The traffic situation was getting worst by the minute and Chief O'Brien was running low on flumes and patience. It seems for every system his crew repairs another pair of problems would appear. O'Brien had been working nearly 20 hours straight without a break and the signs of fatigue were beginning to show. On Deck 31 he was replacing two burnt out boards for the turbo lift, thinking to himself how did this station every run with all this sub grade Cardassian parts. His thoughts are interrupted when his com badge goes off.

"Chief we have a problem with another docking pylon. A freighter out of Cardassian space cannot dock until we repair the dock clamps."

"Dax I am working on this turbo lift why not just have them dock at a different bay?"

"Sorry Chief but we already tried that all the other bays already have incoming."

"Well tell the Cardassians to tied a rope about the pylon and space walk over!"

O'Brien's emotional response catches Dax off guard and for a moment the young Trill does not respond. She searches within her host from previous life times looking for something to say. Luckily Commander Sisko was in Ops and responded for her.

"Chief?"

"Commander I will get to the docking clamp problem as soon as I am done with the elevator. I should not be long sir."

"Chief according to the logs you have been at this all day and almost all night. When you finish with the elevator you take a break and I will assign one of your techs to the docking problem."

"But Commander!" Miles says in protest.

"That is an order Chief."

"Yes sir." Miles said still slightly protesting even though he knows his body could use the break and he would like to see his family.

"Thank you Commander."

"Old man you could have handle that just fine, but the Chief does not know when to stop once he gets going on repairs."

Just then Kira walks off the elevator in Ops goes directly to Sisko.

"Sir we need to talk in private." Sisko gestures for her to go up to his office and once they both are inside Kira pleads her case about the assassination situation.

"Sir we need more roving guards on the Promenade and we should be searching every ship when it docks for this assailant."

"Major we are taking every precaution that we can and Odo assures me that he has the situation under control."

"Sir I don't think that is good enough, call Starfleet and have them send more troops. Bajor cannot afford to suffer a lost of one of our spiritual leaders from our government. We are too fragile at this time and I expect you the Emissary to know that better than anyone else."

"Major we cannot have Starfleet arm guards walking the station, that would make the Federation no difference than the Cardassians when they ran the station."

"Sir at least the Cardassians did not take any interference from anyone. No one would even attempt to do such a thing when they ran the station because of fear of what the Cardassians would do to them."

"Major I know you are upset and not thinking clearly but if the Cardassians were still here there would be no Bajorian Tupa Holiday celebration. This celebration must go on so Bajor can show the outside world that they have broke the tyranny chains of the Cardassians and are now free to start their own future."

"We still have no independence with you Federation people around!"

Before Sisko could say a word Dax walks in his office.

"Sorry for interrupting you both."

"Thanks fine, what is it Dax?"

"We just received word from Bajor that First Minister Aar ship is leaving the surface and coming up to the station." Sisko and Kira both exchange looks as the trio walks out of his office.

At the lower pylon dock one of the chief's technician has finish repairing the broken clamps and the Romulan Freighter was docking. Someone from security was there reviewing the passenger manifest list as each person exited the ship. After everyone had left the ship the captain and crew left going to Quark's. As security guard Trenton starts to walk away he notices that there was still one name on the list that never came off the ship, at first he thinks it must be a mistake. But he decides to go back and check the ship because Odo had told the entire security force to watch out for even the slightest thing out of place.

As Trenton walks on the freighter he thinks about going back to Quark's himself when his shifts end and maybe send some time in the halo suite. His thoughts being on other things Trenton never notices the door open from the captain's storage locker until he hears the sound of a disruptor that ends his life. His assailant checks to be sure they is no one else around then he grabs his things and walks on to Deep Space Nine.