DEEP SPACE NINE: "Hard Time" - REV. 2/05/96 - ACT-FIVE       61.

94   CONTINUED:

					O'BRIEN (Cont'd)
			That mankind had outgrown hate and
			rage. But when it came down to
			it, when I had the chance to prove
			that no matter what anyone did to
			me, I was still an evolved human
			being, I failed. I paid back
			kindness with blood. I was no
			better than an animal.

	This is the core of self-doubt and self-hatred that's
	driving O'Brien to suicide and Bashir knows it.

					BASHIR
			No. An animal would've killed
			Ee'char and never had a second
			thought, never shed a tear. But
			not you. You hate yourself for
			it. Hate yourself so much you
			think you deserve to die. And
			that's what makes you human.
				(steps closer)
			The Argrathi did everything they
			could to strip away your humanity.
			And in the end, for one brief
			moment, they succeeded. But you
			shouldn't let that one moment
			define your entire life. Because
			if you do, if you pull that
			trigger, the Argrathi will have
			won. They'll have destroyed a
			good man. And you can't let that
			happen.

	Bashir waits a beat for his words to sink in. O'Brien
	finally relaxes and Bashir gently takes the phaser
	away. As he surrenders the phaser, O'Brien looks up at
	Ee'char.

95   OMITTED