Julian glanced up as the doors to the infirmary hissed open, his face reflecting a hint of fatigue, but he smiled warmly seeing who it was.
"Jadzia," he greeted. "I wasn't expecting you. What brings you by?"
"I came to see how our mystery patient is doing," she said. "Plus, I also wanted to talk to you about something."
Julian gestured to a nearby chair. "Please, have a seat. Kallim's condition is stable, but I'm at a loss. His physiology is–pardon the phrase–quite alien to me. I'm struggling to pinpoint what's causing his health issues."
"Sounds like a puzzle, something you usually enjoy."
Julian's face fell slightly, his concern overtaking his scientific fascination. "Indeed, it would be an enjoyable challenge, if it weren't for the fact that a young boy's life hangs in the balance."
"Is it that serious?" she asked with concern.
"Maybe not in the immediate future, but I'm concerned that with how long he's been dealing with these symptoms, they may have weakened him a great deal and any number of small complications could spiral things pretty quickly." He sighed. "N'ivryn has been cooperative enough, but I can't help feeling like she knows something about his people she's not telling me."
"You're sure she's not being entirely truthful?"
He drummed his fingers idly against the desk. "I've tried to approach her about it, but every conversation feels like a dance around the truth. She's holding something back, I can feel it."
"You have a good intuition for these things," she agreed. "Perhaps a little too good sometimes."
He grinned back, the tension in the room lifting momentarily. "A doctor has to be observant, Jadzia."
"Of course, but you're not the only one who's gotten that sense from her." Dax's gaze rested on Kallim in the nearby biobed.
"You think so too?"
"It's just a hunch," she shrugged. "But I've learned to trust my instincts over the years. And my instincts are telling me that there's more to this story than meets the eye."
"I just wish I could get through to her. I feel like there's a wall she's put up, and I can't seem to break through it."
Dax placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Give it time. We've only just met her, and she's clearly been through a lot. Maybe she just needs some time to trust us before she opens up."
"Maybe you're right. I just need to be patient. In the meantime, I'll keep working on Kallim's case and hope that we can find some answers soon."
"I have no doubt that you will. You're the best doctor I know, Julian. And if anyone can figure this out, it's you."
"You always know just what to say, don't you?"
She chuckled, patting his shoulder affectionately. "It's one of my many talents. But seriously, Julian, you'll get through to her. You have a way with people. Just give her some time."
He smiled, his worry momentarily assuaged. "Thank you, Jadzia. That means a lot."
Dax raised an admonishing finger, her voice taking on a motherly tone. "Do me a favor, though?"
"Of course, what is it?"
"Don't push yourself too hard. I know that look, and I know you. You won't be any help to anyone if you're exhausted."
Julian nodded sheepishly. "I know, I know. I promise I'll pace myself."
"Good. You can start by letting me help you."
"Oh, I…"
Dax's smile warmed the sterile infirmary as she leaned in toward the display. "Come on, I love research. Show me what you've found so far on tracking down Kallim's people. I've got my tricks, I'm sure I can scrounge up something."
Julian hesitated, but a stubborn glint in Dax's eye told him arguing would be pulled up the star charts where he'd highlighted a large swath of space. "Somewhere in this region is where N'ivryn believes she found Kallim. Not exactly precise, I know."
Dax studied the chart for a moment. "Surviving near Breen space is no small feat," she mused.
"And N'ivryn mentioned that she found Kallim drifting in a scavenged vessel. It's a wonder he survived at all, let alone made it to a point where we could find him."
"We should cross-reference Starfleet records, look for similar encounters. It's a shot in the dark, but we might find something," she suggested.
"Already did," Julian replied, gesturing to a separate screen displaying rows of dense data. "But so far, there's nothing concrete. Kallim's people don't exist in any official records."
A thoughtful pause filled the room before Dax leaned closer to the data. "Send it to me anyway. Fresh eyes, remember? I might find something you missed."