ACT THREE

FADE IN:

27 EXT. DEEP SPACE NINE

At long last, back to our home in the Bajoran system, with at least one Starfleet ship docked at the station...

28 INT. DS9 - QUARK’S BAR

BASHIR sits alone at a table on the upper level, hunched and closed in, nursing a raktajino that is long since cold. He looks down to the main floor, sees no-one he recognises.

But QUARK sees him look, and calls up loudly and cheerily across the quieter-than-usual expanse of the bar...

QUARK
Doctor! Another raktajino for you?

A little embarrassed at the attention, Bashir calls back...

BASHIR
No thank you, Quark.

LOWER LEVEL

Quark turns away and starts wiping down the bar, muttering under his breath...

QUARK
That’s fine. It’s not as if I’d
rather have paying customers
at that table.

UPPER LEVEL

With a small smirk, Bashir looks away casually and mutters under his own breath...

BASHIR
You should really try to remember
that those doctors on Adigeon
Prime gave me hearing on a par
with the average Ferengi, Quark.

Bashir looks back down at the lower level again, and sees Quark FLINCH - he heard Bashir. He half-glances over his shoulder in Bashir’s direction with an apologetic smile, then turns back and busies himself with cleaning.

Bashir looks back into his coffee, sighs to himself...

BASHIR
They gave me everything...
except the ability to be happy.

He wallows a moment longer, then gets annoyed with himself and pushes the cold drink away. Gets up, turns to walk around the upper level of the bar towards the exit...

...Quark watching him as he goes...

29 INT. DS9 - PROMENADE

Bashir emerges onto the Promenade’s upper level, where the day proceeds as normal. He takes the spiral staircase, and descends to the lower level. An alien WOMAN and her young child wait patiently for him so they can take the stairs back up - Bashir nods politely to them as they pass.

The Replimat is busy with more varied aliens, all seemingly excited to be there. The Promenade itself is likewise, with the CROWDS feeling less like businesspeople on their way to work and more like tourists here to see the sights.

Bashir strolls through this, a touch bemused. Finally he reaches the INFIRMARY, just as its doors open and TENMEI exits. She spots Bashir and intercepts him...

TENMEI
Ah, there you are.

BASHIR
Lieutenant Tenmei. Have we somehow
become a tourist attraction while
I wasn’t looking?

TENMEI
Well, it is Gratitude Festival time.
It happens every year.

Bashir gives her an indulgent smile.

BASHIR
I’m aware of that, Lieutenant.
Eidetic memory, remember? I just
mean that when I first came to
this station thirteen years ago,
barely anyone in the Federation
had even heard of Bajor. Now
they take vacations here. 
(pause; considers)
Have I really been here thirteen
years? Hard to believe.

TENMEI
Hell, I’ve been here six. Time
flies when you’re living through
endless crises and disasters.
Besides, the grey suits you.

Bashir flinches at that - Tenmei gestures to the salt-and-pepper creeping into the doctor’s temples and new beard.

BASHIR
That’s quite enough of that, thank
you. Were you looking for me?

TENMEI
(back to business)
Oh, yes - I wanted to talk to you
about my father.

Bashir hesitates - he and Tenmei have had their conflicts before over her father, and he doesn’t want to inflame them again. Treading on eggshells...

BASHIR
Go on...

TENMEI
Don’t worry, Julian, I don’t want
to fight with you again either.
But you know what Opaka said
- that he was still in there.

BASHIR
Prynn... you know my feelings on
this. The evidence is clear -

TENMEI
I’m not saying I trust her sixth
sense over your medical equipment,
but you’ve worked miracles before.

BASHIR
Prynn... He’s comfortable, free of
pain, and surrounded by hospice
nurses dedicated to making sure he
stays that way. My medical advice
now is the same as it was a year
ago - there’s nothing more I can
do. It’s time to let him go.

Tenmei’s instinct is to attack, but she gets herself under control. She knows Bashir isn’t trying to be cruel.

TENMEI
I can’t. I'm sorry, Julian. I just
can’t, not if there’s still hope.

She turns and walks into the crowd. Bashir watches her go, sad. Then he enters the Infirmary.

30 INT. DS9 - INFIRMARY

It’s quiet, no emergencies to handle. Bashir slumps into his seat, calls up displays on the computer.

BASHIR
Right, what have we got for the
afternoon?
(reads displays)
Vaccination updates for children
at station pre-school. Physicals
for all Starfleet personnel with
names between K and L. Health
code violations in all food outlets
except the Ferengi embassy.
(sigh)
So much for the excitement of
frontier medicine.

CENN (comm)
Ops to Doctor Bashir.

BASHIR
This is Bashir. Go ahead, Major.

CENN (comm)
The captain wants to see you in
her office on the double, Doctor.

Bashir is intrigued - maybe there is excitement after all. He locks out his computer and launches up from his chair...

BASHIR
On my way.

31 INT. DS9 - OPS

Bashir jumps off the turbolift as it arrives, eager for whatever this is. Major CENN is at the central table...

CENN
(re the office)
Go straight in, Doctor.

Bashir heads directly to the captain’s office. He passes Lt CANDLEWOOD at his station - the younger science officer playfully mocks in a childish sing-song tone...

CANDLEWOOD
You got called to the captain...

BASHIR
(withering)
John, you’re thirty years old.

Bashir carries on towards the office. Candlewood sulks...

CANDLEWOOD
(mutter)
Mean.

Bashir reaches the captain’s office. The door opens at his approach...

32 INT. DS9 - CAPTAIN’S OFFICE

...and he enters to see the recently promoted Captain RO standing to greet him. The captain’s guest also rises...

RO
Thanks for coming so fast, Doctor.

Ro gestures to her other guest - BETAZOID female Cmdr DEEL, a Starfleet officer wearing a BLACK collar instead of red.

RO
This is Commander Ilirra Deel from
Starfleet Intelligence.

BASHIR
(shakes her hand)
A pleasure to meet you, Commander.

DEEL
Likewise, Doctor. I’ve heard a lot
about you. Please, take a seat.

At Ro’s nod, they all sit. Bashir is rather intrigued...

RO
I hope we’re not interrupting
something important...

BASHIR
Oh, nothing that can’t be delayed.
I was talking to Lieutenant Tenmei
about her father...

DEEL
Ah yes, Captain Vaughn. I was
sorry to hear what happened.

BASHIR
Did you know him?

DEEL
We worked together briefly in
Intelligence. I considered him
something of a mentor.

Ro reacts to that a little - she felt that about him too.

RO
How is Prynn?

BASHIR
(sad smile)
Still unwilling to let him go. I can’t
blame her, though. She’s smart
enough to know what’s right, but
weak enough not to choose it.
(shrug)
But then that could describe any
of us, at one time or another.
(brightens)
So! What can I do for Starfleet
Intelligence?

DEEL
In fact I’m here to recruit you
for a special assignment, Doctor.

BASHIR
Something medical in nature,
I presume? Saving lives?

DEEL
Not this time, I’m afraid. This is
a full-sanction covert operation,
authorised by President Bacco
herself. That means that whoever
we send... has a license to kill.

Off Bashir’s reaction to that...

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE