ACT THREE
FADE IN:
36 EXT. SPACE
Aventine surrounded by three Tzenkethi harriers...
37 INT. AVENTINE - BRIDGE
Red alert lights flashing, all the bridge crew on edge...
KEDAIR
Captain, the lead Tzenkethi ship
is repeating their demands.
DAX
(ignores that)
Mister Tharp, I don’t remember
belaying my last order.
THARP
But we’re surrounded, Captain...
DAX
(smile)
I have faith in you, Lieutenant.
Tharp turns back to his helm console, steadies himself...
38 EXT. SPACE
Aventine turns, warp engines glowing as they power up...
...the Tzenkethi ships change their position, gathering at the place where the Aventine’s pointed nose suggests the enemy will try to escape, planning to block their path...
...and the Starfleet ship jumps to warp BACKWARDS through the gap the Tzenkethi have opened up for them (as seen in 14x04 “Zero Sum Game”).
39 INT. AVENTINE - BRIDGE
Bowers grins, Dax nods her approval...
DAX
Nice work, Lieutenant.
BOWERS
I still love this, but you know
Leishman is down there cursing
your name right now.
DAX
Why - because I put her name in
the engineering history books?
Dax stands, straightens her uniform, considers the warping stars on the massive IMAX viewscreen. Bowers joins her...
DAX
You’re right, though - we can’t
keep this up for long. The ship’s
not designed for it.
BOWERS
Plus we’ve only got a few seconds’
lead until the Tzenkethi figure out
what we did and come chasing.
DAX
Mirren - find us someplace safe
to turn around and give us the
chance to go to slipstream.
The human female at Ops, MIRREN, gets to work...
MIRREN
Aye, Captain.
Dax heads to the tactical station, speaks to KEDAIR...
DAX
Lieutenant Kedair, I want to avoid
actually engaging the Tzenkethi as
much as possible. I don’t plan on
giving them any chance to capture
this ship, or else the Typhon Pact
won’t need to go back to the Gamma
Quadrant - we’ll have handed them
a slipstream drive on a platter.
KEDAIR
Understood, Captain.
DAX
But... if we do end up having to
engage them... I want to win.
KEDAIR
(grin)
Understood, Captain.
Mirren calls out a suggestion - Dax turns back to her...
MIRREN
Captain - we’re approaching the
edge of the Badlands...?
As Dax ponders that, Kedair calls out urgently...
KEDAIR
Captain! I’m reading three more
Tzenkethi ships heading our way
from the Lamenda system.
Bowers runs to the secondary tactical console, works it...
BOWERS
We can reach the Badlands before
either group intercepts us.
DAX
(thinking it through)
Even a runabout has trouble making
it through the Badlands safely. A
ship this size would be as subtle
as an Algorian mammoth in there.
(beat)
But... looks like we don’t have a
choice. Tharp - adjust heading for
the Badlands, drop to thrusters at
the last second... and take us in.
THARP
Aye, Captain.
40 EXT. SPACE
The first trio of Tzenkethi harriers chasing the Aventine, sharing a warp field as they hold a helix formation...
...the second trio of Tzenkethi ships doing the same as they fly to intercept from the other direction...
...and the Aventine drops out of backwards-warp with barely a second to spare...
...before backing into the obscuring gases and fiery plasma storms of the Badlands, slowly disappearing from view.
41 INT. AVENTINE - BRIDGE
The giant viewscreen now shows the Badlands gases starting to obscure their view - but Dax knows there are six heavily armed Tzenkethi ships just beyond it... waiting for her.
DAX
Mister Bowers - get Leishman on
top of whatever repairs she needs
to make to the engines... but I
want this ship as close to silent
running as it can get.
BOWERS
Aye, sir.
Bowers moves off to get it done. Dax ponders the view...
42 EXT. SPACE
Open space... and a Galaxy-class ship drops out of warp. It is the Robinson, fully repaired after 14x13 “Fragments”.
As it settles to a relative stop, another ship hoves into view nearby... the Defiant.
43 INT. ROBINSON - BRIDGE
SISKO enters the Robinson’s bridge via the observation room door, escorted by Cmdr ROGEIRO. The rest of the bridge crew - UTELN, CORALA, PLANTE and SIVADEKI - all stand from their stations. Sisko doesn’t especially like the attention...
UTELN
Welcome back, sir.
SISKO
Thank you, Lieutenant. Carry on.
Sisko nods polite if slightly awkward hellos to the rest as he heads down the ramp and into the ready room. Rogeiro sticks with him, calling back as he goes...
ROGEIRO
Return to your stations, everyone.
Mister Plante, you have the conn.
PLANTE
Aye, sir.
Rogeiro follows Sisko into the ready room, the door closes.
44 INT. ROBINSON - READY ROOM (CONTINUOUS)
As Sisko stops at the window and gazes out at the stars, Rogeiro can tell he is uncomfortable...
SISKO
The repairs seem to have gone
well. It’s good to see the Robinson
back in one piece.
ROGEIRO
You too, Captain.
Sisko turns to look at Rogeiro - does he mean it’s good to see him back in one piece? Rogeiro continues...
ROGEIRO
It’s a morale builder for the crew
to have their captain back.
SISKO
They seem quite comfortable with
you as their commanding officer.
ROGEIRO
Sir?
SISKO
This is just a flying visit, Anxo. I’ve
been given temporary command
of the Defiant. You’ll continue to
command the Robinson, at least
for the duration of this crisis.
Rogeiro absorbs that uncertainly. Sisko sees it...
SISKO
Is there a problem?
ROGEIRO
(straightens)
Absolutely not, Captain.
SISKO
Out with it, Commander.
Rogeiro takes a deep breath, forces the confession out...
ROGEIRO
I was in command of the Robinson
during the fight against the Breen
and Tzenkethi. The fight in which
thirty-two crewmembers were killed.
SISKO
Were killed by the Typhon Pact,
Commander. Not by you.
ROGEIRO
I realise that, sir. It’s just... difficult
to remember sometimes.
SISKO
Unfortunately those are the kind of
memories we have got to deal with.
That’s what it means to be captain.
Rogeiro looks at Sisko, sees that the captain feels guilty about his actions - or inaction - during that battle too.
It brings them closer as colleagues. Maybe even as friends.
45 EXT. SPACE
Jem’Hadar Vessel 971 drops out of warp in open space...
46 INT. JEM’HADAR SHIP - BRIDGE
Jem’Hadar second ROTAN’TALAG (9x17 “Olympus Descending p2”) turns to report to WEYOUN, wearing the headset...
ROTAN’TALAG
We have reached the rendezvous
point, Weyoun.
WEYOUN
Thank you, Second.
(turns to Odo)
Almost there, Founder.
But ODO is stood at another bridge console, reading off the reports for himself. He turns back to Weyoun angrily...
ODO
Almost where, Weyoun? Rendezvous
with what? There’s no-one here.
Weyoun is stricken that he cannot answer. MEERA takes pity.
MEERA
Please try to relax, Odo.
ODO
I’ve been waiting to find out what
is going on here for long enough,
Meera. I want answers - now.
MEERA
It’ll be easier to show you. Meera
to First Taran’atar - we’re now on
the edge of Dominion space.
TARAN’ATAR (comm)
Our guests are ready, Founder.
MEERA
Thank you, First. Stand by.
ODO
Guests? On a Jem’Hadar fighter?
Odo is ever more annoyed. Meera reaches out her hand...
MEERA
Trust me, Odo.
Still unsure, Odo reaches out his hand, tentatively takes hers... it’s been so long since he did this... they LINK.
Odo closes his eyes as the bliss of the Link flows through him, the natural joy he’s been denied for so long...
Meera watches him with a faint smile... nods to Weyoun...
...and the two Founders DEMATERIALISE in transporter beams.
47 THE WA
...and beam back into the undefined white space of the WA (first seen 8x23). Odo separates from Meera, gazes around in confusion. The dimensionless void, no depth or shadow, just the coloured splotches hanging at periodic intervals.
ODO
What-... where are we?
MEERA
It’s called the Wa - the strange
space at the centre of the
freighter ship Even Odds.
ODO
Even Odds? I remember Nerys
and Jake telling me about that...
why are we here, Meera?
MEERA
Because this is where we’ve been
bringing them... to safety.
Odo remains as confused as ever...
...then more transporter signatures form. Figures beam in - DOSI, KAREMMA, ARGRATHI, RINDAMIL, TRELIANS, others...
MEERA
This is what Jem’Hadar vessel 971
has been doing for the past three
years. Ever since Laas insisted on
the borders being closed. Finding
those dissatisfied with living in
subjugation and servitude...
More figures BEAM IN, unusual non-humanoid figures, species we haven’t seen before. All the new arrivals look around at their new environment in the same quiet confusion as Odo...
MEERA
...using long-distance subspace
transporters to beam them all into
the secret heart of the Even Odds,
to hide them from prying eyes...
...and finally TARAN’ATAR beams in as well. He stands tall and proud, as Odo looks at him in surprise...
MEERA
...and helping them to escape the
Dominion to freedom.
Odo gazes in amazement at the range of aliens, all Dominion member races, filling the strangely space-less space around him, breathing free for the first time in their lives...
MEERA
...And now, Odo, we need your help
to complete our mission.
Off Odo’s reaction to that...
BLACK OUT
END OF ACT THREE