When the First Minister of the Bajoran Provisional Government dies, conniving religious leaderKai Winn is appointed to his position on an interim basis and is likely to be formally elected to the office. Later, Winn approaches Major Kira with a special request. A group of farmers in Kira's home province refuse to return some soil reclamators that Winn needs for Bajor's recovery efforts in Rakantha Province. Their leader, Shakaar, also led Kira's resistance cell during the Occupation, so Winn wants Kira to convince him to return the equipment. Kira is reluctant to confront her friend and mentor but agrees to do it for the good of Bajor. Kira visits Shakaar, who tells her he only received the reclamators two months before, and was told that he and his fellow farmers would have their use for a year. But when Winn took over, they were ordered to return them immediately. Since the Rakantha project is geared toward farming products for export, while Shakaar's farmers are trying to feed their people, he sees his project as far more important. Kira encourages him to meet with Winn, hoping they can compromise. Winn tells Kira she agrees to the meeting, but sends security officers to arrest Shakaar. Infuriated that Winn lied, Kira helps subdue the officers and escapes with Shakaar. Now fugitives, Shakaar, Kira, and their comrades hide in the mountains where they once eluded the Cardassians. Weeks later, as the militia closes in, Shakaar's exhausted group realizes there is no option but to stop running and fight. They lead their pursuers into a canyon to set up an ambush. Hiding in the canyon, Shakaar and Kira watch as the Bajoran troops enter their trap. But as they see the faces of their "enemies", the realization hits that they will be shooting former comrades-in-arms. Unwilling to do this, Kira and Shakaar drop their weapons and, after a brief conversation with the leader, Colonel Lenaris, a cease-fire is called. Later, Shakaar informs Winn that he has decided to enter the election for First Minister. Realizing a competitive election against the popular Shakaar will expose how Winn's actions brought Bajor to the brink of civil war, Winn decides to step down from the race. In a side plot back on Deep Space Nine, O'Brien records an incredible winning streak at darts; his streak ends when he leans backwards for a drink and severely injures his shoulder during a match.
Reception
In 2018, SyFy recommend this episode for its abbreviated watch guide for the Bajoran character Kira Nerys. They note this episode for focusing on Kira's past story and also her relationship with the character Shakaar.
