Odo's changeling infant becomes the centre of his life.
Quark comes into possession of an infant Changeling and sells it to Odo, who is still stuck in solid form after being made human by the Founders. Odo hopes to coax it into taking shapes with patience and encouragement, and is annoyed when Dr. Mora Pol, the Bajoran scientist who studied him, arrives to help.
Under pressure from Starfleet, Odo reluctantly adopts some of Mora's methods, and the infant begins to respond, even mimicking Odo's face. The shared progress lets Odo forgive Mora for treating him as a specimen. Then the creature sickens and dies, and as it merges into Odo it restores his shapeshifting ability. Meanwhile Kira gives birth to the O'Briens' son, Kirayoshi, amid squabbling between O'Brien and Shakaar.