Author's Thanks: to Frost Deejn & Thought!

• F D - Thanks for the input. :) I don't think it's a matter of proofreading as much it is a failure to recognize confusing when I see it. I'm working on it. Your suggestion has helped me notice a few problems that probably contribute to the overstepping. Thanks!

• T - Thank you. Your comment makes me realize that I've probably overdone the OC's—again—but I'll struggle to make the story comprehensible until I can go back and fix it. :) I do not want to start the restart cycle on another fanfic… The one I have in that cycle is on restart sixteen or so. You're welcome for the review. I enjoy helping.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author's Reminder: don't blaspheme or swear, but do tell me your thoughts & do put a smiley after jokes!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

9: Homecomings :9

- - - Deep Space Nine - - -

"What is it?" Doctor Julian Bashir rushed into sickbay.

Nurse Robinson looked up at him, face pale. "We have no idea."

In the midst of the medical personnel rushing about, a black viscous mass writhed on the biobed. It kept trying to send out tenticle-like strands, as if trying to find something—or one—before its shaky formation collapsed into itself.

Bashir immediately began checking the bioreadings. Nothing looked familiar, except perhaps a chemical reading or nine that resembled Odo's. "How'd it get to sickbay?"

Nurse Robinson swallowed. "It brought itself. It was better at first, but its control has been rapidly failing since it entered. I can only guess that it's some sort of neural breakdown."

"How helpful," one of the younger Bajoran nurses chirped to be silenced by the others' glares.

Faced with an impossible situation involving an unknown problem with a creature he knew nothing about, Bashir chose the only option he had.

"Get it in a hibernation chamber."

"We're putting it in stasis?"

He shot his head nurse a look. "You have a better idea?"

- - - Deep Space Nine - - -

"Edon—"

He intercepted her on her way to her morning raktajino. "Nerys, please! You won't even hear me out!"

"Not with your head screwed on backwards, I won't!" Her anger at her old friend's irrational behavior mounted.

"But look at yourself!"

She glared at him. "What about me?"

"You've adopted a child! Don't you think, on some level, you're wanting to settle down? Marry? Have a famil—"

"Leave Plié out of this," she warned.

Before he could respond, Ezri called her over the comm. "The replacements from Bajor have arrived."

Colonel Kira Nerys didn't move her glare off her friend as she slapped her badge. "Acknowledged." She headed towards the docking ring. "If you'll excuse me, I have to work for a living."

- - - Memory - - -

"Liasy—"

"Leave me, Elim." She coughed up blood, darker than a Cardassian's should be. It startled him. Her legs were trapped beneath a wall. "I'm not… who you think I am…"

He didn't want to know what that meant. Strength flowed from her more rapidly than it should've. He grunted, fighting the boulders. So little time—a Bajoran was approaching.

"Elim…" She fought to speak beyond a hoarse whisper. Her body spasmed—or was that her skin rippling?

He looked closer, and realized with a quick breath that those spasms were black-streaked crimson tendrils, snaking throughout her form.

Footsteps approached. One man. He watched his friend as she struggled with something, fighting, trying… A few minutes passed…

"There are none here!" the Bajoran called and retreated back to his fellows.

And she relaxed—completely.

- - - Deep Space Nine - - -

Protector Elim Garak let none see his abrupt return to reality. He checked his docking registry, found what quarters he'd been assigned, and headed to them.

He only knew two of her forms: the one she'd taken as a Cardassian, and her natural form. The form she took for her stepfamily's sake was unknown to him. Nonetheless, he would find her. Eventually.

Even if he had to trigger Heer's allergy to do it. And that would be excruciating for both of them. He'd rather not, if it could be avoided. He knew she was on the station—she wouldn't dare return to Bajor. He supposed that was a benefit.

Garak had his work cut out for him.

- - - Deep Space Nine - - -

Antimatter…

She glided to the antimatter as best she could, shivering like an addict off his drug. She wasn't used to keeping form on her own. She wasn't sure she even remembered how.

Actually, she knew she didn't.

She dripped from the maintenance tunnel's ceiling, pooling on the floor. When she was all there, she continued towards the energy pulses she knew would enable her to purge her systems.

She couldn't stop shivering.

After purging, she'd have to hide somewhere, allow herself to naturally form—then figure out how to design and reform. She knew the design she needed to use. She just couldn't remember how to implement it. Momma had shown her how…

But that was so long ago that the memory pathway had destabilized. Why was she taking such poor care of herself? There was a reason, she knew there was a reason, if she could only remember…

She couldn't remember much of anything.

- - - Deep Space Nine - - -

Colonel Kira Nerys greeted each new officer as he arrived. With her security force being returned to the control of the Bajoran Militia, she had quite a few new staff. All the arrivals' names were on the list but for one: her new Chief of Security.

She'd have talk with the Council of Ministers. Again.

What fun.

Nerys swallowed a yawn. Where was her Security Chief?

A boy stepped off the transport, graciously bowing. "Pardon my intrusion, Colonel. The Constable gave me a ride." He nodded and strode off as if an officer, himself.

Hearing someone be called "Constable" rose her ire. Odo had been Constable. She wouldn't call anyone else that.

Then her Chief of Security stepped off the transport.