Rom: | What if I say something dumb? Something that makes him uncomfortable? |
Ezri: | Like what? |
Rom: | Like, "How's your new leg?" |
Ezri: | I think he's probably expecting a few questions. |
Rom: | I just don't want to say the wrong thing. |
Leeta: | You'll be fine, but maybe I shouldn't be there when he arrives. |
Ezri: | Why? |
Leeta: | Well, when he was in the hospital he didn't answer any of my letters. |
| That's okay. |
| I'm only his stepmother. |
| He's going through something so personal maybe he wants his real family around. |
Rom: | You are real family. |
--- |
Ezri: | That's right, and you should both just relax. |
| Yes, Nog has lost a leg, and that's a traumatic experience, but nothing you do or say is going to be worse than what he's already gone through. |
| Just be happy to see him, and tell him you love him. |
| For today, that will be enough. |
Kira: | They've docked. |
Sisko: | Colonel, are you sure this is the right transport? |
Kira: | I checked the passenger list this morning. |
| He definitely boarded it. |
Leeta: | Here he comes! |
Kira: | Welcome back, Nog. |
Rom: | Good to have you home. |
Leeta: | Welcome home, Nog. |
Nog: | Thank you. |
| It's good to be back. |
| My orders, Captain. |
Sisko: | "Medical leave?" |
| How could that be? |
O'Brien: | Sounds like an excuse to loaf around while the rest of us work. |
Bashir: | Hard work and plenty of it-- that's what I prescribe. |
Odo: | Captain, maybe he forged those orders. |
Sisko: | I'm afraid they're genuine. |
| "Ensign Nog has no duties until further notice." |
| Except... to attend a welcome home party in the Wardroom. |
Nog: | If it's all the same to you, sir, I'm rather tired. |
| I'd rather just go to my quarters. |
| Is that all right? |
Ezri: | Absolutely. |
| We can celebrate once you've settled in. |
Nog: | Great. |
Jake: | I can carry your bag. |
Nog: | I've got it. |
| Well, if you'll all excuse me. |
Ezri: | ...And Julian and Miles have become even more obsessed with their Alamo program, if you can believe it. |
| I half expect Miles to start wearing a coonskin cap to work. |
| You see, Davy Crockett wore this cap... made of raccoon skin and... |
Nog: | I know the program. |
Ezri: | Oh. |
| Well, I think we've covered just about everything you missed while you were away. |
| Is there anything you want to talk about? |
Nog: | Not particularly. |
| Here it comes. |
Ezri: | What? |
Nog: | The "cane problem." |
| You're about to ask me why I need to walk with a cane since Dr. Benbasset told you my biosynthetic leg works perfectly. |
| He also told you the problem's all in my head and I'm crazy. |
Ezri: | He didn't say that. |
Nog: | That's what he thinks. |
Ezri: | Forget what he thinks. |
| What do you think? |
| Why do you need the cane? |
Nog: | My leg hurts and if I put my full weight on it it hurts more, so I have to limp and that means I need to walk with a cane. |
Ezri: | Sound reasonable to me. |
Nog: | Good. |
| Look, can I be perfectly honest with you? |
| I've spent the last three weeks talking about my feelings with the counselors on Starbase 235, and to tell you the truth, I'm a little sick of it. |
| I just want to be left alofor a while. |
Ezri: | I understand. |
| I think we've done enough for today. |
| I'll see you tomorrow. |
Nog: | Computer, what time is it? |
Computer: | The time is 0932 hours. |
Vic: | I'll be seeing you |
| In all the old familiar places |
| That this heart of mine embraces... |
--- |
Sisko: | Jake says he's been sleeping over 18 hours a day, and Julian says he's missed his last two physical therapy appointments. |
Ezri: | And his counseling sessions have been going nowhere. |
| In his words, he's "sick of talking about his feelings." |
| I can't say I blame him. |
| He's been under constant psychiatric care for almost two months now. |
Sisko: | What should we do? |
Ezri: | I'm not sure. |
| For now, I think our best bet is to simply watch and wait. |
Sisko: | Not my first choice. |
Ezri: | I know, but sometimes a patient can help guide his own treatment. |
| Let's see what Nog does next. |
--- |
Vic: | ...But I'll be seeing you. |
| I'll be seeing you |
| In all the old familiar places... |
Jake: | Nog, I am trying to be understanding. |
| I want to be your friend, but enough is enough! |
| You've been playing that same stupid song for three days. |
| I-I can't take it anymore. |
Jake: | Aren't you going to say anything? |
| You've barely said three words to me since you came home. |
Nog: | Maybe I don't have anything to say. |
Jake: | I'm trying to help you here, Nog, but you're not making it easy. |
Nog: | You want to help me? Fine. |
| Leave me alone. |
Jake: | All right. Okay, but if you want to hear that song again go rent a holosuite! |
--- |
Computer: | Program is running. |
| You may enter when ready. |
--- |
Vic: | Hi, there, pally. |
| Gee, it's good to see you. |
| Vic Fontaine. |
Nog: | I know. I'm Nog. |
Vic: | You're Rom's kid, right? |
Nog: | Right. |
Vic: | He's really proud of you. |
| He's always in here bragging about his son, the soldier boy. |
| What can I do for you? |
Nog: | I want to hear "I'll Be Seeing You." |
Vic: | Sure thing, kiddo. |
| Any other requests? |
Nog: | No. Just... "I'll Be Seeing You." |
Vic: | Sounds like a special tune. |
Nog: | It is. |
| It helped me once when I was... unhappy. |
Vic: | What more can you ask from a song? |
| Okay, boys. |
| I'll Be Seeing You. |
Vic: | I'll be seeing you |
| In all the old, familiar places... |
--- |
Nog: | Doctor... |
Vic: | That this heart of mine embraces... |
Nog: | What is that? |
Bashir: | It's a song that I had Vic Fontaine record for me. |
Nog: | Vic... |
Bashir: | Yes. He's a character in a holosuite program of mine. |
| I thought it might take our minds off our troubles. |
| Is it bothering you? |
Nog: | No. It's kind of nice. |
Vic: | ...The chestnut tree |
| The wishing well |
| I'll be seeing you |
--- |
Vic: | In every lovely summer's day |
| In everything |
| That's bright and gay |
| I'll always think of you... |
--- |
Vic: | ...I'll find you in the morning sun |
| And when the night is new |
| I'll be looking at the moon |
| But I'll be seeing you |
| I'll find you in the morning sun |
| And when the night is new |
| I'll be looking at the moon |
| But I'll be seeing you. |
Vic: | Thank you. |
| Take five, fellas. |
| Okay, kid, I know 15 different arrangements of that song. |
| You've heard them all. |
| Which one's your favorite? |
Nog: | The first. |
Vic: | Somehow, I knew you were going to say that. |
| So let me guess-- Julian played it for you, right? |
Nog: | Right. |
Vic: | If I had him as a publicist, I'd be bigger than Elvis. |
Nog: | Who? |
Vic: | Never mind. |
| So... how's the new leg? |
Nog: | You know about that? |
Vic: | People talk. |
Nog: | If you really want to know... it hurts. |
Vic: | Can they give you something for that? |
Nog: | No. They say it's all in my head. |
| "According to my tricorder, the pain receptors in your leg aren't being stimulated, Nog." |
| "You must be imagining it." |
| But I don't care what they say. |
| It hurts all the time. |
Vic: | I believe you. |
Nog: | You're the only one. |
Vic: | So what else can I do for you? |
| Sing it again? |
Nog: | No. |
Vic: | Good. |
| I was starting to get a little sick of it myself. |
| How about something else? |
Nog: | No. |
| I just want to go to bed. |
Vic: | Okay, kid. |
| Catch you later, huh? |
Nog: | Yeah. |
Vic: | Something wrong? |
Nog: | I don't want to go back to my quarters. |
| Actually, I don't want to go back to my life. |
| Vic... where do you live? |
| In the program, I mean. |
| Do you have a house or... |
Vic: | I have a suite here in the hotel. |
Nog: | Do you have an extra room? |
Vic: | Sure. You want to stay with me tonight? |
Nog: | Maybe more than just tonight. |
| Officially, I'm on medical leave, and according to regulations, I can choose my rehabilitation facility. |
Vic: | You want to choose a holosuite program for your rehab? |
Nog: | Why not? |
Vic: | Okay, kid... if that's the way you want it from now on, you're staying with me. |
Nog: | Great. |
Vic: | Crazy. |
Rom: | My son is insane. |
| He's a one-legged crazy man! |
Ezri: | He is not crazy. |
Sisko: | But he is living in a holosuite. |
Ezri: | At first, it struck me as a little... peculiar, but after I thought it over, I began to think that this might be a good sign after all. |
Quark: | How can hiding in one of Julian's adolescent programs be a good sign? |
Bashir: | Hey... |
Quark: | It could be worse. |
| He could be hiding in the Alamo program. |
Leeta: | Or that ridiculous secret agent program. |
Bashir: | Hey... |
Rom: | Or that stupid Viking program. |
Bashir: | Hey! |
Sisko: | All right. |
| Are you sure this is in Nog's best interest? |
Ezri: | No, I'm not sure, but I think Nog might be subconsciously trying to seek out his own form of therapy. |
Jake: | I'm sorry, but moving into a holosuite isn't my idea of therapy. |
Ezri: | Okay. |
| It sounds a little odd. |
Quark: | It sounds ridiculous. |
Bashir: | Not really. |
| I'm inclined to agree with Ezri on this one. |
| The mind has a strong natural instinct for survival. |
| Now, for whatever reason, Nog's mind has chosen to take shelter in the world of Vic Fontaine. |
Ezri: | I think we should wait and see how this plays out. |
Sisko: | Then someone should talk to Vic, make him aware of Nog's emotional and physical condition. |
Ezri: | I'll do it. |
Quark: | And who's going to be paying for all this holosuite time? |
Quark: | I guess I am. |
Sisko: | And it's very generous of you. |
| Keep me informed. |
--- |
Vic: | I get it. He's got some healing to do. |
| I could spot that the moment he walked in here. |
Ezri: | Great. Do you have any questions? |
Vic: | You sure he doesn't need the cane? |
| Because he's pretty sure he does. |
Ezri: | I'm positive. It's a psychological need, not a physical one. |
Vic: | Well, then I have some ideas on how to wean him off the stick. |
Ezri: | Okay, but don't push it. |
Vic: | Do I seem pushy to you? |
Ezri: | No. Well, you know how to reach me if you have any problems. |
Vic: | I got your number. |
--- |
Shane: | So you're Jack Wilson. |
Jack: | What's that mean to you, Shane? |
Nog: | Hey, Vic. Have you seen this movie? |
Vic: | Oh, yeah. |
Jack: | What have you heard, Shane? |
Shane: | I've heard that you're a lowdown Yankee liar. |
Joey: | Shane, look out! |
Vic: | From these books, I can't tell if I'm as rich as Rockefeller or poor as a church mouse. |
Nog: | It's not real money, Vic. |
| Don't worry about it. |
Vic: | Hey, it's real to me, kid. |
Nog: | I can have the computer put money in your account. |
Vic: | No, thanks. |
| I'll figure it out. |
Joey: | Please, why not? |
Shane: | I got to be going on. |
Joey: | Why, Shane? |
Nog: | Didn't he just get shot a minute ago? |
Vic: | Yeah. He took one in the arm. |
Nog: | He's not bleeding. |
| He's not even in pain. |
Vic: | Noggles, take it easy. |
| It's only a movie. |
Joey: | Shane! |
| Come back! |
Nog: | I liked The Searchers better. |
Vic: | Yeah. Who doesn't? |
| Son of a gun. |
| I got to get ready for the show. |
Nog: | Show? I thought we were hanging in. |
Vic: | No, "hanging out." |
| And we are, except I have a gig to do. |
Nog: | Cancel it. |
Vic: | I can't do that. |
| It would be unprofessional. |
| Besides, performing is my life. |
| I got to get out there and swing-- otherwise, I'm just another clyde in a tux. |
| You coming to the show? |
Nog: | Sure. |
Vic: | Good. |
| And may I suggest you, uh, carry something with a little more... style? |
| Now, this is a cane. |
| It's a replica of the one Errol Flynn used to have... only his was a little taller. |
Nog: | It's beautiful. |
| It reminds me of the Grand Nagus' staff. |
Vic: | It has a little secret. |
| Push that button at the back of the head. |
Nog: | Great! But what's it for? |
Vic: | You never know when a lady's going to need a light. |
| Now, be careful with that stick. |
| It's fragile. |
| It might not hold your whole weight. |
Nog: | Actually, I don't need to put my whole weight on it. |
Vic: | Good. Now, let's get dressed. |
Nog: | Tuxedos? |
Vic: | You're catching on. |
--- |
Vic: | I've got a song that I sing |
| I can make the rain go |
| Any time I move my finger |
| Lucky me |
| Can't you see I'm in love? |
| Life is a beautiful thing |
| As long as I hold that string |
| I'd be a silly so-and-so |
| If I should ever let it go |
| I've got the world on a string |
| Sittin' on a rainbow |
| Got the string around my finger |
| What a world, what a life |
| I'm in love |
| life is a beautiful thing |
| As long as I hold that string... |
Jake: | Hi, there. |
| Nog, let me introduce you to... |
Man: | Down in front. |
Jake: | Sorry. |
| Nog, this is Kesha. |
| Kesha, Nog. |
Kesha: | Nice to meet you. |
Nog: | Welcome to Las Vegas. |
Kesha: | Thanks. |
Vic: | What a world, what a life |
| What a world, what a life |
| What a world, what a life |
| I'm in love. |
| Thank you, thank you. |
| You're too kind. |
| That's the response you get when you pack the house with relatives. |
Jake: | So, uh, what have you been doing? |
Nog: | Hanging out. |
Kesha: | Out of what? |
Jake: | It's an expression. |
| There's a lot of old Earth slang in this program. |
| Right, daddy-o? |
Nog: | Right. |
Jake: | Why don't I get us some drinks, huh? |
| Kesha, what'll you have? |
Kesha: | A Makara fizz. |
Nog: | They don't serve that here. |
Kesha: | Oh. Well, what are you having? |
Nog: | A martini. Two olives. |
Kesha: | I'll have the same. |
Jake: | Okay. I'll be right back. |
Vic: | ...And now I know just where I'm going... |
Kesha: | Jake says you're going to be the first Ferengi captain in Starfleet. |
Nog: | We'll see. |
Kesha: | He also says you're quite a hero. |
Nog: | I'm not a hero. |
Kesha: | Don't be so modest. |
| Jake's not the only one. |
| Everyone on the station... |
Nog: | I said I'm not a hero. |
Kesha: | Okay. |
Nog: | Which one? |
Kesha: | What? |
Nog: | That's what you're wondering, right? |
| Which leg is it? |
Kesha: | Uh, no, I wasn't wondering about that. |
Nog: | About what? |
Kesha: | About your... you know... |
Nog: | My new leg? |
| Can't you say it? |
Kesha: | No. Yes. I mean, I'm not trying to say anything. |
Nog: | Then maybe you should just keep quiet. |
Jake: | Okay. Here we go. |
| Three martinis. |
Kesha: | I think we should leave, Jake. |
Nog: | Sounds like a good idea. |
Jake: | What's going on? |
Kesha: | It's all my fault. |
| I didn't mean to stare. |
Jake: | At what? |
Nog: | What do you think? |
Jake: | Oh. |
Kesha: | I'm really sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Nog. |
Nog: | Wonderful. Good-bye. |
Jake: | Hold on. She said she was sorry. |
Nog: | I heard her. |
| Now you can go. |
Jake: | Nog, what's wrong with you? |
Nog: | I said get out! |
Jake: | Nog? |
Nog: | Let me put it another way. |
Vic: | Hey. Hey, hey, hey. |
| Break it up. |
| You all right? |
Jake: | Yeah. I'm fine. |
Vic: | And you, take a hike. |
Nog: | What? |
Vic: | You heard me. |
| You don't come into my club and start hitting customers. |
| Now, get out before I throw you out. |
Vic: | You're still up? |
Nog: | I couldn't sleep. |
Vic: | You mind? |
| What a night. |
Nog: | I'm sorry about what happened. |
Vic: | Don't apologize to me. |
| I'm not the one you belted. |
Nog: | I'll settle things with Jake. |
Vic: | And his girl. |
Nog: | Absolutely. |
| Can I go back to the club tomorrow night? |
Vic: | I can't have you hitting the customers. |
| It's not good for business. |
Nog: | I promise it'll never happen again. |
Vic: | Okay. |
| What got into you, anyway? |
Nog: | I don't know. |
| She started calling me a hero, and... |
| And things just went downhill from there. |
Vic: | She called you a hero, and for that you slugged your best friend? |
| Remind me never to give you a compliment. |
| You know, I'm beat. |
| That's never happened to me. |
Nog: | What? |
Vic: | Being tired. |
| My program's never run this long. |
| Usually people come in, ask for a song or two-- sometimes a night on the town-- but I never have to put in a full day. |
Nog: | Maybe you should go to bed. |
Vic: | I got work to do. |
| If I don't get these books in order, Uncle Sam's going to come down on me like a ton of bricks. |
Nog: | Sounds like my uncle. |
| Is there anything I can do? |
Vic: | You know anything about bookkeeping? |
Nog: | I'm a Ferengi. |
| It's in our blood. |
Vic: | Be my guest. |
Nog: | Where's your computer? |
Vic: | Right here. |
| Since 1962. |
| What do you want from me? |
Nog: | That's all right. |
| I can do it this way. |
Vic: | I'm going to hit the sack. |
Nog: | Can I ask you a question, Vic? |
Vic: | Sure. |
Nog: | When you sleep... do you dream? |
Vic: | Good night, kid. |
Nog: | Good night, Vic. |
--- |
Vic: | ...But this time he switched all the robes in the steam room. |
| So, when Dino goes in to pick up his robe he doesn't realize that across the back Frank has printed in big bold letters... |
| I'll finish the story later. |
| Hi, dollface. |
Ezri: | Hi. |
| Where's Nog? |
Vic: | Up in the room working on the receipts from '61. |
| That kid's a hell of an accountant. |
| He said the government owes me money. |
| Can you believe that? |
Ezri: | I need to talk to him. |
Vic: | Can it wait? |
Ezri: | I'm afraid not. |
Vic: | It's about that thing with Jake, right? |
| Is he pressing charges? |
Ezri: | No. But I do think that it's time for Nog to leave the holosuite. |
Vic: | Wait-wait a minute. |
| Wait a minute. |
| He likes it here. |
| He's making progress. |
| Okay. He lost his cool. |
| But I don't think that will happen again. |
Ezri: | Vic, he can't hide in here forever. |
| He has to face reality sometime. |
Vic: | The kid's had too much reality lately if you ask me. |
| He's lost a leg he's watched good friends die. |
| Like you said, we shouldn't push him. |
| He needs time to heal. |
Ezri: | No offense, but you're just a hologram, and I am his counselor. |
| I outrank you, and I feel like it's time for him to go. |
Vic: | He's on medical leave, and according to Starfleet regulations, he can spend it wherever he chooses. |
Ezri: | How do you know that? |
Nog: | I told him. |
| And if you try to force me to leave I'll resign my commission. |
Ezri: | Wait a minute. |
| Let's slow down here. |
| No one's talking about forcing anyone to do anything. |
Nog: | Good. |
| Because Vic and I have big plans. |
Vic: | We do? |
Nog: | I've gone over your books. |
| This place is a latinum mine, and you don't even know it. |
| In my opinion it's time to expand the business. |
Ezri: | Nog, this is a holosuite. |
Nog: | Of course it's a holosuite. |
| That doesn't mean we can't build a new casino. |
Vic: | A new casino? |
| How much money do I have? |
Nog: | If you'll excuse us, Counselor. |
| We have business to conduct. |
Vic: | Say, it's only a paper moon |
| Sailing over a cardboard sea |
| But it wouldn't be make-believe |
| If you believed in me... |
Man: | Don't worry about the picture. |
| That's your receipt for the 20 grand. |
Vic: | Now it's only a canvas sky |
| Hanging over a Muslin tree |
| But it wouldn't be make-believe |
| If you believed in me |
| Without your love |
| It's a honky-tonk parade |
| Without your love |
| It's a melody played in a penny arcade |
| It's a Barnum & Bailey world |
| Just as phony as it can be |
| But it wouldn't be make-believe |
| If you believed in me |
| Without your love |
| It's a honky-tonk parade |
| Without your love |
| It's a melody played in a penny arcade |
| It's a Barnum & Bailey world |
| Just as phony as it can be |
| But it wouldn't be make-believe |
| If you believed in me |
| No, it wouldn't be make-believe |
| It you believed in me. |
Nog: | Go easy on the garnishes. |
| People order a drink they don't want a fruit bowl in the glass. |
| We'll talk about this later. |
| I'll take care of them. |
| Hey, long time no see. |
Leeta: | Oh, Nog. |
Nog: | Right this way. |
Leeta: | So... how are you? |
Nog: | Couldn't be better. |
| Business is booming. |
| We're making money hand over fist. |
| I can hardly keep up with all the profits. |
Rom: | Those are holographic profits, right? |
Nog: | Yeah. |
| So, what's new with you? |
Leeta: | Well... Rom got a promotion. |
Rom: | Maintenance Engineer First Class. |
Nog: | That's great! |
| Congratulations, dad. |
Rom: | Thanks. |
Nog: | We should celebrate. |
| We'll close the lounge. |
| Have a private party... |
Leeta: | Actually, Chief O'Brien threw him a party last night. |
Nog: | Oh. |
Leeta: | It was spur-of-the-moment. |
| No invitations or anything. |
Nog: | Don't worry about it. |
| I probably couldn't have gotten away. |
| Last night was really busy. |
| Uh-oh. Big player just walked in. |
| Excuse me a minute. |
| I need to go schmooze. |
Rom: | Okay. |
| See you later. |
Leeta: | Bye. |
--- |
Vic: | Hey, I hope you're still talking to me. |
Ezri: | Of course I am. |
| I got to hand it to you, Vic. |
| You've done a great job with him. |
| He seems like a new man. |
Vic: | He just needed a little time, that's all. |
Ezri: | Heals all wounds, right? |
| Giving him that cane was a great idea. |
| I haven't seen him limp in days. |
Vic: | It gets better. |
| Yesterday we drove out to see the architect who's designing the new casino. |
| I saw him actually run up a flight of stairs. |
Ezri: | No kidding? |
Vic: | Would I kid a kidder? |
Ezri: | So what's next for you two? |
Vic: | We don't break ground on the casino for about a week so I thought we'd fly up to tahoe for a couple of days. |
| Sammy's going to be performing at the Cal-neva, and I thought I'd introduce the kid to him. |
Ezri: | Sammy's a friend of yours? |
Vic: | Yeah. We're tight. |
Ezri: | I see. |
| You're going to get Sammy to convince him that it's time to leave the holosuite. |
Vic: | Well... no... |
Ezri: | Forget it. |
| I should know better by now than to ask you to give away your secrets. |
| You probably have the whole thing mapped out. |
| I mean, what am I thinking? |
| That this new casino is anything more than a ploy? |
| That you'd actually let him live out the rest of his life in a holosuite? |
Vic: | No. |
| Of course not. |
| I mean... the casino's just a... just a ploy like you said, you know. |
Ezri: | They'll be so glad to have him back. |
Vic: | Yeah. |
| He is better, isn't he? |
Ezri: | It's like you said-- he just needed a break from reality. |
| Now all that's left is to decide when he's ready to go back. |
| But I'll leave that up to you. |
| See you around. |
Vic: | See ya. |
--- |
Nog: | Great set tonight, Vic. |
Vic: | Thanks. |
| Lots of familiar faces in the crowd. |
| Did I see Rom and Leeta out there? |
Nog: | They came for a while. |
| What do you think about moving the crap tables over to the south wing and expanding the slot machines out into here? |
Vic: | Good idea. |
| I'll think it over. |
Nog: | But we're supposed to meet with the architect tomorrow morning. |
Vic: | Not anymore. |
| It's time for you to go, kid. |
Nog: | Go where? |
Vic: | You know where. |
| It's time to end the program. |
Nog: | But we've got work to do. |
| We have a casino to build. |
Vic: | No, we don't. |
| This is just a fantasy. |
| It's not real. |
Nog: | It's real to me, and it's real to you, and don't say it isn't. |
| I know better. |
Vic: | You're right. |
| It's very real to me, but I'm a hologram, Nog. |
| I'm not a person. |
| Until you came along, I'd never been on for more than six or seven hours straight. |
Nog: | I know. |
| And now you're running all the time. |
| Isn't it great? |
Vic: | It's incredible. |
| Since you've been here I've slept in a bed every night, gone to work every day-- had time to read the paper, play cards with the boys. |
| I've had a life, and I have to tell you it's a precious thing. |
| I had no idea how much it means to just live, and now I'm going to return the favor and give you your life back. |
Nog: | But I don't want that life anymore, Vic. |
| I'm perfectly happy here. |
Vic: | What "here"? |
| There is no "here." |
| Don't you get it? |
| This is nowhere. |
| It's an illusion, and so am I. |
| In fact, the only thing in this entire program that is not an illusion is you. |
Nog: | Okay. You're right... but I'm not ready to go back yet. |
| I need more time. |
| So let's just sleep on this and talk about it tomorrow. |
Vic: | Kid... I hate to do this to you, but you're not giving me any choice. |
| Computer... |
Nog: | No! Don't! |
Vic: | End program. |
O'Brien: | Oh, hi, Nog. |
Nog: | Chief. |
| Something wrong? |
O'Brien: | No, no. I was running a diagnostic in Ops, and I noticed a magnetic flux anomaly in the holosuite's trans-illuminator circuits. |
| I didn't realize it was you. |
Nog: | Sorry. |
| I'm just having trouble getting the Las Vegas program to run. |
O'Brien: | You know... Vic's matrix is a little different than your standard photokinetic hologram. |
| He can turn himself off. |
| If he doesn't want to appear, he doesn't appear. |
Nog: | You mean he has free will? |
O'Brien: | I'm an engineer, not a philosopher. |
| All I know is, that when Vic turns himself off, he's off and ripping out the guts of the holosuite isn't going to change that. |
| Anything else I can do for you? |
Nog: | No. |
O'Brien: | Oh, we, uh... we all miss you in Ops. |
Nog: | Yeah. |
Vic: | So... now that the Chief's told you I'm smarter than the average bear will you stop messing around with my holosuite? |
Nog: | If you turn the program back on. |
Vic: | What is it I'm not making clear to you, Charlie? |
| You got to go. |
Nog: | Don't you get it? |
| I can't go out there. |
Vic: | Why not? |
Nog: | I'm scared... okay? |
| I'm scared. |
| When the war began... I wasn't happy or anything, but I was eager. |
| I wanted to test myself. |
| I wanted to prove I had what it took to be a soldier, and I saw a lot of combat. |
| I saw a lot of people get hurt. |
| I saw a lot of people die, but I didn't think anything was going to happen to me, and then, suddenly Dr. Bashir is telling me he has to cut my leg off. |
| I couldn't believe it. |
| I still can't believe it. |
| If I can get shot, if I can lose my leg anything can happen to me, Vic. |
| I could die tomorrow. |
| I don't know if I'm ready to face that. |
| If I stay here, at least I know what the future is going to be like. |
Vic: | If you stay here, you're going to die not all at once, but little by little. |
| Eventually, you'll become as hollow as I am. |
Nog: | You don't seem hollow to me. |
Vic: | Compared to you, I'm hollow as a snare drum. |
| Look, kid, I don't know what's going to happen to you out there. |
| All I can tell you is that you've got to play the cards life deals you. |
| Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose, but at least you're in the game. |
Vic: | Crazy. |
--- |
Rom: | He seemed happy. |
Leeta: | And he's stopped limping. |
Quark: | You're joking. |
Leeta: | No. He's a new man. |
| You should go see him. |
Quark: | I don't think I'll need to. |
Nog: | Hi. |
Rom: | Hi. |
Leeta: | Are you okay? |
Nog: | No... but I will be. |
--- |
Nog: | Computer-- run program Bashir 62. |
Vic: | Hi, kid. |
| Hey, nice threads. |
Nog: | Thanks, Vic. |
Vic: | You back at work? |
Nog: | Limited duty. |
| Just a couple hours a day. |
Vic: | How's it feel? |
Nog: | Different. |
| I feel older. |
Vic: | Happens to the best of us. |
Nog: | I want to thank you for all that you did for me. |
Vic: | That's not necessary. |
| You did something for me, too. |
| You gave me a chance to see what it's like to have a life. |
Nog: | You're going to have that chance again. |
| I've made arrangements with my Uncle Quark to keep your program running 26 hours a day from now on. |
Vic: | What? |
Nog: | It's my gift to you. |
Vic: | Kid... I don't know what to say. |
Nog: | Just put it there, pally, and tell me you'll always save a seat for me up front. |
Vic: | It's a deal, and you can take that to the bank. |
Nog: | Got to go. |
| I'm buying Jake and Kesha dinner tonight. |
Vic: | Hey, try not to overturn the furniture. |
Nog: | I'll try. |
Vic: | 26 hours a day? |
Vic: | I've got the world on string |
| Sittin' on a rainbow |
| Got the string around my finger |
| What a world |
| What a life |
| I'm in love |
| I've got a song that I sing |
| I can make the rain go |
| Anytime I move my finger |
| Lucky me |
| Can't you see |
| I'm in love? |
| Life is a beautiful thing |
| As long as I hold that string |
| I'd be a silly so-and-so |
| If I should ever let it go |
| I've got the world on a string |
| Sittin' on a rainbow |
| Got the string around my finger |
| What a world |
| What a life |
| I'm in love |
| Life is a beautiful thing |
| As long as I hold that string... |