TEASER

FADE IN:

1 INT. DS9 – MAIN OPS CENTRE

Open upon Major CENN at the central Ops table. It’s a normal day, and he’s working as normal. NOG is at the engineering station, CANDLEWOOD at sciences, BOWERS at tactical, extras elsewhere.

NOG
If I ever suggest going to that
place again, you have permission
to shoot me on the spot.

CANDLEWOOD
Oh come on, Nog. It can’t have
been that bad.

NOG
Oh you think so? Would you want to
spend four hours being lectured by
a two-hundred year old Vulcan on
the relative merits of wild or
domesticated sehlat milk? I swear
it was the worst party I’ve ever
been to. I would rather die than
go through that again.

CANDLEWOOD
So... that would make it a fête
worse than death?

Nog grabs a padd off the side and makes as if to throw it at Candlewood’s head. Candlewood ducks. Cenn smiles at the capering, but as the senior officer on duty...

CENN
Alright, fellas. Settle down.

An ALERT comes in on Cenn’s panels. He reads it, frowns in worry. Then he touches another control.

CENN
Commander, could you come out
here, please?

After a moment, the office door opens and RO strides out.

RO
What’s going on, Major?

CENN
There’s an incoming signal from
General Lenaris – he wants to
speak to both of us.

RO
(shrug)
Okay. Put him on screen.

Ro joins Cenn at the central table. Cenn works his panels, and the main viewscreen changes to show an image of Bajoran Militia General LENARIS, looking grave.

RO
General, what can we do for you?

LENARIS (screen)
Ah, Commander, Major. Good. Have
you seen the news today?

RO
Not yet. Why?

LENARIS (screen)
Watch this.

Lenaris works some controls at his end, and the image on screen changes to a NEWS BROADCAST, featuring regular reporter TIANA FEEN (last seen 10x21 “Into the Fire”).

Tiana is improvising, hastily coming up with a report on the fly for a developing situation.

TIANA (screen)
And we’re still receiving reports
of violence on the streets of the
capital in response to this news.

2 ON SCREEN

The image changes to scenes of Bajoran civilians rioting on the streets, as Bajoran Militia and Starfleet officers work together to keep them under control. We’re up close with them, camera shaking as the cameraman is buffeted about.

TIANA (v.o.)
We’re receiving these live images
now from Teris Juze and Lamerat
Anjen, who are on the ground in
Ashalla. Teris, can you hear me?

3 RO and CENN

watching this, stunned...

RO
What the hell is going on?

4 ON SCREEN

The camera image moves around, finding field reporter TERIS JUZE looking a little battered but determined.

TERIS
Tiana! The crowds here in Ashalla
have doubled in the last hour. At
least. As you can see, the Militia
and Starfleet are working together
to try to get it under control, but
they are heavily outnumbered.

TIANA (o.s.)
And what are the people saying?
Can you hear them?

TERIS
It’s a little –
(buffeted by protestor)
- a little confused and scattered,
but the general consensus seems
to be demands for a response from
the government and the Militia as to
whether the leaked information is
true, and fury at both, on the
assumption that it is true.

5 RO and CENN

Ro looks disturbed. She glances to Cenn...

RO
“Leaked information”?

On the screen, the image returns to the news studio.

TIANA (screen)
Thanks, Teris. Stay safe.
(beat)
If you’re just joining us, the top
story is that classified military
data has been released onto the
Bajoran comnet by as-yet-unknown
parties - data that reveals the
existence of a ship belonging to
the race known as the Ascendants,
currently being held in Starfleet
protection on Derna.

As Ro’s jaw drops with horror, the screen changes to a still image of RAIQ, taken by some enterprising amateur cameraman. Tiana’s narration continues...

TIANA (v.o.)
The Ascendant woman Raiq is
currently residing on Bajor at
Janir monastery...

The image changes to a stock of Vedek YEVIR.

TIANA (cont)
...the residence of Vedek Yevir
Linjarin, of the Oralian Way.

The image returns to the studio...

TIANA (screen)
So far there has been no official
response from either the First
Minister or the Militia to these
startling accusations -

The image CUTS suddenly, returning us to General Lenaris, looking more like thunder than ever.

LENARIS (screen)
It seems that your secret is out,
Commander.

RO
Crap. How? Who did this?

CENN
The newsreader said it was ‘as
yet unknown’...

LENARIS (screen)
Thankfully, Major, our own techs
are somewhat more skilled in
tracking electronic signatures
than the media’s. Naturally we
haven’t told them what we know.

RO
Then you do know?

LENARIS (screen)
Oh, yes. He was good, I’ll give
him that. But we’re better.

As Ro wonders what that means...

6 INT. DS9 – QUARK’S BAR

The news and its response have not reached here. In Quark’s it’s a perfectly pleasant afternoon with a normal crowd.

QUARK himself is on the open side of the bar, comfortably schmoozing an ALIEN customer.

QUARK
Well, you know what I always say.
If you can’t do the time, you
really should have done a better
job of hiding what you were up to.

The alien nods sadly.

EVIK (o.s.)
Quark.

Quark turns towards the main entrance, where EVIK, Bowers, Cenn and Ro are all entering together. Several security officers are with them. Quark doesn’t know why they’re here, but a small army of armed officers can’t be good.

QUARK
Lieutenant Commander Evik. Can I
get you a drink?

EVIK
Not right now, Ambassador. Right
now... we have a job to do.

QUARK
Really.

There’s an awkward pause. Evik looks disappointed. Bowers looks professional. Cenn looks nauseous. Ro looks pissed.

EVIK
Ambassador Quark. Under Starfleet
code article 36-Beta, subsection
seventeen, you are under arrest
for the unauthorised release of
classified data to the public.

Quark takes this calmly – he knew they’d be coming for him. Meanwhile, the crowd in the bar goes quiet, listening in. TREIR emerges from the edges to watch – unhappily.

QUARK
I’m impressed. I didn’t think I’d
left any traces, but I guess I’m
just not as good as I thought.
Unluckily for you, as the Ferengi
Ambassador, I enjoy diplomatic
immunity from prosecution. So
I’m afraid you won’t be arresting
anyone today, Commander.
(beat)
Now if you’d like a drink, I’ll be
happy to oblige.

Ro steps forward – her fury is blistering. Quark sees it, and is sad for it.

RO
I don’t care. You have broken the
law for the last time, Quark. You
have betrayed my trust. Mister
Evik, Mister Bowers... on my
authority you may consider the
Ambassador’s diplomatic immunity
rescinded. Arrest him. Now.

The junior security officers draw their weapons. Evik and Bowers step forward and grab Quark by the arms. Quark stands his ground, refusing to be intimidated. Keeping his dignity, Quark allows himself to be marched out the bar and towards the security cells.

The crowd have all seen this happen in broad daylight. Cenn still looks like he could vomit. Ro is incandescent with fury. She turns to Treir...

RO
The bar is yours. Congratulations.

Ro turns and stomps out of the bar, following the others. Treir is left dumbfounded...

FADE OUT:

END OF TEASER