With Deep Space Nine in disrepair, O'Brien is unable to replicate the Cardassian materials he needs to fix it. He assembles a team of engineers and leads a salvage mission to Empok Nor, an abandoned Cardassian space station, bringing along Garak to foil any security measures. They soon enter the eerie, deserted station and begin to work. Garak is disturbed to find two stasis tubes have recently been activated, each large enough to contain a Cardassian adult. Nog, sent back to the Runabout, is shocked to see the ship drift away and explode, leaving O'Brien and his team stranded on Empok Nor with the mysterious occupants of the Cardassian stasis tubes.