TREKCORE > DS9 > EPISODES > FOR THE CAUSE > Synopsis

Episode Synopsis by Tracy Hemenover

Kasidy gets up early after a night with Sisko, for a meeting with her engineer; he tries to entice her to stay, but she is adamant, and heads out.

Later, there is a staff meeting at which Eddington gives a briefing about 12 Class Four Industrial replicators that the Federation is sending to Cardassia to help them rebuild after the Klingon invasion. The information is classified, as there is reason to believe that the Maquis may try to stop the shipments or possibly steal the replicators. The Maquis have had a free hand in the Demilitarized Zone lately because the Cardassian military has been too busy with the Klingons to go after them. The replicator shipment is going to be passing through DS9, so Sisko tells Odo to step up security, and Worf is to go on patrol in the Defiant.

Odo and Eddington stay to have a word with Sisko after the meeting. It has come to their attention, based on evidence that so far is only circumstantial, that there is a Maquis smuggler here on the station. Uncomfortably, Odo tells Sisko it's Kasidy Yates.

They go on to give a shocked Sisko their reasons for suspecting her. Kasidy always takes six extra hours on her regular run to Dreon VII, enough time to make a rendezvous with the Maquis in the Badlands. Also, Starfleet Intelligence has information that a Maquis contact started living on DS9 in the last six months, and so did Kasidy. "That's damned slim evidence to base an accusation," Sisko says with some heat. "We haven't made any accusations," Odo reminds him. "I said we have suspicions." He and Eddington have been watching Kasidy discreetly, and would like permission to conduct a more thorough investigation. Sisko is against putting surveillance equipment in her quarters, but reluctantly, he tells them if they can find a reason to search her ship, to do so.

Bashir and Garak are watching a springball game between Kira and a Bajoran man. Also in the crowd is Ziyal, and Garak is watching her more than the game. "What does she expect?" he retorts defensively when Bashir admonishes him. "She's the only Cardassian woman on this station. She must know she's bound to attract some attention." "Some, yes," Bashir agrees. "Yours, no." But Garak can't help but keep glancing at Ziyal. "Perhaps I should say hello after the game." Bashir is reminding him of all the reasons he shouldn't -- namely, that Ziyal is the daughter of a man who hates him, and Kira also wouldn't take kindly to her associating with Garak -- when Kira scores a goal, which Bashir missed because he was talking. Garak looks at Ziyal one more time, and looks away when she turns to him.

Sisko cooks dinner for himself, Jake, and Kasidy, and casually questions Kasidy about the route she takes to Dreon VII, mentioning that it's near the Badlands. "I guess it depends on how you define 'near'," says Kasidy. "On my ship, Dreon's a long way from the Badlands." She says she tries to stay away from that area. "If you're really this interested in my flight plans, why don't you look them up? You are the commander of the station, after all." Awkwardly, Sisko says to forget he brought it up.

By pure chance, Garak and Ziyal end up sharing a turbolift alone together. "You're not going to hurt me, are you?" Garak asks at last. "Normally I would simply make a strategic withdrawal at the first sign of trouble, but there doesn't seem to be a way out of here." Ziyal banters back a little, then: "I don't think I'll hurt you...In fact, I think it's safe to say you have nothing to fear from me." "And you, my dear, have nothing to fear from me," Garak assures her.

When Odo informs Kasidy he has to inspect her vessel for Temecklian virus, and that the inspection will take six hours, she appeals to Sisko, saying she has to make a rendezvous with a Tholian freighter in nine hours. She will flood the cargo hold with baryon radiation as a precaution, but she has to go now or she'll lose the entire consignment. Sisko tells her to stand by, and consults with Eddington, who says they can't shorten the search time, but they should at least try to do the search. However, Sisko tells Kasidy she's cleared to leave the station. Then he has Eddington tell Worf he has new orders, to take the Defiant to follow Kasidy's ship, the Xhosa. "What are our orders if we observe Captain Yates meeting a Maquis ship?" asks Eddington. Sisko tells him they're to observe and report back.

The Defiant, cloaked, follows the Xhosa, which alters course towards the Badlands. O'Brien loses them amid the plasma fields there, but Eddington tells Worf he thinks he knows where it's going. The Xhosa seems to be headed along a route which Starfleet Intelligence determines is one frequently used by the Maquis. So the Defiant begins following that route as well. O'Brien and Worf debate the Maquis cause a bit; Worf takes the view that they are terrorists, pure and simple, and should be destroyed, while O'Brien is a bit more understanding of their reasons. The Chief asks Eddington how he feels about the Maquis. "I don't have any feelings about them one way or the other," says Eddington. "You must have an opinion," O'Brien presses. Eddington tells him, "I do my job, Chief. Starfleet says to find the Maquis, I'll find the Maquis. They tell me to help them, I'll help them. My opinion is irrelevant. What matters to me is doing my job like a Starfleet officer. Anything else is an indulgence."

O'Brien picks up two impulse signatures: the Xhosa and a Maquis raider. The Xhosa beams over its cargo to the raider, proving that Kasidy is definitely smuggling to them.

Ziyal pays Garak a visit in his shop, surprising him. A bit nervously, she makes small talk before getting to her reason for coming. She has gotten a holosuite program from Quark, a reproduction of a Cardassian sauna, and she was wondering if Garak would like to try it with her. "I mean, we're the only Cardassians on the station, and well, the temperature's too hot for almost anyone else." Garak can't help but be intrigued, yet his alarms are going off. He asks her when, she gives him a time the day after tomorrow, and finally he tells her he'd be delighted.

As Sisko and Jake are having breakfast, the conversation turns to Kasidy -- a sensitive subject for Sisko. Jake misreads his discomfort, and teases his dad until Sisko snaps at him. "I was just kidding," says Jake, surprised. "I know," Sisko says in apology. "I've just got a lot on my mind." Jake asks if something happened between him and Kasidy. Sisko suddenly takes his hand. "This is important. You and I. Things change, but not this." He trails off, unsure what he wants to say. "Forget it. I'm just having a bad day." Jake watches him go, wondering what's gotten into his dad.

Eddington briefs Sisko and the others on what was learned when the Defiant followed the Xhosa. It seems that the Xhosa was most likely transporting food or medical supplies to the Maquis. Dax tries to put a good spin on it by saying at least it wasn't weapons, but Sisko doesn't want to hear it. He asks where the Xhosa is now; Worf says it's on the way back to the station. Sisko dismisses the meeting, refusing Dax's attempt to hang back and lend a shoulder.

When Kasidy arrives, Sisko has a very difficult time acting normal with her, knowing that she has betrayed him. She thanks him for bending the inspection rules. The Tholians have a viral infection on one of their colonies, and they really needed those medical supplies. Kasidy says she has to make another run tonight, but promises he can inspect the cargo ahead of time. Jake enters and invites them both to a holosuite baseball game. Sisko says he's due in Ops.

Odo and Eddington tell Sisko that their opinion is that if the Xhosa makes another rendezvous with a Maquis raider, they should seize both vessels and arrest everyone aboard. The Xhosa may not make another run for months; they shouldn't miss this opportunity. "Agreed," says Sisko, knowing there's no alternative. Privately, Eddington tells Sisko he would like to remain on the station to supervise the security detail for the CFI replicators, which are due tomorrow afternoon. He doesn't want the responsibility of guaranteeing Kasidy's safety if there is a fight. Sisko agrees, and says he'll take command of the Defiant.

Kasidy is about to leave when Sisko enters the cargo bay. "I was just thinking, why don't we drop everything and go to Risa? Just the two of us." Almost desperate not to have to arrest her, he suggests that she tell the "Tholians" they won't be getting this shipment. "I don't think I can do that, Ben," Kasidy says. "I have a commitment to fulfill. But if you want to take a runabout and wait for me on Risa, I'll meet you there." "Forget about it," Sisko says. "It was just a crazy idea. Have a great trip." "Thanks," she replies. "It was a tempting idea, Ben. I wish I could take you up on it."

The Xhosa leaves, and is again followed by the cloaked Defiant, this time with Sisko in command. When they reach the Badlands, the Xhosa goes into a holding pattern; either they're early, or their contact is late.

Garak is fitting Quark for a new outfit when Kira comes into the shop. When he asks what he can do for her, she grabs him and slams him against a wall. "Listen closely. I don't know what kind of sick game it is you're playing with Ziyal, but it better stop and it better stop right now." She's not interested in hearing any protests or lies from him. "That girl is here under my protection, and I swear, if you do anything to hurt her, I will make you regret it. Is that clear?" "As Tabalian glass," Garak replies. Kira says, "Good," and leaves without further ceremony.

Quark asks casually if Garak is going to cancel his holosuite "date" with Ziyal. Garak says he was thinking of it. "I've had visions of Ziyal presenting my head to her father as a birthday gift." But now he feels better about it. "If Ziyal planned to kill me, Kira would not be trying to warn me away. On the contrary, the good Major would also welcome my untimely demise and do nothing to interfere." "Unless that's part of the plan," muses Quark, catching Garak off guard. "What do you mean?" "Oh, you know -- Kira acts like she doesn't want you to go, so you'll feel everything is okay, and then you go anyway. Nah, it's too complicated." "Of course," Garak murmurs, his paranoia back full force.

The Xhosa is still waiting, and so is the Defiant. "This is wrong," Odo says worriedly. "Terrorists don't work this way. If your contact doesn't show up for a rendezvous, you leave. You don't stay in the Badlands going in circles for five hours." Worf suggests that possibly the cargo is so valuable that Kasidy will wait as long as it takes. "I think she's already made her delivery," Odo tells Sisko. "And you were the cargo. Think about it. If anyone but Kasidy Yates was on the Xhosa, would you be commanding this mission yourself?" Sisko wonders why someone would want him here, and Odo replies that one thing is certain, they're not going to find the answers sitting here. Sisko decides Odo is right, and the two of them head for the transporter room.

Kasidy, who is getting tired of waiting herself, is about to send a coded message when the Defiant decloaks. "Oh my God," she says, as Sisko, Odo, and three security officers materialize on her bridge. Kasidy tries to play innocent. "Don't say it," says Sisko. "I know that you're a smuggler, I know that you've been working with the Maquis, and right now I don't care. But I need to know what your orders were. Were you told to draw me out here so the Maquis could attack the station?...Jake's back there, and whatever your feelings are for me, I can't believe you would put him in danger."

She pauses, struggling, but decides to trust him. "I was supposed to meet a Maquis ship at these coordinates. I don't know anything about an attack on the station, and I doubt the Maquis would try. I didn't know you were following me, but after our last talk, I suspected that you might be out there." Odo asks why she didn't abort the mission, and Kasidy replies that she was told the medical supplies were urgently needed; she had to be here no matter what. "I tried to tell them that I'd made too many runs in the last few days, that I was just asking to get caught. But they wouldn't listen." "They knew you were going to be caught," says Sisko, putting it together. "That's why they didn't send a Maquis ship out here to meet you. Everything's been building to this -- they needed to draw me away from the station. Why? If they aren't planning an attack, what other reason could there be?" And suddenly he has the answer.

On DS9, Eddington tells a group of security officers that he's received new orders, that the CFI replicators (now in a cargo bay) are to be transferred aboard a Vulcan freighter, which will arrive any moment. They are to tell no one, not even Bajoran security, and the station will be under communications silence. Kira enters as the Starfleet security officers are leaving. "You wanted to see me?" "Yes, Major," Eddington says. "I'm afraid I need to take command of the station for the next few hours." With that, he quickly whips out his phaser and stuns her. He leaves, locking the wardroom door behind him.

The Defiant heads back to DS9 at maximum warp; the station isn't responding to their hails. "You realize we'll probably never see the Xhosa or Captain Yates again," Odo tells Sisko, who agrees it's a possibility. But their priority is to get back to the station. "Captain Yates is my responsibility, and I will thank you to leave it at that."

Eddington ascertains that the replicators are all secured in the Vulcan ship's hold, and tells one of the security officers, Lt. Reese, he's leaving with the freighter, and Reese is in charge of the station until Sisko returns. Reese is surprised, but accepts it. After the lieutenant leaves for Ops, Eddington takes off his combadge and puts it on a bulkhead before going through the airlock.

A short time later, the Defiant is docked at the station, and Eddington's defection is known; Starfleet is hunting for the Vulcan freighter, but Odo opines that it won't be found. "What do we tell the Cardassians?" asks Kira. "The truth," replies Sisko grimly. "He fooled me. And he got away with it." "He fooled all of us," Kira observes. Sisko doesn't find it that easy to absolve himself. "Everything that happens on this station is my responsibility, Major."

To everyone's surprise, a message comes in from Eddington. Sisko takes it in his office. "I just have one question: why?" Eddington suggests that they table the question of his personal motives for now. "The only reason I've contacted you is to ask you to leave us alone. Our quarrel is with the Cardassians, not the Federation. Leave us alone, and I can promise you you'll never hear from the Maquis again." "Unless you see another shipment you want to hijack," Sisko comments, and Eddington tells him that if the Federation keeps sending replicators to Cardassia, they'll have more to worry about than hijackings.

"I don't respond well to threats," Sisko tells him evenly. "I thought you would know that by now, but I'm beginning to see that you don't know me at all." "I know you," Eddington counters, sneering. "I was like you once, but then I opened my eyes. 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."

Sisko looks at him with cold anger. "You know what, Mr. Eddington, I don't give a damn what you think of the Federation, the Maquis, or anything else. All I know is that you betrayed your oath, your duty, and me. And if it takes me the rest of my life, I will see you standing before a court-martial that'll break you and send you to a penal colony, where you will spend the rest of your days growing old, and wondering whether a ship full of replicators was really worth it."

Ziyal is relaxing on a rock in the Cardassian sauna program when Garak enters, his manner cool but wary. She gives him a friendly greeting, and invites him to lie down, but he has a question first: "Why am I here? Am I to believe that you've invited the sworn enemy of your father simply to enjoy the heat?" "You really think I asked you here to kill you?" Ziyal asks. "Well, it did occur to me. Kira and my father both told me that you used to be an agent of the Obsidian Order, that you had my grandfather tortured and killed, and that you could easily kill me without a second thought." "Although I seldom credit the Major or your father with being entirely trustworthy," Garak replies, "in this case, they're both telling the truth."

She doesn't flinch. "You know what else is true?" she tells him. "I don't care. I'm half-Bajoran, and that means I'm an outcast back home. I can't go back, and neither can you. So we can either share some time together, or we can ignore each other. I spent five years in a prisoner of war camp by myself. I don't need your company. But if you'd like to stay and share the heat with me, maybe tell me something about home that I don't know, then I would welcome your company. And I get the feeling you would welcome mine. Either way, it's up to you." Garak considers this. Then, making a decision, he takes out a phaser and tosses it aside. "Well, it seems I won't be needing this anymore." He lies down on another rock. "So, what shall we talk about first?" Ziyal smiles.

The Xhosa returns to DS9, and Sisko is waiting in the cargo bay when Kasidy enters through the airlock. She has left her crew at a Maquis base, not wanting to drag them to prison with her. "You didn't have to come back either," says Sisko. "Yes, I did," Kasidy counters. "And I think we both know that's why you left us alone out there -- to see if I would. I'm not going to stand here and apologize for what I did. You had your duty, I had mine."

"I still have my duty," Sisko tells her. Kasidy looks at him. "I know. And I know I'll probably go to prison. But I came back because of us, because despite all that's happened, I still love you, Ben. I don't want to throw that away. Do you?" There is a long pause, as he gazes into her eyes. "No," he says at last. He reaches out and holds her tight. Then he calls Lt. Reese, who enters the cargo bay with two other guards. "I'll be back," says Kasidy. "I'll be here," Sisko tells her, and watches as she goes with the security officers, leaving him alone in the cargo bay.