Heart of Stone

**** (4 stars out of 5)

The peace treaty Bariel died for seems to have held for at least a week. Kira and Odo check on the Bajoran colony worryingly near the Cardassian border, and it's not ash and cinder yet. Call it a win!

Odo (like Green Lantern Mogo) doesn't socialize. He doesn't eat, either, but he grumbles at Kira for refusing a dinner invitation on his behalf.  They settle their differences by chasing down a Maquis ship. NOBODY likes those jerks with their hearts of gold!

Speaking of jerks with hearts of gold, Nog has completed his Attainment Ceremony. Now an adult, he bribes Commander Sisko to take him on as an apprentice. Nog wants to be the first Ferengi in Starfleet. Sisko is reluctant to write a recommendation for the Nog he knows: the Nog with a checkered history of stealing, making pranks, and angering women as recently as last week.

I remain deeply moved by Nog's plea. Nog's desire to find a worthwhile life outside his family is just really well done. Way to be, Aron Eisenberg.

While chasing through the tunnels of a remote moon, Odo returns to find Kira's foot is trapped in an ever-expanding crystal. It only grows faster when phasered. Odo demonstrates the science-y side he probably got from Dr. Mora by rigging up a sonic screwdriver, or more like a sonic battering ram. Anyway, it doesn't work.

Kira's disappearing inside the crystal, bit by bit. But the prospect of her death is breaking Odo faster than it's breaking her. There's something our shapeshifter has never admitted to anyone...

"Heart of Stone" plays with genders a little as the lady gets hard and the guy softens up.  With all those deep and painful feelings, I mean. In career or love there's probably nothing more difficult than baring your soul to someone who holds your future in their hands.