're timeless. They link again.

Kira next goes to see Weyoun about Rom. He's in the wardroom examining Dukat's daughter Ziyal's painting. But as the Founders made the Vorta without a sense of aesthetics, Weyoun cannot appreciate it. Weyoun tells Kira that the Dominion is planning to execute Rom on charges of terrorism for attempting to sabotage the Dominion's move to bring down the minefield. He also notes that Rom is the one who came up with the self-replicating mines in the first place. Weyoun won't help. Kira threatens to involve the Bajoran government, since Rom is married to a Bajoran citizen, but Weyoun is not impressed.

Rom, his wife Leeta, and his brother Quark discuss Rom's future, or lack of one, from his Dominion holding cell. Quark pledges to do whatever it takes to get Rom out. But Rom is much more interested in having Quark take out the anti-graviton beam, to finish what Rom started. Quark protests at first, because he doesn't want to die, but he knows that he has no choice. As Rom tells him, the fate of the entire Alpha Quadrant is in Quark's hands.

Kira next appeals to Ziyal to speak to her father Dukat about Rom. Ziyal goes to Dukat, but he says he can't do anything. Ziyal appeals to his vanity; this is Dukat's opportunity to show Bajor what a great man he is. Dukat suspects that Ziyal was involved in the attempted sabotage. Ziyal says that if Dukat truly regrets the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, then this is his chance to prove it to the Bajorans, and to her. He again refuses and Ziyal, angry, says that Dukat is a true Cardassian. She storms out.

In Quark's Bar, Damar confronts Kira about her attitude. Kira says that if Damar doesn't like her attitude, he's welcome to try and change it. Damar later tells Quark that they've begun to deactivate the mines. The minefield will be down within a week.

On Starbase 375, General Martok tells Sisko and Admiral William Ross that Klingon Chancellor Gowron doesn't like Sisko's plan. Gowron is concerned that it will leave the Klingon Empire exposed to Dominion attack. Martok and Worf agree to see Gowron in person to convince him that the plan is worth it.

Quark tells Kira about Damar's estimate that the minefield will be down in a week. Quark says they have to let Starfleet know. They use Jake Sisko's courier, Morn, to get the message out. Sisko receives it. With Ross, they decide that the plan has to proceed right away, even though the Ninth Fleet and the Klingons won't be able to make it in time, because if the wormhole opens up and Dominion reinforcements come through, then all is lost. They'll have to take out the anti-graviton emitter, even if they can't retake the station.

Later, Dukat, Weyoun, and Damar note the movement of Federation ships from the front lines to Starbase 375. But they don't know what the Federation is up to. Dukat asks Damar to talk to Ziyal to convince her to talk to Dukat again. Damar thinks this is inappropriate and beneath him, but Dukat says that it's important to him, so Damar agrees. In a cargo bay, Damar confronts Ziyal, who is speaking with Kira. Damar tries to convince her to come with him, to no avail. He grabs her. Kira objects and and knocks Damar unconscious. Ziyal is shocked.

On Starbase 375, Ross sees Sisko off. Sisko is reviewing ancient Bajoran texts. Sisko says that when the war and his career are over, he plans to retire to Bajor. It's his home. On the Defiant, Nog and Miles O'Brien talk about Nog's field promotion to ensign. Sisko takes command of the Defiant from Dax. The fleet departs for Deep Space 9.

Odo and kira argue — "*We are way, way past 'sorry'!*"

Back on Terok Nor, Dukat tells Weyoun that the Federation fleet is headed towards the station. Weyoun isn't concerned. He's sure the Dominion will crush them. They arrange to have ships taken off the front lines and repositioned at Terok Nor. Elsewhere on the station, Odo and the Female Changeling are observing the solids from the upper deck of the Promenade. They pity the solids. The Female Changeling says that the solids must be broken of their love for freedom for their own good. Odo is taken aback. His eyes are beginning to open again to what the Founders really are. He leaves as Weyoun interrupts. Odo spots Kira and chases her down. He tries to explain that he's been "occupied". Kira says she knows; while he's been occupied the minefield's coming down, the Federarion's about to lose the war, and Rom is scheduled to be executed. He tries to apologize but Kira won't have it. She says "we are way, way past 'sorry'".

The Federation task force, en route to DS9, detects 1,254 Dominion ships ahead. The Federation is outnumbered 2 to 1. On the Defiant's bridge, everyone is quiet. Sisko says there's an old saying: "Fortune favors the bold". They're about to find out if that's true.

Memorable Quotes

"Can you believe it? They made me an ensign."

"I didn't realize that things were going so bad."

"Scary, isn't it?"

-Nog and O'Brien discussing the sad state of the Federation

"There's an old saying: Fortune favors the bold. Well, we're about to find out."

-Sisko, on Operation Return (last line of the episode)

Background Information

This episode is the fifth in the six-part "Dominion War Arc", and part one of a two-parter with "Sacrifice of Angels".

Links and References

Guest Stars

References

Fortune favors the bold; Gowron; Hail the Conquering Dominion

Previous episode:
Behind the Lines

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Season 6

Next episode:
Sacrifice of Angels


Series:	DS9
Season:	6
Original Airdate:	1997-10-27
Production Number:	529
Year:	2374
Stardate:	Unknown
Written by:	Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
Directed by:	Winrich Kolbe
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