BEGIN ACT 3


FADE IN on the INSIDE OF THE OBSERVATION LOUNGE.

The doors swish open, and SISKO walks in, followed by O'BRIEN, BASHIR,
TASHA, DAX, KIRA, and ODO.

They all sit down.

SISKO: As all of you know, we have an unusually STRANGE situation on our
hands.

O'BRIEN (laughing slightly): You got THAT right.

SISKO: So, I'm going to turn this meeting over to the man that SAVED your
life, Doctor Julian Bashir. (looking at BASHIR) Doctor?

TASHA starts applauding and cheering, and then everybody else joins in.

BASHIR (smiling and nodding): Thank you, Captain. Thank you, everyone.
(looking at TASHA) All right, Tasha, to answer your question, I think we had
better start at the beginning.

TASHA nods.

BASHIR: Almost ten years ago, you were killed in the line of duty on Vagra
Two.

TASHA (shaking her head): I . . . I don't understand.

BASHIR: Tell us everything that you remember.

TASHA (thinking): Well, . . .


FADE to SCENES FROM "SKIN OF EVIL" as TASHA is describing them.

TASHA (V.O.): Counselor Deanna Troi was returning from a conference, and we
were on our way to rondevoo with her. Then we received an emergency
transmission from her Shuttlecraft. Then they crash-landed on a planet-
Vagra Two. Engineering was working on Preventative Maintenance on our
Dilithium Crystals, but had managed to restore warp drive so we could get to
the planet faster. When we got there, we couldn't determine how many life
signs were coming from the Shuttle. There appeared to be some sort of debris
covering the Shuttle. We couldn't penetrate whatever it was, so we couldn't
beam up the occupants. The planet had an atmosphere that was minimum for our
needs, so Riker assembled an Away Team: him, me, and Data. Doctor Beverly
Crusher joined us in Transporter Room 4, and we beamed down to the surface.
There . . . appeared to be some black . . . SLICK that kept . . . FOLLOWING
us, not letting us get to the Shuttle. Data scanned it with his tricorder.
No organs, no skeletal structure, cellular structure unknown, yet it was
able to THINK and MOVE, I mean, how is that POSSIBLE?! I walked one way, it
followed. I suggested we try the OTHER way, it followed us AGAIN! Then, it
rose to form some HIDEOUS shape that barely resembled a human! We tried
explaining to it that we had injured people in the Shuttlecraft that needed
medical attention, and that we believe all life has a right to exist. It
said that it was 'an interesting notion' which it did not share. It said
that we could leave then, and it wouldn't harm us. But I stepped forward,
and I said 'We are not going without our shuttle crew.' I said we wouldn't
harm it, and then I made my way towards the Shuttle.


FADE back to TASHA sitting in her chair.

TASHA: I felt something . . . HIT me . . . fr-from the SIDE . . . (shaking
her head and holding her hands out for a moment) and THAT'S ALL. The next
thing I remember is WAKING UP HERE, (shaking her head again) and THAT'S all
BLURY-like . . . the way you feel when you're HIGH.

Everyone stares at TASHA with curious looks on their faces.

TASHA looks uneasy.

TASHA: NOT . . . that I would know what that felt like, of course . . .

TASHA looks around at each of them a bit nervously.

SISKO (leaning forward and breaking the silence): Well, we're going to fill
you in on what has happened during the past ten years. (nodding) Some of it
MAY SHOCK you. I just want you to be READY for that, that's all.

TASHA (looking up, smiling, and rolling her eyes): Yeah, well, (looking back
down at SISKO) after all of THIS, EVERYTHING ELSE just seems pretty MILD by
comparison. (shaking her head) I don't know WHAT you could POSSIBLY tell me
to make me more SHOCKED than I ALREADY AM!

SISKO nods towards ODO.

ODO (looking at TASHA): Yes, um, as you were saying, . . .


FADE to SCENES FROM "SKIN OF EVIL" as ODO and the others listed below
describe them.

ODO (V.O.): . . . you felt as though something HIT you from the side. Well,
something DID. According to the report filed by Commander Riker, the being,
Armus, shot you with some kind of beam. You were thrown back by the force,
and you landed on the ground. Riker and Commander Data fired at Armus, but
it didn't do any good. In fact, it appeared to ENJOY it. Meanwhile, Doctor
Crusher ran over to where you were lying, joined by Data and Riker. Doctor
Crusher scanned you with her tricorder while Riker explained to Captain
Picard what had happened.

BASHIR (V.O.): The tricorder reading showed that you were DEAD . . .


Immediately show TASHA sitting in her chair.

TASHA (shocked, in a low voice): DEAD?!

BASHIR (pausing, then nodding): Yes, anyway, . . .


FADE back to "SKIN OF EVIL".

BASHIR (V.O.): . . . Captain Picard had you beamed back up to the ship. Once
there, Doctor Crusher had you carried to Sickbay. You were put on total
support and injected with Norep. She then tried Direct Reticular
Stimulation. She had you all the way up to 90 microvolts, but it was no use.
You were gone.


FADE back to BASHIR sitting in his chair. He's looking at TASHA, waiting for
her response.

TASHA is also staring at BASHIR, her hands folded in front of her. She
finally seperates them and holds them out in front of her and to her left
and right as she talks.

TASHA (shaking her head): So, what exactly IS it that you're trying to tell
me? I mean, everything you've told me so far says that I should be dead and
in the ground. Why am I HERE? How the hell CAN I be here if I'm DEAD?!

BASHIR (a bit impatient): You're not DEAD.

TASHA (impatient): Yes, I can SEE that, but WHY NOT?

O'BRIEN (getting up): That's what I'M going to explain.

O'BRIEN walks to the front of the room and stands to the right of a
viewscreen.

SISKO (looking at O'BRIEN): You've found out what happened on the Defiant?

O'BRIEN (nodding): Uh, yes, sir.

O'BRIEN looks at the viewscreen and turns it on. He then looks back at
SISKO and the others.

The computer graphics on the viewscreen illustrate what O'BRIEN is talking
about.

O'BRIEN: Apparently, the modifications I made to the warp engines caused
them to react negatively to the Wormhole, AND vice-versa. 




[I'll place an explanation here when I think of one]




SISKO (shaking his head) All this is FASCINATING, Chief. (nodding) Thank
you.

O'BRIEN nods.

SISKO looks around at BASHIR, TASHA, and ODO.

SISKO: And I congratulate you ALL on a very THOROUGH investigation. Now
. . . (facing TASHA) Lt. (nodding) Let's see if you can make up for lost
time, shall we? (looking briefly at ODO, then back at TASHA again) Odo will
show you to your quarters, and, from there, you can contact the Enterprise.
(short pause) Unless, . . . of course, you can't wait.

TASHA (smiling): I THINK I can contain my excitement for another half hour
. . . at the MOST.

SISKO (smiling and nodding): Very well, then. (nodding to everyone)
Dismissed.

Everyone gets up. Everyone except ODO and TASHA then leave the room.

ODO (to TASHA): If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your quarters.

TASHA shrugs, then motions with her arm towards the door.

TASHA: Lead the way.

ODO walks out of the room, and TASHA follows.


Show a CORRIDOR. TASHA is following ODO.


Show the INSIDE OF A ROOM.

The door opens. TASHA is standing on the LEFT and ODO on the right.

ODO (motioning at the inside of the room with his arm): These are your
quarters. (pointing inside) You can use the computer on the coffee table to
contact the Enterprise.

TASHA (smiling and nodding): Thanks.

ODO nods and walks away.

TASHA looks into the room, then walks in.

She goes over and sits on the couch against the wall. She turns on the
computer on the coffee table.

TASHA: Computer, contact the U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701- (pause) E.


Show the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE NCC-1701-E flying through space.


Show the MAIN BRIDGE.




[I'll add in the ENTERPRISE scene when I find out what the ship looks like.]




Show TASHA in her quarters. She waits for a moment, then turns off the
computer. She then leans back on the couch and stares up at the ceiling in
thought.

FADE OUT

END ACT 3