Post by magicmuggle01 on Apr 3, 2019 10:18:55 GMT
Sisko leads a commando team into Klingon headquarters in an attempt to expose the Changeling impersonating Gowron. (Season premiere)
Summary
Captain Benjamin Sisko and Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax return to Deep Space 9 narrowly fleeing the Klingons in the USS Rio Grande. Due to the declaration of the war between the Klingon Empire and the Federation, Starfleet had summoned Captain Benjamin Sisko and Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax to Earth to discuss Odo's dire belief that Gowron, the Chancellor of the Klingon High Council, has been replaced by a Changeling and is pressing forth the war.
Once back on board Deep Space 9, Sisko informs Major Kira Nerys that Starfleet has given them a mission to infiltrate Klingon military headquarters on Ty'Gokor and expose Gowron by any means necessary.
Act One
Sisko looks for Odo in Quark's. Quark tells the captain that Odo is one "depressed ex-changeling" and tells Sisko that he will find him on the upper level. Sitting at his table, Odo is fascinated by the foaming bubbles in his drink. As a Changeling he had no interest in them. Now he finds eating and drinking to be comforting. Sisko asks him to join the mission and Odo recommends Deputy Yndar go instead of him. Sisko, however, does not want Yndar – he wants Odo. After some initial hesitance, Odo agrees.
At the mission briefing in the wardroom, Chief O'Brien, Lt. Commander Worf, Captain Sisko, and Odo have been selected to go undercover and infiltrate Ty'Gokor. Worf informs Sisko that getting to Gowron will not be easy, as he is protected at all times by his personal security force, the Yan-Isleth – the Brotherhood of the Sword. Sisko has been equipped with modified polaron emitters and a mission to infiltrate Klingon military headquarters on Ty'Gokor to expose Gowron to polaron radiation; if he is a Changeling, exposure to the radiation will make it impossible for him to retain his humanoid shape and the changeling will revert to its natural gelatinous state. All four emitters have to be activated at once, and too much exposure to the radiation will kill a person. They can only activate it once.
Kira points out that the real trouble will be getting the four to Ty'Gokor unnoticed, to which Sisko replies he has a plan. Kira lures Gul Dukat to the space station to use his Bird-of-Prey, which Dukat had acquired recently. Expressing surprise at Kira's pregnancy, Dukat tells Kira that First Minister Shakaar is a lucky man. Kira informs Dukat that Shakaar is not the father – Chief O'Brien is. Dukat stares in shock at Kira as they enter a turbolift to go to the Promenade. The two go into the station's infirmary and find O'Brien, Odo, and Sisko surgically altered to look like Klingons.
Act Two
Sisko, Odo, O'Brien and Worf set course for Ty'Gokor with Dukat in his Bird-of-Prey. En route, they confer with Dukat to make sure he prepares false identities for them, candidates for the Order of the Bat'leth who are expected. Damar expresses his pessimism about the mission, and prefers a decisive orbital assault, but Sisko and O'Brien of course remind him of the outcome they want of exposing Gowron. Dukat appreciates the audacity of the plan.
Meanwhile, Bashir and Kira discuss some station matters in Sisko's office. Turning to her carrying the O'Briens' child, Bashir encourages her she is doing fine and will pull through nicely. Kira is also confident that the crew will return, reassuring Bashir.
Worf turns to the task of coaching the other three in behaving like Klingons, and, while Sisko proves reasonably convincing by backhanding Worf, he was unaware that was a challenge to the death. Meanwhile O'Brien, and especially Odo, fail miserably by lacking in the Klingon's stance and demeanor. Sisko needs to help Odo clear his head with what's happened to him recently. Just then, a Klingon Bird-of-Prey confronts them and demands visual contact. However, Dukat's holographic filter malfunctions due to the optronic relay becoming fused. Worf suggests that he talk the other captain down, but Dukat does not put much trust in Worf's ablility to lie and abruptly fires his ship's disruptors at the ship, totally destroying it. He quickly orders Damar to leave the area.
With the filter off-line, Dukat feels he has no choice but to leave the DS9 officers on Ty'Gokor and leave Klingon space. When Sisko protests, Dukat assures him that if he is successful, the war will be over and they won't need his ship to return – and if he fails, he won't need transport, since he'll very likely be executed as a spy and a saboteur. Beaming into Ty'Gokor, the group get underway.
Act Three
The Hall of Warriors on Ty'Gokor.
The Order of the Bat'leth ceremony is underway in the Hall of Warriors, with hundreds of drunken Klingons intending to celebrate all night in anticipation of Gowron's arrival.
Back on the station, Julian Bashir finds Jake Sisko looking over the promenade. Jake explains that the mood on the station is down because of the threat of the Klingons. Ops calls Bashir to the infirmary to tend to passengers from the starships USS Armstrong and USS Drake. They were ambushed by Klingons and took heavy casualties. Bashir reassures Jake that his dad will be okay before he leaves to tend the passengers.
At the ceremony, Worf informs the crew that the celebrations are an endurance test, and that only those who can drink and celebrate for the whole night and remain conscious the following morning will be inducted into the Order. Waiting until morning to set up their emitters, the DS9 officers begrudgingly partake in the festivities in order to blend in. During the course of the night, Sisko demonstrates his combat skills on several of the Klingons, and takes the opportunity to assault a Klingon who had killed one of Sisko's former Starfleet Academy classmates, a Benzenite named Laporin (though Sisko uses the excuse that the Klingon was in the way of the barrels of blood wine). By the following morning, Sisko and his crew are still coherent, thanks to an alcohol inhibitor provided by Bashir.
When Martok arrives, he starts to size up the candidates there, and Sisko fears he may recognize them. He gives him a Qapla', and Martok moves on. Since Gowron should certainly be arriving soon, the four begin setting up their emitters. Although Martok feels he recognizes O'Brien, the Chief gets away with it by claiming to have fought at Mempa along with Martok during the Klingon Civil War, which satisfies his curiosity. O'Brien is relieved and places his emitter. Odo has trouble, however, when another Klingon jovially interrupts him and he drops the emitter. Another Klingon picks it up, asking what it is.
Act Four
Odo knocks down the drunken Klingon and asks for the emitter back without saying what it is. Fortunately, Worf interjects and saves him, explaining it is actually a Vulcan toy called a tinghamut, acquired during the Klingon's raid at the Archanis sector and snatches it back. Just then, Gowron enters.
He addresses the crowd and starts with the first Klingon, H'ta, while Odo looks to place his emitter. He finds a drunken Klingon standing in the spot where the emitter needs to be placed. This time though, Odo finds his courage and tosses the Klingon aside before placing the emitter. Sisko prepares to activate them, but is summoned by Gowron to join the Order of the Bat'leth. Sisko accepts the commendation. As he turns, he begins to activate the emitters, when he is attacked from behind by Martok with a bat'leth, who now recognizes him.
Act Five
Thrown into a holding cell, Martok confronts the four. Sisko presses Martok in return, as he believes that Martok thinks that Gowron is a Changeling, as well. Martok doesn't hide his feelings and admits he has suspected Gowron. Then, he agrees to help the DS9 officers kill Gowron to prove the point, though strangely refuses the notion of challenging Gowron to a duel himself. As they fight their way back into the Hall of Warriors, Worf challenges Gowron to a fight to the death, while Martok holds Odo back from the others at gunpoint, strangely unwilling to trust him. Gowron allows the challenge, and they fight. When Martok wonders aloud why Sisko doesn't simply shoot Gowron, Odo asks Martok another question: Why didn't Gowron let his bodyguards kill Worf? Because a true Klingon wouldn't just shoot someone – they put honor above all else. However, Changelings don't care about honor. Odo then concludes that Gowron isn't the Changeling – Martok is.
Worf gains the upper hand on Gowron and shatters his bat'leth, and just as he goes to make the killing blow, Odo and the Martok Changeling loudly brawl their way into the hall. Knocked to the ground, Odo exclaims "Martok is the Changeling!" Exposed, the Martok Changeling begins to choke Odo with a tendril of his shapeshifting body, but he is blasted back by Sisko's disruptor. As the other Klingons see Martok for what he really is, they begin firing as well, resulting in the Changeling's death.
With the dust settled, Gowron realizes that the Founders had manipulated Odo to believe that he was a Changeling, hoping that Starfleet would try to eliminate him. With Gowron dead at the hands of Federation operatives, the Martok Changeling would be able to rule the Klingon Empire, escalating the wars with the Federation and the Cardassian Union, destroying both powers, destabilizing the Alpha Quadrant and leaving it wide open for a Dominion invasion. Sisko informs him that the best way to strike a blow against the Founders would be an immediate end to the war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, but Gowron informs Sisko he can't if the Federation refuses to allow the Empire to annex what the Klingons have already captured, including Archanis. Sisko believes that the Federation won't agree, but, believes there's room for negotiation.
Satisfied, Gowron decides to declare a cease fire, to convene the High Council, and to arrange for the DS9 officers to return home. Before they leave, Gowron compliments Odo, thanks Sisko for doing a great service to the Klingon Empire, then finally turns to Worf and promises him that he will regret not killing him when he had the chance and he will not get another.
Back on the station, Bashir is restoring them to their original appearance. Sisko says, "I can do without the ridges, but I kind of miss the fangs." Bashir offers to give Odo any face he likes, Human, Bajoran, Trill. Odo says his old face will do fine.
Memorable quotes
"Captain, you're just in time for happy hour."
"Do I look happy, Quark?"
- Quark and Sisko
"He's upstairs at his usual table. Just follow the black cloud."
- Quark, telling Sisko where the newly-Human Odo is
"So let me get this straight, all we have to do is get past an enemy fleet, avoid a tachyon detection grid, beam into the middle of Klingon headquarters, and avoid The Brotherhood of The Sword, long enough to set these things up and activate them in front of Gowron?"
- O'Brien, repeating the near-impossible task ahead of them
"What's the matter, Dukat? Haven't you ever seen a Klingon before?"
- Sisko, replying to Dukat's shocked face on how they have changed
"I am not interested in excuses. Are you a Klingon warrior or an Alverian dung beetle?"
"I really don't see the point..."
"Do not look away from me! I called you a dung beetle."
"I heard you."
"And what is your response?"
"You should have your eyes examined."
- Worf and Odo
(Sisko backhands Worf across the face)
"Are you questioning the validity of my plan?!"
"Very convincing, Captain. But was it your intention to challenge me to a battle to the death?"
"No, not at all."
"Then next time, do not strike me with the back of your hand. Use your fist."
- Sisko and Worf
(Dukat fires disruptors, destroying a patrolling Klingon Bird-of-Prey)
"Was that really necessary?!"
"It was either that or trust in Mister Worf's ability to lie. And frankly, I have more faith in my weapons."
- Sisko and Dukat
"It's not easy being funny wearing these teeth."
- O'Brien, masquerading as a Klingon
"Brag all you want! But don't get between me and the bloodwine!"
- Sisko, masquerading as a Klingon
"It's a pity it doesn't have any bubbles."
- Odo, regarding Klingon bloodwine
"Captain, you don't know how much I've looked forward to killing you in battle. And now your foolishness has cheated me of that pleasure."
"Sorry to disappoint you."
- Martok and Sisko
"What're they doing? Why doesn't Sisko just shoot him?!"
"I have a better question: Why isn't Gowron letting his bodyguards kill Worf? I'll tell you why: Klingon honor, a concept you should be very familiar with. My people, on the other hand, don't care about honor. How did you put it: 'There will be no honorable combat, no formal challenges?' Hardly the words of a Klingon. Tell me, 'General' – did Gowron destroy the polaron emitters... or did you?"
- "Martok" and Odo, finally aware of who the real Changeling is
(Referring to her pregnancy) "But don't forget, this... is still your fault."
"My fault?"
"You performed the transfer from Keiko to me."
"After you volunteered."
"After you put the idea in my head."
"After you flew the runabout into the asteroid field."
"After you insisted we check on those anomalous bio-scans."
"That was Keiko."
"That's right. It was, but I'd rather blame you."
- Kira Nerys and Julian Bashir
"You know, I think I'm actually beginning to like bloodwine."
"It's really not too bad... except for the taste."
- O'Brien and Odo
"What is this?"
"It is your death!"
- Gowron and Worf
"You want to kill me, Worf? You're welcome to try!"
- Gowron
"You should have killed me when you had the chance. I promise you will not get another."
- Gowron, to Worf
Summary
Captain Benjamin Sisko and Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax return to Deep Space 9 narrowly fleeing the Klingons in the USS Rio Grande. Due to the declaration of the war between the Klingon Empire and the Federation, Starfleet had summoned Captain Benjamin Sisko and Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax to Earth to discuss Odo's dire belief that Gowron, the Chancellor of the Klingon High Council, has been replaced by a Changeling and is pressing forth the war.
Once back on board Deep Space 9, Sisko informs Major Kira Nerys that Starfleet has given them a mission to infiltrate Klingon military headquarters on Ty'Gokor and expose Gowron by any means necessary.
Act One
Sisko looks for Odo in Quark's. Quark tells the captain that Odo is one "depressed ex-changeling" and tells Sisko that he will find him on the upper level. Sitting at his table, Odo is fascinated by the foaming bubbles in his drink. As a Changeling he had no interest in them. Now he finds eating and drinking to be comforting. Sisko asks him to join the mission and Odo recommends Deputy Yndar go instead of him. Sisko, however, does not want Yndar – he wants Odo. After some initial hesitance, Odo agrees.
At the mission briefing in the wardroom, Chief O'Brien, Lt. Commander Worf, Captain Sisko, and Odo have been selected to go undercover and infiltrate Ty'Gokor. Worf informs Sisko that getting to Gowron will not be easy, as he is protected at all times by his personal security force, the Yan-Isleth – the Brotherhood of the Sword. Sisko has been equipped with modified polaron emitters and a mission to infiltrate Klingon military headquarters on Ty'Gokor to expose Gowron to polaron radiation; if he is a Changeling, exposure to the radiation will make it impossible for him to retain his humanoid shape and the changeling will revert to its natural gelatinous state. All four emitters have to be activated at once, and too much exposure to the radiation will kill a person. They can only activate it once.
Kira points out that the real trouble will be getting the four to Ty'Gokor unnoticed, to which Sisko replies he has a plan. Kira lures Gul Dukat to the space station to use his Bird-of-Prey, which Dukat had acquired recently. Expressing surprise at Kira's pregnancy, Dukat tells Kira that First Minister Shakaar is a lucky man. Kira informs Dukat that Shakaar is not the father – Chief O'Brien is. Dukat stares in shock at Kira as they enter a turbolift to go to the Promenade. The two go into the station's infirmary and find O'Brien, Odo, and Sisko surgically altered to look like Klingons.
Act Two
Sisko, Odo, O'Brien and Worf set course for Ty'Gokor with Dukat in his Bird-of-Prey. En route, they confer with Dukat to make sure he prepares false identities for them, candidates for the Order of the Bat'leth who are expected. Damar expresses his pessimism about the mission, and prefers a decisive orbital assault, but Sisko and O'Brien of course remind him of the outcome they want of exposing Gowron. Dukat appreciates the audacity of the plan.
Meanwhile, Bashir and Kira discuss some station matters in Sisko's office. Turning to her carrying the O'Briens' child, Bashir encourages her she is doing fine and will pull through nicely. Kira is also confident that the crew will return, reassuring Bashir.
Worf turns to the task of coaching the other three in behaving like Klingons, and, while Sisko proves reasonably convincing by backhanding Worf, he was unaware that was a challenge to the death. Meanwhile O'Brien, and especially Odo, fail miserably by lacking in the Klingon's stance and demeanor. Sisko needs to help Odo clear his head with what's happened to him recently. Just then, a Klingon Bird-of-Prey confronts them and demands visual contact. However, Dukat's holographic filter malfunctions due to the optronic relay becoming fused. Worf suggests that he talk the other captain down, but Dukat does not put much trust in Worf's ablility to lie and abruptly fires his ship's disruptors at the ship, totally destroying it. He quickly orders Damar to leave the area.
With the filter off-line, Dukat feels he has no choice but to leave the DS9 officers on Ty'Gokor and leave Klingon space. When Sisko protests, Dukat assures him that if he is successful, the war will be over and they won't need his ship to return – and if he fails, he won't need transport, since he'll very likely be executed as a spy and a saboteur. Beaming into Ty'Gokor, the group get underway.
Act Three
The Hall of Warriors on Ty'Gokor.
The Order of the Bat'leth ceremony is underway in the Hall of Warriors, with hundreds of drunken Klingons intending to celebrate all night in anticipation of Gowron's arrival.
Back on the station, Julian Bashir finds Jake Sisko looking over the promenade. Jake explains that the mood on the station is down because of the threat of the Klingons. Ops calls Bashir to the infirmary to tend to passengers from the starships USS Armstrong and USS Drake. They were ambushed by Klingons and took heavy casualties. Bashir reassures Jake that his dad will be okay before he leaves to tend the passengers.
At the ceremony, Worf informs the crew that the celebrations are an endurance test, and that only those who can drink and celebrate for the whole night and remain conscious the following morning will be inducted into the Order. Waiting until morning to set up their emitters, the DS9 officers begrudgingly partake in the festivities in order to blend in. During the course of the night, Sisko demonstrates his combat skills on several of the Klingons, and takes the opportunity to assault a Klingon who had killed one of Sisko's former Starfleet Academy classmates, a Benzenite named Laporin (though Sisko uses the excuse that the Klingon was in the way of the barrels of blood wine). By the following morning, Sisko and his crew are still coherent, thanks to an alcohol inhibitor provided by Bashir.
When Martok arrives, he starts to size up the candidates there, and Sisko fears he may recognize them. He gives him a Qapla', and Martok moves on. Since Gowron should certainly be arriving soon, the four begin setting up their emitters. Although Martok feels he recognizes O'Brien, the Chief gets away with it by claiming to have fought at Mempa along with Martok during the Klingon Civil War, which satisfies his curiosity. O'Brien is relieved and places his emitter. Odo has trouble, however, when another Klingon jovially interrupts him and he drops the emitter. Another Klingon picks it up, asking what it is.
Act Four
Odo knocks down the drunken Klingon and asks for the emitter back without saying what it is. Fortunately, Worf interjects and saves him, explaining it is actually a Vulcan toy called a tinghamut, acquired during the Klingon's raid at the Archanis sector and snatches it back. Just then, Gowron enters.
He addresses the crowd and starts with the first Klingon, H'ta, while Odo looks to place his emitter. He finds a drunken Klingon standing in the spot where the emitter needs to be placed. This time though, Odo finds his courage and tosses the Klingon aside before placing the emitter. Sisko prepares to activate them, but is summoned by Gowron to join the Order of the Bat'leth. Sisko accepts the commendation. As he turns, he begins to activate the emitters, when he is attacked from behind by Martok with a bat'leth, who now recognizes him.
Act Five
Thrown into a holding cell, Martok confronts the four. Sisko presses Martok in return, as he believes that Martok thinks that Gowron is a Changeling, as well. Martok doesn't hide his feelings and admits he has suspected Gowron. Then, he agrees to help the DS9 officers kill Gowron to prove the point, though strangely refuses the notion of challenging Gowron to a duel himself. As they fight their way back into the Hall of Warriors, Worf challenges Gowron to a fight to the death, while Martok holds Odo back from the others at gunpoint, strangely unwilling to trust him. Gowron allows the challenge, and they fight. When Martok wonders aloud why Sisko doesn't simply shoot Gowron, Odo asks Martok another question: Why didn't Gowron let his bodyguards kill Worf? Because a true Klingon wouldn't just shoot someone – they put honor above all else. However, Changelings don't care about honor. Odo then concludes that Gowron isn't the Changeling – Martok is.
Worf gains the upper hand on Gowron and shatters his bat'leth, and just as he goes to make the killing blow, Odo and the Martok Changeling loudly brawl their way into the hall. Knocked to the ground, Odo exclaims "Martok is the Changeling!" Exposed, the Martok Changeling begins to choke Odo with a tendril of his shapeshifting body, but he is blasted back by Sisko's disruptor. As the other Klingons see Martok for what he really is, they begin firing as well, resulting in the Changeling's death.
With the dust settled, Gowron realizes that the Founders had manipulated Odo to believe that he was a Changeling, hoping that Starfleet would try to eliminate him. With Gowron dead at the hands of Federation operatives, the Martok Changeling would be able to rule the Klingon Empire, escalating the wars with the Federation and the Cardassian Union, destroying both powers, destabilizing the Alpha Quadrant and leaving it wide open for a Dominion invasion. Sisko informs him that the best way to strike a blow against the Founders would be an immediate end to the war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, but Gowron informs Sisko he can't if the Federation refuses to allow the Empire to annex what the Klingons have already captured, including Archanis. Sisko believes that the Federation won't agree, but, believes there's room for negotiation.
Satisfied, Gowron decides to declare a cease fire, to convene the High Council, and to arrange for the DS9 officers to return home. Before they leave, Gowron compliments Odo, thanks Sisko for doing a great service to the Klingon Empire, then finally turns to Worf and promises him that he will regret not killing him when he had the chance and he will not get another.
Back on the station, Bashir is restoring them to their original appearance. Sisko says, "I can do without the ridges, but I kind of miss the fangs." Bashir offers to give Odo any face he likes, Human, Bajoran, Trill. Odo says his old face will do fine.
Memorable quotes
"Captain, you're just in time for happy hour."
"Do I look happy, Quark?"
- Quark and Sisko
"He's upstairs at his usual table. Just follow the black cloud."
- Quark, telling Sisko where the newly-Human Odo is
"So let me get this straight, all we have to do is get past an enemy fleet, avoid a tachyon detection grid, beam into the middle of Klingon headquarters, and avoid The Brotherhood of The Sword, long enough to set these things up and activate them in front of Gowron?"
- O'Brien, repeating the near-impossible task ahead of them
"What's the matter, Dukat? Haven't you ever seen a Klingon before?"
- Sisko, replying to Dukat's shocked face on how they have changed
"I am not interested in excuses. Are you a Klingon warrior or an Alverian dung beetle?"
"I really don't see the point..."
"Do not look away from me! I called you a dung beetle."
"I heard you."
"And what is your response?"
"You should have your eyes examined."
- Worf and Odo
(Sisko backhands Worf across the face)
"Are you questioning the validity of my plan?!"
"Very convincing, Captain. But was it your intention to challenge me to a battle to the death?"
"No, not at all."
"Then next time, do not strike me with the back of your hand. Use your fist."
- Sisko and Worf
(Dukat fires disruptors, destroying a patrolling Klingon Bird-of-Prey)
"Was that really necessary?!"
"It was either that or trust in Mister Worf's ability to lie. And frankly, I have more faith in my weapons."
- Sisko and Dukat
"It's not easy being funny wearing these teeth."
- O'Brien, masquerading as a Klingon
"Brag all you want! But don't get between me and the bloodwine!"
- Sisko, masquerading as a Klingon
"It's a pity it doesn't have any bubbles."
- Odo, regarding Klingon bloodwine
"Captain, you don't know how much I've looked forward to killing you in battle. And now your foolishness has cheated me of that pleasure."
"Sorry to disappoint you."
- Martok and Sisko
"What're they doing? Why doesn't Sisko just shoot him?!"
"I have a better question: Why isn't Gowron letting his bodyguards kill Worf? I'll tell you why: Klingon honor, a concept you should be very familiar with. My people, on the other hand, don't care about honor. How did you put it: 'There will be no honorable combat, no formal challenges?' Hardly the words of a Klingon. Tell me, 'General' – did Gowron destroy the polaron emitters... or did you?"
- "Martok" and Odo, finally aware of who the real Changeling is
(Referring to her pregnancy) "But don't forget, this... is still your fault."
"My fault?"
"You performed the transfer from Keiko to me."
"After you volunteered."
"After you put the idea in my head."
"After you flew the runabout into the asteroid field."
"After you insisted we check on those anomalous bio-scans."
"That was Keiko."
"That's right. It was, but I'd rather blame you."
- Kira Nerys and Julian Bashir
"You know, I think I'm actually beginning to like bloodwine."
"It's really not too bad... except for the taste."
- O'Brien and Odo
"What is this?"
"It is your death!"
- Gowron and Worf
"You want to kill me, Worf? You're welcome to try!"
- Gowron
"You should have killed me when you had the chance. I promise you will not get another."
- Gowron, to Worf
