ACT FIVE

FADE IN:

41 INT. DS9 - OPS

Slaine stands at her post, trying to concentrate on the docking controls but her mind really elsewhere.

CANDLEWOOD (o.s.)
Hey...

Slaine jumps at the voice on her shoulder, and turns to see Candlewood peering at her sympathetically...

CANDLEWOOD
...are you okay?

SLAINE
I am fully capable of performing
my duties, Lieutenant.

CANDLEWOOD
Well, first of all, call me John.
And second, I didn’t ask about
your duties. I asked about you.

Slaine hesitates - this friendliness is all so new to her.

SLAINE
What Morad said, about deserving
it. It’s exactly the kind of thing
Nyra would have said, once. I
know she would never say it now,
but... now she’s the target of it.

CANDLEWOOD
I believe that’s what we humans
call “karma”. Speaking of which,
isn’t it time for the sentencing?

SLAINE
Do you think Captain Ro and Major
Cenn would let me watch it here?

Candlewood grins and heads back to his science station.

CANDLEWOOD
I can do you better than that. Ops
to Ro and Cenn - I’m about to put
the Morad sentencing on. Get out
here if you don’t wanna miss it.

Slaine is astonished at such seeming disrespect in front of superiors, but no-one else seems bothered by it. In fact, as Candlewood works his panels, the office door opens and Ro and Cenn stroll out, heading down to the Ops table.

RO
How are you holding up, dalin?

Slaine looks to Candlewood - he nods “go on, it’s okay”.

SLAINE
I am... sad, Captain. At so much
distrust and animosity between
Cardassia and the Federation, even
now we are allies. Nyra and Yevir,
Vedek Kira... they almost died
because my people and yours still
cannot find their way together.

RO
(nods sadly)
The annex was for the slipstream
project, wasn’t it? That’s what
your friend Nyra was working on.
And that’s why Morad attacked it.
(Slaine nods)
And of course it was all my idea,
which means it’s all my fault.

CENN
It’s nobody’s fault but Morad’s.
It’ll just take time, that’s all.

SLAINE
Time... yes. It’s been clear from
your behaviour today, Major, how
uncomfortable it is for a Bajoran
to work with a Cardassian, still.

CENN
My... behaviour? I don’t know -

RO
She’s talking about you acting
like an ass about Cardassians all
day long. Which you have been.

Taken aback by the accusation, Cenn looks up to Candlewood, who nods as if to say “Yep, that’s you.” Cenn starts going over what he’s said and done today, appalled. But before he can say anything, Candlewood reacts to an alert...

CANDLEWOOD
Okay, they’re ready. On screen...

They all turn to watch the main VIEWSCREEN, which shows MORAD being led back into the court, still in shackles.

RO
Don’t worry. He’ll get what he
deserves.

Then the BANG of the gavel...

42 INT. CARDASSIAN COURT ROOM (INTERCUT)

Morad stands in the defendant’s dock, while Makbar prepares to pass sentence...

MAKBAR
This court has heard the testimony
of the witness, the defence of the
Conservator, and the confession of
the accused. And while it is clear
the defendant is guilty of causing
the deaths of those at the Science
Academy, I believe he has shown
genuine remorse for his error.

43 INT. DS9 - OPS (INTERCUT)

Hearing this, Slaine frowns in confusion. Ro is amazed...

RO
What?! No he hasn’t.

44 INT. DS9 - SECURITY OFFICE (INTERCUT)

On the screen, Morad tries to conceal his surprise at this development. Rwogo watches also in disbelief...

RWOGO
So this is the world-famous Chief
Archon...?

45 INT. CARDASSIAN COURT ROOM (INTERCUT)

Makbar continues...

MAKBAR
Punishment is only right for the
tragic loss of life Mister Morad’s
actions have caused. The families
and colleagues of the dead deserve
no less. But it is no longer the
Cardassian way to punish thoughts
and opinions contrary to the
policies of the government.

46 INT. DS9 - OPS (INTERCUT)

On the main viewscreen...

MAKBAR (screen)
(continuing)
Therefore, in light of our joining
in a peaceful alliance of nations,
the sentence is one hundred days,
to be spent in hard labour at the
Hutet facility on Cardassia Four.

Everyone’s reactions as Makbar continues in background...

MAKBAR (o.s.)
This will serve as appropriate
penalty for Mister Morad’s crimes,
while demonstrating that Cardassia
is an enlightened society that
treats its offenders with dignity
and the chance for redemption.

With a BANG of the gavel, court is adjourned. We settle upon Slaine, who is confused and disturbed by this...

SLAINE
It doesn’t make sense...

RO
It’s better than nothing.

Leaving her with a comforting smile, Ro moves off, while Candlewood mutes the video feed. Slaine is still gathering her thoughts when she looks up and notices that CENN did not leave with Ro. He hovers, awkward and unsure...

SLAINE
Major?

CENN
Dalin... I need to apologise.

SLAINE
(blank)
For what?

CENN
You said you’d only ever met one
Bajoran before me. I can’t have
been a very good example for you.

Slaine stays silent, unable to accuse her superior officer.

CENN
To be honest, you’re the first
Cardassian I’ve ever tried to get
to know too. I used to prefer to
avoid aliens altogether. Didn’t
even want to work here on DS-
Nine because it reminded me
too much of... well, you know.

SLAINE
Yes, I do know. I had to learn for
myself, but I did it. So I under-
stand, and I don’t blame you.

CENN
Thank you. For what it’s worth, I
think you’re very brave to come
here. There can’t be many Bajorans
who wouldn’t react like I did...

SLAINE
Perhaps ones my age?

Hope in the next generation. Cenn nods, chagrined.

CENN
Perhaps. The thing is, sometimes
I almost wish I still hated you. It
feels like a betrayal of my wife and
child that I don’t. But I’ve learned
too much since then. So maybe this -

The screen, where the court clerks are clearing the room...

CENN
(continuing)
- is actually a good sign. A sign
that we can find our way together.

SLAINE
It will, as you say... take time.

They stand together, watching the screen companionably...

47 EXT. CARDASSIAN SCIENCE ACADEMY - DAY

The flames have been put out, but the building is still a wreck, soldiers and scientists picking through the rubble.

Standing across the street are KIRA, YEVIR and NYRA. They all observe the ruins with sad resignation.

YEVIR
I’m so sorry, Nyra.

NYRA
We’ll rebuild. We’ve gotten good
at that.

KIRA
Still... a hundred days, for this
much damage. Cardassian justice
used to be a lot more brutal.

NYRA
I like to think we’re getting better
at that, too.

YEVIR
We’ll get there, all of us.

KIRA
I sometimes wonder.

YEVIR
Nerys?

KIRA
That Conservator was right - I
made everything worse with the way
I reacted. Ro was right too. Sure,
I’ve dealt with Cardassians since
the end of the war, but always on
my turf. You’ve both worked here,
rebuilt here... but I’m still in those
caves, running and fighting.

NYRA
No-one could blame you, Vedek.

YEVIR
(grandly)
I believe in the philosophy of the
Oralian Way - that everything is
connected, Cardassian to Bajoran
to Ascendant to Eav’oq. All of it.

KIRA
(wry smile)
My own feelings are a little more
complicated. But I want this to
work - really. I’ve seen that the
Cardassian soul has goodness in
it, if it’s allowed to blossom.

NYRA
Like an Edosian orchid.

YEVIR
Or a lotus flower.

Yevir and Nyra smile warmly together. Then Yevir rallies...

YEVIR
Well! Shall we get back to work?

Kira and Nyra nod their agreement, and all three move off.

48 EXT. VANADWAN MONASTERY - DAY

The monastery atop the Bajoran mountain...

49 INT. VANADWAN MONASTERY - KIRA’S ROOM - DAY

The door creaks open, and OPAKA pokes her head in...

...finding RAIQ sitting on the bed, staring out of the window blankly, back to us. Opaka steps in quietly...

OPAKA
Raiq... Will you join us for dinner?
Or perhaps for prayers?

No response. Opaka steps closer.

OPAKA
There is no need to grieve, Raiq,
silently or otherwise. Nerys is
safe, as I knew she would be.

RAIQ
But she is not here.

OPAKA
No... she will stay on Cardassia
for six months, as she always
planned. There is nothing to fear
for her there - the criminal was
stopped, and justice was done.

ANGLE now on Raiq, and we see that she is nursing the baby to her breast. She looks down at it, still emotionless...

RAIQ
Yes... Justice was done. We all
get what we deserve.

BLACK OUT

An on-screen caption says...

THREE MONTHS LATER

Under this, sounds of an ELECTRIFIED FENCE depowering, and a heavy gate CREAKING open...

50 EXT. CARDASSIA FOUR - HUTET LABOUR CAMP

As seen in 2x01 “The Homecoming”, except now a Cardassian prisoner slumps out of the gates, overseen by soldiers.

MORAD looks exhausted, demoralised, beaten down. The gates close behind him, giving him his freedom. He stops, looks back over his shoulder at the labour camp, at the other Cardassians chipping pointlessly at rocks with pickaxes.

Was it really worth it? He ruined his own life and career, destroyed his ship, and for what? Nothing has changed.

He turns back again and slumps away from the camp...

51 INT. MORAD’S APARTMENT

A door KERTHUNKS open, letting weak light into a darkened apartment, size and design much like standard DS9 quarters. Morad slumps in through the door, and it KERTHUNKS closed behind him, returning us to darkness.

MAKBAR (o.s.)
Welcome home, Mister Morad.

Morad gasps in fear. After a moment, a LIGHT comes on, and reveals MAKBAR herself, sat comfortably in an armchair.

MORAD
What do you want?

MAKBAR
There’s nothing to fear, Mister
Morad. In fact I’m here with a
great opportunity. A chance for
redemption, just as I promised.

MORAD
I don’t understand.

MAKBAR
It’s really quite simple. You see, I
was thinking about what you said
in my court. I know your concerns
about the future of Cardassia are
genuine. You worry our world has
lost its way. I happen to share
those concerns, so I am offering
you the opportunity to help me.
To help Cardassia find its way.
(beat)
It’s true way.

Morad’s eyes flare as he recognises the phrase, and begins to grasp what is going on here. Makbar smiles, warmly this time, as she watches the understanding dawn on his face.

And suddenly Morad, downtrodden and hopeless only moments ago, has found new purpose...

BLACK OUT

END OF SHOW