Part 9!
"What's our ETA to DS9?" Dax asked nervously.
"3 hours and 17 minutes. So 2 minutes less than the last time you asked me," the pilot replied.
Dax pulled a face. "Sorry."
"I can't believe I have to wear this in front of everybody," Kira moaned. "In front of Dukat!"
Chief O'Brien glanced over at Kira and smirked. "It's not so bad, Major."
"It's skintight! Not to mention hideous."
Miles looked closely at the uniform and bit back a chuckle, knowing that Kira would probably tear him apart if she thought he was laughing at her.
"It'll make you more streamlined," he explained. "It helps make you go faster. The other team will be wearing them as well."
"Major, there's a message from the Rio Grande."
"Put it through," she ordered. Dax's worried face appeared on the screen.
"Kira, we're being held up in Cardassian space. Apparently," she said sarcastically. "...we're Maquis terrorists in disguise and they're not letting us leave the system until they can confirm our identities. I don't think I'm going to make it back in time..."
Dukat looked at himself in the mirror wearing the bobsledding uniform.
I look completely ridiculous.
"Father, I-"
Ziyal walked in and stopped at the sight of her father. She burst into peals of laughter.
"This isn't funny, Ziyal!" he fumed. "This must be that tailor's sick way of getting revenge!"
"Does Damar have to wear that as well?" she asked, still laughing.
"Everybody does!"
"Even Major Kira?"
He smiled slightly at that. "Yes..."
The old Human saying was true: every cloud has a silver lining...
"I can't believe I let myself get dragged into this in the first place," Kira muttered furiously. Julian had called an emergency practice before the race which was due to start in an hour. She had the horrible uniform on; the skintight uniform was dark red in colour, with a lime green streak up the sides. An image of DS9 had been stitched onto the front while Garak's Tailoring Service, Deep Space Nine had been printed on the back.
The holosuite doors opened and Dukat sauntered in.
"I thought Cardassians were sticklers for punctuality!" Kira snapped.
Dukat merely smiled. "You look even more delightful than useful, Major."
Bashir clapped his hands together. "If everyone's here let's get started."
He passed out the new helmets that went horribly with the uniforms and they took their positions; Julian and Kira on the left side, Damar and Dukat on the right.
"One, two, three go!" Julian yelled. They pushed the sled down the ice as Bashir jumped into the front seat, followed by Damar as the first middleman, Kira as the second middleman (first middlewoman?), and finally Dukat as the brakeman.
Whoever's idea it was to put me in between the two Cardassians, Kira thought viciously as the sled hurtled down the ice, is going to meet with a very painful end.
Quark grinned as people began to file steadily into his establishment and made their way towards the holosuites. He could practically see the bars of gold-pressed latinum dancing before his eyes!
He ushered them all upstairs.
"Ladies and gentlemen, there will be refreshments and entertainment provided for a modest fee after the race," he announced.
"Quark!"
The Ferengi turned to see the scowling security chief marching towards him.
"I didn't do it!" he said quickly.
"I haven't accused you of anything yet," Odo replied. "Are all the necessary security arrangements in place for Minister Shakaar?"
Quark rolled his eyes. "Yes, they didn't even pay for a ticket either. You're bleeding me dry here, Odo."
"Good," Odo shot back before making his way back to the security office. Quark shook his head at the retreating Changeling and turned back to the crowd.
"Keep it moving, people! Ten minutes until the race!"
