It was now Friday and everyone on the station was buzzing. Vic luckily had had no other problems with the bar so was going ahead with the talent show. They had even got together a crowd to watch them all as the bar was still closed in the holosuite world. Nog was the most excited and was sort of running Vic mad.
"Nog I can do that. Let me do that." Vic tried to stop Nog but Nog wasn't listening.
"I can do this. You go and get ready." Nog waved Vic away.
"I'm already ready. You go and see if everyone else is ready or I won't allow you to come tonight." Vic warned.
"Are you sure you got everything covered? I don't want this to go wrong."
Vic tutted and rolled his eyes. Nog could tell this was a sign to leave so left under Vic's instructions. Vic watched him go and then went back to work getting the stage and the bar ready.
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Julian was pacing the floor of the ops room. O'Brien was trying to calm him down before he put a hole in the floor. Ezri was smiling and trying to keep back laughter at watching Julian. Kira didn't pay any attention and carried on working on something wrong with communications. She did however, keep an eye on Julian just in case he fell over or tripped over something.
"When do you think he'll stop doing that?" Ezri whispered over to Kira.
"When the talent show starts. Until then don't get in the way of him." Kira warned her.
"I'll try and remember that."
Kira made a small smile. She knew Ezri would always listen to her even if the others didn't. Kira took one last look at Julian before he tripped over O'Briens foot and fell to the ground. Ezri was quick to Julian's side but was quickly waved away by Julian.
"I'm fine. You should be more careful with your feet Myles!" Julian rubbed the back of his head.
"If you weren't pacing like that, then I wouldn't have had to stop you." O'Brien fought back.
"What if I'm too injured to do the talent show tonight?"
"Then I'll have to take over. I'm sure Vic wouldn't mind that much."
"I'm sure he would." Julian muttered under his breath before Kira came over to them to calm them both down before they landed in a fist fight.
"Would you two stop it?!" Kira hissed looking around the ops room with everyone watching them.
Julian tried to put the blame on O'Brien but was stopped quickly by a quick glare from Kira. O'Brien and Ezri kept back chuckles until Kira got back to work. Before the three crew mates could discuss everything, Sisco entered the room from the turbo lift.
"Captain on the bridge." Someone shouted from behind them.
"At ease." Sisco waved around the bridge. He didn't look very happy so this was going to be interesting.
"What's wrong sir?" O'Brien asked.
"It's this talent show…" Sisco admitted with most of the crew letting out a sigh of relief.
"You know you don't have to get involved sir. I'm sure Admiral Ross would be unhappy if you left the bridge unattended." Ezri jokes.
"I'm not going to be involved. Maybe just catch the results or something." Sisco shrugged.
"We can always tell you that later." O'Brien sided with Ezri.
Sisco was a bit taken aback by O'Brien and Ezri sided with each other. Julian could tell he wanted to watch at least some of the show.
"You're welcome to come sir." Julian nodded after a while.
"Thank you Bashir. At least someone would like me there." Sisco made a point to say this.
Ezri looked embarrassed and O'Brien just mouthed sorry towards their captain. Sisco nodded in O'Briens direction. At least he was saying sorry and not just letting it slide. Nog then entered the bridge. He still looked happy but a little bit unhappier than earlier.
"I thought you were helping Vic getting the bar ready." Cisco said as Nog went back to work.
"I was but he said he could do it himself." Nog said quietly.
"How long did he say it was going to take?" Julian added.
"Not yet but I doubt it will be very long."
"What takes so long to get ready anyway? I mean the stage is a stage, we'll just perform on it right?" Ezri said.
"Go and ask him yourself." Nog muttered.
"Nog what's wrong?" Julian said, hearing what Nog had just said.
"Nothing!" Nog said as he moved away from the team.
Ezri smiled and went over to Nog just to make sure he was okay. The rest of the team got ready to get the rest of the talent show contenders. Hopefully Nog was right and it wouldn't be long before Vic and the bar were ready to start.
"You okay?" Ezri patted Nog's back seeing he was a little upset.
"I don't know. I think Vic is annoyed with me." Nog shrugged, trying not to let on he was upset.
"Why would Vic ever be annoyed with you?!"
"I think I spent too much time in the bar. I got in his way when he was trying to get everything ready."
"I'm sure Vic wouldn't agree with you."
Nog didn't respond to this. Vic and Nog got along very well since they first met. The talent show had been Julian and Myles's idea but Nog had been the biggest supporter of the whole thing.
"Come on, let's get ready for the talent show. You can give me some tips on my singing voice." Ezri tried to lighten the mood.
"I don't think I'll go." Nog shook his head.
"Why not? Everyone's expecting you to be there. Plus i need someone to hold my hand."
"Maybe I should just come at the end."
"Whatever you think Nog but I and the rest of the station would like you to go." Ezri told him walking away.
Nog kept thinking about what Ezri told him. He wasn't going to be involved in the talent show with an act. With Vic, Julian and Myles doing the judging he wouldn't be involved with that. Vic said he now had a new MC so he couldn't be that either and just being in the audience was just plain boring! He would have to come up with something to do.
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Rom was walking through his act. Quark had finally agreed to let him practice in the bar as long as there weren't many people around. True this might attract customers if Rom was any good.
"What do you think Quark?" Rom put the paper down on the table nearest.
"I think it's good. Just maybe you're getting your audience wrong. Maybe they won't find it funny." Quark mentioned.
"It's about war." Rom shrugged looking through the jokes he had.
"Exactly and what are we in the middle of? Maybe you should think of some others."
"I only have a few hours left!" Rom shouted.
"Well good luck but don't come to me for help. Maybe ask Odo." Quark suggested knowing fully well that Rom wouldn't try that.
"Very funny!"
At that point however, Odo walked past the bar looking quite pleased with himself. Rom looked over at Quark knowing he had probably set this up. Rom sighed and then walked over to Odo. Maybe Odo did know some jokes.
"Hey Odo." Rom said with some sort of smile.
"Hey Rom how's your jokes going?" Odo said a little surprised that Rom had come over to him. True the bar wasn't too busy so maybe he hadn't got anything to do.
"Apparently my jokes aren't very good. They haven't got the right mood." Rom looked sad.
"When I looked at them they were alright."
"I know but Quark thinks differently and he's my brother."
"And when do you ever listen to your brother?"
Rom counted this on his fingers. It seemed to be a smaller number than Odo figured. True when they were kids, he wouldn't be surprised if Rom listened to everything Quark said.
"You think I should tell them anyway then?" Rom asked, making sure he had someone's confidence.
"Why not? We all need a laugh." Odo patted Rom on the back and left him to go over his jokes again.
Rom waved to Odo as he left. At least someone actually supported him in this talent show. True he didn't know if Odo was being serious or just making him feel better. He would just have to show everyone that he could be funny without falling over or getting something wrong.
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Odo made his way up to the ops. Kira quickly attracted his eye and he made his way over to her. Kira didn't even look up from her work when approached but could tell who it was.
"How's everyone getting along?" Kira asked Odo.
"Rom thinks his jokes aren't funny. Engineer Buckley has to pull out from dancing because of a broken leg. I don't know about the others." Odo went through the list he had.
"Is Buckley alright?"
"Bashir is looking over him as we speak. I think he's going to be fine. Otherwise Captain Picard won't be happy with us."
"I'll tell Sisco not to tell him just yet." Kira chuckled.
"Please don't!"
Odo and Kira chuckled together. However, something interrupted them. A message from Quark at the bar came up on the table in front of them.
"Kira here." Kira answered.
"Just got word from the holosuite. Vic's ready whenever you are." Quark's message came through.
"Alright thanks Quark." Kira ended the message.
Odo sighed as he suddenly had to move off again. He had to find all of the contestants and get them all in the same direction without fights happening. Nog looked over to Kira and gave her a nod to come over and talk to him.
"I'll see you down there." Kira said, letting Odo go.
Odo left ops to find everyone.
"What's up? Ezri said you didn't want to be involved in the show anymore."
"I don't know. What do you think?" Nog asked.
"Do it. We'll have to get back to fighting soon enough. Might as well have a laugh before we do." Kira told Nog.
Nog nodded and followed Kira down to the holosuite. When they arrived a lot of people were waiting outside. The queue almost reached Garak's shop at the other side of the bar. Nog suddenly got more and more nervous. Kira however, was there for him if he didn't feel too good. At least someone was there for him. Maybe he could do this after all.