Bashir and O'Brien, in the runabout Rubicon, are on their way home to the station after a routine biosurvey in the Gamma Quadrant when O'Brien detects a subspace magneton pulse which is sometimes indicates a ship in trouble. It leads them to a planet previously thought to be uninhabited, but the runabout hits a plasma field and crash lands. The two are captured by a group of Jem'Hadar. But these Jem'Hadar are unlike any they've encountered--their leader, Goran'Agar, is free from their race's genetic addiction to the enzyme known as Ketracel-white, and has brought the others here in hopes of freeing them as well from the "white" and the Dominion. Goran'Agar coerces Bashir to work on a cure for the addiction, which to the doctor's mentality is the work he is compelled to do, so Bashir works on a cure while O'Brien tries to convince the doctor to escape with him. Back on the station, Worf clashes with Odo over a smuggling investigation.

Credits:Teleplay by Lisa Klink Story by Nick Corea and Lisa Klink Directed by Rene Auberjonois Music by Jay Chattaway

Guest stars: Scott MacDonald (Goran'Agar), Stephen Davies (Arak'Taral), Jerry Roberts (Meso'Clan), Marshall Teague (Temo'Zuma), Roderick Garr (Shady Alien), Michael H. Bailous (Jem'Hadar #1)