TEASER
FADE IN:
1 EST. ALJULI APARTMENTS - DAWN
Early morning in the small Bajoran town. The sun is only just starting to peek over the horizon, no-one is up yet.
2 INT. ALJULI APARTMENTS - CORRIDOR
CANDLEWOOD quietly closes the door behind him so as to not wake anyone at this early hour, and starts to creep down the corridor. Out of uniform, hair mussed, coat over one arm, a bit dishevelled - he just screams “walk of shame”.
He passes the other doors to other quarters where junior officers stay, turns a corner, and stops dead...
...at the sight of TENMEI creeping out of another room in much the same state as himself. They stare awkwardly at each other, both knowing they’ve been caught out.
CANDLEWOOD
(clears throat)
Morning.
TENMEI
You don’t live here.
CANDLEWOOD
Neither do you.
TENMEI
Let me guess - Hetik?
CANDLEWOOD
(shrug)
His Vulcan Love Slave number came
up at last. He invited me along.
I guess it can inspire even me.
(beat)
Let me guess - th’Shant?
Tenmei is immediately defensive, knowing he disapproves.
TENMEI
We got talking. He needed comfort.
CANDLEWOOD
Is that really the best reason to
sleep with someone?
TENMEI
Are you actually gonna talk to me
about toxic relationships, John?
How many times did you and Hetik
break up and get back together?
CANDLEWOOD
I don’t trust him, Prynn.
TENMEI
And that’s exactly why he needed
comfort. In fact I’m meeting him
for breakfast at Quark’s, so why
don’t we both get back to Vanadwan
so we can shower and change
and get on with our days, hmm?
CANDLEWOOD
After you.
Still tense with each other, Tenmei stalks off. Candlewood glances back at th’Shant’s door, then follows her.
3 EXT. ALJULI TOWN - MORNING
An hour or so later, and the town is coming to life. The locals open up their businesses, cafés glaze the pastries, stalls set out their wares, and people wave cheery hellos.
BASHIR and SARINA stroll hand-in-hand, enjoying the warm morning and the relaxed atmosphere. Any tension between them is now gone, and they’re a comfortable couple.
SARINA
Really? You like it here? When you
talked about the excitement of
being posted to the Federation’s
frontier, I didn’t think this was
quite what you had in mind.
BASHIR
I think it’s quaint.
SARINA
You mean it’s old.
BASHIR
It’s cosy.
SARINA
You mean it’s small.
Bashir looks at her - she’s half joking, but half not.
BASHIR
Would you rather we took a post
somewhere else? Like we said?
SARINA
(playful swat)
Of course not. But that doesn’t
mean I have to like this.
BASHIR
Where’s your spirit of adventure?
SARINA
Little quiet for adventure. I’m more
likely to grow old and grey.
BASHIR
But with each grey hair, you will
become a very handsome old woman.
SARINA
Handsome?!
(harder swat)
How dare you? That would be like
me saying you’re a lovely man.
BASHIR
I’ll have you know I am a lovely man.
Sarina grumbles, Bashir chuckles... and they stroll on.
4 INT. QUARK’S NEW BAR
Bashir and Sarina now enter the bar, which is busy with the breakfast crowd - locals and junior officers. QUARK serves at the bar, nudges O’BRIEN to see who just entered.
O’BRIEN
Julian! I saved us seats...
BASHIR
You’re a gentleman, Miles.
O’BRIEN
I’m a gentleman who wants his
breakfast, so sit. Hi, Sarina.
All three sit at the bar. Quark smiles as he pushes PADDs across the bar for them to order - it’s like old times.
SARINA
Hi, Miles. Keiko not coming?
O’BRIEN
She’s helping the ranjens to set
up a school for all the children.
She said to say hi, though.
BASHIR
Keiko setting up the school - the
Prophets have turned back time.
O’BRIEN
If they had, I’d be avoiding you
every chance I got.
Bashir turns to Sarina to explain the banter...
BASHIR
When we first came to the station,
Miles wasn’t my biggest fan.
SARINA
(dry)
I wonder why.
They all chuckle as they pass their orders back to Quark.
RWOGO (o.s.)
Lieutenant Douglas?
SARINA
Yes?
They turn, and see Inspector RWOGO approaching, flanked by two armed security - ALECO and NARAN. That alone is enough to put Bashir on red alert. He stands, confronts them...
BASHIR
Is there a problem?
ALECO
(hand out)
Please step back, Doctor.
BASHIR
Inspector, what’s going on here?
RWOGO
Sarina Douglas... I am placing you
under arrest.
Around them, the morning crowd has quieted, all forgetting their breakfasts to watch the drama unfold.
BASHIR
Wait, what? You can’t -
Bashir has pushed forwards again, trying to get in between Sarina and Rwogo - but Aleco physically pushes him back.
ALECO
(calm but firm)
Step back, Doctor.
While Bashir boggles, O’Brien gently holds him back, and the entire crowd watches, Rwogo lifts a pair of SHACKLES.
RWOGO
Please hold your arms out in front
of you, Lieutenant.
SARINA
May I at least know what I’m being
charged with first, Inspector?
RWOGO
You’re wanted for questioning about
the destruction of Deep Space Nine.
BASHIR
What?! That’s absurd -
But he cuts himself off as Sarina turns to him - and her face registers the tiniest hints of guilt... and relief.
SARINA
It’s alright, Julian.
BASHIR
No, Sarina. It’s not alright.
Sarina turns back to Rwogo, holds her hands out, and allows the security chief to lock the shackles around her wrists.
SARINA
Let’s go.
Aleco and Naran take an arm each and lead Sarina out of the bar. Rwogo nods respect to Quark, then follows them out.
PAN ACROSS the crowd as they watch the perp walk - CENN and SLAINE with Candlewood at one table, Tenmei with TH’SHANT at another. The Andorian engineer is on his feet, eyes wide with alarm. Tenmei glances to Candlewood, almost smug...
...and ending on Bashir, with O’Brien and Quark offering support. Did the woman he loves really do it after all?
BLACK OUT
END OF TEASER