LET MY PEOPLE GO

 Major Kira Asks The Emissary of The Prophets for Help

[Captain's office] 
 SISKO: 
A transmission from Dukat? 
This is the first I've heard of it. 

[Captain's office]

SISKO: A transmission from Dukat? This is the first I've heard of it.
KIRA: That's because I didn't report it.
SISKO: Why not?
KIRA: It was of a personal nature. I tried to trace the signal, but
SISKO: What did he want?
KIRA: He said he knew my mother, that they were lovers.
SISKO: You don't believe him, do you?
KIRA: He knew certain things about her. Personal things.
SISKO: Well, Gul Dukat is a very resourceful man. I'm sure he knows a lot about your family, about all of our families.
KIRA: I keep trying to tell myself that, but I need to know.
SISKO: That may not be possible. Major.
KIRA: There is a way. I can visit the Temple of Iponu on Bajor and consult the Orb of Time.
SISKO: Excuse me?
KIRA: I need to know the truth.
SISKO: Let me get this straight. You want to travel back in time to see if Dukat and your mother were lovers?
KIRA: That's right.
SISKO: Major, the Federation has very strict regulations
KIRA: This has nothing to do with the Federation. I need your help as the Emissary, not as Starfleet captain. The Emissary can see to it that I am allowed access to the orb. After that, it's up to the Prophets. If they feel that my request is worthy, they'll send me where I need to go. If not, I've made a trip to Bajor for nothing.
SISKO: And if they do send you back, what then? What makes you so sure you won't interfere with the timeline?
KIRA: The Prophets will be guiding me. Nothing will happen without their blessings. Please, Emissary, please, let me seek the will of the Prophets.

[Temple of Iponu]

(Kira is escorted to a small, dimly lit chapel where the orb box sits on an altar. She opens it.) 

JAKE: What do you mean you're not going to let Doctor Bashir operate on you? You have to.
SISKO: Don't you see? These visions are gifts. I can't refuse them.
KASIDY: I cannot believe what I'm hearing. Listen to yourself, Ben. Sitting there, telling us that this mystical journey of yours is more important than watching your son grow up.
JAKE: Dad, please think about what you're doing. These visions, they're not worth dying for.
SISKO: I remember the first time I held you in my hands. You were only a few minutes old and when I looked down at your face, it was almost as if I could see your whole life stretched out in front of you. All the joys it would bring, and the bruises. It was all there, hidden in that scrunched up little face. The baby that I'm holding in my hands now is the universe itself. And I need time to study its face.
KASIDY: Look at the face of your son now and then tell me you're doing the right thing.
(Doorbell)
SISKO: Come in.
WINN: It's time, Emissary, if you're ready.
SISKO: I am.
KASIDY: Ready for what?
WINN: The Emissary has asked for help in his journey. I'm providing it.
JAKE: And you trust her? Since when?
SISKO: Jake, it'll be all right. I love you. Both of you.

[Ops]

KIRA: I've never seen the Temple so crowded. Seemed like every Bajoran on the station was there to pray for the Emissary.
DAX: Glad to hear it. He going to need all the help he can get if he's going to survive this.
KIRA: The Captain is not going to die. He is the Emissary. The Prophets will take care of him.
O'BRIEN: With all due respect, Major, I'd rather see Julian take care of him.
KIRA: Chief, I know you're worried, but the Prophets are leading the Emissary on this path for a reason.
WORF: Do not attempt to convince them, Major. They cannot understand.
DAX: Since when did you believe in the Prophets?
WORF: What I believe in is faith. Without it there can be no victory. If the Captain's faith is strong, he will prevail.
DAX: That's not much to bet his life on.
KIRA: You're wrong. It's everything.
O'BRIEN: I hope you're right, Major. I hope you're right.

[Guest quarters]

(Sisko is in front of an Orb, and Winn is praying in front of a shrine.)
WINN: He asks for your guidance. Let him see with your eyes. Lift the veil of darkness that obscures his path. Emissary?
SISKO: I'm ready.
(A vicious headache hits him.)
WINN: The Orb of Prophecy is very powerful. It taxes even the healthy. Are you sure you want to go through with this?
SISKO: I have to. I need to bring the visions into focus, tie them together. I can't do it alone.
WINN: But you're very weak. Perhaps it would be better to wait until after the signing.
SISKO: I may not have time. I need to do this now.
WINN: As you wish. May the Prophets reveal their wisdom to you, Emissary.
(Kai Winn leaves and Sisko opens the doors of the Orb case)

[Wardroom]

(It's a proper signing with pens and paper.)
WHATLEY: He's already an hour late.
WINN: He's still consulting the Orb of Prophecy.
WHATLEY: How long do these Orb experiences last?
WINN: Minutes. Hours. Sometimes days.
WHATLEY: Then maybe we shouldn't wait for him. Do you have any objections to proceeding without Captain Sisko?
WINN: I'm sure the Emissary would want to be here, but under the circumstances.
WHATLEY: May I have your attention. I've been looking forward to this day for many years, as I'm sure all of you have. Welcoming a new planet to the Federation is the happiest assignment an Admiral could hope for. The Federation is not just a union of planets, it's much more.
(An exhausted Sisko stumbles)
WINN: Emissary!
WHATLEY: Get him to the Infirmary.
SISKO: No! I have to tell them.
WINN: What is it, Emissary? Have the Prophets revealed something to you?
SISKO: Locusts. They'll destroy Bajor unless it stands alone.
WHATLEY: Ben, what the hell are you talking about?
SISKO: It's too soon! Bajor must not join the Federation. If it does, it will be destroyed.
(And he collapses, having a fit.) 

(Inside the wormhole.) 

SISKO: 

Full stop. Chief, divert all power to forward shields and weapons. 

DAX: 

Captain, I'm reading multiple warp signatures ahead. 

SISKO: 

On screen. Maximum magnification. 

(Here comes the enemy fleet, but no more than three abreast in the narrow tunnel.) 

SISKO: 

Lock phasers. Prepare to launch quantum torpedoes.  

[Limbo] 

 SISKO: 

Why have you brought me here? 

Show yourselves. What do you want? 

 [Promenade] 

 ODO: 

The Sisko has returned to us. 

 [Quark's] 

 JAKE: 

He arrives with questions. 

 [Ops] 

 KIRA: 

There are always questions. 

SISKO: 

I didn't ask to come here. 

 [Captain's office] 

 DUKAT: 

You desire to end The Game. 

SISKO: 

What game? I don't understand. 

 [Wardroom] 

 WEYOUN: 

You seek to shed your corporeal existence. 

 [Bridge] 

 DAMAR: 

That cannot be allowed. 

 [Promenade] 

 ODO: 

The Game must not end. 

SISKO: 

The Game? You mean my life? 

Is that what this is about? You don't want me to die? 

 [Captain's office] 

 DUKAT: The Game must continue. 

 [Wardroom] 

 WEYOUN: You are The Sisko. 

SISKO: 

Believe me, I don't want to die, but I have to do everything I can to prevent the Dominion from conquering the Alpha Quadrant. 

If that means sacrificing my life and the life of my crew, so be it. 

[Quark's] 

 JAKE: 

We do not agree. 

KIRA: 

We find your reasoning flawed. 

ODO: 

Insufficient. 

SISKO: 

I'm flattered you feel that way, but it doesn't change anything. 

Now send me back to my ship. 

 [Bridge] 

 SISKO: 

This isn't what I meant. 

I want to return to my reality. 

DAMAR: 

You are The Sisko. 

SISKO: 

I am also a Starfleet captain. 

I have a job to do and I intend to do it. 

WEYOUN: 

The Sisko is belligerent. 

DUKAT: 

Aggressive. 

DAMAR: 

Adversarial. 

SISKO: 

You're damn right I'm adversarial. 

You have no right to interfere with my life. 

 [Ops] 

 KIRA: 

We have every right. 

SISKO: 

Fine. You want to interfere, then interfere. 

Do something about those Dominion reinforcements. 

ODO: 

That is a corporeal matter. 

DUKAT: 
Corporeal matters do not concern us.

SISKO: 
The hell they don't. 
What about Bajor? 
You can't tell me Bajor doesn't concern you. 
You've sent the Bajorans orbs and Emissaries. 
You've even encouraged them to create an entire religion around you. 

You even told me once that you were Of Bajor. 
So don't you tell me you're not concerned with corporeal matters. 

I don't want to see Bajor destroyed. 
Neither do you. 

But we all know that's exactly what's going to happen if the Dominion takes over the Alpha Quadrant. 

You say you don't want me to sacrifice my life? 
Well, fine, neither do I. 

You want to be gods, then be gods. 
I need a miracle. Bajor needs a miracle. 

Stop those ships.

WEYOUN: 
We are of Bajor.

DAMAR: 
But what of the Sisko?

ODO: He is intrusive.

DUKAT: 
He tries to control The Game.

JAKE: 
A penance must be exacted.

WEYOUN: 

It is agreed. 

DUKAT: 

The Sisko is of Bajor, but he will find no rest there. 

KIRA: 
(touches Sisko's left ear) 
His pagh will follow another path.

SISKO: What path is that?

[Bridge]

(Back to reality.)
O'BRIEN: 
Phaser banks fully charged.
NOG: Forward shields at a hundred percent.
O'BRIEN: Torpedoes ready. Targets locked.
DAX: Here they come.
SISKO: Fire on my command.
NOG: There must be thousands of them.
GARAK: And half of them have locked targets on us.
SISKO: Steady, people. Make every shot count.
DAX: Benjamin.
(Energy crackles in the wormhole and the Dominion fleet vanishes.)
O'BRIEN: They've cloaked.
DAX: I'm not picking up any neutrino emissions.
GARAK: Then where did they go?
SISKO: Wherever they went, I don't think they're coming back.
(The ultimate Deus ex Machina cop-out.)

[Ops]

DAMAR: Sir, the wormhole is opening.
(WHOOSH)
DAMAR: The Defiant.
DUKAT: Our reinforcements must be right behind.
(The wormhole closes.)
DAMAR: No, sir. There's no sign of them.
WEYOUN: That's impossible. Check our listening posts in the Gamma Quadrant.
DAMAR: They're not there either.
DUKAT: But they entered the wormhole. Where are they?
DAMAR: I don't know.
(BOOM)
DAMAR: The Defiant has opened fire on us.
WEYOUN: Obviously.
DUKAT: Can you get our weapons back online?
DAMAR: Not for a while. Sir, two hundred enemy ships have broken through our lines. They're headed this way.
WEYOUN: Time to start packing.
FOUNDER: Contact our forces in the Alpha Quadrant. Tell them to fall back to Cardassian territory. It appears this war is going to take longer than expected.
WEYOUN: We'll meet you at airlock five.
(The Founder and Weyoun leave. Dukat's jaw is still on the floor.)
DAMAR: Sir?
DUKAT: Victory was within our grasp.
DAMAR: We have to evacuate the station, sir.
DUKAT: Bajor, the Federation, the Alpha Quadrant, all lost.
DAMAR: We have to go now, sir.
DUKAT: Go?
DAMAR: The Federation ships, they'll be here soon. We have to get back to Cardassia.
DUKAT: I have to find my daughter.
DAMAR: I'll send someone for her.
DUKAT: That won't be necessary.
DAMAR: You're wasting your time.
DUKAT: Promenade.
DAMAR: She won't go with you.

[Bridge]

O'BRIEN: 
Sir, the Dominion forces are leaving the station.

SISKO: 
Let them go. We're in no shape to stop them.

BASHIR: 
Captain, we're getting a message from the Cortez. 
The Dominion fleet has broken off the fight. They're in retreat.

SISKO: 
Tell the Cortez and the rest of our fleet to rendezvous at Deep Space Nine.