Deep Space Nine: The Final Chapter 5: When It Rains...

Deep Space Nine: The Final Chapter

5: When It Rains...

O'Brien briefs Sisko and Martok on the Breen energy-dampening weapon and the fact that one ship, a Klingon Bird of Prey, was immune to the weapon due to modifications to its reactor.  However this modification won't work on Federation or Romulan ships.  Martok agrees to have all Klingon ships modified and use them to keep the Dominion distracted.  After the attack on Rondac III Damar has gone into hiding.  Sisko and Admiral Ross agree that Damar's resistance could use some help in resistance fighting and guerrilla tactics, they decide to send Kira to help them, Kira agrees.  Garak and Odo will accompany her.  In the infirmary Bashir convinces Odo to give him a sample of his "goo" to study for medical research.  On Bajor Winn continues to read the Kosst Amojan.  Dukat offers to help but she refuses.  On DS9 Martok is to be inducted into the order of Kahless.  Kira and Garak inform Sisko that they have located Damar.  However, Damar is worried that his officers won't work with a Bajoran officer.  Sisko gives Kira a battlefield commission so that she can speak for Starfleet as well.  After Kira dons a Starfleet uniform and Odo morphs to how he appeared during the occupation they depart.  At Damar's base supplies are running low.  Rusot scoffs at Garak and Kiras offer of Federation replicators but Damar shuts him down, they can't afford to refuse aid.  Gowron arrives on DS9 to induct Martok into the order of Kahless.  In the infirmary Bashir and O'Brien discuss how Ezri seems to be avoiding Bashir since her return.  Checking his test results Bashir discovers that Odo is infected with the changeling virus.  He contacts Odo to let him know and attempts to get Odo's medical records from Starfleet.  On Bajor Dukat sneaks into Winns study and tries to read the Kosst Amojan, only to be struck by an energy beam and blinded.  After inducting Martok into the Order of Kahless Gowron says that he is taking command of the war effort and relieving Martok.  Bashir gets a run-around from Starfleet while trying to get Odo's records.  He is eventually told to stop trying to find a cure or he will be reported to Starfleet Security.  He and O'Brien go talk to Sisko, hoping he has high enough clearance.  Odo, Garak and Kira arrive at Damar's base.  Kira begins instructing them in resistance techniques, although she gets pushback from Rusot.  Sisko is able to get the files on Odo from Starfleet, however the files are old ones from years ago.  Bashir was sent old files to throw him off the trail.  Bashir and O'Brien suspect Section 31 is behind this.  Worf explains to Martok that Gowron is jealous of Martok's success, seeing him as a threat to his power.  Martok refuses to challenge Gowron.  Rusot tries to provoke Kira and calls Odo a collaborator but Garak makes him back off.  Odo starts to show symptoms of the disease.  On Bajor the doctors can find no problem with Dukats eyes, Winn says its a punishment from the Pah-Wraiths.  She throws Dukat out into the streets, telling him to return when he has regained his vision.  Gowron announces plans for aggressive, reckless attacks against the Dominion.  Martok and Worf protest but Gowron says his decision is final.  In the infirmary Quark brings Bashir and O'Brien some coffee.  Bashir runs a simulation to determine when Odo was infected, and realizes that it happened three years ago.  Odo wasn't infected by the female Founder, but by Starfleet, to spread the virus, which the Federation created, to the Great Link in an attempt to commit genocide.

In this episode we have the aftermath of the disastrous second battle of Chin'toka, Kira, Garak and Odo going behind the lines to help Damar's resistance, Gowron being a fool to try to get the glory for himself at the expense of Martok (and of the war effort), Dukat blinded after trying to read the Kosst Amojan, and the realization that not only is Odo infected with the changeling virus, but he was infected on Earth 3 years ago (Homefront/Paradise Lost) by Starfleet in an attempt to use him as a typhoid mary to commit genocide against the Founders.  Whoa!  Section 31 is the perfect fit for this.  The idea that the Federation would engage in or even condone this is appalling, even in a time of war, and the lengths they go to to keep Bashir from finding a cure shows their guilt.  Surely this won't come back to haunt them in the future (cough-Star Trek Picard season 3-cough).  The friction between members of Damar's resistance (Cardassians) and Kira (a Bajoran, former resistance fighter) works perfectly to build in some tension.