A/N: This is a continuation of my earlier story titled Star Trek: Excalibur: A New Beginning. Were this a tv series, this would be the first regular episode and this is the first chapter of that episode. Enjoy!

Episode 1: The Survey

"It's official," Lt. Commander Ian Lavenham announced, "Starfleet command has gone completely bonkers."

Captain Aria Barclay rolled her eyes. Her first officer, Commander Kumok, cleared his throat and said, "Commander, I do believe it would be in your best interest to keep those sorts of statements to yourself. I, however, cannot completely disagree with his sentiments."

"It's true," Lt. Kana Mair nervously piped up from her chair further down the table. "Managing a group of fifty scientists attempting to survey four planets in two weeks is difficult enough, but this group?"

"She's right," Lt. Alexander Rozshenko agreed. "Putting Bajorans and Cardassians on a ship together for that amount of time is bad enough, but add to that a group of Klingons and a group of Romulans, and you don't just have a recipe for disaster, you've got a complete catastrophe."

"Don't forget the group of Federation ex-patriots we're taking on board," Lt. Wesley Crusher added. "They probably have Grey Hawk sympathies."

"Mr. Crusher, stop looking for traitors in your soup," Aria told him in an offhand manor without looking up from her PADD.

Despite the casual sound of Aria's request, the entire room fell silent as Wesley squirmed slightly in his seat and angrily set his jaw.

"May I say something?" Dr. Cameron Wight asked through her Welsh accent with one hand raised slightly in the air as though they were in school.

Aria looked up with an amused expression at the doctor's posture. "Go ahead."

"It seems to me that no one on this trip is going to be very fond of the Cardassian presence, and, just from a medical standpoint," she explained, "replicating Cardassian blood is a dodgy business."

Everyone at the table, barring the captain and the Vulcan chief engineer, Vorik, chuckled or at least cracked a grin.

"You might want to wipe that grin off your face, Lt. Rozshenko," Aria said sternly. Alexander's face suddenly fell as she continued, "It's your job to make sure nothing happens to any of our passengers."

With his hands on the arms of his chair, Alexander replied, "With all due respect, Captain, my staff is fresh out of the Academy. There's no way we could handle ten angry Klingons."

"They're scientists," Aria argued.

"They're still Klingons," Alexander retorted.

"So are you," she reminded him.

He grimaced. "Debatable," he said under his breath.

"I'm sorry. What?"

"Nothing, Sir," Alexander dismissed.

"Look, we're all going to have to work through this together. Lieutenants Kana and Rozshenko, you will be working with Commander Kumok on the logistics of this mission. Organizing this group of people and optimizing the use of this ship's systems is likely going to be more complicated than you think," Aria told them.

"Sir, I honestly believe that this will be one of the most complicated things I've ever attempted," Alexander replied.

"Then call it a learning experience," Aria told him. "There's something else I think I should inform you of also; Jake Sisko will be joining us for the duration of this mission to do a profile on our crew for the Federation News Service."

A chorus of protestations erupted from most of the members of the crew including Commander Kumok.

"Sir, if you don't mind me saying," he began, "putting that extra strain on the crew right now would be a very bad idea."

Wesley, who had until this point been silent muttered venomously, "It's a bad idea to have Jake Sisko on board, Sir."

Aria eyed him warily and said, "It wasn't my idea, but I approved the plan on the request of the fleet admiral."

"Figures," Wesley muttered.

"What was that, Lieutenant?"

"Nothing, Sir."

"We'll be at Deep Space Nine in an hour. The Bajoran scientists will be joining us as early as tomorrow morning, the rest by the day after and we will be departing for the Gamma Quadrant," Aria informed them in a business-like tone. "Commander Kumok, you'll be in charge of organizing shore leave for the next twenty-six hours. If there's nothing else, you're dismissed."

Everyone got up and headed toward the door of the briefing room.

"Lieutenant Crusher, a moment please."

Wesley turned from the door and moved to stand at ease in front of his sitting captain. "Is there a problem, Sir?" he asked.

"Funny," Aria said. "I was going to ask you the same question."

Wesley grimaced, but said nothing.

"Look, I understand your problem with Mr. Sisko," she told him, leaning back in her chair. "You gave him an interview in confidence while you were on the run, and he gave out too much information, and the Grey Hawks captured you. I can see how that would produce bad blood between you two, but I don't want any problems while he's aboard."

Wesley paused a moment before saying, "Permission to speak freely?"

"Oh, why not," Aria relented.

"Jake Sisko abused his connections with Admiral Ross to get aboard this ship, he abused his connections with Alexander to get an interview with me, and he abused his relationship with his own father to get started with the Federation New Service. He's ambitious and reckless, and this crew doesn't need him hanging around questioning everything they're doing," Wesley told her in as respectful a manor as he could manage.

Aria took a deep breath and said, "Your concerns have been noted, Lieutenant. Don't forget my orders. Dismissed."

On that note, Wesley turned on his heel, and exited the briefing room.

"So, what happened between you and Jake Sisko, Lt. Crusher?" Kana asked as they walked down the Promenade a couple of hours later.

"Kana, there's no one else around," he told her. "You can just call me Wesley."

"Fine, Wesley, what happened between you and Jake Sisko?" she repeated.

Wesley scratched the back of his neck and said, "It's kind of a long story."

"Well," she began, "I know he wrote a story about you last year, or, at least, it turned out to be a story about you."

Wesley stopped walking and turned to her. "That's precisely my problem," he answered. "He said he wouldn't give any vital information, but he gave away enough for them to figure out my identity and my location. It's a good thing I left Siberia when I did, otherwise Alexander would have had some serious problems. Even at that, they still found me."

"And he likes to think it's all my fault."

Kana and Wesley turned to see a tall, thin, dark, handsome man smiling at them mischievously with his arms folded across his chest. He leaned forward and kissed Kana on the cheek saying, "Hey, Mair, it's good to see you again."

"Hey, Jake," she answered, blushing deeply.

Wesley grunted and muttered, "Excuse me," before stalking off in the opposite direction.

"Well, I guess he's still bitter," Jake said jokingly.

"Jake, you didn't see him when we rescued him," Kana told him. "He could barely stand. The Grey Hawks had nearly beaten him to death and the Romulans were probably going to experiment on him until he died. Things were pretty bleak, and I can see how he could blame you."

Jake's jovial manner dropped in an instant. "I didn't give his name or his location," he argued, "and he agreed to the interview. He knew the risk he was taking. And he should be thanking me. The article got him a lot of sympathy with Starfleet Command, and it's probably why he's not in a penal colony right now."

Kana felt her blood beginning to boil. "The reason Wesley Crusher isn't in a penal colony right now is because he helped save the U.S.S. Excalibur from being blown apart and therefore rescued the peace between the Federation and the Romulan Empire," she replied quite loudly. "He didn't need your stupid article to make him look like a hero because he was a hero without your help."

Jake nervously rubbed the back of his neck as he looked around at all the people staring at them. The blush from Kana's angry rant deepened when she realized she'd drawn a crowd. She quickly turned and stomped away from Jake and toward the nearest staircase to the second level. She tripped on the last step, but a pair of arms caught her and kept her on her feet. She looked up to see Wesley smiling down at her.

"You didn't have to do that," he said.

"He was wrong," Kana replied. "And he didn't have to carry you to escape pod control. I did."

Wesley laughed remembering how he limped through the corridors, leaning heavily on the slender woman in front of him. "Thanks," he said simply.

Kana smiled in return and said, "Have you ever had jumja?"

Wesley's brow furrowed. "No."

"Come on, you're in for a treat."

"There's something I never thought I'd see again," Quark said loudly from behind the bar.

"What's that?" Alexander asked as he took a seat next to Morn, who had not changed at all in the last nine years.

"A Klingon in a Starfleet uniform," Quark answered. "Especially not you in a Starfleet uniform."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Quark," Alexander replied sarcastically. "I'll have a synthale."

"What? No bloodwine? Or prune juice? Or root beer?"

Alexander just glared at him. Quark, in turn, smiled insincerely and left to get his synthale.

"Um, I-I'm sorry, but do I know-know you from somewhere?"

Alexander was glad Quark hadn't brought him his drink yet, because if he had, he probably would have dropped it or choked on it. At least fifteen years passed since he last saw the lieutenant in front of him. He wasn't entirely sure how he should react. But honesty was always the best policy.

"Uh, yeah, Lt. Barclay, I'm Alexander Rozshenko; Commander Worf's son," he explained.

Reginald Barclay smiled brightly and shook Alexander's right hand enthusiastically. "You've grown so much, what have you been doing all these years? What are you doing now? You've obviously followed in your father's footsteps."

Alexander was grateful when his drink arrived. It saved him from having to answer Lt. Barclay right away. He took a large gulp and said, "I, uh, I joined the Klingon Defense Forces during the Dominion War. And then I lived in Siberia for several years."

"Siberia?" Lt. Barclay asked. "Isn't it cold there?"

"Yeah, very," Alexander answered vaguely before taking another gulp of synthale.

"Well, what are you doing now?"

Alexander fought the urge to wince. "I'm the chief of security on the Excalibur," he answered slowly.

Reginald Barclay's face fell quickly. Alexander wasn't great at reading emotions, but he was sure whatever was going through Lt. Barclay's head was not good. Alexander didn't know the specifics, but he knew the Barclays got along about as well as Alexander and his father, if not worse. And now the younger sister had outstripped her much older brother.

"I, um, I have to go," Lt. Barclay said as he headed for the stairs to the holosuites.

Alexander breathed a sigh of relief that the lieutenant hadn't pressed him further.

"So what's wrong with that one?" Quark asked, leaning over the bar conspiratorially.

"What? You mean Chief O'Brien and my father never talked about the famous Reginald Barclay?" Alexander asked jovially.

"Not to me," Quark answered.

"What's he doing on DS9, anyway?" Alexander asked.

"I'm not sure," Quark answered.

Alexander shook his head. "I don't believe that for a second. You know everything that goes on around here, Quark."

"There's a cost to everything, Mr. Rozshenko."

"It's Lieutenant Rozshenko, and which Rule of Acquisition is that?"

"Forty-five," a new voice answered, "paraphrased, of course."

Alexander turned to see Jake Sisko smiling at him. The Klingon extended his right hand and said, "It's good to see you again, Jake."

Jake returned the friendly gesture and said, "Well, it's nice to see someone still likes me."

"I understand Wesley's point of view," Alexander said as Jake took the seat next to him, "but I understand yours as well. You were doing your job to the best of your ability. Wesley probably could have gone to Starfleet Security and been fine."

"Quark, I'd like a Sylvan Sunrise," Jake said, sending the Ferengi off to make the drink. "He knew he couldn't go to Starfleet Security. There are too many people with Grey Hawk sympathies. There are probably even more now."

"How do you know that?" Alexander asked him.

Jake grinned. "I am an investigative reporter," he explained.

Alexander chuckled along with him and said, "Alright, Mr. Investigative Reporter, what's Reg Barclay doing on DS9?"

"He's on temporary assignment," Jake answered, nodding at Broik, the Ferengi waiter who brought him his drink. "Just between you and me, I think Admiral Paris was getting a little sick of him. He's related to your captain, isn't he?"

"You're fishing, Sisko, and I'm not falling for it," Alexander answered.

"Oh, come on, Alexander, what do you know?"

"No more than you do, I'm sure."

"But you've known her for eight years."

"We were barely more than acquaintances until recently," Alexander explained. "The only intimate knowledge we have of each other is that she witnessed my last argument with my father."

Jake let the silence linger a moment before asking, "How long has it been since you talked to Worf?"

"Seven years," Alexander mumbled into his drink. "But I think it's been longer since Captain Barclay spoke to her brother."

"Hey, I wasn't even fishing for that one," Jake said, smiling.

Alexander rolled his eyes. "It's not that big a victory. If you really want to get to know Captain Barclay, talk to Cmdr. Lavenham, or just talk to the captain herself."

"I'll do that, Alexander, thanks."

"So, how did your meeting with Lieutenants Kana and Rozshenko go?" Aria asked Commander Kumok that evening over cups of steaming rachtajino.

"Very well," Kumok reported. "I believe we're quite ready to receive the scientists tomorrow morning. Lieutenant Kana seems to have an overly nervous disposition, and her reputation for clumsiness is nearing legendary status."

Aria chuckled. "I'm pretty sure she's had that reputation since her Academy days, and probably even before," she explained. "I'm sure a psychologist could give you a plethora of reasons; never having known her father, traveling from ship to ship with her mother, but, in the end, it doesn't really matter. Kana's a good officer, and in a crisis, she keeps a cool head."

"You would expect the opposite."

"I know," Aria said, smiling. "I suppose the crisis focuses her."

Kumok nodded and took a sip of his rachtajino. "Lieutenant Rozshenko is a different story," he said gravely.

Aria's brow furrowed. "You don't think he's a good officer?"

"No, I think he'll make a fine officer," Kumok admitted, "he's astute, and seems to work well with his staff, but when I mentioned his Academy course work, he put me off. I'd hate to see that become a habit. His commission, as you know, is dependent on the completion of those Academy credits."

"I know," she assured her first officer. "Remind him of that fact daily if you have to, but try to avoid doing it in front of his staff. They don't need to lose their respect for him."

"Of course," Kumok agreed. "The pair of them also informed me of some interesting occurrences on the Promenade this afternoon."

"You mean Kana shouting at Jake Sisko? I heard about that one."

"I was actually referring to the presence of Lt. Reginald Barclay on Deep Space Nine," he answered.

Aria set her cup down and stared into it. "I heard about that too," she told him. "Is that all, Commander?"

Seeing that he had erred, Kumok hurriedly swallowed the remnants of his coffee and excused himself from the captain's quarters. Aria gathered their cups and her dishes from her dinner and placed them into the replicator. As they dematerialized, she heard her door chime.

She walked over to the door and tapped the control to open it. The doors slid apart to reveal a man she recognized as Jake Sisko wearing a lopsided grin. She folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow as she said, "Mr. Sisko, I presume?"

"And you're Captain Aria Barclay," he replied. "I thought you'd be taller."

"I couldn't have imagined you any taller," she answered. "You wouldn't fit through the door."

Jake's grin turned into a full smile. Aria returned the look and said, "So are you going to stand out there in the corridor or are you going to come in?"

"Just waiting for an invite, Captain."

Aria rolled her eyes and motioned him inside. Jake walked in and easily set himself down on the couch.

"How did you get over here?" she asked him.

Jake smiled crookedly as he stretched his arms across the top of the couch. "You're not going to offer me a drink first?" he asked.

"The security of my ship is slightly more important than your comfort, Mr. Sisko," she answered.

He chuckled and said, "I don't want to get him in trouble, but I have connections with your chief of security."

"Of course you do," Aria said, only mildly annoyed. "Every good reporter has to have good connections."

"Well, naturally," he said jovially

"Did you want something, Mr. Sisko?" Aria asked as she took a seat next to him on her couch.

"Well, I just wanted to thank you," Jake told her, "I know you probably didn't want me on board your ship so soon after taking command."

Aria chuckled. "I understand about wanting to get away from your family."

"Who says I'm trying to get away from my family?" Jake asked incredulously.

"No one," Aria answered truthfully. "I just guessed."

Jake bit his lower lip. "He probably does," he muttered. "Kass, you know, my step-mom, she still runs freight for the Bajoran ministry of commerce. She can't always take Kaylee with her. I've spent a lot of time with my baby sister over the last eight years. Frankly, I just want to get back to doing more of what I love, not that I don't love my sister, it's just—"

"I understand," Aria said cutting him off. "You know, you don't have nearly as much bravado as I thought you would."

"Bravado?"

"That's what I call what drives a Federation citizen to stay on a space station during a Dominion occupation," Aria answered.

Jake grinned. "That was stupidity."

"Well, at least you can admit it."

"I'm thirty, not twenty-five," he said playfully.

Aria's demeanor tensed. "Like me, you mean?"

"You're twenty-six, Captain," Jake answered flatly.

Aria took a deep breath and attempted to relax. "Is there something else you want, Mr. Sisko?"

"You can call me Jake, Captain."

"You can call me Aria."

Jake gave her what had to be his most charming smile. "I really did come here just to say thank you."

"I'm not entirely sure I believe you."

Jake moved closer. "You're very cynical."

"Is that going to wind up in print?"

"I don't know," he answered, coming even closer. "That depends on what happens next."

"And what do you think is going to happen?" Aria asked without moving away.

"That depends on how cynical you are," he said as he moved his face mere centimeters from hers.

She scoffed. "You're pretty damned sure of yourself."

He smiled. "It's all that bravado you talk about."

He moved closer. She put a hand on his chest and firmly pushed him back. "I'm pretty damned sure of myself, too," she told him.

Jake obligingly backed off and laughed. "Well, I do have two weeks," he said.

Aria lifted an eyebrow at his cockiness.

"I would like your permission to come aboard tomorrow and observe your crew in preparation for their mission," he said evenly as he stood up.

"Well, since you can apparently come aboard whether I want you to or not, I see no reason to refuse your request," Aria answered.

"You could have just said yes."

"I needed to sound captain-y," she explained.

He headed for the door, but turned around at the last instant as though he'd forgotten something. "One more thing," he began, "I was wondering if you knew your brother was on the station."

Aria's face went stony. "Yes, I knew that, and no, we're not going to get together and have a family picnic," she told him sternly.

Jake hesitated a moment before saying, "What happened between the two of you?"

"Figure it out for yourself, Mr. Sisko," Aria answered, her face and voice equally hard.

Jake gave her a mock salute before hitting the door control harder than necessary and walking out of her quarters.