The Cardassian Central Command is up in arms about the abduction of Gul Dukat, and Hudson has declared his intention to help the Maquis with all his resources. A visit from a high representative of Cardassia puzzles Sisko when he declares that Dukat is responsible for smuggling weapons into the demilitarized zone and, if returned to Cardassia, will be executed. Sisko goes after Dukat, rescuing him from the Maquis and sending a message to Hudson through renegade colonist Amaros. Dukat, as it happens, has been kept in the dark, and agrees to help Sisko prove the source of the Cardassian colonists' arms in exchange for Sisko's help in bringing Maquis violence to a halt. A captured Vulcan members of the Maquis reveals a plan to attack a hidden Cardassian weapons depot, and Sisko launches DS9's fleet of Runabouts to intercept the Maquis' two vessels. Sisko is pressured by Starfleet and Dukat to hunt Hudson down and stop him at any cost to prevent a full-scale war.
