Chapter Two
"Captain, there is a civilian transport ship
requesting to dock with us for repairs," Lieutenant
Jadzia Dax announced.
Benjamin Sisko nodded. "Send them up to upper pylon
three, then inform them that we'll send a crew up. Tell
the chief to get some men together and check it out."
Dax nodded and set about her work. Sisko glanced
around the bridge and realized that it was more quiet
than usual. A quick glance around informed him that the
reason for this silence was his doctor's absence.
"Where's Doctor Bashir?" Sisko asked suddenly.
Several crewmembers glanced around. "He called up
her yesterday, but that's the last time I heard from
him," Kira replied.
"He stood the chief up last night," Dax offered.
"They were supposed to play darts. Do you want me to
call him?"
"No," Sisko replied. "It's just been so quiet since
the last time he was here."
Kira snorted, but Dax gave Sisko a knowing smile.
She missed Bashir's ebullient questions and conversation
as well.
"He's probably been tied up in the Infirmary," Dax
assured him. "I'm sure he'll be back to annoying us all
tomorrow."
~~*~~
Bashir sighed as he finished updating his medical
files. He knew he was taking it a little too personal,
but he couldn't help it.
After getting reamed out by O'Brien for missing
their dart game, he'd been forced to deal with irate
patients who had not wanted their injuries treated by an
annoyingly cheerful human. Some of their comments hit
too close to home, and Jabarra was forced to finish
treating them. A brief smile graced his lips at the
memory of Jabarra 'forgetting' to administer a painkiller
to the patients. After the horrible day, Bashir was
afraid to face anyone outside of his office.
A soft knock sounded on his door, and Bashir glanced
up. Garak let himself into the room, holding the data
padd Bashir had given him.
"Done already?" Bashir asked.
"Almost," Garak replied. He handed the padd to
Bashir. "I was wondering if you would join me for lunch.
I'm having some difficulty understanding some of the
characters' actions in the middle of the book."
Bashir shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, Garak,
but I would prefer to stay in and get some more work
done."
Garak's eyebrows raised, but they both knew that
Garak didn't believe him. "I may be no doctor, but I do
know that it isn't healthy to miss meals. Besides; I'm
sure your charming head nurse is more than capable of
handling any emergencies that might occur."
Bashir was still uncertain.
"And while we're discussing your book, I believe I
have an excellent suggestion for you," Garak continued.
"Very similar to your Grapes of Wrath. I'll explain it
all to you over lunch."
Bashir gave in. "All right, but let's make it
quick," he mumbled.
"Nonsense, Doctor," Garak replied. "You must
thoroughly enjoy the sensation of eating, not rush
through the meal as though you're about to starve."
As they left the Infirmary, Bashir caught sight of
the relieved look on Jabarra's face and wondered if she
didn't have something to do with this enforced lunch. He
had no time to ponder, however, as Garak steered him
through the crowds and to their usual table at the
Replimat.
"The usual, Doctor?" Garak asked.
Bashir nodded, and Garak left to retrieve their
meals. As he waited, Bashir became aware of the
sensation of many eyes focused on him. He glanced around
for the source, but saw nothing more than the usual lunch
rush.
Garak returned with their meals and began the
discussion. Part way through, Bashir noticed O'Brien
across the Promenade, walking with Dax and Kira toward
Quark's. A sad look passed over Bashir's face, which did
not go unnoticed by Garak.
"Is there something wrong, Julian?" Garak asked.
Bashir did not notice the sudden switch to his first
name. He turned his gaze to his lunch and poked at it.
"Nothing. I'm sorry. Go on."
Garak glanced over and saw the trio of officers
disappearing into the bar. Understanding passed through
him. He turned back to Bashir.
"I take it the others are still unused to you?" he
stated.
Bashir's head snapped up. "What? How . . .?"
Garak chuckled softly. "Doctor, you should know by
now that I see more than you might think." He grew
serious, which surprised Bashir. "Don't pay attention to
them. They don't understand just yet. But they will."
Bashir stared at him in shock. Garak stood and
lifted his tray.
"I must bid you a good afternoon, Doctor," he
announced. "Thank you for the enlightening discussion.
I hope we can continue it some other time."
Without waiting for a response, Garak left. Bashir
stared thoughtfully at the seat he had just vacated, then
looked out towards the bar.
A tall man in plain clothes was watching him.
Suddenly nervous, Bashir looked to his left and
found two more people, a man and a woman, also watching
him. Bashir turned his gaze around the entire Promenade
and found close to thirty people, all in plain clothing,
watching him. Unsure about what was happening, Bashir
collected his untouched lunch, deposited it in the
Replimat, and headed for the safety of his office.
~~*~~
"I can't believe it!" one woman cried.
"Our salvation is finally at hand!" another man
shouted.
Kyren looked at his people and smiled. "I am just
as happy as you are. I'm sorry I took so long, but I had
to be sure."
"We understand," a third man, Ferat, assured him.
"We must prepare for the ceremony. But he cannot know
about it until it is time."
There was a murmur of agreement throughout the crowd
of forty-four men, women, and children.
"But what about the Anointing Ritual?" a voice
called out. "He must be anointed with the water from our
holy river."
Ferat nodded. "He will be," he said. "But it must
be done discreetly. Kyren; you were the one to find him.
It is only fair that you be the one to anoint him."
Joy spread across Kyren's face. "Thank you, Ferat.
I'm honored by this gift."
"The anointing must be done by tomorrow, or the
ceremony will have to be postponed another cycle," Ferat
stated. "We've waited a long time for this. May the
goddess go with you in your task."
"As she goes with us all," Kyren replied humbly.
"Sie tzat," the crowd joined in.
End Chapter Two
"Captain, there is a civilian transport ship
requesting to dock with us for repairs," Lieutenant
Jadzia Dax announced.
Benjamin Sisko nodded. "Send them up to upper pylon
three, then inform them that we'll send a crew up. Tell
the chief to get some men together and check it out."
Dax nodded and set about her work. Sisko glanced
around the bridge and realized that it was more quiet
than usual. A quick glance around informed him that the
reason for this silence was his doctor's absence.
"Where's Doctor Bashir?" Sisko asked suddenly.
Several crewmembers glanced around. "He called up
her yesterday, but that's the last time I heard from
him," Kira replied.
"He stood the chief up last night," Dax offered.
"They were supposed to play darts. Do you want me to
call him?"
"No," Sisko replied. "It's just been so quiet since
the last time he was here."
Kira snorted, but Dax gave Sisko a knowing smile.
She missed Bashir's ebullient questions and conversation
as well.
"He's probably been tied up in the Infirmary," Dax
assured him. "I'm sure he'll be back to annoying us all
tomorrow."
~~*~~
Bashir sighed as he finished updating his medical
files. He knew he was taking it a little too personal,
but he couldn't help it.
After getting reamed out by O'Brien for missing
their dart game, he'd been forced to deal with irate
patients who had not wanted their injuries treated by an
annoyingly cheerful human. Some of their comments hit
too close to home, and Jabarra was forced to finish
treating them. A brief smile graced his lips at the
memory of Jabarra 'forgetting' to administer a painkiller
to the patients. After the horrible day, Bashir was
afraid to face anyone outside of his office.
A soft knock sounded on his door, and Bashir glanced
up. Garak let himself into the room, holding the data
padd Bashir had given him.
"Done already?" Bashir asked.
"Almost," Garak replied. He handed the padd to
Bashir. "I was wondering if you would join me for lunch.
I'm having some difficulty understanding some of the
characters' actions in the middle of the book."
Bashir shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, Garak,
but I would prefer to stay in and get some more work
done."
Garak's eyebrows raised, but they both knew that
Garak didn't believe him. "I may be no doctor, but I do
know that it isn't healthy to miss meals. Besides; I'm
sure your charming head nurse is more than capable of
handling any emergencies that might occur."
Bashir was still uncertain.
"And while we're discussing your book, I believe I
have an excellent suggestion for you," Garak continued.
"Very similar to your Grapes of Wrath. I'll explain it
all to you over lunch."
Bashir gave in. "All right, but let's make it
quick," he mumbled.
"Nonsense, Doctor," Garak replied. "You must
thoroughly enjoy the sensation of eating, not rush
through the meal as though you're about to starve."
As they left the Infirmary, Bashir caught sight of
the relieved look on Jabarra's face and wondered if she
didn't have something to do with this enforced lunch. He
had no time to ponder, however, as Garak steered him
through the crowds and to their usual table at the
Replimat.
"The usual, Doctor?" Garak asked.
Bashir nodded, and Garak left to retrieve their
meals. As he waited, Bashir became aware of the
sensation of many eyes focused on him. He glanced around
for the source, but saw nothing more than the usual lunch
rush.
Garak returned with their meals and began the
discussion. Part way through, Bashir noticed O'Brien
across the Promenade, walking with Dax and Kira toward
Quark's. A sad look passed over Bashir's face, which did
not go unnoticed by Garak.
"Is there something wrong, Julian?" Garak asked.
Bashir did not notice the sudden switch to his first
name. He turned his gaze to his lunch and poked at it.
"Nothing. I'm sorry. Go on."
Garak glanced over and saw the trio of officers
disappearing into the bar. Understanding passed through
him. He turned back to Bashir.
"I take it the others are still unused to you?" he
stated.
Bashir's head snapped up. "What? How . . .?"
Garak chuckled softly. "Doctor, you should know by
now that I see more than you might think." He grew
serious, which surprised Bashir. "Don't pay attention to
them. They don't understand just yet. But they will."
Bashir stared at him in shock. Garak stood and
lifted his tray.
"I must bid you a good afternoon, Doctor," he
announced. "Thank you for the enlightening discussion.
I hope we can continue it some other time."
Without waiting for a response, Garak left. Bashir
stared thoughtfully at the seat he had just vacated, then
looked out towards the bar.
A tall man in plain clothes was watching him.
Suddenly nervous, Bashir looked to his left and
found two more people, a man and a woman, also watching
him. Bashir turned his gaze around the entire Promenade
and found close to thirty people, all in plain clothing,
watching him. Unsure about what was happening, Bashir
collected his untouched lunch, deposited it in the
Replimat, and headed for the safety of his office.
~~*~~
"I can't believe it!" one woman cried.
"Our salvation is finally at hand!" another man
shouted.
Kyren looked at his people and smiled. "I am just
as happy as you are. I'm sorry I took so long, but I had
to be sure."
"We understand," a third man, Ferat, assured him.
"We must prepare for the ceremony. But he cannot know
about it until it is time."
There was a murmur of agreement throughout the crowd
of forty-four men, women, and children.
"But what about the Anointing Ritual?" a voice
called out. "He must be anointed with the water from our
holy river."
Ferat nodded. "He will be," he said. "But it must
be done discreetly. Kyren; you were the one to find him.
It is only fair that you be the one to anoint him."
Joy spread across Kyren's face. "Thank you, Ferat.
I'm honored by this gift."
"The anointing must be done by tomorrow, or the
ceremony will have to be postponed another cycle," Ferat
stated. "We've waited a long time for this. May the
goddess go with you in your task."
"As she goes with us all," Kyren replied humbly.
"Sie tzat," the crowd joined in.
End Chapter Two