Heart of Glass
by Deb Barnum
(SnoGryphon@AOL.com)
June, 1995


TEASER

FADE IN:

INT. QUARKS

JAKE SISCO and MARTA are having breakfast, talking
quietly. KIRA, sitting across the room at a table alone, is
watching as they share a joke. DAX comes up behind her.

DAX
Penny for your thoughts.

KIRA
What?

DAX
(sitting down)
Old Earth slang Julien uses. I suppose
the modern version would be "a credit
for your thoughts," or something.

KIRA
Mmm. Well, these thoughts aren't
worth paying for.

Dax follows her line of sight. Jake and Marta are just
leaving, holding hands. Dax looks back to Kira.


INT. BALCONY ABOVE QUARK'S

ODO is standing at the edge, watching Kira. BASHIR
joins him.

BASHIR
Penny for your thoughts.

ODO
What?

Bashir looks down at Kira and Dax.

BASHIR
Oh. Never mind.

Odo glances suspiciously at Bashir. Dax looks up and
Bashir catches her eye. In sign language, he gestures,
"I have a question." Dax responds in kind, "I'll come up."

Dax rises, taking her leave of Kira.

ODO
What was that all about?

BASHIR
Oh, sorry. It's called "sign language."
One of Dax's previous hosts learned it
while he was on Earth, and Jadzia has
been teaching it to me. It's rather a
useful way to communicate across
distances without using a
communicator.

ODO
Yes, I can see that.

BASHIR
I told her that I had a question, and
she said that she'd come up here.

Dax approaches them from the lift.

ODO
Perhaps she'd teach me someday.

DAX
I understand the Bajoran rebels had
a sign language of sorts that they used
during the war. You ought to see if
Major Kira would teach it to you.

BASHIR
Dax, I wanted to ask you about that
new phase inverter. Do you think it
could be modified . . .?

He and Dax walk away. Odo looks down at Kira again.
She glances up and their gazes lock. Odo is the first to look
away, and when he looks back, she is gone.


INT. HALL -- OUTSIDE KIRA'S QUARTERS

Kira arrives at her door to find a small package left outside.
It is wrapped in decorative paper, but contains to tags or
markings. She takes the small box inside; she opens it and
pulls out a bottle of perfume. Again there are no labels.

KIRA
Now who would send me perfume . . .?

She opens and smells it, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

KIRA
Phew! I'll bet it was Quark. This stuff
smells like old Ferringi socks. . . . (beat)

Noticeably dizzy, she puts the bottle down on a table and
leans on it for support. She looks around in confusion,
manages to touch her communicator,

KIRA
Kira to Bashir. . . .

and collapses.

BASHIR (v.o.)
Yes, Major. (beat) Major? (beat)
Kira?!

FADE OUT.

END OF TEASER
ACT ONE


FADE IN:

INT. SICKBAY

Kira is waking up on a bio-bed. Bashir comes over.

KIRA
(moans)
Did you get the registry of that
freighter?

BASHIR
You inhaled turalide--a substance that
does not belong in a perfume bottle.
Where did you get it?

KIRA
(keeping her eyes closed)
It was outside my door. Someone's
sick idea of a joke, no doubt.

BASHIR
I don't think so. Turalide is poisonous.
If you had taken a bigger whiff, or
you hadn't been able to call. . . .

KIRA
Someone tried to kill me? Why?

Odo, who has been lurking in the background, steps forward.

ODO
We were hoping you would be able
to tell us that.

KIRA
(shakes her head, gently)
Honestly, Odo, I don't have a clue
who would do this. Unless it's some
Cardassian plot. . . .

ODO
I haven't ruled that out. But tell me
if you think of anything else: an old
enemy from the war, perhaps. The
perfume bottle may be a clue.

KIRA
I'll think about it.

BASHIR
In the meantime, I think visiting hours
are over, Constable.
(soto voce to Odo) You've been here
for six hours.

Odo starts to protest that his duties are not being neglected.

KIRA
What? How long was I out?

BASHIR
(beat) About six hours.

Kira watches Odo leave.

KIRA
He waited for six hours to find out if
I knew who did this?

BASHIR
(beat) Something like that.


INT. HALL -- HOLOSUITE DOORS

Jake and a blindfolded Marta stand before the doors.
Marta is carrying a picnic basket and a blanket.

COMPUTER (v.o.)
Program complete.

The doors open and Jake leads Marta inside. They walk out
onto a grassy bluff. The sun is low in a crimson sky and a
light breeze is blowing. In the distance, a 200-foot waterfall
crashes into the sea. The holosuite doors hiss shut behind
the young couple and disappear.

MARTA
Can I look now?

JAKE
Yes.

He takes the basket and blanket and sets them on the ground
as she removes the blindfold.

MARTA
Oh, Jake, it's beautiful. Is it a real
place?

JAKE
It's Altair 3. My dad was there once,
and he told me about it. I made up
this program from some pictures.

MARTA
It's really wonderful, Jake. It's the
best birthday present ever.

A large butterfly flutters down and lands on Marta's
outstretched hand. The butterfly suddenly fizzles and
disappears. A moment later, the entire scene fizzles and
vanishes, leaving them in a small black room.

JAKE
Oh, man. I'll fix it. You go ahead
and set out the food.

Marta smiles assent. Jake goes to the wall beside the door
and touches the control panel. Finding nothing, he removes
a panel near the floor and climbs inside. He tinkers for a
few moments. Then there is a loud clang and the program
resumes. Jake and the access panel are still visible.

JAKE
Ow!

Marta runs over.

MARTA
Jake! Jake, are you alright?

JAKE
(from within)
Yes, I'm fine. Just fine. (beat)
What's this?

He backs out and opens his hand to show Marta a small
square data chip.

MARTA
It looks like an old style holosuite
program. I wonder what's on it?

JAKE
We can't play it here. This input
socket is round.

MARTA
I think there's a place we can use
down here.
(reaches into access panel)
Yeah, right here. See?

The grassy field is replaced by a starfield, giving the
appearance that they are in space. In the center of the room
hangs a part of DS9. Like a slice of pie, only one-sixth of
the station is visible. One solitary light shines from a room
in the inner ring. Marta stands and they approach the
section, which is about their height.

MARTA
What does it mean?

JAKE
Why is there only part of the station?
And only one light?

Marta shakes her head.

JAKE
Computer, can you enlarge the
station?

COMPUTER (v.o.)
Please specify enlargement ratio.

JAKE
One hundred fifty percent.

The slice grows to encompass the room. The light remains
a tiny point.

JAKE
The room where the light is -- isn't
that a storage area? It looks a little
different.

MARTA
Of course. This station map is as old
as the chip, so some things will have
changed. If I'm not mistaken, that
used to be the dining area for the
Bajoran workers. Computer, make
the image life-size, with that light in
the center.

The station engulfs them and they find themselves in a
vacant dining room. The light is now behind a vent at the
top of a wall.

MARTA
Ah-hah.

Jake looks around the room and concludes:

JAKE
I know where this is. And that vent
should still be accessible.

MARTA
Well, what are we waiting for?

JAKE
What about our picnic?

MARTA
It'll wait. Someone's left us a
mystery! Computer, doors.

The doors obediently appear. Marta reaches into the access
panel and removes the program chip. The scene reverts
back to the bluff, where night has fallen. Two blue moons
and a billion stars illuminate the peaceful scene. Marta
takes Jake by the hand. As they leave, a shooting star cuts
across the sky.


INT. OPS

Dax and O'Brien are at their posts. Kira enters.

DAX
Hi. Feeling better?

KIRA
At least I got rid of that headache.
I don't suppose there's any way of
knowing who brought that stuff
aboard the station?

DAX
Well, no one beamed it over or brought
it in through the cargo bay. But we're
double checking the manifests of every
ship that came in in the last two weeks.
I also have passenger lists that you can
look over--see if anyone looks familiar.

Dax hands her a PADD.

KIRA
Thanks.
(starts looking at the PADD)

DAX
You seem remarkably calm.

KIRA
Mmm. Left-over self-defense
mechanism, I guess. Just goes to
show you that you should never get
too comfortable in one place, (beat)
or with one person, for that matter.

Dax remains silent.

KIRA
You know when I first smelled the
turalide, I thought maybe Quark. . . .
(beat) Hmmm. I'll be back.


INT. QUARK'S

QUARK is polishing glasses when Kira walks in.

QUARK
Uh-oh.
(puts down the glass and tries to sneak
away)

KIRA
Quark. Take another step and I'll feed
you my "perfume"--through your nose.

QUARK
No need for violence, Major. I've
already told the Constable everything
I know; which is to say, nothing.

KIRA
Now tell me the name of the person
you sold turalide to.

QUARK
Me? Sell a dangerous chemi--
(as Kira grabs his ear)
Ouch! Okay, okay, he was a Bajoran,
but he didn't give his name and I didn't
ask.

KIRA
A Bajoran?

QUARK
Yes. I never saw him before and I
haven't seen him since. You're
hurting me.

Kira releases him after a final tweak.

KIRA
What Bajoran would want to kill me?
A collaborator? (beat) I suppose you
forget what he looks like, too.

QUARK
(rubbing his ear)
Now that you mention it. . . .
(Kira reaches to grab his ear again)
Brown hair, brown eyes--your typical
Bajoran! Can I go now?

Kira grunts in response, turns angrily and walks out. She
looks again at the PADD as she walks down the corridor.
Suddenly she stops and stares at the current picture.

ODO
(from behind)
You look as though you'd seen a ghost.

KIRA
(startled)
What? No. . . . No, I thought for a
moment I had, though. I once knew a
Bajoran rebel named Dula Pok. He
died in a Cardassian raid near the end
of the war.
(shows Odo the PADD)
This man--Dula Gar--looks like he
could be his brother.

ODO
What did Quark have to say? Are we
looking for a Bajoran?

KIRA
Yes. This is the only person that I
even recognize so far. While I finish
looking. . . .

ODO
I'll check into this Dula Gar.

KIRA
Thanks, Odo.

Odo watches her walk away.


INT. KIRA'S QUARTERS

Kira arrives and walks past a side table. She turns and
notices a Bajoran earring tied with a tiny ribbon sitting on
the table, and is immediately suspicious.

KIRA
Kira to Odo.

As she speaks, a high-pitched wail fills the room. She throws
her hands over her ears, but cannot block out the sound.
She collapses.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT 1
ACT 2


FADE IN:

INT. SICKBAY

Kira opens her eyes to see Bashir and Odo standing beside the bed.

KIRA
(sits up, holding her head)
Not again. I just got rid of the last
headache.

BASHIR
Apparently, that's all it was meant to
give you this time. The earring sent
out a frequency that will render
humanoids unconscious, but it can't kill.

KIRA
Joy in the morning. Did you get any
evidence from it?

ODO
No. Just like the perfume bottle,
there were no prints or DNA traces
at all.

KIRA
How did he get into my room?

ODO
We don't know that yet. He may have
used a transporter--Dax is looking into it.

KIRA
A lot of looking and not a lot of finding.
Meanwhile, I'm not safe in my own
quarters.
(looks at each of them)
And how long was I out this time?

BASHIR
An hour at most. Look, I . . . have some
work to do. You're more than welcome
to stay here tonight, Major.

KIRA
Thanks, Julien.

Bashir goes into the next room.

ODO
I suppose I should go too. You need
your rest.

Kira touches his arm to stop him.

KIRA
Odo-- Don't go just yet. I'm not really
tired, and I could use the company.

ODO
(reacts)
All right, Major.

KIRA
And I wish you'd call me Nerys once
in a while. Friends are entitled to use
my given name.

ODO
Hmmf.

KIRA
If I could get my mind off . . . things,
maybe I could get to sleep.
(lying back down)
Why don't you tell me a story or
something?

ODO
A story?

KIRA
Sure. Tell me something about the
time before we met. Maybe thinking
about the war will bring something
back to me. Just make sure the story
has a happy ending.

ODO
I . . . uh. . . .

KIRA
Odo, are you all right?

ODO
I'm fine, Major--Nerys. Really. (beat)
How about the story of how I got my
name?

KIRA
Great. I've never heard that one before.

ODO
Mmm. Seems like you must have,
somewhere. Well, when the Cardassian
scientists first found me, they didn't
know what I was, exactly. So they
labeled my container "Odo-Ital" which
literally means, "unknown. . . ."

FADE TO BLACK.


INT. QUARK'S

Kira is nursing a drink. Dax approaches and sits across
from her.

DAX
Good news. Well, so to speak. I just
finished speaking with Dula Saline--
Gar's mother. She hasn't spoken to
Gar in a few years, but apparently he
was very bitter about the death of his
brother.

KIRA
Dula Pok died in a retreat from a small
skirmish. The mission was under my
command.

DAX
So Gar could be blaming you for his
death. (beat) I hope you don't blame
yourself.

KIRA
(shaking her head)
I was sorry that he died--he was a
good man. Against my orders, he
stayed behind to cover our backs.
He probably saved us all. But if I
were Gar, I'm sure I'd prefer a live
brother to a dead hero.

DAX
I also found out that Gar is a trader,
and not a very upstanding one. So he
had the motive and means. If we can
place him near your quarters yesterday,
we'll have a case in the Bajoran courts.
I've notified security to pick him up.

KIRA
Good.
(soto voce) Speaking of which, a
certain chief of security has been
following me around all morning. He
thinks I haven't noticed--an extra chair
here, or rug there--but I can tell when
he's around, you know?

Dax gives her a knowing smile.

DAX
Odo doesn't often play bodyguard.

KIRA
That's what's so strange. . . .

A young boy approaches the table.

BOY
Are you Kira Nerys?

KIRA
(warily) Yes.

BOY
A man said to give this to you.

The boy hands her a small crystal globe and runs off.

KIRA
Who did?
(rising)
Wait!

The crystal begins to glow with increasing intensity.

DAX
Kira!

Kira tosses the globe onto the table and it explodes in a
blinding flash. In that instant, Odo is suddenly between the
women and the explosion, and is hit with many crystal
shards. A CLOSE UP shows the shards melting into Odo's
uniform.

DAX
Kira, are you all right? (beat) Thank
you, Odo. I'm glad you were close by.

KIRA
Me too.

ODO
Are you sure you two are . . . are. . . .

Odo is sweating profusely.

KIRA
Odo, what's wrong? Were you hurt?

ODO
Not sure. . . . Can't think straight. . . .

Odo, now visibly melting, leans on Kira for support.

KIRA
Kira to Ops. We have a medical
emergency; two to beam directly to
Sickbay.

DAX
Dax to Bashir. Julien, Odo's been hit
with some kind of grenade. He's
coming to you now.

Odo and Kira dematerialize.


INT. SICKBAY

Bashir stands ready as they materialize. Odo is rapidly
loosing form.

BASHIR
(scanning Odo with a tricorder)
What happened?

KIRA
A boy gave me a crystal sphere--like a
bubble. It started glowing and exploded.
Odo got in the way; he took the brunt
of it. I have no idea what it was.

BASHIR
I read a chemical compound that's
reacting like acid.

KIRA
Can you stop it?

BASHIR
(shakes his head)
I don't know.

He reaches for a hypospray and starts to set it.

BASHIR
Get him on the bed.

Kira gets Odo to sit on the bed, but he can no longer hold
his form. Bashir doesn't have time to give him the
hypospray.

ODO
Nerys. . . .

Odo melts into a puddle on the bed.

KIRA
Odo!

Bashir shoots the hypospray into the goo, then checks his
tricorder. Kira angrily wipes away a tear.

KIRA
Julien?

Bashir continues to shake his head.

BASHIR
I'm sorry, Major. I just don't know
enough about changeling physiology.
I might be helping or hurting.

Bashir fiddles with some panels on the wall, looking for
answers. Behind his back, Kira sees a small area of the gel
begin to crystallize.

KIRA
Julien, he's . . . he's . . . crystallizing.

Bashir looks at the offending area, which is very slowly
expanding. Tight-lipped, he goes back to working at the
wall panels.

KIRA
It's bad, isn't it?

BASHIR
I wish I could say one way or the
other. For all I know, this could be
the changeling way of healing a serious
wound. There's nothing I can do!

KIRA
And the only ones who would know . . .
command the Dominion on the other
side of the wormhole. (beat) We've
got to contact them.

BASHIR
Even if they were willing to help us,
which I doubt. . . .

KIRA
It's his only hope. We have to know
if he's in a healing trance or if he's
dying. And we've got to believe that
the changelings wouldn't knowingly
let one of their own die.

BASHIR
(beat) All right. I'll compose a
message.

DAX
(from the doorway)
And I'll take it to the Gamma
Quadrant.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT 2
ACT 3


FADE IN:

INT. HOLOSUITE

No program is running. The doors open to
admit Jake and Marta.

JAKE
. . . wild goose chase. It's just
another program chip.

MARTA
What's a goose?

JAKE
Oh, never mind. You're so
determined to solve this mystery, I'm
surprised you even went to work last
night after you found the third one.

MARTA
The only reason I didn't call in sick
is because this fourth one was too
hard to get to. I'm surprised Chief
O'Brien didn't catch us cutting into
that bulkhead this morning.

She places the new chip into the socket and the starfield
reappears. This time a different slice of the station is visible,
but again there is a single light.

MARTA
Computer, magnify image to one
hundred and fifty percent.

As the image changes, Jake sits down on the blanket and
helps himself to a sandwich.

JAKE
(with his mouth full)
That looks like Quark's.

MARTA
It is. Computer, magnify image to full
size.

The image shifts again.

JAKE
Hah. Under the Dabo tables. Now
what?

MARTA
Oh, that's easy. It must be in the
tunnel.

At Jake's questioning glance, she continues:

MARTA
It goes under the gaming room. For,
ah . . . maintenance purposes.
(winks)

JAKE
Yeah.

MARTA
Come on. This will only take a few
minutes. Computer, doors.

She again removes the chip. Jake follows her out, but not
before grabbing a pastry from the basket.


INT. SICKBAY

Kira and Bashir watch helplessly as the last of the gel
crystallizes. Like a dry, empty shell, the substance collapses
into dust. This time Kira makes no effort to wipe away the
tears.

KIRA
Sweet Prophets. It should have been
me, Julien. It should have been me.

BASHIR
He gave himself to protect you and
Dax. And given the chance, I know
he would do it again. Beneath that
tough exterior, he had a
compassionate heart.

KIRA
The changelings considered that his
weakness. Maybe it was. (beat)
Why did he do it?!

BASHIR
(beat) Because he loved you, Major.

"He loved you" echoes hollowly as Kira reacts.

FADE TO:

Kira, asleep in a chair beside Odo's biobed. Dax is touching
her arm.

DAX
Major. Major Kira.

KIRA
Huh? What? What time is it? I'm
late for my shift. . . .

She gets up, but Dax stops her.

DAX
Hold on there. It's okay--Garcia is
taking your shift. He says now you
owe him "four."

Kira cracks a tiny smile.

DAX
We got a response from the
changelings. Thought you might like
to hear it, too.

Kira nods, then glances fearfully at Odo. The gel is almost
entirely crystallized. Dax puts an arm around her and leads
her to a side wall where Bashir and Sisco are already
standing. Bashir activates the screen to see the female
changeling Kira has met before.

CHANGELING
It is with sorrow and regret that I send
this response to your recent message.
We know of no substance like the one
you describe, and so cannot prescribe
any treatment. I will tell you this: the
crystallization process of a changeling
is roughly equivalent to what you
solids refer to as a "coma." Odo will
either recover or he will not; little you
can do will make any difference. If he
recovers, the crystallization will recede
until he regains his natural fluid form.
If, however, he shifts in form to a
single black crystal, then he is . . . (beat)
gone. In that event, we hope that you
will return him to his homeworld, so
he may "rest in peace." Again, I'm
sorry that we could not be of more
assistance.

The screen switches to the emblem of the Dominion.

DAX
Can you believe that?

SISCO
I expected no more.

DAX
"Either he'll die or he won't?" Those
heartless, spineless. . . .

BASHIR
That they are, Dax. But at least now
we know there's nothing we can do
but wait.

DAX
Given that she's even telling the truth.

SISCO
I wouldn't put it past the Founders to
hide the truth from us, and let Odo
die simply because of his choice to
remain with us.

Unnoticed, Kira returned to Odo's bedside. Now her
whisper cuts through the conversation.

KIRA
Julien.

The others approach the bed in time to see the last of the
gel crystallizing. For a moment no one breathes, no one
moves. Then the crystallized gel, slowly but with increasing
speed, darkens and shifts into one large black crystal about
2 feet across. Kira takes a long, shuddering breath as Bashir
scans the crystal with his tricorder, then double checks with
the wall monitors.

BASHIR
It's just like she said. There's no
biological activity at all.

Bashir wants to say more, but cannot. Dax puts an arm
lightly around Kira.

DAX
Let me walk you back to your
quarters.

Kira, stonefaced, nods assent. They leave sickbay.


INT. PROMENADE

As Kira and Dax pass Quark's Bar, Kira stops.

KIRA
Just a minute. I need to make one stop.

DAX
I'll wait here.

Kira goes to the bar where Quark is serving a customer.
There is no anger in her demeanor, only sadness. As she
talks with Quark, he finishes pouring a drink and holds it out
for the customer, only to take it back a second later and
down it in one gulp. When the customer complains, Quark
pours another drink, hands the man the bottle, and waves
him away. He downs the second glass as Kira returns to
Dax. Without another word, they leave the Promenade.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT 3
ACT 4


FADE IN:

INT. QUARK'S

Quark sits at the bar, counting the day's earnings. No one
else is in the bar, and the only sound is the clink of latinum.
Quark loses count and has to start over--twice. A young
Bajoran man in uniform enters. He holds his PADD
defensively, and approaches Quark.

QUARK
(without looking up)
We're closed.

BAJORAN
It's not even the third watch. . . .

QUARK
I am aware of the time. I said, We're
closed.

BAJORAN
(taken aback)
I . . . uh . . . I'm not here for that anyway.
I'm here to ask you some questions. . . .
(fumbles with PADD)

QUARK
And just who, pray tell, are you?

BAJORAN
Rol Perin. I'm the new Chief of
Security.

It is Quark's turn to be taken aback.

QUARK
Chief . . .?

ROL
Yes. Now, according to Mr. Odo's
records, you were the one who
supplied the turalide to Dula Gar. . . .

QUARK
I did nothing of the sort.

ROL
Pardon me?

QUARK
I am a businessman with a reputation
to maintain. I do not deal in arms or
illegal chemicals.

ROL
(laughing)
Not even for a profit?

His laughter trails off when Quark remains silent.

ROL
Mr. Odo reported. . . .

QUARK
Odo wrote down his suspicions. He
thought that I might have supplied--
what is it called? turalide?--to this man.
His suspicions were wrong.

ROL
Well . . . I don't. . . .

Quark comes around the counter and leads Rol to the doorway.

QUARK
Look, Roll, I need to finish counting
here. I'm sorry that I can't help you
more. But I'll keep an ear to the
ground, eh?

Rol protests, but Quark gives him a final shove out the door.

QUARK
Amateur.

He returns to counting latinum, but cannot concentrate. A
thought comes to him. He goes to a computer screen.

QUARK
Turalide wasn't all he was interested in.
Computer (acknowledging chirp),
locate all sources of aluminum-based
cocaine on Deep Space Nine.

COMPUTER
Working. (beat) One source found.

The screen shows a station schematic with a single blinking
light in the crew quarters section. Quark touches the panel
beside the screen.

QUARK
Quark to Lt. Dax.

DAX (v.o.)
Dax here.

QUARK
Here's the location of the Bajoran
you're after.

He touches the panel a few more times.

DAX (v.o.)
Okay. Can I ask how you know?

QUARK
Never look a gift horse in the mouth,
Lieutenant.

DAX (v.o.)
I thought the sixty-third Rule of
Acquisition was, Always look a gift
horse in the mouth.

QUARK
Yes. . . .

DAX (v.o.)
(laughing)
I'll get right on it, Quark. Thanks.

Quark reacts.


INT. HALL -- OUTSIDE ODO'S QUARTERS

Bashir approaches the door and rings the chime. After a
moment, Kira answers from within.

KIRA
Come.

The door opens, and we see Odo's room with it's many
shaped sculptures and plants. Odo (the black crystal) has
been placed on a pedestal to one side. Kira is sitting in the
semi-darkness on a pillow at a low table in the center of the
room. On the table a large hollow midnight blue candle is
burning. Several dozen tiny holes in the side look like stars
in the night sky.

BASHIR
I thought I might find you here. May
I come in?

KIRA
Sure. Sit down, Doctor.

BASHIR
(sitting)
This is a Bajoran memory candle,
isn't it?

Kira nods.

BASHIR
And each hole represents a fond
memory of the departed?

Again, Kira nods. Bashir picks up one of several long needles on the table.

BASHIR
May I?

KIRA
Please.

Bashir pierces the candle several times.

KIRA
Usually, there are lots of friends and
family. . . .

She trails off. Bashir puts a comforting hand on her arm.

BASHIR
Nerys, you were the closest family
Odo ever had.

Kira takes a deep, shuddering breath.

KIRA
Thanks, Julien.

Bashir puts a few more holes in the candle, then pauses,
chuckling at some memory.

BASHIR
Do you remember the time when that
young Denebian lost his collection of
weaver ants on the Promenade?

KIRA
Oh, yes. Odo had a Klingon fit trying
to round them up.

BASHIR
He even tried becoming one. . . .

Both are laughing now.

KIRA
"Now if I were a weaver ant, where
would I go?"

BASHIR
Well, he did find them, after all.

KIRA
Yeah, in the middle of that Gundair's
hairy back.

She shivers and makes a face. After a few moments, the
mood turns contemplative again.

KIRA
Julien, we cannot return Odo to the
Founders.

BASHIR
Commander Sisco sees no reason to
inform them of Odo's death. And if
they care to ask, he said that he's not
sure he would even remember what
happened to his body.

KIRA
I'm sorry now that we even let them
know the situation. But we had to try.

She looks up at the crystal on the pedestal.


INT. HALL -- OUTSIDE ODO'S QUARTERS

DULA GAR approaches the door, waits until the hall is
clear, then attaches a tiny mechanism to the door lock. The
device displays changing numbers as it works. Dula tries to
appear nonchalant. Several moments pass, and still the
device is not finished. He grows impatient, pulls out a
phaser, and shoots the door lock. The door opens, and
before Kira and Bashir can react, Dula enters and stuns the
doctor. As he resets the level on his phaser, Kira dives
behind a sculpture. She reaches for her own phaser and
realizes it isn't there. Swearing under her breath, she looks
around for a weapon. When she reaches for a sharp object
displayed on the wall, Dula shoots it and it vanishes. Kira
dives for cover. There isn't much to hide behind.

KIRA
Dula! Why are you doing this? Is it
because of you brother? Because I
ordered the withdrawal?

DULA
I told Pok not to join the resistance.
I told him that he wouldn't come back.
You killed him. You abandoned him
to the Cardassians. . . .

KIRA
No, never! I ordered the withdrawal,
and Pok stayed behind to cover our
backs. He died saving us, Dula. He
volunteered. . . .

DULA
No!! You killed him!

Dula shoots the sculpture Kira is hiding behind, and she
barely has time to scramble behind another. Dula does not
see where she goes, and stands glaring around the room.
Behind him on the pedestal, unseen by him or Kira, the
black crystal shifts into the familiar golden gel.

DULA
I was hoping the Cardassians would
capture you, or kill you like they did
my brother. When they did not, I
assigned myself to duty. I could not
leave Pok's death unavenged.

He pulls out a long dagger, weighs it carefully, and throws it
through a hole in a statue. He hits Kira in the back. She
hisses in pain, but the blow is not fatal.

KIRA
You know, these are a shape-shifter's
quarters. He could be anywhere . . . or
anything.

Still unnoticed, the gel flows out of the globe and reforms as Odo.

DULA
I heard he was dead.

ODO
You heard wrong.

KIRA
(whispers)
Odo . . .?

She looks from behind the statue as Odo takes Dula's
phaser, but Dula evades his grasp long enough to throw
another knife at Kira. It hits her in the arm. Odo quickly
subdues Dula, restraining him with some rope.

ODO
Major!

He goes over to find her awake but in pain.

KIRA
Am I dead?

ODO
No, Major. And it would appear,
neither am I.

Dax, Rol, and several other security personnel arrive.
Bashir moans and begins to rise.

DAX
Odo!

As the guards pick up Dula, he slumps unconscious. They
put him down again and Rol checks his pulse.

ROL
He's dead!

Bashir examines him. He is still tied, but the doctor finds
that he has a missing tooth.

BASHIR
It looks like he had a suicide capsule.
Poor soul.

He looks over to Odo.

BASHIR
Constable!

ODO
Doctor. Major Kira would appreciate
your assistance, I'm sure.

BASHIR
Oh. Yes, of course.

The guards carry Dula's body out as Bashir examines Kira.

BASHIR
She can be moved. We need to get her
to Sickbay before she loses any more
blood. Constable, would you mind?

Odo gently picks up Kira and carries her out ahead of the
Doctor and Dax. On the table, the memory candle
continues to burn.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT 4
ACT 5


FADE IN:

INT. HOLOSUITE

Jake and Marta enter.

JAKE
This better be the last chip. I am not
going outside the station again.

MARTA
The look on your father's face. . . !
(trying to be serious)
Sorry. I'm sure it is the last one.

She installs the chip and the expected station slice appears.

MARTA
Computer, magnify one hundred and
fifty percent.

The image grows and it takes them a few seconds to place
the light's location.

JAKE
That's the holosuites. (beat) That's
this holosuite! Computer, magnify to
life-size.

The image expands again and reveals the light behind the
access panel which, in the program, is closed.

MARTA
The sixth chip shows where the first
was.

JAKE
I told you this was a wild goose chase.

MARTA
But what was the point? There must
be a reason someone would go to all
this trouble.

JAKE
Yeah. To keep fools like us busy
for two days.

MARTA
Computer, can you combine the six
sections of Deep Space Nine from
the programs we've run?

COMPUTER (v.o.)
Working. (beat) Combination
complete.

A complete station hangs before them, six lights scattered
across it. Marta thinks for a moment, walking around the
station.

MARTA
Computer, connect the six lights.

A red line appears, tracing a rough hexagon and then a web
as it connects each point to the others. Marta continues to
circle, looking closely at the image.

MARTA
Bingo. Jake, look near the center of
the station. Three lines, connecting
all six lights, cross right there.
Computer, mark the place where
those lines intersect at the middle of
the station, and magnify one hundred
fifty percent.

The computer obliges, placing a red "x" on the room.

MARTA
Aren't those your quarters?

JAKE
That's my room! Computer, magnify
to full size.

The scene changes to Jake's quarters, though of course
none of the furnishings are the same. The "x" is located
under a bureau.

JAKE
I have my bed in that corner. We've
been all over the station for two days,
looking for something that was under
my bed?! Come on.

This time, Jake removes the chip, takes Marta's hand and
pulls her from the room.


INT. SISCO'S QUARTERS

Jake and Marta enter Jake's bedroom. They move the bed
to one side and begin to examine the floor. Commander
Sisco comes to the door and leans on the frame.

SISCO
Progress, junior detectives?

JAKE
Yeah, dad. We're looking for buried
treasure under my bed.

SISCO
I had to ask.

He goes back into the main room.

MARTA
Here. This plate is loose.

After working at it, they manage to pry up the plate. They
find a small hideaway with a wooden box inside. Jake takes
it out and holds it out gently for Marta to see. The box has
intricately carved designs and inlaid ivory. The Bajoran
symbol is carved into the top.

MARTA
A Bajoran's treasure. What could it
be? Pictures? Love letters?

JAKE
Jewelry? Latinum?

MARTA
(laughing)
Jake!

JAKE
(beat) It's not locked.

At Marta's nod, Jake places the box on the floor and opens
it. A piece of paper lies on top. Jake takes it out and
unfolds it.

JAKE
It's a note.

MARTA
Written? On paper?

JAKE
(reading)
"Final testimony of Drin Jarik.
Knowing that I will soon die here on
Terok Nor, and having no descendants
or relatives left to this cursed war, I
hereby leave my last and most precious
possessions to the one who finds this
box. The Prophets' blessing on the
friend to Bajor; the Prophets' curse
on the Cardassians." It's signed here.

He hands the paper to Marta, and looks into the box. He
pulls out an elaborate ruby Bajoran earring and then a
matching necklace. He offers the earring to Marta and, as
she's putting it on, he puts the necklace on her.

MARTA
Oh, Jake. They're so beautiful. But
it makes me sad to think of poor Jarik.
Maybe these belonged to his mother.
Or his grandmother. They seem so old.

Jake retrieves the only other things in the box: a quill pen
and a bottle of ink.

JAKE
He probably used these to write the
note.

MARTA
Pen and ink from one writer to another.

She smiles warmly at Jake.

JAKE
That's all there is. The box seemed
heavier. . . .

He picks it up and examines it. On the back side, he finds
another small Bajoran symbol. He presses it and there is a
small click. Inside the box, the bottom is ajar. When Jake
pries it up, he finds 10 strips of gold-pressed latinum in the
bottom. He and Marta laugh out loud at their discovery.

JAKE
Thank you Jarik!

MARTA
Yes. Thank you Jarik, and thank you
Jake for a birthday adventure!

She kisses Jake on the cheek.


INT. PROMENADE

Kira and Odo are at a table. There is little evidence of her
ordeal.

KIRA
And this is how you make the sign for
friend.

Odo tries to imitate her, but has little success. She reaches
across the table to help him.

KIRA
Here. You put your hand like this,
then move it like this. . . .

Odo isn't looking at his hands; he's looking at Kira. She
looks up.

KIRA
Odo, you're not even looking. . . .

He looks down, embarrassed, and she smiles at him.


INT. BALCONY ABOVE PROMENADE

Dax and Bashir are leaning on the railing, watching the
interaction.

DAX
What do you think?

BASHIR
I think that if there's hope for Kira,
there's hope for you. I just hope I
don't have to die to get your attention.

Dax turns and gives him a sweet smile.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT 5

THE END

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