Chapter Eleven: Chain of Command
A week later, Bashir came into the room carrying a driver's uniform, which he draped over the back of the chair. "I wish I could let you heal completely before putting you to work, but people are going to start being suspicious if I coddle you much longer."
"That's all right," Sisko assured him. "Being a driver doesn't sound very strenuous. I suppose you'll be giving me my manumission papers, then?"
Bashir was silent for a moment. "No," he said quietly. "All due respect, but I think you're safer without them."
"How do you mean?" Sisko questioned, frowning, the look in his eyes reminding Bashir for an instant which of them was truly in command.
Bashir sighed. "If you had papers, you would have to be absolutely certain to have them with you at all times. But even if you did, someone would just have to claim to disbelief their authenticity and they could put you back on the auction block. Whereas if you're my slave, I have rights as a white man not to have my 'property' stolen, and legal recourse if for some reason they do try to sell you again."
"All right," Sisko agreed reluctantly. "Just don't get too used to it."
Bashir smiled quietly. "I've never hankered for command, sir; I just want to be a doctor. But I think you do need to start treating me as your master even in the privacy of this room."
Hurt flashed in Sisko's eyes in the instant before he lowered them. "I see," he murmured.
"I'm not secretly prejudiced," Bashir assured him quickly. "I'm a xenologist, don't forget; I consider a lot of races 'human' that look far more different from me than just having a different skin color. But if you're used to talking to me as an equal here, you could slip up in public, where I'd have to discipline you for your 'insubordination.' I would never hit you with anything more than the flat of my hand, but depending on how closely any witnesses are watching, the blow might have to be real."
"I won't court martial you for it," Sisko promised, glancing up for an instant into Bashir's eyes and wondering if he really would be able to make himself strike his commanding officer. "And don't you slip and call me sir," he added.
A smile twisted Bashir's lips for an instant. "I never forget my act," he said with surprising certainty; there seemed to be meaning behind the words beyond what Sisko could comprehend.
"I understand why we have to keep up the act even privately," Sisko said after a moment, "but why do we have to stay here? Why can't we head north where I can be a free man?"
"Don't forget about the portal," Bashir reminded him. "I don't know if Miles' way of getting us home will involve sending someone through to bring us back, but we don't want to go too far from it just in case; it was hard enough for me to find you within a ten-mile radius."
"Surely we could leave a message of some kind?"
Bashir shrugged. "I suppose. If it comes to that, I've been holding up notes near the portal — just in case they can see us even though we can't see them. But it would still mean taking the time to track us down, and then travel all the way back…better to just stay here. Besides," he added mysteriously, "are you so sure there is a north?"
Sisko frowned. "What do you mean? Of course there's a north."
"Oh, I'm sure there's a directional north, if we stand with the rising sun on our right. But most holosuite worlds are fairly limited; if we go north beyond the range of the programming, we'll just find ourselves approaching this town from the south again."
"I never thought of that," Sisko whispered hollowly. "My word, Julian; if I had ever tried to run away on my own…" He shuddered, imagining in far too vivid detail the beating that would have been his as punishment for running away.
Bashir shook his head. "It's not worth thinking about; thankfully I found you when I did. Get changed now, and we'll head down to the livery; Humphrey said he'd train you as a driver." He turned his back to give Sisko some privacy.
"Suh?"
Bashir bit his lip, hating the submission in his commander's voice, but knowing he had been right to insist on it. "Yes?" he questioned, turning and finding Sisko dressed in the uniform, standing with his gaze lowered.
"You gon' make me sleep with the other slaves, suh?"
Bashir shook his head quickly. "No; I'll say you're doubling as my body slave if anyone asks. But I think you should probably take the pallet now." Had Mrs Jeffries questioned, he would have explained Sisko's use of the bed thus far while the doctor slept on the pallet by truthfully saying it was easier to tend his wounds on a raised bed.
"Yes, suh. I'se ready, suh."
"Then let's go." Bashir pulled the door open and led the way downstairs, Sisko following obediently behind.
Next chapter coming next week!
I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!
Please note that I have internet access only once a week, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. If you have questions regarding my Deep Space Nine alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie
