Treachery

Treachery, Faith, and the Great River

"Treachery, Faith, and the Great River" is a season seven episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that first aired on November 4, 1998. The teleplay was written by David Weddle and Bradley Thompson, based on a story by Philip Kim, and directed by Steve Posey. The episode has an average rating of 4.5/5 on the official Star Trek website (as of August 16th, 2007).

Plot

Odo gets a coded message from Gul Russol and takes off to meet him, even though he considers the possibility that it could be a trap. In fact it is a ploy for Weyoun VI to meet with Odo and urge him to rebuild the Dominion according to his ideals. Weyoun VI reveals to Odo that an illness threatens to wipe out the Great Link. Weyoun VII eventually convinces Weyoun VI to commit suicide in order to protect Odo. Before dying, Weyoun VI asks Odo for a blessing.

At about the same time Odo departed, Benjamin Sisko goes to a conference on Bajor, and orders Miles O'Brien to have the gravity fixed on the USS Defiant before his return. Sisko is unconcerned that O'Brien lacks the one crucial piece of equipment required to make the repair. Nog offers to help O'Brien by navigating "the Great River", a Ferengi concept of economics and trade - described as "millions of worlds, all with too much of one and not enough of the other". O'Brien reluctantly gives Nog his authorization code, which Nog uses to make a long series of trades based on rumors, including loaning out Sisko's desk and selling Klingon General Martok's prized bloodwine. An increasingly alarmed O'Brien watches with dismay as the young Ferengi works deal after deal; meanwhile, the part he requires appears no closer to arriving.

In the end, Sisko's desk is returned to its proper place; Martok's bloodwine is replaced with an even better vintage, 2309, procured from Nog's cousin Gant; the Defiant is finally repaired; and Sisko himself returns to the station with no idea that it's been anything other than 'business as usual' on DS9.