Sanctuary ( episode ) A group of refugees come through the wormhole in search of Kentanna , their fabled homeworld . Summary . Teaser . Kira Nerys underwent a day of frustrations the previous day with Minister Rozahn fighting bureaucrat ic excuses concerning the logistics for irrigating the Trilar Peninsula on Bajor . Kira has a sense of urgency , and feels Bajor is really in trouble . Unfortunately , she put off gathering next month ' s duty roster for Commander Sisko , and so Sisko calls her in his office to remind her . He knows what kept her busy , as her frustrated voice carried . She promises to drop it and get the roster done . Chief O ' Brien then relays a message from Quark , and so she goes down to the bar . She finds several Bajoran s enjoying a sonata by Varani , but Quark sees customers not ordering food or drink . Despite agreeing to have Varani play for a month , he would like to see something more upbeat so more people come in . She relays the request to Varani , but wishes there could be a more appropriate venue for him . Varani is passionate about bringing back the Bajorans ' artistic heritage . Particularly , he wants to rebuild the Jalanda Forum , and had asked Kira to talk to Minister Bolka about it , but she says Bolka is very busy these days . All this activity is interrupted by a new ship appearing through the wormhole . The ship is damaged , and four Skrreea ns are beamed aboard while their ship is tractored in . Sisko introduces himself , but they are frightened . Act One . As they attempt to communicate , Sisko and the others realize that the Skrreeans don ' t appear to understand what they are saying , nor can the crew understand the Skrreeans . They resolve to keep the Skrreeans talking until the universal translator can make sense of the Skrreean language , and decide to bring the group of them , Haneek , Tumak , Gai , and Cowl , down to the infirmary to tend to the wounds of one . This trip , unusually adventurous for a walk to the infirmary , reveals that the single female Skrreean , Haneek , appears to be the leader of the group . She also appears to only trust Kira , the only female that has dealt with the Skrreeans . They arrive at quarters prepared for them , and Sisko gets them some food to show them what to do . After some further attempts at communication , the computer begins sporadically , but soon adequately , to translate the Skrreean language . It is revealed that some three million Skrreean refugees are in trouble in the Gamma Quadrant and need the crew ' s help to inform their people of the wormhole and travel through it . Act Two . Haneek is now communicating well , and waits with the senior staff for Sisko in Ops . She explains her present and current nervousness is due to the presence of male s , as theirs is a female - dominated society , though she herself is " little more than a farmer . " She then goes into their situation : their people have been seeking the Eye of the Universe , as legend says it is the gateway to their new homeworld , Kentanna . They heard about the wormhole and believed it to be the Eye . Sisko , Dax , and Kira resolve to welcome as many Skrreeans on to the station as is possible , and quickly search for a suitable planet for the Skrreeans to colonize . Ominously , Haneek also explains that their race was freed from servitude to the T - Rogoran s when that race was in turn conquered by a Dominion member . Haneek , back in her quarters , receives Kira who wants to have her greet the first group of Skrreeans when they arrive . She is nervous about this , as she ' s not a leader at all , but it would help to make sure the newcomers know it ' s safe . Meanwhile , Jake and Nog talk about the dabo girl Jake saw earlier , Mardah , but not quite on a date . Nog is impressed , and says he couldn ' t use the excuse of helping someone with their homework to see a girl . They also observe a Skrreean ( Tumak ) eating leftover food , unaware he can order from the replicator s . They wave hello to him , and he runs away . The arrival of the first large group of Skrreeans is an awesome sight , as many of them fill the Promenade and experience their first taste of freedom . Act Three . As Skrreeans begin arriving on the station , there is some cultural tension . Haneek mentioned that Skrreeans are matriarchal , as they find males too emotional and adversarial to make significant decisions . Nog finds this to be true , as he is pursued and eventually assaulted by several young Skrreeans including Tumak over a practical joke . Odo stops the children , and takes Nog to his office to have him talk to Rom . Quark arrives instead and makes Nog apologize . When Nog leaves , Quark looks down on the Skrreeans for loitering " without buying anything , " and for the skin flakes they leave around his bar . Later , Nog meets back up with Jake , but runs into the Skrreeans again . They tackle him , getting Quark ' s attention and he helps chase them away . Tumak is now convinced his people are not welcome on the station . Meanwhile , the Skrreean matriarchs meet and agree that Haneek , as the first to find the wormhole , should lead the Skrreeans to Kentanna . She is nervous , but says she ' ll do the best she can . Kira encourages her afterward , saying she ' s not alone . Furthermore , Varani introduces himself , and presents a gift , saying his people know what it ' s like to be a displaced people . She happily accepts it and returns to her room . The gift inspires her to research Bajor , and finds that it fits the relevant description for the new Skrreean homeworld ; it is " a planet of sorrow , " and just outside the wormhole . Dax and Sisko research possible worlds , they settle on Draylon II . It should be very suitable for them , and they go to meet them with the news . But before they can make the suggestion , Haneek announces they have already found it – Bajor . Act Four . Haneek insists that the Bajoran Provisional Government be petitioned to let the Skrreeans immigrate there . After a debate to consider the Skrreeans ' request , the government in the end denies them , for fear that Bajor ' s problems will both worsen due to and spread to the Skrreeans . Minister Rozahn and Vedek Sorad travel to DS9 to give the response in person . Varani catches up with Kira beforehand , presuming to know the response , and asks Kira to relay his regret at the eventual denial to Haneek . In Sisko ' s office , Rozahn diplomat ically explains that , despite Haneek ' s assurance that they don ' t need the Bajorans ' help , and that their projections on their future growth could be wrong , the government states the risk is too high . Should the Skrreeans need help , the Bajorans cannot deny them , and they simply don ' t have the resources to do so . Furthermore , the land is not guaranteed to be able to be farmed . Haneek is disheartened , and turns to Kira for support , but Kira states she agrees with the government . Meanwhile , Jake finds Tumak at the Replimat and tries to be friendly , suggesting icoberry torte . Tumak insults Nog , but Jake shakes it off . Tumak is curt with him , disappointed in the decision to go to Draylon II and his experiences on the station . Haneek considers the situation in her quarters when Kira arrives to talk . Haneek feels betrayed by a supposed friend , but Kira believes it is the right decision . Just then , Sisko calls in to inform Kira that Tumak has taken a Skrreean ship for Bajor , attempting to immigrate by force . Act Five . Kira and Haneek arrive in Ops to get more information and communicate with Tumak . He , unfortunately , is unaware that his ship is suffering from a plasma leak , and he also resists communication . While Sisko and Haneek are attempting to warn him , a pair of Bajoran interceptor s move in to keep him off Bajor . The Bajorans are under orders from General Hazar not to let them land , so they contact him directly to stand them down . He does so , but both parties have already exchanged enough fire for Tumak ' s ship to explode all by itself from the damage of the phaser fire igniting the radiation leak . In the end , the rejected Skrreeans reluctantly leave for Draylon II . Kira meets up with Haneek to wish her luck , and that she still thinks Draylon is the best choice for them and Bajor . Haneek responds she believes it ' s a terrible mistake the Bajorans are making due to the suspicion and mistrust gained from the Occupation of Bajor . She leaves without any parting words . Memorable quotes . " " It ' s hard to keep a secret in Ops , especially when you ' ve been shouting at a monitor for the past two days . " " " " Thought I kept it down to an angry whisper . " " " " Let ' s just say your voice carries . " " " " Ahh , Major ! Get everything settled with Quark ? " " " " That little toad is " this " far from doing a 360 out an airlock ! " " " " I ' m glad to hear everything went OK . . . " " " " Heh , there ' s no doubt who the boss is . " " " " This will be your quarters while you ' re here at the station . I ' m sure you wanna rest and clean up and you don ' t understand anything I ' m saying , do you ? " " " " What ' s that smell ? " " " " Ask him ! " " " " Me ? You ' re the one who stinks ! " " " " Are all your leaders women ? " " " " Yes . " " All " of them ? " " " You heard her , Julian . " " " " Men are far too emotional to be leaders . They ' re constantly fighting amongst themselves . It ' s their favorite thing to do . " [ off looks from O ' Brien , Odo and Bashir ] " I ' m sorry , I hope I haven ' t offended anyone . " " " " Mardah ' s studying entomology . She asked me to help her out . " " " " A dabo girl who studies entomology ! Hah ! Sure . " " " " It ' s true ! " " " " Hyeh . . . What " is " entomology ? " " " " The study of bugs . " " " " Oh , you mean she wants to be a chef ! " " " " It ' s going to get awfully crowded around here , Commander . " " " " I know , Constable , but it ' s worth it . Just look at them . They ' re experiencing their first taste of freedom . " " " " This isn ' t over yet , Big Ears ! " " " " I think you ' ve made a terrible mistake . " All " of you . Maybe we could have helped you . Maybe we could have helped each other . The Skreeans are " farmers " , Kira . You have a " famine " on your planet . Perhaps we could have made that peninsula bloom again . We ' ll never know , will we ? Fifty years of Cardassian rule have made you " all " frightened and suspicious . I feel sorry for you . You were right . Bajor is " not " Kentanna . " " " " Nog , have you been causing mischief again ? " " " " No uncle , it ' s all a misunderstanding . " " " " He sprayed several Skrreean boys with a foul smelling vapor . " " [ Smiles ] " " Did he ? " " [ Turns to Nog ] " " What do you have to say for yourself ? " " " " . . . I ' m sorry ? " " " " See the boy is beside himself with guilt ! " " Links and references . References . Alpha Quadrant ; Bajor ; Bajoran interceptor ; Bajoran Provisional Government ; Bajoran sector ; Bajoran system ; Bajoran wormhole ; Bolka ; Cardassian s ; Chamber of Ministers ; class M ; constable ; dabo ; dabo girl ; dermal regenerator ; Dominion ; Draylon II ; duty roster ; entomology ; evasive action ; exhibition hall ; Eye of the Universe ; Federation ; Gamma Quadrant ; general ; grammar ; growing season ; icoberry torte ; immigration ; " Interceptor One " ; inventory ; Jalanda Forum ; " jeetaka " ; Jem ' Hadar ; Kentanna ; latinum ; " maaza " stalks ; Mardah ; minister ; music hall ; northwest peninsula ; Occupation of Bajor ; phaser ; plasma burn ; plasma leak ; Promenade ; Quark ' s ; Reegrunion s ; refugee ; replicator ; Rom ; runabout ; Sefalla Prime ; Skrreea ns ; Skrreean language ; Skrreean ships ; sonata ; T - Rogoran s ; ; tivara ; toad ; Trilar Peninsula ; universal translator ; Vedek ; Vedek Assembly ; winter