This story takes place right after the Season 4 episode "Accession", when the Bajoran poet Akorem Laan comes out of the wormhole from the 22nd century, claims to be the true Emissary, and brings Bajor back to its old caste system: the d'jarras.
"Of Birds and Burdens"
Odo sat in his office, PADD in hand. He was reviewing the criminal activity reports for a man named Ajra Jimtok, a recent nuisance in the station. Lately, this Ajra Jimtok had found himself displaying disorderly conduct while intoxicated as well as disorderly conduct without being intoxicated, both of which included falling asleep on the Promenade, harassing the Bajoran monks as they left the Temple, using foul language in public, trying to dismantle the decorations (particularly the flags) from the Promenade, and sexually harassing the Dabo girls. To sum it up, Ajra Jimtok was not on Odo's list of favorite people.
Not only had Jimtok been disorderly on a daily basis, he had seemed to be getting worse within the last few days. With the establishment of the new Bajoran caste system—the d'jarra—things had been, naturally, a little confusing and disorienting for the Bajoran people lately. They had needed to blindly trust that a Bajoran man who had recently come out of the wormhole from the 22nd century, Akorem Laan, was the real Emissary. First it was Captain Sisko, now this Akorem. Not only that, but they had to trust that he was leading the people of Bajor down the path that the Prophets—their ultimate spiritual deities—had paved for them. Odo sighed. While he didn't understand the blind trust that faith required, he wasn't going to openly shout his opinion on the Promenade for all to hear like this Ajra Jimtok, an obviously non-devout Bajoran, had recently so voraciously attended to. The dirty stares coming from the Bajoran people had turned into an all out brawl that Odo, as security chief, had been lucky enough to break up. Now, Ajra Jimtok was spending his time howling away in a holding cell with nothing more that Odo could do but grin and bear it. Despite profuse persuading—not always gently—Jimtok wasn't shutting up anytime soon. But, at least the d'jarras had been broken up and Ajra Jimtok didn't have to spend the rest of his days complaining about which unfortunate caste he had been placed in.
Odo thumbed the PADD before him, absentmindedly rubbing an edge of it as he tried not to let Jimtok's howling get in the way of his duties. Was Odo the only one who thought this man needed help a holding cell couldn't accomplish? Odo only hoped this "help" was somewhere far from his station.
Odo slammed his PADD down on the desk in front of him and stood up abruptly as he found himself having to endure another jarring screech from Ajra Jimtok. This had to end.
"Jimtok!" Odo growled as he prepared himself to thunder over to the lucky holding cell that had to contain such a frustrating, infuriating, exasperating man as Ajra Jimtok. Usually Odo had a soft spot for the Bajorans, having seen them go through so much pain and anguish the Cardassians had made them endure during the Occupation, but Odo had had enough of this man. Any "soft spot" reserved for this lunatic had been killed long, long ago.
Just as Odo was about to storm over to Jimtok and tell him exactly how he was feeling about him right now, Odo heard the doors to his office swish open. He glanced over, exasperation and rage written all over his smooth, unnatural features. "WHAT?" he shouted, making the person standing in the doorway jump back with the outburst.
"Odo?" she asked, concern and confusion written on her face, and every ounce of built up anger and fury inside of Odo melted away. He couldn't help it—there was something about Kira Nerys that did that to him.
Maybe it was the fact that he was secretly in love with her.
Pushing away the fresh emotions that came flooding his way with the sight of Kira and the vulnerability of his already strained emotional state, he stammered, "No, no, I didn't mean to sound so angry…please, come in." He winced as he realized that not even for Captain Sisko would he act so apologetic and calm after such an outburst.
But, thankfully, Odo noticed with a small corner of his thoughts that wasn't focused on the woman who had just entered his office, Ajra Jimtok had quieted down for the time being.
Kira stepped inside, that confused expression still covering her lovely Bajoran features. "Are you alright?" she asked him.
Odo waved a hand. "Oh, it's nothing. Why are you here?" He again winced to himself as he realized his words sounded unkind and unwelcoming. Such was his way, but there were times, like this one, when he wished he didn't have to be that way.
Thankfully, Kira didn't seem to notice. Instead, a smile lit up her face. Odo felt his heart soften with the sight. "I made something for you," she said. Odo noticed she looked like a child eager to show off a work of art. She had a mischievous glimmer in her eye, and an impish grin on her lips.
"What is it?" Odo asked, gesturing to the small, covered object in her hands.
Kira looked down at it. "Well, I thought that since the Prophets told Captain Sisko he is the real Emissary, Akorem is back in his rightful time period, and we don't have to follow that outdated caste system anymore…well…honestly, I didn't know what to do with this now that I can't sell it as a part of the Kira d'jarra." Here, Kira uncovered the object in her hand, and a little clay…something…was revealed.
Odo didn't want to be rude, but he really didn't know what to say about it. "Oh…well, it's…interesting…"
"You have no idea what to say, do you?"
Odo looked up at her, then down at the figure, then back at Kira. "No," he said, honestly.
Kira threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, Odo, isn't it horrible? I already showed Sisko one of my other pieces. Now, I have all these clay birds, and I don't want to just throw them away…I mean, I was actually being creative for once!…so, I thought you should have one."
Odo just stared at the mass of clay in her hands. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "It's supposed to be a bird?"
This comment made Kira laugh again. Then, she dumped the clay heap onto his desk and plopped into a chair. "Boy, am I glad those d'jarras are over with. I was really starting to think the Prophets were losing their minds! I mean, did my ancestors really make this stuff all day long? I guess the skill doesn't come with the name."
When Odo didn't say anything, Kira jumped up. "Oh! I'm sorry, Odo, you must be busy! I didn't mean to intrude!"
"No, no!" Odo said, worried that he had made her feel unwelcome again. What had he done this time? He was always finding new faults with himself that came with unnaturally being a humanoid. "No. I enjoy your company."
Kira seemed to visibly relax. "That's what I like about you Odo—you're so easy for me to get along with." She smiled. Odo found himself irresistibly returning the gesture.
"Well," Kira said. "I hope you like it."
"I'll think of you every time I see it," Odo returned.
Kira laughed. "That's fine, as long as you don't tell anyone who made it! I don't want to embarrass myself any further than I already have!" Kira ran a hand through her short red hair. "Well, I need to get back to work. Just thought I'd check up on you." She gave him one last smile then turned and walked out the door.
Odo's blue eyes smiled as he watched Kira walk out of his office, laughing and shaking her head all the way down the Promenade. No one else lit up his day like she did.
Once Odo was unable to see Kira anymore, he sat down at his desk, peering at the strange clay figure before him. Was it really supposed to be a bird? It was the strangest looking bird he had ever seen. He reached over and gently picked the clay figure up in his hands, then placed it back in its spot, straightening it in the process. Everything in his office was pristine, except for this childish sight. But, Odo found himself not caring in the least.
Right as Odo picked up his PADD and began to skim the contents, thoughts still on Kira and the refreshing mischievousness of the past few minutes, he jerked up in his seat as he heard a howl pierce through his office. He sighed. To think he had totally forgotten about the burden of his day, Ajra Jimtok.
I hope you enjoyed! Something about poor Kira feeling cornered with her clay bird-making d'jarra and those horrid clay birds she tried so hard at inspired me to write this little piece. I hope it made you laugh at least once! Please review! I welcome your feedback! And if you liked this story, you might want to check out my other Star Trek stories! :)