ACT THREE

FADE IN

21 INT. DS9 - SHRINE

Kira stands framed by the oval archway of the shrine apse, wearing a humble but beautiful version of her monk’s robes. She smiles beneficently, filled with joy at the occasion. Candles adorn the walls, the room is packed with guests. 

Starfleet officers stand in pure dress whites - EVIK, NOG, TENMEI and Candlewood. Bajoran Militia officers in their own lilac dress uniforms - Major CENN and Doctor AYLAM. Civilians, Bajorans and otherwise, in their Sunday best. 

Clerics enter the room carrying twinkling chimes, swinging incense burners. The crowd makes a passage to allow these to move down the middle of the room towards Kira. Once there they move to each side, along the front wall. 

A GONG sounds, and the crowd hushes in anticipation. 

After a moment, Commander RO steps into the entry wearing her dress whites, guiding Sergeant ETANA by the arm. The Bajoran bride is wearing stunning golden robes, with an elaborate earring draping gracefully over her shoulder. 

Both beaming with smiles, they walk down the centre of the room, everyone’s eyes following their progress. Once at the front, they stand to Kira’s right. 

The GONG sounds again, and everyone’s eyes turn... 

Doctor BASHIR steps in, also in dress whites, nurse RICHTER on his arm. The human bride also wears Bajoran robes in a complementary shade of gold, and an elaborate earring. This pairing moves through the crowd, ending up at Kira’s left. 

The GONG sounds a third time, and all the Bajoran guests kneel silently onto cushions on the deck. The non-Bajoran guests follow their lead. Kira smiles to Ro and Bashir...

KIRA
Thank you both. 

Taking their cue, Ro and Bashir let go of their charges’ arms and step back, joining the crowd on their knees. Etana and Richter now stand alone, facing each other across Kira.

KIRA
Thank you all for joining us on
this blessed occasion. Nothing so
pleases the Prophets as to see two
of their children share the love
that is at the core of every pagh,
and pledge to walk the same path. 
(beat)
This is most true in the darkest
of times - because the light that
Etana Kol and Kristen Richter
bring to each other’s lives, and
to the lives of everyone gathered
here to witness it, banishes that
darkness as surely as the light
of the Prophets themselves.
(beat)
Who bears the dais? 

The kneeling crowd looks around, and three PUPPIES enter. These are the three girl puppies - FETT, KETT and WETT. Each of them wears a load-bearing harness, and they move in formation, because balanced across the three harnesses is a DAIS, and on the dais is a BOWL of water. Fett looks behind her, seeing her mother SETT encouraging them on. 

As the group moves cautiously down the line, the crowd AWWWs. They reach the front, and Etana and Richter both crouch down, picking up the bowl of water between them. That done, the puppy-amalgam scuttles off to stand by Ro. Tenmei whispers to Nog... 

TENMEI
Nice work on the dais rig-up. 

NOG
Considering I only had about two
hours, and I nearly lost my lunch
a couple of times attaching it to
them, I’m quite proud of it. 

As Etana and Richter both hold the bowl (revealing that they are now both wearing pledge bracelets) and gaze at each other across it, Kira speaks... 

KIRA
Boray pree hadokee. Tolata impara
boresh. Preeya Kristen, preeya Kol,
abrem varo atel. 
(beat)
For the non-Bajorans among us,
that means... May you drink from
the Tears of the Prophets, binding
Kristen and Kol, so that you walk
this path together, forever. 

Without either letting go of the bowl, first Etana and then Richter both sip from it. Then they gently lower it to the deck. Then holding left hands, they simultaneously reach up with their right and gently grasp the other’s left ear.

KIRA
Your pagh is one. You are joined
in the eyes of the Prophets, and
so in the eyes of everyone here. 
(smirk)
You may both kiss the bride. 

Etana and Richter lean in to KISS, and the room explodes in CHEERS and APPLAUSE. Kira beams with happiness. Eventually the brides separate with wide grins, and turn to the crowd. 

ETANA
Thanks so much, everyone. It
means a lot to us both that you
would all be here with us.

RICHTER
Yes... thank you all. 

KIRA
Congratulations to you both.
But... there’s one last thing. 

This is a surprise to both brides. Kira steps aside, and we see that hidden behind her all this time...

...is an ORB BOX. Etana and Richter had been so focused on each other that they hadn’t even noticed it. The crowd hushes as Kira walks behind the Box. 

KIRA
By special permission of the Kai
herself... 
(Etana’s 
jaw drops)
...and with the help of DS-Nine’s
commander and chief of security... 
(Kira nods thanks 
to Ro and Evik)
...I have brought the Orb of
Destiny, so that the brides may
begin their journey secure in the
knowledge of all the joy to come. 

Etana is overwhelmed. The chance for an Orb Experience is something an ordinary everyday Bajoran like her dreams of but never believes will actually happen.

On the other hand, Richter is hesitant. She doesn’t want to make a scene or seem ungrateful, but she has questions. 

Etana sees the look on her now-wife’s face, and pulls her in close, touching foreheads so that the crowd might think they are whispering sweet romantic nothings. 

ETANA
(whisper)
What is it? What’s wrong? 

RICHTER
Do we really want to know the
future? I mean, what if...?

ETANA
Don’t worry. The Prophets will
take care of us. We’re on their
path now. 

RICHTER
But... in front of everyone?

ETANA
It’s with the blessings of the
Kai. I think we kind of have to. 

After a moment’s thought, Kristen nods subtly, still unsure but willing to go through with it. They step apart, turn back to Kira, and KNEEL before the Orb Box. 

Kira reverently OPENS the box, revealing the slowly turning hourglass shape within, glowing with its ethereal light. As Etana and Richter hold hands and gaze into the Orb, the ENERGY SWIRLS out of the box, filling the room and... 

WHITE OUT

Then PULL BACK from the bright light to reveal... 

22 DISCO BALL

Spinning in the air, lights and colours glinting off it as fun and light-hearted MUSIC plays. 

Continue to PULL BACK...

23 INT. DS9 - QUARK’S BAR

The mirrored disco ball lights Quark’s Bar, which is now half classy wedding reception hall and half nightclub. The streamers and flowers gleam in the reflected light. 

PANNING DOWN to the main floor, where Etana and Richter dance together, happy and relaxed. Around them, the wedding guests and others all dance as well, in pairs or in groups. 

Around the edges and on the balconies, small candles light every table, where more partiers sit with drinks and food. 

Back on the dance floor, Candlewood is teaching Prynn and Nog how to do the STATUS QUO SHOULDER DANCE (google it), and they are all laughing and having a great time. 

As the MUSIC changes to a new song, Candlewood leaves his friends to continue dancing on their own, and makes his way across the floor to the DABO TABLE. Hetik is busy guiding the game, but smiles wide at his boyfriend’s arrival. 

HETIK
That’s two down for the lady in
the blue, and a risky five over
for the gentleman from Relliketh.
Here we go, eyes down...

Hetik SPINS the wheel and THROWS the jack with a flourish. Everyone watches spellbound as the wheel spins and spins...

HETIK
Dabo! 

Everyone CHEERS - the lady in blue has won. Even the man from Relliketh can’t feel too bad - he is having fun too. Hetik hands over some modest winnings to the woman. 

HETIK
Congratulations! Make sure to
celebrate with a drink from the
bar. Dealer takes a break, but
don’t go far - I’ll be back in
just a few minutes. 

The crowd around the table moves away. Hetik turns to Candlewood with a grin, and takes him into his arms. 

HETIK
You look amazing in that uniform. 

CANDLEWOOD
Me? It’s you they can’t take their
eyes off. And I can see why.
(kiss)
I love watching you work. It’s
like you have this magical hold
over them. 

As John gazes up into Hetik’s eyes, it’s clear that he feels the same way.

Across the room, Ro leans against the bar, flanked on one side by Quark and on the other by Kira. All three observe the happy dancing crowd - especially Etana and Richter at the centre of the floor.

RO
They seem happy. 

QUARK
I should hope so. 

RO
What I mean is, whatever they
saw in that Orb vision, it can’t
have put them off too much. 

QUARK
You think that’s good news for
the rest of us? 

KIRA
We can’t ask. Orb experiences
are private. Even a prylar doesn’t
have the right to intrude.

RO
But you wish you could? 

KIRA
(evasive)
They’re happy. That’s all that
matters. 

Ro’s combadge CHIRPS. 

ALECO (comm)
Ops to Commander Ro. 

RO
(taps to receive)
Stand by, Ensign. 
(to Quark and Kira)
If you’ll excuse me. 

Ro leaves them to find a quiet corner where she can talk freely and without having to shout over the music. Once she has, she TAPS her combadge again. 

RO
Right, sorry about that, Vel.
What’s up? 

ALECO (comm)
Sorry to interrupt, Commander.
I just thought you might want to
know, we got the latest report
from Starfleet Command. 

Ro’s face drops - what horrors is she about to hear? 

Back out on the dance floor, Etana and Richter still have pride of place in the centre as the MUSIC plays. 

ETANA
You okay? 

RICHTER
Very, very okay. You? 

In answer, Etana grabs her new wife by the waist and SPINS them both around. The couple SWIRLS ecstatically beneath the dappled lights of the mirror ball, and Richter THROWS her head back, letting her long blonde hair fly free. Around them, the crowd WHOOPS with delight. Nog and Prynn punch the air in joy. Arms around each other, John and Hetik CHEER at the sight. From the bar, Quark and Kira grin wide to see the display. 

Among all this, Ro returns from her quiet corner and stands between Quark and Kira again. She is clearly putting a brave face on it, for the sake of the party. 

QUARK
Everything alright? 

RO
Fine. Just a standard station
status update. Ensign Aleco’s
running Ops by himself, I think
he’s a bit nervous. Nothing to
worry about. 

KIRA
You sure? 

RO
Absolutely. 
(re crowd)
They’re happy. That’s all that
matters. 

Ro feels guilty about lying to them, but she can’t allow what is going on out there to spoil this happy occasion. 

Kira can very easily guess what Ro is not telling them, but she knows the responsibilities of command, and empathises. 

Quark knows that Ro is lying to them both, and feels sorry for Ro having to carry this. He wishes he could help more. 

Etana and Richter bring their spiralling to a stop with a delighted laugh, all worries and sorrows forgotten.

Ro watches all of this, forcing her face to keep a happy smile that she does not feel inside...

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE