Siobhan sullenly nursed a tepid, pale green drink. Quark's stash of non-alcoholic, non-replicated beverages was dipping dangerously low with two faeries on the station; as a result, he had presented Siobhan with a palid "celery mineral spritz" with a flourish. She had made a face, and Quark had made his apologies. The only other options were hard liquors.
So, half an hour later, Siobhan half-heartedly sipped that same glass. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and Siobhan spun with a puzzled expression.
She regarded the large Klingon warrior looming over her curiously.
"May I help you?" she asked, thinking perhaps she had been mistaken for someone else.
The Klingon sneered derisively.
"'Can I help you?' the little whelp asks," the warrior jeered at her. "You're in my seat!"
Siobhan's face closed in a flash of heat, and she counted slowly in her head. When her flared temper was in check, Siobhan spoke through gritted teeth.
"I believe I will give you a chance to reconsider your words," Siobhan bit out as she rose, her eyes flashing. "Now, what can I help you with, *sir*?"
Siobhan glowered up at the Klingon as she drew to her full height--still a full head and a half shorter than the Klingon.
He spat at her, hitting her cheek with spittle.
"MOVE!" he bellowed, raising his hand in a threat to strike her.
Siobhan's vision went red. Later, she had a vague memory of a shouted warning from Quark, but in the moment she was out of control. She launched herself at the warrior, catching him off guard with her speed, and she traded blows for a few moments before delivering a descisive, brutal finish.
Less than a minute after her initial assault, Siobhan drew the Klingon's own dagger, pinned each of his limbs with her own body, and pressed the Klingon's own blade to his throat.
That was how Siobhan came back to her senses; Starfleet and Bajoran security was surrounding her, and other Klingon warriors were being held back by even more security officers.
Siobhan slowly pulled back her hands and dropped the knife. Security mobbed her, and she felt hands pressing her into the floor.
"That Klingon was assaulting her!" Quark hollered, stalking closer to the action from behind the bar.
"Quark?" Colonel Kira said incredulously. "I can't believe you're getting involved in this."
"I can't either," Quark muttered under his breath. Louder, he returned, "That woman is innocent! She acted in self defense, and she showed proper restraint!"
"I apprciate your input, Quark," Kira said with a hit of sarcasm, "but that'll be up to the majestrate."
Kira eyed Siobhan, pinned to the ground, with a cautious glance. She knelt down beside her and spoke in a low tone.
"You broke the law," Kira murmured. "I'm going to have to take you into custody."
"I understand," Siobhan replied calmly, reasonably. "Do what you must, Colonel. I don't hold it against you."
Kira nodded.
"Good," Kira said as she regained her feet. "I'm gonna need you to stand up for me."
As soon as the weight of the deputies was gone from her back, Siobhan slowly rose to comply with the Colonel's request/order.
Kira stood behind her and respectfully walked Siobhan to Security. Kira purposefully avoided using the transporter and opted not to use restraints. Upon reaching Security, Kira asked Siobhan to step into the cell and briefly read her a small list of rights.
"If the law didn't require me to, I wouldn't hold you for this," Kira said in a moment of honesty. She felt a pang of guilt at tumbling Siobhan into a cell so soon after she had escaped her previous prison.
Siobhan smiled softly and she shook her head.
"Don't worry about it," Siobhan said. "It's long been out of fashion to brawl in public."
The dryness of her wit drew a short
laugh from Kira.
"I have to report to Captain Sisko now," Kira said, turning to look at the otherwise empty holding cell--one of three and the only one currently unoccupied. "Hopefully you won't be too uncomfortable here."
Scene Break*
"You did WHAT?!" Garak exclaimed, throwing his hands up in outrage. He was pacing in Captain Sisko's office, and Ben was reminded of a tiger he'd once seen in a research lab.
"Siobhan broke the law," Sisko said calmly.
"She defended herself from unlawful harrasment, which your security did nothing to stop!" Garak retorted, stabbing a finger in the air for emphasis.
Sisko blinked, and his head tilted to the side.
"Mr. Garak," he began, and Garak raised an angry eyebrow. "What is all this about?"
Garak made an exasperated noise, and he spat, "I beg your pardon?!"
Sisko steepled his hands a few moments in thought, and his hands touched his lips. When he spoke, his hands flew forward to punctuate his words.
"Mr. Garak, ever since I've been back, you've been on edge. Moody, brooding--that is to say, worse than normal. And I've seen you fight a war against your own people, Mr. Garak. I've seen you moody.
"Now, you've overreacted, again, to an incident out of my control. Siobhan herself is content to wait and face the consequences of her actions. Given the evidence and her dignitary status, I very much expect the magistrate to dismiss any charges the Klingon government MIGHT choose to press. And Martok isn't a man to press charges over a barroom brawl. And you, Mr. Garak, know this. So, I ask you once again; what is all this about?"
At the culmination of Sisko's words, Garak seemed deflated--somehow defeated. Garak sighed, and he sat in the chair across the desk from Sisko.
"Frankly, Captain," Garak began. Sisko knitted his hands, raised a brow, and leaned forward to listen intently.
"It's none of your business," Garak said. "But I suppose you, of all people, might be owed at least a bit of an explanation...
"Captain, I'm a lonely man. I always have been, to an extent I likely always will be. I didn't have--wasn't allowed--friends as a child. As an adult, I followed the same suit. In fact, there isn't any one person I considered a friend, Captain, before I came to live on Deep Space Nine. It was here, on this station, that I met a brazenly naive young Starfleet doctor. At first, I assumed the optimism and naivete were a front, but I soon learned that Julian really does see the best in everyone he meets. I don't know at what point that intrigue turned into friendship, but... Captain, to cut a long story terribly short, I'm trying to deal with a type of loss of a friend."
Captain Sisko nodded, reading between several lines and using his experience with Garak's habit of understatement and omission to render his understanding fairly clear. Garak, finally, was dealing with feelings for Julian that he had ignored for too long.
Sisko started to speak, rethought his words with a scratch of his neck, and he pointed at Garak before speaking.
"Maybe you oughta, you know, find someone to talk to?" Sisko suggested. A peculiar look crossed his face, and he added, "But maybe not Julian...or Ezri."
Garak laughed derisively, and he said, "The beautiful irony of it is that I already have, Captain."
"Oh?" Sisko asked, raising a brow.
"Yes," Garak quipped dryly. "Aisling. Siobhan, rather," Garak corrected himself quickly.
Sisko blinked, laughed once, and then he dissolved into a fit of hysteric laughter. Garak frowned, but he felt a smile tugging at his lips. Soon, Garak found himself chuckling. They both laughed raccously at the absurdity of the whole scenario. After a while, their mirth settled down.
"You know..." Captain Sisko began slowly. Garak regarded him curiously. "I don't think I've ever really forgiven you for that Romulan senator," Sisko said. He continued quickly, cutting Garak off before the other could speak.
"I know it was necessary," Sisko said. "In fact, I think that's what I...hold against you the most. That you were right."
Garak closed his mouth, the prepared retort drowned on the sudden wash of truth between them. Garak chose his next words carefully.
"Sometimes, we have to do things," Garak began. "Things we don't like, things morally repugnant, things we don't want to do. We do these things because we can, and others cannot, and these things MUST be done."
Sisko tapped his fingers slowly, to some inaudible tune.
"I know that," Sisko admitted at length. "I know, I really do. But it doesn't make it any easier."
"Captain," Garak said sharply. Sisko met his gaze. "Nothing should make it easier. And I think that's the point."
Sisko's expression turned reluctantly thoughtful.
"I suppose you're right, Mr. Garak," Sisko allowed. "Now, do you need anything else? I don't mean to rush you, but I'm still trying to catch up on a year's worth of paperwork."
Garak laughed, a clipped bark. He stood and ran a hand over his hair, once, before he straightened his coat front. Sisko blinked in mild surprise at this uncharacteristic show of nerves.
"No, Captain," Garak said at last with a small smile and a bow. Sisko nodded in return.
"Thank you, Captain. Good day," Garak said, and he turned on his heel and walked out the door.
XXX END CHAPTER XXX
Author's Notes: Oh my. It's been too long, but I'm still here!
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