Well, I am just so busy all of a sudden! It's crazy! And thanks to my Algebra teacher, I have no time for fanfiction anymore. In fact, I should probably be doing homework right now. Oh well! Between you and me, I'd much rather be doing this.

Chapter Eighteen: Change of Heart

Kira

"With all due respect, sir," said Kira, "why?"

"I don't want to wage war with the Cardassians," Sisko answered. "I'm not ready to destroy all the hard work that was put into Deep Space Nine these past three years. Trying to retrieve Odo could be considered an act of war."

"So could attempted murder of the Bajoran liason officer to the Federation," Kira pointed out curtly.

"True," Sisko admitted, "but it's not my decision to make."

"Then whose is it?" asked Kira purposefully. "I'm going to have a few words with them."

"Oh, no, you're not," Bashir interjected.

"Don't get me started, Doctor; I'm fine," Kira snapped.

"No, you aren't," Bashir pressed. "You've just recovered from a wound so terrible that a dermal regenerator could do little to help you. You must stay off your feet for a while longer."

Kira pretended that he hadn't spoken and back to Sisko. "Who do I need to talk to?"

"Major, you just need to trust Odo," Sisko said softly.

"Oh, I would trust him with my life," said Kira, "but not with his own. I don't think he can escape Dukat alone."

"That's enough," Sisko said, more sternly. "You will not do anything about this, do you understand?"

Kira set her jaw and hissed through clenched teeth, "Yes, sir."

Doctor Bashir insisted that Kira stay on the bio-bed until he told her that she could leave. However, she pestered him so much that he eventually gave in and let her go. She wasn't in such bad shape that she would fall apart, getting some exercise. Under strict orders not to let anything touch her stomach, inside or outside, Kira entered the temple to pray earnestly for Odo. If she couldn't do anything for him, perhaps the Prophets would help him for her.

Odo

Pitiful, Odo thought to himself. Just pitiful. Get up! Do something! Don't let Dukat stop you from getting home, from getting to Nerys! But the pain was far too great. He just wanted it all to end.

Dukat stood over him and gloated, but he didn't give the order to fire again. The ring of soldiers around him was watching, some with pity, some with triumpth. Odo was successfully tuning out Dukat's words, as he was becoming tedious. He talked and talked for twenty minutes, easily, and most of the pain had worn off. Fear of being shot again kept Odo on the ground, dreaming of ways to escape the horrible weapons.

Suddenly, Odo was overcome by two words that popped up out of nowhere: environmental controls. Of course! If he was fast enough, he could do it.

Odo tried to look like an amorphous blob - - successfully, he guessed. He would need the element of surprise as well as stealth and speed. The guards had become less vigilant, watching Odo become weaker and weaker, listening to Dukat and, consequently, becoming bored. That would also help his little plan.

Odo found a small console mounted on the wall of the cargo bay. He mentally calculated the precise trajectory of his jump and scrounged up as much energy as he could find in his exhausted, gelatinous body. Realistically, Odo knew that it was very improbable that he could make the jump, but it was his last chance. But the more he thought about it, the more discouraged he became. He knew he would fall just short of his goal.

Then -- suddenly, unexpectedly -- a surprising surge of power shot through him, and he knew it was from Nerys. He tried not to show that he was strong again, for fear of being shot.

There was no point in waiting any longer. Odo sprang over the heads of the Cardassian guards.

Dukat's shock didn't last as long as the guards'. "What are you waiting for, fools? Fire!" Dukat yelled. As they fumbled with their weapons, Odo hit the console just where he had wanted to. Oxygen leaked rapidly from the room as Odo sealed the doors to the cargo bay. One more morph kept him alive as he became a Moon Flea, indigenous to many moons throughout the galaxy. Moon Fleas needed no air or gravity to survive, but they could survive with either or both around them. They were both simple and complex creatures, and very resilient.

Odo flew into an airlock and rammed into the buttons that would send him into the vacuum of space.

Dax

"Over there," Dax directed. "And Chief, please be careful with that."

"I am!" O'Brien called indignantly.

Dax walked over to a table and sampled some of the food. "Quark." She didn't have to look to know that the little Ferengi was trying to escape from behind her back.

"Yes?" Quark sighed from behind her.

Dax spun to look at him. "What is this?" she asked, gesturing to the bowl from which she had taken a sample. "It tastes rotten."

"It's supposed to," Quark said simply. "No time to explain. I've got to get back to my bar now!"

"All right," Dax said. "Thank you." He had been very helpful that day, but she knew he didn't want Rom running the bar for too long.

Quark turned to run out the door. . . right into Major Kira! "Major, you're up! Feeling well? I'm glad. Now, if you'll excuse me. . ." Quark spat out quickly, then hurried out of the Briefing Room.

Kira turned, puzzled, to Dax, who said, "Rom's running the bar," in explanation.

"Ah," Kira said, understanding. Then she walked over to Dax and gave her a short, awkward hug -- awkward because her stomach skin was still tender.

"Feeling better?" Dax asked, grinning.

Kira shrugged. "Now that I'm out of the Infirmary."

"It's so good to see you on your feet again," said Dax sincerely.

"It's good to be back," Kira agreed. "I heard we were preparing a surprise in here?"

Dax smiled wider. "We are! I want it to be perfect."

"Can I help. . . without anything really touching me?" Kira asked.

"Let's see what I've got. . ." Dax said, looking around.

The planning commenced, and Kira was greeted by many friends, confirming her well-being. After a few hours, Doctor Bashir walked into the room. He was finally off-duty and wanted to help out. Also, Kira was due for another dose of medicine. Dax directed him to where Kira stood.

"Nice to see you again, Major," Bashir said, injecting the hypospray. "I must say, this is the last place I would have thought to find you."

Dax looked surprised. "Why?" she asked.

"Last I heard, Major Kira had little faith in Odo's ability to get home," Bashir explained. Then he turned to Kira. "Change of heart?"

"He'll be back," Kira said resolutely. "The Prophets will help him."

Bashir and Dax exchanged a brief glance. "I'd say that qualifies as a change of heart," Dax said.

Okay, now I've GOT to tell you this. For Halloween this year, my mom made me a costume. Not that that's new; she made me a Hermione costume, a Jessie costume, a rainbow costume, a 50's girl costume... you get the idea. But this year, my mom made a costume for everyone in my family. We were all people from Star Trek! Yeah, Dad was Picard, I was Dax, my brothers were Data and Chakotay, and my sister was Janeway. (Mom said she didn't want to have to make another for herself, though Dad was teasing her, saying she should be Seven of Nine.) How amazing is that? I thought it was awesome, and so did several adults... but I did get many comments from kids at school like, "Did you get run over by a bike?" or "Are you roadkill?" Oh well. It was still pretty cool.

Now... REVIEW PLEASE!!!