ACT TWO
FADE IN
16 INT. DS9 - QUARK’S BAR
Lunch-time rush. QUARK himself is busy serving behind the bar, handing over a large frothy tankard of ale to Rionoj the Boslic freighter captain, which she takes gratefully.
PIF the green dog-like Aarruri alien stands at the doorway, toothily welcoming more customers across the threshold MOS.
HETIK the dabo boy plies his wares at the wheel, casting the jack and spinning the wheel, throwing dazzling smiles and bulging muscles at the dabo players all the while.
Finally we land upon a large table on the main floor, at which all seven of our team sit. Nog, Leishman, Candlewood, Chao, Tenmei, K’Uhllo and Permenter. They all have plates in front of them in various stages of eaten-ness.
TENMEI
So aside from nearly getting
crashed into this morning, there’s
nothing wrong with the docking
ring, the runabout bays, the
cargo bays or the airlocks.
K’UHLLO
Not life support systems either.
I did find a glitch in the waste
reclamation systems on deck forty-
three, but there’s no way it could
have caused power losses in Ops.
NOG
No, I don’t see how that could be
connected. And there doesn’t seem
to be anything wrong with the EPS
manifolds either, right Mikaela?
They all look to Leishman for a response - but she is occupied tickling the belly of one of Pif’s PUPPIES, who is lying in her lap and loving the attention, YIPping happily.
NOG
Mikaela.
(no response)
Lieutenant Leishman.
(no response)
Lieutenant!
LEISHMAN
Oh, shush. You’ll scare the puppy.
Nog looks down at the puppy, and shudders at the sight. Getting his instinctive revulsion under control...
NOG
This was supposed to be a working
lunch, Lieutenant. Not a dog-
tickling lunch.
LEISHMAN
I’m relaxing. I’m on a break.
(tickles puppy)
Aren’t I? Yes I am! Yes I am!
Nog sighs and gives up. Instead he turns to Candlewood, who is sitting with his chin in his hands and gazing lovestruck across the bar at Hetik. He is practically hypnotised.
CANDLEWOOD
(distant, to no-
one in particular)
God, he’s amazing. Just look at
him. How is that even possible?
K’Uhllo glances over his shoulder in the same direction.
K’UHLLO
Eh, I guess he’s alright. I still
think all your males look weird
without a horn in their forehead.
Tenmei clicks her fingers in front of Candlewood’s face until she snaps him out of his trance.
CANDLEWOOD
What?
TENMEI
Close your mouth, you’re drooling
on the table. Now concentrate -
did you manage to tear yourself
away from those dreamy brown eyes
to check the computer systems?
CANDLEWOOD
(piqued)
Yes. And it’s definitely not my
fault this time. I checked the
computers up, down, left, right,
and back to front, and there is
nothing wrong with them.
CHAO
That’s not the only thing you’ve
been checking back to front. What
do you think, Nog?
NOG
I think it’s a damned double
standard, that’s what I think.
PERMENTER
What is?
NOG
If I lusted after a female in
public like that, I’d be up on
charges in a heartbeat.
TENMEI
They’re already a couple, Nog.
It’s fine.
NOG
Can we please talk about work?
Reluctantly, Leishman places the puppy back on the floor and ushers it away, then turns back to the table.
LEISHMAN
Nog’s right, you guys. We have to
figure this out before something
really bad happens.
NOG
Thank you. Now, we need ideas,
people. If every one of you is sure
there’s nothing wrong with your
department, then we must have
missed something. What is there
on this station that none of us
here is responsible for? What
have we overlooked?
Nobody has any suggestions. They all just pick at their food, thinking it over and getting nowhere as the noise of the bar goes on around them.
LEISHMAN
Alright, let’s break it down. What
exactly is the nature of the
problem we’re facing?
PERMENTER
Unexplained power losses.
LEISHMAN
Hitting what?
CHAO
Everything.
K’UHLLO
At random.
LEISHMAN
But we have checked every system
that has suffered a power loss, and
the systems that deliver the power
to those systems, yes?
TENMEI
Yes.
LEISHMAN
So if we logically follow the power
back along its course, what have
we not checked?
NOG
(revelation)
The fusion core. Where the power
comes from.
Leishman smiles proudly at Nog, who takes it with a blush, happy to be approved by her. Just then...
FOOOooommm. Power dies out across the bar, lights dim, struggling between half-power and no power at all. GASPS and SHOUTS of alarm from customers across the bar.
Quark is at his replicators, a meal half-generated in the alcove when the power dies and the replicator sputters to a halt, leaving an unformed mush that SPLATS to the bottom of the replicator and SPLASHES back onto Quark’s jacket.
QUARK
(furious bellow)
Nnnooooogggg!!!
Nog is already on his feet, as are the other engineers.
NOG
I know, uncle.
(taps combadge)
Nog to Ops. Brownout in progress
in my uncle’s bar. Appears to be
covering all three decks...
He looks towards the door of the bar, and sees that the Promenade is also stuttering with power...
NOG (cont)
...and the Promenade.
17 INT. DS9 - MAIN OPS CENTRE
Ro rushes down the steps to join Cenn at the central table. He is working the panels quickly, entering data.
RO
Understood, Lieutenant. It’s
entered into the list. Let us know
when it all returns to normal.
18 INT. DS9 - QUARK’S BAR
Nog grabs his tricorder from its holster.
NOG
Everyone - scan everything. We
need evidence of... something.
Anything. Go!
The seven engineers pull their own tricorders and spread out across the bar, scanning in all directions.
Nog ends up at the bar, where Quark is angrily wiping down his jacket. The lights and power continue to fluctuate.
QUARK
I am tired of this, Nog. How am I
supposed to run a business under
these conditions? This is the third
time you’ve failed to keep the
lights on around here. This never
happened when Chief O’Brien
was in charge.
NOG
Uncle, you’re not helping.
QUARK
I’m not here to help, I’m here to
complain and berate.
EVIK
And you do it wonderfully, Quark.
Lieutenant EVIK, the security chief, strides towards the bar from the entrance. Quark takes the comment proudly.
QUARK
Thank you.
EVIK
He does have a point, Lieutenant.
It’s hard to keep the station’s
citizens safe without a working
power system.
NOG
(snaps)
Look - I know, okay? I’ve got
enough on my ledgers as it is
without you two adding your
own accounts to it.
Quark pulls a face like “Whatever, Linus” and moves away. But Evik frowns and comes closer.
EVIK
Are you okay, Mister Nog? You seem
rather stressed.
NOG
(deep breath)
I’m sorry for shouting. I’ve just got
a lot going on, and -
EVIK
Perhaps you need to take a break.
Focus on something other than
work for a little while.
NOG
I think that’s just the problem.
Before he can elaborate, the power suddenly SURGES back to life all around the bar. Lights, power, replicators. Nog looks around in relief, and taps his combadge.
NOG
Nog to Ops - power restored in
the bar.
RO (comm)
Acknowledged. Thanks, Nog.
Nog taps his combadge again to close the line, and then sags against the bar as the customers get back to normal. Evik is still looking sympathetically at Nog.
EVIK
I’ll let you get back to work,
Lieutenant. But remember what
I said - take a break.
Nog nods in thanks. Evik makes to return to his office, checking in with Quark on the way...
EVIK
Everything under control, Quark?
QUARK
(mutter)
Yeah. Tell Ro to expect a dry-
cleaning bill, though.
EVIK
I’ll be sure she gets the message.
Evik leaves. Nog heads back to the lunch table, where the engineers regather (but do not sit back down). Candlewood is not among them - the others do not notice for now.
NOG
Right, come on. Lunch is over.
Let’s go look at the power core,
and hope we don’t have to replace
it again. Gint only knows where
I’d get a spare one this time.
They put away their tricorders and head for the door. But then Tenmei stops and looks around.
TENMEI
Where’s John? Anyone seen John?
LEISHMAN
No idea.
NOG
(taps combadge)
Nog to Lieutenant Candlewood.
Over Nog’s combadge, the filtered sound of WHISPERS and SHUSHes and hurried straightening of clothes. Candlewood awkwardly clears his throat, tries to sound polite.
CANDLEWOOD (comm)
How can I help you, Lieutenant?
NOG
(gritted teeth)
John, report for duty. Now.
CANDLEWOOD (comm)
Aye sir. Candlewood out.
As the girls all giggle and smirk, Candlewood emerges from behind the bar (where the store room is), straightening his uniform and flattening his messed up hair. He is followed a moment later by Hetik, managing to look poised and elegant.
Nog glowers in annoyance. Candlewood keeps a pleasant, neutral smile and walks to join the rest.
CANDLEWOOD
Shall we?
Nog leads them out. Tenmei sidles up to Candlewood.
TENMEI
You’re telling me all about it
- later. You have no choice.
CANDLEWOOD
(straight-faced)
I have no idea what you could
possibly be talking about.
19 INT. DS9 - MAIN OPS CENTRE
Bowers is in the tactical alcove, working his panels with a frown. Ro is nearby - he calls to her.
BOWERS
Commander - could you look at
this please?
RO
Sure, Sam - what’s up?
Bowers is not happy about being called by his first name. But he’ll hold his tongue while there is business to take care of. He gestures Ro’s attention towards his panels.
BOWERS
This last event fits the pattern -
getting longer every time. But I
noticed something else this time
- a signal. It times perfectly with
the brownouts, getting stronger
every time.
RO
A signal - coming from us?
BOWERS
That’s correct, sir. Whenever the
power goes down, this signal is
getting broadcast from somewhere
on this station.
RO
What does it say?
BOWERS
I’m not sure it says anything, per
se. I get the sense it’s more of an
automated, repeating alarm. But
what I can tell you is there’s a
distinctive signature that only
belongs to one race we know of.
RO
Who?
BOWERS
The Androssi.
Off Ro’s reaction to that unexpected name...
FADE OUT
END OF ACT TWO
