Star Trek: Deep Space Nine s03e25 Episode Script

The Cardassians are still closing.
They have powered|their weapons systems.
They have established weapons lock.
Weapons lock broken.
Going to warp.
Get out of here, Jake.
|l'm in the middle of a simulation.
Computer, end programme.
- You OK?|- Look what you made me do! You shouldn't end a programme|sitting down.
- Why did you come in here?|- You were supposed to meet me.
l didn't realise it had gotten so late.
|Sorry.
- Don't worry.
How's it going, anyway?|- Pretty good.
l've improved my reaction time by 20%.
|l've got to get it up another five.
ls that the cut-off point for getting into|the Academy Preparatory Programme? - You'll get there.
|- l'd better.
Because if l don't, l'll never be|admitted into the Academy next year.
Six weeks of summer classes|will make the difference? l have to show|the admissions committee how determined l am|to become a cadet.
Don't worry so much.
- You'll be a great cadet.
|- ln the meantime, you make a lousy stock boy.
Take after your friend.
He knows|enough to stay out of Starfleet.
Even a human can see there's more|profitable opportunities out there for a young man with ambition.
He wants to be a writer.
- There's no profit in that.
|- On the contrary.
Writing holosuite programmes,|especially the more intimate variety, - is very profitable.
|- l'll bet.
The two of you come up|with a proposal and l'll put up the latinum.
l don't think so, Uncle.
All right, fine.
Join Starfleet.
l don't know|why l bother trying to help you.
Tell your father|to get behind the bar.
Lieutenant Dax has asked me|to join the senior staff for a very important meeting.
Do you have any idea what Dax wants|to talk to us about? She asked Leeta to come.
They've been spending quite a bit|of time together.
- Do you keep tabs on everybody?|- Not everyone.
But, Doctor, two pastries|for breakfast this morning? You should know better|than to start your day like that.
Major, Chief.
Hello, Leeta.
|How are you doing? - Thank you all for coming.
|- No problem.
l'll get right to the point.
You are the seven people|on this station that l feel closest to.
l want you all to be a part|of my "zhian'tara.
" lt's the Trill rite of closure.
Joined Trills get a chance|to meet their previous hosts.
- Meet them? How?|- That's where you come in.
lf you don't mind, l'd like to borrow your bodies|for a few hours.
What do you mean, borrow our bodies? The memories|of one of my previous hosts will be removed from the symbiont|and imprinted onto you.
- You become one of my hosts.
|- How is this accomplished? The memories are transferred|telepathically by a Guardian.
They take care of the symbionts.
|They're unjoined Trill.
Leeta is an amateur sociologist.
lt comes in handy.
You never know|who you'll meet at the dabo table.
You're asking me to hand my body|over to a dead person? Only for a few hours.
What happens to me? You'll remain conscious|of everything that's going on.
At any time you can reassert yourself.
lt's best to relax and let the host's|memories emerge.
The point is to give Jadzia a chance|to interact with her previous hosts.
Curzon spoke very fondly|of his "zhian'tara.
" He said it was one of the most|powerful experiences of his life.
l do have one question.
|What about Joran? Joran? Wasn't he the crazy host of yours? The musician who killed someone? Commander Sisko has volunteered|to embody Joran.
We've discussed taking precautions|during the transfer.
- Count me in.
|- Me, too.
- Yes.
|- Agreed.
- Chief?|- l'm in.
Why is everybody looking at me? You're the only one who hasn't|agreed to participate.
l'm sorry, Lieutenant.
You're going to have to find|someone else.
l really want you to be a part|of this, Quark.
l was hoping that you would|embody Audrid for me.
Well l think it'll make us closer.
- When you put it that way.
|- l knew l could count on you.
Kira, l would like you to embody Lela,|my first host.
We'll start tomorrow|after the Guardian arrives.
lt means a lot to me that all of you|are willing to do this.
Thank you.
Did Quark just agree to embody|one of your female hosts? Yes, he did.
Then comes the deductive reasoning|portion of the exam and the spatial orientation test.
|The whole thing should take four days.
lt must sound overwhelming to you.
|Take it one day at a time.
One day at a time.
Right.
Today you only have to worry about|the stress reaction test.
Computer,|run programme delta five nine.
l thought this was going to be|a runabout simulation.
That's what l practised.
lf we tested you where you practised,|it wouldn't be stressful.
Man your post.
|You're the Operations Officer.
- What was that?|- You tell me.
We've been trying to get Dax|to perform the "zhian'tara.
" She kept putting us off, so the Symbiosis Commission|decided to send me here.
- l haven't had time.
|- You could have made time.
Where is the "zhian'tara" to take place?|l have preparations to make.
This way.
- Kira?|- No.
Lela.
You must be Dax's new host.
- l'm Jadzia.
|- What a beautiful name.
l have a few questions.
l need to make sure the memory|transference is complete.
What is the last thing you remember? Talking to Curzon at his "zhian'tara.
" Can you tell me the name|of the person who supervised Lela when she was an lnitiate? - l can't remember.
|- That's all right.
Lela's memories have been|temporarily removed from your mind.
lt's disorienting,|like part of me is missing.
Not missing.
Right here.
And the name of my lnitiate supervisor|was Jobel.
Excellent.
The transference|seems to be complete.
Unless you have any questions,|l'll leave you alone for a few hours.
Thank you.
Such odd fellows, these Guardians.
l know.
lt's understandable, l suppose.
They spend most of their time tending|symbiont pools full of this stuff.
l love the smell of it,|don't you? lt looks like you've ended up|a long way from home, Jadzia.
What is it? l hold my hands behind my back|the same way you do.
lt's a habit l picked up|when l was a Legislator.
l was one of the first women to serve|as a council member.
When l started out,|l talked with my hands.
Lots of emphatic gesturing.
l discovered some male colleagues|were imitating me, so l started to do this.
l thought it was an unconscious habit.
That's the point of the "zhian'tara:" to discover these things|about yourself.
lt's so strange.
|lt's like you really are Lela.
ln a sense, l am.
What is a person|but a sum of their memories? l have a feeling|that these next few days are going to be extraordinary for you.
Tobin, l don't think Chief O'Brien|will appreciate you biting his nails.
Sorry.
l guess l'm a little nervous.
That's all right.
|l get that way sometimes myself.
Now you know who you have|to thank for it.
Sorry.
- Please stop saying you're sorry.
|- Sorry.
l've been working on finishing your proof|of Fermat's last theorem.
You have? lt's the most original approach|to the proof since Wiles over 300 years ago.
Thanks.
l tend to look for original|approaches myself.
l have you to thank for that,|as well.
Very nice.
- This is an excellent body.
|- l'll pass that along.
When l got the Dax symbiont, l was worried it might affect|my co-ordination.
And hurt your gymnastics career? But being joined improved|my concentration.
- l found that as well.
|- You're a gymnast? No, but l'm an expert|in Klingon martial arts.
Did you take it up before or after|you were joined? After.
Why am l not surprised? Sit right here|and l'll tell you all about it.
The day l was named head|of the Symbiosis Commission was one of the happiest of my life.
Right behind the day l gave birth|to my first child.
- Are you a mother, Jadzia?|- No.
l hope you will be someday.
There's nothing quite like holding|a baby to your breast, nursing it.
The entity that lent me this body|wishes to speak.
How much longer am l going|to have to do this? Another hour at most.
The sooner we get back to it,|the sooner it'll be over.
Just remember: not a word|about this to anyone.
l promise.
Go easy on those, Torias.
|Julian's started to watch what he eats.
Tell your friend to live a little.
Life's too short to deprive yourself|of the simple pleasures.
- l should know.
|- You didn't deprive yourself.
- But my life was too short.
|- The accident.
Still, l'm lucky.
l continue to exist as part of you.
Jadzia will go on existing when|the symbiont passes to a new host.
We're part of something bigger|than any one of us.
- l feel lucky to have been chosen.
|- So do l.
Come in.
lt's late.
lt's time we returned|Dr Bashir's body to him.
lt was nice meeting you.
l'm ready.
- Are you sure about this?|- Don't worry, Odo.
Joran can't hurt anyone|from inside a holding cell.
There's just one problem.
|You're going to be in there with him.
Activate the force field.
Joran.
Hello, Jadzia.
lf you need me,|l'll be right outside.
As will l.
lt's good to see you again, Jadzia.
Tell me, have you been practising|your music? Yes, when l have the time.
Good.
Do you think of me|when you play? - Sometimes.
|- l'm glad.
You're a very pretty girl, Jadzia.
Very pretty.
But unfortunately that's all you are.
You're nothing compared to Lela,|Torias or myself.
You're a pretender.
You must realise that by now.
You know nothing about me.
Only what l can see.
A little girl, not worthy of the noble|creature nestled inside her.
You're overwhelmed by it.
You're in over your head.
And they said it was a mistake|choosing me for joining.
But there is one hope for you,|Jadzia, and that's me.
My strength is within you.
|You don't have to be afraid of it.
l'm not.
Then let me show you|how to use it.
Lower the force field, Jadzia.
Lower it and you will never|have to be afraid of anything ever again.
No.
Joran! Stop it, you're hurting him!|Benjamin, take control! l think that's enough of Joran|for now.
Are you all right? Surprise.
lt's all right, old man.
lt's me.
- Thanks.
|- For what? For not breaking any bones.
Will you stop doing that?|lt's very distracting.
- l'm trying to do the books.
|- l can't help it.
My son's future is being decided.
Pacing around like an Alvanian cave|sloth isn't going to help him.
What's that? A cadet's uniform.
|l got it for Nog.
l had Garak make it to order.
|lt cost five strips of latinum.
- He's not going to need it.
|- Why not? He'll be issued a uniform|if and when he gets to the Academy.
Now he'll have two.
- l keep thinking about Joran.
|- l heard what he told you.
l can't get it out of my head.
Jadzia, did you put off having|your "zhian'tara" because you were afraid you wouldn't|measure up to the other hosts? Maybe l did.
l hope you realise you were wrong.
l'm not sure l was.
You were chosen for joining|because you deserved it as much as any of the others.
Then why did Curzon wash me out|of the lnitiate programme? You tell me.
l believed it was because|he wanted to challenge me so that l would reapply and try harder.
|Now l'm not so sure.
Why not?|That's exactly what you did.
Maybe Curzon didn't think|l was good enough.
l find that hard to believe.
But if that's what you're afraid of,|why don't you ask him? l will.
But what if he tells me|something l don't want to hear? l have to go.
l'm going to my office for a while.
Benjamin! You do recognise me,|don't you? - Curzon?|- Don't tell me.
The nose gave me away.
- Aren't you happy to see me?|- Of course.
Where's Jadzia? l told her that we'd meet|at Quark's.
l'm going to give that toad|the scare of his life.
- You sound like Odo.
|- l am Odo.
- l thought you were Curzon.
|- l'm both.
The Guardian thinks it has something|to do with my shape-shifting nature.
lt's as if Odo and Curzon|have been joined.
lt's proving to be an interesting|experience for both of us.
The Guardian says|it's nothing to worry about.
l like the beard, by the way.
|Absolutely.
So, when is Kasidy Yates|coming back? - Not you, too.
|- She's a fine-looking woman.
Reminds me of the girl you Why don't we join Jadzia in Quark's? - l'll tell you all about it later.
|- Curzon, remember? Quark! Odo? - What happened to your face?|- Never mind my face.
Did l ever mention|you're a magnificent scoundrel? - Two Tranyas, very cold.
|- Right away.
lt's going to take Quark a while|to get over that.
Jadzia! Looks like you're having a good time.
As good a time as two gentlemen can|have without the company of a lady.
Excuse me while l slip into something|more appropriate.
l love being a changeling.
- l think l'll be pushing off.
|- Benjamin, don't go.
l have to finish evaluating|Nog's test results.
Thanks for stopping by, old man.
|lt was good to see you.
There goes the best friend|l ever had.
Well? - Are you enjoying your "zhian'tara?"|- For the most part.
What about that Tobin? Did he tell you that l got him drunk|during my "zhian'tara?" No, but l can see why you did.
Curzon, do you remember|when l was an lnitiate? Do you see that Ferengi over there? A bulletin came in on him last week.
|He's a tongo hustler.
l'd love to clean him out.
|We should get a game going.
Tongo! l don't understand|how l could have failed.
You've always been so good|with spatial orientation.
Remember the time you managed|to stack all the chairs so they fit behind the bar? Now l won't qualify to take|the Academy entrance exam.
My Starfleet career is over|before it started.
He's right.
|And it's not fair.
Starfleet has no idea|who it's passing up.
Nog, you would have made|a good officer.
l want you to know something.
There will always be a place for you|here at Quark's.
Sorry, Lonzo.
Excuse me, folks, but the bar|has been closed for an hour.
lf you don't leave,|l'm going to have to call security.
l am security.
Don't worry, Quark.
We're going.
Ha, ha, ha, ha.
l confiscated this|from a Yridian smuggler.
Don't you need it for evidence? l still want to talk to you about|what happened when l was an lnitiate.
l know you do.
So What is it you want to ask me? Why didn't you object when l was|reinstated into the programme? l don't know, Jadzia.
Maybe l decided|l'd been too hard on you.
lt was your job to be hard|on lnitiates.
The truth is l felt sorry for you.
Wellyou wanted to be joined|so badly.
You were so young, so lovely.
l've always had the feeling|l didn't have your complete confidence.
l tried to push it aside, but l was right.
|You never thought l was good enough.
Whatever l may have thought|doesn't matter.
You are a host.
|lsn't that enough? No.
l feel like l don't have|your respect.
l'm afraid when your memories|are restored to me, l'm going to feel like|l don't respect myself.
ln that case,|you'll be happy to know l've come to a decision|that's going to benefit both of us.
What do you mean? l've decided to stay where l am.
|ln this body.
l'm not just speaking as Curzon.
|This is Odo's decision as well.
Neither of us wants to go back|to the way things were.
There's no way to remove Curzon's|memories from Odo without his co-operation.
|He has to give them up willingly.
What'll happen to Jadzia|if we can't persuade him? lt'll take time for her to adjust|to the new balance, but she'll be fine.
Do you want me to talk to Curzon? l might be able to get him|to co-operate.
l don't think so.
l don't think l want to do anything.
- What do you mean?|- l mean l'm fine.
Obviously Odo and Curzon|are well suited to each other.
Maybe it's better this way.
l'd like to speak to Jadzia alone|for a moment.
Do you really want to leave things|as they are? Or are you trying to avoid|a confrontation with Curzon? You once told me that Curzon intimidated|you when you were an lnitiate.
l looked up to him.
|l still do.
Maybe that's why l find it hard|to challenge his decisions.
Let me tell you something|about Curzon.
He was my friend, he was my confidant.
ln a way,|he was my teacher, as well.
But he was also manipulative,|selfish and arrogant.
People let him get away with it|because he was so charming.
Sometimes l let him|get away with it.
But from time to time|he'd push me too far and l'd have to stand up to him,|tell him he'd crossed the line.
And how would he react? Sometimes he'd just laugh|and admit it, sometimes he'd be furious.
Either way, he'd back off|because he knew he was wrong.
And he is wrong now.
|He's being selfish.
He's manipulated you to get you|to go along with what he wants.
Are you going to confront him|or let him get away with it? lt's up to you.
- l know what you did.
|- What's wrong with you? You reconfigured the holosuite so Nog would fail|the spatial orientation test.
l couldn't just stand by and watch|my nephew throw his life away.
You had no right to interfere.
|l told Commander Sisko and he's going to let Nog|retake the test.
And if you ever do anything|to hurt Nog again, - l'll burn the bar to the ground.
|- You wouldn't dare.
My son's happiness is more important|to me than anything.
Even latinum.
|Remember that, brother.
Jadzia.
Come in, come in.
l was just oozing around the room.
|You have no idea what a liberating experience it is|to be in a liquid state.
We need to talk.
All right.
What is it you want|to talk about? l want my memories back.
l'm sorry.
l realise this is difficult for you,|but you'll get over it.
- lt's better this way.
|- For you, maybe.
You're both living out a life|you never could have had.
Those should be my memories.
Not any more.
Maybe they never|should have been.
l earned the right to be joined.
|l am the only person who was ever readmitted|to the lnitiate programme.
The only reason you got back in|was because l felt sorry for you.
Why feel sorry for me? Don't use that tone of voice|with me, little girl.
You can't intimidate me, Curzon.
l'm not a little girl any more.
No, l suppose you're not.
The truth is you weren't a little girl|back when you were an lnitiate.
You were a brilliant|and beautiful young woman.
Very beautiful.
You were in love with me? At first, l thought it was just an old man's|passing infatuation.
After all, l'd always had an eye|for the ladies.
But as we spent more time together, l started to realise|it was something deeper.
Then why were you so hard on me? l couldn't let you know the truth.
|l was your supervisor.
So you washed me|out of the programme? l realised l'd robbed you of something|you'd wanted all your life.
l felt so guilty l nearly retired|from the Symbiosis Commission.
So when l reapplied,|you didn't object.
l was grateful when you reapplied.
lt let me off the hook.
So now that you know, you can see|that it's best for both of us that l stay here in this body.
Why? Because you loved me? Because l still love you.
- There's no shame in that, Curzon.
|- Yes, there is.
And if we rejoin, you'll feel it too.
No, l won't,|because l love you.
You're a part of me|and l want you back.
That way, Jadzia and Curzon can be|together the way they should be: through Dax.
He's coming! He's coming.
Ladies and gentlemen, l'd like to introduce Starfleet's|future My son Nog.
- Congratulations, Nog.
|- Thank you, sir.
You've jumped the gun|putting on that uniform.
l haven't earned the right to wear it yet,|but my father got it for me.
Hopefully, you'll get to put on|the real one next year.
When you ace the Academy|entrance exam.
- What's the matter, Chief?|- lt just occurred to me.
As soon as that kid graduates,|l'm going to have to call him ''sir''.
OK.
What can l get you, Nog? A root beer.
lt's an Earth drink,|something they serve at the Academy.
A root beer.
This is the end|of Ferengi civilization.
- May l join you, Lieutenant?|- Of course.
l'd just like to apologise|for my behaviour while l was joined with Curzon.
There's no need to apologise.
l'm glad it happened.
lt forced me to deal with things|about myself l've never really faced.
Besides, you've given me|a special gift.
You see, now l have Curzon's memories|of what it felt like to be a changeling.
l never realised how much joy|it gives you.
And l never understood how much joy|you humanoids experience in things like eating, drinking staying up all night playing tongo.
l don't see how Curzon ever managed|to get any work done.
He always seemed to, somehow.
Well he must have been a remarkable man.
Yes, he is.