ACT TWO

FADE IN:

12 INT. B’HALA CAVES – BANTACA CHAMBER

Picking up from where we left off. As the crowd reacts, Raiq and Kira are very aware everyone is looking at them.

RAIQ
(sotto)
I am not welcome.

KIRA
(sotto)
You’ll be fine. They just need a
chance to get used to you, that’s
all. Come on. Stick with me.

Kira walks on into the crowd, determined to keep her head high. Raiq follows in her wake.

Eventually Kira spots Sisko and Kasidy in the crowd, and makes her way over to them. They greet warmly with hugs. Except for Raiq, obviously.

SISKO
Nerys! I didn’t know you were
coming to B’Hala.

KIRA
Last-minute decision. I thought it
would be a good way to show Raiq
a bit more of our culture, help her
acclimate a bit more.

KASIDY
That’s exactly the reason we
brought Rebecca.

KIRA
Jake isn’t with you?

SISKO
He’s spending the holiday with
Rena and her friends.

KIRA
Ah. You remember Raiq, of course.

SISKO
Of course. Good to see you, Raiq.

RAIQ
Sisko. Kira speaks of you often.
You are the Fire of the Bajorans.

SISKO
The Emissary, yes.

RAIQ
You are not Bajoran yourself. Yet
you follow their traditions, you
attend their ceremonies. Why?

KIRA
Raiq, don’t be rude.

SISKO
That’s okay. Ummm... I’m not sure
there’s an easy answer to that,
Raiq. I don’t do everything the
Bajorans do. But they look to me
for guidance. And I don’t feel
like I can just abandon them.

RAIQ
Obligation. Not desire.

Everyone is uncomfortable with this. It’s putting Sisko on the spot. Embarrassing Kira. Giving Kasidy cause to worry.

SISKO
I suppose, in some cases.

KIRA
Come on, Raiq. Let’s look around.

Raiq turns away with no ceremony and heads back into the crowd. Kira is about to follow, but Sisko holds her back.

SISKO
Nerys, is she going to be trouble?

KIRA
(no idea)
No. She’ll be fine.

Nobody believes her. Worrying, Kira follows Raiq. Sisko turns to Kasidy, and they share a worried glance.

13 EXT. DEEP SPACE NINE

Re-establishing the station...

14 INT. DS9 – QUARK’S BAR, UPPER LEVEL

Candlewood sits at a table, chin in his hands, looking miserable. Prynn sits across, sympathetic but encouraging. People are still setting up decorations here and there.

PRYNN
Cheer up, John.

CANDLEWOOD
My own fault. Should have said
something sooner.

PRYNN
Maybe. But there was no guarantee
he would have shared your feelings
anyway.

CANDLEWOOD
Thanks for that.

PRYNN
Come on. Don’t let it get you
down. Today is supposed to be all
about forgetting your problems
and enjoying yourself.

A Ferengi waiter is just passing with a basket of scrolls and pens. Candlewood stops him and grabs one miserably.

CANDLEWOOD
Gimme that.

He takes the scroll and starts writing grumpily on it.

15 INT. DS9 – QUARK’S BAR, LOWER LEVEL

Down on the main floor, Quark is holding a staff meeting – Ferengi waiters and exotic dabo girls, including TREIR and PIF. The one with the basket returns and joins the group.

QUARK
So good of you to join us, Broik.
Okay! You all know this is the big
day. So you all need to know what
you’re doing. Especially since
we’re low on staff anyway, thanks
to somebody insisting I give all
the Bajorans the day off.

He glares pointedly at Treir. She smiles back a perfectly polite F-you-to-death smile.

QUARK
Broik, Grimp, you’re out on the
floor taking orders. Frool, Penk,
you’re behind the bar making the
orders they bring back.
(reluctant)
Treir, you’re in charge of the bar.
(back to firm)
M’Pella, Rutia, Kespy. You work
that dabo wheel like you’ve never
worked it before. Whatever you
gotta do to keep’em gambling
and drinking, you do it.
(shudder)
Pif, you’re on door duty. Give
them your biggest smile, your
friendliest spiel. It’s all about
foot fall, people. Get’em in,
get’em drunk, get’em happy...
And get their money.

TIFF (o.s.)
Hi!

Quark looks down in surprise and sees that TIFF, the puppy who follows him everywhere, is right there at his feet. Gazing up eagerly, tiny tail thumping away. Quark stifles another shudder. He looks across to Pif, whose face seems to be saying “Pleeeeeease....” Quark sighs dramatically.

QUARK
Fine. Tiff, you can work the crowd
and just...
(wince)
...be adorable. But if you get
trodden on it’s your problem.

TREIR
And this is in return for...?

Quark gives Treir another dirty look. She’s on thin ice.

QUARK
For... pocket money.

Tiff yips excitedly. Pif grins proudly.

TREIR
And what will you be doing?

QUARK
(proudly)
I... am the host. Alright. We’ve
got two hours left till the big
event. So get moving.
(claps to emphasise)
Clean! Serve! Schmooze! Go!

The staff disperse to their tasks. As Quark turns back to the bar, he sees that Ro has been there watching. They’re still a bit hesitant with each other. Quark moves behind the bar, a safety barrier. But he still talks to her.

RO
That was very generous of you, Quark.

QUARK
No it wasn’t.

RO
Letting Tiff work for you? Giving
Hetik and the others the day off?

QUARK
All valid business decisions.

RO
Mmm-hmm. Yep. Sure. You know,
Quark... you have a bigger heart
that you like to admit to. Bigger
even than your prodigious lobes.
You shouldn’t be ashamed of it.

Quark looks at her with a shy smile.

RO
You see? You don’t even deny it
anymore. That’s why you did what
you did. You cared about people
more than profit. I get that.

QUARK
And you really ought to be the
Presider for the ceremony.

RO
(awkward)
How do you know about that?

QUARK
You told me to talk to Cenn,
right? So I talked. And I think
you should do it.

RO
But it doesn’t feel right. It
doesn’t feel like me.

QUARK
(exasperated)
You work so hard at being unhappy.
Life goes a lot easier if you just
relax. You came home, Laren. You
shouldn’t be ashamed of it.

Ro smiles shyly back at him.

RO
But what would I wear?

If that’s her only problem, then the decision is made. Quark grins.

16 INT. DS9 – SECURITY OFFICE

Cenn and Evik stand together in the office, going over plans for the event on the wall screens and multiple padds.

CENN
Alright, so we’ve got security
stationed at all sensitive points,
including the shrine, the assay
office and the Infirmary. Is there
anything we’ve missed?

EVIK
I’m certain not.

CENN
It’s just important that this all
works smoothly. Enough has gone
wrong lately, and the Gratitude
Festival is all about peace and
happiness. We really need to -

EVIK
Major... it’s not my first Gratitude
Festival.

CENN
Right. Of course. I’m sorry, I’m
doing it again, aren’t I?

EVIK
(smile)
Yes. But it’s understandable. It
is our first time organising our
own Gratitude Festival.

CENN
(nervous)
Actually, speaking of the shrine,
I was thinking of going there
right after this meeting. Squeeze
in a quick prayer. Probably won’t
have time later. Would you...
like to join me?

EVIK
I would love to join you, Major.

CENN
Okay, good.

They place down their padds, and turn to head out.

EVIK
I’m certain we’ve got nothing to
worry about. Our officers are all
well-trained and reliable. And
besides, I trust everyone on Bajor
and this station to enjoy the day’s
festivities in the spirit in which
they were intended.

CUT TO:

17 INT. B’HALA CAVES – BANTACA CHAMBER

On Raiq, as she stands alone, casting her eye warily and suspiciously over the happy Bajorans below...

FADE OUT:

END OF ACT TWO