ACT TWO

FADE IN

11 INT. CARDASSIAN FREIGHTER - MESS HALL

Quark stands up in guilty shock. Ro steps further into the room likewise. Natima Lang beckons the injured Cardassian he was tending away, so as to leave Quark and Ro alone. As she turns to leave, she sees Aleco hovering there.

NATIMA
Ah. Ensign...?

ALECO
Aleco Vel, ma’am. 

NATIMA
Well, Ensign Aleco - if I remember
my Starfleet uniforms correctly,
you’re in tactical. Perhaps you’d
join me on the bridge and take a
look at our laughable defences? 

Aleco looks to Ro for permission; Ro nods. 

ALECO
Lead the way, ma’am. 

After a last curious glance, Lang, Aleco and the Cardassian leave. Ro and Quark stand awkwardly in the mess hall. 

RO
Quark... 

QUARK
I’m helping, Laren.

RO
I can see that. I can barely
believe it, but I can see it. 

QUARK
(turns away)
Don’t look at me like that.
Like you’re proud of me. 

RO
Shouldn’t I be?

QUARK
Natima asked for my help. She
wanted to make use of my contacts.
I know people who can get things
done and don’t ask questions. 

RO
I realise that.

QUARK
People are starving out here. 

RO
So you used your knowledge of the
shadier side of the street to help
out your ex-girlfriend. I get it. 

QUARK
And I will not apologise for it!

RO
Then why does it sound like you’re
trying to apologise for it?

QUARK
Because it’s... and she’s... 

RO
I’m not mad at you, Quark. I’m
actually quite impressed. You’re
turning into a real - 

QUARK
Don’t say the F word. 

RO
(deliberate taunt)
- Philanthropist. 

Quark scream-moan-growls in disgust at the very thought, and throws himself back into the seat at the debris-strewn table. Ro quietly joins him in the opposite seat. 

RO
What I don’t get it why you just
didn’t tell me. I had no idea you
were even off the station. 

QUARK
It’s not like you tell me every
time you’re heading off somewhere.

Ro gives him a look - come on, you can do better than that. 

QUARK
Fine. I didn’t want you to know
I was doing something illegal. 

RO
For a good cause. 

QUARK
Or that I’d been in contact with
Natima.

RO
Quark, we’re not a couple. I said
from the start that just ‘cause we
have sex occasionally doesn’t mean
we have any claim on each other. 

QUARK
Exactly! I did nothing wrong.

RO
Then why couldn’t you tell me? 

Quark tries to figure out the right answer... and fails. 

QUARK
Nnngggaaahhh! Females! Why do
you have to be so confusing?!

MACET (o.s.)
I hope I’m not interrupting. 

They both turn to see Macet standing in the doorway of the mess hall, clearly interrupting. Ro stands; Quark cowers.

RO
Gul Macet. You’re right on time.

MACET
Naturally. Ambassador Quark - I
did not realise you were on board
the Ashell.
(no answer)
Commander, I would prefer we talk
aboard Trager. I guarantee your
safety, and there is marginally
less chance of being electrocuted
or bisected by a falling girder. 

Ro covers a smirk, and taps her combadge. 

RO
Ro to Defiant - I’m going on board
the Cardassian warship. Please
keep a transporter lock on me. 

BOWERS (comm)
Acknowledged. Defiant out. 

MACET
That was curiously candid.

RO
Why bother hiding it? You probably
already know all the code words.
Now we both know we both know. 
(turns to Quark)
Nog’s in the engine room. 

QUARK
I’ll let him know where you are. 

With a smile of thanks to Quark, Ro goes to stand next to Macet. He taps a control on the wrist of his uniform, and he and Ro disappear in the golden swirls of a transporter. Quark is left alone, pondering everything that happened... 

12 EXT. SPACE

The Ashell and the Defiant - but focusing on the Trager. 

13 INT. CARDASSIAN WARSHIP - BRIDGE

Macet leads Ro onto the bridge of this Cardassian warship. It is of course filled with a dozen CARDASSIAN OFFICERS, who turn almost as one to inspect the new arrival. 

Ro stops in her tracks at the sight of all these FACES silently hating the Bajoran stranger in their midst. It’s not the most comfortable situation. Macet is also aware... 

MACET
Attend your stations. 

Reluctantly, they turn back to their jobs. Macet turns to enter his office - just off the bridge and slightly raised, much like Ro’s own command office on DS9.

14 INT. CARDASSIAN WARSHIP - CAPTAIN’S OFFICE

Ro follows Macet into the office, lets the door close.

RO
I thought Cardassians preferred a
higher ambient temperature than
most other humanoids. That was
downright chilly. 

Macet winces, gestures for Ro to take a seat. 

MACET
This is a difficult situation,
Commander. If I’m to be
perfectly honest with you, I’m
glad you arrived when you did. 

RO
Why’s that? 

MACET
I have no desire to kill these
people. Loyal Cardassian citizens
merely doing what they must to
feed and clothe themselves when
the government to which they
are loyal cannot do it for them. 

RO
I had no idea things were so bad. 

MACET
And that is by design. Cardassian
pride is still what it always was,
Commander... even if there is less
to be proud of than before. But
the Castellan has no more wish to
see these people starve than I. 

RO
So she gives you orders to shoot
them down instead? 

MACET
(weak argument)
Order must be maintained. 

Ro sighs. Macet is no happier about this than any of them. 

RO
We need another way out of this. 

MACET
I am open to suggestions. 

They both sit there, no answers coming to them. 

15 EXT. SPACE

The Trager and the Defiant - but focusing on the Ashell. 

16 INT. CARDASSIAN FREIGHTER - ENGINE ROOM

Nog and Leishman are working around the Cardassian warp core, with the help of the civilian KORAYN. Behind them, Quark enters the room. 

QUARK
Nog! 

Caught by surprise, Nog fumbles the device he was carrying and drops it - he and Leishman then fumble it back and forth until they finally DROP it right onto Nog’s toe. 

NOG
Aagh! Dammit dammit dammit... 
(catches breath)
Uncle Quark...?! What the - 

QUARK
Ro wanted me to tell you she’s
gone over to the Cardassian ship. 

NOG
Okay, great. But what are you even
doing here? 

QUARK
Long story. Have you got this
busted bucket of stembolts
working again yet or not? 

NOG
Not quite. They were hit pretty bad. 

QUARK
Well, hurry up. Natima needs to
get that food to Orias Three.
What’s left of it anyway. 

NATIMA (o.s.)
Let him be, Quark. 

They turn to see Natima entering the room. Quark brightens and immediately goes to her. Nog and Leishman share an amused look - it’s as if they are suddenly invisible.

NATIMA (cont)
You were always far too harsh
on the boy. And his father.

QUARK
It’s called motivation, for all
the good it did me.

NATIMA
(playful needling)
Your only motivation was money. 

QUARK
If you believed that, Natima,
you wouldn’t have called me.

NATIMA
(smile)
No. You always did have a bigger
heart than you wanted to admit to.
It’s nice to see you using it for a
change. Spending time with Laren
must be a good influence on you.

Quark and Natima are completely engaged in their bantering. Meanwhile, unnoticed in the background, a figure steps into the doorway, shrouded in shadow for the moment. 

QUARK
It’s not all Laren - you had quite
the effect on me too. 

NATIMA
Quark, we dated for a month. And
you stole from me.

QUARK
And yet here I am fifteen years
later, at your beck and call.

They grin, warmed with good memories. And as we PAN AROUND them, we notice the figure in the doorway now identified. 

It is RO, and she is watching Quark and Natima together. Their warmth and humour. They haven’t even noticed she is there, but she has noticed what is happening between them. 

NATIMA
Oh, you’ve always been the same.
You’re all “females are the enemy”
and “money is all that matters”,
and then some pretty lady bats
her eyelashes and kicks your ass,
and you fall head over heels. 

Nog and Leishman chuckle - she’s got his number alright. Then Ro CLEARS HER THROAT and steps further into the room. 

NOG
Commander!

Quark is a little caught out - but not as much as Ro might want him to be. After all, Ro did tell him not to worry. Burying her unexpected emotions, Ro gets to business...

RO
I’ve spoken with Gul Macet. He’s
open to negotiation about how we
can resolve this without any more
weapons fire. 

NATIMA
That’s good to know, Commander. 

RO
How are things going in here? 

NATIMA
Better than I have any right to
hope. Your officers have been
nothing but wonderful - as
have certain other people. 

Natima and Quark smile at each other again... 

...and Ro blanches as she sees what is happening in front of her eyes... 

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO