History Recap / StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS04E14ReturnToGrace

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Kira's ploy has made the Klingons helplessly stranded on the Cardassian freighter, but Dukat decides to blow them up anyway. Kira thinks it was excessive, but no one cries over it.

While packing, Kira is surprised by the arrival of Dukat, who was demoted by his superiors and disowned by his family after returning to Cardassia with his [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS04E05Indiscretion illegitimate half-Bajoran daughter Ziyal]]. His new job is to carry freight and escort people (including Kira) but he doesn't blame her or Ziyal and feels he will soon get his rank back.

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Dukat has long since left behind his low-key yearning for Kira and moved on to constant and unwelcome flirtation. Perhaps due to Cardassians' [[BelligerentSexualTension unique views on romance]], his appetite * BoardingParty: Kira and Dukat beam aboard the Klingon Bird of Prey to seize control of their transporters and beam the Klingons onto the freighter while bringing Dukat's crew aboard the Bird of Prey.

for rejection seems inexhaustible.

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Dukat has long since left behind his low-key yearning for Kira and moved on to constant and unwelcome flirtation. Perhaps due to Cardassians' [[BelligerentSexualTension unique views on romance]], his appetite for rejection seems inexhaustible.
* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership
-->'''K'Temang:''' I'm confiscating your ship and its cargo.
-->'''Dukat:''' On whose authority?
-->'''K'Temang:''' ''(SlasherSmile)'' On the authority of the Klingon Empire, and the disruptors I have pointed at your vessel.
* BoardingParty: Kira and Dukat beam aboard the Klingon Bird of Prey to seize control of their transporters and beam the Klingons onto the freighter while bringing Dukat's crew aboard the Bird of Prey.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority

* {{Corpsing}}: While Kira is describing how fragile the Federation phaser rifle is, the weapon proves her point by having the power cell fall out of the prop while Nana Visitor visibly struggles not to laugh.

* ChekhovsGunman: Dukat's main crewman is Damar, who will pay an important role in later seasons.

* BreakTheHaughty: Dukat has been demoted to the captain of a cargo ship, and when he tries to fight the Klingons finds that they consider him NotWorthKilling. He does manage to get his position back by capturing a Bird of Prey with Kira's help, to his disgust he finds the Cardassian government won't use it. He states his position as a military advisor is meaningless when nobody listens to him.

* BreakTheHaughty: Dukat has been demoted to the captain of cargo ship, and when he tries to fight the Klingons finds that they consider him NotWorthKilling. He does manage to get his position back by capturing a Bird of Prey with Kira's help, to his disgust he finds the Cardassian government won't use it. He states his position as a military advisor is meaningless when nobody listens to him.

* VillainousValor: Dukar is willing, even ''eager'' to take the fight to the Klingons despite the odds being drastically against him.

Back on the bridge, Dukat and Kira try to anticipate where the Klingons will attack next, and Dukat points to an outpost called Loval. The Klingons' previous targets have all revealed that their intelligence network is sound, so they'll probably know about the secret munitions factory there. They lure in the Klingons by pretending they're helpless and have dilithium. Once the Klingon ship appears and starts to tractor them into transporter range, Dukat orders a salvo from the disruptors, but it only damages the bird of prey. The Klingons return fire, critically damaging the freighter. Improvising, Kira beams herself and Dukat aboard the birf of prey, takes control of its engineers, and uses its transporters to swap the two ships' crews. On the bird of prey, Dukat fires on the freighter, destroying it and all the Klingons on board, which Kira finds excessive.

Back on the bridge, Dukat and Kira try to anticipate where the Klingons will attack next, and Dukat points to an outpost called Loval. The Klingons' previous targets have all revealed that their intelligence network is sound, so they'll probably know about the secret munitions factory there. They lure in the Klingons by pretending they're helpless and have dilithium. Once the Klingons ship appears and starts to tractor them into transporter range, Dukat orders a salvo from the disruptors, but it only damages the bird of prey. The Klingons return fire, critically damaging the freighter. Improvising, Kira beams herself and Dukat aboard the birf of prey, takes control of its engineers, and uses its transporters to swap the two ships' crews. On the bird of prey, Dukat fires on the freighter, destroying it and all the Klingons on board, which Kira finds excessive.

Kira is in the infirmary, griping about all of the vaccinations she needs to receive. Bashir explains that he needs them to attend an upcoming conference on a Cardassian outpost to share Bajoran intelligence about the Klingons. She doesn't want to go, but her boyfriend Shakaar convinced her to.

That evening, Dukat wines and dines Kira. Dukat is still head-over-heels in love with Kira as ever, and soon the conversation drifts to Kira's love life with Bareil and Shakaar. Although Kira respects Dukat more now that he's spared his daughter, she still cannot forgive his former crimes and loathes the thought of him as a lover. Before things get too awkward, an the alarm sounds again, and this time it isn't a drill.

Some time later, Kira is packing, when Dukat enters, revealing that he was demoted by his superiors and disowned by his family after returning to Cardassia with his illegitimate half-Bajoran daughter Ziyal. His new job is to carry freight and escort people (including Kira) but he doesn't blame her or Ziyal and feels he will soon get his rank back.

On the freighter, Kira reunited with Ziyal, who has been getting along well with Dukat but having trouble fitting in on Cardassia with the whole bastard half-breed thing and all. A battle drill cuts short their conversation and they arrive at the bridge soon enough to watch Dukat blow up an asteroid, but the former gul is grumpy at how long it took due to the weapons recharging.

They're approaching the outpost, but it's been destroyed, with no survivors. A Klingon vessel appears and scans the freighter, but doesn't attack. As it starts to move away, Dukat orders his crew to fire on it, but Kira thinks this is too suicidal. He fires anyway, but the shot does no appreciable damage. Luckily, the Klingons can't be bothered firing back and warp away.

They make the modificztion and test fire on an asteroid, but modifications cause all sorts of prolems on the ship. Dukat has his crew make repairs. As his crew sets to work, Dukat imagines that taking out the Klingons will restore his reputation. He also makes another pass at Kira, but she rebuffs him even more strenuously, saying she's only working with him to get revenge. Dukat relents but does not give up.

Kira gives Ziyal combat training, teaching her about various energy rifles. In the process, Ziyal tries to broach the subject of her father and stand up for him, saying that his past crimes haunt him and that he's become a better man. Kira states that she doesn't care whether he's sorry and that she'll never forgive him before pushing the subject back to target practice.

Back on the bridge, Dukat and Kira try to anticipate where the Klingons will attack next, and Dukat points to an outpost called Loval. The Klingons' previous targets have all revealed that their intelligence network is sound, so they'll probably know about the secret munitions factory there. They lure in the Klingons by pretending they're helpless and have dilithium. As the Klingons ship starts to tractor them into beaming range, Dukat orders a salvo from the disruptors, but it only damages the bird of prey. The Klingons return fire, critically damaging the freighter. But then Kira uses Klingon transporter codes to exchange the entire crew of the freighter with the Klingons. On the bird of prey, Dukat fires on the freighter, destroying it and all the Klingons on board, which Kira finds excessive.

Dukat's success has restored his reputation on Cardassia, but he's appalled that his people want to seek a diplomatic solution with the Klingons, which he feels is an insult to the empire's former glory. He declares he will fight a one-ship resistance against the Klingons and asks Kira to join him. She refuses, but asks his permission to bring Ziyal back to Deep Space Nine to spare her the horrors of war. Dukat agrees. Dukat is pleased to have Kira intertwined in his life, so he agrees. Ziyal and Kira arrive at the station safely, and Kira promises to tell Odo all about it later.

* BoringButPractical: Major Kira explains that the Cardassian disruptor rifle lacks many of the Federation phaser rifles impressive features, but it's simple and reliable, which makes it a better field weapon.

Kira is in the infirmary, griping about all of the vaccinations she needs to receive. Bashir explains that he needs them because on Cardassia, there are a lot of diseases, and she's headed to a Cardassian outpost to share Bajoran intelligence about the Klingons. She doesn't want to go, but her boyfriend Shakaar convinced her to.

* BoringButPractical: Major Kira explains why the Bajoran Resistance wasn't interested in Federation-made phaser rifles, instead opting for the Cardassian disruptor rifle. While the phaser rifle has all kinds of cool, neat gadgets and add-on features, in the field (when you don't have proper maintenance facilities and spare parts and the like) that's [[CoolButInefficient just more things to go wrong with it]]. A Cardasian disruptor only has stun and kill settings, but you can lean it against a tree and leave it for ten years and it'll still work without trouble. Essentially, it's a future version of the venerable AK-47, whose simplicity and durability have meant it's still in use over 70 years after its introduction, especially among insurgent groups like Kira belonged to.

* ChekhovsGunman: Damar, who will pay an important role in later seasons, is introduced. Numerous shots even focus on him as though he's a main character.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Dukat never blames Ziyal for his fall from grace, and openly treats her as his daughter.

* EvilIsPetty: Dukat takes a moment to blow the helpless Klingons to kingdom come after seizing control of the Bird of Prey.

** Dukat's freighter once it has installed the disruptor cannon into the cargo bay is basically a space Q Ship.

%%* IndyPloy: "I think it's time to ''improvise!''"
* KickTheSonOfABitch: After Kira beams the Klingons (who had previously attacked a diplomatic conference, killing everyone there) onto the ''Groumall'', an extremely pissed-off Dukat blows it up.

* NoMrBondIExpectYouToDine: It's [[AppealToTradition Cardassian tradition]] for TheCaptain to entertain his guests, so Dukat invites Kira to dinner. Kira doesn't want to refuse in front of Ziyal, so agrees.

-->'''Dukat''': I suppose... to the Klingons... there's no ''honor'' in destroying a worthless freighter...

* [[WellDoneSonGuy "Well Done, Daughter!" Girl]]: Ziyal, to the point that she wants to go into battle with her father. Kira convinces her that staying on [=DS9=] is a safer idea, which Dukat agrees with.

The episode begins in the infirmary, with Bashir giving an annoyed Kira some shots. He explains that he needs to because on Cardassia, there are a lot of diseases, and she's headed to a Cardassian outpost to share Bajoran intelligence about the Klingons. She doesn't want to go, but her boyfriend Shakaar convinced her to.

Some time later, Kira is packing, when Dukat enters, revealing that he was demoted by his superiors and disowned by his mother. His new job is to carry freight and escort people (including Kira) but he doesn't blame her or Ziyal and feels he will soon get his rank back.

On the freighter, Kira meets Ziyal, who has been getting along well with Dukat, but having trouble with peers due to her nose ridges. Then, a battle drill occurs, in which they blow up an asteroid, but Dukat is grumpy at how long it took due to the weapons recharging.

That evening, Dukat and Kira have dinner together (because it's Cardassian tradition for captains to entertain guests) and talk about Ziyal and about Kira's love life. However, the alarm sounds again, and this time it isn't a drill.

They're approaching the outpost, but it's been attacked and everyone's presumably dead. A Klingon vessel appears and scans the freighter, but doesn't attack. As it starts to move away, Dukat orders Damar to fire on it, but Kira thinks this is too dangerous. He fires anyway, but the shot barely does any damage. Luckily, though, the Klingons can't be bothered firing back and warp away.

Neither Dukat nor Kira want the Klingons to get away with it, so Kira begins plotting on ways to fight back. They go to the cargo bay, where Kira suggests getting rid of the cargo, putting some disruptors from the outpost in there, and repairing them with power from tractor beam.

They do so, and manage to blow up another asteroid, but the explosion causes plasma leaks on the ship. While Damar goes to fix the leaks, Dukat mentions that if they took out the Klingons, he'd get his reputation back and claims that he and Kira make a "good team". Kira is none too pleased and points out that she only wants revenge on the Klingons for killing the Bajoran diplomats, and they're not a team. After more teasing from Dukat, Damar returns and they keep discussing the disruptor.

The scene cuts to Kira giving Ziyal combat training. Kira teaches Ziyal about the different guns, and they discuss whether Dukat can be sympathised with or not.

Back on the bridge, Dukat and Kira wonder where the Klingons will attack next, and decide on an outpost called Loval. They decide to lure in the Klingons by pretending they're helpless and have dilithium. When they get there, the plan starts to work, but the Klingon ship only gets damaged instead of blown up. However, they do eventually manage to blow it up, and Dukat suggests going to war against the Klingons and making Kira his ally, but she says no.

Ziyal tries to show Kira a trick with a knife, but it doesn't work, and Kira tells Ziyal that you need to be ruthless in order to fight with Klingons.

Then, Kira goes home, bringing Ziyal with her.

* NotSoDifferent: Dukat tries arguing this, which Kira refuses to accept.

* {{Foreshadowing}}:
** Dukat says his disgrace is temporary. This seems like his usual arrogance to Kira but you can't help wondering if he had feelers out to the [[spoiler: Dominion]] even then.
** Dukat asks Kira to stay as his adviser on guerrilla tactics. In Season 7 Kira [[spoiler: acts in this role to the dissident Cardassian military officers fighting the Dominion.]]

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Aww, Kira helped Dukat regain his confidence and the respect of his people. Without her, [[spoiler: he'd have continued to wallow in self-pity instead of becoming first the military dictator of Cardassia and then the vessel of the Pah-Wraiths.]]

* ReassignedToAntarctica: Dukat has gone from being the military advisor to the Cardassian civilian government...to captain of a supply freighter.