STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "The Siege" #40512-423 Written by Michael Piller Directed by Rick Kolbe THE WRITING CREDITS MAY NOT BE FINAL AND SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR PUBLICITY OR ADVERTISING PURPOSES WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING WITH THE TELEVISION LEGAL DEPARTMENT. Copyright 1993 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved. This script is not for publication or reproduction. No one is authorized to dispose of same. If lost or destroyed, please notify the Script Department. Return to Script Department FINAL DRAFT PARAMOUNT PICTURES CORPORATION JULY 15, 1993 STAR TREK: DS9 - "The Siege" - 07/20/93 - CAST STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "The Siege" CAST SISKO BAREIL KIRA LI NALAS ODO JARO QUARK WINN BASHIR KRIM DAX DAY O'BRIEN BAJORAN OFFICER KEIKO BAJORAN OFFICER #2 MOLLY VOICE JAKE BAJORANS NOG OFFICERS ROM Non-Speaking Non-Speaking N.D. SUPERNUMERARIES N.D. BAJORANS MORN N.D. ALIENS STAR TREK: DS9 - "The Siege" - 07/20/93 - SETS STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "The Siege" SETS INTERIORS EXTERIORS DEEP SPACE NINE DEEP SPACE NINE AIRLOCK CARGO BAY BAJOR COMMANDER'S OFFICE CORRIDOR BAJOR'S MOON HOLOSUITE OPS FOREST PROMENADE SUSHI KIOSK THE RAIDER QUARK'S O'BRIEN'S QUARTERS CONDUIT #1 CONDUIT #2 CONDUIT #3 CONDUIT #4 CONDUIT #5 BAJORAN CITY CHAMBER OF MINISTERS TEMPLE SHRINE CHAMBER RAIDER COCKPIT CHAMBER STAR TREK: DS9 - "The Siege" 07/27/93 - PRONUNCIATION STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "The Siege" PRONUNCIATION GUIDE ANESTHIZINE ah-NESS-thu-zine BAJOR BAY-jor BAJORAN bah-JOR-an BAREIL buh-RILE BILECKI bi-LEK-ee JARO ESSA JAR-oe ESS-uh KRESSARI kre-SAR-i LI NALAS LEE NAH-less NERYS nar-EES VEDEK VE-dik DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/27/93 - TEASER 1. STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "The Siege" TEASER FADE IN: 1 RECAP OF FIRST TWO EPISODES ends with Sisko deciding not to abandon DS9. FADE TO BLACK. FADE IN: 2 INT. OPS As we find a group of about fifteen Starfleet officers assembled, standing, includes DAX, BASHIR and O'BRIEN -- in the middle of being briefed on the situation by SISKO... he is casual and intimate... moving along the group... SISKO (mid-explanation) ... Starfleet feels it has no other choice... the Federation is here at the invitation of the Bajoran provisional government... BASHIR (understands, grim) No more provisional government... no more invitation. SISKO Governments can break off relations with an edict. It's not so easy when it comes down to our level. Lieutenant Bilecki here is engaged to a young man from Bajor... (she acknowledges sadly) Ensign Kelly's daughter and a Bajoran girl worked together on a prize- winning science fair project... (Ensign Kelly nods) All of us who've served on this station for the past year have made Bajoran friends; we've come to care about what happens to these people. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - TEASER 2. 2 CONTINUED: SISKO I know I do. So, I've decided to stay. (continuing over murmuring reactions from the crowd) Just to make sure the "evacuation is... conducted properly"... A beat as he lets the revelation take hold. O'BRIEN (volunteering) You'll be needing someone to oversee the inventory process, sir... BASHIR (volunteering) Packing up all my medical supplies is going to take quite a long time, Commander... As others start to chime in, interrupting them... OFFICERS (ad lib) Count me in, Commander... I'm staying... I'll be here... You can count on me, sir... SISKO Before you volunteer too quickly, understand what you're in for. We'll be trying to delay the takeover of the station as long as possible... hopefully as long as it takes to expose the Cardassian involvement in all this. It won't be easy. These Bajoran assault forces have been told the Federation is their blood enemy. Jaro and The Circle would love nothing better than to present my head... and yours... to the Chamber of Ministers. This is the last chance to leave here in one piece. Some of you have families. Some of you are on temporary assignment. I wouldn't blame anyone for getting out now while you can. I mean that. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - TEASER 3. 2 CONTINUED: (3) SISKO (beat) Anyone who wants to evacuate is dismissed. He looks them over and waits... none of them move toward the door... after several beats and an inspiring music cue, Sisko nods thank-you. SISKO (more softly) Non-Bajorans won't be safe here... our families, children have to be evacuated... I'm sure many of the Bajorans who have worked with us will want to leave too. There's a lot to get done. The assault vessels will be here in less than five hours. (beat) Dismissed. FADE OUT. END OF TEASER DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT ONE 4. ACT ONE FADE IN: (NOTE: Episode credits fall over opening scenes.) 3 INT. PROMENADE Bustling with activity... shopkeepers closing up, taking whatever valuable stock out of their stores they can carry... emptying out window displays... locking doors... one alien shopkeeper is motioning his partner to hurry up, finally pulls her out of their shop... panic in faces as people and families, several aliens plus some Bajoran and some human, move through the various levels, preparing to evacuate... as we come to the entrance to Quark's... we find QUARK and ROM observing, Quark's mind working... QUARK Hundreds of people to evacuate and only three tiny runabouts available. Do you know what that means? Move to reveal Rom trying to figure out what his brother is thinking... ROM It... it means... a lot of people will be left behind... tragic, yes, brother... your compassion never ceases to amaze me... QUARK It means we're gonna make a fortune... ROM We are... ? QUARK People will pay anything for a seat on those ships... ROM (reacts, horrified) You can't make me... (off Quark's reaction) I won't sell my seat... QUARK Rom... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT ONE 5. 3 CONTINUED: ROM ... No, I won't stay and be killed just to fill your pockets... QUARK ... Rom, do you actually believe I would sacrifice my own brother's life for personal profit? And this requires a long beat of silence between them as the answer is obvious to them both... yes. QUARK It would have to be the deal of a lifetime. ROM Yeah, my lifetime. QUARK Listen to me -- we're both going to escape... but our bags will be packed with all the gold-pressed latinum we can carry... Rom smiles as he considers the possibility... as they move into the bar we'll notice Morn at the bar observing, drinking casually, unperturbed by anything... 4 ANOTHER PART OF THE PROMENADE - MOVING WITH JAKE through the rush of people, looking furiously, finally seeing the one he's looking for... JAKE Nog! Moving to reveal NOG coming toward him... smiles as he sees him... NOG I've been looking all over for you. JAKE What ship you on? NOG Rio Grande. Jake's face falls... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT ONE 6. 4 CONTINUED: JAKE I'm on the Ganges. NOG It'll be okay... we'll see each other at the Hanolan colony in a few days... JAKE That's not where I'm going. NOG But my dad told me... JAKE My ship's going to the Korat system... I guess that's where they're taking the Starfleet families... A beat as they realize this may be good-bye... NOG This'll be over in no time... we'll be back in school driving Mrs. O'Brien crazy again in a few days... But Jake is really sad about this... he shakes his head, forcing back the emotions... JAKE Just when I think I've found a new home, made a new friend... it always seems like I gotta leave. NOG (affectionate) Hey, Hew-man... Poking him in the ribs... JAKE Cut it out... NOG Has there ever been one of your kind and one of mine who were better friends? JAKE (deeply felt) Never. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT ONE 7. 4 CONTINUED: (2) NOG If our fathers couldn't break us up, no stupid coupe day... coupe dey... JAKE ... coup d'etat... it's French... NOG ... No stupid French thing will either... we'll see each other again... soon... and that's a promise. ODO (O.S.) Mister Sisko, Nog... Revealing ODO moving to them... ODO This is no time to be fooling around... get yourselves wherever you're supposed to be... Nog looks at Jake and suddenly hugs him like a brother... a long beat... another look with much feeling and they separate... on Jake's reaction... 5 INT. O'BRIEN'S QUARTERS O'Brien holds MOLLY as they come out of the bedroom, KEIKO carrying a bag... she's sullen... O'BRIEN Is that everything? KEIKO (suppressed anger) Sure. O'BRIEN Keiko. Don't leave like this. KEIKO (knows, stonewalling) Like what? O'BRIEN I don't have any choice. KEIKO Don't you? DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT ONE 8. 5 CONTINUED: And they're talking the way parents talk when they're furious with each other but the kid's there... it's all in the cracks... O'BRIEN He needs me. KEIKO We don't? O'BRIEN We can't let the bloody Cardies have the wormhole. KEIKO They can have the whole Gamma Quadrant for all I care. Their eyes meet in a loving look... softly with great feeling -- KEIKO Miles, come with us. MOLLY Where are we going? O'BRIEN On a ride, sweetheart... MOLLY Are you coming too, Daddy? O'BRIEN Soon, baby. I'll come as soon as I can. As Keiko looks at him, unforgiving, a tear rolls down her cheek... an awkward beat... finally... O'BRIEN I'll walk you to the airlock. He leads the way as they EXIT. 6 INT. OPS - CLOSE ON AN OKUDAGRAM (VPB) Massive interference suggested. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT ONE 9. 6 CONTINUED: DAX (V.O.) I've scanned every subspace communication window to find a frequency to Bajor... they've got them completely jammed. 7 ANGLE - AT DAX'S STATION Sisko looking over her shoulder, KIRA beside him... LI near by... in the background, Starfleet supernumeraries work on disabling key pieces of equipment... KIRA Then, we have no choice. We'll have to take the proof to the Chamber of Ministers... LI Jaro's forces will be scanning for any incoming vessels... SISKO (frowns) A runabout could handle a Bajoran patrol... unfortunately I don't have one to give you... Li's mind begins to work... LI (to Kira) The Lunar Five base? KIRA You think there might still be a ship there? LI (nods) We managed to get a few sub-impulse raiders underground before the Cardassians hit us... KIRA (to Sisko) Can one of the evacuation vessels take a detour and drop me off? SISKO (anticipating her plan) What if you get there and those raiders won't fly? DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT ONE 10. 7 CONTINUED: KIRA Then, I'll just have to wait to hear from you, I guess... SISKO (dry) You may be waiting a long time. Sisko frowns... thinks a beat... SISKO Dax, any of your former hosts have experience with sub-impulse thruster configurations... DAX Yeah... Tobin Dax... KIRA (smiles) Tobin? I don't think I've heard of that one... DAX My second host... barely a sex life and no imagination, but he knew phase coil inverters like no one else. SISKO Major Kira could use his experience today. As Dax acknowledges, rises... 8 ANGLE - TURBOLIFT Odo arriving, Quark in his grasp... QUARK I have no time for this foolishness! I still have to pack! Dax and Kira EXIT during the following... SISKO (to Odo) What's the problem? ODO He's been brokering seats on the evacuation vessels... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT ONE 11. 8 CONTINUED: SISKO (reacts) Where did you get more than one seat? QUARK (amused, the professional ticket broker) Everybody always asks the brokers where they get their extra seats... and all I can say is it's my business to find preferred seating for a select list of clients who... Sisko grabs him, in his face -- SISKO I've got over two hundred people who want to get off this station. Where did you get more seats? Quark blinks, unused to being handled this way by Sisko... QUARK A few trades... a person here or there who changed his mind about leaving at the sight of a reasonable stipend... BASHIR (V.O.) Bashir to Commander Sisko. SISKO Go ahead. INTERCUT: 9 INT. AIRLOCK Close on Bashir being pushed by the crowd. Chaos... people (mostly Bajorans, some aliens) wall to wall trying to get on the escape ships... BASHIR We're having a bit of a panic at the airlocks, sir... far more passengers than we can handle have shown up... they all claim to have made arrangements to leave... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT ONE 12. 10 INT. OPS Sisko reacts, looks to Quark... QUARK I may have overbooked slightly... Disgusted, Sisko pushes him away and moves to EXIT... SISKO (to Com) I'm on my way. Motions to Li to come with him... Calling after Sisko -- QUARK ... It's an accepted Ferengi transit practice... I feel perfectly justified... But Sisko ignores him, leaves... Turning to Odo -- QUARK I have complete faith in Commander Sisko's ability to straighten this out... ODO I'll pass that on. He'll be so pleased to have your confidence. QUARK As I'm no longer needed, my brother's waiting for me on the ship... (he moves to the Turbolift) Hey Odo, you'll miss me... you know you will... say it... ODO I'll miss you, Quark. QUARK You said it! ODO I'll miss the aggravation. The petty theft. The bad manners... QUARK (interrupting) Odo... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT ONE 13. 10 CONTINUED: As the Turbolift goes down... QUARK (continuing, seriously) Take care of yourself. Odo shrugs it off. But the subtext is there... he will miss him... 11 INT. AIRLOCK Even more chaos than before... as Sisko and Li arrive... Kira and Dax and O'Brien and Bashir are already there talking to irate Bajoran passengers who want on... occasionally, an alien or a human is allowed into the airlock (including Morn)... which only increases the walla from the others who have been unable to board... people begin to wave their hands at Sisko, he tries to yell over their voices... BAJORANS (AD LIB) You can't leave us here... we have to get out... I have a right to be on that ship... I've paid for a seat on that ship... Let us on! SISKO There isn't room for everyone... don't you understand... We have to get the children and families and non-Bajorans... But the crowd surges forward, unwilling to pay attention... 12 ANGLE - LI takes a deep breath, uncomfortably realizing his power in this situation, moves in front of Sisko and begins simply to make eye contact with members of the Bajoran crowd... moving his head slowly, silently stating his wish to speak... and the crowd responds to the man they have endowed with charismatic power. They begin to quiet down... After a beat of quiet, without raising his voice -- LI Where are you running to? This is Bajor. We're Bajorans. We fought a war to regain our homeland. How can you abandon it like frightened Cardassian voles? DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT ONE 14. 12 CONTINUED: LI These ships are for our guests who must leave because it's no longer safe for them. We're Bajorans. I say we stay and solve our problems together. Are you willing to join me? After he studies them for a dramatic beat, he starts to EXIT and after a quiet reaction from the crowd, many follow him... he exchanges a look with Sisko who nods an appreciation his way... SISKO (to Bashir) The moment the passenger lists are confirmed, I want these ships out of here... BASHIR They're almost ready to go sir... the Rio Grande is full, so is the Orinoco. SISKO Get them launched... BASHIR Aye, sir... He moves off... Dax and Kira nod to Sisko and enter the airlock... as Sisko turns to find -- 13 ANGLE - JAKE a duffel bag over his shoulder, waiting to say good-bye... Sisko moves to him... SISKO Ready? JAKE I've been thinking. SISKO Yeah? JAKE I really think it'd be better if I stayed. And Jake knows there's no chance of this, but his heart insists he try. Sisko hugs him. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT ONE 15. 13 CONTINUED: JAKE I don't want anything to happen to you. SISKO That makes two of us. He smiles at Jake... hands him a tiny disk... JAKE What's this? SISKO A letter I wrote you. JAKE A letter? SISKO Just some things. JAKE I'll read it as soon as I get on the ship. SISKO Wait a while. Jake swallows hard, nods. SISKO See you in a coupla weeks. He holds the boy's face under the chin and gives him a long look, imprinting the image of his face in his mind. Smiles. Jake EXITS through the airlock... 14 ON SISKO as he watches him go... after a beat, O'Brien seals the airlock... O'BRIEN That's everyone... SISKO (hits combadge) Sisko to Ganges. Proceed with launch. KIRA'S COM VOICE Acknowledged. Good luck, Commander. Kira out. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT ONE 16. 14 CONTINUED: A beat later... QUARK (O.S.) No! Wait! 15 ANGLE to see Quark arriving, lugging a huge and heavy suitcase... QUARK My ship... the Rio Grande... my brother's on it -- he has my ticket... Sisko looks at Bashir for an explanation... BASHIR Sir, that ship was full... I checked the list myself, Quark's name wasn't on it... I did see Rom go on board... he was with one of the dabo girls... QUARK Dabo girl... what?! SISKO Looks like he sold your seat, Quark. Sisko chooses that line to EXIT... Quark looks around, incredulous... to O'Brien and Bashir as they EXIT... QUARK No, you don't understand... I can't stay here... I'll be hung... call the ships back... I'll pay anyone five bars of gold press latinum for a seat... all right ten... twenty... And on his terrified face... FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/27/93 - ACT TWO 17. ACT TWO FADE IN 17 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) two Bajoran raiders move toward the station. INT. AIRLOCK as it rolls open... and two armed Bajoran soldiers move out, quickly scan the area, they are followed by Field Colonel DAY KANNU, a rugged, cold-eyed man about forty. He reacts as he realizes no resistance is forthcoming. He hits a Bajoran combadge. DAY (to com) Clear. A beat later... OVER-GENERAL KRIM... with whom Sisko met in Episode Two... moves casually out of the airlock, escorted by another two officers (including BAJORAN OFFICER). DAY No resistance at all. Minister Jaro's prediction was correct... the Federation has tucked its tail between its legs... Krim barely acknowledges, moves slowly with authority toward the exit... the officers flanking him all the way... 18 INT. PROMENADE as the same group appears, pauses at the entrance to observe the empty environs. As they slowly move down the thoroughfare, it's worth mentioning a bit about Day and Krim. Krim is purely a professional military man, a Rommel, not interested in politics but understands his role and responsibility in the coup. Day is far more political and is Jaro's eyes and ears in this operation, more like an SS attache. There is always a subtle tension between these two. Day thinks Krim is arrogant but knows he needs the support of the military. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT TWO 18. 18 CONTINUED: Krim has little respect for Day but knows he's dangerous. KRIM (curious) Where are the Bajoran officers who supported Starfleet... and where's Li Nalas? DAY Perhaps they knew this old station could never withstand a siege so they abandoned it with Starfleet. KRIM (a beat, thoughtful) The most strategic position in the entire sector... at the mouth of the wormhole... Had I been the Federation commander, I would not have abandoned it so easily. And as they continue to walk... 19 HIGH ANGLE from a surveillance position inside the walls to see them moving... pulling back to see Sisko observing... behind him O'Brien and Li. (The Starfleet guys should be out of uniform.) 20 EXT. SPACE - BAJOR'S MOON (OPTICAL) with the planet in the background perhaps... 21 INT. CAVERN Dax and Kira push through massive spider webs and dust... palm beacons on... duffel bags over their shoulders... KIRA Can you believe... about a year ago, I was living in a camp like this only not quite so nice. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT TWO 19. 21 CONTINUED: DAX (unhappily shaking off the cobwebs) Have I mentioned how allergic Trills are to insect bites? KIRA Really? DAX The biochemical connections between the host and symbiont can't tolerate the... (interrupting herself, startled) Is that a spider or a dog? We catch a glimpse of something large, black and crab-like moving quickly across a rock in the foreground... KIRA Palukoo. The Bajoran moons are full of them. DAX (ugh) I suppose they became your pets and you all sang songs about them around the campfire. KIRA No, we ate them. Dax gives her a sharp look... Kira pauses... flashes the palm beacon ahead... KIRA There it is... 22 ANGLE - TO REVEAL (OPTICAL) the smallest, most archaic looking spacecraft we've ever seen on Star Trek. In 20th century terms, it's a biplane. As they move closer... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/21/93 - ACT TWO 20. 22 CONTINUED: DAX You're sure this is supposed to fly? KIRA I've been in a lot worse. 22A INT. RAIDER COCKPIT as they climb in the hatch, Dax first, reacting to the size of the cockpit... DAX I guess the Bajoran resistance must have had a lot of short pilots. KIRA No, just short engineers. They were always building these things without thinking. DAX Encouraging. KIRA Bend your knees, you'll fit. 22B ANGLE - FROM INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT Shooting back into the cockpit. Dax opens up a panel (on rusty hinges) in the back of the craft... opens her bag and begins to take out a tricorder and some small laser tools... Kira moves forward to the pilot's seat... KIRA The real trick'll be to fire up these thrusters after a year... it was hard enough to get them running when they were being used every day. DAX Oh, we'll get them fired up. You don't have to worry about that... KIRA You're sure, huh... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/21/93 - ACT TWO 20A. 22B CONTINUED: DAX Yep. I have no intention of getting stuck here... (beat) ... eating palukoos. As Kira reacts... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/27/93 - ACT TWO 21. 23 INT. OPS Krim and Day, a Bajoran Officer and his two aides ENTER... Ops is deserted... the aides fan out and begin working consoles... The officer goes to Dax's station... begins to work panels... DAY We should advise Minister Jaro of our success immediately. KRIM You're too eager to receive his plaudits, Colonel. (to an aide) What's the status of the internal security net... ? BAJORAN OFFICER Completely disabled, General... DAY (annoyed at the way he's treated) The Minister personally requested that I inform him as soon as we... KRIM Fine. Go on, go on... call your friend... use a secured frequency... Day moves to O'Brien's station... Krim joins his aide at Dax's station... the Aide is pressing panels, checking the security net... KRIM Scan the Operations Center for organic material. BAJORAN OFFICER Organic... ? KRIM The station's security chief is apparently missing... the shape- shifter... it's possible he left with the evacuation ships... or perhaps there's more here than meets the eye... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT TWO 22. 23 CONTINUED: BAJORAN OFFICER Yes, sir... KRIM Scan six times an hour at random intervals... and advise all units to be alert when they're... Stops as he hears -- overlapping -- DAY (moving to Viewscreen position) Minister... I'm pleased to report that we've encountered no resistance so far... Krim reacts to the start of Day's conversation, moves to join him... 24 ANGLE (OPTICAL) - INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN JARO speaks from the Chamber of Ministers which is out of session... JARO Good news... then the Federation has withdrawn... DAY We monitored the evacuation of three vessels several hours ago... JARO (very pleased) When I announce that we've secured the station, it will certainly impact the... KRIM Minister, I urge caution... the battle for this station has not even begun yet... JARO (reacts, surprised) Do you expect the enemy to return, General? KRIM I'm not convinced they ever left. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT TWO 23. 24 CONTINUED: Day reacts... KRIM The internal security net has been sabotaged... we have no way to track movements of anyone on board... which suggests that someone didn't want to be easily found. JARO Kira? KRIM Perhaps. She is unaccounted for. So is Security Chief Odo. So is Li Nalas. JARO You're right. Li would never have abandoned Bajor... he must still be there... KRIM For that matter, Starfleet might have even left a contingent on board... DAY (trying to catch up) I'll be organizing search parties. 25 INT. CHAMBER OF MINISTERS - DAY (OPTICAL) Jaro looking into a monitor displaying Ops. JARO Let me re-emphasize that you are to take every necessary step to keep Li Nalas alive. Dead, he's a martyr. Alive, he seals our victory. DAY Understood. Jaro switches off the monitor, thinks a long beat... WINN (O.S.) Once you have him, Li will see the wisdom of giving you his support. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT TWO 24. 25 CONTINUED: Move to reveal VEDEK WINN sitting beside Jaro... she has been there through the whole conversation. JARO I'll offer him anything he wants to make sure he does... (teasing) Short of becoming the next Kai, of course. He gets no smile at his humor from Winn. There may be the slightest trace of sexual tension between these two. WINN You have a unique ability to build a consensus, Essa. Bajor has been waiting for a leader like you. JARO Leaders like us. WINN (nods, thank you) If I am so favored by the Vedek Assembly. JARO You don't have to worry about that... twenty-six hours after I'm sworn into office, I'll direct the Vedek Assembly to elect you Kai... and together, we will rebuild Bajor. Vedek Winn gives a trace of a smile and we... FADE OUT. END OF ACT TWO DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/27/93 - ACT THREE 25. ACT THREE FADE IN 26 INT. CAVERN - THE RAIDER (OPTICAL) As the thrusters fire, belching black smoke, dust flying... 27 INT. RAIDER COCKPIT Dax on her stomach... sticking halfway into the engine compartment... Kira working the forward controls, yelling over the dreadful racket -- KIRA You got it! DAX Don't turn them off... we'll never get them going again! KIRA Let's go! DAX (to herself) Thank you, Tobin. But as she backs up, and tries to close the engine panel, it jams open... and she pushes it and hits it... but it won't budge... KIRA Come on, Dax! Dax sighs... defeated by the open panel... DAX (to herself) The hell with it. If it's gonna fly, it's gonna fly. She tosses the door aside and moves toward the cockpit... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT THREE 25A. 27 CONTINUED: KIRA Problem? DAX (false cheer) No. Everything's... wonderful. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/21/93 - ACT THREE 26. 27 CONTINUED: (2) As she climbs into the chair next to Kira, she hits her head on the roof. DAX Ow. KIRA The knees. Dax settles in, frowns. Kira works the engines... KIRA Listen to that sound... this brings back some memories... DAX How did you ever win a war in these things? KIRA We were the insects, Lieutenant. The Cardassians were just as allergic as Trills. Is the proximity system working? DAX (checking) I think so. KIRA Then let's see if I can get out of here without bouncing off the walls... And we hear the noise and see the vibrations increase as she boosts the thrusters... 28 INT. COMMANDERS' OFFICE Krim and Day in a furious argument... Krim is always calm but he's just as mad. KRIM You'll be playing right into their hands. DAY If you're so convinced they're still here, how can you sit and wait for them to attack... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT THREE 27. 28 CONTINUED: KRIM They have no interest in attacking... DAY How can you be so sure? KRIM Because I understand military tactics. They are vastly outnumbered. If we divide our forces... DAY (interrupting) Military tactics. The great General. You are nothing without Jaro's support. You could just as easily be in prison today as in command of this station. KRIM (conciliatory) Our priority is to get this station running... once we do, finding them will be easier. The lights go out in Ops... they react... move to the door which opens... 29 ANGLE INTO OPS BAJORAN OFFICER The primary sensor array was sabotaged, sir... as soon as we tested it, the subnet shorted out... DAY (sotto, angry) You can let your engineers play with the machines... I'm sending out search parties... He EXITS through Ops... on Krim's tight facial muscles... 30 INT. CONDUIT #1 Close quarters. Sisko, Li, a group of human and Bajorans in the background... a suggestion that maybe there's a dozen or more out of view... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT THREE 28. 30 CONTINUED: O'Brien arrives with food and drink... his helpers pass out grub to the others in the background... as he hands a nondescript edible to Sisko and Li... O'BRIEN Eat hearty... the replicators crash in sixteen minutes... this'll have to last awhile... During the speech, Sisko studies the food... SISKO Combat rations, Chief? Couldn't you replicate something a little more palatable? O'BRIEN You don't like combat rations? SISKO A french onion soup would have been nice... O'BRIEN Miracle of science, these little rations... timed release formula of all the nutrients the body needs for three days. (takes a bite) I love 'em... only thing I miss about the Cardassian front. Sisko nods evenly, using this as an opportunity to relieve tensions, he hits his combadge -- SISKO Sisko to all units. You can thank Chief of Operations Miles O'Brien for the menu this afternoon... INTERCUT: 31 INT. CONDUIT #2 Very much like the last one... Bashir is in command, Quark is visible behind him, glumly eating the rations, his big suitcase full of latinum serving as a table... BASHIR (smiling) You haven't made any friends, here, Chief... or should I say, Chef... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT THREE 29. 31 CONTINUED: O'BRIEN (with attitude) Julian, I would expect you of all people to appreciate the nutritional value of combat rations... BASHIR Actually, in med school, I designed an incredible candy bar that was far superior in food value... QUARK Am I the only one who doesn't find this funny... ? He takes another miserable bite... ODO'S COM VOICE (sotto) Odo to Sisko... SISKO Go ahead... ODO'S COM VOICE Stand by. 32 INT. CORRIDOR (OPTICAL) Six Bajoran soldiers move through with a purpose... after they EXIT, PAN UP to find Odo's head and neck already shaped, sticking down from the ceiling, looking toward the departed soldiers... ODO (sotto) A six-man unit is about to begin a search of the cargo deck... 33 INT. CONDUIT #3 BASHIR That puts them closest to me, Commander. INTERCUT: DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/21/93 - ACT THREE 30. 34 INT. CONDUIT #1 Sisko takes a beat to think, sees O'Brien obviously concerned... SISKO (to com) Stand by, Doctor. Presses his combadge off. O'BRIEN Maybe we ought to send him someone with experience... someone who can run the show like Li... Sisko glances at Li who has overheard... Li breaks eye contact, not capable of this... SISKO No, I need Li here with us. (hits combadge) All right, Doctor... move your unit to cargo bay six, you know what to do... and let me re-emphasize -- use deadly force only if absolutely necessary. 34A INT. CONDUIT #2 Bashir is already getting up to move, motioning the others to follow... BASHIR Aye, sir... we're on our way... As men move by Quark... QUARK Happy hunting. I'll be here thinking of you. As he turns to pick up an extra ration that somebody left behind... starts to eat it... 35 OMITTED 36 INT. CARGO BAY with crates and barrels as usual... a door opens and the Bajoran search party ENTERS... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/21/93 - ACT THREE 30A. 36A ANGLE on one of them, reading a tricorder; he reacts curiously as the device leads him deeper into the room to a cargo container... the tricorder makes more and more urgent beeps... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT THREE 31. 36A CONTINUED: BASHIR (O.S.) I wouldn't get too close to that... it's a thorium isotope... And this all happens quickly: as the troops turn to the voice, suddenly 37 ANGLE - TO HIGH GRILL CONDUIT as Bashir kicks it out, revealing that he's holding a phaser pointed at the search party... BASHIR Prolonged exposure can have nasty consequences. 38 OMITTED 39 ANGLE - BEHIND THE SEARCH PARTY As the searchers react, begin to spread out and go for their phasers -- the tops of several crates burst open and more good guys are inside, standing up with phasers trained... the assault team knows they're beaten, drop their phasers... 40 BASHIR hits his combadge... BASHIR Bashir to Sisko. SISKO'S COM VOICE Go ahead. BASHIR Mission accomplished. As the victims are taken prisoner... 41 INT. CONDUIT #1 BASHIR'S COM VOICE We have our first six prisoners of war. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT THREE 32. Sisko exchanges a glance with O'Brien, allows himself a smile... 42 EXT. SPACE - THE RAIDER (OPTICAL) slowly chugging through space... engine still exposed... 43 INT. RAIDER COCKPIT Shaking like a car without shocks... KIRA Preparing to establish a high altitude orbit of Bajor... DAX Navigational sensors aren't functioning... KIRA No problem... DAX No problem? Big problem. Without navigational sensors... KIRA ... we'll have to fly by the seat of our pants. DAX Great. Seat of the pants technology. KIRA You Starfleet types depend too much on gadgets and gizmos... you lose your natural instincts for survival... DAX My natural instincts for survival told me not to climb aboard this thing... I'd say they were functioning pretty well... KIRA I know the terrain of Bajor... we ought to be able to recognize a landing site by... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT THREE 33. 43 CONTINUED: Suddenly a huge boom and a major shake... KIRA What the hell was that? Frantically pressing panels... DAX I have no idea... None of the sensors are... Another explosion, this one causes some damage... sparks... KIRA Someone's firing at us... initiating evasive maneuvers... Frustrated by the control sensors, Dax finally reaches for her tricorder and points it toward the window... DAX I'm reading the E-M signature of an impulse engine... KIRA Let's see what we're dealing with... As she takes a hard turn... 44 ANGLE (OPTICAL) A sweeping pan as the ship moves to see in the window two Bajoran impulse ships coming at us... phasers blasting... KIRA Welcoming committee from Jaro... Kira makes a hard turn, the two ships sweep overhead... explosions rocking us... 45 NEW ANGLE DAX We'll never outrun them in this... KIRA You're right... we've gotta even the match... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT THREE 34. 45 CONTINUED: DAX How do you intend to do that? KIRA (as she furiously presses panels) New playing field. I'm taking us down into the atmosphere. They won't be able to use their impulse engines down there. Kira begins her descent... KIRA (determined) If they want a fight... they'll have to fight on our terms... On Dax's reaction... FADE OUT. END OF ACT THREE DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/21/93 - ACT FOUR 35. ACT FOUR FADE IN 46 INT. SECURITY OFFICE (OPTICAL) Close on O'Brien and Li working in an open panel near the floor, creating some sabotage... suddenly a phaser blast shoots over their heads, just missing them... they roll and flatten out and peek to see Bajoran assault forces on the second level of the Promenade... pinning them down with massive fire... O'BRIEN (to com) O'Brien to Sisko. They've got us pinned down in here... SISKO'S COM VOICE On our way, Chief... 47 NEW ANGLE - PROMENADE (OPTICAL) As Sisko and several men come out of an airlock, firing phasers, drawing attention, one of them rolls a 24th century grenade down the thoroughfare like a bowling ball and as it explodes into a massive smoke bomb... 48 O'BRIEN AND LI (OPTICAL) O'BRIEN Now! Charge out... firing phasers through the smoke... then... 49 ANGLE (OPTICAL) as they run like hell down the Promenade... as Sisko et al. continue to draw the Bajorans' fire and hold them at bay upstairs... but two of the assault forces manage to get down the stairs and chase after O'Brien... 50 ANGLE - ODO emerges through the smoke, in front of O'Brien and Li, sees what's going on... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/21/93 - ACT FOUR 36. 51 WIDER (OPTICAL) Odo MORPHS into a thin wire and stretches across the thoroughfare about a foot off the floor just after O'Brien and Li pass by... when the pursuit reaches the spot, they trip and sprawl. 51A ANGLE - SISKO (OPTICAL) sees O'Brien and Li are safe, withdraws his men back into the airlock, firing a few last rounds as they go... 52 EXT. BAJOR - MATTE SHOT - DAY (OPTICAL) The thruster trail of a tiny aircraft visible in the sky... arcing down... now two more trails in pursuit, the glint of the sun's reflection off metal... 53 INT. RAIDER COCKPIT - DAY The ship continues to buckle and lurch... KIRA All right. They've gone to thrusters. That evens things up a little. DAX If you consider two against one "even." Another near miss... Kira jerks the controls... 54 ANGLE (OPTICAL) Blue sky out the window... the twisting, tilting horizon moves across our view... KIRA There is one problem. DAX One? KIRA The guys flying those ships? DAX Yeah... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/21/93 - ACT FOUR 36A. 45 CONTINUED: KIRA Used to be the guys flying these ships. BLAM! -- another near miss... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT FOUR 37. 55 RESUME as they level off... KIRA (continuing) Test the phaser banks. Dax presses panels... we hear the sound of several phaser shots... DAX Full power. KIRA Good. DAX (further checking) Not so good. The phaser locks are dead. There's no way to aim. KIRA Sure there is. DAX I know. I know. Seat of the pants... KIRA With your eyes, Lieutenant... not your... pants. Just point at them and fire. DAX You fly. I'll shoot. KIRA Hang on. 56 ANGLE - THROUGH THE WINDOW (OPTICAL) A sharp movement... the ground twists topsy-turvy overhead as Kira makes an incredible move and as she straightens out, we're behind one of Bajoran ships... zigzagging through the blue background to escape as Dax fires repeated shots... missing badly the first few times... and then connecting one-two-three... smoke wheezes from the Bajoran ship and Kira flies us up and over the smoke trail... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT FOUR 38. 57 EXT. BAJOR - MATTE SHOT - DAY (OPTICAL) A trail of smoke from one of the tiny specks as it crashes and explodes on the ground. 58 INT. RAIDER COCKPIT Kira presses forward to get a better look out the window... KIRA Where the hell's the other one? A massive hit... on their tail... KIRA I think we found him. Fire in the cockpit, behind them... the ship lurches even more violently than before... Kira desperately tries to keep control... the thrusters fire unevenly... DAX Thruster power is falling... KIRA They must've hit a plasma conduit... DAX (checking the fire) Is there any fire gear? KIRA Check under the seat. DAX (checking) I think I've got something. She pulls out a very small archaic extinguisher. DAX That's it? KIRA That's it. Dax sighs and starts to squirt the fire... a thick slime barely arcs out and slops to the floor... not getting anywhere near the fire... DAX Got any other ideas? DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT FOUR 39. 58 CONTINUED: KIRA Yeah. We could crash. DAX (fatalistic) Is that the best you can come up with? KIRA 'Fraid it is. DAX (sighs, okay here we go) Might as well jettison the plasma tank. The thrusters are gone. KIRA (hitting panels) Plasma tank ejected... can you see any openings where we can put down? 59 ANGLE (OPTICAL) - THROUGH THE WINDOW the ground getting closer by the second... Kira trying to hold the horizon level... but losing the battle... the whine of the steep decline growing louder... DAX Three kilometers ahead at two o'clock... KIRA Anything a little closer? DAX How much closer? KIRA (no other choice) How about... right here. Suddenly, the ground just seem to swallow us up as our view of trees and forest jumps in our faces... twisting and turning... 60 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) Establishing. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/21/93 - ACT FOUR 40. 61 INT. QUARK'S Lights out... beacons sweeping through the darkness... finding the face of Day as he leads the search team through... VOICE Sir, up here... one of the Ferengi's holosuites is in use... Day reacts, moves up the stairs... 62 SECOND FLOOR Day and four men converge... ready weapons... Day hits the door panel, it doesn't open... DAY Override it manually. An officer opens a door panel and the door slides open; they wheel inside... 63 INT. HOLOSUITE Sisko, Li and O'Brien are there looking over station plans on a table... they turn, start to go for their phasers... DAY Don't try it. Sisko and the others realize they're caught... giving orders -- DAY Get their weapons. Day and his unit move deeper into the room... suddenly... 64 ANGLE (OPTICAL) the Holosuite door slams shut... Sisko et al. disappear, holographic images all, Day reacts, tries to get the door open, it won't budge... an officer tries to manually override but it won't work... suddenly, Sisko's voice echoes through the room... SISKO (O.S.) This is Commander Benjamin Sisko. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT FOUR 41. SISKO (O.S.) (Cont'd) Please listen very carefully. The Cardassians are supplying the weapons for this coup... DAY Ridiculous. No Bajoran would ever accept help from them. SISKO (O.S.) Jaro doesn't know -- The Cardassians are using the Kressari to deliver the weapons to The Circle. DAY That is a Federation lie. SISKO (O.S.) Tell General Krim that proof is on its way to Bajor... once this evidence is presented, the coup will end... we don't want to fight you, or hurt anyone... (beat) Your officers will be our guests for awhile. I hope they won't mind Starfleet combat rations. And Day DEMATERIALIZES... 65 INT. OPS (OPTICAL) Day MATERIALIZES on the Transporter pad to the surprised reactions of everyone there including Krim... covering his humiliation... DAY I was taken prisoner... the Federation is behind all this... Sisko spoke to me... KRIM (reacts, to himself, admiring) So, Commander, you didn't abandon your post after all. (turns back to Day) What did he say? DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT FOUR 42. 65 CONTINUED: DAY (beat) Nothing of consequence. KRIM Why did he let you go? DAY I promised them amnesty... (Krim reacts, this doesn't sound at all right) A promise I have no intention of keeping. From Dax's station -- BAJORAN OFFICER General, the security net is back on line. KRIM Scan for their communication devices. The officer presses several panels... Krim and Day move to him, look at an OKUDAGRAM on Dax's monitor... BAJORAN OFFICER Not picking up a thing, sir. KRIM Then they must be in a shielded location... DAY The Cardassians used duranium composite to shield all the conduits... KRIM (nods) Then that's where we'll find Commander Sisko... FADE OUT. END OF ACT FOUR DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/21/93 - ACT FIVE 43. ACT FIVE FADE IN: 66 EXT. FOREST - NIGHT We hear the sounds of a search party in the distance first... hound-like bays, nondescript voices and yells in the distance... alien searching equipment sounds... sounds of machetes cutting down foliage... moving to a heavy growth to find Kira badly hurt, her uniform scuffed, torn and burned from the crash, trying desperately to hold onto consciousness... Dax, who is less hurt but also shows the cuts and damage of the crash landing, crawls back through the underbrush to Kira... DAX They've found the raider and now they're spreading out... we can't stay here... KIRA I'll slow you down. The only thing that's important now is to get the evidence to the provisional government. DAX It'd be a lot more convincing if it came from you... KIRA The evidence speaks for itself. You've got to leave me. That's an order, Lieutenant. DAX The Federation officially left Bajor yesterday. You're not my commanding officer anymore. KIRA I can't walk... DAX Sure you can, come on... Dax tries to help her to her feet... Kira can't put any strength on her left leg... KIRA (exhausted) ... you're being a fool, Dax... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/21/93 - ACT FIVE 44. 66 CONTINUED: DAX ... And don't speak to your elders that way... They've barely taken a step when they hear approaching steps and machetes slashing nearby... Dax reacts... they crouch back to the ground... more sounds of people coming... Dax pulls Kira down... stay with them as they try to breathe without making noise... 67 CLOSE ON KIRA in pain, hugging the ground... 68 HER POV - SIDEWAYS (OPTICAL) through foliage to see Bajoran boots walk slowly by, ... and then they return and pause nearby... the sounds of a tricorder beeping... sounds of more searchers, louder and louder... and slowly the scene begins to lose focus... 69 KIRA knows it's over, loses consciousness. 70 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) Re-establishing. 71 INT. CONDUIT #3 Sisko, O'Brien, Li... ODO'S COM VOICE Odo to Sisko. I hope you're not still on level five... SISKO No, we're on three... why? ODO'S COM VOICE Because they're about to fill the conduits with anesthizine gas... starting with level five... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT FIVE 45. 71 CONTINUED: SISKO (any solutions) Chief? O'BRIEN (shakes his head) Good idea. Kind of thing I might've come up with. We've got to get out of here and soon. Sisko takes a beat, thinks... SISKO We should have heard something from Dax and Kira by now... O'BRIEN If they didn't make it, we're all fighting for a lost cause here... SISKO (beat) We still have an ace in the hole. He turns to Li... gives him a hard look. LI Me... Li's eyes go white... O'Brien notices... SISKO Mister O'Brien, get the units ready to move out. O'Brien throws a curious glance at Li before... O'BRIEN Aye, sir... He EXITS down the conduit... SISKO Jaro's plan depends on the military's support... without it, the coup fails. LI You think I can sway the Generals... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/27/93 - ACT FIVE 46. 71 CONTINUED: (2) SISKO Right now, I'm only concerned with one General... The one that's here... he's picked the wrong side and we've got to convince him of that... (off Li's doubtful look, evenly) Would he rather follow a politician... or Bajor's greatest war hero... LI (softer) I've done everything I can to help. I would die for my people but... SISKO (overlapping) Sure you would. Dying gets you off the hook. Question is -- are you willing to live for your people? Live the role they want you to play. That's what they need from you right now. Li studies him. With an encouraging nod, Sisko leads the way out. 72 INT. TEMPLE SHRINE - DAWN Dark... close on Kira, still wearing her uniform, as she regains consciousness, sits up with a gasp... turns to see... 73 ANGLE - BAREIL BAREIL Kira... you're safe... you're at the monastery... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT FIVE 47. 73 CONTINUED: KIRA (trying to regain composure) How did I... the last thing I remember... BAREIL The entire city saw your ship go down... the searchers that found you were from my order... KIRA Dax... ? BAREIL She's fine... she's changing clothes... Rising with some difficulty but not as much as before... KIRA We've got to get to the Chamber of Ministers... the Cardassians... BAREIL I know. Lieutenant Dax told me. Kira stumbles a little as she tries to walk... Bareil reaches out and holds her with both hands... there is a sexual tension that comes with the touch... BAREIL Careful, you've just had a broken hip mended... KIRA How long have I been here? BAREIL Six hours. KIRA Six hours... we have to... The door opens, adding some light to the subject, Dax ENTERS, wearing religious garb, including a Winn-like hat and has a Bajoran nose... she's also carrying a monk's robe for Kira... Kira reacts to the sight of Dax which matches her orb vision... DAX Good, you're up... put this on... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT FIVE 48. 73 CONTINUED: (2) KIRA Why are we... DAX It's the only way we can get to the Chamber of Ministers... BAREIL Members of religious orders are the only ones who can travel safely in the streets... I'm going to escort you... KIRA No. We have to go alone, Bareil... I can't be responsible for your safety... BAREIL Of course you can't. But I can be responsible for yours. Please don't argue. A look between them. He's going. She acknowledges, has the monk's gown on... he leads the way and as they EXIT... quick exchange -- DAX So what do you think... ? KIRA Think? DAX The nose? KIRA (noticing) It's... flattering. DAX (dry) I'm thinking of keeping it. And they're out. 74 INT. CONDUIT #4 Quark dragging his suitcase awkwardly down the conduit... grunting and sweating with the strain... Bashir sticks head back around the corner... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT FIVE 49. 74 CONTINUED: BASHIR Quark, leave it! QUARK I can't leave it. It's all that I am. My personal mementos, my family album... BASHIR It's filled with gold-pressed latinum and you know it. QUARK Who told you! BASHIR (lightly) Your mother did. The day you were born. QUARK Never make fun of a Ferengi's mother. Rule of Acquisition number thirty- one. SISKO'S COM VOICE Sisko to Bashir. INTERCUT: 75 ANOTHER CONDUIT #5 - VERTICAL SISKO We're in position. BASHIR My unit's stationed above Airlock Fourteen, awaiting your signal. SISKO You've got it. Just make as much noise as you can before you surrender, Doctor. BASHIR We'll make them think there are two hundred of us instead of twenty, sir. Bashir out. (to Quark) Twenty-one. Come on. Now! QUARK Fine. Fine. I'm coming. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT FIVE 50. 75 CONTINUED: He leaves the suitcase and crawls forward toward Bashir but once the doctor disappears around the corner, Quark scrambles back and starts to lug the suitcase again. 76 INT. OPS (VPB) Krim, Day and the Bajoran officer and others... DAY (to a supernumerary) Proceed with level three... BAJORAN OFFICER General, the enemy has attacked our position at airlock fourteen... KRIM (shocked) They've attacked? DAY We must have flushed them out... Seal all airlocks, lock all docking clamps... (hits companel) This is Colonel Day. All security units to airlock fourteen. He EXITS... KRIM Let me see what's going on down there... The Aide hits a panel... they look at the screen but it's all interference. BAJORAN OFFICER Surveillance cameras have been sabotaged... But we can hear a racket that sounds like huge assault... phasers crackling... yells and screams... KRIM How many of our officers are stationed by that airlock... ? BAJORAN OFFICER Four, sir. DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT FIVE 51. 76 CONTINUED: Krim listens with a curious ear... KRIM (unconvinced) Our four men seem to be doing a remarkable job of holding them off... unless... BAJORAN OFFICER Sir, sensors are reading organic material in this room... He stands, moves with a tricorder... 77 thru OMITTED 78 79 ANGLE - BY THE TURBOLIFTS Odo-like fluid oozes up from under a grate... BAJORAN OFFICER Here... All attention moves to that corner of the room... Krim moves to see -- meanwhile... 80 ANGLE INTO COMMANDER'S OFFICE From the side entrance, Sisko, Li, O'Brien, and other officers crawl in and take a position out of sight... 81 INT. OPS - RESUME KRIM The shape-shifter... ? BAJORAN OFFICER (reading the tricorder) Nossir. Some kind of petroleum jelly... (beat) The organic readings seem to have disappeared... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/27/93 - ACT FIVE 52. 81 CONTINUED: DAY'S COM VOICE This is Colonel Day. The enemy forces at airlock fourteen have surrendered. We've taken several prisoners. KRIM (trying to measure all this) Bring them to me for questioning. Krim scratches his chin, looks at the jelly, shakes his head in befuddlement and enters his office... 82 INT. COMMANDER'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS as he ENTERS, Sisko and the others are hiding to the far right... phasers drawn... LI Please don't resist, General. We have no wish to use deadly force. The general takes a second, but decides to comply. LI My name is Li Nalas. Perhaps you've heard of me. On the General's reaction... 83 INT. CHAMBER OF MINISTERS - DAY A booming Davy Crockett entrance as Kira ENTERS, flanked by Dax, Bareil and one other monk... as she moves down the center aisle, she casts aside her monk's robe... the walla of the reactions of the Ministers (they're in session) grows louder... Ministers rise as she passes... 84 ANGLE - TO THE PODIUM where Jaro is rising along with Winn and an elderly Minister... JARO Stop that woman... guards! Guards move forward and seize Kira, stopping her progress at the front of the aisle... Winn stares curiously at Dax in the hat... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - 07/15/93 - ACT FIVE 53. 84 CONTINUED: WINN What is this blasphemy... Dax sees Winn's stare, shrugs - you gotta do what you gotta do - takes off the hat and hands it to Bareil... who exchanges an even look with Winn... KIRA I am Major Kira Nerys and I've come with proof that Cardassians are behind Minister Jaro's attempt to take control of the government. Huge reactions from the ministers... Jaro is not flustered, smiles... JARO Major Kira has long been an outspoken opponent of the provisional government, of reason and progress and finally now of me. I am honored to be included, Major. (signalling to the guards to remove her) But I have no intention of allowing you to disrupt the orderly transition of power with your wild charges... Kira takes the Cardassian file PADD from inside her jacket... KIRA This is a manifest padd from a Kressari vessel. It bears the thumbscan of the Cardassian Gul who transferred weapons to that ship. Those weapons were taken by the Kressari to The Circle. She thrusts it onto the podium like a gauntlet... KIRA This coup will deliver Bajor back into the hands of its greatest enemy. Are you willing to live under Cardassian rule again? Jaro stares at the file PADD... shaken... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT FIVE 54. 84 CONTINUED: (2) JARO I assure you there is nothing to these accusations... But quite subtly, Winn has put some distance between herself and Jaro... she's now closer to Kira than to Jaro... WINN Then you should have no objection to an inspection of this manifest, Minister... JARO (sensing he's lost) Of course not... The elderly Minister takes the PADD out of Jaro's hands... JARO We will... adjourn for the time being and let me say that I completely support this investigation and intend to fully cooperate with... MINISTERS (ad lib) Major Kira... Major Kira... may I have a word with you... Major... do you have any details on the contents of this manifest... are you certain the Cardassians are involved? The noise and turmoil from the adjournment interrupt and cut him off... and as he looks down at Kira, his eyes are stunned... like a fighter who's been blindsided... 85 KIRA reacts, triumphant... 86 INT. OPS As Day returns with Bashir and Quark and other prisoners, he finds Krim coming out of the Commander's office with Sisko, O'Brien, Odo and Li and the others... he reacts... as Krim confronts him, stronger, angry... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT FIVE 54A. 86 CONTINUED: KRIM Colonel, you deliberately withheld information that was to be communicated to me... DAY Information... ? DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/20/93 - ACT FIVE 55. 86 CONTINUED: (2) KRIM Regarding the Cardassians... DAY (glancing at Sisko) Lies... that's all they were... KRIM Would you stake your life on that? Day's eyes narrow... what is going on? KRIM You may want to consult your friend Minister Jaro before answering... we've been told the Chamber is in recess while evidence of Cardassian involvement is being examined. SISKO The Circle... is broken, Colonel. KRIM I'm returning to the surface immediately to consult with the Ministers. I expect that I will be asked to resign. (turns to Sisko) Commander, since the provisional government has prevailed, I believe it is appropriate to return command of this station to Starfleet. (to Li) Well fought, sir. And moves with dignity toward the Turbolift... he nods to his aide who joins him as do the other Bajoran guards... but Day, who is shaken to the core by this turn, can't live with it, turns back... DAY (under his breath) No... He draws his phaser and aims it at Sisko, who has turned partly away... O'Brien sees it, yelling -- O'BRIEN Commander! DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 08/02/93 - ACT FIVE 56. 87 ANGLE (OPTICAL) Sisko reacts a beat late... as the phaser fires and Li concurrently lunges at Day... manages to interrupt the beam... catching it full force in his chest before falling on top of Day... a moment later, Odo is disarming him as Sisko moves quickly to see if Li is badly hurt. He is. 88 ANGLE - ON THE GROUND Li is turned over by Sisko and Bashir... badly burned at the stomach... Bashir takes readings, he looks at Sisko incredibly helpless, emotionally wrenched but there's nothing he can do... LI (looks up at Sisko) Off the hook... after all... And he dies. On Sisko's reaction... 89 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) A day later. 90 INT. QUARK'S Lights back up. Close on Kira, saddened by the death of Li... KIRA Somehow, you figured now that he was back, things would be better, you know, he'd find a way to make them better... because he was a man who could do that... a great man... I wish I knew where we could find others like him... Moving to find Sisko and O'Brien with her at the bar... SISKO There are heroes all over Bajor, Major... I'm standing with one... She gives him a look that attempts appreciation; it doesn't quite make it... KIRA Sorry, I just don't feel like celebrating tonight. Excuse me. She EXITS. A beat later, Sisko and O'Brien move toward the exit... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 08/02/93 - ACT FIVE 57. 90 CONTINUED: O'BRIEN Sir, can I ask you something? SISKO Sure, Chief. O'BRIEN About Li Nalas. SISKO Uh huh... 91 INT. PROMENADE - SECOND FLOOR - CONTINUOUS Still somewhat underpopulated... O'BRIEN Listening to Kira talk about all he was, all he did, all he was gonna do... I mean she made him sound larger than life... like he was some kind of military genius... but the Li Nalas I fought with... SISKO Chief, Li Nalas was the hero of the Bajoran resistance. He performed extraordinary acts of courage for his people and died for their freedom... that's how the history books on Bajor will be written and that's how I'll remember him when anybody asks. O'BRIEN (understands) Yessir. DAX'S COM VOICE Dax to Sisko. The Ganges has just docked, Benjamin. SISKO Acknowledged. O'Brien reacts to the message that means his family has returned... O'BRIEN 'Scuse me, sir... DEEP SPACE: "The Siege" - REV. 07/27/93 - ACT FIVE 58. 92 INT. PROMENADE - DOWNSTAIRS - CONTINUOUS And he runs into the security checkpoint... Sisko moves in the same direction, more controlled but before he enters the airlock, an out of breath Jake exits... and as they see each other and smile... Jake puts his arms around his dad... and as we pull back to see life returning to normal on the Promenade... and they walk down the thoroughfare... FADE OUT. END OF ACT FIVE THE END