"Hard Time" 
                   (fka "Untitled O'Brien") 
                          #40510-491 
                              
                           Story by 
                Daniel Keys Moran & Lynn Barker 
                              
                          Teleplay by 
                      Robert Hewitt Wolfe 
                              
                          Directed by 
                       Alexander Singer 

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 1996 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 This script is not for publication or 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 24, 1996

        STAR TREK: DS9 - "Hard Time" - 01/24/96 - CAST 

                  STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE 
                          "Hard Time" 
                             CAST 

          SISKO                    EE'CHAR
          KIRA                     RINN
          BASHIR                   MUNIZ
          DAX                      
          O'BRIEN                  
          ODO                      
          QUARK                    
          WORF                     
          JAKE                     
          KEIKO                    
          MOLLY                    
          COMPUTER VOICE           

          Non-Speaking             Non-speaking
          N.D. SUPERNUMERARIES     

        STAR TREK: DS9 - "Hard Time" - 01/24/96 - SETS 

                  STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE 
                          "Hard Time" 
                             SETS 

        INTERIORS                     EXTERIORS
        DEEP SPACE NINE                 DEEP SPACE NINE
          CAPTAIN'S OFFICE              
          CARGO BAY                     
          HABITAT RING CORRIDOR         
          INFIRMARY                     
          MAINTENANCE CONDUIT           
          O'BRIEN'S QUARTERS/BEDROOM    
          OPS                           
          PROMENADE/SECOND LEVEL        
          QUARK'S                       
          TURBOLIFT                     

        RUNABOUT                      

        ARGRATHI CELL                 

    DEEP SPACE NINE - "Hard Time"- 01/24/96 - PRONUNCIATION 

                  STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE 
                          "Hard Time" 
                     PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

          ARGRATHI                 ar-GRATH-ee
          ARGRATHA                 ar-GRATH-a
          DAHKUR                   duh-KOOR
          EE'CHAR                  ee-CHAR
          K'PAR RINN               kuh-PARR RINN
          PARADANS                 pah-RAH-dahns
          ESEEKA                   eh-SEE-kuh
          SINGHA                   SING-uh
          TELNORRI                 TELL-nor-ee
          CHEE'LASH                CHEE-lash
          REETA                    REE-tuh

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - TEASER         1.

                  STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE                    
                             "Hard Time"                               
                            TEASER                              

	FADE IN:

1    INT. ARGRATHI CELL

	This is an alien security cell, with rough-hewn stone
	walls and a smooth sandy floor. There are no beds or
	other furniture, just a heavy metallic windowless door
	of alien design. The light in the room is an odd blue-
	white, colored to match an alien sun. There's a hole
	dug in the ground in one corner of the room that
	provides a crude toilet.

	The room's only inhabitant is a male PRISONER in his
	mid- to late-fifties, with an unkempt beard and a
	tangled mass of white hair. We don't get a good look
	at his face, but he seems familiar. He's dressed in
	the ragged remains of a gold Starfleet uniform, but
	it's barely recognizable from decades of wear and
	neglect.

	The Prisoner is squatting on the floor, drawing an
	elaborate mandala in the sand. It's a beautiful
	abstract pattern and he works on it with great care.

	The Prisoner puts a finishing touch on the mandala as
	if rushing to beat some kind of deadline. Just as he
	finishes, a KLAXON SOUNDS, followed by an announcement
	from a disembodied voice.

					ARGRATHI COM VOICE
			All offenders prepare for
			decontamination. Decontamination
			will proceed immediately.

	The Prisoner braces himself.

2    NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL)

	A wall of coherent light passes through the room,
	sweeping everything inside, including the Prisoner and
	his sand-drawings. As it passes over the Prisoner, he
	doubles over, gritting his teeth and choking back a
	moan of pain. The beam obviously causes him great
	agony.

	It also completely erases the mandala, smoothing the
	sand as it progresses across the room.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: - "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - TEASER        2.

2    CONTINUED:

	The Prisoner shakes off the effect of the beam with
	some effort, taking a moment to catch his breath. The
	sand floor is now completely smooth. With resigned
	determination, the Prisoner begins drawing a new
	mandala.

	But he hasn't gotten far when the cell door opens with
	the sound of sliding bolts and the flash of a
	forcefield disengaging.

	The Prisoner stands up and backs cautiously away from
	the door, eyeing it with suspicion.

3    ANGLE ON THE DOOR

	As it opens, revealing a formidable-looking PRISON
	GUARD backlit by a blinding blue light. The Guard
	ENTERS the cell. He's an ARGRATHI, a humanoid alien of
	a type we've never seen before. He carries a high-tech
	looking baton and watches the Prisoner warily.

	The Guard is followed by a second Argrathi, an older
	woman dressed in a style that conveys authority. This
	is K'PAR RINN, the chief administrator of this alien
	prison.

					RINN
			Miles Edward O'Brien.

4    NEW ANGLE

	Close on the Prisoner, who we finally recognize for the
	first time. It's CHIEF O'BRIEN, aged and worn from two
	decades in prison.

					RINN
			The Argrathi Authority has been
			conducting a review of your case.
			Do you wish to add anything to the
			official record?

	O'Brien looks frightened and broken. All he can manage
	is a shake of his head. Rinn allows herself the barest
	trace of a smile.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: - "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - TEASER        3.

4    CONTINUED:

					RINN
			No matter.
				(a beat)
			Your correction is completed. You
			are free.

	O'Brien reacts with surprise and disbelief.

					O'BRIEN
			Free?

					RINN
			The crime of espionage requires a
			minimum of fifteen cycles of
			correction. You've been here for
			twenty. It's time for you to go.

	The older O'Brien makes no move to exit his cell. He
	looks haunted, a shadow of the man he once was.

					O'BRIEN
			But I can't leave. Where would I
			go?

					RINN
			That's not my concern.

	Rinn gestures to the guard, who steps toward O'Brien.

5    NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL)

	The guard shoves his baton into O'Brien's gut and it
	discharges like a high-tech cattle prod. O'Brien
	collapses to the ground.

					RINN
			Remove him.

	The guard yanks O'Brien to his feet and shoves him out
	the doorway and into the blue light, and suddenly we...

									CUT TO:

6    O'BRIEN'S FACE

	As he opens his eyes and shouts in horror as if awaking
	from a nightmare. O'Brien is now completely normal in
	appearance, no longer twenty years older like the
	O'Brien we've just seen. But all is not well. We...

									PULL BACK TO REVEAL:

       DEEP SPACE NINE: - "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - TEASER        4.

7    NEW ANGLE

	That we are still in the Argrathi cell, but this time
	O'Brien is strapped into some kind of alien device that
	looks vaguely like an electric chair. Wires run from
	his temples and various other parts of his body to the
	chair. An Argrathi Technician operates the chair while
	Rinn and KIRA look on. A Guard (not the one we saw
	before) restrains Kira.

					RINN
			There. It's done.

	O'Brien looks up at Rinn and Kira in astonishment.

					O'BRIEN
			Major?

					KIRA
			It's me, Chief.

	O'Brien is confused and disoriented. what he's seeing
	doesn't make any sense.

					O'BRIEN
			But... it can't be. It's been
			twenty years. You haven't changed
			at all.

	The Technician begins unstrapping O'Brien.

					RINN
			Only a few hours passed during
			your correction.

	O'Brien looks at Kira and at his own body, with his
	intact uniform and younger man's hands.

					O'BRIEN
			I don't understand.

	Kira knows O'Brien's disoriented and tries to help out.

					KIRA
			Chief, I know this is going to be
			hard for you to accept, but... you
			haven't been in prison. What you
			experienced was an artificial
			reality, an interactive program
			that created memories of things
			that never actually happened.

	O'Brien reacts, not really understanding.

					O'BRIEN
			What?

     DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - TEASER 4A-5.        

7    CONTINUED:

					RINN
			The Major is correct.

	Rinn could care less whether O'Brien adjusts to this
	information or not. For her, it's a simple fact, a
	technological approach to dealing with prisoners that
	she's rather proud of.

					RINN
			We punish our offenders by giving
			them memories of incarceration
			modelled to fit each offender's
			personality. It's more
			efficient... and much more
			effective than maintaining an
			extensive prison system.

8    CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	As he tries to absorb this. Kira can tell that he's
	been shaken by his experiences and is having a lot of
	trouble grasping what he's being told.

					KIRA
				(gently)
			Which means everything you think
			you experienced in prison,
			everything you remember, didn't
			happen. It wasn't real.

	O'Brien looks up at Kira, a shattered, broken man. She
	might as well be speaking another language. For him,
	the time in prison was all too real.

					O'BRIEN
				(simply)
			It was to me, major. It was to
			me.

	Hold on O'Brien's haunted look for a beat, then...

									FADE OUT.

                         END OF TEASER                          

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT ONE        6.
                            ACT ONE                             

	FADE IN:

	(NOTE: Episode credits fall over opening scenes)

9    INT. O'BRIEN'S QUARTERS

	SISKO is breaking the news of what happened to O'Brien
	to KEIKO. Keiko's a few months pregnant and is just
	starting to show. She's trying not to overreact, but
	Sisko's news is pretty grim.

					SISKO
			Apparently he got curious about
			some Argrathi technology and asked
			a few too many questions.
			Argrathi security arrested him and
			charged him with espionage.

					KEIKO
			Miles would never break a law
			intentionally.

					SISKO
				(sympathetic)
			I know that. But by the time the
			Argrathi told us what'd happened,
			they'd already carried out his
			"correction."

	Keiko shakes her head. The whole thing doesn't quite
	seem real.

					KEIKO
			Can the memories they implanted be
			removed?

					SISKO
			The Argrathi claim it's
			impossible, but Doctor Bashir will
			do his best.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT ONE        7.

9    CONTINUED:

	Keiko tries to be strong.

					KEIKO
				(nods)
			When can I see him?

					SISKO
			As soon as Doctor Bashir gives his
			okay.

	Keiko nods. Sisko knows she'd like him to leave and
	EXITS.

10   CLOSE ON KEIKO

	As she lets her guard down and shows how worried she
	really is.

11   EXT. SPACE (OPTICAL)

	The Runabout emerges from the wormhole.

12   INT. RUNABOUT (OPTICAL) 

	Kira is at the controls of the runabout, O'Brien is off
	to one side. Kira brings the runabout around and Deep
	Space Nine fills the viewscreen. O'Brien stands up and
	looks at the station in amazement.

					O'BRIEN
			I used to dream about this. Being
			on a runabout, coming through the
			wormhole, seeing the station
			again. I keep expecting to wake
			up and find myself back in my
			cell.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT ONE        8.

12   CONTINUED:

					KIRA
			Being in your cell was the dream.
			This is reality.

	O'Brien nods, but he still can't quite believe this is
	really happening.

13   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN (OPTICAL) 

	As he looks at the station for a long beat as it
	revolves in front of him, obviously deeply moved. His
	eyes mist up and he blinks away the tears. Not wanting
	Kira to see him cry, he turns away.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT ONE        9.

13   CONTINUED:

					O'BRIEN
			I forgot how beautiful it was.

	Kira nods in agreement. She stands there quietly and
	lets O'Brien absorb the view for a beat, then...

					KIRA
			Come on. Let's get you home.

	O'Brien nods, never taking his eyes of the station.

14   OMITTED

15   INT. AIRLOCK CORRIDOR

	O'Brien and Kira ENTER the airlock corridor from the
	runabout.

16   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	As he takes in the station, looking at it like a long-
	lost friend. O'Brien runs his hand over the bulkhead,
	as if checking to make sure it's real. Half of him
	expects the whole place to vanish at any minute.

					BASHIR (O.S.)
			Chief?

	O'Brien looks up and sees...

17   NEW ANGLE 

	BASHIR, standing at the end of the airlock, waiting for
	him.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT ONE       10.

17   CONTINUED:

					O'BRIEN
			Julian?

	O'Brien realizes it really is Bashir and embraces him.

					O'BRIEN
			It's really you.

					BASHIR
				(smiles)
			It's me.

	Kira looks from O'Brien to Bashir. She knows the chief
	is in good hands.

					KIRA
			He's all yours.

	She pats O'Brien on the arm, trying to give him one
	last bit of support, then EXITS. O'Brien looks at
	Bashir for a long beat, not quite believing this is all
	real.

					O'BRIEN
			I never thought I'd see you again.

					BASHIR
			I was pretty worried about you,
			too.

	O'Brien looks around and sees that Bashir is alone.

					O'BRIEN
			Keiko?

					BASHIR
			She'll see you in a little while.
			I want to run some tests first
			thing... see what we're up
			against.

	O'Brien nods, almost relieved that he doesn't have to
	interact with Keiko just yet.

					BASHIR
			As for everyone else... they send
			their best. They'd be here now,
			but I didn't want you to get
			overwhelmed. You should take
			things easy for a while... Let
			yourself get used to the place
			again. All right?

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT ONE       11.

17   CONTINUED:	(2)

					O'BRIEN
			Doctor's orders?

					BASHIR
			Absolutely.

	O'Brien nods gratefully... Bashir looks at O'Brien.
	Physically he's the same man who left the station only
	a week or two earlier, but Bashir knows O'Brien's
	experiences will have lasting psychological effects.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT ONE       12.

17   CONTINUED:	(3)

					BASHIR
				(sympathetic)
			I can't imagine what it must've
			been like. Twenty years in that
			cell.

					O'BRIEN
			It was bad.

					BASHIR
			In all that time, were you able to
			talk to anyone? See anyone?

	O'Brien shakes his head. The memory obviously pains
	him.

					O'BRIEN
			I was alone.

	And as soon as O'Brien utters these words we...

									CUT TO:

18   INT. ARGRATHI CELL - FLASHBACK (OPTICAL)

	O'Brien, still young and in a clean uniform, is flung
	into the rough stone cell by an Argrathi Guard. He's
	been starved, beaten and abused during his
	interrogation and looks terrible.

	O'Brien collapses to the floor as the cell door is
	closed and sealed with a forcefield.

19   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN 

	As O'Brien lays there, semiconscious and in tremendous
	pain, a hand reaches out and squeezes juice from an
	alien-looking piece of fruit onto O'Brien's lips.

	O'Brien reflexively drinks the juice and slowly comes
	around. He looks up to find out where the juice is
	coming from, and pries his eyes open to see...

20   NEW ANGLE - O'BRIEN'S POV (OPTICAL)

	Which is blurry and obscure at first but slowly comes
	into focus. O'Brien is looking up at the face of an
	Argrathi prisoner, about the same age as O'Brien, but
	lean and grizzled from years of confinement. This is
	EE'CHAR. He's been imprisoned for a long time, and
	knows what O'Brien's going through.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT ONE       13.

20   CONTINUED:

	And despite being tough enough to survive in this
	nightmarish setting, he still has a kind face and looks
	down at O'Brien with sympathy.

					EE'CHAR
			Eat this.
				(holds out the fruit)
			It's chee'lash fruit. It'll help
			you feel better.

	O'Brien takes the fruit.

					O'BRIEN
				(still fighting the pain)
			Thanks...

					EE'CHAR
			I should be the one thanking you.
			I've been alone in here for six
			cycles.

					O'BRIEN
				(shocked)
			Six years?

					EE'CHAR
			I know. It's a wonder I'm not
			insane. But you learn to survive.
				(a beat)
			Let me guess. Sedition?

					O'BRIEN
			Espionage.

					EE'CHAR
				(nods knowingly)
			It looks like we'll be in here
			together for a long time. My name
			is Ee'char.

					O'BRIEN
			Miles. Miles O'Brien.

					EE'CHAR
				(smiles)
			Hello, Miles. Welcome to hell.

	O'Brien studies Ee'char. He knows he's in a bad
	situation, but maybe, just maybe, he's found a friend.

									CUT TO:

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT ONE      13A.

20A  INT. DOCKING RING CORRIDOR

	Close on O'Brien as he comes out of the memory.

					O'BRIEN
			Completely alone.

	Hold on O'Brien for a beat, then...

									FADE OUT.

                        END OF ACT ONE                          

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT TWO       14.
                            ACT TWO                             

	FADE IN:

21   INT. PROMENADE - SECOND LEVEL

	Keiko and Bashir walk and talk. Bashir's trying to
	explain O'Brien's situation.

					BASHIR
			The bottom line is... there's not
			much I can do. The Argrathi
			didn't just install memory
			implants. They ran O'Brien
			through a time-compressed
			simulation of the prison
			experience. In his mind, he
			actually lived those twenty years.
			He reacted to what was happening,
			felt pain, fear, hatred, made
			choices and decisions that
			affected the outcome. And as a
			result, those memories are real.
			The only way I could get rid of
			them would be to wipe his entire
			memory clean... and clearly that's
			not an option.

	Keiko tries to hide her disappointment, but it's not
	easy.

					KEIKO
			I understand.

	Bashir's just as disappointed as she is. But he tries
	to put the best spin on O'Brien's situation.

					BASHIR
			Listen, Keiko, he's been through
			some terrible things in his
			life... during the war on Setlik
			Three, as a prisoner of the
			Paradans, during his trial on
			Cardassia Prime. And he's always
			survived.
				(trying to convince them 
				both)
			In the long run, he's going to be
			okay. It's just going to take
			time.

	Keiko nods. She believes in her husband. But she also
	knows his recovery's not going to be easy.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT TWO       15.

22   INT. INFIRMARY

	O'Brien's on the bio-bed, having just finished being
	examined. He's flexing his right arm, trying to get
	used to the idea that it's not broken anymore. He's
	lost motor control of the arm and has to use his left
	arm to move it around. As he's working on his arm, he
	walks over to a replicator to get something to eat.

					O'BRIEN
				(trying to remember how
				to do this)
			Computer, a piece of chee'lash
			fruit please.

	But nothing comes out of the replicator.

					COMPUTER VOICE
			Requested item is not on record.
			Please provide specifications.

	O'Brien tries to come up with a description of
	chee'lash fruit, for a beat, then gives up.

					O'BRIEN
			I don't have the specifications.
				(a beat)
			Cancel the request.

					KEIKO (O.S.)
			Miles?

23   NEW ANGLE

	O'Brien turns and just for a moment he sees Ee'char
	standing in the doorway with Bashir  instead of Keiko.
	CLOSE ON O'Brien who's confused and a little fearful.

					BASHIR
			I'll leave you two alone.

23A  NEW ANGLE

	O'Brien can now see Keiko and Bashir. Bashir having
	escorted Keiko in, EXITS.

	Keiko looks at O'Brien, tears welling up in her eyes.

					KEIKO
			Oh, Miles.

	They embrace. For a second, O'Brien holds her close,
	completely caught up in the moment. He never thought
	held see Keiko again and loves her dearly.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT TWO      15A.

23A  CONTINUED: 

	He's overwhelmed.

	After a long beat, O'Brien pulls back. Keiko looks up
	and sees the look of confusion on her husband's face.

					KEIKO
			What's wrong?

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT TWO       16.

23A  CONTINUED: (2)

	O'Brien stares at Keiko, a look of deep sadness on his
	face.

					O'BRIEN
			You're pregnant.

					KEIKO
				(smiles)
			That's right.

	He reaches out and tentatively touches her belly, which
	is just starting to swell.

					O'BRIEN
			It's been so long... I'd
			forgotten.

	Miles has tears in his eyes. Keiko embraces him,
	trying to comfort him, but she's hurting too.

					KEIKO
			It's all right, Miles.
			Everything's going to be all
			right.

24   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	As he accepts his wife's embrace, trying to take
	comfort and give comfort in return. But his face is
	troubled. He looks confused and lost.

	And on this haunted look, we...

									CUT TO:

25   EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE

	Re-establishing.

26   INT. O'BRIEN'S QUARTERS (OPTICAL)

	O'Brien, Keiko and MOLLY are at dinner. Molly's
	eating quickly, and Keiko's almost done, but O'Brien's
	only eaten a small portion of his food. He's
	meticulously cutting every piece of food on the plate
	approximately in half, then taking the smaller piece
	and cutting it into even smaller pieces and eating the
	small pieces one at a time.

					MOLLY
			I'm done. Can I go color?

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT TWO       17.

26   CONTINUED:

	Keiko nods.

					KEIKO
			Make sure to put your plate in the
			replicator.

				MOLLY
			Okay.

	Molly picks up her plate and puts it in the replicator.
	It disappears. She tugs on O'Brien's sleeve.

					MOLLY
			Do you want to come color with me?

					O'BRIEN
				(trying to be present)
			Maybe in a little while.

	Molly nods. She understands. She EXITS.

27   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN AND KEIKO 

	O'Brien watches Molly go. Now that she's not looking
	at him, he collapses a little, showing how difficult it
	is for him to maintain appearances. Keiko can see the
	strain.

					KEIKO
			You did great.

	O'Brien looks up confused.

					KEIKO
			With Molly.

	O'Brien isn't so sure.

					O'BRIEN
			Do you think so?

	Keiko nods. But she looks worried. She knows O'Brien
	must be having a hard time adjusting.

					KEIKO
			It must be strange.
				(off O'Brien's reaction)
			To suddenly have a family again.

	O'Brien relaxes, relieved to know Keiko understands.

         DEEPSPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 ACT TWO         18.

27   CONTINUED:

					O'BRIEN
			It's just... I've been alone so
			long.

					KEIKO
			Talking about it with Counselor
			Telnorri should help.
				(off O'Brien's reaction)
			Julian says you'll be seeing him
			for a while.

					O'BRIEN
				(no enthusiasm)
			Three counseling sessions a week.
			I can hardly wait.

	During the above without really being conscious of what
	he's doing, O'Brien begins taking the half pieces of
	food he set aside and piling them in his napkin. Keiko
	watches it for a beat, then...

					KEIKO
			Miles?

					O'BRIEN
				(still sorting)
			Uh-huh.

					KEIKO
			What are you doing?

					O'BRIEN
			Nothing.

					KEIKO
			I mean with your food.

	O'Brien looks down at the napkin. He realizes he's
	been acting out habits he developed in prison, without
	even thinking about it.

					O'BRIEN
				(embarrassed)
			Oh... that. I'm saving it.

					KEIKO
			Saving it. For what?

					O'BRIEN
			For later.

	O'Brien shakes his head. He knows this isn't much of
	an explanation.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT TWO      18A.

27   CONTINUED:	(2)

					O'BRIEN
			It's just a habit I picked up.
				(trying to explain)
			When I was in prison... the guards
			didn't much care if I lived or
			died. Sometimes they wouldn't
			deliver food for days... even
			weeks. So when they did get
			around to feeding me... I'd eat
			as little as possible and save the
			rest.

    DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT TWO 19-20.       

27   CONTINUED:	(3)

	The full extent of what O'Brien suffered is beginning
	to sink home for Keiko.

					KEIKO
			That's horrible.

					O'BRIEN
			You get used to it...

	O'Brien doesn't want to admit how much his prison
	memories are affecting him. He tries to brush past
	what's just happened.

					O'BRIEN
			I'll clean this up.

	O'Brien begins clearing off the table. Keiko goes to
	help him.

					KEIKO
			You don't have to.

					O'BRIEN
			I want to.
				(smiling)
			I haven't been able to clean
			anything in twenty years.

28
thru   OMITTED
30   

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT TWO       21.

31   INT. ARGRATHI CELL - FLASHBACK

	It's a few weeks after the last memory sequence.
	O'Brien's uniform is starting to get a little dirty.
	He watches as Ee'char bundles up leftover scraps of
	food in a rag, then hides it in a crack in the rock
	wall.

					EE'CHAR
			For later.

	O'Brien looks at Ee'char with admiration.

					O'BRIEN
			How'd you manage... six years in
			this place all by yourself.

					EE'CHAR
			You find ways. I exercise, tell
			myself stories, draw Eseekas on
			the ground.

					O'BRIEN
			Eseekas?

					EE'CHAR
			They're geometric patterns.
			Drawing them is a way to relax the
			body and occupy the mind.

					O'BRIEN
			That helps?

					EE'CHAR
			It helps me.

	O'Brien thinks about this for a beat, then...

					O'BRIEN
			Show me how.

					EE'CHAR
			It's not easy.

					O'BRIEN
			I've got plenty of time to learn.

	Though O'Brien's remark is bitter, Ee'char nods.
	There's wisdom in it.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT TWO       22.

32   NEW ANGLE

	As Ee'char picks out a relatively flat, sandy spot in
	the cave so he can show O'Brien what he means.

					EE'CHAR
			Here. This is a good spot.

	O'Brien sits by the spot Ee'char's indicated, then
	Ee'char goes to find his own drawing surface.

					EE'CHAR
				(demonstrating)
			You start by drawing a circle.

	Copying Ee'char, O'Brien draws his own circle in the
	sand.

					EE'CHAR
			Now gaze into the circle.

	O'Brien looks at Ee'char skeptically.

					EE'CHAR
			Do you want to learn or not?

	O'Brien turns his attention to the ground.

					O'BRIEN
			I'm gazing.

					EE'CHAR
				(picking up where he
				left off)
			Relax your mind. Imagine that the
			circle encompasses your entire
			existence. Let it become part of
			you.
				(waits a beat, then... )
			Now without thinking about it,
			allow your hand to make a mark
			inside the circle. Expand on the
			mark. Let it grow organically
			until it becomes a pattern.

	O'Brien draws a few slashes in the sand, but nothing
	very artistic. He looks so serious, so un-relaxed,
	that Ee'char can't help but laugh.

					O'BRIEN
			What's so funny?

					EE'CHAR
			You look like a reeta-hawk picking
			at a corpse.

	Ee'char hunches over, imitating O'Brien, tensing his
	shoulders and neck. Then he breaks into a bird
	imitation.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT TWO       23.

32   CONTINUED:

					EE'CHAR
			Awk... Awk...

	Ee'char laughs some more. O'Brien can't help but
	smile.

					O'BRIEN
			How can you do that?

					EE'CHAR
			Do what?

					O'BRIEN
			Laugh... after six years in here.

	Ee'char smiles.

					EE'CHAR
			After six years in a place like
			this, you either learn to laugh...
			or you go insane.

	And suddenly it isn't so funny anymore.

					EE'CHAR
			I prefer to laugh.

	Just then...

					ARGRATHI COM VOICE
			All offenders prepare for dormancy
			period. Any offender still active
			during the dormancy period will be
			disciplined. Illumination will be
			suspended in twenty seconds.

					EE'CHAR
			Quickly.

	Ee'char takes up his sleeping position, lying on the
	floor on his left side, with his back to the wall and
	his eyes fixed intently on the door.

	O'Brien follows suit, taking the same position.

					EE'CHAR
			Sleep well, Miles. And if you
			feel like laughing in the middle
			of the night... go ahead. I'm a
			heavy sleeper.

					ARGRATHI COM VOICE
			Dormancy period initiated.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT TWO       24.

32   CONTINUED:	(2)

	The lights go down and we hold on O'Brien, eyes wide
	open trying to come to grips with his nightmarish
	situation. Hold on him for a beat, then...

									CUT TO:

33   INT. O'BRIEN'S QUARTERS 

	The room is dark. Close on Keiko as she rolls over and
	then wakes up to the realization that O'Brien is no
	longer in bed.

					KEIKO
			Miles?

	Keiko looks around and finally sees..

34   NEW ANGLE 

	O'Brien lying on the floor, asleep with his back to the
	wall, in the exact same sleeping position he used in
	the Argrathi cell.

35   CLOSE ON KEIKO

	As she reacts to this disturbing sight, then goes to
	get O'Brien a blanket, we...

									FADE OUT.

                        END OF ACT TWO                          

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      25.
                           ACT THREE                            

	FADE IN:

36   INT. QUARK'S

	O'Brien, still dressed in civilian clothes, is playing
	darts with WORF, who is trying to act like he's
	enjoying himself. Worf pulls the darts from the board
	and hands them to O'Brien.

					WORF
			Your throw.

	O'Brien gets ready to throw, then looks at the board
	blankly. His head's not in the game.

					O'BRIEN
			Do I need one seventeen, or two?

	Worf wasn't really paying that close attention.

					WORF
			I'm not sure.

					O'BRIEN
			Neither am I.

	Even though darts aren't Worf's favorite activity, he
	doesn't want to let O'Brien down.

					WORF
			We could start again.

	O'Brien shakes his head. It's clear that Worf is just
	humoring him.

					O'BRIEN
			That's all right. I know darts
			isn't really your game. And to be
			honest, I don't feel much like
			playing either.

	They walk away from the board. Worf looks
	disappointed. He was hoping to find a way to reconnect
	with O'Brien.

					WORF
			We could go kayaking in the
			holosuite.

					O'BRIEN
			You're a good friend, but...

	Suddenly O'Brien's attention is drawn to the Promenade.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      26.

36A  NEW ANGLE 

	O'Brien catches a glimpse of Ee'char walking through
	the crowd on the Promenade. For a second Ee'char looks
	at him and their eyes lock.

					O'BRIEN
				(to Worf)
			Excuse me.

	O'Brien EXITS into...

36B  INT. PROMENADE

	O'Brien looks around for Ee'char, but he's gone.
	O'Brien's clearly unnerved by his cellmate's
	appearance.

36C NEW ANGLE

	To include Worf, who's followed O'Brien onto the
	Promenade.

					WORF
			Is everything all right?

	O'Brien quickly covers.

					O'BRIEN
			It's fine. I just thought I saw
			someone I used to know.

	Hold on O'Brien for a beat, then...

									CUT TO:

36D EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL)

	Re-establishing.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      27.

37   OMITTED

38   INT. CARGO BAY

	O'Brien and JAKE are in an otherwise unoccupied cargo
	bay. O'Brien's got a box full of tools spread out on
	top of a cargo container. He picks one up and stares
	at it for a beat, then...

					O'BRIEN
			Interphasic coil spanner.

	Jake nods. O'Brien picks up another tool and looks at
	it. This one's a little harder. Finally, he takes a
	stab at it.

					O'BRIEN
			ODN recoupler.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      28.

38   CONTINUED:

					JAKE
				(encouraging)
			You got it.

	O'Brien picks up a third tool. He looks at it for a
	beat, but he's obviously drawing a blank. Jake can't
	stand seeing the look of doubt and confusion on his
	face.

					JAKE
			It's a--

					O'BRIEN
				(cutting him off)
			Don't tell me. I'll get it.

	O'Brien stares at the tool for a beat longer. He's
	determined to get this right.

					O'BRIEN
				(tentative)
			A... quantum flux regulator.
				(with more confidence)
			Mark Three.

	Jake looks relieved.

					JAKE
			Perfect.

	But O'Brien's not satisfied.

					O'BRIEN
			Let's go through them again.

        DEEPSPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 ACT THREE        29.

38   CONTINUED:	(2)

					JAKE
			Chief, you know this stuff. You
			don't have to worry about it.

					O'BRIEN
			I don't want to embarrass myself
			in front of the repair crews.

					JAKE
			Even if you get one wrong, I'm
			sure no one'll think anything of
			it. You may be a little rusty,
			but you're still the chief.

	O'Brien's not reassured.

					O'BRIEN
			If I'm still the chief... then I
			say we go over these again.

	Jake smiles.

					JAKE
			Right you are... Chief.

	Jake gets ready to go over the tools one more time.

39   EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL)

	Re-establishing.

40   INT. MAINTENANCE CONDUIT 

	O'Brien is back in uniform and hard at work on an open
	panel in one of the conduits. He's concentrating on an
	especially tricky repair with grim determination, back
	in his element. He completes the repair.

					O'BRIEN
			All done here.

	Crewman MUNIZ (last seen in "STARSHIP DOWN") comes to
	check his work. There are two other crewmen at work
	further down the conduit.

					MUNIZ
			That was quick.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      30.

40   CONTINUED:

					O'BRIEN
			I reconfigured the magnetic
			waveguides. Saved us the trouble
			of replacing the entire unit.

	Muniz runs a quick test on the unit with a tricorder.

					MUNIZ
			Good as new.
				(a beat)
			We're about done here. If it's
			all right with you, I was going to
			dismiss the crew for lunch.

					O'BRIEN
			You go ahead. I want to take a
			look at a couple of things down
			here... brush up a little more.

	Muniz smiles. As far as he can tell, O'Brien's better
	already.

					MUNIZ
				(kidding)
			Keep up the good work, crewman.
			In another week or two you'll be
			running this place.

	O'Brien smiles back. Muniz EXITS with the rest of the
	crew.

					O'BRIEN
				(good-natured)
			And don't you forget it.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      31.

41   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN 

	As Muniz and the other crewmembers EXIT, O'Brien
	slumps. Even thought he seemed to be back to normal,
	we see now that it's just an act. He looks tired, worn
	out, and still very troubled. He glances down at the
	tool in his hand, then tosses it aside in frustration.

	Just then, Bashir climbs up a ladder and ENTERS the
	conduit.

42   NEW ANGLE

	As Bashir joins O'Brien.

					BASHIR
			Chief... There you are.

	O'Brien tries to put back on his "everything's okay"
	face, but he doesn't have the energy.

					O'BRIEN
			Hello, Julian. Here to check up
			on me?

					BASHIR
			To be honest... Yes.
				(a beat)
			Counselor Telnorri says you
			haven't been in to see him in ten
			days.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      32.

42   CONTINUED:

	O'Brien glares at Bashir. He doesn't want to talk about
	this.

					O'BRIEN
			So?

					BASHIR
			So you're supposed to be seeing
			him three times a week.

					O'BRIEN
			What for? All Telnorri ever does
			is sit there and listen to me tell
			stories about what it was like to
			be in an Argrathi prison. How
			often did they beat me? Was I
			distressed by the lack of toilet
			facilities?
				(cynical)
			If you ask me, he's the one with
			the problem.

					BASHIR
			You could talk to a different
			counselor. Someone you might like
			better.

					O'BRIEN
				(cutting him off)
			Julian, I don't want to talk to a
			counselor. All I want is to
			forget what happened on Argratha
			and get on with my life.

	Which is the end of the discussion as far as O'Brien's 
	concerned, but not for Bashir

					BASHIR
			Just like that?

					O'BRIEN
				(getting angry)
			That's right. Just like that. I
			don't need counseling or
			relaxation or time to adjust. I
			just want to be left alone.

	O'Brien grabs his toolkit and heads for the ladder.
	Bashir makes one last attempt to reason with him.

					BASHIR
			I would think after being alone
			for twenty years you'd want
			someone to talk to.

	That's the last straw for O'Brien. He turns on Bashir.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      33.

42   CONTINUED:	(2)

					O'BRIEN
				(interrupting)
			You know, if there was one thing
			I didn't miss over the last twenty
			years, it was your smug, superior
			attitude. Now I said I wanted to
			be left alone and I meant it. So
			if you know what's good for you
			you'll stay the hell away from me.

	And with that, O'Brien EXITS, leaving Bashir shocked
	and more than a little concerned.

43   INT. TURBOLIFT

	O'Brien ENTERS the lift. He's furious at being
	interrogated by Bashir and furious at losing his
	temper, and vents his anger by flinging the tool box
	into the wall of the lift. As O'Brien leans back
	against the Turbolift wall we...

									CUT TO:

44   INT. ARGRATHI CELL - FLASHBACK

	Close on Ee'char as he carefully adds a line to one of
	his mandalas.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      34.

45   NEW ANGLE 

	To include O'Brien, pacing around the cell. Almost ten
	years have passed since O'Brien's incarceration and
	both Ee'char and O'Brien are showing signs of age.
	O'Brien's agitated and clearly looking for fight.

					EE'CHAR
				(still drawing)
			Tell me about Keiko again. About
			how much you like her eyes.

					O'BRIEN
			I've told you about her a hundred
			times. What more is there to say?

					EE'CHAR
			I like hearing about her. If I
			had a beautiful wife to talk
			about, believe me, I would.
			Besides talking about her always
			relaxes you. And your pacing is
			getting a little distracting.

					O'BRIEN
			Well your drawing is bothering me.

					EE'CHAR
			Since when?

					O'BRIEN
			Since right now.

	And with that, O'Brien kicks the drawing, spraying sand
	over and completely obliterating it.

					EE'CHAR
			You didn't need to do that.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      35.

45   CONTINUED:

					O'BRIEN
			Who are you to tell me what I
			need?

	Ee'char knows he's not the cause of O'Brien's anger,
	just a convenient target. He tries to defuse the
	situation.

					EE'CHAR
				(reproachful)
			Miles...

					O'BRIEN
			Don't "Miles" me. I'm sick of it.
			I'm sick of your drawings, I'm
			sick of this place, and most of
			all I'm sick of you.

	Ee'char knows O'Brien is running the risk of getting
	himself in trouble.

					EE'CHAR
				(strong)
			Try to be calm.

	But O'Brien won't be mollified.

					O'BRIEN
			I don't want to be calm. I've had
			it with this place. I don't
			belong here.

46   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	Who suddenly steps over to the door of the cell and
	shouts out at the unseen Argrathi authorities.

					O'BRIEN
				(shouting)
			Did you hear that? I don't belong
			here. I didn't do anything wrong.

	There's no response.

					O'BRIEN
				(shouting)
			I know you're listening.

	O'Brien begins pounding on the cell door.

					O'BRIEN
				(shouting)
			Get me the hell out of here. I
			don't deserve this and you know
			it. I didn't do anything wrong.
			Let me out.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      36.

46   CONTINUED:

	O'Brien continues hammering on the door. Soon, other
	prisoners in the cell block begin following his lead,
	shouting and pounding on their own doors and walls.
	Ee'char knows this will only cause trouble.

					EE'CHAR
				(a warning)
			Miles.

	But Miles just keeps pounding until...

					ARGRATHI COM VOICE
			All offenders in detention area
			four, if you do not cease this
			disturbance immediately, you will
			be disciplined.

	But O'Brien couldn't care less what happens to him now.

					O'BRIEN
			Discipline this you son of a--

	But before O'Brien can pound on the door again...

47   NEW ANGLE 

	Ee'char grabs O'Brien and pulls him away from the door.
	O'Brien tries to fight back, but Ee'char forces him up
	against the door and covers his mouth with his hand to
	keep him from shouting.

					EE'CHAR
			Be quiet before you get yourself
			killed.

	As O'Brien struggles, the screams of other prisoners
	being "corrected" echo through the cell block.

	This takes the wind out of O'Brien's sails.

	His energy and anger spent, O'Brien slumps into a
	sitting position with his back against the wall.
	Ee'char sits down next to him, exhausted. The
	flashback ends and we....

									CUT TO:

48   INT. PROMENADE

	O'Brien EXITS the turbolift. ODO is not far away,
	talking to one of the station residents. He sees
	O'Brien, excuses himself, and intercepts the chief.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      37.

48   CONTINUED:

					ODO
				(trying to be friendly)
			Chief. How are you doing?

					O'BRIEN
				(angry)
			I wish people would stop asking me
			that.

	O'Brien immediately realizes he's been too harsh with
	Odo and tamps down on his anger.

					O'BRIEN
			I'm sorry, Constable.
			Everything's fine. I've just...
			had a tough day.

	O'Brien EXITS, headed for Quark's. Odo watches him go,
	not at all mollified by O'Brien's explanation.

49   INT. QUARK'S

	The bar's busy. QUARK is working as quickly as
	possible to keep up with demand. He places a pair of
	drinks on a waiter's tray, then makes eye contact with
	an impatient patron at the end of the bar.

					QUARK
			That was a black hole straight up,
			right?

	The patron nods and Quark begins mixing his drink.

					O'BRIEN (O.S.)
			A synthale please.

	Quark glances up and sees O'Brien standing over him,
	but doesn't stop mixing the black hole.

					QUARK
			Be right with you, Chief.

	Quark moves off to get an ingredient for the black
	hole.

50   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	He tries to wait patiently, but Quark's seemingly
	oblivious to his needs and continues mixing drinks for
	other patrons. After a couple beats of this...

					O'BRIEN
			Quark. What about that synthale?

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      38.

50   CONTINUED:

					QUARK
			Just another minute.

	Quark goes off to fill another order. O'Brien waits
	impatiently until Quark drifts by him again.

					O'BRIEN
			Quark.

	But Quark's got his own problems.

					QUARK
				(gruff)
			Look, Chief, I'm a little busy
			right-

	O'Brien's had it. He reaches over the bar, grabs
	Quark's wrist and slams it to the counter, then applies
	pressure to what looks like a very painful hold.

					O'BRIEN
			I'm in no mood for games, Quark.
			So why don't you give me my drink
			now or I'll break every bone in
			your worthless little body.

	Quark looks up at O'Brien, not quite believing what
	he's just heard.

					QUARK
				(trying to be reasonable)
			Chief, just because your life's in
			shambles is no reason--

	But O'Brien just increases the pressure on Quark's
	wrist.

					O'BRIEN
			I mean it.

	Quark is about to talk back again, but he sees
	O'Brien's serious.

					QUARK
			One synthale coming right up.

	O'Brien lets go of Quark's wrist and Quark pours
	O'Brien his ale and serves it as quickly as possible.
	As soon as O'Brien's walked away, Quark mutters under
	his breath.

					QUARK
				(bitter, to himself)
			But I'm charging you double.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE      39.

51   NEW ANGLE

	On O'Brien, as he takes a seat at a table, alone.

					EE'CHAR (O.S.)
			Miles?

	O'Brien glances to the seat next to him and we pan over
	to reveal...

52   EE'CHAR 

	sitting at the formerly vacant seat, wearing his prison
	garb.

53   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN 

	As he reacts to Ee'char, confused and a little worried.

					O'BRIEN
				(frazzled)
			Ee'char? What are you doing here?

					EE'CHAR
			I've never really been gone, have
			I?

					O'BRIEN
			You're not real. You're just in
			my head.

					EE'CHAR
			That's all I ever was. But I'm
			real to you and that's all that
			matters.

					O'BRIEN
				(an order)
			Go away.

					EE'CHAR
			I can't. I'm your friend. You
			need me.

					O'BRIEN
				(defensive)
			You're the last thing I need.

					EE'CHAR
			You're wrong, Miles. You need me.
			Now more than ever.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT THREE     39A.

54   NEW ANGLE 

	On Quark, who's been talking to Odo through his window,
	and nods toward O'Brien.

55   NEW ANGLE - ODO AND QUARK'S POV

	Of O'Brien, sitting alone at the table looking
	agitated, with no sign of Ee'char. He was a
	hallucination. As O'Brien takes another nervous pull
	on his drink, we...

									FADE OUT.

                       END OF ACT THREE                         

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       40.
                           ACT FOUR                             

	FADE IN:

56   INT. O'BRIEN'S QUARTERS 

	O'Brien is just finishing getting dressed for work. He
	pulls on his boots and checks himself in the mirror.

57   NEW ANGLE

	To include the mirror which reveals Ee'char standing
	behind O'Brien.

					EE'CHAR
			What are you doing?

	O'Brien barely even reacts to Ee'char's appearance.

					O'BRIEN
				(dismissive)
			Going to work.

	O'Brien puts on his combadge.

					EE'CHAR
			Miles, as your friend, I have to
			tell you, I'm worried about you.

	O'Brien loses his patience.

					O'BRIEN
			Don't be. I'm home, I'm working,
			and for the first time in as long
			as I can remember, I feel good.

					EE'CHAR
			Then why am I here?

					SISKO'S COM VOICE
			Sisko to O'Brien. Please report
			to my office.

					O'BRIEN
				(to com)
			On my way.
				(to Ee'char)
			Look, I don't know why you're
			here. And I don't care.

	O'Brien EXITS. Ee'char doesn't follow.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       41.

58   INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE

	O'Brien ENTERS Sisko's office and finds Sisko hard at
	work.

					SISKO
			Have a seat.

	O'Brien sits down at Sisko's couch. Sisko joins him.

					SISKO
			I understand you had a
			confrontation with Doctor Bashir
			yesterday.

	O'Brien knows he can't deny it, so he tries to dismiss
	it.

					O'BRIEN
			That? That was nothing.

					SISKO
			Not according to Doctor Bashir.

					O'BRIEN
				(minimizing)
			We had a little argument. Julian
			and I are always arguing.

					SISKO
			According to Constable Odo, you
			also had an incident with Quark.

						O'BRIEN
				(loses it for a second)
			Did that little--
				(catches himself, pulls
				back)
			Look, Captain...

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       42.

58   CONTINUED:	(2)

					O'BRIEN (Cont'd)
			I know I let things get a little
			bit out of hand. But it won't
			happen again.

					SISKO
			Doctor Bashir also tells me that
			you've stopped seeing your
			counselor.

	Sisko lets the accusation hang in the air. O'Brien
	can't deny it.

					O'BRIEN
				(defensive)
			I guess I've been a little busy
			lately, and--

	Sisko cuts O'Brien off. He's worried about O'Brien,
	too worried to let him get away with trying to justify
	his mistakes.

					SISKO
				(without heat)
			The agreement was, you were to see
			a counselor on a regular basis.

	O'Brien knows that Sisko's got him dead to rights, but
	he still tries to smooth things over.

					O'BRIEN
			You're right. I'll make an
			appointment to go see him
			tomorrow.

					SISKO
			You'll see him today.
			Immediately.

					O'BRIEN
				(trying to put it off)
			Sir, I've got a lot of work to do
			today...

					SISKO
			The work can wait.

	Sisko didn't want to do this, but O'Brien's resistance
	makes it clear that he has to take strong action.

					SISKO
			As of now, you're relieved of duty.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       43.

58   CONTINUED:	(3)

					SISKO (Cont'd)
			I want you to report to Counselor
			Telnorri and begin attending daily
			counseling session for as long as
			he thinks it's advisable.

	O'Brien can't believe what he's hearing. He expected
	Sisko to be an ally.

					O'BRIEN
			You're blowing this all out of
			proportion.

	Sisko can see that this is killing O'Brien, but his
	main concern is making sure O'Brien gets help.

					SISKO
			You know that's not true. You're
			not yourself, Chief. what
			happened on Argratha affected you
			a lot more than you're willing to
			admit. And it's not going to get
			better overnight, no matter how
			much you want it to. You need
			help.

	O'Brien realizes he's skating on thin ice. He makes one
	last attempt to talk himself out of trouble.

					O'BRIEN
			Captain, please. I'm asking you,
			as a personal favor to me... give
			me one more chance.

					SISKO
			I wish I could.
				(no nonsense)
			But right now, in the judgement of
			this station's chief medical
			officer, you're unfit for duty.
			Which means you're on medical
			leave, effective immediately. And
			if you don't begin attending
			counseling sessions on a regular
			basis, and cooperating in every
			other way with your physician, I
			will have no choice but to have
			you confined to the infirmary. Is
			that clear?

	O'Brien realizes that any more argument would only get
	him even deeper in trouble.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       44.

58   CONTINUED:	(4)

					O'BRIEN
			Yes, sir.

	Sisko looks at O'Brien with concern. He's been much
	rougher on the Chief than held wanted to be, but
	O'Brien left him with no other options.

					SISKO
			Dismissed.

59   INT. OPS

	O'Brien ENTERS Ops. DAX, who knows more or less what's
	just happened, turns her station over to an N.D. and
	intercepts O'Brien.

					DAX
			Chief, I was just about to head
			down to the Replimat and I was
			wondering...

	O'Brien knows Dax is trying to make an excuse to talk
	to him, but right now, that's the last thing he wants.

						O'BRIEN
				(cuts her off)
			Not right now, commander.

	O'Brien walks right by her and EXITS into the
	turbolift.

60   INT. TURBOLIFT

	As he ENTERS, he yanks off his combadge and flings it
	into the wall of the lift.

					O'BRIEN
				(to com)
			Promenade.

61   INT. INFIRMARY 

	Bashir is at work, scanning some test samples. O'Brien
	comes storming in.

					O'BRIEN
			What the hell did you say to him?

	Bashir looks up at O'Brien, disappointed, but not
	surprised to be having this confrontation.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       45.

61   CONTINUED:

					BASHIR
			I take it you talked to Captain
			Sisko.

					O'BRIEN
			I talked to him all right. And he
			relieved me of duty.

	Bashir expected this reaction, but he firmly believes
	what he did was necessary.

					BASHIR
			It's for the best, Miles.

					O'BRIEN
			How would you know what's best for
			me? You don't have any idea what
			I've been going through.

					BASHIR
			You're right. You were alone in
			that cell. I wasn't there with
			you. I didn't see what they did
			to you. But I do know you
			suffered. And that you're still
			suffering right now. And I'm
			trying to help.

					O'BRIEN
			I never asked for your help.

					BASHIR
			You didn't have to ask. I'm your
			doctor... and your friend.

	Just then...

62   NEW ANGLE

	Ee'char steps out of the shadows.

					EE'CHAR
				(urgent)
			You should listen to him, Miles.
			He cares about you. Just like I
			did. Don't make the same mistake
			with him that you did with me.

					O'BRIEN
				(to both of them)
			Don't you get it. You're not my
			friend. Not anymore. The O'Brien
			that was your friend died in that
			cell.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       46.

62   CONTINUED:

					BASHIR
				(gently)
			He's not dead. He just needs a
			little help, that's all.

	Bashir takes a step toward O'Brien. But something's
	eating at O'Brien and being around Bashir is only
	making it worse.

					O'BRIEN
				(blowing up at him)
			Stay away from me. I don't want
			your help, I don't want your
			friendship. I just want to be
			left alone.

	O'Brien EXITS.

63   INT. PROMENADE 

	O'Brien ENTERS from the Infirmary and immediately loses
	himself in a crowd of people. We follow O'Brien as he
	winds his way through the crowd. Ee'char is right
	behind him.

					EE'CHAR
			Where are you going?

					O'BRIEN
				(a harsh whisper)
			I told you to go away.

					EE'CHAR
			Miles, please, don't do this. Go
			back there and talk to him. He
			wants to help.

					O'BRIEN
			Like you did?

	O'Brien approaches the turbolift.

					EE'CHAR
			That's right. We're both your
			friends.

	The turbolift doors open and a crowd of people come
	onto the Promenade.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       47.

63   CONTINUED:

					O'BRIEN
			Yeah. And look what happened to
			you.

	O'Brien pushes his way upstream through the crowd and
	ENTERS the turbolift.

64   INT. TURBOLIFT

	O'Brien hits the door control and closes it before
	anyone can join him. As the doors close, he watches
	Ee'char, still out on the Promenade.

	The doors shut, leaving O'Brien finally alone. He
	looks exhausted and relieved.

					O'BRIEN
			Habitat Ring.

65   INT. HABITAT RING CORRIDOR

	The turbolift door opens and O'Brien ENTERS the
	corridor to find Ee'char waiting for him.

					EE'CHAR
			You know, sooner or later, you'll
			have to tell someone about me.

					O'BRIEN
			Like hell I will.

	O'Brien doesn't even break stride; he just walks by
	Ee'char.

66   INT. ANOTHER PART OF THE CORRIDOR

	O'Brien rounds a corner and almost runs into Ee'char,
	who's there waiting for him. But there's no malice in
	Ee'char's pursuit. What he's doing, he's doing for
	O'Brien's sake alone.

					EE'CHAR
			You can't run from me forever.

	This time, O'Brien doesn't even acknowledge Ee'char.

67   INT. ANOTHER CORRIDOR

	O'Brien comes into another corridor and once again
	Ee'char is there waiting.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       48.

67   CONTINUED:

	This is getting to be too much for O'Brien.

					O'BRIEN
			You're dead. So why don't you
			just go away and leave me alone.

	He walks by Ee'char.

						EE'CHAR
				(from behind O'Brien)
			You want me to leave? I'll leave.
			Send me away.

	O'Brien reacts, startled at the idea that he has
	control over Ee'char's appearances.

					EE'CHAR
			Don't you see? If I keep coming
			back, it's because some part of
			you keeps bringing me here.

68   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	On some level, as much as he doesn't want to admit it,
	O'Brien knows this is the truth. He turns back toward
	Ee'char.

69   NEW ANGLE

	And Ee'char is gone.

70   EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL)

	Re-establishing.

71   INT. O'BRIEN'S QUARTERS

	O'Brien ENTERS to find Keiko waiting for him. Molly's
	across the room, coloring. Keiko looks worried.

					KEIKO
			Miles, Julian's been trying to
			contact you for an hour. Where
			have you been?

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       49.

71   CONTINUED:

	O'Brien looks exhausted, at the end of his rope.

					O'BRIEN
			Walking... thinking.

	He sits down. Keiko tries to comfort him.

						KEIKO
			I heard what happened. I'm sorry.
			I know how much your work means to
			you.

					O'BRIEN
				(tired)
			Try telling that to Julian.

	Molly, who doesn't really understand what's going on,
	tugs on her father's sleeve.

						MOLLY
			Daddy, come see what I drew.

					O'BRIEN
				(to Molly)
			Not right now, honey.

	But Molly won't be dissuaded so easily. She keeps
	tugging at O'Brien.

						KEIKO
				(trying to reassure him)
			I'm sure this is only temporary.
			You'll be back at work before you
			know it.

					MOLLY
				(insistent)
			Daddy. You have to come see.

					O'BRIEN
				(to Keiko)
			Look, can we talk about this
			later?

	Molly, who could care less what's going on, keeps
	pulling on her father's sleeve. All she wants is
	attention.

						MOLLY
			Daddy, come on.

					O'BRIEN
				(exasperated)
			Not now.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       50.

71   CONTINUED:	(2)

					MOLLY
				(whining)
			Please, Daddy, please.

	O'Brien's had about all he can take. Without warning,
	he grabs Molly and shakes her.

					O'BRIEN
				(shouting)
			I said not now. Don't you hear
			what I'm saying? Not now.

	Before O'Brien even completely realizes what he's done,
	Molly starts to cry. Keiko protectively pulls her away
	from him.

					KEIKO
				(accusatory)
			Miles.

72   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	As he gets to his feet, looking in horror from his
	angry wife to his sobbing child. He realizes that if
	Keiko weren't there, he might've actually hurt his
	little girl.

					O'BRIEN
			I didn't mean...

	O'Brien starts to back away.

					O'BRIEN
			I'm sorry.

	And with that, he turns and leaves.

73   INT. CARGO BAY

	O'Brien, furious at himself, is venting his anger by
	tearing apart the cargo bay. As he tumbles a pile of
	cargo containers, he uncovers a small case set in one
	of the walls. It bears the label "WEAPONS LOCKER,
	AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY."

74   CLOSE ON A PHASER 

	As O'Brien adjusts the setting. An LED readout
	indicating the power level goes all the way to the top.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FOUR       51.

75   NEW ANGLE 

	To reveal O'Brien, standing by the open weapons locker,
	and slowly raising the phaser to his head.

									FADE OUT.

                        END OF ACT FOUR                         

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FIVE       52.
                           ACT FIVE                             

	FADE IN:

76   INT. CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS

	O'Brien raises the phaser, placing it under his chin,	before he can 
	fire...

					BASHIR (O.S.)
			Chief?

	O'Brien turns his head and sees...

77   NEW ANGLE - ON BASHIR

	Standing at the entrance to the bay.

					O'BRIEN
			Get out of here, Julian.

	Bashir sees what's going on. He tries to stay calm,
	and holds out his hands to show he doesn't have a
	phaser.

					BASHIR
			You don't want to do this, Chief.

					O'BRIEN
			The hell I don't.

78   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	As he shoves the "muzzle" of the phaser deeper against
	the underside of his chin.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FIVE       53.

78   CONTINUED: 

	Bashir continues talking quietly and calmly, not making
	any sudden moves.

					BASHIR
			Look, I can't claim to know what
			you're going through, but whatever
			it is, it's not worth dying for.

					O'BRIEN
			You don't understand at all. I'm
			not doing this for me. I'm doing
			this to protect Keiko, and
			Molly... and everyone else on
			this station.

					BASHIR
			Protect us from what?

					O'BRIEN
				(anguished)
			From me. Don't you get it? I'm
			not the same man I used to be.
			I'm dangerous.
				(furious at himself)
			I almost hit Molly today. Did you
			know that? All she wanted was a
			little attention and I almost hit
			her.

					BASHIR
			But you didn't. You're a good
			man, Miles Edward O'Brien. And
			whatever it is you think you've
			done wrong, you don't deserve to
			die.

					O'BRIEN
				(forgetting himself)
			You sound like Ee'char.

	Bashir looks surprised. He doesn't recognize the name.

					BASHIR
			Who's Ee'char?

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FIVE       54.

78   CONTINUED:	(2)

	Just then...

79   NEW ANGLE

	Ee'char is now in the room.

80   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	As he reacts to Ee'char.

					O'BRIEN
			He wasn't real. He's a memory...
			that's all.

	Bashir's beginning to put the pieces together.

					BASHIR
			A memory from Argratha.
				(a beat)
			Who was he? Another prisoner? A
			guard?

81   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	This is the last thing that he wants to talk about
	right now, but Bashir's questions and Ee'char's
	appearance trigger a flood of memories.

									CUT TO:

82   INT. ARGRATHI CELL - SERIES OF CUTS (OPTICAL)

	A series of silent scenes from various times during
	O'Brien's imprisonment. O'Brien and Ee'char's age
	changes from scene to scene.

	-- Ee'char laying against the wall.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FIVE       55.

82   CONTINUED: 

	-- An older Ee'char pulling out a stash of food to
	share with the older O'Brien.

	-- The older Ee'char struggles against a guard, who
	restrains him as a second guard clubs the older O'Brien
	with his baton.

	-- Ee'char showing O'Brien how to eat a strange
	Argrathi fruit.

	-- O'Brien pacing around the cell and talking (M.O.S.)
	to Ee'char.

									CUT TO:

83   INT. CARGO BAY

	Close on O'Brien as he reacts to the rush of memories.

					O'BRIEN
			He was my cellmate.

	Bashir reacts in surprise.

					BASHIR
			You told me you were alone in that
			cell. Twenty years with no one to
			talk to.

	O'Brien knows he can't lie anymore.

					O'BRIEN
			Only at the end. A week, maybe
			two. But the rest of the time...
			there was Ee'char.

					BASHIR
			What happened to him?

	O'Brien looks to Ee'char, who waits expectantly for the
	answer.

									CUT TO:

84   INT. ARGRATHI CELL 

	Ee'char watches as O'Brien draws an Eseeka. O'Brien's
	gotten pretty good at it. It's been twenty years since
	O'Brien's imprisonment, and both men look gaunt and
	worn down. O'Brien adds another line to the mandala,
	which is almost finished.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FIVE       56.

84   CONTINUED:

	He considers it for a beat, then angrily wipes it out.

					EE'CHAR
				(re: the mandala)
			Why did you stop?

					O'BRIEN
			It wasn't helping.

					EE'CHAR
			You have to concentrate more.

					O'BRIEN
			It doesn't matter how much I
			concentrate. I'm still starving.

	Ee'char seems to deflate a little. He's just as hungry
	as O'Brien.

					EE'CHAR
			So am I.

	They sit there for a beat, feeling sorry for
	themselves.

					O'BRIEN
			You're sure there's nothing left?

					EE I CHAR
			Not unless you've got a hiding
			place I don't know about.

					O'BRIEN
			We ate the last of the food I put
			away a week ago.

	Ee'char nods. He was afraid of that. O'Brien's angry.

					O'BRIEN
			We should've stockpiled more. We
			should've planned for this.

	Ee'char shakes his head. He knows getting angry won't
	do any good.

					EE'CHAR
			They've never let us go this long
			without food before.

					O'BRIEN
			What if they've forgotten about
			us... or just decided to finally
			let us die?

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FIVE       57.

84   CONTINUED:	(2)

	Ee'char thinks about O'Brien's question for a beat,
	trying to think of a way out. But in the end, he knows
	there isn't one.

					EE'CHAR
			Then we die.

	O'Brien knows Ee'char's right. There's nothing they
	can do.

					ARGRATHI COM VOICE
			All offenders prepare for dormancy
			period. Any offender still active
			during the dormancy period will be
			disciplined. Illumination will be
			suspended in twenty seconds.

	Ee'char slowly assumes the sleeping position.

					O'BRIEN
			What are you doing?

					EE'CHAR
			I'm going to sleep.

	O'Brien can't believe Ee'char would just go to sleep at
	a time like this.

					O'BRIEN
				(outraged)
			How can you sleep at a time like
			this?

					EE'CHAR
				(shrugs)
			Maybe I'll dream about food.

	O'Brien sits down with his back against the wall,
	realizing Ee'char isn't going to help him find an
	answer to their problem.

					O'BRIEN
			You're crazy.

					EE'CHAR
			No. Just hungry.

					ARGRATHI COM VOICE
			Dormancy period initiated.

	The lights go down. O'Brien sits there, watching
	Ee'char sleep.

									DISSOLVE TO:

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FIVE       58.

85   INT. ARGRATHI CELL-LATER

	The cell is dark and O'Brien is asleep. But the noise
	of movement in the cell awakens him. Trying not to
	move too much so it'll seem like he's still asleep,
	O'Brien glances around the cell.

86   NEW ANGLE - O'BRIEN'S POV

	Which reveals, Ee'char moving around on the other side
	of the cell. As O'Brien watches, Ee'char moves a rock
	from the wall, revealing a small cubbyhole (a
	different one than we've seen before). He reaches in
	and takes out a small bundle of food, then squats, his
	back to O'Brien, and places it on the ground in front
	of him.

87   CLOSE ON EE'CHAR'S FACE

	As he begins doing something with the food (we don't
	know what). Suddenly, O'Brien steps up behind him and
	gives him a double-fisted smash to the head. Ee'char
	spins and collapses against the wall.

					O'BRIEN
			I knew it.

88   NEW ANGLE

	O'Brien yanks Ee'char to his feet.

					O'BRIEN
			You pretended to be my friend and
			all this time, you've been holding
			out on me.

					EE'CHAR
			Now who's acting crazy?

	O'Brien goes to punch Ee'char again, but Ee'char
	recovers just in time and counterattacks. Ee'char
	connects with a punch that knocks O'Brien to the
	ground. O'Brien lunges at Ee'char. But Ee'char
	manages to fend him off and fling him into the wall,
	then kicks him hard and sends him to the ground.

					EE'CHAR
			After all I've done for you. You
			ungrateful...

	But O'Brien's not giving up, he digs his hand into a
	half-erased Eseeka...

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FIVE       59.

88   CONTINUED:

	And throws a handful of sand into Ee'char's eyes.

89   CLOSE ON EE'CHAR 

	Ee'char is blinded. O'Brien is on him instantly.
	Ee'char struggles, trying to get back at O'Brien, but
	O'Brien grabs his cellmate in a chokehold. Ee'char
	pushes back against O'Brien and the two men roll across
	the floor, Ee'char struggling violently and O'Brien
	holding on for dear life. As they roll, O'Brien gives
	Ee'char's neck an especially violent jerk and the
	Argrathi stops fighting.

90   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN 

	As he lets Ee'char loose and slowly struggles to his
	feet. He's battered and bruised, but in one piece. He
	looks over at the food Ee'char had hidden.

91   CLOSE ON THE FOOD

	Which has been carefully divided into two separate and
	exactly equal piles. There're a variety of different
	types of food, and each has been cut meticulously in
	half. Ee'char was trying to divide it equally so he
	could share it with O'Brien.

92   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	As he realizes his mistake. He looks over at Ee'char,
	who still hasn't gotten up from the ground.

					O'BRIEN
			You were saving it for both of us.

	O'Brien goes over to Ee'char. But the Argrathi
	prisoner lies still. O'Brien shakes him softly.

					O'BRIEN
			Ee'char?

	But there's still no response. O'Brien shakes harder.

					O'BRIEN
				(urgent)
			Ee'char, wake up. Ee'char!

	But as O'Brien shakes his cellmate, the Argrathi's body
	rolls over, his head dangling at an unnatural angle.
	His neck is broken. O'Brien has killed him.

	The only human contact he's had for twenty years is
	gone.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FIVE       60.

92   CONTINUED:

					O'BRIEN
				(in tears)
			Ee'char.

	O'Brien gathers the body up in his arms and holds him
	close and suddenly, we're back in...

93   INT. CARGO BAY

	As before. O'Brien's got the phaser aimed at his
	throat. Bashir looks at him, dumbfounded.

					BASHIR
			You killed him?

	O'Brien looks over at Ee'char.

					O'BRIEN
				(a confession to
				Ee'char)
			And the worst part of it was...
			the next day, the guards started
			feeding me again. I'd killed him
			for nothing... for a scrap of
			bread that he was going to share
			with me anyway.

					BASHIR
			It was a mistake. You didn't mean
			to do it.

					O'BRIEN
			No. I meant it. I wanted him to
			die.

94   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	who's in anguish.

					O'BRIEN
			I keep telling myself it doesn't
			matter. That it wasn't real. But
			that's a lie. If it'd been
			real... If it'd been you instead
			of Ee'char... it wouldn't have
			made any difference. He was my
			best friend. And I murdered him.
				(a beat)
			When we were growing up, they used
			to tell us that humanity had
			evolved.

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT-FIVE       61.

94   CONTINUED:

					O'BRIEN (Cont'd)
			That mankind had outgrown hate and
			rage. But when it came down to
			it, when I had the chance to prove
			that no matter what anyone did to
			me, I was still an evolved human
			being, I failed. I paid back
			kindness with blood. I was no
			better than an animal.

	This is the core of self-doubt and self-hatred that's
	driving O'Brien to suicide and Bashir knows it.

					BASHIR
			No. An animal would've killed
			Ee'char and never had a second
			thought, never shed a tear. But
			not you. You hate yourself for
			it. Hate yourself so much you
			think you deserve to die. And
			that's what makes you human.
				(steps closer)
			The Argrathi did everything they
			could to strip away your humanity.
			And in the end, for one brief
			moment, they succeeded. But you
			shouldn't let that one moment
			define your entire life. Because
			if you do, if you pull that
			trigger, the Argrathi will have
			won. They'll have destroyed a
			good man. And you can't let that
			happen.

	Bashir waits a beat for his words to sink in. O'Brien
	finally relaxes and Bashir gently takes the phaser
	away. As he surrenders the phaser, O'Brien looks up at
	Ee'char.

95   OMITTED

       DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT FIVE       62.

96   OMITTED

97   NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL)

	Ee'char looks at O'Brien for a beat, then smiles. He
	knows O'Brien's in good hands.

					EE'CHAR
			Be well, Miles.

	And with that, Ee'char turns and walks away. As he
	walks, he begins to fade from sight until he finally
	disappears.

98   CLOSE ON O'BRIEN

	As he reacts to Ee'char's EXIT.

									CUT TO:

98A  EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE

	Re-establishing.

99   INT. HABITAT RING CORRIDOR

	O'Brien and Bashir are walking and talking. Bashir
	hands O'Brien a hypospray.

					BASHIR
			Thirty milligrams twice a day.
			Take it religiously for a month,
			and if everything goes well, we'll
			experiment with a lower dosage.

					O'BRIEN
			You sure this'll work?

					BASHIR
			It's a treatment, not a cure.
			It'll prevent the hallucinations
			and take the edge off the
			depression. But that's all it'll
			do. It won't take away the
			memories... or the feelings.

					O'BRIEN
			You mean the guilt.

					BASHIR
			That'll take time.

        DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 ACT FIVE        63.

99   CONTINUED:

					O'BRIEN
			Now's the part where you tell me
			I have to start seeing Counselor
			Telnorri again.

					BASHIR
			Unless you want to talk to me.

	O'Brien smiles. Not likely.

					O'BRIEN
			Telnorri will be fine.

	They reach the door to O'Brien's quarters. O'Brien
	knows he's got a long road ahead of him, but thanks to
	Bashir and his family, he's taken the first step.

					O'BRIEN
			Thanks, Julian. For everything.

	Bashir smiles, glad to see O'Brien is starting to heal.

					BASHIR
			What are friends for?

	He EXITS as the door opens...

100  INT. O'BRIEN'S QUARTERS

	Molly sees O'Brien at the door and goes running to her
	father.

					MOLLY
			Daddy's home, Daddy's home.

	She hugs O'Brien around the legs. It's an awkward hug,
	but Molly doesn't feel that way. And after a beat
	neither does O'Brien. He bends down, embraces Molly,
	then looks up and sees Keiko standing back, smiling.

					O'BRIEN
				(to Keiko)
			That's right, Daddy's home.

	And off this tender moment, we...

									FADE OUT.

                        END OF ACT FIVE                         
                            THE END