Disclaimer: Does it appear to you that I own DS9? Well, I do not. Thanks for all the reviews. Anyhoo.
"I'm back. And we need to talk."
Kira nodded. "There's so much to talk about. You-"
"Nerys. The Borg attack. We need to talk about defense."
Of course. Business. No time for personal matters when the future of two quadrants could be at stake.
"We have the Dominion's cooperation?"
"Of course. Eana, contact our comrades in the Gamma Quadrant. I want all contingents on full alert. If they have their doubts, tell them you have my word on the matter. And describe the damage done to our ship."
"Yes, F-" Eana swallowed a word and finished her sentence. "Yes, sir." She hastened from the room.
"All contingents on full alert. That was quick." Kira noted.
"If working with Captain Sisko taught any of us anything, it was not to under-estimate the Borg. Starfleet did that once, and look where it got them. As long as I have any aothurity in the Dominion, they will not make the same mistake."
"Ah. Well, we have the same weapons we had when you left, plus a couple new additions. We have quantum torpedoes, full complement, and upgraded photon banks. And of course, we have the Defiant II and our full complement of runabouts, which can be rigged with weapons. You?"
"We have an enormous battle fleet. Hundreds of thousands of vessels, heavily armed. Eana is contacting them now. We will have to keep most of them in the Gamma Quadrant for our own defense, but we can presumably deploy a few here."
"What do you mean, presumably?"
"I am not the only authority within the Dominion who will have a say in the matter, Nerys. The rest of the Great Link must be consulted."
The rest of the Great Link. He considered himself one of them now.
"Speaking of that," Odo continued, "I'll need transport back to the Dominion to confer with my people. I may need to borrow a runabout."
"That shouldn't be a problem."
"I'm worried about how my people will react to this. They still don't completely trust solids. Now we're being threatened by them, again."
"The Borg are'nt your average humanoids."
"True."
"Well, we can discuss strategy further at the next staff meeting. Now there's something else we need to talk about."
"And what might that be?"
"You."
"Nerys, now is hardly-"
"Odo. You've been gone this long. Tell me what happened."
"I was in the Link most of the time. It's difficult to describe to someone who can't experience it. If you insist on discussing personal matters now, describe what's happened on the station."
"Fine. Well, just after you left, the Captain went down to Bajor to…"
Okay. Chapter over. Tell me what you think.