ACT TWO

FADE IN:

7 INT. DS9 – CAPTAIN’S OFFICE

A crate sits on the desk. Vaughn reaches in, pulls out a pile of old books, and carries them over to the shelves on one side, humming to himself as he goes. He arranges the books just so, then returns to the crate. He’s quite happy just settling in, arranging the office how he wants it.

RO (comm)
Ops to captain.

VAUGHN
Go ahead, Commander.

RO (comm)
Sir, Captain Sisko just arrived on
the Bajor shuttle. He’s requesting
to speak with you.

VAUGHN
Absolutely, send him in.

Vaughn pauses in his work, and turns to see the door open. SISKO enters, holding young REBECCA by the hand. Sisko is uncomfortable, not sure whether he’ll be welcomed or hated.

VAUGHN
Captain... and Rebecca! Hello,
young lady. A pleasure to see
you again.

REBECCA
Hi, Mister Vaughn.

VAUGHN
(grin)
Well, aren’t you polite.

SISKO
Hello, Elias. Congratulations on
your promotion. And please, call
me Ben.

VAUGHN
(wry)
If you’re sure you want me to.

SISKO
I hope so. I hope we can put the
past behind us, Elias. I have no
hard feelings - I'm perfectly
satisfied with the way things
turned out.

VAUGHN
I was just saying the same to
Prynn. Now, what can I do for you?
You didn’t come all this way just
to congratulate me.

SISKO
...No. Rebecca, honey, why don’t
you go and talk to Commander Ro?
She can show you how they dock
all the ships that come here.

Vaughn is curious about this sudden change, but goes along with it. He goes to the door again, opens it and calls out.

VAUGHN
Commander, would you mind, just
for a few moments?

Ro thinks it’s a strange request, but sees Sisko and Vaughn obviously want to have time alone, so she agrees. Rebecca dashes out of the office and down the steps to the table.

RO
Of course, Captain. Hi, Rebecca!
I'm Laren.

REBECCA
Hi!

Vaughn smiles gratefully, then the door closes again, and Sisko and Vaughn are left alone.

VAUGHN
So what’s the problem?

SISKO
I'm worried about Rebecca. She
fell into an Orb, Elias. I have no
idea what it might have done to
her. So I brought her here hoping
that Julian could take a look,
make sure she’s alright.

VAUGHN
I'm sure he’d be happy to. But
surely there are doctors on Bajor
who could help.

SISKO
We’re celebrities down there.
Everything we do is scrutinised
by the media. I don’t want to
put Kas or Rebecca through that.

VAUGHN
Plus any Bajoran doctor would only
tell you that the Prophets would
never hurt the Emissary’s daughter.
And you’d rather have a more
objective viewpoint.

SISKO
Something like that.

VAUGHN
Very well. No point hanging around
here. Let’s go talk to Julian.

Sisko sags with relief, and the two of them turn to exit the office.

8 INT. DS9 – INFIRMARY

Now Rebecca is the one lying on the bio-bed as Julian passes scanner after scanner over her. Sisko is by the bedside, there for her. Vaughn stands out of the way.

BASHIR
Now, try to stay very still,
Rebecca. This may take a while.

REBECCA
Okay!

BASHIR
While we wait, why don’t you tell
me what you remember about
what happened to you?

REBECCA
I was just skipping. And then the
box opened, and then there was a
big flash and then I was in the
white place. And Mister Vaughn was
there, and another lady who looked
like Aunt Nerys but with bones on
her face.

BASHIR
It didn’t hurt at all?

REBECCA
No.

BASHIR
And you weren’t scared?

REBECCA
No.

BASHIR
Why not?

REBECCA
There was nothing to be scared of.
Mister Vaughn was there, and I
know him and daddy are friends.

Vaughn and Sisko look awkwardly between each other. Rebecca is quite relaxed, unconcerned. Bashir continues to scan...

BASHIR
How did you know when it was time
to come back?

REBECCA
Don’t know. I was just tired.

BASHIR
And do you feel any different after
this happened?

REBECCA
(shrug)
No.

Bashir has finished his scans. He steps back.

BASHIR
Okay, I’ve got all the readings I
need. It’ll take me a while to go
through it all and confirm every-
thing, but I'm not seeing any
problems so far.

VAUGHN
Thank you, Doctor. Let us know
when you’re done.

BASHIR
Of course.

Rebecca swings her legs off the bio-bed, and Sisko helps her down.

REBECCA
I'm hungry, daddy. Can we get
something to eat?

SISKO
Absolutely. Let’s go to Quark’s.
Elias, would you like to join us?

VAUGHN
Thank you, Ben, but I’d better get
back to the office. I’ll see you
before you leave, though.
(to Bashir;
acknowledging)
Doctor.

Vaughn leaves, heading towards the turbolifts. Sisko guides Rebecca out as well. But as Sisko leaves, he’s not looking especially reassured by what Bashir told him.

9 INT. DS9 – PROMENADE

Sisko leads Rebecca by the hand across the Promenade, and into Quark’s bar. On their way they pass Candlewood strutting happily along. We follow him to the Replimat, where he finds a table featuring Nog and PRYNN.

Candlewood casts a padd down onto the table, proudly taking a seat next to the others.

NOG
What’s this?

CANDLEWOOD
Take a look.

Nog picks up the padd and reads over it.

NOG
You got an interview!

CANDLEWOOD
Yep.

PRYNN
Interview for what?

CANDLEWOOD
Shar’s job. Now he’s history,
somebody needs to take over.

Candlewood sees the look on Prynn’s face, and realises he’s put his foot in it.

CANDLEWOOD
Crundle-nuts. Prynn, I'm sorry,
I didn’t mean –

PRYNN
It’s fine, John. Don’t worry about it.
So you got an interview...

CANDLEWOOD
Of course. I do, after all, rule.

NOG
Not what you said this morning.

CANDLEWOOD
I was just being modest.

PRYNN
(amused roll eyes)
You’re feeling confident, then.

CANDLEWOOD
(gets serious)
Actually no, I'm terrified. So I
could use your help. Both of you.
If you’re willing.

NOG
Help with what?

CANDLEWOOD
Practising. Whenever I improvise
under pressure, it always goes
horribly wrong, so I wanna be as
prepared as possible. Ro sent me
the job description, but I need to
go through it with someone. Talk
it out. If that’s not a conflict of
interest or anything.

NOG
Not as far as I know.

PRYNN
I'm free tonight. What time?

CANDLEWOOD
Come round about nine-ish? I’ll
make you these fantastic new
cocktails I created.

NOG
We’ll be there.

CANDLEWOOD
Great! Thanks so much, guys.
See you later!

Candlewood grabs the padd again, springs up from the table and bounces away again. Nog and Prynn watch him go, amused.

10 INT. DS9 – INFIRMARY

Bashir is working. The door opens, and Sisko comes back in.

BASHIR
Captain. I'm afraid I'm not ready
for you yet. It’ll still take a few
more hours.

SISKO
I understand, Doctor. I'm not here
for Rebecca’s results.

BASHIR
Did you forget something?

SISKO
Not as such. I left Rebecca with
Quark and Treir. She’s fine. I
wanted to talk to you alone.

BASHIR
What is it?

Sisko looks over his shoulder, as if to make sure no-one’s there. Or as if he’s worried about what he’s about to say.

SISKO
I want you to check me too.

BASHIR
Check you for what?

SISKO
When Rebecca was gone, I looked
into an Orb for help.

BASHIR
What did you see?

SISKO
Nothing! That’s the problem. The
Orb didn’t respond to me. Didn’t
acknowledge me at all.

BASHIR
They don’t always, Captain.

SISKO
They do to me! No Orb has ever
refused to respond to me, not
since I first came to Bajor. You
scanned me before, whenever
my brain was affected by the
Prophets. I need you to do it
again and tell me what changed.

BASHIR
And what if nothing’s changed?

SISKO
Then I guess... the Prophets just
don’t want to talk to me anymore.

As Sisko reflects on exactly what that means to him...

FADE OUT:

END OF ACT TWO