Author's Note: This story is set in the second half of the fourth season.

Disclaimer: Star Trek is the legal property of Paramount. I am not making any money off of this and don't pretend that DS9 belongs to me. The story is my own work, however, and can't be used without permission.

1

"Is everyone all right?"

"I can't feel my legs!"

"That's because those are my legs!"

"Oh, thank God."

"Chief?"

"I think my arm is broken."

"All right, don't move. I'll be there as soon as the lights are on. Dax?"

"I'm on it."

There was a shuffling in the darkness of the shuttle cockpit as Dax hauled herself to what were, presumably, her own legs. Bashir squinted, trying to see anything, but it was pitch black inside the tiny craft, blackness that came with having no power in the depths of space, or perhaps the dead of night. They had landed somewhere, after all. By memory, he found one of his medkits and began inching in way, on his knees, to where O'Brien's voice had been coming from.

There were groans and winces all round when the power came back, illuminating the cabin. Bashir hurried over to where the chief lay on the floor, cradling his left arm. He pulled out a medical tricorder and scanned the injured bones.

"You're lucky," the doctor said. "It was a clean break. Now, this is going to hurt…"

He didn't give the chief any time to think about that before gripping his arm and popping the bones back into place. O'Brien yelped and glared at him. Ignoring him, Bashir fished out an osteo regenerator and healed the fractures.

"There," he said. "I'm going to wrap it and I want you to go easy on it for the next few days."

"That may not be possible, Julian," Dax said from behind him. Bashir looked over his shoulder to see both her and Kira seated in the pilots' seats, hard at work at their consoles. "We need to get this shuttle working again. We don't know where we are, and I'd rather we weren't found by the Cardassians or the Jem'Hadar."

"Any idea where we are?" O'Brien asked, pushing himself carefully to his feet.

"I'm working on it," Kira said. "It looks like we landed on an M-class planet, or moon. The atmosphere is a nitrogen-oxygen mix, with some carbon dioxide."

"Well, we couldn't have picked a better place anyway," O'Brien quipped. "What systems are working, Dax?"

"Primary life support, environmental controls, navigational controls, all sensors, and most of the emergency backups. Unfortunately, our engines were damaged."

"No kidding," O'Brien muttered dryly. He sat down at the engineering console.

"How does everyone feel?" Bashir asked.

"Better now," O'Brien said.

"I'm fine, Julian," Dax replied.

"Fine," Kira added.

"Good. At least we're in better shape than the shuttle."

"Is the communications array working?" O'Brien asked.

"No," Dax replied.

"I'll have a look at it," the chief said. Dax nodded distractely.

"Weapons and transporters are off line, but it doesn't look like it will take much work to get them up and running again."

"I can fix the communications array in about a day," the chief said. "I'll go take a look at the engines."

"Right," Kira said. "Julian, you're with me. Let's take a look outside."

Leaving Dax in the cockpit, the major and the doctor stepped out the hatch into the cold darkness. Stars shone down brightly, with no visible moon to lessen their light. It was impossible to see around them; the darkness only solidified into shadows. Bashir couldn't even see his own hand a foot from his face. He squinted, but it didn't help. The night here was complete.

"Smells like there's a river nearby," Kira commented.

Bashir inhaled deeply. The air here was clean and crisp, and his tricorder told him it was an acceptable mixture for the four humanoids in the shuttle. The breeze carried the sharp tang of trees and grasses, and the subtle suggestion of water.

"I smell it, too," Bashir said.

"Well, that's good to know anyway," Kira said. "I doubt we'll find out much more until morning."

Bashir nodded. He followed her back into the shuttle where O'Brien and Dax were discussing the engines.

"We can fix them," O'Brien said. "About four days, though."

Kira looked displeased, but nodded.

"Better than nothing," she conceded.

"We'll start right now," Dax said.

"You'll start tomorrow," Bashir replied quickly. "We've all had a long day, and crash landing on an unknown planet hasn't helped matters. Even if we aren't injured, it's still a shock to our bodies. We all need to rest."

"Someone will need to keep watch," Kira said.

"No need," Dax replied. "Sensors show no settlements or indications of sentinent life. And the shields are working well enough, at eighty percent."

"Activate them," Kira ordered and Dax nodded, turning back to her console. "Well, I'm with Julian on this one. Everyone pick a bunk bed. We'll get started in the morning."


Kira was awake first the next morning. She glanced at Dax before poking her head into the tiny cabin that Bashir and O'Brien were sharing. Both of them were sleeping soundly, O'Brien almost invisible in the shadows of the bottom bunk. Quietly, she made her way to the cockpit and threaded between the chairs so she could look out the window.

A blue-green sky with wispy white clouds greeted her. She smiled slightly. At least it looked as if it were a nice day. They had landed in a hilly area, it seemed; the landscape rose and fell in gentle rolling slopes all around them. They must be in a valley of sorts, she supposed, because the shuttle wasn't on an angle.

Half-heartedly, she tried the communications array, but it wasn't working. No miracle had occured during the night. Kira shook her head and ordered a raktajino from the replicator, sitting down in one of the pilots' seats.

"Computer," she said and heard the quiet chirp of her voice being acknowledged. "Run a biospectral scan of the air on this planet, and determine the presence of any pathogens or chemicals that would be harmful to Bajorans, Trill, or humans."

"Working. Scan complete. No harmful substances identified."

"Good," Kira said. "Run an analysis on the tectonic nature of the planet and identify any instabilities in the area. Report any fault lines, active or inactive, and identify any possible volcanic sources. Display results on the screen four."

"Acknowledged. Working."

Kira looked up when she heard a sound from the back of the shuttle and Bashir appeared, rubbing his neck.

"You all right, Julian?" she asked.

"Fine, just a little stiff. Apparently, crash landings don't agree with me."

Kira snorted lightly and filled him in on the analyses she had run. Bashir listened while ordering a replicated breakfast for himself. He nodded when she'd finished speaking.

"That's good," he said.

"When Dax and O'Brien are up, you and I will go look for edible plants and game. And fresh water. The less we can use the runabout's power for replicators, the better. And I want to get a look at where we are."

"Good plan," Bashir agreed. Kira smirked at him.

"I'm glad you approve," she said as Dax and O'Brien emerged into the cockpit.

"Approve of what?" Dax asked. Kira explained her plans again, then filled them in on the analyses she had run, leaving the results of the tectonic analysis for Dax to peruse. The group ate their breakfasts together, then Kira and Bashir prepared to leave.

"Dax, if you can find out where we are, that would be helpful," Kira said as she strapped a pack to her back and took a supply of water rations from Bashir.

"I'll do my best," Dax replied and Kira nodded. She checked her tricorder to make sure it was working, then nodded at Bashir.

"Let's go, Julian."

They stepped outside into the bright sunlight. The air had a twinge of morning coolness, and it was crisp and clean. Around them, tall golden grasses shifted in the slight breeze. Kira saw insects darting around the scattered wildflowers, and heard what sounded like birds nearby. She ran a quick scan with her tricorder.

"I'm not picking up any large predators, but we'll be careful. And watch out for snakes."

"Snakes," Bashir muttered.

"Grasslands are perfect habitats for snakes, at least on Bajor. You're a good doctor, Julian, but I'd rather not have to put you to the test."

"I agree," Bashir said dryly. "I think there may be a body of water that way. I think that's southeast. I'm getting elevated hydrogen and oxygen readings on my tricorder from that direction."

"Well, it's a good place to start," Kira said. "Let's go."

They started off in the direction Bashir had indicated, climbing gently uphill as they went. Kira was amazed at how silent it was. The only sounds were of the grass, which was almost knee-high on her in some places, the birds, and the crunching of their booted feet over the ground. Even Bashir, uncharacteristically, was being quiet, as if sensing that any conversation right now would be inappropriate.

The beeping of the tricorder broke the silence and Kira glanced down at her instrument.

"I'm picking up a small lake, about two hundred meters away."

"All right," Bashir said.

They came to a natural ridge that led up toward the lake and followed it until it vanished about twenty meters later. Then they were back on the hillslope, walking with more difficulty. Kira skidded downward slightly, kicking up puffs of fine dirt, then caught herself right away. She glanced up to see Bashir stepping toward her, but shook her head.

"I'm all right," she said and turned to get a look at the terrain around her. A flash of colour caught her eye and she snapped her head toward it. At the base of the hill, someone was walking, back turned to them, dressed in a bright blue sleeveless shirt and tan coloured pants that came to his mid-calf. Shocked coursed through Kira and she lost of her footing again as she cried out:

"Hey!"

She felt one of Bashir's hands wrap around her upper arm and she stopped slidding suddenly.

"Did you see him?" Kira demanded as she regained her balance.

"See who?" Bashir asked.

"That man," she replied, pointing to the bottom of the slope.

He was gone.

"I don't see anyone."

Kira looked around quickly.

"There was someone walking down there, just a second ago."

Bashir pulled out his tricorder and scanned the area.

"I'm not picking up any life signs in this area except for yours and mine."

"I saw him," Kira insisted.

"Major, there's no one else on this planet but the four of us."

"We think," Kira replied. "What if there's a Cardassian or Dominion outpost here we can't detect?"

Bashir looked alarmed.

"Was it a Jem'Hadar?" he asked.

Kira hesitated.

"No," she said. "Nor a Cardassian. Come to think of it, he didn't look like a Vorta either. His skin was too dark." She sighed, shaking her head. "Well, if someone else is here, we'll find them. We can go down and take a look after we get the water."

"All right," Bashir agreed, and she wondered if he even thought it was necessary to examine the bottom of the hill side. She trusted her own senses, but Bashir was pretty sharp, and he hadn't seen anyone.

They regained their path and headed toward the lake, which was just on the other side of the rise, nestled on a high plain between three hills, including the one which they had crested. It was small, more of a pond, really, but the water was bright blue and clear. Both of them stood just staring at it for a moment, watching birds dart around the shore or skim across the waters in the middle of the lake. Kira had never seen water quite that colour before; it reminded her of the sky on Earth. It was the same blazing blue.

Bashir remembered himself long enough to scan it with the tricorder.

"It looks all right, but I'd like to get a sample for a detailed analysis."

"Right," Kira said and they set off, crossing the remaining distance between themselves and the lake. She let Bashir run his analysis before even touching the water. When he told her it was drinkable, she put her hands in, stunned by the cold temperature. Cupping her hands, she took a drink. The water was sweet and pure, so different from the bland, distilled water provided by the station's replicators.

"Let's get some of this bottled up," she said. "Then we can take a look around the bottom of that hill, and get a look at the plants, too."

"All right," Bashir agreed, swinging his pack off of his shoulders and pulling out the empty water flasks inside. Kira fished for her own and they both set to work.


They searched the bottom of the hill side for any indications that anyone else had been there, but the only thing they found were their own footprints. They had even resorted to shouting for anyone who might have been listening, but only the breeze answered them, rustling through the long grasses. They prowled the nearby hills, looking for habitations and scanned the surrounding area for any underground dwellings or cave systems. There was nothing except the two of them and the shuttle in the distance.

Finally, Kira called a halt to their search. It was obvious no one else was there, no matter what she thought she'd seen. Perhaps her mind had been playing tricks on her after all. She wasn't used to that, but couldn't rule it out, especially not in the fact of the total lack of any other people on the planet.

"Let's see what we can find to eat," she suggested and they set to work. Eventually, as the sun crept higher in the sky, it got warmer and they put their packs and jackets in a little bundle together and worked in shirt sleeves. Bashir was unhappy with the lack of head protection and insisted they put on sunblock and drink lots of water, which Kira was all too happy to do. It was amazing how used to living on DS9 she had become over the past four years. She no longer thought of being exposed to the elements. The station's environmental systems kept everything at a regulated level, so it was always comfortable for the inhabitants, except maybe Garak. Kira had lived so long in caves and outdoors that it stunned her that she could forget about the hardships so easily.

They took a break to eat lunch, packaged meals provided by the shuttle's replicator. Two hours after they'd eaten, Kira called a halt to the day. They'd catalogued numerous edible plants and roots and even some wildlife, and had collected enough to carry back for the day. She supposed they could be the foraging party every day until the shuttle was fixed, if need be.

"Let's head back," she said and Bashir nodded, looking relieved. He was sweating, as was she, and he was far less used to dealing with exposure than she was. They shouldered their packs and carried their jackets. The walk back to the shuttle was quicker than the climb to the lake now that they were on more or less even ground.

Dax and O'Brien were outside when Kira and Bashir returned, working on the engines. Both of them were dirty and sweaty as well, and greeted the sight of food and fresh water enthusiastically.

"Any luck?" Kira asked.

"Not with the engines," Dax replied, "But I did manage to figure out where we are. We're on the second planet of a system the computer has listed only as A-thirty-five-theta. Right where I thought we'd be."

Kira nodded. They'd been passing through that system on the way home from a medical technology conference. Bashir and O'Brien had gone out of professional interest, of course, as they both had reason to see the newest developments in the engineering of medical equipment. Dax had gone out of interest, and the Council of Ministers had requested that Kira attend as an official Bajoran liason. The conference committee had suggested having the conference on Bajor in two years time, and Kira had been there to work out a preliminary deal. It had gone well, and plans had been laid out. In fact, everything had gone well until a small rogue asteroid had glanced off their starboard nacell and sent them careening down onto A-thirty-five-theta-II's surface.

"At least we're still technically in Federation space," Kira sighed.

"Not far enough from the Cardassian border for my liking," O'Brien replied. "There's nothing in this system, so there's no stopping a Cardassian ship from scooping us upwhen we get the distress signal sent."

"How long before we can do that?"

"Should be by tomorrow," Dax said.

"Good. Come on, we all need a break and something to eat."

They used the replicator for what they needed and supplemented the meal with the food Bashir and Kira had gathered. As they ate, Kira told them about the lake, and also about having seen someone. Dax and O'Brien listened with interest, and seemed disappointed when Kira reported that they hadn't found any trace of the person.

"I was hoping our scans had been wrong," Dax admitted. "As unlikely as that would be."

"Unless they're living underground for some reason, I think I was just seeing things," Kira said, although she didn't like admitting that. "And there doesn't seem to be any reason to be living underground."

"This place doesn't seem particularly dangerous," O'Brien agreed.

"Well, if there is someone here, they're bound to stumble across us. I'm sure we make a very visible break in the landscape. Otherwise, we'll have just have to fix our communications system or our engines," Dax said.

"Speaking of which, I think we have a couple hours of daylight left," O'Brien said as they finished up their meals. "We should use it to do what we can on those engines."

"Anything I can do, Chief?" Kira asked.

"You had experience with communications equipment in the resistance, right, Major?"

"Yes."

"Take a look at the communications relay."

"What about me?" Bashir asked.

O'Brien looked at a loss and glanced at Dax. She shook her head after a moment, looking at Kira. The Major thought hard for a moment.

"Be ready in case any of us gets hurt," she suggested. "Sorry, Julian, I don't think there's much you can do here. Unless you're well versed in warp field systems."

"Not especially," Bashir said. "All right, I'll find something to do."

Kira nodded and Dax and O'Brien left the shuttle. Bashir vanished into the back, toward the tiny crew cabins, and the major set to work on the shuttle's battered communications array.