Hear All, Trust Nothing (episode)

The Cerritos crew unexpectedly spends a day on Deep Space 9.
== Summary ==
=== Teaser ===
:"Captain's log, Stardate 58456.2. The Cerritos is providing support to the Vancouver. Captain Nguyen will be reopening post-war trade negotiations with the Karemma, a mercantile species from the Gamma Quadrant, while I will be overseeing a delivery of goodwill gifts from the Alpha Quadrant which will hopefully sweeten the deal."
On the bridge of the Cerritos, Ensign Barnes informs Captain Carol Freeman of an incoming transmission from Vice Admiral Les Buenamigo. Freeman jokes if they were also to pick up some Andorian kegs to add to the gift of various Alpha Quadrant beverages, however Buenamigo informs her of a change in plans. As the Vancouver has been rerouted to the Hasparga system to assist in the evacuation of a colony supposedly threatened by a brown hole– which Freeman argues isn't a real thing– Freeman will be heading the negotiations instead. Hoping that these negotiations will continue healing scars from the Dominion War, over her protests Buenamigo tells her that this is their best chance and orders her to make things work, before ending the transmission. Freeman is exasperated by the task at hand, as she has a few hours at best to prepare in comparison to the months that Nguyen or any other officer would normally have been given due to the high importance of such diplomacy and after a calming breath has the Cerritos drop out of warp as they approach the rendezvous.
The Cerritos drops out of warp in the vicinity of Deep Space 9, within the Denorios belt of the Bajoran system. As Lieutenant Shaxs expresses disgust at the station's Cardassian design, Freeman excuses herself and asks the helm to buy her a little time while she goes to read up on the Karemma. Ensign Wendy, the conn officer, asks Commander Jack Ransom how she should do so, and he responds to fly the ship around the station's pylons in an effort to make them seem like they're flying around them in awe. Wendy proceeds to do this, and after completing a lap, Ransom tells her to just keep on circling.
=== Act One ===
With the Cerritos docked at one of the upper pylons, Ensigns Brad Boimler, D'Vana Tendi, and Sam Rutherford all express excitement about the visit to such a significant place as they look out at the station from the LD sleeping quarters, though Beckett Mariner, having served there, finds their reactions bemusing. Rutherford notes how they just need to move a few crates over to the Karemma's ship, then they'll be free to explore the station, and Mariner tells them she plans on relaxing on the ship. Appearing from the inside of Mariner's bunk, where Mariner thought she was still sleeping, Jennifer Sh'reyan asks if she will be free to join her and her friends for a salon that Castro is hosting later on in her quarters, as she's been wanting Mariner to get to know her friends. Mariner, seemingly uninterested in this, says she'll be giving a tour of DS9 to her friends, so they don't get lost, but as they have maps Boimler insists that she stay on the ship and have some fun with Sh'reyan. Jennifer kisses her on the cheek and heads off. As Tendi expresses enthusiasm in Mariner meeting Sh'reyan's friends, Mariner is concerned that they'll be judgmental and uptight. Tendi replies that it'll mean a lot to Sh'reyan that she gets along with her friends, and Boimler tells her not to be bossy as she is with them. Mariner denies that she does, though the others laugh loudly before leaving for the station.
On the station, Colonel Kira Nerys steps off the turbolift into Ops, reading a PADD as she enters her ready room, and gazes at the Bajoran wormhole as the Karemma ship arrives in the Alpha Quadrant. Freeman then walks in with both Ransom and Shaxs accompanying her, and Kira welcomes them aboard. Having been already updated on Freeman's unexpected replacement of Captain Nguyen, Kira has taken the news in stride and tossing Sisko's baseball into the air, notes that "it's not Starfleet Command unless they throw us a few curve balls," an analogy Freeman finds appropriate. As Freeman introduces her officers, Kira and Shaxs greet each other warmly, as they served together in the Bajoran Resistance. Kira tells them how Shaxs saved her life during a raid on the Haru outposts, and that she still owes him for that. Shaxs tells her that he actually owed her for saving his life from an ambush at Vannakur. This starts an argument between the two over the numerous times the two had saved one another, and who owed who.
The Karemma dock at another upper pylon, and as they board the station, one complains about how the trade talks are a waste of time and wonders how the Federation even managed to defeat the Dominion. While the trade minister, Korzak, does agree with the sentiment, he is interested in the chance of making any sort of profit from the talks. They will hear the Federation out, and should diplomacy fail, they have a backup plan: a mysterious blinking device the first man is carrying beneath his outer clothes.
Meanwhile at the bar, Quark is taking a selfie with a couple of fans, and after a small fee, he signs the PADD for them. Kira approaches and introduces him to Freeman, Ransom, and Shaxs. Quark enthusiastically expresses his love of Starfleet and tells them how he's managed to expand his bar into a franchise business with 21 locations all across the Alpha Quadrant. Ransom is confused at how he does this, since replicators can make any drink, but Quark tells him that their Starfleet replicators are outdated in comparison to his own. His unique design in the Quark 2000 gives his replicated drinks a special taste that he's been crafting for years. As he tries to sell Freeman on a Quark's at Starfleet Academy, Boimler, Tendi, and Rutherford enter the bar in awe. Boimler sees their dabo table, and gets excited, as he thought the game was illegal. Tendi warns him that the table is likely rigged, but as fortune favors the bold, Boimler goes to play the game with the currency pouch he has with him. As he leaves, an Orion Starfleet ensign serving on the station notices Tendi and walks over, having never seen another Orion Starfleet officer before. Tendi agrees that this has been her experience too. He introduces himself as Mesk and as he seems to be familiar with Tendi's name, asking if her family is from the Evtan Rim, though Tendi is not eager to divulge much and defects the question, interested more in hearing about what it's like serving on the station. Mesk quickly makes her uncomfortable as he continues to talk about Orions, and Tendi asks Rutherford if they can go get food with their drinks. Mesk ignores her dismissal however and boasts about him being able to carry his Orion multi-key around with him in uniform, as he was able to convince Starfleet that it had religious significance. Rutherford asks what it is, and Tendi tells him how it's a common tool used by pirates. Mesk offers to give them the grand tour of the station, and while Tendi is about to decline, Rutherford enthusiastically accepts for them. While Mesk jokes warmly about a couple Orions "skulking" around the station, Tendi is visibly uncomfortable.
On the Cerritos, Mariner steels herself before entering Castro's quarters and is greeted at the door by Castro and a couple of other officers, all in 'Betazoid casual' attire like t-shirts, sweaters, and sweatpants. Mariner is quickly overwhelmed by the enthusiastic personas of everyone present but tries to keep it together. Castro invites her over to join them for candle making, and Mariner goes to pour herself a drink to get herself ready. As she pours what might be Aldebaran whiskey, Wendy and walk over and ask her if Boimler is single as they find him very attractive, with Anya adding that she thinks purple hair is sexy. This causes an awkward silent moment when in response, Mariner empties the entire bottle into her glass.
Back on the station, Kira leads Freeman, Ransom, and Shaxs into the conference room where the Karemma are waiting for them. Korzak is disgruntled that Nguyen is absent, expressing doubt that any agreement can be reached when someone fails to honor an appointment, but Freeman casually tells him of the gifts they brought along, enticing him to let her negotiate with them instead. As Freeman starts negotiations, Shaxs and Kira quietly continue their argument over who is indebted to who over their countless rescues of one another.
Mesk walks Tendi and Rutherford around the Promenade, and Rutherford is blown away by the countless sights, but Mesk is more interested in Tendi and what her family thinks of her being in Starfleet. Tendi is still hesitant to talk, and Mesk boasts about how he defied his family's wishes in taking over the "pirate business." As Rutherford runs off to dangle his legs from the upper level, Mesk asks what the first ship Tendi ever stole was, and she tells him that she doesn't steal. He laughs, thinking she's joking, but she gets upset, saying that not every Orion is a criminal, and he tries to calm her down, mentioning that he's starting to feel her "aggressive female pheromones firing off," further angering Tendi as she iterates that not all women of their species even have them. Freeman then sends out a request over their combadges for a detail team to transfer gift pallets over to the Karemma's ship. Tendi immediately volunteers, and calls Rutherford over to join her, much to his disappointment.
In the bar, Boimler is enjoying a winning streak at the dabo table, getting the attention and suspicion of one the Ferengi pit boss.
Tendi and Rutherford are starting to transfer the gift crates to the Karemma on an anti-grav sled, and Rutherford notes how it must have been exciting for Tendi to run into another Orion officer. Tendi tells him that she'd rather just work with him, when Mesk appears, having gotten himself reassigned to be their security detail for the rest of the day. Obviously unhappy with this, Tendi narrows her eyes in silent irritation as Mesk begins to sing an Orion pirate shanty and tries to get her to join in.
=== Act Two ===
On the Cerritos, Mariner is in a circle, where Castro is relaying a "personal battlefield" story from her time aboard the . Castro then invites Mariner to tell her own story, and Mariner politely declines, stating that she doesn't have anything prepared so she'd rather just listen. Castro says that she believes Mariner to be disrespectful of the salon, saying that Sh'reyan was correct in saying that Mariner enjoys being contrary. Castro then invites Anya to go next, who begins a dance she calls "The Kobayashi Maroon."
On DS9, Kira, Freeman, Ransom and Shaxs are walking with Korzak and his group along the Promenade, showing him how races from all over the quadrant are participating in business together, though Korzak is unimpressed. Freeman then beckons towards Quark's, as it is more than just a kiosk, and has become a highly successful franchise. This gets Korzak's attention, but as they enter and Quark sees the group, he gets apprehensive and alert. Freeman commends him for his successful expansions and asks him to tell the Karemma about how he was able to accomplish it. Quark declines, saying he's very busy. Freeman tries to convince him to tell them, as the Karemma could help him further expand his franchise, but Quark passes firmly, claiming not to want to over-saturate the market. Kira asks him to do them a favor as they want to make a good impression, but Quark says he doesn't want to make a good impression on the Karemma, as the Karemma did nothing to assist them during the Dominion War. This insults Korzak, who tells him they had nothing to do with that. Quark replies that he did business with the Karemma before, and won't make that mistake again, starting an ugly dispute between the two.
Mesk is still singing a pirate shanty as Tendi and Rutherford enter the Karemma ship with the gifts. As he continues to boast about his skills and talk about how both he and Tendi could take the ship if they really wanted to, Tendi snaps and tells him that she never liked her criminal background, finding it embarrassing and at times, not wanting to be associated with Orions at all. Mesk dryly responds that he'll never forget where he came from.
At Quark's, Boimler is continuing his impressive winning streak, having amassed a huge pile of gold-pressed latinum. The Ferengi pit boss immediately comes over, scanning him, and accuses him of cheating. Boimler angrily refutes the accusation, and bets part of his sizable winnings on 'triple down dabo', much to the pit boss's terror.
Back at the bar, Quark is still arguing with Korzak, and Freeman tries to calm them all down. Freeman tries to talk with Korzak, saying that while Quark can indeed be insufferable at times, his reputation as a businessman cannot be debated. She points out the Quark 2000, but as she does, the Karemma eye it with suspicion and approach it. Quark angrily demands them to step away from his intellectual property, and then says the bar is closed and yells at everyone to get out. The Karemma nearest the machine is unfazed, and calls over Korzak, while Quark continues to protest, as his replicator contains trade secrets that he doesn't want anyone else seeing. Korzak takes a closer look at the replicator, and throws it down in anger, destroying the machine, taking everyone by surprise. He orders for the "Alpha Contingency", and one of his assistants pulls out the mysterious blinking device and throws the orb at them. He nearly hits Kira, though Shaxs dives and pushes her out of the way, and the orb hits a nearby terminal and activates. A ensues as both DS9 and the Cerritos lose power, and in the confusion, the Karemma kidnaps Quark and beam back to their ship. Kira tries to contact Ops but is unsuccessful. While they all wonder just why everything escalated as fast as it did, the powered-down dabo wheel slows and only illuminated by another Ferengi's palm beacon, stops exactly where Boimler needs to win big once again and handily proves that he's not cheating, much to the dismay of the pit boss and a waiter, who had now joined the scene.
In the Karemma ship, Rutherford sees Mesk carving something in the Orion language into the wall with his multi-key. Mesk replies that he's simply informing other Orions that Tendi is a traitor. Tendi objects to this, but before she can further defend herself, Korzak and the other Karemma walk past the open cargo hold door with Quark, who is calling out for help. Unaware of the three ensigns onboard, Korzak orders for the ship to set a course for the wormhole. The airlock and cargo hold door close, trapping the three ensigns onboard, and unable to raise the Cerritos.
In Castro's quarters, everyone is wondering why power has been lost, and try to report to stations, only to find themselves trapped in the room. One of Castro's friends starts to have trouble breathing, and Mariner notes that it does feel a bit stuffy in the room. Taking out her tricorder, Mariner discovers that the Impulian candles are burning up twice as much oxygen than normal candles and tries to extinguish them, but Sh'reyan's friends object. As they all panic, Mariner tries to reason with them, but Sh'reyan pulls her aside and asks why she's being so polite, as she's not sounding like herself at all. Mariner admits that she's been trying not to sound bossy or mean to her friends since she didn't want to upset Sh'reyan and potentially ruin their relationship. Sh'reyan responds that she actually likes that Mariner has a short tolerance for people and has been looking forward to seeing her really go to town on her friends. Reassured, Mariner takes out her phaser and fires twice into the air, telling them all to shut up. Castro angrily stands up to her, but Mariner, explaining that people consume less oxygen when they're unconscious, just stuns her with the phaser. Shocked by this the other girls run in fear as Mariner chases them all while firing, much to Sh'reyan's amusement.
=== Act Three ===
The Karemma ship is approaching the wormhole, and Rutherford calls to Mesk to use his unique skills to take over the ship. However, Mesk breaks down, and admits that he's never pirated anything before in his life. Tendi is dumbfounded that he'd admit this when all he has talked about all day was his skill at piracy, but Mesk admits that he was faking it all. He goes on to say that he's never even been to , having grown up in Cincinnati, Ohio after being adopted by a Human family. His knowledge of Orion piracy is questionable at best, since all he learned came from seemingly salacious holonovels, acknowledging that they weren't even good novels. Tendi asks why he lied, and he replies that growing up, people always looked upon him as a typical Orion, and expected him to be as such. As he never knew any other Orions growing up, he was never checked on his skills.
Hearing this, Tendi sympathizes with him and relates with her own struggles that she's had to face as an Orion and tells him that it's important just to be himself, "Ohio Mesk", despite what others expect. Mesk apologizes, and as they reconcile, he only wishes he actually had the skills since Orion piracy would help them out a lot in their predicament. With a small smile, Tendi agrees, then grabs Mesk's multi-key and springs into action. Extending a pry tool, she pries open a bulkhead and manages to manually open the cargo hold door. Checking the corridor, she tells them that her father taught her that every ship has a security failsafe, and they rush off to find it. A Karemma security guard tries to stop them, but she takes her out with ease, before she notices a gold tooth in another guard's mouth. She takes him out, and extracts the tooth with the multi-key, continuing to astound Rutherford and Mesk with her moves and skills. Also snatching the guard's security pass, she tosses the pass into the air and with another extension activated, hurls the multi-key at the pass, which pins the pass to the security console of the next door and activates it. They rush through into the next room with the ship's propulsion controls as they get closer and closer to the wormhole. Rushing towards a man working the consoles, Tendi aggressively roars and the man dives off the platform in fright rather than face her. She rushes to the controls and after making a few adjustments opens the panel below, places the tooth in an energy field, and then uses the controls. Moments later, the ship stops just short of the wormhole. Asked how she did it, Tendi reveals that the tooth is actually made of gold-pressed latinum, and she used the latinum to magnetically decouple the propulsion controls. When Mesk enthuses that she took the ship single-handedly, she embarrassingly adds that her family would have been very proud of her. She tells them that it's only a temporary fix and it will only be a couple of hours before the Karemma find out what she did but is interrupted when the ship is engulfed in a tractor beam.
Having restored power, DS9 successfully catches the ship and begins pulling it back to the station, though Ransom wonders why they just stopped as close as they did to the wormhole. Freeman orders the Karemma beamed to the brig where they can then ask them questions.
In Castro's quarters, Mariner has finally managed to stun everyone with her phaser, and Sh'reyan admits that Mariner's tendency to keep things unexpected is what she likes most about Mariner but goes on to say that it would look really bad if they were discovered conscious in a room of unconscious crew members. Mariner agrees, and as they embrace and kiss one another, Mariner stuns them both, and they fall to the table unconscious in each other's arms just as power is restored to the ship.
In DS9's brig, Korzak demands to be released, but Freeman tells him that their kidnapping of Quark cannot be overlooked. Quark intervenes, saying that everything's a misunderstanding and that they can work out a resolution. Angered by this, Korzak accuses him of stealing their technology, as the Quark 2000 was full of Karemma components, and that they weren't kidnapping him, but arresting him. Everyone turns to Quark, who reluctantly admits that a few years ago, he did indeed "borrow" a Karemma replicator, but that it was his codes that made them so popular. Freeman comes up with a solution to make them both happy.
:"Captain's log, supplemental. Our mission, though unexpected, has been a resounding success. The Karemma have agreed to open up trade and not imprison Quark in exchange for 76% of all his franchises' profits."
At Quark's bar, the Karemma are enjoying themselves, asking for large amounts of top-shelf Tamarian mead on the house. Quark begrudgingly has one of his waiters give it to them, while he takes issue with how Freeman handled the situation. Freeman simply tells him that it's likely better to be poor than in prison, which Quark vehemently disagrees with. Elsewhere, Mariner apologizes to Sh'reyan that she didn't win over her friends, though Sh'reyan finds it better that they're now scared of her. Quark brings over a couple of drinks, and seeing Mariner, asks her if she has enough latinum to cover her tab from back in the day. Mariner says she doesn't but asks to have her tab cleared or she'll show Kira a copy of the hologram with Quark's head on Kira's body stored on what appears to be an isolinear chip to Quark's horror, as he had deleted the original. Kira comes over, getting reacquainted with Mariner and asking what they were talking about, and Quark quickly grabs the chip, saying he was just clearing her tab for old times' sake. Kira is immediately suspicious and asks what's on the chip; Quark desperately shoves the chip in his mouth in an attempt to eat it and runs off in fear with Kira pursuing him as Mariner and Sh'reyan laugh.
Over at the dabo tables, Boimler is still winning and the pit boss offers to give him a gift certificate of 'Quark Bucks' with double the value of the latinum that Boimler has won to redeem at Quark's gift store, instead of Boimler walking away with the latinum. Boimler decides to take it since they don't even use money in Starfleet, much to the pit boss's annoyance. Shaxs and Kira share a couple of drinks and Kira thanks Shaxs for saving her, then slyly adds that now she actually does owe him one, much to the dismay of Shaxs as she laughs at the look on his face. As Boimler walks through the bar practically festooned with Quark's memorabilia that he's redeemed, at another table, Rutherford is excitedly talking with Tendi about how amazing she was in action, and she asks if he's embarrassed about her history with piracy. He immediately says he isn't since it's just a part of who she is. Tendi is thankful and promises to no longer be embarrassed about her past. She then wonders what to do with the latinum tooth that she still has from earlier as she considers it a bit gross, but Quark eagerly takes it off her hands, citing the 9th Rule of Acquisition: "Opportunity plus instinct equals profit."
== Memorable quotes ==
"Tacky Cardassian fascist eyesore."
:- Shaxs, about DS9
"Helm, just buy me some time to read up on the Karemma."
"U-uh, sir? H-how do we do that?"
"I don't know, just circle around and pretend we're in awe of the pylons."
:- Freeman, Wendy, and Ransom
"We wouldn't have even made it to the Badlands if you hadn't sprung me from that prison transport!"
"You sprang me from one the week before!"
"That one didn't count! We were both locked up! Come on!"
:- Shaxs and Kira
"I owe you for taking a phaser shot for me on the Da'Karo mission!"
"What? You took one for me at Da'Karo!"
"No, I mean Da'Karo Prime – the one with the little trees!
"I don't remember that. No way."
"Neryyys!"
:- Shaxs and Kira
"What are you doing?!"
"Just actualizing my dreams."
:- Wendy and Mariner, as she starts to stun them all
"What is your problem?"
"I have principles."
"No, you don't."
:- Kira and Quark
"I got adopted by Humans, and everything I know about Orions I learned from the holonovels. Bad ones, too. The ones with the boobs on the cover."
:- Mesk
"Well, I definitely didn't have 'phaser all your friends' on my bingo card."
:- Mariner to Sh'reyan
"I thought you said your plan would make us both happy."
"Well, you're happier being poor than in prison, aren't you?"
"Nooo!"
:- Quark and Freeman
"Mariner. You'd better have a stack of latinum down there."
"Uh, nope. But I do have a copy of that hologram with your head on Kira's body."
"Impossible! I erased that."
"How about we clear my tab? Unless you're not afraid of Kira seeing this."
:- Quark and Mariner
"Listen, you could walk out of here with all that latinum, that germy, dirty latinum, or... a gift certificate for twice its value at our Quark's gift store."
"Quark's bucks. I'll take it! We don't even use money in Starfleet anyway."
"...What?"
:-Ferengi pit boss and Boimler
"Oh, it was good to see you today, old-timer."
"Yes. The Prophets smiled on both of us."
"Thanks for having my back when the klisht hit the fan."
"Just doing my job."
"Now I do owe you one."
"Wait, what? No. No, no, no. Hey, come on."
"Gotcha."
:- Kira and Shaxs
== Background information ==
=== Title ===
* The title was announced on by Paramount+. 
* The title of this episode is a reference to the 190th Rule of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition – "Hear all, trust nothing", stated in the Season 5 finale .
=== Story and script ===
* Tawny Newsome commented: "Look, I'm not proud of a lot of things in my career, but I am proud of that. Because I was right. Yeah. So he wrote the DS9 episode and he wrote it with Mariner on like a side mission or like on a different storyline. And I read it and I got really sad for myself, Tawny, because I'm a huge Deep Space Nine fan and I really wanted to play in that world. So he logged on to the Zoom and I gave him some serious shit for it. I was like, "How are you denying me this as a fan?" And he was like, "Tawny, we're making a TV show. This isn't about your wants and dreams." But I think he ultimately heard the wisdom and what I was saying. And then he did rewrite the ending for me." 
=== Cast and characters ===
* Armin Shimerman reprises his role of Quark, who is still running his bar on Deep Space 9. Quark last appeared in the series finale . With his appearance in this episode, Shimerman joins the rank of actors who have portrayed the same character in four different Star Trek series, as Quark also previously appeared in and as well as in a cameo ultimately cut from .
* Nana Visitor reprises her role of Kira Nerys, marking the character's first appearance outside of Deep Space Nine. Kira also last appeared in "What You Leave Behind". Unlike most characters from The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager who have reappeared in later Star Trek series, Kira still holds the same rank and position that she held during her last appearance, being a colonel in the Bajoran Militia and in command of space station Deep Space 9.
* With the appearances of Visitor and Shimermann, this episode marks the first return of Deep Space Nine main characters since the series ended in 1999. Previously, a hologram of Odo made an appearance in , although only via repurposed lines from previous appearances of the late Rene Auberjonois. All three actors had also previously reprised their roles for the "Victory is Life" expansion of Star Trek Online in 2018.
* Morn briefly appears in his usual spot at Quark's Bar.
* Indirect references are made to Elim Garak ("a tailor"), Jake Sisko ("a junior reporter") and Miles O'Brien ("O'Brien's dartboard"). In addition, O'Brien's mirror universe counterpart Smiley is mentioned and Benjamin Sisko's is still on display in Kira's office.
* This episode features the return of Vice Admiral Les Buenamigo, who was introduced in the Season 3 premiere .
* Two previously unnamed characters are named in this episode: Nguyen, the captain of the who appeared in , and Wendy, who first appeared in .
=== Production ===
* Armin Shimerman insisted on wearing his old prosthetic teeth when voicing Quark, feeling they were essential to make the character sound right. 
=== Continuity === 
* This episode features the return to Deep Space 9, last seen in 2375 on the series finale . Over six years later, Kira Nerys is still in command of the station. While many of the Cerritos crew are excited to visit the famed station, Shaxs refers to DS9 as a "tacky Cardassian fascist eyesore", referencing its ominous role in the Cardassion occupation of Bajor.
* When the Cerritos arrives at the station, Dennis McCarthy's Deep Space Nine main title theme is heard playing. The ship then proceeds to circle around Deep Space 9 as the Bajoran wormhole opens up, mirroring the opening title sequence of the series.
* As Ops is seen in this episode, the command center seems to be exclusively manned by members of the Bajoran Militia. This may indicate that Starfleet has a reduced role in commanding the station, although Starfleet officers, such as Mesk, are still present on Deep Space 9.
* It is revealed that Kira and Shaxs served in the Bajoran Resistance together during the Occupation, frequently saving each other's life.
* The Karemma and the Karemma ship make their first appearance since .
* The Federation's gifts to the Karemma include Vulcan port (), Aldebaran whiskey (), Romulan ale (), and Galardonian milk ().
* This episode reveals that Quark has expanded his business to a whole franchise, with 21 Quark's Bars established by 2381. The extension of Quark's business was previously implied through the appearance of establishments in the episode and the Lower Decks episodes and .
* Kira has not forgotten her baseball terminology, first learned as a member of the Niners baseball team and their game against the Logicians in 2375, in the episode .
* When first approaching Tendi, Mesk is shown drinking a Modela aperitif, a layered cocktail Quark prepared for Jadzia Dax in the episode . Kira, Shaxs and Rutherford are each shown drinking one at the end of the episode as well, as it's a specialty of the Quark 2000 replicator.
* Rutherford wanting to sit with his legs dangling off the upper level of the Promenade is a reference to the activity Jake Sisko and Nog used to do of watching passengers of various ships disembarking at the airlocks below.
* Mesk was adopted by Humans and raised on Earth, and all he knows of Orion culture is based on holonovels. This is similar to Worf's background; he too was raised by Humans on Gault and Earth.
* Although their romantic relationship has blossomed since , Beckett Mariner and Jennifer Sh'reyan share their first on-screen kiss in this episode. That this happens while the Cerritos visits Deep Space 9 might not be a coincidence, as the very first kiss between two women in Star Trek was shown in the episode between Jadzia Dax and Lenara Kahn.
* It is further established that Mariner previously served on Deep Space 9 during the early to mid-2370s, which was first implied in . Kira is shown to be friendly and familiar with Mariner and the junior officer also still has an open bar tab with Quark from her time on the station.
* In addition, Mariner informs Quark that she possesses "a copy of that hologram with your head on Kira's body" which was created in the Deep Space Nine episode in 2371. In that episode, Kira warns Quark that if she ever catches him point a holoimager at her again, she would make him "eat it". In this episode, Quark ends up eating the chip containing the copy of the Kira hologram to prevent Kira from finding out what's on it. Although Kira herself was involved in making the alterations to the original hologram, it seems that Quark is embarrassed that Kira might find out that a copy of the program still exists.
=== Reception ===
* Nana Visitor commented: "I'll tell you, it really hit me when I saw the episode and I saw the station. It was really emotional to see the station in this new show and hear the music. The joke at the top with the music made me laugh so hard. When it was presented to me, it's like, "Oh, that's interesting and good. I like the show. I like what they're doing. That'll be fun." It was fun, but then when I saw it on television, it was really emotional." 
* Armin Shimerman commented: "I agree with Nana—when I heard the music, I too was choked up. And of course the laugh came as well. I was surprising how that music affected me just being shown on national TV one more time." 
* Cirroc Lofton commented: "I actually felt like I was visiting Deep Space 9. I felt transported back to Deep Space Nine because of the exterior shot because of the music. It sent me there like right away. And even the pace of certain things in the music. It was different. It was… how we used to film our show, they didn't have the bang-bang-bang jokes that they normally have on Lower Decks, they actually use the Deep Space Nine kind of tempo a little bit in this episode." 
== Links and references ==
=== Starring ===
* Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner
* Jack Quaid as Brad Boimler
* Noël Wells as D'Vana Tendi
* Eugene Cordero as Sam Rutherford
* Dawnn Lewis as Carol Freeman
* Jerry O'Connell as Jack Ransom
* Fred Tatasciore as
** Korzak
** Shaxs
* Gillian Vigman as Karemma guard 2
=== Special guest stars ===
* Armin Shimerman as "Quark"
* Nana Visitor as "Col. Kira Nerys"
=== Guest cast ===
* Carlos Alazraqui as Les Buenamigo
* Merrin Dungey as Wendy
* Lauren Lapkus as Jennifer Sh'reyan
* Jessica McKenna as
** Barnes
** Dabo Girl 1
* Gil Ozeri as Ferengi pit boss
* Adam Pally as Mesk
* Gabrielle Ruiz as Castro
* Tien Tran as 
;Characters with unidentified voice actors
* Dabo girl 2
* Ferengi waiter
* Karemma aide 1
* Quark's fan
=== Background characters ===
;USS Cerritos
* Sleepy Merp
* T'Ana
* Human cmd ens 8
* Human cmd lt 2
* Human cmd lt jg 2
* Human ops lt jg 1
* Human ops lt jg 2
* Human ops ofc 7
* Human sci ens 3
* Human sci ens 5
* Human sci lt jg 2
;Deep Space 9
* Morn
* Algolian visitor
* Bajoran civilians
* Bajoran command officers
* Bajoran operations officers
* Bajoran sciences officers
* Bajoran waitress
* Bolian visitors
* Human cmd ens
* Human visitors
* Ferengi bartender
* Khwopian visitor
* Klingon shopkeeper
* Klingon visitors
* Trill visitor
* Vulcan visitors
;Karemma ship
* Karemma aides 2, 3, 4, and 5
* Karemma engineer
* Karemma guards 1 and 3
=== References ===
Alamo; Aldebaran whiskey; Algolian; Alpha contingency; Alpha Quadrant; ambushed; Andorian; Andorian kegs; arrest; Badlands; Bajoran; Bajoran food court; Bajoran Militia; Bajoran Militia uniform; Bajoran Resistance; Bajoran wormhole; barrowbug; ; bat'leth; Bat'leths 'R' Us; Betazoid casual; body; Bolian; bongos; brown hole; Caitian; ; candle making; captain; captain's log; Cardassian; ; chief; Cincinnati; colonel; combadge; commander; communications; cots; Da'Karo; Da'Karo mission; Da'Karo Prime; dabo; dabo girl; dabo wheel; dartboard; days; Deep Space 9 (aka ); diplomacy; doctor; Dominion War; ensign; ; entrepreneur; Evtan Rim; fascist; Federation space; Ferengi; flame; Founders; franchise; Galardonian milk; Gamma Quadrant; gift; gift certificate; gift shop; Haru outposts; Hasparga system; head; hologram; holonovel; ; Human; Impulian candle; inebriation; isolinear chip; Karemma; Karemma device; Karemma ship (unnamed); Khwopian; kidnapping; ; Klingon; ""; latinum; "long-lobed halfling"; Lurian; map; Merp's species; Mesk's adoptive parents; Mind Meld; mirror universe; Modela aperitif; money; months; Nguyen; northern hemisphere; ; Ohio; (planet); Orion (species); Orion language; Orion multi-key; Orion Syndicate; oxygen; PADD; percent; pirate; pirate shanty; prison transport; profit; Promenade; Prophets; pylon; ; Quark 2000; Quark Bucks; Quark's; Quark's Express; race (aka species); replicator; Risa Colada; Risan cabernet; Romulan ale; Rules of Acquisition; salon; savages; selfie; ; slaves; Smiley; stardate; Starfleet; Starfleet Academy; Starfleet Command; Starfleet uniform (2370s-early 2380s); Starfleet uniform (early 2380s); stealing; sweats; tab; tailor; Tamarian mead; tax; tchotchke; ; ; Terok Nor type; "throw us a few curve balls"; tooth; tooth remover; top shelf; tractor beam; trade; trade minister; traitor; trees (Da'Karo prime tree); Trill; typewriter; ; Vannakur; vice admiral; VISOR; Vorta; Vulcan; Vulcan port; wardrobe; week; wine opener
=== External links ===
* 
* 
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pl:Hear All, Trust Nothing