The Way of the Warrior (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

When a Klingon fleet under General Martok arrives at the station ostensibly to protect the Alpha Quadrant from the Dominion, Sisko recruits Lieutenant Commander Worf to discover the Klingons' true intentions. (Season Premiere).

Teaser
The Deep Space 9 crew hunts a Changeling through the station. Using wide-angle Phaser sweep, Benjamin Sisko and Kira Nerys chase the Changeling to the Promenade, where it suddenly resumes humanoid shape and grabs hold of Doctor Julian Bashir after emerging from the Promenade directory. It is Odo, and the chase was really a surprise drill. Kira asks the computer how much time it took to catch Odo; three hours and twenty-seven minutes is the answer. "That's not good enough," Odo remarks, noting how any other Founder would have had a field day with the station in that length of time, culminating in Bashir's death. The staff is then dismissed with a warning to scan anything and everything next time, given the other Founders' increased proclivity for shapeshifting. Another random drill is scheduled, and an offer from Quark to take bets on how long the staff will take to catch Odo is rebuffed. That night, when Kasidy Yates joins Sisko for a romantic dinner, she remarks that there have been some changes on Deep Space 9. Firstly, Sisko has shaved his head, of which Yates approves. Secondly, there has been a lot of "maintenance" done on the station lately. Sisko is secretive, but hints that the crew is preparing a few "surprises" in case the Dominion decides to attack the station. The recent revelation that Changelings have infiltrated the Alpha Quadrant has caused a large amount of unrest, and the Cardassians have responded by sealing their borders. The couple present each other with gifts – Sisko gives Kasidy a garment made from rare Tholian silk, while Kasidy returns the gesture by handing Sisko a Pike City Pioneers baseball cap.

Their dinner is interrupted when the new Klingon flagship, the IKS Negh'Var, decloaks at the station. Its commander, General Martok, requests shore leave at Deep Space 9. After Sisko agrees, the DS9 crew is amazed when an entire armada of Klingon ships decloak around the station.

Act One Edit

In Quark's, the Ferengi bartender nervously opines with O'Brien and Bashir that the Klingons who have arrived are awfully quiet. When Martok meets with Captain Sisko and Major Kira, he immediately wants them to use his d'k tahg to cut their palms, proving that they bleed and therefore are not Changelings. When the Klingon is satisfied that Sisko and Kira are really who they appear to be, Martok proclaims that the Klingon fleet will remain in Bajoran space to counter the inevitable Dominion attack.

The crew resumes regular duties, despite the fact that DS9's complement now includes countless Klingons. Kira and Jadzia Dax visit the holosuite, which recreates the Hoobishan Baths on Trill. Kira is distracted away from the holograms and unimpressed with them, admitting that she has never had much of an imagination. Odo and Garak have a quiet breakfast at the Replimat, where a worried Garak reveals that, since the destruction of the Obsidian Order, he has heard rumors of civil uprisings on Cardassia. Their meal is interrupted when a group of Klingons accosts Morn on the Promenade. Odo breaks up the altercation, but the lead Klingon, Drex, levels threats at both Garak and Odo.

Drex and his thugs later ambush and beat Garak in his tailor shop.

Act Two Edit
As Bashir repairs the Cardassian's broken bones, Garak wonders why Klingons have become so hostile to Cardassians.

When Kasidy Yates' freighter, the Xhosa, sends out a distress call, Sisko and the crew of DS9 board the USS Defiant. After arriving at the Xhosa 's coordinates, they discover that Commander Kaybok of the Klingon Bird-of-Prey IKS M'Char is searching all vessels exiting Bajoran space, including the Xhosa. When Sisko threatens Kaybok that the Defiant will open fire on the M'Char, the Klingon commander allows the Xhosa to break free of the M'Char 's tractor beam.

Once the senior officers return to Deep Space 9, Martok meets with Sisko again, handing him Kaybok's dagger. Kaybok has been executed as punishment for disobeying his orders. Sisko realizes that something must be done before the situation escalates out of control. Sisko notifies Starfleet Command of the situation and Starfleet consequently dispatches Lieutenant Commander Worf to the station. Upon his arrival, Chief O'Brien welcomes the Klingon, who is glad to see a familiar face from the Enterprise. Quark, however, upon seeing Worf, remarks "Just what this station needs. Another Klingon."

Act Three Edit
When he meets the captain, Sisko offers condolences for the loss of the USS Enterprise-D in battle, calling it a good ship. Worf thanks Sisko for his condolences, but is clearly not willing to talk about it. Sisko takes note of the fact that Worf had been on extended leave. Worf tells Sisko he had been at the Klingon Monastery on Boreth for a time. Sisko apologizes for interrupting Worf's leave, but Worf tells Sisko his leave was almost over. When Sisko asks where Worf will likely be assigned next, Worf tells Sisko that he plans to resign his Starfleet commission because in the aftermath of the destruction of the Enterprise, and that he isn't sure of his place in Starfleet anymore. Sisko cautions Worf that he too once considered resigning, and now knows that would have been the wrong choice. He tells Worf if he doesn't want the assignment then he'll understand, but Worf tells Sisko that until he decides one way or the other about resigning he is going to do his duty. With that, Sisko gives Worf an assignment: find out what the Klingons are up to.

Worf ventures into Quark's, surprising the Ferengi by asking for prune juice over the traditional Klingon choice of blood wine. Chief O'Brien asks his old shipmate to join him and introduces him to Doctor Bashir and darts. Worf's first try at the sport ends up with him throwing the dart halfway through the board. Then Kira and Dax emerge from the holosuite, dressed in bright, colorful and extravagant medieval clothes arguing over the fact that Kira knocked out Sir Lancelot. Miles introduces Worf to the two, and while Kira is embarrassed and tries to explain the clothes, Dax is quite taken with him. Just then Drex starts to stir up trouble, so Worf decides it's the perfect time to make his first attempt at finding out what the Klingons are up to. He picks a fight with Drex and takes the warrior's d'k tahg. Drex's father, who happens to be General Martok, comes to Worf's quarters to demand the return of his son's "honor". There, Worf voices his disappointment in Martok for the general's dishonorable tactics of harassing personnel and ships, but Martok vows that it is all in the Alpha Quadrant's best interests.

Afterward, Worf vents his frustration on a tactical holosuite program. When Dax arrives, she challenges him to a battle with bat'leths. After a brief fight, Worf gains the upper hand and sweeps Dax off her feet. Dax rhetorically asks whether the simulation made Worf feel better. Worf is frustrated at the situation, noting that his contacts on the Klingon homeworld refuse to speak with him. Dax suggests that with so many Klingons on the station, surely one of them owes the House of Mogh a favor and might be willing to reveal the true reason they are there. Worf invites an old family friend, Klingon officer Huraga, for a drink. When they consume a large quantity of bloodwine and become drunk, Worf presses Huraga for information. Owing Worf's father, Mogh, as Mogh had saved Huraga's House during their feud with the House of Duras, Huraga tells Worf all about the "glorious battle" that awaits them ahead.

What Worf learns disturbs him, so much that he hesitates to tell Sisko. Odo argues with Worf on the Promenade, and tells the Klingon that it is his duty to inform Sisko.

Worf decides to tell Sisko the ominous truth – the Klingons are about to attack Cardassia. The rumors are true; the Central Command has been overthrown by civilian resistance. The Klingons are convinced that changeling infiltrators are responsible. Sisko confronts Martok and demands that the Klingons call off their attack. Martok hints that ChancellorGowron will be told of Worf's involvement in uncovering news of the planned attack. Worf himself feels guilty that he has essentially betrayed the Klingon Empire. When Sisko points out that Starfleet will never support an unprovoked invasion and the attack will place the Federation-Klingon alliance in jeopardy, Martok claims he will return to his ship and consult with Gowron.

However, once Martok beams aboard his ship, he sends a message to the Klingon fleet, ordering them to begin their attack. The fleet cloaks and warps away from the station, heading straight for Cardassia Prime.

Act Four Edit
The crew of DS9 meets in the wardroom. They are in a particularly nasty predicament: warning the Cardassians of the Klingon invasion is tantamount to betrayal. Besides, the Klingons may be correct that the Dominion was involved in the coup, since, as Odo points out, this is how the Founders would set about gaining control of Cardassia. Kira states that the Obsidian Order's destruction gave the Cardassian dissident movement the strength and momentum they needed to take over the government, with or without Dominion involvement. Worf points out that this is irrelevant — many Klingons in the Empire believe they have been at peace for too long. The looming Dominion threat has given them an excuse to attack and conquer. If the Klingons have returned to "the old ways" of conquest, Bajor, and potentially the Federation are at risk.

Sisko tries an unorthodox tactic – he invites Garak into the wardroom to measure the Starfleet captain for a new suit. As Garak works, the crew make sure the tailor overhears the fact that one-third of the Klingon military is currently heading into Cardassian space. Garak excuses himself, and warns Gul Dukat. Busy fighting the civilian insurgency, the Cardassian Union is unprepared for a possible Klingon invasion.

When the Federation officially condemns the invasion, the Klingon Empire withdraws from the Khitomer Accords. The Federation-Klingon alliance is dissolved. Despite this however, a Klingon ship decloaks claiming to have Chancellor Gowron on board who wishes to speak with Worf. Aboard the Klingon ship, Gowron happily greets Worf and tells him that despite everything he still considers him a friend. He then tells Worf why he is there; he wants him to leave Starfleet and join the Klingons in the battle.

Act Five Edit
Despite wanting to return to his people and knowing that he owes the Chancellor much for restoring his honor and giving Kurn a seat on the Klingon High Council, Worf refuses, telling Gowron that he will not break his oath to Starfleet, nor will he support an unwarranted attack. Enraged, Gowron warns Worf that if he refuses then the House of Mogh will be stripped of all its assets, Kurn will be removed from the High Council and Worf himself will be exiled from the Klingon Empire and left with nothing. When Worf replies he'll still have his honor, Gowron simply says "So be it".

Later, Worf sits in Quark's deep in thought and is joined by O'Brien. After reminiscing over saving Captain Picardfrom the Borg, and how Worf knew they would succeed despite the overwhelming odds, he says he has decided to resign. O'Brien tries to convince him otherwise, assuring Worf that Starfleet is sure to build another Enterprisesoon, but as far as Worf is concerned, the ship and life he knew are gone. As he cannot return to Boreth and feeling that his son is much happier living on Earth, Worf decides to apply for a commission with a distant cruiser fleet. Believing that he is a liability to Captain Sisko's dealing with the Klingons, he asks Benjamin to accept his resignation, but Sisko refuses – Starfleet needs Worf more than ever before. Indeed, word soon arrives that the Klingons have broken through the Cardassian fleet.

Sisko contacts the new Cardassian government, the Detapa Council, only to see the face of Dukat. Apparently, Dukat switched sides when it was clear that the coup would succeed. Sisko devises a plan: if Dukat can get the Council on a ship and rendezvous with the Defiant, they can seek refuge on Deep Space 9. Since the Klingons will execute all government officials in their invasion of Cardassia, Dukat agrees. Worf points out that if Martok is correct, and members of the Detapa Council have been replaced by Changelings, then the Defiant will help them escape. Sisko considers it a risk worth taking. Knowing the Klingons may end up attacking the station, he orders the new weapons systems be checked and a partial evacuation of the civilian population. On his way to the airlock, Sisko runs into Kasidy who is just arriving. The two muse how lousy their timing has been, but share their first kiss.

Sisko, Dax, Bashir, and Worf take the cloaked Defiant toward the rendezvous point. Worf admits he feels strange being on a Federation starship with a cloaking device, but Sisko assures him he'll get used to it. Bashir reminds Sisko that their agreement with the Romulans regarding the cloaking device strictly forbids its use in the Alpha Quadrant. Sisko is aware of this, but also knows there's probably countless Klingon ships between them and Dukat and he wants to make it in one piece.

Later, the Defiant comes across a debris field of Cardassian ships destroyed by the Klingon invaders. Although there may be survivors, the only way to find out is decloaking the Defiant to use the main sensors. Worf advises against it, warning there is probably Klingon ships cloaked and lying in wait. When Bashir argues that it doesn't sound honorable, Worf replied that to Klingons, in war there is nothing more honorable than winning. Despite the chance of survivors and over Bashir's objection, Sisko knows making the rendezvous is more important and decides not to take the risk.

When the Defiant arrives at the coordinates, they find three Klingon Birds-of-Prey are in the vicinity and are attacking the Cardassian cruiser Prakesh.

Act Six Edit
When the Klingons ignore the Defiant 's hails and fire the first shot, the starship targets the lead Bird-of-Prey and seriously damages its engines. With the Prakesh 's shields, weapons and engines obliterated, Sisko is left with no choice but to drop the Defiant 's shields and transport Dukat and the Council off their impaired vessel. Sisko gambles that the Defiant 's ablative armor will be sufficient against the Birds-of-Prey's attacks. The Defiant begins firing at will and destroys the second Klingon vessel in the process. When a larger Vor'cha-class battle cruiser joins the melee, Worf uses his tactical experience and suggests the use of a modulated tractor beam to deflect some of the Klingon disruptor fire. The Defiant crew is successful in rescuing all the Detapa Council members, although the Defiant 's cloaking device has been damaged. The Defiant flies to maximum warp as the Prakesh explodes, and two Klingon vessels follow the starship. Meanwhile, Doctor Bashir has examined all the Council members, including Dukat, and determined that no one aboard is a Changeling.

The Defiant successfully reaches Deep Space 9, where O'Brien detects the pursuing Klingon ships. As the starship approaches the station, the crew detect several dozen Klingon ships. O'Brien had requested reinforcements from Starfleet Command, but the relief task force, under command of Admiral Hastur, had not yet reached the station. Sisko makes the decision to sound battle stations.

Act Seven Edit
The crew man the battle stations, preparing for the Klingons to attack, while civilians are evacuated off the Promenade (including a reluctant Quark, who wanted to defend his bar with his disruptor pistol, only to find that Rom has cannibalized it for replicator repair). The Detapa Council are sequestered away by Dukat and, unexpectedly, Garak, who raises a Cardassian disruptor to fight alongside Dukat.

Martok and Gowron hail the station and offer an ultimatum – surrender the Cardassian officials, or the Klingons will take the Council members by force. Even when Sisko tells the two Klingons that the councilors have been given blood screenings, Martok and Gowron remain determined to conquer Cardassia. Gowron urges Sisko to surrender, claiming the old station is as defenseless as an old Grishnar cat, to which Sisko confidently replies, "I assure you, this old cat may not be as toothless as you think." Due to the Dominion threat, Deep Space 9 has been given some major tactical upgrades – the station is now equipped with more than 5,000 photon torpedoesready to fire.

Nevertheless, Gowron declares "heghlu'meh qaq jajvam", "Today is a good day to die!", Kahless' battle cry. The Klingon fleet begins their attack.

Act Eight Edit
When the Klingon fleet enters weapons range, DS9 unleashes several volleys of the station's new armaments. With multiple phaser banks and telescoping photon launchers, the station destroys ship after ship. Furious, Gowron orders the Negh'Var to fire its cannons directly at DS9's shield generators. The station's defensive systems fail and Klingon boarding parties beam into Ops, the Promenade, and the Cardassians' quarters. After a series of firefights and hand-to-hand combat, the DS9 crew regain control of the situation. An injured O'Brien restores the shields and Dax announces the arrival of the Starfleet reinforcements, lead by the USS Venture. Gowron has little choice but to retreat. He parts with one final threat: "You have sided against us in battle. And this we do not forgive... or forget." (See also: First Battle of Deep Space 9) As the Klingons retreat and the Venture arrives, life on the station returns to normal. Quark reopens the bar, much to the delight of Morn, and Garak returns to his tailor shop. Sisko reveals to Worf that he considered leaving Starfleet after the death of his wife, but realized he could not escape what he was – a Starfleet officer.

Learning from Sisko's lesson, Worf decides to stay aboard the space station. He joins the crew of Deep Space 9 as Lieutenant Commander Worf, strategic operations officer, donning a red Starfleet uniform. However, the Klingons are continuing to remain near DS9. They have refused to abandon several Cardassian colonies and have started fortifying their positions. Sisko tells his crew that Starfleet are also staying right where they are – aboard Deep Space 9.

Memorable quotesEdit
"I didn't know you spoke Klingon." "Oh, You'd be surprised at the things you can learn when you're doing alterations."
 * - Odo and Garak, with a quip as he casually disregards his service in the Obsidian Order

"Ah, but I dealt them several cutting remarks which, no doubt, did severe damage to their egos" "This isn't funny." "I'm serious, doctor. Thanks to your administrations I'm almost completely healed! But the damage I did to them will last a lifetime..."
 * - Garak and Julian Bashir, at the infirmary, after Garak was assaulted by Klingons in his shop

"Curzon told me once that in the long run the only people who can really handle the Klingons, are Klingons."
 * - Sisko, before requesting for Worf

"Let me guess, Klingon blood wine." "Prune juice. Chilled." (laughs) "Prune juice!" (stops laughing when Worf glares at him) "If you say so."
 * - Quark and Worf, upon their first meeting

"Nice hat."
 * - Worf, on first meeting Kira Nerys, who is dressed as Queen Guinevere

"You forget, I am not only a Klingon warrior; I am a Starfleet officer, and Starfleet deserves an explanation!" "They will get one soon enough. Until then, know this: My mission will determine the fate of the Klingon Empire. Interfere, and you risk destroying us all!"
 * - Worf and Martok

"The Klingons?!? First it was the Cardassians... then it was the Dominion... now it's the Klingons! How's a Ferengi supposed to make an honest living in a place like this?"
 * - Quark, exasperated before the Klingon attack on DS9

"Who would've thought that the two of us would be fighting, side by side?" "Just remember when you fire that thing, you're aiming it at a Klingon." "I'll try to keep that in mind."
 * - Garak and Dukat, on the upcoming battle.

"This is exactly what the Founders want: Klingon against Cardassian! Federation against Klingon! The more we fight each other, the weaker we'll get, and the less chance we have against the Dominion!"
 * - Benjamin Sisko

"Kahless himself said, 'Destroying an empire to win a war is no victory...'" "...and ending a battle to save an empire is no defeat."
 * - Worf and Gowron

"You have sided against us in battle, and this we do not forgive... or forget!"
 * - Gowron

"Looks like the Klingons are here to stay." "Maybe they are, but so are we."
 * - Kira and Sisko 

Starring

 * Avery Brooks as Captain Sisko

Also starring

 * Rene Auberjonois as Odo
 * Michael Dorn as Lt. Commander Worf
 * Terry Farrell as Lt. Commander Dax
 * Cirroc Lofton as Jake Sisko
 * Colm Meaney as Chief O'Brien
 * Armin Shimerman as Quark
 * Alexander Siddig as Doctor Bashir
 * Nana Visitor as Major Kira

Guest stars

 * Penny Johnson as Kasidy Yates
 * Marc Alaimo as Gul Dukat
 * Robert O'Reilly as Gowron
 * J.G. Hertzler as Martok
 * Obi Ndefo as Drex
 * Christopher Darga as Kaybok
 * William Dennis Hunt as Huraga

Special guest star

 * Andrew Robinson as Garak