star trek: renaissance teleplay by rob jelley · 2015. 9. 29. · renaissance: "dead and...

STAR TREK: RENAISSANCE

"Dead and Buried"

Story by Rob Jelley & James Sampson

Teleplay by Rob Jelley

This teleplay is originally from www.startrekrenaissance.com "Star Trek" and related names are registered trademarks of Paramount Pictures, Inc. This original work of fiction is written solely for non-profit purposes. Copyright 2002 by The Renaissance Group All rights reserved

For the Heroes. One year on...

RENAISSANCE: "Dead and Buried" - TEASER 1.

TEASER

FADE IN:

EXT. SPACE

Total darkness. Until we hear the rumbling of drums and acatchy theme tune when the screen shows an image of the Earthslowly rotating from orbit which ever so coolly morphs intothe seal of the United Federation of Planets seal. Underthe seal the words NEWS BULLETIN appear.

NEWS PRESENTER 1Tonight on the Federation NewsService, the continuing Coularcontroversy -- just what exactly ishappening?

NEWS PRESENTER 2And in local news, why it's going tobe fun, fun, fun on Vulcan thisFriday!

INT. NEWS ROOM

The first news presenter we heard speaking sits on a chair,with the same view of the rotating Earth in the background,he smiles, looking straight into the camera and:

NEWS PRESENTER 1Good evening, and welcome to theFederation News Service.

He turns to face another camera.

NEWS PRESENTER 1 (CONT'D)Another development hit the Coularinquiry today, when it was revealedthat Captain Neil Cross, one of thekey figures of the attack on Coularthree, more then two weeks ago, ismissing. The inquest into the attack,which was due to begin three daysago, has been postponed for one weekin order for Cross to be found. However, today it was revealed thatCross may have fled the planet. Julia Adams, who's been followingthe Coular story from the beginning,today talked to Starfleet's AdmiralDelfune.

INT. STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS -- DELFUNE'S OFFICE

A woman in her mid-twenties enters the office and shakesDELFUNE'S hand, who's stood at her desk, smiling.


She indicates a chair that has been placed in position forthe reporter and the reporter sits down.

We cut to a typical interview edit, the camera in on Delfune,followed by the questions and reaction from the reporter andso on.

JULIAAdmiral, the attack on Coular IIIhappened almost three weeks ago now,and the general consensus is thatStarfleet is beginning to drag thehearing out.

DELFUNEWe are aware of the time factors,yes, but the hearing will go aheadin seven days, whether Captain Crossis present or not.

JULIADo you know anything on thewhereabouts of Captain Cross?

DELFUNEWe're having a great difficultytracking the captain down, but we doexpect him to be present when thehearing recommences on Monday.

JULIAWhat would you expect to have happenedby the end of the hearing?

DELFUNECaptain Cross, and most of his seniorstaff, has been put on trial fordisobeying orders and most of themmay walk away with a reprimand, butI'd be lying if I said that I thoughtCaptain Cross would get off with thesame.

JULIACan you say anything more specific,Admiral?

DELFUNECaptain Cross holds a high andimportant rank in Starfleet, onethat relies on him following ourorders.

Julia NODS and looks up at Delfune, bracing herself for herfinal question...


JULIAAdmiral, with rumors of the Enterprisebeing put in permanent dry dock andscandal rocking Starfleet Command,has the Federation ever faced such achallenge within its own hierarchy?

As the camera slowly zooms in on Delfune we...

FADE OUT.

END OF TEASER

RENAISSANCE: "Dead and Buried" - ACT ONE 4.

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. SPACE

The shuttle Talora, Dojar and Quinlan were in at the end ofthe last episode.

INT. SHUTTLE

The three are still slightly in shock from the revelation atthe end of the last episode that the Enterprise is to bedestroyed...

QUINLANSo what now?

DOJARWe should go back to StarfleetCommand... tell them what we know. Someone back there will listen tous.

TALORABy now they should have realizedthat it was us who were on theEnterprise, I very much doubt thatthey would be pleased to see us.

QUINLANStarfleet knows what's going on,Dojar; we'll be right back where westarted.

DOJARWhat else do we have to go on?

TALORAVery little. The coordinates we foundon the Enterprise, and continuingreferences to the word Janus.

QUINLANAnd we know that the Enterprise'sfiles regarding Coular have beenwiped.

TALORAUnfortunately, the only thing thattells us is that someone wantssomething regarding the Coular attackcovered up, and we have no clue whatthe word Janus means -- or indeed,if it means anything.

(MORE)


TALORA (CONT'D)The coordinates are the only pieceof information that we have of anyvalue. The obvious option is toproceed to that location.

QUINLANStarfleet knows what ship we'reflying...

DOJARAnd they probably know that we havethe coordinates as well...

TALORAThen we find another ship and dealwith Starfleet if and when we comein contact with them.

QUINLANEasier said then done. How manypeople do you think are out lookingfor who boarded the Enterprise rightnow?

Talora looks at her for a while, before turning to look at amonitor next to her and hitting some controls.

TALORA(to Quinlan)

Take us to the edge of the system.

Quinlan complies.

TALORA (CONT'D)(looks at console)

There are twenty-seven merchant shipsin Earth orbit, six of which havewarp eight or above.

DOJAR(smiles)

We may be able to get passage on oneof them.

TALORAAs much as some people would like tosay otherwise, many merchant shipsdo not obey Federation law.

QUINLANSo what do we do? Sit on the moonwith our thumbs up and hope that aship picks us up and doesn't turn usover to Starfleet?


TALORAWe have a full database at ourdisposal. I suggest that we makeuse of it.

Dojar eyes Quinlan ironically, before turning around andcalling something up on a monitor of his own.

DOJAR(reading off monitor)

Merchant ship Raven... track record,one arrest for smuggling...

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE

The Klingon ship from the previous episode glides past thescreen. If this had been almost any other ship it would bea stunning shot... unfortunately, like most things Klingon,it manages to take the beauty away as soon as it creeps intoview.

INT. KLINGON CRUISER -- BRIG

Cross remains how and where he was at the end of the previousepisode -- curled up in a corner, bruises covering his body,with his head down. The bruises from where he was attackedin the last episode have become more pronounced, but as faras we can tell he's otherwise unharmed.

We hear the doors at the opposite side of the room slideopen before we hear footsteps approaching us. The cameratilts upwards to reveal the Klingon we saw earlier standingnext to his comatose wife. He takes a while to look at Cross,giving him a look of hatred, but sympathy as well.

GALLAMMYou're looking well, Human. Quitean achievement considering that you'vebeen on a Klingon warship for thebetter part of two days.

Cross doesn't reply.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)I was really hoping that you'd saysomething.

Still nothing.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)I won't give you a chance later.

Cross looks up at the Klingon ironically.


CROSSThis all you've got to throw at me?

Gallamm cocks his head and shrugs Cross's comment off. Itmeans nothing to him.

GALLAMMStand up.

Cross remains curled up in the corner, but he begins to lookdown at the floor rather then up at the Klingon.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)(shouts)

Stand up!

Cross sighs before looking up at Gallamm once more and slowlylifting up off the floor and looking Gallamm square in theeyes, even though he's considerably smaller then the below-average Klingon.

Gallamm walks to the center of the room and indicates forCross to go and stand there, which he does, before he himselfrecedes to the side of the room, and begins to walk aroundCross.

Cross does not turn with Gallamm, and at key points duringthe conversation Gallamm should stop and stare at Cross,whether he's behind him, at the front of him or to his side --it doesn't matter.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)I'm going to tell you something thatmay surprise you, prisoner. Somethingthat's very important to my heartand to myself as a Klingon. I'm aholy man. A priest. I have neverkilled another man, or hurt onephysically, for as long as I've livedand I'm very proud of that. Timeand time again I've had peopleridicule me because of it; but that'swhat has made my faith grow evenstronger. It's made my pity forpeople like you grow even more andit makes me proud to stand up heretoday and say that I am a Klingon! For all of my life I've been proudof my heritage and never more sothen today, the day that I, a priest,have captured Neil Cross, the manwho without a second thought orderedthe destruction of an innocentcivilian bunker!


CROSS(disgustedly)

Innocen-

GALLAMMDon't interrupt me, prisoner. Iwarned you that I would not let youspeak. You have no idea how farbeneath me you are right now, andhow few civil rights you actuallyhave left.

(beat)I'm a man of deep emotion... emotionthat I draw on to praise my God, togive everything that I have to him. But over the last two weeks it'sbeen exceedingly difficult for me tokeep my emotions for worship. Iwon't bore you with the build up tothe fact that two weeks ago yourship fired upon the bunker that mywife was sheltering in. It tookfour days for the cleanup team tofind her. Only for all my lifeservice to the one that I love andworship more then any other, morethen my wife and dear son, to seemto have dissolved into nothingness,for doctors to tell me that my wifeis brain dead and that she will neverthink another thought. That shewill never speak another word withher beautiful voice again.

CROSS(interrupts -- quicklybefore Gallamm can'tstop him)

Maybe that tells you something aboutyour God?

GALLAMMYou will watch what you say, prisoner. I didn't say that I had given up onthe one that I love; nothing willmake me turn away from that. Noteven a man like you. The one thatcreated us loves us all equally,even you. Everything that happensin this life happens for a reason,sometimes reasons that are beyondyour or my comprehension.

(beat)You may feel relieved that I havetold you all but that I will not doyou any harm, but rest assured

(MORE)


GALLAMM (CONT'D)captain, that I and my God, do believeentirely in vengeance and that ifnecessary, there are forty-two veryangry, very unenlightened Klingonwarriors outside that door that wishto beat you until your entire bodyhas gone a shade of purple...

(indicates Cross'sbruises)

...as you may have already witnessed.

CROSSYou don't believe in violence so youget your friends to do it for you? Sounds like an easy way out!

GALLAMM(ignores him)

Right now, I am the only man on thisship who knows the key code to enterthis room. As long as that's ineffect no harm will come to you,physically at least. You see,captain, I do intend to damage yoursoul. I hope to make it burn in thefires of hell before we reach yourfinal destination. I hope to makeyou ache in agony every time youclose your eyes, or open your mouthto breathe.

(beat)I'm going to make you wish that youwere never born.

HOLD on Cross's bemused reaction...

CUT TO:

INT. SHUTTLE

Dojar and Talora are reading through another ship reportwhile Quinlan is busying herself keeping an eye on the sensorsand occasionally changing course. Dojar and Talora look ateach other and Dojar smiles. (It should be noted that Talora,Dojar and Quinlan are no longer wearing Starfleet uniforms,and are now in civilian gear.)

DOJARWe've got it.

TALORAA small dilithium trader, Tears ofthe Jackal, it's due to depart withinthe next thirty minutes.


DOJARI'm surprised that they're stillpermitted in the system with thenumber of black dots against theirname.

QUINLAN(smugly)

Worse than me?

DOJARIt makes you look like a travelingcircus act.

Quinlan looks a little hurt at this but tries to disguise itas best she can. She looks over at Talora for support butonly gets a raised eyebrow in return.

QUINLANShall I hail them?

TALORAI can handle it, Lieutenant.

Quinlan nods as Talora hits some keys on the shuttle'scontrols. The face that appears on the screen is instantlyrecognizable -- it is BRODY, the man that helped the Klingonsreach Earth in the previous episode.

TALORA (CONT'D)With whom do I have the pleasure ofspeaking?

Brody's working on something and not looking at the screen,he realizes that Talora is a Romulan as he turns to look ather as he completes his sentence.

BRODYI could ask you the same question...Romulan.

TALORAMy name will not mean anything toyou. All that you need to know isthat I'm willing to pay you asubstantial amount of money if youwill take me to a set of coordinates.

Brody raises an eyebrow and returns to the console, hittingsome controls.

BRODYMy scans show that you're in a prettypowerful ship yourself. What's wrongwith that?


TALORAStarfleet security is in the processof searching for our vessel. I don'tthink that we'd get very far in...

BRODYHow much do you have to stop me fromcalling them right now? I neverhave been very fond of Romulans.

At this Dojar stands up and walks behind Talora, and bendsdown so that her eye level is the same as Talora's.

DOJARYou'll do as the Romulan asks orI'll inform the Romulan governmentthat we've found the man who smuggleda test tube full of the GellidianFlu on to Romulus.

BRODYA Cardassian too, eh? This justkeeps getting better.

Dojar looks at him, very intense.

BRODY (CONT'D)I highly doubt that a Warbird wouldbe able to reach me in time.

TALORAYou may find the number of cloakedWarbirds in and around the Sol systemsurprising.

BRODYI can't see the Federation being toopleased at the prospect of a Warbirdpulling up on its front lawn. Yourpeople won't break a treaty just tofind a man like me.

TALORA(sighs)

We'll pay you.

BRODYWhat with?

Talora looks around at Quinlan and Dojar, who both lookblankly back at her, not knowing what to trade.

BRODY (CONT'D)I thought you said you had money?

A beat, Talora looks back blankly.


BRODY (CONT'D)I'd be willing to take you where youwant to go in exchange for a nightin your company, Romulan.

Talora doesn't seem too fond of the idea.

TALORANo. But I'm willing to offer youthe craft that we're currentlytraveling in.

BRODYIt's a wanted vessel.

TALORAIn some parts of the galaxy... justlike your own.

Brody pauses for a moment, considering the offer.

BRODYWhere do you want to go?

TALORAI need to know that you will allowus passage before giving you thecoordinates.

Brody nods.

BRODYI will rendezvous with your shipwithin the hour.

TALORAWe'll be ready.

BRODYTears out.

Talora turns around and looks at Quinlan.

QUINLANIt looks like you're beginning toenjoy playing pirate, Talora.

TALORA(smiles)

I think I could get used to it.


Quinlan smiles and turns back to her console as Talora turnsback to Dojar who gives an optimistic smile back.

CUT TO:

INT. STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS -- DELFUNE'S OFFICE -- NIGHT

Delfune is sat at her desk when the doors open and an INTERNenters.

INTERNLieutenant Grey to see you, Ma'am.

Delfune nods as the Intern exits and Grey enters. She remainssilent until the doors slide closed.

DELFUNEMr. Grey, I'll skip the pleasantries. The data you and your formercolleagues have obtained is none ofyour concern.

GREY(confused)

I don't know what your talking about,Admiral.

DELFUNEWe know Talora and Dojar were on theEnterprise!

GREYReally? I thought the Enterprisewas off limits?

DELFUNE(fuming)

It is!

GREYSo what were they doing there?

DELFUNE(slowly, annoyed)

We traced a communication from theEnterprise. It was sent, to somewherewithin a ten mile radius, a radiusthat encompasses your apartment.

GREYMy apartment is in a densely populatedarea, Admiral. It could have beensent to anyone, if it was even fromTalora and Dojar at all.


DELFUNENeed I remind you, Mr. Grey, that aposition as head of Starfleet Researchis at stake here...

The camera slowly closes in on Grey.

DELFUNE (CONT'D)That job is still open to you... andall of this will be forgotten. Providing, of course, that youdenounce Neil Cross at the hearingon Monday.

Grey looks at her, perhaps the bribe is tempting to him, wecan't tell from his expression. But this is Erik Grey...surely he won't be the least tempted? He turns to leave.

GREYI'll consider it.

DELFUNEReally?

The doors slide open, and as Grey walks through, withoutturning he says:

GREYGo to hell, Admiral.

The doors slide closed, leaving Delfune looking moreaggravated then ever.

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE

The Tears of the Jackal traveling through space at warp,before slowing and traveling at impulse towards a hugejunkyard. It is an amazing sight... one that we have seenbefore. Thousands of ships, or parts of ships, perhaps onesthat have been there for hundreds of years, rest peacefullyin space.

TALORA (V.O.)Personal Log, Stardate 79056.1. After almost a day of travel aboardTears of the Jackal, we are about toarrive at the set of coordinateswhich we have found belongs to apoint within the Hellion Expanse, anarea of space which Quinlan and Dojarhave visited once before...


INT. TEARS OF THE JACKAL -- COCKPIT

Quinlan and Dojar in mid flow of reminding Talora what theywere up to here before. They're sitting away from Brody(who sits in the forward pilot's seat), speaking in hushedtones.

QUINLAN...and this is where the Q'tamibrought him.

DOJAROnly after doing considerable damageto the Enterprise.

TALORAIt was only four months ago, Dojar,I remember.

DOJAR(half joking)

Time passes so slowly...

TALORAWhere exactly did you find Y'lan?

DOJAROn a fleet of dumped Cardassianwarships.

QUINLANI don't think the ships are wherethey were the last time we were here.

DOJARThey've been moved?

QUINLANLooks that way, Sherlock.

Dojar raises an eyebrow.

DOJARMaybe someone's doing some springcleaning?

Quinlan gives a half smile.

TALORAHow far are we from the coordinates?

BRODY(calls to Brody)

Another four or five minutes at thisspeed...

Talora opens her mouth to speak...


BRODY (CONT'D)But we can't risk using anythingmore than thrusters with all this...

(indicates ships)junk flying around. It's too erratic.

Talora sits back and turns to look at Quinlan, who nods,confirming what Brody has told them.

EXT. SPACE

The Tears of the Jackal heading further and further in tothe gigantic junkyard.


Same as before.

DOJARWe're within viewing range of thecoordinates. I'm detecting multipleships...

Dojar seems to be holding something back as the screenflickers to life and as what we are seeing begins to sinkin, Dojar finishes his sentence.

DOJAR (CONT'D)They're Reformist.

The camera closes in on our three officers before we cutback to the viewscreen, were we see some heavily battered,battle scarred Reformist ships looming closer and closer...

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT ONE

RENAISSANCE: "Dead and Buried" - ACT TWO 17.

ACT TWO

FADE IN:


Continuous action from the end of Act One.

TALORALife signs, Dojar?

Dojar remains silent for a second, just staring at theReformist ships on the viewscreen, before looking down atthe sensor read outs before having to be told to do so.

DOJARIt's hard to tell...

(looks up)There's a lot of radiation beingemitted.

QUINLANCare to hazard a guess?

DOJARI don't think that there's any morethan one or two, throughout all eightships.

TALORAIs there an atmosphere?

DOJARThere's only one ship with a fullatmosphere left intact, the resthave entire sections blown out intospace or are filled with toxic gases.

TALORAShields?

DOJARWe can beam aboard.

TALORAVery we...

BRODY(interrupts)

Now you hold on one damn minute! Those are Klingon Reformist ships! I said I'd take you to yourcoordinates, but stick around whileyou poke your noses around? I don'tthink so!


TALORAMr. Brody...

She very slyly nods at Quinlan, who begins to approach Brodyfrom behind.

TALORA (CONT'D)As much as we appreciate everythingwhat you've done for us thus far...

She gives Quinlan a far more obvious nod, but it's too latefor Brody... she's pulled his arm behind his back and twistedit so far it's on the verge of breaking.

TALORA (CONT'D)If you even think about moving, I'llhave Miss Quinlan here break everybone in your body.

Brody reluctantly nods, as much as he'd probably hate toadmit it he really doesn't have much of a choice in thematter. Talora reaches into a pack that she has and pullsout a small pentagon-shaped device that lights up and beginsto glow when she slaps it on to the navigation console.

TALORA (CONT'D)This is an self-destruct mechanism.

(she places it on theconsole)

It hooks into your sensor array,navigational controls and warp core. If it detects even the slightestadjustment in course... it willinstruct your warp core to overload.

BRODYBut... but what about the debris? If that hits me I'll...

TALORA(interrupts)

You'll almost certainly be dead, andif your shields are anything likeyour piloting skills...

(she pauses)You'll just have to hope that nothingheads in your direction.

BRODYYou're a liar!

TALORAI am?

QUINLANTrust me; really she isn't.


She raises her eyebrows in complete seriousness at him. Brody puts his hand on the device, apparently preparing topull it off.

TALORAIt's also tamper proof. Any personwho tries to remove it other thanwith my DNA will also trigger thewarp core overload.

Brody lets out a loud audible sigh and sits back down in thepilots chair, apparently making himself comfortable, thoughhe still looks very uncomfortable with the situation he'sin.

TALORA (CONT'D)We'll be back within the hour.

(indicates Dojar andQuinlan)

Suit up.

Dojar opens a BAG that he's been carrying and pulls out THREEPHASER RIFLES and some HEAD GEAR. (Note that they should beusing a NEW phaser rifle design that we haven't seen before.)

TALORA (CONT'D)The Marine's new weapon? Dojar,you've outdone yourself.

He smiles before beating the weapon against his chest, as ifhe is beating his heart with it before throwing it to Talora.

DOJARProud to be of service.

He picks another out for Quinlan and another for himselfbefore they walk on to the transporter pads. They attachtheir head pieces, load up their rifles and then in turnDojar and Quinlan nod at Talora.

TALORAEne...

BRODY(shouts)

Wait!

Talora, Dojar and Quinlan look up.

BRODY (CONT'D)What if you're killed? How will Iget out of this... thing?

QUINLANThe Expanse?

Brody nods.


QUINLAN (CONT'D)You won't.

Brody's face turns pale.

TALORAEnergize.

Dojar smiles as they beam out, as Brody changes his facadecompletely, and pulls a tricorder out and walks up to thedevice Talora put on the navigational console.

BRODY(to himself andmonotonously)

Well, aren't you in for a surprise...

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE

The Klingon ship we saw Cross on earlier flying through spaceat warp.


The scene has changed slightly since the last time that wewere here. Cross is now stood at the back of the room, andGallamm has receded into a darkened corner, allowing us onlyto see the outline of the side of his face, his Klingon ridgeslooking even more threatening, his face looking more angeredthen ever. He's holding a PADD, reading off it.

GALLAMMStardate 78987. The FederationStarfleet launches a retaliatorystrike against the Klingon Reformistmovement after the Reformistsdestroyed one of Starfleet'sstarbases. An attack wing, includingthe U.S.S. Enterprise, commanded byone Captain Neil Cross, providesmassive damage to the Klingon colonyof Coular III.

He looks up from the PADD and continues from his ownperspective.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)Included in the casualties are sixty-six innocent Klingon civilians. Indeed, the entire colony of Coularwas innocent. Granted, there was astarbase in orbit of the planet, butit was of no strategic interest.

(MORE)


GALLAMM (CONT'D)(beat)

Tell me, Captain, why did Starfleetdecide to attack Coular?

CROSSIt was where the Reformist fleetthat attacked our starbase originatedfrom.

GALLAMMLies.

CROSSYou'd be surprised.

GALLAMMNo fleet left here to attack yourstarbase, we knew nothing of it untilit was on the news bulletin!

CROSSWe have evidence.

GALLAMM(smirks)

No fleet left Coular to attack yourstarbase, prisoner. I give you myword.

Cross raises an eyebrow at this.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)Believe what you will.

He lowers the PADD and turns to look at Cross, stillcompletely covered by the shadows.

CROSSEither way we still had the right toattack your Reformist colony.

GALLAMM(shouts)

What right was that?

CROSS(shouts)

The right you had to attack aStarfleet starbase with the finestdamn officer I've ever met on board!

Gallamm nods, calms himself -- no longer shouting.

GALLAMMSo yours was a mission of revenge.


CROSSWe'd done nothing to provoke thatattack.

(beat)There were civilians on the starbasetoo.

GALLAMM(looks up)

Name them.

CROSSWhat?

GALLAMMWhat were there names?

CROSSI... I don't know their names. Iknow that my friend's wife... one ofhis children were on board...

GALLAMMYou claim it was a mission ofvengeance yet you did not even knowthe names of those you were avenging? You disgust me!

CROSSAnd you know the name of everycivilian who died on Coular?

He smiles -- he's got Cross where he wanted him. Over thecourse of Gallamm's dialogue we close on Cross, and we see aslight hint of emotion appear on his face, though he is tryingto disguise it.

GALLAMMAnd more. Jur'oq, aged twenty-two. An architect. He was so excitedthat one of his dreams was about tobe realized. A city planner fromKronos had licensed one of his designsand it is to be built as a centralmerchant's annex. Certainly anachievement to be proud of. He threwa party for every one of us in thevillage that night. His mate madethe best gagh that I have ever tasted,his children had organized Com'antaghsthe like of which none of us hadever seen before!

(beat)Aronz, aged sixteen.

(MORE)


GALLAMM (CONT'D)His father was teaching him to becomehis successor, only five weeks agohe was learning how to plow a field,to analyze which crops needed morefertilizer then others. He'd justfallen in love. For the first time. Something that many other childrenhad ridiculed him about. She hadonly been on a passing cargo ship tothe homeworld, but there was noseparating the two while she washere. She was indeed beautiful, andyesterday he was due to take a shuttleto meet her out by a nebula.

(beat)Sixteen years old! How can you livewith yourself knowing that you'vedisrupted and taken such a younglife? One that was showing so muchpotential and love for life? Thesepeople were innocent!

CROSSThen why didn't your God protectthem? I've never been one to insultother peoples' gods, but one thingthat's always struck me as soprofoundly stupid is that if a Godis indeed real and loves everyone ofus equally, like you claim yoursdoes, then why do they punish us? Why do they hurt us? Is it becausethey have no real control over usand that we do live our own lives,or just that they don't love us? That they don't care about ourexistence and that we're just jesters,amusing them with our antics, withour conceptions of love and hatred. Of humor and anger. Of vengeanceand reconciliation.

(beat)My life, it's been so damn hard forme... and I've haven't had controlover every aspect of it. My familywere killed in the Dominion War andas soon as I got out of that camp Igrabbed a phaser and I shot thebastards. I shot them I could findand it felt so good it wasunbelievable. I felt something gothrough me when I did it and I'venever felt so relieved, so injectedwith power then I did in that moment. And I felt some of that when I firedon your colony.


There is a beat. They look at each other.

CROSS (CONT'D)(shouts)

You killed my best friend, damn it!

Another long pause. Gallamm slowly walks out of the shadows,heading towards Cross.

GALLAMM(solemnly)

Murtor, aged thirty seven. She hadjust given birth to her husband'sfirst child. Only seven monthsearlier she'd lost her father andhad lost all reason to live. Shelost her perspective on life andfound no reason to live in it anymore she did not want to play a meaninglessgame that would eventually end andthat she too would dissolve intonothingness.

(beat)I taught her what it meant to liveagain. To feel the joys of lifesurging through her and to lookforward to the day that our God wouldsee fit to release her from thisriver of pain and into a sea filledwith joy and happiness.

His expression becomes pained, his demeanor one of agony.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)You killed my wife. You left mysoul hanging stranded, with a childwho will grow up never knowing whohis mother was. Never knowing thesound of her voice or the feeling ofhaving been embraced in her arms.

He grimaces, unable to control his emotions. His face turnsfrom one of complete and utter despair to one of completeand utter hatred.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)(shouts)

You killed yourself!

And with that Gallamm strikes Cross across the face.

At this point we descend into a blurred SLOW MOTION, as wewatch Cross being knocked back against the wall and to thefloor from Gallam's perspective. We hear shallow breathingand a raised heart beat as he looks down at the hand he struckCross with, at the hand that has broken a life long promiseto himself.


We cut to Cross's point of view, looking up at Gallamm,looking at his hand. Tears roll down his eyes.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)(softly)

You killed yourself...

With that he turns and exits, leaving Cross on the floor,thinking about God's, friends and life...

CUT TO:

INT. REFORMIST SHIP -- CORRIDOR

A dark, empty Klingon corridor. The only source of light iscoming from a faded red alert klaxon, that has grown dimmerand dimmer in time. The only way that anyone would be ableto recognize this as a Klingon ship would be from the fivedead bodies strewn across the camera shot, as Talora, Dojarand Quinlan beam in.

They look around, the usual post transport surroundingsfamiliarization, before the smell of decaying flesh beginsto take hold of them, overwhelming them, as all three beginto balk, having to hold their hands to their mouths.

Quinlan is the first to see the Klingon corpses and pointsthem out to Dojar and Talora.

QUINLANThese smell like they've been deadfor weeks!

Talora checks her tricorder.

TALORAThey have. According to this, thesemen were killed more than four weeksago.

DOJARFour weeks? What did they die from?

TALORAMultiple causes. Some died fromphaser fire, others from blood loss,suffocation... damage to the spinalchord.

QUINLANHow many are there?

TALORAI'm detecting twenty on this deck...and another twenty spread throughoutthe ship.


DOJARBut why do the coordinates lead here? What relevance does this have to theEnterprise... or Janus?

TALORAPerhaps the one life sign remainingon the ship will provide us with anexplanation?

Quinlan looks doubtful, as though she's already made hermind up about something.

QUINLANWhere is he?

TALORAThe sickbay. The majority of thecorpses where left there.

QUINLANGreat.

Talora and Quinlan begin to head off down the corridor, whileDojar stands alone over the five corpses.

DOJARIf it wasn't for us they'd neverhave been found...

Quinlan stops and turns around.

QUINLANDojar, they're Reformists!

DOJARAnd I'm a Cardassian! A lot of peoplewould have said the same about menot so many years ago. They're peopletoo and if they died a death likethis they certainly don't deserve tobe left to rot in a glorified garbageyard!

Quinlan looks a little shocked at Dojar's sudden outburst.

QUINLANI'm sorry...

Dojar looks down at his feet, a strange expression overcominghis face. By this point Talora has also stopped, but she isnot looking back at Dojar and Quinlan so much as lookingstraight ahead at the corridor in front of her.

TALORAWe'll inform the relevant peoplewhen we get back, Dojar.


Dojar remains silent, and begins to walk along with them.


Talora, Dojar and Quinlan round a corner and Talora indicatesa door to Dojar and Quinlan. The two raise their phaserrifles as Talora steps forward and hits the control to openthe door. The doors part and as they do so, a pink liquidbegins to flow out from in between the doors and slowly beginsto spill out into the corridor. It's Klingon blood. Dojarwinces at the sight, as Talora and Quinlan look up into thesickbay itself as a mixture of shock and disgust fills theirfaces...

INT. REFORMIST SHIP -- SICKBAY -- CONTINUOUS

It's a room of total death, of total carnage. It'sdisgusting. Klingons lay out on beds with eyes open, deathhasn't taken away the look of pain and fear in them as thecamera pans down to reveal huge wounds made across theirchests and stomachs from their own daggers, which still remainwhere they cut into their owner last. These wounds lookserious, but not serious enough to kill straight away --they've bled to death. We see restraints which have heldthese Klingons in place.

Other Klingons headless bodies lie on the floor, not farfrom where their heads rest, a bat'leth close by. Yet morehave been killed by phaser blasts, perhaps the most lenientway to go from what we have seen so far. Others hang from anoose in mid-air, apparently made from their own hair as thehair on their head has been removed -- scalped.

Finally, another lies on a table, blood seeping from hismouth that is still slightly open. We can see that all ofthis man's teeth have been removed, and not in thecomparatively gentle dentist-like fashion.

QUINLANThis must be why the oxygen was lefton; they killed all the others quicklyand had some fun with the crew ofthe final ship...

DOJARIt's sick.

We cut to one of the Klingons, lying face up as it's menacingeyes spring open. As we pull out to reveal that it's theKlingon without the teeth we cut back to Dojar and Quinlantalking, as Talora walks through into another room.

DOJAR (CONT'D)I can't believe anyone would ever dothis...


Behind them we see a Klingon moving... and slowly sitting up which neither Dojar nor Quinlan sees as the Klingon beginsto walk towards them.

QUINLANAnd the fact that we found thecoordinates for the ships on theEnterprise...

Realization suddenly dawns upon Dojar.

DOJARThey're framing us for this?

Cut back to the Klingon getting closer and closer to Dojarand Quinlan.

INT. REFORMIST SHIP -- SICKBAY LAB -- CONTINUOUS

Meanwhile, Talora is in another section of the sickbay, thoughDojar and Quinlan are just visible through the doorway behindher the light is still very low, very red. Talora stillhas her tricorder out, analyzing another of the dead Klingons.

QUINLAN(from behind Talora)

Could be. It would explain why allthe data has been purged from theEnterprise computer.

INT. REFORMIST SHIP -- SICKBAY -- CONTINUOUS

The Klingon quietly picks up a bat'leth, before turning tolook at Quinlan and Dojar.

QUINLAN No sensor logs, navigationalrecords...

INT. REFORMIST SHIP -- SICKBAY LAB -- CONTINUOUS

QUINLAN No, nothing...

Talora's tricorder bleeps loudly and she swings around tosee the Klingon quickly approaching Dojar and Quinlan,bat'leth in hand.

TALORA(shouts)

Look out!

The Klingon, apparently unaware of Talora's presence, isthrown off by this and swings too soon, though it is stillwithin only millimeters of Dojar and Quinlan.


Talora aims and fires at the Klingon, knocking him out andon to his back, as Dojar and Quinlan look at the Klingon, ateach other, and finally at Talora, who remains standing withher weapon drawn.

QUINLANWell... looks like we found ourKlingon.

She lets out an anxious, adrenaline driven sigh before...

CUT TO:


Brody crouches on his knees, sat next to the chair that Talorawas sat in, going through the bag that she brought with her. A glimmer of hope crosses his eyes as he pulls out a PADDshe was using earlier. He pulls out a tricorder, analysesit and smiles, before pulling a scanner out of a small lockerand placing the PADD in it. He taps some keys and the scannerslowly begins to scan the length of the PADD. But beforeit's done, the comm chirps.

Brody walks over to a monitor, hits a key and the viewscreensprings to life -- unfortunately we can't see who's on it orrecognize their voice, the signal is either too weak orencoded to travel like that, as static fills part of thescreen and the audio is also filled with a crackling noise.

VOICEProgress?

BRODYI was wondering when you'd call. The Romulan planted some kind ofself destruct mechanism on my helmcontrol -- I'm not going anywherefor the time being. But...

VOICE(interrupts)

Then remove it.

BRODY(sighs)

If you'd let me finish!(beat)

But it requires the Romulan's DNA toremove. I'm attempting to replicatesome from a PADD she was using, butit's proving most difficult.

He looks over at the scanner that's now a quarter of the waydown the PADD.


VOICEGood. I want nothing left of theReformist debris. You'll deal withthe situation accordingly.

BRODYI understand.

The figure nods and the monitor turns off. Brody turns aroundto see that the scanner is almost finished. He watches thefinal few seconds of the scan before a beep sounds. Brodywalks up to the scanner and smiles, uploading the resultsinto his tricorder and uploading them into the computer'sdatabase.

BRODY (CONT'D)Computer, replicate the DNA sampleI've just uploaded.

He walks over to a replicator where one of Talora's handsappears. He picks it up, examines it and smiles.

BRODY (CONT'D)Computer, replicate another.

Another hand materializes and Brody picks up both hands, andclaps them together jubilantly.

BRODY (CONT'D)Computer! Connect with all of theReformist ships and set a silentself destruct sequence to be activatedin five minutes!

He smiles, looks down at the hands, and heads over to thedevice that Talora placed on the helm control, and withTalora's replicated hands, slowly tries to remove the unit.He stops for a second, looks at Talora's hands and smiles.

BRODY (CONT'D)(re: hands)

Think I'll keep these when I'm done...

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE

The Hellion Expanse, we can still see the Tears of the Jackal,though the shot favors the Reformist ship that Talora, Dojarand Quinlan are on.

INT. CORRIDOR

Dojar carries the unconscious Klingon, as Talora and Quinlanmarch in front.


DOJARHow long do we have left before ourhour's up?

Quinlan looks at Talora.

QUINLANYou don't really think that we'regoing to stick to that do you, Dojar?

Talora looks back at Quinlan, a bemused expression on herface.

QUINLAN (CONT'D)Aw, come on! We're rebels -- we cando what we like!

TALORAThere are another twenty-seven minutesuntil Mr. Brody is expecting us toreturn.

QUINLANMaybe you wouldn't make such a goodpirate after all.

TALORAPerhaps not...

CUT TO:

INT. REFORMIST SHIP -- BRIDGE

The doors part as Talora and Quinlan enter, followed by Dojarand the unconscious Klingon he's still carrying.

QUINLANWhat are we looking for?

Dojar puts the Klingon down and finds a console for himselfto work on.

TALORAAnything that might help us find outwho did this -- looking for anyreference to the word Janus may be auseful starting point.

Quinlan nods and begins working at a console, which beepsalmost immediately.

QUINLANA lot of the files have beendamaged... but I think we'll be ableto reconstruct them.


TALORAHow long?

QUINLANA few minutes.

Something else beeps -- this time it's on Dojar's console.

DOJARWe may not have that long...

QUINLANWhat?

DOJARAccording to this... the selfdestruct's been activated.

TALORAHow long?

DOJARThree minutes, twenty two seconds.

TALORABrody.

Dojar nods.

DOJARAccording to this, the sequence wasactivated via the comm. channel.

TALORA(frowns)

The communication array's stillfunctioning?

DOJAR(shakes head)

Only incoming messages are comingthrough.

QUINLANDoes this strike anyone else as aset up?

TALORAWe'll worry about that later... butnow, we need to get out of here.

The camera cuts to the clock, it's three minutes andcounting...

SMASH CUT TO BLACK.

END OF ACT TWO

RENAISSANCE: "Dead and Buried" - ACT THREE 33.

ACT THREE

FADE IN:

EXT. SPACE

The Hellion Expanse -- the Reformist ships and the Tears ofthe Jackal dominate the screen.


Brody is fiddling with the device attached to the helm controlwith Talora's hands, but he can't quite control the secondset of hands; he's trying to control the fingers and lift itoff, but he's not getting anywhere.

CUT TO:


The clock's still ticking, 2:59, 2:58, 2:57... Dojar's leftthe console and heads over to pick up the Klingon, Talorawalks over to look over at Quinlan.

TALORAHow long?

QUINLANI'm one-third of the way intorestoring the Janus references.

TALORAWe won't have time for any more.

QUINLANI can stay here... catch you up.

TALORAYou don't know where we're going.

Dojar's now holding the Klingon,

DOJARCommander, there's a full complementof unused escape pods on all decks.

TALORAHow far is the closest one to thebridge?

DOJAR(indicates corridor)

Just around that corner -- but there'sonly room for three in each pod andthe next is a deck down.


TALORA(sighs)

We have to go. Now.

QUINLANIf there's only room for three ineach pod, let me stay! I'll be ableto get to that other pod as soon asthe files are restored.

TALORAI'm not leaving without you.

Dojar walks forward.

DOJARThen let me stay. I can do it.

TALORAI'm not leaving without anyone.

DOJARCommander! This information... itcould be vital.

Talora looks over at the clock -- only one minute fifty-nineseconds left. Talora nods at Dojar who gives her the Klingon.

TALORAQuinlan -- let's go.

QUINLANI can do this.

TALORAI have no doubt over your ability toperform the task, but Dojar has justcompleted weeks of Marine training.

Quinlan sighs and stands up and Dojar takes her seat.

QUINLANFine!

Talora looks at Dojar.

TALORAYou can do this, Gril.

Dojar smiles.

DOJARI know I can.

Talora and Quinlan head quickly for the doors.


QUINLANGood luck!

They exit, leaving Dojar alone as he watches the percentageof data restored increase on one side, and the self destructcountdown continue on the other. 1:47, 1:46, 1:45...


Talora and Quinlan run down the corridor, Talora carryingthe unconscious Klingon.

CUT TO:


Brody finally manages to pry off the device on the helmcontrol with Talora's hands, he has the fingers wrapped aroundit with one hand and the other hand's palm enclosing it, andrips it off the console. He sits himself down in the pilotsseat and hits some controls.

EXT. SPACE

The Tears of the Jackal's thrusters fire, and the ship slowlybegins moving away from the Reformist ships, it's not movingfast because of the debris moving around -- it's too riskyto go any faster as Brody said earlier.

CUT TO:


Talora and Quinlan stop running outside the entrance to anescape pod, and hit the controls on the door and the doorWOOSHES upwards towards the ceiling as Talora, carrying theunconscious Klingon, and Quinlan hurry in.

CUT TO:


Dojar's now standing up, partially kneeling on the seat readyto run as soon as the restoration is complete. A tricorderlies open next to the console downloading the data restoredso far. Next to that the countdown continues, 1:02, 1:01,1:00...

CUT TO:

INT. REFORMIST ESCAPE POD (1)

Quinlan hits the key to close the door, which closesconsiderably slower then it opened.


QUINLAN(sarcastically)

Whoo! This is quick!

She sits down in front of what looks like the helm control(it's only an escape pod so the controls are down to thebare minimum) and begins to strap herself in.

Talora has already strapped herself in and is now working onthe Klingon. She hits her commbadge.

TALORATalora to Dojar, progress?

INTERCUT:


It's getting tenser by the second, Dojar is still stood inthe same position watching the restoration and the countdown.

DOJARIt's four-fifths of the way there,Commander! I'll be out any secondnow!

TALORA'S COMM VOICEGood. We're ejecting the escape pod --I'll see you on Brody's ship.

INTERCUT:


The Klingon is now fully strapped in, as is Quinlan.

DOJAR'S COMM VOICEWill do!

Talora puts on a grim yet emotionless face.

TALORATalora out.

She hits the eject button and another WOOSHING sound is heard,as the window at the front of the pod shows the escape podaccelerating quickly away from the Reformist ship and intothe Hellion Expanse.

QUINLANLet's hope we don't hit anything.


Talora says nothing, only raises her eyebrows inacknowledgement.

CUT TO:


The countdown's now on Dojar's tricorder as well as thepercentage uploaded and restored. The countdown reads 0:14,the restoration 98% and the upload at 96%. We watch Dojarsweat, intercut as the numbers get lower and higherrespectively, until finally at 0:08 both percentage readoutsread 100% and Dojar picks up the tricorder and runs as quicklyas he can out of the Bridge and around the corner...

We cut back to the console which reads 0:04...

INT. CORRIDOR -- CONTINUOUS

...into the corridor and hits the control on the nearestescape pod and the door whooshes open and Dojar hurries in.


INT. REFORMIST ESCAPE POD (2) -- CONTINUOUS

He hits the control for the door to close and straps himselfin.

INTERCUT:


The display now reads 0:02.

INTERCUT:


We watch as the escape pod door slowly closes, Dojar's gettingrestless and his hand rests over the eject button.

INTERCUT:


The display now reads 0:01, before flicking over to 0:00. We cut to a wide view of the Bridge which explodes in a hugeball of flames and proceeds to head down to the corridor.

INTERCUT:


Dojar sits as the door is about to close looking out throughthe window, aching to press the eject button, aching to getaway from the ship that's dying around him...

INTERCUT:


The camera follows the flames and we reach the space wherewe should see the escape pod -- a beat as the camera lingerson the shot for a while... has it left the ship? The flamesflash past obscuring the view of the escape pod...

EXT. SPACE

Yes! It's off an moving away, but the Reformist fleet thatwere gathered in the area begin exploding into a huge ballof flames which nothing could survive -- as we see the escapepod incinerated in the flames. The sight of the Klingonships exploding is an amazing sight, a sight which shouldsend a rush of awe and adrenaline into each viewer... butit's tainted with grief and sympathy...

We cut to another area of space, as Talora and Quinlan'sescape pod rushes away, the flames getting closer and closer.



Quinlan is tapping some controls at the make shift helm asthe pod begins to rattle and shake all over the place.

TALORA(shouts over the noise)

How far are we from the Tears of theJackal?

QUINLAN(also shouts)

Not far! The acceleration from theejection gave us some extra power.

TALORALet's get as close to it as possible!

QUINLANWe'll bounce off its shields!

TALORAOr be enclosed by them!

QUINLANRisky!

TALORADo it!

Quinlan nods.

EXT. SPACE

Talora and Quinlan's escape pod heads upwards and away fromthe camera, as the flames suddenly engulf the camera --they're just running in front of them.

Cut to a new shot, and the escape pod heading closer andcloser to the Tears of the Jackal.


The ship begins to stop shaking for a second, and thoughQuinlan and Talora should probably be relieved, but theyknow it's not over yet, as a yet more intense shaking begins.

EXT. SPACE

We're above the escape pod, the flames have begun to slowand stop moving but that's not the end of it yet theshockwaves from the destroyed warp cores are heading towardseach other, and it's not long before they've all mergedtogether and are heading towards the escape pod and the Tearsof Jackal as one huge, mighty shockwave!



The pod is shaking violently as Quinlan taps away at somecontrols, futilely try to steady the pod.

TALORAHow long until we reach the Jackal?

QUINLANNot long now! Within a minute orso.

TALORAAny ideas how to get on board?

There's a beat as Quinlan thinks.

QUINLANDo you still have a tricorder aboardthe Jackal?

Talora nods, realizing where Quinlan is going.

TALORAYou think we could disable its shieldsthrough the two tricorders?

QUINLANThe timing would have to be to thesecond -- they'd have to be back upby the time the shockwave reachesus.

TALORAUnderstood.

EXT. SPACE

The shockwave grows closer...


Talora is now holding a tricorder tapping its controls.

TALORAWhenever you're ready.

Quinlan looks up at the incoming ship, it's approaching fast,and she stands up and picks up the giant hulk of the Klingon.

QUINLANLet's go.

Talora nods and hits some keys. Quinlan looks at her,confused.


TALORAThe shields haven't dropped.

QUINLANWhy?

TALORAThere's some kind of defense mechanisminside the shield controls -- I'venever seen anything like it.

QUINL!NLet me see.

Quinlan puts the Klingon down before Talora throws her thetricorder. Through the viewport, the Jackal looms closer...

QUINLANNo problemo...

She taps some keys; the escape pod is only seconds away fromhitting the Jackal now. She hits a final key and reachesdown, holding the fallen Klingon as they dematerialize.

EXT. SPACE

The escape pod appears to be just about to hit the Jackalwhen the Jackal's shields miraculously spring back to life,resulting in the stricken escape pod being pushed away intothe path of the oncoming shockwave.


Total blackness -- lit for a brief second by the light fromthe transporter glow. We see the outline of Brody runningpast, but we do not see where he is moving to.

Talora and Quinlan fully rematerialize, getting used to theirsurroundings before pulling out two small flashlights thatthey scout around the ship with.

QUINLANBrody! Why did you try and kill us,you bastard?

Silence. No answer in return, but the shaking from theoncoming shockwave is beginning to become more intense -- somuch so that it's getting hard for our two crewmembers tomaintain balance.

They continue to flash their lights around looking for Brody.

TALORAComputer, lights.


COMPUTER VOICEUnable to comply. Voice pattern notrecognized.

BRODYDo you really think I'd be thatstupid, Romulan?

TALORAAppearances can be deceiving, Mr.Brody.

BRODYVery true. Oh, and by the way, youhave a very nice set of hands onyou. I think your little devicemight have worked if it wasn't forthat pesky DNA you left on some PADDs.

Talora quietly curses.

QUINLAN(to Talora)

I wouldn't have thought he'd havehad the brains.

BRODY(laughs)

Something else that may be of interestto you both. I detected anotherescape pod leaving the ship you wereon...

Talora looks up, letting her guard down for a moment.

BRODY (CONT'D)It was incinerated... I hope no onewas on board.

Talora and Quinlan begin to fume.

QUINLANIf anything has happened to Dojar,you'll pay with your life!

BRODYAh, the Cardassian? Shame, he wassuch a... bubbly person.

Talora grits her teeth, beginning to listen for where Brody'svoice is coming from.

QUINLANWhen I find you I'm going to throwyou out of the nearest airlock!


BRODYReally? I've always wanted toexperience what that feels like!

Talora turns a corner, but before she can react to seeingBrody direct in her flashlight, he grabs her and pulls out aknife.

BRODY (CONT'D)Computer, lights!

The lights obey his commands and the cockpit is illuminatedonce again, as Quinlan swings around to see Talora with aknife to her throat. She points her phaser in his direction,but Talora is still too close to him, even for the newphaser's headset.

BRODY (CONT'D)Don't have the brains you say? I'dsay I have more then you two puttogether!

The shockwave is becoming even more intense -- we've seenthe destruction of one warp core before, now imagine thatmultiplied by eight!

TALORAIf you kill us, you'll never be ableto return to Earth again.

BRODYWhy? Are they going to set up asearch for you, just like they didfor your precious captain? That wasa joke!

QUINLANWhat do you know about the captain?

BRODYWhat everyone knows from thenewscasts... not a lot.

Quinlan looks at him questioningly -- does he know more thenhe's letting on? Brody pushes the knife closer to Talora'sneck, but an even more violent shake pushes him off balance.

Talora seizes the opportunity and delivers an elbow to hisstomach, swinging around and planting her knee their too,before knocking the knife and knocking Brody to the groundwith her fist.

At this point the shaking begins to slowly dissipate, butit's not gone for a while still.

TALORALooks like the tables have turned.


Brody gives her a half smile before thrusting himself upwardsand knocking Talora off her feet.

BRODYIt does, doesn't it?

Talora quickly regains her balance and begins to fight handto hand with him, before Brody is struck down by an aggressivelooking Quinlan, who's holding Talora's hands, complete withthe self-destruct mechanism grasped.

QUINLANGood hands.

Talora isn't amused. Quinlan walks up to her and takes theknife and walks up to Brody, sitting on the lower part ofhis stomach and holding the knife above his chest.

QUINLAN (CONT'D)Give me one good reason why Ishouldn't end your sad excuse for alife right this minute?

BRODYYou think I have one?

QUINLANI think you know more than you'reletting on about our captain.

BRODYI really don't.

Quinlan pulls the blade up to Brody's face, and slowly beginsto push closer and closer towards his skin.

QUINLANI think you do.

Brody swallows.

BRODYHe was here. But he's not anymore! The Klingons took him on to theirown ship! I don't know any morethen that, I swear!

Quinlan moves the blade up to Brody's hair line.

QUINLANWhere'd they take him?

BRODYI don't know!

QUINLANEver been scalped before?


She pushes the blade down into his skin, and a small trickleof blood runs down his face, but Quinlan doesn't move it anymore then that.

BRODYAll right, all right! They took himto the Coular Cystem!

QUINLANCoular?

BRODYThat's what they said! Argh!

Quinlan removes the knife, but remains seated on top of Brody.

QUINLANLooks like we're going to Coular.

TALORADojar might still be out there...

Quinlan's eyes open wide, she swings around to Brody.

QUINLANWhere you lying about that too?

BRODYNo! I swear! I'm not morbid enoughto lie about someone's death.

Talora looks at him, he nods. Quinlan's face begins to go ashade of deep red, before she knocks Brody out. She slowlywalks up to a console, followed by Talora. There's a longsilence, one that's almost unbearable.

TALORA(quietly)

Lay in a course for Coular.

Quinlan nods and sits down at her console and taps at somekeys.

TALORA (CONT'D)(quietly)

Initiate.

As we close in on Talora's solemn yet angered face we...

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE

RENAISSANCE: "Dead and Buried" - ACT FOUR 46.

ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

EXT. SPACE

The Klingon cruiser which Cross is on flies past the screen.

INT. KLINGON CRUISER -- BRIDGE

The doors at the rear of the Bridge part, and Gallamm enters,walking towards the Klingon captain, KORZ.

KORZIs the prisoner dead yet?

GALLAMM(half heartedly)

The prisoner is...

He clenches his fist, solemnly examining his knuckles.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)...a man of deep anguish.

The captain notices Gallamm examining his fist, but doesn'tmention it -- yet.

KORZAnd I suppose you intend to rectifythat before we kill him?

GALLAMMI do intend to make him suffer forhis weaknesses, but you will notkill him.

KORZThis is my ship, and if I order thatthe prisoner be killed, my crew willobey.

GALLAMMYou forget, Korz, only I have accessto the prisoner.

KORZI do not care. If I want the mandead then I will have him killed --be it with or without your permission.

GALLAMMBut his time of judgment is near! If you harm him now you'll bedestroying everything that I haveplanned for him on Coular!


KORZExplain.

GALLAMMI believe that the prisoner isbeginning to realize the fill extentof what he has done... that guiltand the fear of sin is beginning toset in. The main is in inner pain. Whether he knows it or not.

KORZUnfortunately it is not the painthat I wish for him to be in!

GALLAMMOnce we reach Coular he will...

A beat. We see something flicker across his eyes that wehave never seen in this man before.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)...He won't last long.

The captain nods and Gallamm turns to exit.

KORZSo long as he is dead!

Gallamm begins to walk, but he swallows before he gives hisresponse to Korz.

GALLAMMHe will be. But not by my hand.

KORZYou're going to be a murderer, myfriend!

Gallamm stops dead in his tracks.

KORZ (CONT'D)Perhaps there is hope for you as awarrior yet?

Gallamm spits on the floor before continuing out of door,Korz smiles.

KORZ (CONT'D)Helmsman! ETA at Coular Three?

HELMSMANTwenty three minutes.


Korz smile grows even wider as he looks up from the helmsmanand into the viewscreen at the stars flying past them...

CUT TO:

INT. KLINGON CRUISER -- MEDICAL BAY

Gallamm enters and stops at the doorway as light floods thedarkened room, illuminating his wife and baby son, who liessleeping in a crib next to her.

He walks up to the infant and picks him up, holding him closeto his chest and walks over to his wife. He rest his handon hers and the three share a quiet moment together before:

GALLAMMThe time for vengeance is almostnear, my love. The time for you towalk through the gates of Sto-vo-Koris almost at hand... Our son will betold the stories of his warrior motherand of how she died a glorious deathin battle! And like the prophecieshave foretold, he will be the man tounite the houses! He will be theman who brings peace to the Empire!

His son looks up at him and gives a baby laugh. Gallammsmiles down at him.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)You are the One, my son. You have agreat life ahead of you.

He smiles and puts his son down next to his mother, andembraces them both.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)Treasure this moment -- for it willnever come again.

The baby slowly closes his eyes and Gallamm takes in thescene -- his wife and son together, a family together, onelast time.

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE

The Tears of the Jackal, at warp.


Quinlan is at the helm, Brody is now tied up in one of therear seats, unconscious, and Talora is standing over theKlingon that the two brought back from the Reformist vesselearlier in the episode.


Talora is holding a hypospray and presses it to the Klingonsneck, as his eyes open wide in rage. He shouts in Klingonand tries to stand up -- but it is impossible -- he is beingrestrained using a forcefield which fizzes as he comes intocontact with it.

When the Klingon speaks it must be remembered that his teethare still not present, and thus his dialogue will sound alittle off...

KLINGONWhere am I? What is this?

Talora takes a few steps back.

TALORAMy name is Talora, I've come to helpyou.

KLINGONIf you have come to help me then whyhave you restrained me?

TALORAYou attempted to kill two members ofmy crew when we boarded your vessel.

KLINGONI was defending myself! The crewhas gone through enough withoutanother Federation crew takingadvantage of us!

TALORAAnother Federation crew?

KLINGONHow do I know I can trust you? Thatyou are not one of them?

TALORAWe rescued you, we took you with usbefore your vessel exploded.

KLINGONWhat?

TALORAThe crew of your vessel, of yourentire fleet, were dead when we foundthem. You were the only survivor.

KLINGONHow did you find me?


TALORAWe found the set of coordinates withinthe computer core of our ship, theEnterprise. The entire database hadbeen wiped with that one exception.

KLINGONYou should have left me to die! Itwould have been an honorable death!

TALORAI need you to tell me what happenedto your fleet -- how they ended upin the Hellion Expanse.

The Klingon grimaces, but talks anyway.

KLINGONJanus did this.

Quinlan turns from the cockpit.

QUINLANYou know who Janus is?

KLINGONWe were only told what we needed toknow -- they hired us to attack aFederation starbase.

QUINLAN(shocked)

What?

TALORAWhich starbase?

KLINGONNumber twenty-three. We destroyedit.

QUINLANAnd a Federation crew hired you todo this?

KLINGONYes -- they were cowards, all ofthem.

TALORADo you know who they are? Where wecan find them?

KLINGONNo. The crew of the vessel was actingas a go between, between our fleetand Janus.


TALORADo you remember the name of thevessel?

KLINGONI do not -- I was only told what Ineeded to know. The informationwould have been in our computer corethough.

A beat.

TALORAA member of my crew attempted torestore the data -- we have not heardfrom him since your ship wasdestroyed.

KLINGONThat is unfortunate.

Another beat, slightly longer.

TALORAHow did your ships reach the statethey were in?

KLINGONJanus told us that if we attackedthe starbase, that the Federationwould press our cause to theImperialists. They also told usthat they would supply our fleetwith weaponry. The Hellion Expansewas the location we were to collectthe weapons from. Without warning,the group acting on part of Janusattacked us, we were the final shipto be boarded and we tried to defendourselves -- but there were too manyof them. They tortured us.

QUINLANI don't believe this.

KLINGONBelieve it.

He shows her his toothless mouth.

KLINGON (CONT'D)Your Federation is not as perfect asyou would like to think.

QUINLANHow do we know you're telling thetruth?


KLINGONIf you had the data from the computercore you would.

Talora sighs. She's going to have to believe him, she nodsat him and walks to the front of the cockpit where Quinlanis sat. They talk quietly, so not to be overheard.

TALORAWhat do you think?

QUINLANHe knows about Janus, and we're almostsure those ships were Reformist.

TALORAI don't know what to believe.

QUINLANWhat else do we have to go on?

TALORAMaybe we should turn around... tryand find Dojar and the computer data?We'd...

QUINLANTalora! Look at yourself! We don'thave time to turn around! We'restill another twenty minutes awayfrom Coular at best, and we need thecaptain! Whether we like it or not,Dojar's probably dead.

Talora sighs.

TALORAHe's a survivor -- turn us around.

QUINLANTalora! It won't get us anywhere! Dojar knew the risks when he signedup to Starfleet, when he signed onfor this mission! We have to findthe captain and find out what thehell's going on here. We can't affordto turn around!


Talora nods and retreats into the back of the cabin withoutsaying another word, where an unconscious Brody is beginningto stare once again...

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE

The Klingon cruiser drops out of warp at the edge of afamiliar star system -- it's Coular. The deep red nebulaclouds our entire view, like a bloody shroud.


Cross sits alone in the darkness, deep in thought.

CUT TO:

INT. KLINGON CRUISER -- CORRIDOR

Gallamm paces through the corridor, carrying something, andtowards the brig, where Cross is being held. The doors partand the camera follows him in.

INT. KLINGON CRUISER -- BRIG -- CONTINUOUS

Gallamm drops what he's carrying on the floor -- it's aKlingon military uniform. Cross sat in the corner of theroom, looks at it.

GALLAMMPut it on.

Cross walks up to it and looks at it, before looking back atGallamm.

CROSSI won't wear that.

GALLAMMYou will wear it or you will die.

Cross sighs.

CROSSYou know what? I'm fed up of youthreatening to kill me when you'vealready told me that you'll do me noharm!

Gallamm looks at him in silent for a moment.

GALLAMMTake them or leave them. Either waywe beam down in five minutes.


CROSSWhere are we going?

GALLAMMWe're about to arrive in orbit ofCoular III.

The camera closes in on Cross's less then pleased reaction.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)Your final destination.

Cross swallows. Maybe this is the end after all...

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE

The Tears of the Jackal approaches the Coular System andreduces speed.


Quinlan is at the helm, Brody is now fully awake and theKlingon sits in silence still presumably surrounded by theforce field.

QUINLANTalora!

After a moment or two Talora enters from the rear of theship.

QUINLAN (CONT'D)We're approaching Coular... and I'vedetected a Klingon ship in orbit ofthe third planet.

TALORALay in a course.

Quinlan nods and complies, taking the Jackal to impulse. Talora walks to the rear of the cabin and stands in front ofBrody.

BRODYWhat do you want?

TALORAWhy did you try and kill us?

BRODYI don't like you.

TALORAThat's not good enough.


BRODYIt'll have to be.

A beat.

TALORAYou've got some advanced equipmenton this ship for just a cargo ship,Mr. Brody.

BRODYYou'd be surprised how much I use itin my job.

TALORAI'd be surprised if you'd found ause for your DNA scanner andreplicator.

Brody remains quiet.

TALORA (CONT'D)Who are you working for?

He remains silent. Talora walks away from him and sitsherself at a console and begins reading through some files.

CUT TO:

EXT. REFORMIST COLONY -- COULAR -- EVENING

The massacred Coular colony which the Enterprise attacked inlast years season finale, and where Gallamm was at thebeginning of the last episode.

INT. KLINGON BUNKER

The same scene of devastation from the beginning of the lastepisode blood is spattered on walls and dead bodies lie onthe floor, undisturbed since the last time we saw them.

Five figures and some equipment beam in, revealing themselvesto be Cross, who is wearing the Klingon clothes Gallammpresented to him earlier, Gallamm, Korz, two other Klingonsand Gallamm's wife.

Cross takes in the scene of destruction.

GALLAMMYou never thought you'd see this didyou?

Cross shakes his head.


GALLAMM (CONT'D)You thought you'd do your job, getout and try to forget about all ofthis. But you're never going toforget this sight, Captain, becauseyou're going to die here. Buriedalive with every person you ordereddead.

Cross just stares into the bunker, unable to say anything.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)It feels right, doesn't it?

Cross doesn't seem to comprehend what he is seeing, he doesn'tknow what he's answering to when he nods.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)I'm glad you agree. But there's onething, one final person who I'd likeyou to kill for me first.

CROSS(totally out of it)

I won't kill anyone else.

GALLAMMYou put my wife into a coma, prisoner! She's nothing more then a body. Shetook refuge in being able to move onto Sto-Vo-Kor when she was gone andnow that is not possible unless shedies an honorable death. Only youcan provide that, captain.

(beat)What's one more life to all of theseyou have taken so far?

CROSSOne life is everything...

GALLAMMI'm glad that you're beginning tounderstand that, but it is not thetime to be changing your attitudetowards killing people! My wifemust die!

CROSSYou don't agree with that... why...

GALLAMMIt is what she wanted! Why shouldsomeone else's life have nothing butsin reflected on it when your lifeis already full of anything but sin?


CROSSI'm a good man...

GALLAMMYou are not a good man! You killedthese people! Look at them! Lookaround you! Look at my wife -- sheis nothing. She is gone. You canhelp her move on!

The camera closes in on Cross...

CUT TO:


Same as before.

QUINLANWe're in orbit of Coular III,Commander.

TALORAThe Klingons?

QUINLANThey haven't detected us -- we're onthe opposite side of the planet, butit won't last for long.

TALORAGood. Get ready to beam down.

CUT TO:

INT. KLINGON BUNKER

Same as before.

GALLAMMWhat problem do you have with takingone life when you have already killedanother sixty-six, and who knows howmany more? You can kill her; I giveyou my consent to do so!

CROSSWhat gives you the right to decidewho lives and who dies?

GALLAMMShe deserves to die! No one deservesto live like this!

CROSSThen you're as ruthless as I am...even more so.


Gallamm shakes his head, and looks at the Klingon guards.

GALLAMMSet up the forcefields.

The guards comply and begin to set up some portable forcefields at the center of the bunker...

Meanwhile, further back and away from Cross, Gallamm and theother three Klingons, Talora and Quinlan beam in. They lookaround and see the forcefields being set up.

GALLAMM (CONT'D)If you will not kill her now, I willleave her to die here with you. Canyou live with having to watch herdie?

Talora and Quinlan look around -- how can they rescue Crosswithout drawing suspicion?

QUINLANSound's like they're going to leavehim here... we could wait untilthey've gone...

Talora looks at Korz who is holding on to the disruptor inhis pocket.

TALORAWe may not have that option.

Cross has remained silent. Gallamm pushes him into the centerof the bunker and into the center of where the forcefieldgenerators have been set up.

GALLAMMI will only give you one more chanceprisoner... kill her or watch herdie? What will be worse?

Cross takes his line of view from Gallamm to his wife.

CROSSHow?

Quinlan looks at Talora. Gallamm brings out a ceremonialblade which he holds up to Cross.

GALLAMMOne swing will terminate hersuffering.

Cross nods and reaches out for the weapon.


KORZWhat are you doing? He'll kill usall!

He raises his weapon and aims it at Cross.

KORZ (CONT'D)Gallamm wasn't the only man to loosesomeone in this bunker, Cross. I'drather shoot you here and now!

GALLAMMKorz! The suffering of the prisonerwill...

KORZI do not care for the suffering ofthe prisoner! The only thing I careabout is his death.

He points his weapon at Cross. Talora and Quinlan look ateach other. Talora takes aim through the head piece of thephaser rifle and Quinlan takes aim at one of the otherKlingons present, they fire, but the Klingon guard Quinlanis to fire at moves just before the beams hit.

The remaining two Klingons grab their weapons and aim forTalora and Quinlan who dive for cover, while Gallamm divesfor the floor next to his wife.

GALLAMM(whispers)

Kill her. Kill her.

Talora takes out another Klingon, but the other Klingon isproving to be an awkward target -- there is a long moment ofsilence were nobody moves.

Then from behind Cross, Quinlan sees something move, andthrough her rifle sees someone behind him.

QUINLANCaptain!

Cross looks at her, and ducks, but not before a phaser hasdissipated behind him. Has he been hit? Quinlan fires atthe other Klingon and before long he is knocked down, andTalora runs over to where Cross is.

TALORACaptain?

Cross is laid on his front, we can't see his face. Taloragrabs his shoulder and gently pulls him over. He coughs andlooks up at her, but doesn't say anything.


TALORA (CONT'D)Are you injured?

He shakes his head and begins to stand up, looking over towhere Gallamm is with his wife. Talora looks over with him.

TALORA (CONT'D)What did he do to you?

CROSSI... I don't want to talk about it...

Talora nods.

TALORAWe need to get you back to Earth.

CROSSAnywhere but here.

Gallamm is kneeling over his wife, with his arms around her. Quinlan walks up from behind them and looks at the scene ofdevastation.

QUINLANWe fought over a mass grave...

She sees Gallamm's wife.

QUINLAN (CONT'D)Oh God, please tell me we didn'tkill someone else!

Cross shakes his head and continues to look at Gallamm.

CROSSNo. No we didn't.

Gallamm turns around and looks at him.

GALLAMMPlease! Kill her! I beg of you!

Cross doesn't react.

TALORAWhat do we do?

CROSSLeave them. They have a ship inorbit -- let them go.

QUINLANCaptain?

Talora looks at him, his face is resolute yet pained. Shenods at Quinlan.


TALORA(to Cross)

Are you ready to go?

He nods.

CROSSTake me home...

Quinlan looks at Cross, Talora looks at Gallamm, Gallammlooks at Cross, Cross looks at Gallamm's wife. They saynothing, there is nothing that can be said...

Talora taps some controls on a tricorder and theydematerialize... leaving Gallamm and his wife alone, mourningover the life his wife is yet to leave. He looks at her,strokes her face and kisses her on the forehead and looksover to where the ceremonial blade lies on the floor...

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT FOUR

RENAISSANCE: "Dead and Buried" - ACT FIVE 62.

ACT FIVE

The following scenes are a short montage.

FADE IN:

EXT. SPACE

We are in orbit of Earth, as the sun comes up from behindit's sphere, illuminating part of the world below.

EXT. SPACE

The Tears of the Jackal docked at a starbase.

INT. STARBASE -- CORRIDOR

Cross, Brody and the Klingon are led away by StarfleetSecurity, followed by Talora and Quinlan.

INT. SMALL ROOM

Cross is present, we don't know where he is other then thatit is well furnished and out of one of the windows we cansee green countryside with rolling meadows and trees outside.He looks like he is in contemplation. The camera zooms inon him, slowly, before he looks up and sees a cloudy sky...

The montage ends on the scene listed above.

INT. TALORA'S APARTMENT

Talora records her log sitting on a balcony looking out overSan Francisco Bay, looking out over the still Bay, and lookingup at a cloudy sky as she records her log.

TALORAPersonal Log, Stardate 79113.6. It's been two weeks since our returnto Earth and the hearing into theCoular Incident is almost over; weexpect to hear a verdict by the endof the day. But when I say "we," Ican't help but wonder what that meansanymore. I haven't seen CaptainCross since he was taken intoprotective custody, Doctor Elrishasn't been heard from on Bajor sincelast Wednesday, and Dojar...

(beat)Dojar is still missing... or that'swhat he's been officially listed as,anyway... but I've started to feelsomething after a while, somethingthat isn't quite right that tells methat he isn't here anymore... that

(MORE)


TALORA (CONT'D)he no longer occupies this life withme...

(beat)I hope that he is alive, I pray --no, we pray -- everyday that he is...and I wonder, with all the oddsstacked against his survival, ifwe'll ever be able to rest not knowingwhat happened to him...

CUT TO:

INT. GREY'S APARTMENT

He lies in bed, alone and awake, before an alarm activatesand the lights in the room also activate. He records hislog as he prepares for the trial, getting washed, putting onhis dress uniform before he too steps outside and looks upat the cloudy sky.

GREYThe past few weeks have been a blur. I don't think our thoughts, wordsand actions have begun to sink inyet. Are we really the same peoplewe were a year ago? Five weeks agowe murdered innocent civilians --knowingly or not it was we, the crewof the heroic starship Enterprisethat put an end to the lives ofinnocents. It sends a shiver downme. I feel a strange feeling in theback of my throat that makes me wantto throw up. It makes me want theworld to have taken me with them no, it makes me want the world totake me instead of them. It makesme feel numb.

EXT. SAN FRANCISCO -- MORNING

This is the only of the logs we hear in voice over, as Quinlanwalks through the streets heading towards Starfleet Command,looking up and seeing the cloudy sky and through it's gardensbefore arriving outside, and meeting with Talora and Grey,before the three head inside.

QUINLAN (V.O.)The news bulletin reported that theweather system is due to be takendown for maintenance today, whichinevitably means that it will rainon Earth. I hope this isn't a sign.

(MORE)


QUINLAN (V.O.) (CONT'D)What strikes me as ironic is thateven as a pirate I've never beeninvolved with mass murder... well,never... No.

(beat)Never.

(beat)Captain Cross brought me on boardthe Enterprise with a promise thatI'd be rebuilding my life, that I'dbe making a difference again. Hell,I've made a difference, haven't I? I've made one hell of a difference.

(a long beat)Talora's still clinging on to hopingthat Dojar's still alive. Maybeshe's right to? It should have beenme who's out there now, and I keephearing Dojar's voice... telling methat

(beat -- a tear perhaps)telling me that I'm not to blame. Maybe I'm to blame for everythingthat's ever happened to us. Everything bad that's ever happened. I've always felt that I've lived forlonger then I ever should have done...maybe my time's up. Maybe it's timefor me to leave everything behindagain, but this time for me to faceup to my own inner demons? Maybeit's time I faced up to myself...maybe it's time for us all to...

(beat)End log.

CUT TO:

EXT. STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS -- MORNING

Darkness is beginning to set in over the beautiful groundsof Starfleet Headquarters as storm clouds gather above. Weclose in on one of the smaller buildings where people enter.Security guards are present around the perimeter, andattendees are being checked as they walk into the court Starfleet isn't letting anyone get in without walking throughintense security checks.

INT. STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS -- HEARING ROOM

Quinlan, Grey, Talora, and Cross are all standing on thefront line of chairs, but the rest of the court is alsostanding as Justice McKenzie enters the courtroom and walksto his position in the hearing room.


MCKENZIEPlease be seated.

Talora, Grey and Quinlan look at each other as they sit down,but Cross continues looking directly at McKenzie right theway through the hearing, never breaking his gaze or lookingsomewhere, or at someone, else.

MCKENZIE (CONT'D)Over the last twelve days this hearingroom has heard the evidence presentedagainst the crew of the U.S.S.Enterprise, for the disobedience ofStarfleet orders and breach of theInterstellar War Crimes Charter.

There's silence for a moment while McKenzie lets this sinkin -- it's clearly one hell of a charge.

MCKENZIE (CONT'D)I needn't remind anyone present thatbeing charged with either is a seriousoffence, and must be dealt withseverely.

(beat)When this hearing first began, andwas adjourned, the crew of theEnterprise were charged only withthe disobeying of Starfleet orders...but since then, in three crew members'search for the truth and for theircaptain, they themselves have revealedthat it was civilians who were hit. In his testimony Captain Cross tookfull responsibility for this, he wasforewarned by Starfleet Command ofthe potential of civilians beingpresent. Captain Cross has takenthe full weight of this upon hisshoulders... a heavy burden indeed. The captain is not just carrying thelives of all the Enterprise tookthat fateful day, he is also carryingthe lives, careers and friendshipsof his crew. They were followinghis orders and looked to him forstrength and for guidance. A crewis a crew, a captain their captainand a ship their ship. A captaintakes responsibility for their crewjust as a ship protects them allfrom the vacuum and the deadlyenvironment of space. It is a cycle. A promise to one another. ThereforeI am ordering the following.

(MORE)


MCKENZIE (CONT'D)The U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-Gwill remain in space dock while afull investigation into the activitiesreported by Commander Talora takesplace. Once this is complete, theEnterprise's fate will be decided --this is the Federation flagship, itshows our strength as a galacticpower. To destroy it a year out ofspace dock is unacceptable. Anotheralternative will be provided.

A sigh of relief.

MCKENZIE (CONT'D)The Coular incident will be markedupon each crewmember's record. Inthe cases of Commander Talora,Lieutenant Jennifer Quinlan,Lieutenant Erik Grey and LieutenantJunior Grade Gril Dojar, currentlylisted as missing, each of the nameslisted went beyond the call of dutyto rescue their captain and to findthe truth. However, theaforementioned did directly, orindirectly, take part in the theftof Starfleet property, disobeyed adirect order, and acted againstStarfleet interests.

(beat)Each will receive a reprimand forthese and will be marked on theirpermanent record. A report willalso be sent to the Romulangovernment. Further to this, forthe duration of the Enterpriseinvestigation, the entire crew willbe given extended leave, withimmediate effect. The crew's fatewill be determined when theEnterprise's final fate is decidedupon.

The remaining senior staffers smile, they're going to be letoff lightly -- but Cross knows that he still hasn't beenjudged and his line of sight is still focused tightly onMcKenzie.

MCKENZIE (CONT'D)Captain Cross -- you are responsiblefor the death of sixty-seven Reformistcivilians. You ordered the Enterpriseoff the designated attack plan andoverall acted immorally.


A long, agonizing beat, the camera closes in on Cross, onMcKenzie, on Cross...

MCKENZIE (CONT'D)It has been decided that you willspend life imprisonment in the NewZealand Penal Colony...

We descend into the same slow motion blur as earlier in theepisode with Gallamm... Cross sinks back into his seat andseems completely out of everything that is going on. McKenziecontinues talking for a while before banging his gavel onhis dais, still in slow motion, as Cross sees two securityofficers walking towards him. He stands up and walks out ofthe room, saying nothing to his crew, his friends, to theside of him.

We cut to the reactions of Talora, Grey and Quinlan as Crossis led off, a mixture of shock, sorrow and perhaps relief inGrey's face. We watch as he is lead through some doors anddown a corridor, and as the doors swing shut we see our finalglimpse of our captain... our hero.

Cut back to Talora, Grey and Quinlan a minute or two later,this is apparent as they are all now sitting down, each lostin his or her own thoughts.

VOICE (O.S.)Excuse me?

Talora looks up to see a security guard looking down at her.

SECUITY GUARDYour captain has asked to see you.

Grey and Quinlan also look up.

SECURITY GUARDAll of you.

They look at each other and begin to walk off through thesame set of doors that Cross was just led out through.

CUT TO:

INT. SMALL ROOM

Cross is stood in a small, windowless, plain grey room. Theonly items present are a vase, holding a green plant, whichrests upon a table, five chairs and pitcher of water withglasses by the side; both resting on another table.

The door opens and Talora, Grey and Quinlan enter, beforethe door closes again, leaving the four in silence. A beat. No one speaks.


TALORACaptain?

Cross looks at her.

CROSSIt looks like it's going to be Neilfrom now on.

Another long beat.

CROSS (CONT'D)I couldn't leave without sayinggoodbye to you all... as much as I'dlike to, I couldn't.

GREY(interrupts)

Captain...

CROSSLet me say what I need to say, Erik.

(beat, then awkwardly)Over this last year we've become acrew...

(shakes head)And I'd like to think that we'vebecome more then that.

(he looks at each oneof them)

To say that I can consider each ofyou a very dear friend... I couldn'thave done the things we've done...the good things we've done withoutany of you.

(he smiles)And that's what I'd like you all toremember -- the good times. I thinkwe had them every now and then.

Quinlan smiles.

CROSS (CONT'D)I want you all to get on with yourlives, wherever it is you end up. Don't dwell over me or what I amresponsible for. I don't blame anyof you...

He smiles.

CROSS (CONT'D)I hope you all have a great life. You deserve it.


Quinlan is close to tears, Talora and Grey speechless. Crossnods at them, they all give half smiles or nods back, it'sall very solemn.

Cross looks at the door, walks up to it and knocks. A guardenters and Cross begins to walk out of the door, just beforethe door's about to close he looks back:

CROSS (CONT'D)Oh, and a letter or a visit wouldn'tgo amiss from time to time.

He looks at them all, gives them a reassuring nod and exits,away from his crew... his friends. We close in on Talora,Grey and Quinlan.

CUT TO:

INT. CORRIDOR

Cross and the two guards walk down a corridor, noticeablythey are nearing the end of it and there are no apparentexits. They reach the end and turn, the two guards notapparently looking anywhere, but Cross is looking down towardsthe end of the corridor... towards where his life once was.

Without warning, Cross is engrossed in the shimmer of atransporter effect, leaving only the two guards behind. Andwith that he's gone. In the usual transporter effect, inthe usual shimmer of light, he's just gone.

CUT TO:

EXT. STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS

Talora, Quinlan and Grey stand outside the Starfleet symbolthat has succeeded in destroying their careers, that isworking more and more for itself then any time in its history.

Our view slowly zooms out and upwards, to see our crewstanding in the middle of a great concourse in front of thebuilding, with the seal of Starfleet Command engraved in thestones of the walkway under their feet. The seal of thesame Starfleet Command that has succeeded in destroying theircareers, that is working more for itself than at any time inits history.

DOJAR (V.O.)Over the past few weeks we've foughtfor our innocence and for our rightsas a being, be us Human, Romulan,Cardassian... But none of us havereally considered just what thisreally means and what that means toothers.

(MORE)


DOJAR (V.O.) (CONT'D)We're all in this together now...since we first set foot on to thedeck of the Enterprise we have beenand always will be... Some peoplewill consider us heroes. Does thatmake us a hero? No. Some peoplewill consider us heartless. Doesthat make us heartless? No. It'sour actions what count and it's ouractions that make us guilty of crimesagainst life...

Slowly, one by one, the three begin to step forward. Not inthe same direction, but breaking apart, pushing everythingthat's happened over the last year into the past, a pastwhich while never forgotten will haunt them all for the restof their lives.

Will the live in the shadows? Maybe. Is the Enterprise --and everything she and her crew ever stood for -- dead andburied? Perhaps. But lives go on, and as the rain pats downon them, each of the former crewmembers look up into whatshould be a star filled night sky, but instead only seeclouds.

HOLD on the seal of Starfleet Command as Talora, Quinlan,and Grey each pass out of view, each heading their separateways, before a flash of lightening illuminates the screenand thunder rolls behind them.

FADE OUT.

DOJAR (V.O.) (CONT'D)Life. How fragile it is.

FADE IN:

EXT. SPACE

We fade in on the stars, any viewers caught unaware willmiss our suspense-filled ending... as we close in on anondescript alien starship, flying at warp...

INT. ALIEN SHIP -- BRIDGE

Y'LAN is working at a console, examining readings, before abeeping is heard. He looks over at the console before lookingup and tapping a commbadge.

Y'LANMy suspicions were correct... wemust warn them.

GARBLED COMM VOICEUnderstood. I've set a course forEarth...


Y'LANWe may be too late...

He looks down at the console and sees the names of theEnterprise's senior staff on a list...

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT FIVE

THE END

star trek: renaissance teleplay by rob jelley · 2015. 9. 29. · renaissance: "dead and...

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