BEGIN ACT 6


FADE IN on THE INSIDE OF SISKO'S OFFICE. It's still empty.

SISKO and DAX are standing inside, facing each other, with DAX closer to the
door.

SISKO paces while talking to DAX.

SISKO: So you believe that Lt. Yar is unhappy here?

DAX: Well, it's not exactly that she's unhappy being HERE. It's more like
(short pause) she's UPSET with the decision she made.

SISKO had stopped pacing while DAX was talking, and is now facing her,
standing still.

SISKO (nodding): That's UNDERSTANDABLE. The question IS (holding out his
hands and shaking his head) what can WE do about it?

DAX thinks for a moment, then shrugs.

DAX: I dunno! Maybe, give her a PROMOTION.

SISKO (shaking his head): For WHAT? Just to CHEER HER UP?

DAX looks down and to her right.

She finally looks back up after some thought.

DAX: Then give her something to do . . . at LEAST until the Enterprise
arrives.

SISKO thinks for a moment, then he raises his left index finger.

SISKO: I got just the thing. (taps his comm badge) Sisko to Lt. Yar.

TASHA (over the comm): Yar here.

SISKO: Will you please report to my office, Lt.?

TASHA (over the comm): Yes, sir. On my way.

DAX: What do you have in mind?

SISKO (smiling): You'll see.

The doors swish open and TASHA walks in.

TASHA: You asked to see me, sir?

TASHA stops short and looks at the empty room. The doors close.

TASHA (sarcastically, while still in disbelief): Great office!

SISKO: Lt., how long until the Enterprise arrives?

TASHA: Uh, about five hours, sir. Why?

SISKO (walking past DAX and towards TASHA): I want you to do a favor for me,
Lt.

TASHA (shrugging): Name it.

SISKO: There's a cargo of Klingon spices that needs to be delivered to
Bajor. I want you to take a runabout and deliver them.

TASHA (confused): A runaWHAT?

SISKO: A runabout. It's a small ship, larger than a shuttle, capable of warp
speed.

TASHA (nodding): Ohhhhhh.

SISKO (looking briefly at DAX, then back at TASHA): Commander Dax will be
joining you.

DAX looks at TASHA and smiles.

TASHA (smiling and nodding): All right. (motioning at the doors with her
head) C'mon.

DAX goes over to TASHA and follows her towards the doors.

DAX and TASHA walk out of the room.

SISKO watches the doors close, thinking.


Show QUARK'S BAR.

KIRA is sitting at a table drinking a root beer.

TASHA and DAX walk by.

TASHA (smiling): Hey, Kira!

KIRA (looking up at them and smiling): Hey! (motioning at the table) Have a
seat!

TASHA: Thanks.

TASHA and DAX sit down.

KIRA: So, . . . what have YOU TWO been doin'?

TASHA: Actually, the Captain wants us to deliver some cargo to Bajor, so we
gotta get to one of those runawhatsits.

DAX (looking at TASHA): Runabout.

TASHA and DAX both look at KIRA when she speaks.

KIRA (shaking her head): Oh, sorry, the last one's checked out two hours
ago.

DAX (looking at TASHA again): We'll have to take the Defiant.

TASHA (nodding): All right, let's go ask Chief O'Brien.

As TASHA finishes speaking that last sentence, CHIEF O'BRIEN walks by,
carrying a drink.

O'BRIEN: Ask me what?

DAX, TASHA, and KIRA look up at O'BRIEN.

TASHA: Oh, we were wondering if we could use the Defiant to deliver some
cargo?

O'BRIEN (shrugging): Sure.

TASHA (smiling, getting up with DAX): Thanks.

TASHA and DAX walk over to a turbolift and get in.

TASHA: Defiant.

The turbolift goes down.


Show the DEFIANT connected to the side of DEEP SPACE NINE.


Show the BRIDGE of the DEFIANT.

DAX and TASHA walk onto the Bridge.

They go over and sit down. TASHA sits a O'BRIEN'S usual station, and DAX
sits to TASHA'S RIGHT.

DAX (pressing some buttons on her console): Initiating launch sequence.


Show the DEFIANT leaving DEEP SPACE NINE and flying off.


DAX sets the course, then turns to look at TASHA.

DAX (smiling): So . . .

TASHA looks at her.

DAX: Tell me about yourself. I mean, . . . well, . . . it's not EVERYDAY
I get to talk to someone that's been raised from the dead.

TASHA looks back at her console for a moment.

TASHA: Don't remind me.

DAX sees that TASHA is uncomfortable with the subject, so she changes it.

DAX (smiling): You should've seen your funeral. I found a recording of it
and watched it. It was UNBELIEVABLE!

TASHA was touched.

TASHA (smiling): Really?

DAX: Yeah! The ENTIRE Enterprise crew was there.

TASHA (surprised): The WHOLE CREW?

DAX: Uh-huh, and Captain Picard even gave a speech in your honor.
Completely unrehearsed, (shaking her head and smiling even more) but
BEAUTIFUL!

TASHA (smiling): I wanna see that when we get back.

DAX: I must've watched the entire thing six times! You're buried in San
Francisco.

TASHA (shaking her head): That not ME. It's some . . . CLONE, not ME.

DAX (lowering her head): Yeah, well, . . . just be glad you're HERE instead
of THERE.

TASHA looks straight forward into space, then shakes her head.

TASHA: Damn Romulans. I don't know whether to thank them or hurt them. They
saved my life, NO DOUBT for their own personal gain, and then they had the
NERVE to age me ten years! They took away ten years of my life! Ten years -

DAX: - that you COULD'VE spent in the GROUND!

TASHA looks at DAX. That comment had set her straight.

DAX: Tasha, you have GOT to learn to control your TEMPER! I've been reading
reports on you, and it's been noted at least a DOZEN times that you tend to
. . . lose control.

DAX quickly tries to pull some examples from memory.

DAX: The Farpoint Mission - twice! A snap at Q once when he wanted to play
some kind of "game" with the Bridge crew. And then . . . on Vagra II.

TASHA (shaking her head, speaking calmly): I did NOT lose my temper on that
Away Mission. I simply . . . spoke when I should've kept my mouth shut.

DAX (calmer, with some sorrow): Listen, Tasha, I'm sorry I came down so hard
on you.

TASHA holds her left hand out, signaling for DAX to stop.

TASHA (shaking her head): No, Dax, I deserve it. (puts down her hand) Now
we're even.

DAX smiles.

TASHA: Dax, let me ask you a question. Why did Captain Sisko ask me to do
this?

DAX: Because . . . I told him what I observed about your behavior and -

TASHA: - and HE wanted to make me feel useful, is THAT it?

DAX waits a few moments before answering.

DAX: Yeah. Listen, Tasha, I'm sorry. It's was none of my business.

TASHA (shaking her head and smiling): No, Dax, it's ALL RIGHT. (looking at
DAX) I appreciate your thoughtfulness. (nodding) And it DOES make me feel
BETTER, even now that I know. (pause) Thanks.

DAX (nodding and smiling): Anytime.

DAX and TASHA smile at each other for a while.

Suddenly, the ship shakes when it is hit.

DAX and TASHA are taken by surprise.

They immediately check their consoles and press buttons.

DAX (looking at TASHA): Report!

TASHA reads her console the looks up at DAX.

TASHA: One Romulan Warbird.

DAX looks at TASHA for a moment, then they both look at the viewscreen.


Show a ROMULAN WARBIRD flying towards the DEFIANT.

FADE OUT

END ACT 6