It's a trick.

Of course, it's a trick,
but how did she do it?

She probably beamed the egg directly into
her mouth from one of the transporters.

Actually,
one of my previous hosts

used to dabble
in the sleight of hand.

Was it Tobin?

That's right.

Ah, he sounds like
the right type...

painfully shy, introverted,
a slight lack of confidence...

just the kind of person who might
want to dazzle the world

with his magical abilities.

She swallowed the egg
before she came into the bar

and then
regurgitated it on cue.

Quite disgusting, actually.

Wrong again.

Sisko to Dax.

I'd like to see you
in my office, Commander.

On my way, Benjamin.

Don't worry, Quark.
You'll figure it out eventually.

What?

No wonder
you can't figure it out.

Your head's full of latinum.

Ladies and gentlemen,
the amazing Jadzia Dax.

Have a seat.

A Trill science team
is coming to the station

to conduct field tests on experimental
techniques for creating artificial wormholes.

It sounds interesting.

It's an important project,

and I've agreed to let them use
the Defiant for their experiments.

But I thought you
would want to know

that the leader
of the science team

is Dr. Lenara Kahn.

Lenara Kahn.

That's right.

Look, you've got about three months
of leave accumulated.

Why don't you take some of it?

We can afford to do without you
for a while.

Am I that dispensable
around here?

We'll never notice you're gone.

No.

I'll stay.
I can handle it.

You're sure?

I'm sure.

I've never let my past lives
interfere with my job

and I'm not going to start now.

I'll be fine.

Okay.

But...

thank you
for giving me the option.

Anytime, old man.

I'm Dr. Hanor Pren
of the Trill Science Ministry.

I'm Major Kira Nerys, and I'd like to
welcome you to Deep Space 9.

This is our Strategic Operations
Officer, Commander Worf

and this is our Science Officer,
Commander Dax.

Allow me to introduce you
to our team leader

Dr. Lenara Kahn and her brother,
Dr. Bejal Otner.

Major Kira

Commander Worf

and Commander Dax.

It's been a long time.

Yes, it has.

If you will come with me,
I will show you to your quarters.

You know that woman.

I know her.

She used to be my wife.

So let me get this straight.

Dax's first host
was named Lela, right?

I think so.

Lela Dax.
That's right.

Then Lela dies

and the Dax symbiont goes on
to a man named Tobin

and after Tobin dies,
then it's on to Emony

then Torias, Audrid...

No, no. Audrid, then Torias.

Sorry.

Audrid, Torias, Joran, Curzon
and then eventually, Jadzia.

Right.

And this, uh, Dr. Lenara Kahn
person was once married to...?

Torias, but, of course, in
those days, she wasn't Lenara.

I knew
it couldn't be that simple.

And the Kahn symbiont,
which is now joined to Lenara

used to be joined
to a woman named Nilani.

And it was Nilani
who married Torias Dax.

But Torias was killed
in a shuttle accident.

And Nilani became a widow.

Years later, when Nilani died

the Kahn symbiont
was joined to Lenara.

And now, Nilani is Lenara,
and Torias is Jadzia.

So that makes Lenara
Jadzia's ex-wife.

It's... a little more complicated
than that, Quark.

I'm sure it is,
but to be honest,

I'm sorry I brought
the whole thing up.

It's giving me a headache.

It must be all the latinum
rattling around in there.

Oh.

I thought so.

You really should
have that looked at.

Get back to work!

If you'll excuse me...

Dax teach you that?

Next time, I'm going to pull
a rabbit out of his ear.

The one thing
I don't understand

is why Dax and Lenara can't just
pick up where they left off...

I mean, if they're still
in love with each other.

Ah, now there's the rub.

Even if they do harbor
feelings for each other

it's strictly against
the rules of Trill society

for them to acknowledge
it in any way.

Rules?

Well, it's more
of a taboo, really.

Having a relationship with a lover from
a past life is called a reassociation.

And the Trill feel very strongly
that it's... unnatural.

Unnatural?

How can it be unnatural for a married
couple to resume their marriage?

Well, the whole point
of joining is for the symbiont

to accumulate experiences
from the span of many lifetimes.

In order to move on
from host to host

the symbiont has to learn
to let go of the past

Iet go of parents, siblings,
children, even spouses.

I don't understand
how two people

who have fallen in love
and made a life together

can be forced to just walk away
from each other because of a taboo.

No. There must be some Trill

who have reassociated with people
from their past lives.

I asked Dax the same question.

It seems there have been a few.

And what happened?

They were exiled
from the Trill homeworld.

That means the symbionts would
never be joined to a new host.

Exactly.

So when the hosts die,
the symbionts die with them.

So, you see, even if Dax
does harbor feelings for Lenara,

she can't take that risk.

For a joined Trill,

nothing is more important than to protect
the life of the symbiont.

Nothing.

Come in.

I had the feeling
you weren't going to be ready.

Curzon was never
on time in his life.

He was even late
for his 100th birthday party.

You're never going to let me
forget that, are you?

Do you know how long
it took me to plan that party?

Three months.
I know.

You still have time to back
out of the reception, you know.

Oh, you know
how I hate to miss a party.

I'm serious.

I know.

And I appreciate
what you're trying to do, but...

I'm going to be working
with Lenara for the next week.

I have to get used
to being around her.

Stop worrying about me,
Benjamin.

I'll be fine.

So, in the spirit of friendship,
we welcome you to Deep Space 9

and wish you success in the creation of
the galaxy's first artificial wormhole.

Hear, hear.

I understand you'll be commanding
the Defiant during our research.

Yes.

You must be very excited.

I mean, to be part of a potentially
history-making project.

I am...
Iooking forward to it.

I think Mr. Worf is less than enthusiastic
about heading a research mission.

It's not exactly
what every Klingon dreams about.

What do Klingons dream about?

Things that would send
cold chills down your spine

and wake you
in the middle of the night.

No, no. It is better
you do not know.

Excuse me.

I can never tell
when he's joking.

Maybe it is better
that we do not know.

Well, this looks wonderful.

Mm-hmm.

I take it most
of this is Bajoran.

Hasperat.

Uh...

No.

Hasperat.

Moba fruit

and... veklava.

Of course, I'm not
the least bit hungry.

Neither am l.

But I suppose we should
load up our plates

since the whole room
is watching us.

Quite an audience.

Seems a shame
to disappoint them.

Maybe we should do something.

Well, we could get
into a screaming match

and start throwing
things at each other.

Not bad.

Or I suppose we could throw
ourselves at each other

profess our undying
love for each other

in complete disregard
for Trill society.

Dr. Pren would probably
have a heart attack.

Forget about him.
My brother's head would explode.

He's been a nervous wreck
ever since we arrived.

I know the feeling.

Well, I'll tell you
what I told him.

We're both mature adults,
and we can handle this.

I agree completely.

It'll be fine.

They're watching us again.

I know.

I guess we'll probably
have to get used to it.

Well...

thank you, Commander Dax.

I appreciate your insightful
commentary on Bajoran cuisine.

My pleasure, Dr. Kahn.

After we launch our target drone

the Defiant will have to generate
a subspace tensor matrix

in the 25,000 to 30,000
Cochrane range.

Then the drone will send out
a magneton pulse

which should
react with the matrix

to create an opening
in the space-time continuum.

How long will we have
to keep generating the matrix?

Two minutes, maybe less.

Once the wormhole forms,

we could shut down
the tensor matrix.

We'll have to reroute the preignition
plasma from the impulse deck

down to the auxiliary intake
to generate that much power

but I think we can do it.

Excellent.

We'll also need to download our parameters
for the matrix into one of your computers.

I think we'd better use
the main computer, Chief.

I don't think the Engineering
computer can handle it.

I agree.

If you'll follow me,
I'll take you up to the bridge

and we can begin
downloading the data.

All right.

Everything looks good here.

Dax?

The backup navigation program is still
showing some calibration drift.

I think some data may have been lost
in the start-up routine.

Possibly.

Well...

that explains the seven percent falloff
in AFR ratios I keep seeing.

Must be a problem
in the diagnostic subroutines.

I have a recalibration unit in my quarters
that might solve the problem.

I'll have someone
bring it here.

Oh, no, no,
I need a break anyway.

Now I'm getting a drop-off
in the triple-R output.

We might have a bigger problem
than the diagnostic subroutines.

Don't panic yet.

It could just be transtator failure.
It happens all the time.

I wasn't panicking.

It's just an expression.

Sorry.

No, I'm sorry.

Forget it.

You know, it's just
that you always used to...

I mean, Torias always
used to tell Nilani

that she was panicking about things
making a big fuss about nothing.

Well, Torias used to be
insensitive at times.

But you have to admit Nilani did do
her share of overreacting.

That's because you were a pilot
and it made me nervous...

made her nervous.

Torias being a pilot
made Nilani nervous.

I've never had
quite this much trouble

sorting out my feelings
from those of a past host.

I know what you mean.

Probably another good reason why we're
not supposed to spend much time together.

We'd probably just
get lost in the past.

Let's try running
the transtator diagnostic again.

Okay.

Nilani wasn't panicking
the day before Torias died.

No?

No.

Torias should have listened
to her.

The shuttle was not ready
for a full impulse test

but Torias had to do it anyway.

And he was wrong

and whatever part of me
is still Torias...

is very sorry...

and wishes he'd listened to you.

Well...

we have a lot of work to do.

Right.

Right.

Would you be interested
in dinner?

I mean I'm having dinner
with some friends

and I thought
you might like to go along.

Oh, l... l wouldn't want
to intrude on your friends.

Actually, it's not
that big of a group.

It's just me and...

Julian.

Dr. Bashir?

Sure.

That sounds great.

Great.

Okay.

Dinner, tonight.

At Quark's.

Great.

Tonight?

I can't.

I have plans.

Cancel them.

I mean, if you can cancel them,
that would be really nice.

- Nice?
- Yeah.

Because...?

Because I invited Lenara
out for dinner and...

And it would be less awkward
if you had a chaperon.

Exactly.

Will you do it?

Something tells me
that I should say no

but you know I won't.

What time?

2200 at Quark's.

Thank you.

I owe you one.

No, it didn't have
a red awning.

It had a big ratana tree
or something out front.

Well, you don't mean
the Barros Inn?

Yes, that's it.

Curzon was kicked out
of the Barros Inn.

That's one of the wildest bars
in the whole Rigel system.

What did he do?

He sort of set fire to it.

Sort of.

All right, he set fire to it
but it wasn't deliberate.

It was part of a bet.

But that's another story.

Curzon was certainly...
different from most joined Trills.

Yeah, he liked to do things
his own way.

He used to say there was
an exception to every rule

and he usually went
out of his way to find it.

I'm actually glad
we never met.

We probably wouldn't have
liked each other very much.

No, he wasn't
that bad, really.

I tend to exaggerate
his rebellious qualities.

But you may have a point.

Curzon never had
much use for scientists.

Well, that's interesting,
considering what you do now.

Curzon would be horrified
to know that I'm a scientist.

Oh, the very idea
of doing research made him ill.

Torias wasn't much different.

I can remember talking to him

about my wanting to study
theoretical quantum physics

and his eyes glazing over.

The irony is, you and I
have more in common

than Torias and Nilani ever did.

That's right.

Infirmary to Dr. Bashir.

Um, Dr. Bashir here.
Go ahead.

I'm sorry to interrupt you,
Doctor

but Ensign Tyler
has broken his leg and...

Oh, I'm on my way.

Um, I'm sorry.

Uh, I must go.
Duty calls.

That's all right.
Thanks for coming.

It was nice to see you again.

Now that's a good friend.

I mean, he sat here all night

Iistening to us trade stories of our
former hosts and never once complained.

I think he enjoyed himself.

Mm-hmm.

Maybe not.

No.

I'll make it up to him.

Yeah.

Those are Klingon, aren't they?

Yeah. How did you know?

Curzon.

They're beautiful.

Yeah.

They were given to me
by a, uh, Klingon scientist.

He wanted to give me one of the swords
they carry around,

but I refused.

Keep them.
Really.

I'm not very Klingon.

Thanks.

Well?

They suit you.

It's really good
to see you again, Dax.

Oh, that sounds
so strange.

I mean, I'm looking at a different face
hearing a different voice...

but somehow it's still you.

I know.

Every time I start to think of you
as just Lenara,

you'll smile, or laugh
and suddenly it's you.

I'm really glad you're here.

Me, too.

Defiant log, stardate 49195.5.

Lieutenant Commander Worf
reporting.

We have arrived at the coordinates

to begin preliminary tests
for the artificial wormhole project.

Target drone is in position,
Commander.

Full scan.

No ships in sensor range.

Bridge to Engineering.

Are you ready, Mr. Eddington?

We're ready, Commander.

Dr. Kahn, you may proceed.

Energize the focal array and stand by
to initiate the subspace tensor matrix.

This AQF sequencer
is always causing me problems.

Plasma coil interlocks
are in place.

Deflector grid is charged
and standing by.

They're very friendly today.

Hmm?

They had dinner
last night... alone.

What are you trying to say?

I shouldn't have
to say anything.

Then don't.

We're ready to generate
the tensor matrix.

The drone is standing by.

Initialize the focal array.

The tensor matrix is forming.

Activate the drone.

The drone is sending out
the magneton pulse.

It's reached the matrix.

I'm picking up
a subspace distortion.

The distortion's
becoming coherent.

It's working.

The magneton pulse
is causing a feedback loop.

It'll destroy the drone
in a few seconds.

A few seconds is all we need.

The drone's been destroyed.

But you did it.

Congratulations, Doctor.

Thank you.

That was only the first step
but what a step.

I'm so proud.

Thank you.

I'm so proud.

...the subspace field data,
the quantum readings...

all the telemetry checks out.

The wormhole was
open 23.4 seconds

and during that time,
it was completely coherent.

You couldn't ask
for a better beginning.

But it all comes down
to the next test.

We have to be able to send
an object through the wormhole

to prove that it's stable
for space travel.

Oh, that reminds me.

Dax thinks we should use a class-4 probe
to make the actual run with.

She says that the class-4 shielding
will give us a better idea

of how the wormhole
will affect a real ship.

I didn't know you'd talked
to Dax since we got back.

Yeah, I saw her last night.

Where?

She came by my quarters.

How long did she stay?

Is there something
you want to ask me?

I don't want to ask you anything

but I'm beginning to wonder
if I should.

I don't believe this.

Believe it.
People are starting to notice.

People?

Dr. Pren saw you holding hands
at dinner the other night.

I thought he was overreacting

but then I saw the way the two of you
were acting on the Defiant.

Lenara.

Lenara. Lenara.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Look, I'm your brother.

You tell me
nothing's going on...

then nothing's going on.

I just want
to hear you say it.

There is nothing going on.

All right?

All right.

Come in.

What's wrong?

I just had the most unpleasant
conversation with my brother.

He...

he thinks that there's something
going on between us.

Oh.

And what did you tell him?

Well, I told him
that that was ridiculous.

That there's nothing
going on between us.

That you and I are just friends.

Well, then,
that should settle that.

Maybe we shouldn't
see each other.

It'll just give people
the wrong idea.

Or give them the right idea.

I don't think we should have
this conversation.

Would it do any good?

Would it change
how either of us feels?

No.

But it would be easier.

You've never been one
for the easy way out.

That's true, but in this case...

I'm not the only one involved.

I don't want to do
anything to hurt you.

I did that before.

I climbed into a shuttlecraft
and I made you a widow.

I knew you were a pilot
when I married you.

I knew the risks.

I went into it
with my eyes wide open.

And what about now?

Are your eyes open?

Do you know
what the risks are?

I...

I thought I'd gotten over you.

It's been so long
and so much has happened.

And now I know I haven't.

I've missed you.

I've missed you so much.

I'd better go.

Yeah.

I don't know what to do,
Benjamin.

What do you want to do?

Throw myself at her
profess my undying love

and my complete disregard
for Trill society.

A joke Lenara made
at the reception.

It doesn't sound so funny
anymore, does it?

Not really.

You don't think
I should pursue this, do you?

No.

Okay.

Why?

Because I remember what Curzon
used to say about reassociation

that it didn't matter whether
he agreed with the taboo or not

because the price
for violating it was too high...

exile.

I know what Curzon
used to say...

and I'm not Curzon.

And you're not Torias either.

You're Jadzia Dax

and you have a responsibility
as a joined Trill to never...

I didn't come here to hear a lecture
about my responsibilities.

You came here
for advice from a friend

and that's exactly
what you're getting.

You're right.

I'm sorry.

I know this is difficult
for you.

I know how you feel
about Lenara

but I want you to think about
what will happen if you pursue this.

If you're exiled from Trill

there will be no further hosts
for your symbiont.

When Jadzia dies, Dax dies.

That goes against everything you were
taught during your initiate training.

You've told me again and again

that each host
is only a link in a chain...

and that the life of the symbiont
no matter what happens,

must go on.

I know that...

and I believe in that.

But I also know...

I love her, Benjamin.

I know you do.

If I were in your position

I'd probably be just as ready
to throw away everything

for the person I love.

But I would also
want to be sure

that I was ready
to pay the price.

You're right.

I need to be sure.

But if you're sure...

if this is what
you really want...

I will back you all the way.

I've lived seven lifetimes

and I have never had
a friend quite like you.

Eddington to bridge.

We're ready to generate
the tensor matrix.

Understood.
Stand by.

Aye, sir.

Commander Dax.

Subspace field stress is
within normal parameters.

Probe's ready to launch.

Target drone is in position.

Bridge to Engine Room.

Initialize subspace matrix,
Mr. Eddington.

On my mark.

Acknowledged.

The tensor matrix
is starting to form.

Activate the drone.

Wormhole neutrino readings
are stable.

Subspace field stress
is up by 15 percent

but still within safety margins.

Launch the probe.

Report!

No helm control!

There's a hull breach
on deck five.

Emergency force fields
are in place.

I'm reading a massive plasma leak
in the Engine Room.

Bridge to Engine Room!

Mr. Eddington!

Dr. Kahn, can you hear me?

Have a damage control team
meet me down there.

Stand back.

It's out of control!

We can't put it out with those!

We'll have to vent the entire
compartment out into space.

No! Lenara might still be alive.

There's no way to get to her.

How long will a level-A
force field last in here?

Not long with that plasma fire.

10, 20 seconds at most.

I think I can get to her.

Dax, if we don't
contain this thing now

it's going
to set off the warp core.

I know,
just give me ten seconds.

After the force field goes off
and then vent the compartment.

I need to reconfigure
the field geometry.

I'll try to keep the field
stable as long as I can.

Oh, Dax.

I thought I'd lost you.

Oh, so did l.

I don't want to lose you.

Not again.

Not again.

Never again.

Never again. Never.

Come in.

How are you feeling?

Much better.

She's almost fully recovered.

My brother, the nurse.

I want to thank you
for what you did.

Lenara means a lot to me.

To both of us.

Yes.

I'll leave you two alone.

Risian perfume.

Do they know what happened
to the wormhole yet?

Our best guess is that the tetryon field
reacted to the probe's shielding,

producing a massive
graviton wave.

The important thing is
no one got killed

and we brought the ship back
in one piece.

Oh, the ship...
how badly was it damaged?

Chief O'Brien says he'll have it
good as new in two weeks.

Now stop torturing yourself.

It wasn't your fault.

It was my project, my theories.

And you shouldn't forget that
your project and your theories

produced the first artificially created
wormhole in history.

It's a huge achievement.

You're right.

I am being a little
self-indulgent, aren't l?

Yes, you are.

Well, I guess I'll have a lot of work
to do when I get back to Trill.

Analyzing the telemetry from the probe alone
will probably take months.

Probably.

Why not do the work
here with me?

With you?

The two of us together, you know
what that would mean.

I know exactly
what that would mean...

but I think
it's worth the price.

That's funny.

Bejal just spent
the last half hour

trying to convince me
that it wouldn't be worth it.

He wants me to go back to Trill
with him, tomorrow...

try to forget about you.

Well, at least he's consistent.

Don't be too hard on him.

He's only trying to look out
for his big sister.

Everyone is trying
to look out for us...

protect us from ourselves.

But in the end...

all that matters is how we feel
and what we do about it

because either way

we're the ones who have to live
with the consequences.

That's the tricky part, though,
isn't it?

Living with the consequences.

When you're not with me

when you're not around...

it's like a part of me
is missing.

I want to be with you
more than anything

but I don't think
that I can do this.

Dax, I am not like you.

I don't have
a little Curzon inside me

telling me to be impulsive,
to ignore the rules

to give up everything
that I've worked for.

Can you really walk away
from me?

From us?

After all this time
we're together.

Don't throw that away.

I don't want to!

Maybe I need more time.

Maybe if I go back to Trill
for a while

I... I'll think it over. I...

I can always come back later.

I wish I could believe you.

But ultimately
it comes down to this...

if you feel about me
the way I feel about you

you won't go
on that transport tomorrow

and if you do leave,
I think we both know...

you're never coming back again.

Good-bye, Commander.
Thank you.