Episode 43 The Only Thing Constant pt. 3

*"It has been something of a habit of mine to meet people who don't want to meet me, for their own good."*
—**Elim Garak**

## **Plot Synopsis**

### **Pre-Break**

The episode begins where "The Only Thing Constant pt. 2" ends. The senior staff are in a briefing listening to Elim Garak give a summary of the efforts to rebuild Cardassia Prime. Garak gives a description of the situation. The Federation and the Romulans are leading rebuilding efforts, and there are some issues with pirates, theft, and extortion of humanitarian supplies. None of this is a surprise to CAPT Azeri Sull. Then, Garak makes a sudden shift to a new topic. He makes a pick for the Cardassian Reunion Project to officially take over control of the Cardassian Empire from the current provisional government, with help from the Federation. ADM Nallas Rhee immediately says "no", but ADM  Kathryn Janeway says that they should discuss it. Garak excuses himself from the room.

Once Garak is gone, the discussion begins. Rhee warns that backing one particular political faction in the Cardassian Empire will anger the Romulans and the Klingons. He says that placing USS *Ross* in the area is good enough. Janeway is suspicious that Rhee knows something. Rhee admits that Starfleet Intelligence has knowledge that the theft of humanitarian aid is organized, and that they think a remnant of the Cardassian military is behind it. Janeway suggests that backing the democratic efforts of the Reunion Project might deter other parties in the area. Rhee is unconvinced, and the two acknowledge it's a political decision, anyway. Janeway departs, first greeting Sull and CDR EXEO. She notes that The Doctor is a big fan of EXEO's. Sull and Rhee leave together.

The rest of the crew is left alone in the briefing room. AMB Olyn Madzhin-Nil]] takes a moment to reflect on the emotions in the room. Garak had been cyncial as ever; he probably knew his request was pointless, but was ordered to make it. Rhee had been disturbingly hard to read. Sull was simply curious. EXEO is nervous for her crews health; many of them have trauma related to the Dominion War, which took place where they are headed. The rest are a mixture of excited and nervous, except LTCDR Yeri Prahl who is cold as ice, and LT Zhyliss Vrenn, who is simply mystified. The crew departs.

The focus shifts to Sull and Rhee in his office. He takes a moment to reflect on Elim Garak. He specifically references Garak's value to CAPT Benjamin Sisko on Deep Space 9 during the war, and the operation to bring in the Romulans on the side of the Federation (DS9: "In the Pale Moonlight"). They discuss the state of reconstruction efforts on Cardassia Prime; they are over a year behind schedule. Rhee also asks Sull to promise not to poke their nose into any Starfleet Intelligence business; Sull smiles and nods.

Meanwhile, Lakat heads to the holodeck on USS Ross and opens up a program of a *Galor*-class Cardassian warship. She recalls moments from her childhood of touring them with her father. She takes a moment to try out the center chair, but finds that it doesn't fit as well as the one on USS *Ross*.

Outside the headquarters of the Starfleet Diplomatic Corps, Olyn encounters Garak. He greets them, and Olyn mentions that they started their career working to restore Cardassia. Garak says that he is very familiar with Olyn's work, and also that Olyn sponsored Lakat's admission to Starfleet. Olyn invites him to join them in meeting with their superiors, but he says that he is leaving shortly. Olyn suggests that he should meet Lakat. He suggests dinner at a nearby Cajun restaurant. Olyn tells Lakat to meet them there (not mentioning Garak) and they depart.

A few minutes later, Lakat arrives at the restaurant, named Grady's. She is greeted by a hologram sporting the most egregiously bad Southern (not Cajun) accent imaginable. Lakat catches sight of Olyn sitting with Garak. She glares at Olyn but refuses to break her expression. Garak comments that Olyn clearly didn't inform Lakat of his presence at dinner. He takes a moment to thank Lakat for setting a good standard for Cardassians to look up to. Lakat responds that she had to in order to move forward. Garak proposes a toast to that idea.

At one point, Lakat asks Garak for his impression of the current state of Cardassia. Olyn asks for a point of contact with the Reunion Project. He suggests Alon Ghemor, the head of the project. He ruefully comments on the irrelevancy of his current mission (to ask Starfleet for formal assistance) and the general uselessness of talking to Admirals. Olyn makes a comment about the lack of bars on their collar. Garak takes the opportunity to make some informed tailoring suggestions.

Lakat asks about Ghemor's history. Garak says that Ghemor has been a dissident for a long time. While Garak was in the Obsidian Order, Ghemor was on their watchlist. Garak compliments Ghemor for pushing to set up a democratic government, but not having any interest in running for office. Olyn promises to do their best for Cardassia. Lakat and Garak spend the rest of the evening verbally sparring in true Cardassian form, while Olyn watches with glee.

Meanwhile, aboard USS Ross, Theq Lynadas is one of the few engineers still aboard the ship. Theq walks through the dark halls of the completely empty ship for the first time since leaving spacedock. He encounters Aulyn Dari and Debluch Marrone in the engine room. Dari remarks that she doesn't like not having things to do. She feels like each time USS Ross gets an upgrade she is less needed; she says that she is going to miss the dancing. Theq gives her a pep-talk, and suggests she try a holodeck program of one of the old ships. She asks him to join her, and he agrees. For the moment, she leaves by herself to go try one out.

Theq heads to sickbay, where he greets M'Qrell. He starts a conversation about the war, and asks her how she is feeling. She assures him that she will be alright. He asks if there is anything he can do for her that Reku Lynadas (his brother) couldn't. Maria pointedly comments that Reku was a wonderful doctor, and Theq is a good person. She offers to help him do something to honor Reku's memory. Theq accepts, but says that they should wait until the appropriate time.

To break the tension, Theq goes to the replicator and orders some of the tea that M'Qrell is always drinking. He tries it, and is clearly not pleased. M'Qrell replicates him a tastier version, and calls it an acquired taste. Theq tells her that he plans to broaden her tea horizons. After he leaves, she picks up the PADD she was reading when he entered: Reku's personnel file.

### **Post-Break**

Since her arrival on Earth, EXEO has been bombarded with interview requests, but Azzmi Shanto has been handling the press for her. Even The Doctor has requested a meeting. One morning, Sull finds a small cup of mint chocolate chip ice cream on their desk, along with a note from EXEO. EXEO and Sull proceed to the Daystrom Institute. EXEO is an immediate celebrity; all of the scientists know her, and she knows most of them.

In the turbolift, EXEO and Sull take a moment to reminisce about the nature of homecoming. EXEO notes that her dealings with the programs of Andrea Redgrave in her mind have left her feeling haunted. ("Who We Are pt. 2", "By Any Other Name") Redgrave is waiting for them in her holo-lab, smoking a real cigarette; EXEO strongly disapproves. Redgrave appears resigned to the inevitability of EXEO's rejection. EXEO asks why she looks so sad, and Redgrave replies that it's because they will never speak again, and she hadn't thought it would come so soon. She guesses that Sull and EXEO were visited by Q, which draws a curious expression from Sull. Sull notes that the Q-continuum doesn't like Redgrave, and Redgrave agress.

EXEO asks Redgrave how she knew about the mycelial network; Redgrave says she's known for thousands of years. She says that she's traded with the JahSepp mulitple times, but that they won't remember her. EXEO asks about the multiple, conflicting versions of Redgrave existing within her program. Redgrave says that she was a way of fixing it. Sull gets heated and accuses Redgrave of hurting EXEO. Redgrave counters by asking if Sull's parents ever hurt them, to which Sull gives a guarded "yes". Redgrave says that she had to do "certain things" to complete the work.

EXEO worries about herself being made of "stolen goods", and being repossessed by the Q-continuum someday. ("The Play's the Thing") Redgrave says that she is going to turn herself in to the continuum in exchange for sparing EXEO's life. EXEO asks what they will do with her, but Redgrave doesn't answer. EXEO asks what she is. Redgrave responds that she is a Douwd. She says they are part of a "celestial family"; not relatives of the Q-continuum, but they "share the heavens". EXEO asks Redgrave why she built her. Redgrave says that this universe is approaching a critical moment. She says that history is always the same; biological life creates artificial life, and then the result is inevitable: destruction. She quotes an old Buddhist Koan:

*"If you meet the Buddah, kill him."*
—**Linji Yixuan**

Redgrave says that she wanted to give the people of this reality a good first impression of what artificial life can be. To show everyone that people like The Doctor and Data aren't a mistake. EXEO is Redgrave's gift to all of existence. Redgrave engaged in all of the rewriting of time, paradoxes, moving through universes, etc. in order to avoid the Q-continuum. Now they have agreed that, if Redgrave turns herself in, EXEO gets to live. They were convinced by their interactions with the people aboard USS *Ross*.

EXEO considers the Q's hostile feelings about her to be a challenge. She will become so great that they could never erase her. She thanks Redgrave for "sharing the heavens" with her. She reaches out for Redgrave's hand, but the hand starts to dissolve into glowing light and energy. EXEO realizes that she is looking upon her mother for the first time. Sull tells Redgrave to express her love for EXEO, and EXEO asks Redgrave her name. Redgrave replies that her name is impossible to communicate verbally, but she always liked the name Redgrave.

They say a loving good-bye, and Q arrives. Redgrave says that she already thinks EXEO is great. EXEO assures Redgrave that she will be with her for as long as she needs, but Redgrave disappears. Q tells EXEO not to mess up the universe, and disappears. EXEO replies to the emptiness "I won't if you won't." Sull immediately hugs EXEO, and EXEO turns the room into a busy Irish pub. EXEO proposes a drink to their future. Sull asks what kind of drink. When EXEO suggests shots, Sull tells her that they didn't mean the liquor. EXEO decides that it will be her mission to piss off the Q-continuum as much as possible. They drink.

In the following weeks, Starfleet Intelligence interviews both of them. A full report is written about EXEO's origins. Starfleet classifies everything. Sull and EXEO learn about Starfleet's only other encounter with a Douwd. (TNG:"The Survivors") They even get a brief from the fledgling Temporal Defense Initiative. Starfleet decides to just scuttle the whole EXEO project and move on. Classify everything and just continue with life as is. Nallas Rhee pulls the strings to make sure it all happens smoothly for EXEO.

Elsewhere, at Starfleet Diplomatic Headquarters, Olyn takes a meeting with Otal Bil. She is a member of the Federation Council and an advisor to the Federation President. Olyn is greeted by her Yeoman, Adrian Noriega. He escorts them into Otal's office. Otal greets Olyn, and notes that they are very similar. She tells a story about her first deep space assignment, on Deep Space Station K-7. She was dealing with a very rude Klingon ambassador, and decided to behave like a Klingon. She speaks about all of the other ambassadors in Starfleet who feel the need to live up to their parents. Olyn says that they wish to be judged on their own merits, and that they refuse to be a footnote in the history of USS Ross.

They ask for the tools that they will have at their disposal to help Cardassia. Bil says that Starfleet is wary to get involved in Cardassian politics. They want to help Cardassia, but they don't want to anger the Romulans. Their greatest hope is to get the Romulans on board with installing a new government in Cardassia, but the Romulans are in chaos. So their goal is to relieve as much suffering as they can. Olyn points out that the Diplomatic Corps are not under control of the Starfleet Admiralty. Bil says that they might not be Starfleet officers, but they do speak for Starfleet; Olyn can bend the rules, but shouldn't push too hard against the bureaucracy.

She asks for Olyn's ideas. Olyn suggests using the Romulans and the Klingons. Olyn suggests that Olyn is uniquely inclined to exploit the flaws in the system; if they see someone in need, they won't ignore it. Bil adds a final warning. USS *Ross* may one day have to go into the Gamma Quadrant to engage with The Dominion. Olyn gives a rather cryptic response.

The scene jumps several days forward to the day of departure. The repairs are complete, and the crew is back aboard. Vrenn announces their disconnection from Starbase 1. Sull stretches their arms.

"Let's go to space"

## **Cast**

* Eric Campbell - Game Master
* Revati Dhomse - Jane Lakat
* Gina DeVivo - EXEO
* Sam de Leve - Azeri Sull
* Aki - Olyn Madzhin-Nil
* Xander Jeanneret - Theq Lynadas
* Bonnie Gordon - M'Qrell

## **Non-Player Characters**

* Elim Garak
* Nallas Rhee
* Kathryn Janeway
* Zhyliss Vrenn
* Yeri Prahl
* Aulyn Dari
* Debluch Marrone
* Andrea Redgrave
* Q
* Otal Bil
* Adrian Noriega

## **Locations**

* Earth
	+ San Francisco
		- Starfleet HQ
		- Starfleet Diplomatic Corps
		- Daystrom Institute
* Starbase 1

## **Notable Lines**

*"I stand before you now to formally, on behalf of The Reunion Project, to ask the Federation for its support in helping the people of Cardassia choose their own future."*
*"No."*
*"Well, I'm glad to see you haven't changed."*
—**Elim Garak** and **Nallas Rhee**

*"I can tell you one thing, Commander. It's going to feel good to be back in this Quadrant being Starfleet."*
—**Yeri Prahl** to EXEO

*"I'm certain that, without Elim Garak at our disposal, we may have lost the Alpha Quadrant."*
—**Nallas Rhee**

*"I can never read that smile on your face."*
—**Nallas Rhee** to Azeri Sull

*"The first Cardassian in Starfleet. We are quite proud."*
—**Elim Garak** about Jane Lakat

*"It has been something of a habit of mine to meet people who don't want to meet me, for their own good."*
—**Elim Garak**

*"Here's to avoiding Cardassians. They're not very good Cardassians if I can avoid them."*
—**Jane Lakat**

*"It has been my experience time and time again that the strength of Starfleet lies in its Captains."*
—**Elim Garak**

*"I've got a lot of holodeck programs and you could run some old ship simulators if you'd like. We can even dress in the old uniforms. You have to turn the theme song off on a few of them. Sometimes it just spontaneously: 'It's been a long road' - shut up shut up, I get it."*
—**Theq Lynadas** to Aulyn Dari

*"I will become so great in history that they could never think to erase my impact."*
—**EXEO**

*"Thank you for sharing the heavens with me."*
—**EXEO** to her mother, Andrea Redgrave

*"Tell her you love her."*
—**Azeri Sull** to Andrea Redgrave about EXEO

*"Thank you. And I have and will always love you, and be very grateful. And I Will. Be. Great."*
*"However your story plays out, EXEO, I just want you to know that to me, you were already great."*
*"I'll be with you, for as long as you need me."*
—**EXEO** and **Andrea Redgrave**

*"The universe is yours, EXEO. Don't mess it up."*
*"I won't if you won't."*
—**Q** and **EXEO**

*"I'm, I'm okay. I just hope whatever they're doing, that it isn't painful."*
*"I'd punch all of them. The whole contiuum, if I had to. I heard one guy - who was it? I'm sure you know; I don't - Punched a Q. I'd punch all of them. Say the word."*
*"I just wanna make it my mission to piss them off as much as possible."*
*"Then you were dropped at exactly the right place and time, Commander EXEO of the USS Ross."*
—**EXEO** and **Azeri Sull**

*"Let's just say that some of the most accomplished ambassadors secretly have a story where they threw hot tea in someone's face."*
—**Otal Bil** to Olyn Madzhin-nil

*"It would be nice to be graded on my own merit; not the merit of my father, as so often happens."*
—**Olyn Madzhin-nil**

*"I know that a lot of people put stock in the captains of ships, the XO's, the scientists, the engineers. But the USS Ross is the first to have a dedicated diplomatic attaché, and I refuse to be a footnote in this ship's history."*
—**Olyn Madzhin-Nil**

*"There's still room for Cowboy Diplomacy in Starfleet. It just requires finesse."*
—**Otal Bil**