19. Ties of Blood and Water

Ghemor arrives on Deep Space Nine, having left Cardassia after his activities as a dissident became known. Kira hopes he will be the face of the resistance against the Dominion-controlled puppet government of Cardassia, but he tells her that he is dying. He wishes to participate in the ritual of shri-tal, a Cardassian tradition in which a dying person reveals their secrets to the rest of the family for use against their enemies. He chooses Kira to interview him, since he regards her as family. Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) encourages her to participate, as Ghemor's information could greatly aid the Federation and Bajor. Kira is hesitant at first, remembering the injuries that her father suffered at the Cardassians' hands during the occupation of Bajor. However, she agrees to hear Ghemor's secrets and use them for good.

Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo), the head of Cardassia's Dominion government, requests Ghemor's extradition to Cardassia, but Sisko brusquely rebuffs him, citing the Federation neither recognises his government's legitimacy nor has an extradition treaty with Cardassia. Refusing to take no for an answer, Dukat and his Dominion liaison Weyoun visit the station, intent on taking Ghemor with them. Dukat first offers to reunite Ghemor with his long-lost daughter, and then gives Kira information implying Ghemor participated in a massacre of Bajoran civilians during the Cardassian occupation. Finally, he delivers a bottle of poisoned liquor to Ghemor's quarters, but Sisko intercepts it.

Kira becomes furious at Ghemor for hiding his past from her and spends as little time caring for him as possible. However, she later learns from security chief Odo that Ghemor was only nineteen at the time of the massacre, an inexperienced foot soldier, and there is no evidence he killed anyone there. Kira recalls that when her own father was badly injured, she chose to participate in a counterattack rather than stay with him, and missed his death by minutes. Realizing that she is letting her own past bitterness taint her relationship with Ghemor, she returns to his bedside and stays until he dies.

Dukat insists Sisko release Ghemor's body to him so Ghemor can be granted a military funeral on Cardassia as part of Dukat's intentions to tell the public that Ghemor recanted his opposition to the Dominion on his deathbed. Sisko rejects the request and instead allows Kira to bury Ghemor on Bajor beside her father's grave.