Daughter of Kela

By: Ginomo

Set in the weeks following "Change of Heart." Jadzia makes great efforts to fit into Worf's family, yet she never expects the same from her husband. In need of medical treatment, Jadzia has to return to Trill and is confronted by family resentments both old and new.

Chapter 2

"A transport ship!?"

"Worf, it's fine, really. It's not a big deal," Jadzia said as she placed belongings into her bag.

"It is not fine. I am going to Captain Sisko about this. I can have the Defiant crewed and ready to go within the hour-"

"The Defiant? With the station's weapons offline for the next few days, you think he's going to let the Defiant travel all the way to Trill for one officer?"

Worf's jaw clenched, she was right, "Then I will get a runabout and take you myself."

"After our last runabout mission, I don't think that's a good idea either."

Worf was trying to maintain his composure but it wasn't working, "Why are you just telling me this now?"

Jadzia walked to her vanity, picked up a few things and took them back to the bag sitting on their bed, "The transport ship leaving today just added Trill to their flight plan a few hours ago. I had to make a quick decision. You wanted me to go so I'm going."

"And if you have an episode on the ship? Then what?"

"The transport ship has a medical bay. I will have Julian load me up with neurotransmitters and instructions for the medic in case something happens."

Worf's shoulders slumped in defeat, "I should be going with you."

Jadzia came to her husband and wrapped her arms around his waist, "You stay here and keep yourself busy. Benjamin can't afford to have both of his best officer gone, can he?" she said with a smirk, "There is nothing you can do on Trill anyway."

"Have you told your family?"

All at once Worf could feel Jadzia's body tense, "What… why do you ask?" her voice stumbled.

"I do not want you to be alone. Surely they would want to check on you. Your parents, your sister?"

"Oh yes, of course. They will be waiting for me when I get there, don't worry."

Worf could hear the dismissive tone in her voice, but he didn't want to upset things too much; she was after all going to Trill which was what he wanted in the first place. He sighed heavily, "How long will the transport ship take?"

"Three days."

"Three-!" Worf stopped himself from getting upset, "Okay. Three days."

"I'll be at the Commission a week tops, then back to DS9."

"That means you will be gone two weeks."

"Think of all the work you'll get done. You'll probably have the war won by the time I get back."

Worf stroked his wife's hair, "When does the transport ship leave?"

"A couple hours. And I need to stop by the infirmary before I go."

"Two weeks is a long time, you know..." Worf said, pulling her even closer.

Jadzia smirked "Then we'd better make our goodbye really good."

The transport ship to Trill was only supposed to take three days, but after the fourth Worf had yet to hear from Jadzia. He contacted the Symbiosis Commission and they assured him that she had not yet arrived. There was no record of the ship being engaged by the Dominion, but he had not been able to get a comm signal to them using standard channels. Private transport vessels were notorious for changing their routes on a whim and then not updating their flight plans.

As the fourth day came to a close, Worf's nerves got the best of him. He'd been debating making this call, part of him knew Jadzia would be annoyed, but really there was no harm. Worf speaking with her family in a time like this was perfectly reasonable. Jadzia had her sister's subspace coordinates saved in their comm system, so he decided to start there.

Worf had no idea what to expect. He had never spoken to any of Jadzia's family, but he supposed it was bound to happen and that this was as good a time as any. It took several minutes for the transmission to connect. When it did, a young lady was before him on the monitor. Her dark hair hung on her shoulders, making it hard to see the mottled spots unique to Trill, "This is Ziranne Idaris."

"I know that we have not yet been acquainted. My name is Lt. Commander Worf."

"Worf. You're Jadzia's…" Ziranne wasn't quite sure what he was to her sister.

"Yes, I am Dax's husband."

"Husband?" her eyes widened "You're already married?"

Now it was Worf's turn to be surprised, "Yes. You did not know?"

Ziranne shook her head, "No. She told us that she was planning to get married but…" Ziranne's voice trailed off, "She hasn't spoken to our parents since then and has only sent me a few brief messages," Ziranne could see that Worf was just as shocked as she was, "I am sorry we're both finding out about it like this."

Worf looked away for a moment, "As am I.""

"So what can I do for you, Worf?"

Worf refocused, "Dax is on her way to Trill right now. She is ill and will be checking into the Symbiosis Commision for treatment. She should have arrived but has not and I have not been able to contact her. I was hoping that you'd perhaps heard from her. Though I now have a feeling you did not even know she was coming."

"Jadzia-" Ziranna corrected herself, "Dax does things her own way. She and I were once very close but it's different now. Joining changes a person at their core and it can be very difficult on families," she paused, "You said she is ill?"

"Yes. She was injured during a mission and requires treatment that she can only get there. I am unable to be there with her and it was my hope that perhaps her family could be."

Ziranne could see the worry in Worf's face, "The Dominion has been jamming transmissions in neighboring systems which might explain why you haven't heard from her. I will watch the incoming transport manifests and will let you know as soon as I hear anything."

"Thank you."

"Of course. It has been very nice to meet you, Worf."

Jadzia's eyes fluttered open. The lights overhead were bright, which meant she was in a hospital of some kind. She couldn't feel the hum of the station or the engines of the transport ship which meant she'd made it to Trill. She tried to sit up but her head felt like a ton of bricks.

"Hey there, easy does it."

That voice. Dax turned her head despite the pain and could see her sister. She pushed herself up on her elbows, "Ziranne? What are you doing here?"

"My big sister is in trouble, so I came running."

"How did you know?"

Ziranne pulled her chair closer to Jadzia's bed "Worf contacted me. Your husband."

"Oh, Worf, I have got to let him know I'm okay-"

"I already told him you were here. Any you're not okay. You passed out on the transport ship and they were unable to revive you. They put you in stasis and rushed you here as soon as you docked."

"You talked to Worf. You're probably mad at me."

Ziranne sighed, "I know things between you and our parents have not been good for a very long time-"

"If ever."

"If ever. But you and I used to be close and for you to shut me out really hurt. I always stood up for you. And you went and got married without even telling me."

Just talking about her parents made her feel like the insecure young woman she used to be and not the confident one she'd become, "I just didn't want to deal with Mother and Father and if you knew it wouldn't have been fair to ask you not to tell them."

"So how long were you planning to keep your Klingon husband a secret?"

Jadzia smirked, "You know how stubborn I can be. I guess they were pretty upset when they found out."

"Oh no, I haven't told them. When you get yourself together and get out of here, you are doing that yourself."

"I have some news I want to tell you," Jadzia shifted nervously as she looked at her parents on the subspace monitor, "I've been seeing someone."

"Wow, this must be serious."

"Yes it is. We've been together almost a year."

"A year and we are just hearing about him?" her father asked skeptically.

Jadzia took a deep breath. She felt like a teenaged girl again, "I didn't want to say anything until I was really sure. He and I have decided to get married."

Silence from her parents. They looked at each other, knowing their daughter there was definitely more to this story.

"Does that mean you'll be coming back home to Trill?"

"Well, no," Another deep breath, "He isn't Trill."

"Isn't Trill?" her father frowned, "Some human you've met in Starfleet then?"

"Well, no. He isn't Human either."

Her parents looked at each other again, "Well, what is he?"

She might as well just get it over with, "He's Klingon."

"A Klingon?" Her father was outraged, "My daughter married to one of those barbarians?! Of all the ridiculous things you've done, Jadzia, this is just too much!"

"Jadzia, Dear," her mother began slowly, "Marrying outside our species is just not something Trills do. I know Humans do it all the time, but there are other things to consider. You would not be able to have children-"

"Why in the world would she want to have children with a Klingon anyway? Is this something that damned Curzon host told you to do?"

"It doesn't work that way, Father. And yes, Mother, I know we would not be able to have biological children together. Worf knows that as well."

"Worf. What kind of ridiculous name is that?"

"It's a Klingon name, Father," Jadzia was getting upset now, "I don't know why I expected you to care that this might make me happy. You never have before."

"Kela, we need to hear her out," her mother said.

"No, we don't. I have sat by while she has done one ridiculous thing after another. This is just too much. She was one of the most brilliant students to come through the science ministry, but she threw it away to go to Starfleet. And if that wasn't enough, she joined that damned symbiont cult."

"You don't have to stick up for me, Mother. Not that you ever really have anyway."

"That is not fair Jadzia-"

"It's fine. I think Father's just jealous that I actually see the galaxy up close and not from my lab desk like he does. I do things, interesting things, and he looks through microscopes at dead plants no one cares about."

"I am not going to be insulted by my own daughter. That is, if any part of my daughter is even still in there."

The best way for Worf to keep his mind off Jadzia was to throw himself into his work. As a result, he was wearing out Captain Sisko, but Benjamin couldn't really complain when so much was getting done. Today they were having an early morning meeting in Sisko's office where Worf was presenting a revised duty rotation for the Defiant's patrol runs.

Just then Dr. Bashir entered the Captain's office. He didn't bother asking for entry or excusing himself as he came in.

"Captain, I was just contacted by the Trill Symbiosis Commission." Julian's voice was low and somber which instantly put a knot in the pit of Worf's stomach..

Sisko placed his padd on the desk and sat forward, "Go on, Doctor."

"Well Sir, they requested Jadzia's medical records. Specifically those related to the incident when Verad removed the Dax symbiont," Bashir sighed, "She is, she is worse than I thought. As a last resort they are planning to remove the Dax symbiont in order to operate on it directly."

"Removing the symbiont could…" Benjamin didn't finish his sentence. They all knew what removing the symbiont could mean.

"They want to know how long she was able to survive without Dax before. I," Julian finally brought himself to look at Worf. Never before had he seen the Klingon look so despondent, "I just wanted to let you know in person."

Sisko turned his attention to Worf, who was gripping the arms of his chair so tightly it looked as if they might break "Mr. Worf, take a runabout and get to Trill. Now."

"Aye, Sir."