ACT ONE

FADE IN:

7 INT. DS9 – COMMANDER’S OFFICE

Ro SLAMS her hand down on the desk, the padd it carries clattering against the surface. She’s standing, looming over the desk comm screen, and still blazing angry.

RO
Now you listen to me. I will
answer questions about this when
I’m damn well ready to answer
questions about it. And it’s gonna
take more than some hopped up
little bureaucrat to make me be
ready. Do you understand?

ON SCREEN

A BAJORAN functionary is bristling at Ro’s tone.

BAJORAN (screen)
This request comes directly from
the office of the First Minister.
You are required to –

RO
I don’t care who it comes from.
Until the First Minister herself
turns up on this station, I’m not
saying a word.

BAJORAN (screen)
Commander Ro, this is a direct
order from –

RO
And you’re done.

Ro STABS the comm panel, cutting the signal, then turns and HURLS the padd in her hand against the wall with a SMASH.

She looks up, and sees Cenn has just entered the room from Ops, and seen her tantrum.

RO
What?

CENN
You know, it might be wise to be
a bit more respectful to the
government. For your own sake.

RO
I don’t respect them.

CENN
It’s called diplomacy.

RO
It’s called lying. What do you
want, anyway?

Cenn steps in the room, brings up the padd in his own hand.

CENN
I’ve been fielding calls all morning
from angry people all around the
station. “Why did you keep the
ship? Why didn’t you tell us? Why
do you think you can arrest an
ambassador?”

RO
What have you been telling them?

CENN
That I understand their concerns
and that we’re looking into it.
Otherwise known as “nothing”.

RO
What does it even say? What was
the information that he released?
Have you seen it?

CENN
I have. It’s quite narrowly
focused. He wasn’t just uploading
indiscriminately. It was very
specifically about Axno’s ship.

RO
But why? Why would Quark care? And
how did he even get access to that
information? Everyone involved knows
how sensitive this was. I can’t see
any of them being that careless.

CENN
Neither can I. But it’s all there –
the fact that we’ve had the ship
since the initial incident with Axno,
that we kept it on Empok Nor at
first, then moved it to Derna, and
that we’ve been conducting
scientific research on it.

Ro slumps against the wall, looking up to the ceiling.

RO
Why would he do this to me?

CENN
You’d have to ask him.

Ro looks to him... and nods. That’s exactly what she’ll do.

8 INT. DS9 – SECURITY CELLS

Quark sits on the bench, behind a forcefield in one of the cells. He accepts his lot – which is not to say he’s happy.

QUARK
I bet you’re feeling very...
“disappointed” right now, aren’t
you, Commander?

Reveal that he’s talking to Lt Cmdr Evik.

EVIK
Well, I wouldn’t say I’m happy,
exactly.

QUARK
You know who would be really happy
right now? Odo.

EVIK
You think so?

QUARK
Are you kidding me? There was
nothing he dreamed of more, in his
little bucket, than getting me in
one of these cells and leaving me
here. He’d be in here right now
gloating, saying how he always
knew I’d come to a bad end. Then
he’d grunt and strut off like he
was High Sheriff of Smugtown.
(beat)
At least if I do come to a bad end,
it’ll be for a good reason.

RO (o.s.)
You think this was a good thing?

Evik and Quark both turn, and see that Ro has been hovering in the doorway, out of sight. Quark stays calm.

QUARK
Yes. Yes, I do.

RO
Commander Evik. Would you mind?

EVIK
I’m... not certain that’s a good idea,
Commander.

RO
(cold smile)
I didn’t ask. Get out.

Reluctantly, Evik does as he’s told, and turns to leave. Quark chuckles sadly.

QUARK
No witnesses, right? You better
keep those life-sign sensors on.

Evik leaves, his expression suggesting that yes, maybe he should. Once he’s gone, Ro steps closer to Quark.

RO
You think this is a joke, Quark?

QUARK
Not for a second.

RO
Do you have any idea what you’ve
done?

QUARK
I told the public what they had a
right to know. What their military
is up to behind their backs.

RO
You’ve let out highly classified
information. You’ve started riots
all over Bajor, and outside that
door right now. Who gave you
the information?

QUARK
I don’t reveal my sources.

RO
Oh yes you do.

QUARK
You’re gonna torture it out of me?

RO
If I have to. Who gave you the
information, Quark?

QUARK
That’s Ambassador Quark to you.

RO
You’re not the ambassador in here.
In here, you’re nobody.

QUARK
Do you really think you’ve got the
upper hand here, Laren? The moral
high ground?

RO
You broke the law, Quark!

QUARK
You broke the trust of the entire
Bajoran people. Keeping dangerous
alien technology. Experimenting on
it. Putting every life on Bajor
and this station at risk. And then
when somebody calls you out on it,
you break the diplomatic immunity
between two sovereign governments
and illegally hold a prisoner
without charge. It’s not looking
good for you, Laren.

Frustrated, Ro turns away, paces round the room. After a moment to gather her wits, she turns back to him.

RO
Why? Why did you do this?

QUARK
I told you why. Because the people
deserved to know.

Ro shakes her head in disgust, refusing to believe that. Then she turns and leaves. Quark watches her go, sadly pondering his options.

9 INT. DS9 – SECURITY OFFICE

Ro re-enters the security office, where Evik stands. He has clearly been watching their conversation on the screens. Ro sneers as she makes to walk on past.

RO
Watch him.

EVIK
I’m watching everything.

Ro pauses, turns back at the insinuation in Evik’s voice.

RO
I beg your pardon?

EVIK
Anyone being accused of a crime
has the right to a fair trial. You
don’t seem willing to extend that
courtesy to Mister Quark.

RO
You’re new. You don’t know him
like I do.

EVIK
True, I haven’t been here very
long... but he has. Longer than
any other resident of the station,
if I’m not mistaken. I seriously
doubt he’d do anything to harm the
people who’ve given him a home
and a career for almost twenty years.

RO
(astonished)
Are you defending him?

EVIK
I’m simply trying to keep an open
mind. If I may be blunt, Commander,
you’re emotionally compromised
here, due to your relationship with
the prisoner.

RO
We don’t have a “relationship”.

EVIK
The vehemence of your reaction
suggests otherwise. I suggest you
leave further interactions with
Quark to those less... invested.

RO
I spent months arguing over that
damn ship with Vaughn, Bashir,
Kira, Cenn... everyone. And then
Quark comes in and pulls the whole
thing out from under me. How
would you feel?

CENN (comm)
Cenn to Commander Ro.

RO
Go ahead, Major.

CENN (comm)
We’ve just received a top priority
message from Ferenginar. From the
office of the Grand Nagus himself.

RO
I guess I’m not surprised. What
does it say?

CENN (comm)
That they have already lodged an
official complaint with both the
Bajoran government and Starfleet
Command. Also that the Nagus is
outraged at the illegal treatment
of the ambassador, and that if he
is not released, they are prepared
to break off diplomatic relations
entirely and withdraw all Ferengi
citizens from Federation space.

RO
(scoff)
Is that supposed to be a threat?

CENN (comm)
Perhaps not. But what definitely
is a threat are the three D’Kora-
class Marauders on their way here
now, with orders to secure Quark’s
release... by force if necessary.

Off Ro and Evik’s reaction to that...

FADE OUT:

END OF ACT ONE