Chapter Eleven
"How long until we reach the planet?" Julian asked. He was nervously twiddling his thumbs as he sat in the shuttle.
"About two hours." Dax frowned down at her controls. "I'm getting us there as fast as possible." She sighed. "I know. It doesn't seem to be fast enough."
"But what if it isn't?"
No one answered Julian's question. Dax just concentrated on piloting the shuttle, and Miles kept checking on his equipment--over and over.
Julian felt utterly useless. He propped an elbow up on one of the control panels and rested his chin in his hand. Marina… I wish you could hear me, he thought. He thought it hard, hoping that maybe she could. Dear God, I hope you're all right. I feel like a complete idiot for not telling you that I love you, that I'm in love with you. I love the way you blush, the way you bite you're lip, the way you toss your hair over your shoulder. I love it when you touch my face, when you hold me close, when you kiss me… I love you…
(LINE)
Marina's head snapped up. She felt suddenly dizzy. Had she just imagined that? Or had she just picked up on the feelings and some of the thoughts of Dr. Julian Bashir? She sat down on the floor of the ship, feeling suddenly warm, despite the cold air that seeped through the cracks. "Julian…" She smiled as she whispered his name, and sent her thoughts desperately at him. Julian, I think I felt you longing for something, maybe for me. And I think I heard you thinking about me, about what you like about me. I only picked up on bits and pieces, but… It was enough--enough to inspire me…
"Ready to go?" Kira slid around the corner, wearing a jacket and a backpack.
"Yes." Marina stood. She was similarly attired in a thermal jacket, carrying a pack full of medical supplies and other useful things. And of course, she had a pair of orange goggles around her neck. She followed Kira to the door of the ship.
"Be careful," Worf said, escorting the two women to the door. He had decided that it would be best for him to stay with the others, as he would be best able to defend them. Kira and Marina had volunteered to try to reach Catronis 6.
"We will be," Kira replied. She glanced at Marina. The young science officer was fingering the silver clip she always wore and peering through one of the cracks in the side of the damaged ship. "Let's go, Richardson."
Marina turned to the senior officer and nodded. "Yes, ma'am." She adjusted the pack on her shoulders, then turned to look back into the bridge. Carlos and Hannah were sitting together. Harris was limp-pacing, as usual. Jake Sisko caught her glance and waved. Marina waved back.
Kira opened the door and stepped out into the wind. Marina followed, smiling bravely at Worf as the Klingon closed the door. It shut with a bang, making Marina jump.
"Goggles," Kira said quickly, sliding her pair over her already wind-dried eyes.
Marina followed suite. "The base is that way," she informed the Bajoran woman, pointing behind the ruined Longfellow. "Across that meadow, nestled in those mountains."
"Lead the way," Kira said.
Marina nodded to her and started towards the meadow, walking into the wind. She was immediately impatient. The wind was strong, and the sand beneath her feet made every step feel like two. She wanted to be at Catronis 6, wanted to be able to send Julian a message, wanted to see Julian, wanted to touch him.
"So… we'll be walking for quite a long time," Kira spoke up. "I'm sure we'll get to know each other better."
Marina smiled. Good. Something to keep her mind off of her darned impatience. "Yes. I guess so." Then her feet hit the grass. Finally. "So, tell me about yourself Kira. I hear you were part of the Bajoran Resistance."
And so for the next few hours, Kira recounted her past to Marina--even the things she did not like telling people she didn't know, even the things she had told no one else. She found it easy to talk to the young officer walking in front of her. Marina was a good listener, and there was something about her that made Kira want to confide in her. Finally, Kira said, "And that's about it." She stopped walking and looked around. "Marina, let's take a break here."
The two women stood in a small patch of twisted trees that just sprung up out of the plains. For miles around, all that could be seen was grassland, and then, in the direction they were headed, mountains.
Marina sat down under one of the trees and reached into her pack for a heater. She set the little device between herself and Kira. "This should warm us up for awhile," she said. "How long do you think we should stay here?"
"We've walked pretty far, a couple of miles, I'd say. We should rest here for a few minutes to regain our strength ." She leaned against one of the trees and closed her eyes. "How did you get to be such a good listener, lieutenant?" she asked suddenly.
Marina blinked. "I guess it's the Betazoid in me. Or maybe it's just that my pointy ears pick up sound better."
Kira laughed. "I'll go with the first idea. So, tell me about yourself--you and Julian, your psychogenotrosis, any strange habits, confessions."
Marina thought for a moment, then smiled, drawing her knees up to her chest. "I have two teddy bears that I loved dearly."
Kira opened her eyes and looked at the girl. "That's no deep, dark secret."
"No, not really, but…"
"Ah. The plot thickens. Continue."
"The newer one is a polar bear, Archibald Reginald Richardson--Archie for short. And the older one is white with little colorful stars all over him and button eyes--that's Nupenberry, my first teddy bear."
"Nupenberry? That sounds a name Julian would give something. What does he call his teddy bear? Kooca… looka… I give up. Go on."
Marina laughed. "One night, I had this really violent dream, and when I woke up, Nupenberry was lying on the floor--with both of his arms ripped off."
The two women laughed hysterically.
"Marina! I've never thought of you as a violent person!" Kira exclaimed, wiping at her eyes.
"I never thought of myself as one either. But you know, I can be quite… How can I put it? Quite… tough, I guess, if I have to be." She fingered the silver hair clip absently, her voice suddenly quiet. "And I've had to be."
"Because you're different?" Kira asked, also suddenly sober.
"Yes. I had a wonderful childhood, don't get me wrong, but…" Marina shook her head. "I never was accepted, really, by the other kids my age. I had to learn to play by myself, stand up for myself. They were a bit scared of me, I think--intimidated. That's why I was so happy at Deep Space Nine. I was accepted, for the first time in my life."
"Julian is very good to you, isn't he?" Kira asked quietly.
"Yes. Very. I miss him. So much." Marina sighed and looked up at the greenish-blue sky. He was out there somewhere, longing for her… She had felt it…
The two officers sat in silence for awhile, regaining their strength. Marina took water packets out of her pack, and they drank some.
"I think it's time we moved on." Kira stood and stretched.
Marina packed up the water and the heater and also stood. "Ready?"
"Ready."
Once again, Marina led the way towards Catronis 6.
(LINE)
Dax turned around and caught the look on Julian's face. "Don't even say it Julian. Yes, we're almost there."
Julian closed his mouth. Then opened it again to say, with an impish smile, "Are we there yet?"
Miles snorted a laugh.
"Actually," Dax said slowly, "Yes, we are. Look."
Julian fairly ran to the cockpit. There it was--Catronis, a beautiful spot of color in the black and white sky. Marina had probably thought it beautiful as well. She loved colors. Where are you, Marina? "Are we close enough for bio scans?"
"Yes. Go ahead."
Julian hurried to run a scan of the planet. "I'm picking up multiple life forms, mostly centered around what I believe must be Catronis 6. Looks like a small party just left the base, headed for the nearest beach."
Miles came to stand behind him. "And what about the rest of them?"
Julian frowned. "Oh. Oh no." He felt the blood drain from his face. "Jem'Hadar and Cardassians. The Dominion is on this planet." He hurriedly pushed buttons, trying to find Marina. "Aha! Here we have a Klingon and a couple of humans, gathered together."
"Worf," Dax said, steering the shuttle towards the planet's surface. "Give me the coordinates of that group, Chief."
As Miles gave Dax the coordinates, Julian concentrated on finding Marina and Kira.
"Aha! Here they are!" Julian exclaimed joyously. "I've found them! Kira and Marina are together, and they're headed for…" He was suddenly silent.
"What?" Miles cried. "What are they headed for?"
"I think they're trying to reach the base," Julian said quietly. "But they're going to run into Dominion forces on the way, as is the party from Catronis 6." He spun in his chair so that he could see the planet. "Hurry, Dax. This may be disastrous."
(LINE)
Catronis' sun was setting.
"Can we continue in the dark, Nerys?" Marina asked worriedly, as she and Kira stopped in the middle of a meadow of purple flowers.
Kira pushed her goggles up onto her forehead. "I don't think so," she said. "The wind has died down, but… It's getting colder, and I'm beginning to get the feeling that most of the animals here are nocturnal."
"Or either they're at the base," Marina said thoughtfully.
"We should probably rest until the sun rises. How long will that be?"
Marina thought back on all the facts she had learned about the planet. "About six Earth hours."
Kira set her pack down. "All right. That will have to do. We haven't seen any sign of those Jem'Hadar or Cardassians. So hopefully they've given up on us."
Marina was quiet, reaching out with her mind, trying to pick up something. Then, it hit her. She grabbed Kira's arm. "Pick up your pack, major. We've got to head for cover."
(LINE)
The shuttle from Deep Space nine set down beside a small grove of twisted trees. Julian was the first one to set foot outside. The strength and chilliness of the wind took his breath away, and he had to turn his face to catch his breath. "It's terribly windy out here!" he called to the others. "Better bring the cold weather gear." He shaded his eyes, held his breath, and turned to peer through the wind. Between the twisted trees, he could see vast meadows and the shadows of rocky mountains. The sky was a pale blue-green color, and there were a few pink clouds hovering over the horizon.
Miles stepped out of the shuttle, wearing a thermal jacket and carrying one. "Here you are," he said, handing the jacket to Julian. He ducked his head against the wind. "My, but it's windy out here!"
"Just like in Marina's dream," Dax added. She was also wearing a jacket, and she carried three pairs of goggles.
Julian narrowed his eyes. Yes, she had dreamed of a windy planet. Was this simply coincidence? It couldn't be.
Within minutes, the three Federation officers had gathered together all the supplies they would need for their mission.
"The Lonfellow crashed in that direction," Dax said, pointing, her back to the wind. "We should head towards it."
"Wait. What about Kira and Marina?" Julian spoke up.
Dax and Miles looked at each other, then at Julian.
"What? Don't tell me we're going to just--to just abandon them! They're headed straight for that Dominion team--and they probably don't have a clue!" Julian frowned. "But then--someone was probably injured in the crash. That's why we're headed for the ship… isn't it?"
Dax nodded. "Yes. And we're too small a party to split up." She bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Julian."
"Sorry? Sorry? The woman I love may be captured by the Dominion, and all you can say is 'sorry?'" Julian exclaimed sarcastically.
Dax and Miles were quiet.
Julian ran a hand down his face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have--I shouldn't have said that. "
"It's okay," Miles said quietly. "Hey, if you want, I'll go after her. I'll--"
"No, Chief. They'll need to you to help repair the Longfellow," Dax pointed out. She thought for a moment. "I could go."
"No," Julian firmly replied. "You need to get to Worf. And what can one person do anyway?"
They were all quiet.
"But we can't just leave Marina and Kira out there," Julian spoke up. "We have to find some way of communicating with them."
"Yeah, and without revealing our position to the enemy," Miles added glumly.
"If only our communicators would work out here…" Dax mused.
Miles snorted. "This atmosphere… No. They won't work."
"But, if we could…"
Julian stopped paying attention to their argument, lost in his thoughts, racking his intelligent mind for a plan.
"No, that won't work either," Miles said to Dax after she told him her idea, shaking his head.
Julian looked up at the sky, looked at the tops of the trees… and smiled. He looked at his two friends. "I have an idea."
(Author's Note: Just as a note of interest, the whole Nupenberry story is true. The real Nupenberry has no arms. Because of me. It's tragic.)