Bashir fights to save his Cardassian friend Garak, who is slowly being killed by a brain implant to which he is addicted.

Andrew Robinson (Elim Garak)
Paul Dooley (Enabran Tain)
Jimmie F. Skaggs (Glinn Boheeka)
Ann Gillespie (Nurse Jabara)

• The name of the Cardassian homeworld is given in this episode: Cardassia Prime.
  
• We learn that Garak's first name is Elim.