A Time to Stand ( episode ) With the Dominion on track to winning the war against the Federation , Sisko and his crew take a captured Jem ' Hadar ship into enemy territory with a mission to cut off the Jem ' Hadar ' s supply of ketracel - white in the Alpha Quadrant . ( " Season premiere " ) Summary . Teaser . A battered Federation and Klingon fleet move through space , attesting to the fact the war is not going well . Three months have passed since the Dominion occupied Deep Space 9 and hostilities began . The has been on the run from the Jem ' Hadar for 78 hours . Everyone on board is tense and exhausted . Nog gets anxious that news of the Seventh Fleet ' s counter - assault has not arrived , while Chief Miles O ' Brien is sick and tired of running from the Dominion . In the medical supply room , Doctor Julian Bashir is treating Elim Garak for a small head wound . Bashir estimates their chances of survival at 32 . 7 % . Garak is not impressed with Bashir ' s calculations , notwithstanding Bashir ' s recently revealed genetic enhancements . The " Defiant " and Klingon General Martok ' s rendezvous and Worf and Jadzia Dax are reunited in the " Defiant " s mess hall . After a joyous hello , Worf reveals that he is upset that Jadzia has scheduled the ritual sacrifice of the targ to occur after their wedding feast . Jadzia gives in , saying , " " first we ' ll shed blood , and then we ' ll feast . " " When Martok points out that Worf wasn ' t talking about anything else in days , Jadzia puns , " " He ' s such a worrier . " " . As Worf and Jadzia leave , Captain Benjamin Sisko suggests that they not break any bones , to which Jadzia only responds with the crossing of her fingers . Bashir enters and says they ' ve been ordered to Starbase 375 , and he has word of the Seventh Fleet ' s engagement in the Tyra system : out of 112 ships , only fourteen ships have returned . Angry , Sisko slams his fist on a tabletop , breaking the glass . Act One . On Deep Space 9 , now renamed Terok Nor , Gul Dukat narrates a log entry , quite pleased with how the war is going . Reports of victories arrive daily and with the enemy retreating on nearly every front , " it is a good time for Cardassia . . . and the Dominion . " Weyoun is happy that life seems to be returning to normal on the station . Kira wants Bajoran security returned to the station , but Dukat is concerned about the implications of allowing armed Bajorans on board . Weyoun is disturbed by the way Dukat seems to be undermining the Dominion ' s position because of his antipathy towards the Bajorans , but lets the matter rest for the moment . After Kira leaves , Weyoun demands Damar leave and then , to Dukat , to be included in all decisions on station policy henceforth . Further , Weyoun is impatient with Dukat ' s slow progress on clearing the minefield that is blocking the wormhole , preventing Dominion reinforcements from getting through from the Gamma Quadrant . Dukat complains that destroying these self - replicating mine s is difficult because when they attempt to destroy one , its neighbor replicates another , but assures Weyoun that he " will " get it done . In Quark ' s , business is looking up again ; Cardassian s ring the gaming tables , though Quark also has to contend with several tables of Jem ' Hadar , who do not eat , drink , or relax , but just sit , looking baleful . At the bar , Quark gives Kira a complimentary drink as she and Odo are discussing the Occupation . Quark says that as occupations go , this one ' s not so bad . Kira acidly says that must be true for someone concerned solely with profit , but Quark reminds her that all three of them have vivid memories of the horrible conditions for Bajorans on the station during the last occupation , which are not present this time . Quark admits that he wants the Federation back as much as they do , but encourages them that " things could be a lot worse . " Odo reluctantly agrees that the Dominion is ( for the moment ) treating Bajor as a friend . Kira asks , if that ' s true , why are there no Bajoran security officers on the station ? After the " Defiant " s arrival at Starbase 375 , Admiral William Ross surprises Sisko by relieving him of command of the " Defiant " , and tells Sisko that he ' ll be informed of his new assignment later . Act Two . While waiting , Sisko contacts his father Joseph in New Orleans , Earth . His father is very upset that his grandson Jake is still on Deep Space 9 , and a heated argument arises . Sisko says that staying behind was Jake ' s choice , but the elder Sisko doesn ' t care about this . Benjamin promises his father that he ' ll get Jake back soon . Benjamin ' s father asks if things are as bad as the news services say . Sisko says they ' re worse . Meanwhile on Terok Nor , Jake wants an interview with Weyoun , but learns that Weyoun has been censoring his Federation News Service articles by blocking Jake ' s transmissions . Weyoun explains that he thinks Jake ' s reporting is biased against the Dominion , using words like " occupation " . Jake objects , but Weyoun refuses the interview for now . However , he invites Jake to keep writing with the bias in mind , and he will continue to read his articles and consider allowing his transmissions to go through . Back at Starbase 375 , Ross reveals Sisko ' s and the " Defiant " crew ' s new assignment . They ' re to destroy the Dominion ' s main ketracel - white storage depot in the Alpha Quadrant , located deep in Dominion territory . Instead of the " Defiant " , they ' re to use the Jem ' Hadar attack ship Sisko captured last year to infiltrate Dominion space . Act Three . Two weeks later , while on board preparing for departure , the crew starts to complain about the " design flaws " of the Jem ' Hadar ship : no chairs , no food replicators , no viewscreen on the bridge , and no infirmary . Garak joins the crew at Sisko ' s invitation , as his knowledge of Cardassian space and Cardassian contacts may be useful . They are cleared to leave , and Sisko , putting on the virtual display device , orders the ship to be taken out . On Terok Nor , Dukat , ensconced in Captain Sisko ' s office , wants to spend more time with Kira , so calls for her , noting their only interactions have been for station business . Kira is disgusted by Dukat , and tries to leave , but Dukat pulls rank . When asked , she says he betrayed everyone , including his own people by joining the Dominion . He tries to convince her of the dire situation he was faced with . He says he ' s getting the Alpha Quadrant in return for the high price he ' s paid , but Kira is skeptical that will happen . Dukat says he ' s patient with her , and clearly expects an intimate relationship at some point . She soon slaps his hand away when he reaches for her face . Then , he lets her leave . Sisko ' s Jem ' Hadar ship , en route to Dominion space , Sisko is having trouble with the headset . Garak offers to wear the other one , as he noticed Dukat wearing one earlier , so that they can share the burden . Soon , the ship is discovered by the captained by Charlie Reynolds , an officer Sisko is acquainted with . Just as they are about to cross the Cardassian border , the " Centaur " fires on them . Act Four . With the communication system is down , Sisko orders Dax to run for the border . However , the " Centaur " is still on them , damaging a guidance thruster . Sisko orders Dax to fire back , targeting the " Centaur " s weapons array only . Luckily , three Jem ' Hadar ships enter the fray and the " Centaur " warps away . Oddly , they don ' t acknowledge them , so they continue on . In order to return Bajoran security to the station , Kira urges Odo to take advantage of his god status as a Changeling with Weyoun . Odo is very uncomfortable with this , but agrees . When Odo presents his demand to Weyoun , he immediately agrees : " " Consider it done . " " Dukat objects , but Weyoun tells Dukat to keep out of it . It is strictly between Weyoun and Odo . But Weyoun asks Odo for a favor in return : he asks Odo to sit on the station ' s Ruling Council , along with Weyoun and Dukat . When Odo tells Kira about Weyoun ' s request , she is concerned that Weyoun may be using Odo to validate the Dominion ' s occupation . Odo says he that he thought " we " were using " them " , and besides , he ' s walked this fine line before . Kira remains uneasy . Meanwhile , Sisko ' s Jem ' Hadar ship arrives at the ketracel - white storage facility , which is built into a small asteroid . After they observe another ship go through the exchange process , Garak requests 84 canisters of ketracel - white . O ' Brien says he has 83 empty canisters standing by , and one not - so - empty one which is filled with ninety isoton s of enriched ultritium . This should be enough to take out the whole storage facility . Sisko ' s ship moves to inside the depot ' s security zone . O ' Brien sets the detonator for three minutes . After the exchange of ( mostly ) empty canisters for canisters full of white takes place , Garak asks the facility for clearance to leave . Instead , the facility raises their security net , trapping Sisko ' s ship inside , while the bomb is still ticking . Act Five . The facility orders Sisko ' s ship to stand by . The crew concludes that if they stay inside the net the bomb will destroy the ship along with the depot . The explosion " will " also take out the security net . But if they attempt to escape too early , they ' ll smash into the inside of the security net before it comes down . Dax and Bashir calculate that if the ship goes to impulse exactly 1 . 3 seconds before the bomb detonates , they will avoid both the explosion and the security net . Dax programs this into the computer and hands the piloting controls over to it . But the bomb goes off early . Dax takes back helm control and gets the ship out of there . The Jem ' Hadar ship barely makes it out , the huge explosion chasing at its tail . But they survive , and the plan worked . The ship suffered heavy damage , however . The core matrix is fried , there ' s no warp drive . Bashir informs everyone that the closest Federation starbase is " seventeen years , two months , and three days away – give or take an hour . " Sisko ' s crippled Jem ' Hadar attack ship , now without warp capacity , starts the long journey back . Memorable quotes . " " What about freedom of the press ? " " " " Please tell me you ' re not that naive . " " " " My dear Major Kira , you have no idea how it pleases me to hear you say that . " ( Dukat and Damar enter ) " Dukat , the Major has just given me the most wonderful news . Bajorans are returning to the station . " " " " I ' m well aware of that . " " " " Then I ' m sure you share my delight in knowing that life here is returning to normal . The shops are reopening , the Promenade is abuzz with activity once again , the habitat ring echoes with the laughter of happy children ! " " " " I ' ve doubled security patrols throughout the station . " " " " You enjoy that , don ' t you ? That constant reminder that you ' re their master . " " " " The Founders are the masters , I am merely their servant . As are the Jem ' Hadar . And " you . " " " That may be , but even amongst servants , someone has to be in charge , hm ? " " ( chuckle ) " " That is exactly the kind of observation I ' ve come to expect from you , Dukat . Interesting , yet somewhat . . . petty . " " " " How do I explain that I evacuated every Federation citizen off Deep Space 9 , except his grandson ? " " " " You ' ll figure something out . " " " " I ' m sure my head will heal but the way this war is going , I wouldn ' t bet on any of us living to a ripe , old age . " " " " What is it , Worf ? What ' s wrong ? " " " " It is about our wedding . " " " " You ' re getting cold feet ? " " " " You have scheduled the ritual sacrifice of the targ to occur after the wedding feast has been served . " " " " We haven ' t seen each other in five weeks , and that ' s the first thing you say to me ? " " " " We agreed it would be a traditional ceremony . " " ( Sighs ) " " Okay , have it your way . First we ' ll shed blood , then we ' ll feast . " " " " As it should be . " " " " We ' ve received word of the Seventh Fleet . " " " " Go on . " " " " Only fourteen ships made it back to our lines . " " " " Fourteen . . . out of a hundred and twelve ! " " " " We can ' t afford to take these kinds of losses , sir , not if we expect to win this ! ! " " " " You ' re not genetically engineered . . . you ' re a Vulcan ! " " " " Permanent documentation file , Dukat , S . G . Each day brings reports of new victories . The war continues to go well . The enemy is retreating on almost all fronts . It ' s only a matter of time before the Federation collapses and Earth becomes another conquered planet under Dominion rule . All in all , it ' s a good time for Cardassia . . . " and " the Dominion . " " " " I never expected to say this , but as occupations go , this one ' s not so bad . " " " " No , I suppose that ' s true if all you ' re worried about is a monthly balance sheet . " " " " I ' m not just concerned with profit , major . Look around . Do you see any ghetto fences dividing the Promenade ? Or exhausted Bajoran slave laborers sprawled on the ground after a grueling day in the ore processing center ? Do you hear the cries of starving children ? I don ' t . Now don ' t get me wrong , I miss the Federation , too . All I ' m saying is , things could be a lot worse . " " " " You know , there ' s something I just don ' t understand . You ' re always telling me that space is big , that it ' s an endless frontier , filled with infinite wonders . " " " " It ' s true . " " " " If that ' s the case , you would think there ' d be more than enough room to allow people to " leave each other alone . " " " " " It just doesn ' t work that way . . . It " should " . But it doesn ' t . " " " " Cardassia was on the edge of an abyss , major . The war with the Klingons left us a third rate power . My people had lost their ways . I ' ve made them strong again . " " " " At what price ? You sold Cardassia to the Dominion ! " " " " A high price , to be sure . But look what we ' re getting in return : the Alpha Quadrant itself . " " " " I could make things very pleasant for you here , Kira . " " " " You could start by doing something about your breath . " " " " I ' m a patient man . I can wait . " " " " Wait for what ? What do you think is going to happen here , Dukat ? That you ' re going to wear me down with your charming personality ? That I ' m going to be swept off my feet by that insincere smile ? Are you really so deluded that you actually believe that we ' re going to have some kind of intimate relationship ? " " " " Oh , we already do . " " " " I ' ve invited Mister Garak to join us . Considering we ' re going into Cardassian territory , he might prove useful . " " " " It ' s been known to happen . " " " " It ' s like having a viewscreen inside your brain . " " " " I hope whoever is in charge down there hasn ' t taken a lunch break . " " " " You didn ' t raise me to be a liar . " " " " I " raised " you to be a chef , for all the good it did me ! " " " " How bad is it , chief ? " " " " Doesn ' t look good . Gonna have to switch to auxiliary life support . Deflectors are down , guidance system ' s shot and . . . " " " " And what ? " " " " The core matrix is fried . We don ' t have warp drive . " " " " Forgive my ignorance , but if we don ' t have warp drive , how long is it going to take us to reach the closest Federation starbase ? " " " " A " long " time , Mr . Garak . " " " " How long ? " " " " Seventeen years , two months and three days , give or take an hour . " " " " What happened ? " " " " I was studying some star charts for Captain Sisko during the last assault , when I had a sudden , and rather " violent " , encounter with a bulkhead . " " Links and references . References . 47 ; Alpha Quadrant ; attack pattern omega ; Bajor ; Bajoran s ; Bajoran wormhole ; balance sheet ; Cardassia ; Cardassian s ; Cardassian border ; cloaking device ; ; ; ; dabo ; deputy ; Earth ; ; ; Emissary of the Prophets ; evasive maneuvers ; Federation ; Federation News Service ; field ration s ; ; freedom of the press ; ghetto fence ; headache ; holo - imager ; holosuite ; induction stabilizer ; isoton ; kilometer ; Klingon - Cardassian War ; Occupation of Bajor ; " Old Man " ; parabolic thruster ; poison ; Promenade ; propaganda ; Quark ' s ; " Raging Queen " ; " raktajino " ; replicator ; resonance emitter ; ; ritual sacrifice ; sandwich ; Seventh Fleet ; Sisko ' s ; swing for the fences ; targ ; terminology ; Tyra system ; viewscreen ; virtual display device ; Vulcan s ; wedding feast