Well, here it is… thanks to those who reviewed for Death's Shadow 1. Maybe you'll like this story just as much…

Disclaimer: all recognizable characters from Star Trek or Star Wars are not mine.

Death's Shadow 2: The Place I Called Home

Chapter 1

"Tengu?" my husband said as we prepared for bed. Our second anniversary had been three weeks ago.

I sat down on our bed. "Yes, Julian?"

"How… how do you…?"

I teased, "I thought that proposing marriage was the hardest question for a man to ask."

Julian Bashir smiled and composed himself. "How do you feel about children?"

I was silent for a minute. "You mean having our own?"

My husband nodded encouragingly. I said, "But, I thought that Humans and Skonians weren't compatible."

"I made it possible for a Trill and a Klingon. I could make it possible for us, too."

I looked down at my hands. "I don't know…"

Julian kneeled in front of me and pressed my hands between his. "What don't you know?"

"I don't know if I would be a good mother."

He brought my hands to his lips and kissed them. "You would make a great mother."

"Julian, I wouldn't understand the child. I didn't have a childhood. Five years isn't much experience."

Julian tilted my head up and kissed me. "I just want you to think about it."

I nodded and placed a kiss on his nose.

I was eating dinner with Kira and Ezri. Julian hadn't brought up the subject of having children in the last few days, but we both thought about it.

"Tengu?" Kira's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Are you alright?"

"I'm just a little… distracted," I answered.

"Distracted enough to not know I'm here?" inquired a voice behind me.

In an instant, I was out of my chair and embracing the man I considered as my father. "Tholme, what brings you here?"



"Federation business. I got out of a meeting with Sisko and Julian a few minutes ago."

"They're sending you on another mission? But, you just got back from Orda Mantus two weeks ago."

"It's not like I have anything better to do at the moment. Kit and Aayla are on Delta Triciatu. T'ra is still on Beta Centauri. Kira, Ezri, if you'll excuse us. Tengu, walk with me."

Kira and Exri nodded our parting. I waited until Tholme and I were outside the restaurant before asking, "When are you leaving?"

"Julian and I are leaving first thing in the morning."

"Julian as well?"

"There are reports of active Dominion prisoner-of-war camps. Starfleet believes that a Jedi and a doctor are needed."

"Dominion activity two-and-a-half years after they were defeated? That is definitely a cause for investigation. Where are you going?"

Tholme didn't answer until we had stopped at a window. "Tengu, Julian and I are going to Skonia."

"Skonia?" I echoed in surprise.

"We want you to come with us."

"I-I don't think I should."

"Why?"

"I'm…I'm afraid of what I might find."

"They've been rebuilding the government and the cities. According to the reports, Skonia is quite stable and doing very well for a planet that had to completely start over two years ago."

I sighed.

"Tengu, I want you to come. If you must, think of it as only another mission," Tholme suggested. I had also become a Jedi in the sense that I went where the Federation thought I was needed. "Besides," he continued. "You won't be alone."

I thought for a moment. "I'll do it," I agreed.

At 0700 hours the morning, Tholme, Julian, Garak, and I were preparing the runabout to go. Garak had talked his way into coming. His reasoning was that there was a good chance of the Dominion holding Cardassian war prisoners.

Tholme and I passed some of the time by playing a strategy game. Garak asked," Does anyone win if two Jedi play?"

"So far, every time Tengu and I have played, it has ended in stalemate," was Tholme's reply.

"Don't mind if I watch and learn," the Cardassian responded.



The several hour long trip to Skonia passed with no incident. As we neared orbit, we were hailed from the planet's surface. Julian answered it.

A strangely familiar young Skonian woman with purple-black hair appeared on the screen. "Identify yourself," she requested.

"Julian Bashir and Tholme, sent by the Federation," Julian explained.

"Our instruments are showing four life-signs on your ship."

I shook my head to indicate to my husband that I didn't want to be identified.

Tholme said, "They are both as interested in our reason for coming as Doctor Bashir and I are."

"I have been told to trust the Federation," replied the woman. "I've also been told that you Federation types love your transporters. Due to the make-up our atmosphere, anything that comes or goes by transporter ends up… in a less than desirable state. I'm sending you the coordinates of this hangar. I'll be there to meet you."

"Thank you," replied Tholme when we received the coordinates.

The woman nodded. "Skonian Space Command out." The transmission was cut.

"That's a good first impression," remarked Garak. "But she seemed to be a bit too trusting."

Julian rolled his eyes. "Garak, if you do anything to violate that trust-"

"You'll shoot me with your hypospray until I'm out cold for weeks."

"Exactly." My husband piloted the runabout into the hangar of Muhano, the capitol city.

As soon as we landed and took our first step on Skonia, the woman we had spoken with approached. Her purple-black hair was cut short, like mine. Her black and blue flightsuit bore Skonia's military insignia on the sleeve. Three white stripes encircled the wrist of her sleeve, indicating her rank. She bowed to us in greeting. Why could I not place her face? I knew I had seen her before.

"Hello, Doctor Bashir and Tholme. Ah, a Cardassian. We rarely get any of your kind here."

"Garak, at your service," our friend replied.

"Be wary of anything he says," Julian warned. "He somehow talked and charmed his way onto our runabout."

"Now, now, Doctor, let's not get off on the wrong foot," Garak objected.

The military woman smiled at their banter before turning her attention to me. "We have Skonians arriving almost every day, coming back home. But, I don't think you're one of those."

I shook my head. "I'm here to help Julian and Tholme. I'm Kantu Bashir."

"I see. Where do you call home?"



"Deep Space Nine."

"The Federation station near the wormhole? Remind me to look it up later."

I bowed my head in response.

"Well, I've been assigned to you four. I'm Lieutenant Jasta. If you'll follow me."

As we walked, my thoughts raced. Jasta. Jasta had been the best of my few friends when I was young. I had considered her and her father, Rolayi, as part of my family. The memory of the day I had made one of the most important decisions of my life surfaced.

Rolayi, Jasta, and I were standing in a field, surrounded by hundreds of other Skonians. We were all being rounded up by the Vorta and Jem'hadar. Four Vorta were separating those at the front of the crowd into four groups. Each would be taken to a different imprisonment camp.

I took a deep breath. "Jasta, I have to go now."

Rolayi put his large hand on my shoulder. "If you are seen trying to escape, they'll kill you."

"I am not meant to go to a camp," I replied.

"Are you supposed to go where your parents were taken?" asked my friend's father.

I shook my head. "They're dead. I found out two days ago. The only hopeful future we have depends on me not going to a camp."

"Another vision?" asked Jasta.

"No. it's a feeling I've had since the Dominion made their presence known to us."

Rolayi kneeled in front of me. "Tengu, are you certain about this?"

"Yes. I must go."

Jasta's and her father's eyes glistened with threatening tears. I fought back the threatening water in my eyes. I hugged Rolayi. Then I pressed my forehead against Jasta's and gazed into her eyes.

"This isn't fair," my best friend commented. "Why are they doing this? What's the point? Why don't they just leave us alone?"

"I don't know," I whispered. Skonians didn't say good-bye to each other. I started, "The journey begins."

"So go," Jasta and Rolayi finished.

With one last glance, I ducked through the crowd.

The loneliness I had told the Doctor of only two months ago started now.