DIRECTED BY
AIRED ON
November 27, 1995
RUNTIME
45 minutes
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VIEWS
153
LAST UPDATE
2024-09-13 04:03:54
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Version 2
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SUMMARY
Stardate: Unknown. When an transporter emergency turns the command crew into holosuite characters, Bashir's James Bond fantasy takes on a deadly reality.
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TRANSCRIPT
[Holosuite - Paris nightclub]
(A man with an eye-patch goes flying backwards through a large decorative window. Apparently he's just been thrown through by Julian, wearing a tuxedo and an air of nonchalance. A blonde in a red dress offers him a bottle of champagne. In it's dark glass he sees the reflection of his assailant approaching from behind. Bashir turns and fires the champagne cork at him, knocking the man out cold.)
BASHIR: Lot of kick for a forty five Dom.
CAPRICE: Thank you, Mister. Mister?
BASHIR: Bashir. Julian Bashir.
(Well, it's the right initials, and he does get a round of applause as he kisses the woman.)
CAPRICE: Who's that?
BASHIR: An uninvited guest. Excuse me.
(Bashir goes over to )
BASHIR: Nice tux.
GARAK: Thank you.
BASHIR: Now get out.
GARAK: But Doctor, I've only just arrived.
BASHIR: Breaking into a holosuite during someone's programme is not only rude, it's illegal. I should call Odo and have you arrested.
GARAK: What an extreme reaction that would be. You must be very embarrassed by this programme.
BASHIR: I'm not embarrassed. I'm annoyed that you have intruded into my privacy.
GARAK: Privacy, indeed. I think it goes far deeper than that, Doctor. Ever since you received this new programme, you've spent virtually every free hour in the holosuite. But you haven't told anyone what the programme is.
BASHIR: Am I supposed to?
GARAK: No, no, no. But you're such a, forgive me, a talkative man and it's so unusual for you to have secrets.
BASHIR: I must have picked up that habit from you. Now, if you will excuse me.
GARAK: Is this fantasy of yours really truly revealing of your inner psyche?
BASHIR: What?
GARAK: Is that why you're so protective? Are you afraid that I'll find out some humiliating secrets about the real Julian Bashir?
BASHIR: This is a fantasy. I'm not hiding anything.
GARAK: Well, if you've nothing to hide, then why not let me stay?
BASHIR: All right. Now I have to be at work in two hours and I'd like to enjoy myself, so keep quiet and don't rain on my parade.
GARAK: Your parade?
BASHIR: Never mind.
GARAK: Don't worry, Doctor. I can be quite discreet. You'll barely know I'm here.
BASHIR: Good.
GARAK: But if I may make one observation.
BASHIR: Garak.
GARAK: I only want to point out that your lovely companion is leaving. Odd. She seemed so interested in your advances just a moment ago. I wonder what scared her away? Oh, no. I do apologise. You must be incensed. In fact, if I were in your shoes, I would grab a bottle of champagne and shoot me.
BASHIR: I can see I'm going to regret this.
GARAK: Don't worry, Doctor. We're going to have a wonderful time. After all, what could possibly go wrong?
(It's a holo-programme and we've gone to the opening titles, so those have to be famous last words....)
[Holosuite - Bashir's apartment]
(A luxury penthouse.)
GARAK: You live here?
BASHIR: That's right.
GARAK: Decorate it yourself?
BASHIR: The decor is appropriate for the period. Nineteen sixty-four.
GARAK: How did you pronounce the name of this city?
BASHIR: Kowloon. It's part of Hong Kong.
GARAK: And the nightclub was in Paris, which, if I remember correctly, was on the other side of the planet.
(Enter the obligatory Bond Girl with the deeply suggestive name, deep cleavage and mini miniskirt.)
LUVSITT: Mister Bashir, I didn't expect you home so soon.
BASHIR: I decided to leave Paris a little early. Allow me to introduce my friend, Mister Garak. Garak, this is my personal valet, Mona Luvsitt.
LUVSITT: Pleased to make your acquaintance. Would you like to change into something more comfortable?
BASHIR: That would be perfect. See if we can find Mister Garak something as well.
LUVSITT: I'll see what I can do. Would you like me to put this away? (a briefcase)
BASHIR: Please. Care for a drink?
GARAK: Not just yet.
(Mona goes to a big mirror and presses a button. It rotates to reveal an arsenal of weapons.)
GARAK: Is she your valet or your personal assassin?
BASHIR: Valet. Mona is very capable. She speaks seven languages, has degrees in biology, chemistry, physics, can fly anything from a jet to a helicopter and makes an excellent martini.
MONA: Is there anything else I can do for you?
BASHIR: I'll let you know.
GARAK: I take it your character is some kind of rich dilettante with a fascination for women and weapons.
BASHIR: Actually, my character is far more disreputable. I'm a spy.
GARAK: A spy? And you live here?
BASHIR: Yes. I work for one of the nation states of this era, Great Britain, which is battling various other nations in what is called the Cold War. This apartment, my clothes, weapons, even my valet were provided to me by my government.
GARAK: I think I joined the wrong intelligence service.
[Runabout Orinoco]
SISKO: Orinoco to Deep Space Nine. This is Captain Sisko requesting landing clearance.
EDDINGTON [OC]: Welcome back, Captain.
[Ops]
EDDINGTON: You're cleared to set down on landing pad three. How was the conference?
[Runabout Orinoco]
SISKO: Informative, but I've got a ship full of tired officers here. I think we'll all be happy to be in our own beds tonight.
EDDINGTON [OC]: I can imagine.
[Ops]
EDDINGTON: There's some message traffic from Starfleet Command for you to look at
[Runabout Orinoco]
EDDINGTON [OC]: But nothing
O'BRIEN: Captain, there's some kind of power surge in the warp core.
SISKO: Looks like a fluctuation in the plasma coils. We'd better take the warp core offline.
O'BRIEN: I can't. There's something wrong with the command control systems. I'm completely locked out.
WORF: Magnetic interlocks are failing. Warp core breach is imminent.
SISKO: Eject the warp core.
KIRA: The ejection system isn't responding.
O'BRIEN: Correction. The ejection system is missing. We've been sabotaged.
WORF: Ten seconds to warp core breach.
[Ops]
EDDINGTON: Orinoco, cut your impulse engines and drop your deflectors. We're going to try to beam you out of there.
[Runabout Orinoco]
SISKO: Acknowledged. Cut main power.
[Ops]
EDDINGTON: I've locked on. Energising.
(Sisko, Kira, O'Brien, Worf, and Dax are just beaming in when KaBOOM! goes the Orinoco and BANG goes the transporter pad. Red alert goes off. Eddington goes down into the pit.)
ODO: What happened?
EDDINGTON: Captain Sisko's runabout exploded while I was trying to beam them back. Some of the energy travelled back along the transporter beam and blew up the primary energising coils.
ODO: Do we still have their patterns?
EDDINGTON: Yes. They're in the buffer. But the patterns will start to degrade if not used immediately. We need to store the patterns somewhere.
ODO: This is more complicated than just an ordinary transporter pattern. We're going to have to preserve all the neural signatures of everyone on that runabout. Do you know how much memory it would take to save just one person's neural signature, much less five?
EDDINGTON: I don't think we have any choice. Computer, I need to store all data currently in the transporter pattern buffer. Where can I save it?
COMPUTER: There is insufficient computer memory to save the data.
ODO: The pattern buffer's beginning to lose coherence. The patterns will start to degrade any second now.
EDDINGTON: Computer, what if we wiped all computer memory in every system on the station and then stored the patterns?
COMPUTER: That procedure has not been tested. It cannot be predicted.
ODO: The buffer is depolarising.
EDDINGTON: Computer, this is a command priority override. Wipe all computer memory necessary in order to save the patterns from the buffer. Authorisation Eddington zero six five alpha enable.
COMPUTER: Executing command override.
(The lights go out. Monitors display streams of numbers.)
ODO: Tricorder. The buffer's lost coherence. The patterns are gone. Did the computer save them in time?
EDDINGTON: I think so, but I'm not sure where.
[Holosuite - Bashir's apartment]
(Mona helps Garak into a casual jacket over a polo neck jumper.)
GARAK: Thank you, my dear. Yes, this should do nicely, although I'm not too sure about the collar.
BASHIR: It's perfect.
LUVSITT: I'll have these cleaned right away.
(BASHIR: Thank you.
(Mona leaves)
GARAK: Isn't this a rather ostentatious life for a spy?
BASHIR: It's all part of my cover. I'm posing as a wealthy jet-setter, so I have to act like one.
GARAK: Jet-setter?
BASHIR: People of this era used to travel in
(There's a thump off-screen. Bashir draws his gun then presses a button. The bar rotates to reveal a bed. Kira is on the bed, in a nightgown and speaking with a russian accent.)
KIRA: Julian. I must have fallen asleep.
BASHIR: Very funny. Who else did you invite along with you today?
GARAK: This wasn't my idea. Major?
KIRA: Colonel, actually. Colonel Anastasia Komananov, KGB. Oh, Julian, I never thought I'd see you alive again. Not after you fell out of that dirigible over Iceland.
BASHIR: I had a parachute, and there was a submarine there waiting for me. But how do you know about that? Have you been downloading my holosuite programmes?
KIRA: Oh Julian, you are not well. Let's lie down.
GARAK: I must say, Major Kira's certainly throwing herself into the role, Doctor.
BASHIR: Nerys, please.
KIRA: Who is this Major Nerys Kira?
BASHIR: Kira Nerys, actually.
GARAK: Perhaps this isn't Major Kira after all.
BASHIR: I'm beginning to think you're right. Computer restore the image of Colonel Komananov back to its original parameters.
COMPUTER: Unable to comply. The character parameters of Colonel Komananov are correct.
GARAK: I'd say someone's been tampering with your programme, Doctor.
KIRA: Julian, we don't have time for games. There is much to talk about.
BASHIR: Excuse me. Computer freeze programme.
COMPUTER: Unable to comply. Computer control has been disrupted due to station-wide emergency.
GARAK: Emergency?
BASHIR: Bashir to Ops. What's going on?
[Ops]
(It is still dark.)
ODO: We've got our hands full right now, Doctor. Stand by.
EDDINGTON: Odo, wait. Doctor, where are you? And do you have access to a working computer console?
BASHIR [OC]: I'm in holosuite three.
[Holosuite - Bashir's apartment]
BASHIR: The program's running but it won't comply with my commands.
[Ops]
EDDINGTON: The programme is still running?
[Holosuite - Bashir's apartment]
KIRA: I demand to know who you are talking to!
[Ops]
KIRA [OC]: Julian, tell me.
ODO: That sounded like Kira.
BASHIR [OC]: Not exactly.
[Holosuite - Bashir's apartment]
BASHIR: Someone has replaced one of the characters with the image of Major Kira. What's going on?
EDDINGTON [OC]: Stay where you are
[Ops]
EDDINGTON: Doctor. Keep the programme running for now. We'll get right back to you.
[Holosuite - Bashir's apartment]
KIRA: Julian, talk to me. Tell me what is happening.
BASHIR: I'm not sure myself.
EDDINGTON [OC]: Ops to Bashir.
[Ops]
EDDINGTON: Doctor, whatever you do, don't end that programme.
[Holosuite - Bashir's apartment]
BASHIR: Why not?
EDDINGTON [OC]: There's been a transporter accident.
[Ops]
EDDINGTON: We believe the holosuite memory core is holding the transporter patterns of five crewmembers. If you stop the programme, their patterns
[Holosuite - Bashir's apartment]
EDDINGTON [OC]: Might be lost.
BASHIR: How could that happen?
EDDINGTON [OC]: It's a long story.
[Ops]
EDDINGTON: But at this moment the patterns of Captain Sisko, Kira, Worf, Dax and O'Brien exist only in the holosuite database.
ODO: Don't leave the holosuite. If you do, it might disrupt the holo-imaging array and right now we can't take any chances. You'll have to stay in there and keep the programme running for now.
[Holosuite - Bashir's apartment]
BASHIR: Understood.
ODO [OC]: We'll get back to you, Doctor.
KIRA: Oh, Julian, you are so tense.
BASHIR: It's been one of those days
KIRA: I wish I could relax you but I am here on business.
(She hands him a manila file)
KIRA: In the last twenty-four hours, a series of earthquakes have struck cities from Vladivostok to New York. Our seismologists have analysed the earthquakes and come to the conclusion that they are artificial.
GARAK: So? That's not so difficult. One only has to
BASHIR: Garak.
KIRA: Your friend seems to know something.
BASHIR: Believe me, he knows nothing.
KIRA: If you say so. Because of the global nature of this crisis, my government and yours have decided to cooperate. We will be working very closely.
BASHIR: I'm sure we will.
KIRA: Our assignment is to find out who caused the earthquakes and what they want.
GARAK: A rather vague assignment.
KIRA: We do have one clue. One of the world's leading seismologists, Professor Honey Bare, has vanished. We believe she has been kidnapped.
(Bashir stares at the photograph.)
KIRA: I didn't think she was your type.
BASHIR: You said she's been kidnapped.
KIRA: We think so. She disappeared only a few hours before the first quake struck New York City.
GARAK: Doctor, we're in the middle of an emergency. Is this really the time to be playing games?
(Bashir shows him the photo of Honey Bare.)
BASHIR: Look.
GARAK: Interesting.
(The photo is Dax in lab coat, classes and bun.)
BASHIR: If Honey Bare is killed, the computer will erase her character from its programme. Now since the programme thinks that Dax is Honey Bare
GARAK: The computer would actually be erasing Commander Dax's pattern.
BASHIR: Kira, erm, Ana. Do you have any idea where Professor Bare is?
KIRA: She was last seen
(The doors open to reveal Mona, holding the tuxedoes)
BASHIR: I'll be right with you, Mona.
(Mona falls forward with a knife in her back. Two thugs with guns enter followed by O'Brien wearing an eye-patch.)
GARAK: Chief.
BASHIR: No. It's Falcon.
O'BRIEN: Nice to see you, Mister Bashir. Now I think we have a little unfinished business.
(O'Brien points his big revolver at Bashir.)
O'BRIEN: Surprised to see me, Mister Bashir?
BASHIR: You could say that.
O'BRIEN: Well, you should use something a little more lethal than a champagne cork. Something like this.
KIRA: Wait! Wait, please. Let us have one last kiss.
O'BRIEN: Why not? I've always been a romantic at heart.
(Kira stands lip to lip with Bashir.)
KIRA: (sotto) Earring.
(Falcon turns his back as they kiss and Bashir removes the large pearl earring.)
O'BRIEN: All right, Bashir. That's enough.
(Bashir tosses the earring at Falcon and it goes Bang! Bashir takes on one thug and Garak the other as Kira kicks Falcon out cold. )
GARAK: Interesting jewellry.
BASHIR: I bought those for Anastasia last Christmas. You're bleeding.
GARAK: The holosuite safeties must be off.
KIRA: Time to clip this bird's wings.
(She makes to shoot O'Brien.)
BASHIR: No!
KIRA: Niet! What are you doing?
BASHIR: We can't kill him.
KIRA: Julian, what are you saying? He's been trying to kill you for nine years.
GARAK: I wouldn't dismiss her idea so quickly, Doctor.
BASHIR: But that's Miles.
GARAK: No. As you pointed out, he's Falcon, a hired assassin who's going to do everything he can to kill you. And without the holosuite safeties in place, he may do just that.
BASHIR: What do you want me to do? Kill him?
GARAK: I want you to stop treating this like a game where everything's going to turn out all right in the end. Real spies have to make hard choices. You want to save Dax? Fine. But you may not have the luxury of saving everyone.
KIRA: Who is Dax?
GARAK: Eventually you may have to let someone die.
BASHIR: I'll deal with that situation if and when it happens. In the meantime, we have to find Dax.
KIRA: Who is Dax?
BASHIR: Ana, I promise I'll explain everything later. Now, you said Professor Bare had been kidnapped. Do you have any suspects?
KIRA: We believe that Doctor Noah is behind the abductions. During the past two years, he has kidnapped an elite group of sixty artisans and scientists from around the world. No one knows why or where he has taken them, but our sources tell us that each of the missing people was invited to meet Doctor Noah at a club in Paris shortly before they disappeared.
BASHIR: The Club Ingénue?
KIRA: Da.
BASHIR: I had a feeling. (goes to Mona's body) Sorry, my dear. I hope you remember how to tie a bow-tie. We're going to Paris.
KIRA: Who is Dax?
[Holosuite corridor]
(Rom and Eddington take of a panel to get at the workings.)
ROM: I've had to make a few modifications to this holosuite over the years.
EDDINGTON: A few? It's like a junkyard in here.
ROM: My brother won't let me buy new components so I've had to scavenge for what I need.
QUARK: I'm barely breaking even on the holosuites as it is. If I had to buy new equipment every time there was a glitch.
EDDINGTON: Where's the core memory interface?
ROM: Oh it's right behind the spatula.
EDDINGTON: The spatula?
ROM: It's made of a copper-ytterbium composite, the perfect plasma conductor.
(Eddington scans the innards with a tricorder.)
EDDINGTON: I've found them. All five of their physical patterns are in here and they're stable.
ODO: Why here?
EDDINGTON: The holosuite is specifically designed to store highly complex energy patterns. The computer's processing their physical patterns as if they were holosuite characters. Trouble is, I'm not reading any neural energy.
ROM: Neural energy has to be stored at the quantum level. The holosuite can't handle that.
ODO: So if their physical bodies are stored here, where are their brain patterns?
QUARK: Everywhere else. Their brain patterns are so large that they're taking up every bit of computer memory on the station. Replicator memory, weapons, life supports.
ODO: He may be right. So what do we do about it? How do we get them back?
[Holosuite - Paris nightclub]
(The joint is jumping with go-go dancers in cages.)
BASHIR: I'd like to see Doctor Noah. I have an invitation.
(The flunky goes behind the decorative glass window - as previously broken - then gestures for them to come over. A large figure in a white jacket is playing baccarat.)
WORF: May I see your invitation?
BASHIR: Doctor Noah?
WORF: I am Duchamps. I am Doctor Noah's associate.
BASHIR: May I?
(Bashir joins the game.)
BASHIR: My name's Merriweather. Patrick Merriweather. And this is my wife Anastasia. And my friend Mister Garak.
(Worf kisses Kira's hand.)
WORF: Charmed. Your invitation, Mister Merriweather?
BASHIR: I don't have one.
WORF: The Doctor does not like unexpected guests.
KIRA: I believe Doctor Noah would be very interested in meeting my husband. He's one of the leading geologists in the world.
WORF: Now why would that interest Doctor Noah?
GARAK: We believe he's taken quite an interest in the sciences. After all, he has invited several of the world's top scientists to this club. Isn't that true?
BASHIR: I must say I feel a little insulted by being left out of such an illustrious group.
WORF: How unfortunate. Of course, a meeting still can be arranged. For a price.
BASHIR: Oh?
WORF: Five million francs.
BASHIR: No problem.
(Bashir puts a note on the table.)
WORF: I do not understand. Where's the rest of your money?
BASHIR: Right in front of you. Shall we begin?
[Ops]
ODO: A Cardassian separatist group calling themselves The True Way has claimed responsibility for sabotaging the runabout.
EDDINGTON: Ever heard of them before?
ODO: They're opposed to the peace treaty, they blame the Federation for Cardassia's economic and political troubles, et cetera, et cetera. Until now, they've never committed any terrorist action to support their beliefs. What have you found?
EDDINGTON: From what we can tell, Quark was right. The computer has stored the neural energy patterns of everyone on the runabout throughout the entire station.
QUARK: Don't everyone thank me at once.
ROM: What we need to do is re-integrate their neural patterns with their physical patterns from the holosuite and rematerialise them.
EDDINGTON: I say we use the Defiant. Its power systems and computers are independent of the station and it has its own transporter.
ROM: Sounds good. Except
EDDINGTON: Except what?
ROM: Well, my equipment isn't designed to interface with Starfleet systems. I may have to make some modifications.
[Holosuite - Paris nightclub]
(There is a big pile of money on the table, and Bashir is holding five.)
BASHIR: Card.
(It's a four.)
BASHIR: Nine. Five million francs.
WORF: You're quite a baccarat player, Mister Merriweather.
BASHIR: Baccarat and geology are my life. Now then, Mister Duchamps, I believe we've met your conditions.
(Worf takes a red banded cigar from his case.)
BASHIR: When do we leave?
WORF: Right now.
(And blows a powder into their faces. They all pass out)
[Holosuite - Sitting room]
(A fire in the grate, a bejewelled brass vase and snowcapped mountains visible through the picture windows.)
KIRA: что случилось? (Shto chort sloo-chee-luhs?)
GARAK: Another decorator's nightmare. This era has a distinct lack of taste.
BASHIR: Where are we?
SISKO: Welcome to Paradise, Mister Merriweather. I believe you've been looking for me. My name is Hippocrates Noah.
(After the break, handing round cigars - Kira takes one)
SISKO: Mister Merriweather, I understand your field is geology.
BASHIR: That's right.
SISKO: Then I'm sure you can appreciate these stones in my most recent acquisition.
(The vase on the table.)
BASHIR: A most striking display of rubies, tourmaline, sapphire, topaz. Judging by the high chromium content in the rubies, I'd say they come from the hydrothermal deposits on the Tibetan plateau. Which isn't surprising, considering we're on the south eastern slope of Mount Everest at about twenty two thousand feet, I should say.
SISKO: Twenty five actually.
BASHIR: You must not get many tourists.
SISKO: My guests and I place a premium on our privacy. We don't want any unwelcomed guests, such as men sent by governments who disagree with my political philosophy.
KIRA: And what is your philosophy? Are you some kind of anarchist?
SISKO: Quite the opposite. I believe in an orderly world. A far cry from the chaos we find ourselves in today. We are building a new future here. A new beginning for mankind. A new chapter in human history will open right here on my island.
BASHIR: Island?
SISKO: Forgive me. Sometimes I do get ahead of myself. Allow me to explain.
(Sisko pushes a button and the oak-panelled wall raises to reveal a control centre with an illuminated world map on the wall.)
DAX: We're almost ready. I've programmed the laser sequence and I'm making some last minute adjustments to a South American Site.
SISKO: I do have every confidence in you, my dear.
KIRA: She's working with him.
SISKO: You see, Mister Merriweather, I intend not only to create a new future, I intend to create a new world. At each one of these points, I have hidden a new form of laser. One that can penetrate the Earth's crust down into the mantle itself.
BASHIR: The global earthquakes.
SISKO: Those were only tests. Soon I will activate all of these lasers together, and when I do, they will produce worldwide earthquakes the likes of which we have never been felt before.
GARAK: Killing everyone on the planet.
SISKO: More than that. There comes a time when a house has been so damaged by termites that you must not only kill the termites but demolish the house and build again. The quakes are only a minor side effect. The real goal of this project is to have these lasers of mine produce massive fissures in the Earth's crust, releasing millions of tons of molten lava. Now, Mister Merriweather, you're the geologist. Tell me what happens next.
BASHIR: Once that much lava is released, the tectonic plates would begin to settle.
SISKO: And the surface of the planet will shrink, just like letting air out of a balloon.
KIRA: But if the surface of the Earth shrinks, the oceans
BASHIR: Will cover the Earth. Diabolical.
SISKO: Visionary. I am going to let mankind begin anew, here on this island paradise, the only place that will remain above water on my brave new world. And that is why I have gathered the finest minds, the very best that mankind has to offer. We will repopulate and start a new human race. Pity you won't be able to join us.
BASHIR: Are you revoking my invitation?
SISKO: I intend to do more than that, Mister Bashir. Not only have I brought the greatest minds to my mountain retreat, but I have also hired the greatest protection that money can buy. I believe you already know my newest employee.
(It's O'Brien as Falcon of course.)
[Defiant transporter room]
(There are cables running into here.)
EDDINGTON: Is all this really necessary?
ROM: It's the best I can do.
EDDINGTON: How long until we're ready to try retrieving their patterns?
ROM: I'd say another hour.
EDDINGTON: O'Brien's going to kill me when he gets back.
[Holosuite - Cavern]
(Garak and Bashir are fastened to the support struts of a laser.)
SISKO: This is one of a seventy four lasers I've deployed around the world. When I throw that switch, it'll begin a five minute countdown that even I can't stop. Once the laser fires, the whole cave will be filled with molten lava.
BASHIR: Where's Colonel Komananov?
SISKO: She's a spirited individual. Young, healthy. We'll need women like her to help propagate the second human race.
(He switches on the laser and the countdown starts - 4:59 4:58 4:57)
SISKO: Try to stay cool, Mister Bashir.
(Sisko and O'Brien leave. We skip a couple of minutes. 3:44 3:43)
GARAK: So what do we do now?
BASHIR: I'm thinking.
GARAK: Think faster. I don't know if I've made this explicit to you or not, Doctor, but I really don't want to die chained to a twentieth century laser. I think it's time to end this programme.
BASHIR: We can't do that. We'd wipe out the patterns of Sisko and the others.
GARAK: Then may I suggest calling Commander Eddington and having him send someone in here to remove these handcuffs?
BASHIR: You heard what Odo said. We don't know what'll happen if we interrupt the holo-imaging array by calling for the doors. The entire programme might collapse and kill them all.
GARAK: Well I only know one thing for sure, Doctor, that when the molten lava begins pouring into this cave, you and I are going to be very uncomfortable.
(Footsteps)
GARAK: Who's that?
BASHIR: It's our ticket out of here.
(It's Dax, making some last minute checks.)
BASHIR: What a waste. That no one can see what a beautiful woman you are.
GARAK: Is that your plan?
BASHIR: Shut up. Noah only wants you for your mind. He can't appreciate the woman inside you. Honey, would you grant me one last request and take off those glasses?
(Garak groans and rolls his eyes.)
DAX: Like this?
BASHIR: You know, your hair would look so much better if it were free.
GARAK: I must say, Doctor, this is more than I ever wanted to know about your fantasy life.
(Dax unpins her bun.)
BASHIR: There. That's the last thing I want to remember before I die.
DAX: Thank you.
(Dax starts to leave, turns back and kisses Bashir passionately.)
GARAK: I'd give you both some privacy if I could.
(Dax leaves)
GARAK: Great plan. Now can we call Eddington?
BASHIR: That will not be necessary. (he unlocks his handcuffs) Honey has given me all we need.
GARAK: Kiss the girl, get the key. They never taught me that in the Obsidian Order.
(8, 7, 6)
BASHIR: Come on!
(The laser lights up.
[Holosuite - tunnel]
(Rocks fall from the roof.)
BASHIR: We have to get to the control room.
GARAK: What?
(Bashir opens the heel of his shoe and takes out part of a tiny pistol. He adds a fountain pen cap for the barrel and his garters have the ammunition.)
BASHIR: If this programme ends like the others, either Komananov or Honey Bare will be killed by Doctor Noah. The other's supposed to end up with me. In either case, we have to make sure that both of them survive.
GARAK: You expect to take on Noah and his men with that?
BASHIR: It's my fantasy. Trust me.
GARAK: No! This has gone far enough. It's time to cut our losses.
BASHIR: We can't do that. Kira or Dax might
GARAK: Yes, they might be killed, and that is unfortunate. But there comes a point when the odds are against you and the only reasonable course of action is to quit!
BASHIR: Quit?
GARAK Yes.
BASHIR: Is that what they taught you in the Obsidian Order? To give up when things get tough?
GARAK: As a matter of fact, they did. That's why I've managed to stay alive while most of my colleagues are dead. Because I know when to walk away. And that time is now. And you'd know that, Doctor, if you were a real intelligence agent.
BASHIR: Oh, so that's what this is all about. The fact that my fantasy happens to step on what you consider to be your private domain. Well what's the matter, Garak? Have I bruised your ego by play-acting at something you take so very seriously?
GARAK: That's something else you've yet to learn, Doctor. A real intelligence agent has no ego, no conscience, no remorse. Only a sense of professionalism. And mine is telling me that it's time to go. Computer!
BASHIR: Don't.
GARAK: Or what? You'll kill me?
BASHIR: If you call for the exit, you might kill Sisko and the others, and I'm not prepared to risk that.
GARAK: I'm afraid I don't believe you'll pull that trigger.
BASHIR: I wouldn't be so sure about that.
GARAK: It's time to face reality, Doctor. You're a man who dreams of being a hero because you know, deep down, that you're not. I'm no hero either, but I do know how to make a choice, and I'm choosing to save myself. Computer, show me the mechanism
(BANG! The bullet grazes Garak's neck)
BASHIR: You'll be fine. It's just a flesh wound.
GARAK: That was awfully close. What if you'd killed me?
BASHIR: What makes you think I wasn't trying?
GARAK: Doctor, I do believe there's hope for you yet.
BASHIR: I'm so relieved. Now, we have to get to the control room. Are you coming or not?
GARAK: Well, who am I to question Julian Bashir, secret agent? Lead on.
[Holosuite - Sitting room]
(O'Brien is sitting on a settee opposite handcuffed Kira. Sisko is admiring Dax's new look.)
BASHIR: Everybody stay where you are.
DAX: Julian.
(Garak tackles O'Brien and gets his gun.)
BASHIR: Your weapon, Doctor Noah.
SISKO: This is your doing. You let them go.
DAX: I'm sorry, Doctor.
(Bashir frees Kira)
KIRA: Julian, you are just in time. He was about to activate the final sequence of the lasers. Kill him, Julian.
BASHIR: Not this time, Ana.
KIRA: Well then, I will.
(Kira goes for his gun)
BASHIR: No!
KIRA: What are you doing?
WORF: Making a mistake.
(Worf's gun is at Garak's head.)
SISKO: Thank you, Mister Duchamps.
(Sisko retrieves his gun.)
EDDINGTON [OC]: Eddington to Bashir. We're going to try rematerialising their patterns in about two minutes.
BASHIR: Understood.
SISKO: What is it you understand, Mister Bashir? That you should've killed me when you had the chance? I agree. But then again, I suppose it wouldn't be very heroic. I, on the other hand, have no pretensions about the idea of being a hero.
(Sisko levels his gun at Bashir.)
BASHIR: Wait! Maybe I'm tired of being a hero. Maybe I've thought over what you said and decided that you're absolutely right.
SISKO: About what?
BASHIR: Everything. The decadence of the world, the need for order. The more I think about it, the more I realise that your way may be the only way.
SISKO: Ha!
(Sisko goes to press the big red button, then hesitates.)
SISKO: You expect me to believe that? You are Julian Bashir. A man who has spent his entire life dedicated to fighting against
BASHIR: Yes, but all that's about to end now, isn't it? You're going to destroy this world and start a new one. What's the use of me continuing to defend a doomed planet? Can you see the sense in that?
SISKO: No.
BASHIR: No. I'm an intelligence agent, and if there's any one thing I've learnt, it is that there comes a point when the odds are against you and there is no reasonable course of action but to quit. How do you think I've managed to stay alive so long when all of my compatriots are dead? It is because I have known when to walk away.
[Defiant transporter room]
ROM: Rom to Ops. I'm ready. You can start transferring the neural energy to the Defiant.
ODO [OC]: Acknowledged.
[Ops]
ODO: Beginning data transfer.
[Holosuite - Sitting room]
SISKO: You make a very interesting argument, Mister Bashir. But I'm afraid I've been looking forward to killing you for a long time.
BASHIR: You need to move beyond that. You need to start thinking about your new world order. You may even need someone like me.
(Bashir has moved near the control console)
SISKO: If you think that by going over there you are going to destroy my control console, you're wasting your time.
BASHIR: I don't intend to destroy your console, Doctor. I intend to use it.
(Bashir presses the large red button.)
DAX: You've just activated the final laser sequence.
KIRA: You've destroyed the Earth.
[Ops]
ODO: Data transfer complete. I am re-establishing computer control over the station.
(Lights up.)
[Holosuite - Sitting room]
(On Doctor Noah's map, the landmasses are shrinking.)
O'BRIEN: It's working just as you planned. You've done it, Doctor.
SISKO: Yes. But somehow, I didn't expect to win. I suppose the only thing left to do now is to kill you.
(Sisko, O'Brien, Worf, Dax and Kira are beamed out)
[Defiant transporter room]
(Sisko, O'Brien, Worf, Dax and Kira are beamed in)
SISKO: What happened, Commander?
O'BRIEN: What did you do to my ship?
EDDINGTON: It's going to take some explaining. Eddington to Bashir. We've got them, Doctor. You can leave
[Holosuite - Sitting room]
(Only Everest is above sea level on the map.)
EDDINGTON [OC]: The holosuite now.
BASHIR: Thank you.
GARAK: Interesting. You saved the day by destroying the world.
BASHIR: I bet they didn't teach you that at the Obsidian Order.
GARAK: No, no. There was a great deal they didn't teach me. Like the value of a good game of chance, or how indulging in fantasy keeps the mind creative.
BASHIR: Lunch tomorrow?
GARAK: Of course. But why don't we have it at your place, in Hong Kong. Unless, of course, this was your last mission.
BASHIR: Oh, I think it's safe to say that Julian Bashir, secret agent, will return.
2024-09-13 04:03:54 -
Pike:
Added the transcript.
