Several months into their war against the Dominion/Cardassian alliance, the Federation is fighting a losing battle. Having long ago abandoned Deep Space 9, Sisko and his crew have been taking on the enemy from the U.S.S. Defiant. But they grow more and more demoralized as fleets of promised reinforcements are demolished. Reacting to the heavy losses, Federation Admiral Ross informs Sisko that he is no longer in command of the U.S.S. Defiant. Meanwhile, on Deep Space 9, Major Kira and Security Chief Odo must cope with the new reality of living under enemy rule.

Avery Brooks (Captain Benjamin Sisko)
Rene Auberjonois (Odo)
Michael Dorn (Lt. Commander Worf)
Terry Farrell (Lt. Cmdr. Jadzia Dax)
Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko)
Colm Meaney (Chief Operations Officer Miles O'Brien)
Armin Shimerman (Quark)
Alexander Siddig (Dr. Julian Bashir)
Nana Visitor (Major Kira Nerys)

Andrew J. Robinson (Garak)
Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun)
Mark Alaimo (Gul Elmo Dukat)
Aron Eisenberg (Cadet 3C Nog)
J.G. Hertzler (General Martok)
Casey Biggs (Glinn Damar)
Barry Jenner (Admiral Ross)
Brock Peters (Joseph Sisko)

• Season 6 Premiere Episode.
  
• The Defiant crew takes a captured Jem'Hadar warship (see "The Ship") into Cardassian space to destroy a Ketracel White depot. They succeed, but their vessel's warp drive is damaged, leaving them stranded 17 years from Federation space.
  
• Admiral Ross, head of the Federation Task Force Tactical Operations, is stationed at Starbase 375.