Sisko allows Garak to continue and secures the release of a forger named Grathon Tolar (Howard Shangraw) from a Klingon prison, as well as providing a large quantity of bio-mimetic gel, a rare and highly regulated material, from Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) to trade for an authentic data rod.
Subsequently, the Romulans join with the Federation against the Dominion and quickly start striking at Dominion bases close by.