Thank you, JacobedRose and Inyri, for reviewing. I love getting feedback on my stories.

Disclaimer: Star Trek Deep Space Nine does not belong to me, but if its creators didn't want people to write their own stories based on it, they wouldn't have made it so good.

Note: though the Tzenkethi were referred to on the show, I don't think they were ever shown or described, so my description of Nshevalth is based only on my own imagination.

Pronunciation guide: "ei" as in vein; "ai"as in aisle; in the Yniln language, "y" is always a consonant.

Chapter 2

Commander Vaughn and Benjamin Sisko stood in front of an airlock, waiting.

"Do you want to give him the official welcome, or should I?" Vaughn asked.

"I'm just here in an advisory capacity," Sisko said. "You're the acting commanding officer of this station."

Vaughn's wince was almost a smile. "Lucky me."

The doors opened, and the replacement security officer and his wife entered. Burnau Bez was short for a Betazoid. He had thick black hair, large dark brown eyes, and olive skin. He could easily have been mistaken for human. His wife was a different matter. She stood head and shoulders taller than her husband; her skin was as jet-black as his hair, her eyes were opalescent pools of indigo, set wide in a face which was shaped basically like a human's, but wider with softer angles, and completely lacking eyebrows and eyebrow ridges. She wore a dark, long-sleeved iridescent leotard that left her shoulders bare. Her shimmering pale orange hair hung in two very long, complex braids. Copper earrings dangled from her earlobes like miniaturized wind chimes. Long zygodactylic toes gripped the floor. Her legs, arms, and body were long and slender.

"Welcome to Deep Space Nine, Lieutenant Bez. I'm Commander Elias Vaughn, and I believe you know Benjamin Sisko."

"It's a pleasure," Bez said as he shook the proffered hands. "This is my wife, Nshevalth."

"I'm honored to find myself in such company," the woman greeted them. She reached out a graceful, four-fingered hand for the traditional human handshake. "I've heard much about your heroism during the war, Captain Sisko. I've wanted to visit this station for years. I only wish it were under better circumstances."

"As do I," Sisko said. "But I hope you enjoy your stay here, in spite of that. May I show you to your quarters?"

"That would be very kind of you, Captain Sisko," Bez said.

Nshevalth looked at her husband with an unreadable expression.

Without looking around, Bez amended, "But Nshevalth would like to talk to the proprietor of the station's holosuites. She's a holonovelist and would like to sell some of her work. But she's sure she can find her way on her own. I'd like to get started setting up our quarters."

Sisko and Vaughn exchanged glances. "I think that would be fine," Sisko agreed. "But I should warn you: the proprietor is a Ferengi."

"I know," Nshevalth assured him with a smile that told them she liked a challenge.

Sisko led Lieutenant Bez to the habitat ring. They didn't say anything for a few minutes, but once they were on the turbolift, Bez turned to him with a smile. "She's not what you expected."

"Not at all," Sisko admitted. "Of course, I've never met a Tzenkethi outside of a battle situation, but I don't remember them being so…"

"Charming," Bez finished for him.

Sisko nodded. "Also, if you don't mind my asking…"

"You want to know how we got together." Bez smiled. "Betazoids are rarely offended by personal questions, Mr. Sisko."

"I can understand that. So, how did you meet?"

"During the Federation/Tzenkethi war, I was in a runabout that got in a firefight with her ship. We both sustained heavy damage and were forced to land on a nearby Class-M moon. There were five Federation and six Tzenkethi survivors. At first, we made preparations to attack each other, but it soon became obvious that we had to band together to survive. The dominant lifeform on that moon was an aggressive carnivore that stalked us both, attacking under cover of darkness. They were large, intelligent, and deadly. The Tzenkethi have better night vision than we do, but their projectile weapons were useless against the creatures' armored skin, so Nshevalth convinced her companions to find us and strike an agreement: we traded weapons. The Tzenkethi used our weapons and their superior night vision to protect all of us from the creatures, and we took the Tzenkethi weapons as assurance that they wouldn't turn on us. Federation and Tzenkethi warships picked up our distress signals at the same time, and Nshevalth and I talked our respective parties into parting peacefully after rescuing us. When the war ended she moved to Federation space and contacted me. During the Dominion War she joined the crew of one of the private ships that contributed to the war effort. She mostly fought against the Breen, but also had a few run-ins with the Jem'hadar. We were married on Betazed right after it was freed." Sensing that Sisko's curiosity was satisfied, Bez changed the subject. "I hear you were recently remarried."

"Yes. In fact, my wife and I have a baby girl."

"That's wonderful, but I sense you're worried about them."

They reached Bez's quarters.

"I look forward to working with you again, Lieutenant," Sisko said in parting.

"Likewise," Bez replied.

"One more thing," Sisko asked. "Is it true that Tzenkethi bioluminesce when they're…aroused?"

Bez just smiled and closed the door.

Quark looked up from the bar when he heard a new customer enter. Then he froze. Normally, he like tall women, but this one was too tall for his comfort. Her black skin seemed to drink in the light from around her, making the room darker by her mere presence. He had difficulty distinguishing individual features on her shadowless face.

When she reached a barstool, she didn't so much sit down as fold herself onto it with a spidery grace.

Gulping down his nervousness, Quark approached his new guest, reviewing in his mind his favorite Rules of Acquisition to give himself courage.

"Hello, and welcome to Quark's. I'm the owner of this establishment, and I would love to know what I could do for you."

The woman's wide, thick-lipped mouth curved into a smile. "What are my options?"

Quark made an all-inclusive gesture with his hands. "Name it; we've got it."

"Mdolai seed wine," she ordered without hesitation.

Quark froze like a Tzenkethi mud rabbit caught in a hunter's searchlight. "I'm…not sure we have that in stock at the moment," he said in a tight, small voice.

"I'm not surprised. I haven't had mdolai seed wine since I left Tzenketh."

"Tzenketh…Tzenketh…" Quark racked his memory for where he'd heard that word before.

"A selfish, xenophobic little empire outside Federation space. Don't worry that you haven't heard about it. The autocracy strictly forbids most outside commerce."

For a moment, Quark floundered for which direction he could most profitably take that comment, then decided to go the safest rout—flattery. "I can see you're a woman with good lobes for business."

She shook her head slightly, causing her earrings to tinkle musically. "Profit doesn't interest me: I'm an artist."

"Ah, but what is the purpose of art, if not profit?"

She gave him a withering glare, causing Quark to cower slightly. Then she moved on. "My name is Nshevalth Bez. My husband is temporarily taking over as chief of security here. As I mentioned, I'm an artist. More specifically, a holonovelist. And I would like an iced raktajino, and to discuss a business proposition."

The man had auburn hair, braided tightly, falling to his lower back. The woman had shoulder-length dark brown hair. She was short and slightly plump. Pretty, but not beautiful. She had a youthful vigor offset by serious eyes. Both were dressed in elaborate silken togas, hers jade green, his turquoise. They had the same porcelain skin as the blond woman who would later be executed.

They were in what looked like a space station, in a large circular room with a window stretching along half the wall. Elaborately colored, thick, square cushions lay on the floor along the window. Otherwise, the room was undecorated. They were the only people in it.

"I was surprised to see you here," the man finally said. "I've only seen you at the shrine. I thought you were a theilkrCu."

She faced him, standing about a meter and a half away, in a rigidly formal mien. "I was thinking about becoming a theilkrCu," she explained, "but I wasn't entirely certain that's the path I most desire."

"What path do you desire?" he asked, almost flirtatiously.

She didn't answer directly. "Tell me, Raiic Viyan, why did you join the Bysev?"

He opened his palm toward the window. "I wanted to see the stars. To really see stars. It has been an irrational longing of mine since I was a child. Why did you join?"

"Are you familiar with TheilkrCu Oivut Zhiker's Extrapolation of theThilnhwag Affirmation?"

Raiic Viyan made a show of trying to recall it, even though he had never read the works of Oivut Zhiker. "No, I'm afraid not."

"It says 'The more I explore the world, the better I know myself'. Of course, while he was limited to Yns, we have the universe to explore."

He nodded. "So you joined Bysev because you don't know what path you most desire to take?"

"Yes," she confirmed.

"I'm sure you'll find a path, Danor Talu," he said.

She graced him with a suggestive smile. "And even if I don't, I'm sure I'll have many adventures along the way."

Kira, eavesdropping from a far distant time and place, shifted to another scene. The man and woman looked older, though not by very much. They were dressed in what Kira knew from spending time in Vic's to be old Earth clothes. There were five other people with them, two men and three women. One of the men resembled Raiic Viyan and Danor Talu, but the others were clearly of another species, though still humanoid enough to pass as humans.

Danor Talu was being held to a wall with a force field, her eyes full of unfocused malice.

"She's been infected," said a tall woman with tightly curled red hair.

"Are you sure?" Raiic Viyan asked fearfully.

"Look at her! If she escapes, we'll be exposed, and the mission will have to be aborted. We'll have failed."

"We can't kill her!" Raiic Viyan nearly screamed.

One of the others, a brown-skinned woman with feline green eyes, put her hand on his shoulder. "Raiic, she knew this was a possibility. That thing in her hasn't been able to report our existence yet, but we can't take any chances."

"I have an idea," said a man with gray-green eyes and chocolate-colored hair.

The red-haired woman, who seemed to be in charge, gave him her full attention. "We're listening, Chax."

"This thing is vulnerable to extreme cold. If we put her in cryostasis, we could save her. But it will be difficult and risky...and could take years."

"We would have to find a way to keep her neural patterns from degrading," said a tall brunette woman, "but it could work."

"If it can be done, then we'll do it," the red-haired woman declared confidently.

"Unauthorized Dominion ship coming through the Wormhole," said Prynn Tenmei from her station in Ops.

"Hail them," Commander Vaughn ordered.

The visage of a female Vorta appeared on the screen. "Greetings, Commander Vaughn. My name is Kalaran, and I'm here on assignment from Odo."

"Can I have verification for that?" Vaughn asked, nearly managing to hide his suspicion.

"Unfortunately, my assignment is of a very sensitive nature. Before I reveal too much, I would ask you to allow me to beam aboard your station, alone, and do a thorough search for any Dominion surveillance devices."

Vaughn considered the proposition, contemplating hidden threats. "Would you agree on having our security officers accompany you?"

"That is agreeable."

"And if you don't mind, I'd like to use our own transporter to beam you aboard."

Kalaran hesitated for a moment. "Very well. I will bring my ship within range of your transporters."

Ten minutes later, Kalaran was beamed into Ops, where she was met by two security officers, as well as Commander Vaughn and Sisko. She carried a Dominion scanner.

"Time is an issue and I would like to get started with my scan as soon as possible," she said.

Vaughn nodded. "Of course. But Mr. Sisko and I would like to accompany you, as well."

Kalaran looked confused by the request, but didn't protest. "If you wish."

As they scanned Ops, the Captain's office, and the Promenade, Vaughn questioned their guest on Dominion scanning and surveillance equipment. Kalaran answered candidly. Sisko mostly observed her in silence.

When they reached the Infirmary, Kalaran froze for a second when she saw Kira in the bio-bed, but then she continued with her scans. As soon as she was certain the Infirmary was clean of Dominion or any other surveillance devices, she turned to Sisko and Vaughn. "I'm satisfied that your station is secure. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Kalaran dissolved in a swirl of golden light, which condensed into the form of Odo. Vaughn stared in sheer confusion, but Sisko nodded, as though this development only confirmed his suspicion.

"Odo!" Dr. Bashir exclaimed. "I thought you weren't coming."

"I didn't intend to," Odo said as he walked to Kira's side. "The situation in the Dominion is volatile right now, which is why no one from the Dominion except the people on the ship that brought me can know I'm here." Although his voice was calm, his eyes, as they looked down on Kira, were full of tenderness and fear.

"What made you decide to come?" Sisko inquired.

Odo continued staring at the unconscious woman so intently that Vaughn doubted Sisko's words had reached him, but then he replied, "I had a talk with her Prophets." He tore his eyes away from Kira and looked at Sisko. "They're not overly concerned with clarity, are they?"

Sisko smiled. "You could put it that way. But you have to remember that they perceive the universe in an entirely different way than we do; we're as confusing to them as they are to us."

Odo gently caressed Kira's face with the tips of his fingers. "I wish she had been able to see them, instead of me."

"Kai Opaka once told me that no one should look their own gods in the eye. I think Nerys will feel honored that they spoke to you."

Odo's hands slipped around Kira's motionless fingers. "I don't understand why they did. It doesn't make any sense."

"Maybe not yet," Sisko said comfortingly. "But they always have a reason. You might not understand it, but they told you whatever they needed you to know."

Odo was distracted by Kira's unusually pale face. "Did I do this to her?" he asked no one in specific. "Is this my fault?"

Vaughn and Sisko exchanged uncomfortable glances. Bashir opened his mouth to offer some blithe reassurance, but couldn't honestly bring himself to say that Odo bore absolutely no blame for what happened to Kira and Ro.

Odo took their silence for what it was: a confirmation of his suspicions. He was grateful that his friends didn't lie to protect his feelings. And he wasn't about to give in to guilt. Maybe if Kira died it would be a different matter, but in the meantime he would do whatever he could for her, even though he had no idea what that might be.