Plot Synopsis:
Kira is going over the results of recent battle simulations with the rest of the senior staff (save Sisko). She is deeply troubled, as each simulation they have run has resulted in a total defeat; indeed, it is looking more and more likely that should the Jem'Hadar arrive in force, their only two options are to retreat to Bajor or collapse the entrance of the wormhole. Kira likes neither of those strategies. Just then, sensors detect an energy surge just outside the station. Dax identifies it as a cloaked ship, and Kira immediately activates the station's defenses. The ship de-cloaks, and all are surprised to discover that it is a Federation vessel piloted by an apologetic Sisko.
Sisko explains: the new ship, the USS Defiant, is a prototype that was originally developed to fight the Borg. The Defiant is a pure battleship; it has no civilian quarters or science labs, and its armaments are extensive - perhaps overly so. Sisko tells his staff that their next mission is to go to the Gamma Quadrant to locate the Founders of the Dominion in the hopes of hammering out some sort of peace agreement. T'Rul of the Romulan Empire, a rather prickly woman who is charged with protecting and maintaining the Defiant's cloaking device, will accompany them.
Also new to the station is Lt. Commander Michael Eddington of Starfleet Security. Eddington's presence immediately raises Odo's hackles; quickly, he concludes that he has been replaced as head of security. Sisko assures him that he tried to fight Starfleet's decision, but also points out that Odo's disrespect for Starfleet regulations has not won him any friends within the chain of command. Odo brusquely informs Sisko that he intends to resign as soon as possible.
Later, Kira approaches Odo and tells him that the Bajoran provisional government has requested that Odo be present on their upcoming mission. Right away, Odo sees through Kira's attempt to make him feel better, but Kira is undaunted by Odo's bitterness and informs him that the Defiant will leave the following morning. Meanwhile, Sisko recruits Quark for the mission, as he wishes to take advantage of the Ferengi's trade connections with the Karemma, a member race of the Dominion. Before the Defiant departs, Odo does indeed come aboard, but finds to his extreme irritation that he must room with Quark.
On the way to the Karemma homeworld, the Defiant is nearly detected by a passing group of Jem'Hadar ships, but our heroes escape by the skin of their teeth. They make contact with the Karemma, and the Karemma representative, Ornithar, points them to a communications relay in the Callinon system (after some persuasion, of course). Odo catches a glimpse of the Karemma's map, recognizes one of the nebulae on the chart - the Omarian Nebula - and is immediately captivated. Odo wants to go to the Omarion Nebula at once, but the Defiant proceeds on its original mission, heading to Callinon IV. Dax and O'Brien beam down to access the relay's communication's records. While rooting around in the relay's files, they trip a security alarm. A force field traps O'Brien and Dax inside the relay station, and, as a Jem'Hadar fleet approaches, Sisko is forced to leave his two officers behind.
Later, the Defiant is once again approached by three Jem'Hadar vessels. This time, it quickly becomes apparent that the Jem'Hadar have figured out a way to see through the Defiant's cloak. A battle ensues. Ultimately, the Jem'Hadar are able to overcome the Defiant and beam on board. During the fight, Kira is shot by a Jem'Hadar soldier and is knocked unconscious. When she comes to, she finds herself on a shuttle with Odo heading for the Omarion Nebula. She immediately protests, but Odo is utterly transfixed. When they arrive at the nebula, they discover a class M rogue planet. When Odo beams down to the surface, he is warmly greeted by an apparently female shapeshifter.
At this point, the plot divides into two separate threads -
The Real World: Odo peppers the female shapeshifter with questions and learns that this is indeed his home planet and that his people prefer to exist in their natural state, melded together in the Great Link. The female shapeshifter then melds with Odo, allowing him to experience a taste of the Link. Odo is overwhelmed by the encounter; Kira, for her part, is somewhat unnerved.
Later, in the arboretum, Kira relates to Odo that she feels she is not trusted by the shapeshifters. The female shapeshifter arrives and confirms Kira's sense, stating that the history of their people has taught them not to trust "solids." The female shapeshifter then asks Odo if he has made use of the arboretum. Odo is not sure what she means by this. The female shapeshifter then explains that their people routinely assume the shapes of the objects in the garden in order to understand their essence and encourages Odo to give this a try.
Kira leaves Odo alone to try to contact Sisko and the others. But when she attempts to send a disguised signal, she finds that all frequencies are being jammed by a nearby power source. Kira asks Odo what this power source might be, but Odo has no idea - and in any case, he is too preoccupied with his inability to understand what it means to "be a rock."
Odo once again speaks to the female shapeshifter, asking her why their people do not trust solids. The female shapeshifter explains that early in their history, "Changelings" were hunted and killed because solids distrusted their metamorphic abilities. Thus, the Changelings retreated into isolation. They still wanted to learn more about the galaxy, however, so they sent out infants like Odo to explore. The female shapeshifter tells Odo that he has arrived much earlier than expected. Odo asks how long he's been away, and the female shapeshifter replies vaguely that Odo has been away for a long time. They link once again.
Kira, meanwhile, tracks down the power source that is jamming her communication signal and finds a door that her tricorder cannot penetrate. She asks Odo to help her open it -
The Founders' Simulation: Sisko and Bashir are heading towards the wormhole in a failing shuttlecraft. Sisko reports in his log that they were forced to abandon the Defiant six days ago and that their prospects for survival look pretty bleak. But just then, they are picked up by Dax and O'Brien.
Back on DS9, Sisko learns that a delegation from the Founders has arrived to talk peace with the Federation and other Alpha Quadrant alliances. Sisko meets with one of the "Founders," Borath, who assures the somewhat skeptical commander that an alliance between the Dominion and the Federation will be beneficial to both sides. On the Promenade, however, Garak remarks to Bashir that former enemies make dangerous friends and expresses his overall fear that an alliance with the Dominion will come to no good end. Garak and Bashir then run into an outraged T'Rul and learn that the Romulan Empire has been inexplicably left out of the negotiations.
Sisko confronts Admiral Nechayev, asking her why the Romulans have been excluded. Nechayev replies simply that the Dominion requested they be left out. Sisko questions the wisdom of acceding to the Dominion's demands, but Nechayev assures him that, once allied with the Dominion, the Federation will have no need to fear the wrath of the Romulans.
In Quark's, meanwhile, O'Brien is knocked down by a Jem'Hadar soldier. Bashir naturally expects Eddington to do something about this, but Eddington allows the Jem'Hadar to leave without even so much as a slap on the wrist. Eddington explains that he has been ordered to give the Jem'Hadar wide berth. And it gets worse: while Sisko is sharing dinner with Jake, Dax arrives and informs him that she has been transferred to the Lexington. Sisko again confronts Admiral Nechayev and learns to his horror that the Federation has agreed to pull out of the Bajoran sector. He demands to be allowed to speak to the Federation negotiating team and is told that the treaty with the Dominion has already been signed. At this point, Sisko and the others (including Garak) decide that their only option is to go rogue and collapse the entrance to the wormhole -
Once Kira and Odo successfully open the door on the Changelings' home planet, the storylines converge once more. Kira and Odo find that Sisko and the others have been connected to virtual reality machines in order to test their likely response to a Dominion incursion into the Alpha Quadrant. The female shapeshifter then arrives and reveals that it is the Changelings who head the Dominion; Odo's people are the Founders. Odo demands that his friends be released, and the female Founder acquiesces, not wishing to harm one of her own kind. Before leaving, Odo warns the female Founder that "imposing order" on the Alpha Quadrant may turn out to be more difficult than she imagines.
Is that plot complex enough for ya?
My ratings and highlights can be found under the cut.
Overall: 8.5 - A great start to DS9's third season.
Writing: 8.5
This script is not quite feature-worthy, but it is very strong nonetheless. Of course, what I particularly enjoy in this two-parter (besides its message, which I will discuss further below) is the focus on the relationship between Kira and Odo. Kira's response to Odo's summary demotion is entirely as expected - and a very sweet turning of the proverbial tables. And Odo's defense of Kira and the others in his conversation with the Female Founder is equally delightful. The level of intimacy and respect that we see here is, in my opinion, truly unparalleled.
Meanwhile, I'm a little surprised to discover, via Memory Alpha, that many fans do not like the "gotcha!" ending, as I think it is entirely sensible. When this set of episodes opens, we discover that Kira and the others have been running a series of battle simulations to ascertain whether they are prepared for the Dominion threat. Why shouldn't the Dominion do likewise? I am also quite pleased with the revelation that it is Odo's people who head the Dominion, as I believe that development has been telegraphed all along. Consider: how often has Odo expressed a vaguely fascistic desire or two? And lastly, this ending serves to further emphasize both the Dominion's aim to subdue the Alpha Quadrant and the Dominion's overwhelming technological superiority - two facts that make one's blood run deliciously cold.
Acting: 8
At times, both Avery Brooks and Rene Auberjonois are guilty of a bit of scenery chewing. For example, Auberjonois takes a nice healthy bite in his one scene with Quark. On the other hand, this episode also introduces us to the fantastic Salome Jens, who portrays the female Founder's icy totalitarian designs with consummate skill - and Nana Visitor also produces some very good work.
Message: 9
I love every bit of Sisko's approach to the Dominion threat. At first, he seeks a diplomatic solution. This is appropriate; it is hardly correct to immediately go in with guns blazing. However, Sisko is also under no illusions about his prospects for success; instead of going in contrite and groveling, he intends to display the Federation's "teeth," as he puts it. This is the grown-up way to handle diplomacy; instead of bowing and scraping to aggressive foreign dignitaries, as some of our current national leaders are wont to do, the smart response is to communicate that you mean business.
Within the Dominion simulation, in the meantime, we see more of the intelligence of the writers on display in the reactions of Sisko and the others. Take, for example, Bashir's response to the assault on O'Brien. When, in response to Bashir's outrage that O'Brien's attacker is allowed to go free, Eddington replies with a classic mealy-mouthed expression of cultural relativism, Bashir and Sisko accept not a single word of it - and as well they shouldn't! There comes a point when bending to multicultural demands is patently dangerous and immoral; if only certain world leaders would embrace DS9's wisdom in this regard! Further, Sisko's outrage over the abandonment of Bajor is infinitely refreshing. In this moment, DS9's writers make it clear that they are no fans of the Neville Chamberlain approach when it comes to dealing diplomatically with fascists.
Highlights:
KIRA: Odo, there you are! I just finished talking to the provisional government, and they want you to go with us to the Gamma Quadrant tomorrow to act as an official Bajoran representative.
ODO: I'm no diplomat.
KIRA: I know. That's why they want you to go. If we do locate the Founders, we're going to need more than diplomacy. We're going to need to size them up, see what kind of threat they pose to Bajor, analyze -
ODO: You're the military expert, Major, not me. And I doubt that the Provisional Government contacted you and asked for my presence on this mission. If I'm not mistaken, this is a misguided attempt to make me feel better.
KIRA: Maybe it is. Maybe I'm your friend, and maybe I want you to see that you are still needed here no matter what some idiot Starfleet admiral might think.
QUARK: I'm a little confused, Commander. You want me to go with you to the Gamma Quadrant to help you locate the Founders?
SISKO: See? It's not so confusing after all.
QUARK: You're joking with me, aren't you? Having a little fun with Quark?
SISKO: I'm quite serious.
QUARK: You can't be. I'm not a diplomat, or an explorer, or a tactical officer, or whatever else you might need on this trip. Now, if you need a caterer, I'll be happy to loan you a new replicator that I just got from -
SISKO: Eight months ago, you helped the Nagus establish a trade agreement with the Karemma. Tulaberry wine, I believe. The Karemma are part of the Dominion.
QUARK: A minor part, a very minor part.
SISKO: They might still be able to help us contact the Founders. Since you're experienced in dealing with the Karemma, it seems to me you're the logical person to -
QUARK: Actually, my brother Rom did most of the talking. I think he'd be better suited for this mission.
SISKO: Not Rom, you.
QUARK: But why? Rom only has a son to think about. I have a business! (LOL!)
SISKO: You.
QUARK: I'm sorry, Commander, but I must refuse. My last experience with the Jem'Hadar was not a pleasant one and I have no intention of repeating it. Now, there's no way you can legally force me to do this.
(Sisko produces a staff - a staff with a golden Ferengi head for decoration.)
QUARK: The scepter of the Grand Nagus!
SISKO: I had a chance to discuss this mission with him on my way back from Earth. He seemed to agree with me that unless peaceful contact can be established with the Founders, business opportunities in the Gamma Quadrant might suddenly dry up. He also agreed with me that you are the perfect man to help me.
QUARK: I don't believe it.
SISKO: Which is why he sent this along. He thought it might convince you of the high value he holds for the success of this mission. Now, are you going to defy the wishes of the Grand Nagus himself?
QUARK: No, no, of course not. I'm happy to serve the Nagus any way that I can.
SISKO: Thank you, Quark. I knew I could count on you. (Quark turns to leave) Quark, aren't you forgetting something? (And Sisko forces Quark to kiss the scepter. LOL!)
QUARK: Am I glad to see you! I've been stuck down here in this miserable hole ever since I came aboard. Bunk beds, no view, and I can't tell you what came out of that replicator when I asked for synthehol.
(Odo puts his bucket in a corner.)
QUARK: So, what's your role on this little adventure? Providing security, no doubt. Well, of course you are. I mean, why else would you be here? I can tell you I feel much safer now, just knowing that you're along, because I know I can trust you -
ODO: (extremely irritated) I have been holding this shape for sixteen hours! I have to revert back to my liquid state... but I don't want you to watch and gawk at me!
QUARK: I understand, completely. This is a very private moment and I won't interfere. (turns his back) This won't be so bad, sharing -
ODO: (flying into a rage) I have no interest in speaking to you, or in listening to your witless prattle! So stay out of my way, or you'll regret the day you ever met me! (O-kay!)
KIRA: Did I wake you?
SISKO: Not quite. What can I do for you, Major?
KIRA: It's about Odo.
SISKO: You're worried about him.
KIRA: Is it that obvious?
SISKO: No, I'm worried about him too. But at the moment I don't know what to do about it.
KIRA: Can I speak freely? (Sisko signals his assent.) What the hell is wrong with Starfleet? How could they do this to him? (LOL! I love Kira's candor.)
SISKO: This has been a long time coming, Major. Starfleet has never been happy with the Constable. They've been pressing me to replace him for the last two years.
KIRA: Because he worked for the Cardassians?
SISKO: No, it goes deeper than that. Odo is not what you'd call a team player.
KIRA: Why? Because sometimes he doesn't go through the proper channels?
SISKO: That's a start. You know Odo. He enjoys thumbing his nose at authority. He files reports when he feels like it. His respect for the chain of command is minimal
KIRA: He gets the job done.
SISKO: Starfleet likes team players. Starfleet likes the chain of command, and frankly, so do I.
KIRA: So you agree with their decision?
SISKO: No. But I understand it.
KIRA: And when this mission is over, you're just going to let him go?
SISKO: Look, Major, I want him to stay as much as you do but he has to want to stay.
KIRA: Odo, it's time we had a talk.
ODO: I'm not going to the bridge, so you can save your breath. And I'd appreciate being left alone right now.
KIRA: Well, you've tried being alone and it hasn't done any good, so maybe it's time to stop brooding and started talking.
ODO: Are you the ship's counsellor now?
KIRA: No, I'm your friend. You know, the one who comes to you when she needs help. I'm just trying to return the favour.
ODO: Well, you can return the favour by giving me a shuttlecraft and letting me go.
KIRA: (mystified) Go? Go where? We're in the heart of the Dominion. Where the hell do you think you're going to go?
ODO: The Omarion Nebula.
KIRA: Why?
ODO: I'm not sure why. I just know I have to, that's all.
KIRA: You're going to have to do a lot better than that. Odo, talk to me. Tell me what's going on!
ODO: Ever since we've come into the Gamma Quadrant, I've had this feeling of being drawn somewhere, pulled by some instinct to a specific place. The Omarion Nebula.
KIRA: Why there?
ODO: I don't know.
KIRA: All right. Once we've contacted the Founders, I'm sure Commander Sisko -
ODO: No. Not after we've contacted the Founders. Now! I have to leave now!
KIRA: Look, I understand this is important to you, but we have a mission to complete.
KIRA: (waking up) Where, where am I?
ODO: You're in a shuttlecraft. You were wounded. Try not to move around.
KIRA: Odo, what happened? We were under attack.
ODO: The ship was boarded. You were wounded in the attack. I managed to get us to this shuttlecraft, but I don't know much more than that. The last time I saw the Defiant, she was dead in space and surrounded by Jem'Hadar ships.
KIRA: Sisko? Bashir?
ODO: I don't know.
KIRA: Where are we?
ODO: Approaching the Omarion Nebula.
KIRA: You should have taken us back to the wormhole!
ODO: You didn't object at the time.
KIRA: I was unconscious! (ROTFL!)
ODO: You really are just like me, aren't you?
FEMALE: Yes.
ODO: And you're saying this is where I'm from?
FEMALE: This is your home.
ODO: I wish I could remember it.
FEMALE: It's understandable that you cannot. You were still newly formed when you left us.
ODO: Newly formed? You mean I was an infant?
FEMALE: An infant, yes.
ODO: I suspected as much. Tell me, do I have any family at all?
FEMALE: Of course.
ODO: I'd like to meet them, if that's possible.
FEMALE: You already have. We are all part of the Great Link.
ODO: Is that all of us, or are there others?
KIRA: Odo, this isn't a police investigation.
ODO: I'm aware of that, Major.
KIRA: Then stop interrogating these people. This is the moment you've been waiting for all your life. Enjoy it.
GARAK: Doctor, welcome back.
BASHIR: Why thank you, Garak. It's good to be back.
GARAK: Yes.
BASHIR: Business keeping you busy?
GARAK: The tailoring business, or the spy business? (A beat.) I'm joking, of course.
BASHIR: Of course.
GARAK: I've missed you. I've been genuinely concerned for your safety. Lunch hasn't been the same without you.
BASHIR: That's very kind of you to say so, Garak. Hopefully things'll start getting back to normal around here.
GARAK: Oh, I doubt that's going to happen, Doctor. I doubt that very much.
BASHIR: And why is that?
GARAK: There's an old saying on Cardassia. Enemies make dangerous friends. And I fear the Dominion will make a very dangerous friend indeed.
ODO: Why do you dislike humanoids so much? I know they have their flaws, but I've found many of them to be kind, decent people.
FEMALE FOUNDER: Like Major Kira?
ODO: Yes, like Major Kira.
FEMALE FOUNDER: Then you've been more fortunate than most Changelings.
ODO: Changelings?
FEMALE FOUNDER: You recognize the term.
ODO: I've been called a Changeling on occasion.
FEMALE FOUNDER: It's a name given to us by the Solids. They meant it as an insult, but in defiance we took it and made it our own.
ODO: Go on, please.
FEMALE FOUNDER: The Great Link tells us that many years ago our people roamed the stars, searching out other races so we could add to our knowledge of the galaxy. We went in peace, but too often we were met with suspicion, hatred and violence.
ODO: Why?
FEMALE FOUNDER: The Solids feared our metamorphic abilities, so we were beaten, hunted and killed. Finally we arrived here. And here, safe in our isolation, we made our home.
ODO: Tell me, why was I sent away?
FEMALE FOUNDER: Because even in our solitude we desired to learn more about the galaxy. You were one of a hundred infants we sent off to gain that knowledge for us.
ODO: But how could you be sure that we'd find our way back here?
FEMALE FOUNDER: You had no choice. The urge to return home was implanted in your genetic makeup. And now, thanks to the passageway, you're the first to return to us. We weren't expecting you so soon.
ODO: When were you expecting me?
FEMALE FOUNDER: Not for another three hundred years.
ODO: How long was I away?
FEMALE FOUNDER: A long time. But now all that matters now is that you're here.
(Kira wanders about the arboretum, talking to the various objects within.)
KIRA: Odo - are you here, Odo? I'm going to try to track down the source of the interference. If I can't find it and neutralize it, I'm going to have to leave here and try to find Sisko and the others. (A beat.) I'm really glad you made it home, Odo. I know everything is going to work out just fine. (Kira pauses again, considering her peculiar circumstance.) I don't believe it. I'm talking to a tree. You're probably not even here, are you?
JEM'HADAR: You're in my way.
O'BRIEN: Sorry.
(The Jem'Hadar knocks O'Brien over anyway.)
BASHIR: Now look -
(The Jem'Hadar pulls O'Brien back up off the floor and throws him over the bar. And goes to do it again.)
QUARK: Gentlemen, please, remember my vision!
BASHIR: That's enough.
(Bashir gets pushed up against the wall.)
EDDINGTON: All right, what's going on here?
JEM'HADAR: He addressed me in a disrespectful tone.
BASHIR: That's a lie.
EDDINGTON: Easy, Doctor. We're all friends here.
BASHIR: Tell him that.
EDDINGTON: I'll see this doesn't happen again.
JEM'HADAR: I expect you will.
(The Jem'Hadar leaves.)
BASHIR: Is that's it? You're just going to let him walk away?
EDDINGTON: Our orders are to give the Jem'Hadar a wide berth.
BASHIR: Look, I know what the orders say, but he attacked Chief O'Brien and we have rules here against that sort of thing.
EDDINGTON: I'm aware of station regulations, Doctor. However, the Jem'Hadar are not. We have to allow them some time to get used to our customs.
BASHIR: (disbelieving) So in the meantime, they're free to do whatever they want? (And the lie of cultural relativism is revealed.)
SISKO: I want to know what the hell is going on!
NECHAYEV: Commander, I don't appreciate your barging in here.
SISKO: I want to know why my Science Officer's been transferred without my consent! I want to know why my Chief of Operations is lying in the Infirmary while the Jem'Hadar who beat him is free to walk the station! And I want to know why the Federation is willing to risk a war with the Romulans to form an alliance with a group of people that we hardly know and barely trust!
NECHAYEV: Are you finished?
SISKO: I haven't even begun!
BORATH: Admiral, I think you should tell Commander Sisko what he wants to know.
NECHAYEV: All right. I suppose he deserves to be the first to hear the news.
SISKO: What news?
NECHAYEV: The Federation is pulling out of this sector. All Starfleet personnel currently stationed on DS9 will be reassigned to other posts. Yourself included.
SISKO: What about Bajor?
NECHAYEV: Our plans for Bajor are on hold for the time being. From now on Bajor will be the Dominion's responsibility. They'll be running this station.
SISKO: And you're telling me the Bajorans have agreed to this?
BORATH: We're confident they'll have no objections.
SISKO: And if they do object, what then? You send in the Jem'Hadar?
BORATH: The Jem'Hadar are used only against our enemies. Bajor will be protected, Commander. We'll see to it.
SISKO: What about the wormhole? Will they get to protect that too?
NECHAYEV: It's the price of peace, Benjamin.
SISKO: Well, if you ask me, the price is too damned high! (Hell yeah!)
BASHIR: If I didn't know better, I'd say you were enjoying yourself, Garak.
GARAK: Not at all, Doctor, but after years of hemming dresses, a little action is a welcome change of pace.
SISKO: I hope you feel the same way an hour from now. The first thing we need to do is get our hands on a runabout.
DAX: It's already taken care of, Benjamin. The Chief's waiting for us at landing pad C with the Rio Grande and a full complement of photon torpedoes.
SISKO: How did you know we needed photon torpedoes?
DAX: I know you. You want to make sure the Dominion stays on their side of the galaxy, and the only way to do that is to collapse the entrance to the wormhole.
SISKO: I'm glad we're all in agreement.
BASHIR: Well, I guess this means the end of our Starfleet careers.
GARAK: Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, Doctor.
DAX: That's easy for you to say.
GARAK: Oh, you misunderstand me, Lieutenant. All I meant was it's a little foolish to worry about your careers at a time like this, when there's a good chance we're all about to be killed.
JEM'HADAR: Halt. Put down your weapons.
GARAK: I have them. I have them. (He points his weapon at Sisko.) By all means, Commander, do as they say.
BASHIR: Garak?
GARAK: You heard me, Doctor. I'm glad to see the plan is going according as scheduled.
JEM'HADAR: What plan is that?
GARAK: You mean no one told you? You see, I pretend to be their friend... and then I shoot you.
(Garak shoots the Jem'Hadar.)
SISKO: Well done, Garak.
GARAK: Well, it's just something I read once in a book. (Ha!)
BORATH: Please, come in.
KIRA: Commander?
BORATH: They can't hear you.
ODO: What have you done to them?
BORATH: Nothing harmful. We're just conducting a little experiment.
KIRA: What kind of experiment?
BORATH: To see how they'd respond to an attempt by the Dominion to gain a foothold into the Alpha Quadrant. We were curious to see how much they'd be willing to sacrifice to avoid a war.
KIRA: And what have you found out?
BORATH: Unfortunately, they're proving to be just as stubborn as I'd feared.
ODO: I'm glad to hear it. (Yes!)
BORATH: You are? Well, that is a problem. But thankfully, it's not one I have to solve.
FEMALE FOUNDER: But I do.
ODO: I don't understand. You knew about this?
FEMALE FOUNDER: Yes.
ODO: But how could you allow it?
KIRA: You belong to the Dominion, don't you?
FEMALE FOUNDER: Belong to it? Major, the Changelings are the Dominion.
ODO: You're the Founders.
FEMALE FOUNDER: Ironic, isn't it? The hunted now control the destinies of hundreds of other races.
ODO: But why control anyone?
FEMALE FOUNDER: Because what you control can't hurt you. So, many years ago we set ourselves the task of imposing order on a chaotic universe.
KIRA: Is that what you call it? Imposing order? I call it murder.
FEMALE FOUNDER: What you call it is no concern of ours.
ODO: How do you justify the deaths of so many people?
FEMALE FOUNDER: The Solids have always been a threat to us. That's the only the justification we need.
ODO: But these Solids have never harmed you. They travel the galaxy in order to expand their knowledge, just as you once did.
FEMALE FOUNDER: The Solids are nothing like us.
ODO: No, I suppose they're not. And neither am I. I've devoted my life to the pursuit of justice, but justice means nothing to you, does it?
FEMALE FOUNDER: It's not justice you desire, Odo, but order. The same as we do. And we can help you satisfy that desire in ways the Solids never could. This will all become clear to you once you've taken your place in the Great Link.
ODO: No. I admit this Link of yours is appealing. But you see, I already have a link with these people. I want you to remove those devices and bring them their comm badges.
BORATH: We can't allow them to leave.
ODO: And I can't allow you to keep them here. They're leaving, and so am I.
FEMALE FOUNDER: I hope that one day you'll return to us, Odo, and take your rightful place within the Dominion.
ODO: I don't think that's possible.
FEMALE FOUNDER: Your link to the Solids won't last. You will always be an outsider.
ODO: Being an outsider isn't so bad. It gives one a unique perspective. It's a pity you've forgotten that.
FEMALE FOUNDER: Then perhaps one day I'll come visit you. The Alpha Quadrant seems wracked with chaos. It could use some order.
ODO: Imposing your type of order on the Alpha Quadrant may prove more difficult than you imagine.
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