I'd just completed "A Red Sun Rises" and am now giving this one my full attention until completion. :)

Chapter Seven

She was back in Julian's office the next day, sweating to her core. She still was not sure if she wanted a baby or not, but either way she would be devastated if she was still able to conceive or if the virus affected anything like her ovaries...

"Well, what are the results?" she asked Julian nervously when he came back with a stoned face - and then it broke out into a smile. That was enough to tell her the answer. She was worrying over nothing. She was still able to have a baby.

"But Vera, the matter of your husband..." Julian said, now shifting to sorrow. "I managed to contact a Vorta physician and discuss the situation, and she agreed to have her team over here in a few days soon. Odo will be here with her."

She remembered hearing about Odo from Colonel Kira and Ezri. He was estranged from his people after finding them after so many years of never knowing where he came from - until learning the Changelings were the malevolent Dominion, and he chose to remain with the Federation, falling in love with Kira Nerys who was one of his greatest friends since the beginning...it reminded her of Keevan and herself, in a way. "Julian, what did you find out?"

He sighed and sat down across from her, crossing one leg over the other. "Well, I don't know how to say this as easy as it can go, but the Dominion is certainly recreating the Crimson Shadow Virus - except it appears to be illegal that not even the Founders are aware of it. They seem to have a...rogue Vorta scientist defecting from them and trying to kill his entire race."

Vera gasped and sat up straighter. Just when she thought the Vorta could never betray their gods, unlike Keevan - now this was proof the Dominion wasn't as incorruptible as they wanted everyone else to believe. This...renegade infected her husband before he was banished here, left him to die... "Why would he do such a thing?" she asked, gripping both sides of the chair. "Someone tamper with his mentality in his genetic code?"

Bashir shrugged, a small smile only managed at the little joke before it returned to somber. "I wish, but there's no telling. What I have is mere theory unless proven. Dr. Sadara, the physician who has known Keevan for years, performed a blood transfusion following an assault by Jem'Hadar, and that is when the scientist gave her a sample of the virus to put into Keevan's blood so that it would run its course. He wasn't the only one, either; four more Vorta were dead before him. I do not know yet the maker's motives for this attempt at genocide of his own people, but that is why we need Sadara, Odo and anyone they trust that we have to."

She put her head in her hands and lowered her face. Another Vorta, a supposed loyal servant of the Dominion, attempting to murder his own people and for WHAT? She did not know for sure, but could it be because he thought this was the only way to save his people from the shape-shifters' rule? Or was he just plain insane? Was there even such a thing as a simply insane Vorta?

"I hope they can do something. Keevan doesn't have that long - and I don't think I do, either," she whispered. "If there's no hope, I'd rather die with him than live alone, forced to find another who can never compare to him."

Julian nodded. "Let's hope there is a cure before it's too late. I firmly believe with Odo in charge now, the Dominion will conduct a very thorough investigation into their traitor's illegal activities. There is no way they will turn on us again."

There was one other thing for sure: this madman of a Vorta might not be alone. She would not sit around and play stupid if he didn't have help. "Julian, you think there's a possibility he had...help?" Vera asked.

He exhaled sharply and rose. "Actually, he has. Sadara said that...Weyoun, the Dominion ambassador, authorized the activity, but I highly doubt that the Founders are aware of this, even Odo. But I intend to find out from him directly. This man has a lot to answer for, that's for sure." He shook his head. "I do not know if this is worse or if the massacre of the Cardassians is - or even the occupation of Bajor."

Vera knew all too well about the Holocaust of the Depression Era, so to slaughter an entire race until there was not much left was never worse than any other - it was always the same. If this was the start of a third mass genocide in a short period of time, then this minor anomaly needed to be removed before it could spread.

Julian had said there might not be a cure but hoped there WAS. She was holding the Vorta doctor who told him this to that.

~o~

"Founder, thank you for allowing me to find you here!" Sadara panted as she bowed before him, having searched high and low for the one she was looking for. She had come all this way out here with her Jem'Hadar in tow to search for Odo, only to find him posing as a rock and eventually coming to stand before her.

"Rise up, Doctor, and please call me Odo. You know how I detest being called a Founder," he said with a frown. She nodded.

"I apologize, Odo. I came here in great urgency because I..." She lowered her voice as there were Changelings everywhere, and she was risking her own life for her old friend - who was dying far from home, and his mate sick with him. But Dr. Bashir was not only urgent and desperate, but also demanding and caring as she was.

Yutaron was a traitor that she could have gone to the Founders anytime she wanted, but since he labeled her as the accomplice because he gave her the infected blood for the "little traitor" as he called Keevan, she was forced to keep her silence. Why hadn't she thought to go to Odo sooner, if Dr. Bashir hadn't suggested him? She despised Yutaron more than ever as their history was never the most decent. He had the gall to think he could trust her with his little secret and unauthorized experiments, recreation of the ancient Crimson Shadow Virus - with Weyoun's permission, of course. What had Yutaron done to him that he would grant it without question?!

"Doctor?" Odo questioned, interrupting her thoughts. "I'm waiting."

"I'm sorry. It's Yutaron. He's done terrible things that I had just spoken to an old friend of yours from Deep Space 9, a Dr. Bashir. Regarding one of our banished - Keevan, and his wife. It's not safe to speak it aloud when there are -"

The Founder's eyes widened that he began to get what she was trying to tell him. "Then we'll move to somewhere safer, like your shuttle. Tell me more inside, Doctor. Whatever it is," he said as he led the way, taking her firmly by the forearm, "I intend to return to DS9 myself."

~o~

Dr. Sadara had spent the last hour telling him the most mortifying tales of treachery, secrecy and possible defection to Odo in her shuttle - and he felt like the weight had returned to his shoulders as it was time to return to Deep Space 9 where the old memories were waiting for him. He would end up seeing what changed, what hadn't - and seeing Kira Nerys once again as she made him promise her.

But mainly, it would be because of two souls on board dying of this revived, deadly disease that had been extinct for two centuries - the Crimson Shadow Virus, killing thousands of Vorta until it was eradicated. Now Yutaron, a brilliant Vorta scientist, had been secretly testing on a handful of his own people so he could take more lives, not just simply for research purposes or the surprise construction of a new weapon for the Dominion.

His motives were purely personal.

Odo closed his eyes as he sat in silence upon the doctor finishing her count. She was an unwilling accomplice in infecting the patients who had come to her for help only to be guinea pigs in this act of savagery. He should be brought forth to answer for his crimes, but that meant only his execution and a brand new clone activated. Odo could not terminate him permanently himself; he was not like the Female Changeling before him. His crimes were unforgiveable, but perhaps he should discuss this with Borath who oversaw the cloning facilities after the main task at hand was taken care of: if they had some semblance of a cure found, or some form of treatment, then grab it and head for DS9.

"The Crimson Shadow Virus has no cure, but Yutaron is known to make anything possible," Dr. Sadara was telling him as she helped him in calling forth all physicians and scientists available. They were going behind the backs of the rest of the Changelings, but it was Odo who was their spokesman now. They could not take his powers away anymore than he could cure them of the disease a second time around. "And Weyoun -"

"Yes, he will not disobey me," Odo said in disgust. He could not believe the Vorta who was his chief aide whenever he left the Link could grant Yutaron permission for his illicit experiments - unless he had somehow been intercepted with mind control. Knowing Dr. Bashir, he wouldn't be surprised if the man suspected it, too, but where was the proof? Weyoun would not need to know the truth of their new mission into the Alpha Quadrant, but he would find out eventually. But it was not like he or his fellow Vorta along would question Odo, their Founder.

The other Changelings did not know about this destructive act of one of their own servants, but they would find out eventually, but not until after Keevan and his wife were saved. Keevan was an outcast and forbidden to return home, but he did not deserve this cruel punishment, nor did he deserve to be taken away from a loved one. Odo intended to owe his old friends a favor this way as they still mattered to him above his own people. Sadara was horrified when he told her this. "Pardon me, but -" She stopped herself. "I shouldn't question you, Odo."

"I could use it. I hate all this simpering polite worship. I still wish you and the rest of your people could get it through we're not gods, just mortal beings as the rest of you even if we're not single-formed."

She gulped. "Keevan believes you are all not, and I was afraid to agree with him." Odo snorted. Well, at least one did.

~o~

The pains got worse, and it was the third day.

He was not going to make it any longer, and he felt it.

"Oh, gods..." He moaned in pain as he lay in bed, holding onto himself and his beloved wife next to him. She was hurting as much as he was, and she was not willing to leave him. But now they were surrounded with Dr. Julian Bashir as well as his wife Ezri, Nurse Jabara and Quark - but one person was missing as the couple lay ill in bed together, sweating and cramping but not willing to let go of each other.

"Vera, maybe it's time to tell your mother," Ezri started to say, but the redheaded woman snapped at her.

"No, she'll try and separate us! She will NOT know about this."

"Vera, both of your conditions are rapidly deteriorating, and I'd hate to see your poor mother when she finds out too late!" Julian shouted, his patience just about lost. It was not like him to behave like this, but it was because of the fact that Vera denied her own mother the truth; Keevan understood very well why his wife would not let her know. He did not trust Norah any more than her own daughter trusted her.

Behind them all, the doors to the quarters beeped, igniting the irritation of himself and Vera, who shouted in a raspy voice, "Come in!"

"VERA!"

She groaned and leaned against him. "Oh, no..."

"I'll take care of it," Bashir assured her as he left the bedroom and dashed out into the main area to try and stall Norah Coleman from going any further to try and see her daughter and son-in-law. Keevan's ears picked up every word as the visual attention of the others around him shifted to the doorway where the commotion was heard.

"Out of my way, Doctor! I have to see my daughter."

"Mrs. Coleman, I apologize and I understand, but this is hardly a good time -"

"Damn it, Vera does not come to work anymore, and I deserve the right to see and find out what is the cause...!" The woman finally came to the doorway and screamed angrily as she shoved the doctor's hand off of her until she stalked into the room, halting immediately and allowing her furious and shocked eyes to fall on the sight of her clearly ill daughter and son-in-law, both with bags under their eyes and paler complexions, sweating profusely and breathing labored. Her hand slapped over her mouth.

"Mom..." Vera's voice was hardly her own anymore, but it was still audible. "We're both sick. I couldn't trouble you with it; help is on the way, but Keevan is...dying."

Ezri nodded. "Mrs. Coleman, this has gone on for two weeks almost. Keevan was infected long before he came to the station but had no idea he had it until over a week ago. It's a long-extinct disease the Dominion..." But the mother did not want to hear anymore of it. She exploded with the fury of a mountain after a long rest.

"That excuses nothing. He defiled my daughter, and now she's going down with him!"

"Mrs. Coleman, if you would please calm down and take this rationally!" Bashir said angrily, trying to stop her again, but she struck him across the face. Keevan leaned into his beloved, loathing her mother on the spot. How could she be acting like this when her daughter's health as well as his were getting worse?

"No, I will not stand here while my daughter lies dying beside that THING!" She stormed over and grabbed Vera by the arm, pulling her to her feet and forcing her forward. "Vera, you are coming with me now so I can take you back home to Earth, get you a better doctor - and put that creature out of his misery!" she shouted when she turned her attention to Keevan, whose heart now shattered at the cruel words his mother-in-law lashed out despite her judgment.

She was taking Vera - she was taking his darling wife, the love of his life, who was as sick as he was, from him. She was screaming at everyone to leave the room before she called for the security team, and to keep away from HIM, the animal. He closed his eyes as he felt the liquid heat and immense pain as his heart exploded with grief that he was being left to die alone, heartbroken and sick.

~o~

"NO, MOTHER!" Vera screamed as she fought against her overbearing mother. "WE CAN'T LEAVE HIM ALONE! HE'S DYING AND HE NEEDS ME!"

Her arm was hurting her and she was on the verge of falling enough to be dragged on her feet in Norah's tyrannical grip. Her mother had snapped, gone mad and turned into an evil, heartless monster all because she would not see reason in her daughter's husband's unawareness of his illness. "That's enough, Vera," she warned as eyes were on them now as she dragged her daughter through the Promenade, making way for Ops to talk to Colonel Kira. "I won't let you be near that monster anymore."

Vera finally found it in her to scream in rage and pull away, then drew her hand back and struck her own mother across the face. That was the first time she ever hit Norah, and when she did, her stomach was seized with a vicious pain that made her howl and clutch at her abdomen, then fell into Julian's arms, clutching him for dear life as her world danced with black and white spots. She was still wearing her silk tank and shorts, practically half-dressed but didn't care anymore. "No, Mother, I'm done with you! I hate you and I never want you in my life again! You can go back to Earth and maybe back to Father, see if he wants you now! I'm staying with Keevan because he's my husband, I love him and he needs me!"

"That is enough, you little bitch!" Norah shouted as she started forward, only to be rushed at and caught on either side by two Bajoran security officers. Colonel Kira Nerys herself was walking up the stairs and starting for them with a furious face.

"Mrs. Coleman, I would not try anything else if I were you. Your daughter will get medical care, but not by being taken back to Earth. Someone very dear to us all has just arrived to care for her and Keevan."

"Oh, who is it?" Norah spat as she tried to free herself with futile attempts.

"That would be me." All eyes were on a man who made his appearance. He was a Changeling, for his features were smooth and clay-formed, the best he could get to being a real man, and he was accompanied by a great group of Vorta men and women in medical gear, as well as a unit of reptilian warrior-like men with their weapons lowered for now. These were Jem'Hadar, the fighters for the Dominion. And a Founder was here.

They were here because of her and Keevan.

"Odo," Julian said, still holding Vera up for support, "it's about time you and your crew came. This is Vera, the wife." He nodded at her, but Vera was too overwhelmed to say a proper greeting, recognizing him as Kira's former lover who rejoined his people as the war ended.

"Hi."

"Vera." He nodded his acknowledgement. "Where is Keevan?"

"He's back in our quarters," Vera blurted, tears coming free. "Please, he's in there all alone. You have to find him before he dies. You have to save us both."

It's really getting devastated each moment. :( E.T. was a wonderful movie that I never thought I'd use as inspiration until I started brainstorming this entire story which I am so far proud of as always.