ACT FOUR

FADE IN

23 EXT. SPACE

A Cardassian warship gradually comes to a halt, joining two others that are already there... 

...the three ships creating a circle around the stationary Trager and Ashell. There is no sign of the Defiant. 

24 INT. CARDASSIAN WARSHIP - BRIDGE

Macet sits confidently in his command chair, in control of his domain. His officers work studiously around him. Macet nods to one officer, who works his panels. Macet turns his seat until he is facing... 

...a TRANSPORTER PLATFORM to the side of the bridge, much like the one in DS9 Ops. A transporter signature forms... 

...and deposits the captain of one of the other ships, GUL MOGAD (seen in SCE 2x01 “Home Fires”), an older male. Macet does not stand to greet him, remaining in his command seat. Mogad notices this but chooses not to comment - for now. 

MACET
Gul Mogad. Welcome to the Trager. 

MOGAD
A pleasure to be here, Gul Macet.
Do you require assistance? 

MACET
Not at all. Why do you ask? 

MOGAD
I noticed that your engagement
with this smuggler vessel seemed
to be taking longer than expected.
I was worried for a fellow Gul. 

MACET
I appreciate your concern for my
welfare, Gul Mogad. But the Trager
and her crew are fully capable of
handling this situation alone. 

MOGAD
The Castellan will be glad to hear
it. But then... why the delay? 

With the sigh of one long bothered by an annoyance and glad to be finally rid of it, Macet finally stands from his seat and approaches his opposite number. 

MACET
Starfleet interference, sorry to
say. The Ashell sent a distress
call before we were able to stop
it. A Starfleet vessel responded. 

MOGAD 
Ah. Yes, we noted their presence
as well. I do not see them here
now, however. 

MACET
Once their egos were satisfied, I
sent them on their way. They left
only recently - no doubt you
recorded their warp signature.

MOGAD 
So then the situation is resolved. 

MACET
Yes. The Ashell and its cargo are
impounded, its crew dead, and the
smugglers’ leader in my custody. 

MOGAD 
Why is this leader not also dead? 

MACET
(conspiratorial 
smile) 
It is Ambassador Natima Lang of
the diplomatic order. I assumed
her superiors would enjoy the
opportunity to interrogate her. 

MOGAD
Lang... the dissident? A delicious
catch indeed, Macet. I would very
much like to see this for myself. 

MACET
Not necessary. As you said, the
situation is resolved. 

MOGAD
(cold smile)
I must insist. My report to the
Castellan should be as thorough
as possible, don’t you agree? 

MACET
(silky)
You do not outrank me, Mogad. Your
supervision is not required here. 

MOGAD
(faux helpless)
I have my orders, Macet... 
(subtle threat)
...just as you have yours. 

Macet gripes silently to himself... but he has no choice. 

MACET
Very well. Please follow me. 

Macet turns and heads to the EXIT - Mogad preens himself at his victory, and follows. As they go, the junior officers exchange looks of worry behind their backs. 

25 INT. CARDASSIAN WARSHIP - SECURITY CELLS

Again much like aboard DS9, on assumption they would follow a consistent design. Macet and Mogad both enter, Macet nods to the junior officer on guard, giving permission to leave.

As the junior officer does so, Macet leads Mogad forward to see NATIMA, sat on the small bunk behind the forcefield of one cell, cradling her wounded arm with a new nasty-looking bruise on her face and a look of absolute disgust at Macet.

MACET
(re Natima)
As I said. 

MOGAD
(delighted)
Oh, wonderful. I arrested this
subversive several times myself
back in the old days, you know. 

NATIMA
I remember you too, Mogad. I see
you and Macet are both still the
bloodthirsty tyrants I always
thought you were. 

MOGAD
(about her, 
not to her)
I never did understand Ghemor’s
decision to make her his agent.
Well, regardless, he’s gone now.
And what a joy to see this one
back where she belongs.
You’ve done well, Macet. 

NATIMA
Done well?! He’s allowing those
colonists - loyal Cardassians - to
starve just because the Castellan
is too weak to provide for them. 

Mogad looks at Natima like a specimen on a tray, then turns back to Macet. 

MOGAD
This type always did think words
were somehow stronger than
weapons, didn’t they? 

Mogad turns away as if to leave, shaking his head with bemusement. But then he turns back with a new idea. 

MOGAD
Macet... I wonder if I might make
a request of you.

26 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE

Dark, running lights low - the ship is under CLOAK. 

Ro sits in her own command chair, Quark standing at her side, listening as Mogad’s voice comes over the comm. The rest of the crew likewise keeps silent and listens close. 

MOGAD (comm)
(continuing)
I see you’ve softened her up for
interrogation already. I would
enjoy the chance to do the same.
Old times, you understand. 

Quark is ready to kill someone at this. Ro grips his hand in her own and exchanges a look, keeping him calm. She looks back at the main viewscreen, which shows the Trager and the Ashell surrounded by the three other warships. 

MACET (comm)
I wish I could, Mogad. But I’ve
already promised that pleasure to
my crew. One must keep up morale. 

Ro listens with gritted teeth, no happier than Quark. 

MOGAD (comm)
Ah well. It’s good to know not
everything has changed since
the old days, at least. 

27 INT. CARDASSIAN WARSHIP - SECURITY CELLS

...where Macet and Mogad stand gazing at the battered and bloody Natima in her security cell. 

MOGAD 
(continuing)
Thank you, Macet. I’ll make my
report to the Castellan now... 
(sly smile)
...perhaps with certain details
left out. We’ll expect you back
at Central Command shortly. 

MACET
Once I am certain that business
here is concluded, yes. 
(taps wrist-comm)
Macet to bridge. Gul Mogad is
ready to return to his vessel
- please engage transport.

VOICE (comm)
Yes, Gul. 

The golden swirl of a Cardassian transporter beam takes Mogad away. Natima stands from her cell bunk, but Macet holds up a finger, telling her to wait... 

VOICE (comm)
The other ships have returned on
their course towards Cardassia
Prime, Gul...
(pause)
...and they’ve gone to warp. 

MACET
(relieved)
Thank you, bridge. Macet out. 

Macet heads towards Natima’s cell and hits the control to turn off the forcefield. As she steps over the lip of the cell, Macet taps his wrist-comm again. 

MACET
Macet to Defiant. Are you there? 

28 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE

Ro, Quark and the rest of the crew are likewise relieved. 

RO
We’re here, Macet. We heard
everything.

MACET (comm)
And now you know the kind of
attitudes I’m up against.

RO
Not like it was any big surprise
to me anyway. We can be back
with you in a few minutes...

MACET (comm)
No. 

29 INT. CARDASSIAN WARSHIP - SECURITY CELLS

Macet and Natima... 

MACET 
(continuing)
Leave it a little longer - make sure
Mogad is out of range. Many of
our vessels now have Dominion
sensor technology, remember. They
might detect you even under cloak. 

RO (comm)
Fair enough. How’s Natima? 

NATIMA
I’m fine. Tell Doctor Bashir his
cosmetic work was very convincing. 

30 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE

Quark sighs with blissful relief that Natima is okay. Ro sees it, and is happy for him, but still can’t help feel... 

RO
I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear
that. Defiant out. 

The line drops. Ro turns to Quark with a tense smile. 

RO
You see? Everything’s fine. 

QUARK
Yeah. He just... he sounds so
much like Dukat.

Ro nods and bites her lip - she knows what he means. 

31 EXT. SPACE

Back with the Trager and the Ashell - and a sense of time having passed. 

After a moment, the Defiant UNCLOAKS, its image rippling into view as it pulls up alongside the other two ships. 

32 INT. CARDASSIAN WARSHIP - CAPTAIN’S OFFICE

Macet and Natima are here - the latter with her fake bruise now removed. The door opens, and Ro and Quark enter... 

...and Quark and Natima immediately RUSH to each other’s arms for a big relieved hug. Macet reacts with a Vulcan-esque eyebrow and looks to Ro - whose reaction is equally controlled and emotionless, at least on the outside.

As Quark and Natima let go, Macet gets down to business. 

MACET
Alright. Now that the immediate
problem is solved, we return to
the one that brought us all here.

RO
I’ve already spoken to both the
Ambassadors about that, and
I think we have a plan. 

NATIMA
I’m going to stop smuggling food
to the outer colonies... 
(warm smile)
...and Quark is going to start. 

MACET
Explain. 

RO
Quark was already using his
contacts to help Natima get what
she needed. I’m just suggesting
that he cut out the middle-man. 

QUARK
The people get fed, and Natima’s
not breaking any laws. The kind
of people I know will be only too
happy to break them for her. 

MACET
Forgive me, Ambassadors - but
you’ve already broken the law.
Regardless of the performance we
just gave for Mogad’s benefit, I
cannot return to Central Command
without something to show for it. 

NATIMA
You’ll have me.

RO
I don’t understand. 

NATIMA
I’ll go back to Cardassia Prime as
Gul Macet’s prisoner. It’s already
on record that he arrested me -
if he comes back without me,
Mogad will know he lied.

QUARK
Natima, you can’t - 

NATIMA
I have to, Quark. The only way out
of this that doesn’t involve the
infantry chasing us all down and
killing us, Macet included... is
for me to turn myself in. 

FADE OUT

END OF ACT FOUR