Consequences

by DoctorH

This is a follow-up to "Failure Analysis," but it's not a sequel (and it is much shorter). A Physics professor arrives on DS9 and proposes to conduct experiments on the wormhole. The equation that forms the basis for the experiments is so complicated that almost no one can understand the equation... or its consequences. Sisko must decide whether to allow the experiments to proceed.

2. A familiar face

Chapter 2: A familiar face.

Miles O'Brien decided to take his mid-day meal on the Promenade. The Promenade was more crowded than usual, and O'Brien attributed the crowd to the starship that had recently docked. O'Brien saw an open seat in Quark's and decided to take it before someone else spotted it.

Quark went over to O'Brien to take his order personally. "Cheese sandwich and ale, Chief?"

"Please. On rye."

"Coming up."

In almost no time at all, Quark had delivered the order to O'Brien's table. O'Brien bit off a hunk of sandwich and marveled at how Quark was able to make his cheese sandwiches so much tastier than those produced by the replicator. O'Brien had once asked Quark how he did it.

"It's a secret recipe," was all Quark would say.

As he enjoyed his sandwich, O'Brien looked over the unfamiliar uniformed Starfleet people who were milling about. DS9 was supposed to be getting some new personnel, and O'Brien wondered whether any of those strangers might be his new technicians.

He took a swig of ale.

And then he nearly spit it out, when he saw someone on the Promenade. Someone he recognized.

O'Brien coughed and took a moment to recover. When he looked again, the person was gone.

He only had a glimpse, but O'Brien was pretty sure that he knew who he had seen.

What in the hell is he doing here?