She left the house swiftly, bounding up the outside steps and made her way to the nearest transporter pad to get her to the science labs. She materialised a few moments later inside the building, shivering momentarily, as the corridors were cool even by Trill standards, though she recalled that the labs were often of a more preferable temperature, the smell of the sterile environment assaulting her senses, she grimaced and moved over to check the nearest site map for the most likely lab candidates, once located she again set off at a brisk walk trying to ignore all the clinks of glass from people's experiments in the labs to either side of her, she bypassing people walking hunched over PADD's reviewing data, muttering to themselves about the variables involved in their works, she continued through the hallways, passing a group of Trill scientists arguing over the application of a new theory, but she continued on towards her goal. The corridors she walked through were surrounded by labs to either side, many with thick glass panelled walls. Strip lighting overhead made the way through the warren like corridors clearer. The ministry exuded an austere and stark environment to those who visited, though they were few, as Dax walked she noted that very little had changed since she had been here last, the scientists who worked here remained almost exclusively Trill, though she did spot a Vulcan on her way through the maze. As she passed one of the labs she saw a younger Trill inside disappear behind a large cloud of acrid smoke, following the resounding explosion that lightly rocked his equipment, she paused a moment to make sure he was unharmed, the smog quickly clearing to reveal a rather shocked looking, yet ecstatic face, evidently the result had been desired, Dax smiled to herself remembering her time spent in the labs working for many hours on projects for her multiple degrees. She continued her search for Lenara, trying to keep the sound of her footfalls to a minimum, knowing that generally the ministry was a quiet place for serious work, many of the scientists disliking any intrusions or interruptions.
She slowed considerably as she came close to her destination, realising she'd come without a plan of action or indeed preparation of any sort. She neared the door of the labs and made to enter, but ended up pacing the corridor outside instead, every so often nervously wiping clammy hands on the leg of her uniform. She'd been outside for at least 20 minutes when the lab doors swished open and Kahn stepped out, Dax however seemingly didn't notice as she continued her nervous pacing, occasionally muttering something inaudible to herself, until a soft voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Jadzia, are you going to come in and talk to me, or would you prefer to stay out here and pace a little more first?" it asked
Dax came to an abrupt halt and turned to come face to face with Lenara Kahn, her mouth gold fished briefly before snapping shut as she regarded her quizzically. "How did you…?"
Kahn raised an eyebrow "The lab has glass walls, remember? I saw you pacing…do I make you that nervous?" she asked as an afterthought tilting her head slightly allowing an almost smile to appear.
Dax's expression softened "No, of course not, being here does, but not you, never you!" she replied then paused "Glass walls?" she asked
Kahn nodded and indicated towards them "Oh, yes"
Dax hid her face in her hands and muttered a choice Klingon expletive "Q'est!"
"Hmm, don't think I know that one, but then I never was very Klingon as you know" she considered thoughtfully "Though I'm starting to think that Curzon was a bad influence on you! You should probably come in, there's only me here Jadzia, despite the glass, it's more private in there than it is out here" she said with a soft smile, briefly tugging on Dax's hand in an effort to persuade her to follow her back inside.
The doors slid closed behind them with a gentle whoosh, as they entered. Kahn moved over to a bench where she had obviously paused in the middle of something "I hope you don't mind if I finish this off, it will only take a few minutes" Dax nodded her head and continued her poking around the lab whilst Kahn finished up her work. Having made sure that Dax was otherwise occupied for the time being, Lenara had turned back to her bench to continue transcribing her last observations from her morning's work, before offering Dax her full attention.
The lab space Lenara had led Dax into, had originally, Dax was sure, been as typically austere and sterile as the other parts of the Science Ministry she had walked through on her way here, though now there was evidence of Lenara and her work. Unlike most of the other labs this one was littered with the work of many years, though in an orderly way if that were at all possible. The benches were laden with PADD's of results, notes, field test information, Holo's of multiple wormholes from around the galaxy were also located around the walls of the lab, managing to hide the blue-grey walls that were standard for the ministry. It was evident from the arrangement of the labs work benches and equipment that this space was shared with Lenara's colleagues Dr Hanor Pren and Dr Bejal Otner. In addition to the multitude of PADD's and Holo's were three consoles, so as to enable the trio of scientists to work independently, yet simultaneously, and allow them all to combine their data more readily. Though there were currently no physical experiments in progress within the lab, there remained the very sterile smell of a laboratory, with the subtle hint of the electrical equipment seeping through.
As Dax's gaze wandered around the room she noted several items that she was sure had once been Nilani Kahn's that the part of her that was still Torias Dax recognised nostalgically, brushing soft fingers reverently over one or two of the items, bringing a smile to her face as she continued her perusal of the space.
She finished her pottering around at the sound of Lenara's voice addressing her, alerting her to the fact that Lenara had now finished her work for the time being, and that the reason for her untimely visit was about to come to the fore.
"It's a great set up you have here" Dax spoke up once Lenara had completed her work and was giving her her full attention.
"Thank you" she replied smiling "but you didn't come here to complement me on my lab space now, did you?" she asked her voice gentling as she spoke
"No" Dax allowed leaning back on a nearby workbench, her hands resting lightly on the smooth surface of the bench and absentmindedly crossing her legs at the ankles "I didn't…you don't seem so surprised to see me" she said "Am I that predictable to you?"
Lenara smiled "No Jadzia, I've never known you to be predictable, nor was Torias for that matter, I just know you're tenacity and single mindedness, and that at the very least you'd want to know why I left"
Dax nodded "I want to know how you could have made that decision, why you made it…were you punishing me, for leaving you, for all those years alone…for dying?" she asked her voice shaking almost imperceptibly.
Kahn looked at her "A part of me was" she conceded unhappily folding her arms over her blue-grey tunic "but not truly, how could I want to punish you for something like that?" she paused unfolding her arms making a gesture of uncertainty "But I don't think we should be having this conversation…" she added partially echoing Dax's words from a few weeks earlier.
"Why not?" asked Dax "At some point we should, and since I'm here, now seems like an ideal time to me!" she subconsciously crossed her arms loosely over her chest, a small frown wrinkling her brow.
"I made my decision Jadzia and I'd hoped you would be able to respect that" she continued in a voice that she hoped would remain strong
"I see" replied Dax somewhat stiffly as she stood up "I'm sorry to have wasted your time Lenara "she paused "I'm staying at my mother's if you feel we have anything further to discuss"
"Dax…Jadzia, please don't be like that, don't leave here so angry, not again" pleaded Lenara her hands reaching out towards her, but Dax was already up and moving for the doors, she swung quickly out of the lab and retreated down the corridor to the transporter pad muttering in Klingon as she went "Hu'tegh baQa!", leaving Kahn standing in the lab alone, with a look of shock on her face. "What have you done Lenara?" she asked herself in a pained whisper as she leaned over onto her workbench head in hands.