The Way of the Warrior ( episode ) When a Klingon fleet under General Martok arrives at the station ostensibly to protect the Alpha Quadrant from the Dominion , Sisko recruits Lieutenant Commander Worf to discover the Klingons ' true intentions . ( " Season premiere " ) Summary . Teaser . The Deep Space 9 crew hunts a Changeling through the station . Using wide - angle Phaser sweep , Benjamin Sisko and Kira Nerys chase the Changeling to the Promenade , where it suddenly resumes humanoid shape and grabs hold of Doctor Julian Bashir after emerging from the Promenade directory . It is Odo , and the chase was really a surprise drill . Kira asks the computer how much time it took to catch Odo ; three hours and twenty - seven minutes is the answer . " " That ' s not good enough , " " Odo remarks , noting how any other Founder would have had a field day with the station in that length of time , culminating in Bashir ' s death . The staff is then dismissed with a warning to scan anything and everything next time , given the other Founders ' increased proclivity for shapeshifting . Another random drill is scheduled , and an offer from Quark to take bets on how long the staff will take to catch Odo is rebuffed . That night , when Kasidy Yates joins Sisko for a romantic dinner , she remarks that there have been some changes on Deep Space 9 . Firstly , Sisko has shaved his head , of which Yates approves . Secondly , there has been a lot of " maintenance " done on the station lately . Sisko is secretive , but hints that the crew is preparing a few " surprises " in case the Dominion decides to attack the station . The recent revelation that Changelings have infiltrated the Alpha Quadrant has caused a large amount of unrest , and the Cardassian s have responded by sealing their borders . The couple present each other with gifts – Sisko gives Kasidy a garment made from rare Tholian silk , while Kasidy returns the gesture by handing Sisko a Pike City Pioneers baseball cap . Their dinner is interrupted when the new Klingon flagship , the , decloaks at the station . Its commander , General Martok , requests shore leave at Deep Space 9 . After Sisko agrees , the DS9 crew is amazed when an entire armada of Klingon ships decloak around the station . Act One . In Quark ' s , the Ferengi bartender nervously opines with O ' Brien and Bashir that the Klingons who have arrived are awfully quiet . When Martok meets with Captain Sisko and Major Kira , he immediately wants them to use his " d ' k tahg " to cut their palms , proving that they bleed and therefore are not Changelings . When the Klingon is satisfied that Sisko and Kira are really who they appear to be , Martok proclaims that the Klingon fleet will remain in Bajoran space to counter the inevitable Dominion attack . The crew resumes regular duties , despite the fact that DS9 ' s complement now includes countless Klingons . Kira and Jadzia Dax visit the holosuite , which recreates the Hoobishan Baths on . Kira is distracted away from the hologram s and unimpressed with them , admitting that she has never had much of an imagination . Odo and Garak have a quiet breakfast at the Replimat , where a worried Garak reveals that , since the destruction of the Obsidian Order , he has heard rumors of civil uprisings on Cardassia . Their meal is interrupted when a group of Klingons accosts Morn on the Promenade . Odo breaks up the altercation , but the lead Klingon , Drex , levels threats at both Garak and Odo . Drex and his thugs later ambush and beat Garak in his tailor shop . Act Two . As Bashir repairs the Cardassian ' s broken bones , he states his surprise that Garak isn ' t pressing charges . Garak , in his usual manner , brushes off the beating but is wondering why Klingons have become so hostile to Cardassians . When Kasidy Yates ' freighter , the " Xhosa " , sends out a distress call , Sisko and the crew of DS9 board the . After arriving at the " Xhosa " s coordinates , they discover that Commander Kaybok of the Klingon Bird - of - Prey is searching all vessels exiting Bajoran space , including the " Xhosa " . When Sisko threatens Kaybok that the " Defiant " will open fire on the " M ' Char " , the Klingon commander allows the " Xhosa " to break free of the " M ' Char " s tractor beam . Once the senior officer s return to Deep Space 9 , Martok meets with Sisko again , handing him Kaybok ' s dagger . Kaybok has been executed as punishment for disobeying his orders . Sisko realizes that something must be done before the situation escalates out of control . Sisko notifies Starfleet Command of the situation and Starfleet consequently dispatches Lieutenant Commander Worf to the station . Upon his arrival , Chief O ' Brien welcomes his old crewmate aboard . Quark , however , upon seeing Worf , remarks " " Just what this station needs . Another Klingon . " " Act Three . When he meets the captain , Sisko offers condolences for the loss of the in battle , calling it a good ship . Worf thanks Sisko for his condolences , but is clearly not willing to talk about it . Sisko takes note of the fact that Worf had been on extended leave . Worf tells Sisko he had been at the Klingon Monastery on Boreth for a time . Sisko apologizes for interrupting Worf ' s leave , but Worf tells Sisko his leave was almost over . When Sisko asks where Worf will likely be assigned next , Worf tells Sisko that he has been considering resigning from Starfleet commission . When asked why , Worf explains that living among humans has never been easy for him but it has become even harder for him since the " Enterprise " was destroyed and he is no longer sure of his place in Starfleet anymore . Sisko tells Worf if he doesn ' t want the assignment then he ' ll understand , but Worf tells Sisko that until he decides one way or the other about resigning he is going to do his duty . With that , Sisko gives Worf his assignment : find out what the Klingons are up to . Before Worf leaves , Sisko cautions him that he too once considered resigning , and now knows that would have been the wrong choice . He urges the Klingon to consider his decision carefully . Worf ventures into Quark ' s , surprising the Ferengi by asking for prune juice over the traditional Klingon choice of blood wine . Chief O ' Brien asks his old shipmate to join him and introduces him to Doctor Bashir and darts . Worf ' s first try at the sport ends up with him throwing the dart halfway through the board . Then Kira and Dax emerge from the holosuite , dressed in bright , colorful and extravagant medieval clothes arguing over the fact that Kira knocked out Sir Lancelot . Miles introduces Worf to the two , and while Kira is embarrassed and tries to explain the clothes , Dax is quite taken with him . Just then Drex starts to stir up trouble , so Worf decides it ' s the perfect time to make his first attempt at finding out what the Klingons are up to . He picks a fight with Drex and takes the warrior ' s " d ' k tahg " . Drex ' s father , who happens to be General Martok , comes to Worf ' s quarters to demand the return of his son ' s " honor " . There , Worf voices his disappointment in Martok for the general ' s dishonorable tactics of harassing personnel and ships , but Martok vows that it is all in the Alpha Quadrant ' s best interests . Afterward , Worf vents his frustration on a tactical holosuite program . When Dax arrives , she challenges him to a battle with " bat ' leth s " . After a brief fight , Worf gains the upper hand and sweeps Dax off her feet . Dax rhetorically asks whether the simulation made Worf feel better . Worf is frustrated at the situation , noting that his contacts on the Klingon homeworld refuse to speak with him . Dax suggests that with so many Klingons on the station , surely one of them owes the House of Mogh a favor and might be willing to reveal the true reason they are there . Worf invites an old family friend , Klingon officer Huraga , for a drink . When they consume a large quantity of bloodwine and become drunk , Worf presses Huraga for information . Owing Worf ' s father , Mogh , as Mogh had saved Huraga ' s House during their feud with the House of Duras , Huraga tells Worf all about the " glorious battle " that awaits them ahead . What Worf learns disturbs him , so much that he hesitates to tell Sisko . Odo argues with Worf on the Promenade , and tells the Klingon that it is his duty to inform Sisko . Worf decides to tell Sisko the ominous truth – the Klingons are about to attack Cardassia . The rumors are true ; the Central Command has been overthrown by civilian resistance . The Klingons are convinced that changeling infiltrators are responsible . Sisko confronts Martok and demands that the Klingons call off their attack . Martok hints that Chancellor Gowron will be told of Worf ' s involvement in uncovering news of the planned attack . Worf himself feels guilty that he has essentially betrayed the Klingon Empire . When Sisko points out that Starfleet will never support an unprovoked invasion and the attack will place the Federation - Klingon alliance in jeopardy , Martok claims he will return to his ship and consult with Gowron . However , once Martok beams aboard his ship , he sends a message to the Klingon fleet , ordering them to begin their attack . The fleet cloaks and warps away from the station , heading straight for Cardassia Prime . Act Four . The crew of DS9 meets in the wardroom . They are in a particularly nasty predicament : warning the Cardassians of the Klingon invasion is tantamount to betrayal and the Federation Council has decided not to get involved until they speak with Gowron , a decision supported by the Bajoran government . Besides , the Klingons may be correct that the Dominion was involved in the coup , since , as Odo points out , this " is " how the Founders would set about gaining control of Cardassia . Kira states that the Obsidian Order ' s destruction gave the Cardassian dissident movement the strength and momentum they needed to take over the government , with or without Dominion involvement . Worf points out that this is irrelevant — many Klingons in the Empire believe they have been at peace for too long . The looming Dominion threat has given them an excuse to attack and conquer . If the Klingons have returned to " the old ways " of conquest , Bajor , and potentially the Federation are at risk . Sisko tries an unorthodox tactic – he invites Garak into the wardroom to measure the Starfleet captain for a new suit . As Garak works , the crew make sure the tailor overhears the fact that one - third of the Klingon military is currently heading into Cardassian space . Garak excuses himself , and warns Gul Dukat . Busy fighting the civilian insurgency , the Cardassian Union is unprepared for a possible Klingon invasion . When the Federation officially condemns the invasion , the Klingon Empire withdraws from the Khitomer Accords . The Federation - Klingon alliance is dissolved . Despite this however , a Klingon ship decloaks claiming to have Chancellor Gowron on board who wishes to speak with Worf . Aboard the Klingon ship , Gowron happily greets Worf and tells him that despite everything he still considers him a friend . He then tells Worf why he is there ; he wants him to leave Starfleet and join the Klingons in the battle . Act Five . Despite wanting to return to his people and knowing that he owes the Chancellor much for restoring his honor and giving Kurn a seat on the Klingon High Council , Worf refuses , telling Gowron that he will not break his oath to Starfleet , nor will he support an unwarranted attack . Enraged , Gowron warns Worf that if he refuses then the House of Mogh will be stripped of all its assets , Kurn will be removed from the High Council and Worf himself will be exiled from the Klingon Empire and left with nothing . When Worf replies he ' ll still have his honor , Gowron simply says " " So be it " " . Later , Worf sits in Quark ' s deep in thought and is joined by O ' Brien . After reminiscing over saving Captain Picard from the Borg , and how Worf knew they would succeed despite the overwhelming odds , he says he has decided to resign . O ' Brien tries to convince him otherwise , assuring Worf that Starfleet is sure to build another " Enterprise " soon , but as far as Worf is concerned , the ship and life he knew are gone . As he cannot return to Boreth and feeling that his son is much happier living on Earth , Worf decides to apply for a commission with a distant cruiser fleet . Believing that he is a liability to Captain Sisko ' s dealing with the Klingons , he asks Benjamin to accept his resignation , but Sisko refuses – Starfleet needs Worf more than ever before . Indeed , word soon arrives that the Klingons have broken through the Cardassian fleet . Sisko contacts the new Cardassian government , the Detapa Council , only to see the face of Dukat . Apparently , Dukat switched sides when it was clear that the coup would succeed . Sisko devises a plan : if Dukat can get the Council on a ship and rendezvous with the " Defiant " , they can seek refuge on Deep Space 9 . Since the Klingons will execute all government officials in their invasion of Cardassia , Dukat agrees . Worf points out that if Martok is correct , and members of the Detapa Council have been replaced by Changelings , then the " Defiant " will help them escape . Sisko considers it a risk worth taking . Knowing the Klingons may end up attacking the station , he orders the new weapons systems be checked and a partial evacuation of the civilian population . On his way to the airlock , Sisko runs into Kasidy who is just arriving . The two muse how lousy their timing has been , but share their first kiss . Sisko , Dax , Bashir , and Worf take the cloaked " Defiant " toward the rendezvous point . Worf admits he feels strange being on a Federation starship with a cloaking device , but Sisko assures him he ' ll get used to it . Bashir reminds Sisko that their agreement with the Romulan s regarding the cloaking device strictly forbids its use in the Alpha Quadrant . Sisko is aware of this , but also knows there ' s probably countless Klingon ships between them and Dukat and he wants to make it in one piece . Later , the " Defiant " comes across a debris field of Cardassian ships destroyed by the Klingon invaders . Although there may be survivors , the only way to find out is decloaking the " Defiant " to use the main sensors . Worf advises against it , warning there is probably Klingon ships cloaked and lying in wait . When Bashir argues that it doesn ' t sound honorable , Worf replied that to Klingons , in war there is nothing more honorable than winning . Despite the chance of survivors and over Bashir ' s objection , Sisko knows making the rendezvous is more important and decides not to take the risk . When the " Defiant " arrives at the coordinates , they find three Klingon Birds - of - Prey are in the vicinity and are attacking the Cardassian cruiser " Prakesh " . Act Six . When the Klingons ignore the " Defiant " s hail s and fire the first shot , the starship targets the lead Bird - of - Prey and seriously damages its engines . With the " Prakesh " s shields , weapons and engines obliterated , Sisko is left with no choice but to drop the " Defiant " s shields and transport Dukat and the Council off their impaired vessel , but also decides to err on the side of caution and orders that they undergo blood screenings . Sisko gambles that the " Defiant " s ablative armor will be sufficient against the Birds - of - Prey ' s attacks . The " Defiant " begins firing at will and destroys the second Klingon vessel in the process . When a larger battle cruiser joins the melee , Worf uses his tactical experience and suggests the use of a modulated tractor beam to deflect some of the Klingon disruptor fire . The " Defiant " crew is successful in rescuing all the Detapa Council members , although the " Defiant " s cloaking device has been damaged . The " Defiant " flies to maximum warp as the " Prakesh " explodes , and two Klingon vessels follow the starship . Meanwhile , Doctor Bashir has examined all the Council members , including Dukat , and determined that no one aboard is a Changeling . The " Defiant " successfully reaches Deep Space 9 , where O ' Brien detects the pursuing Klingon ships . As the starship approaches the station , the crew detect several dozen Klingon ships . O ' Brien had requested reinforcements from Starfleet Command , but the relief task force , under command of Admiral Hastur , had not yet reached the station . Sisko makes the decision to sound battle stations . Act Seven . The crew man the battle stations , preparing for the Klingons to attack , while civilians are evacuated off the Promenade ( including a reluctant Quark , who wanted to defend his bar with his disruptor pistol , only to find that Rom has cannibalized it for replicator repair ) . The Detapa Council are sequestered away by Dukat and , unexpectedly , Garak , who raises a Cardassian disruptor to fight alongside Dukat . Martok and Gowron hail the station and offer an ultimatum – surrender the Cardassian officials , or the Klingons will take the Council members by force . Even when Sisko tells the two Klingons that the councilors have been given blood screenings , Martok and Gowron remain determined to conquer Cardassia . Gowron urges Sisko to surrender , claiming the old station is as defenseless as an old Grishnar cat , to which Sisko confidently replies , " " I assure you , this old cat may not be as toothless as you think . " " Due to the Dominion threat , Deep Space 9 has been given some major tactical upgrades – the station is now equipped with more than 5 , 000 photon torpedo es ready to fire . Nevertheless , Gowron declares " " heghlu ' meh qaq jajvam " " , " " Today is a good day to die ! " " , Kahless ' battle cry . The Klingon fleet begins their attack . Act Eight . When the Klingon fleet enters weapons range , DS9 unleashes several volleys of the station ' s new armaments . With multiple phaser banks and telescoping photon launchers , the station destroys ship after ship . Furious , Gowron orders the " Negh ' Var " to fire its cannons directly at DS9 ' s shield generator s . The station ' s defensive systems fail and Klingon boarding parties beam into Ops , the Promenade , and the Cardassians ' quarters . After a series of firefights and hand - to - hand combat , the DS9 crew regain control of the situation . An injured O ' Brien restores the shields and Dax announces the arrival of the Starfleet reinforcements , lead by the . Gowron has little choice but to retreat . He parts with one final threat : " " You have sided against us in battle . And this we do not forgive . . . or forget . " " ( See also : First Battle of Deep Space 9 ) As the Klingons retreat and the " Venture " arrives , life on the station returns to normal . Quark reopens the bar , much to the delight of Morn , and Garak returns to his tailor shop . Sisko reveals to Worf that he considered leaving Starfleet after the death of his wife , but realized he could not escape what he was – a Starfleet officer . Learning from Sisko ' s lesson , Worf decides to stay aboard the space station . He joins the crew of Deep Space 9 as Lieutenant Commander Worf , strategic operations officer , donning a red Starfleet uniform . However , the Klingons are continuing to remain near DS9 . They have refused to abandon several Cardassian colonies and have started fortifying their positions . Sisko tells his crew that Starfleet are also staying right where they are – aboard Deep Space 9 . Memorable quotes . " " I didn ' t know you spoke Klingon . " " " " Oh , You ' d be surprised at the things you can learn when you ' re doing alterations . " " " " Ah , but I dealt them several cutting remarks which , no doubt , did severe damage to their egos " " " " This isn ' t funny . " " " " I ' m serious , doctor . Thanks to your administrations I ' m almost completely healed ! But the damage I did to them will last a lifetime . . . " " " " Curzon told me once that in the long run the only people who can really handle the Klingons , are Klingons . " " " " Let me guess , Klingon blood wine . " " " " Prune juice . Chilled . " " ( laughs ) " " Prune juice ! " " ( stops laughing when Worf glares at him ) " " If you say so . " " " " Well , what did the Federation Council say ? " " " " They ' ve decided to condemn the Klingon invasion . In response , Gowron has expelled all Federation citizens from the Klingon Empire and recalled his ambassadors from the Federation . " " " " You ' re saying he cut off diplomatic relations ? " " " " He ' s done more than that . The Klingons have withdrawn from the Khitomer Accords . The peace treaty between the Federation and the Klingon Empire has ended . " " " " You forget , I am not only a Klingon warrior ; I am a Starfleet officer , and Starfleet deserves an explanation ! " " " " They will get one soon enough . Until then , know this : My mission will determine the fate of the Klingon Empire . Interfere , and you risk destroying us all ! " " " " The Klingons ? ! ? First it was the Cardassians . . . then it was the Dominion . . . now it ' s the Klingons ! How ' s a Ferengi supposed to make an honest living in a place like this ? " " " " Who would ' ve thought that the two of us would be fighting , side by side ? " " " " Just remember when you fire that thing , you ' re aiming it at a Klingon . " " " " I ' ll try to keep that in mind . " " " " This is exactly what the Founders want : Klingon against Cardassian ! Federation against Klingon ! The more we fight each other , the weaker we ' ll get , and the less chance we have against the Dominion ! " " " " Kahless himself said , ' Destroying an empire to win a war is no victory . . . " ' " " " . . . and ending a battle to save an empire is no defeat . " " " " You have sided against us in battle , and this we do not forgive . . . or forget ! " " " " I finally realized that it wasn ' t starfleet that I wanted to get away from : I was trying to escape the pain I felt after my wife ' s death . I thought I could take the uniform , wrap it around that pain , and toss them both away . But it doesn ' t work like that . Running may help , for a little while — but sooner or later the pain catches up with you , and the only way to get rid of it is to stand your ground and face it . " " " " Looks like the Klingons are here to stay . " " " " Maybe they are , but so are we . " " Links and references . References . ablative armor ; Alpha Quadrant ; attack pattern omega ; " bat ' leth " ; Battle of Veridian III ; Bajor ; Bajoran Intelligence ; Bajoran law ; Bajoran Militia uniform ; Bajoran government ; Bajoran space ; Bajoran wormhole ; battle stations ; Betreka Nebula ; Betreka Nebula Incident ; blood screening ; bloodwine ; Boreth ; Borg ; Camelot ; candle ; Cardassia ; Cardassia Prime ; Cardassian s ; Cardassian desktop monitor ; Cardassian dissident movement ; Cardassian Central Command ; Cardassian Empire ; Cardassian Military ; Cardassian space ; Cardassian government ; Caves of Boreth ; Cestus III ; chief military advisor ; clavicle ; cloaking device ; Constable ; " coup " ; " d ' blok " ; " d ' k tahg " ; ; darts ; ; decibel ; Deep Space 9 ; Detapa Council ; disruptor pistol ; distress signal ; Dominion ; Dominion cold war ; duranium ; duranium shadow ; earmuffs ; Earth ; emergency shelter ; ; evasive maneuvers ; ; Federation ; Federation Council ; ; Ferengi ; Ferengi freighter ; food critic ; Founder s ; ; ; Gamma Quadrant ; gesture ; Gramilian sand pea ; Grishnar cat ; hand - to - hand combat ; Hastur ; holding cell ; Hoobishan Baths ; ; House of Duras ; House of Martok ; House of Mogh ; holosuite ; imagination ; Imperial Overseer ; Ionite Nebula ; ISS model ; Jem ' Hadar ; Kahless the Unforgettable ; Kahless ( clone ) ; " kanar " ; Khitomer Accords ; kiss ; Klingon s ; Klingon - Cardassian War ; Klingon drinking song ; Klingon Bird - of - Prey ; Klingon Empire ; Klingon High Council ; Klingon military ; Klingonese ; ; Kurn ; Lancelot ; ; lie ; long range sensor scan ; Lurian ; ; masseur ; ; Mogh ; Molor ; ; ; " Negh ' var " warship ; Nyberrite Alliance ; Nyberrite Alliance cruiser ; " Old Man " ; Obsidian Order ; orbital defense system ; patriotism ; Phaser sweep ; photon launcher ; ; Pike City Pioneers ; poker ; " Prakesh " ; primary sensor array ; priority 1 distress call ; priority one message ; Promenade ; prune juice ; puppet ; Qo ' noS ; quantum torpedo ; Quark ' s ; red alert ; replicator ; Replimat ; rib ; River Skral ; Rom ; Romulan ; root beer ; ; ; ; saltah ' na clock ; ; sensor array ; shield generator ; shore leave ; ; ; situation report ; standard maneuvers ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Command ; Starfleet Intelligence ; Starfleet uniform ; strategic operations officer ; subspace disturbance ; tailor ' s kit ; task force ; team leader ; Tholian ; Tholian ambassador ; Tholian silk ; thoron field ; tractor beam ; transporter bay ; Treaty of Alliance ; ; Trill ( planet ) ; ; " Venture " captain ; Vitarian wool ; ; waist ; wormhole relay station ; ; yamok sauce ; yellow alert