FADE IN:

9. EXT. BETAZED CITY - FESTIVAL FAIRGROUNDS - DAY

Most of the city has been decorated in brightly colored ribbons and fabric.  The traditional BOOTHS and TABLES for exhibitors, trinkets, etc. are confined to the fairgrounds.  Tall LIGHTPOSTS with shiny streamers mark out the layout grid.

We WANDER through the area behind CADET LT. CDR. JENNIFER DECKER, CADET LT. HIKARU TAKANI and CADET LT. ELENA REYES.

JENNIFER
Okay, wait a minute– why are there suddenly signs and tags on everything now?

HIKARU
Think about it, Jen.  Most of the off-worlders are going to congregate here at the fairgrounds.  Everywhere else, it’s mostly just Betazoids.

ELENA
Who can read each others’ minds.  I get it.
(indicating the way they came)
Unfortunately, all the really nice stuff is back that way.

Hikaru picks up a particularly garish silk scarf.

HIKARU
You mean you don’t want me to get this for you?

JENNIFER
(under her breath)
You’d have to pay me to take that thing.

The BETAZOID SELLER behind the booth gives her a mock DIRTY LOOK.  Jennifer takes a moment to pick up on it, then claps a hand over her mouth.

JENNIFER (CONT’D)
Oh, boy…

Hikaru pulls her hand away.

HIKARU
(re: hand)
This isn’t going to help.

The Betazoid Seller laughs, and soon so are the Cadets.  They walk a bit more.

ELENA
Wait, what time is it?

JENNIFER
About eleven hundred, why?

ELENA
I think Kara and her family are opening the festivities soon.

HIKARU
The main stage should be just over there.  Let’s go.

They set off in the direction of the large structure, set in the center of the fairgrounds.

10. EXT. FAIRGROUNDS - MAIN STAGE - BACKSTAGE - DAY

N.D. BETAZOIDS milling about, as busy and bustling as you’d expect, but eerily silent.  Kara and her parents, EDIN and BREATANA LIONETTI ARRIVE.  Kara’s dress is much plainer than her parents’, but looks a lot more comfortable and practical.  The following exchange is TELEPATHIC.

BREATANA (VO)
Really, Kara, couldn’t you have picked more… appropriate clothes for this occasion?

KARA (VO)
What’s wrong with my dress?

EDIN (VO)
It’s just fine.  But you must admit, darling, it is rather plain.

KARA (VO)
(telepathic “sotto voce”)
Just because you don’t have to shade your eyes when you look at it…

Breatana’s retort is cut off by the arriving BETAZOID AIDE.  He greets each of them with a curt bow, and speaks out loud.

AIDE
Madame Lionetti… Sir… Miss…

KARA
(matter-of-fact)
It’s “Cadet.”

Breatana reacts as if she’d said it sharply, but the Aide doesn’t think twice as he makes a note of it on a PADD.

AIDE
Of course.  Cadet Kara Lionetti.

EDIN
How long until we’re to go out?

AIDE
Another five or ten minutes.  The Governor will make a brief address, introduce your family, and then you have some time for your own words.

BREATANA
Since there are so many non-telepaths in the audience, I assume we’ll all be speaking?

AIDE
Oh?  Oh, yes, Madame.
(absently)
I’ve been using so little telepathy lately, what with arrangements for all the visitors.

KARA
Then we’ll let you get back to work.

AIDE
Thank you.  I’ll come get you when it’s time, all right?

BREATANA
That will be fine.

The Aide EXITS.  As Breatana and Edin AD LIB a telepathic conversation in BG, we FOLLOW Kara as she peeks through a gap in the curtains.

KARA’S POV: THE AUDIENCE

Several hundred FESTIVAL GOERS murmur and mingle in front of the stage, where comfortable-looking bleachers are set up.  Though it’s mostly humans, there’s a strong alien showing.  Kara squints, and we PUSH IN on Hikaru, Elena and Jennifer, who are making their way forward.

11. EXT. FAIRGROUNDS - IN FRONT OF MAIN STAGE - DAY - CONTINUOUS

Politely pushing, Hikaru, Elena and Jennifer slowly work their way towards the stage.  Hikaru is munching on some weird thing-on-a-stick.

HIKARU
So, have either of you seen Jaredan yet?

JENNIFER
Not yet.  Elena?

ELENA
Nope.  Oh, wait–

PAN to the side of the stage, where Jaredan is conversing with several N.D. SECURITY OFFICERS from the Endeavour.

ELENA (CONT’D)
(pointing)
There he is!

They head in that direction.  Just before they get to Jaredan, he spots them.  He dismisses the Security N.D.’s quickly.

JAREDAN
Hey, guys.

JENNIFER
That wasn’t work, was it, Captain?

JAREDAN
Nah, just checking up on something.  No big deal.

ELENA
How was dinner last night?  We missed you at breakfast.

JAREDAN
I had an early breakfast with Captain Siyal.  Anyway, dinner was fine.  Quiet, though.

HIKARU
(mouth half-full)
Yeah, tell me about it.  We went out with some of the local Academy transfers.  Every time the conversation got quiet, I got paranoid that they were talking about us behind our backs.

JAREDAN
(re: the thing-on-a-stick)
Is that any good?

HIKARU
This?  Yeah, but it’s a little sour.

ELENA
All those years around jumja have given you a serious sweet tooth.

Hikaru just shrugs and goes back to munching.

JAREDAN
Look, I’ve got to talk to Captain Siyal for a minute.  Why don’t you grab a good spot in front of the stage?  I’ll catch up with you guys in a minute.

JENNIFER
Sure.

Jaredan HEADS OFF BACKSTAGE.

JENNIFER (CONT’D)
(re: Jaredan)
Boy, he’s been busy lately.  Especially for someone who’s supposed to be on shore leave.

ELENA
Have you ever seen Jaredan relax when there’s work to do?  Even if it isn’t his work?

JENNIFER
You’ve got a point there.
(beat)
We’d better go stake our claim if we’re going to get decent seats.

They head off towards the bleachers.

16. EXT. FAIRGROUNDS – MAIN STAGE – BACKSTAGE – DAY

Captain Siyal (in regular duty uniform) sits, quietly studying a PADD.  Jaredan taps him on the shoulder.  Siyal immediately puts it away.  Their conversation is hushed.

SIYAL
Anything to report, Mr. Aquino?

JAREDAN
We just got another threat notice, Sir.  Came in by the usual method– text only, bounced a few hundred times around the planetary net.

SIYAL
Serious?

JAREDAN
Assessment routines placed it at about sixty percent.
(beat)
I placed a couple of extra spotters in the crowd.

SIYAL
Good.  Anything else?

JAREDAN
I’ve… followed up on your suggestion.

He subtly tilts the inside of his right forearm towards Siyal, where we can just make out the bulge of a TYPE-1 (“Cricket”) PHASER.

SIYAL
(whispers)
You’ve practiced with it?

JAREDAN
(nods)
I’ll be fine.

Kara calls from OS.

KARA (OS)
What’re you doing here?

She joins them.

KARA
(to Siyal)
Good morning, Captain.

SIYAL
And to you, Cadet Lionetti.
(beat)
We’re just catching up on some planning details.

KARA
(to Jaredan)
Joining us on stage?

JAREDAN
Not me.  I plan on being in the audience with everyone else, applauding politely.

SIYAL
Actually, Mr. Aquino, I think that would be a wonderful idea.

Both Cadets look surprised.

JAREDAN
Sir, are you sure it’s appropriate for me to appear with the family?

SIYAL
You can stand as part of the Starfleet contingent.  Frankly, Cadets, I want at least one other uniform up there.
(beat)
Of course, the Lionettis would have the final say.

KARA
It’s fine with me, Sir.  We can head over and get the okay from my parents as soon as you’re finished talking.

JAREDAN
It can wait, can’t it, Sir?

SIYAL
Of course, Mr. Aquino.  Go on ahead.
(nodding to Kara)
Mr. Lionetti.  I’ll see you both on stage.

Siyal and Jaredan share a quick conspiratorial look just before the Cadets EXIT.

DISSOLVE TO:

17. EXT. FAIRGROUNDS – ON MAIN STAGE – DAY

We’ve come in at the tail end of the presentation.  To one side of the stage are Siyal, Jaredan and some N.D. BETAZOID DIGNITARIES, and on the other are Kara, Edin and Breatana.  The BETAZOID GOVERNOR is just finishing his speech.  We come in MIDSENTENCE.

GOVERNOR
…and so again, I thank all of you for coming today.
(pause for applause)
Now, it is both tradition and my great honor to introduce the hosts for this years’ Miyaran Festival–
(gestures to the family)
The Lionetti family.

There is more polite applause as Breatana takes the podium.

BREATANA
On behalf of my husband, Edin, and daughter, Kara, I would like to welcome you all.  It is the great honor of the Twelfth House and of our family to declare the Miyaran Festival open.

Enthusiastic applause, then the SOUND of ELECTRICAL SPARKING.

ANGLE ON – LIGHTPOST

One of the tall posts begins to sputter and SPARK.  A moment later, as other posts malfunction, the first EXPLODES.  A half dozen other go off randomly.

ANGLE ON – MAIN STAGE

While everyone else starts panicking, Jaredan, Kara and Siyal keep their cool and start herding people backstage.  Suddenly, an ENERGY BEAM zaps the podium, shattering it.  Another BEAM strikes the backdrop just behind a running Breatana. She freezes in fear, and Kara has to give her a firm nudge.  She looks over her shoulder just in time to see Jaredan quick draw his phaser like a Derringer from his sleeve.

KARA
What the hell’s going on here?

As she EXITS, some Security N.D.’s have made it onstage, and are aiming phaser rifles towards the rooftops.  One TOSSES Jaredan an extra rifle.  Jaredan taps his combadge, then levels the rifle.

JAREDAN
(into comm)
Endeavour security detail, report!

PARAN (VO)
(over comm)
Tor here, Sir.  Somebody routed a huge power surge through the lighting grid!  We’re locking it down now.

JAREDAN
(into comm)
Aquino to Siyal.  You heard, Captain?

CUT TO:

18. EXT. MAIN STAGE – BACKSTAGE – DAY – CONTINUOUS

Siyal is busy calming down the VIP’s.

SIYAL
(into comm)
I heard, Cadet.  Continue coordinating the security detail.

A regular SECURITY OFFICER jogs up.

SECURITY OFFICER
Captain Siyal.

SIYAL
Report.

SECURITY OFFICER
We found the shooter, sir.  He was using a Cardassian sniper’s rifle from a rooftop.

Breatana butts in.

BREATANA
You have this criminal in custody?

The Security Officer looks to Siyal, who nods.

SECURITY OFFICER
Yes, Ma’am.  He’s being transported to our brig.

Kara arrives as well, listening intently.

SIYAL
Good work.  Do we know who he is?

SECURITY OFFICER
No, Sir.  We’re running an identity check on him now.

SIYAL
Do you know who his intended target was?

SECURITY OFFICER
Yes, Sir. We examined the targeting system on his weapon.  It was set to track three targets–
(beat, uneasy)
the Lionettis, Sir.

SIYAL
Damn.

As Jaredan arrives backstage, Kara clears her throat.

KARA
(restraining herself)
Permission to speak freely, Sir?

SIYAL
Of course, Cadet.

KARA
Someone has just tried to assassinate me and my family.  If there’s anything you know about it, Sir, I think I deserve to know, too.

BREATANA
Daughter, this really isn’t the time–

KARA
I think it’s the perfect time, Mother.  Especially because I think you know something as well.

Siyal turns to Jaredan. Kara catches it.

KARA (CONT’D)
(to Jaredan)
You too?

OFF Jaredan’s exceptionally uncomfortable expression as we

FADE OUT.

END ACT TWO