The irrepressible Lwaxana Troi, mother of Enterprise counselor Deanna Troi, visits the station with a group of Federation ambassadors. Dr. Bashir hosts the ambassadors, who are displeased with everything he does. When Lwaxana's broach is stolen at Quark's, Odo catches the thief and returns it. She is immediately taken with the shape-shifter. Meanwhile, an unidentified alien probe comes through the wormhole and somehow alters the station's computer. O'Brien's attempts to fix the problem result in a massive plasma explosion, which traps Odo in a turbolift with Lwaxana, and Bashir with the other three ambassadors.

Majel Barrett (Betazed Ambassador Lwaxana Troi)
Michael Ensign (Vulcan Ambassador Lojal)
Jack Shearer (Bolian Ambassador Vadosia)
Constance Towers (Arbazan Ambassador Taxco)
Benita Andre (Anara)

• This is the first appearance of Lwaxana Troi (Deanna Troi's mother) on Deep Space Nine.
  
• When Odo and Lwaxana are trapped in a turbolift, she holds up her dress and allows him to revert to his liquid form when he can no longer hold his shape.
  
• Kira switches from the two-piece uniform to the tight one-piece catsuit in this episode.