STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "Battle Lines" #40511-413 Story by Hilary Bader Teleplay by Richard Danus and Evan Somers Directed by Paul Lynch 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 1992 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 This script is not for publication or reproduction.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 JANUARY 21, 1993 DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 01/21/93 - CAST STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "Battle Lines" CAST BENJAMIN SISKO SHEL-LA MILES O'BRIEN ZLANGCO KIRA NERYS ODO JULIAN BASHIR JADZIA DAX KAI OPAKA COMPUTER VOICE Non-Speaking Non-Speaking SUPERNUMARIES NIMA BAJORAN MONK VARIOUS ENNIS VARIOUS NOL-ENNIS DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 01/21/93 - SETS STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "Battle Lines" SETS INTERIORS EXTERIORS DEEP SPACE NINE DEEP SPACE NINE PROMENADE OPS MOON COMMANDER'S OFFICE AIRLOCK RUNABOUT RUNABOUT SATELLITE DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/25/93 - PRONUNCIATION STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "Battle Lines" PRONUNCIATION GUIDE BAJOR BAY-Jor BAJORAN bah-JOR-an CARDASSIAN car-DASS-ee-en ENNIS EH-nis GOLIN GOH-lin HYSTERESIS his-teh-REE-ses IDRAN IH-dran KAI OPAKA KYE oh-PAH-kah NOL-ENNIS NOHL EH-nis RIO GRANDE REE-oh GRAND SHEL-LA shel-LAH VAYAN VAYE-yahn YANGTZEE KIANG YANG-se KEY-an ZLANGCO ZLANG-koe MESON MAY-zon DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FIVE xx. STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "Battle Lines" TEASER FADE IN: 1 INT. COMMANDER'S OFFICE DAX and O'BRIEN are standing before the Commander's desk as SISKO examines a series of files on his access monitor. O'BRIEN What's funny is where the files were located: right there in Ops protocols. DAX The encryption system was extremely easy to break. SISKO (looking up) So they wanted us to find these. DAX Or they didn't care. Sisko pops out a data clip and the monitor goes blank. SISKO Well, there's nothing of strategic value here. Just personal logs and some files on Bajoran terrorists. But it is a glimpse into the Cardassian mind. O'BRIEN You might want to warn Kira before she sees her file. KIRA ENTERS at that moment and Sisko immediately stands. KIRA Warn me about what? SISKO Oh, ah, Dax and Chief O'Brien discovered some of the last Prefect's personal files. There's a file on you, but you may find it... disappointing. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/21/93 - TEASER 2. 1 CONTINUED: KIRA I'm a big girl, Commander. Sisko reluctantly places the data clip on his desk, then EXITS, quickly followed by Dax and O'Brien. 2 INT. OPS - CONTINUOUS Sisko, Dax and O'Brien assume their Ops stations alongside various N.D.s to await the fallout from Kira. BASHIR'S COM VOICE Bashir to Sisko! SISKO Sisko here. BASHIR'S COM VOICE (excited) I'm at Airlock Fourteen, Commander. I think you'd better get down here. SISKO What's the problem, Doctor? BASHIR'S COM VOICE I was about to begin off-loading some medical specimens from the Bajoran transport... and... well... The Kai is here! SISKO (disbelieving) Kai... Opaka? Why would she be here? BASHIR'S COM VOICE She says you once offered her a tour of the station. Sisko, O'Brien and Dax exchange surprised looks. At that moment Kira bursts out of the Commander's Office, furious. KIRA "A minor operative whose activities are limited to running errands for the terrorist leaders." DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - TEASER 3. 2 CONTINUED: SISKO (to Bashir) Tell her I'll be right there. (approaching Kira) Major, when you're through feeling underappreciated, perhaps you'd join me in welcoming the Kai aboard. Kira stares at Sisko, speechless. 3 INT. PROMENADE AT BAJORAN TEMPLE OPAKA and Kira emerge from the temple, followed by one Bajoran monk. A beat later Sisko and BASHIR emerge. ODO and a few strategically scattered BAJORAN DEPUTIES watch vigilantly from across the Promenade. 4 BASHIR AND SISKO They watch as Opaka moves along the Promenade, oblivious to the passersby who stare reverently or curiously at her. BASHIR (quietly) You say she's never been here before? SISKO She's never even left Bajor before. BASHIR Excuse me for saying so, Commander, but she looks preoccupied. 5 THE SECOND LEVEL - KIRA AND OPAKA entering from the stairway... The Kai, strangely silent, drifts to a viewport, gazes out into open space. KIRA (all concern) Is something wrong, Opaka? Opaka is thoughtfully fingering a pendant she wears around her neck. She takes Kira's hand. OPAKA ... Contemplating prophecy. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - TEASER 4. 5 CONTINUED: KIRA Interesting you chose this viewport. (pointing) The wormhole is just out there. Sisko and Bashir step up behind them. BASHIR It's a spectacular sight to see. SISKO Unfortunately, it can only be seen when a ship enters it or exits, and nothing's scheduled for today. OPAKA A shame. Opaka smiles inwardly. She turns to Sisko and stares at him with anticipation. After a beat... SISKO (tapping com badge) Sisko to O'Brien. O'BRIEN'S COM VOICE Go ahead Commander. SISKO Prepare the Yangtzee Kiang for launch, Chief. Kira and I are taking the Kai through the wormhole. Kira acknowledges her inclusion with a thankful nod. O'BRIEN'S COM VOICE Right away, sir. Sisko looks to Opaka for confirmation that he read her mind correctly. She has an almost relieved expression. OPAKA Thank you. Sisko notices Bashir staring plaintively at him. SISKO I didn't want to keep you from your duties, Doctor. BASHIR It's a slow day. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - TEASER 5. 5 CONTINUED: (2) SISKO (beat) All right. (takes Opaka's arm) This way -- He leads her away. Kira and Bashir follow. 6 INT. DOCKING AIRLOCK - ON DOORS OF YANGTZEE KIANG O'Brien and a Bajoran crewmember emerge from the Runabout, wiping their hands and packing up a tool chest. Sisko, Kira and Opaka approach, followed by Bashir. Seeing the Kai, the Bajoran bows his head and O'Brien straightens up. SISKO Is the ship ready, Chief? O'BRIEN Prepped and ready for departure, Commander. (to Opaka, sincerely) Ma'am -- SISKO (to Opaka) After you. Opaka and Sisko step toward the Runabout, but Opaka stops just short of entering. She fingers the pendant around her neck, then looks up at O'Brien. OPAKA You have a child, don't you? O'BRIEN I do. I have a little girl, ma'am. OPAKA (pleased) Would you give her this for me. Opaka removes the pendant and hands it to him, then enters the Runabout. Baffled, O'Brien looks to Sisko for an answer but he has none. He simply shrugs his shoulders and follows Kira and Bashir into the Runabout. The doors shut as O'Brien walks away, gazing curiously at the pendant. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/21/93 - TEASER 6. 7 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) The Yangtzee Kiang rises off of its launch elevator on the habitat ring and arcs away from the station... FADE OUT. END OF TEASER DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/21/93 - ACT ONE 7. ACT ONE FADE IN: (NOTE: Episode credits fall over opening scenes.) 8 EXT. SPACE - RUNABOUT (OPTICAL) Traveling at impulse speed. 9 INT. RUNABOUT Sisko and Kira in the pilot and co-pilot seats... Bashir and Opaka behind them. SISKO (to Opaka) We'll be entering the wormhole in about a minute. OPAKA Thank you again for indulging me. KIRA (beating Sisko) Not at all, Opaka. You honor us with your presence. SISKO (to com) Yangtzee Kiang to DS Nine. Estimating time of return, fourteen hundred hours. DAX'S COM VOICE Logged in... We'll expect you then. KIRA Flight stabilization at maximum... Sisko examines a display, then quickly works controls. SISKO Here we go. A jolt, then a burst of light explodes through the windows. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT ONE 8. 10 EXT. SPACE - RUNABOUT (OPTICAL) The ship is suddenly drawn forward into the kaleidoscopic vortex which appears before them. 11 EXT. SPACE - RUNABOUT (OPTICAL) In the wormhole... 12 EXT. SPACE - RUNABOUT (OPTICAL) emerges from the other side of the wormhole... 13 INT. RUNABOUT - ON OPAKA The last flickers of interactive light on her face... BASHIR Spectacular, isn't it... OPAKA More than I imagined... 14 ANGLE - KIRA AND SISKO Kira works controls briefly. SISKO My smoothest ride yet, Major. Everyone turns to Opaka, anticipating her response to the experience, but she gazes off into space silently. Leaning forward, Bashir points out the window for her. BASHIR There's Idran, the closest system. It's a ternary star. Oblivious, Opaka continues to gaze off into space silently. OPAKA (after a beat) A doorway to the unknown... SISKO The other side of the galaxy, to be precise. The Gamma quadrant is seventy thousand light years from Bajor. (MORE) DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT ONE 9. 13 CONTINUED: SISKO It would take our fastest starship over sixty-seven years to get here. OPAKA I'm glad I got the chance to see it. SISKO You'll be seeing what this wormhole means to Bajor in a few years. OPAKA If that is to be my fate, Commander. KIRA (to Sisko) Should I reverse course? OPAKA So soon? SISKO (regretfully) There isn't much else to show you yet. OPAKA Prophecy is often vague, Commander, that's why we must test it... Sisko and Kira exchange confused looks. SISKO I don't understand, Opaka. OPAKA ... You may return. Sisko waits, hoping for a better answer, but none comes. SISKO Take us back to the wormhole, Major. KIRA Coming about... But before she completes that, a short on-off pinging sound emanates from her console. Kira studies a readout. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT ONE 10. 13 CONTINUED: (2) KIRA Sensors are picking up a narrow band subspace signal... SISKO What do you make of it? Kira presses panels and studies a display closely. KIRA Just a long stream of statistical data followed by a request for response... but I'm not reading a reply. SISKO Launch a class two probe. We'll follow it up later. OPAKA (genuinely surprised) You're not going to investigate it now? SISKO I'm not sure that's a good idea -- OPAKA Because of my presence? KIRA There's no telling what it may be. Opaka leans toward Sisko, smiling her most beguiling smile. OPAKA Please, Commander... I don't get out here often. Sisko glances at Kira and his expression says it all -- how can you refuse the spiritual leader of Bajor? SISKO Can you get a fix on the source, Major? KIRA ... Point three-five light years. Bearing... two-two-nine mark four- one. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT ONE 11. 13 CONTINUED: (3) SISKO (reluctantly) I guess we'd better take a look. Kira hits some panels... KIRA Engaging warp... 14 OMITTED 15 EXT. MOON (OPTICAL) A small meteor-pocked moon with a cloud-shrouded atmosphere... move to find the Runabout moving into orbit. 16 INT. RUNABOUT Opaka is leaning on the back of Sisko's chair, fascinated by what she sees... KIRA This is definitely the origin of the signal, but I'm having trouble pinpointing the source... It isn't coming from the surface... Sisko presses panels and a graphic appears on a monitor. 17 INSERT - MONITOR (VPB) The graphic reveals a network of dozens of satellites distributed evenly around the moon. One of them is slowly falling into the atmosphere... SISKO (O.S.) There's your answer: a network of artificial satellites -- one of them looks like it's malfunctioning -- its orbit is unstable... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT ONE 11A. 18 RESUME SISKO (continuing) I'd bet the signals we picked up were from the system trying to repair it... Something on Bashir's console gets his attention. BASHIR Commander, sensors are indicating lifeforms... localized to a twelve square kilometer area on the moon's surface... (checking) They may be humanoid, sir... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT ONE 12. 18 CONTINUED: SISKO (reacts) Humanoid... can you verify that? BASHIR I can't resolve the bio-patterns -- there's too much interference. SISKO (to Kira) Take us in a little closer. Kira presses panels... she reacts to a flashing light on her console. KIRA We're being scanned by one of the satellites. (checking sensors) I don't like this... it's heading toward us... SISKO Shields up! KIRA (urgent) ... Reading a significant power build- up in the satellite... six hundred megawatts... nine hundred... 19 thru OMITTED 20 20A ANGLE - MONITOR (VPB) to see the growing image of a satellite approaching... releasing an energy burst... KIRA (continuing) ... it's firing... ! 21 thru OMITTED 23 24 RESUME - WIDE A huge shake... Red warning lights flash and a klaxon sounds. Kira frantically presses panels. Smoke fills the cabin. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT ONE 13. 24 CONTINUED: KIRA Shields are down... forward thrusters are gone... we're losing power... SISKO Attempting to compensate with secondary boosters. KIRA Impulse generators failing -- Sisko and Kira struggle to control the shaking craft. SISKO Hold on... we're going down! Opaka grabs Bashir's hand, holds it tightly. Kira shoots a desperate glance back at the Kai... 25 ANGLE - TOWARD FRONT WINDOW (OPTICAL) as they move down into the atmosphere... glimpses of the moon peek through the cloud cover... SISKO Check contingency fuel cell output... KIRA Holding at sixty-five percent... SISKO Doctor, watch the hull temperature. BASHIR Aye, sir... KIRA Stabilizing attitude control response. SISKO Pitching up to twenty degrees... BASHIR Hull temperature nine hundred C... nine-fifty... eleven hundred... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/26/93 - ACT ONE 14. 26 INT. RUNABOUT Kira and Sisko look forward, concentrating... KIRA We're holding profile... BASHIR Twelve hundred C... thirteen... SISKO Ejecting antimatter pod... He hits a panel... we hear a clang/woosh... KIRA Pitching up to sixty degrees... prepare for final braking maneuvers... SISKO Brace for impact... ! After a beat, the Runabout shakes and rolls as it hits the ground roughly. The four of them toss violently from side to side. The lights fail, leaving the ship in utter darkness... A final sound of twisting metal, and then... 27 EXT. MOON'S SURFACE A barren, lifeless landscape dotted with gray, jagged rocks. A fog hovers over everything. CAMERA PANS through the murk until we see the broken Runabout. It has crashed against a huge boulder... it is covered with smoke, broken vents spewing nitrogen, sparks... 28 SISKO claws his way out. He's dazed but able to function. He tears at twisted metal. Bashir emerges from a distorted doorway, coughing, dragging the limp body of the Kai with Kira's help... They manage to carry her a few yards away before collapsing from exhaustion. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT ONE 15. 29 OMITTED 30 BASHIR scans Opaka with his medical tricorder. BASHIR Pulmonary collapse... her upper thoracic vertebrae have been crushed... He checks her pulse manually, then desperately tries standard CPR techniques... KIRA Stay with us, Opaka... stay with us... But Bashir's efforts fail... he shakes his head sadly. BASHIR ... I'm sorry. Tears fill Kira's eyes as she realizes the Kai is dead. She lays Opaka down. Holding her head low, and whispers a Bajoran death chant in a deep, somber voice. KIRA Ahn-kay ya, ay-ya vasu. Coh-ma-ra, di-nay-ya. She repeats the sad chant as Sisko and Bashir watch helplessly. Something disturbs Sisko. He spins around rapidly to see... 31 NEW ANGLE From the opposite side of a rocky knoll above them, hands appear reaching over the rock's crest. SISKO ... We've got company. They start to reach for phasers but stop as they see it's too late -- five humanoids have risen over the crest brandishing menacing-looking weapons and have us well covered. They wear an alien form of rugged but tattered outer garments and their faces are battle-scarred to various degrees. Off reactions... FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT TWO 16. ACT TWO FADE IN: 32 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) Establishing. 33 INT. OPS Dax and O'Brien prepare for an away mission. They are selecting phasers and tricorders when Odo ENTERS, clearly worried. He follows them around Ops as they hurriedly finish last minute business. ODO Still no contact with Sisko? DAX Not yet. ODO They're nearly three hours overdue. O'BRIEN Three and a half. Dax accepts a data clip from an N.D. and joins O'Brien on his way to the Transporter. Odo dogs their heels. ODO Opaka's people are on subspace to me every five minutes... O'BRIEN Tell them one of our runabouts found a trace of a warp eddy current... it's gotta be from their ship... DAX With a little luck, we might be able to determine the direction they were heading... ODO That's not going to satisfy them on Bajor... you have no idea what the Kai means to them... when they heard Sisko had taken her into the wormhole... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT TWO 17. O'Brien gets on the Turbolift... O'BRIEN (testy, worried) Constable... you tell them we're doing the best we can... okay... As Dax joins him... O'BRIEN (to com) Runabout Pad C... The Turbolift begins to move... DAX (gentler) Have the Bajorans station a ship on the Gamma side, we'll stay in close touch by subspace... Odo acknowledges and they're gone... on his concerned reaction... 34 INT. CAVE The cave is really a tunnel which expands into a larger chamber. Strings of odd-shaped lights are crudely hung on the ceiling. As Sisko, Kira and Bashir pass, the Ennis inhabiting the cave halt their mundane activities (sewing, cleaning weapons, eating) to stare at the strange aliens. All of them wear tattered clothes. They arrive before SHEL-LA, the Ennis leader, standing by a fire. He is battle-scarred and tough-looking, but a great weariness surrounds him. NIMA places the phasers and Bashir's medical kit by him. Shel-la picks up a phaser and briefly examines it, stands to examine his new arrivals. SHEL-LA Our first visitors... (stops before Kira) You are not all the same race. KIRA (angry and in pain) I am a Bajoran! DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" 1/22/93 - ACT TWO 18. 34 CONTINUED: SISKO I'm Commander Benjamin Sisko. (gesturing) Major Kira Nerys and Doctor Julian Bashir. Shel-la turns toward Bashir and laughs a grim laugh. SHEL-LA A doctor? How... ironic. (faces Sisko) I'm Golin Shel-la, leader of the Ennis. Why are you here? SISKO We were attacked by one of your satellites. Our ship was damaged and we crashed. SHEL-LA (impatient) Of course -- but why did you come here? SISKO We were exploring. We've recently discovered a permanent wormhole linking our quadrant of the galaxy to yours. I command a space station at the mouth of that wormhole. SHEL-LA So you know nothing of our home planet... or the punishment? SISKO We're just beginning to explore this sector. As I said, our home is on the other side of the galaxy. Shel-la is relieved. He resumes his position by the fire and studies the phaser. Kira stifles a cry of pain and falls to her knees, clutching her shoulder. Bashir helps her onto a bench. KIRA I'm all right -- BASHIR The hell you are. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT TWO 19. 34 CONTINUED: (2) Bashir approaches Shel-la. Nima's gun is instantly on him. Despite Nima's threat, Bashir points to the medical kit next to Shel-la's throne. He is well aware of the danger he's courting. BASHIR She needs treatment. Do you mind? After a beat... Shel-la nods to Nima who picks up the kit, looks through it briefly, then tosses it to Bashir. Bashir hurries over to Kira. He scans her with his tricorder and administers a hypospray. SHEL-LA I apologize for our cautious nature. If you haven't realized... we are at war. SISKO Who are you fighting? SHEL-LA (cold anger) A brutal enemy who attacks at whim. We must maintain a constant vigil. (casual, re: the phaser) Is this some sort of energy weapon? SISKO (beat, acknowledges reluctantly) Yes... Shel-la grunts a laugh of uninterest... tosses it aside... SHEL-LA The Ennis stopped using directed energy weapons centuries ago -- not damaging enough. Shel-la rises, gestures Sisko to follow him... 35 SISKO AND SHEL-LA as they walk through the cave-encampment. SHEL-LA Your arrival complicates matters... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT TWO 19A. 35 CONTINUED: SISKO We don't plan to be here long. SHEL-LA (laughing) You expect to repair your ship? SISKO No, but a rescue team is probably on it's way right now. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/21/93 - ACT TWO 20. 35 CONTINUED: (2) SHEL-LA Like you, they'll have to deal with the defense-net -- and that is beyond my influence. SISKO You don't control the satellites? SHEL-LA We are all prisoners on this moon. SISKO Then, this is a penal colony... SHEL-LA My immediate concern regards your partisanship. By your presence here, you will be considered our ally. Your lives are in danger. Shel-la stops before a group of wounded Ennis. SHEL-LA The most recent victims of our enemy -- the Nol-Ennis. SISKO Where are your doctors? SHEL-LA We have none. Sisko bends down and looks over the wounded -- they're all in obvious agony. He stands and faces Shel-la, shocked. SISKO You have no medical personnel? How can you survive without... SHEL-LA ... We were "thrust" into this situation with few resources. And since you are here under similar circumstances... I was hoping we could help each other. As Sisko reacts curiously... 36 BASHIR AND KIRA as he applies a dressing to her wounded shoulder. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT TWO 21. BASHIR This should make you feel better... But Kira is silent... the pain she feels is not for herself but for the loss of the Kai... Bashir understands... BASHIR (after a beat) Major, I'm sorry. I would've done anything -- KIRA (uncharacteristically subdued) It's all so senseless. Opaka has always been a symbol of hope for me. Her words gave meaning to our struggle. Now she's dead, her life ends on some unknown moon... (a beat) ... and for what? 37 SISKO AND SHEL-LA return with a few other Ennis. Bashir stands up to meet them. SISKO Doctor Bashir will offer any medical assistance he can. But understand that we can't take sides in your battle... SHEL-LA It doesn't matter what I understand if the Nol capture you. 38 FAVORING SISKO, BASHIR AND KIRA (OPTICAL) SISKO Seems we're in the middle of a pretty ugly war. BASHIR I gathered that. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT TWO 22. 38 CONTINUED: SISKO Shel-la says his people will protect us from their enemy in exchange for your services... they have no doctors... BASHIR Perhaps I can train some of them in the basics of field triage? Sisko pats him on the back approvingly. He turns to Kira. SISKO How's the shoulder, Major? KIRA (as if it's a punishment) I'll live... BASHIR I still have to run a neuromuscular scan on her when we get back. SISKO (confidentially) Don't count on a quick rescue. This moon is some kind of high security prison colony. Suddenly, the sounds of weapons fire at the mouth of the cave... Shel-la grabs a weapon... and this all happens very quickly... Three Nol-Ennis charge into the cave, led by their commander, ZLANGCO. They wear similar clothing to the Ennis but the color patterns are different and they all have headbands. A flurry of weapons fire ensues. Screams of pain fill the air. Through the smoke, Zlangco sees Shel-la. Before Shel-la can react, he is burned down by Zlangco. Distracted by Shel-la's death, another Ennis is killed where she stands. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT TWO 23. 39 SISKO AND BASHIR do the smart thing and move for cover... react as -- 40 KIRA (OPTICAL) scrambles toward where the phasers were left... in the middle of the firestorm... SISKO Major... ! A Nol-Ennis fires at her, misses... a beat later, he is shot and killed by Nima... who in turn is shot and killed a moment later... Kira rolls painfully to a phaser... fires a burst at the cave ceiling, bringing it crashing down on the Nol. Zlangco moves back out of the way in time and quickly retreats... A cloud of dust erupts... then silence. 41 VARIOUS ANGLES As the smoke and dust begins to clear... Sisko, Bashir and Kira stare at the scene of carnage before them. A groan of pain breaks the silence. Bashir locates the survivor and bandages his bleeding arm. Kira tears strips from another survivor's shirt to wrap his leg. 42 SISKO is searching through rubble for survivors when he notices the silhouette of a person standing in the diffuse light at the mouth of the cave. As the figure approaches, him -- slowly, unsteadily -- his mouth drops in amazement. 43 KIRA notices the figure approaching Sisko and grabs her phaser. KIRA Commander, get down! Sisko looks back at Kira without fear. SISKO ... Put the phaser away, Kira. The figure emerges from the shadows, revealing herself to be Kai Opaka. Sisko, Kira and Bashir stand before her in stunned silence. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/21/93 - ACT TWO 23A. 43 CONTINUED: Off their expressions... FADE OUT. END OF ACT TWO DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT THREE 24. ACT THREE FADE IN: 44 INT. CAVE Dead from both camps are strewn about the cave floor like discarded broken dolls. A group of the surviving Ennis are separating the Nol from their fallen comrades and dragging them off toward a holding pen at the rear of the cave. PAN TO Opaka sitting on a bench staring blankly at Bashir as he scans her with his tricorder. Kira sits protectively by her side. Sisko watches them. BASHIR (amazed) ... Her vital signs appear to be normal. (to Kira, defensively) But I'm certain she was... KIRA (interrupting, equally stunned) I was there, Doctor... SISKO Opaka, are you aware of what's happened? OPAKA (shaking her head, as confused as anyone) The surface was approaching so quickly... I must admit I closed my eyes, Commander... I felt the impact... there was a deafening whine... a wall of heat seemed to pass through me... and then... nothing... She looks to Sisko for an explanation. SISKO After we crashed, we pulled you from the wreckage... but you were... OPAKA (suddenly intuiting) -- Dead? DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT THREE 25. 44 CONTINUED: Sisko gives her an even look that answers her question... she considers this a beat, exploring her pagh for answers... rises, moves away thoughtfully... Kira studies her, grateful for her return, not easily accepting miracles, trying to figure all of this out herself... trails her like a protective guard... 45 ANGLE FAVORING BASHIR AND SISKO watching as the Kai takes in the bloody carnage... she moves to a wounded Ennis and comforts him... SISKO How do you explain this, Doctor? Bashir is still studying his tricorder readings... BASHIR Although she appears normal... her physiology has been radically altered. SISKO How? BASHIR I'm not sure. The tricorder indicates some kind of bio-mechanical presence on the cellular level. SISKO Bio-mechanical? You mean something artificial? BASHIR I wish I could tell you. Whatever it is, it seems to be directly controlling her metabolic processes. SISKO Is she in any danger? Frustrated, Bashir looks at his tricorder as if it were useless. BASHIR I'm sorry to keep saying it, but I just don't know. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT THREE 25A. 45 CONTINUED: BASHIR (beat, thinking) If the Runabout's computer were functional, I might be able to do a full analysis. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT THREE 26. 45 CONTINUED: (2) KIRA (O.S.) Commander, over here! 46 KIRA is standing over Nima's body, which is starting to revive. Sisko and Bashir quickly join her. Bashir moves to treat Nima but she roughly shakes him off. Kira points to Shel-la and the other "dead" Ennis who are also starting to move. Off reactions... 47 EXT. SPACE - RUNABOUT (OPTICAL) in the Gamma Quadrant... 48 INT. RUNABOUT O'Brien and Dax in pilot and co-pilot's seats. Both are studying sensor readings. DAX There's still no sign of them on any of the long range scanners... O'BRIEN Not even a transponder signal... if they went down, we should at least get something from their transponder... (pressing panels, frustrated) The warp eddy has traces of meson particle emissions... that makes it a Starfleet power reactor... DAX The current shows their heading was approximately two-three-zero mark four... O'BRIEN Anything interesting in that direction... ? DAX (checking, sighs - a big job) An uncharted binary star system... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT THREE 27. 48 CONTINUED: O'BRIEN Guess it's time to chart it... DAX Setting a new course... 49 EXT. SPACE - RUNABOUT (OPTICAL) Makes a quick turn as it prepares to go to... but doesn't quite get to... warp... 50 INT. CAVE Shel-la is still lying down as Bashir examines his injuries. He gives Shel-la a hypospray, then scans him with his tricorder from head to toe. BASHIR The same as Opaka. Virtually every cell in his body shows signs of this bio-mechanical presence... somehow it has literally brought him back to life... This is not anything new to Shel-la, who is weak and in pain -- he will very slowly recover strength as the scene continues... SISKO You've died before. SHEL-LA Many times... too many to count. All of this is an incredible discovery to Bashir... BASHIR Commander, I'd like to return to the Runabout and try to get the computer up and running... SISKO Doctor, we're in the middle of a war... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT THREE 28. 50 CONTINUED: BASHIR This could be a breakthrough of unprecedented magnitude... SISKO It's too dangerous... But Shel-la is thinking three moves ahead... he might be able to use this knowledge somehow... he slowly rises... SHEL-LA I'll see to his protection... (off Sisko's reaction) I'd like to know more about this "breakthrough" myself... Bashir looks to Sisko... who glances to see the Kai in the background, moving among the wounded... turns to Bashir and nods his approval... As he moves off, Shel-la signals two ND Ennis to accompany him... they EXIT as... Sisko glances toward the holding pens at the rear. As they walk and talk, Shel-la looks with compassion to the recovering members of his group... makes eye contact, acknowledges their pain... (but note: since Bashir has left, all the doctoring requirements should be complete by now)... SHEL-LA Your doctor acts as though he's seen a miracle. SISKO He's not alone. SHEL-LA If you lived with it as we have, you'd see it as a curse. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT THREE 29. 50 CONTINUED: (2) SISKO How long have you been here? SHEL-LA It feels like an eternity... It's all part of the punishment. SISKO What is this punishment, Shel-la... ? SHEL-LA Everything here has been designed to prolong our suffering. Their movements have brought them closer to Kira and the Kai... Kira overhears the last line and moves over... the Kai will drift this way too during the scene to listen... SISKO What was your crime? Shel-la takes a beat... with irony, motioning to the scene around him... SHEL-LA The Ennis and the Nol-Ennis sects are ancient enemies. Generation after generation fought the same war. Our planet's leaders were unable to mediate a peace. They finally just sent us all to this moon... and told us that we would serve as an example to the rest of civilization. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT THREE 30. 50 CONTINUED: (3) OPAKA (with compassion) How did your fight begin? Shel-la studies her a beat... SHEL-LA Some say it was land. Others say it was water. It is isn't very relevant now... OPAKA Then what do you hope to gain by continuing? SHEL-LA Vengeance. (beat, quiet loathing) Every one of us has seen our families suffer incredibly at the hands of the Nol. SISKO The Nol could say the very same thing... SHEL-LA (so be it) And probably do. This makes sense on some level to Kira... she's listening to the problem without looking beneath the surface... yet... so it makes perfect sense to her when she says... KIRA If you must fight your war, the least you can do is to learn to fight it more effectively... SISKO Major, this is not our... SHEL-LA (overriding) What do you mean? DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT THREE 31. 50 CONTINUED: (4) KIRA (growing angry) ... There were no guards at the entrance when we arrived, you have no system to alert your forces of an attack, and your people are obviously unprepared for fighting close- quarter... SISKO That's enough, Major. KIRA We're trapped on this moon with only his forces standing between us and damnation. We've got to defend ourselves to stay alive! When the Nol attack again we have to be ready -- SISKO I said, that's enough, Major! Kira's about to protest again when Opaka takes her hand. OPAKA (gently but firmly) It's not your war, Kira... It's not your war. Kira suddenly realizes the truth of Opaka's statement. She slowly backs off, embarrassed. Shel-la seems amused by her outburst. SHEL-LA We used to defend ourselves better... Safety perimeters, counter-offensives and preemptive strikes... but we realized it was pointless. When you cease to fear death, the rules of war change. (to Kira) You'll understand as the years begin to pass, Major... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/29/93 - ACT THREE 32. 50 CONTINUED: (5) SISKO Listen to me, Shel-la... our rescue is not going to take years... days, weeks maybe, but they will find us... and then they'll find a way to penetrate the defense-net and transport us out of here... SHEL-LA Then you'll be luckier than we have been... SISKO We'd be willing to transport all of you away from here if that's what you want. Shel-la reacts... so moved by the possibility... that he steps away to consider what it might be like... SHEL-LA (mostly to himself) Away from here? To live one life and then die... in peace? To us, that's an ancient prayer that's never been answered, Commander. A long emotional beat. SHEL-LA You would do this for us? SISKO For both sides... the Ennis and the Nol-Ennis alike... (off Shel-la's skeptical look) After you leave, you can go wherever you want to... just end this nightmare. Stop fighting long enough for all of us to get off this moon... Shel-la takes a beat to think about it... he slowly moves back into the reality of his existence here... abandons the possibility... SHEL-LA Zlangco, the leader of the Nol would never agree to a cease-fire... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/29/93 - ACT THREE 32A. 50 CONTINUED: (6) SISKO Ask him... SHEL-LA You don't understand them... all they care about is... SISKO What do you care about? If you want to end the suffering of your people, at least try. Set up a meeting with this Zlangco... talk about this... what do you have to lose, Shel-la -- another day of fighting? A beat. SHEL-LA You'll find that it's hopeless. (beat) But I will agree to meet... if he will. A small victory, but a crucial first step toward peace... and on Sisko's satisfied look of hope... FADE OUT. END OF ACT THREE DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/26/93 - ACT FOUR 33. ACT FOUR FADE IN: 51 EXT. SPACE - RUNABOUT moving at impulse within a system... 52 INT. RUNABOUT O'Brien glances with increased frustration up from a readout... O'BRIEN I'm not reading a single M Class planet in the system... if they went down anywhere around here, they couldn't have survived... DAX (reading her sensors) I'm not sure we can believe the scans, Chief... the star is putting out abnormal levels of delta radiation... O'BRIEN (reacts, checks for himself, sighs) That would foul up our long range scanners... DAX We'll have to survey each planet one at a time... O'BRIEN Not to mention... (trying to count) ... two dozen or so moons and an asteroid belt... (beat) Bloody needle in a haystack... He gets an idea, stands and goes to a rear work station, begins to take some small tech gear out of a panel... O'BRIEN (murmuring to himself again) Bloody needle in a haystack... what we need is a magnet... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT FOUR 33A. 52 CONTINUED: DAX A magnet? O'BRIEN You want to pick a piece of metal out of the straw, you need a magnet... DAX I don't think I'm following you... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FOUR 34. 52 CONTINUED: (2) O'BRIEN Runabout hulls are made out of metallic composites that interact with magnetic fields... We could send out a few probes to scan the system for those specific magnetic resonance patterns. If Sisko's Runabout is in the system, we might just pick up a fluctuation in the hysteresis curve... DAX The magnetic deflection of a Runabout hull's going to be extremely weak. The probes'll never be able to detect it. O'BRIEN They will if I can outfit them with a differential magnetomer... DAX A differential magnetomer? O'BRIEN (working) Uh huh. DAX I've never heard of a differential magnetomer, Chief. How does it work? O'BRIEN I'll let you know as soon as I've finished making one... Off her reaction... 53 EXT. MOON SURFACE at the site of the Runabout... two Ennis guards stand outside keeping watch... 54 INT. RUNABOUT - CLOSE ON FRONT PANEL Bashir has his head inside the front panel... after a beat, the front console lights up... makes a few beeps and Bashir pushes himself out, delighted... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT FOUR 34A. 54 CONTINUED: BASHIR Nice work, Julian... wait till O'Brien hears about this... He begins to enter information from his tricorder into the main computer... by setting the tricorder on download and holding it to a side panel... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT FOUR 35. 55 INT. CAVE Shel-la ENTERS with another Ennis, a messenger... moves to Sisko who waits, sitting with Kira and the Kai as the messenger branches off... SHEL-LA I'm surprised. Zlangco has agreed to listen to your proposals... SISKO Good. When. SHEL-LA Right away. We'll meet them at a neutral site near your vessel. We've both agreed to bring no firearms. KIRA What if they use the opportunity to set a trap? SHEL-LA (smiles with respect at Kira) We have taken appropriate precautions, Major... but if you'd like to personally check the security... Sisko stands... SISKO Major Kira will be staying here with the Kai... SHEL-LA A shame. Sisko doesn't like any of this and gives a look to Kira who avoids his eyes... Opaka studies her closely as Sisko and Shel-la EXIT... after a long beat... OPAKA You can't bury it, Kira. KIRA (surprised) What? OPAKA Do you recognize yourself in these people? DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT FOUR 36. 55 CONTINUED: KIRA Me? Not at all. They're content to die. I've always fought to survive. Opaka studies her for a long beat. Finally... KIRA (important) I don't want you to have the wrong impression of me, Opaka. OPAKA What impression do you think I have? KIRA That... that I... like... any of this. I don't enjoy fighting. Yes, I've spent my life... fighting... for a good cause, our independence, our freedom... but it was brutal and ugly and... I had to be... (beat) ... it's over for me... it's not who I am any more. I don't want you to think that I'm... this... violent person... without a conscience... without a soul... it's not who I am. Kira stares at Opaka, begging with her eyes for Opaka to accept her words even though she herself does not... Opaka looks at her with compassion, reaches out with her right hand and touches two fingers to the ridge of Kira's ear... at the touch, tears come streaming down Kira's cheeks, she chokes back a sob and moves into the Kai's embrace, burying her face in shame... OPAKA Don't deny the violence in yourself, Kira. Only when you accept it, can you move beyond it. KIRA I've known nothing but violence since I was child. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FOUR 37. 55 CONTINUED: (2) OPAKA In the prophets' eyes, we are all children... Bajor has much to learn from peace... KIRA Opaka, I'm afraid the prophets will never forgive me. OPAKA They're just waiting for you to forgive yourself. Off Kira's reaction... 56 EXT. SPACE - RUNABOUT (OPTICAL) 57 INSERT - CLOSE ON AN OKUDAGRAM (VPB) of three probes moving through a star system... on each probe there is a number indicating the hysteresis readings... COMPUTER VOICE Twenty-two minutes into launch. All readings within normal parameters... 58 INT. RUNABOUT As Dax and O'Brien watch... DAX Probe "B" approaching planet six... three moons... (beat) No change in the hysteresis curve... Probe "C" approaching planet seven... (beat) ... no change. O'BRIEN What the hell would they be doing in this system anyway... it's a waste of time... they could be twenty light years from here and we wouldn't have the first clue... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FOUR 37A. 58 CONTINUED: DAX Probe "A" approaching planet three... one moon... (reacts) Chief... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FOUR 38. 58A INSERT - THE GRAPHIC (VPB) While numbers on two probes remain constant, the numbers on the third suddenly rise and fall in a flutter of activity... COMPUTER VOICE Probe "A" measuring a point zero- zero-one-two fluctuation in the hysteresis curve... 58B RESUME O'BRIEN It's the third planet... DAX No, look... it isn't... we're picking up something from its moon... Hands flashing across the console... O'BRIEN Laying in a new course... full impulse... 59 EXT. SPACE - RUNABOUT (OPTICAL) moves at full impulse... 60 EXT. MOON SURFACE - NEAR RUNABOUT CRASH SITE Two fire poles light the hazy night... Bashir comes out of the Runabout to see what is going on, just as Sisko and Shel-la arrive with Nima and two Ennis lieutenants... his two guards are gone... Shel-la motions to Sisko to stay here while they go forward... the Commander moves to join his doctor... SISKO Any progress, Doctor? BASHIR Yessir, I've got the computer up, more or less... it's processing the data now... but I've already confirmed that these microbes are artificial... rather like nanites in a way... I should have a complete analysis from the computer in a few minutes... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT FOUR 38A. 60 CONTINUED: BASHIR (beat, re: the fire poles) What's going on? SISKO Talks about a cease fire. BASHIR No kidding... how'd you manage that? DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT FOUR 39. 60 CONTINUED: (2) SISKO I told them we'd transport them off this moon. BASHIR (casual humor, looking at the fire) Isn't that a bit like assisting a jailbreak? SISKO (tight) I don't need you to interpret the prime directive for me, Doctor. BASHIR I only meant... SISKO Whatever crimes they've committed have been paid for a hundred times over. They've been altered somehow and abandoned by their world... I believe the Federation would recognize them as separate and unique. BASHIR Yessir. I... should be checking on that analysis... He retreats back inside the Runabout... a beat later, Shel-la moves away from the pow-wow at the poles, motions Sisko forward... 61 ANGLE - BY THE FIREPOLES Shel-la and three lieutenants (including Nima) stand by one pole near to, but clearly separated from, Zlangco and three of his lieutenants who stand by the other pole... all are armed with a variety of hand weapons... knives, swords, tomahawks and the like... ZLANGCO So you are the leader of the aliens... SISKO Benjamin Sisko, Commander of a Federation space station... ZLANGCO Federation? DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FOUR 40. 61 CONTINUED: SHEL-LA (impatient) What does it matter to us, Zlangco? ZLANGCO It matters to me. SISKO The Federation is made up of over a hundred planets who have allied themselves for mutual scientific, cultural and defensive benefits. The mission that my people and I are on is to explore the galaxy. ZLANGCO (suspicious) Such a noble purpose... there will be no reward for our release, you know... SHEL-LA You're being a fool as usual... ZLANGCO A fool who can always outwit you, Shel-la... as I have proven over and over again... SHEL-LA If you care to die once more, all you need to do is ask... The two of them seem ready to move into conflict... Sisko speaks over their heads to the lieutenants... SISKO If you've had enough of this, then make your leaders stop and listen... you are fighting a war for the sake of war... your only reason to live is to make each other suffer. If you've suffered enough, then make your leaders stop. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FOUR 41. 61 CONTINUED: (2) Sisko makes eye contact with them all as the silence is filled only with a breeze and the fluttering of the firepoles... Shel-la and Zlangco move away from their confrontation... the others listen, watch, interested... SISKO I'm not here to be a mediator... but if you ask me for an alternative... I'll give you one. ZLANGCO We're listening. SISKO In a matter of days, when our rescue party arrives, I can arrange to transport you and your people off this moon... if both sides can simply cooperate until then... SHEL-LA They will resettle us on different planets, Zlangco... SISKO If that's what you wish... ZLANGCO (continually suspicious) The two of you seem to have discussed this plan in detail... SHEL-LA Of course. His crew has been with us for two days... ZLANGCO (to Sisko) Explain why you choose to ally yourselves with the Ennis... SISKO We have allied ourselves with no one... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FOUR 42. 61 CONTINUED: (3) ZLANGCO One of your people fired some kind of weapon at us... SISKO We were defending ourselves... And it quickly gets out of hand from here... Zlangco accepts none of this, shakes his head... ZLANGCO I think you're lying... (at his own lieutenants) I don't know the alien. But I know Shel-la. I know how his mind works. I promise you this is an Ennis trick to lure our entire population out of hiding so they can be slaughtered... SISKO That's not... ZLANGCO Fine... then the Ennis will surely be willing to make the first gesture of peace... let them bring all of their people out in the open first... to prove their honorable intentions... Sisko looks to Shel-la who sees that the jig is up... Zlangco has been right about him all along, he laughs coldly, found out... SHEL-LA Do you honestly think I would let a single Nol escape this moon alive? ZLANGCO No more than I would let an Ennis go free... They pull weapons but before they can engage, Nima has gored Zlangco from behind... and everyone joins in hand to hand combat... Sisko finds himself in the middle of it... a Nol comes at him with a weapon and Sisko takes him out niftily with some quick moves and a punch to the jaw, but from behind him another Nol has just "killed" Shel-la and now raises a tomahawk about to throw at Sisko's blind side... just as the man throws, Sisko is suddenly hit with a flying tackle and knocked down... and the tomahawk clangs off the firepole behind him... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT FOUR 43. 62 ANGLE - BASHIR is sprawled on the ground on top of Sisko... BASHIR Sorry, Commander, but I've discovered we can't afford to die here -- not even once. Sisko reacts, curious at the words... but there's no time for questions now as the two of them scramble away to safety, we... FADE OUT. END OF ACT FOUR DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FIVE 44. ACT FIVE FADE IN: 63 OMITTED 64 INT. RUNABOUT (VPB) - CLOSE ON OKUDAGRAM moving to find O'Brien standing, studies the same Okudagram showing the ring of satellites around the moon... O'BRIEN (disappointed) It's some kind of artificial satellite system... that's what our probe must have picked up... DAX (more hopeful) Our sensors are reading lifeforms on the surface, Chief... (checking) I think some of them are human... O'BRIEN (curious) If the ship's down there, why wouldn't the transponder be sending out a... An answer comes to him... just as a signal alarm hits the console... DAX We're being scanned... And without warning, he jumps into his seat... presses lots of panels... O'BRIEN Increasing orbital altitude... The ship lurches a tad as it makes an adjustment.. DAX Why? DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FIVE 45. 64 CONTINUED: O'BRIEN I'm thinkin' the only thing that could block out a transponder signal is a broad band damping field... and that would require a low altitude satellite system like this one... and then suddenly we're being scanned by these satellites and I'm thinking... DAX (finishing his thought) ... maybe they had something to do with our missing Runabout... O'BRIEN Exactly. (checking sensors, nods) See, they're putting out a mutual induction field that would block ninety-nine percent of all transmissions to and from the surface... DAX Is there any way for us to get a com line through the field? O'BRIEN I've got one percent to work with, don't I? Off her reaction... 65 EXT. MOON SURFACE Starting on the "dead" face of Shel-la... fallen beside Zlangco... Nima and the others (note - since these are hand weapons, this time the make-up must include wounds and blood)... coming to one Nol who is stirring and on his knees in pain... slowly the others begin to show vague signs of life as we move to find Sisko and Bashir studying the grisly scene... BASHIR The analysis is very clear. Once these microbes restore a body after death, that body becomes permanently dependent on them for all cellular functions... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FIVE 46. 65 CONTINUED: SISKO (reacts) Permanently... BASHIR It gets worse... The designers made them environment specific... If the microbes are removed from this ecosystem, they'll stop functioning... SISKO (stunned) So, if we transport anyone off this moon, we'd kill them. BASHIR I'm afraid so. SISKO (realizing) The Kai? A look from Bashir confirms that she's infected too. This is devastating news to Sisko... he searches his mind for answers but can't find any... A moment later, O'Brien's voice crackles over his com badge, obstructed by interference. O'BRIEN'S COM VOICE ... Rio Grande to Sisko... do you read me... ? This is O'Brien, come in... Bashir and Sisko exchange surprised looks. Sisko taps his com badge. SISKO Go ahead, Chief... I can barely read you... DAX'S COM VOICE Is everyone all right? A beat, how does he answer that... SISKO We're alive. But the Yangtzee Kiang was destroyed. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT FIVE 47. 65 CONTINUED: (2) SISKO Will you be able to beam us up? INTERCUT: 66 INT. RUNABOUT O'BRIEN Not quite yet, Commander... we've got to find a way to penetrate this network of satellites... they're making it impossible to lock on to anything down there... SISKO'S COM VOICE Understood. By the way, those satellites will come after you if you get too close... they're armed... one of them cut us down without any trouble at all... O'BRIEN Yeah, we figured as much. 67 EXT. MOON SURFACE SISKO Let me know before you're ready to make an attempt... O'BRIEN'S COM VOICE Acknowledged. Rio Grande out. Sisko notices a few of the Nol and Ennis are starting to revive. SISKO (to Bashir, heavily) ... We have to talk to the Kai. Bashir follows Sisko into the fog. 68 INT. CAVE As they ENTER, Opaka and Kira move to meet them. KIRA Is there a cease-fire? DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT FIVE 48. 68 CONTINUED: SISKO Neither side took it seriously. Opaka looks away, considering what this means to her... OPAKA I'm not at all surprised. (beat) You were right, Kira. They don't know how to do anything else but die -- they've forgotten how to live. SISKO The Rio Grande just made contact. O'Brien and Dax are in orbit. Kira is greatly relieved, but she notices Opaka looking pensive as ever. SISKO (continuing) They're working on a way to penetrate the defense system... He takes a beat and turns to Opaka about to break the news that she must stay behind. Before he can speak... OPAKA I'll be staying, Commander. KIRA (astonished) What... ? OPAKA It's the answer to all the prophecies of my life... KIRA It's the wrong answer, Opaka... you can't stay here... Kira looks into Opaka's eyes and suddenly realizes Opaka is deadly serious. DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FIVE 49. 68 CONTINUED: (2) OPAKA I didn't know how or why... but when we came through the wormhole, I knew I wouldn't be returning. You must tell our people, Kira, that I have answered the call of the prophets... I have been brought here because it is time for these people to begin their healing process... (beat) ... just as you were brought here to begin yours. Kira is beyond words. 69 INT. RUNABOUT (VPB) Dax and O'Brien are studying a monitor with the satellite ring graphic... O'BRIEN You know, all we really need to do is find a way to create a gap in the net... DAX Maybe a photon would destroy one of the satellites... O'BRIEN Maybe. (beat) But you'd think they'd build a defense network with that in mind... hell, shoot one and the rest might swarm up like Vayan horn flies. We should go for something simpler... all I need is about a fifteen percent wider opening in the net... (an idea, thoughtful, to com) Rio Grande to Sisko... INTERCUT: 70 INT. CAVE As before... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - 1/22/93 - ACT FIVE 50. 70 CONTINUED: SISKO Go ahead, Chief. O'BRIEN We're going to try to poke a hole up here, sir, if you're about ready to end your stay... SISKO Only three of us will be coming back... Kai Opaka is remaining... In the Runabout, O'Brien and Dax react to the scratchy transmission... DAX Benjamin, please confirm... did you say we're not transporting the Kai? SISKO (eyes on Opaka) That's correct. I'll explain later. O'Brien and Dax exchange a glance... O'BRIEN We'll need a few minutes, Commander. Rio Grande out. 71 ANGLE - SHEL-LA and a few Ennis have returned and are standing inside the entrance to the cave. Shel-la holds his weapon loosely in his hand. SHEL-LA Leaving without us? Shel-la approaches them with a limp. A burn on his arm is causing him obvious pain. Bashir steps forward. BASHIR My analysis of the microbes that keep you alive showed that if you were to leave the moon, you would die... As the reality of Bashir's words sink in, Shel-la turns grim... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FIVE 51. 71 CONTINUED: SHEL-LA So there is no end. Wrestling with confusion, Bashir turns to Sisko... BASHIR Commander, I find myself caught in a moral dilemma. As much as I'm dedicated to the preservation of life, I wonder if we shouldn't help these people end this torture... SISKO How could you do that? BASHIR Anything that is programmed can be reprogrammed. If I can disable the mechanism in these microbes, they would no longer function when someone was killed... these people would be allowed to finally die... This is a deliverance to Shel-la... who looks to Sisko with urgency... SHEL-LA You've seen our lives here. Please... it is the only solution left. Give us a way to reprogram these microbes... and it will mean the end to this war. KIRA You really think the fear of death would stop the fighting? It never has in any other war. SHEL-LA No... but it will allow us to finally win. Wipe out the Nol for good. On this world, your disabled microbes would be the ultimate weapon, Doctor -- one that we could use to truly destroy our enemies. Off stunned reactions... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FIVE 52. 71 CONTINUED: (2) O'BRIEN Rio Grande to Sisko... stand by for transport... SISKO (eyes on Shel-la) Ready. 72 INT. RUNABOUT (VPB) DAX Coordinates set. O'BRIEN Launching probe. A sound effect and on the monitor, an Okudagram traces a probe moving toward the satellite ring... DAX Twelve seconds to intercept... O'BRIEN (watching the monitor) Come on, come on, go for it... DAX One of the satellites is breaking orbit... moving toward the probe... O'BRIEN That's it... 73 OMITTED 73A ANGLE - MONITOR (VPB) seeing the probe move into the satellite net... one satellite moves toward it... DAX The satellite is showing a power buildup... about eight hundred megawatts... It fires, destroying the probe... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FIVE 53. 74 RESUME - WIDE ANGLE DAX Probe destroyed... O'BRIEN (to com) Rio Grange to Sisko. Trying to lock on, Commander... As he presses buttons... 75 INT. CAVE O'BRIEN'S COM VOICE (continuing) Establishing pattern lock... SHEL-LA Wait... you can't leave without giving us the... SISKO (interrupting, firm) Energize when ready, Chief... Suddenly, by the sound of massive firing and yells and screams of pain outside the cave... Shel-la turns, drawn by the noise, turns back to Sisko, angry, frustrated... runs out to join the fight... the noise continues throughout as... Sisko turns to Opaka... SISKO Opaka... if we can ever find a way... She holds up her hand to stop him... OPAKA My work is here now, Commander... But your pagh and mine will cross again... Sisko raises an eyebrow as... 76 KIRA (OPTICAL) and the Kai exchange a long last look... and we know that Kira has begun her healing... O'BRIEN'S COM VOICE Energizing... DEEP SPACE: "Battle Lines" - REV. 1/25/93 - ACT FIVE 53A. 76 CONTINUED: They DEMATERIALIZE... and we are left with the Kai looking pensive as the sounds of fighting continue behind her... she turns her head a tad toward the sound... knows the work that's ahead of her... as we push in to her face... FADE TO BLACK: The sounds of fighting continue over a black screen... FADE OUT. END OF ACT FIVE THE END