Star Trek: Deep Space Nine s07e16 Episode Script

All right.
Next item.
ltem seven.
Warbird repair and maintenance.
|Senator? Repairs on our ships have continually|been delayed in favour of other vessels.
The Dividices and the Genorex|have waited three weeks while a dozen Klingon ships|have been given priority.
l plan the schedule according to which|ships have the greatest need.
Odd that the Klingons|always have the greatest need.
They are more damaged because|Klingon warships are relentless.
Relentless or reckless? - The fight must be taken to the enemy.
|- We're not here to debate tactics.
When can you have|those warbirds in a docking bay? l could bring them in tomorrow and delay repairs to the Hornet|and the Rotarran.
Someone will have to tell General|Martok why his flagship was bumped.
Worf, you just volunteered|for that assignment.
This brings up the question|of shore leave.
Right now we have the crews|from two Klingon ships on the station.
l'd rather not have that many Klingons|and Romulans here at the same time.
We'll forgo shore leave.
|Our soldiers are professionals.
They're here to fight,|not to get drunk in Quark's.
That's it for today.
|Same time next week? Senator, you'll be attending|the conference, won't you? Yes.
But Sub-Commander Velal|will be here in my place.
- Have a safe trip.
|- Thank you.
Ah, yes.
Romulus.
|How well l remember it.
You'll find the predominant colour|to be grey - the buildings, the clothes, the people.
The Romulan heart itself is grey.
lt's true.
And appropriate|for such an unimaginative race.
l take it you didn't enjoy|your stint on Romulus? Weren't you posing as a gardener? My cover was more enjoyable|than the actual assignment.
- What was the assignment?|- l can't talk about that.
Back to the subject at hand.
What will|your role be at this conference? l'll be giving a talk|on biogenic weapons, chairing a seminar on Ketracel white, and attending a meeting on a proposal to transfer 25 Federation hospital ships|over to Romulan control.
- How dull.
|- Sorry to disappoint.
Admiral Ross will be discussing|the exciting issues.
l see.
l trust that Starfleet lntelligence will sending someone to make|good use of this opportunity.
What do you mean? This is a golden opportunity|to gather intelligence on Romulan intentions and capabilities.
They're our allies, Garak.
This could be the beginning|of a new friendship between us.
- The eternal optimist.
|- Guilty as charged.
How sad.
l'm disappointed, hearing you mouth|platitudes of peace and friendship regarding an implacable foe|like the Romulans.
But l live in hope that one day you'll come to see this universe|for what it truly is, rather than what you'd wish it to be.
l shall endeavour to become|more cynical with each passing day, look gift horses squarely in the mouth,|and find clouds in every silver lining.
lf only you meant it.
Lights.
- Sloan?|- Hello, Doctor.
lt's good to see you.
l hope you're well rested.
Section 31|has an assignment for you.
l could have a security team here|in 30 seconds.
You'd be unable to communicate|with anyone outside of this room.
- l could scream.
|- Possible but uncharacteristic.
Screaming for help|is too undignified for you.
But don't let me stop you.
|l enjoy being wrong.
- What do you want?|- You have an assignment.
l don't work for you.
You passed.
You were accepted.
l didn't ask to be accepted.
But you were.
And now it's time to go to work.
l'm sure you want to know what your mission is|but you won't admit it.
- So l'll just tell you.
|- Lucky me.
Section 31 is extremely interested|in this conference of yours.
However, the Tal Shiar will be|handling security so we'll have no chance to use|technical assets to gather intelligence.
We have to rely on organic assets.
|Like you.
Your mission is to gather data|about the Romulan leadership.
We want you to take the pulse|of their government.
No pun intended.
You want me to spy on an ally.
To evaluate an ally.
And a temporary ally at that.
l say that because when the war|is over the following will happen - the Dominion will go|back to the Gamma Quadrant, the Cardassian Empire|will be occupied, the Klingons|will spend ten years recovering and won't pose a serious threat|to anyone.
That leaves two powers|to vie for control of the quadrant - the Federation and the Romulans.
This war isn't over and|you're already planning for the next.
Well put.
l hope your report|is equally succinct.
How many times do l have to tell you?|l don't work for you.
You will.
lt's in your nature.
You are a man who loves secrets.
Medical, personal, fictional.
And l am a man of secrets.
You want to know what l know,|and the only way to do that is to accept the assignment.
Easy, Julian! What's going on? There's no indication of how Sloan|got aboard or where he went.
l can't say l'm surprised.
Section 31|is meticulous in covering its tracks.
l spoke with Admiral Ross|this afternoon.
He and l agree that the Romulan|conference is too important to cancel.
- What about me?|- Starfleet promised to send the expert on Dominion biogenic weapons|and Ketracel white.
Since that's you, you go.
And we want|you to carry out your assignment.
Make observations|on the Romulan leadership and wait for Sloan to contact you again.
Giving Sloan any information|is a bad idea.
That was my instinct as well,|but after talking to Ross, l think we might have an opportunity|here we can turn to our advantage.
Officially, Starfleet is appalled at the|very notion that Section 31 might exist and they plan to get|to the bottom of this entire business.
- And unofficially?|- They pushed the investigation aside, which means either they|don't take Section 31 seriously or someone at Starfleet Command|is protecting them.
Either way, we have a chance to get|someone inside and l want to take it.
So l play along, pretend l've decided|to work for Sloan after all.
Exactly.
When he contacts you to find|out what you learned at the conference, make it seem like you've come around|to his way of thinking.
Let him believe|that he's seduced you into helping him.
That shouldn't be too difficult.
|Sloan thinks l'm already tempted.
l'd better pack.
|The Bellerophon leaves in three hours.
One more thing, Doctor.
Remember this isn't a game.
|Section 31 is very dangerous.
- lf Sloan even suspects that you're|- l understand.
Good hunting.
- A glass of Romulan ale, Doctor?|- Thank you.
The trading embargo has been officially|lifted, if you were wondering.
To one of the many benefits|of the alliance.
- Need a medical team?|- No, thank you.
This isn't your first glass|of Romulan ale! ltwasillegal.
That never stopped your colleagues.
l know.
l may be the only officer|in the fleet who didn't indulge.
- Would you like something else?|- No.
That's the spirit, sir.
Never say die.
What an odd expression.
|What does it mean? lt's a line from an old Earth poem.
Forgive me for interrupting.
l couldn't help overhearing|and etymology is one of my hobbies.
The phrase ''Never say die''|is originally from a 19th-century poem based on Shakespeare's|''Merchant of Venice''.
lt's since passed into the vernacular as an exhortation never to give up,|no matter the cost.
lnteresting.
Wendell Greer, Assistant Director,|UFP Department of Cartography.
l'm Admiral William Ross.
|Senator Cretak.
- Admiral.
Senator.
|- And Dr Julian Bashir.
Ah! The physician from Deep Space 9.
|l was hoping to meet you.
l have so many questions|about the Bajoran sector - the navigational anomalies,|the transport patterns.
Do you have a moment?|Unless l'm interrupting.
Not at all.
Try to play your cards|a little closer to your vest.
You're lucky they didn't see|the shock on your face.
lf you're here, why do you need me? All in due time.
You have a lot of|work to do before we arrive at Romulus.
There's a padd in your quarters.
|Read it.
l'll join you at 2200.
Mr Greer certainly|has his ducks in a row.
Apparently he's been a low-level|bureaucrat for almost 15 years.
l'm not surprised|he has a solid cover story.
But it's too dangerous to allow him|to even set foot on Romulus.
But if we move against him, we'll lose|any hope of penetrating Section 31.
His access at the conference|will be limited to a few briefings.
lt shouldn't be hard|keeping tabs on him.
lf Sloan's here it suggests more than|a simple intelligence-gathering mission.
He's up to something and it's imperative|that we know what that something is.
We go forward.
Next.
Neral.
Formerly Proconsul and now|Praetor of the Romulan Star Empire.
Neral's ascension to the top post|was confirmed a little over a year ago.
His immediate family was killed|in a Klingon raid 25 years ago.
His interests include sociology.
His favourite food is Delvan pudding|and his pet "set'leth's" name is Pensho.
Very good.
Total recall is|a useful attribute for an operative.
Koval.
Chairman of the Tal Shiar.
He may have been involved in|the death of Vice Admiral Fujisaki.
The proof is buried somewhere|in Koval's personal database.
But the Deputy Chief|of Starfleet lntelligence doesn't just die of food poisoning.
But l have to give him credit.
|lt was a textbook operation.
No sign of foul play, and certainly no|sign of Romulan involvement.
Very tidy.
- Koval's political status?|- Ambiguous.
He hasn't been elevated to|the Continuing Committee.
That's probably due to his opposition|to the Federation alliance, which is supported by the majority.
Which opens the door|for your friend, Senator Cretak.
She's an advocate of the alliance and|she's been lobbying for this open seat.
There is another rumour about Koval,|not contained in his file.
We've heard he's ill.
|Something called Tuvan Syndrome.
lt's a neurological disease affecting|Vulcans, Romulans and Rigelians.
lt's degenerative and incurable.
lf Koval is ill, he'll hide it.
lt could hamper his chances of|being appointed to the Committee.
ls that what l'm here for? A diagnosis? Doesn't Section 31|have its own doctors? They're not genetically enhanced.
They need equipment that|the Romulans won't permit here.
l can't make a diagnosis|by looking at a man.
Your genetically enhanced friends|knew that Gul Damar killed a woman just by watching him give speech.
l'm sure you can do better than that.
You're going to move against|Koval, aren't you? You going to use his illness|to keep him off the Committee.
ls it naive to point out that interfering|in the affairs of a sovereign power is forbidden by the Federation charter? Without confirming|or denying your speculation, l will say that if Koval comes to power,|it'll be a disaster for the Federation.
He'll want to abrogate the alliance and|negotiate a peace with the Dominion.
You know what that would do|to the course of the war.
- That doesn't justify manipulating|- Let's make a deal.
l'll spare you|the ends-justify-the-means speech and you spare me|the do-what's-right speech.
We are not going to agree on this|subject so let's stop discussing it.
This mission is reconnaissance.
We won't be called upon|to do anything other than that.
Why don't you get some rest.
We'll be in orbit of Romulus soon and|you'll need to have your wits about you.
Here you are, sir.
- Dr Julian Bashir?|- Yes.
You first identified|the weapon known as the Quickening.
Yes.
On Boranis lll,|in the Gamma Quadrant.
l don't believe we've met.
- Koval.
|- lt's a pleasure to meet you.
- Why?|- You've got me there.
- lt's just a form of expression.
|- And completely devoid of meaning.
Can the Quickening virus|be replicated? We've had difficulty recreating|the exact RNA sequence of the virus, so we can't develop a vaccine.
- However, there are|- l'm not interested in the vaccine.
Do you know how to introduce|the Quickening into a population? - Basically.
|- Good.
l look forward to hearing your lecture.
- You'll make a fine operative.
|- Pardon? He rarely speaks with anyone in public,|much less someone in that uniform.
Starfleet lntelligence should recruit you.
What makes you think|l'm not working for them now? lt wouldn't surprise me if|half the people here were operatives.
You are joking? lt may be impolitic to say this, but there are those who think the|alliance is merely a momentary truce.
- Are you one of them?|- l could ask you the same.
ln my case, no.
But you've answered|my question with a question.
- l try not to predict the future.
|- What about Chairman Koval? You just spoke with him.
That's more|than l've done in six months.
- l take it you don't get along?|- We have different views.
Which are? - State secrets.
|- Naturally.
This is an adult female|inhabitant of Boranis lll.
The markings are typical of|a humanoid infected by the disease, but not yet in the terminal stage.
Here, you can tell by|the necrotic nature of the lesions the patient has entered|the terminal stage of the disease.
This is marked by|an increase in leukocyte production.
You almost made it comprehensible.
Next time l'll do the lecture|with hand puppets.
l'm glad to see you still have|your sense of humour.
l trust you noticed|who was in the front row.
He came to see me this morning|between sessions.
He wanted to know if l knew|how to replicate the Quickening virus and how to introduce it to people.
- What did you think of his health?|- Didn't you hear me? l heard you.
Koval wants to get|his hands on the Quickening.
lt's not news that the Tal Shiar|is interested in biogenic weapons.
Pull your head out of the sand, Doctor.
These are not nice people we're|dealing with.
Answer my question.
His eyelids were slightly displaced.
He had weak facial muscles due to a|compromised neuromuscular function.
And his respiration|was somewhat irregular.
- Bottom line?|- He may have Tuvan Syndrome.
But if he does|it's in the very early stages.
How long does he have? lf his case fits the profile, he'll start|to lose motor skills in 10 to 15 years, with life expectancy|in the 20 to 25 year range.
Are there instances in which the|disease accelerates without warning? lt happens, but in less|than 5% of the cases.
Could anything trigger the acceleration? l don't know what you're asking me.
Never mind.
Thank you, Doctor.
|You've been very helpful.
Let's put aside that he's contemplating|the murder of a high-ranking official.
Why does he think the next head of|the Tal Shiar will be better than Koval? Sloan's concerned that Cretak gets|the seat on the Continuing Committee.
l agree with him there.
|Cretak is at least a patriot.
- How is she different from Koval?|- lf you saw the lntelligence reports you would never ask that question.
Koval would love to see|the Romulan banner waving over Earth.
Chairman Koval is not someone|we want at the Praetor's right hand.
l'll have Sloan confined to quarters|but that may not solve our problem.
You and Sloan may not be the only|ones here working for Section 31.
For all we know, he has|a confederate in the delegation.
He said our mission|would be reconnaissance, that we wouldn't do anything else.
That could suggest an operative|who isn't limited.
lt could be anyone.
Even a member|of the Bellerophon crew.
- Or a Romulan.
|- What? Sir, l believe Sloan has|an accomplice here on Romulus.
- What makes you say that?|- Two things.
Sloan has too much information|on their government, too many insights into their politics.
And Sloan's plan is to kill Koval while making it appear to be|Tuvan Syndrome.
To do that, he'd have to expose Koval|to a burst of nadion radiation.
You could manoeuvre him near|a phaser relay and irradiate him.
Since l doubt very much that Sloan|will have the chance to do that, someone else is going to have to.
- A Romulan.
|- Exactly.
Sloan may have already gotten things|underway.
We have to warn them.
And how am l supposed to explain|Section 31 to the Romulans? lmagine if they hear that a Federation|agency is plotting assassinations.
lt could bring the alliance down.
|Besides, all we have is speculation.
- Admiral|- The answer is no.
After l have Sloan arrested l'll inform|Starfleet Command of the situation.
Your orders are to sit tight|and do nothing until you hear from me.
Jepella went in to deliver a report|and found him slumped over his desk.
Do they know what happened? lt looked like an aneurysm,|but they're still running tests.
- The admiral looked fine this morning.
|- Which admiral? - Admiral Ross.
He collapsed.
|- Where is he? Sickbay.
Hey.
l can't trust anyone on the Bellerophon|and l can't contact DS9.
There's a communications blackout.
l have no one else to turn to.
- l need your help.
|- To do what? l think Sloan has an accomplice|within the Romulan government, someone who will help him|carry out the assassination.
Koval has been saying someone|in the Senate was working for Starfleet.
Section 31 isn't Starfleet.
They are Federation citizens|working for your interests.
- That makes them your responsibility.
|- You're right.
That's why l'm trying to stop them.
l'm convincing Sloan that|Koval doesn't have Tuvan Syndrome, but his accomplice may be proceeding.
So we have to find|Sloan's Romulan accomplice.
-You expect me to find this traitor?|- Sloan mentioned Koval's database.
lt might contain|a list of potential suspects.
ls there any way you can get me a copy|of the database so l can You're asking me to hand over|secret documents! l'm asking you to put aside centuries|of mistrust and help me stop a murder.
lf we can't reach out and|bridge the gulf that is between us, if we can't trust each other,|a man will die.
And we will be partially responsible.
|l need your help.
Please.
- You wanted to see me, Doctor?|- Yes.
l'm not sure that Koval|has Tuvan Syndrome.
His symptoms could be the result|of many health problems.
- You didn't say that before.
|- l don't know Romulan physiology.
Most of my knowledge comes|from studies done on Vulcan patients.
l thought Vulcans and Romulans|were virtually identical.
Yes, but there are some important|genetic differences.
And the more l study the available data,|the less sure l am of my diagnosis.
- How could you find out for sure?|- By doing an examination, but l doubt he'll agree to that.
What if you obtained a sample|of his cells? - Could you run an analysis?|- Probably.
But how do you propose We'll treat your palm|with a microcellular adhesive.
The next time you shake his hand,|you'll get your sample.
All right.
Mr Chairman?|What a pleasure to see you again.
l'd be happy to resume our discussion|on the Quickening.
l believe you answered|all my questions.
l'm glad to have been able to help.
Doctor.
l would like to have a word|with you on another matter.
l believe the lecture hall is empty.
We have more comfortable|facilities available.
Sit down.
You will be sitting|in that chair one way or the other.
- Now we'll have our private talk.
|- What shall we talk about? Why you're on Romulus, who you're|working for and who's helping you.
Don't worry.
l won't waste your|time with pointless questions.
This can be painful or not.
|That's up to you.
Either way,|l will know what you know.
Your brain is not susceptible|to our scanning techniques, a result of the genetic enhancements|made to your parietal cortex.
- Sorry.
|- l do have other methods, but it would save trouble if you would|simply tell me what l want to know.
- You haven't asked me any questions.
|- You know what l'm interested in.
Who are you working for?|Why are you here? Bring him.
Dr Julian Bashir, you are appearing before|the Romulan Continuing Committee.
Statements will be made part|of the record.
Senator Cretak is charged with attempting to access|a Tal Shiar database.
The Senator has told the Committee|a remarkable story.
Since you're a key figure in her story, we are eager to hear|your version of events.
What l'm about to say|may be shocking.
lt may even damage the relations|between our peoples.
But it is the truth.
A few days ago, l became aware of|a plot to assassinate Chairman Koval.
lt was conceived of by a man|known to me only as ''Sloan''.
He works for an organisation|called Section 31.
They see themselves as protecting|the interests of the Federation, although they have|absolutely no official standing.
Once l realised|what Sloan was attempting to do, l contacted Senator Cretak|to enlist her aid in stopping him.
- Why her?|- l had no one else to turn to.
l was unable to contact Deep Space 9, and l couldn't trust anybody|aboard the Bellerophon.
But you could trust a Romulan senator? Yes.
For all our differences,|l do respect her.
- Continue.
|- For extremely complicated reasons, l came to think there's a traitor in your|government working for Section 31.
l asked the Senator to get the database|so we could prevent the assassination.
Senator, why didn't you come to me|with this information? l was afraid that if word of this plot|got out, it would destroy the alliance.
l decided to keep my own counsel.
- l regret that decision.
|- As well you should, Kimara.
lt's an interesting story.
|But it's not the whole story.
lf l may be permitted|to bring in another witness? Bring in prisoner 527.
Praetor, this is the man|known as Sloan.
His mind is quite susceptible|to our data retrieval methods.
He has confirmed much|of what the others have said.
With one important exception -|there is no Section 31.
Sloan, in fact,|works for Starfleet lntelligence.
Far from being|the master of an agency, he is one of many operatives|in the employ of the Federation.
He's had a long career,|most of which is unknown to us.
But there is one interesting|element that we do know - he was the protégé|of Vice Admiral Fujisaki.
Sloan did not take the death|of his mentor well.
He believed|he was murdered by the Tal Shiar.
The assassination of a Starfleet admiral|was ''stepping over the line''.
lsn't that the phrase? After Fujisaki's death,|he was confronted with a dilemma.
How could he seek vengeance|without violating Federation law? His answer was to invent Section 31, an organisation|that answered to no one.
lf they killed the head of the Tal Shiar, Starfleet lntelligence|would be held blameless.
As the Committee knows, l have been|diagnosed with Tuvan Syndrome.
Sloan hoped to make my death look like|a sudden acceleration of the disease.
To do that, he needed a doctor.
Sloan arranged to recruit Dr Bashir|into Section 31.
After that, Sloan waited for|an opportunity to present itself.
He found one|when he learned of this conference.
He then arranged|for Bashir to be invited.
Everything was going perfectly.
|But then he made a fatal mistake.
He decided to come|to Romulus himself.
He was unaware|that he had become known to us.
Once we recognised him, we knew that an intelligence operation|was underway.
What l don't understand is why?|Why take the risk of being discovered? l had to make sure nothing went wrong.
And l wanted to watch you die.
You broke the cardinal rule|of our profession - you allowed business|to become personal.
So there was an assassination plan? Most definitely.
As to the involvement|of the doctor and the senator Dr Bashir may have intended to kill me|or save me.
There's no way to know.
As for Senator Cretak, we all know|she's an ambitious woman.
She might welcome my death if it meant she was elevated|to the Continuing Committee.
That is a lie, Koval.
|l was trying to save your life.
Then you're simply a fool.
You let a Starfleet officer|manipulate you into committing treason.
lt is the finding of this Committee that Senator Cretak has conspired|to commit treason against the state, sentence to be determined|at a later date.
Dr Bashir will be returned|to the Bellerophon.
Mr Sloan is remanded to the custody of|the Tal Shiar for further interrogation.
No! Come in.
- Admiral.
|- Doctor.
- Feeling better, sir?|- Much.
Dr Frame says l should|take it easy for a few days, but paperwork waits for no man.
- What can l do for you?|- l have a question.
- Where's Sloan?|- Sloan's dead.
Admiral, where's Sloan? lf we're going to have this discussion,|then it's off the record.
Before l answer your question,|answer mine.
How did you know? The man Koval described|was not the same man who recruited me into Section 31.
Anyone clever enough to pull the wool|so completely over my eyes wouldn't have been caught so easily.
There had to be another explanation.
Then l remembered|that you were the one who planted the idea in my head|that Sloan had an accomplice.
You didn't want to tell the Romulans|about the assassination plot.
You were the one who gave the orders|preventing me from contacting DS9.
And when the time came|to arrest Sloan, you conveniently had an aneurysm, leaving me alone, with no one|to turn to for help, except Cretak.
And as l realised your involvement,|the rest began to fall into place.
Where is he? - l don't know.
|- But he's alive, isn't he? He was supposed to be beamed away|before the phaser beam hit him.
Whether it worked or not, l couldn't say.
How long has Koval|been working for Starfleet? He's been providing the Federation|with military intelligence for over a year.
When he started working|with Section 31 l don't know.
But in any case, we have our mole working for us at the top levels|of Romulan government.
Good for us.
And what about your friend|Senator Cretak? What's going to happen to her? Dismissed from the Senate, definitely.
|lmprisoned, most likely.
- Executed?|- l hope not.
You set her up! She was an innocent|woman and you let Sloan destroy her! Why? She believed in the alliance.
She was on our side! No, she wasn't.
|l told you before, Julian, she's a patriot.
lf it served the Romulans|to negotiate peace with the Dominion, Cretak would push that option.
And the Dominion would love to make|a deal with the Romulans right now.
So Koval is your guarantee|that that does not happen.
And his recommendation to stay in|the war will be all the more convincing.
That's the idea.
How long have you worked|for Section 31? - l don't.
|- Just a temporary alliance, is it? Something like that.
You see nothing wrong|with what happened.
l don't like it.
But l've ordered|young men and women to die.
- l like that even less.
|- That's a glib answer and a cheap way to avoid the fact that you've trampled on the very thing|they're dying to protect.
- Does that not mean anything to you?|- "lnter arma enim silent leges.
" ''ln time of war, the law falls silent.
''|Cicero.
So is that what we've become?|A 24th-century Rome, driven by nothing other than the|certainty that Caesar can do no wrong? This conversation never happened.
You're dismissed.
Good evening.
Are you expecting applause?|Have you come to take a bow? l just wanted to say thank you.
For what? Allowing you|to manipulate me so completely.
For being a decent human being.
That's why we selected you|in the first place.
We needed somebody who wanted to|play the game, but who'd only go so far.
When the time came, you stood|your ground and did the right thing.
You reached out to an enemy, told her|the truth, and tried to stop a murder.
The Federation needs men like you.
Men of conscience.
Men of principle.
|Men who can sleep at night.
You're also the reason|Section 31 exists.
Someone has to protect men like you from a universe that doesn't|share your sense of right and wrong.
Should l feel sorry for you? Should l weep over the burden you're|forced to carry to protect the rest of us? lt is an honour to know you, Doctor.
Good night.
- Bashir to security.
|- Odo here.
Never mind.
My mistake.