Plot summary
Admiral Ross informs Captain Sisko that Starfleet intends to go on the offensive in the war against the Dominion. They decide to attack the Chin'toka star system—but must attack soon, as intelligence arrives that the Cardassians and the Dominion are about to improve Chin'toka's defenses with unmanned weapons platforms. Meanwhile, Worf and Jadzia Dax discuss their plans to have a baby.
The night before the attack, Sisko receives a vision from the Prophets, who warn him not to leave the station. Sisko tells Ross about the vision, who responds that he must decide between his duty to Starfleet and the Prophets.
Meanwhile, the Cardassian leader Damar and his Dominion handler Weyoun receive an unexpected visit from Damar's predecessor, Dukat. Dukat discloses his plan to allow one of the enemies of the Prophets, the Pah-wraiths, to possess him. He breaks a Bajoran artifact, thereby releasing a Pah-wraith in the form of a red mist that enters his body.
The attack fleet arrives at Chin'toka just as the weapons platforms are activated. As the fleet is being destroyed, on board the USS Defiant, Elim Garak, a Cardassian working with Starfleet, infers that the platforms can be taken offline if the Defiant finds and destroys their central power source.
On Deep Space Nine, Dax is visiting the Bajoran Temple when Dukat, possessed by the Pah-wraith, suddenly transports in; he hits her with bolts of energy from his hands and she collapses. He opens an Orb of the Prophets and the Pah-wraith leaves his body, entering the Orb, which turns black. Outside the station, the Bajoran wormhole implodes.
On the Defiant, Sisko is shaken, sensing the attack on the Prophets; Major Kira takes over and successfully commands the destruction of the weapons platforms. After the battle, they are summoned urgently back to the station. When they arrive, they are informed that the wormhole is gone and all the Bajoran orbs have turned dark.
Dr. Bashir is able to save the Dax symbiont that shares Jadzia's consciousness, but not Jadzia herself. She survives long enough to say goodbye to Worf. Over Jadzia's coffin, Sisko decides that he must take a leave of absence on Earth. He departs with his son, Jake, leaving Kira in charge of DS9.
Credits
Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Tears of the Prophets. Paragraphs and formatting adjusted; illustrations, reference markers, block quotations and non-story material omitted.