The Delta Flyers - Call to Arms

Episode Date: June 16, 2026

The Delta Flyers is hosted by Garrett Wang, Robert Duncan McNeill, Terry Farrell, and Armin Shimerman. In each podcast release, they will recap and discuss an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.This week’s episode, Call to Arms, is hosted by Garrett Wang, Robert Duncan McNeill, and Terry Farrell. Call to Arms: As Jem'Hadar warships pour through the wormhole, Deep Space Nine takes defensive measures and prepares to surrender to Gul Dukat. We would like to thank everyone who makes this podcast possible, starting with our Production Managers, Megan Elise and Rebecca McNeill.Additionally, we could not make this podcast available without our Executive Producers:Stephanie Baker, Jason M Okun, Luz R., Marie Burgoyne, Kris Hansen, Chris Knapp, Janet K Harlow, Rich Gross, Mary Jac Greer, Mike Gu, Tara Polen, Carrie Roberts,Tom Paynter, Sandra Stengel, AJC, Nicholaus Russell, Alex Mednis, Holly Schmitt, David Wei Liu, Roxane Ray, Tim Neumark, Ian Ramsey, Feroza Mehta, Jenny Cordina, Ryan Mahieu, Izzy Jaffer, Francesca Garibaldi, Jonathan Capps, Chris Dellman, Sean T, Cindy Woodford, Tamara Evans, Shawn Robbins, & Francis Our Co-Executive Producers:Liz Scott, Sarah A Gubbins, Trip Lives, Utopia Science Fiction Magazine, Elaine Ferguson, Captain Jeremiah Brown, Deike Hoffmann, Anna Post, Cindy Ring, Lee Lisle, Holly Smith, Amy Tudor, Mark G Hamilton, KMB, Dominic Burgess, Normandy Madden, Joseph Michael Kuhlman, Darryl Cheng, Elizabeth Stanton, Tim Beach, Victor Ling, Shambhavi Kadam, Donna Runyon, Nicholas Albano, Andrew Duncan, Randy Hawke, Penny Liu, Matt Norris, David Smith, Heath K., Andrew Cano, Robby Hill, Kevin Harlow, Jeff Allen, & Londyn HenningAnd our Producers:Philipp Havrilla, James Amey, Jake Barrett, Ann Harding, Samantha Weddle, Paul Johnston, Carole Patterson, Warren Stine, Carl Murphy, Jocelyn Pina, Chad Awkerman, AJ Provance, Brian King, Maxine Soloway, Heidi McLellan, E & John, Brianna Kloss, Dat Cao, Stephen Riegner, Debra Defelice, Alexander Ray, Kelly Brown, Sarah Thompson, Gabriel Dominic Girgis, Renee Wiley, Maria Rosell, Dominique Weidle, Jesse Bailey, Mike Chow, Matt Edmonds, Miki T, Heather Selig, Steph Davies, Stephanie Aves, Seth Carlson, Amy Rambacher, Jessica B, Annie Davey, Jason Eberl, Jeremy Gaskin, Sarah Dunnevant, Charlie Faulkner, Estelle Keller, Eddie Dawson, Lauren Rivers, Jennifer B, PJ Pick, Preston M, Rebecca Leary, SnazzyO, Karen Galleski, Jan Hanford, Katelynn Burmark, Cade Solsbery, Timothy McMichens, Cassandra Girard, Andrea Wilson, Slacktwaddle, Willow Whitcomb, Mo, Leslie Ford, Jay Furness, Jim Poesl, Scott Bowling, Michael Jones, Ed Jarot, James Vanhaerent, Nick Cook-West, Kilian Trapp, Kit Marie Rackley, Gordon Watson, Andrew Golden, Damien O’Donnell, Michael Bourguignon, & Patricia WelschThank you for your support!This Podcast is recorded under a SAG-AFTRA agreement.“Our creations are protected by copyright, trademark, and trade secret laws. Some examples of our creations are the text we use, artwork we create, audio, and video we produce and post. You may not use, reproduce, or distribute our creations unless we give you permission. If you have any questions, you can email us at [e-mail] Sponsors:* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com* Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/tdf for a great deal: https://www.quince.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Delta Flyers journey through the wormhole with Quirk Dax and their good friends, Tom and Harry. Join us as we make our way through episodes of Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Your host for today are my fellow Trek actors, Terry Farrell, Robert Duncan McNeil, and myself, Garrett Wong. For the complete and exciting version of this podcast, check out patreon.com forward slash the Delta the flyers and sign up to become a patron today. Hello, friends. Hello. It's been a while.

Jerry Seinfeld thing. Hello. Like the belly button or something. Seinfeld was so funny. Wasn't it? Tehr fair is nice to see you. It's been a stretch of where we've had Armin, Armin and Armin, and now. We have you.

I know. It's been a new. I'm excited to see you guys. I'm thinking that we need to start having just a once a week catch up for an hour of the three of us because I miss you guys. Okay. So if you, if our minute is scheduled for three or four in a row, we, we need to have just a quick 30 to 45 minute Zoom, a social Zoom call.

Social Zoom, right? Yeah. Because we never know what city or state you're in, Garrett. That's true. That's true. We don't know. We don't know. Yeah.

We need a company retreat. We need a company retreat. To Turks and Kekos, you mean, Robbie? Sure, let's go. I've never been there. Oh, I love Turks and Kato's. Never been there. I would love to go.

Is it far away? It's on the Bahamas, kind of Caribbean side. Yeah. Not terrible. Do you know I didn't know Belize was like super close to us? I thought it was somewhere around Bali and Fiji. Oh, no. Yeah.

I had no idea. Costa Rica, Panama neighborhood. It's supposed to be amazing. Yeah. Yeah. Belize is, it's great. All right, we have birthdays. We do.

We do. We have a single birthday that we're going to celebrate today. So let's just say that June 18th is that special, special day for Carl Murphy. Happy birthday, Carl. Happy birthday, Carl. June birthdays. What a perfect time to have a birthday. Yay.

Happy birthday, Carl. I'll have a great, great day. All righty, straight into the limerick, Robbie. Let's hear it. All right. This one was a challenge. You know, sometimes they flow and sometimes... Stop saying that, Robbie.

You always say that. I know, I see that. It's always good. It's so annoying. I'm so annoying. I started to write mine and I don't know what booklet I put it in. Okay. And this morning I went, I can't do it.

It's too hard. There's so many... Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes it is hard. Yeah. Yeah. All right. I went through different

perspectives. I was like, I tried to do about Cisco. Finally, I went to Rahman Lida. I was like, good, good, good. This was a nice little comedy. I liked that, you know, their B story, C story, which is very much needed. I'm so happy. Yes. What a great episode for Max. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Really good. All right. Here's my limerick. Here we go. Okay.

For Rahman Lita's wedding, the station would cheer, though Dominion fleets loomed very near. Dax laid the minds to protect the front lines, but the station's future is quite far from clear. That was good. That is freaking amazing. Really? Yes. Oh.

See you? Yes. It's so beautiful in its simplicity and clarity. Okay, good. Everybody, this is the pattern. Whenever Robbie goes, you know what, this is really difficult. and I'm not too sure about this one. Just expect a really good limerick whenever he says that.

I really think it's not one of my better ones. So this is raw. I can't wait. War waves its ugly flag. Soldiers brace for the unknown. We steal ourselves as we say our goodbyes, all the while knowing it could be our last. Oh, that was.

was really good. Thank you. I'm so glad that you found that wrapped paper in the middle of wherever it was. Well, before we start, I'm looking through my notebooks. I'm thinking, I thought I just wrote it like on the back of a page of one, right? I couldn't find my actual work, our work notebook. And, but that's my chaotic. But you found it. So that's all that matters. It was really moving. Thank you. It could have been written on a chewing gum wrapper. It doesn't matter at this point. It's just, you found it.

If I could just get a secretary and someone to clean my house, this would be, I would. Life would be so different. Well, let's get your haiku, Garrett, before we move on. Here we go. That's right. Here we go. Here's my haiku for this final episode, the season finale, call to arms. Everyone on Edge.

Ducotte gets his office back Cisco meets with fleet Ooh yes Yeah That is true That was like the Oh my God The special effects in this one just blew my mind

Yeah I loved it so much It was Yeah there were some cool shots Some very cool space shots Yeah I particularly love the station With the weapons coming out

Because we've never seen that before Well, I thought we did see it before one time. But not like this. Not like this. This was like extra stuff they put into this. Yeah. Well, we probably want to wait until we're. We're there.

We get to that point. Okay. That's fine. Spoiler alert for those listening. Robbie, what was the station has weapons. The station has teeth now. The station has teeth now. Okay, that could have been the end of my hycube.

Let's go with our. our Patreon submitted poetry winner, Robbie. Yes. Rhyming couplets submitted by Amy T. goes like this. There's still time for romance in their lives. A call to arms as the convoy arrives. Baseball on the desk and a wall of minds.

Cisco will return for those left behind. Good job, Amy T. Nice, Amy T. Yeah. Thank you, Amy. I like it. I like it. I did too.

Yeah, this is the Patreon. submitted poetry honorable mention. This is a narrative verse as submitted by our friend Jason Okin. Here we go. When war arrives and forces a retreat, life carries on despite impending doom. And those who won't stand by and yield defeat prepare plans for mortal battles yet to loom. A key to hold the enemy at bay comes forth from an inspired source. and in the chaos of that final day, both love and duty chart a different course. Hmm. Jason.

I really like that. Yeah. I like that we have this space for this here now. I know. Instead of when we're doing the questions, because more people get to hear it. Yes. Yeah. I love the poetry that you write, Terry.

Oh, thank you. I love what you guys do. Well, thank you. It's always fun to hear. these episodes kind of the perspective from a poetic angle, you know? It just kind of forces you

into looking at it in a different way and it's really interesting. And I think that perspective helps with the theme moral and I'm so happy you guys offered this for me and then didn't give me pressure when I

freaked out a little bit about it. Because it's a creative muscle to work on too. It's more fun now. Or just like that it popped in my hand and I wrote it down. That's so important because somewhere in your subconscious, we're thinking about it. You know? Yeah. And not giving you pressure. Kind of made you step back for a second and then say, I can't do this. And then you came back. And you came back full force to impress both Robbie and over and over again. So good deal. This episode was written by Iris Stephen Bear and Robert Hewitt Wolf directed by Alan Craker, guest stars, Andrew J. Robinson is Garrick, Jeffrey

Combs as Wayun, Marker Limo as Golda Kott, Max Grudenkich as Rom, Aaron Eisenberg is Nog, J. G. Hurtzler as Martok, Chase Masterson as Lita, Melanie Smith as Torres Zial, Casey Biggs is DeMar. Mark Allen Shepard is born, of course. Look at this long list of guest stars. Honest to Pete, they feel like regulars to me. They really do. It's weird. that we even call them get stars. It's just the writers did such a great job of filling out our world. These amazing actors make our experience watching Deep Space Nine so much fuller because you feel that there's life going on other than just the, you know, the series regulars.

But they are regulars. They're part of our tapestry. It's funny that Casey comes back in this episode because we haven't seen Casey so far much at all. a couple of episodes, very minor kind of, you know, second banana. But I get the impression that Casey Biggs is going to become more important. Oh, definitely. Right? Oh, definitely.

You know what? I recognized him from his voice because it's such a long time ago that he, well, he's got the makeup on and different. And I heard his voice and I went, that's Casey. And then when he came on screen, I'm like, I'm not sure. And I looked it up and I went, oh, my God. of course it's him. Yeah. What the heck, Terry?

Well, I felt that there would be more for Damar as well because Casey has been invited. He has been on the Star Trek cruise in the past. And if you're just some really minor person, you're not going to get that invite. So I already assumed, okay. He's a big deal of the convention circuit. And so I'm like, well, he's great with the fans too. He's great with a fan. He's terribly handsome.

And he always smells good. Oh. Like Levar. Like Levar. I always smelled so I just love to like be near LeVar. Casey's a very charismatic, charismatic guy, I would say, man. In fact, he's very charming. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

So charming that he charmed Roxanne Dawson to be his wife at one point. So that's, that's Roxanne's X right there. Anyway, so I would say this, though, in comparison of recurring characters on DS9, with Voyager Robbie, there is way more attention and character development for DS9 recurring characters. 100% right?

1,000% The only one you could say that came even close would be CESCA from our show. Yeah, maybe. Maybe. But you guys were lost in space, right? Yeah, we couldn't run into...

That's a whole... Yeah, and we're in a space station and you need it to turn into a world, an entire community. And it's a large community. It's like only when I saw those, how come we've never seen the shuttle pods that take people away to go to Bejure?

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. They almost look like little buses going back and forth. Yeah, they do. They do. But I've never, I don't believe we've ever been inside of one. We. The transports?

I can't think of, we've seen people boarding them and getting off of them. Right. We've seen that. I don't think we've had any scenes inside of them. I'm trying to. I think you're right. That would be cool.

That would be cool. Maybe that would be my missing scene. Okay. And that killed me because I'm watching going, there's nothing missing. This episode is. It's a pretty full episode. Boyle alert. I freaking love the shit out of this episode.

Oh my goodness. All right. Let's talk about some trivia real quick. Ronald D. Moore appears in this episode as a Starfleet officer. Robert Newark. I did not know it. Yeah. Robert New Wolf also is a.

also is a member of Starfleet. He's a science officer. I'm watching it again. There you go. I watched it twice. I did not. Well, now you're going to watch it three times. Because we're all going to watch it an extra time just to see if we can find our friend Robert

Huad Wolfe and Ron Moore. I'm shocked that they did that, yeah. But they're in there. This is one of Iris Stephen Bear's all-time favorite deep space nine episodes. Really? Yeah. He sums the episode up as being simply about goodbyes. And he wanted to make sure that the author.

audience understood this so that they would be ready for what was to come in season six. That's why it felt so complete. Watching it the second time, I kept waiting for there to be somebody that was missing, not getting to say goodbye. Yeah, everybody's on this thing. This episode is also a personal favorite of Ronald D. Moore, who ranks it as his favorite season finale of any Star Trek show. Wow.

Oh, that's a big compliment there. That is a big compliment. According to Robert Hewitt Wolf, the DS9 writers preferred non-cliffhanger season finalies that left things open as to how they could begin the following season, as opposed to cliffhangers which locked the writers into tackling a specific problem. The writers like the freedom that opened-ended non-cliffhangers gave them to change things around if they wished for the start of the next season. And this episode is also important because this is the last of the series to be co-written

by the departing Robert Hewitt Wolf. I don't even know why he left. I'm so bummed. I'm so bummed. Well, I did too. Yeah. That's true. He probably had an idea to do something else.

That's what I'm thinking. Right? Didn't he have another show right away after? Robbie, did we talk to him about that when we interviewed him? I think we did. I think we already did. Yeah. We have the answer for that.

But still, it's sad to know this. We like him a lot. We really do. Mm-hmm. Yeah. But very smart of the writers. Very. Just, yeah, why wouldn't you do that for yourselves?

Also, it feels better when you're watching it and it's open rather than when a cliffhanger happens. And you're like, I have to wait six months to see what happens. That just drives me insane. It almost makes you mad. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I was just going to say about Robert Hewitt-Wolf. Yeah.

He went on to Andromeda. Oh. Yes. Oh. He went on to Andromeda right after this. So. Okay. He got a job offer.

Yeah. I think he was a co-executive producer. So he was the showrunner. So he got upgraded. I don't know if he was the showrunner, but he definitely got an upgrade in terms of title. And he went over to Andromeda, which was a Roddenberry project, I think. Oh, right. I think it was.

Is that a Roddenberry thing, Robbie? Can you just double. It's up. I am. It was Kevin Sorbo. Yeah, Gene Roddenberry, Robert Hewitt Wolf, creators. Oh, wow. There you go.

Okay. That's not a bad split. That's a upward move, right? Yeah. Proud of you. Good for you. Thanks for all the work you did on DS9. Good luck with your new show that you're going to be pretty much running.

Okay, dokey. Let's jump into this episode right now. Let's start off with Corks Cafe. We have ROM and we have L. We have a pad where they're looking at different designs for the wedding dress. Leita's not too happy about this because when you see the pad. It opens on that picture. The pad is like, what is that?

Is that a drawing? It looks like a sketch maybe. It's not a photo. It's so low tech. It's kind of shocking how low tech it is. But it's a very scantily. It's like a Fredericks of Hollywood. It's a Frederick of Hollywood wedding dress.

is what it is. Yes. Leda says, Lidus says, Rom, it's two handkerchiefs and a loing cloth. Rom says, I suppose we could lose the handkerchiefs, which means it's going to be even worse. And Lita's like, no, no, no, no, I'm not going to be naked at the wedding. And Rom says, you're not naked. You'd still have the loincloth. Well, Garrick and Zial are sitting there. And they have, they then inform us that I think they looked at. How many it was it? It was a lot.

Over 100? Where's the actual number? 153. 153 wedding dresses. Lita does talk about how she likes number 38. And they just go back and forth. They're just debating 38, 64. Did you think it was those wide lens two shots?

I thought the coverage of this scene was odd. It was just like these kind of close wide lenses. it was two shot to two shot of, you know. Well, considering how the rest of the show went, I would guess you tell me if I'm wrong, but that looks like we're running out of time. It felt a little like running out of time. We're shooting this at 10 o'clock at night.

We got to get this done. We need to be wrapped to start tomorrow because this was a huge episode. It's a big episode, yeah. Yeah. It was big. It felt a lot of people. Yeah. And it surprised me because of our very good,

friend Alan Craker directing this, who I am a huge fan of. Alan usually is much more active visually as a director. Right. And, you know, there's kind of an unspoken rule in television that you start your episode. You want to grab the audience in the first scene. So you want to do something to make it exciting as exciting. As a director, you want to do something exciting or good or attention grabbing.

Right. And you want to finish in a way that feels. like a big crescendo downbeat, you know, something cinematic. Yeah. Those are the two places you want to put some time and money into. And this felt just cheap to me. It felt like two shot. I think they shot it.

It looks like it was shot at the end of the episode instead of the beginning. Well, it's definitely not the typical opening scene from Alan Cricker that we are all used to. No. But what I'm saying is I don't think it's his fault. Yeah, no, probably not because of all the other scenes that were. were so huge and so full of different layers that they had to deal with. You're right. They probably ran out of time.

And it was a stylistic choice to go with a wide angle lens close to both actors, trying to lean into sort of the absurdity or the comedy of it all. And there was some funny moments in it. But it was too long of a scene, in my opinion, to just stick with those two camera angles. Right. It needed something else, you know, a long lens shot or a wide, tablo or I don't know something

POVs. Did you also find that as Garrick and Zial are trying to help and suggest dresses he all says why don't you let Garrick design it? Whatever he comes up with is going to be beautiful and Garrick says my dear

I find your blind adoration both flattering and disturbed yes me too I find it a little disturbing this whole thing yes It is. Okay.

I want to use that line. So do we. It's just great writing. Very funny line. And then Rom and Lita see Cisco up on the promenow. They want to go talk to him. So they head up up to the upper level. But did you get to that part where, because Cork shows up, right?

Cork is, he tells Lita, hey, your 15-minute break that you asked for was up an hour ago. Okay. Then they see Cisco. And instead of going back to work, she runs after Cisco. Now you're an hour and a half late back from your break. It's like she didn't even care that Quark was her boss, you know. It's her day that she's planning for. But also her adoration for Captain Cisco and, you know, knowing that we all know each other

and then realizing watching it, oh, that's right to the workers at Quarks. Yeah. Captain Cisco and the rest of us that are the, we're a big deal to talk to. Yeah. And I doubt Cisco goes into Quarks very often. Right. I don't think he does. But he also doesn't become friends with, he doesn't have time.

The lower deckers or the, yeah, the work. The dobble girls, right. He has respect and cares about everybody. But he doesn't know them. And I liked how they played that because it was like he. I like that too. Like he's a superstar to them. Like he's our boss.

He's the one who's making us safe. Yeah. And also part of that enthusiasm is because Lita is Bajoran, she does understand that Cisco is the emissary too. Exactly. He's really a rock star slash God to all Bajorans. Well, well said. Yeah.

Yes. Before they get up there, Miles and Cisco are talking and Miles talks about Keiko and the kids are back on Earth where it's safe. It's only been two days, but he really misses him. So we're starting to lay in like, oh. everybody's getting away because yes and Cisco says don't you feel better knowing they're safe

and out of harm's way I wish I could convince Jake to go to Earth during this that's kind of important because of what's coming now yeah and that's when leader jumps in leader and Rom then catch up and they interrupt and they say captain we have a moment

and Rom says that funny line would you marry me to Cisco I mean, I mean us. I mean, would you perform our wedding ceremony? Very cute. Because the look at the low-custis-co face. When Rob goes, would you marry me? It's just, it's like, what?

What are you talking about? There's a lot of... It's so good in this episode. It's so good. And the writers did a great job with kind of laying in this kind of comedy. They've got some really funny moments that just kind of lighten up the tension. It's just so well-written this episode. It's just...

and phenomenal. Cisco does agree. He says he's going to have to brush up on his pejorin. Both Alita and Rahm are ecstatic that he's agreed. And we continue with the Cisco O'Brien conversation. They come up to a group of people who are just sort of watching the wormhole. And they're wondering if nothing's going to come out. And sure enough, within seconds, we see tons of Jim Hidar ships.

I don't even know how many come through there, but a big gaggle of ships. A lot. A gaggle. A gaggle. This is the fifth convoy like this. So, yes. Yes. Yeah. So this is not the first.

It's scary. It's, yeah, it's been happening for a little while. So weeks. Yes. And they're going right to Cardassia, right? They're going straight to Cardassia. Yes. Okay.

Okay. Yeah. O'Brien says, I wish they'd just attack and get it over with. And Cisco says, I have a feeling you're going to get your wish. Yeah. It does feel like, like, yeah. It does feel like between the. We learn that people are, you know, abandoning the station, going to safety, and then literally

they spell it out here. I wish they'd just attack. So they're expecting an attack. The writers are setting it up. There's going to be an attack in this episode. You know, it's the season finale. So all signs point two. I didn't realize it was a season finale watching it.

Really? Wow. Wow. I didn't pay attention. I have been so chronically on top of which episode, where it is and all of it. and I just was too busy I just thought nope I got to watch the show Just watch the show on its own

Didn't think about that wow Did it feel like a season finale When you got to the end of it? Did it feel? No, it felt like stopping myself From watching the next episode Because I was another part Yeah, there you go

There you go You said it was a season finale for your haiku Yes It kind of hurt my heart I know Because it's like I know there's only one more season For me And it's like

Oh no we're already here. Just wasn't it a minute ago we were on season one? I know. Can we do it over? Sure. Just for Terry, this is, we are after this episode, we're going back to season one episode one just to start it all over again.

Yeah, it's so, I don't know how I'm going to get through seven. I haven't seen it. And even Nikki DeBore was like, oh, that might be a hard season for you. Oh. I might have to have my clean it look right here. Yeah. I also think it'll be kind of eye opening in a way because you didn't watch any of those episodes. You don't even know a lick of season seven.

You don't know what happens. No. You were busy at Becker at that point. You'll be in the same boat as us now. You'll be like, what is this show? And I'm ticked off that my agent, because I said yes to clips all year, I know that had to be where the ball got dropped. What do you mean?

Well, because your agent calls you when they ask for to use a clip because you get a nominal fee for that. Yeah. And I've had so many people like even Ira Baer, why didn't you give us permission? I'm like, oh my God, I gave you permission all here. Why would I not? Not give it to you, yeah. Right? So the only thing I can figure is that my agent dropped the ball.

It's the only thing that makes sense. Or somebody over there didn't make the phone call. but I can't believe they wouldn't have been like, well, what does she, did anybody call? Call? Yeah, I think you're right about that. And they are, the agent dropping the ball is going to be the last person to call you, to tell you that they drop the ball. Exactly. Cisco's quarters are next and Jake's coming over to dads for a home-cooked meal, which he's very excited about.

We learn that Jake is a reporter now for Starfleet News Service. Yay, Jacob! Yeah, great for him. Ben is not thrilled because. there's an article with Jake as the byline where he kind of, you know, spills the beans about Bajoran negotiations with Dominion. Exactly. Are stalled, right?

Yes. Yes. I did like when he hands him the pad, pad to do with the article on it. And Jake's response is, oh, or Jake says, what's for dinner? Sisko hands a pad. And then he goes, oh, can I have some salsa with this? It's very funny. Yeah, he's.

Gosh, she's so talented. Good comedy. Good scene. That ending scene. Can I quote you on that? I guess not. Yes. It's a lot of funny stuff.

It's a very cute scene. It is. Very cute. Yeah. And their dynamic is very authentic. I love it. Yeah. Next we go to the cargo bay.

And there's some smuggled yarmic sauce. And Odo and Kier are super awkward. And they try to avoid each other. Yes, they do. They have this little conversation about what should we do with this yarmic sauce? And I don't know what yarmic sauce is. Where does it? Nobody does.

What is he? What is he? What is he? What is it yarmic anyway? Is it Dax that says what is a yarmic? But Dax is also the one that says dump all the yarmic sauce, right? Isn't this? Yeah, because Odo's asking Kira, really.

So I'm having a little bit of a having to be in the middle. She's talking to me. He's, they're both talking to each other. at each other. Through you. Yes. And so when he says, what should I do with it? I'm, like, major.

Because she's totally avoiding him. So grateful he needs. She's like, I don't care. Yeah. Dump it. And I start to talk to really. You and Odo have been weird in avoiding each other for weeks. And she says it's a long story.

And I love this part though. When she's, those are the best kind. And she said, Kira says, it's good dialogue for you. guys in this scene. Really good dialogue. Oh my gosh. She says, I love this part. Her button on this.

Odo has feelings for me. And I say, what kind of feelings? Which seems a little like I was so open to anything. The kind that aren't easy to talk about. I just thought, oh, doesn't that say it all? Yeah. Yes, it's very well written.

She says I found out about it last month. And Dax goes, wow. that explains a lot. And Kira's like, it does? She goes, not really. It just seemed like the right thing to say.

You made me laugh. Oh my gosh. This is something. And suddenly I'm like back in my 28 year old body going, I don't know what I said. I just said words. It was awkward. I just said some words.

Yeah, but the choice of that to write that line, that bit of dialogue, it's genius. It's just you don't see that in any other trek. You know what I'm saying? where someone goes like, ah, not really. It just seemed like the right thing to say.

Nobody says that. It's kind of more like the original series. Yes. It's kind of more like life, more realistic. They had that banter with each other, right? Bones, Kirk, and Spock had that kind of. They did. And they take the piss out of bones from time to time.

They did. But even on the original series, no one ever said like, nah, it just seemed like the right thing to say. I don't even know what I'm talking about. I mean, that's what I loved about it. It was so human. It was so, you know, real life. It was very real.

Yeah. So good. And it's so Terry Farrell. Yeah. Wow. Well, especially at that time. Yeah. Right?

That's true. I was young and, you know. Yeah. You want to sound like you know what you're doing. Sometimes you really don't. And then you have to call yourself out and go, uh, you know what? I don't know what I actually know what that word means. It just sounded like the right word to say.

Right. Right. What does that word mean before I ever use it again? Well, we go to the captain's office next, starts on a shot of Nog, setting a mug down. And Nog basically says, I've heard this rumor that the Romulans have aligned with the Dominion. And Cisco kind of blows it off. He even says, you know, don't forget the 190th rule of acquisition. Nag goes, ah, yes, here I'll trust nothing, good advice.

Yeah. So Cisco kind of blows it off as just a rumor, but then he calls Starfleet Intelligence at the very end. So you're like, maybe it's not a... rumor. Was it strange to either view that Cisco knew the role of acquisitions so well? This is something that I feel Dax knows all the rule of acquisitions. But Cisco from our history of how he treats Ferengis, I'm kind of shocked that he even knew that.

So in a way. Yeah, but except for now we've been there five years. So he must have picked up on some of this. Suppose, yeah. I have the handbook. of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition, and I could not quote a single one, but I've got the handbook right over there. Cisco. Cisco.

I'm thinking Cisco is more one of those guys who has like a photographic memory. He holds everything in there. Sure. That's how I think of him. I'll buy that. Remember, he is the emissary. So he also has that. I think there's an expansion to how he processes things.

All right. Sure. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I like it. I like it. Well, he calls Starfleet Intelligence and then there's a hard cut to Cisco confirming that, yes, the Romulins have aligned with the Dominion. Wharf is, Warf's got the first line. The Romulins!

Just so you know, we're in the Wardroom now. Yeah, we cut to the Wardroom. Yeah, thank you. Well, it's nice writing because in a very short amount of time, the writers were able to get out this rumor, that people, there's rumors going on. that Cisco is clever about how he responds to rumors and then confirms it right away. In a very quick amount of time. Great episode. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, the Romulins have aligned with the Dominion. Starfleet agrees. We can't have any more Dominion convoys coming through the wormhole. So Cisco says we need to mine this thing. But it's important to say the Romulans did not join the Dominion. It's a non-aggression pact similar to what the bejorns end up signing. Yeah.

But it's kind of acquies. You know, everyone's acquiescing and Starfleet is not. No. No. So they're losing. Yeah, they're losing their allies. Yeah. It's just like a World War II thing.

I think I saw a glimpse of them because it could be. Yeah. It's like the Nazis taking over and there were only a few countries that were willing to, or were powerful enough to fight back. Yeah. It's not that they didn't want to. They just didn't have. the military.

Yeah. And now this is kind of happening too. It does feel that way. Like, yes, the dominion is kind of expanding in the way that Nazi Germany was expanding everywhere into France and to Eastern Europe. Yeah. And we have a treaty with you, a peace treaty with you, an agreement, which is yes. And it's interesting because when you bring up that World War II analogy or parallel,

It was literally the only two countries left that were not. It was England and the United States that were kind of the last two. And it would be Starfleet and the Klingons that'll last two. But was there France too? But France was already taken over. They was only on French underground. So they were already German at that point. Yeah.

Well, the Soviet Union was also fighting. Oh, that's right. Sorry. On another front. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. There was something else.

Yeah. Wharf talks about the Romulans having no honor. They've proven it by signing this non-aggression pack, but we also find out it's not just the Romulans who've signed a non-aggression pack, which basically means if the Dominion comes into the Alpha Quadrant and attacks the Starfleet and the Klingons, that the Romulan is going to sit back and do nothing. And so will the Miradorne and so will the Tholians. So there's already three major alien species that are just going to sit by as Starfleet. They're all kind of like backing down. They're backing down. They're all backing down.

Yeah. And Kira says, you know, the Bajorns will never sign with them. Never, ever, ever, she says, which I immediately went, oh, you're going to sign me. That's like, never ever. That's like coughing before dying. Yeah, I know, I was going to say that. Exactly. So Cisco tells them at the end of the scene and lets mine, we're going to lay

mines in the wormhole and prevent the dominion from sending any more of these convoys through. That's right. At least we can stop them where they're at now. We are in Dax's quarters and Miles and Dax are kind of spitballing about what to do about these mines, how to mine the wormhole. And they just can't quite figure out how to do it, how big they should be. And Rom, we reveal that Rom is there, but he's totally obsessed with his wedding plans. And I love how Rom jumps in and throw out these solutions for the minds, you know, that they should self-replicate. That's the only answer. And Dax was like, wait, what are you talking about?

I thought you were talking about your wedding. And he goes, no, the minds self-replicate so they can replace themselves quickly. And so it's a very funny scene with ROM sort of finding solutions, but then completely being panicked about his wedding. Yeah. It's very well written. He's trying to multitask. Brian and Dax trying to keep him on track.

Yes. Exactly. I really love those scenes. He's totally a genius because each mine, they're so small. They're talking about cloaking the mines, but they're so tiny. They're not going to do much damage. But that's when he comes up with replication. So cloaking with replication means you can have dozens of these mines attack each vessel that comes through.

However, they have to all swarm or? Or they all have to be ready before we can activate them. And turn them on until they're all set. Until they're all set. Yeah. Because of this kind of, yeah, this swarm detonation, 20 or 30 mines will swarm to a ship. Yeah. They'll self-replicate if they try to take them out one at a time.

It is a good plan. It is. Very sci-fi. Now we're in ops. We are in ops. Look how fast we got to ops. Cisco's there. He tells them that he's talked to Starfleet.

There's no, they're not sending any reinforcements. So they're on their own. And they're going to have to defend the defiant while it lays all these mine. the way that Rom came up with, and they're going to have to defend the station all by themselves. Yikes. Yeah. All alone.

That's really scary. Yeah, Kira wants to know what Starfleet said, but Cisco's like, I'm not at liberty to discuss. Let's say Starfleet's resources will be needed elsewhere. Which made me feel like it was a tiny tell. You too? Yes, me too. Me too.

For sure. Because there's no way if it's the scene with Jake and Cisco. at the beginning when Jake says to his dad you're the most important you're the emissary and the yes well this is the most important space station yeah you're the captain of it

so you're really important you're a big deal yeah you're a big deal dad yeah my kids tell me that all the time they're like damn you're a big deal yeah can we just keep them at that age I so miss that remember when your kids told you thought you Oh, boy.

Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Mommy, I love you with anything backs. Well, Mommy, I love myself first, but I love you next. And I was like, what a smart kid. Oh, good, yes, very smart. Little young Max. So cute.

Miss him. We miss our little ones. We go to the security office next. And Odo and Kira are there. Awkward. Oh, my gosh. This whole scene. Yeah.

And she's like very kind of in her stern neutral zone. Yeah. Protecting myself. Yeah. Odo says he's going to terminate the subspace communications for security reasons. They're both very kind of all business. And then he says, you know, Major, I was going to ask you out. And she's like, I knew this was coming.

I've been expecting this. And he goes, yes, I could tell. that you were acting awkward too. And they, you know, Odo starts to bring this up. Yeah. And he goes, so I just want you to know, I'm not going to ask you out now. The war coming and everything. And then she kind of is relieved.

She sits down in the chair. Not even kind of. Like, it's a. Thank God. One 80. A 180. She's like, oh, my God. You're not going to ask me out.

There's a war to save me from this emotional. Yes. as the apartment building falls off of her shoulders. Yes. Well, you know, she's expecting it because of the episode where obviously we see the future Odo and he tells everybody, yeah, this is what you got to do. So she already knows. But you don't think she ever discussed, I guess she kept that to herself then, right?

She never discussed this with Odo. I think she did. No, I think that's the setup. That's why she walks in the way she does. Otherwise, they would have worked it out and it wouldn't be awkward, right? Back to the ward. We've got a captain's log with a space shot here where the captain says the next GemHadar convoys do in five days, but that mining the wormhole has already provoked a response from the

Dominion. They sent their Vorda ambassador, Wei Yun. Yay, Wayune. And this is a cool shot. We see that Gemhidar ship docked Asian, which is kind of crazy, but we do. And we're in the wardrobe, and Cisco doesn't back down to Wayune. I love Jeffrey in the scene. He's so good.

Yes, yes. The acting in this episode is just freaking stellar. Yeah. Wayune is like, you know, either you take these minds out or we're going to do it ourselves. And Cisco's like, well, I appreciate your directness, but let me be direct with you. Those minds stay. And I won't allow it. So they're, Wayune is like, wait, what?

No one has pushed back on us. Ever. Yeah. Ever. Yeah. Yeah. Everybody else is afraid of me, but you. Yeah.

Yeah, but Wayun kind of tries a different strategy. He's like, okay, I think we can compromise. We can work this out. And Cisco's like, oh, I didn't think the Dominion, you know, was capable of compromise. So they sort of dance around each other. They agree that Wayeun says, we'll just limit our convoys coming through the wormhole to cargo ships and just construction units. Oh, by the way, did I tell you about the starving children on Cardassia Prime? And Cisco goes, oh, I had no idea.

So you can tell by the end of the scene. This is all. This is all just pillow talk. I don't know what you're going to call those things. There's nothing behind it. They're posturing. That's it. It's all fake.

You can kind of tell it. Well, they leave it with like Cisco saying, I will consult with Starfleet. And way you go, I'll speak to the founders like that. It's already, but they've already spoken. Everything's already set in place right now. Yeah. Yep. We cut to the captain's office and Cisco immediately says they're going to attack.

Yeah. This was so the writers don't waste any time. No. No, this is so tight this script. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, Cisco thinks it's all a lie.

He says we've got to finish that minefield today. Finish it, turn it on, turn the on switch. And DAC says we need more time. And Cisco says, sorry, you don't have it. So everybody starts preparing. he tells Martak to take his ship and patrol the border. Martak leaves. He tells Bashir, you know, we're on our own, get ready.

And so Bashir heads out. He tells Wharf, you know, issue combat assignments. So it's all these different departments are kind of taken off and preparing for war. I think this is where Cisco says, you know, tell the Bajoran, the Council of Ministers that they need to sign this offer, this non-aggression pact. with the dominion. And Curia's like, wait, what? And Cisco says, I came here to protect your people. This is the only way. You just need to sign this non-aggression pack, this compromise, basically. Yeah. And Curia says it'll never pass. And Cisco says, it'll pass if the emissary endorses it. So that's true. He is the emissary. He knows best. And he's also thinking this out long term,

like playing chess. It's a definitely chess move. He has to. Yeah. You got to think six, seven, eight moves ahead. Yes. It's a, it's a stress. Because he also knows the bigger picture of what's coming. He does. We get another captain's log. Again, the writers are just moving these events. He says Bejor's already signed the non-aggression pack. So they were just talking about it.

His captain's log is like, done. Doesn't that also show a little passage of time that it goes from the conversation to a captain's log? Yes. Because that's what I always is saying. Of course. It's a way of. Yeah. But most importantly, in the.

in this captain's log is that all pejoram personnel have to evacuate the station. You got to go. And he says in this captain's log is someone once said, these are the times that try men's souls, which is a famous quote. It is a famous quote from the American crisis. Yeah, Thomas Payne, exactly. The revolutionary pamphlet by Thomas Payne published in 1776. Nice.

That's one of those sayings like you hear a million times, but I don't know where it came from. Revolutionary War. So it's another war kind of, you know, World War II kind of references you guys are noticing. Revolutionary War references. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So we're on the promenade. And this is the goodbye scene between Garrick and Zial. Garrick wants Zial to go down to Bayjor. She's thinking that she's not going to be accepted. And he says, well, you're half Bjoran. So you'll be fine. You'll be much better off. Half of you will be accepted. Half of you will be accepted. The other half one. No, but she's going to be much better. shape if she's there then on the station clearly right so but what i totally cringed over was the fact that they kissed at the end of this and i don't really she kissed him he kissed him he had no choice so you're thinking that's the first time that they've kissed ever no is that what you're saying no i don't think so i but the look on his face looks like well what the heck am i doing i didn't

know what I think the actor was, yeah, I just feel like they set up this, you know, Ducotte's daughter to be young, to be a very young child. Yeah. Yeah. And this whole, I just find it cringy. I don't think it's appropriate. It's so cringy. It just, okay, you do remember when Ducat grabbed Garrick and threw him over the counter, over the railing at Corks, about to throw him off because, yeah, because Zial was hanging out with him. That's it. There was no romantic, and Garrick didn't play it like he was romantically interested in Zia. It was just another Kardashian or half Cardassian to sort of, you know, associate with or feel like a little bit of home. And probably to under your wings. Yes, yes. I'm going to

mentor you. That's what it seemed like. It didn't seem like he was romantically involved. Yeah. And then all of a sudden, this episode, they spring it on us that they're together. And I thought, Oh my gosh. I feel like they've hinted at this for a while. Really? Yeah. Okay. Yeah, they've hinted that they're much more than just hangout friends.

I wish they would have made her a little older, kept her naive because she was protected by her father. Yeah. And let it be a romance. Because instead of this weird, awkward thing. Because it could be nice for him to have that. Yeah, it just doesn't feel earned. And because there's so many presumed barriers. of age and experience difference and he's a he's a notorious con man spy yes you know what is sincere

from him is always in question yes i think and so with all the issues here i i think they could have been a little more intentional and if they were going to develop this relationship it just feels casual and way too suspicious on a lot of levels just feels awkward Well, also, you know, the other choice could be let him seduce her and use her. Yeah. Oh, as a chess piece, basically. Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. Which would add to the storyline. Yes, it would. Yes, it would. He's a good storyteller, though. He tells this long story. Let me tell you a story about a Kardashian I knew, a handsome, dashing young man, goes through this long story.

At the end, he basically says, the moral of the story, my dear, is never. underestimate my gift for survival. Mm-hmm. 100%. But as far as Garrick is concerned, that 190th rule of acquisition is very much in working with him. Here, all trusts nothing of what Garik says, right? Everything is fabricated practically.

Yeah, his mouth. Let's go to the wardroom. Let's do it's wedding day. The happy couple are in their normal clothes. It's the wedding. It's the shortest wedding I've ever seen. I think we're coming in a. at the end, right? It's like the very

last couple of lines of Bejurian. A gift for writers. Okay. I didn't notice this when I was watching it, but now that I'm looking at this script with the written out, Bajoran, do you see that, Robbie? Do you see the first things? First, what does

that remind you of? Bore pre-Haw? It sounds Hebrew a little bit. Borei pre-Hagophon is the prayer of the vines, but here it's Bore-Pri-Hodoki. So I'm wondering if someone in one of our writers just brutal. Well, Ira.

Hebrew. Iris, even. Is Robert Jewish too? I don't think he is. But I definitely know. This would be an IRA. Yeah, this would be Irish. I think for sure.

Yeah. Borei pre-Hodoki. And also it goes with Spock doing that simple that's from. The Cantors do that. Yes. That's right. That's right. The tracks.

There's a lot of Judaism involved in trek clearly. Now that I see it written out, that is the prayer, the beginning, that's part of the prayer of the vines, the bore a pre part for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well, he marries them with a little Bajoran or a little Hebrew, depending on what you speak. Um, he's got a jet. He's got a jet. Because he's got to prepare for war. Exactly. I want to go out. If it's Bajoran and Hebrew together, it would be Hejoran or Bajibu. Bayprue. Bapro. Bajoo. Work is a piece of work in this one. Yes.

He's very, very dryly says, oh, I'm overjoyed for you. I give it two months. He's very funny. He walks out with this Dabo girl that I don't know why they do this. They put people in scenes who clearly are playing it like they are part of the group, but they never speak. Ever. I don't like that either.

I wish that they'd given this girl just a line of like, oh, congratulations. relations wrong anything. Yes. Yes. Rather than this awkward silence that just draws your attention to it. And it would have cost them another 200 bucks. Like it was. However, however, the Ferengi prefer their woman naked and not with opinion.

Oh, that's true. So, court would not bring a woman that would have her own opinion. Yeah. I mean, and that looks like, you know, she's basically his geisha. Yeah. To the wedding. Well, they leave. And then Rom says, now you've got to leave, Lita.

And she's like, wait, what about you? And he says, I've got to stay here with Chief O'Brien. And then he gives this lovely speech where he says, the problems of two newlyweds are but a small thread in the tapestry of galactic events. You might not understand that today or even tomorrow, but someday you will. So get on that shuttle and don't look back. Look at the wisdom being spoken by Rom. Yeah. I mean, so illustrating his being a little on the spectrum, right? Yes.

I love that. And that feels a little ahead of its time to have a character that has that quality. And it's not pointed to. Also of note is the very end of that monologue after he talks about the tapestry. He says, Nog, take your Moogie to the docking ring, which now I understand that is the the way of, yeah, the freaking word for mommy, basically, you know. And I thought Moogie was just a nickname for specifically for the money. Yes, you guys all got that. Okay.

Yeah, this is like saying bubby's or yeah. Yeah. Oh. Or sister or brother. Yeah. So sweet. And I love that Knox says nice speech dad. I know.

Rom. I thought so. Yeah. To himself. It was just so sweet. Another thing about that speech, right before he says, take Mugie to the docking ring. He says, so get on that shuttle and don't look back. That is a reference to, or a paraphrase of Rick Blaine's final speech to Ilsa Lund in the

1942 film Casablanca. I didn't think about that, but you're absolutely right. Yes, genius. Well, things are getting real now. We go to the captain's office. This goes preparing for the Dominion attack. He's doing something. modifying the computer program.

We don't know what, but he's doing something. But he does say, Cisco 197. 197. So that's going to come back a little later. Nob comes in, says Martak's calling. And Cisco goes out to ops. Martak's trying to warn Cisco about something, but he's cut off when suddenly DuCot appears

and tell Cisco, are you ready to surrender? Cisco says, nope. And here we go. You can tell because he's, Cisco says battle stations. This is kind of a montage or a long sequence of getting ready for the Dominion's arrival, where Worf says, you know, they're going to be in weapons range in 20 minutes, so we know what the clock is.

Dax pops in. She says she needs an hour. Cisco says you don't have an hour, old man. Dax calls Miles in the launch bay. We get to see all these torpedoes or these missiles or mines. The mines. Yeah. Let's call them mines.

Mines. We get to see them the mines. Yes, we do. They look cool. They look cool. They do look cool, don't they? But we got to go faster, Dax says. O'Brien says he knows.

We cut to the infirmary. Jake's handing out these medical, these battle battlefield kits, I guess. Like satchels with medical supplies for on the field. Yes. Hyper spray, medical tricorder, dermal regenerator, trauma kit. Yeah. Hands them out. And then he says,

That's the last one. So all the battle kits have gone out. And then Jake mentions here that Cisco's not going to let him stay, even though he promised the Federation News Service that he give a first-hand account. And Bashir says, remember Bashir is spelled with an eye, which I felt is very cute. Love it. I like this, too. That's a great thing to mention.

The humor in a loving way is sprinkled throughout this script. Yes. In the intimacy of our relationships really gets sparked. We do cut to the promenade on the upper level where Odo's just hanging out. He's sitting on the railing. And I, as the crane move came up and revealed him sitting there, I was like, Renee, sit. What do you put a seatbelt on, dude? Like, you're going to fall.

That doesn't look safe. No. That was upsetting. Honestly, it's like talking to somebody who's back is at the top of a staircase. Yeah. And you're like, can we stay? We have to move. Honestly, I don't care if you don't care, but I am having anxiety.

Yes. Renee gave me anxiety sitting in that rail. He's so casual sitting there, too. It's nothing. Well, and honestly, the drop is for real. Oh, yeah. It's a very high ceiling in ops there. I mean, on the common eye.

Yeah, but he's still changeling, so he could fly if he fell. In real life, that would be like, yeah, that's too much. Are we doing his ass to this? Oh, that would be something. I mean his skin. Yes. Well, Garrick approaches, the big news in this scene is Garrick admits that he could have killed Dukot at one point when he had the chance. And he regrets that he didn't take a shot.

And he says at the end of this scene, you know, before the day is over, everyone on the station is going to regret, I didn't take my shot. 100%. Yeah. Nice scene there. We cut to the corridor. I love, love, love this scene. Great scene. This may be my favorite scene in the whole episode.

Especially because the moment at the end. He's been such a hard ass on ROM, this entire episode. Yes, yes. And it's a one or the scene basically. Gorgeous shot. Beautifully shot through that foreground.

Rom is working on some engineering stuff. And there's lights going on. There's like a pink light. He really looks like he's in it. Yeah. But essentially, Cork is telling Ram, you shouldn't even be here. You should be on Bejor with your wife, your new wife. And Rahma's like, yeah, that's what my, that's what Lita said. But, you know, I'm going to stay here because I'm going to look out for you. You are my brother. Whatever happens, we belong together. And Cork, you know, even though the line says, well, like I said, you're an idiot. When he kisses him on the back of the head, it's like, oh my gosh.

And he did say that sweetly. He said it with a smile on his face. Like, yeah, it was so good. It was his corks way of saying, I love you too. I almost want to ask Armin. Yes, I want to ask Armin, is that scripted? The kiss on the low. The kiss?

Or was that something he came up with? I don't know. I don't know. It worked. Whoever came up with it. He's an incredibly talented actor. So if he didn't, I imagine he might have pitched it because Armin, Superman's super kind, and he knows how his character's been.

Right. Yeah. Okay, so the next scene, we go back to ops. Everybody's at battle stations. We do see outside of the station as they bring the weapons online, all these cool weapons, these turrets, gun turrets, and all kinds of things. Like film quality, having this huge fleets out there. Yeah.

Yeah. Pira arrives, and she says, very formally, I am here. to officially protest Starfleet's refusal to turn over my station to the Bajoran government. And then Cisco's like, noted. And she's like, good. Thank God that's over with. That was so great. I love it.

Detail. That's also kind of confusing. Why didn't she evacuate? Because it said all Bajorans have to leave. It's a little. Well, that's why she had to say that. Officially she has to say captain as a major. And then she says, Kieran Norese, reporting for duty.

She's not saying major. She's staying personally staying. Yeah. Oh. Right? Because if she's connected to her government, she can't be there. Yeah. I didn't make that connection.

Okay. All right. Then we go to a Gemadar battleship with, with DeMar and Dukot. Basically, Dukot wants to take the station, and then he wants to take Bejor. And Wei Yun's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, buddy. Slow down. Mm-hmm. The Dominion's going to honor our treaty.

And as a member of the Dominion, you will. We'll honor it as well. And Dukot kind of looks at D'Amar. So you can tell there's not 100% on the same page there. Are any of us shocked or surprised? No, by Dukot, no. Oh, yeah, no. But he does say, where the Dominion leads, I will follow.

And rolls his eyes. In terms, exactly. They fire some weapons back on ops. Things are starting to explode and sparks everywhere. I made a note, is this the first real, like, on the station in battle? Like, the other Star Trek shows. I don't think so, but this is definitely the biggest one. We've had battles with the station before.

They've never used this many weapons. Like, this feels like a classic. No, this is the biggest one that I've ever seen. Yes. But also our station is now fortified with, Extra shields, I think. We've fortified it since those. Right.

It is five-year stories at this point. So we have upgraded everything with Starfleet. Yeah, there's definitely an earlier episode where they talk about arming everything and they show the armaments. But the increased shielding is something new. That's a big deal. And they didn't expect it. No. Dominion and the Kardashians didn't.

Ducod did not think this was going to be. They did not know. It was happening. Yeah. Yay, Chief O'Brien. in. Yeah. Well, you know, lots of shots fired, but things aren't blowing up. And Nag says enemy ships are coming and Wharf says, I got them, and they blow up some ships. And Damar is very surprised on the Gem Hadar ship. He's like, their shields are holding. And Wei Yun says, that's impossible.

Federation shields have always proven useless against their weapons. This is where DuCott's like, you know, I've found it smart never to underestimate the Federation. So it's not going to. Or Captain Cisco's resourcefulness. Yes. Yeah. Good guys. Thanks, Ducott.

Yeah, they're still trying to load these mines and the defiance now taking a beating. Three more ships are bearing down on the defiant. I'm flying it, by the way. Yes, you are. I'm at the helm. You are piloting it, yes. You're piloting. You're in charge.

Things are looking bad for the Defiant, though, because more ships approach when suddenly, out of nowhere, Martok arrives just in time. And I like Dax, which she says, yeah, who says there's never a cling on her own when you need one? Aw. She loves her clingons. I do. I really enjoy J.G's line deliveries. He didn't have a lot of lines, a ton of lines in this episode. But still, every time he came on, just he had a little bit of a flourish in every line.

set in it. Yeah. And you know what, too? How about his character's arc? Oh, it's great. Yeah. This Klingon has been through crazy stuff and he is back full force. It's so great to see that they empowered him again.

And we've all known J.G. for so long. We've been at conventions with him. And now for Robbie and I to see his work. His work. I didn't really know his work very well. We did not know. And boy, he was a really big Shakespeare actor. He's like Harmon in that he can just recite out of nowhere.

You had J.G. You had Mark Alimo also a great classical actor. Harmon. You had some great Avery Brooks, great classical stage actor. Yeah, he also, Shakespeare. He played a fellow. Yes. Yeah.

Renee. I didn't get to see him play a fellow. Yeah. You had some serious actors on your show. I got lucky. Yeah. I learned a lot. Great cast.

Well, Duquette decides to focus on the outer docking ring, trying to penetrate the shields. That's going to be the key. So we have some cool space shots. And we see the ring of the station kind of explode. Back in ops, Nog says we lost main power to the shields. And then we've got a couple of stunts in ops. We see one of the stuntmen kind of a panel explodes. And he goes flying backwards.

another stuntman falls over a rail. Yeah. Which I thought was very cool stunt. So probably Dennis. Madeline was one of those. You know what too? I think it's when Kira walks in. It was the first time I remember seeing the ceiling of Ops.

Oh, interesting. Do you remember that shot? I was like, oh, wow, there's a ceiling. Alan uses a lot of low angles in a lot of these scenes, which that's why we saw the ceiling. Yeah, it is cool. You don't see it often. I don't remember ever seeing it before this. Yeah.

You know what else was cool was we see Dax says we're ready. We've set the last mine and we cut outside and we see them leaving in all the mines cloaking. That was such a cool shot. They all sort of vanish. And then back on the Gem Hadar ship. This is funny. Wayun's like, this isn't turning out quite like I had planned. Jeffreu is so funny.

Dukot says, DeMar to tell the reserve. prepare for the final assault. And back in Ops, we see Cisco telling everyone that Starfleet is evacuating and Kira is shocked. But Cisco also says, literally says, tell all Starfleet on the station that we're evacuating. At the airlock, Dax finds Wharf and basically says, yes, I'll marry you. Yes to the answer is yes. And he's like, yeah, the answer yes to what? She goes, yes, I'll marry you.

very sweet. I remember doing that scene. You do? What do you remember about it? Because of taking that turn. It's a big turn. Michael having to take that turn. And it was,

and his surprise. And I kiss him, but he's still surprised. He's actually shell-shocked by the fact that you said yes. He's like, he doesn't even get it. And I like that we both have experienced war,

so we're not losing our shit. We're not like, I'm going to miss you. It's like we're still business. We got to deal with this. Yeah. But the answer is yes. I like that you kissed.

I wouldn't live with myself if he died and didn't know that that's how I felt about him. Yeah. But I like the fact that he doesn't really kiss you back, that he's still in shock. I think it played well into the scene. Yes. But you do tell him this is the reason for you to survive is to get back to me and our marriage. So it's a nice moment. It's a nice moment.

It's a very sweet moment. We cut to the promenade, a little time cut, it feels like. And there's a long kind of montage speech of Cisco telling everyone, the residents of the station, kind of saying goodbye to all of them. Talks about when he first took command, he didn't want to be here. Five years later, you're my family. This is my home. And I won't rest until I'm back here with you. Yeah.

Yeah. So, O'Brien says, standing by. He says, one to be aboard. So Cisco is the very last, he stayed on the station until the very last moment and he's the last one to leave. He beams into the Defiant Transporter Bay. What is that line though, Robbie? So Promenade, he says everything, you're my family. Then it says Bridge.

Cisco on view screen. Oh, they're watching him is what it is. Okay. Yes, we're watching from the Brite. Because this is where he lets. On the defiant. We are watching him. But he spills the beans here.

He says, while we were keeping the Dominion occupied, A Starfleet Klingon task force crossed the border into Cardassia. Big news there. Oh, yeah. And they destroyed the Dominion shipyards, Toros 3, which is a big deal. This is a big deal. They basically won the first battle. Yeah.

You know, that's cool that Starfleet has won this first battle. And that's going to, that victory makes this a little easier for him that they're having, you know, that they're all making sacrifices that are supporting the Starfleet success. Yeah. But it's important that he spills the beans because it ups the morale of everybody. Everyone feels like, okay, we have a chance now. Something's happening. And so do we as the audience. Yes. I can breathe a little bit. Yeah, we can breathe. Starfleet is on it. Yeah, and this is maybe the plan that he was suggesting earlier, right? Part of the plan. So they release docking clamps. They start to take off. We go to ops and Kira says initiates Cisco 197. And that's what he was talking to the computer about before.

And suddenly we see everything exploding, sparks, it self-destructs. All the computers go dark. It's funny they have all those arcing, like energy, energy things going all over the place. It's like, wow. That's some display. It's almost like watching fireworks is what it was. Yes, it was. Some of the like zigzags that look like a little bit like electric, like a lightning strike.

looked a little old-fashioned to me. But mixed with everything, I mean, I'm not saying it didn't work, but there was something about it reminding me of. A little old school. Yeah. Yeah. I liked it. Yeah. Old school sci-fi, for sure.

Yeah, I like how Kira at the very end of this says, you know, DeKat wanted the station back? Well, he can have it. Because it's not, there's nothing here. We go to Quarks. Rom is back at work in Quarks, but we do learn that he's undercover there. I like how when Cork's like,

I knew one day you'd be crawling backs. Now get to work. And Rom yells, yes, brother. Overdoing it. It's very funny. The other thing I find funny is war is upon their, war is on their doorstep.

And Morn is still there at Corks. He doesn't, he's not going to leave. They're going to be occupied. Yeah. by the Dominion and the Cardassians. But they've lived to the Cardassians before, too. Too bad I checked his yarmik sauce. Yeah, I know.

That's right. Rom runs into Jake, who says he changed his mind. He decided to stay. The war is happening, and he's a reporter, and that's where he belongs. Jake thinks that he's the emissary son. They're not going to hurt him and risk alienating all the pejorans and everything. And Rom says, well, I. sure hope you're right.

So there's a little... I'm thinking kidnapping now. Like, oh my gosh. Yeah. Ransom, whatever. Yeah. Yeah. But I do like that cut because it cuts right from Jake saying, you know, I hope everything's going to work out.

Right to the bridge where Cisco is like, what is he thinking? Like it just goes right to that father, son relationship. Like, what is my kid doing right now? Right. Didn't your parent hat go on just then and go, oh my gosh. if you can't help but project your own life under that.

Exactly. Thank God that's not my kid. Exactly. Holy cow. I almost think it's worse when they're big people and out there than when they were little and you could see them. You know, and O'Brien says, do we go back from Cisco? I was like, you know what? I can't risk this entire crew for one man.

And even though he's my son, whether I like it or not, he is a man. He's so frustrated right now. He really is. But, you know, he realizes. The Federation Task Force in 48 hours, they're headed there. I like when Nog says, we can make the Dominion. Sorry, they ever set foot in the Alpha Quadrant. I love Nog's confidence, and he's ready.

He is ready to go. We go to the promenade back onto the station. The Gemadar come out of the airlocks, Dukot, Damar, Wayuna there. They did lose over 50 ships, and they mentioned the space docks and Toros. Taurus 3 are destroyed. So this was a victory with the station, but it was a very costly victory. That's when Kira, Odo, and Quark approach. Kira says, welcome on behalf of the Bajorn government.

Yes. Quark is, cork says, and the Promenade Merchants Association. I didn't know there was a problem. I told Rebecca when I was watching this, I'm like, we should make a shirt like a Rotary Club that says DeS. Promenade Merchants Association. Please do that. Oh, my God.

Like the Chamber of Commerce. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And then maybe in the, yeah, that could be on the back and on the pocket. It could be the PMA, whatever the, you know, the acronym. Yeah. And of course, he made that up. Yes.

That's what makes it even funnier. Yeah. Oh, I think he, I don't think it's a real thing. Oh, I thought it was. I like it. Always needs to make himself really important. We should still make a shirt like that. That'd be damn funny.

Oh, I'm not saying that you shouldn't. That's exactly why it's funny, though. Yes. Because it's not real. Because it's not real. If it were real, it wouldn't be as funny. I bought it. I'm like, there is a promenade merchant association.

I go, that's so cool. So I proclaims sinker. I'm so gullible. Well, Wayon is very impressed with Odo there. Oh, yes. And Odo's like, you know what? I'm not here as a founder. I'm the chief security.

Wayne's like, well, whatever you are having a god walking amongst this is most gratify. Yes. Oh, my God. Jeffrey is so good. Jeffrey is just so good. Now, at the end of the scene, Descartes says, okay,

that's interesting, but if you excuse me, I'll be in my office. Right then, they cut to Damar. Did you see that? Casey does this weird, like,

he's like, he does this weird smile and then walks off camera. I was like, what was that? Yeah. Do you catch that? There must be a reason,

though. Yes. They've got a secret between them. I felt it like when he did that smile, it was sort of like, him going, Nana, nana, bo, boo,

we, we won the station. It was almost like childlike. Wait until you get to ops and your old office. Yep, they walk in. They figure out how to turn

those minds off now. Yeah. That's right. They walk into ops. They see Wayune, Dukot, all of them see the destroyed ops equipment.

It can be repaired. Dukot says he'll deal with the minefields. And we go into the office. And that's where Duccott finds the baseball and knows what that message is that Cisco is letting him know that he will be back. And we cut out to the defiant in space that makes a bit of a U-turn and the Rotarin,

and they join a giant Starfleet, fleet of ships. And there's no question. It's so great because they all look like Captain Kirk's. Yes. Enterprise. I was like right when you see it, it was like, oh, yeah. The cavalry's here. The cavalry, exactly.

Yeah. A quick bit of trivia. This fleet scene that we see at the very end was one of the last where physical studio models were used before the transition to CGI. It's the next to last because evidently the next episode is the final, final use of these practical physical models. Yeah. And also in an apparent production. error, both of the galaxy class starships that you see in this final scene have the registry number NCC-701D on the bottom of the saucer section. So they messed up. You can't have two

with the same registry. Of course. Oops. Oops. Oops. Oops. Easey. Yeah. Oh, well, if that's the biggest mistake they made on this episode, bravo. Well, you've got to be. That and the two shots from the beginning. Yeah. You're not going to pick that up if you're not stopping it and inching it along. bit by bit to look at that. You're not going to see that. You're not going to, it's too small. Themes, lessons that we learned. Yeah, what's your theme moral lesson, Robbie? Here's my lesson. This is what I learned from this episode, this season finale. My lesson is if you have

an intuition feeling about something for a really long time, it's probably going to happen at some point. Because they've been talking about this battle. Like, you and I, you and I, Garrett watching this series. Since the end of season one or two, we've been talking about like this wormhole and the dominion and we know about this thing and everybody's been expecting it. So that's my lesson.

When you talk about something for a long time, it's going to happen. Okay. Yes, it is. Chair Fair, theme, less moral. Well, it's not, you know, very original, but there's no room for passivity is really

no option in war. because pick aside. It's like World War II. Even though they are signing these treaties, they're not safe because they signed them. Correct. You're still basically a prisoner of war

in your own house, in your own city. You know, so yeah, unfortunately. Yeah, a non-aggression pact can be broken. That's for sure. Neutrality is a facade. Mine was supposed to be, I originally wrote, never underestimate Captain Cisco's resourcefulness. That was my original lesson.

And then I just ended up with family comes first because it was all about, this is, you know, they talk about the family. He has that big speech about family. So that was my lesson. Family. Family. Also, it is a family show. Know your enemy.

Know your enemy. Who is our Patreon poll winner for theme moral of this episode, It's submitted by Snazio. Strategic Retreat allows you to fight again another day. Well said. I like that. I do too. The honorable mention for theme slash lesson slash moral as submitted by KT. McCarty

would be sometimes in order to protect what you love, you have to give it up. Oh. If you love something, set it free. Set it free. If it was meant to be, you'll come. back to you. Yes. If not, it was never meant.

Most of the time it isn't. Yeah, I must. You just set everything free and you'll be good. Set it free. Let it go. Drop the rock. Okay. Drop the rock.

I know. Okay. Well, everybody, thank you for tuning into our recap and discussion of this episode, this season finale for season five, call to arms. Thank you, Tara, for joining us once again. Thank you.

Thank you. Join us next time when we will be recapping and discussing the episode, A Time to Stand. That is the season six introductory episode, episode one for season six. And that will also be with Terre Fair. So we get to have Ter Fair again. Yay. And for all of our Patreon patrons, please stay tuned for your bonus material for everyone else.

We'll see you next time. Bye. I'm