ACT ONE

FADE IN:

5 INT. DEFIANT - CORRIDOR

Captain RO stands in front of a door...

RO
Doctor, you need to calm down.

BASHIR stands before her, agitated, hands through hair...

BASHIR
You realise that’s the worst thing
you can say to someone if you want
them to calm down, don’t you?

RO
Sarina is here voluntarily.

BASHIR
Really? So the shackles, Rwogo’s
use of the phrase “under arrest” -
(points at door)
- and the fact Sarina is sitting in
the brig right now just gave me
the wrong impression, did they?

RO
Granted, Rwogo may have gotten
a little carried away. But Sarina
is only here to help us with our
enquiries, that’s all.

BASHIR
I want to see her. Now.

RO
I don’t think that’s a good idea.

BASHIR
Now, Captain.

Ro really has no grounds to deny him - she grudgingly steps aside... the door opens, and Bashir stalks through into...

6 INT. DEFIANT - BRIG (CONTINUOUS)

Last seen occupied by Tomalak in 14x13 “Fragments” - now Sarina sits in the tiny cell behind a forcefield. Bashir turns to the guard on duty, ALECO...

BASHIR
You’re dismissed, Lieutenant.

Aleco glances through the still-open door to Ro - she nods. Aleco locks out his station and exits, allowing the door to close behind him. Alone now, Bashir approaches the cell...

BASHIR
Sarina...

SARINA
(sigh)
I asked Ro to keep you away.

BASHIR
Why?!

SARINA
I just thought it would be easier
for us both that way.

Bashir paces away, trying to process everything...

BASHIR
Sarina... this can’t be real. Can
it? Please tell me you didn’t do
it. Tell me you’re innocent.

SARINA
(indignant)
Of course I’m innocent. Though
I can’t tell you how good it feels
to hear you ask the question.

BASHIR
How can I not? You’re with Section
Thirty-One, Sarina! Who knows
what you’re capable of?

SARINA
You do. I thought we’d put this to
bed once, Julian.

BASHIR
I thought so too. But I guess I
was wrong. Ro wouldn’t let Rwogo
arrest you - or even “ask you for
help with her enquiries” - without
a good reason to suspect you.

SARINA
Apparently she’s not the only one.

Bashir sighs, exhausted by the whole thing.

BASHIR
What now? You’re the one with all
the plans - so tell me, what am I
supposed to do now?

SARINA
Stay out of it, that’s what.

BASHIR
How can I? I love you.

SARINA
Promise me you won’t do any-
thing stupid, Julian.

Bashir sighs again, silently submitting.

BASHIR
So what are you going to do?

SARINA
I’m going to let this play out.

BASHIR
You’re not even going to fight
back? Offer any kind of defence?

SARINA
The evidence will speak for itself.

BASHIR
What evidence? Starfleet has been
looking for a scapegoat for what
happened ever since DS-Nine was
destroyed. Good reason to suspect
might be all they need to convict.

SARINA
You really think Starfleet would
do that?

BASHIR
Who the hell knows anymore?

SARINA
Julian... I want that promise. Say
it. Tell me you won’t interfere.

A long pause as Bashir grinds silently...

BASHIR
Alright. I promise.

SARINA
Thank you. Now go on back to the
Control Centre. I’ll be fine, and
you’ve got the crew physicals
to complete, haven’t you?

BASHIR
I can’t concentrate on that now.
I’ll take leave to stay with you.

SARINA
No you won’t. You’re a Starfleet
officer, you’ll do your duty.

Bashir wants to argue, but Sarina’s stern, resolved face sucks any argument out of him. He turns and slumps to the EXIT. Sarina sits in her cell, pondering her situation...

7 EXT. ALJULI TOWN - MORNING

Mid morning on the same day. Most of the junior officers have already strolled along towards the Control Centre as they do every morning, past the local Bajoran shopkeepers.

One of the last to go is SLAINE, the Cardassian exchange officer. She is a little nervous, wary, but striding with her head high, smiling at people as she passes by.

STALL HOLDER (o.s.)
Hey! Cardassian!

Slaine pauses, takes a second. She knew this would happen sooner or later. She turns to find the speaker - an older Bajoran male, 50s, a STALL HOLDER who sells textiles.

SLAINE
Good morning, sir. Can I help you?

STALL HOLDER
Yeah, you can. Is it true? They
arrested someone for blowing up
the space station?

Slaine approaches the man, unwilling to shout across the street. But she does it slowly, not wanting to provoke.

SLAINE
Yes, it’s true. Lieutenant Douglas
has been taken into custody.

STALL HOLDER
(pointed)
I know her. She bought a tapestry
from me for her new quarters. She
was nice. She treated me well.

SLAINE
(where is
this going?)
That’s good to hear.

STALL HOLDER
Do you think she did it?

SLAINE
I really can’t say, sir.

STALL HOLDER
I don’t think so. You know why?

SLAINE
Why?

STALL HOLDER
Because I think you did it.

Slaine pauses. How to handle this diplomatically...?

SLAINE
I... don’t understand, sir...

STALL HOLDER
Really? ‘Cause it makes perfect
sense to me. You’re a Cardassian.
You couldn’t stand the fact that
Bajorans took that station away
from you... so you blew it up.

SLAINE
Sir, that’s not -

STALL HOLDER
Better to kill a thousand people
than let Bajoran scum like me
get away with anything, right?
(pushes her)
Right?!

Slaine staggers against his SHOVE. Doesn’t respond, just raises her hands in peace, voice shaking...

SLAINE
Sir, please calm down...

STALL HOLDER
Why? What are you gonna do? You
gonna kill me too?

Another SHOVE. Slaine steps back, tries to put distance between them, but he keeps pace. She looks around at the quiet street, wonders if anyone will come to her rescue...

SLAINE
Of course not -

STALL HOLDER
That station mattered to us, you
know. It said that you Cardassian
filth don’t get to define us. But you
couldn’t stand that, could you?

Another SHOVE to punctuate. Slaine finds herself pushed further and further across the street by this angry Bajoran man, while she keeps stepping back, avoiding conflict...

...until she’s up against the far wall with nowhere else to go. The Bajoran stall holder gets right up in her face...

SLAINE
Sir, I’m just trying to go about my
day, I don’t want any trouble -

STALL HOLDER
Yeah? That’s what about ten million
Bajorans said over the last fifty
years too. Didn’t stop you then.

SLAINE
Sir, the Occupation is over -

The stall holder PUNCHES her. She YELPS, shocked...

SLAINE
Sir, please -

STALL HOLDER
Over? You think it’s over for us?
It’ll never be over for us!

He HITS her again, again, again. Slaine cowers back, arms up to protect herself, whimpering as he punches her...

BLACK OUT

END OF ACT ONE