The Circle ( episode ) Sisko and Odo work to reveal the real force behind the Circle ' s coup . ( Part 2 of 3 ) Summary . Teaser . Benjamin Sisko discusses Kira Nerys ' s transfer with Minister Jaro Essa , who assures Sisko that this is a promotion , and that Li Nalas will be safer on Deep Space 9 than in the capital with everything going on with the Circle . Sisko doesn ' t like it and makes it known , saying he expected to be consulted . Jaro politely assuages him , but points out Starfleet would not consult them on their personnel changes . Jaro leaves with the comment that Li must be a better liaison officer . Just then , Jake Sisko calls his father to their quarters to show him that the Circle has painted their emblem on the door , obviously able to get clearance for his level . Act One . Kira is packing in her quarters , when Odo shows up to protest at her departure . She admits she doesn ' t want to leave , but says she ' ll go where she ' s ordered . Odo refuses to accept this , telling her to do " what she does best , " and fight for what she wants . She reassures him that Li Nalas is a great man and will do an even better job than her as Sisko ' s liaison . Their conversation is interrupted by Dax , Bashir , O ' Brien , and even Quark showing up at her quarters in quick succession on various pretexts , each reacting in his or her own way to her departure . " " Is this a joke ? Did you plan this ? " " she finally exclaims , to which Bashir says , " " Nobody could have planned " this " ! " " When the door chimes yet again , she sarcastically tells whoever it is to " " come on in . . . join the crowd ! " " but is taken aback to see Vedek Bareil . He apologizes for interrupting , but she tells him not to worry , the people in the room ( she realizes even as she says it ) are her friends . Bareil invites Kira to come to his monastery on Bajor to have some time to herself and reflect on her next step . She accepts gratefully . Reminiscing in Ops , she finds Li who admits he did not want the job . She relates how she hated her assignment to DS9 when she was first given it ; now , a year later , there is nothing she wants more . Li is not sure how a Navarch will work with the Starfleet crew , but promises to work with Sisko , though no one can replace Kira . Finally she is ready to leave , and Sisko promises her that he will get her back . Act Two . On Bajor , Kira has let her hair down and changed her uniform for a simple dress , but is still unable to relax at the monastery . Bareil finds her as she is adjusting , for the umpteenth time , a stepping stone over a stream on the monastery grounds . He asks her why she is so concerned with having something to do , and she replies that , from her earliest girlhood , she has always tried to be useful wherever she is or whoever she is with . Bareil invites her to try being " useless " for a little while – to stop expecting so much of herself and start to reflect on who she really is and what she really wants . For help , he allows Kira to " encounter " one of the Bajoran Orb s for guidance . She has a series of visions in which she is denounced in front of the assembly of vedek s by Winn Adami as a blasphemer , and then she and Bareil embrace as lovers . Meanwhile , on Deep Space 9 Odo is conferring with an old friend of his in the Bajoran security forces , who says that the violence in the capital city is escalating , and that the Circle ' s gangs seem to melt away as soon as the security forces start looking for them . This suggests that they have powerful friends in the government . Odo ' s friend tells him the Bajoran Provisional Government is bringing military troops into the capital to impose martial law and put a final end to the Circle . He advises Odo to keep his eyes open . Odo reassures him , " " I always do , " " and ends the transmission . Quark has entered his office . At first , Odo thinks he is checking on the progress of the investigation into the assault on him , but Quark is in a panic . He says the Provisional Government is on the verge of toppling , and the Federation on the verge of being expelled from Bajor , and they have to evacuate the station as quickly as possible . Odo scoffs at the idea that the Circle , " a bunch of hooligans " could cause any real trouble , but Quark has learned from his contacts that the Circle has enough weapon s and supplies to mount an army . Odo , stunned , asks where the weapons are coming from , and Quark replies , from Kressari traders . Odo is baffled , since the Kressari don ' t even have a standing military , but Quark is confident that his information is solid . Odo asks him to find out where the weapons are going on Bajor . Quark refuses , telling Odo that he plans to leave Bajor at the first opportunity , so Odo blackmail s him , offering him a choice between acting as Odo ' s deputy or being thrown into a cell on some trumped - up charge . On Bajor , Kira and Bareil are walking together on the grounds of the monastery . Bareil confides that , the last time he encountered the Orb , Kira was part of his vision . He asks , hesitantly , whether he appeared in her vision , and she – lying through her teeth – says no . They are interrupted by the sound of distant artillery in the city , warning that the violence is getting worse . Vedek Winn appears , claiming to be delighted at having Kira as a guest , and encourages her to stay for as long as she needs – " even a week " she finishes , making it clear , without outright saying it , that Kira is not welcome . Act Three . On Bajor , Sisko visits the commander of the Bajoran Militia , General , and , after an exchange concerning their previous encounter at the Executive Committee , Sisko informs him of their intelligence on the Kressari . He notes that the military does not seem to be engaging the Circle as much as expected . Krim responds they are hesitant to fight other Bajorans , but Sisko also notes that the Provisional Government needs the military . He becomes convinced that the military will not support the Provisional Government if the Circle attempts a " coup " . At the end of the conversation , he asks for help in getting Kira re - assigned . Krim says that ' s not in his control , but notes that Sisko did not try to use his earlier intelligence to trade favors . On DS9 , the crew interdicts a Kressari freighter and closely inspects its cargo , but without finding any weapons on board . Li , getting over his nervousness , makes his first real communications as first officer to the angry freighter ' s captain . Appearing to give in to the captain ' s angry protests , the Ops crew allows the vessel to depart , with Odo stowing away as a rat . While on Bajor , Sisko also visits Kira . She says she heard the gunfire in the distance , and he warns her to keep her ears open down there . Shortly after he leaves , however , several masked members of the Circle kidnap her . Act Four . Kira regains consciousness in the Circle ' s underground headquarters . Jaro appears , revealing himself as the true force behind the Circle , preparing to mount a " coup d ' etat " and take control of the Bajoran government . Li Nalas , a popular hero , might have objected to his plan , hence his assignment to DS9 . Jaro says he shouldn ' t have to explain his reasons to Kira , since she shares his contempt for the Provisional Government – " provisional " being just another word for " powerless . " He refuses to let the Bajoran people be powerless , and wants all alien influences , be they Cardassian or Federation , expelled from Bajor . What he wants to know from her , he explains , is what Sisko , and the Federation , will do when the coup is revealed . Kira refuses to talk , and he replies that , for all the hatred he has of the Cardassians , they have taught him a few useful interrogation techniques . She is led away . Aboard the Kressari freighter , Odo watches from the shadows as a shipment of weapons is beamed on board , along with a Cardassian gul , who signs off the shipment with a thumbscan on the captain ' s manifest pad . He decides to steal the pad for evidence . Aboard DS9 , Kira ' s disappearance is being discussed by the crew . Quark appears , protesting at Odo ' s blackmail , but revealing that his underground contacts have located the Circle ' s headquarters for him : the cavern s beneath the Perikian Peninsula . Sisko orders a security team to meet him at a runabout pad , and Li insists on coming along , since he owes Kira for rescuing him from the Cardassians ' labor camp . Slipping into the caverns , Sisko , Li , Bashir , and a team of Bajoran security guards are drawn by the sound of Kira ' s screams of pain . In a brief firefight with the heavily - armed terrorists , the rest of the party holds them off , while Bashir pins a Starfleet combadge on Kira , allowing them all to be transported to safety . Act Five . In the infirmary aboard DS9 , Bashir is treating Kira ' s wounds , as she insists to Sisko that Li is the only person who can convince the Chamber of Ministers to take action against Jaro . At that moment , Odo returns , having " borrowed " the Kressari captain ' s manifest pad , and informing them that the Cardassians are secretly arming the Circle ( though the Circle is unaware of who they are really getting their weapons from ) . Once the Circle takes power , and the Federation is expelled from Bajor , the Cardassians will return and re - occupy the planet . Li says he has to do something , but Sisko contacts Dax in Ops , who says that all communications to Bajor have been cut off , and a squadron of Bajoran assault vessel s are coming up from the surface , carrying an occupation force . " " Then it has started . . . " " Kira remarks somberly . Jaro pays a visit to Vedek Winn , asking for her public support for his movement . Winn insists that he provide her with favor in return . Jaro promises that he will make her the next kai , suggesting that their shared orthodox views make them a " match made by the Prophet s . " Winn agrees to Jaro ' s suggestion , but demands a greater role in the forthcoming government , suggesting shared leadership with Jaro . In his office , Sisko confers with Starfleet Admiral Chekote over subspace communication , informing him of the situation and warning him that if the Circle is allowed to take power , they will effectively be handing the Cardassians control of the wormhole . Chekote is troubled , but is forced to conclude that the Prime Directive applies : the Bajorans ' power struggle is entirely internal to Bajor , even if the Cardassians are fanning the flames . He orders Sisko to keep out of the conflict , and evacuate the station . Outside , in Ops , Sisko asks how long it will take to evacuate the station . O ' Brien says , maybe a few hours ; when Sisko clarifies that he means a " complete " evacuation – a total removal of the Federation ' s entire presence – O ' Brien says that that could take as long as a week , but the assault vessels will be docking with the station in only seven hours . Sisko notes gravely , " " Then I guess some of us won ' t be gone by the time they get here . . . " " TO BE CONTINUED . . . Memorable quotes . " " If she doesn ' t care , why should we ? " " " " Have they given you any reason yet ? " " " " Did they give you any alternative ? " " " " I " do " care , no they haven ' t , no they didn ' t . I – I really oughta finish packing ! " " " " What ' s that ? " " " " A bottle of my favorite synthale , I think . That ' s very thoughtful , Quark . " " " " It ' s also very " small " . " " " " If I stay here much longer , I ' m sure I could destroy your entire arboretum . " " " " We gotta leave ! Well , I do , anyway ! You can just turn into a couch ! " " " " Where would the Circle be getting so many weapons ? " " " " The Kressari . " " " " The Kressari ? That doesn ' t make any sense , the Kressari don ' t even have a military . They ' re botanic DNA traders . " " " " Well , they ' re not delivering flowers these days ! " " " " Quark , I hate to do this , but – " " " " That ' s not fair ! " " " " I haven ' t done anything yet . " " " Whatever " you ' re about to do , it ' s not fair . " " " " You ' re a deputy . " " " " IT ' S NOT – ! What ? " " " " It ' s your choice – you ' re a deputy or you ' re a prisoner . " " " " I ' m a deputy . " " " " How long will you be with us major ? " " " " I ' m not sure . " " " " Feel free to stay as many days as you ' d like . . . even a week if necessary . " " " " Commander Sisko . . . you told me about the Kressari before you asked the favor regarding Kira . You could have tried to trade that information . . . for the favor . " " " " I wouldn ' t do that . " " " " I ' ll remember that about you . " " " " If we withdraw , we ' ll be giving Bajor and the wormhole back to them ! " " " " Chief , how long will it take us to evacuate Deep Space 9 ? " " " " I ' d say we could have all our people out and away in . . . three hours . " " " " I mean a complete evacuation . . . I intend to take all Starfleet instruments ; matériel . . . in fact , all Federation property of every kind . How quickly can we do that ? " " " " Sir , that ' ll take days . . . a full week , for all I know . But those assault ships will be here in seven hours . " " " " Then , I guess some of us won ' t quite be done by the time they get here . " " " " They ' ve got more firearms than a " Galaxy " - class starship . " " Links and references . References . 2355 ; Alliance for Global Unity ; ambassador ; arboretum ; architecture ; art ; Bajor ; Bajoran ; Bajoran assault vessel ; Bajoran capital ; Bajoran Executive Committee ; Bajoran Foreign Affairs Building ; Bajoran Provisional Government ; Bajoran Regional Comm Network ; Bajoran wormhole ; bicycle ; blasphemy ; bodyguard ; botanic DNA ; ; " Calondon " ; candle ; Cardassia ; Cardassia IV ; Cardassian ; caterer ; catering ; Chamber of Ministers ; Circle ; civil war ; combadge ; computer inventory system ; couch ; " coup " ; curfew ; dagger ; daydream ; deputy ; docking bay ; Earth ; epidellic lotion ; Federation ; fingerpainting ; force field ; ; graffiti ; graviton generator ; gul ; hammer ; handkerchief ; hooligan ; kai ; kilometer ; Kira Meru ; Kira Taban ; Kressari ; Kressari freighter ; Kressarian Government ; labyrinth ; liaison officer ; manifest interface ; meditation ; Minicoy ; Minicoy ambassador ; monastery ; monk ; ; navarch ; northeast quadrant ; Occupation of Bajor ; Ops ; orb ; Orb of Prophecy and Change ; " pagh " ; party ; patriot ; Perikian Peninsula ; Prime Directive ; Prophet s ; rat ; recreation ; runabout ; runabout pad C ; skin lotion ; space station ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Command ; storm ; synthale ; thumbprint ; thumbscan ; thunder ; turbolift ; vacation ; Vedek Assembly ; Voodai ; woodcrafts