ACT THREE
FADE IN:
53 EXT. SPACE
The wormhole open, Breen freighter Ren Fejin having passed through the tachyon detection grid without incident...
...but then the grid catches the Eletrix in its glittering blue beams. As the Defiant swoops in...
54 INT. REN FEJIN - BRIDGE
The cramped, rickety bridge of the Breen freighter. Romulan Tal Shiar agent KINN turns from his console in horror...
KINN
Eletrix has been detected!
Proconsul TOMALAK sits in command, stunned by this...
TOMALAK
How?
KINN
Does it matter?
Tomalak succumbs to momentary panic. But after a second...
TOMALAK
Set course for Romulan space, and
engage at maximum warp. Do it!
The half-dozen BREEN soldiers running the bridge obey...
55 EXT. SPACE
While the Defiant is occupied firing its opening volley at the Eletrix... Ren Fejin bursts into WARP - and escapes.
56 INT. REN FEJIN - BRIDGE
Tomalak clings to his armrests, the shaking of the ship rattling his teeth...
TOMALAK
That incompetent idiot T’Jul may
have failed... but with the Breen
and Tzenkethi to keep Starfleet
occupied, we may yet get out
of this with our honour intact.
KINN
Proconsul, I must protest! How can
it be honourable to leave fellow
Romulan soldiers to their deaths?
TOMALAK
Are you also incompetent, Kinn? This
vessel has no shields, no weapons.
Eletrix is compromised, meaning the
information aboard this rust bucket
may be Romulus’s only chance in the
war that is now almost inevitable.
An angry BUZZ from off-screen - Tomalak turns, and sees the Breen engineer THOT TROK looking back at him. He smarms...
TOMALAK
I apologise for the imprecision of
my speech, Thot Trok. I meant to
say that this venerable vessel is
now the Typhon Pact’s only chance.
...which is obviously worse. Tomalak turns back to Kinn...
TOMALAK
Specialist Kinn - can we cloak?
KINN
You ordered me to dismantle the
cloak before we reached the worm
hole. Precisely so that Starfleet
would have no reason to suspect us.
TOMALAK
Yes or no, Specialist?
KINN
(are you stupid?)
No!
Trok steps forward, BUZZES urgently (translation overlaid).
THOT TROK
Transmit the data to Chairwoman
Sela. Send the message now.
TOMALAK
Like you sent your message to the
Eletrix and pointed an arrow right
at yourselves for the Jem’Hadar?
(back to Kinn)
Listen to me, both of you. I have
not risen so high for so many
years and through so many foolish
praetors by being foolish myself.
If Starfleet finds us, how will we
explain why a ship that left with
a full crew of Breen returns half-
crewed by Romulans, including our
liaison to Starfleet? How will we
explain the many Dominion weapons
signatures now adorning our hull?
(beat)
We will not send any message.
We will deliver the information in
person. So get down there, Kinn,
and rebuild that cloak. Now!
Forced to accept Tomalak’s logic, Kinn stands and stalks off the bridge. Tomalak turns to Thot Trok...
TOMALAK
You’re an engineer, aren’t you?
Go with him.
THOT TROK
It cannot be done, Proconsul.
Tomalak advances threateningly on Trok - the suited Breen flinches back, still traumatised by Laas. Tomalak sneers...
TOMALAK
We need to hide, Thot Trok. That’s
what you Breen do best, isn’t it?
Tomalak shoves Trok towards the door, where Kinn waits. As they both EXIT, Tomalak returns to his command chair.
TOMALAK
Show me what’s happening back
at the wormhole.
Breen functionary ZELK (from 14x11) works his console...
...and the room-filling HOLOGRAM display returns, depicting moving icons that represent the Starfleet, Romulan, Breen and Tzenkethi ships as they battle it out...
...until suddenly one of the icons EXPLODES, fritzing out the entire holo-display with static.
TOMALAK
What happened? What was that?
ZELK
(buzz w/ translation)
It was Deep Space Nine, Proconsul.
Tomalak realises what must have happened and what it means.
TOMALAK
Maintain course and speed.
57 EXT. SPACE - REN FEJIN
The blocky, asymmetrical ship rumbling on as best it can...
58 EXT. SPACE
Defiant now holding position near the Rio Grande and the massive cloud of burning wreckage that was the Eletrix...
59 INT. RUNABOUT - COCKPIT
Two more TRANSPORTER signatures form... depositing TENMEI and CANDLEWOOD. th’Shant operated the transporter again - and the moment Tenmei sees him, she grabs him in a HUG.
TH’SHANT
(pinched)
...Lieutenant Tenmei...
TENMEI
Vakell - thank god you’re alive.
Candlewood steps off the transporter pad and hugs SLAINE rather more delicately. Smiling at this display, RO stands from her seat, they turn to her - and both hug her too.
RO
Hi, you two. It’s good to see you.
CANDLEWOOD
You too, Captain.
RO
You both did amazing, amazing work
today. I’m so proud of you both.
TENMEI
Where’s Jeanette? And K’Uhllo?
RO
Don’t know about K’Uhllo. But...
RWOGO steps up from behind, taking this burden for Ro...
RWOGO
Chief Chao remained in the power
core to continue her attempts to
defuse the bombs. Presumably
she was still there when they
went off. I’m sorry, Lieutenant.
Tenmei starts to cry... but she nods. Candlewood reaches...
CANDLEWOOD
Prynn...
TENMEI
Hey, given the death count from all
this, there had to be at least one
person I know, right? It’s fine.
CANDLEWOOD
No... it’s not.
Ro tries to bring Tenmei back to the mission...
RO
Lieutenant - the Canterbury will
be back soon, but in the meantime
I want you to take the Rio Grande,
find the Nile, and start scanning
all these fragments for survivors.
TENMEI
(wipes away tears)
Understood, Captain.
RO
Slaine, th’Shant - you can stand
down now. You were amazing too,
but you’ve done enough for today.
TH’SHANT
(gulp)
I’d rather stay, Captain. Try to
save as many as possible. Please.
Ro looks to Slaine, she nods her agreement.
RO
Alright, fine. But if Tenmei tells
you to take a break, take it.
TENMEI
What about you, Captain?
RO
I’m going to find out what the
hell this was all about. Rwogo,
you’re with me.
Ro strides back to the transporter alcove, with Rwogo close behind her. Ro works the controls for herself...
...and they both DEMATERIALISE.
60 EXT. SPACE - REN FEJIN
The Breen freighter still rumbling on at low warp...
61 INT. REN FEJIN - BRIDGE
TOMALAK judders unhappily in his seat as the ship rattles around him. ZELK speaks up from his station...
ZELK
Proconsul - the interference to
our sensors from the destruction
of Deep Space Nine is clearing.
TOMALAK
Show me.
The HOLO-DISPLAY comes up again - and amongst the still fritzing static, the picture is very different.
TOMALAK
Explain what I’m seeing.
ZELK’s voice is translated into a robotic monotone by his Breen suit. But Tomalak’s horror grows with every line...
ZELK
Eletrix is destroyed. Tzenkethi and
Breen warships also destroyed.
The Starfleet vessel Robinson is
present in the system, presumably
having discovered the Eletrix’s
deception in the Gamma Quadrant.
TOMALAK
What about this one?
Tomalak points at one icon. Zelk works his console...
...and shows an image of the Defiant coming right for them. Tomalak knows exactly what it is, and what it represents.
TOMALAK
Time until they intercept?
ZELK
Twelve of your lh’rhiseh.
TOMALAK
Can we increase speed?
ZELK
We are at maximum, Proconsul.
TOMALAK
(thumbs comm)
Tomalak to Kinn.
62 INT. REN FEJIN - TRANSPORT ROOM
KINN and THOT TROK are half way through rebuilding the cloaking device when Tomalak’s voice comes through...
TOMALAK (comm)
(continuing)
Status of the cloaking device.
KINN
The status is that it’s still only
half built, Proconsul.
TOMALAK (comm)
Will it be complete within twelve
lh’rhiseh, Specialist?
Kinn looks to Trok - the Breen shakes his helmeted head.
KINN
I don’t see how, Proconsul.
TOMALAK (comm)
Thank you, Specialist.
The line drops. Kinn shakes his head in exasperation...
KINN
How that man got promoted beyond
Sublieutenant, I will never know.
THOT TROK
At least he’s not my Proconsul.
63 INT. REN FEJIN - BRIDGE
TOMALAK staring unhappily at the holo-image of Defiant...
RO (comm)
This is Captain Ro Laren of the
USS Defiant. You are ordered to
bring your vessel to an immediate
halt. If you do not comply, I will
be forced to open fire. Without
shields, I cannot be sure your
vessel would survive an assault.
TOMALAK
Shut it off.
The holo-image and comm line both disappear. Tomalak sighs, rolls his eyes, digs in a pocket - brings out a DISRUPTOR. With the crew all concentrating on their work, they don’t notice as he resignedly works the weapon’s settings...
TOMALAK
I’m surrounded by incompetents.
And he SHOOTS every one of his crew in the back.
PEW PEW PEW PEW PEW - one by one, they collapse over their consoles with smoking holes in their backs. Then he calmly gets up from his chair and heads to the door...
64 INT. REN FEJIN - TRANSPORT ROOM
Tomalak strides in, to Kinn and Trok’s surprise...
KINN
Proconsul - we’re not ready yet.
TOMALAK
I realise that, Specialist. Thot Trok,
I thought you should know - I’ve
sent a message to Chairwoman
Sela as you suggested, informing
her of events here today.
THOT TROK
I don’t understand.
TOMALAK
No, I dare say not.
Then he brings up the disruptor and SHOOTS Trok - the Breen BUZZ-SCREAMS as his suit’s systems scramble painfully, and he collapses to the deck, smoking. Kinn stares in horror...
KINN
Why...?
TOMALAK
For Romulus, of course.
Tomalak SHOOTS Kinn as well. As the other Romulan falls to the floor, dead, Tomalak turns his attention to the half-built cloaking device, and all the computer banks nearby, and SHOOTS them as well. As they all EXPLODE in sparks...
65 EXT. SPACE - REN FEJIN
Ren Fejin drops out of warp, coming to a full stop...
...and within moments, Defiant drops out of warp as well, pulling in close and capturing the ship in a TRACTOR BEAM.
66 INT. REN FEJIN - BRIDGE
Four TRANSPORTER beams deposit RO, RWOGO, ALECO and another Starfleet security EXTRA onto the Breen ship’s bridge. They are all armed, and they look around at the dead Breen and Romulans, the crippled computers, the blasted bulkheads...
Tomalak smiles back at them from the command chair.
TOMALAK
Hello, Captain. Nice to see you
again. Welcome to the Ren Fejin.
Off Ro’s reaction...
BLACK OUT
END OF ACT THREE