After the initial shock of seeing him slightly abated, Ezri gathered her wits and pulled Sisko into a tight hug. He smiled and hugged her back. They stood in an embrace for a good minute before Dax pulled back to take a good look at her old friend.
He was still wearing his Starfleet uniform, the same one he wore they day he disappeared to join the Prophets in the Celestial Temple. His face, however, seemed aged, his features more pronounced, and his thin goatee was going gray.
There were so many questions she wanted to ask him, her inquisitive mind almost going into overdrive. How did it feel to coexist with the wormhole aliens? Why did he age? Did he miss his family and friends? Did the experience change him in any way? Was there a particular reason why he decided to come back now?
"I still can't believe you're really here" she finally said, barely managing to stop her voice from trembling with joy.
"I suppose I've been gone a little longer than I anticipated" he replied almost nonchalantly, as if the last sixteen years were merely a slight delay in his schedule.
Dax shook her head and gave him a warm smile.
"You look a bit…. older now" she observed.
She couldn't help herself. They knew each other so well throughout more than just one lifetime. Dax's two previous hosts – Curson and Jadzia – formed such a strong bond with him that it was only natural for Ezri to regard Sisko as the closest friend she ever had. His long absence left a hole in her heart that no one else could fill. She knew her comment would not offend him.
"I would think that there is no passage of time in the noncorporal realm of the Prophets" she quickly added.
"And you'd be right," he calmly replied, "but I asked the Prophets to return me in a state linear to this timeline".
Ezri raised her eyebrows, prompting Sisko to elaborate.
"I thought it would be easier that way for Jake and Kasidy".
Upon hearing their names, Ezri gasped, her blue eyes as wide as two saucers.
"Jake! Kasidy! Joseph! We need to contact them right away!"
The unexpected reunion with her old friend left her in such a state of utter shock and elation that she had completely forgotten about the rest of the universe. She probably wouldn't have noticed if a vicious Klingon was about to slit her throat. Now her brain was working at warp speed, the implications of his return becoming more obvious.
"…and we need to contact Starfleet as soon as possible. And Kira! And the Bajoran government of course! The people of Bajor will be overjoyed at seeing their Emissary".
She was rambling, she knew that, but there were so many things that needed to be dealt with before they could simply sit down and have a friendly chat.
Sisko couldn't help but laugh at the Trill's reaction, though he understood where it was coming from. In the Celestial Temple, time didn't really matter. Sixteen years were no different than a second or a whole century in fact. Among the Prophets, he was free from corporal feelings, needs and desires. But as soon as he rematerialized in his former office on DS9, he was flooded with memories and a strong sense of belonging. He felt joy and excitement, needed to see his family and friends again, and most importantly, he desired his old life.
"Relax, Old Man" he said, interrupting Ezri's ongoing stream of consciousness. "Jake and Kasidy already know I'm back".
Dax didn't have to question him about that. She knew he had a way of contacting his family via visions and dreams. She was glad he'd already announced his arrival.
Taking a deep breath, she collected herself then let out a sigh of relief.
"So, where do we start?" she asked him.
"I'd like to see the promenade".
"As far as I know, you've caused quite a commotion down there" she jokingly said.
"Is that a fact?" he replied and joyfully laughed.
He was finally home.
The very moment Sisko appeared on the promenade, he was surrounded by astonished Bajorans and equally flabbergasted Starfleet officers. Murmurs and whispers scattered above the crowd, growing louder and louder with each second until the whole promenade became a scene of openly expressed amazement.
"The Emissary is back!"
"Thank the Prophets!"
"Our Emissary has returned from the Celestial Temple!"
As Sisko tried to make his way through the crowd, he couldn't take two steps without being stopped by faithful Bajorans who wanted to greet him personally, kiss his hand or ask him to bless their children. Sisko was patient and gracious in receiving such a warm welcome but in truth, he felt a little embarrassed and overwhelmed. He understood his position as the Emissary and how much he meant to the Bajoran people but he supposed he would never get used to their complete devotion and unconditional hospitality.
Ezri managed to squeeze though the crowd and reach Kira who was now standing alongside Parias, Nog and Quark near the security office. Judging by their astonished faces, the four of them were still in a state of complete shock.
"Sisko…." Kira whispered, unable to formulate a complete sentence.
Ezri smiled knowingly. She probably had the same baffled expression just a moment ago, when Sisko suddenly appeared in Ops.
It took Kira every ounce of self-restraint not to forcefully toss everyone aside and throw herself in the arms of her long-gone friend. Instead, she waited patiently for Sisko to approach them. It took him about half an hour, but he finally managed to reach them.
"Nerys! Or should I say, Captain Kira" Sisko said with a wide grin, noticing the rank insignia on her left collar.
Kira reciprocated with a warm smile of her own and took his hands into hers.
"I… words can't express how happy I am to see you, Benjamin".
"Same here, Captain." Nog interjected.
"It's an honor to finally meet you, sir" Parias added and extended his hand to the Emissary. Sisko gladly took it.
After Kira formally introduced her Chief of Security, Quark loudly cleared his throat. He found the whole reunion too sappy for his taste.
"What a fantastic opportunity to celebrate," the Ferengi chimed in, patting Sisko's shoulder. "I suggest we move this mushy party to my bar. Drinks on the house!"
Sisko couldn't help but smile. "That's a very generous offer, Quark. But I'd rather go somewhere a bit more private," he explained.
"How about the wardroom?" Kira suggested.
"Great" Sisko replied, content on leaving the bustling promenade to take care of the formalities surrounding his arrival. "I need to contact Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco and the Bajoran government before I go back to Earth".
A flash of disappointment crossed Kira's face but she quickly tried to cover it up with a sad smile. Of course Sisko would want to reunite with his family in New Orleans. When Sisko's father passed away a few years after the war, Kasidy moved to Earth and took over his restaurant. Jake came along with her and pursued his career as a writer. Kira couldn't blame Benjamin for wanting to leave.
Sisko knew Kira all too well not to notice the Bajoran's reaction. He quickly addressed it.
"I hope Kasidy and the boys agree to come back to DS9 with me" he clarified.
Kira's eyes brightened and Dax came to a realization.
"You said boys. You know about your younger son, Joseph?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"Yes. I've kept in touch with Kasidy throughout the years. I can't wait to finally meet him".
He then turned to Kira. "Captain, I was hoping you could lend me a runabout?"
"I can do better than that" she said and exchanged a meaningful glance with Ezri.
The Trill eagerly tapped her combadge. "Dax to Worf"
The Klingon's baritone voice on the other end was loud and clear.
"Yes, Lieutenant?"
"Commander, prepare the Defiant. We're going on a little trip to Earth" she explained cheerfully.
"Earth?" Worf sounded surprised. Why would they need a battleship to travel to Earth? Surely a runabout would suffice. Unless, there were some unusual circumstances he hadn't been told about.
It was Sisko's turn to chime in, secretly hoping to catch the Kilngon off guard. Truth be told, he had no idea Commander Worf was still present on DS9 since he accepted the position of ambassador to Qo'noS shortly after the Dominion war. Either way, Sisko was glad that Worf was still around. That meant almost every member of his old crew was on the station.
"Commander Worf, this is Captain Sisko" he said, wondering what the Klingon's reaction would be.
There was none; just intense silence. Undeterred, Sisko continued.
"I could use a ride to Earth, Commander".
There it was, a reaction in a form of a barely audible growl, followed by a loud sigh.
"Ezri, is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?" Worf asked, his stern voice laced with disapproval. "Because if it is, I do not find it amusing".
It was Kira's turn to join the conversation.
"It's not a joke, Worf" she said with a genuine note in her voice. "Captain Sisko is really back".
Another long pause.
Sisko, Ezri and Kira exchanged amused glances. It must have taken Worf a while to process the information.
"In that case, welcome back, Captain" he finally said, sounding as composed and formal as he always did. "The Defiant will be ready in an hour".
Sisko clasped his hands behind his back, his face beaming with satisfaction.
"I'll see you on the bridge, Commander".
Back in the wardroom, Sisko used the subspace communicator to contact Starfleet and spent about thirty minutes talking to Admiral Ross. As expected, Ross was very pleased to see Sisko again and promised to take care of all the necessary procedures to officially reinstate him as DS9's captain. Sisko would have to share responsibilities with Kira, where one would take command over Starfleet officers, the other over the Bajoran personnel. Both Kira and Sisko were satisfied with that arrangement.
"It's really good to see you again, Ben" Ross said, leaning closer to the monitor. "Make sure to drop by San Francisco someday. It's been a while since we last played a game of poker," he added with a smile and ended the transmission.
Just as the monitor went black, Sisko let out a sigh and turned to face Kira. "I suppose it's time to call the Bajoran officials".
"I already took the liberty of contacting them" she said. "I told them you were exhausted and that you would contact them later, after some much needed rest".
"I really appreciate that, Captain" he said, exchanging knowing smiles with Kira.
Sisko was truly grateful for Kira's white lie. He honestly didn't feel like dealing with politicians and admirers. He just wanted to talk to his old friends and plan his trip to Earth.
He took a seat at the head of the long conference table, happy to see Dax and Kira by his side again.
There were so many memories attached to the wardroom: negotiations with ambassadors from all over the galaxy, the signing of the Federation-Dominion peace treaty and, most importantly, the briefing sessions with his senior staff. Sisko realized how much he missed his old crew and wondered if it was possible to bring everyone back together again.
"I assume Chief O'Brien is still a professor at Starfleet Academy back on Earth?" he asked.
Dax nodded in confirmation. "I bet he's going to be overjoyed to see you".
"I'll make sure to invite him and his family over for dinner in New Orleans".
"His daughter is a musician and Kirayoshi has recently become a Starfleet cadet, you know" Kira said, pride evident in her voice as if she was talking about her own children.
After all, she did give birth to Yoshi after Keiko had been injured in a shuttle accident and the baby had to be transferred to Kira's womb to save the child's life. She subsequently became a part of the O'Brien family and they still kept in touch, despite the long distance between them.
"He wants to follow in his father's footsteps and become an engineer. Miles is very proud of his children".
"I'm sure he is," Sisko said, "Yoshi will have some big shoes to fill". He then pondered something for a while and turned to Dax again. "What about Dr Bashir? Is he still the station's CMO? I'm sure the news of my arrival would have reached him by now". Sisko wondered why the brilliant doctor failed to show up yet. He expected Julian to storm the wardroom any minute now, dripping with enthusiasm and brightening the room with his positive energy.
Ezri's face fell at the mention of her former lover.
Kira also looked somber but decided to answer for her friend. "Julian retired from Starfleet eight years ago".
"Retired?!" Sisko was shocked to learn that the youngest member of his crew was the first one to retire. A knot of worry formed in his stomach. "And you haven't heard a word from his since, Old Man?"
"As far as I know, he settled down on the Teplan homeworld in the Gamma Quadrant" Dax explained, her eyes filled with sorrow.
"Teplan… that rings a bell". Sisko furrowed his brows in concentration, trying to recall any information regarding the planet.
"The entire population of the planet was infected by a Blight also known as the Quickening" Ezri explained. "Jadzia and Julian visited the Teplan world in 2372. Julian couldn't find the cure for the virus but he eventually developed a vaccine that would prevent transmission of the Blight to future generations".
"Ah yes, I remember" Sisko said, but he was still confused as to why Julian would choose to live there.
"Eight years ago Julian volunteered to coordinate relief efforts for the Teplan homeworld" Dax continued. "He was supposed to come back to DS9 after three months. He never did".
"Any idea why?" Sisko asked.
Kira shook her head. "The planet is cut off from all subspace communications. The Teplans infected with the Quickening cannot be exposed to any kind of electromagnetic fields. We haven't been able to contact Julian in years".
"I visited Julian as soon as I found out about his decision to retire from Starfleet and remain on that planet" Dax said, recalling the last time the two of them saw each other. It was a painful memory, one that she learned to push away to the back of her mind. "He said he was doing fine and that he didn't want to go back to DS9".
The Trill looked down in disappointment, making Sisko feel even more uncomfortable. "I think he fell in love with a local woman and decided to stay" she quietly added and attempted to cover up her pain with a noncommittal shrug.
She couldn't really blame Julian, could she? They'd broken up a year before he decided to join the Teplan relief effort. They remained friends and, despite the initial awkwardness between them, they eventually got along just fine. In hindsight, however, Ezri suspected Julian was more hurt by their amicable breakup that he let on. No wonder he was so eager to leave the station and start a new life. Still, Ezri remembered how horrible she felt when he adamantly announced that he was not coming back. She couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at first, then her guilt turned into anger but ultimately, she settled for reluctant acceptance.
Sisko took a minute to let the information sink in. It all seemed to make sense but he just couldn't shake an uneasy feeling that unnerved him. Something was wrong. Something didn't add up but he wasn't sure what it was. He decided he needed to delve into the matter further.
He finally spoke up. "After we make a stop in New Orleans, I'd like to visit that Teplan world as well".
Kira and Dax looked surprised.
"I hope that won't be a problem Captain Kira? Old Man?"
Dax thought about it for a while and finally decided she wasn't especially hostile to the idea of seeing Julian again. "I'm in" she declared, regaining her confident tone.
"I'm afraid I won't be joining you" Kira said. "Someone needs to stay here and make sure the station is still in one piece after you get back".
Sisko nodded in understanding. Then the chirping sound of their combadges filled the wardroom.
"Worf to Sisko and Kira. The Defiant is ready" the Klingon announced.
Sisko had a sparkle in his eyes, eager to set foot on his beloved ship once again
"Then let's not keep her waiting".
.
Author's note: This chapter turned out to be a bit longer than I expected so Sisko's family reunion will take place in the next one. There's going to be plenty of Bashir stuff in it too. And if you're a fan of a certain Cardassian tailor, make sure to stick around for the third chapter.
Thank you to those who took the time to read the story. A special thanks to those who left a review. It means a lot!