All language subtitles for Star.Trek.Deep.Space.Nine.S02E17.UHQ.NTSC.DVDRip.DD5.1.x264-Hi10P-LiGHTSPEED

You know, if there's anything

I can do for you
while you're here...

Oh, you've already been helpful.

Just hearing about Dax makes me

a little less nervous
about the whole thing.

Really? There's no
reason to be nervous.

Jadzia will be
a wonderful host...

Well, that is, she is
a wonderful host

in a Trill manner of speaking.

I'm sure you'll learn
a lot from her.

She sounds very different

from the other Daxes
I have heard about.

In what fashion?

Let me put it this way.

When I was told that Jadzia Dax

had been designated
my field docent,

I asked for reassignment.

You're joking!

Why?

Because Dax is famous
for breaking initiates.

Breaking them?

I looked up the records.

Over the past 200 years,

Dax has personally eliminated

57 host candidates
from the program.

I suppose it's too late
to introduce myself to her.

Too late? I doubt it.

Jadzia's a night owl.

Computer, locate Lieutenant Dax.

Lieutenant Dax
is on Level 7, Section 5.

Ah, of course.

Then take us to
Level 7, Section 5.

That's the computer's way
of telling us she's in Quark's.

Over 5,000 candidates

qualify for the training
program each year.

Only 300 symbionts are
available on the average.

It doesn't take much
for one of us

to get knocked out
of consideration.

The administrators only
want hosts who are...

Acquire!

Confront!

...the best and
the brightest.

It's the ears!

Every time he goes to acquire

he scratches behind
his left ear, like this.

Don't play with my ears...

unless you're serious about it.

Jadzia...

you have a guest.

Oh, you're not supposed
to be here till tomorrow.

Yes, ma'am.

I caught a transport from
Starbase 41 a day early.

We found ourselves sitting next
to each other on the way here.

I've been telling
Arjin all about you.

Really?

Well, not quite all about you.

Do you play tongo, Arjin?

Tongo?

No, sir.

Then you'll have
to leave, Arjin.

The risk's to you, Lieutenant.

Shame on you, Quark.

Where are your manners?

This is a Trill initiate
you're speaking to.

Of course he doesn't play tongo.

I beg your pardon.

So, we'll have to teach him.

Actually, it is
very easy to learn.

How much money did
you bring with you?

Give the young fellow a seat.

You, out!

It was a very long trip.

I think perhaps I should...

Oh, of course, you're tired.

I'll take you to your quarters.

Roll me away, fellows.

We can't roll you away.

They're sore losers.

You can't
quit now. You just won!

Female!

Yes?

Oh... I'm sorry.

I thought this was
Lieutenant Dax's quarters.

She's in the shower.

Oh... well, uh,
in that case...

Is she expecting you?

Yes, my name is Arjin.

She told me I should
be here at 0800...

Is that Arjin?

You're early again, Arjin.

We're going to have
to work on that.

I can come back.

Don't be silly.
Come in.

I'll only be a minute.

It always takes me longer
to get ready as a female.

I have to go.

I have to be at
Calondia IV by tomorrow.

When's my rematch?

Oh, I'll be back next week.

It was fun.
Brutal, but fun.

Safe trip!

The replicator makes
a decent citrus blend.

Thanks, but I've already
had something to eat.

Would you get me a Black Hole?

A what?

A Black Hole --
it's a Ferengi drink.

A bartender I've known
for a hundred years

introduced it to Curzon.

Or was it Lela?

Well, it was ages ago.

Try one.
You might like it.

Computer, black hole.

Oh, my muscles are so sore.

Did you ever wrestle
Galeo-Manada style, Arjin?

Wrestle?

You should.

It's a great way
to start the day.

It makes you more alert.

I'll set you up with Trajok.

He's a great coach.

Okay.

Mmm... better.

So, you don't play tongo...

you don't wrestle.

What are we going to
do while you're here?

Well, I was under the impression

that field training
consisted of...

I know all about field training.

Jadzia went through it
a few years ago.

Yes, ma'am.

Arjin, if you truly want
to become a Trill host someday

you'll never call me
"ma'am" again.

Yes... Lieutenant.

Why don't you try "Jadzia"?

If you think that's appropriate.

Oh, I'm sure it isn't
appropriate at all.

But then, I hate
to be appropriate.

Nothing!

Ah!

Over here, Chief.

Oh.

All right, come to Papa.

Major?

Voles, sir.

Voles?

Cardassian legacy.

They weren't bothering us

till we started moving
into areas of the station

that they'd been hiding in.

Now they're spreading
out all over the place.

They seem to be attracted
to electromagnetic fields.

Give me a hand, Major, will you?

Phasers on stun,
Mr. O'Brien.

I want those voles taken alive.

Benjamin, I'd like
you to meet Arjin,

the host candidate
I told you about.

Commander Benjamin Sisko.

Sir.

And that's our First Officer

Major Kira, and Chief
Engineer O'Brien

conducting repairs?

Chasing Cardassian voles.

Really?

I've never seen
a Cardassian vole.

Oh... be my guest.

So, you're the one who
picked the black marble.

Sir?

Field training with Dax

was the nightmare
of the initiate corps.

That was Curzon Dax.

Gotcha!

Arjin, here.

Spectacular, isn't it?

Uh... it's amazing.

Computer, play something
by Frenchotte.

Frenchotte?

A self-exiled Romulan.

I collect forgotten composers.

You feel like taking
the controls?

I've never flown a
Federation runabout before.

These things practically
fly themselves.

You have third-level
flight experience, don't you?

Actually, I just finished
my fifth level last month.

Fifth! I didn't
finish third until...

Your last year of training.

You've been studying up
on me, Arjin.

Well, I can't say
that I blame you.

I did the same thing
when I found out

who my field docent
was going to be.

And how did you feel
when you found out

it was going to be Curzon Dax?

"Nauseous" might be
the best description.

I suppose it wouldn't be fair
for you to give me a few tips.

Tips?

On how you managed
to impress him.

Look, let's get
one thing straight.

I'm not Curzon or Lela
or any of the others.

I'm Jadzia Dax.

Jadzia's only a few years
older than you are.

You're her first initiate.

To be honest, in a lot of ways

I still feel
like an initiate, myself.

I can still remember
the pressure of competition

when Jadzia was going
through it.

And I'm not going
to make this difficult for you.

You don't have
to impress me, okay?

Okay.

Okay.

So, how did you?

Impress him?

I didn't.

Curzon recommended that my
initiate period be terminated.

I've got it! Engaging
manual stabilizers.

Shutting down all engines.

Computer, analyze
stability loss.

Stability loss
was due to an impact

by a subspace interphase pocket.

Nature of interphase pocket?

Unknown.

Damage report.

Starboard nacelle nonfunctional.

Maximum available power
50 percent.

Jadzia...

you better take a look at this.

Looks like we snagged
something from that subspace pocket.

Computer, identify mass
on the starboard nacelle.

Unknown.

Maybe we could create

some kind of EM pathway
along the inner hull

and try to lure them
into a trap.

Uh-huh, but how
could you do that

without shutting down all
the other power systems?

I can't, and it would take
days to round them all up.

We'd have to evacuate
the station.

The only other thing
I can come up with

is a directional
sonic generator.

Now, I can adjust
it to a frequency

that'll be uncomfortable
to their ears

and drive them out of
hiding, one at a time.

But, at that rate,
I'll be doing this

for the rest of my tour of duty.

It ran right across
a dabo table!

How'd it die?

Get into your food?

As landlords,
you're responsible for this.

I expect vermin control,
or I'm going to have to...

Leave?
Oh, please say, "Leave."

I'd take a Cardassian vole
over you any day.

The girl insists on fighting
her latent attraction to me.

What are you going to do
about these pests, O'Brien?

Relax, Quark.

We're working on something new

that ought to make the voles
beg for mercy.

What is it?

Well, a sonic...

Stop!

You all right?

Are you all right?

What?

Chief, the Mekong just came
back through the wormhole.

They're showing damage.

Open a channel, Major.

Put them on screen.

Are you all right, Dax?

Our power reserves are gone.

We could use a tow.

What happened?

Not exactly sure.

We picked up some kind
of subspace seaweed

on our starboard nacelle.

We couldn't get rid of it
without causing further damage.

You can shut down your
engines, Lieutenant.

We'll bring you into Pad D.

Set up a containment chamber
in the Science Lab

for me, would you, Chief?

When we get this thing untangled,

I'd like to study it
under controlled conditions.

We'll need a couple of hours.

Morning will be fine.

That'll give Arjin and me
a little time to recoup.

Acknowledged.

Stop by and fill me in later.

Mekong out.

Come on, I'll take
you to dinner.

She taught that to me.

Can you believe it?

A Klingon song I'd never heard.

She collects lost composers.

Don't get any ideas.

She's mine.

You haven't touched your racht.

No, I have.

It's interesting.

No, you've moved it
around your plate

to make it look like
you've touched it.

I didn't have to move it.
It moved itself.

Arjin, if this didn't
appeal to you

why didn't you say something?

No, it's all right.

I wasn't really
very hungry, anyway.

Speak up for yourself
while you're here, okay?

I'll make a concerted effort.

So... who sponsored you
for the program?

My father.

Was he joined?

No, but he had great
ambitions for his children.

He was a pilot instructor
at the Gedana post for 40 years.

He died last year.

I see where you got
your flight skills.

My sister was always
his choice for joining,

but after she got accepted
to the program,

she ran off and got married.

My father never
spoke to her again.

On the day that he died,

he turned to me, and he said

"I'm counting on you."

His last words to me.

Did he want you to enter
Starfleet after joining?

To put your flight training
to good use?

Honestly, he couldn't care less
what I did afterwards

as long as I became joined.

That was his only goal.

And what about your goals?

There are so many possibilities
when you're joined.

I'm not sure what I'd do yet.

I figured I'd get
a lot of guidance

from the symbiont,
wouldn't you say?

Well, a symbiont's influence is

very strong, Arjin,
but you're the host.

You've got to be strong enough

to balance that influence
with your own instincts.

If you can't, the symbiont
will overwhelm your personality.

Oh, they are a nuisance,
aren't they?

I was hoping you found
a way to deal with them.

Federation technology
isn't up to the task, eh?

Look, I just thought in the interests
of good relations, you might...

You've got the station.
You've got the voles.

By the way, their mating season
begins in about six weeks.

Thanks for your help.

The Federation could always
withdraw from Baj...

What's this?

Got me. It's
from Julian.

He called it the solution
you've been looking for.

"It worked in Hamlin."

Very funny.

Your move.

Your seaweed's been safely
transported to the Science Lab.

Did you take a look at it?

Mm-hmm. What
do you think?

We did as much analysis
on the runabout as we could.

None of the matter would scan.

We'll do more tests tomorrow.

How'd your initiate come
through the experience?

Fine.

He's a good pilot.

Uh-oh.

What?

I know that look.

What look?

That look, old man.

The one that says

"This one isn't
going to make it."

Not because of me.

But you have your doubts.

I have my doubts.

What is his problem?

I'm not sure what
he brings as a host,

how he'll advance a
symbiont to the next level.

Frankly, he's more than a
little arrogant, Benjamin.

Is he?

Okay, for a Trill,
that's to be expected.

Check. But he's riding
his father's ambitions

and he doesn't have any idea

what he'd do with a
symbiont if he got one.

Have you confronted him?

It's not my job to confront him.

Isn't it?

My job is to show
him what it's like

to function as a joined
Trill -- that's all.

I can show you the guidelines.

- They're very clear.
- Mm-hmm.

Who am I to confront him?

You're Dax.

Yes, but I'm not Curzon Dax

and I won't do to him
what Curzon did to me.

So...

what are you going to do?

This kid has to measure up soon

or he'll never be chosen.

True?

So, you're not
doing him any favors

by avoiding
a confrontation, are you?

Curzon was tough --

maybe even abusive
in his own charming way --

but he always demanded

the highest standards
of excellence

from these host candidates.

You don't know
what he did to me.

I know you made it
through the program.

No thanks to him.

Are you sure?

Voles have eaten through the
security field's energy lines.

No telling how long it'll take
me to set up another field.

So, nothing is secure
on this station anymore?

Is there any reason to believe

there's an imminent threat
from this?

Not as far as I can tell,
but I can't tell you a lot yet.

I want to know what we're
dealing with as soon as possible.

I'll schedule
a briefing for 1400 hours.

And take those phasers
off stun, Chief!

No more Mr. Nice Guy.

Arjin, how's your
astrophysics profile?

It's one of my better subjects.

Maybe that's why I was
sent here to work with you.

Set me up
a gravimetric microprobe.

I need to calibrate
the energy profile.

Jadzia...

I felt that last night

maybe I didn't express myself
well about my own goals.

I think you expressed
yourself very clearly.

I just didn't want you to think

that I hadn't set any
goals for post-joining.

I have thought about Starfleet.

With my flight training,
it would be a perfect...

Starfleet's a career.
A pilot's a job.

What does that have to do
with being joined?

I'm not sure I understand.

No, I don't think you do.

I'm sorry?

I think you're telling me
what I want to hear.

That's not true.

I think you went to your
quarters last night

and you tossed and turned in bed

because you knew some
of the things you said to me

concerned me.

And now you're trying to fix it.

I'm... I'm just
trying to clarify...

I know what it's like.

I've tossed and turned myself.

Please don't insult me
by denying it.

I'm finished.

Let's run a phase
variant analysis.

I'm worried about you, Arjin.

Worried?

I'm worried you're not preparing
yourself for being joined.

That's it?

A day and a half,
and you've made up your mind.

I didn't say that.

Look, you've gotten this far

by anticipating every demand
of the program

and performing above everyone's
expectations, am I right?

I'd like to think that's true.

And I'm telling you,
from this point on

that's not going to be
good enough.

Highly structured, but it
doesn't seem to conform

to any of our physical laws.

Computer, run a spectral line
profile analysis.

Spectral analysis will take
approximately seven minutes.

Just to... speak up for myself,

I'm feeling
a little betrayed here.

I mean, after your impassioned

"I am Jadzia, fellow initiate"
speech in the runabout...

I understand why
you feel that way,

but this isn't about me.

This is about the standards
for Trill hosts.

The opportunity is too rare
and too important

to waste on the wrong candidate.

And in your mind,
I'm a wrong candidate?

I don't know that yet.

But I felt it only fair to let
you know I am worried about you.

I see.

I should have known this.

I should have realized this.

You're Dax.

"Standards for Trill hosts"?

That is really incredible
coming from you.

I have never seen
any host in my life

who is so far below those
standards as you are, ma'am.

No wonder Curzon Dax tried
to terminate your training.

I was finally able to read
the EM flux.

There are high plasma concentrations
in a rapidly-expanding mass.

How rapidly?

The energy buildup is already
straining the containment chamber.

On top of that, the mass periodically
undergoes phased expansions

and grows in spurts.

It's a very specific
growth pattern

that the computer recognized.

Recognized as what?

The expansion patterns
of a universe.

What?

A universe?

What we have here, Benjamin,
is a proto-universe

in its earliest stages
of formation.

Unfortunately, as it grows

it's displacing
our own universe.

Can we get it back
where it came from?

This has turned
into an energy mass

with properties that don't
conform to our own laws of nature.

I have no idea what might happen
if we tried to move it,

let alone take it back
into the wormhole.

Even if we get it there,

the wormhole's verteron nodes

would probably interact
with the energy fluctuations

of the proto-universe,
causing a devastating reaction.

It could threaten
this whole system.

And if we don't do anything,

it'll eventually obliterate
this system, and beyond.

Can't we contain it somehow?

Not without destroying it.

Under the circumstances

that sounds like
a pretty good option to me.

We can create a force field
that will contain it.

If we can suppress it
long enough

the feedback pressure should
create an implosive wave.

It would self-destruct.

How long before the
next phase of expansion?

About three hours.

The collateral shock waves
will probably destroy the lab.

Can we get this containment
field ready by then?

Yes, sir.

Have Odo evacuate Section 14.

Dismissed.

Ah...

Another?

Just keep pouring until I drown.

Sounds pretty serious.

Serious? No.

I just threw my whole
life out a porthole --

nothing serious.

There isn't a problem
in the world

that can't be fixed
by the right holosuite program.

Never trust a Trill, Quark.

Why not?

They're... two-faced.

Does that go for all Trills or
just for the ones with the worm?

Any worm named Dax.

Did she break your heart, son?

- What?
- Mine, too.

And Bashir is in here
every other day

crying into
his synthale over her.

The Promenade is littered
with the bodies...

It wasn't my heart she broke.

It was me.

My career, my life...

Wait a minute.

Is this about
all that "initiate" stuff?

She told me I wasn't
preparing myself to join.

With the worm?
So, that's her opinion.

What's that worth, anyhow?

A bad recommendation

from your field docent,
and you can forget it.

Listen, son, when I was
a young man, no older than you,

I had an apprentice position
with the District Sub-Nagus.

I licked his boots
like you couldn't believe.

He loved me.
I was his golden boy.

I was on the high road to the
top of the Ferengi business world

and then, it all fell apart.

How?

Rule of Acquisition 112:

"Never have sex
with the boss' sister."

I was fired, broke.

It was quite a setback
to my ambitions.

Well... how did you recover?

Never did.

Look at me --

tending bar out here
in wormhole junction

while the big boys
fly by me at warp speed.

You only get one shot
at the latinum stairway.

If you miss it, you miss it.

Welcome to the club, son.

Well... thanks.

Glad I could help.

Computer, confirm the localized
entropy decrease in the energy mass.

Confirmed.

How much have the readings
decreased in the last hour?

Localized entropy readings
have decreased 12 percent

during the last 58 minutes.

This can't be right.

The whole thermodynamic
structure would have to be changing.

Activate a quantometer probe.

Verify filter calibration.

Filter calibration verified.

Set energy flux resolution
to 0.1 microdyne.

Begin high-resolution
energy scans.

There must be a malfunction
in the sensors.

Computer, run a self-diagnostic

and check
quantometer calibration.

Calibration is locked
and normal.

Diagnostic underway.

Are there any feedback anomalies
in the dynametric array?

Negative.

What's the feedback reading?

Feedback reading is zero.

Diagnostic complete.

Sensors are
functioning normally.

Odo to Sisko.

Yes, Odo?

Section 14 has been evacuated.

Acknowledged.
Mr. O'Brien?

Just finishing, Commander.

Sisko to Dax.

We're preparing to establish
the containment field.

I want you out of
the lab during this.

I'm already out, Benjamin,
but I'm not sure

you're going
to want to do this now.

Why not?

I found indications of life
in the proto-universe.

Non-random thermodynamics...

irregular power consumption.

The computer's confirmed it.
These are life signs.

Now, wait a minute.

Single-cell microbes
are life-forms, too

but Dr. Bashir has
a hypospray that'll kill them

to say nothing of the voles.

Kira, we could very well be
dealing with intelligent life here.

Well, how is that possible?

You told us that this
protouniverse was just formed.

It's quite possible. We may
have only experienced hours

since this universe was formed,

but there's no way of knowing
how fast time is moving for them.

Theoretically, billions of
years may have passed.

An entire evolution of a species
might have taken place

within the last few hours.

It's possible.

O'Brien to Sisko.

Go ahead, Chief.

Commander, if we're going to
implement that containment field,

we'd better do it now.

In two minutes,
this thing's going to expand.

Get your people
out of there, Chief.

We're not going to put
up the containment field.

Aye, sir.

Commander, this is only
going to delay the inevitable.

Take us to Yellow Alert, Major.

Move the repair
crews into position.

Warning, hull breach.

Level 22, Section 14.

Sisko to O'Brien.

Seal off Section 14.

Move your repair crews in.

Aye, sir.

How long before
the next expansion?

Roughly five hours.

How much will it expand?

About 300 percent. We'll lose
a whole section of the station.

By tomorrow,
the station will be gone.

We could beam them into space --

give us some more time
to come up with a solution.

We already have a solution

and the longer we wait the harder
it's going to be to implement it.

I'm sorry, but it's us or them.

We have to destroy it.

You can't just wipe
out a civilization.

We'd be committing mass murder.

It's like stepping on ants, Odo.

I don't step on ants, Major.

Just because we don't
understand a life-form,

doesn't mean we can destroy it.

Well, do you have a better idea?

Does anyone?

I'll give you my decision
in an hour.

Personal Log, supplemental.

One hour.

One hour to make a decision

that could mean the life
or death of a civilization

or the end to our own.

My mind keeps going back
to the Borg.

How I despised
their indifference

as they tried to exterminate us.

And I have to ask myself,
"Would I be any different

if I destroyed another universe
to preserve my own?"

Hey.

Hi, Dad.

What are you doing
back so early?

I just wanted to see you.

He told you, didn't he?

Told me what?

Chief O'Brien.
Darn it, he promised.

If there's something you
want to tell me I want to hear it.

I love her, Dad.

Okay.

She's everything I ever
wanted in a woman.

I'm sure she's a wonderful girl.

Oh, she's not a
girl; she's a woman.

She doesn't like to
be called "girl."

Everyone calls her
that, and she hates it.

She wants to be something
better than that.

Than what?

Than a dabo girl.

You're in love with a dabo girl?

Wait a minute.

You said Chief O'Brien
told you that...

No, I didn't.

Who is she,
and how old is she, Jake?

Oh, geez...

I wanted to tell you

but I was sure you
wouldn't understand.

So, now you're hiding
things from me?

You mean, you would
have understood?

Of course not.

It's Mardah, isn't it?

The one you've been
tutoring in entomology.

I really want you
to meet her, Dad.

I really want to meet her.

Can I invite her
to dinner tonight?

No.

Not tonight.

But soon.

Thanks, Dad.

You'll love her.

What's so interesting in there?

I can see my future.

I wouldn't trust a glass of
synthale to tell you the future.

Let's just get this
over with, okay?

Just use a sharp blade,
so I won't feel it.

You don't know me as well
as you think you do.

I'm sure you looked
at all the training profiles

but that doesn't tell you
who Jadzia really was

before she was joined.

She was the quietest, shyest,

most withdrawn young woman
you've ever known.

Brilliant... top grades...

and not a clue
to what life was about.

She had never lived
outside the program

and it didn't matter because
she was sailing through it.

Until she met Curzon Dax.

Curzon sized her up
in about 20 seconds

and made the next two weeks
the most miserable of her life.

She cried herself
to sleep every night.

She hated him for it.

But when the field
training was over

and she learned about
Curzon's recommendation

to terminate her
from the program

she went back a different woman.

She found her voice
and reapplied.

She tore through the program
with a passion, a vengeance.

And in the end, the
administrators chose her for joining.

How did you wind up
with the Dax symbiont?

When I found out
Curzon was dying,

I requested the Dax symbiont.

And Curzon didn't object?

No.

And I've never been sure
quite why.

Except, as I've come to know
Curzon's dark sense of humor

I have a feeling the irony
might have appealed to him.

Jadzia Dax is not Curzon Dax.

But I am Dax

and I am slowly coming to terms
with what that means to me.

Sometimes it means
gambling or wrestling.

Sometimes it means
waking up an initiate

before he slides into the middle
of the pack and gets overlooked.

You're giving me another chance?

You are the only one who can
give yourself another chance.

You can't simply do this anymore

to meet other people's
expectations --

not your father's,
not your teachers', not mine.

You need to discover

what Arjin wants out
of life, out of joining.

Lieutenant...

we'll try to take it back
through the wormhole.

How soon can you be ready?

I want to be sure
the containment field

can block out
any verteron-node radiation

as we pass through it.

Uh, about two hours?

Better get started.

Wouldn't hurt to have
a level-five pilot along.

Chief?

The containment field is
in place and holding, sir

but I'd like to run a practical
test on the verteron integrity.

"Like to" or "need to"?

That thing expands again
in less than an hour.

Well, this is the strongest force
field I know how to construct, sir.

A test would
at least give us the odds

of getting it through
the wormhole intact.

I'm not playing the odds today.

Sisko to Rio Grande.
Your status?

Systems check complete.
Auxiliary power to shields.

I'd say we're packed and
ready to go, Benjamin.

Ready transporter.

Locking onto
the containment field.

Energize.

Chief, we're getting
a phase variation here.

Stand by.

The energy fluctuations are
driving the transporter crazy.

We've got it now.

Switching your transporter
to secure mode.

Readings are stable.

When you're ready, Dax.

Take us out gently, Arjin.

Firing thrusters.

Energy readings from
the containment field are holding.

Take us to 50 kph.

Confirmed, 17 seconds
to wormhole.

Hold at 50 kph.

Ten seconds to the wormhole.

Reading higher levels
of neutrino activity.

A short cross to the other side
and we're home free.

Rio Grande to Ops.

Com links will terminate
in five seconds.

See you later.

Acknowledged, Rio Grande.

May the Prophets guide you.

Containment-field stability
is down to 85 percent.

Every time we pass through
a verteron node

there's resonance leakage
from the energy mass.

In 20 seconds,
we'll be out of here.

We'll never make it.

Field stability is down
to 65 percent and falling.

We've got to kill
our forward acceleration now!

All engines stop.

38 percent stability,
still falling...

26 percent...

Computer, thrusters on reverse,
two-second burst.

All stop.

It's stabilizing.

The containment field
is at 27 percent.

26 percent and holding.

Now what?

Well, we can't stay here.

In 42 minutes, that
energy mass expands.

And once it intersects
with one of those verteron nodes

they'll feel the result
in the Cardassian home world.

But the containment field
is so weak now

it will fail as soon as we start
to move again.

Then I guess we'll just
have to let it fail.

Let it fail?

But you said it yourself,

if we pass through even
one of those verteron nodes

without the containment field,
the energy mass will explode.

Then we'll just have
to avoid them.

You're talking
about precision flying

through a wormhole.

It's never been done.

Until now.

Jadzia...

I'm a level-three pilot.

You're a level-five.

I'll do it if I have to,
but I don't have time to argue.

Watch the conn read-outs.

I'll try to keep at least
50 meters away from any node.

Understood.

Computer, calibrate
internal scanners

to detect verteron radiation
in the cabin.

Activate sonic indicators.

Verteron levels are
well within safe limits.

We'll start with
one short thruster blast

and we'll coast through.

That'll protect the containment
field for a few extra seconds.

Thrusters ready.

I'm taking the inertial
dampers off-line.

It'll be a rougher ride

but I'll have a little more
response time.

Firing thrusters.

Velocity is
at 40 meters per second.

Warning,
containment field at 10 percent.

60 seconds to Gamma.

Node to starboard

bearing 037 mark seven.

Firing starboard thruster.

Warning.

Containment field has collapsed.

No more margin for error.

45 seconds to Gamma.

Node to port,
bearing 030 mark 51.

I've got it.

35 seconds to Gamma.

Verteron levels are still okay.

Jadzia, look at this.

We're never going
to get through it.

Reading a passage.

Adjust heading to 130 mark 47.

Confirmed.

Sensors say it's directly ahead.

I don't see it.

Hold your course.

I don't see it!

I see it!

It's less than 17 meters across.

The ship is only 14 meters wide.

That gives you over two meters
to work with.

Verteron levels are red-lining.

Five seconds to Gamma.

This is going to look very good
on your initiate record, Arjin.

Now, let's get this thing
back where it belongs.

There's one thing
I want to do before I go

and that is to apologize

for the things I said
to you in the lab.

That was the first time you
were being honest with me.

Somehow, I always expected that
joining would make any Trill...

complete, serene,
wise beyond her years.

And I'm none of those things?

What I mean is, you're
nothing like I expected.

I'm nothing like I expected.

Life after life --

with each new personality

stampeding around in your head --

you get desires that scare you,

dreams that used to belong
to someone else.

I wouldn't recommend
it for everyone

but, in time, I might
recommend it for you --

when you're ready.

I know what I have to do.

Good luck.

Thank you.

I'm not Curzon.