ACT FIVE

FADE IN:

19 EXT. DEEP SPACE NINE - ESTABLISHING

One of the standard Bajoran shuttles is docked at the station.

20 INT. DS9 – DOCKING RING CORRIDOR

An airlock is open and several people - Starfleet officers, Bajoran civilians - file out of it. A step out of the way, Sisko stands with Rebecca, and Vaughn is with them.

VAUGHN
If you’re concerned about your
privacy, it would be a moment’s
work to assign a runabout and
a pilot to take you home.

SISKO
That’s okay, Elias. The captain
managed to find a private cabin
for us. Besides, none of these
people know why I was really here.

VAUGHN
I hope you got what you came for.

Sisko doesn’t answer, just silently watches the civilians go by. There go the last of them.

VAUGHN
Ben... I don’t want to intrude.
But why didn’t you bring Kasidy
with you?

SISKO
She doesn’t even know why I came.

VAUGHN
Is it wise to be keeping secrets?

SISKO
I didn’t want her to worry. I just
told her I wanted to... clear the
air with you.

VAUGHN
Ah. And you don’t want to do that?

SISKO
Elias, you saved me. And then you
saved my daughter. I don’t know
any way to repay you for that.

VAUGHN
And you never need to. It was my
pleasure to be able to give you
more time with your family. Now
you have it, make the most of it.

SISKO
I intend to.

VAUGHN
And most importantly...
(re Rebecca)
Make sure you take good care
of this precious little lady.

Rebecca giggles sweetly at the compliment. Vaughn stands straight, and reaches out to shake Sisko’s hand.

VAUGHN
If you need anything, even just
someone to talk to, you know
where I am.

SISKO
Thank you, Elias. Come on,
Rebecca. Time to go home.

REBECCA
Bye, Mister Vaughn.

VAUGHN
Bye, Rebecca!

Sisko and Rebecca disappear into the airlock.

21 INT. DS9 – CANDLEWOOD’S QUARTERS

Candlewood stands in front of his mirror, fiddling with his new uniform - the one with the blue collar. He’s happy but very nervous. As he stares at his reflection...

CANDLEWOOD
Alright, John. Don’t screw this up.

He pulls himself together and heads for the door.

22 INT. DS9 – HABITAT RING CORRIDOR

Candlewood emerges into the corridor and heads towards the turbo lift. But just before he gets there, Hetik arrives around the corner.

HETIK
John! Glad I caught you.

CANDLEWOOD
(breathless)
Hetik... what are you doing here?

HETIK
I heard you got a promotion. Chief
Science Officer, that’s amazing!
Well done.

Candlewood just gazes love-struck into Hetik’s eyes, barely able to form words.

CANDLEWOOD
Oh... yeah... thank you.

HETIK
So I just wanted to say congratulations.
You look good in blue.

CANDLEWOOD
Thanks.

HETIK
Okay, well... see you later then.

CANDLEWOOD
Yeah... see you.

Hetik moves on down the corridor. The moment he disappears around the corner, Candlewood breaks out into the “I Am So Awesome” dance, aka the dance of someone who has no dancing ability whatsoever. He sings tunelessly to himself...

CANDLEWOOD
I am so awesome, I am so awesome,
I am so awesome...

Until Prynn and Nog appear around the corner and catch him at it. He stops immediately. They hide their smirks.

PRYNN
You okay there, John?

CANDLEWOOD
Fine, thanks.

NOG
Come on, Mister Chief Science
Officer. We’ll walk you to Ops.

Candlewood lets Nog and Prynn go on ahead. He follows, doing a smaller version of the “I Am So Awesome” dance behind their backs as they walk.

23 INT. DS9 – MAIN OPS CENTRE

Ro is at the central Ops table, working the boards. Bowers is at tactical. Other positions with extras as required. Ro turns at the sounds of the turbolift rising into Ops...

And sees Candlewood, Prynn and Nog together, stepping off the lift, excited to be here. She smiles to see it.

RO
Lieutenant Candlewood. Welcome to
Ops. Please take your station.

CANDLEWOOD
Aye, Commander.

He heads towards the science station. As he steps into the alcove, Prynn sidles up to him.

PRYNN
Don’t worry. I didn’t put a whoopee
cushion on your chair.

But the wry look on her face makes him worry what else she might have done. Uh-oh. She’s going to get her revenge. He settles onto the chair - mercifully whoopee-free.

As Prynn moves off, Nog sidles up instead.

NOG
Good luck, John. I’m sure you’ll
be... “awesome.”

Oh God, he saw the dance. Candlewood blanches as Nog moves off with a toothy grin.

Nog settles into the engineering station, while Prynn goes to the captain’s office door. She enters...

24 INT. DS9 – CAPTAIN’S OFFICE (CONTINUOUS)

...To find Vaughn sat behind the desk, staring at his screen. He looks up at her entrance, and smiles wide.

VAUGHN
Good morning, Lieutenant Tenmei.

PRYNN
Good morning, Captain Vaughn.
(giggle)
I thought I’d never say that.

VAUGHN
Life takes you places you never
expected, Prynn. You may as well
just enjoy the ride.

PRYNN
Singing my tune, dad.

VAUGHN
Sit down a moment, would you?
There’s something I wanted to
talk to you about.

PRYNN
(she does)
Sure, what’s up?

VAUGHN
You know that I’ve asked Commander
Ro to be my first officer.

PRYNN
Of course. So what?

VAUGHN
Just that I’m going to be spending
a lot of time with her in the near
future. She still has a lot to learn
about command - don’t tell her I
said that - so I’m going to be
mentoring her pretty closely. And
I just wanted to warn you in
advance that I might not be able
to spend quite as much time with
you as a result.

PRYNN
(smile)
I’ll try not to be too jealous.

VAUGHN
I’m just saying that I might not
be here all the time... but I will
be here when you need me.

PRYNN
Understood, Captain. Now come
on, you should meet your new
science officer.

Vaughn stands from the desk and rounds it to join Prynn. They move off towards Ops. But as they exit, we go around the back of the table, and focus on the computer screen, the one Vaughn was just staring at before Prynn came in.

It features a headshot of Vaughn, and at the top of the screen are the words...

CAPT ELIAS VAUGHN
APPLICATION FOR TRANSFER
APPROVED

FADE OUT:

END OF SHOW