ACT TWO

FADE IN:

9 EST. SISKO’S RESTAURANT - NIGHT

But not so far into the night that the restaurant is not still alight...

10 INT. SISKO’S RESTAURANT - NIGHT

The restaurant is full with customers, all having a great time. At one table set for three sit NOG and JAKE, enjoying dinner and catching up as old friends.

NOG
(eating and talking)
So then the helmswoman - she was
a Klingon, an exchange officer - she
performed an emergency separation
right in the middle of the battle,
and the torpedoes slipped right
between the two halves of the ship.
Couldn’t have been more than ten
metres in it. I don’t know if even
Prynn could have done that.

Jake, who has been enjoying listening to Nog’s tall tales, just smiles and shakes his head.

JAKE
You do realise I’ve only been
following about half of this
story, right?

NOG
Sorry, Jake. I always forget you
flunked all of Missus O’Brien’s
science classes.

JAKE
(mock offended)
I did no such thing!

A moment. Nog looks around...

NOG
It’s the same, but... different. But
at least you’ve got customers.

JAKE
I’m a bit worried it’s all just
nostalgia, though. And once that
wears off, they’ll stop coming.

NOG
You’ve got a good product, Jake.
You just need good marketing.

RENA arrives, a bit harried and rushed. She carries her own filled plate, and she caught the end of the conversation.

RENA
Listen to him, Jake. The man
knows how to sell things.

She pecks Nog on the cheek, then sits and begins to eat.

RENA
Although now I think about it, maybe
you’ve been listening to him too
much already. How come you get
to sit and schmooze the customers
while I do all the hard work?

NOG
Don’t blame me. I’ve been trying
to beat him into shape for years.

JAKE
Great, that’s all I need, you two
ganging up on me.

RENA
So how’ve you been, Nog? Jake
told me you took a transfer?

NOG
For a couple of months, yeah. That
assignment’s over now though. I’m
looking at a long-term project on
Andor, to clean their atmosphere.

RENA
Sounds important. Have you heard
from Shar?

NOG
I spoke to him. He’s still not
great, after what happened.

RENA
It’s nice that you keep in touch.
Please pass on my prayers to him.
Isn’t he on the same ship as...

JAKE
...As my dad, yeah. You’d never
know it, though. We haven’t spoken
to him in months. It’s like he’s
just cut himself off completely.

NOG
I would never do that, I promise.
(sigh)
I wish my uncle Quark would stop
speaking to me, though. He’s done
nothing but complain and insult
me since he got off the transport.

JAKE
That’s just what Quark does -
he complains about everything.
You know what he’s like.

NOG
Still no fun hearing it.

RENA
It’s probably just nerves. Once
he’s in that negotiating room,
it’ll all work out, I’m sure.

NOG
(deep breath)
You’re probably right.

As they return to their meals...

11 EST. PARIS - PALAIS DE LA CONCORDE - DAY

The ground-level plaza, leading up to one of the four great pillars upon which the Federation government centre stands.

12 INT. PALAIS – ENTRY HALL - DAY

Scanning booths, security officers by the bushel, and visitors of all races passing through calmly and safely. DERRO and NOG wait landside of the scanners. Derro in his best dapper suit, Nog impatient in dress uniform whites.

NOG
(furious hiss)
Where is he?

DERRO
The ambassador assured me when
I left that he would be on time.

NOG
Why didn’t he leave with you?

DERRO
He said he wanted to experience
the gambling establishments for
which Las Vegas is known.
(side-eye)
Beware the man who doesn’t
make time for oo-mox.

NOG
Yes, I know the two-twenty-third
rule, thank you. But this is not
the time.

DERRO
Young man, don’t teach your elders
to forge cheques. Your uncle is a
Ferengi businessman. He will be
here. In fact, here he comes now.

Nog looks up to find QUARK striding towards them, also in his best suit. Nog holds his tongue, but Derro is effusive.

DERRO
Ambassador! Right on time, I see.

QUARK
Of course. Being too early shows
desperation. Being too late shows
disrespect. But perfect timing -
that shows confidence.

DERRO
Naturally. Shall we?

Derro gestures towards the security scanners, and Quark heads off with barely a look at Nog. Nog seethes...

13 INT. PALAIS – TURBOLIFT

Non-Starfleet styled, with no controls (it is controlled from elsewhere) and subtle security scanners everywhere. The three Ferengi wait as the lift takes them up...

DERRO
I usually take the direct trans-
porter to the President’s level.
I’m only using the turbolifts
to show you the full tour.

QUARK
I should think so.

Nog rolls his eyes at this pair of posturing, puffed-up peacocks. The turbolift stops, and the door OPENS...

14 INT. PALAIS - RECEPTION AREA

...to reveal Agent WEXLER, the president’s main bodyguard, staring straight at them, looking unreadable but entirely capable in his no-frills black uniform. They step out...

WEXLER
Ambassador Derro. Ambassador
Quark. The president is ready to
see you. Lieutenant Commander
Nog, I’m afraid you’ll need to
remain here in the waiting room.

Wexler nods to SIVAK, Bacco’s secretary, who thumbs a comm.

SEVAK
Madam President, the ambassadors
from the Ferengi Alliance have arrived.

BACCO (comm)
Thank you Sivak, send them in.

Wexler then leads the two Ferengi into Bacco’s office, joining them and closing the door firmly behind them.

Nog is left alone with only Sivak for company. The aged Vulcan manages to convey devastating disdain without a word, so Nog just takes a seat and minds his own business.

15 INT. PALAIS - PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

K’MTOK, the large and blustering Klingon ambassador, SLAMS his gloved fist down on the coffee table, making the bowls and cups placed there RATTLE. Sat next to him around the coffee table, Derro JUMPS and spills tube grubs on himself.

K’MTOK
That is because your entire race
are criminals!

On K’mtok’s other side, Bacco tries to keep the peace...

BACCO
Ambassador K’mtok, please...

But opposite the Klingon, Quark stays calm and smooth.

QUARK
We could trade insults all day,
Ambassador. I’ve heard them all
before. But none of it changes
the fact that the Ferengi Alliance
cannot agree to Article Five of
the accords as it currently reads.

K’mtok SNORTS dismissively, stepping away from the table. After only a few steps, he notices Wexler’s unintimidated stare, and pulls himself under control, but stays standing.

BACCO
Ambassador Quark, I’m afraid I’m
not clear on your objections. Your
counterpart and I have had several
conversations since I first raised
the idea of your people joining
the Accords. He never mentioned
any problem with Article Five.

Quark raises a PADD and reads from it...

QUARK
“If any individual under the rule
of one Party commits a crime
against the other Party, that
individual will be extradited to
stand trial under the laws of
the aggrieved Party.”

BACCO
...Yes?

QUARK
Who gets to say what’s a crime?
How many aspects of everyday
Ferengi culture, as defined by our
own guiding principles, would be
called a crime by the Federation?
How can we sign an agreement
that automatically makes every
citizen subject to extradition?

DERRO
(small, mousy)
I think that’s a rather extreme
interpretation, Quark...

BACCO
I must say I agree.

K’MTOK
And I think you have just admitted
to exactly what I said. If you were
not all criminals, you would not
have anything to worry about.

K’mtok is not helping, but Bacco tries to rescue this.

BACCO
It was my understanding, Mister
Ambassador, that the great skill
of the Ferengi was in making a
profit without having to break any
laws. That’s the challenge, isn’t it?
The mark of a great dealmaker?

Derro is nakedly worried as well, having got his wish for something unexpected. He tries to reassure Bacco...

DERRO
Absolutely! That very policy is
the hallmark of Grand Nagus Rom’s
regime. Indeed, Ambassador Quark
has made a successful career out
of earning a profit even within
the Federation’s legal framework.

QUARK
That’s not strictly true, though,
is it?

Derro’s face is shocked - what are you doing?

QUARK
(continuing)
I’ve never been under Federation
jurisdiction. Cardassian, Bajoran,
then Ferengi. But you never had
any say in my business affairs.

BACCO
And we won’t now. The Khitomer
Accords represent an alliance of
nations, Mister Ambassador, not
a melding of nations. We are not
seeking to change your laws, or to
punish you for living by them. The
extradition clause is a minor part of
the Accords. Far more important is
the agreement to mutual defence
and support. That is our focus.

QUARK
Small print leads to large risk,
Madam President. That’s our
eighth Rule of Acquisition.

K’MTOK
Cowards. I knew it.

BACCO
What about the sixty-second Rule,
Ambassador - the riskier the road,
the greater the profit?

Derro is pleased by Bacco’s quoting of the Rules, and hopes Quark will be too. But Quark is unmoved...

QUARK
I see no profit in allowing the
people I am here to represent to
be declared criminals, merely to
cement an alliance that we’ve
lived without just fine up to now.
(draws himself up)
I’m sorry, but unless Article Five
is rewritten, the Ferengi Alliance
will not be signing up to the
Khitomer Accords.

Derro is embarrassed, K’mtok exasperated, and Bacco just sad. But Quark sits back, resolute. That is his decision.

BLACK OUT

END OF ACT TWO