"I still don't understand why I had to do that."

Taya slouched over, hugging her free arm, her head tilted towards the floor, in a brooding fashion.

"Because it amuses me, that's why."

Odo let out a short laugh that sounded somewhere between a growl and a cough.

"I'm so glad I can be a source of amusement for you, Constable".

"It's not you that amuses me Ensign, it's Quark, so you can quit your brooding for now, Taya".

"I'm not brooooding.

I just don't see why all that was necessary.

It was kind of a waste of time to be honest."

"It didn't sound like a waste of time to me.

You made a friend out of all that didn't you?"

"Yes there's that but the rest of it was just plain pointless.

Why did you have to harass Quark at all in the first place anyways?"

"Because he's a nuisance and he needs to know who's in charge of this station.

He's constantly undermining my authority and on top of that I have Bashir under the impression that he can undermine my authority as well.

It's all very infuriating".

"Looks to me like I might not be the only one that is in need of a new hobby".

"I have enough hobbies to keep me occupied on my spare time, thank you, very much.

Now what's your new hobby again?

I don't recall hearing you tell me what that was. Perhaps I wasn't paying attention and I somehow missed it. Care to fill me in on that?"

"I think I'll get into writing again and maybe I could even dedicate my time to making a few holodeck novels.

The Holodeck could serve as a outlet for all the stories I have inside my head and it is a more immersive experience so it might even help me make sense of all that trauma I've gone through".

"You sound exactly like Bashir.

He didn't put you onto this idea did he?"

"He did mention the holodeck as a form of therapy more specifically he suggested I work on my own Holodeck novel to get my mind off my trauma.

Doctors Orders of course".

"How long ago was that?"

"Over a month ago".

"So much for Doctor's orders.

Why do all of his suggestions end up being orders?

So Why didn't you take his so called advise?

Do you not trust him or something?"

"It's not a matter of trust but a matter of knowledge.

I had no knowledge of how a Holodeck worked at the time so I couldn't have very well made my own program for it could I?"

"No I suppose not but I'm sure you wouldn't have had much trouble figuring it out if you had been left long enough to examine it.

Any other reason you didn't follow through with his little suggestion?"

"If you had been a slave like I was would you want to make sense of why you were made a slave in the first place?"

"No, I certainly would not.

What would be the point of you relieving and reenacting your captivity in the past...yet again?"

"Exactly, there is no point.

What's even more ridiculous is that no amount time on the Holodeck is going erase what happened to me and no amount of Holodeck programs will help me escape all that I've experienced on Cardassia.

The only way I can heal is for me to live, actually live for myself and not live for people's suggestions, orders and ideas.

So that's why I really didn't head straight to the Holosuite after talking with him.

I want to heal in my own way not in the way others think I should".

"Then that's... very noble of you to do so.

Yet again you surprise me Ensign."

"I surprise and I amuse.

It's almost as if I'm some sort of muse for people around here or I'm some sort of entertainnent.

I don't know if I like that.

What's really troublesome is I seem to be causing some sort of emotional divide amongst the people on this station.

First you got into that heated discussion with Bashir, than you nearly had a shouting match with Sisko during the award ceremony and then a few moments ago you verbally tore Quark apart right in his own bar.

Now Rom and Quark are no doubt at odds for my sake.

It seems I'm nothing but trouble these days and I don't understand why".

Odo was blown away by the fact she didn't just hang on his every word but she must follow his every move as well.

"The trouble between me and Quark has nothing to do with you as for the relationship Rom has with his brother that is none of your concern, they've always been rivals and they've always been at odds.

Bashir is the very definition of trouble and Sisko was being very childish and inconsiderate that day.

So you are not responsible for any of these events that have taken place on this station in the past.

The only trouble you've created so far has been a few stolen security codes and a sparking replicator.

You corrected the security code issue and that replicator was never broken in the first place.

It wasn't broken now was it?"

"No, just a few of the couplings were a little worn out but it still appeared to be fully functional.

Those couplings should be replaced in a year or so."

"O' Brian can take care of that.

There is a perfectly logical explanation for all these things that have taken place.

You've simply brought change to this station and how people on this station react to this change is not your responsibility.

People will adjust, so will you.

Don't be so hard on yourself.

Change is a struggle... for everyone and I'm certainly no exception."

"Yet you're a changeling, is that the whole purpose of a changling, is to change?"

"It is the sum of my existence yes but that doesn't mean I like to change. I've found change is only necessary when there is a goal to work towards.

I don't change for the sake of other people, I change for myself and I change to better myself.

That's why I'm not entertaining people at Quark's like the rest of his regulars and other staff members."

"Yes I remember you telling me how you never wanted to be a source of entertainment for people because you wanted people to know you for who you really are.

You wanted to be more than entertainment, you wanted to a person, a person who was respected, appreciated and accepted for all your good work and efforts, yet you also wanted to be seen as more than just a changeling.

You still want to be seen as not only more than a mere changeling, you want to be seen as more than just your work.

You want to be seen as a solid sentient being who is capable of complex emotions.

Sisko mentioned a word I haven't heard in ages.

During the ceremony he referred to you as a founder.

He smiled that day as if it was some secret joke.

I'm wondering what was so darkly amusing about it".

"The Founders is a term that both the Jem Hadar and the Vorta use to address the people of my kind.

They are revered as gods and they rule everything within the Gamma Quadrant and they even rule over the Dominion itself.

The Founders are not a kind people, let's just say they aren't much like me.

In fact many years ago, Sisko and I beamed down to earth, due to a threat that my so called people were causing on the earth's surface.

They threatened a full on invasion, these were very turbulent times mind you, everyone was on high alert, people lived in fear for a time, paranoid that loved ones, a close friend or neighbor could potentially be one of them.

I did, all I could to help the ongoing threat of the founders and it was believed they'd bring the whole terran society to an end, thus the joke, imagine a founder overcoming a terran.

It was a cruel joke, a dark one, but it didn't escape my notice, it wasn't lost on me and I suppose in some weird and twisted way it was somewhat amusing.

Not his best joke but still humorous in some small way".

"I don't think you appreciated the joke all that much".

"No, I did not, that's why I limited my enthusiasm that day.

I'm not like the Founders and I don't like being referred to as one.

The Founders are not a good people and I choose not to be associated with them in anyway".

Odo nearly lept through his office doors and rather brusquely retrieved the ancient terran device off of his desk.

"You're not too keen on talking about it I take it."

"No I am not and I'd perfer not to discuss it any further if you don't mind".

"That's fine by me.

What are we going to do with that Terran device you have in your hand right now?"

"We are taking this to O' Brian and you will tell him exactly where you found it".

"As you wish, Constable."

O'Brian was not very pleased to see Odo in engineering when he arrived.

"What is it now Constable?"

He nearly hollared at Odo in annoyance.

Odo didn't quite like his tone but he put that irritation aside and decided to be civil towards him.

"I need your technical expertise, Miles.

It is of the upmost importance I assure you".

"Oh it is, is it?

Well since it's only you, I suppose I could give you a bit of my invaluable technical advice.

What is it that seems to be the trouble, Constable?"

"This. It's terran technology, something you should be familiar with, I'm sure."

Odo plopped the device into his palm.

"Terran yes, terribly old fashioned I have to admit.

This looks like a common USB memory chip from the 20th century.

Where in blazes did you find such a device?

This is so old it should be in a museum."

Odo glanced over to Taya rather over expectantly.

"Well, Officer O' Brian, I'm actually the one that found it... during one of my training sessions in the holodeck.

It was in one of the holodecks console slots.

I removed it to show to the Constable as it was a very strange device, a device I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with but the Constable seems to deem you with the upmost confidence and I'm not one to question that confidence since it is not place to do so.

I have heard of your unparalleled expertise over the years and it is a honor to witness you at work Officer.

"Yes Thank you...um I'm glad the ctonstable thinks so highly of me and my capabilities as a engineer.

That is strange though that such a device was able to be placed on the holodeck console at all especially since there are no slots to be found on any of the holodecks on this station.

Do you know by any chance who put it there?"

O'Brian's brows contorted in confusion.

"That's where the mystery comes in O' Brian, it is presently unknown how it made it's way onto to this station and it is presently unexplained on how it even came to be inside that holodeck in the first place so we we're hoping you could shed a little light on our conundrum."

"The conundrum isn't the device so much, Constable, it's the fact that the console itself had to be drastically modified just for that device to operate properly.

Did it do anything strange while you were in there?"

"No not that I know of but I have no way of knowing how long it was in the system before my Deputy had it removed, so any number of things could have occurred before we arrived to use that particular holosuite.

So far there have been no technical disturbances regarding any of the holosuites.

I was hoping you could tell me what that is for besides being a receptacle for certain digital information".

O' Brian took a tricorder scanner to the device.

"It is a USB but it appears to have been modified for running a certain program rather than storing particular information.

I would not place that back into the console if I were you, it might be a parasite or a virus of some sort.

It could be harmless for all I know but I wouldn't risk it, it might even be a security concern if you do.

It does have some bizarrely markings on it, I've noticed.

It looks like some alien dialect, I'm not familiar with, I never excelled at alien languages, that's why I'm a engineer not an interpreter, plus the lighting isn't the greatest in here, so even if I could understand that alien jargon, I still wouldn't be able to read it.

Maybe you can make more sense of it".

Odo stretched out his hand but was taken aback when O' Brian handed it to Taya instead of to him.

Taya rubbed the surface of the device and then held it up towards the dim hologen lights, she squinted studiously and then her eyes came alive with new recognition.

"I recognize this mark.

I'd recognize it anywhere.

This is my Grandfather's mark.

However there is something highly peculiar about this mark, his initials are written in ancient Cardassian.

The RON on this device stands for Rurigan Oshaam Nollo or Rurigan OGaam Nollo if you want to be more precise, the weird thing is my grandfather never dealt with Cardassian's so why would his name be written in ancient Cardassian?

If this is his invention you don't think he would have actually done business with the Cardassian's do you?"

"That depends how much you happen to trust your grandfather".

Miles attempted to comfort her but it only served to deepen her dreaded worry even more.

"I would have trusted him with my life, that is if he was still alive.

Excuse me, I need a moment, I'll be right back".

She dropped the device carelessly and hurriedly scampered out the engineering doors.

"Did I say the wrong thing again?

I didn't mean to upset her, honestly Constable.

I had no idea that her grandfather was dead.

I assumed he was alive.

How was I supposed to know?"

"You're fine, Miles, it isn't your fault, she's just sensitive that's all. It seems she may have come to the realization that Rurigan, her grandfather may not be the great man she remembered so fondly.

She may even be coming to the realization that Rurigan may have actually traded his inventions with the Cardassian empire.

I'm sure that is painful enough, so it's nothing you did, it's just... unexpected.

I'll go after her.

Thank you for your time O' Brian, it is much appreciated.".

Odo's tone was distressed and extremely softened by concern as he awkwardly ambled out the door after her.