For Vera and Keevan's honeymoon, I thought Casperia Prime was the perfect site instead of Risa, for once, the idea having come from watching season 6's "Change of Heart" when Worf and Jadzia Dax discussed their honeymoon. The planet is ringed like Saturn and said to be on par with Risa as a resort. :)

I'm sorry it took awhile. I'd had difficulty continuing as we are close to the bad stuff, and I'd begun writing a new story involving Jadzia and Julian Bashir which will go up soon. :)

Chapter Five

"How does Risa sound?" Keevan asked as he looked over the computer the next day. "Colonel Kira said she would be giving us this vacation as a gift to choose wherever we want." He could not remember the last time he had a free trip away from home and work, and it had been a while herself, according to his new wife, that Vera had taken one.

Risa was an interesting choice because of the never-ending fun and pleasure, but the catch was that it was loose on "relations", which did not sound appropriate, and Vera agreed. "I don't think so," she said as she packed her suitcase. "That place might be fun, but it's too open about sexuality. I'll be able to control myself, but you can always be tempted too easily."

He nodded and continued the search, finding basic rock-climbing expeditions like Vulcan's Forge, but that was too brutal even for them. Then there was - "What about...Casperia Prime?" he asked. "Said to be a resort like Risa."

She looked up and smiled. "That's all we need. Pampering, room service, lazing around and making mind-blowing love at night after we spend the days on the beach, swimming and feasting on fish, then return home in bliss only to be thrust back into reality."

Keevan could not even stifle a laugh as he thought of the possibilities. Traipsing on the beach, swimming in the ocean, eating fish, massaging...making mind-blowing love at night. Not that bad of a list.

~o~

"Here's a cheers to you and Julian!" Vera said happily, clinking her root beer with Ezri's tea. "Congratulations."

She and Bashir had been married for six months, and now they had the most wonderful news in the world to share: they were going to have a baby. "I didn't think we would so soon," the Trill said with a laugh after a huge downing of her drink, making the human woman laugh, too.

"Six months is soon? Hardly. If I found out we were having a baby so soon, I might die of a heart attack."

Ezri's eyes widened a little. "What about Keevan?"

"He doesn't know anything about children yet, so we're not doing it yet. I'm not sure I want to give up my independence for another life just yet, for the next eighteen years or more to come," Vera confessed. She'd always been an independent woman no matter what, so she wasn't sure if she wanted to give that up yet. Add in that Keevan might not want to be burdened with fatherhood like her first husband didn't want to be. Men were more troubled, it seemed, but they weren't the ones having the child the way the woman did.

"Have you even talked to him about it?" Dax questioned.

"Not yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't want to, like my first husband -"

"Oh, forget him! Keevan is not your first. He's nowhere near your first, and count on he might be your last if you two work on it. That's all it takes in a marriage. I was afraid that things would be hard after I married Julian, but no relationship is ever free from trouble no matter how much you don't want it. It's not so bad. Marriage is about give and take."

She downed the last of her tea. "So, when are you guys leaving for Casperia Prime?"

"Tomorrow morning," Vera answered, excited and nervous at the same time. She had never had the honeymoon a young bride dreamed about, and she had every right to be joyful. Rarely do you get any opportunity like this.

"Jadzia wanted to go there for her honeymoon, if only there hadn't been Lasaran and getting hurt, costing Worf a command of his own," Ezri said sadly before changing to a bright smile. "But now you get to."

So she did. She and Keevan left the next morning for the Horvian Cluster where the Casperia System resided. From space, it was a stunning, glittering orb of blue ringed with a lighter silvery tone, and upon arrival, it was dominated by oceans and a total of four vast islands of green and hills, streaming and with smaller waterfalls than Risa. Unlike Risa, Casperia was stern about infidelity and taboo, but otherwise you were free to enjoy yourself. Vera was blown away at the sight of the beautiful planet beneath them as Keevan, skilled with flying craft, brought them down to the Carthagean Island and sea. The structures of the buildings were angular and sleek, with gossamer curtains and free space, the rooms and service closed for privacy, but the fun of being out on the balconies and on the beach were revealed to the naked eye. From the advertisement, Vera was looking forward to a jet-streamed bath and shower, a soft bed of exotic linen and silk, sitting on the balcony morning and night, the entire day under the sun and in the pristine waters with her husband now.

"Oh, this room is amazing!" Vera gasped as she looked at warm golden walls and lighting, dropping her bag and landing onto the bed with exhilaration. Southern beliefs said overindulgence was a sin, but not this time! A week here was all she and Keevan needed - and he needed to know what it was like to enjoy some fun in the sun. "Go on and put your swimsuit on so we can hit the beach!"

She changed into hers, a single black piece with a criss-cross front, and over it she tossed a loose white cover-up comfortable enough for an island time. "Well, what do you think?" she asked Keevan as soon as she was ready. He looked her up and down with a slight smile and cock of the head.

"Endearing," was all he said, making her laugh, but he remained ever serious. "How about me?"

The choice of shorts was very small but complimenting his lean, toned form, light blue lined with silver. She tried not to giggle at the sight of his manhood outlined in the front. He noticed this, and his frown deepened. "That is not polite to laugh."

"No, I'm sorry." She walked over and took his hand to drag him out of their room. "Come on; we have a long week of fun ahead of us."

~o~

"It seems throwing my life away in the Gamma Quadrant had been worth it."

He'd said those words to Vera as soon as they boarded the runabout back home to Deep Space 9. He was disappointed as much as she was to leave Casperia, but they had to return eventually. He had the time of his life, his skin enjoying the sun and water, the food exquisite in smell even though he could not taste it, the days wondrous and warm while the nights were humid and cool - and being beside Vera morning and at night, her body mating with his...it was sheer exquisite. Exile was worth it all now that he was beginning to forget all about his past painful life.

But, halfway through the trip back, he felt himself become a little lightheaded and thought he was going to pass out, before Vera's hand helped him sit up straight. "Baby, are you okay?"

He grunted as his head began to pound a little. "I'm - fine," he said, strained. Why did he have to get a headache at a time like this? Perhaps they had too much fun and paid a small price for it. He was tempted to laugh, but was refrained when the aching became powerful enough to become a migraine. "Oh, can you get some water from the replicator?"

He didn't look at her, instead blankly kept his eyes on the navigation and heard her request the beverage before bringing it over to him. "Here go you. Maybe I should take over for you," she offered, kissing his cheek which he returned without making full lip contact. Somehow his head pain prevented him from finishing it.

"Maybe ask Dr. Bashir to look at it."

Keevan shook his head. "It's probably short-lived. I'll be fine, love."

Sadly, the headache got worse over the next few days. Not to mention, Vera began to feel it in herself that they both decided to go to Julian for some herbs; they did work for only a few hours until the pains returned with a vengeance.

Vera found it difficult to concentrate on her knitting and sewing, and as a result, her mother grew even more short with her that she insisted she return to Dr. Bashir to find out what was really wrong with her, because there was no way this could be a mere migraine to last this long. Keevan had to agree with Norah on this one. He and his mother-in-law had begun to get along just a little better, but she was yet to accept him as part of the family.

It had been a week since they both returned from their honeymoon, and on the seventh day, the migraines stopped, only for a new symptom to begin: nausea hit them both with blunt force. Vera would be the first to relieve her stomach not long before Keevan had his turn, and then Vera eventually came to a stark realization.

"I think I might be pregnant," she said two days later, more nervous than she had been when they first met.

Keevan thought he would turn to stone in a matter of seconds. His wife was pregnant - was she absolutely sure? They hadn't been married that long, and yet they made love like minks at night... "Are you...sure?" he asked carefully, but he should have known better than that, for she erupted.

"I don't know! I mean, I haven't missed my period yet, but it might be possible. Or maybe I'm imagining it. I don't even want a baby yet, but I have to be certain with Julian. God, Keevan..." She threw her hands up in exasperation and paced back and forth before him. "...what is wrong with us both lately?!"

For a moment, Keevan feared their marriage was on the rocks so soon - no, he would not think like that. He was not jumping to any conclusions; Julian had warned him marriage was filled with ups and downs, and to take it one day at a time. "It will be all right," he soothed, making her stop her pacing and pulling her close to him. "We'll get through this, I promise." He kissed the top of her silky head and rested his cheek on it.

It was later that night they both felt a little better, but who knew when it would be back. As soon as they both settled down for the night, Keevan felt himself burn below his stomach, tingle with an aching need. He noticed how tired his wife was and partly respected if she didn't want to, but he leaned over and kissed her lips. "Vera, do you want to...?" He looked down at his lap covered with the blanket as his way of finishing the sentence.

"Yeah, I want to." She settled back down for him to crawl on top of her and push her nightgown up so he could fish underneath and feel about her, finding her most sensitive, damper place and teasing her, making her giggle and pinching to make her moan. Her hands pushed down the waist of his sleeping pants to free his own private parts and pull him towards her. Getting the message, Keevan crawled on top of her and entered her swiftly.

They had not made love much ever since returning from their honeymoon on Casperia, because the migraines had stunted them both. By the end, they were both pouring sweat and exhausted, drained of energy that he fell on top of her and fell asleep from there.

By morning, things got worse.

Both he and his bride were hit with more bouts of nausea, but that was not the least of their problems. He felt himself ache below his waist, like someone had shoved something up his groin and twisted the muscles inside. Vera noticed this, having experienced it, too, and helping him sit on the foot of the bed. "Oh, God, Keevan - we're not going to get any better unless we go to Julian. We should have when we had the chance," she croaked, leaning against him and not wanting to let go. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

He wasn't sure about her, but he felt like he was slowly shutting down like a machine running out of its juices. Unless that machine could be recharged with more refills and replacements, it would be gone forever.

"You two have been like this ever since coming back from Casperia," Bashir stated as he took their readings with his tricorder. Both husband and wife were sweating heavily now and smelling intensely of it that the nurse did her best in making sure they wore lighter clothing - both were in a long, loose tunic allowing their bodies to breathe - and drinking lots of water. No medicinal prescriptions were made as Bashir had yet to determine what they had both contracted. "Nausea, high fevers, immense pain to the groin..."

He stopped there, eyes widening when he seemed to have found something. "Oh...my...God..."

Vera looked at him with wide-eyed horror. "Julian?" she whispered nervously.

He shook his head. "Vera, Keevan, I don't know how to tell you both this, but..." He stopped there and closed his eyes, holding the PADD and tricorder close to him as though they were precious and the only source of help to give him the words to say. But when he finally spoke, they sent everyone into a shock.

"You both have been infected with a disease."

I'm not sure where the name Carthagean came from, but it sounded suitable, like the Aegean Sea of Greece. :) Greece itself is a paradise that it's where the architecture came from.

Now you have it: Keevan and Vera are infected with a virus, which will be further explained in the upcoming chapter. Stay tuned!