Data Stellare 49729.8: La Federazione ha acconsentito a mandare alcuni replicatori industriali su Cardassia per aiutare il popolo cardassiano a riprendersi dall'attacco klingon, ma ci sono alcuni sospetti che i Maquis possano intervenire per boicottare gli aiuti e Sisko deve affrontare la possibilità che una persona molto vicina a lui possa essere un simpatizzante Maquis.

Eddington: Open your eyes, Captain. Why is the Federation so obsessed with the Maquis? We've never harmed you -and yet we're constantly arrested and charged with terrorism. Starships chase us through the Badlands, and our supporters are harassed and ridiculed. WHY? Because we've left the Federation, and that's the one thing you can't accept. Nobody leaves Paradise, everyone should want to be in the Federation. Hell, you even want the Cardassians to join; you're only sending them replicators because one day, they can take their rightful place on the Federation Council. You know, in some ways, you're even worse than the Borg. At least they tell you about their plans for assimilation. You're more insidious; you assimilate people, and they don't even know it.