See Also: 'Improbable Cause' Episode Guide

A terrorist attack on Garak's shop and a series of violent episodes on the station cause Odo to launch an investigation into who is trying to kill the exiled Cardassian tailor. Garak does his own investigating, and finds out that he can't trust anyone, not even his former leaders. Meanwhile, Odo is drawn into a secret, impending struggle between the Cardassians, with Romulan allies, and the Dominion.

Analysis:

I've certainly been enjoying Bashir and Garak a lot lately. Maybe every episode from now on should start with the tow of them flirting over food, nice and domestic. Garak episodes on DS9 are starting to remind me of Q episodes on TNG - haven't hated one yet - and the added bonus of Odo's involvement in this one was a big plus.

For some reason this episode looked dull to me visually; the post-bomb shop just didn't have enough wreckage, the background in the room when Odo was interrogating the Faxian seemed inexplicably sparse, and I didn't for a second buy that that was a Romulan ship at the end. Nonetheless it reminded me pleasantly of "Necessary Evil" - Odo in the role of good cop with shady dealings himself, dark and sinister forces closer to home than we'd like. I adored the "Deep Throat" character - the Cardassian in the cave, although I'm still confused about where that was supposed to be taking place - hope he shows up again. And I was so happy to see Tain back; does anyone else get the feeling that he's secretly Garak's father?

I don't even remember Kira in this episode outside the first few minutes, and Sisko's been awfully liberal about loaning those runabouts. Everyone was pretty workmanlike except for Bashir and Garak. I'm still repeating that alternative moral to "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" to people. It's hard to discuss the plot of an obvious two-parter in the absence of the second part, but his one had me both laughing and waiting eagerly to see where they were going to take it - lovely setup, nicely done.

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