Star Trek: Deep Space Nine s02e24 Episode Script
The Collaborator
Nerys? Vedek Bareil! Want to play? Help me.
Please.
All right.
Who is it? - lt's Prylar Bek.
|- No, it's not.
lt's you.
Good morning.
l thought you'd sleep till noon.
Sh.
You're supposed to be relaxing.
l'm very relaxed.
Good.
How are you feeling this morning? Miserable.
l wish you could stay here longer.
All right, l will.
l'll stay a few more days.
- You can't.
|- Why not? Because in two days you are going to be elected Kai.
Oh, that! There's no guarantee l'll win.
Of course you will.
|The people need you.
Are yougoing to vote for me? ls that why you spent|the last three days here? To get my vote? l know you don't agree|with many of my views so l thought a personal appearance|might sway your opinion.
l was going to vote for Vedek Tolena.
But l might be persuaded|to change my mind.
Good.
Because your vote|is the only one that matters to me.
l may not always agree with|your interpretations of the prophecies but l think|you will make a wonderful Kai.
And you were Kai Opaka's|personal choice to succeed her.
l could never replace Opaka.
Bajor wouldn't have survived|the occupation without her.
Once you become Kai|we'll never have these times together.
Listen to me.
|No matter how busy l become l'll always have time for you.
- lt won't be easy.
|- l didn't say it would.
l'm not going to lose you, Nerys.
|l promise you that.
Remember now, honour the Prophets and they will always love you.
As l understand the sacred texts,|the Prophets' love is unconditional.
They ask nothing in return.
Thank you, Vedek Bareil,|for reminding us how the sacred text can be|so easily misinterpreted.
lt pleases me to provide you|with an opposing viewpoint.
Somehow you never fail to do that.
l had no idea you were on the station.
But l shouldn't be so surprised.
l wouldn't even try to surprise you.
You've been keeping a close eye|on my activities these last few weeks.
The eyes of all of Bajor|are focused on you.
Why should l be any different? After all, the common wisdom is that|you are destined to be the next Kai.
- Are you conceding?|- Hardly.
The choosing is still two days away.
The Prophets may yet surprise us all.
|Remember that, Bareil.
l would hate for you|to start celebrating prematurely.
What brings you to the station,|Vedek Winn? lf the Prophets wanted|you to know about my visit, l would have informed you of it.
Now that l know you're here, l'll inform Constable Odo|to increase station security.
That won't be necessary.
|l feel quite safe here.
No, it wasn't your safety|that concerned me.
Just what are you trying to infer, child? l'm sure Major Kira|meant no disrespect.
Not at all.
l want to avoid the violence|that occurred during your last visit.
My child, l know|you still hold me responsible for the deplorable attempt|on Vedek Bareil's life.
But l can only pray that some day you will be cured|of this unfortunate misconception.
That prayer will never be answered.
What a pity, for both of us.
Excuse me.
Excuse me, don't l know you? - You must be mistaken.
|- No, no, l've seen you before.
You'reKubus, that's it.
Kubus Oak.
|You worked for the Cardassians.
- Out of my way!|- Wait a minute! You're not going anywhere.
l know who you are|and l know what you did! You're a traitor!|This is Kubus Oak! He's a traitor! He worked for the Cardassians! - What's going on here?|- See for yourself.
Secretary Kubus.
Last l heard,|you were living on Cardassia.
lt was time to come home.
Welcome back.
You're under arrest.
The Prophets have spoken.
|All blessings on the new Kai.
Blessings on the Kai.
|May the Prophets guide you.
Kai Opaka.
Be at peace, my child.
You must be strong.
|Now, more than ever.
Why did you leave us? All is as the Prophets will it to be,|as you will learn.
Follow me.
Be careful, Bareil.
|The path she walks is a narrow one.
See that you don't stumble.
- Heed her words.
|- l don't deserve to walk in your path.
You must.
lt is your destiny.
Prylar Bek? Accept this gift from the Prophets.
You must not refuse their offering.
Take it.
|lts venom will make you stronger.
There was quite a mob|gathering out there.
l had to call in extra security|to disperse it.
l never doubted your ability|to handle the situation, Odo.
You're good at your job.
l could say the same for you,|Secretary Kubus, special liaison between|the Cardassian occupation forces and their pawns|in the Bajoran government.
l served the only recognised|government during the occupation.
Recognised by the Cardassians.
lf it wasn't for us, the situation|would have been ten times worse.
Maybe, but how could you know that, seeing that you spent|all your time here? Gul Dukat told me once|that you were his favourite Bajoran.
Really? l never could stand|that arrogant tyrant! You hid your feelings well.
lt kept me alive.
Bajor is my home.
l never should have left it.
But you did.
And you're going to have|to live with that decision.
This is major Kira, the highest-ranking|Bajoran on the station.
You're the one l should talk to.
Make it brief.
|l don't enjoy talking to collaborators.
l'm simply requesting that l be allowed|to return home.
Request denied.
l doubt you can make that decision.
The decision has already been made.
ln the llvian Proclamation,|every Bajoran member of the Cardassian occupational|government was sentenced to exile.
Your name was number four|on that list.
Personally,|l think you all got off too easy.
Major l don't have many years left.
Let me live them out on Bajor.
When the Cardassians needed|Bajorans to work in the mines, - who approved those work orders?|- The Bajoran government.
Whose signature was|on those authorisation forms? Mine.
You knew those authorisations|were death sentences.
Did you ever once refuse to sign them? No.
That's why you can never be allowed|to set foot on Bajor again.
Because if you do, it would dishonour the memory of|every person you sentenced to death.
Vedek Winn.
What can l do for you? Emissary lt has come to my attention|that there are some on Bajor who think my relationship with you|is not all it should be.
Really? l find such a perception,|however inaccurate, to be most distressing.
The question we have to ask ourselves is whether or not|that perception is inaccurate.
Don't tell me that|you yourself, Emissary, believe that you and l are - How shall l put it?|- Enemies? - At odds.
|- Well Let's see.
How could l have come|to such a conclusion? Maybe it's because|the last time you were here you claimed that l was here|to destroy your people.
What l was really saying what l have always maintained is that you were sent here|by the Prophets to challenge our long-held beliefs.
l assume you no longer consider|the Federation to be an enemy to Bajor.
Emissary, l admit l had some concerns about Bajor's application|for Federation membership.
But now l see that|the Federation's presence here is essential for|our long-term security and growth.
Then you support the notion|of Bajor joining the Federation? lf that is the will of the Prophets,|l would never oppose it.
l'm glad you said that.
And l would be grateful if you would|tell it to the Bajoran people.
Nothing could make me happier|than to please you, Emissary.
Perhaps you and l could address|the Vedek Assembly together so everyone can celebrate|our new friendship.
An excellent idea.
Perhaps some time next week.
Why wait, Emissary? The Assembly would grant us|an immediate audience.
l'm sure.
Unfortunately, if we were to appear|together in public before the choosing it might be seen as an endorsement|of your bid to become the Kai.
l doubt that, Emissary.
lt's common knowledge|that you support Vedek Bareil, although l have been|pleasantly surprised that you haven't made|a public statement.
The election of the Kai|is strictly an internal affair to Bajor.
As a Federation officer,|l would never interfere.
What an enlightened philosophy.
So then, it's agreed.
l'll see you next week.
l look forward to it.
- Odo to Major Kira.
|- This is Kira.
Major, Secretary Kubus|is about to leave for Bajor.
How can that be? - Vedek Winn granted him sanctuary.
|- On my way.
- Kira to ops.
|- Go ahead.
Has Winn's ship left the station? - l was about to clear them.
|- Don't.
l don't want that ship going anywhere.
Understood.
Tell me what happened.
Kubus requested a private meeting|with Vedek Winn.
Winn then asked|for the use of my computer.
She accessed information|from the library.
Then she called|the provisional government and informed them she was|granting Kubus sanctuary.
- Do you know what she looked up?|- l'm trying to find out.
That's Prylar Bek.
Why would Winn be interested|in another Bajoran collaborator? l'm not sure, but Bek and Kubus|did know each other.
Bek liaised between|the Cardassians and the Assembly when Kubus was secretary|to the occupational government.
They spent a lot of time together.
See if Winn accessed any information|about the Kendra Valley massacre.
You're right, she did.
Do you think Kubus told her|something new? Kai Opaka's son|and 42 other Bajoran freedom fighters were killed|because Bek gave the Cardassians the location of their encampment.
He made a full confession|in his suicide note.
You must have read it.
Major Kira, may l speak to you, please? Of course.
You were the one|who stopped my ship from leaving? Yes, l did.
You're the last person l would expect|to help a collaborator.
Unless, of course,|he has something you need.
My needs are no concern of yours,|child.
Now, l suggest you allow my ship|to depart immediately.
You're free to leave any time you like.
But in light of public feelings|about Kubus, any ship with him onboard can't leave until it's undergone a security check|to prevent sabotage, and that includes a molecular scan|for nanotechnology.
And how long would such a scan take? l'm no expert but l'm sure|it could take days.
Even weeks.
Very well.
lt seems the Prophets have decided|you will have a part in this after all.
ln exchange for sanctuary, Kubus will tell who was responsible|for the Kendra Valley massacre.
Prylar Bek was responsible|for the massacre.
Bek was a pawn, an intermediary.
He killed himself to prevent|the discovery of the real traitor.
The real traitor? Bek's superior,|the person who ordered him to reveal the location of the rebel base|to the Cardassians.
The man who was truly responsible|for the massacre.
Vedek Bareil.
Do you think you'll get away with this? No one is going to believe|a traitor like Kubus.
l never said l believed him.
l'm only trying to protect|the spiritual life of Bajor.
Don't flatter yourself.
|You're trying to grab power.
My child,|do you want to risk the consequences of having a collaborator as Kai? He is not a collaborator.
That's yet to be determined.
But if he is chosen|and turns out to be guilty, the ramifications for Bajor|would be catastrophic.
lt would shatter faith in the Kai, and without a strong Kai,|Bajor cannot survive.
You can't condemn Bareil without proof.
l don't intend to.
|l will conduct a quiet investigation when l return to Bajor.
But l didn't know whom to trust|with such a delicate assignment until now.
- You want me to do your dirty work.
|- l want the truth.
The Prophets have chosen you|to help me find it.
l'll find out the truth, don't worry.
But keep Kubus's accusations|from becoming public until l can prove Bareil's innocence.
You have my word.
Let the Prophets be my witness.
- lf you find that he's guilty|- Whatever l find out, l will share.
Then it's decided.
And, child, one last thing.
l know you're under a terrible strain, but if you're wise you will never speak to me|with such disrespect again.
Did you know Prylar Bek|was a collaborator? He was only a messenger between the Cardassians|and the Vedek Assembly.
l could see in the weeks|prior to the massacre that something was bothering him.
He was tense and nervous and|in constant contact with the Assembly.
Do you know who? The day after the incident,|Vedek Bareil came to visit him.
Did you see them together? l saw Bareil enter Bek's quarters,|which were near mine.
He was there for hours and l could hear shouting|through the bulkhead.
- You heard what they said?|- No, but l saw Bareil later.
He was upset.
|ln the morning Bek hanged himself.
This is all the evidence you have? lsn't that enough?|Bek was obviously working with Bareil, and when he realised what he'd done|he must have wanted to confess.
Bareil wouldn't allow it,|so Bek took another way out.
That's fascinating|but it is pure conjecture.
There must be a dozen explanations|for why Bareil came to see Bek.
lt's up to you to find out|which explanation is true.
What exactly is it you're asking me,|Nerys? l guess l'm asking whether or not you came|to see Bek that day? l visited Bek, yes.
|That hardly makes me a collaborator.
l know that.
|lt's Vedek Winn who needs convincing.
Poor Winn.
Her desire to become Kai|has clouded her judgement.
Don't take her so lightly.
|She is determined to ruin you.
Believe me when l say|there's no reason to worry.
l had nothing to do with the massacre|and Winn will never prove otherwise.
All right.
But l still need to know why you came to the station.
Bek was a deeply troubled man,|seeking spiritual guidance.
His guilt at betraying the Kendra Valley|base was overwhelming.
He called me for help.
|l wish l could have done more.
What did he tell you? Nerys, he was a monk|speaking in confidence to his Vedek.
l cannot betray that trust.
l understand.
ls there anything else|l should know about Bek, about the massacre? - Nothing that will satisfy Winn.
|- All right.
l'll keep looking.
l am going to prove to Winn|that you are innocent.
Thank you, Nerys.
Just as l thought.
The Cardassians purged|all records of communication between here and Bajor.
Get the information from the other end.
l'll establish a link|with the Bajoran central archives.
Then l can access the files|of the Vedek Assembly.
- Are you all right?|- l'm fine.
- You don't seem fine.
|- lt's nothing.
Uh-huh.
lf you say so.
He says he's not guilty.
|l know he's not guilty.
But you're afraid he's guilty.
l love him, Odo.
Really? Well, l What? l was just wondering|when you were going to figure that out.
You humanoids.
When it comes to emotions|you never see the obvious.
l'm into the Vedek Assembly files.
Can you retrieve the communications|between here and the Assembly? Time frame? Try the week leading up|to the Kendra massacre.
- That's odd.
|- What? All the communications records|with Bek for that week have been sealed.
- Sealed? By who?|- lt just indicates a seal.
ln the Assembly records? Who has that kind of authority? Only a Vedek.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
OK, OK Fine, 12, 13, 14 And not a strip more.
- l hate payday.
|- Ahem.
Whatever she told you, l didn't do it.
Relax.
No one|is accusing you of anything.
- The day is young.
|- Don't be so defensive.
l'm developing a persecution complex.
l'm sorry to hear that.
All right.
What's going on? You want something from me.
How did you guess? lt's simple.
We haven't insulted him,|threatened or arrested him.
Exactly.
So how much trouble|is it going to cause? No trouble at all.
We just need you|to bypass a security seal.
- lsn't that illegal?|- Spare us.
This is important.
We need access|to files in the Assembly records.
lllegal and sacrilegious! l'm sure the Prophets|won't mind just this once.
OK, but l'll have to have|written authorisation from you - Just do it!|- When things go wrong lt won't go wrong! l believe in Rule of Acquisition|number 285: ''No good deed ever goes unpunished.
'' You can access the Assembly records through the Bajoran central archives.
Of course l can, if l want to barge in|like some rank amateur.
This is going to take a while.
l'll let you know when l'm done.
lt happened here.
Bek hanged himself|in front of dozens of witnesses.
At least he felt guilty|about what he'd done.
Strange.
Bek and l were acquaintances|here on the station.
l always thought he was a good man.
A good man does not betray|his own people.
The one thing|l've learned about humanoids is that in extreme situations even the best of you|can do terrible things.
Hey.
Hey, Odo.
The good news is|l broke through the security seal.
The bad news is the file is empty.
All the messages have been erased.
- They're erased.
|- Can you do anything? l could scan the empty file|for traces of data fragments.
There's always a faint residue|of the original data.
But to make a coherent pattern|could take a while.
So we can't retrieve that information? Not in time to do you any good,|but let me see something.
l might be able to find out|who erased the data.
Their retinal scan would have been|noted when they logged on.
But wouldn't the scans|have been erased? Even a fragment|might be enough to identify the user.
l'll run a sweep|of the authorisation subroutine.
These are mathematical|representations of part of the scan.
We'll use them|to reassemble part of the image.
Not bad.
We'll cross-reference this|with the Assembly's archive, find out who it is.
l think we've got something.
Blessings on Kai Bareil.
You.
l trusted you.
l needed you.
And you let me die.
You will be rewarded.
Accept this gift from the Prophets.
May the Prophets comfort you,|my child.
May they comfort us all.
Come in.
Nerys.
Did you really believe|l wouldn't learn the truth? The truth is not always|easy to recognise.
l recognise it now|and l don't like what l see.
Why did you do it? Why did you erase|those transmission records? Don't make me do this.
l don't have any choice.
Winn is waiting to hear from me.
Shall l say that you ordered Bek|to give the Cardassians the location of that base? That you are responsible|for the deaths of those 43 people? That you killed Kai Opaka's son? The Cardassians were determined to eliminate resistance|in the Kendra Valley.
lf someone hadn't told them the location they would have wiped out|every village in the area.
That would have meant the death|of 1200 innocent Bajorans.
l could not allow that.
There had to have been another way.
l believed in you.
l defended you.
And Winn was right all along.
And now she's going to destroy you.
No.
l've destroyed myself.
- What's our status?|- Everything is under control.
You received a transmission|from Vedek Winn.
She seemed anxious to talk to you.
Open a channel|to the Vedek Assembly.
l might as well get this over with.
l was wondering|when you'd contact me, child.
l was waiting to complete|my investigation.
l must congratulate you|on a job well done.
The Prophets were right|in picking you to help.
You sound like you know|what l'm going to say.
Bareil has just made a surprise|announcement to the Vedek Assembly.
He's withdrawn himself.
He no longer wishes to be the next Kai.
l know this is painful for you, child, but you've done a great service|for Bajor.
Whoever is chosen as the new Kai will owe you a debt of gratitude.
May the Prophets guide you.
Are you all right? lt doesn't make sense.
|Vedek Bareil is an honourable man.
He wouldn't hide from his actions|by covering them up.
l'm missing something.
Chief.
l need to get back into|the Vedek Assembly archives.
Yes, sir.
Kai Winn.
Your "pagh" is strong, my child.
Be at peace.
ln time you will learn|l am not your enemy.
l hope that's true.
l know you do.
And tell Commander Sisko l must postpone appearing|with him before the Assembly.
At least for now.
Nerys? l didn't expect to see you here.
You forgot to erase the transit files.
l don't understand.
You did a wonderful job|erasing the transmission reports but you forgot all about the files|that prove you weren't a collaborator.
lt's over.
Let it rest.
The people have chosen Winn.
Only because you withdrew|and you didn't have to.
The reports show you were|on a retreat at the Dakeen Monastery before the massacre.
l checked|the Dakeen transmission reports.
You had contact with no one except a transmission|after the massacre ordering you back to the Assembly.
- That's enough.
|- No, it is not enough.
There is no way you ordered Bek to reveal the location|of the Kendra Valley encampment.
You were covering up|for someone else.
Someone who meant|more to you than me.
- More to you even than becoming Kai.
|- Please, Nerys, don't.
Why not? lt's the truth, isn't it? Who else meant that much to you? lt had to be Kai Opaka.
Opaka knew where the resistance cell|was located because her son was a member.
She was the collaborator, wasn't she? She sacrificed her own son|to save a thousand people.
l had to protect her.
So lnstead of you,|we have Winn to lead us.
lt is the will of the Prophets.
The question is where will she lead us? Down paths|she cannot possibly imagine.
She's going to need our help|along the way, even if she doesn't realise it.
- What happens to us?|- What do you want to happen? Let's go pay our respects|to the new Kai.
Please.
All right.
Who is it? - lt's Prylar Bek.
|- No, it's not.
lt's you.
Good morning.
l thought you'd sleep till noon.
Sh.
You're supposed to be relaxing.
l'm very relaxed.
Good.
How are you feeling this morning? Miserable.
l wish you could stay here longer.
All right, l will.
l'll stay a few more days.
- You can't.
|- Why not? Because in two days you are going to be elected Kai.
Oh, that! There's no guarantee l'll win.
Of course you will.
|The people need you.
Are yougoing to vote for me? ls that why you spent|the last three days here? To get my vote? l know you don't agree|with many of my views so l thought a personal appearance|might sway your opinion.
l was going to vote for Vedek Tolena.
But l might be persuaded|to change my mind.
Good.
Because your vote|is the only one that matters to me.
l may not always agree with|your interpretations of the prophecies but l think|you will make a wonderful Kai.
And you were Kai Opaka's|personal choice to succeed her.
l could never replace Opaka.
Bajor wouldn't have survived|the occupation without her.
Once you become Kai|we'll never have these times together.
Listen to me.
|No matter how busy l become l'll always have time for you.
- lt won't be easy.
|- l didn't say it would.
l'm not going to lose you, Nerys.
|l promise you that.
Remember now, honour the Prophets and they will always love you.
As l understand the sacred texts,|the Prophets' love is unconditional.
They ask nothing in return.
Thank you, Vedek Bareil,|for reminding us how the sacred text can be|so easily misinterpreted.
lt pleases me to provide you|with an opposing viewpoint.
Somehow you never fail to do that.
l had no idea you were on the station.
But l shouldn't be so surprised.
l wouldn't even try to surprise you.
You've been keeping a close eye|on my activities these last few weeks.
The eyes of all of Bajor|are focused on you.
Why should l be any different? After all, the common wisdom is that|you are destined to be the next Kai.
- Are you conceding?|- Hardly.
The choosing is still two days away.
The Prophets may yet surprise us all.
|Remember that, Bareil.
l would hate for you|to start celebrating prematurely.
What brings you to the station,|Vedek Winn? lf the Prophets wanted|you to know about my visit, l would have informed you of it.
Now that l know you're here, l'll inform Constable Odo|to increase station security.
That won't be necessary.
|l feel quite safe here.
No, it wasn't your safety|that concerned me.
Just what are you trying to infer, child? l'm sure Major Kira|meant no disrespect.
Not at all.
l want to avoid the violence|that occurred during your last visit.
My child, l know|you still hold me responsible for the deplorable attempt|on Vedek Bareil's life.
But l can only pray that some day you will be cured|of this unfortunate misconception.
That prayer will never be answered.
What a pity, for both of us.
Excuse me.
Excuse me, don't l know you? - You must be mistaken.
|- No, no, l've seen you before.
You'reKubus, that's it.
Kubus Oak.
|You worked for the Cardassians.
- Out of my way!|- Wait a minute! You're not going anywhere.
l know who you are|and l know what you did! You're a traitor!|This is Kubus Oak! He's a traitor! He worked for the Cardassians! - What's going on here?|- See for yourself.
Secretary Kubus.
Last l heard,|you were living on Cardassia.
lt was time to come home.
Welcome back.
You're under arrest.
The Prophets have spoken.
|All blessings on the new Kai.
Blessings on the Kai.
|May the Prophets guide you.
Kai Opaka.
Be at peace, my child.
You must be strong.
|Now, more than ever.
Why did you leave us? All is as the Prophets will it to be,|as you will learn.
Follow me.
Be careful, Bareil.
|The path she walks is a narrow one.
See that you don't stumble.
- Heed her words.
|- l don't deserve to walk in your path.
You must.
lt is your destiny.
Prylar Bek? Accept this gift from the Prophets.
You must not refuse their offering.
Take it.
|lts venom will make you stronger.
There was quite a mob|gathering out there.
l had to call in extra security|to disperse it.
l never doubted your ability|to handle the situation, Odo.
You're good at your job.
l could say the same for you,|Secretary Kubus, special liaison between|the Cardassian occupation forces and their pawns|in the Bajoran government.
l served the only recognised|government during the occupation.
Recognised by the Cardassians.
lf it wasn't for us, the situation|would have been ten times worse.
Maybe, but how could you know that, seeing that you spent|all your time here? Gul Dukat told me once|that you were his favourite Bajoran.
Really? l never could stand|that arrogant tyrant! You hid your feelings well.
lt kept me alive.
Bajor is my home.
l never should have left it.
But you did.
And you're going to have|to live with that decision.
This is major Kira, the highest-ranking|Bajoran on the station.
You're the one l should talk to.
Make it brief.
|l don't enjoy talking to collaborators.
l'm simply requesting that l be allowed|to return home.
Request denied.
l doubt you can make that decision.
The decision has already been made.
ln the llvian Proclamation,|every Bajoran member of the Cardassian occupational|government was sentenced to exile.
Your name was number four|on that list.
Personally,|l think you all got off too easy.
Major l don't have many years left.
Let me live them out on Bajor.
When the Cardassians needed|Bajorans to work in the mines, - who approved those work orders?|- The Bajoran government.
Whose signature was|on those authorisation forms? Mine.
You knew those authorisations|were death sentences.
Did you ever once refuse to sign them? No.
That's why you can never be allowed|to set foot on Bajor again.
Because if you do, it would dishonour the memory of|every person you sentenced to death.
Vedek Winn.
What can l do for you? Emissary lt has come to my attention|that there are some on Bajor who think my relationship with you|is not all it should be.
Really? l find such a perception,|however inaccurate, to be most distressing.
The question we have to ask ourselves is whether or not|that perception is inaccurate.
Don't tell me that|you yourself, Emissary, believe that you and l are - How shall l put it?|- Enemies? - At odds.
|- Well Let's see.
How could l have come|to such a conclusion? Maybe it's because|the last time you were here you claimed that l was here|to destroy your people.
What l was really saying what l have always maintained is that you were sent here|by the Prophets to challenge our long-held beliefs.
l assume you no longer consider|the Federation to be an enemy to Bajor.
Emissary, l admit l had some concerns about Bajor's application|for Federation membership.
But now l see that|the Federation's presence here is essential for|our long-term security and growth.
Then you support the notion|of Bajor joining the Federation? lf that is the will of the Prophets,|l would never oppose it.
l'm glad you said that.
And l would be grateful if you would|tell it to the Bajoran people.
Nothing could make me happier|than to please you, Emissary.
Perhaps you and l could address|the Vedek Assembly together so everyone can celebrate|our new friendship.
An excellent idea.
Perhaps some time next week.
Why wait, Emissary? The Assembly would grant us|an immediate audience.
l'm sure.
Unfortunately, if we were to appear|together in public before the choosing it might be seen as an endorsement|of your bid to become the Kai.
l doubt that, Emissary.
lt's common knowledge|that you support Vedek Bareil, although l have been|pleasantly surprised that you haven't made|a public statement.
The election of the Kai|is strictly an internal affair to Bajor.
As a Federation officer,|l would never interfere.
What an enlightened philosophy.
So then, it's agreed.
l'll see you next week.
l look forward to it.
- Odo to Major Kira.
|- This is Kira.
Major, Secretary Kubus|is about to leave for Bajor.
How can that be? - Vedek Winn granted him sanctuary.
|- On my way.
- Kira to ops.
|- Go ahead.
Has Winn's ship left the station? - l was about to clear them.
|- Don't.
l don't want that ship going anywhere.
Understood.
Tell me what happened.
Kubus requested a private meeting|with Vedek Winn.
Winn then asked|for the use of my computer.
She accessed information|from the library.
Then she called|the provisional government and informed them she was|granting Kubus sanctuary.
- Do you know what she looked up?|- l'm trying to find out.
That's Prylar Bek.
Why would Winn be interested|in another Bajoran collaborator? l'm not sure, but Bek and Kubus|did know each other.
Bek liaised between|the Cardassians and the Assembly when Kubus was secretary|to the occupational government.
They spent a lot of time together.
See if Winn accessed any information|about the Kendra Valley massacre.
You're right, she did.
Do you think Kubus told her|something new? Kai Opaka's son|and 42 other Bajoran freedom fighters were killed|because Bek gave the Cardassians the location of their encampment.
He made a full confession|in his suicide note.
You must have read it.
Major Kira, may l speak to you, please? Of course.
You were the one|who stopped my ship from leaving? Yes, l did.
You're the last person l would expect|to help a collaborator.
Unless, of course,|he has something you need.
My needs are no concern of yours,|child.
Now, l suggest you allow my ship|to depart immediately.
You're free to leave any time you like.
But in light of public feelings|about Kubus, any ship with him onboard can't leave until it's undergone a security check|to prevent sabotage, and that includes a molecular scan|for nanotechnology.
And how long would such a scan take? l'm no expert but l'm sure|it could take days.
Even weeks.
Very well.
lt seems the Prophets have decided|you will have a part in this after all.
ln exchange for sanctuary, Kubus will tell who was responsible|for the Kendra Valley massacre.
Prylar Bek was responsible|for the massacre.
Bek was a pawn, an intermediary.
He killed himself to prevent|the discovery of the real traitor.
The real traitor? Bek's superior,|the person who ordered him to reveal the location of the rebel base|to the Cardassians.
The man who was truly responsible|for the massacre.
Vedek Bareil.
Do you think you'll get away with this? No one is going to believe|a traitor like Kubus.
l never said l believed him.
l'm only trying to protect|the spiritual life of Bajor.
Don't flatter yourself.
|You're trying to grab power.
My child,|do you want to risk the consequences of having a collaborator as Kai? He is not a collaborator.
That's yet to be determined.
But if he is chosen|and turns out to be guilty, the ramifications for Bajor|would be catastrophic.
lt would shatter faith in the Kai, and without a strong Kai,|Bajor cannot survive.
You can't condemn Bareil without proof.
l don't intend to.
|l will conduct a quiet investigation when l return to Bajor.
But l didn't know whom to trust|with such a delicate assignment until now.
- You want me to do your dirty work.
|- l want the truth.
The Prophets have chosen you|to help me find it.
l'll find out the truth, don't worry.
But keep Kubus's accusations|from becoming public until l can prove Bareil's innocence.
You have my word.
Let the Prophets be my witness.
- lf you find that he's guilty|- Whatever l find out, l will share.
Then it's decided.
And, child, one last thing.
l know you're under a terrible strain, but if you're wise you will never speak to me|with such disrespect again.
Did you know Prylar Bek|was a collaborator? He was only a messenger between the Cardassians|and the Vedek Assembly.
l could see in the weeks|prior to the massacre that something was bothering him.
He was tense and nervous and|in constant contact with the Assembly.
Do you know who? The day after the incident,|Vedek Bareil came to visit him.
Did you see them together? l saw Bareil enter Bek's quarters,|which were near mine.
He was there for hours and l could hear shouting|through the bulkhead.
- You heard what they said?|- No, but l saw Bareil later.
He was upset.
|ln the morning Bek hanged himself.
This is all the evidence you have? lsn't that enough?|Bek was obviously working with Bareil, and when he realised what he'd done|he must have wanted to confess.
Bareil wouldn't allow it,|so Bek took another way out.
That's fascinating|but it is pure conjecture.
There must be a dozen explanations|for why Bareil came to see Bek.
lt's up to you to find out|which explanation is true.
What exactly is it you're asking me,|Nerys? l guess l'm asking whether or not you came|to see Bek that day? l visited Bek, yes.
|That hardly makes me a collaborator.
l know that.
|lt's Vedek Winn who needs convincing.
Poor Winn.
Her desire to become Kai|has clouded her judgement.
Don't take her so lightly.
|She is determined to ruin you.
Believe me when l say|there's no reason to worry.
l had nothing to do with the massacre|and Winn will never prove otherwise.
All right.
But l still need to know why you came to the station.
Bek was a deeply troubled man,|seeking spiritual guidance.
His guilt at betraying the Kendra Valley|base was overwhelming.
He called me for help.
|l wish l could have done more.
What did he tell you? Nerys, he was a monk|speaking in confidence to his Vedek.
l cannot betray that trust.
l understand.
ls there anything else|l should know about Bek, about the massacre? - Nothing that will satisfy Winn.
|- All right.
l'll keep looking.
l am going to prove to Winn|that you are innocent.
Thank you, Nerys.
Just as l thought.
The Cardassians purged|all records of communication between here and Bajor.
Get the information from the other end.
l'll establish a link|with the Bajoran central archives.
Then l can access the files|of the Vedek Assembly.
- Are you all right?|- l'm fine.
- You don't seem fine.
|- lt's nothing.
Uh-huh.
lf you say so.
He says he's not guilty.
|l know he's not guilty.
But you're afraid he's guilty.
l love him, Odo.
Really? Well, l What? l was just wondering|when you were going to figure that out.
You humanoids.
When it comes to emotions|you never see the obvious.
l'm into the Vedek Assembly files.
Can you retrieve the communications|between here and the Assembly? Time frame? Try the week leading up|to the Kendra massacre.
- That's odd.
|- What? All the communications records|with Bek for that week have been sealed.
- Sealed? By who?|- lt just indicates a seal.
ln the Assembly records? Who has that kind of authority? Only a Vedek.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
OK, OK Fine, 12, 13, 14 And not a strip more.
- l hate payday.
|- Ahem.
Whatever she told you, l didn't do it.
Relax.
No one|is accusing you of anything.
- The day is young.
|- Don't be so defensive.
l'm developing a persecution complex.
l'm sorry to hear that.
All right.
What's going on? You want something from me.
How did you guess? lt's simple.
We haven't insulted him,|threatened or arrested him.
Exactly.
So how much trouble|is it going to cause? No trouble at all.
We just need you|to bypass a security seal.
- lsn't that illegal?|- Spare us.
This is important.
We need access|to files in the Assembly records.
lllegal and sacrilegious! l'm sure the Prophets|won't mind just this once.
OK, but l'll have to have|written authorisation from you - Just do it!|- When things go wrong lt won't go wrong! l believe in Rule of Acquisition|number 285: ''No good deed ever goes unpunished.
'' You can access the Assembly records through the Bajoran central archives.
Of course l can, if l want to barge in|like some rank amateur.
This is going to take a while.
l'll let you know when l'm done.
lt happened here.
Bek hanged himself|in front of dozens of witnesses.
At least he felt guilty|about what he'd done.
Strange.
Bek and l were acquaintances|here on the station.
l always thought he was a good man.
A good man does not betray|his own people.
The one thing|l've learned about humanoids is that in extreme situations even the best of you|can do terrible things.
Hey.
Hey, Odo.
The good news is|l broke through the security seal.
The bad news is the file is empty.
All the messages have been erased.
- They're erased.
|- Can you do anything? l could scan the empty file|for traces of data fragments.
There's always a faint residue|of the original data.
But to make a coherent pattern|could take a while.
So we can't retrieve that information? Not in time to do you any good,|but let me see something.
l might be able to find out|who erased the data.
Their retinal scan would have been|noted when they logged on.
But wouldn't the scans|have been erased? Even a fragment|might be enough to identify the user.
l'll run a sweep|of the authorisation subroutine.
These are mathematical|representations of part of the scan.
We'll use them|to reassemble part of the image.
Not bad.
We'll cross-reference this|with the Assembly's archive, find out who it is.
l think we've got something.
Blessings on Kai Bareil.
You.
l trusted you.
l needed you.
And you let me die.
You will be rewarded.
Accept this gift from the Prophets.
May the Prophets comfort you,|my child.
May they comfort us all.
Come in.
Nerys.
Did you really believe|l wouldn't learn the truth? The truth is not always|easy to recognise.
l recognise it now|and l don't like what l see.
Why did you do it? Why did you erase|those transmission records? Don't make me do this.
l don't have any choice.
Winn is waiting to hear from me.
Shall l say that you ordered Bek|to give the Cardassians the location of that base? That you are responsible|for the deaths of those 43 people? That you killed Kai Opaka's son? The Cardassians were determined to eliminate resistance|in the Kendra Valley.
lf someone hadn't told them the location they would have wiped out|every village in the area.
That would have meant the death|of 1200 innocent Bajorans.
l could not allow that.
There had to have been another way.
l believed in you.
l defended you.
And Winn was right all along.
And now she's going to destroy you.
No.
l've destroyed myself.
- What's our status?|- Everything is under control.
You received a transmission|from Vedek Winn.
She seemed anxious to talk to you.
Open a channel|to the Vedek Assembly.
l might as well get this over with.
l was wondering|when you'd contact me, child.
l was waiting to complete|my investigation.
l must congratulate you|on a job well done.
The Prophets were right|in picking you to help.
You sound like you know|what l'm going to say.
Bareil has just made a surprise|announcement to the Vedek Assembly.
He's withdrawn himself.
He no longer wishes to be the next Kai.
l know this is painful for you, child, but you've done a great service|for Bajor.
Whoever is chosen as the new Kai will owe you a debt of gratitude.
May the Prophets guide you.
Are you all right? lt doesn't make sense.
|Vedek Bareil is an honourable man.
He wouldn't hide from his actions|by covering them up.
l'm missing something.
Chief.
l need to get back into|the Vedek Assembly archives.
Yes, sir.
Kai Winn.
Your "pagh" is strong, my child.
Be at peace.
ln time you will learn|l am not your enemy.
l hope that's true.
l know you do.
And tell Commander Sisko l must postpone appearing|with him before the Assembly.
At least for now.
Nerys? l didn't expect to see you here.
You forgot to erase the transit files.
l don't understand.
You did a wonderful job|erasing the transmission reports but you forgot all about the files|that prove you weren't a collaborator.
lt's over.
Let it rest.
The people have chosen Winn.
Only because you withdrew|and you didn't have to.
The reports show you were|on a retreat at the Dakeen Monastery before the massacre.
l checked|the Dakeen transmission reports.
You had contact with no one except a transmission|after the massacre ordering you back to the Assembly.
- That's enough.
|- No, it is not enough.
There is no way you ordered Bek to reveal the location|of the Kendra Valley encampment.
You were covering up|for someone else.
Someone who meant|more to you than me.
- More to you even than becoming Kai.
|- Please, Nerys, don't.
Why not? lt's the truth, isn't it? Who else meant that much to you? lt had to be Kai Opaka.
Opaka knew where the resistance cell|was located because her son was a member.
She was the collaborator, wasn't she? She sacrificed her own son|to save a thousand people.
l had to protect her.
So lnstead of you,|we have Winn to lead us.
lt is the will of the Prophets.
The question is where will she lead us? Down paths|she cannot possibly imagine.
She's going to need our help|along the way, even if she doesn't realise it.
- What happens to us?|- What do you want to happen? Let's go pay our respects|to the new Kai.