Disclaimer: Paramount owns the characters mentioned in this story and all other things in Star Trek, I'm just borrowing them for stories :)

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Kira looked up from the piece of machinery she was cleaning as a shadow fell over her. Shakaar looked down at her gravely.

"Let's take a walk," he said. She nodded and stood up, walking out after him. The Cardassians were leaving them well enough alone this summer, too busy with the Kohn-Ma to worry about the Shakaar which gave them some breathing space if nothing else. Kira kept her eyes firmly fixed on the ground as they walked through the tunnels.

"You haven't been yourself lately."

Kira smiled bitterly. "I guess not."

Shakaar stopped and gripped her arm.

"Nerys," he said his voice commanding. She forced herself to look up at him, his blue eyes were filled with sympathy. She twisted angrily away from him.

"I'm fine!" she snapped. "One man dies; it's not the end of life!"

"But he wasn't just one man, Nerys. He was your father and I know you were close to him. Lupaza and Furel are both worried about you. So am I."

"Well you can stop worrying and tell them not to as well. I'm a stronger person than you all give me credit for."

With that, she turned and marched back into the caves. Shakaar sighed.

"Kira, I'm not finished," he called.

She stopped and he could see the fight going on inside her. The soldier in her won out and slowly she turned. Edon started at the pain in her eyes, pain she'd never let show before, never-before-seen tears that threatened to spill over her cheeks.

"Is there something about the mission next month you want to discuss with me, sir?" she asked. A note of desperation entered her voice. Shakaar walked towards her and tilted her chin up to look him in the eye.

"Kira, this is war, people you love are going to die, that's what war is. We're all going through the same thing. I just want you to know that. And if you want someone else to go up to the space station instead of you, I'll understand. I've lost too many good fighters this way and I especially don't want to lose you. Understood?"

Kira nodded. "But that doesn't change anything. I'm still going next month."

Shakaar let her go. "If that's want you want."

She nodded and started to head back inside. Halfway there, she stopped and turned hesitantly.

"Shakaar?"

He looked up.

"Thank you."

She hurried quickly inside before he could reply and Shakaar sighed. "You're welcome."