Chapter 12
Ut sementem feceris, ita metes.
As you sow, so shall you reap.(Cicero, De oratore.)

"What happened?" Bashir asked.

Vicki Ann glanced around. She was back in Quark's. "I was called to testify for Q. They
want to banish him from the Continuum forever because of his human background. I tried
to convince them not to, and once I finished my speech, I reappeared here."

"Ready to play darts?" Julian asked, teasing.

"Prepare to die," Vicki Ann replied.

They stepped up to the marker. Julian threw the first one. Bulls eye.

Vicki Ann's turn. Bulls eye.

Julian was up again, only this time he was a little more nervous. Fifteen points.

Vicki Ann smiled. "Pressure got to you, huh?" She threw the second dart. The pressure had
gotten to her, too. Fifteen points.

"Nervous, Vicki Ann?" Julian teased, as he let his final dart fly. Bulls eye.

Vicki Ann took a deep breath and let the third one go. She closed her eyes, expecting it to
be a low score.

"Bulls eye!" Quark yelled.

Vicki Ann opened her eyes. She had hit the bulls eye again. She smiled. "Sorry, Julian. I
win." She looked over at Quark, who was collecting money from the betting customers.
She heard him say to Morn, "Alright, pay up."

Vicki Ann laughed. "He bet against you!"

"Thanks a lot, Quark," Julian yelled.

Vicki Ann laughed and leaned back against a nearby table. "This is a day that will go down
in Federation history. Someone actually beat Julian Bashir at darts, and neither party was
cheating!"

"Very funny," Julian replied, ruffling her hair. He noticed that Vicki Ann's face had suddenly
shifted to a more somber expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking about how nice it is to be home."

Julian smiled. "You mean that you actually think of this place as home?"

Vicki Ann returned the smile. "Yes, I do. Besides, home is where you lay your head at
night. With the exception of prison camps and things like that," she replied.

Julian put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you feel that way."

Ezri walked into Julian's quarters after her last counseling session. Everything was dark and
quiet, with the exception of soft snoring from the bedroom. Julian must have been
exhausted. From what Vicki Ann had said when Ezri saw her in the corridor, the infirmary
had been very busy that day. Ezri quickly changed into her nightclothes and curled up
beside Julian and fell asleep.

Julian Bashir awoke ten minutes before his alarm was set to go off. He stretched and got
out of bed. He slept soundly through the night, not waking up once. He dressed and got
some tea from the replicator. He sat down at his desk and looked over the medical logs
from the night shift while drinking his tea. He heard someone stir behind him and dreaded
what was inevitable.

Ezri snuck up behind Julian at his desk and kissed him on the cheek. "Good morning," she
said. "Did you sleep well?"

Julian nodded. "I'm sorry that I didn't wait up. I was just so exhausted from working in the
infirmary."

"That's alright," Ezri replied. "What's on the agenda for today?"

"You know, the usual. Physicals, emergencies, etc."

"Can you spare an hour to meet me for lunch?"

Julian looked uncomfortable. "Uh-I don't know. Vicki Ann and I have some simulations to
run. We'll see."

Ezri nodded. "Julian, is there something you're not telling me?"

"No, Ezri. It's just that things are going to be very busy in the infirmary today."

"What about dinner, then?'

Knowing he probably wouldn't be around for dinner, Julian smiled and replied, "Sure. Dinner
it is. I have to go. See you later." He kissed her on the cheek and left.

Ezri shrugged and got ready for her shift.

Vicki Ann checked the schedule for the day. There were five physicals scheduled, and
other than that it would be an easy day. Thank goodness After yesterday, Vicki Ann
didn't think she could handle another long day. She looked up and saw Julian enter. She
smiled at him. "Good morning, doctor."

"Good morning," he replied, giving her one of his heart-stopping smiles.

Vicki Ann raised an eyebrow at him. "What's with you?"

"Nothing. I'm just in a good mood." He sat down at his desk and began to get started on
the day's work.

"What are you doing?" Vicki Ann asked as she leaned over his shoulder to look at the PADD
he was holding.

Julian swallowed. This would be harder than he thought. Vicki Ann was so close to him
that he could smell not only her perfume, but her shampoo as well. He even felt a few
strands of her hair tickling his ear and her breath teasing his neck with its warmth. "Uh-,
I'm just looking at the physical reports for anything worth reporting to Kira,"
he replied, hoping she'd leave him alone.

"Trying to keep busy, huh? Can't sit still for a minute. Boy, am I glad I don't have that
anymore." She straightened up and thought she heard Julian heave a sigh of relief. She
shook her head. It's just your imagination, Vicki Ann, just your imagination.

Julian was glad when Vicki Ann went over to check on the patients in the infirmary. He
couldn't keep up this act for long, especially with her around. He knew that she'd started
letting her barriers down to embrace her Betazoid side a bit more than she used to.

Besides, it wouldn't take an telempath to figure out that he still had feelings for her if they
hung around long enough. He couldn't fool Ezri for long either. She was a counselor, after
all. He just hoped that the original Bashir would be back soon and no one would be the
wiser.

Julian Bashir (the original one) awoke in what looked like a prison cell. He'd been there for
a while he gathered from the amount of stubble on his face. They leave me in here much
longer and I'll grow a beard. He was wearing his uniform. The last thing he remembered
was going back to his quarters after the hellish day he and Vicki Ann had in the infirmary.
It had been Vicki Ann's first official day back after the incident with Section 31. Thank
goodness she had been there, because Julian didn't think he'd ever seen so many people
there. There had been an accident on the Promenade. Someone was carrying some
equipment and they weren't watching where they were going. It went flying and exploded.
A bunch of people came in with minor scrapes and burns. Luckily, the worst injury was a
woman with third degree burns. Last, but not least, he had removed Vicki Ann's implant,
since she was starting to make a full recovery.

That was all he remembered. He'd gone back to his quarters and was waiting for Ezri.
She'd had a late counseling appointment. Well, I either fell asleep on the couch or was
drugged and was taken here.
Where was he? He stood up and stretched, walking over to the entrance to the room.
"Hello?" he called. "Is anyone there?" He heard footsteps coming down the hall to where he
was. He heaved a sigh of relief.

Maybe now I'll find out why I'm here.

"Step away from the door, doctor," a voice said from the other side.

Julian obeyed and as he did, the door slid opened and a man entered. He gasped when his
memory gave him a name for the face he saw.

"Sid Patrick."

Sid smiled. "It's nice to see you too, Dr. Bashir."

Julian walked up to the other man. "I am anything but happy to see you. After what you
did to my friend, I ought to-"

"Ought to what, doctor?" Sid replied laughing. "Kill me? Wouldn't that be against your
oath?"

"You're right," Julian said, nodding. "You're not worth it."
He eyed Sid. "Why have you brought me here?"

"You should know the answer to that, doctor."

"You have an assignment of some sort for me."

"Yes."

"What is it? Assassinating Chancellor Mortak? No, no. Blowing up DS9. No, I'll bet you want
me to clone you," Julian replied, sarcastically.

"Very funny, doctor. No, your assignment will be to work in the lab."

"Doing what?"

Sid began to pace a bit. "You're aware that Dr. Troi's implant began to malfunction,
correct?"

"Yes, otherwise, I might not have discovered it."

"We didn't plan on that. We need you to correct the problem."

"You want me to help you brainwash people? Sorry, but I think that would violate my oath
too," Julian snapped, turning away from him.

"Not as much as killing someone, or letting someone be killed."

Sid had said that in such a way that it sent shivers up and down Julian's spine. He spun
around to face his adversary. "What do you mean?"

"It would be such as shame if anything happened to your friends on the station, or even
that counselor you're seeing. What's her name, Ezra?"

"Ezri," Julian whispered. They're doing the same thing to me that they did to Vicki Ann;
threatening the people I love to make me obey their orders. Julian's eyes lit up with
determination. He would do whatever they asked him, as long as it meant that no one got
hurt. "Alright, I'll do it."

Kira put down the PADD she was holding. "Doctor, Starfleet want to send someone to
Cardassia to help those that are left. They'll probably be needing the same kind of medical
treatment the Bajorans needed after the Occupation. I've suggested you."

"But what about Admiral Kelley? I don't think he'll be too happy about me leaving Vicki Ann
all by herself."

Kira smiled. "I spoke to the admiral and I managed to convince him that Vicki Ann would be
alright for a week or two without you. Besides, he's already got Commander Riker, Captain
Picard and Dr. Crusher on his case about her probation and rank reduction. I wouldn't be
surprised if in a short while he allows you to give her a promotion to make up for it."

Julian forced a smile. He had to pretend that he was happy about this. He didn't want to
leave the station, but he had to. Otherwise, he might be found out. It won't be that bad.
It'll be nice to get back to real medicine for a while. It had been such a long time, he
didn't know if he remembered what it was like.

"What? You're leaving me here all by myself?" Vicki Ann asked.

Julian laughed. "You'll be fine, Vicki Ann."

"How does the admiral feel about this?"

"He's fine with it. Kira spoke to him about it, not to mention Commander Riker, Captain
Picard and Dr. Crusher."

"Really?"

"Yes. Besides, I'll only be gone for a few weeks." He didn't know how long he would be
gone, but he wanted to comfort her. He hated to see her upset. He loved her as much as
the original loved Ezri.