ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

37 INT. HOLOSUITE

Thirishar ch’Thane, aka SHAR, stands on the bare grid of one of Quark’s new holosuites (as briefly seen in 14x16). Surrounding him are reams and reams of technical data, DNA scans, genetic information, hanging projected in mid-air.

He wears rough civilian clothes, scuffed and dishevelled as if he has been on the run. He is tense and wary, antennae stiff, as if expecting to have to run again at any moment.

SHAR
Over the last year and a half, the
Tholian Assembly has shared a lot
of its own intelligence about the
Shedai meta-genome. Yet somehow,
that data has never included the
sequences we need to fix the flaws
in our gene therapy programme.

As Shar talks, the data scans enlarge in turn, then recede. Stepping up close to inspect them... is BASHIR. He stands in uniform, a full Commander, absorbing this complex data as quickly and thoroughly as he can. Shar continues...

SHAR
Of course, it might be the Treishya
deliberately trying to slow down
our research until they can figure
out how to take credit for it and
solidify their own hold on power.

Bashir looks behind himself, appalled at this notion, and sees SARINA looking back at him equally disturbed.

SHAR
Either way, the programme I run
with Professor Marthrossi zh’Thiin
isn’t getting the information we
need. And that’s why we need your
help, Julian. Because the Andorian
people are running out of time.

A list of file names appears in mid-air...

SHAR
I’ve included all our research,
but I can already tell you it’s not
enough. To finish what we started,
you will need to access Starfleet’s
secure medical archives and get
access to the information we can’t,
figure out how to put it to use,
and then get the cure back to us.

The hologram of Shar JERKS, as if he hears them coming for him. Time to tie this up.

SHAR
I know I’m asking a lot, Julian.
But I don’t know who else I can
trust. So... that’s my plea, in
a nutshell. Save us. Please.

The hologram and the data files dissipate into nothingness. Bashir and Sarina stand there absorbing the task ahead.

SARINA
How long have they got?

BASHIR
From a quick glance, if they don’t
instigate a successful programme
within the next twelve months, the
Andorian species will be extinct
by the end of the next century.

SARINA
So we need the Shedai data. Now.

BASHIR
Starfleet Medical will never let
me see it. It’s under the highest
level of classification there is.

Bashir turns to his girlfriend, and says out loud what they both knew from the moment the question was raised.

BASHIR
But you know who could probably
get a hold of it for us.

SARINA
They’ll want something in return.
Something of equal value.

Bashir nods, coming to terms with it. No other choice.

BASHIR
I know. Get in touch with L’Haan.
Tell her... you’ve figured out how
to get me to sign up with you. If
I want access to the Shedai meta-
genome to save the Andorians...
I’ll have to join Section 31.

They gaze at each other, daunted - this is it.

38 INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR

A seedy mid-20th century hotel, the kind of place one does not stay in if one has the money to be anywhere else. Damp, deserted, poorly lit, wallpaper peeling. Lt Cmdrs NOG and CANDLEWOOD step into this, looking around in confusion.

CANDLEWOOD
Alright, I know I didn’t spend as
much time in Las Vegas as you...
but this is not how I remember it.

NOG
Blessed Exchequer... what happened
in here?

They both creep forward a few more steps... reach a hotel door, number 22 - except one of the 2s is hanging loose. Nog looks to Candlewood - is this the place? Candlewood shrugs - no idea. So Nog reaches out, KNOCKS on the door.

A sharp YELP and a THUD from the other side of the door - someone dropped something in surprise. A SHUFFLE as the person moves to the door, nervous breaths and thumping heart that Nog can hear even through the door.

NOG
Vic? Is that you?

An eye peers through the peephole under the door number...

VIC (o.s.)
(muffled)
Who is it? Show me your face!

Unfortunately Nog is too short to see through the peephole. Candlewood stands behind his friend, grabs him by the waist and HEFTS him up higher to be visible through the hole... a GASP from the other side... Candlewood puts Nog down again.

CANDLEWOOD
Thank God Hetik has been forcing
me to work out more lately.

The door creeps open only an inch and a face appears - VIC.

VIC
Nog! Kid! What are you doing here?

The door swings open a bit more, and at last they can see Vic properly. He looks dreadful - haggard and terrified.

NOG
Me? What are you doing here? This
is a long way from the Dunes, Vic.

VIC
Look, I can’t talk right now, kid.
It’s great to see you but you
gotta get outta here.

CANDLEWOOD
Mister Fontaine, I don’t know if you
remember me. I’m the computer
specialist. Maybe if you explain
what’s happened to your pro-
gramme, I can help to fix it -

VIC
No! Don’t get involved, okay? The
fat lady’s about to sing.

FOOTSTEPS and VOICES from further down the corridor - Vic gasps and SLAMS the door shut, leaving Nog and Candlewood in the hotel corridor. Then around the corner appear...

...SQUARE JAW and his two heavies. The three thugs stop in surprise at the Starfleet officers’ unexpected presence, the metallic glint of guns twitching in their hands.

SQUARE JAW
Who the hell are you?

CANDLEWOOD
We’re nobody.

SQUARE JAW
Good. Then stay out of the way.

Square Jaw points his GUN, holding them off... while his two heavies KICK the hotel door down and barrel inside.

Nog and Candlewood stand there scared as the sounds of a scuffle filter out from the hotel room - SHOUTS and THUMPS and OOFS. Nog tenses to run to his friend’s defence, but Square Jaw re-emphasises the weapon in his hand...

...then the thugs reappear, dragging a bruised and bloodied Vic between them. The singer is moaning, semi-conscious.

NOG
Vic!

SQUARE JAW
My friends and me are gonna go
now. Don’t follow us, or we’ll kill him.

Square Jaw keeps his gun on them as the trio drag Vic back down the corridor... at the corner he pauses, considers...

SQUARE JAW
Ya know what, on second thought...
we don’t need no witnesses.

BLAM BLAM BLAM. The bullets hit Nog and Candlewood...

...a WHOOSH of photons...

39 INT. HOLOSUITE (INTERCUT)

...and Nog and Candlewood stand on the bare holosuite grid, holding their chests, feeling where they were just “shot”.

CANDLEWOOD
Okay, excuse my language but what
the frinx just happened?

NOG
We were killed. Once you’re killed
in the programme... you can’t
ever go back into it again.

CANDLEWOOD
So that’s the end of Vic Fontaine?

NOG
No. I will not let it be the end. I
fought to get the Vic programme
working again for nearly a year,
and I’m not leaving it like this.
You and me, John - we’re going
to figure out how to get back to
Las Vegas despite being dead -
and we’re going to save Vic’s life.

Off Nog’s resolve to help his friend...

40 INT. QUARK’S NEW BAR

QUARK leans on his bar, dejected. The place is empty.

QUARK
I just don’t know what to do.
Maybe I should demand a refund.

RWOGO
You know the first Rule, Quark.
“Once you have their money,
you never give it back.”

QUARK
They should change it. “Once you
have any money, you should
never give it to anyone.”

RWOGO
So Viray came up with nothing?

QUARK
Nothing. Six months of searching,
and the best private investigator
money can buy can’t find any sign
of Morn anywhere. Utterly useless.

RWOGO
Does he owe you money or something?

QUARK
That’s the worst part. He actually
paid off his tab before he left.
Like he knew he wouldn’t be back.

RWOGO
Then maybe you should let him go.

QUARK
He’s in trouble, Rwogo. I can feel
it in my lobes. I want Morn safe
and sound. I want my friend back.

Rwogo stands back from the other side of the bar, pondering the situation. Then reaches across and takes Quark’s hands.

RWOGO
Then let’s stop throwing good
money after bad. If you want
to find your friend... let’s you
and me go find him. Together.

Quark is touched by Rwogo’s support. Then the WHOOSH of holosuite doors opening upstairs... they both look up...

41 INT. QUARK’S NEW BAR - UPPER LEVEL (CONTINUOUS)

BASHIR and SARINA walk out of the first holosuite...

BASHIR
I’m just concerned... what if they
figure out why we’re really there?

SARINA
Well, we’ll have to be smarter than
all of them put together, won’t we?

NOG and CANDLEWOOD walk out of the second holosuite...

CANDLEWOOD
We could always reset the code to
the factory standards. That would
at least let us back in.

NOG
And erase Vic’s memories with it.
He wouldn’t be the Vic we know.

CANDLEWOOD
Alright, well... lots of holosuite
programmes have a secret back
door to let the programmer them-
selves in. If we can find that...

A third holosuite door opens... TENMEI walks out of it at top speed. She wears a LEOTARD, all flushed and sweaty...

TENMEI
No no no no no no no no...

SLAINE walks out behind her, also in a leotard but looking much more comfortable than Tenmei, hair tied up, smiling...

SLAINE
Aww, is it too hot for you, Prynn?

TENMEI
Too hot for me? That place is too
hot for life. It’s unnatural.

SLAINE
Not for Cardassians.

CANDLEWOOD
Is there a problem, ladies?

TENMEI
You shut your face.

Nog, Candlewood and Slaine all chuckle at Tenmei’s expense, and the four younger officers head down the stairs. Sarina and Bashir follow at a distance, muttering sotto...

SARINA
You know... Tenmei would be a
good person to have on our side.

BASHIR
Maybe... if we let her know that
the request came from Shar...

By now Tenmei has reached the ground floor, walks straight behind the bar to Quark’s bemusement... and tips a whole GLASS OF WATER over her own head. Then a COMM...

CENN (comm)
Cenn to all senior staff.

BASHIR
(taps combadge)
Go ahead, Colonel. We’re all here.

CENN (comm)
The captain wants to leave in
an hour. I suggest you all get
back to your quarters and get
dressed on the double.

They all look between themselves. They’re excited for this.

BASHIR
We’re on our way, Colonel.

Bashir taps the comm closed, and all eight draw themselves up and head for the door. Big day.

BLACK OUT

END OF ACT FOUR