In this episode, the station's first officer, Major Kira, finds herself investigating Vedek Bareil, a high-ranking cleric in the Bajoran religious hierarchy, when pursuing allegations that he collaborated with the Cardassians during the occupation.
Meanwhile, security chief Odo has arrested a Bajoran man called Kubus Oak, who was exiled for collaborating with the Cardassians during their occupation of Bajor.
Vedek Winn offers Kubus sanctuary in exchange for information about a massacre that the Cardassians committed during the occupation.
Winn is eager to find proof; she gloats to Kira that she is about to ruin Bareil's chances for becoming Kai, and manipulates her into volunteering to investigate the case.
With further investigation, Kira makes another confusing discovery: proof that Bareil was not the source of the information.
While Kira is hardly convinced that those sentiments are worth the price of allowing Winn to become Kai, Bareil says that it will be up to them to influence her towards something positive.