ACT I

(Major Kira's quarters. She is sitting at her desk trying to work but
unable to concentrate. The door bleeps.)

KIRA: Come in. (The door opens; GARAK stands in the doorway but doesn't enter. She looks up and sees him) I have nothing to say to you.

GARAK: I came prepared to do the talking. May I come in? (KIRA hesitates, then shrugs. GARAK enters and the door closes) Julian told me he saw you in the infirmary. I am sorry. (KIRA doesn't respond) It may help to know that it is as humiliating and frightening for me to lose control in front of a Bajoran as it is for you to be overpowered by a Cardassian.

KIRA: You have no way of knowing that.

GARAK: You're absolutely right. (There is a pause) I came here...(he is desperately uncomfortable saying this)...to apologize for hurting you, and to tell you that if you want my cooperation you have it. That's all. (He
turns to go.)

KIRA: Garak. (He turns around. She realizes she doesn't quite know what she wants to say to him) If you can be ready in half an hour, I have an appointment with the authorities that are holding the suspects. (He nods
and exits. She goes back to her desk.)
 

(Ops. DAX and O'BRIEN are hanging around as they usually are. KIRA is waiting by the transporter pad, pacing back and forth)

DAX: Nerys, you're making me nervous.

KIRA: (stopping) Sorry.

O'BRIEN: It's all right, you know. He won't bite.

KIRA: I'm not so sure.

DAX: Haven't you ever lost your temper?

KIRA: When I lose my temper I don't rip people's arms out of their--(GARAK comes up on the turbolift. He is aware that his arrival has killed the conversation)

GARAK: Good afternoon, Major. I do hope I'm appropriately attired. It's been a long time since I visited the surface. You don't think it's too late in the season for indal fleece, do you?

KIRA: (As she assumes her position on the pad next to GARAK) Energize.

(O'BRIEN does. After they disappear, he and DAX look at each other)

DAX: Be kind of fun to cross their pattern beams and see what happens, huh? (O'BRIEN looks horrified) Just a joke, Chief.
 

(The interior of a Bajoran civil security office. REFPEC, a middle-aged Bajoran male who looks rather rotund and jolly, gets up from behind a desk as KIRA and GARAK materialize)

REFPEC: Major! Always a pleasure to have you here. (KIRA nods) And you must be the victim.

GARAK: I suppose I must.

KIRA: He's agreed to ID the second suspect.

REFPEC: Wonderful, wonderful. (Starts leading them down a corridor) It's just a formality, you understand, I don't expect there to be too many surprises with this proceeding, but we like to cover all the bases.
Thoroughness. Part of your legacy. (Leads them into a room of which one wall is a one-way mirror looking through to a room on the other side)

GARAK: (a little nervous) You don't use video?

REFPEC: We feel that the closer you can duplicate the face-to-face situation the more accurate the identification will be.  And we also find it makes people less liable to finger someone they're not sure about. We'll send the candidates in as soon as we round up enough ringers to make it interesting.
 

(Exits. The camera follows him down a busy hallway full of employees carrying files, bringing in suspects, doing police-station type things. REFPEC greets several as he passes. He eventually comes to a holding cell
where DANTAC is being taken out by a guard for the lineup.)

REFPEC: Phal, who've we got for stand-ins?

PHAL: Well, since we stopped giving out the free jubjub sticks the volunteers just haven't responded like they used to...(Starts walking DANTAC back down the hall with REFPEC. Calling to the others) Hey, Jodny,
you're about his height and coloring, you wanna pretend to be a suspect?

JODNY: Sure, I've got nothing better to do, I'm just sitting here talking to--(PHAL and REFPEC look at the man JODNY's been speaking with, a vedek who's about the same height and hair color)

REFPEC: Oh, Vedek Starn! I didn't know you were planning to visit. I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were doing something *important,* Jodny, we can find someone else--

STARN: Please, don't let me interfere with your duties. Inspector Jodny and I were just concluding our conversation. (JODNY joins the others) Where are you going?

JODNY: It's just a witness ID. We need a few tall, sandy-haired random people to throw in with the guy we expect the victim to pick, that's all. The kind of stupid routine thing we do a lot around here...

STARN: It's not stupid at all. Protecting the rights of a suspect is serious business. Once we forget our responsibilities there, we're no better off than we were under occupation.

REFPEC: Glad *someone* on the Vedek Assembly feels that way.

STARN: Oh, Director Refpec, you overestimate the influence of a few extreme members with loud voices. Our commitment to civil liberties remains as firm as ever.

REFPEC:(laughing) In that case, you wanna get in the lineup? You're about his height...

STARN: Certainly, if you need an extra body.

JODNY: Oh, Vedek, we couldn't ask--

REFPEC: I was joking, Vedek. Of course you--

STARN: No, no, I'd like to. Your job is a difficult one and if I can help I'll be very pleased. Of course, I'd need to change...

REFPEC: Well, if you're really serious, Vedek, we do put everyone in a standard uniform...

STARN: Lead the way.
 

(The viewing room. GARAK and KIRA sit silent at a table on which is a pitcher of water and some disposable cups. Neither looks at the other. GARAK, looking for something to do to camouflage the awkwardness, reaches down to get the pitcher, which is closer to KIRA; she involuntarily draws back into a defensive position as he does. They look at each other, then look away. Finally, after pouring his water with studious  concentration, GARAK speaks)

GARAK: You're perfectly capable of taking me on, Major. I took you by surprise, that's all. (She does not respond.) You needn't be afraid of me. 

KIRA: I'm not afr--(GARAK looks at her; she stops) In a few minutes they'll bring in a group of people who roughly match the description you gave. All you have to do is pick out the one you think is your attacker.

GARAK: I'm not sure I'll be able to, Major. (Looking blankly ahead of him) For most of my acquaintance with them I was unconscious.

KIRA: (after an uncomfortable pause) Do what you can. (The lights come up in the room on the other side; at the same time REFPEC enters)

REFPEC: We ready? (GARAK nods) All right then. (Hits an intercom) All right, Phal, send in the clowns. (A group of tallish, brown-haired Bajoran males files in. STARN, JODNY and DANTAC are among them, as well as a couple random extras. They line up) First in line, take one step forward...(At REFPEC's direction, the suspects advance, turn around, and return to the line. GARAK stands up and starts walking back and forth in front of the glass. Something is bothering him)

KIRA: Well? What do you think?

GARAK: Could I see the second one on the left again? (REFPEC glances at KIRA; they are starting to get worried. REFPEC hits the intercom)

REFPEC: Second in line, step forward. (STARN advances. GARAK stares at him for a few seconds, then shakes his head)

GARAK: What about the one on the end...

REFPEC: Last in line, step forward. (A randomer steps forward, pirouettes, retires. GARAK walks down to STARN's end and takes on last look at him, then seems to make up his mind)

GARAK: Thank you, Director, that's enough.

REFPEC: Take them back in. (PHAL enters and shepherds them out)

GARAK: (smiles) Now can you show me something in an extra-large?

REFPEC: Excuse me?

GARAK: You'd better bring in the second lot. (REFPEC and KIRA are now definitely worried.)

REFPEC: There is no second lot.

KIRA: Are you saying you don't recognize any of these men?

GARAK: None of them...(shakes his head) No, I'm sure of it. Whoever he was, he wasn't in that lineup. (There is a silence)

REFPEC: So. Where do we go from here?

KIRA: That's an excellent question.
 

(Back in Ops. KIRA and GARAK materialize)

GARAK: I'm sorry I couldn't be more help, Major. (KIRA seems abstracted)

KIRA: (as he is walking away) Garak. (He turns) May I see you in my office for a minute? (He follows her into a small room with a desk; the door closes) You did recognize one of them.

GARAK: I told you--

KIRA: You were looking at the second one from the left. Why?

GARAK: (shaking his head) For a moment I thought he looked familiar. But not from that. It was more as if I'd known him somewhere else but I couldn't place him. But I'm sure he wasn't the second abductor.

KIRA: Do you know who that was? (GARAK shakes his head) That was Vedek Starn. (GARAK looks mildly surprised) Let's just say, if it should turn out that he *was* involved in your abduction, this is something Bajor should *definitely* know about, and if you're withholding--

GARAK: Major, I am withholding *nothing.* And let me tell you, that is an *extremely* uncomfortable situation for me. I thought I recognized him, but not from that. That's all I can tell you. (KIRA looks at him)

KIRA: I certainly would like to believe you.

GARAK: Then try. For a change. (He exits.)
 

(Odo's office. ODO and KIRA are discussing the events of the day. On the table are several PADDs and the bloodheart.)

ODO: He ID'd Vedek Starn?

KIRA: No, he didn't ID him. He says nobody in the lineup looked like his abductor. But he did recognize him from somewhere, I'm sure of that. And that's very disturbing.

ODO: Maybe he'd seen his campaign publicity.

KIRA: I suppose that's possible. I just...I have a bad feeling about this. If Dantac isn't the confederate, that means Telpar's confession is at least partially false.

ODO: Maybe Garak just didn't get a good enough look at him. (KIRA shakes her head.)

KIRA: No. I should have expected this. There are just too many questions that Telpar's confession didn't answer. How did they know Garak would be alone that night? How did they get onto the station without showing up on the transporter logs? How did they get into his quarters without setting off the security alarms?

ODO: All good questions. And I've got another: why did the Protectorate work through them instead of through a professional bounty hunter? (KIRA nods and sighs) So where does this leave us?

KIRA: Where we should have started from the beginning. (Picks up the ball) With the bloodheart. (ODO looks at it)

ODO: I may be wrong, Major...but I don't think we're going to like where this thing leads us. (Camera closes in on the bloodheart, whose surface is reflecting both KIRA and ODO. Blackout and commercial.)

*end Act I*