"Destiny" #40513-461 Written by David S. Cohen & Martin A. Winer Directed by Les Landau 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 1994 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 This script is not for publication or reproduction.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 December 2, 1994 STAR TREK: DS9 - "Destiny" - 12/02/94 - CAST STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "Destiny" CAST SISKO ULANI KIRA GILORA ODO DEJAR BASHIR YARKA DAX O'BRIEN QUARK Non-Speaking Non-Speaking N.D. SUPERNUMERARIES STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE: "Destiny" - 12/02/94 - SETS STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "Destiny" SETS INTERIORS EXTERIORS DEEP SPACE NINE DEEP SPACE NINE AIRLOCK COMMANDER'S OFFICE DEFIANT CONDUIT SHUTTLEPOD GUEST QUARTERS OPS PROMENADE QUARK'S SECURITY OFFICE WARDROOM JEFFERIES TUBE (TNG) DEFIANT BRIDGE QUARTERS SHUTTLEPOD STAR TREK: "Destiny" - 12/02/94 - PRONUNCIATION STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "Destiny" PRONUNCIATION GUIDE DEFLIN DEAF-lin DWAR duh-ZHAR GILORA gih-LORE-ah ILOJA ILL-oh-zha JANIR jah-NEER KANAR kuh-NAR QUI'AL kwee-ALL REGOVA ruh-GO-va SILITHIUM suh-LIH-thee-um TEROK NOR TAIR-awk nor TOJAL tuh-JAL TRAKOR tray-KOR ULANI oo-LAH-nee YAMOK YA-muk YARKA YAR-kuh DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - 12/22/94 - TEASER 1. STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE "Destiny" TEASER FADE IN: 1 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) as it hangs in space. SISKO (V.O.) Station Log, Stardate 48543.2. A team of Cardassian scientists is coming to the station to assist us in deploying a subspace relay in the Gamma Quadrant... if successful, it will allow communication through the wormhole for the first time. 2 INT. GUEST QUARTERS as SISKO and ODO ENTER the empty quarters. The room has been decorated with Cardassian furniture and artwork. ODO I've assigned these quarters to the senior Cardassian scientist... (checks his PADD) Her name is Ulani... her colleague... Gilora, has the adjacent room. Sisko looks around the room, checking things over... SISKO (tugs at his collar) It's warm in here... I take it you reset the environmental controls... ODO (nods) I also had Chief O'Brien reprogram the replicators to provide Cardassian food. SISKO Security measures? DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - TEASER 2. 2 CONTINUED: ODO I've assigned two of my people to follow the Cardassians at all times. SISKO Fine, but have them keep their distance. I want the Cardassians to feel like guests, not prisoners. ODO Commander, there are still elements opposed to the peace treaty between Cardassia and Bajor... on both sides. We need to be prepared for trouble. SISKO I realize that. But while the Cardassians are here, I want the Bajorans to get used to seeing them walking on the Promenade... buying from their shops, eating at their restaurants -- getting to know them as something other than brutal overseers. DAX ENTERS, carrying a PADD. DAX I just received the final update from the Cardassians on the transceiver they designed for the communications relay. SISKO How's it look? DAX I'm still not convinced it's going to work... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - TEASER 3. 2 CONTINUED: (2) SISKO The Cardassians seem sure that it will. DAX I hope they're right... Suddenly the door OPENS and QUARK ENTERS, carrying TWO BOTTLES of Kanar, each with a little card attached. QUARK Whose quarters are these? Gilora's or Ulani's? Sisko and Odo exchange a look. ODO Ulani's... but how do you know their names? I was just informed an hour ago. QUARK (insulted by the question) Odo, please... (beat) I have a bottle of Kanar for each of them, along with a personal invitation to Quark's... Dax takes one of the bottles and looks it over. DAX Where'd you get real Kanar? QUARK I've had three cases in my storeroom since the occupation. There hasn't been much demand for it these past few years... (beaming) -- but that's about to change. Sisko hates to disabuse him of this notion, but... SISKO There are only two Cardassians coming to the station. How much Kanar do you think they can drink? DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - TEASER 4. 2 CONTINUED: (3) QUARK (sure of it) There may only be two for now, but there'll be more... thanks to the peace treaty. DAX And as the thirty-fourth Rule of Acquisition states... "Peace is good for business... " QUARK That's the thirty-fifth Rule. DAX Oh, that's right. What's the thirty- fourth? QUARK War is good for business... (off Dax's look) It's easy to get them confused... Dax can't help but shake her head... she opens the bottle of Kanar, sniffs it... QUARK The way I see it, it won't be long before there's a permanent Cardassian presence on the station... scientists, diplomats... spies. ODO And they'll all be welcome at Quark's. QUARK As long as they can pay. Rumor has it that the shop next door to mine is going to close... I'm thinking of renting it, and setting up a few... (winks) -- Cardassian gaming concessions. ODO There'll be no live vole fights on the Promenade, Quark. QUARK (feigning indignance) I would never be party to anything so cruel and inhumane... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - TEASER 5. 2 CONTINUED: (4) QUARK ... but of course, if some Cardassians happened to bring their voles along... and they happened to get into a fight, I could hardly be held responsible for what -- ODO Oh, yes you could. SISKO And you will be. In the background, Dax puts some Kanar on her finger to taste it... QUARK (annoyed) Fine... forget the vole fights. But I'll tell you this, good Kanar is hard to find. And I have three cases of it. But that's just the beginning. Soon, Quark's will become known as the best place for Cardassian food and drink in this sector. I'll probably set up daily shipments from Cardassia... I may even need to buy my own transport ship. Dax makes a face when she tastes the Kanar... DAX Quark, this Kanar's gone bad... QUARK What? Quark grabs the bottle, tastes it. He grimaces, struggles to hold it down. The other three exchange amused looks... ODO I suggest you take your bottles and leave, Quark, before I have you arrested for attempting to poison our guests... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - TEASER 6. 2 CONTINUED: (5) They head for the door... off Quark's dejected face as he looks at the useless bottles... 3 INT. COMMANDER'S OFFICE Sisko is alone, studying his monitor. KIRA ENTERS from Ops. KIRA Excuse me, Commander... there's a Vedek Yarka here to see you. He says it's urgent. Sisko nods, and she turns and motions to someone behind her. YARKA ENTERS; he's forty or fifty, with a kind face and a gentle smile. YARKA Thank you for seeing me, Emissary... SISKO What can I do for you? YARKA I'm here to bring a warning from the Prophets... They don't want you to let the Cardassians come aboard the station... if you do, you will bring destruction on us all... As Sisko and Kira react we... FADE OUT. END OF TEASER DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT ONE 7. ACT ONE FADE IN: (NOTE: Episode credits fall over opening scenes) 4 INT. COMMANDER'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Sisko, Kira, and Yarka. SISKO Are you making some sort of threat, Vedek? YARKA Not at all... I'm simply telling you what was foretold in the ancient texts. KIRA Ancient texts? You mean a prophecy? YARKA (nods) Trakor's third, when he first encountered the Orb of Change. KIRA I don't know it. Yarka seems disappointed to hear that his fellow Bajoran doesn't know her prophecies. YARKA (gently chastising) Perhaps you should make more time to study the texts, child. SISKO Are you saying that the arrival of the Cardassian scientists was foretold in a Bajoran prophecy? YARKA Exactly. Trakor's words are clear... "when the river wakes, stirred once more to Janir's side... three vipers will return to their nest in the sky." (beat) The river has awoken, Emissary... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT ONE 8. 4 CONTINUED: KIRA (realizing) The Qui'al dam was just put back into operation to divert water to the city. YARKA Just as Trakor prophesied over three thousand years ago. (grave) And even now, the vipers are making their way here. SISKO I take it you think the vipers are a reference to the Cardassian scientists. YARKA Yes... and this station is their nest in the sky. Sisko chooses his words carefully; even though he doesn't quite believe any of this, he's being cautious. SISKO And how, exactly, will their presence here bring destruction on us all? YARKA Trakor said that "when the vipers try to peer through the temple gates... a sword of stars will appear in the heavens... (dire) -- the temple will burn... and its gates will be cast open... " Yarka turns to Sisko, makes an impassioned plea. YARKA You must not let the Cardassians come here... you must not let them violate the celestial temple... or they will destroy it. And Bajor will be cut off from the Prophets forever. SISKO Slow down... let me get this straight. You're saying that the vipers -- the Cardassians -- are going to destroy the wormhole? DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT ONE 9. 4 CONTINUED: (2) YARKA Don't you see? This communications relay you hope to create is part of the prophecy... it will allow the vipers to peer through the temple gates... the wormhole, as you call it. And if they do, the temple will be destroyed. KIRA Even if we accept that the Cardassians are the vipers... there are only two of them coming, not three. Isn't it possible that there are other mistakes in your interpretation of the prophecy as well? YARKA There will be three vipers... you will see... Sisko sees that Yarka won't be dissuaded, takes another tack. SISKO Do you understand what this communications relay could mean for Bajor? If it works, we'll be able to stay in contact with ships in the Gamma Quadrant. KIRA It'll facilitate exploration, help us monitor Dominion activity... give us warning in case of attack. YARKA None of that matters. (to Sisko, pleading) You must listen to me. I know it's difficult for you to accept because you are not Bajoran. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT ONE 10. 4 CONTINUED: (3) YARKA (Cont'd) I've studied the prophecies all my life. We are on the verge of a great disaster. SISKO Is the Bajoran Assembly aware of this prophecy? YARKA (reluctant) Yes... as is the Kai herself. SISKO Yet they still want us to proceed with the establishment of the communications relay. YARKA (bitter) They have chosen to ignore the signs... (beat) That's why I came to you, Emissary. Because I have faith in you. I know that you'll do what must be done. Sisko feels he should make his position clear. SISKO Vedek, I have the utmost respect for your beliefs... but I have no intention of calling this project off. Yarka is disappointed, but doesn't give up. YARKA I hope that you will reconsider, Emissary... (standing) My followers and I will remain on the station and pray that you change your mind. SISKO You're free to do that, of course. Yarka stands... bows his head slightly to Sisko. He EXITS. Sisko and Kira exchange a look. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT ONE 11. 4 CONTINUED: (4) SISKO Have Odo find out what he can about Vedek Yarka and his followers... I don't want them making any trouble while the Cardassians are here. Kira acknowledges and EXITS... off Sisko's thoughtful expression... 5 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) as it hangs in space. 6 INT. AIRLOCK where Sisko, Kira and a few Bajoran SECURITY PERSONNEL are waiting to greet the Cardassians. The airlocks slide OPEN and TWO CARDASSIAN CIVILIANS emerge, both women. The leader of the scientists, ULANI, is a pleasant and attractive woman. GILORA is a little younger than Ulani and perhaps a bit more conventionally Cardassian. This is the first joint project between two powers in an uneasy peace, so the scene plays out like a meeting between Americans and Russians at the height of the Cold War -- a lot of diplomatic language is bandied about to cover everyone's discomfort. SISKO I'm Commander Benjamin Sisko... and on behalf of the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet Command, I'd like to welcome you to Deep Space Nine. ULANI Thank you, Commander. I'm Doctor Ulani Belor... GILORA Gilora Rejal... ULANI The Cardassian Government wishes to express its gratitude to the Federation for agreeing to work together on this project. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT ONE 11A. 6 CONTINUED: GILORA It is our hope that it will be the first of many joint projects between our peoples. SISKO That's a hope that I can assure you we share. (turning to Kira) This is my First Officer, Major Kira. KIRA On behalf of the Bajoran Provisional Government, I'd also like to welcome you. It's our belief that this project will mark the beginning of a new era of peace between Bajor and Cardassia. ULANI Thank you, Major. Now that the diplomatic greetings are over with, there's an awkward beat as everyone realizes they have nothing left to say to each other. Sisko decides to break the ice. SISKO (smiling) Well... now that we've gotten the formalities out of the way... how was your trip? Everyone relaxes a bit... Ulani smiles at Sisko, grateful for his gesture... ULANI Exhausting... we spent most of it rehearsing what we were going to say when we got here. GILORA We're scientists, not diplomats. SISKO You did very well. ULANI Please feel free to let the Central Command know that. In the past few days I've been contacted by Guls I've never even heard of, all of them wanting to emphasize how important this mission is. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT ONE 11B. 6 CONTINUED: (2) SISKO I know what you mean. I got three calls from Starfleet Command just this morning. They all share a smile... Ulani hesitates a beat before continuing. ULANI Major Kira... I want to thank you personally for allowing us to come here. KIRA Me? ULANI You're the ranking Bajoran officer on this station. I'm sure we wouldn't be here if you'd been opposed to working with us. KIRA I'll work with anyone who's interested in peace. ULANI I'm glad we already have so much in common... Kira manages a smile... unsure how to deal with this surprisingly friendly Cardassian. After a beat, Sisko gestures down the corridor. SISKO Well... why don't I show you to your quarters... As the group moves off... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT ONE 12. 7 INT. WARDROOM Sisko, O'BRIEN, Dax and the two Cardassians -- ULANI and Gilora -- are seated around the table discussing the mission. On the MONITOR we see an OKUDAGRAM of the wormhole, its two funnel-like openings on either end. On one side is a representation of DS9, on the other, the communications satellite is positioned near the wormhole's mouth. SISKO The signaling platform we've designed is intended to be positioned in the Gamma Quadrant at this point... (indicates diagram) ... two kilometers from the far mouth of the wormhole. ULANI Our transceiver has been configured to fit inside it, and use its existing power grid. GILORA A similar transceiver will be put in place here on Terok Nor -- (covering) -- on Deep Space Nine. Gilora is little embarrassed by her slip of the tongue, but our people don't seem to be bothered by it. DAX Ulani, I've looked over your design specifications. I'm not clear what sort of carrier wave you're planning to use to cut through the interference inside the wormhole. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT ONE 13. 7 CONTINUED: ULANI We're planning to test various types of soliton pulses... one of them should maintain the required signal integrity. O'BRIEN We tried something similar about a year ago without much success... GILORA The Bajoran Government made your data available to us... I believe that the problem had to do with the phase variance in your transceiver coils. O'Brien's reaction indicates that he doesn't agree with this assessment. O'BRIEN I configured those coils myself... the variance was less than point zero one percent. GILORA Which as you saw, was unacceptably high. Though she doesn't mean this to sound critical, O'Brien can't help but perceive it as such. GILORA Our new design has less than half that variance. O'BRIEN You don't mind if I look over the specs? GILORA If you feel it's necessary. O'Brien holds back his reaction to her tone of voice... but this woman is getting under his skin. ULANI Commander, we'll need to make a few adjustments to the station's signaling array so that it can accommodate the type of transmissions we're planning to use. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT ONE 14. 7 CONTINUED: (2) SISKO Chief O'Brien can assist you with that. O'Brien nods an acknowledgment. SISKO (continuing) And when you're ready, we'll take the Defiant to the Gamma Quadrant, deploy the communications relay, and start running tests. ULANI Excellent. Ulani stands... ULANI Well... it's been a long day... we'd like to get some rest so we can start fresh tomorrow. SISKO I'll have someone show you back to your quarters. GILORA Thank you, but that won't be necessary... The two Cardassians EXIT. After a beat, Sisko turns to Kira... SISKO (smiling) Those were about the two friendliest "vipers" I've ever met... Kira smiles... Sisko sees the puzzled looks on O'Brien and Dax's faces... SISKO I'll explain later... The door OPENS again and Ulani reappears... ULANI I almost forgot to tell you, Commander... another colleague of ours, Dejar, will be arriving later today. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT ONE 15. 7 CONTINUED: (3) SISKO I'll arrange quarters. ULANI Thank you... She moves off again and the door closes... SISKO So... we need to discuss what we're going to do about... He trails off when he sees that Kira has a stricken look on her features... SISKO What is it, Major? KIRA There are going to be three of them... SISKO (so?) Yes... KIRA Three vipers... just like in the prophecy... Sisko reacts... Off Kira's features we... FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 16. ACT TWO FADE IN: 8 INT. SECURITY OFFICE (VPB) where Sisko has come to talk with Odo, who is looking over his desk monitor. ODO It turns out that Vedek Yarka is no longer a Vedek at all... he was stripped of the title two months ago. SISKO Why? ODO Officially, because of "teachings not in keeping with the Bajoran faith." But according to my sources, he was defrocked because he led a series of protests against the Vedek Assembly after they endorsed the peace treaty with Cardassia. Sisko looks disturbed at this news. SISKO So Yarka could be using this prophecy as a way to scuttle the peace treaty... ODO That would seem to be his agenda. And it's probably coloring how he views the prophecy. Just as your agenda colors how you see it. SISKO I don't have an agenda, Odo. I want this project to succeed because I want the peace treaty to succeed... but if I thought for a moment there was any possibility that the communications relay would damage the wormhole, I'd put a stop to it right now. ODO That's not the agenda I was referring to, Commander. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 17. 8 CONTINUED: SISKO Oh? ODO I was referring to your desire to distance yourself from the title of Emissary. It's just an observation, of course, but it's always seemed to me that you've never been... comfortable with it. Sisko takes a beat, moves around the room a moment. Odo's definitely touched on something here. Sisko takes a hard look at himself. SISKO I can't really deny that... (beat) ... but are you suggesting that I'm dismissing the prophecy too easily because I don't want to be the Emissary? ODO I'm not suggesting anything, Commander. But it's been my experience that all humanoids have an agenda of some sort... and that their agendas can influence them without their even realizing it. Off Sisko's face as he thinks about Odo's words... 9 INT. PROMENADE as Kira and Bashir make their way down it. SUPERNUMERARIES as needed. BASHIR Morn came by the Infirmary this afternoon... he had an acute case of food poisoning... KIRA Morn? I didn't think anything could make him sick. BASHIR He said he got a bad glass of Kanar at Quark's... KIRA He should ask for a refund. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 17A. 9 CONTINUED: BASHIR Apparently it was on the house... As they both puzzle over this for a beat... Yarka approaches and falls into step next to them... YARKA Major... may I have a word with you? Kira glances at Bashir, who bows out gracefully. BASHIR I'll see you later. KIRA What can I do for you, Vedek? YARKA Have you been able to convince the Emissary to reconsider his decision? DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 18. 9 CONTINUED: (2) KIRA I haven't tried. And I'm not planning to. YARKA But you must. If not, the celestial temple will be destroyed. KIRA I'm not convinced that's going to happen. YARKA Don't you believe in the Prophecies? Kira has a sense of where this is going, her admission is almost grudging. KIRA Yes... YARKA And don't you believe that Commander Sisko is the Emissary? Kira doesn't want to answer this question... She stops, turns to him. KIRA Vedek, try to understand my position here. Commander Sisko is my superior officer... I have to deal with him on that basis first. He studies her face for a beat... then a kind smile traces itself on his features. He's realized something about her. YARKA So... you do believe he's the Emissary... (off Kira's reaction) -- you just don't want him to know that... Kira looks away... uncomfortable with how close to the mark he is. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 19. 9 CONTINUED: (3) YARKA (Cont'd) (continuing) I understand... you want him to know that he can count on you as an officer under his command. You want to keep your work and your faith separate. KIRA Yes, and for three years now I have. She looks at him, wondering how he can know so much. He takes her hand... YARKA I'm afraid that's no longer possible. The Prophets have chosen you to help the Emissary make this decision -- a decision that has profound implications for all of Bajor. (beat) You must convince him to make the Cardassians leave before the Sword of Stars appears... KIRA Vedek, if you're asking me to -- YARKA (interrupting) It is not I who is asking... but the Prophets. If you turn your back on them now, you'll be abandoning your faith. And without your faith, Nerys... what do you have left? And with that, Yarka turns and moves away... leaving Kira with a lot to think about... 10 INT. QUARK'S where O'Brien, Dax, Ulani and Gilora are sitting at a table after having spent the last few hours working. SUPERNUMERARIES as needed. Dax seems comfortable, carrying on conversation easily... but O'Brien looks like he'd rather be just about anywhere else. DAX I prefer the serialist poets from the First Republic... like Iloja of Prim. He's easily my favorite Cardassian writer. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 20. 10 CONTINUED: ULANI It's so rare to meet a non-Cardassian who appreciates our literature. Ulani and Gilora are clearly delighted with Dax's knowledge... DAX I took an interest because I had the chance to meet Iloja. GILORA You knew him? DAX One of my previous hosts, Tobin, met him when he was in exile on Vulcan. He had quite a temper, I recall... ULANI Really... ? Just then, Quark approaches, leading another Cardassian woman, DEJAR. She's younger than the other two, but sterner, and more rigid. QUARK (to Dejar) I believe this is the party you're looking for... Ulani looks up at her newly arrived colleague, and greets her coolly -- there's no warm friendship between Ulani or Gilora with Dejar. For some reason, Dejar makes the other two ill at ease. ULANI Dejar... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 21. 10 CONTINUED: (2) Dejar nods curtly. GILORA (to Dejar) May I introduce Jadzia Dax... and Miles O'Brien... This is our colleague Dejar. ULANI We weren't expecting you so soon. DEJAR I was able to arrange... special transportation. GILORA (softly) I'm sure you were. An awkward moment... then Quark reacts as a FERENGI WAITER approaches the table. The waiter starts to set down a few small appetizer plates with Cardassian food. Quark tries to inject some energy into the now silent group. QUARK I took the liberty of preparing a few of our special Cardassian delicacies... Ulani and Gilora react with surprise, exchange a look. ULANI Tojal in yamok sauce... GILORA Regova eggs... QUARK All fresh, not replicated. Well... enjoy. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 22. 10 CONTINUED: (3) When Quark leaves, the polite smiles fade from Gilora and Ulani's faces. DAX Is something wrong? Ulani hesitates, then decides to just come out with it. ULANI It's just... I don't really care for Cardassian cuisine. GILORA We try to avoid it as much as possible. They all share a smile, except for Dejar... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 23. 10 CONTINUED: (4) ULANI Fortunately, those of us in the science ministry are provided with a wide variety of offworld foods. Dejar looks up and gives Ulani a very pointed look. DEJAR Yes... we're quite spoiled. Some of us even think of ourselves as better than the average Cardassian. Dejar begins to serve herself from the food as Ulani shifts uncomfortably and O'Brien and Dax exchange glances. Quark returns. QUARK (beaming) I trust everything's to your liking... DEJAR Everything's quite good. Quark looks around and sees that she's the only one eating. QUARK (unsure) Great... shall I bring... more? A tense beat... Gilora and Ulani exchange a glance. ULANI Yes. More of your... special Cardassian delicacies would be greatly appreciated. Quark turns away with a smile on his face, oblivious to the underlying tension in the air. QUARK (sotto) It's working! Quark heads off. Off the tension still in evidence at the table... 11 INT. OPS where O'Brien and Gilora are descending into the pit underneath the main viewscreen. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 24. 11 CONTINUED: O'BRIEN The main switching relays are in here... He removes a panel. Gilora can't believe what she sees inside. O'BRIEN (continuing) I think we should hook your transceiver to the ODN interface through the -- GILORA What happened to these couplings? O'BRIEN What? (looks) Oh. I made some modifications... GILORA But these relays don't have nearly as much carrying capacity as before. They won't be able to handle the signal load from the transceiver. O'BRIEN In order to bring the system up to Starfleet code, I had to pull out the couplings to make room for a secondary backup. GILORA Starfleet code requires a second backup? O'Brien reacts to her tone. O'BRIEN (patiently) In case the first backup fails. GILORA What are the chances that a primary system and its backup would both fail at the same time? O'BRIEN It's not likely, but in a crunch, I wouldn't want to be caught without a second backup. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 25. 11 CONTINUED: (2) They regard each other, both trying to control their annoyance for the sake of working together. GILORA Well... what's done is done. I'll try and figure out what we should do next. Gilora starts studying a PADD. O'Brien can't help but feel that she doesn't think he has a contribution to make. O'BRIEN I think our best bet would be -- GILORA Please. Just let me think for a moment. O'BRIEN Fine... I'll just sit here quietly... GILORA (missing his sarcasm) In that case, could you get me a cup of red leaf tea? She says this without even looking up from her PADD. O'Brien swallows back his reaction. O'BRIEN Why not... Off his face as he stands and heads for the replicator... 12 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) where the Defiant is docked at the station. 13 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE Sisko is in the command chair, Dax at the conn... SUPERNUMERARIES as needed, including Dejar, who stands toward the back of the bridge. Kira and Ulani ENTER from the corridor. KIRA We've loaded the communications relay into the Defiant's cargo bay. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 26. 13 CONTINUED: SISKO Good. How're Chief O'Brien and Gilora coming along? KIRA They've run into some kind of problem, but the chief said they'd have their transceiver in place in about four hours. SISKO We won't be ready much before that anyway. DAX We've received clearance from Ops, Commander. SISKO Release docking clamps, and set course for the wormhole. 14 EXT. SPACE - THE DEFIANT (OPTICAL) As it pulls away from the station. 15 EXT. SPACE (OPTICAL) as the Defiant emerges from the wormhole in the Gamma Quadrant. 16 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE as before. SISKO Full scan. DAX (off console) No sign of Dominion activity... no other ships in the area... SISKO All right... take us into position... (to Ulani) Stand by to deploy the relay... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT TWO 27. 16 CONTINUED: Dax sees something on her console. DAX Wait a minute... SISKO What is it... ? DAX (off console) I'm reading a large mass of ice and ionized gas entering sensor range bearing two one five mark three. (beat) It looks like a rogue comet. SISKO Let's have a look... put it on screen... 17 NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL) to include the VIEWSCREEN. There we see a comet arcing through the sky, its tail a great curve behind it. ULANI It's beautiful... DAX Its core contains unusually high concentrations of silithium... that's why the tail is so bright. Kira speaks softly, almost without realizing that her thoughts have escaped her mouth... KIRA The Sword of Stars... Sisko reacts... off this moment we... FADE OUT. END OF ACT TWO DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT THREE 28. ACT THREE FADE IN: 18 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Ulani gives Kira a quizzical look; this strikes her as an odd way to describe a comet. ULANI That's a very colorful way to describe a comet, Major. Sisko gives Kira a pointed look, and she backtracks... KIRA It was... just a figure of speech. Ulani smiles an acknowledgement and moves to a nearby console. ULANI Well, your... Sword of Stars is going to pass near the wormhole, but not close enough to interfere with our plans... DAX (off console) We're in position, Benjamin... SISKO Begin a final systems check on the relay station... I want to deploy it within the hour. Everyone sets to work at various consoles... Sisko moves to Kira's side... SISKO (quiet) Major, can I have a word with you? Kira acknowledges and they EXIT to the corridor... 19 INT. DEFIANT - QUARTERS as Sisko and Kira ENTER and the door shuts behind them. He turns to face her. SISKO The Sword of Stars? KIRA It certainly looked like one to me. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT THREE 29. 19 CONTINUED: SISKO That's open to debate. But what's not debatable is that this prophecy has no place on the Bridge of the Defiant, especially in front of the Cardassians. At the moment they aren't aware of it... and I'd like to keep it that way. Kira takes a moment, realizes he has a point. KIRA You're right. It won't happen again. Now that that's out of the way, Sisko relaxes a bit... sits down on the lower bunk, willing to listen to what she has to say. SISKO I take it, Major, that you believe the prophecy is coming true? Kira thinks for a moment... then deals with the issue head on. KIRA Yes, I do. SISKO Then you think I should call the mission off? DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT THREE 30. 19 CONTINUED: (2) KIRA Look at what's already happened. The river's returned to Janir, the three vipers, and now the Sword of Stars -- each of them predicted by Trakor's prophecy. Kira steels herself, moves closer to Sisko. This is difficult for her to say to him. KIRA (quiet) And then there's you... the Emissary. You're here... and you have a decision to make... just like in the prophecy. A beat. SISKO Do you really believe I'm the Emissary? KIRA I guess I always have. But I've never wanted to admit it to myself. (smiles) It's hard to work for someone who's a religious icon. Sisko gets up, moves around the room for a moment. SISKO I hope this doesn't offend your beliefs, but I don't think of myself as an icon... religious or otherwise. (beat) I'm a Starfleet Officer, and I have a mission to accomplish. If I'm going to call it off, it has to be for a concrete reason, something solid, something... Starfleet. KIRA All right, how about this? The prophets -- the aliens that live in the wormhole, as you call them -- exist outside of linear time. They know the past, present, and the future. SISKO Agreed. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT THREE 31. 19 CONTINUED: (3) KIRA So it's perfectly reasonable that they could've communicated knowledge of the future to a Bajoran named Trakor... and that he wrote that knowledge down in the form of a prophecy... and now, three thousand years later, we're watching those events unfold. To me, that reasoning sounds concrete... solid... I'd even call it Starfleet. Sisko considers her case for a long moment... he turns and paces for a moment. SISKO But it all hinges on how you interpret an ancient text that's been translated and re-translated over the centuries... words that were couched in metaphor to begin with. (turning to face her) I'm sorry, Major... but where you see a Sword of Stars, I see a comet. Where you see vipers, I see three scientists. (beat) And where you see the Emissary... I see a Starfleet Officer. Sisko's position is clear... Kira sees that it's pointless to argue with him further. DAX'S COM VOICE Dax to Sisko. SISKO Go ahead. DAX'S COM VOICE We're ready to deploy the relay. SISKO I'm on my way. They both start for the exit. 20 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) as it hangs in space. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT THREE 32. 21 INT. AIRLOCK CORRIDOR where Gilora is working on an open panel with a tool. O'Brien sits nearby, not having much to do. GILORA ... all right, now we just have to shunt the ODN line through the secondary field coils. O'BRIEN We can't do that. GILORA Why not? O'BRIEN The coils aren't configured to handle ODN output... GILORA Why not? Did you modify them, too? O'BRIEN Actually I replaced them. They were always shorting out on us. Frankly I don't see how this station kept running during the occupation. GILORA (annoyed) Why didn't you tell me you'd replaced the field coils? O'BRIEN If you'd let me know what you were planning to do, I would have. GILORA I don't have time to explain everything. O'Brien can't believe what he's hearing... has to fight to control his temper. O'BRIEN What, you think I won't be able to understand what you're doing? GILORA It's been my experience that... She stops herself. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT THREE 33. 21 CONTINUED: O'BRIEN What... that humans aren't good engineers? GILORA No, not humans. Males. O'BRIEN I beg your pardon? GILORA Men just don't seem to have a head for this sort of thing... that's why women dominate the sciences. O'Brien has had about enough of this. O'BRIEN Maybe on Cardassia. But on this station, this man is Chief of Operations. I know these systems better than anyone -- including you. Gilora stares at him, taken aback by his change in attitude. O'BRIEN I think I know what the problem is... so if you want to get their transceiver on line, hand me that laser-torch and give me some room. She hands him the torch, and without another word O'Brien sets to work. Gilora watches him for a beat, a slow smile spreading across her features... 22 EXT. SPACE - THE DEFIANT (OPTICAL) as it sits in space. The communications relay hangs off the starboard bow... it's about the size of a runabout, with high-tech antennae and communications gear. 23 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE Sisko, Dax, Kira, Ulani, Dejar and SUPERNUMERARIES as needed. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT THREE 34. 23 CONTINUED: ULANI (to Sisko) Gilora and Chief O'Brien should have their transceiver on-line by now. SISKO Are we ready on this end? DAX Almost... I'm just about to activate the relay's transmission array. She works the controls... DAX (over shoulder) Dejar... ? DEJAR Standing by... Dax works her console... 24 ANGLE ON DEJAR (VPB) at her console, studying a monitor. Suddenly a Federation test pattern appears, along with other telemetry information. She works the console. DEJAR I'm receiving the relay's test signal. ULANI (to Sisko; with a smile) I'd say we're ready to send the first message through the wormhole. Sisko acknowledges with a nod. ULANI (to Dax) Target the signaling array toward the wormhole and initiate a carrier wave in the delta band frequency... DAX (works) Initiating carrier wave... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT THREE 35. 24 CONTINUED: ULANI If they receive it on the station, they'll send an acknowledging signal on the same frequency. A beat as everyone waits to see what happens. DAX I'm not receiving anything... ULANI Then we have to assume it didn't work. (to Dax) Let's try the theta band frequency. Dax works her console... DAX Initiating carrier wave... There's a beat... Dax suddenly responds to something on her console. DAX Something's wrong... I'm picking up a neutrino surge from the wormhole... 25 EXT. SPACE - THE DEFIANT (OPTICAL) as it hangs in space near the communications relay. Suddenly the wormhole opens in the background -- the effect should be more violent and unstable than what we've seen before. 26 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE as the ship is jolted violently. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT THREE 36. 26 CONTINUED: SISKO Report. DAX (off console) Somehow the carrier wave caused the wormhole to open... KIRA (off console) The wormhole's gravity well has increased by a factor of three... SISKO (standing) Terminate the carrier wave and maintain our position... 27 EXT. SPACE (OPTICAL) as before, the Defiant and relay in the foreground, the wormhole open behind them. After a beat the wormhole flashes shut. 28 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS KIRA Gravimetric fields have returned to normal... SISKO What happened? ULANI I'm not sure... the carrier wave shouldn't have affected the wormhole at all. SISKO Was there any damage to the relay? DEJAR None... I'm still receiving the test signal. An alarm goes off on Dax's console. Sisko moves to look over her shoulder. DAX Benjamin... the gravitational surge altered the course of the comet... (beat) It's now heading directly toward the wormhole... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT THREE 37. 28A INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL) which shows the comet as it turns and begins leading directly toward the Defiant. ULANI If the comet enters the wormhole, the silithium in its core will cause a cascade reaction. DAX And collapse the wormhole... permanently. Off Sisko and Kira as they exchange a look... this seems to be the calamity that the prophecy warned of... off this moment we... FADE OUT. END OF ACT THREE DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 38. ACT FOUR FADE IN: 29 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) as it hangs in space. SISKO (V.O.) Commander's Log, Supplemental. With less than five hours before the comet reaches the wormhole, I've brought the Defiant back to the station and convened a meeting of the entire science team. 30 INT. WARDROOM where Sisko, Dax, O'Brien, Gilora, Dejar and Ulani are discussing the situation. DAX Apparently the carrier wave we sent created some sort of subspace inversion in the wormhole. O'BRIEN That's what caused the gravity well to form. ULANI The possibility of subspace inversion was predicted in one of our computer models... O'Brien looks up sharply. O'BRIEN That wasn't included in the data you sent us. GILORA The probability of such an occurrence was less than two percent... well within safety limitations. So we saw no reason to include it in the data we sent you. O'Brien and Dax exchange a look of frustration. Sisko intervenes. SISKO (to Ulani) It would seem our scientific methodologies differ slightly. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 39. 30 CONTINUED: SISKO It's our practice to examine all possibilities, no matter how unlikely, before we proceed with field tests. Ulani shoots a look at Dejar... her voice has an edge to it. ULANI We would, of course, prefer to operate that way as well... however since the Science Ministry falls under the jurisdiction of the military, we have to follow certain rules. One of them is not to make any project look... "unnecessarily" dangerous. SISKO We'll have to keep that in mind when we resume work on the communications relay. DEJAR That is an extremely unlikely possibility, Commander. The Science Ministry will undoubtedly want to... (glances at Ulani and Gilora) -- assemble a new team, before proceeding further. There's an awkward moment as Ulani and Gilora exchange unhappy look. SISKO That is, of course, an internal Cardassian matter. Sisko takes a beat, then turns to O'Brien to break the tension and to get back to the business at hand. SISKO (continuing) Chief... Dax feels that we can't risk using tractor beams to deflect the comet. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 40. 30 CONTINUED: (2) DAX It would probably break up into smaller pieces and we'd have a bigger mess on our hands. GILORA The same thing would happen if you tried to destroy it with a phaser beam. O'BRIEN Not necessarily. I could modify the Defiant's phaser array to generate a beam wide enough to encompass the entire comet. ULANI (nods) Vaporizing it evenly so it won't break up. SISKO How long would the modifications take? O'BRIEN Three hours. SISKO Get on it. We'll be cutting this pretty close. And with that, the meeting starts to break up... 31 EXT. SPACE - THE DEFIANT (OPTICAL) docked at DS9. 32 INT. JEFFERIES TUBE (FROM TNG) where O'Brien is working on an open panel as Gilora looks on. She's sitting a little closer than she probably has to, watching as O'Brien works with keen interest. During the following scene, Gilora will be coming on to O'Brien... but she's a Cardassian, and her approach is distinctly alien. While her words convey one message, her face is deadpan... there are no smiles or looks that give O'Brien a clue as to what's going on... so that he can't be sure if he's just imagining things... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 40A. 32 CONTINUED: O'BRIEN -- I've accessed the Defiant's primary phaser relay... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 41. 32 CONTINUED: (2) O'BRIEN (Cont'd) I'm going to try shunting it through the warp drive... GILORA Won't that overload the relay? O'BRIEN (as he continues to work) Not if we bypass the plasma emitter... O'Brien turns away from the panel intending to move to another panel, and finds himself face to face with Gilora, close... GILORA I hadn't thought of that... She stares directly into his eyes, her features even... her face uncomfortably close to his. O'Brien awkwardly tries to move on to the next task at hand. O'BRIEN The emitter coupling is over there... She waits a beat, then moves out of the way... O'Brien crawls over to the panel and opens it... starts working with a tool... Gilora moves up next to him... after a beat she moves her head extremely close to his so she can peer inside... GILORA What are you doing now... ? O'Brien can't figure out whether she's just genuinely curious, or if she's deliberately moving closer... O'BRIEN I'm decoupling the servos so they won't lock up... She watches him work for a beat... then reaches and takes one of his hands... places it on her forearm. She looks up at him with a polite, expectant look... GILORA (matter of fact) You have very steady hands... O'Brien swallows back, uncomfortable... he has no idea where this woman is coming from... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 42. 32 CONTINUED: (3) O'BRIEN They get the job done, I guess... He gently removes his hand... O'BRIEN And right now, the most important job is bypassing the plasma emitter... O'Brien goes back to work... she looks at him with a slightly puzzled expression... after a beat... GILORA I assure you I'm quite fertile... O'Brien snaps up so fast at this he bangs his head on something... GILORA I could provide you with many healthy children, if that's your concern... but, frankly I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself. O'BRIEN Children? What are you talking about? I already have a child. And a wife. Now it's Gilora's turn to be shocked. GILORA You're married? O'BRIEN Yes, happily. Gilora's shock turns to anger. GILORA Then why have you been leading me to believe that you wanted me? O'BRIEN I haven't been. All we've done since we met is argue. GILORA And I took your overt irritability toward me as a signal that you were interested in pursuing a physical relationship. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 43-44. 32 CONTINUED: (4) O'BRIEN That may be how Cardassians do things, but not humans. Gilora realizes what's happened... GILORA It seems this is a case of cross- cultural misunderstanding. O'BRIEN Yes, it does. I'm not even remotely interested in you. (realizing how that sounds) That's not what I meant. You're very attractive... and I'm flattered, of course... GILORA There's no need to continue, Mister O'Brien... you've made your feelings clear... For the first time, we see that she's vulnerable and hurt. She starts to move off down the Jefferies tube. O'BRIEN Gilora, wait. (re: coupling) We need to finish this. GILORA I'm sure you can complete the work on your own... He watches her go... his face a mixture of regret and frustration... then gets back to work on the plasma relay... off this moment... 33 OMITTED DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 45. 34 INT. COMMANDER'S OFFICE (OPTICAL) where Sisko is thoughtfully reading off his desktop MONITOR. The text on the screen is in Bajoran lettering. After a beat, Dax ENTERS. DAX Chief O'Brien said he'd have the modifications to the Defiant's phasers ready within half an hour. Sisko looks over... SISKO Half an hour ahead of schedule... DAX (wry) The chief is a born engineer. He always gives himself a comfortable margin on his repair estimates. Sisko's attention wanders back to the monitor... Dax glances at the screen, notices the Bajoran writing... DAX Let me guess... you're reading up on Bajoran prophecies concerning the Emissary... SISKO (nods) There are hundreds of them. Most of them are vague... some are contradictory... but there's just enough truth in a few of them to make me wonder... DAX You mean some of them have come true? SISKO If you interpret them a certain way, yes. DAX And so now you're wondering if Trakor's prophecy is coming true as well... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 46. 34 CONTINUED: SISKO I have to admit it's getting harder to ignore. DAX But Benjamin, there's every reason to believe we'll be able to destroy the comet. SISKO I know... but I'm becoming more and more concerned that if I don't send the Cardassians home, something else will go wrong... DAX And the "gates of heaven will burn and be cast open... " Sisko nods... Dax considers for a moment... DAX Let me ask you something... what would you do if you'd never heard Trakor's prophecy? Sisko considers for a beat... SISKO I'd continue working on the communications relay. DAX Then it seems to me you have a choice: you can either make your own decisions... or you can let these prophecies make them for you. They share a long look... Sisko considers her words for a beat, then reaches toward the monitor where the prophecies are displayed and turns it OFF... SISKO As soon as the Defiant's ready, have the Cardassians meet us on board. She smiles, then EXITS. Off Sisko's determined features... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 47. 35 EXT. SPACE - THE DEFIANT (OPTICAL) as it emerges from the wormhole in the Gamma Quadrant. 36 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE Sisko in his chair, Dax at Ops... Kira, O'Brien, Gilora, Ulani and Dejar man various consoles or stand near Sisko. SUPERNUMERARIES as needed. DAX The comet's directly ahead. Distance... two hundred kilometers. SISKO Bring us to within ten kilometers. (to O'Brien) Chief... are your phaser modifications on-line? DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 48. 36 CONTINUED: O'BRIEN Aye, Sir. Phasers are locked on target. 37 EXT. SPACE - THE DEFIANT (OPTICAL) as it moves into position in the comet's path... maintaining a fixed distance between them... 38 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE as before. DAX Holding position at ten kilometers. SISKO Shields up... go to Red Alert. The Red Alert lights come on. SISKO (beat) Fire... O'Brien works his controls. Suddenly an unmanned CONSOLE in the aft part of the bridge EXPLODES in a shower of sparks. Simultaneously, O'Brien's tactical console goes dead. 39 EXT. SPACE - THE DEFIANT (OPTICAL) as the ship's gatling-gun phasers fire a series of quick bursts -- they hit the comet and it EXPLODES into THREE SMALLER PIECES that continue their trajectory, each spewing a tail behind it. 40 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE (OPTICAL) as everyone reacts to what's happened. SISKO What the hell happened, Chief? DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FOUR 49. 40 CONTINUED: O'Brien has moved to the aft console and is poking around inside the smoking panel. O'BRIEN I don't know, sir... the entire weapons relay just blew out... all defensive systems are down. DAX (off console) Benjamin, sensors show that the modified phasers never came on-line -- we fired a standard burst and it shattered the comet instead of vaporizing it. O'BRIEN There's no way they should have misfired like that. I modified the systems myself. KIRA (works a side console) Commander, the three fragments are still on course for the wormhole... SISKO How long until they reach the entrance? KIRA (grave) Twenty six minutes... SISKO And without weapons... we have no way of stopping them... Off Sisko's face as he realizes there may be nothing he can do... FADE OUT. END OF ACT FOUR DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 50. ACT FIVE FADE IN: 41 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE - SECONDS LATER O'Brien is poking around the blown-out panel with some tools... Gilora is right next to him, and Sisko looks on over their shoulders. O'Brien seems shocked by what he's found. O'BRIEN The main emitter coupling has been depolarized... I must've accidentally inverted the power flow when I was trying to modify the phaser array. O'Brien stares at the panel in astonishment... he's blaming himself for what happened, and he can't believe he was so stupid. As he talks, Gilora looks over at Dejar... their eyes lock... Dejar's expression is icy... as if defying Gilora to say anything... O'BRIEN (over above action) I can't believe it... a first year Engineering student wouldn't make a mistake like that... Gilora makes her decision... GILORA This wasn't your fault, Mister O'Brien... and it wasn't an accident. Dejar stiffens... Ulani reacts, afraid of what Gilora is about to do... ULANI (don't) Gilora... But Gilora ignores her well-meaning warning... GILORA Dejar is a member of the Obsidian Order... she was assigned to our team for "security" reasons. I think she sabotaged the coupling. Sisko glares at Dejar... whose face gives away nothing. Sisko considers this revelation, puts the pieces together... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 51. 41 CONTINUED: SISKO The Order has always been opposed to the peace treaty with Bajor. So they sent you to sabotage the relay... because if the first joint venture between Cardassia and Bajor was a failure, it would probably be the last. DEJAR That's all speculation, Commander... you have no proof. Kira steps toward her. KIRA If it was sabotage, a DNA scan of the coupling will probably reveal who was responsible. Sisko turns to TWO N.D.'s. SISKO (re: Dejar) Take her to quarters and detain her there. The N.D.'s comply, and the three EXIT. Sisko turns to the others, focuses them on the task at hand. SISKO Now that the comet's been fractured into smaller pieces, can we use the tractor beams to deflect them? ULANI They'd just disintegrate further, releasing more silithium. SISKO If we can't stop the fragments, is there any way we can prevent the silithium from interacting with the wormhole? DAX Maybe if we could contain it, somehow... Everyone considers for a moment... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 52. 41 CONTINUED: (2) ULANI If you can generate a subspace field around the fragments, that might contain the silithium. O'BRIEN The warp drive... it could create a subspace bubble around the ship... DAX But we'd have to maneuver the Defiant between the fragments... they're so close together, there's not enough room... Sisko won't give up, there has to be a way... SISKO A shuttlepod could maneuver between them... and its warp drive should be able to create a large enough subspace field... O'BRIEN Maybe... but it could overload the engines. Sisko acknowledges the grim possibility, but... SISKO That's a chance I'll have to take. Sisko heads for the exit. SISKO Major, you have the bridge. Take the Defiant back to the Alpha Quadrant as soon as I've cleared the shuttlebay. Kira stops him. KIRA Commander, I'd like to go with you. Sisko stops... Kira moves closer to him, lowers her voice. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 53. 41 CONTINUED: (3) KIRA (urgent) Not just because I'm your first officer... but because I believe I'm here to help the Emissary. Sisko considers for a beat, then nods. SISKO Dax, the Bridge is yours. And with that, they EXIT. Off Dax as she moves to the Command Chair... O'Brien takes the helm... 42 INT. SHUTTLEPOD where Sisko and Kira are in the cockpit, working the controls. SISKO We've cleared the shuttlebay... signal the Defiant that they can leave... Kira works the controls... KIRA They're heading for the wormhole... SISKO I'm going to take us in behind the comet fragments... it'll be easier to maneuver into position... Kira acknowledges... Sisko works the controls... 43 EXT. SPACE - SHUTTLEPOD (OPTICAL) swinging around behind the comet fragments. 44 OMITTED DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 54. 45 EXT. SPACE - THE DEFIANT (OPTICAL) as it emerges from the wormhole in the Alpha Quadrant. 46 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE as before, Dax in command. DAX Hold position here... they could be in for a rough ride. Stand by transporters in case we need to beam them off the shuttlepod when they clear the wormhole. 47 INT. SHUTTLEPOD as the trembling stops. SISKO We're in position... activate the subspace field... KIRA (works) Field engaged... 48 EXT. SPACE - SHUTTLEPOD (OPTICAL) as a bubble fritzes on for a moment, just big enough to surround the three fragments and the pod... then fritzes off... 49 INT. SHUTTLEPOD SISKO (off console) We'll reach the entrance to the wormhole in... five seconds... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 55. 50 NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL) looking forward... through the window, we see the wormhole flash OPEN. 51 NEW ANGLE on Kira and Sisko, as INTERACTIVE light plays on their faces. 52 EXT. SPACE - SHUTTLEPOD (OPTICAL) The comet fragments and the Shuttlepod transiting through the dizzying lights of the wormhole. 53 INT. SHUTTLEPOD KIRA The subspace field is losing integrity... some of the silithium is starting to leak through... Suddenly the ship starts to SHAKE... SISKO Divert power from the engines to the subspace field coils... we'll let our own inertia carry us the rest of the way. Kira works... KIRA That helped... but we're still losing silithium... Off the tension of the moment... 54 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE (OPTICAL) where they're all anxiously waiting to see what will happen. O'BRIEN (off console) I'm picking up a neutrino surge... something's coming through. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 56. 55 EXT. SPACE (OPTICAL) as the wormhole OPENS... the Shuttlepod and the fragments come hurtling out... behind them, the silithium leaves a trail of "fire." After a stunning beat, the effect dissipates and the wormhole closes... The Shuttlepod veers away from the fragments, and they continue off into space... 56 INT. SHUTTLEPOD where we see a very relieved looking Sisko and Kira. DAX'S COM VOICE Dax to Sisko... SISKO Sisko, here. INTERCUT AS NEEDED: 57 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE As Dax and O'Brien react to hearing that they're all right. DAX Are you all right, Benjamin? SISKO There was some silithium leakage inside the wormhole... but we're fine. Suddenly O'Brien reacts to something on his console. O'BRIEN I don't believe it. DAX What is it, Chief? O'BRIEN I'm picking up the test signal from the communications relay... Dax moves over to his MONITOR and sees the FEDERATION TEST PATTERN displayed there. Everyone reacts to his unexpected development. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 57. 57 CONTINUED: Sisko sees the same TEST PATTERN on an off-camera display in the shuttlepod. SISKO How is that possible? DAX (off console) I'm not sure... I'm reading a subspace filament leading back through the wormhole... it's acting almost like a carrier wave... O'BRIEN The comet fragments... they left a trail of silithium in the wormhole. ULANI The silithium particles must have interacted with the wormhole's ambient radiation... GILORA And created the filament... END INTERCUT ON SHUTTLE: SISKO It's almost like the wormhole's been wedged open just a crack... enough to let subspace signals through... Kira suddenly realizes something... an astonished look comes across her face... KIRA (softly) The prophecy came true... all of it... we just misinterpreted Trakor's words... Sisko turns to her... KIRA The three vipers... he wasn't talking about the Cardassians... he meant the three comet fragments... Sisko realizes where she's going... it's all beginning to make sense to him... a sense of wonder overtakes them both as they realize what's occurred... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 57A. 57 CONTINUED: (2) SISKO The communications relay... in a sense we've been trying to "peer through the temple gates... " KIRA The silithium ignited the wormhole... burning the temple gates... SISKO So that they'd never close again... KIRA And it's all because the Emissary used the Sword of Stars... Kira's eyes are wet with emotion as she contemplates the wisdom of the prophets... SISKO And Trakor saw it all... three thousand years ago... DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 58. 57 CONTINUED: (3) Off the wonder of the moment... 58 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) hanging in space. 59 INT. PROMENADE where O'Brien and Gilora are heading for the airlock. SUPERNUMERARIES as needed. O'BRIEN I just wanted to say that I appreciate what you did on the Defiant. I hope it won't cause you too much trouble when you get back to Cardassia. GILORA My superiors in the science ministry will protect me. Frankly, I think Dejar is in a lot more trouble than I am. The Order doesn't reward failure. They stop outside the airlock. O'BRIEN Still... it was a very brave thing to do. GILORA I didn't want you to take the blame for something that wasn't your fault. (smiles) I know how proud you are of your work. O'BRIEN (smiles) Sometimes too proud. It's gotten me into trouble now and again. She looks at him for a long beat. GILORA What's your wife's name? O'BRIEN Keiko. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 59. 59 CONTINUED: GILORA Keiko... (beat) A lucky woman. She gives him a kiss on the cheek. GILORA Good-bye, Mister O'Brien. She turns and goes into the airlock, leaving O'Brien to think about everything that's happened. As O'Brien moves away, we PICK UP Sisko and Yarka walking along the Promenade. YARKA Emissary... I'm sorry I doubted you. I realize now that I let my distrust of the Cardassians blind me to the Prophets' words. SISKO It seems that the Prophets want peace between your two peoples after all. Yarka acknowledges with a small nod... YARKA Perhaps so... They walk in silence for a moment... YARKA There are signs that Trakor's fourth prophecy will soon come to pass as well... SISKO Don't tell me it has something to do with me... Yarka looks at him, not sure where Sisko stands anymore. Was this just a slip of the tongue? YARKA (uncertain) You, Commander? Well... it is a prophecy about the Emissary... Yarka looks at him questioningly... Sisko thinks about it for a moment, then... SISKO Tell me about it. DEEP SPACE: "Destiny" - REV. 12/19/94 - ACT FIVE 60. Yarka smiles, understanding that this is as far as Sisko is willing to go right now. We start to pull back as Yarka continues... YARKA The fourth prophecy says that the Emissary will face a fiery trial... and that he will be forced to choose between -- We continue to pull back until we can't hear Yarka's voice and... CUT TO: 60 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE (OPTICAL) as it hangs in space... FADE OUT. END OF ACT FIVE THE END . A