ACT THREE

FADE IN:

14 INT. BAJORAN CONTROL CENTRE - DOCTOR’S OFFICE

Back in the medical suite, with the walls still translucent to hide the patient from view of the entire Control Centre.

BASHIR prepares another scanning device, turns back...

...and begins to scan TENMEI, who now lies on the bio-bed. She is just as distracted as he is, thoughts elsewhere.

BASHIR
Unusually low GABA levels...

TENMEI
Unusual what, sorry?

BASHIR
Gamma-aminobutyric acid. It’s a
neurotransmitter that helps to
control stress and anxiety. I
suppose that’s not unexpected.

TENMEI
Yeah. Been a hell of a few months.

Bashir nods again, turns away, prepares his next device.

TENMEI
Doctor, can I ask you something?

BASHIR
Of course.

TENMEI
Do you think it’s possible to fall
in love with the wrong person?

Bashir pauses - this is hitting too close to home again. But he tries to swallow it, continues his scans...

BASHIR
Why do you ask?

TENMEI
Just... thinking. Wondering if you
can mislead yourself... get stuck
on an idealised image of someone
that they’ll never live up to... if
you see what you want to see
instead of what’s actually there.

Bashir takes his readings, enters them into the computer. Tenmei is staring up at the ceiling...

BASHIR
Yes... I’d say that’s possible.
Seems like that’s all I’ve ever
done, sometimes.

TENMEI
I know what you mean.

As they both swallow their feelings down...

15 EST. SPACE - BAJOR ORBIT

The Defiant holds position in orbit, as the meridian creeps across the planet’s surface below, bringing night...

16 INT. DEFIANT - BRIG

The lights are lower, suggesting night shift. Sarina curls up sideways on the narrow bunk, trying to get some sleep. But the forcefield is still buzzing, and an armed security officer keeps watch from the shadows...

17 EST. VANADWAN MONASTERY - NIGHT

Dark night on the mountain top, with flickering candles in the windows, as in 14x14 “Absolute Beginners”.

18 INT. VANADWAN MONASTERY - CORRIDOR - NIGHT

BASHIR slumps along the corridor, heading back to his room. He’s had a long day, but he’s more emotionally exhausted than physically. Most other people are in bed already. He reaches the door to his room, opens it...

19 INT. VANADWAN MONASTERY - BEDROOM - NIGHT (CONTINUOUS)

...and enters the double bedroom he shares with Sarina. He doesn’t turn on the light, barely spares a glance for the empty bed. He just heads to the sideboard under the window, rests against it. Takes off his combadge, places it down.

But as he does, the viewer might notice a silhouette FIGURE sat calmly in an armchair in the darkness. Bashir sighs...

BASHIR
Honestly. Don’t you people get
tired of this? Of all the cloak-
and-dagger window dressing?

He turns... and sees L’HAAN, the Vulcan female Section 31 agent, sitting in his armchair, fingers steepled.

BASHIR
Oh don’t you look stylish in your
mysterious black clothing? And
aren’t you so terribly clever to
have infiltrated my unlocked room.
Did you crouch in my closet among
the dirty laundry? How glamorous.

L’HAAN
It is agreeable to see you again
too, Doctor.

BASHIR
What do you want, L’Haan?

L’HAAN
She’s not guilty.

A brief flash of anger - Bashir advances, but stops himself as he realises the over-reaction is too obvious.

BASHIR
Don’t you think I know that? Of
course she’s not guilty.

L’HAAN
Then why are you allowing her
to wallow in custody?

BASHIR
She hasn’t been charged. She’s
helping with their enquiries.

L’HAAN
It is possible the investigation will
clear Lieutenant Douglas of any
wrongdoing. But we can’t take
that chance. People are crying out
for justice, Doctor. It won’t be
sufficient for President Bacco to
say, “Yes, someone destroyed one
of our vital assets and killed a
thousand people, and no, we don’t
know who did it, but don’t worry,
I’m sure they won’t do it again.”
It would make everyone feel too
vulnerable... and that leads to
rash decision-making.

BASHIR
What are you saying? That because
they need to blame somebody for
what happened, they’ll find Sarina
guilty even if she’s innocent?

L’HAAN
If she’s innocent, Doctor? How
quickly we lose trust.

Bashir turns away in disgust, as much at himself as at her. L’Haan stands smoothly from the chair and approaches.

L’HAAN
Here’s what’s going to happen,
Doctor. Federation Security will
hold onto Sarina for questioning
for as long as they legally can.
When that time expires, which
it will soon, they will indict her.
And then everyone’s need for
a villain will see her convicted.

This is exactly what Bashir said to Sarina himself, but he instinctively argues against it...

BASHIR
They can’t convict her without
evidence.

L’HAAN
But there is evidence, Doctor.
There is her position in security,
which provided her access to the
very location on Deep Space Nine
where the bombs were found. There
is her unsubstantiated accusation
that Ensign th’Shant made threats
against the station. There is her
own survival of the disaster.

Bashir turns away again, tries to escape all the facts he knows very well. L’Haan calmly pursues, keeps pushing...

L’HAAN
Then there will be the revelation
of her illegal mission to Salavat.
Her violation of Breen borders.
Her abetting the murder of Breen
civilians. All of this establishes
Lieutenant Douglas’s character.
There is also the matter of her
being genetically engineered. The
general public doesn’t like that.

At the seemingly impenetrable image of Sarina’s guilt, the strength goes from Bashir’s legs, and he sits on the bed.

BASHIR
At least half that is immaterial
to what happened on DS-Nine.
And the rest is circumstantial.

L’HAAN
But circumstantial does not mean
unconvincing. In many crimes,
particularly sophisticated ones,
there is no physical evidence.
That leaves only circumstantial
evidence, and that’s what puts
most criminals in prison.

BASHIR
If they are criminals.

L’HAAN
Because they need her to be, they
will make her so. But as I said,
she is not guilty, and she is far
too valuable an asset to lose.

BASHIR
So why don’t you do something?

L’HAAN
I am. I’m here talking to you.

BASHIR
I mean, why don’t you break her
out of custody? I know you could
do it.

L’Haan strolls away, seemingly pondering this option...

L’HAAN
We could do that. But her value as
an asset would be diminished. She’d
have to operate in the shadows...
and I’m not sure how satisfying
that would be for her...
(turns back to him)
...or for you. Because then your
choices would be to join us... or
to never see Ms Douglas again.
(strolls again)
No, it is better that she retain an
identity that people know and
trust. But that means her name
needs to be cleared. As her lover,
people would expect you to try.

BASHIR
And how am I supposed to do that?

L’HAAN
By finding the actual culprit, of
course.

BASHIR
Who is it?

L’HAAN
I don’t know. If I did, I wouldn’t
be here talking to you right now.

BASHIR
Well if you don’t know, with all
your resources, how am I supposed
to figure it out on my own?

L’Haan strolls away again, almost smiling...

L’HAAN
Were you aware that revitrite, the
Andorian explosive used in those
bombs, leaves behind a radioactive
signature in cellular material?

BASHIR
I don’t think that’s true.

L’HAAN
No? Even in certain circumstances,
like proximity to a fusion core?

BASHIR
That doesn’t sound right either.

L’HAAN
Maybe not. But very few will know
that. And I’m certain you could
produce some experimental results
to reinforce such an assertion.

BASHIR
Are you suggesting I substitute
another innocent person to take
the blame in Sarina’s place?

By now L’Haan has reached the door. She pauses, looks back.

L’HAAN
I am suggesting that Ms Douglas is
not guilty of the crimes for which
she will be charged, and that you
must therefore do everything in
your power to see her freed.

BASHIR
Everything in my power?

L’HAAN
Good night, Doctor.

She silently opens the door, and is gone.

...leaving Bashir wondering what the hell to do next.

20 EST. ALJULI APARTMENTS - NIGHT

The same night, outside the juniors’ apartment block...

21 INT. ALJULI APARTMENTS - RO’S QUARTERS

A KNOCK at the door. And again. And again. RO drags herself out of bed with an annoyed GROAN, slumps the small distance to the door of her room, pauses before opening it...

RO
Quark, I swear to the Prophets,
if this is you -

BASHIR (o.s.)
It’s not Quark. It’s Bashir.

Ro pauses, gathers herself... then opens the door. Bashir stands outside, looking worried, excited, nervous...

RO
Doctor? What’s going on?

BASHIR
I know it’s late, Captain, but I
needed to talk to you right away.
May I come in?

Ro considers him for a moment, then lets him in and closes the door behind him. She heads to the bed, sits back down, and lets Bashir pace back and forth across the small room.

BASHIR
There’s something I should have
told you a long time ago, Captain,
and I’m sorry that I didn’t. But
I’m going to tell you now.

RO
Alright. Go on.

BASHIR
I just had a visit from L’Haan,
the Section Thirty-One agent.

RO
What did she want?

BASHIR
To tell me that Sarina didn’t
destroy Deep Space Nine.

RO
And how would she know that?

BASHIR
Because Sarina... also works for
Section Thirty-One.

Bashir expects an explosion, but Ro absorbs this calmly...

RO
Well, thank you for telling me,
Doctor. But as it happens...
I already know.

As Bashir’s jaw drops in amazement...

BLACK OUT

END OF ACT THREE