Star Trek: Deep Space Nine s02e12 Episode Script
The Alternate
l am merely a businessman.
lt would take an orator|like the late, great Plegg himself to sing the praises|of the late, great Plegg.
What Ferengi could resist owning some|of the man that took a computer chip and turned it into|the modular holosuite industry? A small piece of the man that brought|holographic entertainment to remote parts of the quadrant, creating profit centres from societies that could barely afford|to feed their people.
How much are you asking? As l was about to tell my good friend, just three strips of latinum.
And l'd be taking a loss at that price.
OK, for you, two strips.
- Thank you very much.
|- Three strips? - That's a fair price.
|- So you're interested? Humanoid death rituals are my interest.
- Death rituals?|- Everybody needs a hobby.
Some species burn their dead, others pack them in blocks of ice.
Some even surround themselves|with the company of family corpses.
But the Ferengi ritual of chopping up|their loved ones and selling them l find that irresistible.
l'm very busy.
What a distinguished way to honour the memory|of great Ferengi entrepreneurs.
l might start a collection,|put up a display case in my office.
There'll be a special space in there|reserved just for you, Quark.
l'm sure.
You're serious? Have l ever not been? - l'm curious about one thing.
|- What's that? - How do l know it's Plegg?|- lt says so.
lsn't there a letter of authenticity? The seal of dismemberment is here.
|What more do you want? - l want Plegg.
|- You've got him! - Not if he's alive.
|- Still alive? - Still alive.
|- Plegg? l tracked him down|and told him about your scheme.
He was amused.
|l'm not.
Odo, l'm a victim here.
l bought these discs in good faith.
l have 5,000 pieces of Plegg|in my storeroom.
- Not Plegg.
|- Then who? Good question.
l demand an investigation.
You'll get one, l promise you.
Odo! Dr Mora! lt's been too long.
You're looking well.
Yescoming along nicely.
Why didn't you let me know|you were coming? lt was a last-minute arrangement.
The trip from Bajor takes five hours.
Can l get you something|DrMora, was it? Yes, some Deka tea would be nice.
Haven't quite managed|the ears yet, have you? Oh, no, but they're difficult.
ls the suit part of you?|And the boots? Here we are.
Nice and hot.
Thank you.
So you two seem to be old friends.
Dr Mora was assigned to me|after l was found.
l was responsible for his development|during his formative years.
So this is a family reunion?|l had a hunch.
- Odo's dad is always welcome.
|- He is not my Odo is doing a wonderful job|here on the station, if l may say so.
He's beginning a fraud investigation.
Quark! Excuse us! Of course.
The two of you have|a lot of catching up to do.
lf there's anything l can help you with,|don't hesitate to call on me.
- That was uncalled-for.
|- You don't know Quark.
He was trying to present you|in a positive light to someone he thought|was important to you - and you responded with|- Please! - Having trouble with integration.
|- l integrate as much as l want to.
Define that.
As much as l want to|means as much as l want to.
Quark is a thief, a con man Nobody you'd want to know.
So tell me about this police thing|you're involved with.
- ls it working out?|- l enjoy my work as Chief of Security.
Chief of Security|at a weigh station in space.
Don't you miss it, Odo? - What?|- Our work.
Never.
l don't believe it.
|l know you too well.
You were unhappy in the lab.
But the work, Odo, the work.
The exploration of you, what you are,|where you came from.
That's never far from your mind, is it? That part of itis true.
Good.
Because l came here|counting on that.
- See you later, Dad.
|- Hold on! - l'm late.
|- For what? Nog.
My homework is done.
You've studied|that entire Klingon opera? l'll ace the test, Dad.
This is about learning.
You can't appreciate Klingon opera|by cramming the night before.
When will l use Klingon opera? Well You don't know what you're going to be|when you grow up.
You may want to be a musician or you may find yourself|among Klingons in a job somewhere.
- They wouldn't be singing operas.
|- lt helps to understand their culture.
When was the last time you listened|to Klingon opera? - When l was your age.
|- See? Yes.
Do you? Just because you suffered|doesn't mean l have to.
Yes, it does.
- Come in.
|- Dad! Nog has the same test.
lnvite him over and you can|listen to the Klingon opera together.
Please, Odo, sit down.
Commander, l'd like to request|the use of a runabout.
Of course.
For what? Dr Mora Pol from|the Bajoran lnstitute of Science has asked me to secure one|from the Federation.
- Why did he ask you?|- He worked with me when l got here.
lf he went to the board of ministers|it would take months, and he's anxious to investigate|something in the Gamma Quadrant.
And, may l say, Commander, so am l.
You've gotten me curious, Constable.
|ls it a secret? No, but there isn't much to tell.
One of the Bajoran science probes|recently scanned a planet about six light-years|from the wormhole.
lt picked up some very unique|and familiar DNA patterns, patterns very much|like my own, Commander.
Dr Mora thinks he may have discovered|the origin of my people Of me.
Being a scientist yourself, Lieutenant, you can appreciate|the difficulty of our dilemma and the elegance of the solution.
When Odo was found,|nobody knew who, or indeed what, we were dealing with.
A shapeless, viscous mass of fluid, a veritable organic broth.
That was our Odo.
When did you realise he was sentient? He didn't.
|l had to teach him that myself.
lt's true.
lt's very true.
Tell her.
l had never seen|anything like these creatures either.
''Seen'' isn't an appropriate description.
|He had no eyes.
l was describing it in simple terms.
He had never perceived|anything like us before.
Go on.
l had to find some way|to communicate, so l transformed myself into lt was remarkable.
l would come into the lab,|and Odo would be there resting in his liquid form|in a Krokan petri beaker.
One morning Odo was gone.
The beaker was empty, but next to it was an identical beaker|that had not been there before, a perfect replica in every way.
lt wasamazing.
lt hasn't been the same|since you've gone, Odo.
Working with you has been|the most rewarding part of my career.
We're approaching the planet.
|Prepare to enter standard orbit.
Planet designated LS Vl.
lnitiating scans.
There's a lot of seismic activity,|possibly volcanic in origin.
Moving into synchronous orbit.
Do the letters mean anything to you? No, l don't think so.
Judging by its position in the ruins, this pillar represented something|important to the people who lived here.
Let's take it.
|Computers on the station could decipher the inscriptions.
Where's Dr Weld? Dr Weld? Over here.
l think l may have found|what we're looking for.
- ls it carbon-based?|- No, silicate.
But vegetative, and very much alive.
Odo Junior, perhaps.
Computer, begin transport.
Computer, realign transporter.
|Lock onto our combadges.
Stand by.
This way.
- Ready for transport.
|- Computer, energise! They're stable for now.
Dax is in fair condition but the Bajorans|are more seriously affected.
Maybe they inhaled more gas, or there may be something|about Trill physiology.
- And Odo?|- l'm fine.
The paralysing action occurred|when the gas was inhaled, and since Odo doesn't have|a respiratory system, he wasn't affected at all.
O'Brien has off-loaded their cargo.
Everything is in the science lab.
There are some organic specimens|from that planet.
Maybe something there|will help you figure this out.
Will he be all right? The molecule appears to have|quite an unstable structure.
That might mean|the effect is temporary.
l know how you feel, Constable.
Feel? About what? When my father became ill l can remember how|weak he looked lying on the bed.
He'd been so strong, so independent.
lt always seemed|there was nothing that he couldn't do.
But in the end, l realised|there was nothing that he could do and nothing l could do to help him.
l appreciate your thoughts,|Commander, but Dr Mora is not my father.
The computer can't|classify your new life-form.
- Why?|- Whatever it is, it keeps changing.
lt goes through a metamorphosis|every time it reproduces, and it reproduces like crazy.
lt multiplied so much|l had to change containers.
l'll put it in a level-5 security field|overnight.
l wish Dax were here.
|How's she doing? Dr Bashir thinks she'll be fine.
Any idea what it is? l'm hoping it's a key, Mr O'Brien.
A key to my past.
Kira to Sisko.
Go ahead, Major.
Sorry to bother you,|but we need you in the science lab.
l'm on my way.
- Any signs of a break-in?|- No.
The security seal was|in place when we got here.
Why would anyone want to steal that? You're suggesting|the life-form itself did this? l don't know what did this.
Unless a tornado passed this way.
The room was locked, it's gone.
Constable, do a level-3 security scan.
Our scanners may not find it.
lts metamorphic qualities|confuse the computer.
- Run the sweep a few times.
|- Go to yellow alert.
Major, you could review|the security camera records and the heat sensor readouts|for the lab and the surrounding areas.
l'm detecting trace elements|near the ventilation intake duct.
Our life-form|may have gone this way.
Dr Bashir gave you permission|to be up? He wouldn't listen and hid|my clothes so l wouldn't leave.
l snuck out to my quarters|in a hospital gown.
- What did this?|- We think that life-form is responsible.
- l don't believe it.
|- Find me a better theory.
Odo, Dr Mora|would like to speak with you.
They said something|happened in the lab.
- The life-form sample is gone.
|- Gone? - We're not sure how or why.
|- l want to help.
l know more about shape-shifters|than anyone.
Anyone except me,|and l'll run the investigation.
Besides we're not even sure|it is a shape-shifting life-form.
Any metamorphic characteristics? lt changed too fast|for the computer to analyse.
Any indication of intelligence? Not unless you consider destruction|of the lab an indication of intelligence.
lt might be.
lt might be.
|Don't dismiss any possibility.
Dr Weld hasn't|regained consciousness.
l feel responsible.
l'm sure Dr Bashir|is doing everything possible.
The same trace elements|are in the duct.
l'm following the trail.
|Moving toward corridor 2-H.
- Nothing is showing up.
|- l figured as much.
Did the security cameras|give you anything? The security cameras stopped|operating for 43 seconds at 0300 hours, five minutes,|right when the alarm sounded.
Stopped?|You mean someone turned them off.
More likely some kind of|power interruption.
lt might have affected the security field|around the life-form, too.
Do the lab's heat sensors|show any thermal deviation? Almost a six degree increase|during the 43 seconds.
- But then back to normal after that?|- Affirmative.
We may be dealing with an entity that|absorbs low frequency R-F energy.
lt might be feeding off our power.
An energy drain should|show up on our scans.
Yeah, that's true, Constable.
|l don't get it.
Maybe this thermal deviation|was a result of - Chief?|- Hold on, l hear something.
We've got your position.
|Nothing else is showing up near you.
l definitely hear something ahead.
Can you hear it on the comm line? No.
lt almost sounds like|l can't describe it.
l'm moving in closer.
lf you run into my wife,|don't mention l did this.
Move some backup|to the nearest corridor.
Security to core section,|level 4, corridor 2-H.
She'll ask me how my day was and l'll say,|''Fine, honey.
How was yours?'' l don't think|she wants to know the truth.
So l do us both a favour and lt's a structural breach.
O'Brien, report.
l'm OK.
l'm fine.
l think l found our missing life-form.
Except it isn't a life-form anymore.
|lt's dead.
Station log, stardate 47391.
7.
Engineering crews have been working|for over 15 hours searching conduits.
There have been|no additional incidents and no further evidence|of the alien life-form has been found.
With this cellular structure the life-form would have needed|more carbon dioxide than we have.
- lt couldn't survive here.
|- That's my analysis.
Do you still think this life-form|was capable of destroying the lab? That's not impossible.
The environmental impact might have|taken time to set in.
l'd like to get Dr Mora's opinion.
He should be up in the morning.
Feel like getting a raktajino? My replicator or yours? l was thinking more of the Promenade.
l knew that.
Thanks.
l've got things|to wrap up around here.
Sleep tight, Julian.
She enjoys it.
She actually gets some kind|of perverse pleasure out of it.
And one of these days|l'm going to stop chasing her and then we'll see.
Emergency.
Emergency! lntruder alert.
lt happened so quickly.
l'm sorry l can't tell you more about it.
lt was behind me and then it was gone.
|But it was big, very big.
How badly did you injure it? l don't even know if l injured it at all.
l hit it with a laser scalpel in the arm|or the leg or the tentacle.
Then it was gone.
lt appears that|our life-form has survived and grown into something interesting.
Did you notice anything|when you entered the room, anything out of place or unusual? Was it unusually warm, perhaps? Now that you mention it,|it was warm in here.
Another thermal distortion.
|Did you try the lights, Doctor? No.
l didn't want to disturb the patients.
Let's check the R-F energy flow|to the infirmary.
We might find a power interruption.
No blood or fluid traces, but there is|a trail of an organic residue.
- Enough to test?|- We'll see.
Sisko to ops.
Restrict nonessential personnel|to their quarters and go to red alert, Major.
Dax may give us a way|to track this thing.
l suggest we close down|the Promenade.
l'll give the order, Constable.
- ''Constable''?|- lt's a nickname that l barely tolerate.
lt's an expression of affection|that you find difficult to accept.
You know, that was|a remarkable display back there.
- Display?|- Yes, you were very careful, attentive.
l was doing my job.
The scientific method|and police method have a lot in common.
Perhaps they do.
ln science we look for the obvious.
lf something looks too good to be true|it isn't true.
lf there is more to something|than meets the eye, there usually is more.
- That applies to investigation too.
|- You do it very well.
l'm very proud of you, Odo.
|Do you know that? Huh.
Anything? The computer's having trouble|breaking down the DNA chains.
What about this pillar? Did the computer|decode the encryptions? No luck there either.
The computer's having a bad week.
We have limited data|for the Gamma Quadrant.
l have to close the Promenade.
|Call me when you have something.
Wasn't that pillar over here before? l had it moved.
Have you compared|this new organic strain to the life-forms we brought back? Enough to know they're not the same.
lt might be interesting to see|if there are any commonalities at all.
Let me run a cross-tabulation analysis.
lt should only take a few minutes.
Do you know Odo well, Lieutenant? He keeps to himself a lot.
l'm not surprised.
l never realised till l actually saw him how much l miss him.
We didn't part|on very good terms and So l've heard.
He wanted to leave and we still had|so much to do.
But l wonder|if he wasn't right to go after all.
He's come so far.
He's an invaluable man around here.
l never thought he could do it,|integrate successfully.
He was so ill-prepared|to be on his own.
l was sure he'd come back.
l told him when he left he'd come back, and all these years l was so certain|that eventually he'd show up at the lab.
l guess l'd better get used to the idea|he's not going to.
Here we are.
Which one's this? That's from the infirmary|and this is from the planet.
But it went through|several metamorphoses.
lt's not the same entity.
The nucleotide sequences|are entirely different.
- Some metachromic similarities.
|- Yeson a most basic level.
At best, they could be distant cousins.
The computer's broken down|the DNA chain.
l can see if it matches up|with any other life-form.
- How long would that take?|- Two, three hours maybe.
Let me know.
Dr Weld has regained consciousness.
lt looks like he'll be fine.
That's a relief.
You don't seem relieved.
You can tell that just by observing me.
The tone of my voice,|my eyes, my body movement? Yes.
You are truly|a remarkable life-form, Odo.
But there is so much about you|we still don't understand.
What are you getting at, Doctor? The computer has broken down|the DNA chain from the sample|we found in the infirmary.
Dax is running an analysis of it now.
But l already know what it is.
|l've seen it before.
The organic sample lt's from you, Odo.
The destruction in the science lab|occurred at 0300 hours, five minutes.
The attack in the infirmary occurred|at 19:35, roughly 16 hours apart.
ls your rejuvenation period|still 16 hours? l was in my pail during both attacks.
But were you? l don't think so.
l think you've been placed|in the ironic position of having to track down yourself.
How could this be? Has anything like this occurred before? - No!|- Are you certain? Yes, l'm certain.
|There would have been incidents.
Any unsolved crimes on the book? There are always unsolved crimes.
Then the possibility exists.
l do not commit criminal acts!|lt is not in my nature! lsn't it? Maybe it was the gas on the planet.
lt affected you.
|lt must have affected me.
- That's it.
|- Worth an investigation.
- Dr Bashir|- Dr Bashir will not understand this.
Except that you have turned into|a thing that tried to kill him.
What do you think they'll do with you? They won't know what to do! They'll put you in a prison or quarantine you on an asteroid|in the Gamma Quadrant.
Odo, they'll put you in a zoo! l don'tbelieve that.
|You don't know them.
What humanoid have you been able|to trust, except me? What makes you think l trust you? l resent that.
l really do.
After all the time l invested in you, after the education|and attention l gave you.
You would not be here|if it weren't for me.
l gave you more than anyone in my life! You were my life!|And then you walked away.
And now you don't trust me.
Fine.
Put yourself in their hands.
You always had to learn|the hard way.
l am not going back|to the centre with you.
Why? We'll work through this together.
We'll solve it together like we used to.
No! l have a power failure in security,|Commander.
Sisko to Odo.
Sisko to Odo.
All deputies report to the security office.
|Possible intruder.
l'm tracking it.
We have a power drain|above the security office.
We might slow it down by shutting off the power|to the entire core section.
Do it.
- Where did it come from?|- Security to ops.
- Go ahead.
|- There's no one here.
- No sign of Odo?|- 'No.
' l can help you with that, Major.
The creature you're after is Odo.
There must have been a reaction|to the volcanic gas on the planet.
ls there any way to communicate|with him? lt's not Odo, really.
lt's separate and independent|from the Odo we know, and yet it's aware of me.
How can you know that? The incident in the science lab.
l believe that was an attempt to rescue|the life-forms l placed in containment.
The second encounter occurred|in the infirmary where l was asleep.
The third happened a few minutes ago when we got into a heated|discussion in security.
Even the constable himself would arrive at the same conclusions|given the evidence.
On some instinctual level the creature is familiar with me.
You might even conclude it has|hostile intentions toward you.
lt had occurred to me.
The power shut-down|is complete, Commander.
Odo, or whatever it is,|has stopped moving for the moment.
Based on your knowledge|of its behaviour, can we set up a forcefield to hold him? We could reverse polarity|on the energy fields.
- lt's only a guess.
|- Set it up on the Promenade.
l want a lot of room.
Major, station security teams|along the perimeter.
How will we get him|out of the conduits? We could use|some R-F energy bursts to attract him.
There's only one way that|you'll attract that creature into your trap.
lt's me it's after.
- Mr O'Brien?|- Our plan seems to be working.
He's following my trail|of energy crumbs directly toward you.
On my signal,|open the conduit and let him in.
We don't know which vent|he'll come through.
Hopefully the one over there.
lf not, there are 17 others|he might choose.
We're not stationing officers near them.
- We don't want to scare him.
|- l understand.
Just get him to the forcefield.
|We'll do the rest.
Phasers are to be set|on maximum stun.
lf Dr Mora is in jeopardy l'll open fire.
They'll follow my lead.
lf doesn't bring him down immediately,|we set phasers to kill.
- Commander|- l know, Major.
Those are my orders.
- Mr O'Brien, we're ready.
|- Releasing the conduit seal.
- Dr Mora, did you hear that?|- Ready and waiting.
What are you waiting for? l'm here.
And l'm not going anywhere.
l've done it to you again,|haven't l, Odo? Made you a prisoner? Dear God, what have l done? - Mr O'Brien, drop the forcefield.
|- Aye, sir.
We have a lotto talk about.
l won't try and explain|what happened to you because l haven't got the vaguest idea.
But with Dr Mora's help|we've eliminated all traces of the gas from your cellular structure.
l prescribe rest because it's hard|to go wrong with that one.
Otherwise, there's not much more|l can do for you.
Thank you, Doctor.
l'm going home.
Dr Mora l want to be sure you understand l had no idea.
You had to speak in a voice|loud enough for me to hear.
l'msorry.
l'm sorry it was necessary.
l would like in a very small way to be part of your life again, your life here on the station.
From time to time, we could talk about|things that matter to youto us.
l'd like that.
lt would take an orator|like the late, great Plegg himself to sing the praises|of the late, great Plegg.
What Ferengi could resist owning some|of the man that took a computer chip and turned it into|the modular holosuite industry? A small piece of the man that brought|holographic entertainment to remote parts of the quadrant, creating profit centres from societies that could barely afford|to feed their people.
How much are you asking? As l was about to tell my good friend, just three strips of latinum.
And l'd be taking a loss at that price.
OK, for you, two strips.
- Thank you very much.
|- Three strips? - That's a fair price.
|- So you're interested? Humanoid death rituals are my interest.
- Death rituals?|- Everybody needs a hobby.
Some species burn their dead, others pack them in blocks of ice.
Some even surround themselves|with the company of family corpses.
But the Ferengi ritual of chopping up|their loved ones and selling them l find that irresistible.
l'm very busy.
What a distinguished way to honour the memory|of great Ferengi entrepreneurs.
l might start a collection,|put up a display case in my office.
There'll be a special space in there|reserved just for you, Quark.
l'm sure.
You're serious? Have l ever not been? - l'm curious about one thing.
|- What's that? - How do l know it's Plegg?|- lt says so.
lsn't there a letter of authenticity? The seal of dismemberment is here.
|What more do you want? - l want Plegg.
|- You've got him! - Not if he's alive.
|- Still alive? - Still alive.
|- Plegg? l tracked him down|and told him about your scheme.
He was amused.
|l'm not.
Odo, l'm a victim here.
l bought these discs in good faith.
l have 5,000 pieces of Plegg|in my storeroom.
- Not Plegg.
|- Then who? Good question.
l demand an investigation.
You'll get one, l promise you.
Odo! Dr Mora! lt's been too long.
You're looking well.
Yescoming along nicely.
Why didn't you let me know|you were coming? lt was a last-minute arrangement.
The trip from Bajor takes five hours.
Can l get you something|DrMora, was it? Yes, some Deka tea would be nice.
Haven't quite managed|the ears yet, have you? Oh, no, but they're difficult.
ls the suit part of you?|And the boots? Here we are.
Nice and hot.
Thank you.
So you two seem to be old friends.
Dr Mora was assigned to me|after l was found.
l was responsible for his development|during his formative years.
So this is a family reunion?|l had a hunch.
- Odo's dad is always welcome.
|- He is not my Odo is doing a wonderful job|here on the station, if l may say so.
He's beginning a fraud investigation.
Quark! Excuse us! Of course.
The two of you have|a lot of catching up to do.
lf there's anything l can help you with,|don't hesitate to call on me.
- That was uncalled-for.
|- You don't know Quark.
He was trying to present you|in a positive light to someone he thought|was important to you - and you responded with|- Please! - Having trouble with integration.
|- l integrate as much as l want to.
Define that.
As much as l want to|means as much as l want to.
Quark is a thief, a con man Nobody you'd want to know.
So tell me about this police thing|you're involved with.
- ls it working out?|- l enjoy my work as Chief of Security.
Chief of Security|at a weigh station in space.
Don't you miss it, Odo? - What?|- Our work.
Never.
l don't believe it.
|l know you too well.
You were unhappy in the lab.
But the work, Odo, the work.
The exploration of you, what you are,|where you came from.
That's never far from your mind, is it? That part of itis true.
Good.
Because l came here|counting on that.
- See you later, Dad.
|- Hold on! - l'm late.
|- For what? Nog.
My homework is done.
You've studied|that entire Klingon opera? l'll ace the test, Dad.
This is about learning.
You can't appreciate Klingon opera|by cramming the night before.
When will l use Klingon opera? Well You don't know what you're going to be|when you grow up.
You may want to be a musician or you may find yourself|among Klingons in a job somewhere.
- They wouldn't be singing operas.
|- lt helps to understand their culture.
When was the last time you listened|to Klingon opera? - When l was your age.
|- See? Yes.
Do you? Just because you suffered|doesn't mean l have to.
Yes, it does.
- Come in.
|- Dad! Nog has the same test.
lnvite him over and you can|listen to the Klingon opera together.
Please, Odo, sit down.
Commander, l'd like to request|the use of a runabout.
Of course.
For what? Dr Mora Pol from|the Bajoran lnstitute of Science has asked me to secure one|from the Federation.
- Why did he ask you?|- He worked with me when l got here.
lf he went to the board of ministers|it would take months, and he's anxious to investigate|something in the Gamma Quadrant.
And, may l say, Commander, so am l.
You've gotten me curious, Constable.
|ls it a secret? No, but there isn't much to tell.
One of the Bajoran science probes|recently scanned a planet about six light-years|from the wormhole.
lt picked up some very unique|and familiar DNA patterns, patterns very much|like my own, Commander.
Dr Mora thinks he may have discovered|the origin of my people Of me.
Being a scientist yourself, Lieutenant, you can appreciate|the difficulty of our dilemma and the elegance of the solution.
When Odo was found,|nobody knew who, or indeed what, we were dealing with.
A shapeless, viscous mass of fluid, a veritable organic broth.
That was our Odo.
When did you realise he was sentient? He didn't.
|l had to teach him that myself.
lt's true.
lt's very true.
Tell her.
l had never seen|anything like these creatures either.
''Seen'' isn't an appropriate description.
|He had no eyes.
l was describing it in simple terms.
He had never perceived|anything like us before.
Go on.
l had to find some way|to communicate, so l transformed myself into lt was remarkable.
l would come into the lab,|and Odo would be there resting in his liquid form|in a Krokan petri beaker.
One morning Odo was gone.
The beaker was empty, but next to it was an identical beaker|that had not been there before, a perfect replica in every way.
lt wasamazing.
lt hasn't been the same|since you've gone, Odo.
Working with you has been|the most rewarding part of my career.
We're approaching the planet.
|Prepare to enter standard orbit.
Planet designated LS Vl.
lnitiating scans.
There's a lot of seismic activity,|possibly volcanic in origin.
Moving into synchronous orbit.
Do the letters mean anything to you? No, l don't think so.
Judging by its position in the ruins, this pillar represented something|important to the people who lived here.
Let's take it.
|Computers on the station could decipher the inscriptions.
Where's Dr Weld? Dr Weld? Over here.
l think l may have found|what we're looking for.
- ls it carbon-based?|- No, silicate.
But vegetative, and very much alive.
Odo Junior, perhaps.
Computer, begin transport.
Computer, realign transporter.
|Lock onto our combadges.
Stand by.
This way.
- Ready for transport.
|- Computer, energise! They're stable for now.
Dax is in fair condition but the Bajorans|are more seriously affected.
Maybe they inhaled more gas, or there may be something|about Trill physiology.
- And Odo?|- l'm fine.
The paralysing action occurred|when the gas was inhaled, and since Odo doesn't have|a respiratory system, he wasn't affected at all.
O'Brien has off-loaded their cargo.
Everything is in the science lab.
There are some organic specimens|from that planet.
Maybe something there|will help you figure this out.
Will he be all right? The molecule appears to have|quite an unstable structure.
That might mean|the effect is temporary.
l know how you feel, Constable.
Feel? About what? When my father became ill l can remember how|weak he looked lying on the bed.
He'd been so strong, so independent.
lt always seemed|there was nothing that he couldn't do.
But in the end, l realised|there was nothing that he could do and nothing l could do to help him.
l appreciate your thoughts,|Commander, but Dr Mora is not my father.
The computer can't|classify your new life-form.
- Why?|- Whatever it is, it keeps changing.
lt goes through a metamorphosis|every time it reproduces, and it reproduces like crazy.
lt multiplied so much|l had to change containers.
l'll put it in a level-5 security field|overnight.
l wish Dax were here.
|How's she doing? Dr Bashir thinks she'll be fine.
Any idea what it is? l'm hoping it's a key, Mr O'Brien.
A key to my past.
Kira to Sisko.
Go ahead, Major.
Sorry to bother you,|but we need you in the science lab.
l'm on my way.
- Any signs of a break-in?|- No.
The security seal was|in place when we got here.
Why would anyone want to steal that? You're suggesting|the life-form itself did this? l don't know what did this.
Unless a tornado passed this way.
The room was locked, it's gone.
Constable, do a level-3 security scan.
Our scanners may not find it.
lts metamorphic qualities|confuse the computer.
- Run the sweep a few times.
|- Go to yellow alert.
Major, you could review|the security camera records and the heat sensor readouts|for the lab and the surrounding areas.
l'm detecting trace elements|near the ventilation intake duct.
Our life-form|may have gone this way.
Dr Bashir gave you permission|to be up? He wouldn't listen and hid|my clothes so l wouldn't leave.
l snuck out to my quarters|in a hospital gown.
- What did this?|- We think that life-form is responsible.
- l don't believe it.
|- Find me a better theory.
Odo, Dr Mora|would like to speak with you.
They said something|happened in the lab.
- The life-form sample is gone.
|- Gone? - We're not sure how or why.
|- l want to help.
l know more about shape-shifters|than anyone.
Anyone except me,|and l'll run the investigation.
Besides we're not even sure|it is a shape-shifting life-form.
Any metamorphic characteristics? lt changed too fast|for the computer to analyse.
Any indication of intelligence? Not unless you consider destruction|of the lab an indication of intelligence.
lt might be.
lt might be.
|Don't dismiss any possibility.
Dr Weld hasn't|regained consciousness.
l feel responsible.
l'm sure Dr Bashir|is doing everything possible.
The same trace elements|are in the duct.
l'm following the trail.
|Moving toward corridor 2-H.
- Nothing is showing up.
|- l figured as much.
Did the security cameras|give you anything? The security cameras stopped|operating for 43 seconds at 0300 hours, five minutes,|right when the alarm sounded.
Stopped?|You mean someone turned them off.
More likely some kind of|power interruption.
lt might have affected the security field|around the life-form, too.
Do the lab's heat sensors|show any thermal deviation? Almost a six degree increase|during the 43 seconds.
- But then back to normal after that?|- Affirmative.
We may be dealing with an entity that|absorbs low frequency R-F energy.
lt might be feeding off our power.
An energy drain should|show up on our scans.
Yeah, that's true, Constable.
|l don't get it.
Maybe this thermal deviation|was a result of - Chief?|- Hold on, l hear something.
We've got your position.
|Nothing else is showing up near you.
l definitely hear something ahead.
Can you hear it on the comm line? No.
lt almost sounds like|l can't describe it.
l'm moving in closer.
lf you run into my wife,|don't mention l did this.
Move some backup|to the nearest corridor.
Security to core section,|level 4, corridor 2-H.
She'll ask me how my day was and l'll say,|''Fine, honey.
How was yours?'' l don't think|she wants to know the truth.
So l do us both a favour and lt's a structural breach.
O'Brien, report.
l'm OK.
l'm fine.
l think l found our missing life-form.
Except it isn't a life-form anymore.
|lt's dead.
Station log, stardate 47391.
7.
Engineering crews have been working|for over 15 hours searching conduits.
There have been|no additional incidents and no further evidence|of the alien life-form has been found.
With this cellular structure the life-form would have needed|more carbon dioxide than we have.
- lt couldn't survive here.
|- That's my analysis.
Do you still think this life-form|was capable of destroying the lab? That's not impossible.
The environmental impact might have|taken time to set in.
l'd like to get Dr Mora's opinion.
He should be up in the morning.
Feel like getting a raktajino? My replicator or yours? l was thinking more of the Promenade.
l knew that.
Thanks.
l've got things|to wrap up around here.
Sleep tight, Julian.
She enjoys it.
She actually gets some kind|of perverse pleasure out of it.
And one of these days|l'm going to stop chasing her and then we'll see.
Emergency.
Emergency! lntruder alert.
lt happened so quickly.
l'm sorry l can't tell you more about it.
lt was behind me and then it was gone.
|But it was big, very big.
How badly did you injure it? l don't even know if l injured it at all.
l hit it with a laser scalpel in the arm|or the leg or the tentacle.
Then it was gone.
lt appears that|our life-form has survived and grown into something interesting.
Did you notice anything|when you entered the room, anything out of place or unusual? Was it unusually warm, perhaps? Now that you mention it,|it was warm in here.
Another thermal distortion.
|Did you try the lights, Doctor? No.
l didn't want to disturb the patients.
Let's check the R-F energy flow|to the infirmary.
We might find a power interruption.
No blood or fluid traces, but there is|a trail of an organic residue.
- Enough to test?|- We'll see.
Sisko to ops.
Restrict nonessential personnel|to their quarters and go to red alert, Major.
Dax may give us a way|to track this thing.
l suggest we close down|the Promenade.
l'll give the order, Constable.
- ''Constable''?|- lt's a nickname that l barely tolerate.
lt's an expression of affection|that you find difficult to accept.
You know, that was|a remarkable display back there.
- Display?|- Yes, you were very careful, attentive.
l was doing my job.
The scientific method|and police method have a lot in common.
Perhaps they do.
ln science we look for the obvious.
lf something looks too good to be true|it isn't true.
lf there is more to something|than meets the eye, there usually is more.
- That applies to investigation too.
|- You do it very well.
l'm very proud of you, Odo.
|Do you know that? Huh.
Anything? The computer's having trouble|breaking down the DNA chains.
What about this pillar? Did the computer|decode the encryptions? No luck there either.
The computer's having a bad week.
We have limited data|for the Gamma Quadrant.
l have to close the Promenade.
|Call me when you have something.
Wasn't that pillar over here before? l had it moved.
Have you compared|this new organic strain to the life-forms we brought back? Enough to know they're not the same.
lt might be interesting to see|if there are any commonalities at all.
Let me run a cross-tabulation analysis.
lt should only take a few minutes.
Do you know Odo well, Lieutenant? He keeps to himself a lot.
l'm not surprised.
l never realised till l actually saw him how much l miss him.
We didn't part|on very good terms and So l've heard.
He wanted to leave and we still had|so much to do.
But l wonder|if he wasn't right to go after all.
He's come so far.
He's an invaluable man around here.
l never thought he could do it,|integrate successfully.
He was so ill-prepared|to be on his own.
l was sure he'd come back.
l told him when he left he'd come back, and all these years l was so certain|that eventually he'd show up at the lab.
l guess l'd better get used to the idea|he's not going to.
Here we are.
Which one's this? That's from the infirmary|and this is from the planet.
But it went through|several metamorphoses.
lt's not the same entity.
The nucleotide sequences|are entirely different.
- Some metachromic similarities.
|- Yeson a most basic level.
At best, they could be distant cousins.
The computer's broken down|the DNA chain.
l can see if it matches up|with any other life-form.
- How long would that take?|- Two, three hours maybe.
Let me know.
Dr Weld has regained consciousness.
lt looks like he'll be fine.
That's a relief.
You don't seem relieved.
You can tell that just by observing me.
The tone of my voice,|my eyes, my body movement? Yes.
You are truly|a remarkable life-form, Odo.
But there is so much about you|we still don't understand.
What are you getting at, Doctor? The computer has broken down|the DNA chain from the sample|we found in the infirmary.
Dax is running an analysis of it now.
But l already know what it is.
|l've seen it before.
The organic sample lt's from you, Odo.
The destruction in the science lab|occurred at 0300 hours, five minutes.
The attack in the infirmary occurred|at 19:35, roughly 16 hours apart.
ls your rejuvenation period|still 16 hours? l was in my pail during both attacks.
But were you? l don't think so.
l think you've been placed|in the ironic position of having to track down yourself.
How could this be? Has anything like this occurred before? - No!|- Are you certain? Yes, l'm certain.
|There would have been incidents.
Any unsolved crimes on the book? There are always unsolved crimes.
Then the possibility exists.
l do not commit criminal acts!|lt is not in my nature! lsn't it? Maybe it was the gas on the planet.
lt affected you.
|lt must have affected me.
- That's it.
|- Worth an investigation.
- Dr Bashir|- Dr Bashir will not understand this.
Except that you have turned into|a thing that tried to kill him.
What do you think they'll do with you? They won't know what to do! They'll put you in a prison or quarantine you on an asteroid|in the Gamma Quadrant.
Odo, they'll put you in a zoo! l don'tbelieve that.
|You don't know them.
What humanoid have you been able|to trust, except me? What makes you think l trust you? l resent that.
l really do.
After all the time l invested in you, after the education|and attention l gave you.
You would not be here|if it weren't for me.
l gave you more than anyone in my life! You were my life!|And then you walked away.
And now you don't trust me.
Fine.
Put yourself in their hands.
You always had to learn|the hard way.
l am not going back|to the centre with you.
Why? We'll work through this together.
We'll solve it together like we used to.
No! l have a power failure in security,|Commander.
Sisko to Odo.
Sisko to Odo.
All deputies report to the security office.
|Possible intruder.
l'm tracking it.
We have a power drain|above the security office.
We might slow it down by shutting off the power|to the entire core section.
Do it.
- Where did it come from?|- Security to ops.
- Go ahead.
|- There's no one here.
- No sign of Odo?|- 'No.
' l can help you with that, Major.
The creature you're after is Odo.
There must have been a reaction|to the volcanic gas on the planet.
ls there any way to communicate|with him? lt's not Odo, really.
lt's separate and independent|from the Odo we know, and yet it's aware of me.
How can you know that? The incident in the science lab.
l believe that was an attempt to rescue|the life-forms l placed in containment.
The second encounter occurred|in the infirmary where l was asleep.
The third happened a few minutes ago when we got into a heated|discussion in security.
Even the constable himself would arrive at the same conclusions|given the evidence.
On some instinctual level the creature is familiar with me.
You might even conclude it has|hostile intentions toward you.
lt had occurred to me.
The power shut-down|is complete, Commander.
Odo, or whatever it is,|has stopped moving for the moment.
Based on your knowledge|of its behaviour, can we set up a forcefield to hold him? We could reverse polarity|on the energy fields.
- lt's only a guess.
|- Set it up on the Promenade.
l want a lot of room.
Major, station security teams|along the perimeter.
How will we get him|out of the conduits? We could use|some R-F energy bursts to attract him.
There's only one way that|you'll attract that creature into your trap.
lt's me it's after.
- Mr O'Brien?|- Our plan seems to be working.
He's following my trail|of energy crumbs directly toward you.
On my signal,|open the conduit and let him in.
We don't know which vent|he'll come through.
Hopefully the one over there.
lf not, there are 17 others|he might choose.
We're not stationing officers near them.
- We don't want to scare him.
|- l understand.
Just get him to the forcefield.
|We'll do the rest.
Phasers are to be set|on maximum stun.
lf Dr Mora is in jeopardy l'll open fire.
They'll follow my lead.
lf doesn't bring him down immediately,|we set phasers to kill.
- Commander|- l know, Major.
Those are my orders.
- Mr O'Brien, we're ready.
|- Releasing the conduit seal.
- Dr Mora, did you hear that?|- Ready and waiting.
What are you waiting for? l'm here.
And l'm not going anywhere.
l've done it to you again,|haven't l, Odo? Made you a prisoner? Dear God, what have l done? - Mr O'Brien, drop the forcefield.
|- Aye, sir.
We have a lotto talk about.
l won't try and explain|what happened to you because l haven't got the vaguest idea.
But with Dr Mora's help|we've eliminated all traces of the gas from your cellular structure.
l prescribe rest because it's hard|to go wrong with that one.
Otherwise, there's not much more|l can do for you.
Thank you, Doctor.
l'm going home.
Dr Mora l want to be sure you understand l had no idea.
You had to speak in a voice|loud enough for me to hear.
l'msorry.
l'm sorry it was necessary.
l would like in a very small way to be part of your life again, your life here on the station.
From time to time, we could talk about|things that matter to youto us.
l'd like that.