Quark meets his match when a new rival opens a casino opposite his bar on the Promenade. Meanwhile, the station is suffering issues of high improbability.
Chief O'Brien, who still doesn't particularly like Doctor Bashir, must rely on him when the two are stranded on a planet and O'Brien is infected with a deadly, fast moving disease.
Chief O'Brien's world is turned upside down when for no reason whatsoever he is being ignored by his family and friends and is being closed out of every essential job on the station.
Odo and Dax investigate the mysterious disappearance of people from a village. Kira tries to keep a close eye on Quark, while Vedek Bareil unexpectedly visits.
The destruction of a Cardassian ship leads Sisko, Dukat, and Sisko's old friend Cal Hudson to the fact that there is an unofficial war between the Maquis and the Cardassians.
Dr. Bashir fights to save Garak's life when a device implanted in his brain, designed to alleviate pain in the event of torture, begins to malfunction and is slowly killing him.
Instead of waiting for the Jem'Hadar to attack, Sisko wants to try a different tactic; he wants to take a new class starship to try to find the Founders.
The Trill homeworld is the setting, as Sisko and Bashir take Jadzia home for treatment when she begins experiencing hallucinations after playing a tune she can't recall.
Odo tries to change the nature of a rapidly maturing Jem'Hadar infant Quark finds, while Sisko tries to break his son's relationship with a 20 year old Dabo girl.
Riker arrives on the station to requisition the Defiant in order to fight with the Maquis. Sisko assists Gul Dukat on Cardassia Prime to prevent the ship from entering Cardassian territory.