10. Move Along Home

Deep Space Nine makes first contact with a Gamma Quadrant species known as the Wadi. Upon arriving, the Wadi head straight to Quark's bar. When the Wadi leader, Falow, realizes Quark has rigged a gambling table against them, he persuades Quark to play "an honest game".

Meanwhile, the station's senior officers Commander Sisko, Dr. Bashir, Major Kira, and Lt. Dax find themselves in a bizarre labyrinth. Security chief Odo finds them missing from the station; he and Quark come to realize that the missing officers are part of the game Quark is playing.

In the game, the officers are faced with bizarre and deadly puzzles. On the second level they find a young girl singing a rhyme and playing a version of hopscotch; a force field prevents them from crossing the room, until Dax realizes that to get through the force field they must sing the rhyme and copy her hops and hand movements. On the third level they find themselves at a party in a room filling up with a deadly gas; only by drinking the partygoers' beverages can they survive. Later on the fourth level one piece is removed from the game, and Bashir disappears from the maze.

Quark is faced with a choice between a shorter, more difficult path or a longer, easier one for his remaining players. He chooses the shortcut, explaining that with risks to his players involved in every move, advancing them home as soon as possible is the wiser choice. However, the results of his next roll force him to sacrifice one of his players.

Quark begs Falow not to make him choose, so the game chooses at random. On the sixth and last level, Sisko, Kira, and Dax are faced with scaling a mountain during an earthquake, and Dax's leg becomes stuck between two rocks. Although she tells Sisko to leave her behind, he and Kira help her cross a ledge on the rock face. They slip, however, and all three fall into the abyss—only to re-materialize in Quark's, along with Bashir. Quark is relieved to see all four unharmed, but Falow points out that he has lost, and explains that none of them were ever in any danger.

As Sisko is about to angrily confront Falow over what they have experienced, Odo tells him that he would do better to talk with Quark about his attempt to cheat their guests. The Wadi quietly depart, but Quark hurries after them, sensing an opportunity to market their game.