12 - Guard Duty

Dax sighed. "Klingon beds may be hard, but at least the edges are straight." At Sisko's request, they were sharing quarters.

"Well, this was grown from crystals," Bashir replied.

"The Tok'ra have soft pillows," Sisko pointed out. "Just be careful getting in and out, or you might…scrape on the edges. He grimaced slightly, picturing doing just that.

Bashir tested his finger against it, running it along the edge. When he pulled away, it stung slightly. "You'll definitely scrape if you aren't careful."

They heard steps coming closer. The pattern told Dax that it was Sam.

"How are you liking your quarters?" Sam asked when she saw them. She was carrying a few things that were rolled up.

"Very…crystally," Bashir replied.

"I figured as much." She smiled. "One of these might help."

"Thank you," Sisko replied as Bashir and Dax grabbed what turned out to be rolled up pads.

"Anise and Freya probably forgot about them. They are used to sleeping on anything. Well, so am I, but some comfort is nice. Most hosts use these at first, but we get used to the crystal bed."

Bashir rolled it out on his bed, watching it puff slightly. He got into the bed carefully. The pad was more comfortable than it appeared, and he snuggled slightly with the blanket.

"Should we leave you alone?" Dax teased.

"No. I was just testing it out." He grinned. "Too bad I didn't bring Kukalaka along."

"Kukalaka?" Sam asked.

"A teddy bear." Bashir sat up as he smiled. "And my first patient."

A what? Kela'an thought before going through Sam's memories. A toy?

From childhood it sounds. Sam smiled.

Worf came in. "It is nearly time."

"Oh, Benjamin," Dax said when he nodded. "Don't tell me that you volunteered. I told you-"

"Yes, never volunteer for anything…" Sisko shrugged with amusement. "…but I did."

"I did too," Dax admitted, "though not for this particular shift. I'm going to shower first."

"Didn't Freya grow you a bath?" Sam asked as she looked around the room. "No, she didn't."

Sisko looked towards the room that they had assumed was for that.

"That's your bathroom…" Sam paused, slightly amused by her mistake. "Alright, that's what I'm used to calling it. That's the mik'gu, which basically translates to toilet. The Tok'ra do not combine the toilet room and the bathing room."

Bashir frowned. "Freya forgot a…bath?"

Sam grinned. "Our baths are public, though a few Tok'ra prefer their own." She glanced to Worf, seeing that he wanted to get on the surface. "I'll get someone to grow your bathing room, and Captain, "I'll show you and Worf where to get water and rations, and you might want to get hoods. The sun can feel like it is beating down on you."

"Thank you," Sisko replied.

~+~+~.

Martouf smiled as he saw Amb and Gete cuddling in the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Martouf asked.

"Awful," Amb grumbled. "I have no hair."

"You have some," Gete argued.

Martouf smiled, knowing that it meant he was feeling a lot better. He sat by them.

"Yes, now I appear to have a strange hair style."

Gete kissed him gently.

"Malek thanks Lantash for the blood," Amb said as he sat up. He smiled slightly as he felt Gete rub his back.

"I'll let him know. He's sleeping right now."

Malek took over and looked to Gete with worry. "You took too much blood."

"I did not."

"He's fine," Martouf assured. "He's just tired."

Malek nodded. "How did you get dirt in your hair?"

"It was dusty," Martouf defended as Malek pulled out a twig.

"If I didn't know better," Gete said, "I'd believe you and Samantha had some fun in the middle of the battle."

"I had to duck a few times," Martouf admitted.

"And now you are dusty," Malek teased.

"I'll be bathing soon."

~+~+~.

Dax and Bashir watched as Anise grew their bathing room. It was much bigger than they expected, containing two large, waste-deep baths. As Anise continued working, they began filling with water, and a waterfall began pouring into one.

Dax was amused that the water was scented, knowing that Worf would not be pleased.

"Vanilla," Bashir noted.

Anise looked back. "Yes, this connects to the main bathing room, so I cannot change the scent. A new one will be selected soon though. I believe it will be lavender."

"I am sure that will please Worf," Bashir said with a grin as Dax stifled a laugh.

"I am pleased that he will like it," Anise replied with sincerity.

"I am curious," Bashir asked, "if you don't mind me asking?"

"Yes?"

"What if, theoretically, someone did not like a particular scent?"

"When either Freya or I do not care for the scent, I block her ability to smell while we bathe."

"Ah."

~+~+~.

Worf was on alert when the stargate activated. He held his phaser, watching as three strangers walked through.

Soon, he heard a soft sound to the right of him, coming from a well hidden Tok'ra. It immediately told Worf that the three strangers were allies.

One of the men stood out. Dark skinned. Tall. Carrying a staff weapon. That was all Worf could really see from this distance. It wasn't his appearance that Worf really noticed though. It was his stance. The way he moved. The way he surveyed the area.

He was a warrior.

The group headed right for them.

Soon, the leader of this group came out, and she raised her hand, giving the signal to stay down.

"We weren't expecting more company."

Worf wasn't surprised. They had been told this earlier.

"Yeah, well, you know how we like to drop by from time to time," replied a man with graying hair.

"More company?" Asked the third man as he touched his glasses. "You already have company?"

"Yes, we have visitors." The woman gestured towards Sisko and Worf.

That was their cue to meet the people, and Worf was pleased to do so. He had no problem putting duty first, but he was curious about the warrior.

"Captain Sisko, Commander Worf, this is Colonel Jack O'Neill, Doctor Daniel Jackson, and Teal'c."

Teal'c bowed his head in a greeting, clearly recognizing that Worf was a warrior like himself.

"Hi ya folks," replied Jack. "Nice to meet you." He turned to the Tok'ra. "Since when do you have other guests?"

"You can just call me Daniel," Daniel added.

"It's a long story," Sisko replied, not yet quite sure what to make of them.

"Come…" The Tok'ra gestured for them to follow. She made sure to include Sisko and Worf, knowing that there would be many questions.

"You know they all have snakes in their heads, right?" Jack added as he glanced over.

Worf immediately knew that was offensive when he saw the Tok'ra slightly tense, but she didn't say anything.

"We know," Sisko answered politely.

They went down into the tunnels.