Sooo sorry for not updating earlier... school is hard work. I have finished it… I just have to find time to type it up. Here we go…
Chapter 7
I awoke almost eleven hours later, at 2230 hours. Julian would be asleep, or near enough to it. I decided to look around my quarters.
There was a bedroom, "refresher," dining area, and living room. I took use of the sonic shower unit, then got dressed back into my clean black tunic and trousers. I felt strong enough to do a healing trance for my leg.
I sat cross-legged on the floor in the living room, closed my eyes and called on the Force.
After nearly six hours, my leg felt better. I had had much sleep in the last two days, so I didn't feel tired. I started a routine muscle stretch that I usually did after waking up. It took awhile to stretch each individual muscle, and I had to go easy on my injured leg. After that, I did some mental exercises.
At what I estimated to be an hour later, the door chimed. "Come in, Julian," I said, not breaking my concentration. The door slid open and the tan-skinned, dark-haired Human doctor walked in.
"What are you doing?" he asked in amazement.
I was levitating myself and various objects in the room. "I am exercising my mind," was my answer.
"This is the best display of telekinesis that I've ever seen," he commented.
"Would you wish to experience it for yourself?"
"What do you mean?"
"I may be able to temporarily share my power with you."
"Okay," the doctor agreed. "What do I do?"
I lowered myself and the objects to the ground and told Julian to sit in front of me. He sat cross-legged in front of me. I raised my hands, palms facing him, and extended my arms half the distance between us. He took the cue and pressed his palms to mine.
"Now, clear your mind of all thoughts and close your eyes. Taking a few deep breaths will help."
Julian closed his eyes and breathed deeply and calmly.
"Are you ready?" I asked.
Julian nodded his head.
"I am mentally sending to an image of this room. Can you see it in your mind?"
"Yes."
"Do you see the small statue on the table next to the couch?"
"Yes."
"Concentrate on picking it up."
A moment later, the statue rose a few inches in the air, wavered uncertainly, then steadied. It stayed for nearly ten seconds before falling back down to the table.
"Sorry," Julian apologized, opening his eyes.
"There is no need to apologize. That was much better than my first attempt. Of course, I was much younger and less disciplined."
"May I try again?"
"Of course. Close your eyes and empty your mind."
Within the two hours, Julian steadily progressed to levitating himself and some of the objects around us. I joined him and revolved the floating objects around us.
Our minds were so entwined, that when the door chimed and Julian lost his concentration, so did I. We and the objects crashed to the floor. Julian and I were on our backs on the floor. He was laughing when he told the people outside to come in.
"What happened in here?" Kira asked as she and Odo walked in.
"Telekinesis experiment," Julian answered, still laughing as we got up from the floor.
"Interesting," Odo remarked. "I see you're walking better than you were yesterday."
"True," I replied.
"Do you two need help cleaning up your experiment?" Kira asked.
"No," I answered before closing my eyes and putting everything back using the Force. It only took a quick moment.
After Julian and I ate breakfast together, I went with him to the Infirmary. He had to do a physical on each of the Defiant's fifty crewmembers before they left for Starbase Fifteen at 1100 hours. The last crewmember to be checked was Chief Miles O'Brien. Then it was time for them to start boarding.
Julian and I made our way to the docking ring where the Defiant was. Most of the other crewmembers were already there, saying good-byes to family and friends. I saw Captain Sisko with his son Jake and Kassidy Yates. Keiko, Molly, and Kirayoshi were with O'Brien. Keiko quickly glanced at me, then looked away.
"O'Brien told his wife about me," I quietly told Julian.
"Don't worry, she won't tell anyone else," Julian assured me.
Sisko and his family came over to us. "This is for you," he said, handing me my datapad with the Dominion's plans. "You'll contact me if any of the plans change."
I didn't reply as a vision played in my head. A moment later, when it ended, Sisko asked what I had seen.
I hesitated before answering with, "Captain, all things die. When the time comes to leave a dying thing behind, do not hesitate. To hesitate will mean your life."
Sisko swallowed. "I will keep that in mind." He turned to Julian and said, "I expect you onboard in five minutes."
"Yes, sir," responded Julian.
Sisko kissed Kassidy and embraced his son good-bye before going to the ship.
"What was that about?" Jake was the first to ask me.
I glanced at Julian for guidance. He nodded his head. I still hesitated before saying, "The Defiant will be destroyed. It will be a necessary sacrifice. Most of the crew will make it to the escape pods. But Sisko will die unless he heeds my words."
"Are you sure?" Jake asked.
"I am never wrong when it comes to my visions. But Sisko seems to be a… sensible man who does not take unnecessary risks."
"So," Julian said quietly. "The Defiant will be destroyed?"
"Yes, it is unavoidable. You will find out why," I told him.
The doctor glanced at his chronometer. "I have to go in a minute."
Kassidy spoke for her and Jake. "We'll see you soon, Bashir." Then they left. The crowd was starting to thin.
Julian put his hands on my shoulders. "Will I see you again?" His eyes were glistening.
"You will, Julian Bashir. You will," I assured.
He smiled and pulled me into an embrace. I unconsciously responded to it by sliding my arms up his back.
"About that mind-joining thing we did this morning, can we do it again when I come back?" Julian softly asked in my ear.
"Of course," I whispered back.
When we let go, and even when he boarded the Defiant, Julian was smiling.
I was the last in the area, along with Keiko and her children. When she saw that it was only us left, she quickly rushed her children out the door. I stayed for a moment longer.
Odo was waiting for me right outside the docking ring.
"Constable," I greeted respectfully, bowing my head. "I assume you were making sure I didn't attempt to steal a ship."
Odo seemed a bit taken aback by my bluntness. "Well, I must admit that I was half-expecting you to."
"I understand your suspicions. I did not expect to be trusted completely," I told him as we started walking. "Are you going to your usual… what is the word… stakeout at Quark's bar?"
"Yes."
"May I accompany you? I have nothing else to do at the moment."
"Yes, come along."
As we walked, I asked Odo, "Can you help me to 'fit in'?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"You have experience. When you first came here and worked for the Cardassians, you were not much different from me. Then after this station became the Federation's, you still distanced yourself from people. Now, you are more accepted by people and you allow it."
Odo nodded. "I'll try."
We walked into Quark's bar and sat on the bar stools. We swiveled around to see the patrons, leaning back against the counter. "The first thing you should do is watch people and observe their mannerisms. The Promenade is the best place for that."
"And this is the best vantage point?"
The Changeling nodded.
"Hey, lady, that seat is for paying customers only," said a voice behind me.
"You must be Quark the Ferengi," I said before swiveling around in my seat to face the bar. Odo followed suit.
"Yes, I'm Quark. And that seat is for paying customers only."
"Odo is not a 'paying customer,' as you say," I countered.
"Yeah, well, he's the Constable. I have to show him a little respect. But I don't have to-"
"Quark, stop harassing her," Odo said with an exasperated sigh.
"Wait a minute," the Ferengi protested. He turned back to me and asked, "Aren't you Julian's new girlfriend?"
"If, by that, you mean his friend who is a female, then I believe so."
"I mean, are you sexually involved?"
"I do not understand."
Quark started laughing, his pointed teeth showing.
"I do not understand what is so humorous," I said.
That made Quark laugh harder. "Odo," he gasped. "Tell her what I mean."
"No. Instead, I am going to answer for her," the Changeling objected. "She isn't Julian's girlfriend."
Quark went away, still laughing.
"Odo, what did he mean?" I asked.
Odo's facial expression was one of slight embarrassment as he said, "You'll have to ask Julian about that."
"I will," I agreed. When I stood up, Odo asked me where I was going.
"Julian said that I should get clothes with more color. I might as well start now."
"I'll see you around," was Odo's good-bye. I slightly bowed my head to him.