ACT TWO

FADE IN:

15 EXT. BLACK WORLD

The wall of fire. Bright against the black rock of the planet’s surface, it reaches up into the sky, gradually thinning as it reaches the edge of the atmosphere.

Kira, Ro, Cenn, Pif and Raiq now stand together at the ridge line, again half fascinated, half horrified.

RO
What is it?

CENN
It’s the meridian. I said the planet
was tidally locked with its sun,
a very slow rotation? That –
(pointing)
- is the line between night and
day. And it’s getting closer.
(to Pif)
You said the planet caught fire.

PIF
I could smell it. The ozone.

KIRA
How long?

CENN
About twelve hours. And I really
don’t think we want to still be
here when it arrives.

RAIQ
But Vexh remains unconscious. And
until he has healed and awoken, he
cannot move or pilot his vessel.

RO
Is there anything we can do to
speed him up?


RAIQ
The vessel must take its course.
Although... perhaps... if it were
to bond with me as well...

RO
Can they do that? Two at once?

RAIQ
It is rare, but there are tales. If
I could help the vessel to heal,
the vessel could in turn heal Vexh.

KIRA
But what about you? Aren’t you
bonded to Axno’s ship now?

RAIQ
I would not bond fully. Merely
assist. We should begin.

Raiq turns and heads back down towards the ship. With a last glance towards the approaching meridian, they follow.

16 EXT. DEEP SPACE NINE

Focusing on the Promenade...

17 INT. DS9 – PROMENADE, UPPER LEVEL

Evik stands at the barrier, looking down to the lower level – specifically the shrine. From this vantage point we can see Crewman SEVAK and Ensign ALECO standing guard as many Bajorans, civilian and Starfleet, file into the shrine.

There’s no particular problem, but Evik is troubled. He watches as one Bajoran on his way in gives a dirty look to another on her way out. Quark materialises beside him.

QUARK
Is it really the best idea to have
them voting in the very place
they’re fighting over?

Evik doesn’t react. Goes on watching for a moment.

QUARK
Are they having a big turnout?

EVIK
Lots of Bajorans on the station,
Quark. Lots of passionate people.

QUARK
And if passions get out of hand?

EVIK
Then I’ll step in.
(beat)
You deal with them socially. Have
you been able to get a feel for
how people are... thinking?

QUARK
A lot of voices talking. A lot of
people refusing to listen.

EVIK
Just the Bajorans?

QUARK
Oh no. Everyone. Human, Ferengi,
Bolian... Some even wondering
how come they don’t get a vote.

EVIK
They’re not Bajoran.

QUARK
But they still live here. They’re still
affected by what goes on in Bajoran
society. Shouldn’t they get a say too?

EVIK
Tell you what – if we get through
this one alive, I’ll mention it to
Commander Ro.

QUARK
What about you? How do you think
it’s gonna go?

Evik pauses again before answering. He’s worried about it.

EVIK
I haven’t been here long enough
to really get a feel for the entire
community. All I can do is hope.

QUARK
That’s why you should have been a
Ferengi. Whichever way it goes, a
Ferengi will always find a way to
make the best of it. You don’t
need hope when you have greed.

EVIK
Greed... I’m afraid that’s exactly
the problem.

Down below, another pair of Bajoran civilians are arguing. One PUSHES the other in the chest. The other PUSHES back. Sevak and Aleco immediately move to separate them.

Seeing this, Evik sighs with disappointment.

18 INT. DS9 – MAIN OPS CENTRE

Nog and Candlewood are at their respective stations. Prynn is at the central Ops table. BOWERS is at tactical.

PRYNN
Personally, I think it’s political
correctness gone mad.

CANDLEWOOD
What is?

PRYNN
Mo! Obviously I think he should
have saved the aliens, but it’s
not what the old Mo would have
done. He wouldn’t have cared.

NOG
So he’s growing as a character.
And you can’t make a profit off
someone who’s dead, can you?
I’m telling you, greed is the
noblest of emotions.

PRYNN
How the hell do you figure that?

NOG
Greed is just want. It gets a bad
reputation, but think about it.
Without want, nobody would ever
do anything. It’s what makes the
galaxy go around.

BOWERS
What are you three talking about?

CANDLEWOOD
Marauder Mo.

BOWERS
Oh. For a moment there I thought
it might be something relevant.

PRYNN
Hey – steady on, Lieutenant. Mass
entertainment is always relevant
to the larger culture.

BOWERS
Alright then – what does Marauder
Mo have to tell us about modern
culture in the Federation?

PRYNN
For starters, greed. This Vedek
Bellis character, he’s just being
greedy. He can’t stand somebody
else having more power than him.
(to Nog)
And that certainly doesn’t strike
me as noble.

Candlewood is keeping his head down, awkward with this.

NOG
You don’t think he might have a
point – that Bajoran society isn’t
ready for the changes that have
happened in the last few years?

PRYNN
How can you say that? Look at
Ferengi society. That’s had more
extreme changes in the last five
years than Bajor has, but you’re
all “up with social progress”
there, even with Marauder Mo.

NOG
(patient)
Yes, and I am here too. I’m just
saying that writing Bellis off as
a bigot doesn’t help. Progress
doesn’t come from ignoring the
conservative parts of society. It
comes from listening, considering,
and bringing them along with you.

Prynn and Bowers consider what he’s saying. Candlewood... looks uncomfortable.

19 ON SCREEN

One of the Cardassian shatterframe screens shows Vedek BELLIS being interviewed on some kind of news programme.

BELLIS (screen)
It is not bigotry to follow the
traditions that have sustained
our world for centuries. And we
should not allow them to call us
bigots – that only shows their
own intolerance.

20 INT. DS9 – PROMENADE, REPLIMAT

This broadcast is going out over many screens around the Promenade, and in Quark’s bar. Evik sits alone at a table in the Replimat, watching it. Around him, others have varying opinions. Evik doesn’t know what to think. Yet.

BELLIS (screen)
For centuries, the Vedek Assembly
has been built on worship of the
Prophets. That is undisputed. So
how then can it be led by one who
does not even follow the Prophets?
(beat)
Believe me, I have no ill will
against the Ohalavaru, the Oralian
Way, or anyone who follows a
different faith from me.

The reactions of others around Evik vary – some nod sagely, some roll their eyes in disbelief.

BELLIS (screen)
If they wish to create their own
Assembly and govern their own
affairs, that is none of mine.
They simply have no place in our
Assembly. And to be quite honest
with you, I don’t understand why
they would even want to be there.
(beat)
But no. Solis and his followers
insist on creating division where
there need not be any. Until this
unnecessary conflict is removed
from our midst, the Vedek Assembly
cannot function. And until the
results of the vote are tallied in
a few days’ time, and Solis is
forced to accept the will of the
people, it will remain in recess.
Bajor deserves no less.

Ending on Evik, as he considers Bellis’s words...

FADE OUT:

END OF ACT TWO