Two Homes

By Laura Schiller

Based on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Copyright: Paramount

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

By Kira Ziyal, age 11

This was the first year I spent my summer vacation on Dad's world. I was a bit nervous at first because I didn't know if the other Founders would like me, or if there would be food and a house and things like that for Mom and me, because they don't need that kind of stuff. But there was a cabin by the shore of the Great Link, with a sonic shower and replicators and beds and everything, and Mom laughed and said she slept in much worse places during the Occupation, and Dad went hmph, which for him is like laughing. His Vorta assistant bowed and said she hoped everything was to our satisfaction. Dad sent her away, because he doesn't like that they still bow to him even though we all know he's not really a god. But he's the Dominion Ambassador to the Federation (I had to ask him how to spell that), which is still pretty important, right?

Anyway, it was fun. The grown-ups spent most of the time talking politics, so I got to play by myself a lot. I got to know the forest around the cabin, practiced tracking the animals (I didn't kill any, but Mom says you never know when hunting skills will come in handy), and drew lots of pictures in my sketchbook, because Dad says it's important to observe your surroundings.

I also hung out with the other kids, if you can call them that. Some of the young Founders are really cool. They let me watch them shapeshift and everything. They like to turn into flying fish or birds, jump out of the Great Link, catch the sunlight and jump back in again. They wanted to know everything about being Solid, even little things, like what it feels like to eat and sleep or (ew!) go to the 'fresher.

It was kind of weird watching them try on my shape. They had a hard time with my gray skin and shoulder ridges, but they all managed it in the end. I had to explain to them that I look like that because my birth parents were Cardassians who died in the war, and Mom and Dad adopted me. Some of the Founders kind of ignored me after that. I think they still feel bad about what their parents did in the war, or maybe they still don't like Cardassians, like some of Mom's Bajoran friends.

But one of the Founders – they don't really have names, but I call her Goldie – she didn't care, she still wanted to be friends. She turned into this giant flying dinosaur and let me ride on her back! We went over the tops of the trees and saw the whole Great Link, like a big puddle of honey. The wind was cold up there, but I didn't mind.

It was awesome.

Mom yelled at me for doing something so dangerous, and Dad crossed his arms and gave me one of his scary looks. But after I went to bed, I heard them teasing each other about where I could have learned behavior like this, and I think they're actually proud of me. I like to think I'm a little bit like them, even if we're not really related.

I was sad to say goodbye to Goldie at the end of the summer, especially since there's no com system, so we can't message each other. But maybe we'll be back next year.

When I was little, I used to wonder why Dad was always leaving Mom and me to go to some other planet way out in the Gamma Quadrant. I used to worry that next time, he wouldn't come back, although of course he always does. But now I think I get it.

It's beautiful there. And me and Mom, we love him, but we can't do that thing he does with his people, where they all get together in one big pool and read each other's minds. Honestly, the idea freaks me out, but Dad always looks happy after he does it.

He said to me once that he feels lucky, because most people only have one home, and he has two.

I hope the Founders' World can be one of my homes too someday.