Chapter Six: Assessments

Coffee and bagel in hand, Chris follows Julian to the infirmary. This spectacular experience still fresh, he marvels at seeing 'characters' and aliens from his memories in the flesh. He knows that his stares are blatant and impolite, but he simply can't help himself.

"Kira said not to get you lost," Julian says as he takes a sweeping glance around the Promenade, "but I imagine the Prophets gave you knowledge of the station?"

"They did," Chris mumbles through a bite of bagel, "but only certain parts of it."

"Peculiar…" Julian says with a raised eyebrow. "I wonder why?"

Chris knows Julian is familiar with the concept of television from a two-part 'episode' where he and Sisko were trapped in the past. That, plus Julian's enhanced intellect, makes Chris less apprehensive about repeating the explanation of how the Prophets fed him memories in the form of a TV show.

"Hmm… makes sense," Julian says after hearing an abbreviated version of Chris' tale. He leads Chris to an examination room in the infirmary. "If they were to show you the entire layout of the station, or feed you information on everyone here, you'd be unlikely to accept it as a fictional production."

"Are you familiar with shows of my time?"

"Not many of your time, but I'm definitely familiar with fictional works about your time."

"Right… your spy novels."

"They showed you those?"

"Only a couple," Chris says as he scratches the back of his neck. "Like the one where some of the crew's transporter signals were integrated into the program. Kira was… um…"

"Mm-hmm" Julian grins as Chris trails off. "That stood out for you, did it? Was it the Russian accent or the lacy gown?"

Chris scoffs loudly and rolls his eyes. "Will you get over it already?"

Julian chuckles and gestures for Chris to take a seat on an examination table. "Alright, alright. I'll let it go."

"Thank you," Chris sighs.

As Julian begins performing medical tests, he prods Chris to share more details of his arrival on the station. Though embarrassed by the ordeal, Chris obliges. Julian laughs heartily at the account of Kira's reaction to his presence.

"I'm sure I'll find it all absolutely hilarious someday," Chris sighs.

"I do apologize," Julian says as he tries to stifle a lingering chuckle. "It seems Kira's visage is burned into your mind for reasons far removed from what I theorized."

Chris shrugs. "Sure, I think she's pretty…"

Julian blinks expectantly.

"… but I thought she was trying to kill me."

"It's a miracle you survived," Julian overdramatizes with a smirk.

"Hey, you weren't there, I seriously thought I was a dead man."

Julian's smirk fades as he contemplates Chris' claim. "I know she's been on edge, but I seriously doubt she'd kill someone for simply…" Julian pauses and clears his throat.

"Maybe not kill, but she definitely wanted to hurt me. She told someone on the intercom that she'd be bringing me here."

"I see," Julian nods. "Good to see that her mood at breakfast was pleasant."

"Well, yeah… because the Prophets."

As the pair continue to chat, Chris is amazed to see props made real as Julian uses fantastic devices to assess his physical condition. Julian is polite in his cursory explanation of each.

After Chris completes an animated recount of his battle with a pair of pants, Julian chuckles and snaps his tricorder shut.

"You've had quite the morning, Chris, but I've found no cause for concern. Other than residual signs of elevated levels of adrenalin, no doubt caused by this morning's encounter with the colonel, you seem to be in perfect health."

"That's… crazy," Chris mutters.

"Why is that crazy?" Julian asks.

"Because… before showing up here this morning I wasn't exactly in perfect health. Nothing serious, but I was… heavier. I… took medication for high cholesterol, and…" Chris slides up his left sleeve, "I used to have a scar here from a bike accident a while back. It's completely gone. It's like I was some kind of lab rat and the Prophets were playing a game of 'This Old Mouse.'"

Julian responds with a blank stare. Chris knows his TV show pun was lost on the good doctor.

It was also very, very stupid.

"Nevermind," Chris says and waves a hand dismissively. "I'm mainly wondering when this," he says as he spreads his hands across his newly flat stomach, "turns back into a pumpkin."

Julian chuckles, letting Chris know that some familiar references have stood the test of time.

"Cholesterol problems and scarring are readily corrected with the medicine of this time. However, I'm afraid that 'pumpkin' will return if you let it."

Chris sighs. "I wasn't exactly the most active person in the world. And I've always had a close relationship with food."

"In that case," Julian says in his 'serious doctor' voice, "I can set up an exercise regimen and diet program to keep you in top shape. You know…" he says with a smirk, "I have been looking for a new racquetball partner."

"I may take you up on that," Chris nods in contemplation. "But you'd have to teach me how to play."

"It would be my pleasure."

"So…" Chris says as he looks around at the displays Julian's been working with during his exam, "there's no sign that the Prophets did anything… weird?"

"Define… weird."

"I don't know," Chris shrugs. "I just don't feel… like myself. It's strange to hear you say that I'm normal."

"Aside from the adrenaline levels, 'normal' is the most accurate description of my findings. The only way I could determine more is if I'd been able to examine you before the changes—for comparison. You have no idea why they did… whatever they did?"

Chris dismisses a faint flashback of chest pain. "Absolutely none."

"Well then," Julian smiles, "as far as I'm concerned, you're normal. If you have any further questions or concerns, come see me anytime."

Julian grabs something from a nearby counter and hands it to Chris. "Here. This PADD has a map of the station. Since the Prophets didn't teach you the entire layout, this should keep you from getting lost." He leans close and whispers. "If you do, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell the colonel."

"I won't," Chris shoots a glance to the door and whispers back. "As long as you promise not to tell anyone I showed up with no clothes."

"Deal," Julian nods with a smirk. "Now… I have more patients waiting to see me. Go and take a look around, but after the morning you've had, I suggest you take it easy out there."

Chris stares at the PADD in his hands. The device somewhat resembles his tablet from back home but he has a hunch that it's capable of much more. He spins the PADD and notices the layout changes such that what's in front of him remains in front of him.

Hmm. Like Google Maps… kind of.

Chris inspects the device a bit longer. "Um… am I the green dot?"

Julian scrunches his mouth and snaps his fingers as he's just handed Chris a piece of technology without making sure he could use it. "Yes, my apologies. You're the green dot. It's not every day we get visitors from the past, and when we do… they're not so calm about it."

Julian steps beside Chris and points to the screen. "The yellow dots are comm stations, blue for restrooms, white for turbolifts, and so forth. There's a legend—here. You can also touch anything on the map for more information."

To try the feature, Chris taps the map location for the infirmary and watches a label appear: "Infirmary: The doctor is in."

"Cute," Chris quips. "Thanks, doctor."

"My pleasure. And please, call me Julian."

"Thanks, Julian," Chris says after dropping the sarcasm.

The two share a handshake and Chris catches sight of a ring. "Did, uh…you and Ezri get married?"

Julian holds up his hand to display the ring with pride. "We did. And given the number of Bajoran personnel on the station, the colonel's a bit lax on…" Julian pauses and blinks. "You didn't know?"

"I didn't," Chris shakes his head. "My memories pretty much stop after Kira and Odo said goodbye."

"Curious," Julian ponders. "He left us several months ago. That also means you don't know how poorly she's taken that goodbye."

Chris nods as he stares at nothing in particular. "I got a sense of that this morning. I was telling her things I remembered about him. I didn't know. The show—rather the memories the Prophets gave me— made it seem like she accepted it."

"She did—at first."

"Hmm." Chris unfurrows his brow and forces a smile. "Anyway… congratulations. I'll let you get to the others. Thanks again, Julian. See you around."

Julian nods politely as Chris slips from the examination table to leave.

When Chris reaches the outer room of the infirmary, he passes an Andorian walking the other way. He notices a bandage on one of the blue-skinned alien's antennae.

Chris overhears Julian greet his latest patient. "Ah, Ensign Williams. How's that head of yours today?"

Kira sits at her desk in Ops while Ezri Dax hovers nearby. After giving her an initial summary of how the Prophets brought a man to the station from the past, Kira has been providing more detail about the morning's events. Ezri hangs on every word.

"Back up a minute!" Ezri says with surprise and a laugh. "Did you just say 'naked'?"

Kira dips her head in an exaggerated nod. "Unfortunately I did."

Ezri's jaw drops as she lets out a laughing scoff, "That's…"

Kira smiles and holds up a finger. "I don't know what you're about to say, and though I may find it amusing now, I was livid at the time. I fired my weapon."

"Noooo. You didn't!" Ezri waits for more than a sheepish stare from Kira. "Did you?"

"I wanted to stun his ass and throw him in the brig," Kira says, "but instead I hit the wall about half a meter from his head. It served its purpose." A satisfied grin forms on her face.

"And what purpose was that?"

"To scare the shit out of him."

"Wh-Why?"

"Ezri, my mind had been with the Prophets. I had no idea what he may have done."

"But you said the Prophets sent him. You said they told you."

"I didn't know they meant him. You know how the Prophets speak; they…" Kira huffs. "All I knew was there was a naked man in my bed."

"Then… what made you stand down?"

Kira chews her lip as she sifts through memories of her chaotic morning. "He was rambling nonsense and I was losing my patience. After he took cover behind the bed I circled around to put him out. When I saw him huddled there… he was terrified. Then he called out my name."

"That's all it took—saying your name? Better not let that get around," Ezri jokes.

"Please," Kira rolls her eyes. "It had to do with something the Prophets said. It was enough to keep me from pulling the trigger before the wormhole appeared."

Ezri's confused expression prompts Kira to explain further.

"With the station's rotation, I shouldn't be able to see it from my quarters for two more days. They wanted me… us… to see it. Between him knowing my name and the appearance of the Celestial Temple… that's when I knew he could be the one the Prophets told me about."

"And he was naked," Ezri smirks. "You apparently knew that too."

Kira scoffs. "He grabbed a sheet to cover up. I would've stunned him and let security drag him out if he hadn't."

Ezri chuckles. "OK, so the wormhole opened. What happened next?"

Kira wrinkles her brow. "His reaction to it was… dramatic. He was hypnotized by it—even muttered Sisko's name."

"He saw Benjamin?" Ezri's voice is hopeful. She reflexively glances at the baseball on the desk.

Kira nods to the ball. "Chris said he saw his face, but they didn't speak that he can remember. Maybe more will come to him later."

"Oh," Ezri expresses disappointment.

"But at one point he looked at me and…" Kira shudders at remembering the effect of Chris' knowing gaze. "No… he stared into me and said almost the exact words a Prophet spoke—one that looked like Odo."

"Wow," Ezri scrunches her forehead sympathetically. "That must've been tough. What did he say?"

"Nothing really, it was just…" Kira shakes her head, pushing the image of Odo from her mind. "It was tough, but I'll be fine. And Chris seems… rattled but OK."

Ezri nods. "Good. I'll check on him later, just in case."

"I was hoping you would," Kira nods. "He's with Julian now."

"I thought you said you didn't shoot him?" Ezri blinks. "Did you hurt him?"

"Of course not! Why would you think that?"

Ezri drops her chin and gives Kira an ornery look. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Not really," Kira smirks. "We just thought it'd be good for Julian to check him out. Chris said the Prophets 'changed' him."

"Changed? How?"

Kira shrugs. "He made it sound drastic, like he was a totally different person, but… he looked… fine." She slows and cringes at her own poorly-chosen words.

"Riiight. The naked man 'looked fine'," Ezri grins.

Kira clears her throat and points at Ezri to fend off the implication. "It was dark at first. He covered up. I did not see everything you think I saw."

"Uh, huh. Sure," Ezri's grin widens.

Kira shakes her head at her friend's dirty mind while Ezri continues to grin to the point of being awkward.

"I didn't, OK?" Kira widens her eyes in disbelief. "I only saw enough to know that he was, you know…"

"Oh! I'm sorry," Ezri blinks. "My mind wandered."

"Wandered to what?"

"To the fact that…" Ezri smiles, "that I think I've seen you smile more in the last ten minutes than in the last ten days—that your mind doesn't seem to be stuck where it has been ever since… since he left." Ezri nods to the photo in the corner of the room.

Kira follows Ezri's gesture to the photo of her dance with Odo. Her expression saddens significantly. "I miss him, Ezri. I miss him very much. I haven't forgotten; I just… got distracted."

"You're going to call the Prophets dropping a naked man in your bed a 'distraction'? Maybe… maybe it's their way of telling you to move on," Ezri shrugs. "Just a thought."

Kira looks at Ezri out of the top of her eyes. "They spoke to me, Ezri. The Prophets themselves spoke to me. They want me to be this man's 'guide', to help him adapt to what he must see as a strange new world. I would never consider taking advantage of the situation just because I'm lonely—I'm not that selfish. And you should know I miss Odo too much to even consider the thought."

"So, the naked part doesn't mean anything," Ezri states with marked sarcasm.

"Personally, I think it's their way of symbolizing vulnerability—to emphasize that Chris needs help."

"Pfft," Ezri scoffs. "You and I see things differently. I haven't seen the man, but I don't think the first thing I grabbed would've been a phaser."

Kira's eyes pop. "Please tell me you're kidding!"

Ezri shrugs with a smirk.

"I'm telling Julian you said that," Kira says as a smile reappears on her face.

"Had you for a second," Ezri laughs. "Besides, I don't think Julian would believe I said it."

"Well," Kira smiles, "I guess you and I see things differently."

Ezri chuckles after Kira uses her own words against her. "And that's why I should go before I say anything that really gets me in trouble."

"Dax," Kira takes a light hold of Ezri's arm before she moves away from the desk. "We made light of it in here, but… I don't think Chris would appreciate us telling anyone about…"

"Oh, goodness no," Ezri shakes her head emphatically. "It sounds like he's been through enough for one day."

"I don't just mean today," Kira playfully scolds.

"A few days maybe?" Ezri grins.

Kira rolls her eyes. "Get out of here before I demote you."

Ezri smiles and bids her friend goodbye.

After the doors slide closed behind Ezri, Kira thinks about what she said about not seeing her smile much recently, as well as the crazy notion that the Prophets brought Chris to fill the horrible void in her life. Kira scoffs to herself and dismisses the thought. The most Chris could ever be is a distraction.

No one could ever replace Odo.

Not long after Ezri's departure, a security officer enters and hands Kira a PADD.

"Colonel, I gathered the data you requested."

With only a nod, Kira eagerly accepts the PADD.