Chapter Seventeen

The first thing Julian saw when he awoke was Marina, her back leaned against the stone wall, her eyes closed. She looked so terribly tired. He hated to wake her. But he had to warn her, tell her about his dream. "Marina," he whispered.

Marina's eyes immediately opened--and turned to him. "Julian! You're awake! Are you all right?"

"Quite frankly, no--but I'll be a whole lot worse if Gentanar gets his way. We've got to keep moving." He paused to catch his breath, which proved to be a painful process. He clenched his teeth and sat up, leaning heavily against the wall.

"Julian--"

"Don't worry. I'm genetically enhanced. I'll heal pretty quickly." He glanced to where Miles was standing guard over Harris. "He hasn't awakened yet?"

Miles shook his head. "No. But I'm glad you have." He crossed his arms. "Did you have a bad dream?"

Julian raised an eyebrow. "Why, yes. How do you--?" He paused to cough raggedly. "How do you know?"

"It sure looked like you did. And you muttered something very angrily. I couldn't quite make it out."

"Gentanar came to me in my dream." Julian frowned, staring off into the distance. "He believes that he has already one. He claims that I am dying, Harris will kill you, Miles, and Marina will 'fall for him.' Arrogant fool."

They were all silent for a moment. Marina bit her lip and held a fist to her mouth. Don't let Gentanar be right. Please… She felt tears spring to her eyes, and her nose and throat burned with held-back sobs.

"He's not right," Julian said quickly, picking up on her thoughts. "Don't worry." He reached to take her hand. "I'll get better, you'll see. And we'll be extra careful about Harris."

Marina smiled and swiped absently at her tears with her free hand. "And the part about me falling for Gentanar?"

Julian smiled crookedly. "Oh, I don't worry about that. You have more taste than that. I mean, look who you're dating."

Marina bent down to kiss his lips gently. "I'm looking at you. And right now, you don't look very healthy. It's time to fix you up and get moving."

(LINE)

"Worf? Is that you?" Dax peered through the shadows of the tunnel.

"It is." Her Klingon husband suddenly immerged in front of her, his face illuminated by the tiny sliver of light that came through a crack in the high ceiling.

Dax ran to him and wrapped her arms around him. "What happened? Are you all right? Where are the others?"

"Somehow, we were all separated in these infernal tunnels. I believe this Gentanar creature has this place rigged." Worf growled. "I'd like to meet him in combat…"

"So would I," Dax agreed, pulling back from him. "So let's get moving. Do you have any idea which direction we were going in to start with?"

Worf shook his head grimly. "None."

(LINE)

"We're coming up on the Cardassian ship, captain," Kira announced.

Captain Sisko sat in the commander's chair of the U.S.S Defiant, determined to intercept the ship that had tried to destroy the shuttle from Deep Space Nine. "Raise shields and prepare for battle. Red alert."

(LINE)

"Wrap it around one more time. Good." Julian winced slightly as Marina finished wrapping up his damaged ribs. "You make a great nurse," he managed.

Marina raised a dark eyebrow in a gesture that made Julian think that maybe she was related to the famous Spock on her Vulcan side. "Then why are you making that face?"

"It's going to hurt, regardless of how well you do it."

"Whatever you say." Marina clipped the bandage in place with an extra hair clip she found in her pack. "That should do for awhile. At least we won't have to worry about you getting a punctured lung." She shivered at the thought. She gently helped Julian slip his uniform back onto his shoulders, feeling sick at the look of pain on his face. "Do you think that maybe I could… use my psychogenotrosis to ease your pain?" she asked.

Julian shook his head stiffly. "No, thank-you. You need to save your strength. And I'll be fine."

Miles snorted. "You'll be fine, will you? I saw those bruises, Julian. You're a doctor. You should know that you're in pretty rough shape. If you're so fine, why are you wearing all those bandages? And why do you make all those faces? And why is it so hard for you to breathe? You're not fine, Julian. Marina and I both know that."

Julian was quiet for a moment. Then he said softly, "I may not be fine, but I have to keep going anyway. We must get to those weather control generators. And we must face Gentanar. Whether I'm fine or not should not be a factor."

Marina crossed her arms, frowning. "Julian, it's a factor with me."

"Me, too," Miles added.

Julian looked at them both, his best friend and the woman he loved. He started to say something.

Miles raised a hand. "No, don't say it. You're not a burden. We're all coming through this together--which means you have to survive. So this is how it's going to be--you--"

Suddenly, there was huge booming sound from behind them. It echoed through the tunnel like thunder.

And Harris woke up.

"Miles! Behind you!" Marina yelled, fear clenching her heart. Gentanar's prediction…

Smoke was filling the tunnel. Something had exploded.

Miles turned around just in time to see Harris's big fist flying towards his face. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, quickly ducking.

Marina and Julian quickly drew their phasers.

"Stand down, Harris!" Julian called, his voice surprisingly strong. "We have weapons!"

Harris just laughed insanely and continued attacking the engineer, who was successfully dodging the crazy ensign's blows.

Marina tried to aim for Harris, then lowered her phaser in frustration. "I can't get a clear shot!" she exclaimed to Julian. "I'm worried I might hit Miles! There's too much smoke, and Miles keeps getting in the way!"

"Help me up. I think I can get a clear shot." Julian held out a hand.

Marina took his hand and gently pulled him to his feet. "You sure you'll be all right?"

"I'll be fine," he panted. "You see? I'm recovering already. I told you I--"

"Stop gabbing over there and start shooting!" Miles cried. Both fighters had locked arms and were engaged in a shoving match.

"Turn him around, Miles!" Julian cried.

Miles spun, whipping Harris around so that the bald man's back was to Julian and Marina.

Julian fired, and Harris fell, once again stunned by the doctor's phaser.

"Good work, Julian," Miles said.

"All in a day's work." Julian tiredly saluted his friend, then leaned heavily against the smooth stone wall. Marina and Miles immediately flanked him. "I'm--I'm all right," he panted. "I'm recovering, remember?" His knees suddenly buckled, and he pitched forward into Miles' arms. "Sorry, old friend. I just can't seem to get my feet under me."

Miles slung one of Julian's arms over his shoulder and slid a supporting arm around his friend. "I'll be the feet for both of us," he said.

Marina touched Julian's forehead, smiling when he closed his eyes. "At least you don't have a fever."

"Leave your hand there. It feels good," he said quietly.

"We don't have time for romance, you two. We've got to get out of here. Something exploded in the tunnel behind us. We could be next."

Marina ran her fingers quickly through Julian's hair, then turned to face the fallen Jake Harris. "What do we do with him?"

Miles shrugged. "Leave him, for all I care. First he tries to kill my best friend--and nearly succeeds--and then he tries to kill me."

Suddenly, there was another explosion, this time much closer. The ground beneath their feet shook, and loose rocks tumbled down the walls.

Suddenly, Marina noticed something. "Guys, there are cracks running up the walls!" Her green eyes went huge. "This tunnel is about to collapse!"

And suddenly, a section of it did. A huge chunk of ceiling rock fell to the tunnel floor right behind Harris.

Marina rushed towards the fallen man.

"Marina!" Julian and Miles called simultaneously.

Marina ignored them and quickly grabbed hold of the big ensign's arms, dragging him away from the fallen rock. "Miles--get Julian out of here! I'll be right behind you!"

"No, Miles!" Julian shouted, anger and pain mixed in his dark eyes. "I'm not leaving her!" He yelled at Marina, "Are you daft, darling? Of course we're not leaving you!"

Miles stood rooted to the ground, not sure whose advice to take.

There was another explosion--this time so very close--and the tunnel heaved convulsively.

Suddenly, Marina had an idea. She reached out and touched Harris's mind--a hard thing, since he was so incompatible with her. But she succeeded. Wake up, you idiot! Get up! We have to run! Gentanar is trying to trap us in here--and when I say 'us,' I'm including you!

Harris groaned.

"Get up, man!" Miles yelled.

Harris staggered to his feet, aided by Marina. "What--what's happening?" He stared at Marina. "What are you doing in my quarters?"

"We're not in your quarters!" Marina cried. "We're in a tunnel under the surface of Catronis! And it's collapsing! We have to go--now!"

Harris looked around, his face registering confusion and fear.

Marina jerked him by the arm. "Come on! There's no time to explain!"

Another huge chunk of the ceiling collapsed, and they all broke into a run.

(LINE)

"Here it is, one teddy bear--good as new." Garak, the Cardassian tailor (and many other things), plopped a star-spangled teddy bear onto Quark's bar.

"What is this?" Quark asked.

"This happens to be Lt. Richardson's teddy bear--which now has arms, thanks to my expertise."

"What? What are you talking about?"

Garak looked surprised. "The good doctor didn't tell you?"

"He's said nothing about--about this!" Quark motioned to the teddy bear, who sat smiling up at him, arms upraised.

"This is Nupenberry, a favorite of the lovely Lt. Richardson. It seems that she once removed his arms in her sleep--rather violently, I'm told." Garak chuckled to himself. "So Dr. Bashir asked me to fix it for her as a welcome home present."

"How kind of him. So what does it have to do with me?"

"He told me to give it to you for safekeeping in case something happened."

"Will I be… rewarded?"

Garak nodded. "Of course." He started to walk off, then turned back. "Have you heard any news from Catronis?"

Quark stared. "If you haven't heard anything, no one has."

"I have."

Garak and Quark turned. There stood Odo.

"Well?" Garak prompted.

Odo sighed. "It's not exactly news from Catronis, but it is definitely relevant to the situation at hand." He paused. "Both of you know who Ensign Jake Harris is, don't you?"

They nodded.

"He is a spy," Odo announced. "I've searched his quarters and found damning evidence, linking him not only to the Dominion, but also to this rogue psychogenotron Gentanar."

"Ah, yes. The one who went crazy, supposedly because of treatments to help him control his vast power." Garak smiled wryly. "But there is more to it than that."

"You know of him?" Odo asked.

"I know of everyone, Constable," the Cardassian retorted.

"Garak, you must tell me anything you know about this man that could be helpful to our friends on Catronis," Odo ordered.

(LINE)

"Thank God! I see daylight!" Julian cried, leaning heavily on Miles, who had stopped walking.

"We're coming out of the tunnels!" Marina exclaimed. She turned to Julian and cupped his face in her hands, kissing him soundly on the lips.

"Can we go back through the tunnels and catch a first glimpse of daylight again?" Julian asked teasingly.

"There is no way!" Miles exclaimed. "I'm never going back in there!"

"I don't even know how I got in there!" Harris spoke up. "What happened?"

"You were under the mind control of Gentanar--a very powerful psychogenotron," Julian explained.

"Yeah, and you're the one who beat up Julian," Miles growled, glaring at the big, bald young man.

Harris's face paled. "I--I had no idea. I'm sorry. I mean, I never liked the doc, but… I would never do that to him!" he cried, motioning to the battered young doctor.

"You're forgiven. And I don't like you either," Julian said quickly. "But for now, let's just concentrate on getting out of here. We need to get to the weather control generators--and then to Gentanar." He frowned suddenly. "What's that smell?"

Marina wrinkled her nose and nervously snaked her arm around his. "I smell it, too. It smells like--"

Miles frowned. "Like some sort of explosive powder."

"Oh, no! Not again!" Harris wailed.

"Run! Run!" Julian cried.

And they all ran toward the sunlight, as smoke billowed out from the tunnels behind them.

Marina reached and grabbed Julian's hand. I will not be separated from him again…

Suddenly, there was a loud boom and a blinding flash of light.