What you Leave Behind
On the eve of battle, the crew of DS9 bid their loved ones farewell as they prepare to depart on a deadly mission
that, one way or another, will determine the outcome of the war. Ezri and Bashir, having finally found love, make a pact to
come home alive. O'Brien, meanwhile, makes a pledge to his family -- apparently he has been offered a position at Starfleet
Academy as a Professor of Engineering and he intends to take it as soon as the war is over, meaning the O'Briens will be
moving back to Earth. Sisko, meanwhile, does his best to assure his pregnant wife, Kasidy, that he will return safely home.
The crew board the Defiant and depart from DS9, joining a massive fleet of Federation, Klingon and Romulan ships -- their
destination Cardassia. Damar's plan to sabotage all Dominion installations on Cardassia is a success and the Dominion is completely cut off from
their fleet. Broca informs the Founder that Cardassian civillians are responsible for the sabotage. The Founder is furious
and declares that the Cardassian citizens must be severely punished for their act of betrayal. The Dominion gain back-up
power and Weyoun delivers an address to the Cardassian people, informing them that as pay-back for their actions, the
Dominion has completely obliterated Lakarian city, killing two million men, women and children. Weyoun warns that for act
additional act of sabotage another Cardassian city will be destroyed. Incensed by this act of genocide, Kira, Damar and
Garak make plans to attack the Central Command. The Dominion have located Damar, however and Jem'Hadar and Cardassian soldiers storm the house, killing Mila and
apprehending Damar, Kira and Garak. The soldiers inform Weyoun of their catch and the Founder orders their immediate
execution. The Cardassian soldiers, however, turn on the Jem'Hadar just as the prisoners are about to be killed. Seeking
revenge for the destruction of Lakarian city, they pledge their lives to Damar. Meanwhile, the massive Federation fleet engages the Dominion in fierce battle. The onslaught is devastating and just as it
appears the Federation's lines are crumbling, the Cardassian ships switch sides and start opening fire on the Jem'Hadar and
Breen warships. At the Central Command on Cardassia communications have been restored and the Founder is horrified when she
learns that the Cardassians have betrayed them. Reeling with fury, she orders the Dominion fleet to withdraw and pull back
to Cardassia Prime. As for the Cardassians, she orders -- starting with Broca -- the extermination of the entire population. Thanks to the aid of their new Cardassian allies, the Federation fleet has succeeded in pushing the Dominion back to
Cardassia Prime. But the battle is not over and Sisko and Martok convince Admiral Ross that they must press on to Cardassia
and defeat the Dominion rather than let them fortify their troops in preparation for another offensive. Although the cost is
bound to be extreme, the fleet heads on to Cardassia to finally put a decisive end to the war. On Bajor, meanwhile, Winn and Dukat make their way to the Fire Caves. Upon arriving at their destination, Winn uses the book
of the Kosst Amojan to call forth the Pah-wraiths and she pours a ceremonial chalice of wine, offering it first to Dukat.
Dukat drinks the wine, but within seconds he is writhing on the ground in agony -- the wine was poisoned. Winn explains that
the Pah-wraiths demand a sacrifice. Who is more worthy of the Pah-wraiths than Dukat? Dukat slumps over, dead and Winn
offers the sacrifice to the Pah-wraiths. Meanwhile, Kira, Damar and co. have reached Dominion headquaters only to discover that their explosives will barely dent the
neutronium walls. They have no way of getting inside until, that is, the Jem'Hadar guards escort Broca out of the building
for execution. They charge at the guards and gain entry into the building, but in the crossfire Damar is killed. Kira orders
the Cardassians to press on -- Damar's death will not be in vain. In the control room, Weyoun admits to the Founder that
there is only a handful of guards in the building, the rest having been sent to impliment her orders to eradicate the
Cardassian population. Kira and Garak make it to the control room and hold Weyoun and the Founder at gun point. "Tell me,
where is my old friend Damar?" asks Weyoun. "He's dead. He died trying to free Cardassia," Garak replies. "What's left of
it," sneers the smug Vorta. Garak's response is quick and deadly -- he kills Weyoun. Kira demands that the Founder call her
troops to stand down: the war is over. The Founder retorts that she has no intention of doing anything of the sort. Her
troops will continue to fight to the last man. The Federation may well win the war, but they will have incurred such
devastating losses "that your victory will taste as bitter as defeat". Kira makes contact with the Defiant and Sisko allows Odo to beam down to try and reason with the Founder. Upon beaming down,
Odo tries to convince the Founder to surrender, but she will have none of it. Surrender will be taken as a sign of weakness
on her part -- "an invitation to the solids to cross into the Gamma Quadrant and destroy the Great Link". Odo assures her
that the Federation would never do anything of the sort -- nor would it allow the Klingons or Romulans to do so. But the
Founder doesn't share his trust in the solids. Odo offers to link with her, believing that he can cure her disease. Sure
enough, linking with Odo completely heals the changeling, who proceeds to order her troops to stand down. Odo informs Kira
that as they linked he persuaded the Founder to turn herself over to stand trial for her crimes. But in exchange, Odo must
return home to cure his people in the Great Link. Martok fulfils his pledge to share a bottle of blood wine in the halls of Cardassia's Central Command with Sisko and Ross.
But the devastation and carnage at their feet is too sickening to all but Martok, who cites this as an example of "poetic
justice". Bashir tries to console Garak, who has finally ended his exile and returned home -- only to have his home lying in
smouldering rubble, with some eight hundred million of his people dead. Bashir reassures him that the Cardassian people are
strong and will survive. Garak doesn't seem quite so sure. He bids farewell to Bashir, thanking for his friendship and
saying that he will miss their lunches together. As for if they'll ever see each other again, Garak is cagey -- "who can
say? We live in uncertain times." The Defiant returns to DS9, where the Founder signs a peace treaty, ending the war between the Dominion and the Federation.
She is then arrested and taken away to stand trial. A time later, Sisko, Martok and Ross offer Worf a promotion, as the
Federation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire. Worf accepts, much to Martok's delight at having an Ambassador to go
targ-hunting with. Meanwhile, another departure is imminent -- namely Odo's. He does not plan on returning once curing his
people. Despite his feelings for Kira, he realises that his people need him and if they are ever to trust and live
peacefully with solids they must learn what he has learned from living among them. Kira sadly accepts his decision but asks
that she be the one to take him home to his people. The crew gather in Vic's to celebrate the end of the war and to bid farewell to Odo, Worf and O'Brien, who is leaving to
take up his post at Starfleet Academy. As O'Brien mulls over possible places to live on Earth (Worf is emphatic about
Minsk), Sisko proposrs a toast -- "To the finest crew a Captain ever had. This may be the last time we're all together, but
no matter what the future holds, no matter how far we travel, a part of us -- a very important part -- will always remain
here, on Deep Space Nine."
On Bajor, in the Fire Caves, Winn has successfully called forth the Kosst Amojan, but things do not go according to plan.
The Pah-wraith knocks her to the ground with a bolt of energy and enters Dukat's corpse, bringing him back to life and
transforming his appearance back to its original Cardassian state. As Sisko dances with Kasidy in Vic's, he receives a flash
of insight -- finally realising what he must do for the Prophets. He slips off and leaves in a runabout for Bajor. When he
arrives in the Fire Caves, he is confronted by what appears to be a hybrid of Dukat and the Kosst Amojan. The
Dukat/Pah-wraith taunts Sisko and, with a wave of his hand, forces Sisko to his knees, ordering him to beg before him. Sisko
decalres that the Pah-wraiths will never conquer anything -- not the Celestial Temple, not Bajor and certainly not the Alpha
Quadrant. But, incapacitated by Dukat, Sisko is in no position to put up a fight -- so in a last-minute turnabout, Winn tries to throw
the book of the Kosst Amojan down into the flaming cavern. Dukat stops her and retrieves the book, dispatching a swirling
flame of energy that vapourises her. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Sisko hurls himself at Dukat and they
both fall into the blazing inferno of the Fire Caves....
In a flash of light, Sisko finds himself in the Celestial Temple of the Prophets. He is met by Sarah, who informs him that
he has completed his task. By destroying the book, he sealed a door that can never be re-opened, returning the Pah-wraiths
to their prison in the Fire Caves -- and Dukat along with them. Sarah tells Sisko that he must rest, which he intends to do
once he returns to DS9. "That won't be necessary," she informs him. "You're with us now." And Sisko is hit by the
realisation that he won't be returning home...
On DS9, the crew have found Sisko's runabout in orbit of Bajor, but there is no sign of him in the Fire Caves, or anywhere
else on Bajor for that matter. The search continues, but Kasidy fears the worst. Kasidy finds herself inside the Celestial
Temple, where she meets Sisko and is relieved that he is alright. She wants them to go home, but Sisko explains that he
can't -- not now. "Oh God," Kasidy sobs. "This is it, isn't it? The sorrow that the Prophets warned us about." Sisko finds
it difficult to explain: "It's not linear...my life, my destiny. The Prophets saved me, Kasidy. I'm their Emissary and they
still have a great deal for me to do. But first, there is much to learn -- things only the Prophets can teach me." "When
will you be back," asks Kasidy. "It's hard to say. Maybe a year. Maybe yesterday..." Kasidy promises that she will be
waiting for him. And with that she finds herself back aboard DS9, where she tells Jake that she has just spoken to his
father.
Parting is such sweet sorrow, and as various members of the DS9 crew depart, they reminisce over times gone by. As Worf
leaves to take up his role as Federation Ambassador to the Klingon homeworld, Ezri waves from a distance, while O'Brien and
Bashir share a silent but tender farewell as O'Brien departs for Earth. Odo decides to slip away quietly, not being very
good at goodbyes but Quark catches up with he and Kira as they are about to board their runabout. Quark tries to coax a
parting word from his changeling adversary, but Odo claims to have nothing to say to him. "Don't take it hard, Quark," Kira
whispers to Quark as Odo boards the runabout. "Hard? What are you talking about? That man loves me! Didn't you see? It was
written all over his back."
Kira and Odo arrive at Odo's homeworld in the Gamma Quadrant. The Great Link is in a bad state -- the changelings are dying.
Odo asks Kira to tell everyone on the station that he will miss them, including Quark. Odo morphs himself into a tuxedo --
after all, Kira had always said he looked good in a tuxedo. "This is how I want you to remember me," he tells her. "I'll
never forget you." They kiss and exchange a tender, emotional goodbye. Odo steps into the Great Link and gradually dissolves
into the ocean, which begins to change back to its original colour as Odo cures his people of the disease.
Despite the recent upheavals and departures, life continues aboard DS9, with Kira now in command of the station. She
congratulates Nog on his promotion to lieutenant and affectionately picks up the baseball left behind by Sisko. As Bashir
and Ezri make a date in the holosuites, Kira pays Quark a visit and confronts him over conducting illegal betting pools on
who is going to be the next Kai. Kira warns him that if he doesn't call off all bets, he will find himself in a holding
cell. Quark cheerfully notes that, in spite of all the change of recent events, "there more things change, the more they
remain the same." On leaving Quark's, Kira looks up onto the second level of the Promenade and sees Jake, standing alone and
gazing out the window toward the wormhole -- to where his father is. She steps up and joins him, gently putting her hand on
his shoulder, reassuring him that she understands and shares his sense of loss. As they gaze outward into space, we slowly
pull back until gradually DS9 itself becomes lost amid the glory of the sparkling heavens..... back to
DS9 episode guide
Synopsis written by Scott Andresson
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