Chapter Three
Jabarra stood in the door to Bashir's office and
observed the young man.
Since returning from lunch, he had done nothing more
than scour the station's medical records for some
information he wasn't willing to share. Jabarra was
worried. She knew that he needed time to deal with this
latest occurrence of self-doubt and neglect spawned by
the crew, but this time he seemed to be sinking deeper
into depression. He would only treat a few patients that
asked for him specifically. He didn't speak, would
hardly look Jabarra in the eyes. Whatever had happened
this time was hitting too close to home. Not even Garak
had been able to break through the newly erected wall
that was blocking everything out of Bashir. If Bashir
didn't get help soon, she was going to have to call one
of the senior staff down for help.
Bashir finally noticed his nurse standing in his
doorway. "Yes, Jabarra? Is there a patient I need to
see?"
Jabarra nodded. "You could say that."
Bashir stood and exited his office. When he didn't
see anyone in the Infirmary, he turned to her. "Well?
Who is it?"
"You," Jabarra told him. "Doctor, I don't mean to
pry, but your attitude the past two days has me
concerned. Is there something wrong I should know
about?"
Bashir smiled weakly and shook his head. "I know
I've been preoccupied lately, but it'll pass. Don't
worry about me. I can take care of myself."
With that, Bashir returned to his office, firmly
shutting the door behind him. Jabarra stared after him
for several seconds, then went to the other side of the
room, out of Bashir's line of sight. She tapped her
communicator. "Jabarra to O'Brien."
"O'Brien here," came the Irishman's voice. From the
background noise, it sounded as though he were at
Quark's. "What can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if you could tell me if anything
happened to Doctor Bashir yesterday," Jabarra said.
"Is something wrong?" O'Brien asked.
"Nothing of concern," Jabarra assured him. Yet.
"Well, I can't answer you," O'Brien told her. "I
haven't seen him since yesterday morning. He missed our
dart game last night, and I called him on it, but I
haven't noticed anything."
Jabarra frowned. Something wasn't right. "Thanks,
Chief. Infirmary out." Who to call next? "Jabarra to
Dax."
"Dax here."
"Lieutenant, can you report to the Infirmary?"
Jabarra asked. "I'd like to speak with you."
"I'm on my way. Dax out."
Dax arrived fifteen minutes later. She glanced
about the room, taking in the closed office door. "I
take it this is about Julian?"
Jabarra nodded. "I don't suppose you could shed any
light on the situation? He came in yesterday somewhat
depressed, and he hasn't gotten any better. I'm
worried."
Dax smiled. "He's lucky to have you as his head
nurse. In answer to your question, I don't know. I
didn't know anything was wrong. He called up to OPS
yesterday morning after a slight skirmish we had, but
that's the last I heard from him."
"What did he call to OPS for, if you don't mind my
asking," Jabarra asked.
"Not at all," Dax replied. "He called to ask what
was going on. Nerys told him that we were busy, and that
there weren't any injured."
Some of the pieces began to fall into place for
Jabarra. She nodded slowly. "That would explain some of
this."
"What do you mean?" Dax asked.
Jabarra stared at her. She honestly didn't know.
Bashir had been dismissed because there was no need for
him. He had been hurt because of it, and no one saw it.
Unbelievable.
"Doctor Bashir is . . . hurt," Jabarra began slowly.
Concern flitted across Dax's face. "What? How?"
Jabarra shook her head. "No, not like that. He's
hurt because . . . it's hard to explain. Maybe it would
be better if you found out from him."
Dax nodded and went to knock on Bashir's door.
After being granted permission to enter, Dax walked into
the room and looked at the young man.
Bashir looked back to Dax, surprise evident on his
face. "Jadzia! This is a pleasant surprise. What can I
do for you?"
"I hear there's something going on with you, and I
was hoping to find out what it was," Dax explained,
taking a seat across from him.
Bashir tossed an annoyed glance at the door.
"Jabarra called you, didn't she? Don't mind her. She's
a little overly concerned. It's nothing."
Dax frowned. "Are you sure? Because you know you
can talk to me if something is bothering you."
Bashir nodded, a sad smile on his face. "I know."
Dax smiled back. "Why did you miss you dart game
last night? I thought you enjoyed playing against
Miles."
Something flashed across Bashir's face too quickly
for Dax to identify it. "I . . . something came up."
Dax stared into Bashir's eyes, knowing it was a lie.
"Julian . . ."
"Is there anything else, Jadzia, because I'm really
busy," Bashir cut her off.
Dax was still for a few minutes, then stood. "You
know where to find me," she said.
Bashir nodded, his gaze already back on his computer
screen.
Dax walked up to Jabarra. "You're right.
Something's wrong, but he won't tell me. Do you know?"
"Not the whole story," Jabarra replied.
"What do you know?" Dax asked.
Jabarra shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said. "I
don't want to tell you just yet. My suspicions may not
be entirely correct."
"But when you know for certain . . ." Dax trailed
off.
Jabarra nodded.
~~*~~
Garak made his way through the crowded bar and
claimed a seat near Morn. Quark immediately approached
him.
"What can I get for you today, Garak?" Quark asked.
"Some kanar, if you will," Garak replied.
Quark obliged. "Do you mind if I ask you
something?" he asked, setting the glass before the
tailor.
Garak nodded once.
Quark leaned forward. Garak did the same. "Have
you noticed our new arrivals?" Quark asked. "The ones
that docked a little while ago?"
Garak glanced around the bar. "I don't suppose you
mean the Alentari?"
Quark was surprised. "You've heard of them?"
"You could say that," Garak replied.
"I see," Quark said. "Then maybe you can explain to
me why they all seem interested in our doctor?"
Garak carefully masked his surprise. "What makes
you say that?"
"Every time they come in here, all they do is order
water," Quark complained. "I don't make money selling
water."
"So you've decided to find other ways to make money
off of them," Garak stated. "Blackmail, for instance."
"I have to make a living just like everyone else,"
Quark said matter of factly.
"I see," Garak commented.
"Anyway," Quark continued, slightly irritated at the
interruption. "I've been keeping my eyes on all of those
. . . Alentari, and all they do is sit around and watch
the doctor."
Garak raised his eyebrows. "Indeed?" he said. "I
don't suppose you used one of your listening devices to
hear what they've been saying."
Quark gave him a startled look. "How . . . I mean,
what are you talking about?"
Garak gave him a pointed look.
Quark scowled. "All right. Yes, I did. They keep
talking about some celebration and salvation. Whatever
that means. Just keep an eye on our doctor. I don't
like the looks of these Alentari."
Garak's face registered genuine surprise. "Why,
Quark, it almost sounds as if you care!"
Quark's scowl deepened. "Don't be ridiculous," he
mumbled. "Doctor Bashir pays his bills. I'd hate to
lose one of my best customers."
Quark moved on to newly arrived customers. Garak
sipped his kanar and looked around the bar once more.
Several of the newly arrived Alentari were sitting in
strategic places all over the bar, all eyes focused on
the entrance to the Infirmary. A frown creased his
features, and he made a mental note to keep an eye on the
young doctor.
End Chapter Three
Jabarra stood in the door to Bashir's office and
observed the young man.
Since returning from lunch, he had done nothing more
than scour the station's medical records for some
information he wasn't willing to share. Jabarra was
worried. She knew that he needed time to deal with this
latest occurrence of self-doubt and neglect spawned by
the crew, but this time he seemed to be sinking deeper
into depression. He would only treat a few patients that
asked for him specifically. He didn't speak, would
hardly look Jabarra in the eyes. Whatever had happened
this time was hitting too close to home. Not even Garak
had been able to break through the newly erected wall
that was blocking everything out of Bashir. If Bashir
didn't get help soon, she was going to have to call one
of the senior staff down for help.
Bashir finally noticed his nurse standing in his
doorway. "Yes, Jabarra? Is there a patient I need to
see?"
Jabarra nodded. "You could say that."
Bashir stood and exited his office. When he didn't
see anyone in the Infirmary, he turned to her. "Well?
Who is it?"
"You," Jabarra told him. "Doctor, I don't mean to
pry, but your attitude the past two days has me
concerned. Is there something wrong I should know
about?"
Bashir smiled weakly and shook his head. "I know
I've been preoccupied lately, but it'll pass. Don't
worry about me. I can take care of myself."
With that, Bashir returned to his office, firmly
shutting the door behind him. Jabarra stared after him
for several seconds, then went to the other side of the
room, out of Bashir's line of sight. She tapped her
communicator. "Jabarra to O'Brien."
"O'Brien here," came the Irishman's voice. From the
background noise, it sounded as though he were at
Quark's. "What can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if you could tell me if anything
happened to Doctor Bashir yesterday," Jabarra said.
"Is something wrong?" O'Brien asked.
"Nothing of concern," Jabarra assured him. Yet.
"Well, I can't answer you," O'Brien told her. "I
haven't seen him since yesterday morning. He missed our
dart game last night, and I called him on it, but I
haven't noticed anything."
Jabarra frowned. Something wasn't right. "Thanks,
Chief. Infirmary out." Who to call next? "Jabarra to
Dax."
"Dax here."
"Lieutenant, can you report to the Infirmary?"
Jabarra asked. "I'd like to speak with you."
"I'm on my way. Dax out."
Dax arrived fifteen minutes later. She glanced
about the room, taking in the closed office door. "I
take it this is about Julian?"
Jabarra nodded. "I don't suppose you could shed any
light on the situation? He came in yesterday somewhat
depressed, and he hasn't gotten any better. I'm
worried."
Dax smiled. "He's lucky to have you as his head
nurse. In answer to your question, I don't know. I
didn't know anything was wrong. He called up to OPS
yesterday morning after a slight skirmish we had, but
that's the last I heard from him."
"What did he call to OPS for, if you don't mind my
asking," Jabarra asked.
"Not at all," Dax replied. "He called to ask what
was going on. Nerys told him that we were busy, and that
there weren't any injured."
Some of the pieces began to fall into place for
Jabarra. She nodded slowly. "That would explain some of
this."
"What do you mean?" Dax asked.
Jabarra stared at her. She honestly didn't know.
Bashir had been dismissed because there was no need for
him. He had been hurt because of it, and no one saw it.
Unbelievable.
"Doctor Bashir is . . . hurt," Jabarra began slowly.
Concern flitted across Dax's face. "What? How?"
Jabarra shook her head. "No, not like that. He's
hurt because . . . it's hard to explain. Maybe it would
be better if you found out from him."
Dax nodded and went to knock on Bashir's door.
After being granted permission to enter, Dax walked into
the room and looked at the young man.
Bashir looked back to Dax, surprise evident on his
face. "Jadzia! This is a pleasant surprise. What can I
do for you?"
"I hear there's something going on with you, and I
was hoping to find out what it was," Dax explained,
taking a seat across from him.
Bashir tossed an annoyed glance at the door.
"Jabarra called you, didn't she? Don't mind her. She's
a little overly concerned. It's nothing."
Dax frowned. "Are you sure? Because you know you
can talk to me if something is bothering you."
Bashir nodded, a sad smile on his face. "I know."
Dax smiled back. "Why did you miss you dart game
last night? I thought you enjoyed playing against
Miles."
Something flashed across Bashir's face too quickly
for Dax to identify it. "I . . . something came up."
Dax stared into Bashir's eyes, knowing it was a lie.
"Julian . . ."
"Is there anything else, Jadzia, because I'm really
busy," Bashir cut her off.
Dax was still for a few minutes, then stood. "You
know where to find me," she said.
Bashir nodded, his gaze already back on his computer
screen.
Dax walked up to Jabarra. "You're right.
Something's wrong, but he won't tell me. Do you know?"
"Not the whole story," Jabarra replied.
"What do you know?" Dax asked.
Jabarra shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said. "I
don't want to tell you just yet. My suspicions may not
be entirely correct."
"But when you know for certain . . ." Dax trailed
off.
Jabarra nodded.
~~*~~
Garak made his way through the crowded bar and
claimed a seat near Morn. Quark immediately approached
him.
"What can I get for you today, Garak?" Quark asked.
"Some kanar, if you will," Garak replied.
Quark obliged. "Do you mind if I ask you
something?" he asked, setting the glass before the
tailor.
Garak nodded once.
Quark leaned forward. Garak did the same. "Have
you noticed our new arrivals?" Quark asked. "The ones
that docked a little while ago?"
Garak glanced around the bar. "I don't suppose you
mean the Alentari?"
Quark was surprised. "You've heard of them?"
"You could say that," Garak replied.
"I see," Quark said. "Then maybe you can explain to
me why they all seem interested in our doctor?"
Garak carefully masked his surprise. "What makes
you say that?"
"Every time they come in here, all they do is order
water," Quark complained. "I don't make money selling
water."
"So you've decided to find other ways to make money
off of them," Garak stated. "Blackmail, for instance."
"I have to make a living just like everyone else,"
Quark said matter of factly.
"I see," Garak commented.
"Anyway," Quark continued, slightly irritated at the
interruption. "I've been keeping my eyes on all of those
. . . Alentari, and all they do is sit around and watch
the doctor."
Garak raised his eyebrows. "Indeed?" he said. "I
don't suppose you used one of your listening devices to
hear what they've been saying."
Quark gave him a startled look. "How . . . I mean,
what are you talking about?"
Garak gave him a pointed look.
Quark scowled. "All right. Yes, I did. They keep
talking about some celebration and salvation. Whatever
that means. Just keep an eye on our doctor. I don't
like the looks of these Alentari."
Garak's face registered genuine surprise. "Why,
Quark, it almost sounds as if you care!"
Quark's scowl deepened. "Don't be ridiculous," he
mumbled. "Doctor Bashir pays his bills. I'd hate to
lose one of my best customers."
Quark moved on to newly arrived customers. Garak
sipped his kanar and looked around the bar once more.
Several of the newly arrived Alentari were sitting in
strategic places all over the bar, all eyes focused on
the entrance to the Infirmary. A frown creased his
features, and he made a mental note to keep an eye on the
young doctor.
End Chapter Three