ACT THREE

FADE IN: 

29 EXT. SPACE

Picking up where we left, as the two passenger ships head towards each other down the narrow corridor made of other waiting ships, on their way to a devastating collision...

30 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE

The GRAPHIC shows them getting closer, Tenmei getting less and less happy about it...

TENMEI
Okay, screw this. Everyone, hold
on to your seats. Aleco, be ready
with those tractors. 

She quickly works her panels... 

31 EXT. SPACE

The Defiant fires thrusters... and SHOOTS up vertically on its Z-axis, lifting out of the plane upon which most of the ships are lined up. The G-forces on it must be enormous.

As it rises, the ship quickly TWISTS to give it the perfect angle of attack. Two TRACTOR BEAMS leap out, one from the fore of the Defiant and one from the aft...

...and snatch the Laweya also fore and aft, using its own momentum to SWING it upwards and over the Tikopai...

CLOSE-UP

...as the higher ship skims the lower with barely inches of space between them...

BACK TO SCENE

...and up on out of the parking plane, squeezing through the narrow spaces between the parked ships. 

32 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE

Tenmei grits her teeth as the ship whines around her...

ALECO
Tractors are exceeding rated
tolerances, Lieutenant... 

TENMEI
Just a second longer...

A power conduit BURSTS into sparks behind her. She doesn’t let it deter her... 

33 EXT. SPACE

The Defiant finally hauls the Laweya into at least somewhat open space, and both ships stabilise.

34 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE

An alert from the computer... 

ALECO
Incoming hail from the Laweya. 

TENMEI
I’m shocked. Keep those tractors
working, Aleco, I don’t want him
going anywhere. 
(taps control)
Laweya, this is Defiant. How can
we help you?

SKIPPER (comm)
What the hell do you think you’re
doing? How dare you manhandle
my ship! I demand - 

TENMEI
I’m just going to stop you there,
Laweya, because you’re really in
no position to demand anything.
I just prevented you from causing
a collision that would have killed
all your passengers.

SKIPPER (comm)
You’re exaggerating, Defiant. We
would have been fine. I was just
trying to get my passengers onto
the station so they can receive
the attention they need. 

TENMEI
That’s an admirable goal, Laweya,
but your execution was a little off.
Now, we’re going to hold you here
until we figure out what to do with
you. But please be assured we will
not punish your passengers for
your mistake. Defiant out.
(taps control)
Defiant to DS-Nine. You been
following the fun? 

25 INT. DS9 - MAIN OPS CENTRE

Cenn is relieved at the crisis averted... 

CENN
That’s affirmative, Lieutenant.
Well done, by the way, that was
quick work. I’ve advised Tikopai
to proceed, which means docking
port four is now available. I’ll
bring the Shavest in.

TENMEI (comm)
Major, my actions may well have
injured some of the Laweya’s
passengers - I gave them a pretty
rough ride. It’s possible they
might need medical attention.

CENN
Understood, but everyone in that
line out there has been patiently
waiting their turn. I don’t want
to reward bad behaviour.

CANDLEWOOD
Major, the Shavest is a Geneva-
class, it’s pretty advanced and
luxurious, as these things go. I
doubt their passengers are in any
danger. Maybe they’d be willing to
slip back a couple of places in the
list, to where the Laweya was?

CENN
It’s worth asking, I suppose.
Standby, Defiant. 

TENMEI (comm)
Standing by, sir. But if I can
suggest, you might want to have
Commander Evik standing by as
well. I don’t think the Laweya’s
skipper is very happy.

CENN
I’ll see to it. Thanks, Prynn. 

26 INT. DS9 - CARGO BAY

The temporary accommodations in the cargo bay. Nog CLUNKS the cover back into place on the replicator bank, and steps back. He scans the array with his tricorder, presses a button and watches as the unit HUMS back to life. 

BASHIR (o.s.)
That sounds like progress, Nog. 

Nog turns and sees Bashir entering, carrying a portable med kit and gently guiding along REFUGEE 2 from the top of the episode. They look nervous and frightened. 

NOG
For now. Still a lot of strain on
the system, though. The station’s
power distribution hasn’t worked
this hard since the war.

BASHIR
I have every confidence in you,
Lieutenant. 
(to refugee)
Okay, I checked the records, and
your friend was brought here.
You’ll be safe, I promise. 

Nodding, Refugee 2 moves into the room searching for their counterpart. Nog and Bashir watch them with an encouraging smile, wishing there was more they could do. 

Soon enough, Refugee 1 appears in the opening of one of the booths, sees their partner, and the two rush towards each other and into a powerful hug of desperate relief. 

Nog sees this, and looks away, swallowing his own feelings. 

Bashir sees Nog’s reaction, probes gently. 

BASHIR
Everything alright, Nog?

NOG
(packing toolkit)
Can’t stand around here all day.
Always something to be fixed.

BASHIR
Yes, I need to get over to docking
port four myself, Major Cenn said
my services might be required. 

NOG
(polite nod)
Doctor. 

Nog walks out, carrying his toolkit. Bashir watches him go, worried for him. Then he hefts his own medkit and heads out himself, turning the other way out of the cargo bay. 

27 INT. DS9 - SECURITY CELLS

Lt Cmdr Evik stands by as two security guide the Laweya’s SKIPPER, an otherwise professional and normal-looking non-Starfleet human male. The skipper is not happy about this. 

SKIPPER
This is ridiculous! 

As the security guards leave and Evik activates the force-field over the cell, we see that he is not the only one in here - two other males are already occupying the cell. 

The other cells are in the same state, a small handful of offenders in each of them. 

EVIK
Not at all, sir. You failed to
follow the instructions of the
station’s officers. Penalties for
such infractions are only to be
expected. Good day to you, sir. 

Evik turns to leave, but the Skipper calls after him...

SKIPPER
Don’t you have bigger things to
worry about than persecuting
transport captains? 

EVIK
(turns back, cold)
Yes sir, I have. I have a station
normally occupied by around eight
thousand individuals but currently
supporting twice as many, most of
them having lost everything they
ever owned as they ran for their
lives, and now in such states of
trauma they may never recover.
So I really don’t have the time
for a transport captain who thinks
he’s free to risk even more pain to
those whom he pledged to help
simply because he’s a “maverick”
who doesn’t follow the rules. You
will remain in this cell until you
learn that this is no time for
selfishness. And if that sounds
like a parent scolding a child,
consider why it sounds that way. 

Evik turns and leaves for real this time, while the skipper sits and stews on the cell’s couch, shamed in public. 

28 INT. DS9 - QUARK’S BAR

The bar remains as busy as before, but the atmosphere is downcast, not at all jovial. Evik has just explained why. 

QUARK is at the bar, serving quickly and quietly. He catches sight of NOG entering, and beckons him over. Nog squeezes through the crowd to join Quark behind the bar. 

QUARK
Nog! Over here!

NOG
Don’t tell me, your replicators
are down again.

QUARK
I asked it for Lorillian tepsima
cakes, it gave me Denebian slime
steaks. They weren’t even cooked. 

NOG
(getting to work)
Maybe you were mumbling.

QUARK
My elocution is perfect. 

While working, Nog has spotted a pile of Ferengi padds thrown a bit haphazardly under the edge of the counter. 

NOG
What are these? Unpaid bills? 

QUARK
These people have no money, Nog. 

NOG
And you’re still serving them?

QUARK
They’ll remember who helped them
when they needed it. Besides, I’ll
cover it as a diplomatic expense. 

NOG
Ah. Rule one-forty-four - “There’s
nothing wrong with charity as long
as it ends up in your pocket”.

QUARK
Good to see Starfleet didn’t beat
all the Ferengi out of you. 

Nog shakes his head in amusement - he knows Quark is being nice actually, he just doesn’t want anyone to know that.

EVIK (o.s.)
Ambassador! Lieutenant! 

They turn to see Evik calling to them from the door. 

EVIK
I’m glad I caught you together.
A message just came through
for you both. The signal is using
diplomatic credentials...

NOG
Father...?

Nog and Quark share a look, thinking it can only possibly be bad news. Nog packs up his tools again, Quark flaps a bit then hands his latest order off to another bartender, and they head off to join Evik. 

29 INT. DS9 - SECURITY OFFICE

Evik leads Quark and Nog into the security office, but stands back and directs them towards the wall screens. 

EVIK
Take however long you need. 

NOG
Thanks, Commander. 

Hesitantly, Nog works the controls, and one of the screens comes to life with a scratchy, incomplete image. Nog works to get a clearer signal, until... 

The screen eventually reveals MAIHAR’DU, the Grand Nagus’s silent Hupyrian manservant, piloting a Ferengi shuttle. Nog and Quark are rather surprised and confused by this.

QUARK
Maihar’du?! What do you want? 

The poor put-upon giant alien looks mutely into the camera, unable to reply. Quark rolls his eyes. 

QUARK
Honestly, what is the point of
putting someone who’s never
allowed to speak as your main
point of communication? 

ISHKA (o.s.)
Quark! Be nice to Maihar’du! 

Quark’s big and blowsy mother ISHKA bustles up, pushing Maihar’du aside to take over the screen. Maihar’du gets lost in the sheer mass of her enormous, tasteless dress.

ISHKA (screen)
I asked him to keep trying while
I was in the bathroom. You’d think
being the Nagus’s mother would let
me jump the comm queue, but no - 

QUARK
Moogie! You’re alive! 

ISHKA (screen)
Of course I’m alive, what kind of
nonsense is that?

NOG
But Risa... the Borg...

ISHKA (screen)
(serious)
Yes... we got away just in time,
thanks to Maihar’du here. A lot of
others weren’t so lucky. It was a
horrible thing. So... wasteful. 

NOG
And when you say “we”...

ISHKA (screen)
Yes Nog, your mother is fine too.
She’s just sleeping in the back. 

Nog slumps, letting out the worries he has been feeling all this time. Ishka continues... 

ISHKA (screen)
We’re heading home to Ferenginar,
let Rom look after us until we
figure out what to do next. 

QUARK
Call us again when you get there.
And tell Rom I need him to sign
off on something for me.
(beat)
It’s good to see you, moogie.

ISHKA (screen)
Good to see you too, son. 

With a warm smile, Ishka signs off, and the signal drops. Quark and Nog look at each other again... and then throw themselves into a happy, congratulatory hug. 

NOG
Yes! They’re alive! 

Quark is not the type to say he loves his mommy, but even he can’t help the huge flood of relief as he hugs Nog back. 

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE