TEASER

FADE IN:

1 EXT. PUBLIC FIELD

Gently rolling hills, freshly cut grass, distant tall trees waving in the breeze, and a bright sunny sky. The perfect day for a family picnic.

Two Aarruri puppies run across the grass, yipping excitedly as they both chase the same flying frisbee. One LEAPS into the air gracefully and catches it in its mouth. The other instantly launches upon its rival, play-fighting with squeaky little growls as they wrestle for the frisbee.

The second finally wrenches it away from the first, and with a swing of his tiny neck, flings the frisbee back in the direction it came from. They both give chase, tiny paws thumping on the ground as they go.

PAN AROUND until we find PIF and his wife SETT sitting together on the ground, watching their children play. They laugh as the puppies play tug-o-war with the frisbee.

SETT
Don’t be greedy, Bif! Let Kett
play too!

One of the puppies looks over to his parents, pauses, and then sulkily spits the frisbee out. The second one runs away happily, frisbee in her mouth. Sett turns back to Pif.

SETT
This was a lovely idea.

PIF
It was nice of Quark to find this
program for us. Living on this
station is great, but the kids
need to run around from time
to time, burn off some energy.

They turn back to watch the two puppies play-fighting. Then suddenly, a third puppy races in from off-screen, catching the first two off guard, snatches the frisbee away and runs off gleefully.

SETT
(laughing)
Fett! Be nice!
(shakes head)
Honestly, that girl. She’s going
to be a fighter, that one.

PIF
As long as she’s not fighting
her brothers.

They go quiet for a while, watching the trees, the tweeting birds, the distant sounds of yipping puppies.

PIF
So what are you doing tomorrow?
Any plans?

SETT
Not really, no. You?

PIF
Nothing.

SETT
Yeah. We did nothing yesterday too.

PIF
(chuckle)
You call running around after six
puppies ‘nothing’?

SETT
You know what I mean. Don’t get me
wrong, I’m glad we moved here from
the Even Odds. It’s a much better
place to raise a family. But...
(shrug)
We live here, but we don’t really
do anything. You know?

PIF
(sad)
Yeah, I know. Every day was an
adventure on the Even. And it was
fun while I was young and single
and had nobody to worry about.
I earned my keep - I was the
best runner in the sector!

SETT
(flirty)
I remember.

PIF
I brought us here for safety and
stability, and I love spending so
much time with you and the kids.
And these people are so nice, they
let us live here free of charge.
But I don’t feel right just taking
all their food and their energy.
When Jake came to live on the
Even Odds, he didn’t just take up
food and energy. He worked, he
was one of the team. Now we’re
living here, I feel like we should do
the same. I just don’t know how.

SETT
Maybe we could go and talk to
the captain. A station this size,
there must be plenty of jobs for
somebody who’s willing to work.

PIF
But I can’t run anymore. My leg.

SETT
You have other skills, Pif. Trust me,
they’ll find something for you.

PIF
What about you?

Sett doesn’t answer for a moment. She appears to be thinking, just looking around the field at the view.

PIF
Sett...? What is it?

SETT
No, it’s nothing. Don’t worry.

PIF
Come on, Sett. I know I’m the
motor-mouth in the family, but
you can still talk sometimes.

She smiles at his little joke. Her green spines stiffen.

SETT
I just wonder... do we even want to
stay here at all?

PIF
You want to go back to the Even?

SETT
No. You were right, the children
need to be safe. This station may
be bigger, safer, but it’s still
artificial. Look around you. It’s
nice, but it’s not real. Wouldn’t
it be nicer if it was real?

PIF
So what are you thinking?

SETT
I’m wondering about Bajor. About
whether we should live down there
instead of up here. They’ve got
real trees and grass and air... the
children would have a whole
planet to run around.

PIF
How do we decide? We shouldn’t
make any rash decisions, jump
into anything too quick. I’ve
already got one broken leg.

Sett is about to reply when something catches her attention off screen.

SETT
Speaking of... Fett! Get down from
that tree! You’ll hurt yourself.

PIF
(grin)
Ah, let them play. I’m sure we
both climbed trees when we were
their age. And we didn’t have
holodeck safety protocols.

SETT
Yeah, and look at you now. Fett,
be careful! You’re going to -

Sett GASPS, followed by a loud SPLASH from off screen. The sounds of high-pitched snickering from the other puppies.

Finally, puppy Fett emerges onto screen, slouching along all soaking wet, fur drenched, spines and tail drooping. But she is soon over it, shaking herself dry and chasing after the other puppies again.

Sett sighs with amused exasperation. Pif face-paws. The puppies yip about playfully in the background...

FADE OUT:

END OF TEASER