Chapter Five

Commander Sisko paced back and forth near the entrance of the infirmary.

"If Jahzara does not survive this, the both of you could be charged with attempted murder!" he stormed.

"But, Dad, isn't that only possible if Jahzara presses charges?" Jake asked.

"Yes, but that's only half of it. If Doctor Bashir presses charges…"

Jake and Nog exchanged nervous glances. Most of the time you couldn't predict Doctor Bashir. Commander Sisko paced a little more than faced Nog.

"How could you be so irresponsible to not check the holodeck safety settings?!" Sisko stormed. "How could you take Jahzara into a Klingon battle simulation with no experience and no safety settings?!?"

Nog stuttered as he tried to explain.

"B-but, I-I didn't know! I swear! Just please don't tell my uncle!"

"Oh, your uncle's gonna know. In fact, if Bashir presses charges, the whole station's going to know, and you'll never be accepted into Star Fleet!" Sisko boomed.

The emergency room doors slid open and Doctor Bashir walked out with his uniform still on. Nog and Jake jumped to their feet the moment her entered.

"Well?" Nog asked impatiently.

"Will she be alright?" Jake asked in the same manner.

"Well, you two are lucky that the dagger didn't get any further. It had already had broken a blood vessel and any farther and the dagger would stabbed her in her heart. Than I wouldn't be able to save her but luckily you two had enough sense not to touch the weapon."

"Any critical injuries?" Sisko asked. Bashir shook his head.

"She might get pains occasionally and have a bit of trouble breathing, but I can always give her something for that." Bashir explained.

"Can we talk to her?" Jake asked.

"Sure, but I doubt she'll hear you." Bashir warned. Jake and Nog raced in. Commander Sisko watched his son and Nog run back into the medical room to see Jahzara.

"Doctor, you have the right to press charges, you know." Sisko acknowledged.

Bashir looked shocked that Sisko had even brought up the subject.

"But sir, your son, he's friends with Nog, what would he think?"

Sisko raised an eyebrow. "Bashir, don't make your decision based on my son's relationship with Nog."

"Commander, you've gotten the wrong idea. I don't want to press charges." Bashir announced.

"I see." Sisko said. "If I may be so bold, why?"

"Jahzara's fine, no real damage was done and it was an accident."

"Oh, I see." Sisko acknowledged. "Well then, I'll be in my office if you need me." And with that he exited the infirmary.

Bashir watched as the infirmary doors slid shut behind Sisko and he turned and walked into the back room.

Both Jake and Nog turned around and stepped aside so that the figure on the medical bed could see the doctor.

She blinked weakly and smiled at her uncle. She opened her mouth to speak but before she could, Bashir spoke first.

"How're you feeling?"

Jahzara struggled to sit up higher and succeeded.

"Just fine, thanks."

"You really could have gotten killed in there. What were you thinking?" Bashir asked as gently as possible.

"Well, I was bored, so I told Nog and Jake and they told me to follow them and we ended up in the holosuite." Jahzara explained.

"Well that explains how you got there, but how did you get stabbed if the holodeck safety settings were on?" Bashir questioned.

"I didn't know the safety settings were off until I was…you know." Jahzara admitted.

Bashir turned on Nog and Jake. "Did you two even check the safety settings?"

Nog turned nervously to Jake. "No, not really."

Bashir folded his arms across his chest. "Well, then, we'll have to think up a punishment for all this, since I'm not pressing charges."

Both Jake and Nog looked overexcited. "Really?!?!"

Bashir nodded. "But, you'll be serving you're punishment with the Constable for a whole month."