This double episode provided a great introduction to the new series, unlike other Star Trek series it isn't set on board a shiny new space ship but on a battered former Cardassian space station belonging to the recently liberated planet of Bajor. On arrival the station's new commander, Benjamin Sisko, isn't too keen on his new assignment which is first since he lost his ship and his wife in a battle with the Borg three years previously. When he arrives he is met by Chief Miles O'Brien who shows him round the station and introduces him to the Bajoran liaison officer Major Kira Nerys who is distrusting of Star Fleet's motives. While talking to her there is a security alert due to a break-in in one of the station's shops. The two thieves are arrested by the station's police officer; a shape-shifter by the name of Odo. Quark, the uncle of one of the thieves tries to get his nephew released and Sisko says he will release him on one condition: he reopens his bar rather then leaving the station. This might seem a strange deal but Sisko knows he must re-establish confidence in the station's population if he is to be successful.<br /><br />He is soon summoned to the surface of Bajor by spiritual leader Kai Opaka who tells him that he is The Emissary of the Prophets and that it is his destiny to find the Celestial Temple, to help with this she gives him a strange orb which causes those who look at it to have visions. Back on the station he meets new Star Fleet arrivals Dr. Julian Bashir and science officer and old friend Jadzia Dax, who Sisko calls Old Man despite her being a young woman, this is because she is a joined Trill and Sisko knew the symbiont's previous host. He soon sets Dax to work studying the orb and this leads them to the sight of an anomaly which turns out to be a stable worm hole to the Gamma Quadrant. As the two of them return they find themselves on a strange planet in the worm hole; could this be the Celestial Temple? When the people on DS9 learn of the worm hole the race is on to lay claim to it. The Crew struggle to move the station to location of the worn hole before the Cardassians can get there as whoever can control that space will be in charge of a staging post for exploration and trade with the Gamma Quadrant.<br /><br />Being a fan of DS9 I'd seen the series a couple of times before I recently re-watched this episode; I think it did a very good job of introducing a cast of characters who with the exception of Chief O'Brien are new to the Star Trek world. These introductions are done in a way that doesn't seem forced yet shows us what each character's role will be. With the introductions out of the way we are quickly into the action which is fairly exciting. The cast all did a great job and it was nice to see a cameo by Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard.