Stardate not given: A battered
old-style Bajoran lightship emerges from the wormhole with one
passenger: Akorem Laan, a famous poet who left Bajor
200 years ago. Since he was the first person to meet
the Prophets, and since they healed him, Akorem
believes himself to be the Emissary, a role that Sisko is all too happy to relinquish to him.
Akorem begins trying to lead Bajor back to the old
days, when their caste system, the d'jarras,
determined the careers people followed. Confusion
results, and Sisko can only conclude that his mission
to bring Bajor into the Federation has failed.
Meanwhile, O'Brien
tries to readjust his life when Keiko returns,
pregnant with their second child.
