Home > Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Hard Time

FEMALE: ( over PA ) All offenders, prepare for decontamination.

Decontamination will proceed immediately.

( groaning )

Miles Edward O'Brien.

The Argrathi Authority has been conducting a review of your case.

AGRATHI: Do you wish to add anything to the official record?

No matter.

-Your correction is completed. -You are free.

Free?

The crime of espionage requires a minimum of 15 cycles of correction.

You've been here for 20.

It's time for you to go.

Go?

I can't leave.

Where would I go to?

That's not my concern. Remove him.

( groaning )

( screaming )

There. It's done.

Major.

It's me, Chief.

It can't be.

It's been 20 years.

You... you haven't changed at all.

Only a few hours have passed during your correction.

I don't understand.

Chief, I know this is going to be hard for you to accept but you haven't been in prison.

What you experienced was an artificial reality an interactive program that created memories of things that never actually happened.

What?

ARGRATHI: The Major is correct. We punish our offenders by giving them memories of incarceration modeled to fit each offender's personality.

It's more efficient and much more effective than maintaining an extensive prison system.

Which means that what you think you experienced in prison, the things you remember, didn't happen.

It wasn't real.

It's real to me, Major.

It's real to me.

{\an8}He apparently got curious about some Argrathi technology

{\an8}and asked a few too many questions. The Argrathi Security arrested him

{\an8}and charged him with espionage.

{\an8}But Miles would never break the law intentionally.

{\an8}I know that,

{\an8}but by the time the Argrathi told us what had happened

{\an8}they had already carried out his "correction."

{\an8}Can the memories that they implanted be removed?

{\an8}The Argrathi claim it's impossible but Dr. Bashir will do his best.

{\an8}When can I see him?

{\an8}As soon as Dr. Bashir gives the okay.

{\an8}I used to dream about this,

{\an8}being in a runabout, coming through the wormhole

{\an8}seeing the station again.

{\an8}Now I keep expecting to wake up and find myself back in the cell.

{\an8}Being in your cell was the dream. This is the reality.

{\an8}I'd forgotten how beautiful it was.

{\an8}Come on. Let's get you home.

{\an8}Chief.

{\an8}Julian,

{\an8}is it really you?

{\an8}It's me.

{\an8}He's all yours.

{\an8}I never thought I'd see you again.

{\an8}I was pretty worried about you, too.

{\an8}Keiko?

{\an8}She'll, um, see you in a little while.

{\an8}I want to run some tests first see what we're up against.

{\an8}And, as for everyone else, they send their best.

{\an8}They would have been here but I didn't want you to get overwhelmed.

{\an8}You should take things easy for a while.

Get used to this place again, all right?

Doctor's orders?

Oh, absolutely.

I can't imagine what it would have been like,

Twenty years in that cell.

It was bad.

In all that time were you able to talk to anyone, see anyone?

I was alone.

( groaning )

Here.

ARGRATHI: ( over PA ) All offenders refusing to comply with dormancy period

will be subject to habitat reprogramming.

Eat this. It'll help you feel better.

It's chee'lash fruit.

Thanks.

I'm the one who should be thanking you.

I've been alone in here for six cycles.

Six years?

I know. It's a wonder I'm not insane...

But you find ways to survive.

Let me guess, sedition?

-( chuckling ) -Espionage.

Oh... it looks like we're going to be in here together for a long time.

My name is Ee'Char.

Miles, Miles O'Brien.

Hello, Miles.

Welcome to hell.

Completely alone.

The bottom line is there isn't much I can do.

The Argrathi didn't just install memory implants.

They ran Miles through a highly realistic time-compressed simulation of the prison experience.

In his mind, he lived those 20 years. He reacted to everything that happened.

He felt pain, fear, hatred.

He made choices and decisions that affected the outcome.

As a result, those memories are real.

The only way I could rid him of the memories would be to wipe his entire memory clean and, clearly, that isn't an option.

I understand.

Listen, Keiko...

Miles has been through some terrible things in his life, as you know, during the war on Setlik III... that time he was taken prisoner by the Paradans... during his trial on Cardassia Prime, and he's always survived.

In the long run, he's going to be okay.

It's just going to take some time.

Computer, a piece of chee'lash fruit, please.

Replicator pattern for requested fruit is not available.

Please provide specifications.

Well, it... it's sort of, uh...

I don't know the specifications.

Cancel the request.

BASHIR: Chief?

Miles?

Oh, Miles.

( sighs )

( sighs )

Miles, what's wrong?

You're pregnant?

That's right.

It's been so long, I'd... I'd forgotten.

Oh, Miles... it's all right.

Everything's going to be all right.

I'm done. Can I go color?

Sure. Make sure to put your plate in the replicator, sweetie.

Okay.

Do you want to come color with me?

Maybe in a little while.

Must be strange to suddenly have a family again.

It's just...

I've been alone for so long.

Talking about it with Counselor Telnorri should help.

Julian says you'll be seeing him for a while.

Three counseling sessions a week.

I can hardly wait.

Miles?

Mm-hmm.

What are you doing?

It's just a habit I picked up in prison.

The guards didn't care much whether I lived or died.

Sometimes they wouldn't deliver food for days weeks even.

When they did feed me

I ate as little as possible and saved the rest.

That's horrible.

You get used to it.

ARGRATHI: ( over PA ) All food rations will be suspended until further notice.

Any offenders caught with rations will be disciplined.

For later.

( chuckles )

( sighs )

( distant yelling )

( sighs )

How did you manage?

Hmm?

Six years in here all by yourself.

Oh, you find ways.

I'd... exercise Tell myself stories...

Draw eseekas on the ground.

Eseekas?

Geometric patterns.

Drawing them is a way to relax your body and... occupy the mind.

That helps?

Helps me.

( distant screaming )

Show me.

It's not easy.

I have plenty of time to learn.

( both chuckle )

Here.

This is a good spot.

Start... by drawing a circle.

( groaning )

Now... gaze into the circle.

-You want to learn or not? -I'm gazing.

Relax your mind.

Imagine that the circle encompasses your whole existence.

Let it become a part of you.

Now, without thinking allow your hand to make a mark inside the circle.

( sighs )

Now expand on the mark.

Let it grow organically until it becomes... a pattern.

( laughing )

What are you laughing at?

You look like a reeta-hawk picking at a corpse.

( squawking )

How do you do that?

What? ( squawking )

No! Laugh... after six years in here.

Well, after six years in a place like this you either learn to laugh... or you go insane.

I prefer to laugh.

ARGRATHI: ( over PA ) All offenders prepare for dormancy period.

Any offenders still active

during the dormancy period will be disciplined.

Illumination will be suspended in 20 seconds.

Sleep well, Miles.

And if you feel like laughing in the middle of the night, go ahead.

I'm a heavy sleeper.

ARGRATHI: Dormancy period initiated.

( sighs )

Miles?

( snoring softly )

Your throw.

Do I need one 17 or two?

I am not sure.

Yeah, neither am I.

We could start again.

No, that's all right.

I know darts isn't really your game.

To be honest, I don't feel much like playing myself.

We could go kayaking in the holosuite.

You're a good friend, but...

Hold on a second.

Is everything all right?

It's fine.

I just thought I saw someone I used to know.

Interphasic coil spanner.

ODN recoupler.

You got it.

-It's a... -No, no, don't tell me. I'll get it.

Um... a quantum flux regulator.

Mark Three.

Perfect.

Let's go through it again.

Chief, you know this stuff.

You don't have to worry about it.

I don't want to be embarrassed in front of the repair crews.

Even if you get one wrong no one will think anything of it.

You may be a little rusty, but you're still the Chief.

Well, if I'm still the Chief, I say we go through it again.

All done here.

That was quick.

I reconfigured the magnetic wave guides. Saved us replacing the whole unit.

Good as new.

We're about done here. If it's all right with you

I was going to dismiss the crew for lunch.

You go ahead.

There's a couple of things I want to look at down here.

Brush up a little more.

Keep up the good work, crewman.

Another week or two, you'll be running the place.

Don't you forget it.

Ah...

There you are, Chief.

Hello, Julian.

-Come to check up on me? -To be honest, yes.

Counselor Telnorri says that you haven't been to see him in ten days.

So?

So you're supposed to see him three times a week.

What for?

All Telnorri ever wants to do is sit and listen to me tell stories of what it was like to be in an Argrathi prison.

How often did they beat me?

Was I distressed by the lack of toilet facilities?

If you ask me, he's the one with the problem.

You can talk to a different counselor, someone you might like better.

Julian, I don't want to talk to a counselor.

I just want to forget about what happened on Argratha and get on with my life.

-Just like that? -Yes, just like that.

I don't need counseling or relaxation, or time to adjust.

I just want to be left alone.

I'd have thought after being alone for 20 years you'd want someone to talk to.

If there's one thing I haven't missed in the last 20 years it's your smug, superior attitude.

Now, I have told you I want to be left alone and I meant it.

So, if you know what's good for you you'll stay the hell away from me!

Promenade.

Tell me about Keiko again, about how much... you like her eyes.

I've told you about her a hundred times.

What more is there to say?

Well, I like hearing about her.

If I had a beautiful wife I'd, I'd talk about her, believe me.

Besides, uh, talking about her always relaxes you and your pacing is getting a little distracting.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

Well, your drawing is bothering me.

-Since when? -Since now.

-You didn't need to do that. -Don't tell me what I need.

-Miles... -Don't "Miles" me!

I'm sick of it!

I'm sick of this place, I'm sick of your drawing

-and most of all, I am sick of you! -Try to be calm.

I don't want to be calm!

I've had it with this place.

( distant yelling )

I don't belong here!

( yelling continues )

Do you hear me? I don't belong here.

I didn't do anything wrong. I know you're listening!

-Miles... -I don't belong here!

Let me out of here!

I didn't do anything wrong, and you know it!

AGRATHI: ( over PA ) All offenders in Detention Area Four

if you do not cease this disturbance immediately

you will be disciplined.

Discipline this!

Miles!

( yelling )

Be quiet!

QUARK: That's one Black Hole straight up, right?

Synthale, please.

Be right with you, Chief.

Quark, what about that synthale?

Just another minute.

Quark?

Look, Chief, I'm a little busy right now.

I'm in no mood for games, Quark.

So why don't you give me my drink or I break every bone in your worthless little body.

Chief, just because your life's in shambles right now--

( groaning )

One synthale coming right up.

( gasping )

Miles?

Ee'Char.

-What are you doing here? -I've never really been gone, have I?

You're not real.

You're just in my head.

That's all I ever was.

But I'm real to you and that's all that matters.

Go away.

I can't. I'm your friend. You need me.

You are the last thing I need.

You're wrong, Miles. You need me, now more than ever.

What are you doing?

I'm going to work.

Miles, as your friend I have to tell you I'm worried about you.

Don't be. I'm home.

I'm working and for the first time in as long as I can remember

I feel good.

Then why am I here?

Sisko to O'Brien. Please report to my office.

On my way.

Look, I don't know why you're here and I don't care.

Have a seat.

I understand you had a confrontation with Dr. Bashir yesterday.

Oh, that's a... That was nothing.

Not according to Dr. Bashir.

We had a little argument. Julian and I are always arguing.

According to Constable Odo you also had an incident with Quark.

Did that little?

Look, sir, I may have let things get a little out of hand, but...

It won't happen again.

Hmm...

Dr. Bashir also tells me that you've stopped seeing your counselor.

Sir, I've been very busy lately--

The agreement was that you were going to see a counselor on a regular basis.

You're right.

I'll make an appointment to go see him tomorrow.

You'll see him today.

Immediately.

I have a lot of work to do today, sir.

The work can wait.

As of now, you're relieved of duty.

I want you to report to Counselor Telnorri and begin attending daily counseling sessions for as long as he thinks it's advisable.

Sir, you're blowing this all out of proportion.

You know that's not true.

What happened to you on Argratha affected you a lot more than you're willing to admit and it's not going to get better overnight no matter how much you want it to.

You need help.

Please, Captain.

I'm asking you as a personal favor to me. Give me one more chance.

I wish I could.

But right now in the judgment of this station's Chief Medical Officer you're unfit for duty which means you're on medical leave effective immediately and if you don't begin attending counseling sessions on a regular basis and cooperating in every other way with your physician

I will have no choice but to have you confined to the Infirmary.

Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

Dismissed.

Chief, I was just about to head down to the Replimat...

Not now, Commander.

Promenade.

What the hell did you say to him?

I take it you talked to Captain Sisko.

I talked to him, all right.

-He relieved me of duty. -It's for the best, Miles.

How do you know what's best for me?

You have no idea what I've been going through!

You're right. You were alone in that cell. I wasn't there with you.

I didn't see what they did to you, but I do know you suffered and that you're still suffering now, and I'm trying to help.

I never asked for your help.

You didn't need to ask. I'm your doctor and your friend.

EE'CHAR: You should listen to him, Miles.

He cares about you just like I did.

Don't make the same mistake with him you did with me.

Don't you get it?

You're not my friend! Not anymore!

The O'Brien that was your friend died in that cell!

He's not dead.

He just needs a little help that's all.

Stay away from me.

I don't want your help, I don't want your friendship

I just want to be left alone!

-Where are you going? -I told you to go away!

Miles, please, don't do this. Go back there and talk to him.

He wants to help you.

-Like you did? -That's right.

-We're both your friends. -Yeah, and look what happened to you.

Habitat Ring.

You know, sooner or later you'll have to tell someone about me.

Like hell I will.

You can't run from me forever.

You're dead so why don't you go away and leave me alone?

You want me to leave? I'll leave!

Send me away!

Don't you see?

If I keep coming back it's because some part of you keeps bringing me here!

Miles, Julian's been trying to contact you for an hour.

-Where have you been? -Walking. Thinking.

I know. I heard. I'm sorry.

-I know how much your work means to you. -Try telling that to Julian.

Daddy, come see what I drew.

-Not now, honey, okay? -I'm sure it's only temporary.

You'll be back at work before you know it.

Daddy, you have to come see.

Look, can we talk about this later?

-Daddy, come on! -Not now.

-Please, Daddy, please! -I said not now, right?

-I said not! -Miles! What are you doing?

Oh, shh, shh.

I didn't mean to...

Shh.

I'm sorry.

Chief?

Get out of here, Julian.

You don't want to do this, Chief.

The hell I don't.

Look, I don't claim to know what you're going through but whatever it is, it's not worth dying for.

You don't understand at all.

I'm not doing this for me.

I'm doing it to protect Keiko and Molly and everyone else in this station.

-Protect us from what? -From me.

I'm not the man I used to be.

I'm dangerous.

I nearly hit Molly today.

All she wanted was a little attention and I nearly hit her.

But you didn't.

You're a good man, Miles Edward O'Brien and whatever it is you think you've done wrong you don't deserve to die.

You sound like Ee'Char.

Who's Ee'Char?

He's... not real.

He's just a memory, that's all.

A memory from Argratha?

Who was he? Another prisoner? A guard?

He was my cell mate.

You told me you were alone in that cell.

Twenty years with no one to talk to.

I was at the end, a week... two maybe.

But the rest of the time...

There was Ee'Char.

What happened to him?

( distant yelling )

Ah...

Why'd you do that?

It wasn't helping.

You need to concentrate more.

It doesn't matter how much I concentrate. I'm still starving.

( sighs )

So am I.

You sure there's nothing left?

Not unless you have a hiding place I don't know about.

We ate the last of the food I put away a week ago.

We should have stockpiled more.

We should have prepared for this.

They've never let us go this long without food before.

Maybe they've forgotten about us or just decided to finally let us die.

Then we die.

ARGRATHI: ( over PA ) All offenders prepare for dormancy period.

Any offender still active during the dormancy period

will be disciplined.

Illumination will be suspended in 20 seconds.

What are you doing?

I'm going to sleep.

-How can you sleep at a time like this? -Maybe I'll dream about food.

You're crazy.

No...

Just hungry.

ARGRATHI: ( over PA ) Dormancy period initiated.

( yelling )

You pretended to be my friend and all the time you were holding out on me.

Now who's acting crazy?

After everything I've done for you you ungrateful...

( bones crunching )

( chuckling )

You...

You were saving it for both of us.

Ee'Char.

Ee'Char, wake up.

Ee'Char... Ee'Char...

You killed him?

The worst part of it was...

The next day, the guards began feeding me again.

I killed him for nothing, for a scrap of bread he was going to share with me.

But it was a mistake. You didn't mean it.

I meant it.

I wanted him to die.

I keep telling myself...

It doesn't matter.

It wasn't real.

But that's a lie.

If it had been real, if it had been you instead of him it wouldn't have made any difference.

He was my best friend and I murdered him.

When we were growing up, they used to tell us...

Humanity had evolved that mankind had outgrown hate and rage.

But when it came down to it when I had the chance to show that no matter what anyone did to me

I was still an evolved human being...

I failed.

I repaid kindness with blood.

I was no better than an animal.

No. No, no, no.

An animal would've killed Ee'Char and never had a second thought, never shed a tear but not you. You hate yourself.

You hate yourself so much you think you deserve to die.

The Argrathi did everything they could to strip you of your humanity and in the end, for one brief moment they succeeded.

But you can't let that brief moment define your entire life.

If you do, if you pull that trigger then the Argrathi will have won.

They will have destroyed a good man. You cannot let that happen, my friend.

Miles.

Be well, Miles.

Thirty milligrams twice a day. Take it religiously for a month.

And if all goes well we'll experiment with a lower dosage.

You sure this'll work?

It's a treatment, not a cure. It'll prevent hallucinations take the edge off the depression but that's all it'll do.

It won't take away the memories or the feelings.

You mean the guilt.

Well, that'll take time.

Now's the part where you tell me

I have to start seeing Counselor Telnorri again.

Unless you want to talk to me.

Telnorri'll be fine.

Thanks, Julian... For everything.

What are friends for?

Daddy's home! Daddy's home!

That's right. Daddy's home.