Chapter Two: Hodgepodge Heritage

Bashir prided himself on being able to visually identify most species; he enjoyed their surprise when he correctly called a species that was often mistaken for another, and he felt it inspired more faith in his abilities as a xenologist when he didn't have to ask. But this time as he studied the features of the man in front of him, he had to admit he couldn't place them. And the tricorder had been no help, giving the readings without linking them to a known species.

"Matt?" he questioned softly. "Can you tell me what race you are?"

"Half Chitran…quarter Slovian…about an eighth Terran…who knows what else."

Bashir felt a moment's relief that his puzzlement had merely been because the man was a hybrid. If he had to feel his way by instinct, at least he knew there wasn't a specialist somewhere who would be able to do better, and he remembered gratefully that he had encountered both alien species on the Defiant's voyage of exploration in the Gamma quadrant. As usual, he had taken the opportunity to gain at least a basic working knowledge of their physiology.

He wondered briefly how someone from the Gamma quadrant had come to have Earth human blood so far back in his ancestry, but this wasn't the time to pursue it.

"I'm going to get you something for the pain," he told Matt gently, getting up and going to his medkit. He returned a moment later, hypospray in hand. "This is safe for all three species, but I'm going to start with a low dose just in case you have an adverse reaction; I like to play it safe with hybrids." He deftly administered the drug, then activated a cool gel pack and laid it over Matt's eyes. "That should help some, assuming you're not completely cold-blooded." The smile in his voice indicated his teasing; Matt's temperature had been too far above that of the room for the cool-blooded Chitran to be dominant.

Matt made no reply beyond a faint moan that could have been thanks or just an indication of his pain.

Bashir scanned him once more, then gently removed Matt's shoes before pulling the blanket over him. Sitting beside him, he rested a hand on the side of his neck in a gesture Matt found surprisingly comforting. Once more a strange assurance washed over him that he could indeed trust himself to this doctor's care.

Next chapter coming next week!

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