Home > Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

The Collaborator

( static hissing )

Nerys?

Vedek Bareil.

Wanna play?

Help me.

Please.

( sighs ) All right.

Who is it?

It's Prylar Bek.

No, it's not.

It's you.

KIRA: Good morning.

( chuckling )

I thought you'd sleep till noon.

Shh... you're supposed to be relaxing.

Oh, I'm very relaxed.

Good.

How are you feeling this morning?

Oh, miserable.

I wish you could stay here longer.

All right, I will.

I'll stay a few more days.

You know you can't do that.

Why not?

Because in two days, you are going to be elected kai.

Hmm?

Oh, that!

You know, there's no guarantee I'm going to win.

Of course, you're going to win.

The people need you.

Are you... going to vote for me?

Ho, ho!

Is that why you spent the last three days here, huh?

To get my vote?

Well, I know you don't agree with many of my views, so I thought a personal appearance might sway your opinion.

I was going to vote for Vedek Tolena.

But I might be persuaded to change my mind.

Good.

Because your vote is the only one that matters to me.

I may not always agree with your interpretations of the prophecies, but I think you will make a wonderful kai.

Besides, everyone knows that you were Kai Opaka's personal choice to succeed her.

I 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 I become,

I will always have time for you.

It won't be easy.

I didn't say it would be.

I'm not going to lose you, Nerys.

I promise you that.

Remember now, honor the Prophets and they will always love you.

As I 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.

Nothing pleases me more than providing you with an opposing viewpoint, Vedek Winn.

Somehow you never fail to do that.

I had no idea you were on the station, but perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised.

Oh, I wouldn't even try to surprise you.

I understand you've been keeping a close eye on my activities these last few weeks.

The eyes of all of Bajor are focused on you, Bareil.

Why should I be any different?

After all, the common wisdom is that you are destined to be the next kai.

Was that a concession speech? Hardly.

The choosing is still two days away.

The Prophets may yet surprise us all.

Remember that, Bareil.

I would hate for you to start celebrating prematurely.

What brings you to the station, Vedek Winn?

My child, if I thought the Prophets wanted you to know the purpose of my visit,

I would have informed you of it in advance.

Well, now that I know you're here, I'll be sure to inform Constable Odo to increase station security.

That won't be necessary.

I feel quite safe here.

No, it wasn't your safety that concerned me.

Just what are you trying to infer, child?

I'm sure Major Kira meant no disrespect.

No, not at all.

I just want to avoid the violence that occurred during your last visit.

My child, I know you still hold me responsible for the deplorable attempt on Vedek Bareil's life, but I can only pray that some day, you will be cured of this unfortunate misconception.

Well, that's one prayer that will never be answered.

What a pity, for both of us.

Ooh! Oh! Excuse me.

Uh, excuse me.

Don't I know you?

You must be mistaken.

No, no, I've seen you before.

You're... Kubus, that's it.

Kubus Oak.

You worked for the Cardassians.

Out of my way!

Now, you wait a minute!

You're not going anywhere.

I know who you are, and I 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 I heard, you were living on Cardassia.

I decided it was time to come home.

Welcome back.

You're under arrest.

( mutters of approval )

The Prophets have spoken.

All blessings on the new Kai.

ALL: 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.

But I don't deserve to walk in your path.

You must. It is your destiny.

Prylar Bek?

Accept this gift from the Prophets.

You must not refuse their offering.

Take it, my child.

Its venom will make you stronger.

( hissing )

There was quite a mob gathering out there.

I had to call in extra security to disperse it.

I never doubted your ability to handle the situation, Odo.

You always were good at your job.

I could say the same for you, Secretary Kubus... special liaison between the Cardassian occupation forces and their pawns in the Bajoran government.

I served the only recognized government on Bajor during the occupation.

Recognized by the Cardassians.

If it wasn't for us, the situation on Bajor would have been ten times worse than it was.

Maybe, but I don't see how you could know that seeing that you spent nearly all your time here on the station.

I remember Gul Dukat telling me once that you were his favorite Bajoran.

Really? Well, I never could stand that arrogant tyrant!

You hid your feelings well.

It kept me alive.

Bajor is my home.

I never should have left it.

KIRA: 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.

Then I suppose you're the one I should be talking to.

Make it brief.

I don't enjoy talking to collaborators.

I'm not asking you to like me.

I'm simply requesting that I be allowed to return home.

Your request is denied.

I doubt if you have the authority to make that decision.

The decision has already been made.

In the Ilvian Proclamation, every Bajoran who was a member of the Cardassian occupational government was sentenced to exile.

Your name was number four on that list.

Personally, I think you all got off too easy.

Major...

I'm an old man.

I don't have many years left.

What's the harm of letting me live them out on Bajor?

When the Cardassians needed a new group of Bajorans to work in the mines, who approved those work orders?

The Bajoran government.

Whose signature was on those authorization forms?

Mine. And you had to know that those authorizations were death sentences.

Did you ever once refuse to sign them?

No.

And that's why you can never be allowed to set foot on Bajor again.

Because, if you do, it would dishonor the memory of every person you sentenced to death.

Vedek Winn. What can I do for you?

Emissary... it has recently come to my attention that there are some on Bajor who believe that my relationship with you is not all it should be.

Really?

Personally, I find such a perception, however inaccurate, to be most distressing.

I suppose 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 I are... how shall I put it?

Enemies?

At odds.

Well... let's see.

How could I have come to such a conclusion?

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the last time you were here at this station, you claimed that I was a danger to Bajor; that I was here to destroy your people.

What I was really saying-- what I have always maintained-- is that you, Emissary, were sent here by the Prophets to challenge our long-held beliefs.

Am I correct in assuming that you no longer consider the Federation to be an enemy to Bajor?

Emissary, I admit, I had some concerns about Bajor's application for Federation membership, but now, I 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?

If that is the will of the Prophets,

I would never oppose it.

I'm glad you said that.

And I 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 I could address the Vedek Assembly together so everyone can celebrate our new friendship.

An excellent idea.

Perhaps sometime next week.

Why wait, Emissary?

I'm sure the Assembly would grant us an immediate audience.

I'm sure they would.

Unfortunately, if we were to appear together in public before the choosing, it might be misconstrued as an endorsement of your bid to become the kai.

Oh, I doubt that, Emissary.

It's common knowledge that you support Vedek Bareil, although I have been pleasantly surprised that you haven't made any public statement to that effect.

The election of the kai is strictly an internal affair to Bajor.

As a Federation officer, I would never interfere.

What an enlightened philosophy.

So then, it's agreed.

I'll be seeing you sometime next week.

I look forward to it.

Odo to Major Kira. This is Kira.

Sorry to disturb you, Major, but I thought you should know that Secretary Kubus is about to leave for Bajor.

How can that be?

Vedek Winn has granted him sanctuary.

I'll be right there.

Kira to Ops. DAX: Go ahead.

Dax, has Winn's ship left the station?

Not yet. I was about to clear them for departure.

Well, keep those docking clamps locked on.

I don't want that ship going anywhere until I say so.

Understood.

Tell me what happened.

Kubus requested a private meeting with Vedek Winn.

They talked for ten minutes after which, Winn asked for the use of my computer.

She accessed some information from the library system.

And?

And then she called the provisional government and informed them she was granting Kubus sanctuary.

Do you know what she looked up?

I'm trying to find that out right now.

Ah...

That's Prylar Bek.

Now, why would Winn be interested in another Bajoran collaborator?

I'm not sure.

But Bek and Kubus did know each other.

Bek was the liaison between the Cardassians and the Vedek Assembly at the same time that Kubus was secretary to the occupational government.

They spent a lot of time together on the station.

Hold on a minute.

See if Winn accessed any information about the Kendra Valley massacre.

You're right, she did.

Do you think Kubus told her something new about the massacre?

What else is there to know?

Kai Opaka's son and 42 other Bajoran freedom fighters were ambushed and killed, because Bek gave the Cardassians the location of their encampment.

He made a full confession in his suicide note.

Well, you were here then.

You must have read it.

( door opens )

Major Kira, may I speak to you, please?

Of course.

I was told you were the one who stopped my ship from leaving.

Yes, I did.

You know, you're the last person I would expect to help a collaborator like Kubus, unless, of course, he has something you need.

My needs are no concern of yours, child.

Now, I suggest you allow my ship to depart immediately.

Oh, you're free to leave any time you like.

Unfortunately, in light of public feelings about Kubus,

I can't allow any ship with him on board to leave the station until it's undergone a thorough security check.

To prevent sabotage.

And that includes a molecular scan for nanotechnology.

And how long would such a scan take?

Oh, I'm no expert, but I'm sure it could take days... even weeks.

Very well.

It seems the Prophets have decided you will have a part in this, after all.

In exchange for sanctuary, Kubus has agreed to provide the name of the man responsible for the massacre at Kendra Valley.

Prylar Bek was responsible for the massacre.

Everyone knows that.

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 really think I'm going to let you get away with this?

You know, no one's going to believe the word of a convicted traitor like Kubus.

I never said I believed him.

I'm only trying to protect the spiritual life of Bajor.

Don't flatter yourself.

You're trying to grab power, nothing more.

My child, do you want to risk the consequences of having a collaborator as the next 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.

It would shatter faith in the authority of the kai, and without a strong kai, Bajor cannot survive.

You can't condemn Bareil without proof.

I don't intend to.

I was planning to conduct a quiet investigation when I return to Bajor, but I didn't know whom to trust with such a delicate assignment until now.

You want me to do your dirty work for you.

All I care about is the truth, and I believe the Prophets have chosen you to help me find it.

I'll find out the truth. Don't worry about that.

But I want you to keep Kubus' accusations from becoming public until I have a chance to prove Bareil's innocence.

You have my word.

Let the Prophets be my witness.

But if you discover proof that he's guilty...

Whatever I find out, I will share with you.

Then it's decided.

Oh, and, child, one last thing.

I know you're under a terrible strain, but if you're wise, you will never speak to me with such disrespect again.

Were you aware at the time that Prylar Bek was a collaborator? He wasn't a collaborator.

He was only a messenger between the Cardassians and the Vedek Assembly.

At the time, I could, I could see in the weeks prior to the massacre that something was bothering him.

He was tense and nervous, and he was in constant communication with the Vedek Assembly.

Do you know who?

Not at the time, but the day after the incident,

Vedek Bareil came to visit him at the station.

Did you see them together?

I saw Bareil enter Bek's quarters, which were in the same section as mine.

He was in there for a couple of hours, and at times,

I could hear shouting through the bulkhead.

WINN: Did you hear what they were saying?

No, but I saw Bareil when he left the station.

He was upset.

In the morning,

Bek hanged himself.

This... is all the evidence you have?

Well, isn't that enough?

Bek was obviously working with Bareil, and when he realized the enormity of what he'd done, he must have wanted to confess.

Bareil wouldn't allow it, so Bek took the only way out he had.

That's a fascinating story, but it is pure conjecture.

There have to be a dozen explanations for why Bareil came to see Bek.

And it's up to you to find out which of these explanations is true.

What exactly is it you're asking me, Nerys?

( sighs )

I guess I'm asking whether or not you came to the station to see Bek that day.

I visited Bek, yes.

That hardly makes me a collaborator.

I know that.

It's Vedek Winn who needs convincing.

Oh, poor Winn.

Her desire to become kai has clouded her judgment.

I wouldn't take her so lightly, if I were you.

She is determined to ruin you.

Believe me when I tell you there's no reason to worry.

I had nothing to do with the massacre, and Winn will never be able to prove otherwise.

All right.

But... I 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.

I came as soon as I could.

I only wish I could have done more for him.

What did he tell you about the massacre?

Nerys, you must understand, he was a monk speaking in confidence to his Vedek.

I cannot betray that trust.

I understand.

Is there anything else you think I should know about Bek, about the massacre?

Nothing that will satisfy Winn.

All right.

I'll keep looking, but one way or another,

I am going to prove to Winn that you are innocent.

Thank you, Nerys.

Ha, just as I thought.

When the Cardassians left they purged all records of communication between the station and Bajor.

Then we'll just have to get the information from the other end.

I'll establish a computer link with the Bajoran Central Archives.

That way, I can access the files of the Vedek Assembly.

Are you all right?

I'm fine.

You don't seem fine.

It's nothing.

Uh-huh.

If you say so.

He says he's not guilty.

I know he's not guilty.

But you're afraid he's guilty.

I love him, Odo.

Really?

Well, I, uh...

What?

I was just wondering when you were going to figure that out.

You humanoids.

When it comes to emotional attachments, you never see the obvious.

Ah, I'm into the Vedek Assembly files.

Can you retrieve the communication files between the station and the Assembly?

I'll need a time frame.

Uh, try the week leading up to the Kendra massacre.

That's odd.

What?

All the communications records between the Assembly members and Bek for that week have been sealed.

Sealed? By who? It doesn't say.

It just indicates a security seal.

In the Assembly records?

Who has that kind of authority?

Only a Vedek.

QUARK: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

Okay, okay.

Eleven...

Fine, 12, 13, 14.

( giggling )

And not a strip more.

I hate payday.

( clears throat )

Whatever she told you, I didn't do it.

Relax, Quark.

No one's accusing you of anything.

Eh, the day's still young.

Don't be so defensive.

I can't help it.

Between the two of you,

I'm developing a persecution complex.

KIRA: I'm sorry to hear that.

All right.

What's going on?

You want something from me, don't you?

How did you guess? It's simple.

We've been here more than a minute, and we haven't insulted him, threatened him, or arrested him.

Exactly. So, what is it?

And how much trouble is it going to cause me?

No trouble at all.

We just need you to bypass a security seal.

Isn't that illegal?

Oh, spare us.

Quark, this is important.

We need access to certain communication files in the Vedek Assembly records.

Perfect-- not only is it illegal, it's sacrilegious.

I'm sure the Prophets won't mind just this once.

Okay, but I'm going to have to have written authorization from you, countersigned by Commander...

Just do it, Quark!

Sure, when things go wrong, I take the fall!

Nothing is going to go wrong!

That's what you think!

But I happen to be a firm believer

In Rule of Acquisition Number 285:

"No good deed ever goes unpunished."

You can access the Vedek Assembly records through the Bajoran Central Archives.

Of course I can, if I wanted to barge in like some rank amateur.

This is going to take a little while.

I'll let you know when I'm done.

It happened right about here.

Bek hanged himself in front of dozens of witnesses.

Caused quite a stir.

At least he had the decency to feel guilty about what he'd done.

Strange.

Bek and I were passing acquaintances here on the station.

From what little I knew about him,

I always thought he was a good man.

A good man does not betray his own people.

The one thing I've learned about humanoids is that in extreme situations, even the best of you are capable of doing terrible things.

QUARK: Hey.

Hey, Odo.

The good news is

I broke through the security seal.

The bad news is, the file is empty.

All the messages have been erased.

They're erased, all right.

Is there anything you can do about it?

I could scan the empty file for traces of recurring data fragments.

There's always a faint residue of the original data, if you know where to look.

But to unscramble those fragments so they make a coherent pattern could take a while.

So what you're telling me is we're never going to retrieve that information.

Well, not in time to do you any good.

But hold on a second.

Let me see something.

I may not be able to get you the data, but I might be able to find out who erased it.

Their retinal scan would have been noted by the authorization subroutine when they logged on.

But wouldn't the scans have been erased, too?

Sure, but even a fragment of the retinal scan might be enough to identify the user.

Here. I'll run a sweep of the authorization subroutine, see if we can find out anything.

Okay.

These are mathematical representations of a fragment of the retinal scan.

We can use these to reassemble a portion of the original image.

Not bad.

Now we'll cross-reference this with the Assembly's main archive, see if we can find out who it is.

I think we've got something.

ALL: Blessings on Kai Bareil.

MAN: You.

I trusted you.

I needed you.

And you let me die.

You will be rewarded.

Accept this gift from the Prophets.

( grunting )

( dagger scraping )

May the Prophets comfort you, my child.

May they comfort us all.

( knocking )

Come in.

Nerys.

Did you really believe I wouldn't learn the truth?

The truth is not always easy to recognize.

I recognize it now, and I don't like what I see.

Why did you do it?

Why did you erase those transmission records?

Don't make me do this.

I don't have any choice.

Winn is waiting to hear from me.

Do you really want me to tell her that you ordered Bek to give the Cardassians the location of that resistance 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 all resistance in the Kendra Valley.

If someone hadn't told them the location of that base, they would have wiped out every village in the area.

That would have meant the death of 1,200 innocent Bajorans.

I could not allow that.

There had to have been another way.

I believed in you.

I defended you, and Winn was right all along.

And now she's going to destroy you.

No.

I've destroyed myself.

What's our status?

Everything is under control.

You received a subspace transmission from Vedek Winn.

She seemed anxious to talk to you.

Open a channel to the Vedek Assembly.

Put it on monitor seven.

I might as well get this over with.

I was wondering when you'd contact me, child.

I was waiting to complete my investigation.

I must congratulate you on a job well done.

I knew the Prophets were right in picking you to assist me.

You sound like you already know what I'm going to tell you.

Oh, but I do.

Bareil has just made a surprise announcement to the Vedek Assembly.

He's withdrawn himself from the choosing.

He no longer wishes to be the next kai.

I know this is painful for you, child, but you've done a great service for all of Bajor.

Whoever is chosen tomorrow as the new kai will owe you a debt of gratitude.

May the Prophets guide you.

( sighs )

Are you all right?

It doesn't make sense.

Vedek Bareil is an honorable man.

He wouldn't hide from the consequences of his actions by covering them up.

I'm missing something.

Chief.

I need to get back into the Vedek Assembly archives.

Yes, sir.

Kai Winn.

Your pagh is strong, my child.

Be at peace.

In time, you will learn I am not your enemy.

I hope that's true.

I know you do.

Oh, and tell Commander Sisko

I must postpone appearing with him before the Assembly.

At least for now.

( indistinct conversation )

Nerys?

I didn't expect to see you here.

You forgot to erase the transit files.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

Oh, you did a wonderful job erasing the transmission reports but you forgot all about the transit files, the files that prove you weren't a collaborator.

It's over.

Let it rest.

The people have chosen Winn.

Only because you withdrew and you didn't have to.

The transit reports clearly show you were on a personal retreat at the Dakeen Monastery during the week leading up to the massacre.

I checked the Dakeen transmission reports.

You had contact with no one except one transmission after the massacre ordering you back to the Vedek 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?

It's the truth, isn't it?

Who else meant that much to you?

It 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 1,000 people.

I had to protect her.

So... instead of you, we have Winn to lead us.

It 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 realize it yet.

What happens to us?

What do you want to happen?

( sighs )

Let's go pay our respects to the new kai.