ACT TWO

FADE IN:

19 EXT. BAJOR SURFACE - DAY

A pleasant open field area, like a village green. A group of CHILDREN of various ages and races play together in one section - tag, hopscotch, typical children’s activities. Among these is REBECCA SISKO (now 4 years old).

Elsewhere on the green are more temporary shelters in the standard Starfleet style. In front of these is a row of refugees lining up for food and supplies from volunteers.

Last in the row of volunteers is KASIDY YATES, with her friend JASMINE TEY standing nearby. Kasidy hands a package of toiletries to each person, while Jasmine never takes her eyes off the group of playing children - that is her job.

JASMINE
One good thing about all this -
the children can play together. 

KASIDY
Silver linings, I guess. I just wish
I could do more. 

JASMINE
Kas, you’ve been off shuttling
supplies for the last two weeks.
On your one day off, you’re out
here helping. You’re doing fine. 

KASIDY
I’m also sleeping in my own bed,
surrounded by four solid walls,
and not relying on the kindness of
strangers for soap and toothpaste. 

JASMINE
Would you rather have strangers
traipsing through your house? I
don’t think Ben would be happy
about that. 

KASIDY
I have no idea what Ben wants, do
I? All I’ve had is one brief text
message. I’ve heard more from Nog
than I have my own husband.

JASMINE
You can’t blame him for that,
Kasidy. At least you know he’s
alive. That’s more than some
of these folks know.

There is a CRY from the children - Jasmine instantly dashes from Kasidy’s side towards little Rebecca as Kasidy watches with worry from afar. Let the official bodyguard handle it. 

Two of the other children are fighting over a toy, but as Jasmine sees, Rebecca is already trying to calm them down.

REBECCA
Stop fighting! There are enough
toys for everyone. 

Having paused half way, Jasmine smiles to see this, and returns to Kasidy’s side. 

JASMINE
It seems Miss Rebecca has the
situation under control. 

KASIDY
She’s got a good heart. 
(beat)
I just wish her father was home. 

And she goes back to handing out supplies... 

20 EXT. SPACE - ANDOR ORBIT

The Venture, still in orbit of the Andorian homeworld.

21 INT. VENTURE - SICKBAY

A Galaxy-class sickbay, as seen in TNG. Cpt ELIAS VAUGHN lies entirely unconscious on a biobed, its readings stable but low. The old man is on life support, and little else. 

Cmdr Rogeiro sits by his side, holding a padd but not doing much with it, just thinking.

The sickbay door opens and two figures enter, both Andorian civilians. One is THANTIS, Thriss’s mother (last seen 9x09 “Paradigm”), and the other is ZHERATH, a chan we have not met before. Rogeiro stands to greet them as they approach. 

THANTIS
You are Commander Rogeiro?

ROGEIRO
I am, thank you both for coming.
You are Delegate Sessethantis?

THANTIS
(bows head)
Of the Visionist Party, and zha of
the clan Cheen, at your service.

ZHERATH
And I am Zherathrizar ch’Fosse. I
hope we are not interrupting...?

ROGEIRO
Oh... no. Captain Vaughn was...
is my commanding officer. But I’m
afraid there’s nothing to be done
for him. I was just trying to
compose a letter to his daughter.

THANTIS
Starfleet bore great losses in the
recent conflict. I would like to
express the deepest condolences,
as well as the profound gratitude,
of the Parliament Andoria.

ROGEIRO
We are here to serve, Delegate.
But I actually asked you to come
here for another reason... 

Off their trepidation...

22 INT. VENTURE - SHAR’S QUARTERS

Shar sits in a slightly different outfit and in a slightly different position, but nothing else has changed. He is as blank and empty as before, and the padd still sits on the low table in front of him. 

At the door, Thantis and Zherath stand hesitantly. Rogeiro allows the door to close in his face, leaving the Andorians alone together. Thantis is the first to approach, cautious. 

THANTIS
Thirishar. It is good to see you. 

Shar does not react, so Zherath gives it a shot. 

ZHERATH
Your commander Rogeiro told us the
news. We are so sorry, Thirishar.

THANTIS
We came to help, if we can.

Still no response, so Zherath crouches down to Shar’s level and takes his limp, unresponsive hands from his lap. 

ZHERATH
I know the loss is unbearable. We
feel it too. But we would like to
help. Will you not speak to us? 

Shar’s eyes finally move - taking in first Thantis, then Zherath, before looking away again.

SHAR
(blank)
I don’t know you.

Zherath looks to Thantis, worried. Is Shar so damaged that he doesn’t recognise his own father?

ZHERATH
(gently)
My poor chei... I am Zherathrizar.
I am your charan.

SHAR
(tiny sneer)
I know who you are. But I don’t
know you. You left zhavey and our
family years ago. And I have no
use for you now. Get out.

THANTIS
Thirishar, please...

SHAR
Get. Out. 

Shar’s eyes shine with hatred, burning the other two to ashes where they stand, and he snatches his hands away. 

Zherath steps back in defeat, and with a wince of sympathy, allows Thantis to guide him back out of the room. Shar has already gone back to staring aimlessly into the distance. 

23 INT. DS9 - MAIN OPS CENTRE

Cenn remains at his central Ops table, controlling the shuttle traffic. He hits his comm... 

CENN
This is Deep Space Nine control
to the Tikopai. You are cleared to
depart, please continue to follow
your prescribed flight plan out of
the Bajor system. 

VOICE (comm)
Acknowledged, Deep Space Nine.
Disengaging now. 

24 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE

Tenmei watches her display on the main viewer - it shows another ship disengaging from the station (from a different docking port than the earlier departure) and slowly inching towards the open passage that she is guarding. All is well. 

BEEP BEEP BEEP. Tenmei checks her panels, then urgently refocuses the display, until it reveals... 

...another vessel moving out of its assigned place in the queue without leave to do so. Tenmei slaps the comm system. 

TENMEI
(professional)
Defiant to Laweya, please remain
in formation until given leave to
proceed. Acknowledge, please. 

SKIPPER (comm)
Negative, Defiant. I’ve been in
formation for more than eighteen
hours. That’s an open docking port
up there, so I’m taking it. 

TENMEI
(firmer)
Remain in formation, Laweya. You
are endangering your passengers.

SKIPPER (comm)
I’m trying to help my passengers.
Laweya out.

TENMEI
(working panels)
Defiant to Laweya. Defiant to
Laweya. Please respond. 
(no response)
Damn it. Defiant to DS-Nine Ops.
You seeing this, Major? 

25 INT. DS9 - MAIN OPS CENTRE

Cenn at the entry Ops table... 

CENN
I see them, Lieutenant. DS-Nine to
Laweya, you are ordered to stop
your approach. Please comply.

CANDLEWOOD
(off panels)
They’re not complying... 

CENN
DS-Nine to Tikopai. Please cut your
engines immediately. 

VOICE (comm)
This is Tikopai. I thought you said
we were cleared to depart?

CENN
You were, Tikopai, but someone else
is trying to jump the queue, and
they’re in your path. I need you
to cut your engines now. 

VOICE (comm)
Alright, complying, DS-Nine. 

26 EXT. SPACE

The freighter Tikopai is doing as instructed, its engines shutting down as it glides down the narrow passage between its waiting fellows, with DS9 itself in the background. 

But from another angle, we now see a second ship, Laweya, moving towards it down the same corridor. There is nowhere for either ship to go, except right towards each other. 

27 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE

The GRAPHIC on the main viewer shows this, and Tenmei is not happy. She quickly calculates on her panels... 

TENMEI
Oh hell. Major, it’s not going to be
enough. The Tikopai’s momentum
won’t dissipate in time, and the
Laweya is accelerating. 

ALECO
He doesn’t think he can squeeze t
hrough the gap, does he? 

TENMEI
Looks like it. Can you get a tractor
on him?

ALECO
Not with all these other ships in
the way. 

TENMEI
Well, somebody better do something
soon, or those ships are going to
collide, and we’ll have a lot of
dead refugees on our hands. 

28 EXT. SPACE

As the Tikopai and the Laweya continue inexorably towards each other...

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO