ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
26 EXT. SPACE - ANDOR ORBIT
The Venture, still in orbit of the Andorian homeworld.
27 INT. VENTURE - GUEST QUARTERS
Just a space to talk without being overheard. Thantis and Zherath sit talking to Rogeiro, who is ever more stressed.
ROGEIRO
I’m sorry, I thought family would
be able to get through to him.
ZHERATH
His family died, Commander. He is
simply overwhelmed by it all. And
Thirishar was always a stubborn
child. You are not to blame.
ROGEIRO
Maybe not, but I am responsible
for him. He’s my science officer.
But I’ve been too busy to spend
any proper time with him, and
Captain Sisko...
(...is no help)
All the counsellors say you have
to let grief take its time, you
can’t force it. But this is so
much, and I’m afraid if I leave
him alone much longer...
THANTIS
...He will hurt himself.
(Rogeiro nods)
Thirishar and I have often been
at odds. But I have no desire to
see him dead by his own hand.
No parent should have to live
through their own child’s death.
Thantis is clearly haunted by memories of Thriss.
ROGEIRO
Is there any way to break through?
THANTIS
I believe there is. But it will not
be easy for him.
Off their trepidation...
28 INT. VENTURE - SHAR’S QUARTERS
The door opens and Thantis and Zherath enter. Shar remains unmoving, but Thantis refuses to walk on eggshells here.
THANTIS
Your charan and I have returned,
Thirishar. You may not be the most
gracious of hosts, but it would be
unwise to leave you in such a time
as this. You need not speak.
Thantis leans down and snatches up the padd that has been sitting in front of Shar all this time. Shar’s eyes flick towards it defensively - he does not want anyone else touching it, but he also doesn’t want to break his cocoon.
THANTIS
Come, Zherathrizar. Shall we eat?
Feigning disinterest, Thantis heads to the replicator and generates some food. Zherath is less certain about this path, but follows Thantis’s lead and grabs mats (only two) to create a dining circle in the middle of the floor.
Thantis returns with the food, lays it out on the mats, and she and Zherath nonchalantly sit and begin to eat, making idle conversation as if Shar is not there hearing it all.
THANTIS
I heard of Charivretha’s passing.
Andor is saddened by her loss.
ZHERATH
Andor? Not you, Sessethantis?
THANTIS
I made no secret of my disapproval
of Shathrissia’s relationship with
your chei, or of Charivretha’s
choices as a parent. But I held
great respect for her as a rival.
Shar tries to resist reacting, wanting to remain distant. But how dare Thantis talk about his zhavey that way?
ZHERATH
She was more than your rival, zha.
She was a passionate servant of
our people. She sacrificed her
life to comfort them in their last
moments. Unlike some, who fled
with the rest of the Parliament.
THANTIS
(shrug)
Government must have continuity
in a time of crisis.
(mouthful)
I note however that you were also
elsewhere when the Borg came. But
then you had already demonstrated
your lack of commitment to family.
ZHERATH
My separation from Charivretha and
our other bondmates was entirely
amicable, even to Thirishar.
Shar flinches to hear his own name mentioned...
ZHERATH (cont)
It is a common enough event in
bonds whose children are fully
grown, as you well know.
THANTIS
Common in the city, perhaps. But
we all know the city is no more
the real heart of Andor than this
replicated slop is real food.
Now they insult even Starfleet, who fought for their lives? It is getting harder for Shar to rein himself in. Thantis picks up the padd she took from Shar, pretends to read it.
THANTIS
Of course, Charivretha is not the
only one to be lost. I felt as if
Thiarelata were my own grandchild,
despite Shathrissia’s death.
ZHERATH
Do you think I have no feelings,
zha? All my own bondmates, all my
chei’s bondmates, my grandchild
who I had never even met -
THANTIS
And whose fault is that?
ZHERATH
- are dead, yet you feel entitled
to claim grief that is not yours
to claim? Your zhei gave up her
place in my chei’s bond.
Shar fights back the tears as they talk about Thriss...
THANTIS
Indeed she did. And I have faced
my own guilt and responsibility.
It sounds as though you have not.
ZHERATH
As heartless as Charivretha ever
said you were. My child has lost
his bondmates, his parents, his
own child, his mentor, even his
captain. What have you lost?
THANTIS
You think I have not suffered?
SHAR
(quiet, background)
Stop it.
Thantis reaches up with her left hand, and begins to pop a series of clasps around her right shoulder.
THANTIS
You think I have not felt pain?
SHAR
Stop it.
All the clasps undone, Thantis grasps the elbow firmly and WRENCHES the entire arm off her body. She brandishes the bio-synthetic replacement in her left hand, the straps that fixed it to her body flapping loose in the air.
THANTIS
Shathrissia saved my life by taking
my arm. But I was unable to save
her life in return, and now my zhei
is like this arm - only a memory,
never to truly feel again. Is that
enough pain for you?
SHAR
Enough!
Shar stands sharply and FLIPS the coffee table across the room, the bowl of cold food on it smashing against a wall.
Thantis and Zherath scramble to their feet - finally, after all their efforts, they have got Shar to react to them. He is seething, almost crazed with rage...
SHAR
You speak of grief... what do you
know of grief? Either of you?
(to Thantis)
You, who disrespected my zhavey
with every breath in your body,
every word from your mouth, and
drove her own child to suicide?
(to Zherath)
And you, who I have not seen in
twelve years, yet now you call
yourself my charan, but where
were you when Charivretha chose
the Whole over her very life?
ZHERATH
Thirishar...
THANTIS
You must not blame your charan
for surviving, Shar. It is Uzaveh’s
will that -
SHAR
Uzaveh? Even after this you hold
to superstition? Your Uzaveh sent
his demons to kill Charivretha.
He killed Shathrissia. He killed
Lata, and Anichent, and Dizhei,
and Thia, and Doctor sh’Veileth,
and millions more of us besides.
So why are you still alive?
(to Zherath)
Why are you? Does Uzaveh love
you more than he loved them?
ZHERATH
We have no answer for that, my
chei. No-one does or ever will.
SHAR
Then why are you here? What good
are you if you cannot explain?
THANTIS
We are here to be sure that you
do not do anything foolish.
SHAR
(bitter laugh)
Foolish?! What is foolish in this
time of pure insanity? Denying
that the universe has marked us
for extinction seems most foolish
to me. Why should any of us live
if our creator hates us so? Why
not finish his work for him?
ZHERATH
Because we must have hope.
SHAR
What is there to hope for? One
alone cannot be Whole, you taught
me that. And yet here you are, the
only survivor of your entire bond.
You will never be Whole again!
The words catch in Shar’s throat, but they cannot be denied now they are out. All his walls crumble, and he collapses in tears to the floor. Zherath and Thantis run to hold him.
SHAR
I would end it all as Shathrissia
did, if only I had the courage.
But even now - even now - those
old teachings that every Andorian
life is too precious to waste have
too great a hold on me. So I will
go on. I will live... if only to see
how pointless living is.
ZHERATH
Oh my chei...
THANTIS
I will go back to Cheen-Thitar
Keep, and I will weave a great
tapestry. Vretha, Thriss, Thia,
Anichent, Dizhei, Lata... they
will all have a place in it. They
were never pointless, Thirishar.
They were loved.
As Shar continues to weep on their shoulders...
FADE OUT
END OF ACT FOUR