TEASER

FADE IN: 

1 EXT. DEEP SPACE NINE

Standard establishing shot, the Defiant in place. 

2 INT. DS9 - RO’S QUARTERS

Last seen DS9 11x11 “The Crucible”. Beginning at the REPLICATOR, which whirs its maelstrom of golden particles to create a glass bowl of SALAD. 

RO LAREN reaches in to pick it up, and carries it across to place on the dining table. QUARK is already there, filling a pair of tumblers with WATER. 

Both are wearing civilian clothing - no uniforms or formal business suits. Stay tight on these two for now, as Quark looks down at the bowl of salad, unimpressed.

QUARK
I hope that’s not all you’re serving.

RO
(playful)
Not everyone loves tube grubs,
Quark. Besides, you’re the one
pouring water. I thought this
was supposed to be a party. 

QUARK
When you’re a bartender, you
learn the value of pacing yourself.
Wouldn’t want anyone to get too
drunk too quickly, would we? 

They smile flirtily at each other - they are in a better place together than at the end of the previous episode.

FOLLOW as Ro heads back across the room towards the replicator. Instead she opens a small cabinet in the wall, reaches in and pulls out a small pile of PLACE MATS. She looks down at them in her hands, chuckles.

RO
I never use these. The rare times
I even eat anything in here, it’s
usually a quick snack on the run
before I’m back out the door to
handle the latest crisis. I sure
don’t put out place mats. I tend
to forget I even have them. 

Shaking her head in amusement, she brings the mats back over towards the table and starts laying them out. 

QUARK
Well, this is a special occasion,
isn’t it? You deserve to treat
yourself every now and then. 

RO
I do, don’t I?

They continue to lay things out on the table, mostly out of sight of the camera - we don’t need to focus on it. 

RO
You know what? I’m actually
looking forward to this. 

QUARK
You’re not nervous? 

RO
(considers it)
No. I think it’ll be good for us.
It was a good idea, Quark. 

QUARK
You said we needed to get to know
each other better. What better way
than over an intimate dinner in
your quarters? 

RO
Exactly. 

QUARK
So... you’ve been thinking about
this for a while, then? 

RO
(shrug)
We’re supposed to be a team. A
unit. I know we’ve been together
for a while now, but I still don’t
really feel like we’re there yet,
you know? And I kinda feel like
it’s my job to get us there. 

Quark pauses, looks at her honestly. 

QUARK
It’s not all on your shoulders,
Laren. You can’t be expected
to fix everything by yourself. 

RO
I know. But I should at least
make the effort.

QUARK
Well, I hope they appreciate it.
I know I would. 

RO
Okay. Finished. How does it look? 

Finally OPEN OUT, and we see they have not been setting a small table for two. They have been setting a LONG TABLE for nine - four down each side and one at the top. 

Each place has a place setting, glasses, cutlery, and enough room left over for lots and lots of food to be placed. Ro and Quark look at it with satisfaction. 

QUARK
Perfect. 

Ro chuckles again. 

QUARK
What’s wrong? 

RO
Nothing. Just the idea of me setting
a table, throwing a dinner party,
owning place mats. I spent half
my life in a cave.

QUARK
I can always throw mud in your
face during the main course if
it’ll make you feel any better.

RO
Try it and you’ll be the main
course. 

QUARK
(smirk)
Promise? 

Before she can respond, the door CHIME sounds. Ro and Quark look to each other - ready? Ready. 

RO
Come in. 

The door opens, and EVIK NATH stands there, also in civilian clothing, and carrying a covered dish of his own. 

EVIK
Oh, I’m the first one here. Hope
I’m not too early. 

RO
Don’t worry about it, Nath. Come
on in! 

He does, bringing his dish to the table. Once it is placed, he tears off the cover with a flourish. Ro leans forward and breathes deep with a gasp of amazement... 

RO
Maltiv stew? How did you - 

QUARK
What’s maltiv stew? 

RO
Maltiv were these little brush
creatures on Valo Two. We used to
eat ‘em. One of the few things I
miss about that place, actually.
But how did you get hold of it? 

EVIK
I still have a few friends back
home. They send me a package
every couple of months. I keep
it for special occasions. 

Ro hugs Evik in delight. Then the door CHIMES again. 

RO
Come in! 

The door opens again, and NOG is there, CANDLEWOOD and TENMEI just behind him. All of them are carrying their own covered dishes. Candlewood shouts over their shoulders... 

CANDLEWOOD
Partaaaaay!!! 

Ro sighs, chuckles and beckons them all in. They file into the room. 

Before the door can close, BASHIR and MATTHIAS are also there, each with their own dishes, stepping over the threshold. And finally Major CENN, somewhat more reserved than the others but here nevertheless. 

As they all file into the room, arranging their various home-cooked dishes onto the table, Ro watches over the entire crowd, smiling with pride... 

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER

ACT ONE

FADE IN

3 INT. DS9 - RO’S QUARTERS

Picking back up where we left it. Everyone files into the room until there are NINE people milling - Ro, Quark, Evik, Cenn, Bashir, Matthias, Nog, Candlewood and Tenmei. Every one is in civilian clothing, no uniforms.

Ro calls over the rest... 

RO
Everyone put whatever you brought
on the table, there’s room.

As they shuffle the dishes around the table, making sure they all fit, Matthias nosey-pokes at Bashir’s selection...

MATTHIAS
Ooh, they look good. 

BASHIR
Roasted calavian peppers and onions,
balsamic vinaigrette and my own
private blend of Nepalese herbs.
I wasn’t sure anyone else would
bring a vegetarian option. 

MATTHIAS
Well, as it happens...
(uncovers her 
own dish)
...Centauri frond cakes, spiced
with just a hint of tarragon.

TENMEI
Trust the medical professionals to
be all body-conscious. Luckily for
those who crave more carbs than
the body can handle... voilà! 
(presents her 
own dish)
Authentic Italian spaghetti
vongole! Mwwaa!

She leans over her own dish, wafting the aroma into her nose with a blissful flourish. 

CANDLEWOOD
Oh, please. You people don’t know
good cooking till you grow up with
a Jewish mother. Let me show you
how it’s done. 

He unwraps his own enormous offering - which is revealed to actually be three dishes rather than one, each overflowing.

CANDLEWOOD
Traditional matzoh ball soup to
start, a good ol’ juicy brisket made
to a classic Chicago recipe passed
down through about a dozen
generations, and challah bread to
mop up all the thick, meaty gravy.

RO
(w/ good humour)
Alright, alright. Let’s not turn
this into a contest already. I’m
sure they’re all delicious. The
starters aren’t quite ready yet
so grab a drink - Quark brought
the good stuff from the bar.

A bit at a time, they all drift across to Quark’s makeshift drinks station - Ro’s bank of computer consoles, draped with a patterned sheet and then arrayed with bottles of various colours and shapes and sizes. 

QUARK
One at a time! 

As people place their orders MOS, Quark begins mixing drinks with panache - the full “Cocktail” extravaganza. 

Meanwhile Ro approaches Major Cenn, who has been hovering back, not really engaging. She tries to engage him. 

RO
So what did you bring? 

CENN
Oh, it’s a... it’s just a jumja
soufflé. Nothing fancy. Just...
you said to bring food from our
homes, and I used to make
this in our village in Jo’kala. 

RO
I didn’t know you were from
Jo’kala! I was born in Jo’kala!
How did I not know that? 

CENN
(meekly)
You never asked.

RO
Well, you know what? That’s what
this whole night is about. 

She turns back to the room, and calls over the hubbub... 

RO
Everyone...? 
(they turn to her)
I just wanted to say thank you for
coming. We are the senior staff of
this important Starfleet facility,
and I thought it was time we all
get to know each other better.
So there are three rules. 
(holds up finger)
First - no titles, ranks or family
names. Given names only. 
(second finger)
Second - no shop talk. Just for
tonight, I don’t want us to be
officers or work colleagues -
I want us to be friends. 
(third finger)
And third... every one of us has to
tell someone something. Doesn’t
have to be a big announcement or
anything world-shattering. Just
something you never said before. 

Everyone ponders this, wondering what they will say. By now they all have drinks, Ro included. 

RO
Aside from that, just relax and
enjoy. We’re all here to have a
good time. 

EVIK
Hear hear! And let me begin by
thanking you, Laren...
(turns to Quark)
...and the bartender, of course...
(back to room)
...for inviting us into your home.

NOG
And thanks to Lieutenant Bowers
for running Ops with a crew full
of ensigns so we could all have
the night off. 

CANDLEWOOD
(raises glass)
Cheers to that. 

They all raise their glasses and toast the evening to come. That done, they go back to mingling. 

Prynn approaches Counsellor Matthias, who is hovering near the table, inspecting the food. 

TENMEI
Good evening, “Philippa”. 

MATTHIAS
Good evening, “Prynn”. 

They cheers their glasses together at the strangeness of calling each other by their first names. 

TENMEI
So how’s the family? 

MATTHIAS
They’re all wonderful, thank you.
The kids are both doing great
in school. 

TENMEI
Arios must be almost ten by now? 

MATTHIAS
Yep. And becoming more of a
teenager by the day. 

TENMEI
Oh joy. Well, never mind, they
grow out of it eventually. 

They notice Candlewood at the opposite end of the table, futzing around with his own food - he burns his finger and whips it away with a sharp “Ow!” Tenmei shakes her head. 

TENMEI
It might take thirty years or so,
but sooner or later, I’m hoping... 

MATTHIAS
To be honest, it’s nice to have a
night out on my own. Don’t tell
them I said this, obviously I love
‘em all to bits. But I am looking
forward to just being Philippa
for a night, instead of “mom”.

TENMEI
I’m willing to give baby-sitting
a shot if you want a night off
some time. I’ve looked after Pif’s
puppies, how hard can it be? 

MATTHIAS
I’ll remind you you said that when
you’re cleaning paint out of your
hair. And what about you - no
sign of babies in your future? 

TENMEI
Honestly, it never even occurred
to me. Is that weird?

MATTHIAS
Of course not. Parenting isn’t for
everyone. And nobody should be
made to feel bad for that. 

TENMEI
It’s not like I had the most normal
family life growing up. Plus I’d
have to find a man who isn’t a
complete idiot first.

MATTHIAS
They’re out there, Prynn. Don’t
give up hope. It’s like Morn said
in his advice column - it’s a big
and crazy galaxy...
(taps her own vaguely 
Vulcan-esque ears)
...especially when even being a
different species is no barrier. 

PRYNN
You read Morn’s advice column?
I read Morn’s advice column! 

MATTHIAS
Who doesn’t? I mean he went on
for a while after that, I drifted off.
He gets a bit speechy. But he’s
not wrong. For example... 

With a smirk, she nods subtly over towards the drinks station, where Ro and Quark are chatting chummily... 

RO
Seems to be going well so far,
don’t you think? 

QUARK
How could it not? I am the host.

RO
Yeah, we’ll see who gets stuck
with the clean-up.

QUARK
I’ll stay. 

RO
You will? 

QUARK
Of course. Assuming you’re not
too tired. 

RO
Too tired for what? 

QUARK
(innocent)
For company. And tidying. 

RO
(wary)
Oh. Okay. 

Suddenly Candlewood approaches them both. 

CANDLEWOOD
I see you haven’t put anything on
the table yet, Laren. 

Ro looks askance at Candlewood - apparently the sass-mouth is out already. But she did ask for it. 

RO
If you must know, those starters
I mentioned should be ready any
minute now. 

CANDLEWOOD
Ooh, what have you got what have
you got what have you got? 

RO
Spicy Jo’kala hasperat. The real
stuff, not that weak, Federation-
friendly replicated kind you get
these days. This one’ll knock
your Jewish mother’s socks off. 

CANDLEWOOD
Challenge accepted! What about
you, Quark? 

QUARK
You think that Aldebaran whisky in
your glass just materialised out of
thin air? You’re welcome. 

CANDLEWOOD
Fair enough. Speaking of which,
it would have been nice if I could
have brought Hetik along to this
shindig. We are a couple, y’know.

RO
Yes, you’ve made that abundantly,
graphically clear, John.

CANDLEWOOD
Do you have a problem with Hetik? 

RO
Of course not! In fact I think he’s
a sweet kid and he’s come a
long way. But this wasn’t a night
for bringing partners. Philippa
hasn’t brought Sibias, has she?
And none of the rest of them even
have partners that I’m aware of. 

CANDLEWOOD
Well, I’m just saying it seems a
little unfair to me. I mean, you
get to bring your partner - 
(re Quark)
- why not the rest of us? 

As Ro and Quark both blanche at that, a small BEEP sounds from the replicator. 

CANDLEWOOD
Hasperat! 

...and Candlewood wanders away, distracted by the thought of imminent food. 

Leaving Ro and Quark staring at each other, Candlewood having just pointed out the elephant in the room. 

Are Ro and Quark ‘partners’ ? Neither of them know for sure. They haven’t discussed it, and this is not the time to discuss it now. Ro laughs it off...

RO
Children! 

And she turns away to follow after Candlewood. But it is clear on both their faces that he has touched a nerve... 

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO

FADE IN

4 INT. DS9 - RO’S QUARTERS

Nine platefuls of hasperat - a kind of burrito made with bread, vegetables and pickled in a spicy brine - are handed out around the table, at which all nine guests now sit. 

RO
Hasperat à la Ro - my father made
the best hasperat I ever tasted.
He passed the recipe down to me.
This stuff got me into the Maquis,
it’s that good.

Matthias politely waits for permission to continue. Nog picks up the hasperat and sniffs at it nervously. Cenn gazes at his plate, a faint smile on his face and his hands in a meditative pose, as if he is saying Bajoran grace. Candlewood drums his fingers on the table in anticipation.

Ro takes the last seat at the head of the table - the mother of this family - and watches them all warmly.

RO
Well go on, eat up - it’s only
good when it’s warm.

Everyone digs in, some more enthusiastically than others. Evik takes a big bite, and swoons in bliss.

EVIK
I don’t know what it is about
replicators, but they never quite
get it right. No offence, Quark,
but this is the real thing.
(another bite)
Takes me right back to sitting
around a fire, listening to my
mother read from the Prophecies.

QUARK
Make it a nice snail steak, washed
down with plenty of Sluggo-Cola,
and moogie reading me the Rules,
and I’d be right there with you.

NOG
Finish your hasperat and you can
have all the snail steak you want.
That’s exactly what I brought.

QUARK
You’re a good boy, Nog.

Candlewood is fanning his face, eyes watering.

CANDLEWOOD
Wow. Holy... Lord in... Wow.
That is some powerful stuff.

RO
Good? 

CANDLEWOOD
Definitely. My compliments to your
dad. Maybe my mom has competition
after all. We should get them together
to compare recipes.

A moment of awkward silence. Candlewood sags.

CANDLEWOOD
Oy. I did it again, didn’t I?
(to Ro)
With every fibre of my being,
I apologise. I wasn’t thinking.

RO
You know what? It’s okay. I chose
this food precisely because it
reminds me of him.

CANDLEWOOD
But seriously though, how do you
do that? How do you get through a
day without insulting every single
person you meet? Because obviously
I’ve never figured it out. 

TENMEI
You’re supposed to tell us
something we don’t already
know, John. We all knew that.

CANDLEWOOD
That doesn’t help. 

MATTHIAS
You are who you are, John. Don’t
apologise for it.

CANDLEWOOD
What if who I am is awkward
and annoying? 

EVIK
“Offer it up.” That’s what my
mother always said if there was
ever something out of my control.
“Offer it up to the Prophets to
worry about. Offer it up, child!” 

RO
What about you, Desca? Hasperat
bringing back memories of Jo’kala?

CENN
A little, yes. Hasperat wasn’t a
big thing in my family, but it’s
certainly tasty. Thanks. 

Okay, so apparently she’s not getting any more than that. A bit disappointed, she turns instead to Bashir. 

RO
Julian - have you heard anything
from Garak recently? How’s he
doing back on Earth? 

BASHIR
I haven’t had a letter in a while,
actually. Last was a few months
ago now - mentioned he’d run into
Rugal again, after all this time. 

Blank looks around the table - they don’t know who that is. Bashir sighs inwardly with disappointment.

BASHIR
Never mind. Anyway, no, not really
heard from him. Or from Miles, for
that matter.

NOG
Oh, I heard from the chief only
last week.

BASHIR
...Really.

NOG
Yeah, he was teaching a class on
subspace stress for warp-capable
shuttles, and he wanted to know
if we had any readings from the
wormhole that might be useful.
We chatted for a while. He’s
doing fine at the Academy.

BASHIR
Good. Good.

NOG
Why don’t you call him if you want
to catch up? I’m sure he’d love to
hear from you.

BASHIR
I do miss our regular holosuite
dates. Don’t really have anyone
to share philosophical debate with
over lunch these days, either. Or
to go dancing with in Vic’s.
(looks down at 
empty plate)
I suppose that’s my confession
for the evening. I’m... lonely.

RO
Julian, I’m sorry. I had no idea.

BASHIR
People move on. Can’t be helped. 

TENMEI
Hey, if you ever want to go wind-
surfing or kayaking, I’m your girl.
I’d love to have someone to jump
off cliffs with. 

BASHIR
Thanks, Prynn. But I’m not asking
for sympathy dates. Don’t worry
about it, it’s my problem.

EVIK
That’s not true, Julian. The whole
purpose of this evening is to forge
bonds between us. Your happiness
is important.

BASHIR
Well, sorry to be a party-pooper,
but I’m not sure friendship can
be forced. It either is or it isn’t.

TENMEI
Maybe. Maybe sometimes it just
takes a bit of work.

Reaction shot of Ro and Quark, as they share a look - does this apply to them? Meanwhile Tenmei nudges Candlewood.

TENMEI (cont)
Or a lot of work.

CANDLEWOOD
Why the meanness?

EVIK
Well, I’ll give you my confession
here and now - that was the best
hasperat I’ve ever had.

RO
I thank you. Not too filling, I hope,
plenty more to go around.

CANDLEWOOD
Bring it on! 

Quark gets up from the table and begins collecting empty plates - or in Nog’s case, a plate with a barely touched hasperat. Quark gives him a sly look - I won’t tell.

Not noticing this, Ro passes out plates and bowls for the main course - which is the buffet of everything.

RO
Okay - rule four! No-one is
allowed to only eat what they
brought. You have to at least try
something someone else brought.
Dig in whenever you’re ready. 

Quark is still at the replicator, dematerialising the dirty plates. Ro heads over to him, where they speak quietly. 

RO
You alright? 

QUARK
Of course. 

RO
Quark... I think we need to talk,
don’t you? Not now, obviously -
later. Once everyone’s gone. 

QUARK
If you want. You’re in charge. 

Ro smiles warmly and heads back to her seat. 

QUARK
(to himself)
You always have been. 

Then he follows her back and takes his seat beside her. 

Meanwhile everyone is digging in, passing plates back and forth. Candlewood ladles out some soup for himself. 

TENMEI
Nog, Quark, you need to try my
spaghetti vongole. 

QUARK
Uhhh, I don’t know... 

TENMEI
Honestly, it’s the nearest thing to
Ferengi food here. The vongole
part is clams, a shellfish not a
million miles from snails.

RO
Go on, Quark. Take a chance. 

He looks at her again - is this mixed signals now? Still confused, he accepts Prynn’s offer of the dish. 

QUARK
I suppose there is a doctor in
the house...

Warily, he doles out a small portion. Everyone is tucking in. For example, Nog is slicing off a nice big chunk of grey and wobbly snail steak. 

NOG
Alright, here’s something I’ve
never admitted to before. When
I was at the Academy, I used to
sneak down to the Embarcadero
all by myself and gorge on all the
seafood. Oysters, clams, shrimp,
crayfish... whatever I could find.
It made me feel less homesick.

MATTHIAS
Food has a lot of associations
like that. These frond cakes were
the first things I ever cooked for
Sibias. I’ll never forget the look
on his face. He absolutely hated
them, but he kept eating. That’s
when I knew he was a keeper.

TENMEI
Where’s Sibias from, actually?
I know he’s Bajoran obviously,
but whereabouts?

MATTHIAS
That’s part of the reason we moved
back to Bajor - to find that out. He
knew he spent some time in the
Karnoth resettlement camp, but
where he came from before that,
he was too young to remember.

RO
I helped narrow it down to the
Tilar Peninsula at least, based
off the markings on his earring. 

MATTHIAS
Yes, but we’ve never gotten
any closer than that. 

CANDLEWOOD
That just seems so weird to me. My
family, where I grew up, they’re a
huge part of who I am as a person.
I honestly can’t imagine what it
must be like to have no idea where
you come from. I mean, Hetik grew
up in an orphanage. I’ve tried to
ask him about it, and it’s like a
whole other kind of existence.

TENMEI
John... 

MATTHIAS
I do worry about Sibias sometimes.
It’s like he’s always searching for
something that he knows he’s
never going to find. Some kind
of history. That’s probably why
he went into archaeology.

BASHIR
I moved around a lot as a child. 

TENMEI
Me too. 

NOG
And me.

QUARK
I couldn’t wait to leave home. 

CANDLEWOOD
Am I really so unusual that I had
a relatively normal upbringing? I
mean, here we are - three Bajorans
in the room right now, two more of
us have Bajoran partners. Then a
service brat, a man on the run,
two others dreaming of latinum
in the stars - 

Suddenly Major Cenn, who has been eating quietly all this time, gets to his feet. 

CENN
Excuse me - I need to use the
facilities. 

RO
Just through the bedroom. 

Candlewood keeps on talking in BACKGROUND WALLA. But Ro is watching Cenn as he passes her towards her bedroom. 

She notices him wiping his eyes a little, as if trying to hold back tears. What is wrong with Cenn? 

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO

ACT THREE

FADE IN

5 INT. DS9 - RO’S QUARTERS

Ro RIPS off a piece of Candlewood’s challah bread and DUNKS it into the last of Evik’s stew, lovingly swishing it around. Then she pops it in her mouth and swoons. 

RO
Nath - this stew was so good.

EVIK
Consider it payment in full for
the hasperat. 

Candlewood has eaten a ton and is looking rather stuffed. He sits back and pats his stomach with a satisfied sigh. 

CANDLEWOOD
I gotta say, I’m learning there
are a lot of good cooks on this
station tonight. I couldn’t eat
another thing. I’m stuffed.
(beat)
Any more of those seaweed
thingies? 

Matthias smiles indulgently and passes him the last of her Centauri frond cakes. Candlewood takes it and gives it a hearty munch. 

CANDLEWOOD
Mmm... food. I love food. Don’t
you just love food? I do. Food
is the best.

TENMEI
The amount you’ve been packing
away tonight, you’d better be
careful you don’t lose that
svelte figure for Hetik. 

CANDLEWOOD
Yeah yeah, I’ll do a few extra laps
of the pool tomorrow. Anyway, he
loves me for my mind. 

Evik is sat next to the now returned Cenn, who is also finishing off his stew, if rather more delicately.

EVIK
Did you enjoy the stew, Desca? 

CENN
Actually, I really did. I’m not
just saying that - it’s delicious. 

EVIK
Good, I’m glad. Everything okay?
You haven’t spoken much tonight. 

CENN
Yeah, just... feels a bit strange.
I’m not used to socialising with
this many people. My pastimes
tend to be rather solitary pursuits.

EVIK
Such as what?

CENN
I like to read. I’ve been trying
to broaden my perspective, read
things from different cultures
around the Federation. As much
as I love the Prophecies, reading
them over and over again gets
a little redundant after a while. 

Ro nods with her mouth full, impressed that Cenn is going to that effort. But Quark scoffs through his clams... 

QUARK
Well, that makes a change. You’d
been on this station three months
before you even set foot in my
bar. Too many aliens, you said. 

CENN
Look, I came from a small village
in Jo’kala, only left the planet’s
surface three times before I came
here. It took me a while to get
used to the change, that’s all.

QUARK
Everybody comes to Quark’s
sooner or later. 

RO
You have a magnetic pull.

NOG
Or maybe it’s just the bar is at
the literal centre of the station
and is pretty much unavoidable.

QUARK
You make it sound like that wasn’t
deliberate. Look at how many other
businesses have come and gone
on the Promenade over the years.
Who is the only one that has lasted
through two decades and multiple
governments? Me, that’s who. 

EVIK
Because you had the foresight to
set up shop in the biggest, most
central location on the station. 

QUARK
Exactly. The investment was huge,
and people told me it would never
work, but I knew in my lobes it
would pay off in the long run. 
(re clams)
These were really good. 

Prynn smiles, proud that she has made a convert. By now, everyone’s plates are empty.

RO
Has everyone had enough? 

BASHIR
Definitely. 

NOG
Did you try the snail steak? 

BASHIR
It looked like jelly with veins.
Besides, vegetarian, remember?

NOG
Well somebody had some - I
didn’t eat the whole thing. 

EVIK
That was me. I’m already familiar
with human and Bajoran food,
obviously. Seems in the spirit of
the evening that I should try
Ferengi food as well. 

QUARK
And? 

EVIK
It was... ah... interesting.
Perhaps it’s an acquired taste.

Low chuckles around the room. 

RO
(standing)
Shall we retire to the living room
for dessert? Desca brought a home-
made jumja soufflé. Leave your
plates for now. 

Most slowly manoeuvre themselves up from table, carrying their drinks over to the couches and sitting area. 

But Cenn hovers as Ro brings the soufflé to the table and begins portioning it out. Ro notices him watching her... 

RO
What? Am I not doing it right? 

CENN
Oh no, I’m just... nothing. 

Unsure what’s going on there, Ro just carries some bowls across to the others sitting down. Cenn carries more. 

CANDLEWOOD
Ooh, yummy! 

TENMEI
What happened to you not eating
another thing? 

CANDLEWOOD
That doesn’t count for dessert!
There’s always room for dessert.
What kind of inhuman monster
do you think I am? 

Ro perches on an arm next to Quark, and everyone begins tucking into their soufflé. Evik takes a mouthful. 

EVIK
(wide eyes)
Woo, that’s sweet. 

TENMEI
But is it sweet enough to get the
taste of snail out of your mouth? 

EVIK
Not necessary, Prynn. There isn’t
a thing here tonight I haven’t
enjoyed eating. The soufflé is
wonderful, and the snail steak
was a new and fascinating
experience if nothing else. 

CANDLEWOOD
Hey, you can’t change your answer
now. You already said the hasperat
was “the best you ever tasted”.
Not much of a confession, that,
by the way. 

EVIK
Don’t underestimate a compliment
to the hasperat, John. Every region
of Bajor has its own variation. To
honour someone else’s regional
recipe over your own is nothing
to take lightly. 

CANDLEWOOD
I do admire how you do that. 

EVIK
Do what?

CANDLEWOOD
Be everyone’s best friend. 

EVIK
There’s no special trick to it, John.
It’s only a matter of being open
to experience, and accepting it
when it comes.

CANDLEWOOD
But you do it so well! I can barely
say hello without starting an
interstellar incident, and here
you are giving compliments to
the hasperat and being nice
about snail steak like it’s the
easiest thing in the galaxy. 
(sigh)
Okay, Candlewood confession
time, I guess - I want to be
like you when I grow up. 

EVIK
Well that’s a lovely compliment,
John. I’d be honoured to think
I was a role model. But I don’t
think you give yourself enough
credit. There’s room in this
universe for all kinds of people.
You should work on being the best
version of you, not a copy of me.

TENMEI
The ultimate version of John
Candlewood. Wow. I can’t even
imagine what that would be like. 

CANDLEWOOD
Hush, you. 

People chuckle again at the playful banter. But not Cenn - he is looking down into his bowl at his own soufflé, eating only in tiny nibbles. 

Ro sees this from her perch next to Quark, so she quietly gets up and takes a spare seat right next to Cenn. He looks up and smiles a little at her arrival, and she sees that his eyes are wet again. He is just holding back tears. 

RO
(quiet, intimate)
Desca... what’s wrong? 

CENN
Nothing, I’m fine. Are you enjoying
the soufflé? 

RO
It’s amazing. But this is the second
time I’ve seen you in tears tonight.
What is it? 

MATTHIAS
Laren... 

Ro looks across to Counsellor Matthias, who gives her a subtle shake of the head. Leave it be, don’t push him. But Ro feels a responsibility. 

RO
Desca, I’m sorry but something’s
obviously wrong. You’re my first
officer... you’re my friend. If
there’s anything I can do to
help... I want to.
(no response)
Whatever it is, you can say it.
You’re among friends here. 

Cenn looks up, looks around at the room. They are all aware of the strange turn the evening has taken, but avert their eyes, not wanting to pry. Cenn smiles sadly. 

CENN
It’s the soufflé. 

RO
What about it? 

CENN
I told you I made it back home
in Jo’kala... but I didn’t tell you
who I made it for. 

RO
(not sure where 
this is going)
I assumed your family. Your
parents... 

CENN
Family, yes. But not my parents. 
(beat, deep 
breath)
I made it for my wife and
daughter... before they died. 

Off everyone’s stunned reactions to that... 

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE

ACT FOUR

FADE IN

6 INT. DS9 - RO’S QUARTERS

Picking up where we left it - with Cenn’s unexpected declaration and everyone’s silent amazement.

RO
Desca... I never knew... 

CENN
No-one did.
(as if just 
realising)
Almost twelve years... and I never
even let myself say their names.
I couldn’t bear it. 

Everyone in the room is suitably gentle and sensitive - even Candlewood knows to be quiet. 

EVIK
(softly)
What were their names? Say them.
Remember them. 

CENN
(tearful smile)
Lesedi. That’s my wife. And my
daughter was...
(sniffle)
...Tamani. 

RO
Jo’kalan for “precious”. 
(Cenn nods)
You don’t have to... 

CENN
I’ve come this far. Maybe it’s time.
We’d been married two years.
Lived in that same tiny village in
Jo’kala all our lives. We were of
no interest to anyone. 

RO
You mean, to... 

CENN
To the Cardassians. We were so far
from the cities, had no particular
resources they were interested in.
It was almost like we didn’t exist
to them. But we still knew they
were there. 
(beat)
I heard rumours some others in
the village had run off to join the
Resistance. I only ever wanted to
slice off a little piece of this horrible
world and raise a family in safety.
If I kept my head down, didn’t
bother anybody, made jumja
soufflés just for the three of
us... we could get through it.

NOG
What happened? 

CENN
We heard stories the Cardassians
had been packing up their things.
Like they were getting ready to
leave. I didn’t believe it. They’d
been here all my life, I saw no
reason they wouldn’t always be
here. So I just carried on.
(beat)
And then one day, there they were.
A whole garrison of Cardassian
soldiers... They laughed about how
they were going back to Terok Nor
and then off this stinking dirt ball
of a planet... but they were going
to have as much fun as they
could before they left.

TENMEI
Oh my god... 

CENN
They burned everything. Lesedi
tried to fight them... so they pinned
me down and made me watch while
they split her open with a knife and
set our house on fire with Tamani
still inside it. And then they left...
still laughing. I’d done nothing. Not
for them, not against them. And
they still came and destroyed my
life anyway... because they could.
(beat)
So I just sat there. There was
no-one to fight. They’d gone
already. Nothing I could do but...
try to grasp what had happened
and figure out what the hell I was
supposed to do next. And then
two weeks later, somebody said
Starfleet was here to help. And
I thought... what use is that?

CANDLEWOOD
I guess that explains why you
resented Starfleet so much. 

Prynn silently rolls her eyes at Candlewood breaking the spell, but Cenn carries on... 

CENN
Not resented so much as just...
Why couldn’t you have come two
weeks sooner and actually made a
difference? Oh I know, you helped
thousands, millions of Bajorans
put their lives back together...
But not me. Somehow all that
Federation generosity never made
it to my little village any more
than the Cardassians did.

RO
Oh Desca... I’m so sorry. 

Through the tears, Cenn takes another mouthful of soufflé. 

MATTHIAS
If I may, Major... Desca... I think
maybe you must have felt like it
was time to talk about it at last...
or else you wouldn’t have made
the soufflé.

CANDLEWOOD
Can I say something?

TENMEI
John... 

CENN
No, that’s okay. What is it, John? 

CANDLEWOOD
Tonight, we’ve all revealed parts
of ourselves nobody’s ever seen. 
(closes eyes)
That sounded wrong. What I mean
is, we’ve talked about our own
problems. Our own insecurities,
our own tragic pasts. We’ve all
got them. 

TENMEI
(face palm)
John, please stop... 

CANDLEWOOD
No, wait. I’m not saying that to
diminish what you went through,
Desca. I can’t even imagine. I’m
just saying that we’ve all been
through things, and that means
we all understand. You can talk
to any one of us, and we’ll all
know what you’re talking about. 

RO
He’s right, Desca. We’re all here
for you, if you need help. You’re
not on your own. 

CANDLEWOOD
And the soufflé really is great. 

A tiny joke to break the tension... and it works. 

CENN
Thanks, John. Thank you all. I
appreciate the support. 

QUARK
Alright. Now, does anyone need
another drink? 

Quark gets up to head back to the drinks station. Nog and Evik follow to help out. 

Matthias gives Ro a silent look. Ro nods and stands up - Matthias takes her place. Ro instead goes to sit by Bashir.

Meanwhile Tenmei comes to sit next to Candlewood, forcing him to budge up on the couch. 

CANDLEWOOD
Prynn, have I done something to
upset you lately? 

TENMEI
No more than you normally do. 

CANDLEWOOD
See, right there. You’ve been
taking pot shots at me all night.
Shutting me down every time
I’ve tried to say anything. 

TENMEI
Just wanted somebody else to
get a word in edgeways. 
(off his look)
I’m only joking, John. 

CANDLEWOOD
Are you, really? Because after a
while I’m not sure I can tell the
difference anymore.

TENMEI
Oh, so you’re allowed to say
funny things but I’m not?

CANDLEWOOD
At least I’m not malicious with
it. I say stupid stuff because I’m
stupid, not because I’m cruel.

TENMEI
(deflating)
You’re not stupid, John. Yes, you
may be “awkward and annoying.” But
we love you that way. And I’m not
being cruel - or at least I’m not
trying to be. I’m just playing. 
(beat)
In fact, here goes. My thing I’ve
never said out loud. You are my
best friend, John. You and Nog
both - there’s nobody I enjoy
spending time with more. I think
we make a hell of a team, and I
wouldn’t change either of you.

CANDLEWOOD
Then maybe you could cut back on
the witty barbs aimed directly at
all my biggest buttons and just be
nice to me every once in a while?

TENMEI
Ugh - fine. If I must. 

CANDLEWOOD
You must. 
(beat)
Love you too. 

They smile shyly, and then Tenmei looks across the room to where Nog is chatting with Quark and Evik. 

TENMEI
(calls out)
Nog...

NOG
What? 

TENMEI / CANDLEWOOD
(sing-song)
We loooove youuu! 

Nog smiles awkwardly, quietly horrified and embarrassed. It’s clear that his friends are a bit drunk at this point.

NOG
That’s great, thanks. 

TENMEI / CANDLEWOOD
(louder)
We loooooooove yoooouuu!!! 

As if of the same mind, they get up and dash across the room, chasing Nog with giggles and air-kisses, while he runs in horror. Ro and Bashir watch, amused. 

BASHIR
Children. 

RO
That’s exactly what I was saying! 

BASHIR
It’s strange... when I first came
aboard this station, I was that
age. When did I stop being the
green, untested baby of the crew
and become the elder statesman?

RO
I know what you mean. How did the
rebellious troublemaker end up as a
respectable commander in charge
of other rebellious troublemakers? 

They both look wistfully across the room at the play-fighting junior officers, almost wrestling as they try to pepper Nog with kisses and he bats them away in disgust, while an annoyed Quark just tries to make sure his bottles don’t get knocked over. 

BASHIR
I kind of miss that innocence. 

RO
The youthful exuberance of those
who haven’t yet been beaten up by
the universe a few dozen times and
been ground down by unescapable
reality, you mean? Yeah.

BASHIR
Here’s to being the grumpy and
cynical elder statesmen. 

RO
Cheers. 

They chink their glasses together. Ro looks around the room, everyone chatting happily or at least content. Quark and Evik. Tenmei, Nog and Candlewood. Cenn and Matthias. And herself and Bashir. She smiles. 

BASHIR
What? 

RO
Just that... I think it worked. 

Off Ro’s proud smile... 

FADE OUT

END OF ACT FOUR

ACT FIVE

FADE IN

7 INT. DS9 - RO’S QUARTERS

Ro HUGS Evik warmly. Around them, the evening is winding down for everyone. 

EVIK
Thank you for a lovely evening,
Laren. I genuinely enjoyed myself. 

RO
I’m glad you could come, Nath. We
should do this again sometime! 

EVIK
My quarters next time? 

RO
If you want. 

Evik picks up his empty dish of maltiv stew off the table. 

EVIK
Well, a good evening to you all.
I’ll see you bright and early
tomorrow for the senior staff
briefing. 

A GROAN goes around the room at the thought of having to get up in the morning. Evik chuckles, and heads out to go home. The door closes behind him. Bashir stands as well. 

BASHIR
Right, I suppose I’d better be
off as well. 

MATTHIAS
I’ll join you. I’ve got young ones
to kiss goodnight. 

Matthias and Bashir both head to the table to pick up their own empty dishes and pay their respects to the hosts. 

RO
Julian, you and I should get
together and have a drink. Make
fun of the young ones together. 

CANDLEWOOD
Hey... 

BASHIR
That might take a lot of drinks. 

CANDLEWOOD
Hey! 

As Bashir heads towards the door, Matthias heads towards Cenn, who is likewise gathering up his stuff. 

MATTHIAS
Desca...? If you want to come and
talk to me, I’m always available,
okay? No pressure, that’s not an
order, just a friendly suggestion. 

CENN
I’ll think about it. 

MATTHIAS
If you want a counsellor, I can
be detached and professional...
but I’d rather do it as a friend. 

CENN
Thank you, Philippa. I appreciate
the offer. And maybe I will, in
a little while. 

MATTHIAS
Okay. Good night. 

CENN
Night. 

Matthias heads to the door, joining Bashir. Ro sends her a grateful smile for offering to help Cenn, and then they are gone. Cenn rights himself and prepares to leave as well. 

CENN
Thank you for everything,
Commander. I’m glad I came. 

RO
(faux warning)
No - in here it’s Laren. 

She reaches out and hugs him. He resists it for a moment before giving in. Prynn is watching this, and remembers when she did the same for Ro, only last episode. 

RO
(quiet, close)
You going to be okay?

CENN
Eventually. 

They let go, and Cenn heads to the door, waving goodbye to the last remaining attendees - Nog, Candlewood and Tenmei.

TENMEI
I think that’s our signal. Come
on, you two. 

The three of them pick up their own dishes, offer half-hugs of thanks, and head to the door. Before they get there, however, Candlewood turns back and points at Ro and Quark. 

CANDLEWOOD
Hey - you know what I just
realised? You two never said the
thing you’ve never said before. 

Instant tension. Ro and Quark exchange awkward looks. Once again, Candlewood has blindly blundered into pointing out the elephant in the room. 

CANDLEWOOD
(blithely continuing)
That’s sneaky - you get everyone
else to make some grand admission
but you get away without saying
anything. 

Nog and Tenmei also exchange awkward looks - they were both there for the Natima problem. They grab Candlewood by the arms and basically drag him to the door, eager to just get him out of there before he makes it any worse. 

CANDLEWOOD
Hey, what are you doing? You’re
being very rude. 
(realising 
he’s leaving)
...Okay g’night! 

As the door closes, Prynn throws a nervous and apologetic smile towards Ro and Quark, and then they are gone. 

Ro and Quark are left alone. 

RO
Well! That was quite an evening. 
(awkward pause)
You don’t have to stay and help
me clean up if you don’t want.

QUARK
No, I promised I would. Besides,
you said we needed to talk. 

She did say that, yes. Damn it. She heads to the table and begins gathering plates, a transparent attempt to delay this uncomfortable conversation. 

Quark heads across the room to pick up glasses, tidying up what barely needs any tidying. He won’t push her. 

QUARK
I had no idea about Cenn, did you? 

RO
Not a clue. But he’s never really
been one to talk about himself. 

QUARK
Unlike certain other people, who
can’t ever seem to shut up. 

RO
Hard to believe we were ever
that young, isn’t it?

QUARK
With age comes maturity, so they
say. I don’t know... seems like
some things are just as confusing
as they always were. 

He wasn’t meaning to make that a point... but Ro takes it and sags a bit. She turns to face him. He realises and faces her too, from across the room. 

RO
What are we, Quark? 

QUARK
(no accusation)
Why ask me? I have no idea. 

She turns again and carries the plates in her hands towards the replicator, where she dematerialises them away, all the while trying to put her thoughts into words. Quark waits. 

RO
When I saw you with Natima, it
completely took me by surprise.
I had no idea how to react to it. 

QUARK
You said it was fine. 

RO
Yeah, well... it should have been.
But it caught me off guard. Seeing
you with someone you obviously
cared for... I’m not even sure I
would call it jealousy, but I’m
not sure what else to call it. 

QUARK
I’m not in love with Natima.
Not anymore. 

RO
The unspoken end of that
sentence being... 

Quark puts down the glasses he was collecting, walks over to Ro, takes her hand and leads her back to the table. She goes with him, and they sit together. 

This is less intimate than the couch or soft chairs would be, enough to give them some distance and not make it too invasive. But Quark is going to be totally honest here. 

QUARK
Yes. Yes, I am in love with you.
I never said it before because I
was always pretty sure you didn’t
feel the same way. But it’s true.
Do you love me? 

RO
Of course I love you, Quark.

QUARK
But are you in love with me? Bear
in mind that ‘no’ is an acceptable
answer - not because it’s what I
want to hear, but because it’s
what I already believe.

RO
Quark, you are the closest friend
I’ve ever had. I know I can always
come to you for advice, for fun,
for comfort. I’ve let my defences
down with you in a way I never did
with anyone... but is that love?

QUARK
I can’t answer that for you.

RO
You deserve somebody to love
you that way. I feel like the worst
person ever that it can’t be me.

QUARK
Nobody deserves anything, Laren.
The Great Material Continuum
gives, and the Great Material
Continuum takes away. You try to
navigate as best you can, use your
talents and your instincts and
your experience to guide you...
but in the end, you’re always
at its ineffable mercy. I don’t
expect love. I’m just happy to
get whatever flows my way.

RO
(soft chuckle)
You’re not making this any easier.

All this finally out in the open, Quark takes a deep breath and sits back.

QUARK
So what do we do now? 

RO
I honestly don’t know. 

QUARK
We could always “offer it up”. 

RO
Leave it for the Prophets to worry
about? That might please Nath,
but I’m not sure I know how to
do that. I’m a worrier. 

QUARK
I know. What I’m saying is, you
don’t have to be. Not about this.
I am here for you, in whatever
capacity you need. Whether I
ultimately profit from that is up
to the Continuum to decide, but
it’s not the reason I’m here. And
honestly, I feel like I already
have all the profit I need. 

Ro sniffles through the smile, and stands. 

RO
Shall we get this mess cleaned up? 

QUARK
That’s what I promised. 

Quark stands, and they start cleaning up the room again. 

As they move companionably around the room, the air much lighter now than before... 

8 EXT. DEEP SPACE NINE

Pulling away from the station... 

FADE OUT

END OF SHOW

TNG 17x08 – “THE ILLUSION OF CHOICE”

Enterprise is at Vulcan, attending the opening of the Sarek School of Diplomacy. Picard meets a strange woman who makes odd pronouncements of doom. Ship’s counsellor T’Lana is also there, but she and Picard do not get along – she has disagreed with his every decision since she took the job. Once the crowds have gone, Spock arrives as well, and Picard invites him onboard. Picard tells Crusher about the strange woman’s predictions, but she shrugs it off. T’Lana encounters Spock in Enterprise’s lounge, and asks him how he resolves the path of logic with his lifelong friendship with humans, since she finds the two completely incompatible. One final consecration ceremony for the School is disrupted by the arrival of a small vessel, which drops off Seven of Nine. Picard demands an explanation. “Kathryn Janeway and all of humanity are in mortal danger from the Borg,” Seven replies. “Is this an inappropriate time?”

TTN 1x08 – “CIRCLE OF LIFE”

Riker is horrified at the idea of killing the star-jellies and reanimating their corpses as weapons, but Pa’haquel leader Qui’hibra insists that it is necessary. Riker offers to mediate, but they need to contact the jellies first. Keru speaks to Tellarite counsellor Haaj about his extreme reaction to Torvig’s innocent experiments. Troi pulls together all Titan’s telepaths in an attempt to reach out to the jellies. The creatures are sceptical, but they remember Enterprise’s help at Farpoint so they are willing to listen. Unfortunately the Pa’haquel use this as an opportunity for an ambush, and many jellies are killed. Titan manages to escape with one unclaimed body, and takes it back to the jellies’ breeding world, where it is ‘recycled’ to create a new jelly-baby. But the jellies take telepathic control of Tuvok, making him steal Titan’s sensor data on how to distinguish between live jellies and dead ones – now they can fight back. 

VOY 10x08 – “ANN”

Seven of Nine wakes screaming, certain that something is wrong on the dead Borg ship. Admiral Jellico calls Einstein, which reports no problems... even though Janeway is right there as the new Queen. The entire ship and crew have already been assimilated. On Voyager, Chakotay worries that Janeway has not returned his call. Paris assures him she can handle anything that might happen. Seven arranges private passage to Sector 10 with freighter captain Antin Vargo. Thunderchild tries to stop her, but Vargo has his tricks and gets away. Seven reluctantly explains everything, and begs Vargo that if he will not go to Sector 10, then at least take her to Vulcan. On the cube, the female Q returns to talk to Janeway, wondering how she was assimilated with no drones onboard. It was the cube itself – it is alive. Janeway threatens even the Q with assimilation – once she is done with the Federation.