The Search , Part II ( episode ) On his homeworld , Odo learns about his people while back on the station , Sisko discovers that the price the Federation is willing to pay for peace with the Dominion may be too high ; The Founders learn that the only way they are going to take over the Alpha Quadrant is through war . Summary . Teaser . On the shore of the Great Link ocean on , Odo faces other Changeling s and Major Kira is on the sideline . A Changeling in female form welcomes Odo to his " home " and explains he was newly formed when he left them . Odo has many questions and , soon , it sounds like an interrogation , but Kira relaxes him . She explains the Link and , when Odo says he has been alone all his life , she offers her hand to reinforce his welcome with a partial link . Another Changeling cautions her , with concern it is too soon , but she insists . This affects Odo deeply , as he realizes that he has truly found his home and his people . Act One . In a shuttlecraft , a weary Sisko is dictating a report on the loss or capture of the " Defiant " by the Jem ' Hadar and the unknown status of the rest of her crew , except Doctor Bashir , who is in the shuttle with him . Suddenly , the shuttle shudders and Bashir and Sisko try and get the sensor s to work so they can find out what is causing the turbulence . They speculate that it may be a tractor beam when they hear something behind them . They both turn and note that the hatch mechanism is starting to rotate , indicating that someone is opening the hatch from the outside . Not knowing who that may be , they both arm their phaser s and prepare to defend themselves . The door slowly opens and they are surprised by the appearance of Chief O ' Brien , followed quickly by Jadzia Dax . They have been rescued and other ships are looking for the rest of the " Defiant " s crew . Dax indicates that there is a big surprise waiting for them back at Deep Space 9 . On the Changelings ' homeworld , Kira and Odo are waiting in an arboretum . Odo is getting impatient and Kira is trying to calm him down . When the Female Changeling returns , a brief discussion ensues about Changeling history and why they don ' t trust " solids " . She enjoins Major Kira from sending any message that may be traced to the planet . The Female Changeling then begins giving Odo some shape - changing lessons . Major Kira goes off to the shuttle to try and get an untraceable message through to Sisko , disguised as elevated background radiation . Sisko is disembarking onto Deep Space 9 when he is met by Admiral Alynna Nechayev , who informs him that the treaty delegation from the Dominion has already arrived . They discuss some background information and then the admiral informs Sisko that one of the delegates would like to see him the moment he arrives . Sisko enters a suite and meets Borath , a Vorta who claims that he is one of the Founder s of the Dominion . They have a brief discussion about trust and future alliances . Act Two . On the upper deck of the Promenade , Bashir is greeted by Garak , the resident Cardassian tailor . As they exchange pleasantries , they pass a Jem ' Hadar soldier looking down on the main Promenade deck . Garak informs Bashir that the Central Command is in favor of the treaty , but indicates his own misgivings about it , noting an old Cardassian proverb that states " " enemies make dangerous friends . " " As they continue their discussion they encounter Romulan Sub - Commander T ' Rul , who is very upset and informs them that the Romulans were excluded from the negotiations . In one of " Defiant " s shuttlecraft on the Changeling ' s homeworld , Kira configures the shuttle ' s communications system to transmit her signal and is informed by the craft ' s computer that it cannot be sent . This is due to excessive external interference from a subsurface power source and an analysis is not possible due to a polymetallic substance in the surrounding rock . While Kira is frustrated by this , Odo arrives . He is exhausted from his shape - shifting lessons and goes off to regenerate , leaving Kira alone with her frustration . In his office , Sisko looks extremely concerned when his staff announces the arrival of Admiral Nechayev . They get into a discussion regarding the Romulans ' exclusion from the treaty talks . Admiral Nechayev makes the point that if the Dominion and the Federation create this alliance then the Romulans will be irrelevant . This leaves Sisko deeply troubled . Sitting in the garden on the Changeling homeworld , Odo and the Female Changeling have a fairly detailed discussion about Changeling history , including the fact that solids have been hunting and persecuting their kind for eons , and Odo ' s place in their history . They then embrace each other and merge into a link . Act Three . Meanwhile , Kira is facing a large metallic door and scanning it with a Starfleet tricorder . She notes that this is an anomaly since Changelings shouldn ' t have need for doors . She then contacts the shuttle ' s computer and asks it to scan the door , and is frustrated when the computer tells her that there is too much interference for it to do so . In Quark ' s , Bashir and O ' Brien are drinking and discussing the new treaty with Quark . The discussion is interrupted by a Jem ' Hadar soldier , who picks a fight with O ' Brien when he tells him he is in his way and throws him across the bar . When Bashir comes to his defense , he is also attacked by the Jem ' Hadar and thrown up against a wall until finally security chief Eddington breaks up the fight . Bashir insists that the Jem ' Hadar be incarcerated for what he did to O ' Brien , but the doctor is reminded by Eddington that the Jem ' Hadar have " carte blanche " on the station , for the moment . Sisko has a troubled meal in his quarters with his son , Jake . The elder Sisko is very distracted and lost in thought when Dax comes in and informs him that she has been transferred as science officer to the . While they are discussing this turn of events , Bashir calls him and requests that they meet concerning Chief O ' Brien . Moments later , a very angry Sisko storms into a meeting between Admiral Nechayev and Borath and demands explanations as to why Dax has been reassigned without his consent , why the Jem ' Hadar who attacked O ' Brien is walking the station free and why the Federation is risking a war with the Romulans to sign a treaty with an organization they barely know or trust . Nechayev tells Sisko that there ' s going to be some big changes in the sector . . . Bajor ' s request for Federation membership is being suspended indefinitely , and the Federation is withdrawing from Deep Space 9 and handing the station , Bajor and the wormhole over to the Dominion . All of the Starfleet officers on the station are to be reassigned , while Sisko will be promoted to Captain for his work . Sisko isn ' t impressed , and asks about what happens if the Bajorans aren ' t happy with being handed over to the Dominion . Borath tells Sisko he ' s sure they ' ll fall into line , and it ' s clear he ' ll send in the Jem ' Hadar if they resist . The admiral states that this is the price for peace and Sisko angrily answers that the price of peace is " too damned high " and that he wants to talk to the Federation ' s representative before the treaty is signed . At this point , the admiral tells him that it has just been signed and that Sisko is too late . Act Four . In the arboretum of the Changeling planet , Odo , in the shape of a Arbazan vulture , flies in , lands , and changes back into normal form , as Kira watches in amazement . They begin to talk and an exhilarated Odo gushes about " being " a vulture . Kira then asks the Changeling for help with the door that she found . Odo also wonders about the door , and who or what could be using them if the Changelings are not . On the Promenade back at the station , Sisko is drinking a cup of coffee in the replimat when Garak walks in , complimenting Sisko on the job he has done for the past two years but notes that when Starfleet returns to the sector it will be to fight the Bajorans , who have just formed an alliance with the Romulans against the Dominion and their allies . In the ensuing conversation , Garak sits at Sisko ' s table and detects a tone of bitterness in Sisko ' s voice . The Cardassian mentions that he shares that bitterness . He further opines that , after a great deal of thought , he can only conclude that their leaders have gone insane , and that " it ' s a pity " that they are both committed to following the orders of their respective leadership . Sisko agrees with the " pity " part . At this point , Sisko states his surprise at at how much they seemed to think alike , to which Garak comments that " " life is full of surprises . " " Suddenly , from down the Promenade , T ' Rul appears , yelling for Sisko while being chased by two Jem ' Hadar soldiers . Sisko and Garak get up and just when T ' Rul reaches them , the Jem ' Hadar manage to shoot her in the back with a hand weapon . She falls into Sisko ' s arms , dead , just as the soldiers arrive . Sisko immediately gives her over to Garak and begins to fight the Jem ' Hadar in hand - to - hand combat . The Jem ' Hadar overpower Sisko while Garak looks on helplessly . In the station ' s security office , Garak enters , followed by Dax and Bashir . Dax demands to see Sisko . Eddington , seated behind the security desk , states that no one is allowed to see the commander without authorization from Admiral Nechayev . Through a ruse , Garak manages to knock out Eddington with a hypospray . They free Sisko and take phasers from the office ' s armory . Dax informs Sisko that O ' Brien is waiting for them on landing pad C with the " Rio Grande " and a full complement of photon torpedo es . Sisko asks Dax how she knew that they ' d need the torpedoes and she answers that she anticipated that Sisko would want to destroy the wormhole to prevent further Dominion forces from arriving . He agrees and they begin their run to landing pad C . Act Five . On the Changelings ' homeworld , Odo is examining the door that Kira found and makes a startling discovery : the door is not meant to keep people out , rather it is to keep whatever is inside , in . The locking mechanism is a strange shape that only a Changeling can use without resorting to special tools and Odo morphs his hand to the required shape . In the station ' s corridors , Dax , Garak , Bashir , and Sisko are running towards the docking ring when they encounter a Jem ' Hadar patrol . During the ensuing battle , Garak is shot and killed . The rest of the group move on and there is another battle at the airlock to landing pad C . They all enter the " Rio Grande " safely , where O ' Brien is waiting for them and they launch without further incident . As soon as they launch , they head directly for the wormhole . Thirty seconds from arrival , Admiral Nechayev , with Borath at her side , contacts the " Rio Grande " from the station and orders Sisko to stand down , but Sisko refuses . Borath then threatens them with the Jem ' Hadar and Sisko states that they had better not expect any reinforcements for " about seventy years " . Sisko turns to the front window of the " Rio Grande " and sees the wormhole open for them . He then orders attack pattern theta and O ' Brien turns hard to port and launches three photon torpedoes into the wormhole . The wormhole implodes and the blinding light of that event illuminates the interior of the " Rio Grande " . Meanwhile , in the underground complex of the Changelings ' homeworld , Odo is working on the lock mechanism by having his right hand shape - shifted into a lock - picking tool and it finally opens for him . As the door opens , it reveals two armed and ready Jem ' Hadar guards who immediately take them into custody and march them deeper into the underground complex . They enter an underground chamber filled with various types of equipment and five inclined tables . The three tables on the left hold Bashir , Dax , and T ' Rul , and the two tables in the back hold Sisko and O ' Brien . Borath and two Vorta technicians are also present . A third Jem ' Hadar stands guard in the chamber . Borath invites them in and Kira runs up to Sisko and tries to talk to him . Borath informs her that they are unconscious because he is running an experiment on them . Kira is immediately suspicious and concerned , demanding to know what sort of experiment the Vorta has been running . Borath answers that it is a simulation exercise designed to determine how they would respond to an attempt by the Dominion to gain a foothold in the Alpha Quadrant , to measure how much they would be willing to sacrifice in order to avoid a war . However , according to his findings , they are extremely stubborn and Borath is thankful that he is not the one who has to solve that problem . At that moment , a female voice states , " " But I do . " " All within the chamber look towards the entrance where the Female Changeling has arrived . Odo is surprised that she knew about the experiment , but Kira figures it out quicker and challenges the Changeling , stating that she belongs to the Dominion . The Changeling corrects Kira by replying that the Changelings " are " the Dominion . Odo is awestruck as he realizes that his people are the Founders , the leaders of the Dominion . She admits to the irony that the " hunted " now control the destinies of hundreds of other races . Odo now challenges her as to why the Founders should need to control anyone . She replies that " " What you control can ' t hurt you , " " and that following maltreatment by solids when they were attempting to explore the galaxy many years ago they set themselves the task of imposing order on a chaotic universe . Kira objects , stating that the order of the Founders should actually be called " murder " . The Founder states that what the solids call it is irrelevant to the Founders . Odo then asks how the Founders can justify the deaths of so many people , to which the shapeshifter answers that the solids have always been a threat to them and that ' s the only justification they need . Odo retorts that these solids have never harmed the Founders , implying that none of the Alpha Quadrant solids have ever harmed the Founders , and that the Federation is just like what the founders used to be , explorers and researchers . The Founder counters that the " solids are nothing like us . " At this point , Odo pauses to consider and then answers that neither is he . He states that his whole life has been devoted to the pursuit of justice and that justice means nothing to the Founders . The Founder doesn ' t challenge that , rather , she believes that Odo would rather have order than justice and that the Great Link will satisfy his need for order . Odo declines , acknowledging the temptation of the offer , but maintaining that he already has a link to his comrades . Odo then turns to Borath and orders him to wake up the prisoners and that they are leaving . Borath objects and Odo , turning to the Founder , states that he is leaving with his friends . The Founder objects and looks shocked when Odo confirms his intent . The Founder states that " " no Changeling has ever harmed another . " " To this , Odo replies that whatever she does to his friends , she will also have to do to him . The Founder concedes the point and confirms Odo ' s orders to Borath , the Vorta . But she warns him that the next time they will not be so generous . The Vorta technicians move among the unconscious " Defiant " crew , removing leads , patch cords , and devices . As they do so , the crew wakes up slightly dazed and asking what happened . They all have various confused memories of the " Rio Grande " and collapsing the wormhole , except T ' Rul , who remembers being shot by Jem ' Hadar soldiers . Kira explains that none of what they remember is real and that they ' ve been held in the chamber since the Jem ' Hadar captured them on the " Defiant " and that they ' ve been in a simulation . Sisko demands an explanation from Borath , but the Vorta merely informs the commander that the " Defiant " is in orbit and that they can transport up to it when they are ready . Odo informs Sisko that he will be remaining behind for a few moments , and Kira indicates that she ' ll come up with Odo . Odo promises Sisko that he will explain everything later , but that he and the others must leave immediately . Sisko then taps his combadge and has himself and his crew beamed up to the " Defiant " . As Odo and the Female Changeling walk through the arboretum to the Great Link , the Founder expresses her wish that Odo will someday return to them . When Odo expresses his doubt of that , she points out that he ' ll always be an " outsider " with the solids . Odo states that being an outsider isn ' t so bad , it gives one a unique perspective and that it is a pity that the Founders have forgotten that . The Founder then states that she might visit him , but the Alpha Quadrant seems wracked with chaos , and that it could use some order . At this point , Odo warns her that imposing her form of order on the Alpha Quadrant may prove more difficult than she imagines . The Founder walks out into the Great Link and , turning back to Odo , states " " We will miss you , Odo . . . but you will miss us even more . " " With that , she merges back into the Great Link . When she is gone , Kira approaches Odo . As they hold hands , Kira taps Odo ' s Bajoran combadge and the two of them are transported back to the " Defiant " . Memorable quotes . " " You see . . . I have a dream . A dream that one day all people : Human , Jem ' Hadar , Ferengi , Cardassians . . . stand together in peace . . . around my dabo tables . " " " " I don ' t believe it . . . I ' m talking to a tree . " " " " To become a thing is to know a thing . To assume its form is to begin to understand its existence . " " " " Why would shapeshifters need a door ? " " " " Well , I guess this means the end of our Starfleet careers . " " " " Oh , I wouldn ' t worry about that , Doctor . " " " " Well , that ' s easy for you to say . " " " " 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 . " " " " I ' m glad to see the plan is going as scheduled . " " " " What plan is that ? " " " " You mean no one told you ? You see , I pretend to be their friend . . . and then I shoot you . " " " " You belong to the Dominion , don ' t you ? ! " " " Belong " to it ? Major , the Changelings " are " the Dominion ! " " " You ' re " the Founders ! " " " " Why " control " anyone ? " " " " Because , what you can control , can ' t hurt you . . . so many years ago we set ourselves the task of imposing order on a chaotic universe . . . " " " " Is that what you call it , ' imposing order ' ? ! I call it " murder ! " " " What you call it is no concern of ours . " " " " How do you justify the deaths of so many people ? " " " " The solids have always been a threat to us , that ' s the only justification we need . " " " " But these solids have never harmed you . They travel the galaxy in order to expand their knowledge , just as you once did . " " " " The solids are " nothing " like us . " " " " No , I suppose they ' re not . . . and neither am I . " " " " I admit , this . . . link , of yours , is appealing – but you see , I already " have " a link – with these people . " " " " It ' s taken you many years to find your way back home . Are you really willing to leave it again so soon ? " " " " Unless you intend to stop me . " " " " No changeling has ever harmed another . " " " " Whatever you do to them , you ' re going to have to do to me . " " " " They are free to go . But next time , I promise you , we will not be so generous . " " " " You will always be an outsider . " " " " Being an outsider isn ' t so bad . It gives one a unique perspective . It ' s a pity you ' ve forgotten that . " " " " The Alpha Quadrant seems racked with chaos . It could use some order . " " " " Imposing your type of order on the Alpha Quadrant may prove more difficult than you imagine . " " " " We are willing to wait until the time is right . We will miss you Odo , but you will miss us even more . " " Links and references . References . Alpha Quadrant ; Arbazan vulture ; Bajor ; Bajoran s ; Bajoran Resistance ; Bajoran sector ; Bajoran wormhole ; Bolian s ; Cardassia ; Cardassian s ; Cardassian Central Command ; Changeling ; Constable ; dabo ; ; Dominion ; Dominion cold war ; Dominion history ; Eris ; Federation ; Federation Council ; Ferengi ; Founder s ; ; gambling gene ; Gamma Quadrant ; Great Link ; Jem ' Hadar ; kilometer ; landing pad ; ; meter ; Milky Way Galaxy ; mono - form ; Omarion Nebula ; potato ; Promenade ; Quark ' s ; Replimat ; ; Romulan s ; Romulan Star Empire ; runabout ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Command ; station regulation ; tractor beam ; tricorder ; Type 18 shuttlepod ; Vorta