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ACT THREE
FADE IN:
15 INT. DS9 – KIRA’S OFFICE
Where we left it. Richter has just delivered her decision.
KIRA
Ensign... I’m not sure I under-
stand. I thought you’d be happy.
She didn’t do anything wrong.
Or even if she did... I know if
I loved a person...
RICHTER
That’s precisely why I want her
to stay there. I know something’s
going on. I may not get all the
details, and I don’t expect to.
But I know you’re putting some
kind of big mission together.
KIRA
I can’t talk about that.
RICHTER
I know. And I also know my girl-
friend, and whether Ro presses
charges or not, Kol will feel
like she has to make amends. If
you let her out of that cell,
she’ll see your big mission as
her chance to make up for what
she did. So she’ll join up, I
won’t be able to stop her...
and then she’s going to die.
Kira finds herself unable to deny the possibility...
RICHTER
So I’m asking you, Captain...
Please. Keep her safe. At least
until all this is over.
Kira considers Richter’s request...
16 EXT. DEEP SPACE NINE
The
Defiant, Dominion Vessel 288, and the
Even Odds all in a row around the station’s docking ring. Repairs to the Even Odds are pretty much complete now.
17 INT. DS9 – DOCKING RING CORRIDOR
A massive logistical operation - dozens of crewpersons and security bodies lifting and carrying and anti-grav-ing and preparing the three ships for the mission ahead.
FIRST AIRLOCK
Kira stands watching the crewmen do their thing. Nervous, worried, but burying it under professionalism. As they near finishing, she turns to Ro and Shar, who stand nearby. Ro knows this is it. And she doesn’t envy Kira.
RO
Good luck, Captain. I don’t
wish I was going with you.
Kira chuckles with gallows humour, then reaches out and shakes Ro’s hand. It feels like a curiously final gesture.
KIRA
Good luck to you too, Ro. And
Shar. I know the station’s in
safe hands.
Kira turns and walks into the airlock towards the
Defiant. With Ro’s leave, Shar turns and walks along the corridor. He passes Vaughn on his way. Vaughn approaches Ro...
VAUGHN
Lieutenant. Everything ready?
RO
Yes, sir. Major Cenn’s talking
with General Lenaris right now.
We’ll be there.
VAUGHN
Good. Carry on, Lieutenant.
Vaughn enters the airlock too, and is gone.
SECOND AIRLOCK
A squad of Jem’Hadar soldiers stand at attention as more Starfleet crew load supplies. Vannis and Opaka approach. Taran’atar snaps to attention.
TARAN’ATAR
The white has been administered.
The soldiers are prepared. First
Rekan’ganar is an able commander.
VANNIS
I agree. Thank you for your
help, Ambassador.
OPAKA
You’re not coming with us?
TARAN’ATAR
I have decided to travel on
board the Defiant.
VANNIS
And the ranjen travels with
us. What greater symbol of
our alliance could there be?
Opaka smiles in pleasant surprise at the comment. Vannis turns and leads Opaka onto the ship, followed by the Jem’Hadar soldiers. Taran’atar turns to leave.
INSIDE THE AIRLOCK
OPAKA
You seem much happier, more
at peace than you did.
VANNIS
I died. That tends to change
a person’s perspective.
OPAKA
I know precisely what you mean.
They enter the ship.
THIRD AIRLOCK
More crew loading up the
Even Odds with final supplies. Sisko, Jake and Rena stand by, watching with bitten lip.
SISKO
I am so proud of you both. And
I love you both. And I’m so
sorry this has to happen...
JAKE
Dad, it’s okay. We chose to be
involved. Don’t worry about us.
Jake and Rena turn to board, but Sisko calls them back...
SISKO
Rena... thank you.
RENA
For what?
SISKO
For reminding me... of what
I needed to know.
Sisko grabs Rena for a big bear hug, pulls Jake into it too. Finally he lets them go and turns towards the
Defiant.
Jake and Rena enter the airlock, passing Prynn on her way out. She looks out into the corridor, mildly disappointed, until she finds what she was looking for - Shar.
SHAR
Prynn... I wanted to wish you
luck. But you do not need it.
You will be magnificent.
Prynn’s breath catches – what a wonderful thing to say.
PRYNN
I’ll see you when I get back,
Shar. That’s a promise.
They share a moment. Then Shar turns to walk away.
FIRST AIRLOCK
Back at the
Defiant. Ro presides over the last few supplies being loaded, as Taran’atar approaches. She takes a breath.
RO
Taran’atar... Don’t die.
TARAN’ATAR
I am already dead, Lieutenant.
I go into battle to reclaim my
life. A battle of blood or of
words... the distinction no
longer matters.
RO
Then go reclaim your life. And
Taran’atar... kick their ass.
And she really means it. They’re good now, back as friends again. He sees it, shares it. He turns and enters the ship, passing Commander Vaughn on the way.
Ro walks along, just as Sisko is approaching. They nod their acknowledgements. Sisko steps into the airlock, and passes Vaughn. Vaughn watches him pass with a curious look, then presses the control to roll the airlock door closed.
18 INT. DS9 – MAIN OPS CENTRE
The turbolift rises into Ops, carrying Ro. She steps off and addresses Cenn. Shar is back at his station, with SEVAK running tactical, LEISHMAN at engineering, Cenn at the central Ops table, and TARSES elsewhere. All the new faces.
RO
Status, Major.
CENN
All three indicate ready. And
General Lenaris is sending
everything he’s got.
RO
Let’s hope it’s enough.
19 INT. DEFIANT – MAIN BRIDGE
The doors open, and Kira strides onto the bridge.
DAX
Captain on the bridge.
Kira starts slightly – she is, isn’t she? And it might be the last time. She takes the centre seat, looks around at her crew. Dax, Bashir, BOWERS and Nog, plus Ensign Aleco at the helm. Behind her, Vaughn enters the bridge.
VAUGHN
All departments report ready,
Captain. On your command.
KIRA
Alright then. Signal the others
to coordinate departure. Ensign
Aleco – feel free.
ALECO
Aye, Captain.
20 INT. JEM’HADAR SHIP - BRIDGE
Vannis stands in the centre, headset comm unit on. First REKAN’GANAR has the other comm. Opaka stays out of the way.
VANNIS
First – disengage and prepare
to follow the Defiant into
the anomaly.
REKAN’GANAR
Acknowledged.
Rekan’ganar moves to direct his soldiers to follow the orders. Vannis takes off her headset and offers it to Opaka, who accepts with delighted surprise.
21 INT. EVEN ODDS - BRIDGE
Prynn is settling in to the helm station, familiarizing herself. Dez is in the command chair, plus Facity, Brad and Glessin elsewhere. Jake and Rena hold hands as they stand out of the way on the upper deck.
PRYNN
Docking clamps disengaged.
GLESSIN
All power into the Wa is at its
lowest level for the journey.
22 INT. DS9 – MAIN OPS CENTRE
In Ops, all the crew are turned to watch the screen as the three ships disconnect from the docking ring and manoeuvre away. Behind them, unnoticed, the turbolift rises again.
Shar sees something out of the corner of his eye and turns – to his surprise, the lift carries PIF. Ro and Cenn turn too, a little baffled to see a green-furred talking dog.
SHAR
Pif! What are you doing here?
PIF
Jake arranged temporary security
clearance for me. He said it was
only fair, considering.
SHAR
No... I mean, why aren’t you
on the Even Odds?
Pif stretches his neck to look at the screen...
23 EXT. DEEP SPACE NINE
The three ships are now heading in turn to the wormhole. The
Defiant, Dominion Vessel 288, then the
Even Odds. They reach the event horizon, the wormhole BURSTS open in its great display of power and colour, and the ships dive in.
24 INT. JEM’HADAR SHIP - BRIDGE
Opaka is now wearing the headset, and she gazes in awe and amazement at what she sees through it.
OPAKA
No matter how many times, it
never loses its power.
25 EXT. WORMHOLE INTERIOR
The three ships slip smoothly through the sparkling blue-and-gold internal currents.
26 INT. DEFIANT – CORRIDOR
A rarely seen part of the ship – a corridor in the depths, with a rare porthole to the outside. Sisko stands leaning against the bulkhead, peering out of this porthole. As he watches, there are tears of sadness and loss in his eyes.
27 INT. DEFIANT – CORRIDOR
Elsewhere on the ship. Vaughn walks along another corridor. No specific destination, just walking. Things on his mind. He turns a corner, and sees Sisko standing at his porthole. He hesitates a moment, but then continues.
Sisko looks up as he feels Vaughn approaching, and pulls himself together. The men are still far from best friends, but there’s a certain grudging respect between them now.
VAUGHN
Captain.
SISKO
Commander.
VAUGHN
It’s all coming together just
as you wanted. Are you happy?
SISKO
(quietly pointed)
Do I look like a man who’s happy,
Commander? Have I ever looked
happy about any aspect of this?
VAUGHN
(slightly chastised)
No, I suppose not.
SISKO
What I am is determined. It’s
what has to happen. So I’m
going to go through with it.
This is getting close to Vaughn’s own worries. He takes a chance, quietly opens up to Sisko.
VAUGHN
Why? I mean... how can you be
certain this is what’s right?
(beat)
When you... “recruited” me last
year... how did you know that
was the right thing to do?
SISKO
You’re not going to like the answer.
VAUGHN
I’ll take it anyway.
SISKO
The Orbs. Specifically the Orb
of Souls. It called out to me.
Vaughn tries not to roll his eyes. Sisko sees it anyway.
VAUGHN
What did you see?
SISKO
Myself. Or... lots of myselves.
The Orb of Souls shows you
different versions of yourself,
different ways your life might
have gone.
VAUGHN
You mean alternate universes?
SISKO
Yes, exactly. There were nine
of us. Well, nine places. One
was empty – the pirate, from
the Intendant’s universe.
VAUGHN
Because he was already dead.
SISKO
(nods)
I... felt it happen. I could
see all their lives, laid out
before me, as clearly as I see
you now. Dead or alive.
VAUGHN
And they told you what to do?
(Sisko nods again)
And you did it... even though
you knew it would mean lying
to me... forcing me to do what
I did... you went ahead anyway.
There’s no accusation in this anymore. In fact, Vaughn seems to be empathising with Sisko, albeit secretly. Vaughn has nothing more to say. He is coming to understand Sisko a bit more. They have a quiet moment of unspoken companionship. Sisko turns back to the porthole...
28 EXT. SPACE
The Gamma entrance to the wormhole bursts open, and the three ships fly out of it.
29 INT. DEFIANT – MAIN BRIDGE
Kira presses a control on the panel at her side...
KIRA
Defiant to Even Odds. You know
what to do. Good luck.
PRYNN (comm)
You too, Captain. We’ll see you
there. Even Odds out.
30 EXT. SPACE
The
Even Odds peels away from the other two ships, takes another heading, and jumps to warp. They’re gone.
The
Defiant and Dominion Vessel 288 turn together towards the planet in the distance... the Eav’oq homeworld.
31 EXT. EAV’OQ CITY - DAY
The gleaming marble temple rests in its bucolic setting of trees and ponds and paths. Vaughn sits on a low stone wall, watching several EAV’OQ bounce peacefully on their way.
After a few moments, a mildly surprised voice calls out...
OPAKA (o.s.)
Elias...?
Vaughn turns and sees Opaka strolling away from the Temple towards him. He stands in the presence of a lady.
VAUGHN
How’s it going in there?
OPAKA
Nerys is... apologizing. To the
Eav’oq, for having been overly
forceful with them last time.
VAUGHN
(smirk)
That’s something I would have
paid to see.
OPAKA
But I thought you were staying
up on the ship.
VAUGHN
Dax can handle that. I wanted
to ask you something.
OPAKA
Of course, Elias. Anything.
VAUGHN
Once, when I needed... help...
you took me to see an Orb. I’d
like to do that again.
OPAKA
Any particular one?
VAUGHN
The Orb of Souls.
Opaka’s face falls. She knows the Orb of Souls is one of the toughest ones. Vaughn must be in a bad way.
VAUGHN
Please... don’t ask. And don’t
tell anyone else, either.
OPAKA
I would never. Orb experiences
are rare and precious, not for
prying eyes. But are you sure?
VAUGHN
No. I want to be sure. That’s
why I need to ask... and what-
ever the answer, I’ll do it.
OPAKA
I’ll speak to Tendren at once.
VAUGHN
Thank you, Sulan. And there was
one other thing... something
Prynn helped me to understand.
And as I’m afraid I may never
get another chance to say it...
OPAKA
Say what?
In answer, Vaughn reaches his hand out caress Opaka’s face, slowly and gently, as if barely daring. When she doesn’t pull away in horror, he leans further forwards. Gradually, tentatively, with small hopeful smiles... they kiss.
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT THREE
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