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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the authorÆs imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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To PaullinaÆs TV setá.á.á.á
Long may it wave
Preface
Several years ago, when Rene Auberjonois was starring on Broadway in City of Angels, I waited at the stage door after one performance and, when he came out, got him to sign my plush toy of Sebastian the Crab from The Little Mermaidùhis nemesis in that film, since he had voiced the crazed French chef.
Who would have thought that my little autographed plush crab (notice I avoid saying ôstuffed crabö) would suddenly, with the debut of ôStar Trek: Deep Space Nineö be transformed from a novelty item into a valuable Star Trek collectible.
A lot of things have been surprising about ôDeep Space Nine.ö IÆm surprised that IÆve been enjoying the series as much as I have, since I must admit the initial descriptions didnÆt sound promising. But as of this writing, five episodes have aired and IÆve found them to be, by and large, rather entertaining. IÆve certainly liked it a lot more than the extremely uneven first season of ôStar Trek: The Next Generation.ö
IÆm surprised that IÆm writing this novel. I figured IÆd get around to doing one and had even been discussing a ôMr. Scott and Lwaxana Troi Visit Deep Spaceö novel because my last few Trek books have featured Lwaxana, and I figured I was on a roll.
But this isnÆt that novel. This had its origins much the same way that The Rift didùnamely, editor Kevin Ryan came to me and said,
ôHow would you like to be the first writer toá.á.á.á?ö In the former case, it was ôhave two Trek novels out back-to-back?ö In this case, it was ôwrite the first original Deep Space Nine novel.ö
How could I resist such an opportunity? Being offered the chance to work on a group of characters, using five scripts and the series bible for guidance, knowing full well that by the time the book comes out the characters might very well bear little resemblance to the way theyÆre being depicted right now? Knowing that I might have fans saying, ôHow come the book isnÆt consistent with the way Sisko was portrayed last week?ö
Wellá.á.á.áÆcause I thought it might be fun. And besides, my car is breaking down and I need a new one. Two solid reasons as far as IÆm concerned.
I wish to thank my wife, Myra, for her support as I once again put myself into one of these suicidal deadline-or-die positions. Myra, who can probably sympathize with Abigail Adams, wife of John, who proclaimed, ôThink of it! To be married to the man whoÆs always first in line to be hanged.ö
Likewise, the girlsùShana, age twelve; Jenny, eight; and Ariel, seventeen monthsùwho stayed out of my way. Far out of my way.
Also, Mike Okuda of the Trek offices, who gave freely of his time to answer my many questions about DS9 in general and Odo in particular. For several days he fielded questions like ôWhat about OdoÆs mass?ö and ôCan Odo fly?ö Little things like that.
(Note to sticklers: Throughout this novel you will see Odo do lots of stuff that, chances are, you wonÆt see him do in the series. Having covered my bases thoroughly and checked and rechecked, I will state here that the reason Odo hasnÆt performed many of the stunts I have him doing is not because he canÆt. Rather, weÆre getting down here to the realistic TV constraints of budgets. The only
way that Odo could pull off on TV the stunts he does in this book is if ôDeep Space Nineö had a budget of $85 million, rather than $2 million, per episode. Novelists are not limited by monetary constraints. I donÆt have to figure out how to make something work on screen; all I have to say is ôIt happened.ö So if youÆre going to be one of those people who say, ôGee, weÆve never seen Odo transform his arm into a spiked sledgehammer, so that means he canÆt, well, in the words of Robin Williams, ôIÆm sorry á.á.á.áIÆd agree with you if you were right.ö)
Likewise, to my intrepid editors at the various comic book offices I work forùwhich, by the way, is nothing like what you see on Bob NewhartÆs new program, so stop asking, okay?ùwho were, once again, kind enough to cut me some slackùparticularly Bobbie Chase and Joey Cavalieri. Thanks, guys.
Also many thanks to several people who influenced this book, including Agatha Christie, James Cameron, and Alan Young.
Ohá.á.á.áthe tone of this book? For those people who like to be warned about such things?
Wellá.á.á.áitÆsá.á.á.á
It gets kind of intense, actually.
There. Now youÆre warned.
Soá.á.á.á
LetÆs get deep.
PROLOGUE
THE VESSEL with the killer on it moved through space.
The vessel was small and quite energy-efficient. It moved quickly and briskly through the depths of the void. Its destination lay not too much farther off.
Soon.
Soon the business would be done.
The killer stared out one of the small viewports, watching the distant stars move past. His thoughts were his own, his face inscrutable.
Soon.
Soon it would be done.á.á.á.
But of course before it was doneá.á.á.áit had to begin.
This was not going to be a problem for the killer. He was quite certain of that.
He had had a long and very successful history. He went where he wished. Did what he wished. None could anticipate his moves. None could stop him.
He would visit terror upon them and do his business, and then he would leave, when he felt like it.
And none would stop him. None could.
He turned away from the windowá.á.á.á and released the shape he had assumed. His body oozed downward, reconfigured itself.á.á.á.
And, moments later, had become a simple suitcase.
The killer went to sleep and dreamed of the killing to come.á.á.á.
And no one would ever see him.á.á.á.
CHAPTER
1
ôNOW WATCH CAREFULLY.ö
Miles OÆBrien, square-jawed, curly-haired, and the most aggressively patient individual on Deep Space Nine, smiled broadly, which was the only way he was capable of smiling. He had a look in his eye that gleamed of mischief and deviltry. It was, in fact, the exact look that he had used several years previously on a certain young botanist aboard the USS Enterprise, when he had first spotted her lounging in Ten-Forward. And she had found that look refreshingly guileless, even playful. A pleasing mixture of a little boyÆs soul in a grown manÆs body.
That was over four years ago.
Now she just found it damned irritating.
Keiko, his wifeùthe irritated womanùdid not look up from the lesson plans she was preparing for the next day.
At first glance, and even at second, Miles and Keiko OÆBrien were mismatched. In contrast to the buoyant IrishmanÆs open expression and ôHi, pal, gladdaseeyaö air, the Asian Keiko was far more low-key, far more reserved.
When OÆBrienÆs spirits were high, they couldnÆt be anchored with a crate of gold-pressed latinum. When they were low, a team of
horses could be hitched up and whipped into a frenzy, and still not drag him out of the doldrums until he was ready to go.
Keiko, on the other hand, was far more steady. She was not quick to anger, but instead would build gradually. OÆBrien sometimes teasingly called her ôthe slow cooker.ö But when she did get angry, volcanoes had nothing on her.
She was light-skinned where he was swarthy, delicate where he was coarse. Yin, as she put it, to his yang. He, on the other hand, would say that she was Abbott to his Costelloùa reference that she did not begin to understand, along with most of his references to arcane and archaic Earth matters.
There was much about him that she did not understand, even after four years of marriage.
She did not understand his fondness for poker, a relatively dishonorable game where the object was to win through deceit and trickery rather than through an honest matching of skill against skill.
She did not understand why she was supposed to adjust to such a radical change in her life as coming to this godforsaken space station that was so isolated it wasnÆt even in the middle of nowhere but rather in the distant, bleak outskirts of nowhere.
She did not understand why in the world he had been dead set on naming their offspring Elvis if it had been a boy. Fortunately the issue had been dodged when a girl arrived, during one of the more tempestuous days of Enterprise life that she had experienced.
And most of all, she did not understand why he did not understand.
ôMiles, please,ö she said, rubbing her templeùan early warning sign indicating that her beloved husband was really pushing matters. ôIÆve really got a lot on my mind right now.ö
OÆBrien, who rarely, if ever, picked up on the aforementioned early warning sign, said, ôItÆll just take a minute.ö
ôMilesá.á.á.áö
I miss the Enterprise, and I miss my life, and itÆs a struggle to get any children to come to my classes because theyÆd all much rather be out causing trouble or something, and anyway, I never intended to be a teacherùIÆm a botanist. And I never intended for Molly to grow up in a snake pit like this station, and I hate that she has to, and I hate this station, and I hate feeling grungy all the time, and I hate this whole stupid situation, and I hateù
ôSomething on your mind, hon?ö he asked.
She looked at that hurt puppy dog expression of his, and she couldnÆt help but smile. ôIÆve never been one for kicking helpless small animals,ö she said softly.
ôWhat?ö
ôNothing.ö She waved it off and put down her padd. ôGo ahead.ö
ôAll right.ö He grinned, fully comfortable with her dismissal of anything being wrong. ôQuark showed me some magic tricks, and I figured when we have MollyÆs birthday party, I could entertain.ö
ôMilesá.á.á. Molly isnÆt interested in magic tricks. You know what she wants for her birthday: a pony, like sheÆs seen in her books. She wants to ride a pony around the habitat ring.ö
ôWell, itÆs not bloody likely, okay? A magician will have to do. Nowá.á.á. watch carefully.ö
He held his hand out, palm up. There was a coin in it.
Keiko, trying to muster enthusiasm, applauded.
ôI didnÆt do the trick yet,ö said OÆBrien.
ôOhá.á.á. sorry. I just thought the coin was pretty. What is it, anyway?ö
ôA Ferengi tri-esta. Nowá.á.á. watch carefully.ö
ôYou said that already.ö
ôWell, do it,ö he told her, trying not to sound irritated.
Gamely he held the coin up in his left hand. Then with his right hand he reached over and scooped it up. He held his right hand up high over his head and then snapped it open.
The coin was gone.
ôTaa-daaa!ö he proclaimed.
She stared at him.
ôWell?ö he said. ôWhat did you think of that? The coinÆs gone.ö
ôItÆs still in your left hand,ö she said flatly.
His face fell. ôNo, itÆs not.ö
ôYes, it is.ö She reached over and pried his clenched left fist open. OÆBrien rolled his eyes as the tri-esta glinted in the dim lighting of their quarters. ôSee?ö Then, when he didnÆt say anything immediately, she added uncertainly, ôTaa-daaa.ö
He waved his empty right hand around in irritation. ôYou were supposed to be looking at this hand. ItÆs called misdirection.ö
ôBut that wasnÆt the hand the coin was in.ö
ôYes, but that was the point!ö
ôI thought,ö she said cautiously, ôthat the point was that I was supposed to watch carefully. ThatÆs what you said. Twice. I remember. I counted. If IÆd watched your right hand, IÆd have been looking in the wrong place.ö
ôBut thatÆs the bloody trick!ö he said in exasperation.
She sighed and rubbed her forehead again. ôIÆm sorry, Miles. Would you like to do it again? I promise IÆll look in the right wrong place this time.ö
ôNo, forget it,ö he said. ôJust forget it. Go back toá.á.á. to whatever it was you were doing.ö
ôFine,ö she said. ôI wouldnÆt have stopped if you hadnÆt disturbed me.ö
He paused a moment. ôYÆknowá.á.á. I think I know what I did wrong. I wasnÆt fast enough. Look, let me try it againùö
At that moment his communicator beeped. He tapped it and said, ôOÆBrien here.ö
ôChief, this is Dax,ö came a calm female voice. ôCould you come up to Ops for a moment? SomethingÆs going on that IÆd like you to double-check. I know itÆs late, butùö
ôOn my way,ö he said. He turned to Keiko. ôSorry about this,ö he said apologetically. ôYou always complain that you hardly see me.ö
ôNo, itÆs all right,ö she said quickly. ôIÆll find something to do while youÆre gone.ö
ôThanks, Keiko.ö He squeezed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. ôYouÆre the best.ö
He left their quarters, and she sat there in the blissful silence. She picked up her notepad to continue lesson plansá.á.á.á
At which point Molly, from the next room, started to cry.
Keiko sighed deeply. She seemed to sigh a lot these days.

OÆBrienÆs quarters were in the habitat ring, as indeed were everyone elseÆs quarters. Deep Space Nine comprised a series of ringed structures connected by crossover bridges and vertical and horizontal turbolifts. The outermost ring was the docking ring, which contained the docking ports, cargo bays, facilities for the mining operations that had been Deep Space NineÆs original raison dÆΩtre, and six protruding docking pylons.
The next ring in was the habitat ring. In addition to the roughly three hundred individuals who were permanent residents of Deep Space Nineùincluding, as Keiko OÆBrien would have said, some
fairly reluctant residentsùthere were enough quarters to accommodate several times that number. This greatly facilitated Deep Space NineÆs ability to service and deal with the various travelers who stopped by to conduct business, get their ships serviced, get themselves serviced, or see to whatever other needs might arise.
The habitat ring was also the location of the defensive weapon sail towers, which had been outfitted with Starfleet phasers after the original armaments had been stripped away by the departing Cardassians. There were also six runabout landing padsùplatforms that could transport the great space stationÆs runabout vehicles to and from the runabout service bay deep inside the habitat ring.
At the center of Deep Space Nine was the aptly named core section. The operations center, or OpsùDeep Space NineÆs equivalent of a starship bridgeùwas situated at the very top of the core. It served as the nerve center for the entire station, and lately it seemed to be OÆBrienÆs second home. Hell, the way things had been going at home, sometimes it was more his first home.
The core section was also the location for the stationÆs shields, its fusion reactors, its communications array, andùsome people would have said most importantlyùthe Promenade. With its shops, cafΘs, and such, the Promenade was the center of commerce.
To say that it served a variety of needs was to put it mildly. In one section of the Promenade, for example, was QuarkÆs casino, run by an unscrupulous FerengiùôIs there any other kind?ö the security chief was once heard to mutterùnamed Quark, who provided anything, from exotic drinks in his bar to exotic sex in his holosuites.
But in another section of the three-deck Promenade, Keiko OÆBrien labored daily to try to educateùor at least keep out of troubleùthe young people who resided on Deep Space Nine. It was not easy, since a good education seemed to be the last thing on the
minds of the kids who ran about unsupervised on the station. And while Keiko struggled to improve their academic health, Dr. Julian Bashir labored in his Cardassian-manufactured infirmary to keep their physical health up to snuff.
Deep Space Nineùa bizarre conglomeration of requirements, goals, and desires. Sometimes it seemed only a matter of time before the entire station blew apart. The only question was whether it would blow from the physical stress that the broken-down station put on its structures and operational systems or from the emotional stress of trying to keep the lid on a variety of disparate, and oftentimes contradictory, individuals.

Lieutenant Jadzia Dax stood a respectful distance away as OÆBrien labored at the science station. ôI appreciate you taking the time, Chief.ö
OÆBrien didnÆt speak at first. To be precise, he wasnÆt ôatö the science station so much as under it. He had the bottom panel off and was lying on the floor, his body slightly contorted, running a series of tests on the sensor arrays.
This was not regarded as an unusual sight in the operations center. Some damned thing or other was always breaking down. Quark had once commented in a snickering tone that there were prostitutes who spent less time on their backs than OÆBrien did. Although OÆBrien was not exactly enthusiastic about the humor at his expense, he had to admit somewhat grudgingly that Quark had a point. At Opsùindeed, at points throughout the space stationùsomething was always going wrong. OÆBrien sometimes wished he were twins, but then he would dismiss the notion as inappropriate. After all, why wish a life like this on anyone else?
Dax was infinitely serene. ôIs there anything I can do to help, Chief?ö
ôJust stand back and give me room, Lieutenant.ö
Since she was already standing far enough back to accord him sufficient space, she presumed that he was speaking metaphorically. Her hair was pulled back tight, revealing the graceful arch of leopardlike spots that tapered gracefully down around her forehead. She looked, in every respect, like an attractive, confident, young woman.
Which was simply an example of the age-old lesson that one should not take what one sees as a given.
After a few more moments OÆBrien sat up. ôI understand your caution, Lieutenant,ö he said, ôbut itÆs not the instrumentation this time. IÆve double-checked all the arrays, and the readings youÆre getting are perfectly accurate. For once, the equipment isnÆt screwed up.ö
ôIndeed.ö
Dax turned with raised eyebrows and regarded the image on screen.
At first glance, nothing appeared there except the emptiness of space.
That, too, was an example of looks being deceiving.
ôThank you, Chief,ö she said. And with that she headed up to the office of the stationÆs commander, Ben Sisko, to report her findings. It was not a report that he was going to be overly pleased to hear.
OÆBrien replaced the paneling and, as he watched Dax go, muttered, ôThe Trill is gone. And here I guess IÆm just a Trill-seeker.ö
ôWhat was that?ö
OÆBrien looked up, embarrassed that his little jokes had been overheard.
Odo stood over him, his hands behind his back.
Looking Odo directly in the eye was always a bit disconcerting, since his faceùwith its smooth forehead, lack of eyebrows, and ôunfinishedö noseùwasnÆt quite ôright.ö It was not, of course, unusual to encounter an alien species who happened to have developed differently from humans.
But OÆBrien was well aware that this appearance was one that Odo had assumed in an endeavor to look human. It was the attempted approximation of humanity that OÆBrien found just a touch unsettling. Nothing that he couldnÆt get used to, of course. Just something that was going to take some time.
ôJust a little joke, Constable,ö he said.
OÆBrien remembered how Data had always looked at someone with childlike curiosity when he didnÆt immediately comprehend something.
Not Odo. Oh, he encountered things that he didnÆt understand, but when he did, he simply looked annoyed. Even impatient, as if the person who did understand the situation had no business being better informed than he.
He had one of those looks now.
ôI always understood that humans liked to tell jokes to an audience,ö said Odo. ôFor mutual entertainment.ö
ôWellá.á.á. sometimes weÆll make little jokes to ourselves as well, just to keep ourselves entertained, or to show ourselves how witty we are.ö
ôAnd substituting æTrillÆ for æthrillÆ is an example of that?ö
OÆBrien shook out his foot, which was starting to fall asleep. ôKind of. Yes.ö
Odo didnÆt smile, because he never did. He did, however, grimace, which he did a lot.
ôHilarious,ö he said sarcastically.
ôThanks for the vote of support.ö OÆBrien pulled himself to his feet, then said as an afterthought, ôHeyá.á.á. I want to show you something.ö
ôWhat do you want to show me?ö Odo sounded cautious.
OÆBrien pulled out the coin and said in a low, conspiratorial voice, ôMagic.ö
Odo sighed and feigned interest, about as successfully as he feigned a human nose.
Which didnÆt matter a whit to OÆBrien. ôNowá.á.á. watch carefully.á.á.á.ö
-
CHAPTER
2
COMMANDER BENJAMIN SISKO looked at DaxÆs results on one of the video monitors behind his desk. Normally the monitors were used for keeping track of routine station data or for communications.
But they had been put to a different use now, as Dax had transferred the contents of her preliminary studies to SiskoÆs office.
Dax was seated in the cramped office. Standing just to her right was Major Kira Nerys. Nerys was, in fact, her first name, which was why she was usually addressed as Major Kira, Kira being the family name.
Whereas Dax had an inner peace, Kira seemed to burn with an inner fire. She demanded instant answers before people were ready to give them. As far as she was concerned, if people didnÆt have the answers within the period of time that she allotted, then they probably didnÆt understand the question.
ôAre you sure about this, Dax?ö she asked.
She nodded. ôAt first I allowed for the possibility of instrument failure,ö she said. ôSo I had Chief OÆBrien check the systems. He confirms that they are working to within correct specifications.ö
Ben Sisko swiveled his chair around to face her. His features, as was so often the case, gave no real hint as to what was going through his mind. His eyes glittered in his dark face. ôA steady, high flux of neutrino particles from the wormhole,ö he said. ôAnd getting progressively higher.ö
ôThat is correct, Benjamin,ö said Dax. ôWhenever the wormhole is in use, of course, it emits concentrations of neutrinos.ö
ôBut itÆs not in use at the moment,ö Kira said thoughtfully. ôDax, could it be that the wormhole is becoming unstable? Evená.á.á. collapsing?ö She looked to Sisko. ôThat would be a damned shame.ö
When Sisko replied, it was in that slow, measured tone that people had come to know. ôNo one is more aware than I am of what a damned shame it would be if the wormhole suddenly disappeared. Having the only gateway to the Gamma Quadrant has certainly not hurt the Bajoran economyá.á.á. not with all these dignitaries and high-muckety-mucks passing through.ö
Kira acknowledged the accuracy of his comment with a slight dip of her head. ôThereÆs no harm in being concerned about the state of the Bajoran economy,ö she pointed out. ôI am, after all, Bajoran.ö
ôSo is the vast majority of this stationÆs population, Major,ö allowed Sisko. He drummed on the table for a moment and then said softly, ôEver since we discovered that wormhole, itÆs been both a blessing and a curse. Without itùfrankly, and nothing personal intendedùthings would be pretty damned boring around here. On the other hand, itÆs the equivalent of staring down the barrel of a gun. Any time at all, something very large and very heavily armed could pop out of there and turn us to space dust before we could blink an eye. And they wouldnÆt give a damn about me, you, or the Bajoran economy.ö
ôAre you saying that you hope the wormhole does collapse?ö said
Kira. ôWeÆve been so certain that itÆs stableá.á.á.áö
He fixed her with his piercing gaze. ôHow do we really know that, Major? The fact is, we donÆt. We have only the vaguest understanding of the beings who created thatá.á.á. anomaly. Stable? By whose definition? Ours or the wormholeÆs creatorsÆ or that of the universe itself? The whole of humanity has been around, in cosmic terms, for less than an eye blink. We believe itÆs stable. We hope to hell itÆs stable. But we donÆt know beyond any shadow of a doubt that it is. In factùagain, in cosmic termsùit probably isnÆt. Even if its life span is ten million years, sooner or later the clock will run downá.á.á. and who knows precisely when that will be?ö
ôThatÆs very eloquent, Benjamin,ö said Dax with a small smile.
ôThank you, old man.ö
SiskoÆs occasional offhand way of addressing Science Officer Dax still threw Kira Nerys, as did DaxÆs faintly amused, paternal air when talking to Sisko. Sisko and Dax had a history together, but in that history Dax had been an old man named Curzon Daxùthe host body for the wormlike symbiont that was now part of Jadzia Dax. Dax had been something of a mentor to Sisko, hence his affectionate use of ôold manö despite the decidedly female form that Dax now inhabited, the old manÆs body having worn out.
It was a situation that Sisko continually had to try to adapt to. And that was not easy.
ôHowever,ö continued Dax, ôyour speech was of no real relevance.ö
ôOh?ö He raised an eyebrow. ôIs that a fact?ö
ôYes. Because I donÆt believe that the wormhole is collapsing. This situation is, in fact, not unnatural.ö
He sighed. ôLieutenant,ö he said in a more formal tone, ôI hope this wonÆt shock you, but when I was at the Academy, I didnÆt realize
realize I was going to have to become StarfleetÆs leading authority on wormholes. I learned enough about them to know that I should not go into them. I learned enough to know how to get out of one if I did wander in. I learned enough, in short, for survival. Beyond thatöùand he spread his hands wide ôI leave it to science officers to educate me.ö He turned to Dax. ôWhatÆs happening out there?ö
ôSubspace compression.ö
ôAhh,ö he said. ôSubspace compression.ö
ôDo you know what that is?ö
ôJust a guess here,ö he said. ôTechnobabble?ö
She smiled and shook her head. ôNature abhors a vacuum, Benjamin. Well, space is a vacuum. And space abhors a wormhole. ItÆs a rip in the fabric of reality, and reality is constantly trying to stitch itself back together. ThatÆs why most wormholes are unstable. The force thatÆs keeping this one in place is a function of the alien technology that created itá.á.á. but that doesnÆt make it immune to the pressures being exerted upon it to try to eliminate it.
ôTo a degree, subspace compression is the wormhole equivalent of sunspots. ItÆs fairly routine, but that doesnÆt make it any less dangerous. WhatÆs essentially happening is that the subspace field isùö
But she didnÆt get to finish the sentence. Ultimately, she didnÆt have to.
They were about to have fairly graphic evidence of the effects of subspace compression.

ôYou never took it out of your left hand.ö
ôDammit!ö
Odo looked mildly surprised at OÆBrienÆs reaction. ôWere you unaware that the coin was still in your left hand?ö
ôNo, but you were supposed to be unaware,ö said OÆBrien in frustration
frustration. ôI donÆt get this. When Quark did itùö
ôAh,ö said Odo, ôwell, you see, thatÆs part of it. YouÆre attempting a simple misdirection trick. Quark is so blasted ugly that people find themselves staring in fascination at his revolting face. TheyÆre paying only the slightest attention to what heÆs doing withùö
Abruptly, Lieutenant Chafin, who had stepped in to monitor the science console when Dax went into SiskoÆs office, called out, ôDrastic neutrino acceleration! Levels are hitting the upper register! SomethingÆs coming through!ö
Odo immediately turned and bolted for SiskoÆs office. He got there just in time to hear Dax saying something about the subspace field, but she was already halting in mid-sentence. SiskoÆs office overlooked Ops, and at the first sign of something happening, he was on his feet. He was halfway around his desk when Odo appeared at the door.
ôSomethingÆs coming through the wormhole,ö said Odo without preamble. That was hardly unusual for him; Odo was not someone who wasted a lot of words.
ôIt wonÆt make it,ö said Dax.
Sisko glanced at her. There was sadness in her eyes, but also a firm conviction based on her personal understanding of the wormhole. ôIt wonÆt,ö Dax said again. ôIÆm sorry, Benjamin. ThereÆs nothing you can do.ö
Sisko pushed past her and down into Ops. He took his position at the operations console and didnÆt even have to glance over to know that Kira was right next to him.
The main viewer was already focused on the familiar coordinates of the wormhole. ôExtreme magnification!ö called out Sisko. There was a subtle shift in the picture, but still nothing visible. Naturally,
the wormhole was not detectable until something actually went into or out of it.
Resuming her place at the science station, Dax said calmly, ôReadings off the scale.ö
Abruptly Sisko became aware that, if the wormhole was indeed starting to go haywire, it might have rather dire consequences for anyone or anything in proximityá.á.á. like, for example, Sisko and his crew.
There was, however, no trace of apprehension in his voice. ôShields up,ö he said as calmly as if it were a casual afterthought. ôGo to yellow alert.ö
The deflector shields flared into existence around Deep Space Nine. And then, moments later, the wormhole itself flared into existence as well.
The second he saw it, Sisko knew that something was wrong.
Usually the wormhole looked like a swirling purple vortexá.á.á. a thing of beauty, really. A cosmic miracle.
Now, though, there was nothing beautiful about it. The outer rim roiled like an ocean during a storm. Energy crackled out in all directions, greedy fingers extending to see what they could grab and hook on to.
ôPulse waves!ö Kira shouted.
Sisko hit a comm link that fed his voice throughout the entire station. ôAll hands! Hold on!ö
It was barely enough warning as the station shuddered under the buffeting.

Down at QuarkÆs, the Ferengi screamed in fury as bottles of his finest vintage tumbled down out of their shelves. They didnÆt shatter
shatter; they were too sturdy for that. They did, however, ricochet off his skull and body.

Keiko had just gotten Molly back to sleep when the trembling knocked her off her feet. Molly rolled right off her bed and hit the floor, her piteous wailing filling the air. ôI hate this place!ö Keiko shrieked, forgetting that her life on the Enterprise had hardly been less hectic.

Up in Ops, Sisko raised his voice to make himself heard. ôDamage report!ö
ôShields holding!ö said OÆBrien.
They could see, just for a moment, into the maw of the wormhole. Instead of the funnel shape through which ships safely passed, the interior was writhing, as if some invisible force were clamping down on it. The sides met, energy rippling out of the wormhole, filling the main viewer with a display of fireworks that gave them the barest hint of what it would have been like to be present at the Big Bang.
Dax, imperturbable, was running a sensor sweep. ôIÆm getting a lot of subspace interference because of the heightened neutrinos,ö she said, ôbut IÆve got something coming out of there. At three two two mark fiveá.á.á.áö
ôGet tractors on it,ö Sisko snapped. ôWe can still saveùö
But Dax wasnÆt finished. ôá.á.á. at three two seven mark fiveá.á.á. three five seven mark fiveá.á.á.áö
He turned to her, not understanding at first. But then he did. ôDebris,ö he said tonelessly.
She nodded.
The wormhole, like a cat coughing up a hair ball, spit out the
remains of the unfortunate traveler. And then it simply vanished, folding back in on itself and disappearing as if it hadnÆt been there at all.
ôá.á.á. Three nine three mark five,ö she was continuing. ôA lot of debris, Benjamin. Whatever it was, it was shaken to bits. Any crew members were probably ripped to pieces by the stress.ö
There was a long moment of silence.
Kira, standing near Odo, happened to look over at the security officerá.á.á. and saw a sadness in his face that cut right through her. But it was only there for a moment, and then he replaced it with his usual hard-bitten feral mien.
Then Sisko said, ôChief, stand down from yellow alert.ö He looked at Dax. ôSo thatÆs subspace compression.ö
She nodded. But she wasnÆt looking at Sisko. Instead she was studying her readouts.
ôAnything weÆve encountered before?ö he asked.
She didnÆt answer Sisko immediately. Instead she ran a quick check. But then she said, ôAccording to analysis of the remains, yes. As a matter of fact, I can even show you a recreation of what it looked like before the wormhole pulverized it.ö
ôPut it up on the main viewer,ö he said.
The image of space remained there for a moment, and then it was replaced by a visual printout from DaxÆs science station.
An outline appeared on the screen, with a list of technical specs running next to it. But no one was looking at the specs. Instead they were focused purely on the ship delineated on the screen.
It was elegantly simple in design, and eminently recognizable.
It was a cube.
For a long moment nothing was said. It was Odo who broke the silence.
ôItÆs a Borg ship, isnÆt it?ö he said.
Sisko nodded. His voice sounded hollow. ôYes, Constable. ThatÆs exactly right. It was a Borg ship.ö
ôThe operative word being æwas,Æö Kira said. She appeared calm, but inwardly she shivered.
Sisko likewise appeared composed. But his heart was pounding at trip-hammer speed. ôMajor,ö he told Kira, his tone as neutral as he could keep it. ôKindly contact all local systems and Starfleet. Inform them that the Bajoran wormhole is temporarily closed for repairs. We may not be able to control who is entering it from the other end, but we can certainly make sure that we donÆt send anyone through.ö
ôSeveral groups have already filed passage plans,ö said Kira. ôTheyÆre undoubtedly on their way.ö
ôAnyone who intended to pass through the wormhole is cordially invited to be a guest here at DS-Nine until such time as the neutrino emissions indicate that the wormhole has managed to pull itself together. If any of them complain,ö he added, allowing the corners of his mouth to turn up slightly, ôthey can view our records of this latest incident. I suspect that will deter them.ö
ôYes, sir,ö said Kira.
He stood there a moment more and then said, ôOhá.á.á. and, ladies and gentlemen, to avoid any possible, and ultimately pointless, alarm, let us keep to ourselves the nature of our frustrated visitor, shall we?ö
There were nods from all around Ops.
CHAPTER
3
ôSO THE WORD IS that the wormhole trashed a Borg ship today.ö
Benjamin Sisko looked up from his reading. Standing in the doorway of his quarters was the individual he shared them with: his son, Jake.
Sisko saw a lot of JakeÆs late mother in the boyùwhich was interesting, considering that JakeÆs mother had always said she saw a lot of Benjamin in him. Now, with the teen staring at him with a look that said he wasnÆt going to stand for any half-truths or evasions, Sisko started to think that maybe his wife had been correct.
Sisko slowly put the reading padd down. ôNow where,ö he said gravely, ôdid you hear a thing like that?ö
ôNog,ö he said.
ôAh. Of course.ö
Nog was a teenage Ferengi lad, QuarkÆs nephew and the son of QuarkÆs brother, Rom, who was also in QuarkÆs employ. Nog was not precisely the type of kid Sisko really wanted Jake hanging out with. On the other hand, there werenÆt really a lot of kids on DS9 for Jake to hang out withá.á.á. and considering that Sisko had assured his son that just the opposite would be true, the situation remained something of a sore point between them.
ôAnd where,ö Sisko asked, ôdid, um, Nog, hear it?ö
ôFrom Quark,ö Jake said readily. Anticipating his fatherÆs next question, he continued, ôAnd Quark heard it from Garak. The chain gets a little fuzzy after that.ö
ôI see.ö He shook his head. ôYou know, when IÆm trying to make my way around this station, it seems immense. But when weÆre trying to keep something quiet, itÆs the smallest place IÆve ever seen.ö
ôItÆs true, then.ö
ôWould Garak, the Cardassian prince of fashion, lie about that?ö
He tried to make it sound light, but then he saw the boyÆs expression and knew that tap-dancing around the problem wouldnÆt accomplish anything. ôItÆs true. But itÆs nothing to worry about.ö
ôNothing to worry about?ö
Jake looked as if he wanted to continue, but he bit off the words and turned away. Sisko rose and went over to him. ôJakeá.á.á.áö
His son wouldnÆt look at him. ôYou must really think IÆm stupid, Dad.ö
ôOf course I donÆt think youÆre stupid.ö
ôThoseá.á.á. those Borg things destroyed dozens of starships. Theyá.á.á.á they killed Mom.ö He turned to face his father. ôHow long do you think DS-Nine would last against them? Huh? Do they make small enough units of time to measure it?ö
SiskoÆs voice hardened. Normally he took such pains to be a friend to his son that he often had to remind himself that it was just as important to be his father. Putting on his command tone, he said, ôJake, youÆre not thinking.ö
ôThere! You are saying IÆm stupid.ö
ôNo. Even the brightest people in the world donÆt think sometimes. Look á.á.á. the Borg coming through just now was the best thing that could have happened.ö
Jake stared at him. ôYou gotta be kidding.ö
ôYes. As I said: think. Either the Borg discovered the wormhole in the Gamma Quadrant and decided to explore it or they stumbled upon it accidentally and were sucked in. Either way, we know something they donÆt. We know that, by and large, the wormhole is stable. All they know is that one of their ships passed through it and was destroyed.ö
He saw that the boy was actually paying attention, and he forced himself to sound reasonable. ôNow, according to all the reports IÆve read, the Borg have a linked mind. What one knows, they all know. And that means that as the ship was being ripped apart by subspace compression, the central mind was living through every glorious moment of it. I have no doubt that by the time the remaining chunks of the Borg ship were spit out on this end, every other Borg ship out there was being warned to steer clear of that wormhole. They have no reason to believe that sooner or later the condition will reverse itself and the wormhole will settle back to normal. Why should they? Stability is not the norm for wormholes. The Borg will just post a big Do Not Enter sign for themselves and leave it alone.ö
Jake took it all in, and then slowlyùto SiskoÆs reliefùhe started to nod.
ôSo you see, Jake? Nothing to worry about.ö
And Jake stared at him.
ôTell me, Dad, when you became first officer on the Saratoga, did you tell Mom the same thingùthat there was nothing to worry about? That everything was going to be okay?ö
Sisko had no answer. Actually, that was not quite true. He did have an answer, and both he and Jake knew what it was. But he didnÆt want to say it.
There was nothing he could say, in fact, that wouldnÆt sound
forced, hollowá.á.á. and easily assailable by the young man who regarded him with the same fierce gaze that Sisko usually saw when he looked in the mirror.
ôGÆnight, Dad,ö Jake said after a long moment, and went off to bed.

Taking a stroll through the Promenade, Kira stopped outside the security office and peered in. To her surprise, she saw Odo seated behind his desk, staring resolutely at a series of video displays. The monitors were flashing scenes of various parts of the station as Odo scanned for trouble.
QuarkÆs face seemed to pop up often. Obviously Odo kept checking back on him more often than anyone or anything else on the station.
Kira poked her head in. ôOdo?ö
He glanced at her and gestured for her to enter. She indicated the screens, where Quark was busy overseeing his gambling activities. The Ferengi was rubbing his hands together greedily as an annoyed Tellarite slammed a hairy fist down after losing his third straight pass. ôIÆve never seen anyone who revels in making money as much as he does.ö
ôHe lives for it,ö said Odo. ôHe eats it and breathes it. You know, I donÆt even think he sleeps.ö
ôWhat about you?ö asked Kira, sitting in front of the desk. ôShouldnÆt you be a puddle in a bucket about now?ö
He winced. ôYou know, I hate that.ö
ôSorry,ö she said. ôI didnÆt mean to insultùö
ôInsult?ö He gave her an amused glance. ôMajor, if IÆve learned to tune out QuarkÆs mockeries, I assure you that nothing you say could possibly give me offense. No, I simply meant that I hate the limitation
limitation of my physicality. I hate having to return to my natural state once every cycle. IÆm convinced that while IÆm sitting there, gelatinous and relatively uselessá.á.á.á thatÆs when Quark is up to his greatest mischief.ö
ôYou canÆt obsess about it, Odo,ö she said with a smile. ôYouÆll give yourself ulcers.ö
ôHow fortunate that my lack of internal organs makes that unlikely.ö He paused a moment, studying her. ôMajorá.á.á. your company is always welcome. Certainly our shared contempt for authority figures has always given us common ground. But I am curious. Did you stop by for a reason?ö
ôWellá.á.á.áö She shifted in her seat. ôItÆs just thatá.á.á. I noticed while we were in Ops during the emergencyá.á.á. you seemed rather upset.ö
ôAn unknown vessel had been pulverized by the wormhole,ö said Odo. ôIf you did not find that upsetting, Major, I think you should be concerned about yourself rather than me.ö
ôNow, come on, Odo,ö she said in a donÆt-kid-a-kidder tone. ôThereÆs more to it than that.ö
He sighed and then leaned forward, interlacing his fingers. ôItÆs nothing extraordinary, really.ö
She waited for him to continue.
ôLooká.á.á. Kira,ö he said, dropping the formality, ôyou know what itÆs been like for me. IÆve lived among Bajorans for half a century now, ever since I was found floating about in the Denorios Asteroid Belt with no clue as to my identity.ö
He rose from behind the desk, as if the additional height made him more comfortable with the situation. ôThey thought I was a freaká.á.á. and they were right. They were right,ö he said quietly. ôEven after I learned to imitate humanoid appearance, after a fashion
fashion,ö he said, touching his unformed nose in wry acknowledgment of his limitations, ôeven after I worked my way into a position ofùdare I say the word?ùauthorityá.á.á.áö
Kira gasped in mock horror.
ôEven then,ö continued Odo, ôeven now, I still hear the word æfreakÆ echoing in my head, no matter how hard I try to tell myself that I donÆt. And IÆm always hoping that somehow, in some manner, IÆll find some of the answers IÆve been looking for.ö
ôAnd you think the wormhole might provide them.ö
ôIt makes sense,ö he acknowledged. ôThe ship I was found in might very well have passed through the wormhole. And that means that, sooner or laterá.á.á.áö
ôAnother one might come through as well.ö
ôPrecisely. DonÆt you see, Kira? Every single time that wormhole flares into existence and the neutrino levels kick up, every single time something starts to come through, I canÆt help but think, This might be it. This time it might be the answers IÆve been waiting for.ö
ôSo when you saw that ship get demolished, you thoughtá.á.á.áö
ôI thought, Just my luck that others of my race finally come through, and theyÆre destroyed. Imagine my relief when I learned otherwise.ö
ôIndeed.ö She studied him a moment. ôYou know, Odoá.á.á. not that IÆm trying to get rid of you or anything, butá.á.á.áö
ôBut why donÆt I leave Deep Space Nine and go through the wormhole? Try to find the answers myself?ö He smiled gamely. ôNow, Major, this station would fall apart without me.ö
ôI donÆt know about that.ö
ôI do,ö he said flatly. ôBesides, there is no way on Bajor that I would give Quark the satisfaction of watching me leave.ö
ôYou make it sound personal.ö
ôIt is, in a way. I cannot find it in myself simply to walk away from the unjust and let them go on about their business. Besides, IÆll outlast him. IÆm not certain what my life span is, but I havenÆt really detected any measurable deterioration of my physical body over the past fifty years. However long I do live, IÆm reasonably certain itÆll be longer than Quark. Maybe when heÆs dustá.á.á. Ah, but thereÆll probably be someone just as bad to take his place. So much injustice.ö
ôItÆs not just here, Odo,ö she pointed out. ôThereÆs injustice throughout the universe.ö
ôNo!ö he said, acting as if the notion came as a shock to him.
ôYes. And you canÆt eliminate all of it.ö
ôNot all at once, certainly. But,ö he said, pointing at her, ôIÆll tell you, Majorá.á.á. IÆve never been the sort who would walk away from a job thatÆs half finished. I suppose IÆll just have to stay here until my job is completed. And once that happens, then IÆll move on. Until that timeá.á.á.áö
He stopped, his voice trailing off. He was looking at one of the monitors in surprise. ôWell, now thereÆs something you donÆt see every day.ö
ôWhat?ö She looked at the display he was indicating.
ôThere. Sisko, stopping by QuarkÆs.ö Sure enough, there was the commanding officer of Deep Space Nine. He had just sat down, and an obsequious Quark was running over to him, asking him what he could provide.
ôYouÆre right,ö she said. ôThat is rather unusual. Think we should check it out?ö
ôI donÆt see why,ö he replied easily. ôFirst off, itÆs none of our
business. And second, I can always pump Bashir for information later.ö
ôBashir?ö
And there was Dr. Julian Bashir, walking up to the table where Sisko was seated. He was pointing at the empty chair, clearly asking whether anyone was sitting there. Sisko gestured that he was dining alone and that Bashir was welcome to join him.
ôWell, Odoá.á.á. I donÆt really think you have to do that. Talk to Bashir, I mean.ö
ôNo?ö
ôNo.ö She smiled thinly. ôIÆll ask Dax to do it. HeÆs hot for her. Short of breaching medical confidences, heÆll tell her anything.ö
ôThis isnÆt right, you know,ö said Odo. ôThe two of us sitting here, hatching nefarious little plots so that we can keep abreast of all the gossip and stick our noses into the business of Starfleet personnel.ö
ôOh, absolutely. ItÆs not right at all.ö
ôTerrible.ö
ôMonstrous.ö
ôA lot of fun, though.ö
ôHell, yes.ö
Odo looked down at his hand and frowned. And now Kira saw that his hand was starting to smooth out. She knew from long association that it was going to dissolve into a puddle of goo any minute.
ôLooks like IÆm more tired than I thought,ö said Odo dryly. ôMajorá.á.á.á IÆll have to bid you good night.ö
She rose from her chair. ôGood night, Odo.ö As she headed for the door, he called to her, ôAnd please keep an eye on Quark, if you wouldnÆt mind.ö
ôNot at all,ö she said. As she headed out the door, she heard a thick, slurpy splash behind her. But she was too polite to look.

ôMay I join you gentlemen?ö Bashir and Sisko looked up to see Dax standing just behind them.
ôBy all means!ö said Bashir, just a bit too quickly.
Immediately he stood, out of a sense of chivalry.
Sisko remained where he was, laughing inwardly despite his glum mood. Numerous men on the station were attracted to Dax, and whenever Sisko saw one of them using the typical considerate behavior that males used toward females, all he could see in his mindÆs eye was them fawning over an elderly, somewhat amused man.
Bashir, of course, had only known Dax since she arrived on the station. Having no preconceived notion of her, he was reacting purely to what he saw. And what he saw, he liked.
A lot.
He slid a chair over for her. Dax, who had not been a female for over eighty years, smiled that killer smile of hers and said, ôThank you, Julian,ö as she sat. ôSo,ö she looked from one man to the other. ôWhat are you two gentlemen up to?ö
ôWe were discussing the commanderÆs trouble with his son.ö
ôOh, ætroubleÆ is too strong a word,ö said Sisko.
Quark immediately drifted over, ogling Dax as he purred, ôAh! More arrivals from the command crew. WeÆre honored by your presence. Can I get you anything? Another double-whipped IÆdanian spice pudding, perhaps? You devoured the one you had the other day.ö
ôI know,ö Dax said ruefully, and patted her hips.
ôAnd itÆs still with me. For some reason, ever since I became a
woman again, I feel this tremendous impulse to watch my figure.ö
ôI share the same interest,ö Quark replied. By Ferengi standards, his behavior was rather suave. By humanùand, for that matter, Trillùstandards, he was practically slobbering.
ôThank you, Quark,ö Sisko said firmly. ôShe doesnÆt want anything. That will be all.ö
Quark frowned and muttered a Ferengi oath as he shambled away. ôWhatÆs the problem with Jake?ö Dax asked, turning her attention away from the departing Ferengi. ôSame as usual, Benjamin?ö
ôYes,ö he said, sighing. ôSame as usual. These things donÆt go away overnight.ö
ôThatÆs for certain,ö said Bashir.
ôDonÆt be too hard on yourself, Benjamin. Teenagers have tremendous difficulty adjusting to even the best of circumstances. And thisöùshe gestured in a manner that took in the entire space stationùôis hardly the best.ö
ôI know, I know,ö said Sisko in frustration. He was nursing a glass of synthale. ôAnd why shouldnÆt he miss his mother? I miss Jennifer pretty badly myself. It has been easier for me, IÆll admit. When I went through the wormhole the first time, I had the opportunity to work out a lot of the frustration and anger that I was experiencing. I had a chance, in essence, to come to terms with the loss.ö He took an unenthusiastic sip of his drink. ôUnfortunately,ö he continued, ôJake hasnÆt had that opportunity. He has a lot of anger toward the universe in general and me in particular.ö
ôWhy you?ö asked Bashir.
ôWho better?ö said Sisko reasonably. ôJennifer would have been perfectly content to live on Earth. Hell, Jake would prefer it. If I told him we were going back, heÆd be halfway there before I even
finished the sentence. And he wouldnÆt even need a ship. HeÆd just run.
ôBut they followed me. It was my career that decided in what direction our lives went. I brought us out into space. If it hadnÆt been for me, we wouldnÆt have been aboard the Saratoga, and Jennifer wouldnÆt have died. WeÆd have been on Earthá.á.á.áö
Bashir laughed, but it wasnÆt a pleasant sort of laugh.
ôI was on Earth,ö the handsome young doctor said. ôThe Borg were heading our way, remember? The news was all over the internet. The entire planet was going berserk.ö He took a swig of his own drink as if to steel himself against the memories. ôIt wasnÆt pretty, Commander. Citizens of Earth didnÆt exactly take it well when the end of everything they knew was barreling at light-speed right toward them. If the Enterprise crew members hadnÆt pulled a last-minute miracle out of their hats, I might be sitting here pasty white with a gun instead of an arm, saying æDrinks are irrelevant.Æö
ôHeÆs right, Benjamin,ö said Dax. ôThe fact is, no place in this galaxy is one hundred percent safe.ö
ôPerfect,ö Sisko said mirthlessly. ôIÆll go back to Jake and say, æDonÆt feel bad, son. The fact is, there are no guarantees. No matter where you are, you could still be alive one minute and dead the next.Æ That will doubtless assuage his concerns.ö
Dax shrugged. ôWeÆre all of us alive one minute and dead the next, Commander. ItÆs just a matter of when and how.ö
ôDax is right,ö said Bashir, who would have found a way to agree with Dax even if sheÆd been flat-out wrong. ôAll we can do is try to live the best life we can and accept the restrictions that are placed on us. One of the harsh realities of medicine is that we canÆt save every patient. Our primary rule is that, as people of medicine, we shall do no harm.ö
ôDo no harm to your son, Benjamin,ö said Dax. ôLet the rest of it play out as it will. HeÆs a good kid. HeÆll come around.ö
ôI hope youÆre right.ö
ôIÆm sure she is,ö said Bashir, and he smiled at Dax. Sisko rolled his eyes.
CHAPTER
4
ôTHIS IS AN OUTRAGE! I am doing the work of the holy KÆolkr! How dare you interfere?ö
The gentleman on the Ops main viewscreen was not happy. And he looked like someone who, when he was unhappy, went out of his way to make sure that as many people as possible were unhappy along with him.
He wore a hood pulled up, obscuring much of his face. But what they could see of his skin was solid ebony black. His deep-set eyes glowed red from within the folds of his hood.
OÆBrien leaned over from the engineering station and muttered to Kira, ôAll he needs is a scythe.ö
She looked at him curiously. ôWhy?ö
He was about to explain, but decided that it would take too long. ôNever mind,ö he said.
From his station, Sisko tried to sound calm and reasonable. ôSir,ö he said, ôI appreciate your situationá.á.á.áö
ôDo you know who I am?ö His voice became louder, and he practically thundered, ôI am Mas Marko! I am one of the premier spiritual leaders of the entire Edema system! I am the voice of the spirit of KÆolkr. Who are you to tell me that I cannot follow his will?ö
Sisko was one of those people who, the angrier people got at him, the more composed he became. It was as if he fed off the hostile energy. ôI,ö he said, ôam the commander of Deep Space Nine who is endeavoring to save your life. The wormhole is, at this time, closed to all travel. We sent out warnings about it; we were very specific.ö
ôCommander, your warnings mean nothing to one who has heard the word of the spirit of KÆolkr. He has told me that I am to do his work in the Gamma Quadrant. I am to spread the message of his truth. I am,ö he said fervently, ôcharged with a sacred mission to spread his word. Compared to that most holy duty, Commander, your warningsùrestricted by the concerns of mere mortal existenceùare of no relevance.ö
ôIs that a fact? Very well, Mas Marko, I make you this offer,ö said Sisko, unruffled by MarkoÆs belligerent tone. ôMy first officer will feed through to your shipboard computers a replay of the events related to the subspace compression of the Bajoran wormhole.ö He didnÆt even have to turn in order to know that Kira was doing as he had mentioned. ôI ask that you view them. Then touch base with the spirit of KÆolkr and see what he has to say about it. If he still encourages you to commit suicide, I wonÆt stand in your way.ö
ôAre you mocking me?ö Mas Marko said dangerously.
ôNot at all. IÆm speaking the truth. You see, Mas Marko, as your viewing of the incident in question will testify, you wonÆt have a prayer once you enter the wormhole. So all IÆm saying is that you might as well get your praying in now. Sisko out.ö
The screen went blank, and Sisko turned to Kira. She nodded and said, ôAll rightá.á.á. itÆs been sent through.ö
ôYou werenÆt serious, Benjamin,ö Dax said. ôWere you? I mean, you wouldnÆt really let themá.á.á.áö
ôIf I were a cynic,ö Sisko said dryly, ôI would say that if Mas
Marko and his party are stupid enough to hurl themselves into oblivion for no reason, then the galaxyÆs gene pool is well rid of them. I am not, however, a cynic. Chief, bring tractor beams on line.ö
ôAye, sir,ö said OÆBrien.
ôThe Edemian ship will be in range iná.á.á.á?ö He looked questioningly at Kira.
ôTwenty-two minutes,ö she told him.
ôTwenty-two minutes. Prepare to snag the Edemian ship before it gets within range of the wormhole.ö
ôTo be fair, sir,ö Kira pointed out, ôyou did say you wouldnÆt stop them from going in if they wanted to.ö
ôI lied, Major.ö
She smiled. ôGood for you, sir.ö
It did not, however, come down to the question of whether or not Sisko should have kept his word. Because less than two minutes later Mas MarkoÆs dark image once again appeared on the screen.
This time, however, he sounded somewhat less aggressive than before.
ôKÆolkr has had a change of heart,ö said Mas Marko. To SiskoÆs great surprise, Marko even sounded amused at his own words.
ôHow fortunate for all of you,ö Sisko dead-panned.
Marko took a step closer to the screen, his eyes glowing brighter. ôCommander,ö he said, ôI am not a fanatic. I have no desire to see myself or my family become fodder for a cosmic anomaly. Obviously the work of KÆolkr cannot be accomplished by his servants if his servants have had their molecules scattered across thousands of light years.ö
ôI admit I am not familiar with KÆolkr,ö said Sisko, ôbut from where I stand, he seems a rather reasonable deity.ö
ôI may indeed have the opportunity to sway you over to his view of the universe,ö Mas Marko said thoughtfully. ôPresuming, that is, that you can find room for me and my followers at Deep Space Nine until the wormhole is safe for passage. The trip from Edema has been a lengthy one; I have no desire to turn around and end this mission prematurely if that can be avoided.ö
ôHow many of you are there?ö
ôMyself, two retainers, and my wife and son.ö
ôThat will not be a hardship,ö said Sisko. ôWhen you are within range, we will specify docking instructions.ö
ôIt will be a pleasure to chat with you in person,ö said Marko. The screen blinked off.
Sisko let out a slow breath.
ôHow pleasant,ö Kira said, ôto see that we arenÆt dealing with a fanatic. That could just as easily have gone the other way.ö
ôYes. But just to make sureá.á.á. monitor them very carefully once they get within range. Their warp-coil emissions in particular. If those accelerate, it will be the first indicator that theyÆre going to make a run past us and try to get into the wormhole.ö
ôBut Marko said they would stay here until the wormhole is passable.ö
He shrugged. ôI donÆt have a monopoly on lying, Major.ö

The Edemian ship, however, made no suicidal run at the wormhole. Indeed, once the course of action had been decided upon, the ship glided to the docking ring with nary a complaint or whisper of trouble. Sisko, deciding to exercise protocol, was on hand to greet them personally. He also decided to exercise caution, and for that reason he took Odo with him.
Mas Marko was the first off.
Sisko and Odo looked up.
And up.
Marko was nearly seven feet tall, it seemed. He had to bend over slightly to get through the docking bay door. But he did it so smoothly that it was clear he was quite accustomed to situations that were inconvenient for someone of his height.
What impressed Sisko most was that he didnÆt walk so much as glide, as if he had wheels instead of feet. For all Sisko knew, he did, for his robes trailed down to the floor and whisked about the deck.
HeÆd heard OÆBrienÆs whispered wisecrack earlier and now was certain that there was indeed some merit in it. If Mas Marko had been carrying a scythe, he would indeed have been the image of the Grim Reaper.
This impression was diluted somewhat when Mas Marko pulled back his hood. His face was still a gleaming ebony, but now enough features could be discerned to give him a somewhat human aspect.
His eyes still gleamed a disconcerting red, however.
ôCommander Sisko.ö He spoke slowly, as if giving thoughtful weight to every syllable. His voice was deep and seemed to originate from somewhere around his shoes.
ôMas Marko. An honor.ö
ôYou seem a bit surprised, Commander.ö
ôI admit,ö said Sisko, ôthat when major dignitaries arrive, they are usually preceded by their entourage. Standard-bearers, as it were, announcing their leaderÆs arrival.ö
ôHow egocentric,ö said Marko mildly. ôAnd somewhat disingenuous in depicting their station in life. I am Mas Marko, Commander. I am my peopleÆs leader. What sort of leader would I beá.á.á. if I merely followed?ö
ôAs you say. This is Security Chief Odo.ö
ôAn honor.ö He seemed to regard Sisko with some amusement. ôSecurity chief? Are you anticipating difficulty, Commander?ö
ôI always anticipate difficulty,ö Sisko said easily. ôNinety percent of the time, there isnÆt any. But IÆd rather be wrong ninety percent of the time so that I can be prepared to be right that irritating ten percent. Because those are the times when my peopleÆs welfare is on the line.ö
Mas Marko appeared to consider that. ôA very reasonable approach,ö he said at last.
He turned and extended a large hand in the direction of the airlock. Several other Edemians now emerged from behind himùtwo males, a female, and a child. They were somewhat shorter than he, but still hovering around the six-foot range, except for the child, who was a more reasonable five feet. Then again, for all Sisko knew, the boy might be at an age where, if he were human, heÆd be averaging around three feet.
They are one tall damned race, thought Sisko.
All were dressed in flowing robes, but the patterns were far brighter, less solemn, than MarkoÆs own. Perhaps, Sisko reasoned, MarkoÆs robes were a sign of his office. Either that or he just liked to look ominous.
The two males stepped forward first. As near as Sisko could determine, they were almost indistinguishable from each other. ôThis is Del,ö said Marko, ôand this is Lobb.ö
ôAn honor, sir,ö said Del, bending slightly at the waist.
Lobb seemed a good deal less formal. ôHandshakes, right?ö he asked. His voice sounded younger than DelÆs although it was impossible to truly discern his age based on his face.
ôPardon?ö
ôHumans do handshakes. Is that correct?ö
ôUhá.á.á. yes,ö said Sisko. ôThat is correct.ö
Lobb pumped his hand, and Sisko endeavored not to wince at the strength of the grip. ôA pleasure, sir.ö
ôLobb is new to missionary work,ö said Mas Marko. ôHis enthusiasm is rather contagious. It gives me fond recollections of my days as a novice.ö
ôWeÆre going to do KÆolkrÆs work,ö said Lobb, still shaking SiskoÆs hand. ôThere is no greater honor than that.ö
ôYes, IÆm sure.ö Sisko politely disengaged his hand. As he flexed his fingers to restore circulation, Marko gestured for the woman and boy to come forward. They did so, with that same remarkable glide effect.
ôShe who is my mate,ö said Mas Marko. His voice sounded slightly more formal. ôAzira, daughter of Eweeun and Kragar. Out of deference to your rank, Commander, you may address her as Azira. And my son, Rasa, who supports the spirit of KÆolkr and hopes to enter into the presence of his holiness pure of thought and deed.ö
Sisko blinked. Something about that introduction sounded just a littleá.á.á. strange.
If there was anything odd about it, Azira did not let on. She bowed her head slightly in acknowledgment of the introduction. Rasa did likewise.
Sisko stared at Rasa for a moment. There was something in the boyÆs eyes, something in his demeanorá.á.á.á
ôCommander,ö said Mas Marko, sounding curious, ôis there a problem?ö
ôNo,ö said Sisko gamely. ôNo. No problem at all. Aziraá.á.á. Rasaá.á.á.á a pleasure to meet you both.ö
Azira smiledùan amazingly sweet smile, considering the fierce-looking face that the mouth was a part of.
Rasa did not do anything. He simply stood there.
Trying not to be distracted by the lack of vigor in the boy, Sisko said, ôThe constable here will guide you to your quarters. You have free access to any unrestricted area of DS-Nine, although IÆd explore the Promenade cautiously if I were you. Some of the inhabitants there can be somewhatá.á.á. rowdy.ö
ôRowdy.ö MarkoÆs interest seemed piqued. ôWithout religion, one would think?ö
ôDepends how you define æreligion.Æ They worship drinking, gambling, and profits. TheyÆre as fervent about that as the holiest of men about their own respective gods. No offense intended.ö
ôNone taken,ö Marko said. ôIndeed, we may be performing KÆolkrÆs will, despite our original intention of passing through to the Gamma Quadrant. It is possible that he has arranged for thisá.á.á. what did you call the wormholeÆs condition?ö
ôSubspace compression.ö
ôYes. He might have arranged for this compression expressly so that we could spend some more time here at your station spreading his word to those who need it.ö
ôKÆolkr moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform,ö said Sisko.
Mas Marko looked at him as if truly seeing him for the first time.
ôThat is very profound, Commander,ö he said. ôDo you mind if I quote you on that?ö
ôNot at all,ö Sisko said, as generously as he could.
ôThis way, please.ö Odo gestured to the turbolifts.
Mas Marko and his entourage preceded them. But Sisko held Odo back just long enough to say in a low voice, ôIf they wander about the Promenade, keep an eye on them. We donÆt need Marko or his people getting roughed up if any of the Promenade inhabitants feel
disinclined to convert to the ways of KÆolkr.ö
Odo nodded his understanding and followed the Edemians. ôPlease be careful in the turbolifts,ö he called. ôThey can be a little bumpy.ö
Sisko shook his head and was about to head back to Ops when his comm badge beeped. He tapped it. ôSisko here.ö
ôCommander,ö came KiraÆs voice. ôWe have another arrival. This oneÆs unexpected. Is Odo there?ö
ôHeÆs guiding the Mas Marko party to the habitat ring.ö
ôA suggestion, then, sir: we may want to keep our new guest in the docking ring until Odo can handle him personally. This is definitely a security matter, and considering whatÆs involved, the constable will probably want to deal with it himself.ö
Sisko was confused. Kira was describing a situation that sounded as if it had the makings of being very dangerous, but the tone of her voice suggested that she was entertained rather than alarmed. Trying to get a handle on it, Sisko asked, ôIs it another frustrated wormhole passenger?ö
ôActually, no. HeÆs here specifically to do business with someone on Deep Space Nine.ö
ôOh, really? Who?ö

ôQuarká.á.á.áö
The Ferengi recognized OdoÆs voice even before he turned around. QuarkÆs face bore his typical expression when dealing with Odo: smugly confident, but with a bit of caution. After all, he never knew when Odo might have something on him.
He turned slowly, saying, ôWhat can I do forùö
But the words caught in his throat.
There was a Ferengi standing next to Odo. He had a singular triangle
triangle of brown spots on his eye ridge. He grinned at Quark, exposing his sharp and fairly vicious-looking teeth to their best advantage.
ôQuaaaaark,ö he said in a low drawl.
Quark uttered a small shriek and promptly assumed the defensive posture commonly known as the Ferengi cringe. He held one arm out as if to ward off an enemy, and the other encircled his head so that, if something hideous did happen to him, he wouldnÆt see it or hear it.
He backed up rapidly, knocking over a table.
The other Ferengi, standing next to Odo, looked up at the constable calmly. ôI told you heÆd react this way.ö
ôKeep your distance, Glav!ö Quark said shrilly. ôJustá.á.á. just keep your distance!ö
ôOh, stop it, Quark,ö Odo said. His patience with the rodentlike Ferengi was not great to begin with, and this was pushing it far beyond its tolerance. ôIÆm not going to let him do anything to you.ö
ôOh, reaaaallly.ö QuarkÆs voice was dripping with sarcasm. He had backed up against a wallùanother common Ferengi maneuver, that way, no one could attack from behind. ôAnd you would just be sooo upset if something happened to me, wouldnÆt you, Odo?ö
ôIf it happened here, yes,ö Odo said firmly. ôI put aside my personal feelings when it comes to enforcing the law. If I didnÆt, Quark, I can assure you that something would have happened to you a long time ago. Glav here wants to talk.ö
ôGlav here wants to see me stripped naked and strangled with my own entrails!ö
ôYouÆre confusing Glav with me,ö came OdoÆs sarcastic reply.
Glav held up his hands, looking as nonthreatening as a Ferengi could possibly look. ôSir,ö he said to Odo, ôI believe I can clear this up.ö
Odo folded his arms and waited.
ôSome years ago I had a major investment deal going on,ö Glav told him. ôI had put all my personal fortune on the line to ensure that it would go through. And then Quark here came swooping in and persuaded my clients to bargain with him instead. He undercut me, offering the same material at a lower price.ö
ôI did nothing wrong!ö snarled Quark. ôEverything was done in accordance with the Ferengi law of dealing! Besidesá.á.á. I was a youngster back then. You canÆt hold me accountable just becauseùö
ôBecause I was driven into bankruptcy,ö said Glav. ôI had extended my credit too far. My creditors wanted payment. I had failed to make the sale. They took practically everything. I was ruined.ö
ôAnd now heÆs come back for revenge!ö Quark reassumed the Ferengi cringe.
ôNo, Quark. IÆve come back here to tell you that it all worked out for the bestùfor better than the best.ö
This prompted Quark to peer out from under his own elbow. ôWhat do you mean?ö
ôI was left with only one thing, Quarkùsome property on Xerxes Six that was deemed so worthless that no one took it from me. I went there to liveá.á.á. and, I admit, to nurse dark thoughts against you. Butùö He paused dramatically.
Quark, curious in spite of himself, slowly lowered his arm. ôBut what?ö
ôI started doing geological surveys.ö Glav smiled raggedly at his own ingenuity. ôThe preliminary surveys when I first arrived revealed nothing of interest, but I had time on my hands, so I probed deeper. And I found a massive deposit of calvinum.ö
Quark gasped. ôCaá.á.á. calvinum?ö
ôThatÆs right. The stuff that the Byfrexians use to power their ship engines. The stuff is in remarkably short supply.ö
ôThe Byfrexians will pay an arm and a leg for even a gram of it!ö
ôBah! Arms and legs I have no use for. Two million bars of gold-pressed latinum, howeverá.á.á.áö
Quark put his hand to his chest. ôTuhá.á.á. tuhá.á.á. tuhá.á.á.áöHe gulped. ôTwoá.á.á. muhá.á.á. muhùö
ôMillion,ö said Odo peevishly. ôOh, do get on with it.ö
ôThereÆs not much more to get on with,ö said Glav. ôIÆm rich, Quarkùærich beyond the dreams of avarice.Æ If it hadnÆt been for you, IÆd still be eking out a living wheeling and dealing, not knowing that I had a fortune right under my nose. I even made a few safe investments, and IÆve doubled my fortune since then.ö
A crafty look crossed QuarkÆs face. ôThis is a con! ThatÆs it! HeÆs coming in here pretending heÆs rich so he can pull some sort of scam on me! Get my place away from me!ö
Glav looked around QuarkÆs establishment with barely concealed disdain. ôWhy would I possibly want it? Look, Quarká.á.á. you donÆt have to believe me. Run a thorough check on me using the Ferengi Bureau of Audit. IÆm listed on the exchange; my net worth is no secret. IÆm proud of itùwouldnÆt you be?ö
He stepped forward and took Quark firmly by the shoulders. Quark flinched, still expecting a sudden blow to land on the top of his head.
ôLuck was with you, Quark. With both of us,ö said Glav. ôBear you ill will? Pfaw! In a way, I owe you everything. As I said, check me out. Satisfy yourself through as many different sources as possible. IÆll keep my distance from you until youÆre ready to talk with me. Because once you are ready, Quark, IÆm going to make you a very, very rich Ferengi.ö
He released Quark and stepped back. He nodded slightly toward Odo and said, ôThank you, sir. I can find my way from here.ö And he turned and strolled casually down the Promenade, hands clasped behind his back, looking for all the world like someone who had everything he could possibly want.
Quark watched him go and then muttered, ôI donÆt trust him for a second.ö
ôNo reason you should,ö said Odo. ôWe know how far we can trust Ferengi.ö
ôYes, we know howá.á.á.áö Quark began to echo, but then he caught himself and gave Odo a dirty look. Odo walked away without further comment.

ôYou have been doing a most impressive job with the station, Commander,ö said the Cardassian. ôGul Dukat is most impressed.ö
They were sitting in SiskoÆs office. Sisko was more than aware of the occasional look of utter revulsion that Kira delivered in the CardassianÆs general direction. Wisely, however, she kept silent, not particularly trusting herself.
Sisko nodded. ôThank you, Gotto. And you may report to Gul Dukat that he is welcome here at any time.ö
Gotto smiled thinly at that. ôOhá.á.á. Gul Dukat hardly believes that to be the case. That is why he has sent me, his trusted envoy, to do his business for him.ö
ôAnd his business isá.á.á.á?
ôHis.ö
ôI see.ö He paused. ôAnd Deep Space Nine is my business. And where those two overlapá.á.á. I do not like being unaware.ö
They regarded each other for a moment, and then Gotto shrugged. ôOh, itÆs of no consequence, truly. Gul Dukat simply likes
to keep all those aboard this station subtly aware of the Cardassian presence. To do otherwise would be a sign of weakness. I am instructed to spend the next several days mingling, chatting, making myself seen. That is really the extent of it. You do not have a problem with that, do you, Commander?ö
ôOf course not,ö said Sisko calmly. ôAs long as that is all you intend to do. Who could possibly find fault with that?ö
ôWe have an understanding, then.ö The Cardassian slapped his thighs and rose from the chair.
At that moment Dr. Bashir walked into SiskoÆs office.
ôYou wanted to see me, sir?ö he asked.
ôDr. Bashirá.á.á. Gotto Lon,ö said Sisko. ôGotto Lon was just leaving.ö
ôA pleasure as always,ö said Gotto, and he walked out of the office.
As the Cardassian left, Sisko motioned for Bashir to sit. ôDoctor, how well informed are you on Edemians?ö
Bashir smiled. If there was one thing on which he prided himself, besides his looks, it was his expertise in multi-species medicine. Indeed, his encyclopedic knowledge amazed Sisko, although he tried not to let on.
ôFairly conversant, sir,ö he said. ôTheyÆre a fairly hardy race.ö
ôWould you know a sick one if you saw him?ö
ôJust on sight? Possibly. If I examined him, definitely.ö
ôA group of them just arrived on DS-Nine. One of themùthe youngestùseems a bitá.á.á. off. Nothing I can put my finger oná.á.á.áö
ôWas he bleeding? Coughing? Anything overt?ö
ôNo,ö admitted Sisko. ôNothing overt, butá.á.á. well, Doctor, all I can tell you is that when youÆre a parent, you develop a sixth sense about these things.ö
ôIt happens occasionally to doctors, too,ö Bashir said soberly. ôDo you want me to go to their quarters?ö
ôNot yet. IÆm still uncertain enough about this that I donÆt want to make too much of it. The Edemians shouldnÆt be difficult to spot; theyÆll probably set up shop in the Promenade and try to do missionary work among the poor godless denizens therein.ö
ôIndeed? Then they have their work cut out for them.ö
ôI agree. I want you to get close to them. Observe what you can. And if you deem it necessary, bring the youngest one to the infirmary for in-depth testing.ö
ôAnd if they object?ö
ôThey do not have that option. This is a closed environment, Doctor. IÆm in favor of being tactful, but the bottom line isá.á.á. if the boy is carrying a disease, weÆll have to isolate him. I have no desire to see another virus get loose in this station. Do you?ö
ôNo, sir,ö said Bashir, shuddering inside. Not long ago an aphasia virus had gripped the entire station. That nightmare had nearly resulted in the death of practically everyone on board. The only ones who had proven immune were Quark and Odo.
Odo had privately told Bashir that for him, the possibility of everyone on the station dying was only part of the problem. The true horror for Odo was his concern that he and Quark were both carriersá.á.á. which meant that they could not leave DS9. Ever. With the station quarantined, and with no way of filtering the virus out of the air, Odo and Quark would have been stuck together forever on the empty station, each being the only living individual for the other to converse with. ôYou, at least, would have been dead,ö Odo had informed Bashir archly. ôFor me, the nightmare would have just begun.ö
ôAll right, then, Doctor,ö said Sisko. ôThank you. ThatÆs all. And keep me apprised.ö
ôYes, sir. Of course.ö

Several other travelersùtwo humans, a Tellarite, and a Boffinùstopped at Deep Space Nine for a variety of reasons. None of them were particularly pleased to learn that the wormhole was closed to passage until further notice, but all seemed willing to make the best of a difficult situation.
And down in one of the ships that had docked along the great outer ring of Deep Space Nineá.á.á.á
A suitcase began to move.
It seemed to melt, becoming a thick mass of gelatinous goo. And then it oozed forward.
It flowed out of the ship and into the airlock. The seal into the docking bay was airtight, but the mass did not attempt to break it. Instead it moved up and along the paneling until it found a section that seemed weak enough.
The slime drew back, as if coalescing for a fleeting moment into a fist, and then it punched through the paneling. The panel crumbled under the impact, and the mass seeped through and around the heavy docking clamps.
Within seconds it had made its way along the clamps and reached the far end of the airlock. It was only a momentÆs work for the slime to push out another panel and trickle down onto the floor.
Then the mass started to come together, to re-form. It became a small tower of ooze, and then it assumed form and definition.
Within moments it had morphed into a passable imitation of a humanoid.
It looked down at its hands, touched its face, and nodded in satisfaction.
The metamorph walked away from the docking bay. Within minutes it had reached the Promenade deck and was mingling freely with the other denizens of the station.
Deep Space Nine was under siege.
But no one knew it yet.
CHAPTER
5
ôCOME! COME FREELY and experience the word of KÆolkr!ö
The Edemians had set up shop in an empty booth along the Promenade. Mas Marko rang a large, resounding chime to attract the attention of passersby. It worked to the degree that it got people to glance the EdemiansÆ way. But it did nothing to get anyone to take them seriously.
Sisko, far more familiar with the parade of life that was the Promenade, had gone over some ground rules with Mas Marko. There was to be no physical accosting of people; no getting in their way; no attempt, in any way, shape, or form to force their beliefs on the denizens of Deep Space Nine. The reason for that was simple: Sisko was looking to avoid starting a fight.
Fortunately for all concerned, Mas Marko readily accepted SiskoÆs rules. ôOnly those who willingly embrace the word of KÆolkr can truly understand,ö he had replied. ôWe can but expose individuals to those thoughts. KÆolkr teaches us that his way is the way of acceptance. Acceptance in all things, Commander. You cannot quarrel with that, certainly.ö
Indeed, Sisko could not.
So now Mas Marko stood in the Promenade, trying to appeal to
that which was worthwhile and decent and good in the PromenadeÆs browsers. Which was not, unfortunately, a lot.
He was surrounded by his entourage, who were trying to hand out treatises on the greatness of KÆolkr. No one seemed particularly interested.
Bashir stood a short distance away, watching carefully. In particular, he was watching the boy, Rasa.
From his knowledge of Edemian physiology, he determined that the boy was roughly ten earth years in age. Edemians were almost indefatigable. Marko and his followers had been calling to people nonstop for several hours now.
All except Rasa. He remained quiet, listless. The prodding from his mother to participate in their endeavors was met with indifference.
And she was worried.
Even from where he was watching, Bashir could see her anxiety. But was she worried about something and did not know what? Or was she genuinely concerned about something in particular?
Either way, Bashir felt it was worth his time to find out.
And he knew of a very simple way to do it.
He walked very casually toward the Edemians. As he got within range, he saw that Azira was still urging the boy to take part in what they were doing. Bashir was lucky enough to make eye contact with the unenthusiastic lad, and he raised an eyebrow to indicate interest.
ôHave you heard the word of KÆolkr?ö asked Rasa. His voice was high-pitched, not at all like the stentorian tones of his father. Up close, Bashir could even see some of what Sisko had already picked up. One didnÆt have to be an expert in alien medicine to see that Rasa lookedá.á.á. diminished, somehow. His eyes, rather than the
softly glowing red of the others, were mere flickers, like smothered embers.
Furthermore his skin was not the solid ebony of the others, but instead was inconsistently colored. Looking closely, Bashir could even see signs of splotching.
All this he noted in a second. Covering his clinical assessment smoothly, he said, ôWhy, no. I havenÆt. The word of KÆolkr?ö
His response caught the attention of the others. They turned toward him, but Bashir deliberately didnÆt look at them, instead focusing entirely on Rasa. He wanted to make it painfully clear that the dialogue was between him and the boy. ôWho is KÆolkr?ö he asked. ôA friend of yours?ö
ôUhá.á.á.áö Clearly the boy hadnÆt expected any response. He licked his lips and looked nervously to his father for guidance.
ôHe asked you, son. Tell him,ö came MarkoÆs response.
ôUhá.á.á.áö Rasa looked back to Bashir. ôKÆolkr isá.á.á. is all.ö It was clear that the words his father had drilled into him were slowly coming back to him, out of reflexá.á.á. or perhaps out of a sense of self-preservation. ôKÆolkr loves us. KÆolkr protects us. Heá.á.á.áö He looked once more to his father, who merely nodded in calm surety. ôHe guides us,ö said Rasa. ôBy trusting ourselves to the fate decreed by KÆolkr, we have that much more security in ourselves.ö
ôTrusting yourselves to the fate KÆolkr decrees?ö said Bashir. ôSo you believe purely in predestination? Or do you accept the notion of free will?ö
Rasa looked somewhat surprised at this. It was as if he hadnÆt been certain until just this moment that Bashir was actually paying attention to what he was saying. Automatically he said, ôFree will when it comes to dealing in mortal affairs. But trusting in the wisdom
wisdom of KÆolkr when it comes to those matters that are the affairs of gods.ö
Bashir suddenly snapped his fingers. ôBlast! You know, this is so interestingá.á.á. but I have to get to my duties.ö
ôOh.ö Rasa looked deflated. He glanced apologetically at his father.
ôThat is a pity,ö said Mas Marko. ôIt is clear to me that your conversation with my son is of interest to you, Misterá.á.á.áö
Bashir was about to correct him out of habit by saying, ôDoctor,ö but some internal warning sense stopped him. Instead he said simply, ôBashir. Julian Bashir.ö
ôMr. Bashir. Must you leave so abruptly?ö
ôIÆm afraid so. Althoughá.á.á.áö and he paused, as if just coming up with the idea. But then he said dismissively, ôNo. Forget it.ö
ôWhat?ö said Rasa, momentarily forgetting that his father was supposed to take the lead in discussions. Marko, however, did not remonstrate with him. He was obviously proud to see his son actually taking charge of a situation.
ôWell,ö Bashir said, ôperhaps this young man would be interested in accompanying me. Much of my job, I hate to admit, is somewhat drudgery-filled. Certainly some stimulating conversation would be a vast improvement for me. Althoughá.á.á. well, heÆs probably helping you far too much here.ö
ôTo be honest, sir,ö said Mas Marko, ôwe have been here for some hours and have not had much success in attracting more than sniggering looks. That being the case, I would hate to lose momentum with you. Rasa, would you care to accompany the gentleman?ö
ôYes, sir,ö said Rasa immediately.
But at almost the same moment Azira said, ôI donÆt think so.ö
Rasa looked from one to the other, as did Bashir.
Something was definitely going on between the boyÆs parents. Their faces were absolutely unreadable. But whatever was happening, it was quite clear to Bashir that Mas Marko was still in charge. Azira held his gaze for only a moment before lowering her eyes.
Marko spoke to her in a voice that seemed filled with understanding and a very faint sorrow. ôLike all of us, the boy must accomplish all that is possible during his time in this sphere. You must be willing to let him go.ö
ôThat is what I do,ö she said. It wasnÆt a comment that Bashir fully understood, but Azira turned to Rasa and said, ôMake KÆolkr proud.ö
ôOf course I will, Mother,ö he said.
Deciding that further conversation would only delay mattersùand possibly shift them in a different directionùthe doctor started walking without further hesitation. ôSo how do we know when we are operating under our own free willá.á.á. and when we are to leave matters in the hands of KÆolkr?ö
Rasa immediately fell into step next to Bashir. ôWell,ö he said, ôwe have a set of laws called Siilar that enable us to study situations and make determinations.á.á.á.ö
Their voices faded, mixing into the general babble and buzzing of the surrounding voices.
ôHe will make us proud,ö said Mas Marko firmly. He did not look at Azira or even seem to be addressing her.
Azira said nothing.
The matter already apparently concluded, Mas Marko spoke with even more fervor to the next person who happened by. As if encouraged by the apparent success his son was having with the Starfleet man, he said, ôSir, the words of KÆolkr would be of interest to your lifeùö
ôUnless the words happen to be æprofit,Æ æmoney,Æ and ægreed,Æ I seriously doubt it,ö said Glav, and he walked away from the Edemians.
As he neared QuarkÆs establishment, he slowed down his brisk paceá.á.á.á and then, very deliberately, gave the place a wide berth. He saw Quark busily attending to customers, being his usual servile self. Glav managed to angle himself to just within QuarkÆs view and then started to walk away.
Quark, however, moved like lightning. ôGlav!ö he shouted. He practically leapt over a table and barreled across the Promenade, knocking people aside to get to Glav as quickly as he could.
He struck another very distinctive Ferengi posture the moment that he was at GlavÆs side: he bent over slightly so that his eye level was just below GlavÆs. This was a body-language method of saying, ôI acknowledge the greatness of your place in the universe. How may I serve you so that you may enrich me?ö
The body language said all that. Quark, for his part, licked his lips with anticipation and purred, ôGlav, old fellow, where have you been? IÆve tried repeatedly to reach you in your quarters. You werenÆt there.ö
ôOhá.á.á. IÆve been looking around this fascinating station of yours,ö he said, turning in a slow circle so that he bore a passing resemblance to an antique conning tower. ôThis is quite an amazing situation you people have here. But enough of me, Quark. LetÆs talk about you. What do you think of me?ö
Quark bobbed his head in appreciation and gave a high-pitched laugh. ôAh, Glavá.á.á. no one can tell a centuries-old joke like you.ö
ôThatÆs extraordinarily obsequious of you, Quark.ö
ôThank you,ö said Quark, bobbing his head appreciatively. ôI strive for perfection in all matters.ö
ôSo tell me, Quarká.á.á. am I correct in assuming that you have checked out myá.á.á.ástatus?ö
ôThoroughly,ö said Quark. ôVery thoroughly. Glav, dear fellowá.á.á.á youÆve managed to keep a rather low profile personally, havenÆt you.ö
ôI have tried to do so,ö agreed Glav. ôOh, if you do research under my name, it is quite easy to find my net worth. Otherwise, though, IÆve managed to be fairly subtle about it.ö
ôExceptionally subtle,ö crowed Quark. ôSubtle as the whispering winds of space. Subtle asùö
ôQuark.ö
ôYes, Glav?ö
ôYouÆre overdoing it.ö
Quark stepped back and bowed slightly. ôI apologize.ö
ôItÆs no matter,ö said Glav. ôTo be honest, Quark, I expected no less of you.ö
ôThen it is my honor to live down to your expectations.ö
Glav put a hand on QuarkÆs shoulder. ôWe can do business, Quark.ö
Quark gasped in amazement and pleasure, not to mention fulfilled hope. ôHow can I, from my lowly station in life, hope to aid you? My humble business is barely worth your notice.ö
Glav looked around and then gestured toward a nearby table and chairs at the outskirts of QuarkÆs Place. He sat down, Quark opposite him.
Elbows on the table, head propped up, looking the soul of disingenuousness, Glav said, ôYou have connections.ö
ôI do?ö Quark looked momentarily confused. But then he cleared his throat and, recapturing his self-possession, said, ôWellá.á.á. of course I do. But notá.á.á. I mean, how could the people whom I have
connections with possibly compare to the scope ofùö
ôItÆs the individuals whom you are connected with,ö said Glav. He sighed and lowered his gaze. ôI have a confession to make, Quark.ö
Quark looked at him questioningly.
ôWhen I came to this station,ö he said, ôI wasá.á.á. Well, my motives were not particularly honorable.ö
ôSo?ö The concept of honorable motives did not have much importance in QuarkÆs worldview.
ôI came here,ö sighed Glav, ôbecause I was very much looking forward to rubbing my good fortune in your face. I wanted to parade my success before you, make you squirm, perhaps even dangle a business proposition in your faceá.á.á.á and then depart. It wasá.á.á.áö He shook his head. ôIt was petty vindictiveness.ö
ôItÆs understandable,ö said Quark.
Glav looked up in surprise. ôWhy, Quarká.á.á. youÆre not even being obsequious. You really do understand.ö
ôSquirming, vindictivenessá.á.á. pfaw. WhatÆs not to understand?ö
ôIf you understand that, then certainly the subsequent events will be well within your comprehension as well. For as I was walking around this incredible station, I had a realization. And my greed, I will admit, came bubbling to the surface. It was a heady feeling, Quark. With the amount of money at my command, my sense of pure greed had becomeá.á.á. stilted. Lost.ö
Quark gasped. ôYou poor bastard.ö
ôYou know, I hadnÆt even realized IÆd lost it. ThatÆs the truly tragic thing. ItÆs far too simple to become content. Beware contentment, Quark. It can lead to your undoing.ö
Quark shifted uneasily in his chair. ôWell, I amá.á.á. I am happy with my situation in life. But,ö he said more firmly, ôbut content?
No. No, never. I always dream of riches. Of the deal,ö he said reverently.
ôThe deal,ö said Glav, ôsits before you. Look at me, Quark. I hold the key to the deal.ö
Quark stared at him for a long moment.
And then suspicion played across his face.
ôThis is a scam,ö he said slowly.
Glav looked confused. ôWhat?ö
ôIt is!ö
ôQuark! I have been honest with you!ö
ôAh, but here it comes!ö Quark raised his voice in anger and alarm. ôThe scam! The sting! Put me off my guard with sweet words and then persuade me to participate in some insane enterprise in the hope of improving my station in life. When, in fact, your real intention is to deprive me ofùö
ôIÆm not going to deprive you of anything!ö said Glav in confusion.
Quark sat back, his fingers interlaced, looking confident and smug. ôHow much?ö he said. ôHow much were you going to ask me to contribute to whatever scheme you were launching? Eh? Enough to put my entire establishment at risk? Orùö
ôNothing!ö cried Glav. ôNothing, I swear! Iá.á.á.áö His face turned dead serious. ôI swear on Amorphous, the shaper of Ferengi dreams of avarice, that I was not going to ask you to put your establishmentùor any of your personal fortune, however paltry that might beùat risk in any way.ö
QuarkÆs jaw dropped. A Ferengi did not swear by Amorphous lightly. Even among the Ferengi, certain things were simply not done, and lying to another Ferengi in the name of Amorphous was
one of them. It was enough to restore QuarkÆs confidence to some degree.
ôAll right,ö he said slowly. ôAll right. What can I contribute? I donÆt understand.ö
ôThis station,ö said Glav, barely able to repress his rising excitement. ôThis stationá.á.á. for pityÆs sake, Quark, look at it. The potential, Quark. The potential! IÆve been doing a study of it. Projecting across the probable expansion of the business that will come through here as a result of the Bajoran wormhole. Furthermore, IÆve been analyzing the percentage of effectiveness in the way that business is being done here. Would you like to know what IÆve found?ö
Quark nodded eagerly.
ôThere is potential here,ö he said, ôfor increasing profitsá.á.á.á thirteen hundred percent!ö Upon QuarkÆs startled intake of breath, he nodded his head. ôYes, you heard me right. Under the right managementá.á.á. under the right mind-setá.á.á. this station could be the single largest profit generator in this entire sector.ö
ôUnder the right management? But the Federationùö
ôThe Federation!ö Glav laughed coarsely. ôThe Federation! Oh, please, Quark. If you want a painfully boring continuation of the status quo, you call in the Federation. But if you want profitöùhe tapped his chestùôyou call a Ferengi.ö
ôButá.á.á. no one called us.ö
ôWe Ferengi do not sit around waiting for the deal to come to us. We find the deal. We exploit the deal. Weöùhe thumped his fist on the tabletop to emphasize each wordùôwe makeá.á.á. theá.á.á. deal. There are those in this universe to whom things happen. And there are others who make things happen. Which would you be, Quark?ö
ôWellá.á.á. obviously, the latter.ö
ôThen you will help me?ö
ôHelp you what?ö
ôWhat! IsnÆt it obvious?ö He smiled toothily. ôI want to buy Deep Space Nine.ö
Quark stared at him skeptically for a moment. ôYouá.á.á. you arenÆt serious?ö
ôWhy wouldnÆt I be serious?ö
ôWell, becauseá.á.á. for pityÆs sake, Glav! ItÆs not for sale!ö
ôHave you asked?ö
ôNo! Of course not.ö
ôAh,ö said Glav, leaning forward, ôbut you see, itÆs amazing whatÆs for sale if the price is right. And IÆll tell you right now, Quark, what we Ferengi already know: when the price is right, anything is for sale. That is where you come in.ö
ôIt is?ö Quark sounded less than enthusiastic.
ôYes. Because you are going to be able to use your influence to help.ö For a moment he seemed uncertain. ôYou do have influence, donÆt you?ö
ôUhá.á.á. why, yes, of course.ö Quark gathered his composure. ôThe fact of the matter is that I am one of the major influences on this station. Why,ö he continued, becoming more full of himself by the moment, ôjust last month, all the station personnel were ill. Whom did they turn to in their hour of need?ö He thumped his chest proudly. ôI ran the entire station single-handed.ö
ôNow youÆre boasting.ö
ôI swear! There I was, all alone in Ops, holding things together. And then there was the time when I became the very first source of relics brought through the wormhole. I held an auction here that theyÆre still talking about throughout the sector.ö
ôThen you can help me.ö
ôIùö
At that moment, an irritated Orion shouted, ôQuark! You call this a drink?ö
Seeing the source of the complaint, Quark turned to Glav apologetically. ôI hate to break off, but I fear I really must attend to this. The last time an Orion was dissatisfied, the damage took me a week to repair.ö
ôI understand fully. WeÆll talk later.ö
Quark slid off the chair and headed toward the disgruntled Orion. Glav, for his part, walked away humming to himself, looking around the station as if trying to figure out where he was going to redecorate.
And the table that theyÆd been sitting at, unseen by either of them, shifted. Within moments it had dissolved into a puddle and then built itself back up again to become the distinctive form of the stationÆs security officer.
Odo shook his head.
ôWhat fools these Ferengi be,ö he muttered.

Rasa looked around the infirmary with curiosity. ôWhat is this place?ö he asked.
ôItÆs where we treat the sick,ö Bashir told him, trying to look casual. He watched as Rasa opened a cabinet and stared in fascination at the contents. ôCertainly youÆve seen places like this before.ö
ôNo,ö said Rasa. ôIÆve never had the need.ö
ôHmm. Well, youÆre a lucky young man. Never to be sick a day in your life.ö
He waited until RasaÆs interest in the cabinets seemed to flag and then he said, ôYou know what this is?ö And he tapped the monitors up on the wall over a bed.
Rasa shook his head.
ôAll sorts of lights come on,ö said Bashir. ôHereá.á.á. watch. Hop up onto this bed and lie down.ö
Rasa, curious about the equipment, did as he was told. As he lay back, the bioscan units came on. Readings immediately began feeding into the diagnostic files of the computers. Oblivious of what was happening, Rasa twisted around so that he could see the blinking lights and the source of the noises. ôWhatÆs that thumping sound?ö he asked.
ôThatÆs your heartbeat. Itá.á.á. sounds a little fast,ö said Bashir, still endeavoring to seem casual. ôFast for an Edemian, at any rate. Tell me, Rasa, does your head ever hurt?ö
ôSometimes.ö
ôWhen?ö
ôOhá.á.á. in the morning. And a little at night. Andá.á.á. sometimes in the middle of the day.ö Rasa was starting to sound uncomfortable. ôI thought you wanted to talk about KÆolkr.ö
ôWell,ö said Bashir reasonably, ôif IÆm supposed to learn a bit about your lifeá.á.á. seems only fair that you learn a bit about mine, donÆt you think?ö
Rasa started to sit up, and Bashir moved quickly to his side, holding his shoulder down gently to prevent him from rising. ôLet me go!ö shouted Rasa, but he didnÆt have the strength to back up his command.
And then he started to cough.
It was a deep, hacking sound. The exertion had cost him, and he coughed more and more violently. Within seconds the hacking became so fierce that his legs flexed upward while his upper torso cramped over, as if he were curling into a fetal position with each sudden expulsion of air.
ôNurse!ö called Bashir. He started to order a hypo that would settle
settle Rasa down, but ultimately it proved unnecessary. Rasa stopped of his own accord, the coughing settling down until the fit simply ended. Rasa looked up at Bashir then, and the glow in his eyes seemed just a bit dimmer.
ôAre you all right?ö asked Bashir.
Rasa nodded. But he didnÆt look all right, and he didnÆt sound all right.
ôI didnÆt mean to upset you,ö the doctor said.
ôItÆs all right,ö said Rasa. He swung his legs over and slid off the biobed. ôIá.á.á. think IÆd better go back to my parents now.ö
ôDonÆt you want to discuss KÆolkr?ö
Rasa studied him. ôIá.á.á. donÆt really think that you do.ö
ôHow about you?ö
The boy let out a long sigh that Bashir feared, for a moment, would set off another fit. But instead Rasa simply shrugged fatalistically.
ôNo. Not really.ö
And he walked out of the infirmary.

Lobb studied the passersby carefully to see who might be amenable to hearing the message, the word, the glory, of KÆolkr.
The follower of Mas Marko then thought he saw a likely candidateùan attractive young woman who looked lost and adrift on the sea of humanoid consciousness.
She was walking away from QuarkÆs, holding a drink as if it were her last friend in the cosmos. Merely looking upon her, Lobb felt tremendous empathy.
KÆolkr seemed to whisper to Lobb, saying, ôYes! Yes! She is one for whom youÆve been waiting. She will be your first convert to the wisdom of KÆolkr. You can do it. Steady. Speak to her in soft, alluring
alluring terms that will draw her to you.ö
As she passed nearby, Lobb raised his voice in vehemence that surprised even him. ôKÆolkr wants you!ö he called out. ôKÆolkr loves you! You, young woman!ö
She stopped in her tracks. She turned her head slowly to stare at him.
ôYour life,ö he said, his fervor rising, ôcan be a beautiful and splendid thing. Your life can be beyond anything you might have imagined possible. Your life can be sanctified, glorified, purified, if you accept, understand, and embrace the wisdom of KÆolkr!ö
He stretched out a hand to her, gesturing for her to come over to him.
She regarded him for a moment more and thenùslowly, ever so slowlyùapproached himá.á.á.á
And then she raised the glass and hurled its contents at him.
The liquid hit Lobb square in the chest. A huge stain spread in no time, the red liquid pouring down his chest and trickling to his waist. He stared at it in stupefaction.
ôMy life is fine as it is, fool,ö she said tartly. ôMaybe youÆre the one who should be reevaluating your life. Standing around shouting things at people who didnÆt ask you to come and donÆt want you here.ö
She turned on her heel and walked away.
Lobb stood there, unmoving, not certain what to say or do. He felt utterly humiliated in front of Mas Marko. He was all too aware of his leader and mentorÆs presence looming over him.
Sadly, Mas Marko put a hand on LobbÆs shoulder. ôIÆm sorry, Lobb. IÆm afraid that the realities of our mission arenÆt going to be particularly easy to deal with.ö
ôWhyá.á.á.áö Lobb seemed to grope for words. ôWhy do they hate us so much?ö
ôThey hate themselves,ö Mas Marko told him. ôWe hold up a mirror to the emptiness and misery of their lives. They see what they haveá.á.á. see the meaninglessness and misery of a life without the spirit of KÆolkrá.á.á. and the vast majority of them react with hostility. The truth can be very difficult to accept, but a very small number will see what we have to offer and be drawn to it. It is for those few that we commit our lives to constant labor.ö
Lobb nodded understandingly. Unfortunately none of it made him feel any drier or any less humiliated.
Azira had listened without comment to all her husband had said. But now she perked up slightly as she saw Rasa heading across the great open area of the Promenade. ôRasa,ö she called. ôDarling! Over here!ö And she waved.
ôHe knows where we are, Azira,ö said Marko. He didnÆt sound harsh or angry, but something in his voice indicated quite clearly that he found her behavior inappropriate.
Azira folded her hands into her gown, accepting her husbandÆs mild rebuke. But when Rasa walked up to them, Azira put an arm around him protectively and gazed up at her husband with an expression that might have been called deliberately blank.
Mas Marko ignored it. ôRasa,ö he asked, ôhow did it go with the Starfleet man?ö
Rasa didnÆt say anything at first. Marko looked at him curiously and then said, with more firmness in his voice, ôRasa, I believe I asked you a question.ö
ôI donÆt know, Father.ö
ôYou donÆt know how it went?ö
ôNo, Father.ö
Marko was silent for a long moment. ôIs there something youÆre not telling me?ö
ôMas Marko,ö Azira said, choosing to use the full formal address since they were out in public. ôI think the boy is too tired to concentrate right at this moment.ö
ôIs that the case, boy? That you are too tired?ö
The boy looked down at the toes of his boots with great interest. ôYes, Father.ö
ôI see. Very well.ö He turned to Lobb. ôWould you be so kind as to escort Rasa back to our quarters and make certain that he settles down for some rest? You can take the opportunity to go to your own quarters as well and change to somethingá.á.á. drier.ö
ôThank you, Mas Marko,ö said Lobb. He was just starting to feel the uncomfortable dampness and chill from the liquid, and was rather eager to change out of the sodden clothes.
They walked away, and as Mas Marko watched them go, he was aware of Azira stepping a bit closer to him than was typical for public behavior. But he did nothing to discourage her, for he knew what was on her mind, and he was not, after all, without feelings or heart.
ôHe looks so small,ö she whispered. ôSo small.ö
Mas Marko shook his great head. ôKÆolkr moves in mysterious ways,ö he said. He tried to keep the sadness from his voice, but was only partially successful.

Rasa had settled down easily enough. Indeed, ôsettled downö might have been too mild a phrase. When the boy lay down on his bed, Lobb saw that Rasa was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.
Satisfied that his mission had been successfully completed, Lobb stepped out of the quarters that Mas Marko was sharing with his
wife and son and started to head to his own across the hall.
There was a man standing there.
He had thick red hair, and his face was fixed in a sullen deadpan. His chin came to a point; indeed, his entire face looked like a perfect triangle. He was not particularly tall, not particularly short, not particularly anything.
He simply stared.
ôCan I help you?ö asked Lobb.
The man said nothing.
ôAre you interested in learning the wisdom of KÆolkr?ö
Nothing.
Out of reflex Lobb was going to press the point further, but then he became more aware of the sogginess of his clothes. The dampness was becoming uncomfortable, and a chill began to spread through himá.á.á. although some of that chill was possibly a result of the sullen, fixed scrutiny that he was receiving from this odd red-haired man.
ôPerhaps we can discuss matters later,ö he said, not really feeling like prolonging the encounter. He stepped past the red-haired man and, for some reason that he could not readily pinpoint, suddenly tensed as if he expected an abrupt attack.
But there was nothing. The red-haired man made no motion at all, and a few seconds later Lobb was safe in his room.
Safe?
What an odd word to occur to him. Safe. Had he been in danger just then?
The red-haired man had been unarmed and unassuming. What possible threat could he have posed?
Lobb stared into a mirror, looking sadly at the mess on the front of his robe. No wonder he felt paranoid about someone as unthreatening
unthreatening as the red-haired man. Certainly he had not expected to be assaulted by the charming woman whom he had been trying to help. So it wasnÆt surprising that he was starting to give a second look to everyone he ran into.
Maybe that wasnÆt such a bad thing. It might help him stay one step ahead of those who would like to see people like him come to harm.
And then he heard something.
It was likeá.á.á. something dripping, something thick and gelatinous, slurping around.á.á.á.
He spun.
The door was not airtight. Through the joints now poured some sort of bizarreá.á.á. stuff.
ôWhat in theá.á.á.áö he managed to get out.
It was viscous and red, bubbling into a large puddle on the floor. Lobb was afraid to touch it, for he had no idea what it might do to him. But it was blocking the exit. If it started to seep toward him, how would he get around it to safety?
He took a step to the side, trying to figure out a way to maneuver around it.
And then, in defiance of any logic, the mass began to grow.
It was as if a tower were rising underneath it, and it took Lobb a few moments to understand that, in fact, the mass was reshaping itself.
It grew, expanded, began to fill out, and then took on definition. He could see the outlines of arms close to the sides of a body, a head starting to form, features coming into existence.
The red-haired man.
Lobb rubbed his eyes, trying to deny what they had already told him.
The glubbing and slurping sounds ceased. The man was now fully formed in LobbÆs room, studying him with detached interest.
ôWho in the name of KÆolkr are you?ö whispered Lobb. ôWhat do you want?ö
The red-haired man gave a replyá.á.á. but it was not verbal.
He drew back his right arm, and it re-formed.
It became a cube-shaped mass, square and gleaming, like a solid block of metal.
Lobb gaped, not comprehending.
And the red-haired man took four quick steps forward, like a bowler about to release a ball. The movement of his right arm was fast, smooth, and liquid as he slammed it forward.
Lobb had just enough time to emit a high-pitched, terrified scream. And then the hand-weapon took him squarely in the face, driving the young Edemian back. And then it kept on going, before Lobb even had a chance to scream, and connected solidly with the wall. LobbÆs cranium, unable to offer the slightest resistance, collapsed with the sound of a crushed melon.
The red-haired man remained in that position for a moment, as if admiring his work or waiting for photographers to take pictures. Then he withdrew the anvillike fist, paying no attention to the sickening thud of LobbÆs remains to the floor. The red of the drink that had been tossed onto LobbÆs robe now mingled with the dark tint of his lifeÆs blood.
A massive smear of blood had spread over the wall.
The killer stared at it for a moment and then extended a finger toward it.
And he began to write.
CHAPTER
6
ôHE WANTS TO WHAT?ö
Sisko seemed unsure whether to laugh or not. Odo, for his part, tended to take everything seriously. No one could quite recall ever hearing him laugh at anything.
They were in the commanderÆs office, and now Sisko was indeed starting to laugh. But it was more of an abrupt bark of amusement. ôHe wants to what?ö he said again.
ôYou heard me, Sisko,ö said Odo sharply. ôHe wants to buy Deep Space Nine.ö
Sisko pondered that a moment. ôWhat sort of offer is he planning to make?ö
Odo tilted his head, not quite understanding. Seeing the shapeshifterÆs confused look, Sisko said, ôWellá.á.á. we want to know if heÆs going to make it worth our while. How much do you think we can get for this station?ö
ôSisko!ö
ôWell, you donÆt think we should simply dismiss the offer out of hand, do you? Where would the sense be in that?ö
Odo looked hard at him. ôThis is one of those joke things, isnÆt it?ö
ôWellá.á.á. I admit IÆm not being entirely serious, if thatÆs what you mean. Perhaps the Ferengi were playing a joke on you, Constable. Is it possible they knew you were there?ö
ôHardly.ö Odo sniffed.
ôAh, well.ö Sisko allowed a smile. ôRelax, Constable. You have to admit, with all the difficulties weÆve had to deal with on DS-Nine, handling a Ferengi who wants to buy it from us is rather lightweight.ö
ôI suppose,ö allowed Odo. ôIt is fairly nonsensical. Of all the Ferengi schemes IÆve had to short-circuit in the past, this is certainly one of the most ludicrous.ö
ôItÆs not even a scheme. It wonÆt require your intervention,ö said Sisko. ôLet them come, make their offer. IÆll listen politely, tell them the stationÆs not for sale, and that should be that.ö
ôIf I know Quarkùand believe me, no one knows him better than Iùthat is rarely, if ever, that.ö
Sisko gave the matter some thought. ôHave you ever wondered, Constable, what it would be like to be unscrupulous?ö
ôNo,ö said Odo, sounding faintly puzzled. ôWhy would I wonder about something like that?ö
ôWell, imagine it,ö said Sisko. ôWe agree to sell the station, fabricate official documents transferring ownership, and thená.á.á. I think the old phrase is ætake the money and run.Æö
ôI think youÆre losing your mind, Sisko.ö
Sisko sighed. ôNo. Not losing my mind. Justá.á.á. always pondering the possibilities.ö He eased back in his chair, but did not look comfortable.
Odo wasnÆt quite sure what to say. Clearly Sisko had something on his mind, but Odo wasnÆt sure it was something the Starfleet commander wanted to talk about. And even if it was, why should
Odo waste his time with it? Let Sisko unburden himself to Dax or someone else. Odo regarded Sisko as, at best, a necessary evil. At worst, a nuisance. A living symbol of an organization whose members wore a holier-than-thou attitude on their uniform sleeves.
Stillá.á.á.á
ôItÆs Jake, isnÆt it?ö Odo said, feeling some reluctance about mixing into this.
But Sisko actually seemed grateful for the opening, and Odo rationalized it to himself by concluding that ingratiating himself with Sisko now might prove useful in the future, so that Odo would be free to do his job his way.
ôItÆs not easy,ö said Sisko slowly, ôto make decisions in life that you know are right for youá.á.á. when you constantly have to worry about how theyÆre affecting someone else.ö
ôItÆs Jake,ö said Odo firmly, his question answered. ôSisko, heÆs a boy. He knows nothing from nothing.ö
ôHe knows heÆs unhappy. He knows heÆs scared.ö
ôOf what?ö
ôOf growing up alone. Of having no friends. Of losing me. I mean, DS-Nine holds challenge for me. What does it hold for him? What does a life in Starfleet hold for him?ö
Odo said nothing.
Sisko rose, feeling his temper bubbling, and he suppressed it. Instead he turned it into bleak humor. ôI should do it. Sell the station to the Ferengi, then take the money and run. To hell with it.ö
ôIÆd probably have to arrest you,ö said Odo.
Sisko regarded him with mild interest. ôIÆd like to see you try. I warn you, Constableá.á.á. youÆd have your work cut out for you.ö
ôI think I could handle you,ö Odo told him.
ôDonÆt be so sure. YouÆre looking at the meanest phaser this side of
the asteroid belt. Do you know what they called me in Starfleet Academy?ö
ôJust a guess here: Sisko?ö
ôThey called me Dead-Eye. That was becauseá.á.á.áö
ôYou were blind in one eye?ö
ôNooo. Because I was the best shot there. YouÆre looking at the inventor of the two-cushion phaser ricochet shot. IÆd set up a mirror, bounce a phaser shot off it, and still hit the target.ö
ôI see. I donÆt imagine youÆve heard the adage about the shortest distance between two points being a straight line.ö
Sisko stared sadly at Odo. ôConstable, you have no sense of adventure at all.ö
ôThere are more subtle ways to deal with things than by shooting them, trick shots or no,ö said Odo. ôUnless, of course, you plan to knock some sense into your sonÆs head by bouncing a phaser beam off his cranium.ö
ôThat would hardly solve the problem.ö
ôNo,ö Odo said reasonably, ôbut it would stop him from whining about it.ö
Before Sisko could respond to that rather mean-spirited comment, Dr. Bashir stuck his head into the office. ôDo you have a moment, Commander?ö
ôWe were finished,ö said Odo, before Sisko could reply. He rose and walked out into the main Ops area.
As Odo passed OÆBrien, the chief engineer suddenly said, ôConstable!ö
ôYes, Chief?ö
ôRemember how you nailed my sleight of hand before?ö
ôYes.ö
ôYou have to give me a chance to even things up.ö
ôI do? Why would I have to do that?ö
ôBecause if I can do a trick that will fool you, then I can certainly do tricks to fool Molly.ö
ôAh. You feel that I have the same deductive capabilities as your tot. I see.ö
But OÆBrien wasnÆt listening. He had produced a deck of cards and was rapidly shuffling them. Before Odo could make clear that he wasnÆt remotely interested in participating, OÆBrien held the cards up in a fan. ôPick a card,ö he said.
ôWhy?ö
ôSo I can do the trick.ö
ôOh, very well.ö He pointed to one card, facing down like all the others. ôThat one.ö
ôAll right. Look at the card.ö
Odo stared at it.
From nearby, Dax watched in mild amusement. Kira tuned out the entire business, concentrating on charting the flux in the emissions from the wormhole.
ôWhat are you doing?ö asked OÆBrien, barely hiding his impatience.
ôIÆm looking at the card,ö replied Odo, who was making no effort at all to hide his impatience.
ôI meant take it out of the deck and look at it,ö said OÆBrien, and then added quickly, ôand then replace it without telling me which one it is.ö
Odo did as he was told. OÆBrien then reshuffled the deck, fanned the cards once more, and then triumphantly produced a seven of hearts.
ôIs this your card?ö he asked.
ôNo,ö said Odo.
OÆBrienÆs face fell, but only for a moment. He gamely sorted through the deck once more and this time produced the two of clubs. ôIs this your card?ö
ôNo.ö
They stared at each other.
ôDevil take it,ö muttered OÆBrien. ôMaybe I should just take up juggling.ö

Bashir held his medical padd in front of him as if it were a shield. On it were all the medical records that the biobed had discerned from young Rasa and the diagnosis that Bashir had developed in tandem with the resources of the computer.
ôAre you sure?ö Sisko asked him.
ôYes, sir,ö said Bashir. ôItÆs called panoria. ItÆs a viral condition, and extremely debilitating. Most Edemians have a natural immunity to it. About three percent do not. The short-term effects of this illness are general malaise, easy exhaustion, and an overall negative effect on the metabolism. In the long termá.á.á. it is much worse. In less than a year it causes a gradual shutdown of the entire metabolic process. The patient becomes an invalidá.á.á. for the brief period of time that is left him.ö
ôItÆs terminal, then.ö SiskoÆs voice sounded like the chime of doom, even to him.
ôIf left untreated, yes. Most definitely.ö
ôIÆll order Rasa quarantined immediately.ö
ôNot necessary, sir,ö Bashir said with conviction. ôPanoria is unique to Edemians and two other races, neither of whom are present in Deep Space Nine; for that matter, they donÆt even possess sufficient technological capabilities to travel this far. Rasa may be a danger to himselfá.á.á. but not to others.ö
ôYou said, æif left untreated.Æ Does that mean the boy can be saved?ö
ôAbsolutely,ö said Bashir firmly. ôIÆve checked over our medical stock, and I can very easily synthesize the elements required. We would have to start him on medication immediately. Ideally, it should have been started several weeks ago.ö
ôSeveral weeks? Doctor, how long has the boy been ill?ö
ôThe symptoms would have easily been noticeableöùBashir paused, counting backwards in terms of the usual known progress of the diseaseùöthree weeks ago. Elevated pulse rate, nausea, fever, malaise, aches and painsá.á.á.áö
ôWhy in the world hasnÆt the boy been treated already?ö
ôIÆm hardly in a position to answer that, sir,ö said Bashir.
ôIn that case, letÆs go ask the people who are.ö
He rose and came from around his desk, but as he and Bashir approached the office exit, Odo appeared in the doorway.
ôAnother problem, Constable?ö asked Sisko.
ôThat,ö said Odo, ôis putting it mildly.ö

One of OdoÆs security men was standing there at the entrance to LobbÆs quarters arguing with Mas Marko when Odo, Sisko, and Bashir walked up. The security man, Meyer by name, looked relieved upon OdoÆs arrival.
Marko turned to face Sisko and Odo. ôCommander,ö he rumbled, ôyour man is being uncooperative.ö He pointed a large ebony finger at Meyer.
ôFollowing your orders, sir,ö Meyer said flatly. ôNo civilians in or out. Boyajian and Tang are in there now with theá.á.á. victim.ö
ôWho filed the report?ö
ôPasserby, sir. Said she heard a scream. We checked it out and foundá.á.á. the situation.ö
ôThis is the quarters of one of my people,ö said Mas Marko firmly, his voice rising and sounding more and more dangerous. ôIf one of them has been injured or is in any sort of peril, I must go in immediately. Now, in the name of KÆolkr, let me pass!ö
Sisko didnÆt exactly ignore him. But he was clearly not about to be intimidated by him, either.
ôIs the room secure?ö Odo asked.
ôYes, sir,ö Meyer said. ôNo one was seen leaving, and our people have the room sealed off.ö
ôAll right,ö said Sisko. ôLet us in. Mas Marko, wait out here, please.ö
ôIùö
SiskoÆs glare was palpable. ôWait out here, please.ö His tone was flat and unyielding.
Marko said nothing. He did, however, glower more fiercely than anyone Sisko had ever met, with the possible exception of Odo himself.
Odo seemed to have forgotten Marko entirely. He entered the room with Sisko and Bashir right behind him. The door rolled shut.
Sisko was immediately hit by the stench of death. He had encountered it so many times in his life that it seemed to be permanently embroidered on the inside of his nostrils.
But thisá.á.á.á
This was beyond the pale.
Boyajian and Tang were going over the quarters with tricorders, trying to stay as far from the body as possible. Bashir leaned over the corpse, running his medical tricorder over it and clearly fighting to maintain his medical dispassion. That was not easy.
It was hard to find anywhere on the floor to step that was not thick with blood. The head had been crushed beyond recognitionùas brutal and hideous a death as Bashir had witnessed in his brief medical career.
ôI take it cause of death is the obvious?ö Sisko tried not to shudder as he looked upon LobbÆs corpse.
ôMassive, catastrophic head trauma,ö said Bashir. ôThe victim was definitely one of the Edemians.ö
ôBefore we let Mas Marko in here,ö observed Odo, ôweÆd better make damned sure he has a strong stomach. Boyajian, Tangá.á.á. go over every centimeter of this place. Take it apart molecule by molecule if you have to. I want this killer found, and found immediately. Nobody gets away with this on my station. Nobody.ö
ôConstable,ö said Sisko, ôwhat, precisely, do you make of this?ö
Odo stepped over to the wall, to see what Sisko was pointing at. ôI saw it the second we came in,ö he said in a low voice. ôIt was impossible to miss.ö
On the wall, etched with LobbÆs own blood, was a large number one.
ôCrosshatch followed by an Arabic numeral,ö said Sisko. ôThe killer was human.ö
ôEither that,ö said Odo, ôor the killer wanted to make sure that the human commander of this station got the message.ö
ôAnd in your opinion, Constableá.á.á. what is that message?ö But he was afraid he already knew the answer, and Odo confirmed it.
ôWhere thereÆs a number one,ö said Odo slowly, ôthereÆs usually a number two, a number three, and so on. Siskoá.á.á. weÆd better catch this lunatic fast. We might very well have a serial killer loose on Deep Space Nine.ö
CHAPTER
7
MAS MARKO AND AZIRA sat in their quarters. There was a dim expression of shock on AziraÆs face, but Mas Marko had his carefully neutral mein on display.
Bashir sat facing them, while Sisko and Odo stood slightly behind him.
ôPoor Lobb,ö Azira was saying in a hushed voice. ôItá.á.á. it doesnÆt even seem possible. Weá.á.á.áwe just saw him. KÆolkrá.á.á. Marko, weÆre responsible.ö
ôDonÆt be absurd,ö Mas Marko said calmly.
ôHow do you figure that, Azira?ö asked Sisko. Her hands moved in vague, undefined patterns. ôWeá.á.á. we sent him back here with Rasa. We sent him to where his murderer was waiting for him. If it hadnÆt been for usùö
ôYou canÆt blame yourself,ö said Sisko. ôThere was no way that youùthat anyoneùcould possibly have known.ö
ôListen to the commander, Azira,ö Mas Marko told her.
Marko had been all bluster earlier when Sisko finally emerged from the quarters and agreed to let him in. But upon entering, he had become very quiet. He had knelt over the lifeless body of his follower and murmured prayers for five minutes, asking KÆolkr to
accept and cleanse the soul of the extremely worthy, extremely young, and extremely unfortunate missionary. He had spoken with such fervor that Sisko had found himself rather moved.
Faith, thought Sisko, was a nice thing to be able to cling to in a universe where nothing made any sense.
Kind of a shame he still had trouble with the concept.
Mas Marko turned back to Sisko. ôDo you have any clues as to the murderer yet?ö
Sisko turned toward Odo. ôWe have some promising leads,ö said Odo confidently.
Sisko knew this was total fabrication. OdoÆs security guards had been over every inch of the place. They had not turned up even the slightest clue as to who might have gained entry into the quarters, killed Lobb, and escaped. ôIt might as well have been a ghost, for all we know,ö Odo had said in irritation.
But Odo spoke with confidence now. ôItÆs only a matter of time. ThatÆs certain.ö
ôCommander,ö Mas Marko said gravely, ôwe have a slight situation on our hands. Our beliefs call for a funeral within twelve of your hours after the deceasedÆs soul has passed to be with KÆolkr. We would like to return to Edemaùö
ôIÆm afraid thatÆs not possible,ö said Sisko.
They stared at him. ôWhyever not?ö asked Azira.
It was Odo who responded. ôWeÆre in the midst of a murder investigation,ö he said sharply. ôNo one will be allowed to depart the station until we have our killer safely locked up.ö
ôYouá.á.á.áö Azira looked stunned. ôYou wouldá.á.á. keep us here? With some madman running around, capable of suchá.á.á. such hideous deeds, you would force us to stay here and be at risk?ö She
turned to her husband pleadingly. ôMarko, tell them they canÆt do this.ö
But Marko was studying Odo thoughtfully. ôYou were lying before, werenÆt you, sir?ö he said. ôYou donÆt have the slightest idea who was responsible for LobbÆs death. I, my wife, Delá.á.á. everyone on board this station is equally likely to be the perpetrator. You canÆt let us go because you have no more reason to believe that we did not do thisá.á.á. this hideous thingá.á.á. than the lowliest of the liquor-guzzling slime that crawls through your Promenade. IsnÆt that so?ö
ôWe have several promising leads,ö Sisko said flatly. ôBut with something like this, Starfleet has very, very specific procedures that we must follow. And we will follow them, even if it means keeping you here.ö
ôAnd exposing us to the same hideous fate that claimed Lobb,ö said Azira tonelessly. ôHowá.á.á. how could youùö
But Mas Marko put up a hand, and Azira once again lapsed into silence. Then his voice resonated in the quarters, as if he were giving a benediction. ôIf this is how you must proceed, Commander, then that is the way it must be. We are followers of the word of KÆolkr. We trust that he will guide us through thisá.á.á. this dreadful business, just as he will guide you to the heartless creature that perpetrated this crime. And when he doesá.á.á. we will ask KÆolkr to forgive him.ö
ôPraise KÆolkr in all things,ö whispered Azira, her hands wrapped around Mas MarkoÆs arm. It was a far more overt action than she would have taken normally with outsiders present, but clearly she felt confused and frightened by the entire business.
ôBut if we are to be confined here, Commanderá.á.á. then I must request that we be allowed to conduct funeral services for Lobb.ö He looked saddened. ôTo be truthful, he had no family. No loved
ones, besides those within the Order. No one except us, truly, to mourn for him. Perhaps, indeed, it is part of KÆolkrÆs grand plan that he be interred here in spaceá.á.á. to wander forever, in body if not spirit. Would that be acceptable to you, Commander?ö
ôOf course,ö said Sisko. ôTell me what your requirements are, and IÆll made the arrangements.ö
ôIf weÆre done here,ö Odo said, ôI have a murder investigation to conduct.ö
Sisko nodded to him, and Odo walked out.
Mas Marko looked at the Starfleet men with a slight question on his face, clearly not understanding why they were still there.
Sisko looked to Bashir significantly, giving a silent cue as to what he was going to say next. Bashir nodded, showing that he understood. ôMas Marko,ö said Sisko, ôAziraá.á.á. there is something else we must discuss.ö
ôSomething else?ö said Marko, sounding suddenly tired. ôMore joyous news to share with us?ö
ôItÆsá.á.á. about your son. Dr. Bashir hereùö
ôDoctor?ö Marko looked up at him, and his eyes narrowed. ôAh. Now, isnÆt that a remarkable coincidence.ö
ôWhat do you mean?ö
ôNothing, Commander. Pray continue.ö But his face hardened, and Sisko suddenly felt a chill pass through him.
ôYour son and I were in the infirmary chatting,ö said Bashir. ôDid Rasa tell you?ö
ôNo.ö
ôYes, wellá.á.á. one thing led to another, and I happened to run a standard exam on himá.á.á.áö
ôIndeed. DoctoröùMas Marko rose, towering over the two
menùöshall we end this shadow dance? Will you tell me what you foundá.á.á. or shall I tell you?ö
Sisko and Bashir looked at each other. This wasnÆt precisely the way they had anticipated this going.
ôPanoria,ö said Bashir flatly. ôItÆs a viral infection, potentially deadly.ö
ôIs that the name for it?ö said Marko, sounding only mildly interested. ôThank you for telling us.ö
ôWere you aware of your sonÆs condition?ö asked Sisko.
ôWe were aware that he is not the healthy young man he once was,ö said Marko. ôThat, we knew.ö
ôWell, thereÆs good news, then,ö said Bashir. ôYouÆre lucky that we caught it. That we were able to diagnose the illness. Bring Rasa to the infirmary, and I can start him on medication immediately. WeÆll have him out of danger in no time at all.ö
ôAs out of danger as he could be, considering that thereÆs a capricious murderer stalking your station,ö Marko said.
ôThatÆs hardly the point.ö
ôYes. Yes, you are quite right, Commander. Indeed, not the point at all.ö Marko steepled his fingers, as if trying to determine how best to phrase what was going through his mind. ôGentlemen, yourá.á.á. zeal is appreciated. But I must ask you not to interfere.ö
It took a moment for his comment to sink in fully. Sisko tried not to gape, but he was quite clearly stunned. ôIá.á.á. beg your pardon?ö
ôI said you must not interfere,ö repeated Marko. ôThat is not too difficult for you to understand, is it?ö
ôMas Marko,ö said Sisko carefully, ôperhaps Dr. Bashir did not make himself clear. Without treatmentá.á.á. your son will die.ö
Mas Marko laughed.
It was not a cold, unfeeling laugh, but rather one that seemed to speak of a bitter, ironic grasp of the situation. ôAnd you are saying that, if he receives this treatment, he will never die? Is that it?ö
ôOf course not,ö Bashir spoke up. ôWeÆre not saying heÆll never die. ThatÆs absurd. WeÆre saying that it need not happen now. ThatÆs all.ö
ôThese things happen in their own time and in the time that is accorded to them by KÆolkr. IsnÆt that right, Azira?ö
ôAs you say, Marko,ö she said. It was the softest that Sisko had ever heard a woman speak.
ôMas Markoá.á.á. youÆre saying that you do not want us to aid your son?ö
ôThat is correct.ö
ôButá.á.á. why?ö
ôHe is in the best of all possible hands,ö said Mas Marko serenely. ôHe is in the hands of KÆolkr. KÆolkr will determine his fate, as he will determine the fate of all things.ö
ôThis is absurd!ö Bashir snapped.
Sisko said warningly, ôDoctorá.á.á.áö
But Bashir didnÆt seem to be listening. ôYou want me to just stand aside and let him die? When medicine can still save him? Whatá.á.á. what sort of monster are you?ö
ôDoctor,ö Sisko said again, this time in a tone so dangerous that it caught BashirÆs attention. But the young surgeon was still clearly roiling with barely suppressed anger.
ôApparently you are having difficulty understanding this,ö said Mas Marko. ôI do not see why, however. Certainly the concept of noninterference should not be alien to you, Doctor. Nor to you, Commander. I have some passing familiarity with the ways of the Federation and Starfleet. And, as I recall, doesnÆt your primary law stipulate noninterference?ö
Sisko nodded.
ôAnd it is a good law. A solid law. A law that is in existence,ö said Marko, ôto prevent you from unknowingly forcing your own unasked-for assistance upon others. It is a law in which you are saying, in essence: we will not mix into those affairs that may not be ours to understand. Is that not right?ö
ôIn a manner of speaking,ö said Sisko.
ôWe are guided by similar beliefs, Commander. Matters of sickness and health, life and deathá.á.á. these are within the purview of KÆolkr. We may not gainsay him. We may not interfere with him. That is clear. All life comes from KÆolkr. He decides when we are put into this sphere, and he decides when we depart it. And no oneùnot you, not my beloved Aziraùno one has the right to question him on matters such as these.ö
ôIÆm not asking you to question your godÆs actions.ö
ôHeÆs your god, too, Doctor,ö said Marko serenely. ôYou simply arenÆt aware of that yet.ö
ôFine, whatever. But as I said, IÆm not asking you to question his actions. I donÆt want you to compromise your beliefs. All IÆm asking you to do is save your son.ö
ôKÆolkr gave us our son,ö Mas Marko said. ôIf KÆolkr chooses to take our son as well, then that is the affair of KÆolkr. We must have faith that his decision is based on his great understanding of his master plan.ö
ôWhat master plan?ö said Bashir. ôYou donÆt know what this master plan is.ö
ôExactly the point, Doctor. If we knew what the master plan was, whyá.á.á. we would be KÆolkr. But we are not, quite obviously. We are mere mortals. And it is not fit for us to interfere with that plan. If we were to do so,ö he said gravely, ôit would be an indication to
KÆolkr that we had lost faith in him. That we did not believe there was a master plan. That we had acted against his wishes.ö
ôMas Marko, I have a son, too,ö said Sisko. ôI know how I would feel if he were dying.ö
ôDonÆt seek to compare your sorrow to mine, Commander,ö said Mas Marko. ôMine is no less than yours. Do not presume to think that my son is less dear to me than yours is to you.ö
ôHeÆs your son, dammit!ö
ôAnd heÆs KÆolkrÆs as well.ö Mas Marko no longer seemed upset, but merely sadùsad that Sisko and Bashir had so much difficulty grasping a simple truth that was so clear and unvarnished to him. ôKÆolkr loves Rasa no less than I. In truth, he loves him more. After all, Azira and I could but ask for a son to be given to us. KÆolkr was the one who actually gave him. And if KÆolkr chooses to take him back, then all we can do is praise him and be grateful for the time he gave us with Rasa. And I am afraid, Commander, that that is really all we have to say on the subject.ö
Bashir turned to Azira, trying to fight down the desperation he felt creeping through him. ôAzira, do you agree with thisá.á.á. this philosophy? The child grew in you. Heùö
ôThatÆs enough, Doctor,ö Sisko said.
ôI hold my beliefs no less dear than my husband does,ö said Azira softly. ôNo less dear, I would think, than you do your own, Doctor. I do not think you would appreciate it if I stood here and exhorted you to violate your doctrines. I would ask you, then, to extend me the same consideration.ö
And she said nothing more.

They strode down the corridor, Bashir walking double time to keep up with SiskoÆs long, determined stride. ôYouÆre supposed to be
the expert,ö Sisko was saying. ôHow could you be so familiar with the Edemian race and still be totally unaware that their religion would prevent you from treating their illnesses?ö
ôIÆm a doctor, not a theologian,ö Bashir said, a bit more sharply than he would have liked. ôYouÆre not just going to let this happen?ö
ôI have no choice,ö Sisko shot back. ôYou know that, Doctor.ö
ôButùö
ôLook, Doctor, we both know that you cannot proceed with any sort of treatment if itÆs against the wishes of a parent.ö
ôWhat about Rasa himself? What ifùö
ôThe parent, Doctor. And the parents have chosen to invoke the Prime Directive.ö
ôAnd youÆre just going to stand aside! What if it were Jake? What ifùö
Sisko turned on him, his eyes blazing with anger. ôStarfleet Command personnel always have some degree of latitude when it comes to the Prime Directive, Doctor,ö he said, his voice cold and inflectionless. ôWe are allowed to use our judgment in cases where there is some room for maneuvering. But this, Doctor, is not one of those times. As much as you and I may dislike the situation, we have been told in no uncertain terms to butt out. This request comes directly from the tenets of their society. We havenÆt a leg to stand on here. The Prime Directive isnÆt there for us to obey when we agree with it and ignore it when we donÆt. You will not ignore the Prime Directive, and you had damned well better not ignore me. Is that understood, Dr. Bashir?ö
Bashir felt as if SiskoÆs glare might bore a hole through his face. He rallied his determination and said simply, ôUnderstood, sir.ö
ôGood. Ohá.á.á. and further tasteless comparisons to my own
parental situation will not be appreciated. Is that understood as well.ö It was not a question.
ôGood,ö Sisko repeated. He walked away, feeling as angry and helpless as Bashirá.á.á. but managing to hide it a lot better.
He walked past a red-haired man and entered the turbolift. The door hissed shut behind him.
The red-haired man watched him go.
CHAPTER
8
KIRA LOOKED UP from her station as the turbolift disgorged its two passengers into Ops. Her face wrinkled in distaste. ôQuark, what the hell are you doing up here? And whoÆs yourá.á.á. friend?ö
ôBe on your best behavior, Major,ö said Quark. ôHe may very well be your next landlord.ö
Kira made an exasperated sound and went back to what she was doing. This did not deter Quark and Glav from getting as close to her as they could before she fixed them in their place with a deadly stare.
ôGlav, this is Major Kira Nerys,ö Quark said after a moment, when it became evident that Kira was not going to volunteer any further conversation. ôMajor, this is Glav.ö And then, as if he were delivering some major piece of news, he said triumphantly, ôGlav has a major business deal in the making.ö
ôFerengi always have major business dealings in the making,ö said Kira disdainfully. ôIf a Ferengi were lying on his deathbed, heÆd be saying that he couldnÆt go because he has to close a deal.ö
Glav and Quark exchanged astounded looks. ôHow does she know our sacred Ferengi death rituals?ö whispered Glav.
ôLucky guess. Had to be.ö
ôIf you are waiting for the commander,ö Dax said as she walked by, ôIÆm not sure when heÆll be back. If youÆd like, you can set up an appointment to speak with him.ö
ôYes. Until then, move off, Quark,ö said Kira in annoyance. ôYouÆre clogging up Ops.ö
But Glav wasnÆt paying attention to Kira anymore. He was staring fixedly at Dax. She went about her business, but slowly became aware of GlavÆs intent stare. Slowly she turned to face him. ôMay I help you?ö she asked politely.
ôIn ways that you could not possibly dream,ö said Glav.
ôThis is Lieutenant Dax. Dax, this is Glav.ö
ôA beautiful woman,ö said Glav admiringly, ôcovered from head to toe in clothing. You Starfleet women certainly know how to tease.ö
Dax cocked her head in curiosity. ôKira is fully clothed as well. You made no such remarks about her.ö Kira looked up in mild surprise at DaxÆs comment. Glav blew air out through his lips. ôBajoran womenùice princesses, the lot of them.ö Lowering his voice to imply confidentiality, he purred, ôItÆs said their noses look that way because theyÆre so used to wrinkling them in disgust at the thought of sex.ö
ôOkay, thatÆs it!ö said Kira. ôSecurity!ö
A security guard stepped forward, obviously itching to eject the Ferengi not only from Ops but possibly out of a docking ring airlock.
Sisko picked that moment to return to Ops.
ôCommander!ö Quark called out even as the security guard advanced on him. ôWe wanted to have a word with you!ö
The security guard stopped in his tracks, unsure whether to carry out KiraÆs order now that the ranking officer had reappeared in Ops.
Sisko, however, was immediately aware that heÆd walked in on the middle of something.
He turned to Kira. ôProblem, Major?ö
ôI was having them removed from Ops.ö
ôWhy?ö
ôBecause theyÆre unauthorized personnel. Because theyÆre interfering with the smooth running of this station. And because theyÆre obnoxious.ö
ôGood enough. Good day, gentlemen.ö
The security guard advanced on the Ferengi once more.
Quark stabbed a finger at Sisko and called out, ôYou donÆt know what youÆre passing up here, Sisko! The opportunity of a lifetime! Of a hundred lifetimes!ö
Sisko was already heading up to his office, but stopped to face the Ferengi. ôThe station isnÆt for sale,ö he said.
Their faces fell. And as the guard pushed them toward the turbolift, Quark suddenly began to shout, ôAll right! What was he this time? The chair? A glass? Waitá.á.á. the table! Damn! I thought it looked too new! I should have spilled something on it when I had the chance! CanÆt I have a single private meeting anymore? What sort of station are you running here, Sisùö
His protests were cut off as the turbolift dropped out of sight, although unintelligible shouting was still discernible for some moments after the lift had departed.
Moments later Odo arrived and entered SiskoÆs office. Sisko summoned Kira in as well, closing the door behind her for privacy.
As first officer, Kira had been apprised of the situation, and she was clearly apprehensive about the threat to the smooth operation of Deep Space Nine. Unfortunately, Odo couldnÆt do much to allay
those concerns. It was clear from the securityÆs man angered expression that he had nothing to offer.
ôWeÆre combing the priors of everyone on the station,ö he said, ôbut at the moment weÆve got a full house. In addition to the regular residents, we have over two hundred transients stacked upùsome because the wormhole is shut down and others conducting the usual run of slimy business. One thing we donÆt need, Sisko, is more people piling in here, giving our unwanted resident new targets.ö
ôIÆm ahead of you,ö said Kira. ôIn addition to the advisories about the wormhole being impassable, IÆve sent out an update that states weÆre already filled to capacity and new arrivals will not be welcome.ö She paused and then said to Sisko, ôI hope I did not overstep my bounds, sir. You seemed busy, and I felt that speed wasùö
ôYou could have checked via communicator,ö said Sisko mildly. ôHowever, Major, since I rely on your judgment in many matters, I hardly see why you shouldnÆt rely on that selfsame judgment.ö
Kira nodded briskly in acknowledgment. Even after all this time, she still felt as if she were walking on eggshells with Sisko, never knowing what he was going to take in stride and what he was going to consider a breach of protocol. The man was a complete mystery to her. Then again, so were most humans. For that matter, so were most men.
She thought about GlavÆs offhand insult to all Bajoran women, and she felt a quick flash of anger. But just as quickly, she suppressed it.
Odo paused, switching gears. ôSisko, rumors are already flying all over the station. Have you considered when youÆre going to handle the announcement of our little problem?ö
ôYes. Right now, as a matter of fact.ö
ôI hope youÆre not going to tell people to shut themselves up in
their quarters until it all blows over.ö
Sisko looked at him curiously. ôActually, I was going to advise something rather close to that.ö
Kira also seemed puzzled. ôThey would be most secure in quarters, wouldnÆt they? Out of harmÆs way?ö
ôYes, you would think that, wouldnÆt you?ö Odo did not look particularly thrilled. ôSiskoá.á.á. Majorá.á.á. the one thing I can tell you for certain is that Lobb had locked his door behind him. The killer gained access, murdered him, and then vanishedá.á.á. and the door remained sealed from the inside the entire time.ö
ôOhhh, dear.ö Sisko leaned forward, rubbing the bridge of his nose. ôNot again.ö
ôAgain,ö said Odo. ôAdvertising that we have another locked-room murder on our hands could very well cause a repeat of what I had to go through last month. IÆm not particularly eager for that to happen. Have you ever tried conducting a murder investigation when everyone concerned is shouting for your head?ö
ôNo.ö
ôNo. But I have, and we all know that itÆs not exactly the best way to handle oneÆs affairs. I donÆt need a station full of paranoid personnel deciding that the only way the murder could have been done is if the killer had the ability to ooze through the cracks in the door. And I wonder who on this station might possess the ability to do such a thing, eh?ö
ôWhat are you saying, Odo?ö asked Kira. ôThat we should put people at risk by telling them to conduct business as usual?ö
ôWhat risk?ö said Odo. ôLobb was killed in the privacy of his room. Whoever orá.á.á. whatever,ö he added reluctantly, ôwas responsible for this, itÆs clear that a locked door probably isnÆt going to be any protection at all. Safety in numbers, on the other hand, is always
advisableá.á.á. whereas panic never is.ö
Kira and Sisko exchanged looks.
ôHe has a point, sir,ö admitted Kira.
ôI know,ö said Sisko. ôIt goes against my first impulse, but the important thing is not to adopt a siege mentality. If we do, weÆll accomplish nothingá.á.á. and we might quite possibly do a great deal of harm.ö
ôWell, whatever weÆre going to do, weÆd better do it quickly, Sisko,ö Odo advised. ôRumors are already all over the place.ö
ôThere are always rumors, Constable.ö Sisko thought about it a moment more and then rose from his chair. ôAll right. Business faces, people.ö
He walked out of his office and down to the operations console. ôAttention, all hands,ö he said.
Immediately SiskoÆs voice was heard throughout Deep Space Nine. Such wide-ranging pronouncements were rare enough that his voice brought people up short. They attended as if being addressed by the voice of God.
Except, of course, the Edemians, who knew precisely what the voice of God sounded like, and it was definitely not Benjamin Sisko. Mas Marko, his family, and his single remaining retainer were in MarkoÆs quarters praying for guidance and basking in the glow of the inner spirit of KÆolkr.
Everyone else was listening to Sisko.
ôThere has been an incident on DS-Nine,ö he said. ôA body was discovered in the habitat ring, in private quarters in section fourteen. The victim was an Edemian named Lobb. His deathöùSisko paused only a moment before deciding the best way to phrase itùôwas not due to natural causes. Suicide has not been ruled outá.á.á. nor has homicide. Security Chief Odo is conducting a full investigation
investigation. If anyone has any information pertaining to this occurrence, please report directly to Security Chief Odo. Your cooperation will be appreciated. Please go on about your business. Sisko out.ö
He stepped back and found Odo looking at him curiously. In a low voice, Odo said, ôÆSuicide has not been ruled outÆ? Sisko, I assume you were simply being coy. You saw the manÆs skull, or what was left of it. How could that possibly have been suicide? What did he do? Run into the wall head first at warp one?ö
ôI prefer the word ædiscreetÆ to æcoy,Æ actually.ö
ôWhatever,ö said Odo dismissively. ôAll right. IÆm off to see what leads I can turn up in the Promenade. The place is rife with the scum of the sector. If thereÆs anything to be learned, it will probably be there.ö
ôAll right.ö
Sisko started to head back to his office, but OÆBrien intercepted him. ôSir, could I speak to you for a moment? A couple of requestsá.á.á.áö
ôOf course, Chief. Oh, and, Constable,ö he called out just before Odo stepped onto the turbolift. ôWhen youÆre making your inquiriesá.á.á.áö
Odo looked at him. ôYes?ö
ôTry to be coy.ö

Quark and Glav sat disconsolately in QuarkÆs casino, Glav staring at Quark in a manner that simply dripped disdain.
ôWell, that was a superb use of influence,ö he said. ôWhat the devil happened? I thought you saidùö
ôItÆs that OdoÆs fault,ö said Quark in irritation. ôHe hates me. HeÆs always hated me. And that blasted shapeshifter found out about your intentions and had time to go to Sisko and poison him on the
whole idea. It doesnÆt matter how influential I am. If Sisko is unwilling to give the proposal a fair hearing, thereÆs only so much I can do.ö
ôHow do you know it was Odo?ö
ôBecause itÆs always Odo,ö Quark told him, making no effort to keep the exasperation out of his voice. ôHeÆs made me his hobbyá.á.á. and his hobby is making my life miserable.ö
ôBut why, for pityÆs sake?ö
ôHe hates me,ö said Quark flatly. ôThatÆs all. He just hates me. The fact isá.á.á. heÆs jealous of me.ö He turned and spoke a bit louder. ôHear that, Odo? I hope youÆre disguised as something! I want you to know IÆm on to your game!ö Bringing his voice back down to normal, he grunted, ôIt should be obvious why. When people think of Quark, they think of fun. Good company. Good business. Good gaming. Good times. People from all over the station seek me out, and why shouldnÆt they? QuarkÆs is where the action is.
ôBut Odo? NobodyÆs ever happy to see Odo, because when heÆs heading your way, the chances are that heÆs coming to arrest you. HeÆs got these beady little eyes that make you feel guilty even if you arenÆt doing something illicit.ö
ôRemarkable,ö said Glav. ôHeÆs actually made you feel that way?ö
ôWellá.á.á. not me, specifically,ö said Quark. ôI mean, to be honestá.á.á. thereÆs never been a time when I wasnÆt doing something illicit. But thatÆs not the point. The point is that, with him around to sow the seeds of distrust, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to get anything done.ö
ôHeÆs the only problem?ö
ôYes,ö said Quark firmly.
ôHmm.ö Glav scratched his chin. ôActually, the Bajoran woman didnÆt seem particularly fond of you, either.ö
ôOh, blame that all on me, why donÆt you! You didnÆt exactly endear yourself to her with those ice queen comments.ö
Glav grunted. ôIt may have been a bit ill-timed,ö he acknowledged. ôThat other womaná.á.á. What was her name? Dax?ö
ôOne of SiskoÆs closest advisers,ö said Quark. ôSheÆs been by here several times. Very accessible. A marvelous listener.ö
ôHehh.ö It was a coarse, nasty laughùtypically Ferengi. ôYou fancy her.ö
ôI have had my fantasies about her,ö said Quark. Whereas most individuals of taste kept such things to themselves, the Ferengi paraded their most lewd sexual thoughts in a constant attempt to outdo one another by proving who was more base. ôThereÆs one,ö he said, ôin which I have her wrapped from head to toe in robes a foot thick. You canÆt see any of her flesh. Then Iùö
ôQuark,ö said Glav patiently, ôweÆre getting off the track here. Is there anyone else in Ops who works closely with Sisko and who might prove an ally?ö
Quark gave it some thought. ôWellá.á.á. the most likely candidate isùö
ôGÆday, Quark,ö said OÆBrien as he walked past.
Quark stood up so quickly he almost knocked the table over. ôOÆBrien!ö he called. ôWe were just talking about you! Come! Join us!ö
ôCanÆt right now,ö he replied. ôIn a rush. Maybe later.ö
ôFree drink in it for you!ö
OÆBrien grinned lopsidedly. ôItÆs a date.ö
As OÆBrien walked away, Quark turned back to Glav and rubbed his hands together zealously. ôOÆBrien is perfect. HeÆs the chief of operations. His home life is stressed so he tends to hang out here after hours more than the others do. IÆve given him some advice
from time to time. One timeöùand he tried not to laughùôhe even wound up risking his life, almost getting his fool head shot off, because of something I said to him.ö
ôHe must hang on your every word!ö
ôHeÆs probably our best shot. The doctor, Bashir, might also help. HeÆs young and easily influenced. The silver tongue of a Ferengi might persuade him to help us out.ö
ôThis sounds promising, Quark.ö Glav smiled. ôVery promising.ö
Quark looked around uneasily. There was an empty glass on a table next to them. His eyes narrowed. No one was at the table. Just a glass, sitting there, looking rather suspicious.
Abruptly Quark sprang forward, snatched the glass up, and shouted into it. ôYou hear that, Odo!ö he shouted, loud enough to catch the attention of nearby imbibers. ôListen all you want! We have nothing to hide! And youÆre going to regret the way youÆve treated me! Do you hear me? Regret it!ö
ôI hear you perfectly well,ö said Odo.
Quark blinked, staring at the glass. Then he looked up.
Odo was standing nearby, fixing him with a piercing stare. ôThe way you were shouting, the entire station probably heard you.ö
Trying to maintain as much of his somewhat tarnished dignity as he could, Odo picked up a napkin and cleaned out the glass. ôJust testing,ö he said.
Odo stepped forward. ôI want to talk with you,ö he said.
Something in OdoÆs voice appealed to QuarkÆs nastier nature. He sat himself back down and spread his arms expansively. ôIÆm here. YouÆre here. You can talk. I can listen. How can I be of service to Deep Space NineÆs soon-to-be-former head of security?ö
Odo ignored the comment. ôI want you to keep your eyes open,ö he said.
ôI generally do,ö Quark said calmly. ôIt helps me avoid bumping into furniture.ö
ôI mean,ö Odo said testily, ôthatùas much as I hate to admit itùall those who come to this station generally wind up connecting with you in some way, shape, or form in order to undertake their underhanded dealings. QuarkÆs has always been something of a watering hole for the slime and refuse of this sector.ö
ôTheyÆre drawn to the ambience.ö
ôYes, as are carrion eaters to corpses. The point is, Quark, I want you to watch out for anyone who doesnÆt seem to have any business dealings here. Someone who does not contribute to the overall air of depravity that is so characteristic of your regular clientele. Someone who, in short, does not fit in.ö
For a moment a look of concentration passed over his face. Then Quark actually started to look excited. ôYou know, I have seen someone like that!ö
Odo couldnÆt believe it was going to be that easy. ôWho?ö
ôYou.ö
And Quark once again laughed that incredibly irritating Ferengi laugh. This time Glav joined him.
Odo strode away in disgust. And the thing that disgusted him most was that he had walked right into it. He had indeed, unknowingly, described himself.
No wonder people seemed suspicious of him. He was the most suspicious individual on the station. And once again he had that old feeling of isolation that had been hammered home to him when he first arrived on Bajor. Back when he had been considered by one and all to be nothing more than a freak.
He realized now how little things had changed. Oh, he had developed more polish, more style. He had managed to cover his
fundamental feeling of isolation with biting sarcasm and a general disdain for most things humanoid. All of it contributed to making his life a bit more livable.
But it didnÆt make him one bit less of a freak. Just a smug, self-righteous, self-confident freak.
He walked briskly across the Promenade, passing by one of the cross-corridors. And he had already gone past it when something registered on him that he had glimpsed only out of the corner of his eye.
There had been a man there.
ThatÆs all. A man. Nothing special about him. Odo had glimpsed reddish hair and a sort of angular face, he thought.
But he had seemed to give Odo a weird sort of look as he walked past.
ThatÆs all.
A weird look.
It was nothing that Odo should have given a second thought to. Indeed, he was quite used to puzzled stares. His face had a sort of unfinished look to it that frequently prompted double takes as unknowing individuals tried to figure out what race he belonged to.
A weird look.
So quick. Soá.á.á. soá.á.á.á
All of it flashed through OdoÆs mind as he took another step on his way. And by the time he had taken the next step and was already stopping in his tracks, his mind had processed it.
Recognition.
It hadnÆt seemed the typical look where someone stared at Odo in puzzlement, trying to place him, confused by his bizarre appearance.
This man had looked as if, just for a moment, he recognized Odo.
But it wasnÆt someone Odo recognized. Which meant that it wasnÆt someone Odo had met, because his memory for faces bordered on the supernatural.
The entire thought process had taken a grand total of three seconds. In that time, Odo had skidded to a halt, backtracked, and stepped into the open end of the cross-corridor.
No one.
Odo started down the corridor. He walked slowly, taking measured strides.
ôHello,ö he called to the air. ôExcuse me. IÆd like to talk with you for a moment.ö
He followed the corridor until he got to the first junction, and then he stopped. He looked as far to the left and right as he could, and then down the hallway that the red-haired man would have taken if heÆd kept going straight ahead.
Nothing. Which meant that he could be just about anywhere.
Odo had absolutely no reason to suspect the man of any wrongdoing. HeÆd made no threatening gesture, said nothing suspiciousá.á.á. nothing at all, in fact. Odo didnÆt even have enough to seriously question the man, should he find him.
But Odo had long ago learned to trust his instincts. And his instincts were screaming at him that the man heÆd spotted wasá.á.á. off, somehow. Maybe not by a lotá.á.á. but off.
He tapped his comm badge. ôOdo to security,ö he said. ôI want you to keep an eye out for a red-haired man. Somewhat triangular face. Wearing a red jumpsuit with a black crew neck. If you find him, detain him. IÆd like to chat with him for a few minutes.ö
BoyajianÆs voice came back over the badge. ôIs he a suspect, sir?ö he asked.
ôHeÆs an itch, Boyajian,ö said Odo. ôAn itch I want to scratch.ö
He stood there a moment or two more and then walked away. But moments later, when he rounded a corner, he suddenly swung his head back quickly, as if hoping to catch someone who might now come out of hiding.
Nothing. The corridor remained vacant.
With an annoyed sigh, he left the area.
Long moments passed.
And then a gelatinous ooze started to pour from a vent positioned directly above the intersection of the corridors.
It moved down to the floor, making not the slightest sound. No one was around to see it as it seemed to create a pillar of itself. Then the pillar started to re-form, to acquire shape.á.á.á.
CHAPTER
9
KEIKO COULD NOT UNDERSTAND why her husband was hovering near the doorway to her schoolroom. HeÆd never shown any inclination toward meeting her there when classes were over. What in the world had gotten into him?
Keiko had been having trouble obtaining regular child care lately, so Molly had been coming with her to the school. It was working out better than she had thought. Molly had her own table, of course. She watched in delight as color shapes flashed in front of her eyes, and she manipulated the controls to get them to overlap properly.
Jake Sisko was maintaining polite interest in KeikoÆs classes. He was a bit of an erratic student. His general and obvious dissatisfaction with his situation in life acted as something of a barrier. When she managed to find ways to get around that and penetrate his mindùto touch his imagination and his interestùhe could do excellent work. Keiko regarded his attitude not as a failure on his partùdiscontentment aboard Deep Space Nine was something with which she could easily empathizeùbut rather as an ongoing challenge for herself as a teacher.
Nog had not deigned to show up this day. Jake said Nog had mentioned that he felt sick. Keiko had a feeling that what made
Nog ill was, quite simply, school. Still, she felt encouraged by one aspect of the situation: Commander Sisko had expressed concern to her, privately, that the Ferengi boy, Nog, was having an adverse effect on Jake. On the one hand Sisko wanted to terminate the association; on the other, how could he forbid Jake to see the one kid who was close to his age?
But if Nog was cutting school and Jake was there, then it would seem to indicate that Jake wasnÆt always immediately in NogÆs orbit, that he was capable of thinking for himself. If that was the case, then perhaps Sisko could worry a little lessá.á.á. at least about this.
Other children would show up or not show up, depending on whether their parents felt they had something more pressing for them to do. But one regular was a nine-year-old Bajoran girl named Dina. Her mother, Bena, was unmarried and had been eking out a living as a day worker in the mines. She was now working heavy loaders in the docking ring. KeikoÆs heart would always go out to Bena whenever she saw her at the end of the day looking tired and haggard. She wished she could do more for the woman than simply teach the child. Then again, it was more than anyone else seemed to be doing for her.
She glanced again at Miles, who was trying his best to look nonchalant. But at the same time he had an air of vigilance about him as if he was preparing for some sort of attack at any moment.
Keiko put her husband out of her mind for a moment as she turned back to the class. ôAll right,ö she said. ôThatÆs all for today. You worked very hard. DonÆt forget the homework, and IÆll see you all tomorrow.ö
There were nods and mumbled thank-yous from all around. As the students filed out, Miles OÆBrien stepped aside to let them pass.
Keiko stopped Dina and said, ôYour mother isnÆt here again to pick you up?ö
Dina shook her head. ôNoá.á.á. but itÆs okay, Mrs. OÆBrien. She told me sheÆd probably be working overtime. IÆll be fine.ö
ôHow about I walk you?ö said Miles.
But Jake Sisko, overhearing the conversation, stopped and said, ôItÆs okay. IÆll take her home. She doesnÆt live too far from me anyway.ö
ôWould you, Jake?ö asked Keiko. ôIÆd appreciate it. Thank you.ö
He took the young girl by the hand. ôCÆmon,ö he said. ôIÆll show you a shortcut.ö He walked off with her, and Keiko smiled as she watched them go.
ôHeÆs a good kid,ö she said. ôHe really is.ö She walked over to Molly, shutting off the computer for her. ôSo, Milesá.á.á. this is a surprise. What are you doing here?ö
He tried to look surprised. ôWhat, is there a rule that I canÆt walk my wife home if I feel like it?ö
ôNo. No rule,ö she said carefully, taking Molly by the hand. They headed for the door, and she continued, ôBut there is such thing as habit. And it hasnÆt exactly been your habit to meet me at school.ö
ôSo where is it written that a man canÆt change the way he does things?ö
She stopped and faced him, clutching MollyÆs hand and stopping her from wandering away. ôThis has to do with that announcement that Commander Sisko made earlier, doesnÆt it?ö
ôNo! No, of course not!ö
ôMiles, youÆre lying.ö
ôI know.ö
Despite the seriousness of the situation, she smiled. Every so often she ran into one of those things that reminded her of why sheÆd
fallen in love with OÆBrien in the first place. And one of them happened to be that she thought it marvelous that OÆBrien could flawlessly bluff his way through a poker game with serious money on the table but was utterly incapable of lying to her with any conviction at all.
ôSoá.á.á.áö She lowered her voice, not wanting to be heard by anyone walking past. ôSoá.á.á. how bad is it? Really?ö
ôBad enough,ö he said, putting an arm around her, ôthat I wanted to escort you homeá.á.á. and maybe review procedures with you on how to use this.ö
He held up a small phaser.
Keiko gaped at it. ôYou canÆt be serious. Where did youùö
ôI got special permission from Commander Sisko. IÆve rigged it so that itÆs locked in on stun. That should be more than sufficient in case something happens. Hereá.á.á. take it.ö
He tried to press the weapon into her hand, but she held it carefully with her thumb and forefinger, keeping it a foot or so away from her as if it were a bag of waste material. ôMy God,ö she whispered. ôMiles, whatÆs happening around here?ö
ôSome things that youÆre not going to like,ö he said.
ôAnd IÆll be damned if I donÆt do whatever is required to make sure my family is okay.ö

Jake Sisko and Dina chatted pleasantly as they headed for the habitat ring. As they approached DinaÆs quarters, Jake slowed down.
A small girl was walking slowly toward them, regarding them with curiosity. Her hair was short and red, her face a little pouty. Jake didnÆt recognize her and figured she must have arrived with one of the ships that were being forced to stay at the station until the wormhole opened up.
ôHi, there,ö he said. ôYou lost?ö
She studied him for a moment and then slowly shook her head. She turned to Dina and seemed extremely curious about her.
ôHi, my nameÆs Dina. WhatÆs yours?ö
ôMeta,ö replied the girl.
ôOoh. ThatÆs an interesting name,ö said Dina. ôAnd this is Jake. HeÆs walking me home.ö
ôAre your parents around here, Meta?ö asked Jake.
ôOh, yes.ö Meta sounded quite confident for girl so young. ôYes, theyÆre around.ö
ôWant to do something together?ö Dina asked. ôIÆve got some games in my quarters.ö
ôSure,ö replied Meta.
ôWell,ö said Jake. ôThatÆs good, then. You guys hang out together.ö He ushered them into DinaÆs quarters and then added, ôOhá.á.á. and keep the door locked up, okay? You heard that announcement my dad made. If somebody got killed or something, then you canÆt be too careful.ö
ôNo, you canÆt,ö said Meta.
The door rolled shut, closing the two girls into the room.
Dina turned to Meta and said, ôSoá.á.á. what would you like to do first?ö
And Meta smiled.

ôHa! I win again!ö Gotto crowed.
The Cardassian scooped up his winnings as other players around QuarkÆs gaming wheel turned away in disgust. Quark, squeezing his hands together in the standard Ferengi pose of subservience, said, ôIt is quite clear that this is definitely your day, Gotto. A truly amazing run of luck.ö
ôThank you, Quark,ö said Gotto. ôYou knowá.á.á. Gul Dukat is most interested in you.ö
ôIs he, now?ö Quark tried to sound humble. ôWhat could I possibly have done to attract the attention of such a mighty individual as the great Dukat?ö
ôHe remembers you from the days before the Federation took over thisá.á.á. establishment,ö he said. ôYou were someone who could always be bought.ö
ôI pride myself on my standards,ö Quark replied.
Gotto looked left and right. ôCan we talk a moment?ö he asked.
ôOf course!ö Quark quickly gestured for one of his employees to take over the wheel, and he moved away, sticking close by GottoÆs side.
Out of the corner of his eye, Quark noticed that Glav was coming toward him but stopped when he saw who Quark was with. Then Glav grinned, nodded, and gave a signal of approval. The Cardassians were the military power in the area. If they could be swayed over to the FerengiÆs planá.á.á.á
Quark acknowledged GlavÆs presence with a silent gesture, but indicated that Glav should keep his distance so that the Cardassian wouldnÆt feel outnumbered. That was not generally the way they liked to operate. Introducing another player into things at the moment could cause aggravation. Glav, who was hardly a stranger to business dealings, hung back.
ôThis way,ö said Quark, wanting to proceed with cautioná.á.á. and most particularly not wanting to have yet another conversation within earshot of wherever Odo might be hiding.
They went up the stairs and paused outside one of QuarkÆs notorious holosex suites. Quark grinned as he turned to Gotto. ôOdo never comes in here,ö he said. ôFirst, the very thought of any sexual
activity makes him tremble with disgust. And secondá.á.á.áö
They stepped inside. The suite was small, with solid black walls and a grid of glowing yellow lines.
ôThereÆs nowhere to hide,ö said Quark with satisfaction. The doors hissed closed behind them. ôNowá.á.á. what can I do for you?ö
ôIÆll be blunt, Quark,ö said Gotto. ôWhen we Cardassians abandoned this station, we had no idea of the potential gold mine that it represented.ö
Quark gulped slightly. ôYouÆreá.á.á. youÆre planning to take it back?ö
ôNot as of this time,ö said Gotto. ôHowever, I am going to be making more frequent visits. And I want a contact man, Quark. Someone to keep his eyes and ears open. Someone who can keep us apprised of just what the Federation is up to.ö
ôYou want me to be your spy?ö said Quark.
ôÆSpyÆ is such a nasty term,ö Gotto said. ôThereÆs always gossip, isnÆt there? Think of yourself as a paid gossipmonger.ö
ôPaid.ö
ôOf course,ö Gotto told him. ôYou donÆt really think we expected you to do it forá.á.á.áö
ôFree.ö
Gotto couldnÆt believe heÆd heard correctly. ôIÆm sorryá.á.á. did you sayùö
ôNo charge,ö said Quark easily. ôYouÆre looking for cooperation from me, and I am perfectly happy to provide it.ö
ôNooo,ö said Gotto suspiciously. ôNo Ferengi does anything gratis. WhatÆs the catch, Quark?ö
Quark rubbed his palms together. ôThe catch isá.á.á. weÆll cooperate with you, and youÆll cooperate with us.ö Figuring that the best idea was to imply that a number of people were involved, Quark
continued, ôSome associates of mine and I are undertaking plans to purchase this station.ö
ôPurchase it?ö Gotto laughed. ôPurchase it from whom?ö
ôWhy, from the Federation.ö
ôDonÆt be absurd. The Federation doesnÆt own Deep Space Nine. The Bajorans do. And theyÆre welcome to it,ö he added with a snort. ôWe took everything useful out of itá.á.á. although, again, if weÆd known about that damned wormholeá.á.á.áö
ôButá.á.á.áö Quark was stunned. ôI assumed that there was some sort of under-the-table negotiation.ö
ôNothing. The Bajorans asked the Federation to administer the station while they are lobbying for full Federation membership.ö
ôMember, schmember,ö said Quark. ôWhatÆs in it for the Federation? Bajor must be paying them something.ö
ôNothing, I swear,ö said Gotto.
ôYou mean theyÆre here out of the goodness of their hearts?ö Quark simply could not believe it. When the switchover in power occurred, he had been positive that there must have been some sort of payoff. Something that would have prompted the Federation to come into the station in terms that he could relate to. But this! He shook his head in astonishment. ôZot! TheyÆre even more stupid than I credited them!ö
ôThatÆs what the Federation is all about,ö said the Cardassian. ôAnd people wonder why we have nothing but disdain for them. WhatÆs truly a wonder is why more people donÆt feel that way.ö
ôThis has been very enlightening.ö
ôIndeed. Right now the Bajorans are hurting. As far as commercial considerations go, they might indeed be amenable to a potentially large cash flow, if the right bidder should come along.ö
ôSo I should simply ignore the Federation personnel on board
Deep Space Nine and concentrate on the Bajorans?ö
ôOh, no. Not at all. The Bajorans still want the protection of the UFP, remember. They value the Starfleet presenceá.á.á. or at least some of them do. Their government is fairly splintered, and there is nothing that all of them can really agree on except that they all disagree. But a Starfleet recommendation would go a long way toward making your effort successful. Indeed, it would serve a twofold purpose. Those Bajorans who support Starfleet would pay very close attention to whatever Starfleet says. And those who wish that Starfleet would simply go away will be very inclined to do whatever it takes to get rid of them.ö
ôThe major,ö said Quark thoughtfully. ôMajor Kira. She holds no great love for Starfleet. She stomped around this place for the first several weeks after Sisko arrived. SheÆs calmed down a bit since thená.á.á. but sheÆs still lukewarm in her support.ö
ôAh, yes. Kira. The Bajoran woman.ö The Cardassian smiled lopsidedly. ôIÆve known some Bajoran women in my timeá.á.á. if you understand my meaning.ö
Quark nodded eagerlyá.á.á. although he felt something deep within him start to twist uncomfortably. But he forced it away, and said, ôSoá.á.á. if our effort is successful, we can look to our neighbors, the Cardassians, toá.á.á.á?ö He let the sentence dangle, giving Gotto the opportunity to complete it.
Gotto took advantage of it. ôYou can count on us,ö he said, ôto lend support wherever and however we can. You see, Quark, we have no particular love of the Federation either. We would far prefer to deal with someone who can beá.á.á. oh, whatÆs the word?ö
ôBribed?ö
ôThatÆs it!ö Gotto said, pointing at Quark. ôThatÆs it exactly. Things are so much easier when both sides of a particular situation
speak the same language, donÆt you think?ö
ôOh, beyond question.ö Quark extended a hand, which the Cardassian shook. ôIt will be a pleasure doing business with you.ö

Bena checked her chronometer and moaned. It was later than she had thought.
SheÆd had a rough shift in the docking ring. First there had been the additional delay caused by the extended shutdown of the wormhole. Then word had come down, just to make things even more aggravating, that no one was being permitted to depart Deep Space Nine. The rumors were circulating that no one would be permitted to budge until the Feds got through investigating some sort of incident. Apparently they didnÆt want to take the chance of anybody slipping out on them.
As a result, the transientsÆ extended stay was causing a lot of aggravation. Most of the docking bays were now occupied. And a number of people, due to the extended stay, were requesting that their cargo be moved to the newly repaired storage facilities. It had been a ton of work for Bena and the other dock rats, as they called themselves. No, definitely not one of the easier days.
Even so, all daysùeven the worstùcame to an end. And the Bajoran woman was about to depart when she saw one of the oddest things sheÆd observed in quite some time.
Several Edemians had entered the docking bay. With them were Benjamin Sisko and Dr. Bashir.
They were walking slowly, taking measured steps. They were heading for the vast open loading doors, which had a forceshield in effect to maintain the atmosphere in the docking bay and make it possible to function without, for example, being sucked out into the void of space.
The lead Edemian walked nearly to the edge of the bay, until it seemed as if his next steps would take him straight out into space.
He stopped just short of that, though. ôWill we be able to see from here, Commander?ö he asked. His voice was deep and full, and seemed to reverberate throughout the bay.
ôYes, Mas Marko,ö replied Sisko.
ôVery well.ö The Edemian stared out into space and then intoned, ôLet it be done.ö
Sisko tapped his comm badge. ôSisko to Major Kira. You are cleared for takeoff, Major. And stay away from the wormhole. You know how temperamental itÆs been.ö
For a long moment nothing happened. And then one of the runabouts, lifting off its pad on the habitat ring, hurtled past the docking ring. It moved off from the station, and now Bena could see that it seemed to be towing something.á.á.á. Yes, it was an old casing of some sort. The runabout had no tractors, of course. But in the jury-rigged tradition of Deep Space Nine, someone had actually managed to find a length of cable and had used it to anchor the casing to the runabout.
ôAs KÆolkr welcomes us into life,ö Mas Marko was intoning, ôso does he welcome us into death. For death is as life, and life is as death. Death is not the end of existence but merely the end of this cycle. The end of a life does not matter, but only how we lived it. Lobb Sorbel lived his life as a good and faithful servant of KÆolkr. May KÆolkr welcome his spirit with empty and loving arms. May he send the spirit of Lobb onward, ever onward, through his journey into full understanding of the wisdom of KÆolkr. So say we all.ö
ôSo say we all,ö echoed the other Edemians.
There was a moment of silence, and then Sisko said into his comm badge, ôAll right, Major. Cut him loose.ö
The runabout snapped around like a whip, and the cable line was severed. The casing went free and hurtled away. Obeying the laws of physics dictating that an object in motion tended to stay in motion, the casing kept going. It was heading away from the wormhole, away from Bajor, toward open space.
ôGood journey, Lobb,ö whispered the female Edemian.
Bena noticed that the woman was looking at the youngest Edemian in an odd way, almost with dread. The Bajoran didnÆt understand why, nor did she care all that much. She had her own young one to attend to.
Bena headed for the crossover bridge that would take her to the habitat ring and home. This time, she promised herself, she would manage to stay awake enough to spend some time with her daughter. She hated that Dina always seemed to get the smallest time portion of her motherÆs schedule, shoehorned in between work, eating and sleeping.
Not that she knew how she could possibly change it.

Meta stared with puzzlement into a mirror. Behind her, Dina was patiently combing out her hair.
ôYou should let it grow more,ö said Dina. ôYouÆd be so pretty. Your hair is so thick.ö
ôWhat difference does it make?ö asked Meta. ôLong or short. Why does that matter?ö
ôWell, you want to look your best, donÆt you?ö Dina chirped.
ôI hadnÆt given it much thought.ö
ôHah! And you call yourself a girl!ö said Dina.
ôWellá.á.á. not really,ö said Meta. She turned to fix Dina with a very odd look. ôDo you mindá.á.á. if I watch you a bit longer. I havenÆt
havenÆt had the opportunity to spend this much time with a child. ItÆs aá.á.á. a learning experience.ö
ôOhhh,ö said Dina. She put down the brush and came around to face Meta sadly. ôNot a lot of kids where you are, huh?ö
ôNot many.ö
ôWell,ö Dina told her firmly, ôyouÆre welcome to be my friend for as long as youÆre here on Deep Space Nine.ö
Meta nodded slowly and let Dina do her hair. When Dina had pulled it back into as much of a ponytail as she could make, she looked at two barrettes lying on the table in front of themùone red and one green.
ôWhich one do you want in your hair?ö she asked.
ôI donÆt know,ö replied Meta.
Dina paused a moment, then started moving a finger from one to the other, speaking as she did, and pointing back and forth between the two barrettes. Meta watched with interest as Dina chanted, ôWhich one, which one, will I choose? Which will win and which will lose? DoÆs and donÆt and donÆt and doÆs? This one, this one, I now choose.ö
She stopped on the green one, picked it up, and clamped it tightly around MetaÆs hair.
And Meta watched every move Dina made.
She listened to every word she spoke.
She absorbed it all, like a scholar desperate for knowledge.
And she prepared.

It was just BenaÆs luck that her quarters were halfway around the habitat ring. She was walking as quickly as she could, though, and she was almost there.á.á.á.
And then, from around the corner, came a nightmare from her past.
She took a step back, gasping, her hand fluttering to her chest. She couldnÆt get the words out, for her throat was too full of bile and revulsion.
The Cardassian looked no less surprised. ôWell!ö he said. ôAnd here I thought that my pleasant memories were going to remain just that. Benaá.á.á. how long has it been? Two years? Three?ö
Bena pushed past him and kept on going. Gotto fell into step behind her, his much longer stride easily keeping pace with her. ôNo words of greeting?ö he asked.
ôBurn in hell.ö
ôI was hoping for kinder words than that,ö he told her. ôBenaá.á.á. why are you behaving this way? After everything I did for you?ö
She spun on her heel to face him. ôGet away from me!ö
ôWell, now, this is a fine turnaround,ö he said. ôWho helped you and your daughter out, eh? Not the Bajoran slug who fathered her, thatÆs for certain. No, it was me. My noticing you was the best thing that ever happened to you.ö
She took a step toward him, clenching and unclenching her fists, naked hatred seeping from every pore. ôYou were the worst thing that ever happened to me. Youá.á.á. you humiliated me! Theá.á.á.áö She lowered her voice, shuddering in shame. ôThe things you did to meá.á.á.á
His voice was silky and insinuating. ôAnd here I thought you enjoyed yourself.ö
ôEnjoyedá.á.á.á?ö
She drew a hand back and slapped him as hard as she could. But his skin was coarse and hard, and she did far more damage to the
palm of her hand than she did to him. In fact, he didnÆt so much as blink.
And then he grabbed her wrist and whispered, ôIÆve missed you, you know.ö
At that moment the door to her quarters slid open. Standing there, having heard the commotion, was Dina. And next to her was a child whom Bena had never seen before.
ôMommy?ö DinaÆs whole face was a question mark.
ôGet back in the room!ö she shouted. ôDina! Now! Call security!ö
But the Cardassian was too quick. He shoved Bena through the door. She staggered back, tripping over a chair and sprawling on the floor. He followed her in, the door closing behind him.
ôNow then,ö he said softly, ôletÆs remember old times.ö
Dina stood there, confused and terrified. The face of the girl next to her was immobile. Now, with the door closed, BenaÆs exit was blocked. And Gotto made sure that she wouldnÆt be leaving any time soon by reaching up toward the lock-pad and driving his powerful fist into it. Sparks flew, and the locking mechanism short-circuited, closing them in.
He turned toward Dina and smiled at her in a way that did nothing to encourage positive feelings. ôI remember you,ö he said, ôwhen you were just a little bit of a thing. But you probably donÆt remember me, do you?ö
Dina was wide-eyed. ôYouÆreá.á.á. youÆre a bad man.ö
Bena was on her feet, screaming, ôGet away from her!ö She charged at Gotto, fingernails clawed like a tigress. Gotto caught her easily, as if she had been moving in slow motion, and twisted her arm around and down. She cried out, feeling as if her arm had been ripped out of the socket.
ôRemember this?ö he asked silkily. ôCardassian foreplay?ö
Dina ran toward him, punching at his legs. He kicked her aside as if she werenÆt there.
And then the odd little red-haired girl stepped in between them, insinuated herself. Gotto didnÆt know her, didnÆt care about her. He grabbed her by the arm to yank her aside.
Her arm came off.
Or rather it seemed to come off.
Gotto gasped in shock before he realized that her skin and bones had justá.á.á. just melted in his grip.
Dina shrieked, high-pitched terror. Bena had pulled away from Gotto and was now gaping in shock, too overcome to make any sound at all.
The little girl was melting, becoming a shapeshifting red slime. Her face, her hair, her entire body, simply dissolved, making an odd sucking noise as it pulled apart and re-formed into a substance with the consistency of molasses.
Gotto still had his arm in the middle of it, and now there was no trace of the child at all. Instead, the stuff was creeping up his arm, up his shoulder, starting to envelop him.
Gotto screamed.
Which was a mistake.
The red slime seeped up into his mouth, into his nose, cutting off all forms of air intake. Gotto began to choke, coughing up red slime.
He staggered against the wall, clawing at the air, reaching for something to fight against. He started to thump at his chest, as if hoping he might be able to reach in and pull out whatever it was, in the name of every Cardassian god that had ever been, that was filling up his lungs, his entire chest cavity.
He went to his knees, reaching for Bena, imploring her to help him. Help me, for GodÆs sake, get it out of me!
He got his wish.
The creature exited. Abruptly.

Jake Sisko was a bit nervous.
He kept thinking that maybe he hadnÆt done the job thoroughly enough. HeÆd dropped Dina off, sure. Gotten her squared away. But her mother hadnÆt been thereá.á.á. and not only that, but held left her with some stranger. Oh, sure, a child. Probably some kid who would wind up being DinaÆs best friend in the entire world.
But stillá.á.á.á
He sat and stared at his homework, and finally said to himself, ôAh. CouldnÆt hurt to make sure everythingÆs okay.ö What he did not say out loudùor even to himself, reallyùwas that he would have seized upon any excuse to get away from his homework.
He exited the rooms he shared with his father and headed down the hallway to DinaÆs quarters. Moments later he was standing outside the door.
He raised his hand to ring the buzzer.
And then he heard a screamá.á.á. and what sounded like some sort of explosion.
ôDina!ö he shouted. He hit the buzzer, but got no response. ôDina!ö he called again.
And then he looked down.
Blood was seeping out from under the door.
Jake lunged for the comm pad on the wall, hit it, and shouted, ôSecurity! Security alert! Somebody get down to habitat ring, level five, corridor thirty-nine-A! Hurry!ö

His alarmed summons was immediately heard in Ops by Odoá.á.á. and also by Sisko himself.
ôThat was Jake!ö said Sisko.
ôSecurity team to habitat ring, level five, corridor thirty-nine-A!ö Odo barked the order through his comm unit even as he bolted for the transporter pad. Sisko was just ahead of him.
ôCommander, I can handleùö began Odo.
But Sisko wasnÆt listening. He stepped onto the pad, spun, and called out, ôChief! Beam us over there now!ö
OÆBrien, who had just gotten back from escorting Keiko to their quarters, fought down the flash of concern for his own familyÆs safety. His rooms were not that far from section 39A. But he forced his professionalism to the forefront and, the moment Odo was on the pad, manipulated the controls with practiced skill.
Within seconds Odo and Sisko materialized two feet away from Jake. Sisko was immediately relieved to see that his son was in one piece. He strode forward quickly and, all business, said, ôWhatÆs happeningùö
Jake pointed wordlessly, and then Sisko saw it, as did Odo. The dark, viscous liquid that could only be blood.
Even as two security guards charged toward them, Sisko hit his comm badge. ôSisko to infirmary. A medical team to habitat ring, section thirty-nine-A, immediately!ö
Odo was trying to force the door open, but it wasnÆt budging. He spun and said, ôItÆs locked from the inside. I think the mechanism is destroyed. I canÆt override it.ö
ôHave your men phaser it open,ö said Sisko.
They heard another scream from within, and Odo said sharply to his men, ôGive me ten seconds to get through and then do as Sisko says.ö
ôGet through? Constable, whatùö
But Odo wasnÆt looking at him anymore. He flattened himself against the doorá.á.á.á
And promptly went liquid.

Bena was whimpering in terror. Dina sat there in slack-jawed shock, unable to deal with what she was seeing. Both of them had blood spattered all over them. In their hair, in their clothesá.á.á. everywhere.
The Cardassian was still intact, but only from the waist down. From the waist up, the force of the metamorphÆs exit had simply blown Gotto apart, as if a giant balloon had been inflated inside him to the point where his body couldnÆt contain it any longer. There were identifiable portions of him, but not in any great number and not anywhere near each other.
Meta had resumed her little-girl shape. Calmly and collectedly, she was smearing a large ô#2ö on the wall, just above something that bore a passing resemblance to a piece of the CardassianÆs forehead.
Dina was making a faintly human noise. She was whimpering. Acting more out of automatic impulse than any conscious maternal instinct, Bena pulled her daughterÆs head close to her chest.
Meta finished drawing the number and then turned and looked sadly at Bena and Dina. When she spoke, it was in that same little-girl voice, which made her words all the more chilling.
ôI really should kill both of you, too,ö she said. ôIÆm sorry. ItÆs nothing personal. ItÆsá.á.á. just the way I am. Killing things is what I do. I like to watch them die. It makes me that much more appreciative of life. Nowá.á.á. the only question isá.á.á. which of you do I kill first?ö
Crouched in a corer, clutching her daughter like a life preserver, Bena whispered in a tear-filled voice, ôPleaseá.á.á. please donÆtá.á.á.áö
Meta thought about it a moment and then pointed at Bena. Bena screamed.
And Meta began, ôWhich one, which one, will I choose? Which will win and which will lose? DoÆs and donÆt and donÆt and doÆs? This one, this one, I now chùö
Then Meta whirled.
Something was coming through the crack between the doors. It was slow, because the space was tight. But it was coming, thick and viscous.
Meta took a step back, her eyes going wide. She looked around, a tinge of desperation in her face, and then she leapt upward, her body dissolving as she did so. It was as if she were exploding out the top of a volcano, a tower of lava hurtling skyward.
Meta went up into an overhead vent, seeping through it and vanishing into the ceiling.
Bena hadnÆt seen what Meta was reacting to. All she knew was that all of a sudden the creature wasnÆt there anymore. She had no idea what to expect, no clue as to why they had been spared.
And then she saw something oozing through the door.
At first she wasnÆt able to get any noise out through her throat. It felt as if her vocal cords had become completely constricted. And then she managed to get something outùjust a little squeak of scream, but it was enough to open the floodgates. She started screaming again, loudly, uncontrollably, as more and more of the creature seeped in, piling up on the floor and oozing toward them.
It reached the middle of the floor and started to re-form, and Bena went into complete hysterics. The hysteria broke through her fear, and she started grabbing things and hurling them at the creature that was reconstituting itself in her room.
Odo pulled himself up to a standing position and then ducked
his head, avoiding the small statue that sailed past him. ôMadam,ö he said stiffly, ôcontrol yourself!ö
She gaped, not understanding at first what her eyes were telling her. And then she said, ôItÆs a trick! ItÆs a trick!ö
Her histrionics made little impression on Odo. He went over to Bena and quickly ascertained that the blood she was covered with was most definitely not hers or her childÆs. He said urgently, ôWho did this? Where is he?ö
But now Bena was saying nothing. She was just trembling, staring at Odo with overwhelming terror in her eyes. She looked as if she were trying to escape into her own body.
ôWhere is he?ö Odo repeated more forcefully. But he quickly realized he wouldnÆt get anything out of her. She had lapsed into shock. The little girl looked flat-out comatose.
He tapped his comm badge and said, ôSisko. The woman and child in here are all right. But it appearsöùhe looked down at what was left of Gottoùôas if a Cardassian in here has seen better days. I suggest you send your son away unless he has an extreme tolerance for gore.ö
It was the work of a few seconds to crosswire the lock and get the doors opened. But the moment they slid apart, Odo blocked the exit. ôComputer!ö he called. ôSeal off corridor thirty-nine-A, habitat level five!ö he said.
ôSeal confirmed,ö said the computer calmly.
Odo turned and faced his men. ôProceed with extreme caution,ö he said. ôThereÆs no sign of the perpetrator. But if heÆs got some sort of personal cloaking field, as the Tosk did, he may still be hiding somewhere in these quarters. Carstairs, Hicksá.á.á. do a detailed sensor sweep of the inside. The seals will keep him in the area in case he slips past us. Careful now.ö
The security men entered, weapons and detection devices at the ready. They were followed by Bashir and his medical team. Sisko was right behind him, having taken OdoÆs advice and sent Jake back to their quarters.
He looked down at the remains of the Cardassian. ôDear Lord,ö he whispered. ôWhat happened?ö
ôIt appears,ö deadpanned Odo, ôthat he died a broken man.ö
ôMy God, Constableùö
ôDonÆt throw your gods in my face, Sisko,ö snapped Odo. ôIÆve dealt with enough of these vile Cardassians to last me a lifetime. I will not shed one tear for the demise of any of their number. However,ö he said with even greater conviction, ôit doesnÆt matter to me who or what the victim of a crime was; if there was a crime, then there will be arrest and punishment. There will be justiceöùhe glanced once more at the Cardassianùôeven for the unjust.ö
Carstairs came forward with a tricorder, shaking his head. ôNothing here, sir,ö he said. ôEven if the killer were invisible, weÆd detect energy readings, body signsá.á.á. something.ö Moments later Hicks reported similar findings in the corridor.
In a black fury, Odo snarled, ôHe couldnÆt have just disappeared into thin air.ö
ôOf course he could,ö replied Sisko. ôSome sort of personal transporter device. But if thatÆs the case, heÆll leave an energy trail. Scattered ions. Traceable. WeÆll find him.ö
BashirÆs medical team was taking the two Bajoran females out. ôGet them cleaned off and calmed down,ö Bashir said as he was going over the remains of the Cardassian with his medical tricorder.
ôIÆll want to talk with them as soon as theyÆre capable,ö said Odo.
Bashir nodded, but he appeared distracted, and he was shaking his head. ôNothing. Still nothing. Damn. I donÆt understand this.
No DNA traces. No nothing. How can anyone do this sort of thing and not leave any hint of himself behind? No bits of tissue, no folliclesá.á.á. nothing.ö
And then they heard screaming again.
Immediately they charged out into the hallway, expecting to see the worst.
But instead what they saw was Bena. She was struggling now, the initial shock seemingly having passed from her. The medtechs were trying to keep her calm, but were not having tremendous success. Bashir removed a spray hypo from his kit, ready to give her a sedative.
She did not look ready to be sedated, however. She was pointing with a quavering finger as Odo emerged from the quarters behind Bashir.
ôIt was him!ö she shrieked. ôHim!ö
Sisko had met the woman several times during loading bay procedures. He knew her in passing, and he tried to sound reasonable now. ôBena,ö he said, ôit couldnÆt have been Odo. He was with usùwith meùthe whole time. On the bridge, then down here. A dozen people saw him.ö He took her firmly by the arms. ôDo you hear what IÆm saying? Do you think IÆm lying?ö
She looked frantically from Sisko back to Odo. ôIt wasá.á.á. the same.á.á.á. It wasá.á.á.áö
Odo was careful not to approach the woman. From a safe distance, he said, ôAre you saying the killer looked like me? As I do now?ö
She shook her head frantically. ôNo, theá.á.á. It wasá.á.á. red and slimy, andá.á.á. and it was a little girl, and then it wasnÆt, andá.á.á.áö And then she crushed her face against SiskoÆs uniform, sobbing uncontrollably. As gently as he could, Bashir gave her a sedative. The
effects were almost immediate, and within moments she had been led away by the medical personnel. Dina had made no sound at all, but merely watched the entire thing with glassy, vacant eyes.
Sisko looked down at his uniform shirt, which was now smeared with blood. ôIt would seem, Constable,ö he said slowly, weighing the impact of his words, ôthat we have another shapeshifter on board.ö
Odo nodded, his face expressionless.
And, in the ceilingá.á.á.á
Meta quietly oozed away through the infrastructure of DS9.
CHAPTER
10
MAS MARKO stood in the middle of Ops, tall and sullen and not looking the least bit cooperative. Del, as always, stood nearby and to the side.
Kira, who practically had to crane her neck to look up at Marko, said, ôSirá.á.á. IÆm trying to be accommodating, but I donÆt know when Commander Sisko will be back, and we simply cannot have unauthorized personnel hanging about Ops. Now unless you want me to call securityá.á.á.áö
He looked down at her from his great height. ôI would think,ö he rumbled, ôthat your security forces would have more pressing matters than me to occupy themùfor example, trying to track down a murderer.ö
ôSirá.á.á.áö
At that moment Sisko returned via the turbolift. Odo was not with him, having stayed behind to comb the area for some trace of the intruder. Seeing Mas Marko standing there, the commander had a feeling that he wasnÆt going to be exactly thrilled with this particular conversation.
ôMas Marko,ö he said, ôthis is not an especially good time.ö
ôPerhaps, Commander. I understand your situation. But you must
now understand mine. And my situation is that one of my trusted followers was murdered. I want to know what youÆre doing about it.ö
ôIn my office, then.ö
Moments later they were in SiskoÆs office. Marko chose to stand rather than squeeze his bulk into a human-sized chair. Del stood just outside the office. As usual, he contributed nothing to the conversation, but seemed content merely to bask in the presence of his leader.
ôSo,ö Marko began, ôhow goes the investigation? Have you learned anything yet?ö
Why, yesùthat we have a shapeshifting serial killer who murders without rhyme or reason.
ôNothing just yet,ö said Sisko carefully. ôWe do, however, have someùö
ôPromising leads, yes, I know. How promising?ö
ôVery promising.ö
Mas Marko studied him for a moment and then said, ôYou know, Commanderá.á.á. it may be my imagination, but it seems to me that you are being somewhat evasive in this matter.ö
ôYouÆre correct, Mas Marko,ö said Sisko. ôItÆs your imagination.ö
Marko smiled thinly. ôYes. Wellá.á.á. thereÆs something you should understand, Commander: a crime has been perpetrated against an Edemian missionaryùa murder most foul. I trust that you will do the right thing when it comes to the disposition of the murderer.ö
ôWe havenÆt caught him yet, Mas Marko. I think disposition is a bit premature.ö
ôNot if, as you say, you have some promising leads. Commander, the Edemians will be expecting satisfaction in this matter. We are firm believers in justice. The teachings of KÆolkr are quite specific.
The killer must be found, and he must be turned over to us. You see, thereÆs no other option.ö
ôI see,ö said Sisko tightly, fighting once more to keep his temper under control, ôthat you have an opinion, Mas Marko. Your opinion has been noted. Keep in mind, however, that this is a Bajoran stationùproperty of Bajor, administered by the Federation. There are jurisdictional questions to be sorted out.ö
And Mas Marko looked more dangerous than Sisko had ever seen him.
ôI donÆt care about jurisdiction,ö he said tightly. ôI care about right and wrong. It is our right to see justice done by Edemian law. It is wrong to ignore that consideration.ö
ôIÆm not ignoring it, Mas Marko,ö said Sisko. ôI simply cannot make any promises.ö
The air seemed to crackle with danger, and then Mas Marko told him, ôPerhaps you cannot make promises, Commander, but I can. And I can promise youá.á.á. that you will not like what happens if you cross my people and their proprietary claims.ö
Kira appeared at the door of SiskoÆs office. ôSir,ö she said, and there was a look of concern on her face. ôGul Dukat is calling.ö
Aw, hell, thought Sisko. But his face remained inscrutable as he said, ôHold him, please. Mas Markoá.á.á. I must attend to other business.ö
Marko inclined his head slightly. ôAs you wish, Commander.ö
He left the office, ducking his head, as always, to avoid hitting it. Del followed him, and the moment they were out of earshot, Sisko called, ôAll right. Put him through.ö
On his personal screen, the image of Gul Dukat materialized.
As usual, Dukat looked relaxed, even convivial. Sisko knew, of course, that the Cardassian commander was as crafty, and as difficult
difficult, a customer as he had ever dealt with. Dukat was a master of making himself look like the injured party, no matter how overt his own actions were in leading to a crisis.
The problem was, in this case, that he now had a legitimate grievanceùunless, by some miracle, Dukat was calling about something else entirely.
ôCommander,ö said Dukat.
Sisko returned the greeting in kind. ôWhat can I do for you?ö he asked.
ôYou can answer a question for me, actually,ö said Dukat. ôI seem to have lost touch with my man, Gotto.ö
ôLost touch?ö said Sisko.
ôYes. He was to report in regularly during his business at Deep Space Nine, and he has missed his check-in. I have endeavored to contact him directly and have had no success. I have spoken to your own people, your charming Major Kiraùwho, by the way, makes no effort to hide her disdain for Cardassians in general and for me in particular. You should talk to her about that.ö
ôIÆll encourage her to make a greater effort to hide her disdain in the future,ö Sisko replied solemnly.
ôPlease do. At any rate, Major Kira said that I should speak to you if I have any questions about Gotto.ö
Sisko glanced in KiraÆs direction. She was looking straight at him, watching the conversation. Although he had no proof, and she wouldnÆt admit to it, Sisko had a sneaking suspicion that Kira was a fairly skilled lipreader. He raised a questioning eyebrow toward her, and she gestured in a manner that seemed to say, What was I supposed to tell him?
ôCommander Sisko,ö continued Dukat, and the edge in his voice
served notice to Sisko that the danger Dukat represented should not be ignored. ôWhere is Gotto?ö
For a moment Sisko contemplated either lying or pleading ignorance to buy some time. On the other hand, if Dukat already knew what had happened and was playing some sort of mental chess game with Sisko, then Sisko was not going to look particularly good getting caught in a bald-faced lie.
And even if Dukat didnÆt know the truthá.á.á. well, he was going to find out sooner or later. And there was a good chance that he would hear the facts from some source other than Sisko. It would probably be better if Sisko presented the news himself, as gently as he could.
That was the theory, at least.
ôCommander,ö prodded Dukat, ôwhatÆs going on out there at that busy little station of yours?ö
Sisko cleared his throat.
ôThereÆs been aá.á.á. mishap,ö he began.

A frustrated Bashir walked through the Promenade to try to clear his head.
What sort of creature would do such things? Was the killer truly similar to Odo? He had seen the security chiefÆs expression upon learning of that possibility, and it had not been a pleasant one.
The murderer had left no traces. None. For all the luck that Bashir was having in tracking down hard information about it, it might as well have been a ghost. Then he heard a female voice calling out familiar words: ôCome, learn the glory of KÆolkr.ö
There were the Edemians at their usual station. There was Rasa, looking spent and wasted. In fact, he was dozing in his chair, oblivious of everything going on around him. There was Azira, calling to
passersby, trying to interest them in partaking of the wonders of KÆolkr. There wasá.á.á.á
There wasá.á.á. nobody else. The elder Edemian males were nowhere around.
And then Azira, in mid-sentence, caught sight of him.
They exchanged glances for a long moment, and then she looked away.
But there had been something in the way she had looked at him. Something unspoken that seemed to cry out to him. Somethingá.á.á. something that he could not quite qualify. But, nevertheless, it was something that he felt moved to act upon.
Without giving any thought whatsoever to his actionsùindeed, without having a clue as to what he was going to say or doùBashir walked with conviction toward Azira.
She continued not to look at him, but now her manner was far more forced. Obviously she saw him. Obviously she knew he was there. But she was refusing to make eye contact.
Fear, perhaps? Orá.á.á. shame?
ôAzira,ö he said.
At first she didnÆt say anything. He repeated his salutation, and this time she afforded him a brief glance. ôDoctor,ö she said deferentially, ôis there something I can do for you?ö
Just wade in! his mind told him. He put on his most charming expression and said, ôNoooá.á.á. but thereÆs something I can do for you.ö
ôOh, really? What might that be?ö
Very deliberately, he hardened his voice. ôI can save your son.ö
She sighed. ôDoctorá.á.á. my son is already saved.ö She sounded content, at peace. ôHe believes in and embraces KÆolkr, as do I. As
long as he has that, then he is saved beyond anything your medicines can offer.ö
She didnÆt believe it.
Of that Bashir was certain. If there was one thing he prided himself on, it was his understanding of women. And everything about Aziraùeverythingùscreamed to Bashir that she was as much at peace with her sonÆs illness as the Cardassians were at peace with Bajorùwhich was to say, not at all.
ôAre you sure?ö he asked.
ôYes.ö
ôWell, itÆs a good thing that youÆre sure,ö he said forcefully. ôBecause, you know, if youÆre wrong, then youÆre throwing away this boyÆs life. You do realize that.ö
ôIÆm not throwing away anything.ö
ôMaybe youÆre right,ö he said. ôMaybe, just maybe, you lucked out. Of the thousands of religions in the galaxy, you may just have been lucky enough to fall in with the right one.ö
Bashir had done some reading up on Edemian culture. His annoying lack of knowledge about what made their minds work had drastically undercut his awareness of their physiology. ôMaybe RasaÆs spirit will go to the Sparkling World. Maybe heÆll see the unadorned glory of KÆolkr and bask in its brightness and warmth. Maybe KÆolkr will take him under his great wings and then bless him and send him on his journey to cosmic oneness.ö
Then his voice grew harsh. He hated to speak that way; the chivalry that pervaded every fiber of him shuddered at the notion of verbally abusing a woman. Nevertheless, he had no choice. ôBut then againá.á.á. maybe youÆre wrong. Maybe when Rasa dies, his spirit will go nowhere. Maybe his body will be just a sack of lifeless meat. The
body and spirit will be deprived of the opportunity to grow to manhoodùö
ôStop it,ö she said sharply.
ôAll because you were willing to throw away his life when I could have saved it. Will you feel proud, then?ö
ôI said stop it!ö
She put her hands over her ears, trying to turn away. Relentlessly, Bashir kept hammering at her. ôJust you and his father and his little coffin. Are you going to pitch that out into space, too? Let his dead body float around until itÆs drawn into some planetÆs atmosphere where it can plummet to the surface and burn? Or maybe some Klingons will use it for target practice. I hear thatÆs a favorite Klingon pastime, taking potshots at debris. His small, wasted body, blown to bitsùö
And AziraÆs scream filled the Promenade.
ôStoppp it! Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop iiiiitt!ö
Rasa didnÆt stir. DidnÆt so much as move.
But Bashir did. He spun in a 180-degree semicircle as Mas Marko appeared behind him and swung him around to face him. A cold fury emanated from Mas Marko, and if he could have ripped BashirÆs heart out with the power of his glance, he would have done so at that moment.
Bashir said the first thing that occurred to him: ôDonÆt hurt my hands.ö
Mas Marko lifted him clear off the floor, holding him high over his head with just the one hand. Del was just behind him, looking on in amazement. He had never seen his master so angry.
ôWhat do you think you are doing?ö he demanded, shaking Bashir as if he weighed nothing.
ôSp-speaking to your wife.ö
ôWho gave you the right? How dare you seek to undermine my authority? To offend our god?ö
BashirÆs life flashed before his eyes, and he allowed himself a moment to reflect that, overall, it had been pretty damned good.
And at that moment OdoÆs hand clamped firmly down on Mas MarkoÆs wrist.
Because of MarkoÆs considerable height, there was no reasonable way that Odo should have been able to seize his arm so casually. Bashir suspected that, in moments such as this, Odo subtly altered his height and made himself taller. Not that he was, in any way, disparaging the effort.
Slowly Marko lowered Bashir to the floor. The doctor stood on unsteady feet for a moment. Then, pulling himself together, he cast a glance at Azira.
She had said nothing during the entire altercation. In fact, she wasnÆt even looking at Bashir. She was staring fixedly and determinedly at the floor, as if frightened that looking at Bashir might cause some abrupt loss of nerve.
ôYou,ö Marko said, his voice thundering with barely contained anger, ôyou, Doctor, are an unwelcome obstacle.ö
ôAn obstacle to what?ö Bashir said hoarsely, rubbing his throat. ôAn obstacle to your sonÆs death?ö
Marko took a step forward, but Odo interposed himself. His shoulders were squared, his gaze determined.
ôIf I throw you into confinement for assault, Mas Marko,ö Odo said, unruffled by the EdemianÆs ire, ôthe good doctor will be free to chat with your wife all day if he so desires, and you wonÆt be around to stop it. If that is your wish, then by all meansöùhe stepped asideùôtry to hit him.ö
Bashir looked nervously from Odo to Mas Marko and back. Odo
was simply standing there, his arms folded. ôGo ahead,ö he said challengingly. ôTry your best. If you think you can hit him before I stop you, then give it a whirl. But I will stop you. And you donÆt have to connect to be held for assault. All you have to do is try. Go on. Try.ö
Mas Marko seemed to consider it for a moment, to BashirÆs obvious discomfiture. Then he backed away, clearly making an effort to compose himself before landing in serious difficulty.
Still staring fixedly and grimly at Bashir, Mas Marko raised his voice and, once more, began to sing the praises of the holy KÆolkr.
A crowd had gathered, out of curiosity, to see if the Federation doctor would get his brains splattered all over the Promenade. In fact, bets were being placed on just how far BashirÆs head would roll if Mas Marko knocked it off his shoulders. Seeing that the show was over, though, and that the Edemians were going back to their usual task of trying to stir up interest in their tired old god, the crowd rapidly dispersed.
Odo led Bashir away, heading toward his office. Bashir was thanking the security officer for his intervention, but Odo didnÆt seem remotely interested in hearing it. He pulled Bashir into his office and, the moment the door slid shut behind them, turned on the doctor and snapped, ôWould you mind telling me what the hell you were doing out there?ö
Bashir felt a twinge of annoyance. ôI donÆt appreciate the way youÆre talking to me, Mr. Odo.ö
ôYou donÆt appreciateùDoctor, I donÆt appreciate having Starfleet personnel stir up a situation thatÆs already threatening to become as raw and explosive as any IÆve ever encountered. Do you think Commander Sisko would look kindly upon this little fracas? I seem to recall something about your being instructed to keep your nose out
of the EdemiansÆ business. Wellá.á.á.á?ö
Bashir grunted in acknowledgment, ôThe commander would probably be less than ecstatic. I can just imagine what heÆd say.ö

ôThis is an outrage! An outrage!ö
It wasnÆt Sisko who was speaking. Rather, it was the enraged Cardassian commander, Gul Dukat. He looked ready to punch his fist right through the communications screen.
ôI share your anger at the situation, Commander,ö began Sisko.
ôSituation? Commander Sisko, this is not a situation. This is an incident, and incidents can have very serious consequences for all concerned.ö
SiskoÆs voice became dangerously silky as he stared at Gul Dukat on the screen. ôAre you threatening me, Commander?ö
ôI am saying, Commander Sisko,ö replied Gul Dukat, ôthat I want to see a full report on this situation by this time tomorrow. Furthermore, as soon as the murderer of Gotto is apprehended, he is to be turned over to the Cardassians for processing.ö
ôÆProcessingÆ? Meaning execution?ö
ôMeaning none of your damned business,ö said Gul Dukat. His affability had vanished, swept away by the assault on his second-in-command. ôWe consider this a direct provocation against the Cardassians.ö
ôNo, Commander,ö Sisko shot back, his voice becoming more heated. ôThis is an unfortunate occurrence of your man being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Furthermore, from the little weÆve managed to get out of the woman and child since the incident, it seems that your man was about to force himself, violently, on a Bajoran woman. If Gotto hadnÆt been there, the killerùwho appears to act purely out of opportunityùwould have slaughtered mere
Bajorans, and you and I wouldnÆt be having this conversation.ö
ôOh, and donÆt think for a moment, Commander Sisko, that I am less than ecstatic whenever we have an opportunity to chat.ö Dukat was speaking with infinite sarcasm. ôForce himself? Honestly. Am I supposed to accept, on faith, the calumnies of some Bajoran bitch? I assure you, Commander, that my man was an innocent victim, probably of yet another Bajoran terrorist plot.ö
ôAn innocent victim, then,ö said Sisko, ôfor the sake of argument. Unfortunately, in the real world, innocent people sometimes suffer. ThatÆs a sad reality. You canÆt interpret GottoÆs murder as a personal assault.ö
ôI donÆt agree with you there, Commander, but you are quite right in saying that the death of mere Bajorans would have been of no interest to us. Why should we care about them? Lord knows they were more than happy to attack us, to wage guerrilla war on us, whenever they had the opportunity. We would mourn their death about as enthusiastically as they would mourn the death of one of us. But this was the death of a Cardassian, Commanderùmoreover, a high-ranking Cardassian who was on a mission from me. I know you say that this was one of a series of murders. I hope, for your sake, that it will be the last.
ôBut,ö he continued fiercely, ôI donÆt care if your little psychopath slaughters every Bajoran on that station, up to and including your first officer. The fact is, there is a dead Cardassian on Deep Space Nine, and that situation must be attended to. We demand justice, and we will have it. We will have the murderer, and we will not wait forever to obtain him.ö
ôMeaningá.á.á.á?ö
ôMeaning that if the killer is not apprehended and turned over to
us within a reasonable period of time, we will come in and conduct our own investigation.ö
ôThat,ö said Sisko flatly, ôis not an option. This is a Federation matter.ö
ôThat all depends on your point of view. To us, it is a Cardassian matter. And Cardassians look after their own.ö
ôGul Dukat, we are in favor of continued peaceful relations with the Cardassians. But we cannot permit you to bring your own people in here to troop through Deep Space Nine and take over the investigation. That would only make matters worse.ö
ôWhat will make matters worse,ö replied Dukat, ôis if you endeavor to interfere. If you will not permit us aboard the station to exact vengeance upon the perpetrator, then we will have to play it safe.ö
ôAnd how do you propose to do that?ö
ôWhy, quite simply, Commander.ö Gul Dukat seemed to relax againùwhich was more than enough to make Sisko tense. ôWe would not want to take any chance of the killer escaping. So we would, quite simply, blow the station to kingdom come. Oh, true, several hundred Bajorans and other life-formsùincluding you humans, IÆm afraidùwould die. But at least weÆd be assured that the murderer had suffered as well.ö
ôThatÆs insane!ö Sisko almost shouted, fighting to keep himself, and the situation, under control.
ôAre you questioning my sanity, Commander?ö
ôIÆm questioning your tactics. To ensure the death of one being, youÆd slaughter hundreds of innocent peopleá.á.á.áö
The moment the words were out of SiskoÆs mouth, he knew exactly what Dukat was going to say. And he was right.
ôWhy, Commander!ö said Dukat, twisting the knife. ôIÆm surprised
surprised at you. DonÆt you know that in the real world, innocent people sometimes suffer? ThatÆs a sad reality. You canÆt interpret it as a personal assault.ö
ôVery funny, Commander,ö said Sisko.
Dukat smiled thinly. ôNotice, Commanderá.á.á. that IÆm not laughing.ö
The screen snapped off. Sisko sat back in his chair, rubbing his temples with his fingers.
Dax stuck her head in. ôProblem, Benjamin?ö
ôDonÆt ask, old man,ö said Sisko tiredly. ôDonÆt ask.ö

Odo took a seat behind his desk and placed his hands flat on the desktop. ôIÆm willing to keep this matter between us, Doctorá.á.á. but I do not need you making my job any harder than it already is. And itÆs pretty miserable right now.ö He shook his head. ôIÆve got every available man combing every inch of this stationùtalking to people, running scans on inanimate objects to see if they have life readings, trying to detect the small expenditure of energy that might accompany sudden shapeshifting, in the same manner that I doá.á.á.áöHe paused, and then repeated bitterly, ôIn the same mannerá.á.á.áö
Bashir looked at him, full of curiosity. ôDo you really think that this shapeshifter is just like you? I meaná.á.á. one of your people?ö
Odo leaned forward, propping his elbows on the desk. ôWhat do you know about me, Doctor?ö
ôOnly what IÆve read in the filesùhow you were found, how you donÆt have any idea where you come from, that sort of thing.ö
ôIt is a rare occasion,ö said Odo, ôwhen you can read someoneÆs file and learn just as much about him from them as he knows about himself. ThatÆs my whole life right there, Doctor. The facts in that fileá.á.á. and the duties of this job.ö He looked despondent. ôIt would
have to happen this way, wouldnÆt it?ö
ôWouldnÆt what?ö
Clearly Odo weighed answering the doctor. He wasnÆt automatically inclined to, but he felt the need to vent his spleen to somebody. Kira was too hardened by a difficult life to be all that sympathetic, despite the occasional efforts she made. Sisko he still didnÆt trust. Dax was a puzzle. OÆBrien had been getting on his nerves lately. And Quarká.á.á.á
ôDonÆt make me laugh,ö he said bitterly. ôWhat?ö
ôNothing.ö He shook his head. ôItÆs just thatá.á.á. well, itÆs just my luck that I should finally encounter a creature that might be one of my own kind. I donÆt know for sure that it is. There are other shapeshifting species in the galaxy. Perhaps itÆs an offshoot from my peopleùpresuming I have a people. As I said, I donÆt know. But of all things, this possible first relative of mine turns out to be a psychopathic random killer. And I have absolutely no idea where to start looking for him. This station has thirty-five levels, Doctor. Its diameter is about one-point-four kilometers. And hidden somewhere in this maze is a being whoùif itÆs just like meùcould be disguised as a stick of furniture or a discarded hatchá.á.á. anything.ö
Bashir nodded sympathetically. ôIt must be a very difficult situation to be in. Very frustrating.ö
ôYes, it is.ö
ôAlmost likeá.á.á. ohá.á.á. Bashir made a tremendous show of giving it a great deal of thought. ôAlmost like, sayá.á.á. watching a boy die when you know that you could help him.ö
Odo didnÆt look remotely amused. ôSome of us, Doctor, are able to put aside our personal feelings and do our jobs.ö
ôHow fortunate for some of us,ö said Bashir dryly.
ôSecurity to Odo!ö MeyerÆs voice crackled over OdoÆs comm badge.
ôOdo here,ö he said. He had a sick feeling he knew what Meyer was going to say.
ôCargo bay, level twenty-two, sir!ö
He didnÆt even have to ask. ôIÆm on my way.ö He rose quickly and said to Bashir, ôI have the unfortunate feeling that youÆre going to be needed, Doctor.ö
ôI have the unfortunate feeling,ö said Bashir, ôthat IÆm going to be too late.ö

ôJuggling?ö Sisko looked at Dax skeptically. ôNow why in the world should I take up juggling?ö
ôYou need something to relax you, Benjamin,ö said Dax reasonably. ôI heard Chief OÆBrien mention it the other day.ö
ôButá.á.á. juggling?ö He shook his head. ôI canÆt see it. IÆve got my occasional baseball outingsá.á.á.áö
ôYes, yes, I know. Holosuite forays in which you bring up baseball greats and play against them. But thereÆs that sense of competition again. You should try to master something for the pure enjoyment of doing it. Also, juggling would suit your environment.ö
ôMy environment?ö He looked around. ôAre you implying,ö he said, ôthat this station resembles a circus?ö
ôNo. YouÆre inferring that. IÆm simply saying that a lot of things are happening right now. You have to deal with many disparate individuals and keep them all satisfied. In that respectùö
ôI have to keep a lot of balls in the air at the same time.ö He smiled slightly. ôInteresting parallel, Dax. IÆll keep it in mind. Not too seriously in mind, of course. Butùö
ôOdo to Commander Sisko.ö
He tapped his comm badge. ôSisko here, Constable.ö
Odo was as terse as his own man had been earlier. ôCargo bay, level twenty-two.ö
ôOn my way.ö

People werenÆt sure of her last name. Everyone had simply called her Old Kelsi. Speculation was that she had been called that since she was a teenager and had simply grown into the name.
Old Kelsi was the premier traffic manager in the bay area. She kept things moving, running smoothly. She had been there so long that there was open speculation that she predated the space stationùthat Deep Space Nine had, in fact, been built around her.
Need something moved? Run it past Kelsi.
Need something found? Ask Kelsi. It didnÆt matter how fully loaded the bay area was or how many ships might be passing through at any given time. The Bajoran woman had an incredible gift for remembering precisely where everything was at any moment. She never even had to consult computer logs; she just knew. She was one of the few Bajorans for whom even the Cardassians had respect, because she didnÆt react to them with hatred and contempt, as other Bajorans did. She seemed to be above politicsùor perhaps she just didnÆt give a damn about it. The cargo bay of Deep Space Nine was her entire reason for existence.
Granted, it wasnÆt the most impressive of reasons, and certainly not one of the galaxyÆs hot spots. But she had carved out her niche, and she held on to it like a pit bull.
And she had done her job more efficiently than anyone could ever have hoped.
She was one of the true Deep Space Nine mainstays. Many regarded her as a permanent part of the station.
And now she was.
Her lifeblood was smeared all over one of the inner bulkheads, an immutable part of the decor; repeated scrubbings would never fully manage to get it out. The rest of her had simply been torn apart. Not a scream had been heard out of her; something had smothered her so thoroughly that her final, hideous assault had not alerted a single one of the workers in the cargo bays.
The screams had come later, upon the discovery of her remains. One of the cargo workers had stumbled over herá.á.á. literally. He had been rearranging things in a corner and had tripped over her leg, which was no longer affixed to the customary place on her body.
The rest of her was lying in something of a puddle. And smeared on the wall, unmistakably, was ô#3.ö
ôSame as the others,ö Bashir whispered, studying the readings off his tricorder.
Odo could barely contain his fury. ôComb the area,ö he told his men. ôI want thisá.á.á. this obscenity found, immediately.ö He turned toward the security guards. ôEverything is to be tested. Do you understand? I want every single molecule of this station checked out. Now move. Move!ö
Several dockworkers were looking on in shock and horror, muttering to themselves, the pitch of their voices rising. Sisko turned to them and said, ôAll right, people. As you were.ö
ôAs we were?ö said one worker incredulously. But when he saw the look on SiskoÆs face, he said nothing further.
ôYou realize, Sisko, that our problem has just gotten even worse,ö Odo told him in a low voice. ôAt least the other murders were committed in private quarters, so that we managed to keep the details
under wraps. But thisá.á.á. The particulars of this incident will spread like wildfire.ö
ôI know,ö said Sisko grimly. ôBelieve me, I know.ö He lowered his voice and said, ôAre we any closer, Constable? Any closer to ending this?ö
ôNo, but it will end, Sisko,ö shot back Odo fiercely. ôI will find the one who did this. ThatÆs a certainty. Every passing second brings us closer to that moment.ö
ôI accept that, Constable,ö Sisko told him. But his tone was grim. ôI just hope that the reason it ends is not because the killer runs out of victims.ö
CHAPTER
11
THE BUBBLING PANIC HAD BEGUN.
The main floor of the Promenade was a surging mass of people shouting, vying for attention, trying desperately not to let alarm overtake them, and not succeeding all that well.
Sisko stood on the upper level, looking down upon the crowd and feeling for all the world like some sort of planetary overseer, speaking from on high.
He would have been unable to make himself heard under ordinary circumstances. But he had keyed his voice through his comm badge, so that his words echoed throughout the stationÆs intraship public address system.
ôThe matter,ö he was saying, his voice rolling like waves, ôis under investigation!ö
ôInvestigate it on your own time!ö someone shouted. ôI want to get the hell off this station!ö
ôMe too!ö
That refrain was rapidly taken up throughout the Promenade. Sisko put up his hands, trying to bring them under control. ôThat is not possible.ö
ôWhy not?ö
And then, before Sisko could respond, someone else shouted, ôThey say the murderer is a shapeshifter like Odo! Is it true?ö
Sisko paused. He saw Odo in the crowd, his security crew trying to restore some semblance of order. Odo had heard the shouted question, too, and he was looking up at Sisko with interest, clearly curious as to how the commander was going to answer it.
ôThat is a working theory,ö said Sisko.
Immediately the area around Odo began to widen a bit. People pulled back from him, as if heÆd suddenly become infected with some hideous disease.
Each word that Sisko spoke was slow and loaded with anger. ôI will not,ö he said, ôstand still for another wave of accusations against the constable. We went through this after the faked murder of Ibudan. I will not see a repeat. Security Chief Odo is not a suspect. Far too many witnesses, including myself, can place him elsewhere at the time of the murders. Furthermore, if you treat him like a suspect, you will simply prolong this matter, because it is his job to solve these murders. We need full cooperation from all of you. Besides, there are several known shapeshifting species throughout the galaxy. There is no reason for suspicion to fall automatically on Chief Odo, and every reason for it not to.ö
He paused a moment, taking a breath, and in that time, someone called out, ôWe still want to get off this station! You canÆt make us stay here! WeÆre at risk every moment weÆre here!ö
ôYouÆre forcing us to stick our heads into the dragonÆs mouth,ö shouted another.
ôIÆm forcing you to stay,ö said Sisko, ôfor two reasons. First, we have no desire to allow the murderer to leave DS-Nine during a mass emigrationùö
ôThatÆs your problem, Sisko,ö someone shouted.
Sisko noticed that the people seemed a lot braver and more likely to mouth off when they were together in one large crowd. Security in numbers.
ôNo,ö countered Sisko, ôitÆs your problem. Because that brings me to the second reason. Let us say, for argumentÆs sake, that we are indeed dealing with a shapeshifter. That means that it could be disguised as one of you. Your copilot or a crew member. It could be among your cargo or your personal belongings.ö
This caused a great deal of unease among the crowd.
They started looking apprehensively at each other and even at their own clothing as if waiting for their shoes to make a false move.
ôIf I allow you people to leave,ö continued Sisko, ôthereÆs a perfectly good chance that the killer will leave with you. In your endeavor to escape, you might very well take the murderer along with you for the ride. Here on the station thereÆs safety in numbers. Out in the depths of spaceùparticularly for you one- and two-man cargo runnersùthere will be no one and nothing except a real possibility of a very lonely death.ö
Not a word was being spoken.
ôNow,ö said Sisko serenely, ôwho is interested in bucking those odds? Hmm? Show of hands, please.ö
No one seemed particularly anxious to volunteer.
ôGood,ö Sisko said. ôThat will be all. If any of you have further questions, feel free to pose them in an orderly manner. If Security Chief Odo wants to talk with you, kindly give him your full cooperation. Thank you.ö
He then turned away, headed for the turbolift shaft, and moments later was being whisked away to Ops. The moment the lift doors had closed, he leaned against the turbolift walls and let out a long sigh.
ôThereÆs got to be an easier way to earn a living,ö he muttered.
As soon as he stepped out onto the bridge, he went straight to OÆBrien. ôChief,ö he said, ôcan you order a systems-wide shutdown of the airlock doors to all docked ships?ö
ôAre you kidding?ö asked OÆBrien. ôThe way these systems are set up, itÆs a miracle the airlocks work at all. Shutting them down is no problem. WhatÆs tough is keeping them operational.ö
ôGood. Do it.ö
ôTaking no chances, Commander?ö asked Kira.
ôExactly right, Major. IÆm not going to risk another near-disaster like the one we had with Captain Jaheel. If we hadnÆt been lucky, we would have lost half the docking ring that time he tried to take off without clearance. We learn from our mistakes, Major.ö
ôYes, sir.ö She looked, though, as if she wanted to say something else.
ôYes, Major?ö he prompted.
She shook her head. ôItÆsá.á.á. well, Old Kelsi was one of the first people I met when I arrived here. Iá.á.á. She deserved better, thatÆs all.ö
ôI donÆt know of anyone who deserves what has happened in the past several days,ö Sisko replied.
But he could tell from KiraÆs look that she knew who deserved such a death. Oh, yes, she knew. Definitely.
Cardassians.
He did not, however, pursue the subject. Instead he went to his station to study the reports and information being routed through his command computer.
He gazed around Ops and reflected bleakly on the fact that the creature might be right here. Right in front of him. It could be one
of his people. It could be a piece of equipment. Anything. Anywhere.
He headed for his office, but it seemed as if heÆd barely sat down when OÆBrien appeared in the doorway. ôSir,ö he said, ôI hate to intrude, but with school letting out soon, I was hoping thatùö
Angrier than he wanted to be, Sisko slammed a fist down on his desk. ôIs this going to be a regular thing with you, Chief? What next? If your wife feels like going shopping along the Promenade, are you going to request time off to serve as her bodyguard? Did you do this on the Enterprise, too?ö
ôNo, sir,ö OÆBrien shot back. ôWe felt safe on the Enterprise.ö
ôOh, really? When, Chief? During the Borg attack? During the skirmishes along the Neutral Zone? Fighting Cardassians? When precisely did you feel at ease?ö
OÆBrien, who lately had been picturing a hideous scenarioùcoming home to find his wife and child splattered all over their grungy quartersùcame perilously close to blowing his top.
ôWhen? When we were off duty,ö he snapped, ôand I wasnÆt constantly being called away because some other bloody thing had broken. When we were with our friends, back when we had friends. When we had time to breathe, and our lungs werenÆt filled with stale air because the atmosphere regulators were designed for Cardassians and I havenÆt managed to convert them all over yet. When we always had more than enough of whatever we needed. Back when we had a life!ö
There was dead silence.
They realized that all talk had ceased in Ops. Sisko glanced out through his door and saw that every eye was upon them. Quickly all of the crew members went back to what they were doing.
Except for Dax, who was still looking at Sisko.
And Sisko remembered the times in the past when he had poured out his anger and frustration to her. He could hear his own voice saying, ôIf only IÆd been with Jennifer. I could have saved her. If only I hadnÆt dragged her out into space. If onlyá.á.á.áö
And JakeÆs eyes, looking at him in that same accusatory mannerá.á.á.á
OÆBrien looked down. ôIÆm sorry, sir,ö he said. ôItÆs just thatá.á.á. well, when thereÆs an emergencyùif weÆre fighting to keep the station from blowing up or being sucked into the wormhole or some suchùIÆm right in there up to my elbows. IÆm able to put everything out of my mind except getting the job done. But with something like thisá.á.á. with this madman running around, thereÆs nothing for me to do except dwell on the danger and imagine the worst. And from what IÆve heard, the worst can be pretty bad. Molly, sheÆll soon have her third birthday. I want her to live to see itá.á.á. you know?ö
Sisko nodded. ôTell you what, Chief,ö he said softly. ôIÆll make you a deal.ö
ôA deal, sir?ö
ôCut yourself loose for the fifteen minutes or so it takes to get your wife and child safely squared away after school, and you donÆt have to keep running it past meá.á.á. as long as you make sure that Jake gets home as well.ö
OÆBrien smiled gamely at that. ôDone, sir.ö
ôThen get to it, Chief,ö said Sisko firmly. ôThatÆs an order.ö
ôYes, sir.ö
OÆBrien walked out quickly, and Sisko smiled to himself. If only all of his difficulties could be solved that easily.

In the infirmary, Julian Bashir swung the cellular scanner away
from the tissue samples that had been taken from Kelsiùalthough he rather bleakly speculated that there wasnÆt much left of her except tissue samples.
Nurse Latasa was looking over his shoulder. She saw the fatigued look on his face, and said, ôDoctorá.á.á. itÆs none of my business, but when was the last time you slept?ö
ôOh. Sleep.ö He made a great show of searching his memory. ôYesá.á.á. I remember now. ThatÆs what you do when youÆre not working. When youÆre not hoping to find some clueá.á.á. anything that will help Security nail this homicidal maniac.ö He looked at Latasa closely.
ôDoctor, is everything all right?ö she asked.
He cleared the file on the bioscanner and said, ôNurse, place your hand here, please.ö
She was puzzled, but did as he asked, putting her hand flat on the counter. He ran a quick scan over it and quickly checked the readings against LatasaÆs files. ôYes, itÆs you, all right.ö
ôDoctorá.á.á.?ö
Realizing how odd his behavior must have seemed just then, he said, ôWeÆre dealing with something that changes its appearance. ThatÆs a good way to turn people into raving paranoids. Nurse, we have to develop a code phrase.ö
Latasa laughed uncertainly. ôDoctor, I hardly think we need aùö
ôYes, we do,ö he said firmly. ôI hope some of my research will lead somewhere. But when I ask you for reports and such, I have to know that youÆre the genuine item and not a shapeshifter whoÆs trying to cover his tracks by feeding me false information.ö
ôIf you say so, Doctor,ö she said. Her tone made it clear that she thought his request was odd. Then again, she knew what was happening around the station, and she was willing to take precautions.
ôOkay. So our code word will beá.á.á.áö He gave it a momentÆs thought and then said, ôPreganglionic. You got that, Nurse? If I say, æWhatÆs the word?Æ you reply, æPreganglionic.Æö He paused and saw that she was smiling. ôWhatÆs so funny?ö
ôI have to admit,ö she said, ôfor a moment there, I thought you were going to say that the code phrase should be something likeùI donÆt knowùæKiss me, you fool.Æ You say, æWhatÆs the word?Æ And I say, æKiss me, you fool.Æáö
Despite the horrific situation that had led to their current difficulties, Bashir actually laughed. ôNow, Nurse, that has got to be one of the most juvenile notions IÆve ever heard, beyond question. Althoughá.á.á. you know, I almost wish IÆd thought of it. But,ö he sighed, ôitÆs too late now, I suppose.ö
The tissue samples were still there, and Bashir rather reluctantly went back to them, hoping that something had grown there in the meantime. Something that he could actually put to use.
ôItÆs terrible about Kelsi,ö said Latasa.
ôAbout all of them,ö Bashir agreed. HeÆd discharged Bena and Dina some hours before. Odo had posted a full-time guard to them; it was the only way that Bena would leave the infirmary. Even the survivors, mused Bashir, were victims.
ôI was thinking about Kelsi in particular,ö she said. ôI mean, IÆd met her. Gotten to know her. Iá.á.á. I hate to admit it, but IÆm relieved that I wasnÆt assisting at her autopsy. IÆd much rather remember her the way she was, rather thaná.á.á. than what they say she looked like when that maniac was finished with her.ö
ôI know,ö said Bashir. ôYou have a picture in your mind of people. You donÆt think aboutá.á.á.áö
His voice trailed off as he looked up from the bioscanner.
ôYou know,ö he said. ôThatá.á.á. just might do it.ö
ôDo what, Doctor? Doctorá.á.á. do you have some sort of clue about the killer?ö
ôNo. No, not yet. But I have a thought about something else thatÆs bothering me. Nurseá.á.á. thank you. You may have been extremely helpful just nowá.á.á. more than you know.ö
ôOhá.á.á.áöLatasa was confused, but said gamely, ôGlad I could be of help, Doctor.ö And as he started to head out of the infirmary, she called after him, ôPreganglionic.ö
He smiled, replied, ôKiss me, you fool,ö and walked out.
CHAPTER
12
SECURITY GUARDS Boyajian and Meyer were making their way carefully through deck 15 of the space stationÆs core. Boyajian, in particular, felt as if theyÆd logged several hundred miles in just the past forty-eight hours. And every step of those miles had been nerve-racking as they watched for any sign of the intruder. Every shadow in Deep Space Nine seemed to stir these days; every corner seemed threatening. Every person required a second and even a third glance, and even then he couldnÆt be absolutely sure about anyone. For that matter, he had to check every possession he owned to make sure it had no bioreadings.á.á.á.
Suddenly, from overhead, a red mass started to pour down from the ceiling.
It splattered to the floor a mere three feet in front of the two security guards. Immediately Meyer hit his comm badge and shouted, ôOdo! ItÆs here! Core level fifteen, corridor nine!ö

Odo was nowhere nearby.
He was in the docking ring, grilling people in the hope that they had noticed somethingùanythingùthat would be useful to him. But when he heard the alarmed call from his men, he immediately
hit his comm badge. ôOdo to Ops! Emergency! Lock on and beam me to core level fifteen, corridor nineá.á.á. now!ö

ôBenjamin, theyÆve got a sighting,ö called Dax, stepping in for OÆBrien. She quickly manipulated the transporter controls as Sisko came out of his office and charged down into Ops. ôIÆm beaming him over there now!ö
ôSend me along,ö he ordered, stepping onto the pad.
For a moment Dax wanted to argue, to state that Sisko could serve far better by staying at Ops and keeping out of the way of Security.
But she knew better. She knew him better.
So she simply said, ôEnergizing,ö and a moment later Sisko vanished.

OÆBrien was heading for the turbolift to return to Ops when he heard from behind him, ôOÆBrien! Just the man I wanted to see!ö
ôNot now, Quark,ö he said, and he kept up his stride. Quark fell into step on one side of him, Glav on the other. ôNow, come on, OÆBriená.á.á. I always make time for you. You havenÆt got a spare moment for me? Remember that free drink? Eh?ö
OÆBrien hesitated and then said, ôLooká.á.á. ten seconds. What is it? What do you need fixed? Tell me, because I really have to get back up to Ops.ö
ôFixed? Nothing like that! OÆBrien, you have to expand your horizons! You have toùö
ôFive seconds and counting.ö
ôWe want to buy Deep Space Nine.ö
OÆBrien laughed. ôFine,ö he said. ôYou have my vote.ö And he walked away.
ôHah!ö Quark crowed to Glav. ôYou see? The chief of operations supports us!ö
ôI donÆt know,ö said Glav doubtfully. ôI always have difficulty reading human sarcasm. Maybe he wasnÆt being serious.ö
ôOf course he was!ö retorted Quark. ôThe whole key was his saying that we have his vote. Humans donÆt talk lightly of such things. TheyÆre very much into discussing this and considering that and voting on the whole package. ItÆs practically a religion to them! Believe me, OÆBrien has no reason to love Starfleet. They booted him off one of their prestigious starships and put him hereá.á.á. back before they knew that anyone was going to be remotely interested in the place. We have him on our side, pressing our case to Sisko. I guarantee that OÆBrien will sway him. And Sisko, in turn, will help convince the Bajorans. ItÆs going to work, IÆm telling you. In fact,ö he said, lowering his voice, ôthis entire murder businessùwhile certainly a gruesome and deplorable happenstanceùhas made the property that much more obtainable. It wouldnÆt surprise me at all if the Federation and Bajor wouldnÆt love to get rid of the place after everything theyÆve been through.ö
Glav grinned. ôYouÆre right, Quark! Trust you to take death, slaughter, and miseryá.á.á. and find the up side! Your mind never stops working. Very well. Despite the rather distressing setback of Gotto being slaughtered, IÆm still maintaining high hopes for this! In fact, this calls for celebration! Join me in a drink?ö
ôDrinks? Hah! I can do better than that,ö said Quark. ôTell meá.á.á. have I introduced you yet to the wonders of my holosex suites?ö
Glav displayed even more teeth. ôNoooá.á.á.áö
ôWell, thenöùQuark patted him on the backùôyouÆre long overdue.ö
And they went off together, chortling in that way that Ferengi had.
Without paying the least bit of attention, they walked past a red-haired Bajoran man. He watched them with curiosityá.á.á.á
And followed them.

Odo looked only mildly surprised when he materialized to find Sisko standing next to him. They didnÆt have time for any exchange of words, for they found themselves facing a huge red gelatinous mass that was seeping down from a bent ceiling plate.
Meyer and Boyajian had their phasers out, but they didnÆt know where to shoot. The security guards were tough, but this was beyond anything they had ever confronted. Hearing the whine of the transporter, Meyer glanced back as Odo and Sisko strode forward. ôSir! Watch out!ö
The red stuff was accumulating faster and faster, spreading outward in a huge disgusting puddle. Meyer and Boyajian stepped back as it almost snared their feet. Visions of winding up like the thingÆs previous victims were racing through their heads. ôSir!ö Boyajian called out.
Sisko frowned in confusion, because Odo wasnÆt moving. Odo was simply staring at it. For just the briefest momentùa moment that Sisko would never admit to anyoneùhe wondered if Odo felt reluctant to take on a being that might very well be just like him. Despite the creatureÆs murderous intent, was it remotely possible that Odo felt closer to it than to the people with whom he worked?
He wiped the notion out of his mind as quickly as it had come. Odo might be arrogant, smug, and even condescending, but when it came to reliability in getting the job done, he was second to none.
Stillá.á.á. why the hell was he just standing there?
The glop had become a circle five feet in diameter and was spreading faster than ever. At any moment it would doubtless coalesce into some fearsome form and thená.á.á.á
But Odo wasnÆt waiting. He strode forward, pushing his own men aside, squatted down, and stared at the red mass. It surged forward, around his feet.
ôConstable!ö shouted Sisko.
Odo dipped his fingers into the slime, held a glob of it up, rubbed it between his fingers, brought it to his nose, and sniffed it.
ôCoolant,ö he said, ômixed with some sort of gelatin, I think.ö
ôWh-what?ö
Odo didnÆt respond to SiskoÆs confused question. Instead he stepped back and looked up at the ceiling.
And OdoÆs body dissolved.
Sisko gasped. HeÆd never actually seen Odo shift his shape before. He knew what the security chief could do, but knowing it was quite different from actually witnessing it.
Starting from the top down, Odo began to transmute into his natural state. But his legs were the last to go, and as they did he sprang up off them, giving him the slight lift he needed to propel himself up into the ceiling crack from which the ooze was still pouring.

ôThis way,ö said Quark.
ôIÆve been here before, Quark,ö Glav said as they stepped into the holosuite. The door shut behind them. ôWe had a conference in here, remember?ö
ôAhh,ö said Quark, ôbut youÆve never seen the holos in action before. Computer,ö he called out, ôRun program XXX-three.ö
The air seemed to shimmer around them, and then a blast of hot air hit them.
They were in a large and elaborately decorated tent. Great tables were laid out with food of all types and colors. Some sort of poultry was roasting on a spit, the crackling sound as real and the aroma as convincing as if it were the genuine article rather than a holodeck re-creation.
ôThis technology,ö said Glav, ônever fails to amaze me.ö
ôIt gets better,ö Quark assured him. He dropped down onto a large pile of pillows, then reached up and pulled Glav down next to him. ôWatch.ö
There was the tinkling of gentle bells, and the entrance curtains of the tent were pushed aside. In swayed two dancing girls, clad in multicolored gauze that did little to obscure the specifics of their bodies and nothing to obscure their curves. Their faces were covered with veils as well.
They posed in front of Glav and Quark, frozen in position.
Glav nodded appreciatively. ôThey looká.á.á. quite suitable,ö Glav told him.
ôBetter than that,ö Quark said. He clapped his hands together briskly.
The women removed the veils from their faces.
Glav gasped and said, ôRemarkable! Is thatá.á.á.á?ö
ôYesss.ö Quark chuckled. ôIt took a while to get the program just right. Dead ringers, donÆt you think?ö
The holograms of Major Kira Nerys and Lieutenant Jadzia Dax smiled invitingly at the two Ferengi.
ôI managed to tap into their personal files,ö he said. ôTheir last complete physicalá.á.á. their measurements from when they were fitted for their uniforms. I assure you, everything is accurate.ö
ôBut isnÆt that sort of information confidential?ö
ôHah!ö chortled Quark. ôConfidential except to the right people. And the right people have the right isolinear chips to find out just about whatever they want.ö He lowered his voice and snickered, ôWait until you see the birthmark one of them has on herá.á.á. ah, but you can find out for yourself. Oh, ladiesá.á.á.áö He clapped his hands once more.
The holo images of Kira and Dax began to dance, their bodies undulating in time to music that was coming from everywhere. In unison they started to remove the veils that covered the rest of them, and the gauze began to flutter to the floor.

On the lower level of QuarkÆs drinking and gambling establishment, a red-haired Bajoran moved through the crowd. The customers were more subdued these days, with a general atmosphere of paranoia hanging over them. Still, despite all the nervousness in the air, no one gave the nondescript Bajoran a second look.
He looked up the stairs that led to the holosuites, and started upward.

In the crawlway above the ceiling, Odo began to re-form.
The first thing he saw was a large overturned vat positioned above the crack. The last of its contents were dripping out and down to the floor below.
And the next thing he spotted was a pair of booted feet disappearing around a corner in the crawlway.
Odo did not like to undertake one shapeshift after another in quick succession. Each time he morphed, he expended energy. Even maintaining the same shape, as he did most of the day in his humanoid form, took some effort. That was one of the reasons he
had to return to his natural form and rest at the end of the day. And if he shifted too often, too fast, he could overexert himself.
The consequences of such overexertion would not be pretty.
Nevertheless, Odo gamely shifted again. His shape drew in upon itself, becoming smaller and smaller, and within seconds he was a rat.
He darted down the crawlway as fast as he couldùwhich wasnÆt as fast as a real rat could go, because a real rat didnÆt weigh all that much. Odo, howeverùdue to those dreary laws of physicsùcould alter his shape all he wanted, but he couldnÆt do a thing about his mass. He now had the exterior shape of a rat, but not its interior structure. Otherwise his weight would have crushed the ôratÆsö skeleton and pulped its internal organs. Odo, not really having any internal organs or skeletal structure, wasnÆt hampered.
Even as heavy as he was, he was still far better equipped for speed in the confined area than the individual he was pursuingá.á.á. and he already had a fairly good idea who that might be.
He heard the scuffling of elbows and knees in front of him and scooted around the corner. He saw a humanoid form ahead of him, andùyes, just as he thoughtùit was a Ferengi. A particular Ferengi with whom he was all too well acquainted.
The Ferengi heard a scuttling behind him and glanced back under his own arm. When he spotted the rat he let out a sigh of relief and continued on his way.
The rat, however, had other plans. It clamped its little teeth into the cuff of the fugitiveÆs trouser legá.á.á. and held on.
And didnÆt budge.
The Ferengi fell flat, his right leg unexpectedly anchored. He craned his neck and saw, to his shock, that he was being assaulted by the heaviest damned rodent he had ever seen. He kicked at the
creature furiously, but it didnÆt seem to notice or care.
ôWhat the hell kind of rat are you?ö screeched the Ferengi in an alarmed, high-pitched voice.
The rat suddenly began to expand. The FerengiÆs eyes went wide as, within seconds, he was joined in the crawlway by the stationÆs head of security.
ôOh, no!ö
ôThatÆs æOdo,Æö he corrected. ôSounds like æOh, no,Æ but with a very bad head cold. Soá.á.á. just not your day, is it, Nog?ö
Nog moaned softly and thudded his head against the side of the crawlspace.

In the holosuite, Dax was pirouetting in place. Kira was arched backwards, her stomach muscles rippling. A considerable amount of gauze was piled up on the floor, and not much was left on the womenÆs bodies. A fine film of sweat glistened on their skin, and their fingers moved quickly, chiming out seductive melodies with the fingertip chimes they wore.
ôOhhhh, Quark.ö Glav could barely contain himself. ôCreating the likenesses of genuine womená.á.á. putting all this together. I must congratulate you. You are true slime.ö
ôThank you,ö said Quark, trying to retain his modesty even as Dax and Kira cavorted, having totally abandoned theirs.
At that moment true slime began to ooze through the crack in the holosuite door.

Sisko scowled fiercely at the Ferengi boy who stood in front of him, not looking particularly contrite.
ôIt was just a joke,ö he said sullenly.
ôA joke?ö said Sisko, barely keeping his outrage in check.
Odo was even less successful. He grabbed Nog by one of his huge ears and said, ôWould you consider it an even bigger joke if I cracked your oversized head like a walnut?ö
Nog didnÆt appear to be listening. His eyes had crossed, and his breathing had gotten faster and raspier.
Immediately Sisko realized what the problem was. ôConstable,ö he said, ôIÆd let go if I were you. They like having their ears grabbed. Remember?ö
Odo promptly released the Ferengi boy with a look of such disgust that he might just as well have shoved his hand into raw sewage. ôWhat was I thinking?ö he wondered.
Meyer and Boyajian were looking sheepishly at the glop that was already starting to coagulate on the floor. ôSorry, sir,ö said Boyajian. ôGuess we handled this pretty badly.ö
ôIt was an understandable mistake,ö said Odo. He gripped Nog firmly by the upper arm. ôWhat was not understandable was how you could possibly have thought this was funny.ö
ôPeople are getting hurt, Nog,ö Sisko told him angrily. ôPeople are getting killed. And causing our people to run around responding to false alarms is simply unconscionable.ö
Nog shrugged. He didnÆt even make an insincere attempt to say he was sorry, which only served to exasperate Sisko even further. ôConstable,ö he said, ôget him out of here. Take him back to his father.ö
ôYes, sir,ö said Odo. He shoved the boy in front of him. ôLetÆs go.ö

Rom was working the Dabo wheel, trying to drum up interest in one of QuarkÆs premier games.
Betting had been rather slow that day. Most of QuarkÆs patrons were content to nurse their drinks and watch each other with a high
degree of suspicion. The grim attitude seemed to be one of Why should I gamble? I probably wonÆt live to enjoy my winnings.
Not an attitude that was exactly conducive to spirited gaming.
ôCome on!ö he called out cajolingly. ôWho feels lucky?!ö
ôShut up,ö grumbled a Tellarite.
But Rom didnÆt take the admonition to heart, because he saw a potential pigeon fluttering his way. ôDoctor!ö he summoned Bashir over. ôYou look lost. You look lonely. You look like someone who may be open to a game of chance.ö
ôLife holds enough chances without adding artificial ones,ö said Bashir, looking around. ôWhere is Quark?ö
ôA spin will get you an answer,ö purred the Ferengi.
Bashir rolled his eyes. ôOh, very well.ö Quickly he placed a bet.
Rom spun the wheel. He watched the ball skittle aroundá.á.á. and then fall iná.á.á. precisely where Bashir had bet that it would. He gaped and then said gamely, ôTwo out of three?ö
ôTell you what,ö said Bashir. ôForget my winnings. Just tell me where Quark is.ö
ôWell, you know itÆs not my place to spy on my boss,ö said Rom. ôHowever, it just so happens that out of the smallest corner of my eye, I believe I saw him step into Holosuite B.ö
ôThank you,ö said Bashir, and he started to walk away.
ôDoctor! I donÆt think Quark would particularly appreciate being disturbed in the middle of a holosuite sex fantasyá.á.á. if you catch my meaning.ö
ôDonÆt worry,ö Bashir shot back. ôIÆm a doctor, remember? I doubt thereÆs anything in there I havenÆt seen before.ö And he headed up the steps.

Jake Sisko was bored.
He had intended to cut loose after school and have fun, but Chief OÆBrien had escorted Jake to his quarters after taking Keiko and little Molly home.
Ben SiskoÆs admonitions about staying put had been assessed and accepted, but ultimately Jake found himself staring into the mirror and feeling utterly without anything interesting to do. There was homework, sure, but what kind of life was that? School and homework. School and homework. Wow. Fun.
And besides, he was quite aware of one great truth: his mother had stayed put. He and his mother had both hidden in their quarters while the Saratoga was being pounded by the Borg.
ôA fat lot of good it did us,ö he muttered.
The hell with it. He wasnÆt accomplishing anything of great importance sitting around. And he was lonely, too. Nog hadnÆt shown up at school the past couple of days. Oh, sure, his father, Rom, had said that heÆd be bringing him to class regularly. Butùsurprise, surpriseùthe word of the Ferengi hadnÆt been the most dependable.
Where would Nog be about now? Not in his quarters, certainly. Nog was a mover and shaker. He didnÆt sit around, kept captive by his fatherÆs worries. Nog would be out. Nog would be happening. Nog would beá.á.á.á
Over at QuarkÆs, most likely. Out in the Promenade.
Which was where Jake Sisko now resolved to go.
He stepped out of his quarters, looked right and left to make sure that OÆBrien wasnÆt hanging around to spy on him, and headed for the crossover bridge that would take him to the Promenade and the heart of Deep Space Nine.
CHAPTER
13
KIRA AND DAX wore nothing but the bracelets on their wrists and ankles.
Theyùor rather, their holographic counterpartsùwere gyrating in front of the two Ferengi. DaxÆs long hair hung down past her shoulders, slightly obscuring her breasts; Kira, with her short hair, wasnÆt hiding behind anything. Quark and Glav were practically jumping out of their skin with excitement, and Glav was stretching out grasping fingers, almost touching DaxÆs swaying bodyá.á.á.á
And directly behind the Ferengi, a small column of red protoplasmic matter had grown and was taking on shape. A second later the nondescript red-haired Bajoran was standing directly behind them. Neither of them appeared aware of him, their attention rather understandably drawn elsewhere.
The intruderÆs hands had disappeared, to be replaced by huge spike-studded mallets. He raised them over his head, ready to bring them smashing downá.á.á.á
And from outside, they heard a voice say firmly, ôEmergency medical override on lock. Employ now.ö A second later the door hissed open and Bashir entered, saying, ôI apologize for barging in, Quark, but thereÆs something important I have toá.á.á.áö
ôGet out!ö shrieked Quark, trying to scramble to his feet so that he could block BashirÆs view of the holograms.
Bashir didnÆt quite know where to look first.
Naturally the first things he noticed were the naked forms of Dax and Kira, twirling around in ecstasy for the dining and dancing pleasure of the two Ferengi. Since no one had told the program to stop running, the two female figures continued their activities undeterred by the doctorÆs advent.
However, this held his attention for only a secondùa remarkable display of willpowerùbefore he saw something that didnÆt fit into the hologram program at all.
A Bajoran with fists transformed into lethal maces, about to bring them smashing down ontoá.á.á. QuarkÆs skull.
A look of pure hatred flashed across the BajoranÆs face as he realized heÆd been spotted.
ôQuark! Behind you!ö shouted Bashir.
Humans might not have moved at that point. They might have looked in confusion at whoever was shouting, perhaps even demanded clarification of the situation before taking any sort of action. They might have said, ôWhat do you mean?ö and actually looked behind them to see what was happening. Such a delay, in this instance, would have proven fatal.
Quark, however, was a Ferengi. A Ferengi proudly possessed the most highly developed sense of self-preservation in the known galaxy. And whenever a warning was hurled his way, a Ferengi ducked first and asked questions later.
Consequently, Quark acted on pure self-preservation reflex. Forgotten was his momentary outrage at BashirÆs intrusion. That could wait. He immediately lunged forward, knocking over a tray of food, getting far away from whatever the hell was behind him before his
mind had even fully processed the information that he was in danger.
The action saved his life.
The pseudo-BajoranÆs fists slammed down right where Quark had been. Pillows, given the semblance of reality, were torn to holographic shreds.
Glav emitted a startled shriek and crawled backwards, bumping into the Dax hologram, but not caring the least bit about her lack of clothing. ôItÆs the shapeshifter!ö he squealed.
The metamorph spun in place, snarling, his focus on Quark. And Quark, his voice an octave higher, called out, ôComputer! Program XXX-four! Now!ö
And in an instant the room was filled with fog. From somewhere in the mist came the sound of female laughter.
Bashir didnÆt know where they were or what the hell was happening, but of two things he was certain: they had to get out of there, and they had to leave now.
The exit, he knew, was right behind him. He spun toward it.
But the door had automatically slid shut behind him and returned to its lock program, and he plowed straight into it.
Bashir staggered back and bumped into someone. Both of them let out a yell of fear before Bashir could make out that it was a panic-stricken Quark.
ôHow do I know itÆs you?ö demanded Quark.
ôHow do I know itÆs you?ö Bashir shot back.
And then he saw it, coming in quickly. The huge, mallet-shaped, spiked weapon that the shapechanger was wielding on the end of his wrist.
He shoved Quark to one side, himself to the other. The weapon
smashed forward, tearing through the door. Dim light from the hallway poured into the holosuite.
ôQuark!ö Glav was screaming. ôQuaaarrrkkk!ö
ôEvery Ferengi for himselfö Quark shouted back as Bashir dragged him to safety.
Except it was hardly safety, for the shapeshifterùhis face twisted with rageùcame right after them.

Sisko accompanied Odo to QuarkÆs casino, and Odo shoved the crestfallen Nog in front of him. SiskoÆs approval of the relationship Nog was developing with Jake had fallen to a new low. He felt that putting in an appearance would emphasize just how seriously he was taking this matterá.á.á. and serve as a reminder that NogÆs associating with Jake would not be particularly appreciated.
Rom looked up from the gaming table as his son approachedá.á.á. and then frowned when he saw who was accompanying Nog, and the looks on the faces of all three. Cutting to the chase, he sighed and said, ôAll right, what did he do this time?ö
ôYour son,ö said Odo stiffly, ôperformed a little stunt that could very well have gotten him killed.ö
Rom considered that a moment. ôWas there any profit in this stunt?ö
ôNone whatsoever,ö Sisko told him.
Rom promptly cuffed the boy, drawing a loud yowl from Nog. ôIdiot!ö he bellowed. ôHow many times do I have to tell you? Never risk your life if thereÆs no hope of a payoff!ö He shook his head and said discouragedly to Sisko, ôKids. You talk to them and talk to them. And they never listen. You feel like everything you say is automatically tuned out.ö
Sisko had to catch himself, for he was starting to nod in agreement
agreement. He cleared his throat and said sharply, ôSecurity Chief Odo is quite correct. Your sonÆs prank could indeed have cost him his life. He poured a substance out of a ceiling plate that he intended to be mistaken for the shapeshifter. If the security men had opened fire on the ceiling instead of waiting for Odo to take charge of the situationùö
ôYes, yes, of course. I see exactly what you mean. Fool!ö And again he cuffed the boy. Once again Nog yelped loudly.
But this time Sisko was starting to get uncomfortable. He took Rom by the wrist and said chidingly, ôYou know, hitting the boy wonÆt accomplish anything.ö
ôItÆll make him remember!ö Rom retorted.
ôItÆll make him remember to fear his father, and not much beyond that.ö
Rom looked at Sisko skeptically. ôAnd I suppose youÆll tell me next that you donÆt hit your son.ö
ôWellá.á.á. no. I donÆt. And we have a better understanding for it.ö
ôAnd where is your son at this moment, may I ask?ö
ôIn his quarters, safe and sound,ö said Sisko.
ôReally? You know, all humans look alike to me, butá.á.á. isnÆt that him over there?ö
Sisko turned to see where Rom was pointingá.á.á. and sure enough, at the far end of the Promenade, there was Jake. He was ogling a woman of questionable repute. She was smiling and giving him a very distinct come-hither look.
Rom leaned forward and said helpfully, ôPerhaps you should consider hitting him?ö
And then, before Sisko could head in JakeÆs directioná.á.á.á
All hell broke loose.
ôItÆs hiimmmmmmm!ö came a hysterical voice that was unmistakably QuarkÆs.
Sisko looked up, and there, on the upper landing of the stairs leading to the holosuites, were Quark and Bashir. They were both running at full speed, and Bashir was in the lead.
And then Sisko saw him.
A Bajoranùred-haired but otherwise unremarkableùcoming up behind them. And his right arm lashed outùliterally lashed out, becoming a thin, vicious coil that snaked around QuarkÆs waist. His left arm became another tentacle that snared QuarkÆs throat, cutting off his air. Within seconds the terrified Ferengi was going to be ripped apart.
The dedicated patrons of QuarkÆs reacted predictably.
They screamed and ran.
Hysteria filled the Promenade as the crowd became of one mind and started stampeding over each other in a desperate attempt to get away from the now-visible murderer stalking the station.
Bashir spun and saw QuarkÆs distress. Despite the fact that he was courting certain death, he did not hesitate. He drew back a fist andùinsanely, praying that he wouldnÆt hurt his handùlunged forward, slamming a punch into the shapeshifterÆs face.
The creature that had called itself Meta saw the blow coming. A hole appeared in MetaÆs face, and BashirÆs fist passed right through. Then MetaÆs head closed in around BashirÆs arm, imprisoning it.
ôSecurity!ö shouted Odo, but he was already moving. He took a step forward, then two, and his body rippled and seemed to shrink. And as it did so, his back started to convulse and erupt, something huge emerging from it.
Then the crowd enveloped him as everyone ran away from the very place that he was trying to get to. Sisko turned, trying to spot
Jake, but the boy had been swallowed up in the stampede.
Three steps, four, and then five, and Odoùhalf the height that he was beforeùexploded out of the crowd, knocking people aside. The gleaming wings that had sprouted from his back beat the air furiously, and Odo was airborne, soaring across the intervening space.
Bashir pounded at MetaÆs head. Meta didnÆt seem all that interested in him, perfectly willing to delay killing Bashir until Quark had been disposed of.
Quark, struggling at the constriction on his throat, saw Glav emerge from the holosuite. Glav, a look of terror on his face, had adopted a defensive postureùthe standard Ferengi cringe.
And then there was a rush of air, and Odo slammed into the shapechanger.
The four of them went down in a tangle. Abruptly realizing the genuine threat that Odo represented, Meta released both Quark and Bashir and turned his attention to the more imminent problem.
They faced each other for the first time. Odo retracted his wings, and the mass rearranged itself into its human configuration. Moments later Odo was at his normal height and was staring eye to eye at the metamorph.
For the first time in his existence, Odo was confronted by someone who might be from his own race. Someone who might hold all the answers to his questions about his own mysterious background.
Someone Odo had been waiting for, praying for, all his life.
He said the only thing he could: ôYouÆre under arrest.ö
MetaÆs arms fused together, became a spear, and stabbed forward with unnatural speed. Before Odo could move, he was driven backwards, the spear-arms slamming through his chest and out through his back. Within seconds he was pinned against the wall.
And MetaÆs head became round and hard, brutal spikes appearing
all over its surface. His neck extended like a spring, and his head slammed forward for the purpose of connecting with OdoÆs.
Odo wasnÆt there when it hit. He went liquid and splattered to the floor just before MetaÆs head connected.
Odo didnÆt waste a moment. He solidified and, as he did so, lunged forward. His hardening mass connected with MetaÆs midsection before the morph could shift into another shape.
The impact knocked Meta clear off the upper landing. For a moment he flailed about in midair, and then, as he started to fall the two stories to the floor, he shifted once more.
Odo looked on in amazement as, with no apparent effort at all, the metamorph transformed itself into a rubber ball. It hit the floor and bounced across the casino floor.
Sisko drew his phaser and fired. But the morph-as-ball bounced effortlessly over the phaser beam and rolled under the Boja table.
Odo sagged against a wall. Bashir said, ôAre you all right?ö
ôFine. Fine. I just need to rest for a moment.ö
The Boja table was knocked clean over, and from underneath it, roaring in defiance, lunged a mugato. Its face was red, and its white apelike body shook as it roared in fury.
ôRest timeÆs over,ö said Odo.
Odo stepped over the still-shaking body of Quark and charged down the stairs. The mugato howled defiantly. Odo came to a halt several steps away and announced, ôYouÆre not impressing anyone!ö
Sisko fired his phaser from less than ten feet away. He fired on wide beam, which lessened the overall strength. But it also meant that the creature couldnÆt anticipate the blast and morph a hole around it, allowing it to pass harmlessly through.
The mugato staggered but did not come close to falling. Then suddenly the creature shrieked in surprise as Odo thrust his hands
into the mugatoÆs chest. But now it was Odo who had transformed his hands into spears. The impact brought him face to face with the creature.
ôSauce for the goose,ö grated Odo.
The mugato brought its head down and speared Odo straight between the eyes with its horn.
Odo staggered, momentarily unable to see. Then eye stalks grew up and around from the rear of his skull so that he literally had eyes in the back of his head.
But the maneuver gave the Mugato enough time to swing its head back and forth. His horn savaged OdoÆs cranium, and Odo completely lost orientation.
Desperately he went liquid again. The mugato spun to face Sisko, and the commander brought his phaser up and fired once more.
The mugato skated out of the way, its clawed feet having shifted into wheels.
It sped across the Promenade, which had now emptied of many of its regulars. Sisko fired again, but the mugato darted out of the wayá.á.á. and crashed solidly into Jake Sisko.
ôJake!ö shouted his father.
In a flash Meta was on his feet, having dropped the mugato configuration. He had reassumed the red-haired human appearance, but he was looking somewhat haggard. The rapid shifting was no less of a strain on him than it was on Odo.
Still, he had enough strength for another partial transmutation, which would buy him a few minutesÆ breathing space.
He grabbed Jake Sisko, yanked him to his feet, and brought his right hand up across the boyÆs throat. The hand glistened, having become a vicious-looking blade.
ôStay back!ö he shouted.
Odo had been coming up on the right, and he froze where he was. Sisko, facing Meta straight on, did likewise. But Sisko had his phaser out and was pointing it straight at the metamorph.
ôBoth of youá.á.á. stay where you are,ö Meta warned.
ôYou canÆt escape,ö Odo informed him. ôYouÆre on a space station. Where do you think you can go?ö
ôWherever I want,ö replied Meta.
Sisko kept his phaser aimed unwaveringly at the shapeshifter. ôLet the boy go,ö he thundered.
ôI donÆt think so.ö Meta was as calm as Sisko was angry. ôAnd I suggest, Commander, that you point that elsewhere. Otherwise this little human gets to be number four.ö
ôWhy are you doing this?ö Sisko demanded.
ôItÆs what I do,ö replied Meta.
He pressed the blade closer to the boyÆs throat, and Jake yelped. A thin trickle of blood started running from just under his chin.
ôPointá.á.á.áthe phaserá.á.á. elsewhere,ö said Meta. ôBetter yetá.á.á. drop it.ö
Sisko suspected that the shapeshifter was tired and was trying to buy time. A phaser beam at this pointùparticularly a full-strength pinpoint blastùmight actually do it damage, especially if the creature couldnÆt morph a hole around the beam fast enough.
But he was holding Jake in front of him, giving Sisko no room to maneuver.
Odo was off to the side and had a better angleá.á.á. but Odo never carried a phaser. Sisko cursed that inwardly and glanced OdoÆs way.
And Odo was transforming himself, rearranging his molecules once moreá.á.á. intoá.á.á.á
Sisko blinked, not believing what he was seeing. Odo had changed himself into a full-length mirror.
The question as to what possible reason the security officer could have for doing that was quickly followed by the answer.
Ohhhh, my Godá.á.á.áthought Sisko.
But even as SiskoÆs mind recoiled at the plan, he was already putting it into action.
He thumbed the control on the phaser as he said, ôAll right. IÆm holding my weapon away from you, and IÆm going to put it down. Okay? Just donÆt hurt the boy.ö
Slowly, ever so slowly, Sisko kept his arm straight but pointed the phaser away from Meta. Meta was concentrating on watching Sisko and so wasnÆt really looking at where the commander was aiming. Nor was he aware that Sisko had just reconfigured the blast into a narrow beam.
Sisko was now aiming the phaser straight at Odo.
Some inner instinctùa sixth sense, somethingùstarted to warn Meta. He turned to glance at where Sisko was now pointing the phaser.
Breathing a prayer to a God that he had been somewhat on the outs with as of late, Sisko fired.
The beam stabbed out, struck OdoÆs mirrored surface, and ricocheted.
MetaÆs head exploded as the beam smashed right through it. Where his head had been, there was now a red mass, a stump that was his neck, oozing and seething.
Jake shoved as hard as he could, knocking the metamorph back, and then he dropped to the floor.
Sisko fired again before the metamorph could pull himself together. Meta was knocked clear off his feet, hitting the floor hard and dissolving.
He made straight for a floor vent and started pouring down it as fast as it could.
ôNo!ö shouted Odo, half-phased out of his mirror form. But his voice was ragged, exhausted, and he staggered forward and fell. Angry, frustrated, he tried to pull himself forward with his arms, to reach the escaping Meta.
Too slow, and too late. The metamorph vanished down the floor vent.
ôConstable, donÆt!ö Sisko called out even as he went to Jake to make sure the boy was all right. ôThe vents branch out in all directions under there! YouÆll never find himá.á.á. and even if you do, youÆll be too tired to get him.ö
ôHe has to be stopped, Sisko!ö
Sisko had never seen Odo so frustrated, so angry. ôHe will be, Constable. WeÆll get him.ö
Odo allowed a nod, and transformed the last parts of him that had been the freestanding mirror.
At that moment several of OdoÆs security people came charging in belatedly. The massive exodus had slowed down their response time by a tremendous margin.
Odo thumped the floor in frustration. ôWe have to find some way to seal off all crawl spaces with forcefields, just as weÆve done with the hallways,ö he raged. ôIt never seemed necessary before, but who could have predicted this? Noá.á.á. I should have predicted this. I should have seen this as a possibility.ö
Anxious to raise the spirits of his thwarted security chief, Sisko said, ôThat was quick thinking by the way, Constable. That mirror business. I owe you my sonÆs life.ö
Shaken from the experience but recovering quickly, Jake said, ôHey, you were no slouch, Dad. That was great shooting.ö
ôDidnÆt you hear?ö said Odo, managing to recapture some of his sardonic tone of voice. ôWhen your father was in the Academy, they called him Dead-Eye. I have to admit, Siskoá.á.á. I was banking on the hope that you were telling the truth about that. I was concerned that maybe youÆd been exaggeratingùabout your marksmanship, I mean.ö
ôYeah, wellá.á.á. I was,ö admitted Sisko. ôIn fact, I was lying through my teeth.ö He paused and then added, ôGood move, though.ö
CHAPTER
14
QUARK WAS STANDING behind his own bar, his hands trembling as he held his fourth synthale in the past hour. He raised it to his mouth, trying not to spill any of it. Across from him sat Glav, shaking his head. ôI thought you were dead,ö he admitted.
ôYou thought I was dead? No one was more convinced than I was,ö replied Quark. ôAnd I thought you were dead.ö
ôIf you hadnÆt conjured up that smoke screen, I would have been. What was that, anyway?ö
ôDantus-Three. The fog is so perpetually thick there that the natives communicate entirely through the sense of touch.ö
ôSounds charming.ö
ôIt isá.á.á. under the right circumstances.ö He gulped down the drink. ôI tell you, Glav, nothing makes you more aware of your own mortality than a brush with death.ö
ôThis was more than a brush,ö said Glav. ôIf it hadnÆt been for that Starfleet maná.á.á.áö
ôYes. ThatÆs quite correct.ö
They turned to see that Bashir was standing nearby, listening, a look of quiet confidence in his eye.
ôDoctor!ö Quark called out. ôHow excellent to see you! Come!
Come over here! Glav, make room for our most excellent friend!ö
Bashir smiled appreciatively at QuarkÆs reaction and sidled up to the bar. Glav patted him on the back. ôYou, sir, are our savior.ö
ôYes! What Glav just said is true,ö confirmed Quark. ôAt first, I must admit, I did not appreciate the disruption of my personal activities. But for obvious reasons IÆm not exactly in a position to take you to task for interrupting us. A drink, on the house!ö
ôVery kind of you,ö said Bashir.
As Quark pushed a synthale over to him, he asked Bashir, ôYouá.á.á. you donÆt think that creature is lurking about, do you?ö
ôI hope not,ö replied Bashir. ôNowá.á.á. I need to talk to you about something, Quark. The way I see itá.á.á. you owe me.ö
Quark frowned. ôI just gave you a free drink. DoesnÆt that make us even?ö
Bashir gaped at him. ôAre you saying your life is worth only one drink?ö
Glav and Quark exchanged looks. ôHeÆs got a point,ö said Glav. ôMaybe you should give him a second drink.ö
Bashir pushed the drink aside. ôIÆm not looking for free drinks.ö
ôWell, what, then?ö demanded Quark. Then suddenly his eyes narrowed and he took a step back suspiciously. ôWaitá.á.á. how do I know that youÆre not the creature?ö
ôIf I were the creature,ö Bashir pointed out, ôI could kill you easily right now. IÆm sitting barely a foot away. Furthermore, if I am, it wonÆt do you any harm to discuss what I want, because if IÆm not Dr. Bashir, then nothing we agree to will be binding.ö
Quark considered the reasoning in that. ôAll right. That seems acceptable. So what do you want, Doctor?ö
ôI want you to program one of the holosuites with a special program that I will describe.ö
Quark licked his lips. ôHowá.á.á. sexual is it? If I can make use of it after youÆre doneá.á.á. or make it available to customersá.á.á.áö
Bashir looked at him as if heÆd grown a third eye. ôItÆs not sexual at all. Not remotely. It may, however, do someone some good.ö
ôPfaw,ö snorted Quark. ôDo you know how difficult it is to program a new holosimulation from scratch? It takes time, and time is valuableùparticularly my time. Besides, IÆm not sure I want my holosuites tainted by something pristine.ö
ôQuark, I saved your life!ö
ôAll right!ö sighed Quark. ôFree drinks at QuarkÆs for the next year, not to exceed one per day. ThatÆs my best offer.ö
Glav nodded approvingly. ôIÆd take it, if I were you.ö
ôI do have my standards, after all,ö affirmed Quark.
BashirÆs lips thinned almost to nonexistence. ôAnd do your standards,ö he inquired, ôinclude erotic representations of Deep Space Nine personnel? Hmm?ö
ôI donÆt know what youÆre talking about,ö Quark said fairly convincingly.
He wasnÆt nearly convincing enough, though. ôQuark,ö said Bashir calmly. ôHow do you think Lieutenant Dax and Major Kira would react if they found out about your activities?ö
ôDoctor,ö said Quark pleadingly, ôyouá.á.á. you wouldnÆt. It wasá.á.á. it was just a harmless pursuit, thatÆs all. No insult was meant by it. In fact, when you think about it, it was actually flattering to them!ö
ôIndeed. In that case, IÆll make sure they know just how enthusiastically you were flattering them.ö
Bashir began to slide off his seat, but Quark quickly grabbed his forearm. ôWait!ö
ôYes, Quark?ö
Quark muttered some obscenities in his native tongue. ôAll right,
Doctor. You drive a hard bargain. It makes me wonder if youÆre not part Ferengi. At any rate, IÆll program whatever you want. Free of charge. Use it for however long you want. Use it until you choke!ö he added vehemently.
ôThank you, Quark. IÆll get you the specifications immediately. Oh, and Quarká.á.á.áö
ôYes?ö said Quark tiredly. He despised being bested in a deal, even when the deal was with a man to whom he owed his craven life.
ôWhat is the code name of that program with Dax and Kira?ö
Quark perked up. ôAhhh. XXX-three. ItÆs from my private stock, but if youÆre interestedá.á.á.ö
ôI want it erased.ö
ôDoctor!ö
ôI mean it, Quark. I want it gone. Adios. And if you try anything like that again with any station personnel, then all bets are off. IÆll blab the whole thing. And I can assure you that when Dax and Kiraùparticularly Kiraùget through with you, youÆll wish the metamorph had gotten you. Understood?ö
ôUnderstood,ö grunted Quark.
ôGood. Because IÆll check.ö
Quark gave him a sullen look. ôYes. Somehow I knew you would.ö
ôOps to Dr. Bashir,ö came KiraÆs voice over BashirÆs badge. ôCan you spare a moment, Doctor?ö
ôOn my way.ö
He nodded once more to Quark and then rose and headed toward the turbolifts.
Glav made a scolding noise. ôYou didnÆt once mention to him our plan to buy theùö
ôOh, shut up,ö said Quark irritably.

ôHow in hell am I supposed to tell people they canÆt leave this station?ö demanded Sisko.
They were grouped around the operations console: Sisko, Kira, Dax, Odo, OÆBrien, and Bashir. SiskoÆs eyes were angry as he surveyed his people.
ôAt first we thought we could keep it under control,ö said Sisko. ôBut you saw what that creatureùö
ôWould you kindly refrain from referring to æitÆ as a æcreature,Æ Sisko?ö OdoÆs tone was cutting. He was attempting to cover up his personal affront and not doing a terribly good job of it.
Sisko nodded. ôMy sincere apologies, Constable. Very wellá.á.á. we all saw what that individual could do. More to the point, he caused a panic in the Promenade. ItÆs a miracle that no one was trampled. We have to start getting people out of here.ö
ôAnd the metamorph goes out with them,ö said Kira.
ôNot necessarily,ö said Bashir. ôWe can run life scans on the shipsÆ equipment to make sure heÆs not hiding on board any of the departing vessels.ö
ôNot good enough,ö said Odo firmly. ôHeÆs devious. He could manage to get aboard after a shipÆs been scanned. Hell, he could disguise himself as the scanner and inform you that the ship is clean.ö
ôIf only we were within beaming distance of Bajor,ö said Dax. ôWe could transport them off the station.ö
Questioningly, Sisko turned to OÆBrien.
OÆBrien looked to be in genuine pain. ôYouÆreá.á.á. going to tell me to find a way to move the station back, arenÆt you?ö said OÆBrien. It was not something that he would be thrilled to do. ôSirá.á.á. the station really isnÆt designed for that. ThereÆs a forty percent chance that
the increased stress could rip DS-Nine apart if we put her through that again.ö
ôThat would solve the problem,ö Odo said sarcastically, ôalthough in a rather more terminal fashion than we would like.ö
ôIt may be a moot point,ö observed Sisko. ôCould we be sure that we wouldnÆt beam down a disguised metamorph to BajorÆs surface? I somehow doubt theyÆd be any happier to have thatá.á.á. that individual running around down there than we are having it here.ö
ôWe could be sure of those people on whom I have medical information,ö said Bashir firmly. ôIÆd have something to compare it to. I could run a med scan and confirm their identities.ö
ôIn other words,ö said Sisko dryly, ôall Starfleet personnel.ö
ôThatÆs correct.ö
ôOh, thatÆll look just wonderful,ö said Odo. ôStarfleet abandons Deep Space Nine while all the transients and Bajorans have to stay put.ö
ôAre we supposed to balance lives against æhow things will lookÆ?ö asked Bashir.
ôIf Starfleet is going to pull this sector together, we canÆt simply cut our losses and bolt when danger threatens,ö said Sisko. ôBut, just out of curiosityá.á.á. would you be willing to leave, Doctor? Head down to Bajor, and safety?ö
Bashir looked down. ôNo,ö he said softly. ôI couldnÆt see myself doing that.ö
ôHow about you, Lieutenant?ö
Dax smiled slightly. ôYou know the answer to that, Benjamin.ö
ôMajor?ö
ôOne of the freedom fighters in Bajoran history was a man named Ayvon of the Seven,ö said Kira. ôHe had many famous sayings, and I think that paraphrasing one here would be appropriate: IÆm not
Starfleet, IÆm not a coward, and IÆm not going.ö
Sisko glanced over to OÆBrien. ôChief?ö
ôI donÆt cut and run from anyone, sir,ö said OÆBrien. ôOh, I wouldnÆt mind shipping my family downá.á.á. but I donÆt see Keiko leaving if IÆm staying.ö
ôAnyone else?ö Sisko looked around Ops and was pleased to see firm shaking of heads. These were Starfleet personnel. They wouldnÆt scamper under any circumstances. ôAll right, then,ö he said proudly. ôWeÆre in this together, then. But weÆre back where we started: how do we catch him?ö
ôHow about this?ö said OÆBrien. ôHe seems to favor getting here and about through the air ducts. Suppose we shut down the entire stationùdocking ring, habitat, everythingùand seal everyone in the upper levels of the core. With everyone all together, a stranger would stick out like a sore thumb. Then we vent the air ductsùblow the atmosphere out of the whole damned station. He needs air to breathe like anyone else. He should be easy enough to find when heÆs passed out.ö
ôNot necessarily,ö said Odo. ôPresuming, just for the sake of argument, that heÆs like me, the lack of atmosphere isnÆt going to deter him. I donÆt have internal organs in any sense youÆd understand. I donÆt draw air into lungs or require it to oxygenate blood. Air permeates my entire mass and remains there for some time. Indefinitely, insofar as IÆve been able to determine. So the chances are that he could survive quite nicely until we restore atmosphere to the station.ö
ôStill, the air-vent escape method he uses is certainly his greatest weapon against us,ö said Sisko. ôIf we could figure out some way to deprive him of thatá.á.á.áö
ôAll right,ö said OÆBrien, not sounding the least bit deterred. His
brow wrinkled for a moment, and then he said, ôHow about this? By cross-wiring key circuit junctures and wiring them through the security field generators, I could ionize the air in the ducts. Give him one hell of a jolt. How would something like that affect you, Mr. Odo?ö
ôI wouldnÆt like it,ö said Odo.
ôOkay,ö said OÆBrien, his spirits rising. Contemplating all sorts of hideous possibilities was not the way he liked to spend his time. When he had a problem to solve through technological maneuvering, however, he was supremely happy. ôNow, IÆd have to shut off circulation throughout the station. That wonÆt present any sort of immediate problem, as long as we bring the circulators back on line within a reasonable period. The other problem is that IÆll have to cross-wire every circuit juncture individually. Even with all my men on it, itÆs going to take time.ö
ôHow much time?ö
ôWell,ö said OÆBrien with slightly diminished enthusiasm, ôthatÆs the rub. There are over two hundred circuit junctures throughout the station, and two-thirds of them are not in the greatest of shape. ThatÆs one of the reasons things keep screwing up around the station. Hot-wiring the lot of Æem would take at least twelve hours, maybe longer.ö
ôThen the sooner you start, the sooner youÆll finish.ö
ôYes, sir.ö
ôBut before you go,ö said Sisko, turning toward Bashir, ôDr. Bashir will run a med scan on you to verify your identity. On all of us, just to play it safe.ö
There were nods from all around, but Odo was frowning. ôWeÆre assuming that this being can simulate specific humanoids. ThatÆs something IÆve never quite been able to do.ö
ôWe canÆt take anything for granted, Constable.ö
ôNo, Sisko, of course we canÆt. But if that does turn out to be within his abilities, then after I catch himöùhe sighedùöI hope heÆll tell me how he does it.ö

*áá*áá*

After Bashir finished in Ops, he headed down to the infirmary. Nurse Latasa looked up from one of the medical computers questioningly, and Bashir said, ôPreganglionic.ö
ôKiss me, you fool. But keep telling yourself, Doctor: itÆs only a password,ö she said, smiling. Then she pointed to a computer terminal. ôThis stopped working, Doctor.ö
ôIÆll get the chief on it when he has a chance,ö said Bashir. ôBut heÆs going to be somewhat tied up for a while. Is this one still operating?ö He pointed to another computer terminal.
She nodded.
ôAll right, then,ö he said. ôCopy the entire file we have on the med readings I took on the Edemian boy, Rasa. Also, load on all available information on panoriaùsymptoms, effects, everything.ö
LatasaÆs fingers tapped out a command. She slid an isolinear chip into a receptacle and waited a moment.
ôCopy completed,ö the computer said primly.
She removed the isolinear chip deftly and handed it to Bashir. ôThank you, Nurse,ö he said.
ôNo problem, Doctor. May I ask what itÆs for?ö
ôMaybe,ö he told her, waving the chip, ôwe can pull something useful out of all the death thatÆs going on around here. We may just be able to save a life.ö
He glanced around the infirmary. ôItÆs quiet today,ö he said. ôWhere is everyone?ö
She sighed. ôMost of the Bajoran orderlies said they felt ill. I hear theyÆre sealing themselves in their quarters until the crisis is over.ö
ôWell, I appreciate your nerve, at least,ö said Bashir. ôDonÆt worry, Nurse. WeÆll weather this storm.ö
ôWhatever you say, Doctor,ö she replied.
Bashir flashed that famous smile of his once more and then walked out of the infirmary.
Latasa walked back to the broken medical computer, sat down in front of it, and punched an entry code onto it. There was still no response.
ôStupid piece of junk,ö she said and gave it a sharp rap on the side.
The computer struck back.
CHAPTER
15
ôNOW,ö SAID BASHIR, crouching behind the bar, out of sight, ôyou understand what youÆre supposed to do?ö
Nog and Rom crouched with him, stared at him with open curiosity. ôYes, I understand,ö said Rom. ôAnd I understand that you promised to put in a good word for Nog with Odo if we helped you out.ö
ôWhat I donÆt understand is why youÆre doing this,ö said Nog.
ôFor my own reasons. ThatÆs all you have to know.ö
He peered over the bar and saw that things were just as he had seen them for the past couple of days.
The Edemians were in their little section of the Promenade. Matters had become somewhat boring, however. Stragglers were happening by, but very few of them. Most people were either hiding in their quarters or staying in small groups for mutual safety. No one was casually strolling.
Rasa was idly wandering about. His mother had wanted him to stay by their side, but Mas Marko had been firm. ôYou canÆt mollycoddle the boy, Azira,ö he had said. ôWhatever life is left to him, he must use it to do KÆolkrÆs work in whatever way he sees fit.ö And then he had added darkly, ôJust keep an eye out for that Dr. Bashir
person. He shows no respect for our ways, and I dislike his intentions.ö
Nevertheless, Azira kept a wary eye on Rasa, making sure that he didnÆt meander too far away.
Mas Marko was still calling out, ôCome! Come, all within hearing! Share in the brilliance that is KÆolkr!ö And then he noticed one of those odd Ferengi individuals heading his way. Yesá.á.á. definitely his way, straight toward him like an arrow. This he found to be fairly strange; the Ferengi didnÆt strike him, under any circumstances, as the religious type. Still, as Commander Sisko had put it, KÆolkr moved in mysterious ways.
ôThe spirit of KÆolkr has moved you to me, my son,ö said Mas Marko.
ôNot likely,ö Rom said. ôThe spirit of Commander Sisko moved me. He wants to see you.ö He lowered his voice to a confidential tone. ôI think he wants to update you on the shapeshifter business.ö
ôIndeed.ö Marko nodded approvingly. ôHow good to see that he is following through. Hmmm. If he is indeed keeping to his promises, Iá.á.á. may actually have acted hastily.ö
Rom looked at him askance. ôHastily in what?ö
ôNo matter,ö said Marko, waving it off. ôWhat the Mas does, the Mas can undo. Delá.á.á. you stay here.ö
ôI think he wanted to see both of you,ö said Rom. But he wasnÆt the best when it came to improvising.
ôHe will content himself with me,ö Marko said firmly. ôDel, make sure that Bashir does not come over here and harangue my mate, if you please.ö
ôYes, Mas Marko,ö said Del.
Mas Marko drew his robes around him and, looking every inch the imposing and intimidating religious leader of the Edemians,
headed toward the turbolift that would take him to Ops.
Azira was suddenly nervous. Even though Del was with her, she still felt a sense of isolation. Deep Space Nineùalready an alien environment for herùhad become a strange and frightening place.
She was keeping her doubts and fears to herself because she knew this was not the sort of thing her husband would want to hear. But latelyá.á.á.á
Latelyá.á.á.á
It seemed to her that this place had somehow slipped past the notice of the almighty KÆolkr.
Was such an oversight possible? Could the all-seeing eye of KÆolkr have glossed over thisá.á.á. this floating pustule of a space station?
Perhaps Mas Marko and his followers had made a wrong turn and wandered into hell.
Yes, hell, she thought grimly. That was the word sheÆd heard bandied about recently. A place that a number of beings on Deep Space Nine believed in. A place where people who had transgressed were sent to suffer forever and ever unto eternity.
The Edemians didnÆt embrace the concept of hell. They believed in a realm called EÆbonùa nether realm, to which those Edemians were sent who died while their confidence in the glory of KÆolkr wavered. In EÆbon they endured pain and punishment for their lack of faith, but only so that those poor tortured souls would truly repent their shortsightedness. They were kept in EÆbon for an indeterminate period of time, and finally, their souls blackened and flayed, they would be sent back to begin a new incarnation, having been denied the right to move forward into the presence and glory of KÆolkr.
It was hoped that, in their new mortal incarnation, they would carry with them, spiritually, the torment that they had been subjected
subjected to. Indeed, there was a theory that the most pious of Edemians were those who had undergone a stay in EÆbon and were making up for it during their current stay on Edema. This simply went to prove that true glory could be attained by those who truly desired it.
AziraÆs mind wandered through the bleakest possibilities. Who truly knew what EÆbon was like? Perhapsá.á.á. perhaps the entire station was a fiction. Perhaps she and her party had actually been destroyed in space through some freak mishap. Perhaps they were dead and were now being subjected to a type of bizarre EÆbonite torture. Dying one by oneá.á.á. dying by degreesá.á.á.á
She brushed off that possibility. It was absurd. As hideous as this reality was, it was indeed reality. No fanciful thoughts would change that. She was here, her husband was here, her son wasù
Her son.
She looked around.
There was no sign of Rasa.
She felt the first dim rush of fear in her chest. She called his name, but heard no answer.
ôDel,ö she said swiftly, ôhave you seen Rasa?ö
ôNo, mistress,ö he replied politely. ôI believe I saw him last in that direction.ö He pointed toward QuarkÆs. ôShall Iùö
ôIÆll look for him. You stay here, and if he returns, make certain that he stays put,ö Azira said. ôThis is not a good time for him to be wandering about this station unattended.ö
Del nodded in understanding, and Azira headed toward QuarkÆs.
The entire place made her dark skin crawl. Then again, so did much of the station. Indeed, it seemed that any spiritual solace she derived came purely from looking at her son.
The son who wouldùin a year, maybe lessùbe joining KÆolkr in
the land of greatness. Basking in the presence of KÆolkrá.á.á.á
It was not something she liked to think about. So she put it out of her mind as she approached QuarkÆs establishment. Quark himself was standing behind the bar, idly cleaning a glass with a rag that looked dirtier than the glass had. He looked at her with curiosity. ôMay I help you?ö he asked politely.
ôIá.á.á. I was wondering,ö she said, her hands fluttering in small patterns, ôifá.á.á. if by any chance you had seen my son anywhere about?ö
ôYour son?ö
ôWeÆve been standing over there for several days now,ö and she pointed across the way.
ôAhhh!ö said Quark, recognition seeming to dawn. ôThe religious folks. Yes, youÆve certainly been providing some entertaining diversion. Your son, eh? Now that you mention itá.á.á. yes. Of course.ö He thudded his head with the base of his palm. ôForgetful, forgetful. He was with Nog.ö
ôNog?ö The name didnÆt mean anything to her.
Quark nodded. ôThe son of one of my employees. As I recall, they went up there.ö He pointed up the steps that led to the holosuites.
ôThank you,ö she replied, and without hesitation went up the stairs.
Quark watched her go, but his expression changed. ôAll right, Bashir,ö he muttered. ôWeÆre even now. More than even. I donÆt know which aspect stings more: being outwitted by some wet-behind-the-ears Starfleet doctor or having to erase XXX-Three. Ahhh, well.ö He sighed, and then grinned, showing his pointed teeth. ôThereÆs always XXX-Five.ö
Azira, meantime, had gained the top of the stairs. The corridor ran a short distance. There was a damp, faintly musty smell that she
found faintly repugnant. A row of doors lined the wall on the right-hand side.
She saw no one else around. ôRasa?ö she called cautiously. When she didnÆt get an immediate answer, she called a bit louder, ôRasa!ö
ôMother?ö
It was his voice, all rightá.á.á. but it sounded very different than usual. It was weak, raspy. There was no strength to it. It sounded like sand blowing across a desert.
It was coming from the door in the middle. She went to it, but it wouldnÆt open. ôRasa!ö she called, thumping on it. ôWhatÆs wrong? WhatÆs happening in there? Let me in!ö She turned and called out, ôMr. Quark! This door wonÆtùö
But then it opened. Her head snapped around, and she peered in, trying to make out something in the blackness that filled the room.
ôMotherá.á.á. it hurts.á.á.á.ö It was RasaÆs voice, unquestionably, but she couldnÆt see him.
Her heart was beating in triple time, and part of her wanted to run as fast and as far as she could. Something was deeply wrong hereùwrong and twisted. She should run and get Security, get Del, get her husbandá.á.á.ásomeone.
But that would mean abandoning her son to whatever in EÆbon was going on in there. Alone, possibly to be claimed forever by whatever lurked in the darkness.
She mustered her courage, fighting to bring a measure of authority to her voice. ôRasa!ö she called out. ôWhere are you? Come out here this minute!ö
A spotlight shone down from the ceiling. A single light illuminating a single bed.
The bed was some feet away. She could hear faintly the slow, steady pulse of a monitoring device. The steady thump-thump
thump made her realize that it was measuring a heartbeat.
A memory came back to herùthe first time that she had heard RasaÆs heart. No, not heardá.á.á. felt. When he was brought into the world, and so silent he had beená.á.á. not a peep out of him. So quiet they had thought at first he was stillborn. But no. He had simply been quiet, from the very beginning, as if he was reluctant to bother anyone.
They had laid him down on her bare stomach, and she had felt it then. The rapid, frantic beating of his heart, thumping against his chest as if it might explodeá.á.á. much as her heart was doing at this very moment.
It made perfect sense that she would think of that moment just now, because the figure lying there in the bed, in the darknessá.á.á. was her son.
But it wasnÆt.
Not entirely.
She walked forward on unsteady legs, not fully believing, not at all understanding. ôRasaá.á.á.á?ö she whispered.
The door slid shut behind her, but she paid it no mind. Her full attention was focused on the small boy who lay helpless in the bed.
And another light came on. A second spotlight, hitting a place on the other side of the bed. Standing there was Dr. Julian Bashir.
She recoiled from him, like a vampire shunning a crucifix. ôWhatÆs happening here?ö she hissed. ôMyá.á.á. my husband told you to stay away!ö
ôI am staying away,ö said Bashir with a calm he did not feel. He had planned this with cold, efficient cunning, but now that it had come down to the crunch, his emotions were twisted into a tight knot in the pit of his stomach. ôYou came to me.ö
ôIt was a trick!ö Azira stabbed an accusing finger at him, rolling
back on her heels as she did so. ôYouá.á.á. you tricked me into coming up here! WhereÆs my son?ö
ôRasa? Whyá.á.á. heÆs right here,ö said Bashir, and he swept his hand over the form on the bed, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

*áá*áá*

Mas Marko stepped off the turbolift and was greeted with a less than patient look from Major Kira. ôMas Marko,ö she said, ôI appreciate your concern, but we really cannot have station guests traipsing in and out of Ops.ö
ôI understand your situation,ö said Mas Marko easily, ôand IÆd understand it even more, were it not for the fact that I am here at the request of your commander.ö
ôWhat?ö Her brows knit together, and she turned at her station and called up to Sisko. ôCommander, did you ask to see Mas Marko?ö
Sisko emerged from his office, looking puzzled. ôNo. Mas Marko, what gave you that idea?ö
A warning bell was going off in Mas MarkoÆs head. ôA Ferengi,ö he said, ôinformed me that it was your desire that I come up here.ö
ôWellá.á.á. that explains it,ö said Sisko easily. ôThe Ferengi have a fairly underdeveloped sense of humor.ö
ôMatches their sense of decency,ö muttered Kira who, fortunately for all concerned, had no idea just how accurate her statement was on a personal level.
ôWhoever sent you here,ö Sisko said, ôprobably mistakenly believed that sending you on a wild-goose chase represented the height of wit. Which Ferengi did it?ö
ôI do not know, Commander,ö admitted Mas Marko. ôTruth to tell, they all look alike to me.ö
ôAs we do to them, so IÆm told,ö said Sisko. ôIÆm sorry you wasted your time.ö
ôYou neednÆt be. As long as IÆm hereùö
ôMas Markoá.á.á.áö
ôYou can tell me if youÆve decided to turn the shapeshifter over to the Edemians for justice.ö
ôThatÆs not going to happen,ö said Sisko firmly. ôAgain, this is a Bajoran station. And a Bajoran citizen is now on the list of victims. The Bajorans are a very spiritual people, but they will not tolerate murder. They want the killer, too, and since the crimes occurred on their station and under Federation jurisdiction, their wishes take precedence.ö
ôThat, Commander,ö said Mas Marko darkly, ôis most unfortunate for you.ö
Something in his tone of voice made it quite clear that Sisko was going to have a problem on his hands. ôPardon me, Mas Marko, but that sounded to me like a threat.ö
Marko made no reply.
ôI do not take kindly to threats,ö said Sisko. ôNot as a Starfleet officer and certainly not as commander of this station.ö
Abruptly Dax looked up from her instruments. ôBenjamin,ö she said, ôsensors detect an incoming vessel. It has just come out of warp and is now approaching at one-half impulse.ö
Forgetting Mas Marko for the moment, Sisko came down to his Ops station. ôWarn them off,ö he said. ôInform them they have no business here. The station is under quarantine, and the wormhole is still unpassable.ö
ôTheyÆre not responding.ö
ôOn screen,ö said Sisko, taking a step forward and staring intently at the screen.
A ship appeared on the viewscreen. It was shaped somewhat like a starburst. It was bristling with weapons and looked as if it meant business.
ôMas Marko, please leave Ops,ö Sisko told him firmly. Without waiting to see the order carried out, he turned to Kira and said, ôHave we got a make on that type of vessel?ö
The answer came quickly and with confidence. It did not, however, come from Kira.
ôIt is an Edemian vessel of Holy War,ö Mas Marko informed them calmly. ôThe ship Zealous, I believe. I summoned it.ö
Sisko turned and regarded Mas Marko as if he were some intriguing new specimen of insect, which at that moment had an equally intriguing flyswatter poised over it. ôYouá.á.á. summoned them?ö
ôThatÆs correct, Commander.ö
Sisko was fighting with everything he had to stay in control not only of the situation but of himself as well. ôMay I ask why?ö
ôYou can ask,ö Mas Marko replied sedately. ôBut you already know the answer, as IÆm quite certain youÆre aware. It is here to make sure that the wishes of the Mas Marko are carried out fully and completely.ö
Sisko gripped the underside of his console, his fist squeezing so tight that he almost dislocated a knuckle. ôYouá.á.á. are notá.á.á. in chargeá.á.á.á of this station.ö
ôQuite true,ö replied Mas Marko. ôBut I am in charge of that Holy War ship out there. And that ship, Commander, can blow Deep Space Nine to bits.ö
ôYou hypocrite,ö said Sisko with quiet fury. ôYou, who call yourself a holy man, would tell that vessel to open fire on us? Kill everyone
everyone on this station if your demands are not met? Destroy hundreds of innocent lives?ö
ôCommander.ö Mas Marko sounded faintly disappointed. ôOf course not. I would never order the Zealous to fire upon you. Howeverá.á.á. I might indeed order it to take target practice on a point directly behind this station. I would not hurt you for all the world, Commander, but if Deep Space Nine is in the way of where my vessel happens to shootá.á.á. well, what is to be done? It would be tragic, yes. But these things happen. It would mean the death of me and mine, but KÆolkr will welcome us into his embrace. You, unbelievers that you are, will not be quite so fortunate, I fear.ö
Sisko said nothing.
ôYou must understand, Commander. You say the people here are innocent. To me they are blind fools, unaware of the greatness that is KÆolùö
Sisko tapped his comm badge. ôSecurity to Ops, immediately.ö
Mas Marko was filled with curiosity. ôNow, why would you need a security team, Commander? Are you feeling insecure, perhaps?ö
Two security guards appeared on the turbolift. Sisko pointed at Mas Marko and said, ôTake him to a holding cell and leave him there. Check him over and make damned sure he doesnÆt have any communications devices on him.ö
When they took Mas Marko firmly by either arm, he seemed for the first time to lose his temper. ôJust what do you think youÆre doing, Commander?ö
ôYour fanaticism is second to none, Mas, but your timing leaves a great deal to be desired,ö Sisko said. ôIf you seriously think IÆm going to leave you running around unhampered so that you can communicate with your ship at leisure and have them blast us to molecules, then youÆre laboring under a misapprehension.ö
ôThis is an outrage!ö thundered Mas Marko. ôI am the voice of the living KÆolkr!ö
ôFine,ö said Sisko flatly. ôIf KÆolkr wants to hash it out with me, have him swing by and weÆll chat. In the meantime, you can stew.ö He gestured for the guards to take Mas Marko out of Ops.
He did not go quietly. ôSisko!ö he shouted. ôThis is an insult! You may not treat a Grand Mas of the Edemians in this fashion! This is an ill-advised course, Sisko! Continuing on this path will lead you toùö
Sisko never heard where it would lead him, because Mas MarkoÆs voice was cut off by the departing turbolift.
ôTheyÆre still refusing to respond to our hails. TheyÆve cut all forward motion,ö Kira said, looking up from her instruments. ôTheyÆre just sitting there watching us.ö
ôLet them watch,ö said Sisko. ôMonitor their emissions. If their shields come up, or if they in any way indicate that they are powering up their weapons, then we take defensive action. Unless that happens, they can stare at us until pigs fly. And find out which of the Ferengi sent Mas Marko up here. SomethingÆs going on here that weÆre not aware of, and I want to know what it is.ö

ôI deeply regret the aggravation I may have caused you and yours in recent days,ö said Bashir. ôSoá.á.á. this is my way of making it up to you.ö
Hesitantly, drawn by her curiosity in spite of herself, Azira approached the bed slowly and gazed at it in unremitting horror.
ôNot too long into the future,ö continued Bashir, fighting to keep his voice steady, fighting to maintain the detachment that was so important now, ôyou will have to say farewell to your son. I imagine youÆll want to be strong for him. YouÆll want to be a source of comfort
comfort and confidence instead ofùoh, I donÆt knowùcoming apart. In order to make that moment easier for you, IÆve created this simulation. ItÆs quite accurate, I assure you. My medical records are precise, and panoria in its final stages is thoroughly documented. This, Azira, is what you have to look forward to.ö
Rasa was covered up to his neck by a blanket. His once-glowing eyes were so dim that it was practically impossible to discern any light at all. Furthermore, they had sunk into his head almost to the point of disappearing altogether. His skin had become shrunken and parched, and his breathing was labored. He tried to lick his lips, but his tongue made a scratchy sound.
ôHis body is utterly unable to retain liquids of any sort,ö said Bashir by way of explanation. He might have been discussing a textbook case in a classroom. Nothing about his demeanor betrayed the fact that the look on AziraÆs face was like a knife to his heart. He knew what he was putting the woman through. It gutted the young doctor. But he struggled to retain his clinical detachment. ôAll attempts to keep him hydrated would fail at this point in the diseaseÆs progression. Look.ö
He pulled the blanket down, and Azira choked off a shriek. The child was naked from the waist up. She could see the outline of his ribs against his chest; his desiccated skin was like sandpaper, and his fingers looked like claws.
ôMoá.á.á. ther,ö he croaked. He managed to stretch out a hand, grasping at air like a dying bird. ôMotherá.á.á. canÆt see youá.á.á.áö
ôMake it stop,ö whispered Azira, clutching her hands to her bosom. ôThis isá.á.á. this is a holo trick. WhereÆs my son?ö Her voice rose in a shriek. ôWhereÆs my son?ö
ôRasa is fine, madam,ö Bashir said evenly, and then added as an afterthought, ôAt leastá.á.á. at the moment. But some months from
now,ö and apologetically he once more indicated the holocreation.
The dying child tried to sit up. He looked in the general direction of AziraÆs voice. ôMoá.á.á. therá.á.á.áö Each syllable was an effort. He sounded as if his tongue was swollen. ôHurtsá.á.á. so much.á.á.á.Make it stop hurting.á.á.á.ö
AziraÆs body was shaking so violently that for a moment Bashir was afraid she might pass out. His heart went out to the woman, and in every way he felt like a total cad. But there was no turning back now. As if reciting a laundry list, he said, ôHis entire body is shutting down. High fever. Dehydration. Blindness. Failure of several major organs. His body is racked by painá.á.á. IÆd say he hasnÆt got much longer.ö
ôThat thing is not my son!ö
ôAzira,ö said Bashir, somewhat scoldingly, ôthis is what he will look like. This is not conjecture or guesswork. This is it. If you do not intend to be at RasaÆs bedside when he dies, then this is a pointless exercise. But if you do plan to see him off to the great beyond, then I suggest you take this opportunity to practice saying good-bye. I hardly think heÆll want the last words he hears to be æThat thing is not my son.Æ ö
ôMother,ö Rasa croaked. ôHurtsá.á.á. Everything hurts. Why isnÆt KÆolkrá.á.á. making it stop? Why isá.á.á. everything hurting? Why doesá.á.á. he hate meá.á.á. so much?ö
Reflexively, Azira mumbled, ôKÆolkrá.á.á. KÆolkr doesnÆt hate us. He lá.á.á. loves us. Allöùshe swallowed hardùôall things have a purpose, andá.á.á.á and á.á.á.áö She couldnÆt get anything else out.
ôHold meá.á.á.áö The boy reached for her.
She stepped back, unable to get near the holo, and now her voice was pleading, broken. ôPleaseá.á.á.áö she said, trembling. ôPleaseá.á.á. make it stop. Make itá.á.á.áö
Rasa began to convulse, and Azira shrieked, her hand going to her mouth, trying to stifle the noise. From head to foot, the boyÆs shriveled body shook, his head pitching back. Bashir stepped in behind him and gently lowered him back down onto the bed. RasaÆs hands continued to rake the air for a few moments more, and his breath rattled in his throat. His last word was unintelligible, although it might have been ôMother.ö It was impossible to be sure.
The glow vanished from his eyes, his soul departing with his final breath. His head lolled slightly, but his hands remained in the air. Gently Bashir lowered them, crossing them over his withered chest.
Azira was sobbing openly, her chest heaving with racking sobs. Bashir calmly pulled the blanket up over the childÆs head and then turned to her. He seemed slightly puzzled. ôI donÆt understand,ö he said. ôYour son would be going off to grace the presence of KÆolkr at this moment. ShouldnÆt you be celebrating? Andá.á.á. you didnÆt really say good-bye, did you? Tell you what: weÆll try it again. Computer, rerun program.ö
The table shimmered a moment, and then Rasa was alive againá.á.á. but just barely.
ôIn real life, of course,ö said Bashir, ôwe only get one chance. If we miss it, then itÆs gone. But hereá.á.á. here you can practice for RasaÆs death as often as you wish.ö
And in that same horrible, near-dead voice, Rasa said, ôMotherá.á.á.á?ö
Azira stepped forward quickly, her hand moving faster than the eye could follow. She swung as hard as she could, smacking BashirÆs face. The blow stung, but Bashir made no move to rub his cheek.
ôThe truth is hurting you, madam,ö said Bashir, ôfar more than your hand could possibly hurt me.ö
ôYouá.á.á. sadistic bastard,ö snarled Azira. She turned to flee the holodeck.
Bashir wanted to grab her, to shake her. To yell at her, You call yourself a mother? You would willingly subject your child to the ravages of this disease? Let me save him! Let me do what all my training would have me do! DonÆt make me stand idle and allow this to happen! In the name of humanityá.á.á.á
But Azira wasnÆt human, and besides, hysteria would be of no use. Bellowing could be far more easily tuned out than calm words that carried truth with them. And Bashir, the picture of composure, said, ôSadistic? Me? Dear woman, IÆm not the one who will allow this to happen. You are. IÆm simply showing you the consequences.ö
She fled the holosuite, sobbing frantically.
The moment she was gone, BashirÆs detached demeanor collapsed. The pain that he was feeling, the empathy for what the woman was going through, he now allowed to show.
ôComputerá.á.á. end program,ö he said tonelessly. The image vanished.
He had just done a terrible thing, he knew. It was the act of a desperate man. But he was indeed desperate. He had not yet developed the ability to detach himself from the death of a patient, or from the inability to act in his fullest capacity as a healer.
He dreaded the thought that, at some point in the future, the death of a patient he might have saved would bother him less than it did now. Because at the moment, the idea of that child dying when Bashir could have saved him was a great, gaping wound in his medical heart, and the parentsÆ refusal to let him treat Rasa was salt on that wound.
The question was, quite simplyá.á.á. had the holodrama done any good?
Rasa was gaping in astonishment at the hand-held holovid that Nog was showing him. On it two naked Orion women were doing things with each other that Rasa had never imagined any two individuals doingùmuch less two women.
ôWowö was all he could manage to say.
Nog smirked. ôThey teach you much about that in religious school?ö
Rasa shook his head.
And suddenly he heard his mother shouting, ôRassaaaa!ö Her voice seemed to be echoing from everywhere within the Promenade.
The youths had been hiding inside one of QuarkÆs larger storage cabinets. But now Rasa got to his feet so fast that he cracked his head against the top. ôShe sounds real upset,ö he said.
Nog made a rude noise, which was pretty much the only type that Ferengis made. ôWhat, are you afraid of your mother?ö
ôYes,ö Rasa said matter-of-factly.
ôOh. Okay, then.ö Nog kicked open the door, and Rasa emerged into the light. He turned and looked back at the Ferengi. ôCould Iá.á.á. uhá.á.á. that isá.á.á. you donÆt have another one of those, do you?ö
Nog shook his head. ôHard to come by,ö he grumbled. ôNot for saleá.á.á. unless, of course, the right price is mentioned. Then we could possibly make a deal.ö
ôSorry,ö said Rasa apologetically. ôNo money.ö
ôThen no deal.ö
ôAll right, then. Thanks anyway. ItÆs beená.á.á. itÆs been interesting.ö
He turned away and scampered in the direction of the Edemian setup. Nog leaned back, activated the holoviewer once more, and swung the door shut for privacy.
Azira, meantime, was on the verge of total frenzy. ôRaaasaaa!ö she shouted again.
Del was trying to calm her, to no avail. ôPleaseá.á.á. heÆll turn up.ö
ôRaaasaaaaaa!ö It was the voice of a woman screaming over a cliff, watching a loved one plummet to his death while she stood there helpless.
The screaming attracted a security guard, who said with concern, ôMaÆam, whatÆs happened? Calm down, and let me help you.ö
At that moment Rasa came into view. ôMother?ö he called, sounding extremely confused by his motherÆs hysterics.
She ran to him, crossing the Promenade in an instant. She grabbed him and pressed him to her bosom, holding him so tight that he thought he was going to break.
ôMother!ö he said in embarrassed confusion. ôWhatÆs wrong?ö
ôNothing,ö she murmured. ôNothing. ItÆs all right, love. Nothing is wrong.ö
The security guard and Del exchanged looks. Del shrugged. ôWomen,ö he said in a low voice, by way of explanation. ôSometimes the least little thing will set them off.ö
The guard nodded. ôTell me about it,ö he said sympathetically.
And as Azira clutched her son like a life preserver, she saw Bashir emerging from the holosuites. Her gaze stayed fixed on him as he trotted down the stairs without even glancing her wayùuntil he got to the very bottom, at which point he afforded her a brief glance.
He kept his face neutral, but his expression said it all: Hold him while you can. You wonÆt have the opportunity much longer.
And then he walked away.

Bashir returned to the infirmary feeling desperately unclean.
Do no harm. The first rule of medicine kept rattling around inside his head. He had tortured that woman. Nothing less. He was not simply charged with maintaining the physical well-being of individuals; he had to attend to their mental well-being also. And he had just put Azira through a mental wringer.
He kept trying to tell himself that he had done the right thing, that he was attempting to save the life of a young boy. But the notion rang hollow, even to him. Azira and her husband had already decided how they would handle their childÆs illness. Their culture had shaped and molded that decision. He had done nothing less than subject the woman to a crisis of conscience, browbeaten her, undermined her faithùall out of his selfish desire to save someone who hadnÆt asked for his help.
In trying to spare Azira hurt further on down the line, he had subjected her to mental torment that was even crueler than what life held for her. Had he not interfered, she might have remained blissfully ignorant of what was to come. She might have been able to cherish the time she had left with her child.
But now, thanks to Bashir, she would constantly picture what Rasa was going to become. Bashir hadnÆt deceived her; the depiction was accurate. But now it was going to dominate every waking moment she spent with the boy. She would never be able to look at Rasa again without seeing the ghastly sack of bones that he would become.
In the name of trying to save a life, Bashir had destroyed the little remaining happiness that AziraÆs son might have provided her.
And the hell of it wasá.á.á. he would do it again, in a heartbeat.
ôNurse,ö he called tiredly, feeling a hundred years old. His voice echoed in the infirmary. ôNurse Latasa,ö he said again.
Nothing.
The first faint buzz of alarm penetrated BashirÆs general depression. ôNurse?ö Now there was guarded concern in his voice.
Slowly he moved through the infirmary. Everything around him seemed to loom larger, more threatening. He thought of calling Security, but he was loath to sound a false alarm when they were facing such problems already.
ôNurse?ö
And then he remembered, and he almost laughed as he said, ôOh, right. How could I forget? Preganglionic,ö he called out.
He rounded a corner and jumped back as if heÆd been electrified.
Nurse LatasaÆs bloodied body was smeared across the wall. Her head, with a permanently shocked expression on it, had been meticulously placed atop a computer terminal.
Just above her head, dried blood clung to the wall. A large ô#4ö had been smeared through itá.á.á. and something else, as well. Four words etched on the wall above her head, also in blood. And the words were ôKiss me, you fool.ö
CHAPTER
16
ôMILES?ö
OÆBrien put down the hydrospanner and crawled out of the circuit junction. His face and hands were smeared with dirt and perspiration. He stared bleary-eyed at KeikoÆs concerned face.
ôWhat is it?ö The raspiness of his voice surprised him, although it shouldnÆt have. He had been staying in communication with his people, talking constantly, cross-checking relays and the timing of everything that was being done.
Keiko was standing there, looking a little intimidated by the two security guards posted on either side of the hallway, keeping a watchful eye out. She held a small cup out to him. ôRice tea?ö she said.
Genuinely touched, he thanked her and took the cup. He sipped the tea, and the warmth down his throat helped lift his spirits.
ôYouÆve been working so hard, and I justá.á.á. I wanted to do something for you.ö She glanced around. ôIt seems there are security teams everywhere these days.ö
He nodded. ôOdo has got them stretched to the limit. Apparently IÆm one of the key figures they want to guard.ö
ôYouÆre one of the key targets, you mean,ö she said.
Again he nodded, this time a bit more reluctantly.
ôYeah,ö he allowed. ôThatÆs one way of looking at it.ö Then he paused and said, ôKeikoá.á.á. remember when Molly was born?ö
The switch in subjects confused her. ôWhat? Uhá.á.á. yes, of course. I was there, after all.ö
ôAnd where were you, precisely?ö
The guards, looking suspicious, glanced at each other and then at Keiko.
Her face was the picture of confusion. ôWhat?ö And then she understood. She laughed a bit sadly. ôOh. Of course. I was in Ten-Forward, Miles. And Worf delivered Molly.ö Dropping her voice to approximate WorfÆs deep timbre, she said, æYou may now give birth.Æáö
ôAh, I knew it was really you all the time,ö he said, taking another sip of tea. And the guards relaxed somewhat. ôNow rememberá.á.á. when youÆre in our quarters, you keep that phaser I gave you handy. And make sure it stays fully charged at all times.ö
ôYes, Miles. And you be careful.ö
ôOf course.ö Then he lowered his voice so that the guards could not hear. ôYou know, up in Ops, we were discussing the possibility of evacuating people. And I saidá.á.á.áö
She looked at him questioningly. ôYou said what?ö
ôI said that I wouldnÆt run under any circumstances and that you wouldnÆt want to leave if it meant leaving me behind. Was Iá.á.á.áö He hesitated. ôWas I wrong to tell them that? Would you want to leave, given the opportunity?ö
ôLeave?ö She made a gesture that seemed to encompass the entire space station. ôAnd give up all this? DonÆt be silly.ö
She kissed him briskly and headed back down the hallway. And as she left, OÆBrien heard OdoÆs voice, with its usual fusion of
amusement and contempt. ôThings improving on the homefront, Chief OÆBrien?ö
OÆBrien looked up, but before he could respond, the security guards tensed. Odo, however, said briskly, ôGamma zed alpha.ö
The guards promptly responded, ôAlpha omicron delta.ö
ôPasswords?ö asked OÆBrien.
ôNo, OÆBrien, weÆre studying for a quiz on the Greek alphabet,ö replied Odo sarcastically.
ôHere.ö OÆBrien pushed the remaining rice tea at Odo. ôThis might put you in a better mood.ö
ôI wouldnÆt count on it.ö
ôDonÆt worry. I wonÆt.ö He started to climb back up into the juncture point, then stopped and looked at Odo. ôTell me something. That card trick I didá.á.á. I was certain I was holding up the card you picked.ö
ôYou were,ö said Odo.
OÆBrien gaped. ôButá.á.á. but you said it wasnÆtùö
ôNo. You said, æIs this your card?Æ It wasnÆt. It was your card. It was your deck. It wouldnÆt have been appropriate for me to claim that it was mine when I didnÆt own it.ö
OÆBrien moaned. ôAnd here IÆve been going crazy trying to figure out what I did wrong! I was going to go back to working on my sleight of hand.ö
ôFace it, OÆBrien. Magic isnÆt your forte.ö
ôBut I really want to entertain Molly at her party.ö He looked hopefully at Odo. ôYou know, Odo, with your abilities, I bet Molly would love it if youÆd considerùö
ôI donÆt do childrenÆs parties, OÆBrien,ö Odo said. ôIÆm not that wild about human children.ö
ôOr human adults,ö said OÆBrien.
ôYes, well, that goes without saying.ö
OdoÆs comm badge beeped, and he tapped it. ôYes?ö
ôBashir to Security.ö The doctor sounded haunted, horrified. ôOdoá.á.á. thereÆsùö
He didnÆt even have to complete the statement. ôWhere are you, Doctor?ö Odo said quickly.
ôInfirmary.ö
ôOn my way.ö Odo turned quickly to OÆBrien and said, ôYou may want to hurry with that, Chief. Matters do not seem to be improving.ö

Azira stood outside her husbandÆs cell, clutching her sonÆs hand as if afraid that he might vanish into thin air.
ôDo you believe this outrage, my wife?ö Mas Marko appeared not to know whether to be angry or amused. ôDo you see what they have done?ö
ôYouá.á.á.áö She paused.
ôYes?ö
ôWell, they probably felt they had no choice once the Holy War vessel appeared.ö
ôThat may very well have been my undoing,ö said Mas Marko. ôThe rightness of my act seemed so clear to me that it did not occur to me that they would take retaliatory action. How pathetic I must look. You are fortunate, my wife, that they have not imprisoned you as well.ö
ôI have taken no action against them,ö she said. ôIf they do not perceive me as a threat, they will not punish me.ö
ôThen do nothing to alter your status, Azira,ö said Mas Marko firmly. ôI shall be free presently, I have no doubt. The Zealous will try to make contact if it does not hear from me soon. When they are
unable to reach me, they will demand answers from Commander Sisko. I suspect the commander of the Zealous will not be pleased with the answers he gets, at which point Sisko will be faced with a decision: either he can release me or he can experience the terminal ordeal of having his station blown asunder. I think the choice will be fairly obvious, donÆt you?ö
ôAs you say.ö She nodded deferentially.
ôAnd you, Rasa,ö said Mas Marko. ôHow are you feeling?ö
ôFine, Father.ö
ôGood. Good lad.ö He looked up at Azira. ôYou know, I think the boy is starting to look healthier. By KÆolkr, I swear itÆs so. DonÆt you think?ö
ôAs you say.ö Again she spoke in that distant, even neutral fashion.
ôWell, then.ö He clapped his hands briskly. ôCarry on spreading the word of KÆolkr. I shall join you before too long, I assure you.ö
ôMarkoá.á.á.áö She seemed hesitant, and then she drew herself up straight. ôI just want you to knowá.á.á. I love you, and I have nothing but respect for you. Whatever happens, that will never change.ö
She was standing just on the other side of the forcefield. He regarded her with curiosity and rose to face her. ôIt goes without saying, Azira, that I feel the same way about you.ö
ôI know. I know it does. Nevertheless, some things that go without saying should be said anyway.ö
She turned away from him and walked off down the corridor, leaving him thoughtful and just a bit uneasy.

Odo stared in quiet fury at the remains of Nurse Latasa and the message on the wall.
Kira was there as well, having been sent by Sisko to oversee matters
matters and report back. She watched OdoÆs reaction carefully as the security chief stalked the area, clearly hoping against hope that somehow, some way, the shapeshifter might reveal itself.
It did not, of course. The odds were excellent that it was nowhere around.
Bashir was seated, looking dazed and nauseated. ôJustá.á.á. just a little while ago I saw Latasa.ö His voice sounded ragged. ôWhy her? Why not me? I was the one who interfered with him earlier. Why?ö
ôThis is just one more confirmation that thereÆs no rhyme or reason to these killings,ö said Kira. ôThe metamorph doesnÆt care that you interfered. He kills whoever he feels like killing.ö
ôYes,ö Odo said testily. ôYes, remind me of that, Major. Remind me that he does whatever the hell he wants!ö And he slammed his fist into the bloodied wall.
Kira and the security guards stared at Odo in shockùpartly because of their surprise at his totally unexpected, uncharacteristic outburst, and partly because his fist had flattened on impact, giving him what looked like an anvil at the end of his wrist.
Odo stared at it for a moment as if it belonged to someone else entirely. Then, after a momentÆs concentration, the fingers grew out and extended once more. He wiggled them experimentally. ôYou saw nothing, Doctor?ö he asked, sounding rather conversational.
ôOh, I saw plenty, Mr. Odo,ö said Bashir grimly. ôI saw the nonfunctioning medical computer, the one thatÆs gone now. The original one turned up in a storage closet. The shapeshifter was hiding hereùright here, disguised as the med computer.ö
ôSweep the room,ö said Odo quickly. ôMake sure itÆs not stillá.á.á. heÆs not still here.ö
Kira saw the pained expression on his face at the slip. Odo said nothing further, but now merely stood with his arms folded, waiting
waiting for his men to give him the response that he knew, instinctively, would comeùnamely that they were alone there in the infirmary.
ôNothing, sir,ö Meyer said at length. ôNothing alive here that shouldnÆt be alive.ö
Odo was about to ask Bashir to perform an autopsy but quickly thought better of it. It was unlikely that an autopsy would tell them anything they didnÆt already know, and besides, Bashir hardly looked in shape to start going over the young woman to determine at what point precisely, during her last agonizing moments, she had died. That could wait.
He communicated as much to Kira, and quickly she agreed. ôWeÆll have the body put in stasis,ö she said, ôand have maintenance come in and clean up theá.á.á. the remains.ö She felt sickened. ôGods, this is a nightmare. Just a nightmare.ö
ôI wish it were,ö said Odo. ôThen IÆd hold out a hope of waking up.ö
Still flexing his fist, he walked out of the infirmary.

ôThis is an outrage!ö
Sisko was gazing at the angry face of Mencar, the Edemian commander of the Zealous. The ship had finally contacted them, presumably, Sisko figured, because they had not heard from their fearless leader. Security had checked Mas Marko quite thoroughly and had indeed uncovered a communications device on him. To play it safe they had inspected the other Edemians as well but found nothing. That didnÆt surprise Sisko at all; it was typical of an individual like Marko to maintain himself as the sole source of communication with the home troops.
This is not my first outrage of the day, and it probably wonÆt be my last, thought Sisko. Out loud he said, ôI am sorry you are outraged.
You are, however, in Bajoran space. Your presence is not welcome, and you would be well advised to leave.ö
ôAnd you,ö said Mencar, ôwould be well advised to let us communicate with our Mas immediately.ö
ôYour Mas,ö said Sisko, ôis otherwise occupied. It is in your best interest to take no actions that could jeopardize his welfare.ö
ôAre you threatening us, Commander?ö
ôWe are not the ones who are trespassing and loaded down with weaponry,ö Sisko reminded him. ôWeÆre simply a space station, Mencar. WeÆre not in a position to force you to leave. We can, however, keep your Mas under wraps until you are prepared to discuss matters in a civilized manner.ö
ôLobb was of my family,ö said Mencar angrily. ôWe were first cousins. We grew up together. He was the youngest member of the family, and the joy he took in the simplest of things was a constant source of pleasure to us.ö
ôI grieve for your loss,ö Sisko said formally.
ôWe want his killer! He must face Edemian justice!ö
ôMencar, we are wasting your time and mine. When we have something to report, you will be among the first to know. Until then kindly let us do our jobs. Sisko out.ö The screen went blank even as Mencar was opening his mouth to continue the conversation.
ôIt would seem that we have a problem,ö said Dax.
ôIÆll put it on my list.ö
Dax suddenly looked up from her sensor array. ôBenjamin,ö she said warningly, ôweÆre picking up another arrival. ItÆsá.á.á.áö She paused. ôOh, dear. ItÆs a Cardassian warship. At three eight one mark four.ö
ôOn screen,ö said Sisko, sighing heavily. ôLetÆs see it.ö
The viewscreen shifted, and sure enough, there was a Cardassian ship, big as life. Bigger, in fact. The vessel looked large enough to blast Deep Space Nine to pieces just by having everyone on board sneeze in the stationÆs direction.
ôTheyÆre hailing us, sir.ö
ôThis is Commander Sisko. How may we be of service?ö he asked, trying to sound casual. He wanted to give the impression that fully armed Cardassian ships dropped by all the time.
An image appeared on the viewscreen. It was a very familiar imageùof someone Sisko had spoken with not all that long before.
ôGreetings, Sisko,ö said Gul Dukat. ôItÆs been far too long since weÆve gotten together.ö
ôAh. I see,ö Sisko replied. ôThis would be a simple social call, then. Quite a formidable ship to come calling in.ö
Gul Dukat looked around as if noticing the ship for the first time. ôYes,ö he said with a tinge of pride. ôIt is rather formidable, isnÆt it? This is the Ravage, pride of the second order. Enough firepower to knock a class-G star out of position.ö He smiled pleasantly.
ôA pleasant exaggeration,ö said Sisko.
ôLet us all hope so. You have other company as well, I see, besides the various ships that presently festoon the docking ring.ö
ôIf you are referring to the Edemian ship Zealous, yes.ö
ôAnd their concerns areá.á.á.á?ö
ôTheirs.ö
ôAh.ö Gul Dukat nodded. ôVery well. And our concerns are ours. It has been some time since we spoke, Commander. Gotto is long dead, but his spirit is screaming for vengeance.ö
ôWe are working on finding his killer,ö said Sisko. ôIf you wish, you can come here and we can discuss the investigation.ö
ôOhá.á.á. I do not think so, Commander,ö Dukat said easily. ôI have no personal desire to be added to your list of deceased Cardassians. Nor, should difficulties arise, do I wish to be a guest of Deep Space Nine, as Mas Marko and the other Edemians are. That could conceivably hamper the Ravage in doing its duty.ö
ôYou tapped into Edemian shipÆs transmissions,ö said Sisko.
ôQuite so.ö Then the CardassianÆs voice hardened ever so slightly. ôWe want GottoÆs murderer.ö
ôSo do we,ö Sisko assured him. ôAnd we will find him. WeÆre in the process ofá.á.á.áö
Dukat held up a hand and made a dismissive wave. ôDo not bother to cite chapter and verse for me, Commander. Perhaps you find the details interesting, but I assure you that I do not. Noá.á.á. we Cardassians are interested only in the bottom line. The when, as in when you will capture him. And the how, as in how do you plan to deliver him to us?ö
ôWe canÆt put a timetable on our operations,ö said Sisko.
ôWell, now, thatÆs the difference between us, Commander. I can. Specificallyá.á.á. if we donÆt have the murderer here, in our hands, within six hoursá.á.á. we will come over there in force. In large force. We will take over the operation and, if necessary, the entire station. It was ours, you know. YouÆre there merely at our sufferance.ö
ôI donÆt exactly read it the same way. Nor do I advise you to attempt a hostile boarding.ö
ôWhy not?ö Gul Dukat looked rather puzzled by SiskoÆs statement. ôYou haveá.á.á. what? Fifty Starfleet personnel there? Sixty at most? Twice that number of Bajorans, perhaps? Commander, we have enough Cardassians on this vessel to send in two of our people for every one of yours and still keep the Ravage fully armed. I do not suggest you cross us in this matter. You and I have had such an
enjoyable relationship thus far, Commander. I would hate to see it come to an end. Particularly a bloody end.ö
He smiled once more in a manner that gave Sisko chills, and then the picture disappeared.
There was silence in Ops for a moment.
ôBenjaminá.á.á. would you like me to say I committed the murders?ö asked Dax.
He looked at Dax mirthlessly. ôIÆll keep that in mind as a last resort, old man. Thank you.ö
CHAPTER
17
ODO SAT BROODING in his office and didnÆt look up when Kira entered. She stood in the doorway until he finally said, ôKai.ö
ôOpaka,ö she replied, and sat down. ôYou know, if this keeps up for much longer, IÆm going to blow out some brain cells trying to keep all these passwords and cross codes correct.ö She paused, studying him. ôYou feel even worse than you did the other day, donÆt you?ö she said.
ôDid you hear what I said earlier?ö Odo demanded. ôI called him æit.Æ How am I supposed to take umbrage at anyone who considers me some sort of outlandish freak when call another of my kind æit.Æ ö
ôYou think heÆs one of youá.á.á. whatever you are?ö she asked.
ôOhhhhá.á.á. I donÆt know.ö He rubbed his eyes. ôPart of me doesnÆt want to believe it. IÆd like to deny the possibility of being related in any way to thatá.á.á. that psychopath. And yet part of me would love to believe itá.á.á. so that after all these years I could finally hold out some hope of learning about my background, as IÆve always wanted.ö
He lowered his hands and saw that Kira was staring at him. ôWhat?ö
ôYourá.á.á. uh,ö and she tapped her own forehead as indicator.
He reached up and felt his brow. There were imprints in it, left by his fingers. He frowned and it smoothed out. ôBetter?ö
ôOdo,ö she said wonderingly, ôI havenÆt seen you lose control like that before. Are you sure youÆre all right?ö
ôOf course IÆm not all right,ö he said testily. ôYou know I have to return every eighteen hours to my natural form. Wellá.á.á. IÆve been cutting my rest periods short lately. Every moment IÆm lying in my pail, IÆm wondering what heÆs up to. Where he is. What heÆs doing. Who else on my station is dying. Who else IÆm failing because I havenÆt been able to capture him. DonÆt you see, Major?ö He leaned forward, tapping the desk for emphasis and trying to make sure that he didnÆt mush up his hand again. ôThis is a security matter. IÆm head of security. That makes it my responsibility. And every person who dies because I failed to apprehend the felon is another life on my head.ö
ôNo, Odo,ö she said flatly. ôYou canÆt take all that on yourself.ö
ôI can, and I do. IÆm sorry if that upsets you, Major, but thatÆs the way I am. Damn. If only I could blame Quark for this somehow.ö
ôPardon?ö The abrupt change in subject threw her for a moment.
ôQuark. ItÆs always so safe to begin and end an investigation with Quark. Nine times out of ten, when problems arise on this station, heÆs involved somehow.ö
ôNot this time,ö said Kira confidently. ôMurder isnÆt exactly up his alley. Besides, he barely squeaked out of being victim number four himself.ö
ôYes. I suppose heùö
OdoÆs comm badge beeped, and he tapped it. ôOdo here.ö
ôConstable,ö came SiskoÆs voice, sounding older and heavier by the moment. ôTell me you have something.ö
ôWhat I have, Sisko, is four corpses and a pile of frustrations.ö
ôAnd what I have,ö said Sisko, ôis a warship making its presence known and my life more complicated. The Cardassians want results.ö
ôDistract them, Sisko,ö said Odo sharply. ôPut their minds on something else. Send Chief OÆBrien out to perform some sleight ofá.á.á. hand.á.á.á.ö
His voice trailed off, and his eyes went wide.
ôConstable?ö came SiskoÆs voice.
No answer. Odo appeared to be looking inward.
ôOdo?ö prompted Kira.
ôConstable?ö There was some concern now in SiskoÆs voice.
ôSisko,ö Odo said slowly, ôI have a thought. ItÆs a bizarre thought. An unlikely thought. But a thought nonetheless. IÆll let you know when IÆve got something. Ohá.á.á. and check with OÆBrien. Find out how long it will be before he finishes the relays. If things work out, I donÆt want our unwanted guest to slip away again.ö
ôYou sound as if you might be on to something, Constable.ö
ôI just might be, Sisko. I just might at that.ö

Julian Bashir desperately wanted to get drunk.
Unfortunatelyùor perhaps fortunatelyùhe couldnÆt bring himself to leave the infirmary. He just sat there, staring at the spot that had been routinely occupied by Nurse Latasa.
He felt that everything was slipping away from him. As if he might lose his grip on the sort of life that he wanted to lead. One in which he was a healer with an intrepid and friendly staff aiding him. Where people came to him, asking for help and he gave it freely, pleased to have the opportunity to help others.
Not this. Not thisá.á.á. this situation. This deplorable state of affairs, with death all around him, filling his soul like rotting meat
assaulting his nostrils. One of his nurses dead. Others dead. A boy dying, and he was powerless toá.á.á.á
ôDr. Bashir.ö
He turned and saw Azira standing in the doorway. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts and inner turmoil that he hadnÆt even heard the door open. ôYes?ö
She was holding Rasa cradled in her arms. She didnÆt seem particularly strained by the effort: either the boy was lighter than he appeared, which was possible, or she was stronger than she lookedùand considering that BashirÆs face was still sore where sheÆd slapped him, he wasnÆt about to rule that out.
Rasa was asleep. Bashir could hear the raspiness in his chest. It wasnÆt quite as bad as it had been in the holodeck representation, but it wasnÆt exactly comforting.
ôHe sleeps very soundly,ö said Azira. ôHe always has. Heá.á.á.áö And she looked up at Bashir. ôHelp him, Doctor. IÆmá.á.á. IÆm not ready for him to sleep forever.ö
Not quite believing it, Bashir took a step forward. ôAre you sure?ö
She laughed bitterly. ôNow you are asking me if IÆm sure? No, Doctor. No, IÆm not sure. IÆm not sure of anything. And IÆm not going to risk throwing my childÆs life away on that uncertainty. Do whatever you can.ö
She held the boy out to Bashir, who took him quickly. ôWhat I can do,ö he said confidently, ôis save his life.ö
ôThen do it,ö she said.
ôHave you consulted with your husbùö
ôDo it, damn you!ö
Her change in attitude was so rapid that it caught Bashir off guard. But he was only momentarily taken aback. Then he simply nodded and said, ôAll right. This way, then.ö
He carried Rasa to a diagnostic table and laid him down. The medical sensors immediately snapped on, and Bashir promptly saw the same dismal readings heÆd seen the other day. Now, however, it filled him only with a sense of challenge. ôI took the liberty of synthesizing the medication required to combat the panoria,ö he told her. ôItÆs called tricyclidine.ö
She studied him. ôYou were that certain that I would bring him to you.ö
ôNo. Not at all. I was, however, that hopeful. Nowá.á.á. I want to replenish his fluids. Get him stabilized. And while IÆm working on that, IÆll be introducing the tricyclidine into his system.ö
ôThe effects will be immediate?ö
ôThis is hardly a miracle drug. He will feel somewhat more spry within the next forty-eight hours. But you mustnÆt let him overexert himself. Once we have him safely on the road to recovery, I can give you enough tricyclidine so thatùif you ever are fortunate enough to leave this placeùyou can take it with you. ItÆs easily administered, but must be done every day for the next twenty-one days. ThatÆs playing it safe. By that point, the disease will be completely out of his system.ö
ôAre you sure?ö
ôYes.ö He smiled for what seemed the first time in ages. ôYesá.á.á.á quite sure. IÆm afraid that KÆolkr will have to satisfy himself with sharing your joy over your sonÆs survival rather than acquiring the boy directly himself.ö
ôYes.ö She ran a hand gently over RasaÆs face. ôYesá.á.á. I imagine that he will.ö
And then there came a horrified gasp from behind them.
Del had entered, and on his face was an expression of utter horror and disgust. He might have walked into the infirmary and discovered
discovered Azira and Bashir coupling on a med table and not had a reaction more extreme than he was having right then.
ôIá.á.á. I thought I saw you come in here,ö he whispered to Azira. ôBut Iá.á.á. I canÆt believeùö
ôGo away, Del,ö she said. She sounded very tired but very determined.
ôYouá.á.á. youÆre mad!ö
She turned on him, seething. ôIf you mean insane, no. But if you mean angry, yes! Yes, IÆm angry! IÆm angry at KÆolkr for inflicting this disease on a child who has never hurt anyone! IÆm angry at the beliefs that have held us back from treating my son so that he might live a long and productive life! IÆm angry at myself for delaying as long as I have!ö And, surprisingly, she turned toward Bashir. ôAnd IÆm angry at you, Doctor, for showing me a future I did not want to see! If youÆd left me blissfully ignorant, then perhaps I could have held on to the beliefs that IÆve embraced all my life! But I canÆt live with the thought of my beautiful, beautiful little boy being reduced to that shell of life. IÆm angry at the entire damned universe! But you started this, Doctor, and you will finish it. And you, Del, will get out. Now!ö
ôI will not!ö snarled Del. ôI will not turn away from the will of KÆolkr! I will not ignore the light! I will prevent you from doing this. And I will save you from yourself and your own folly!ö
He charged at Rasa, trying to grab the boy and yank him off the bed. Azira intervened, getting between the two and shoving Del back. Del lunged forward once more, and Azira threw her arms around him, trying to keep him in place. The Edemians struggled, hand to hand, and Del slammed Azira up against the bed, almost knocking Rasa clear off it.
Then there was an unexpected soundá.á.á. that of a spray hypo hissing.
Del looked down in surprise to see a hypo pressed against his arm. It was being wielded by Bashir, and it had just been emptied directly into his system.
ôPleasant dreams,ö said Bashir calmly.
Del pushed Azira aside and tried to come at Bashir. He did not, however, get very far. Specifically, he took two steps before his consciousness fled, and instead of attacking Bashir, he managed only to stumble forward and sag into BashirÆs waiting arms.
ôEnthusiastic sort, isnÆt he?ö said Bashir. Without further comment, he swung Del up and over onto another med table. ôHe should sleep for a few hours and be somewhat more reasonable when he wakes up.ö
ôWhen he wakes up,ö Azira said with cold certainty, ôhe will go straight to my husband and tell him what has happened.ö
ôNot a problem. Because we can also go your husband. And whereas Del is going to have a lot of religious fervor to spout, we, on the other hand, are going to be able to show Mas Marko his sonùhealthier than he has been in quite some time, the sparkle back in his eye, the spring back in his step.ö Bashir was feeling positively buoyant at the thought. ôRather than condemn what youÆve done, I have a suspicion that Mas Marko will offer up a prayer of thanks to KÆolkr for bringing you people here, where Rasa could be treated and saved.ö
ôYou think so?ö
ôYes.ö Bashir had slid the stabilizing unit into place over the boy and had activated the treatment. Already the ladÆs vital signs were leveling off. Bashir introduced a tricyclidine system into the unit, and it began to filter into RasaÆs system. Satisfied that all the readings
readings were normal, he looked back at Azira and said, ôWhy? DonÆt you?ö
ôAh. You are finally asking my opinion,ö she said, her voice tinged with bitterness, ôrather than simply inflicting your opinion on me, assaulting my beliefs, or passing judgment on our theology.ö
ôAzira, I did no suchùö
She put up a hand, stopping him in mid-sentence. ôDoctor,ö she said firmly, ôit would be a waste of time for me to tell you my opinion, because whatever happens is what will happen. I have made my decisions and must live with them, just as every sentient being must do. And what I think of the decision beyond that is of no relevance at all.ö
And she did not say another word as Bashir labored to save her sonÆs life.
CHAPTER
18
GUL DUKAT of the Cardassian ship Ravage hailed Deep Space Nine once more. He maintained his air of decorum and pleasantry, but only just.
ôWell, Commander?ö prompted Dukat. ôWhat news?ö
ôYour deadline has not arrived, Gul Dukat,ö replied Sisko. ôOr are you going back on your word?ö
ôIt has not arrived, true. But it does loom closer. I thought I would remind you of that.ö
ôAs you know full well, Gul, we have chronometers on board the station. They are keeping us apprised of the time very nicely, thank you.ö
ôThat is good to know. Oh, and Commanderá.á.á. I do hope you wonÆt do anything to upset the delicate status quo.ö
ôSuch as?ö
ôSuch as raising your shields, taking offensive action, allowing any ships to departùthat sort of thing.ö
ôWe would not raise shields unless we were attacked, Gul Dukat,ö Sisko said. ôNor would we take offensive action unless we were similarly provoked. As for departuresá.á.á. many of the difficulties weÆve encountered have resulted from my determination to
make certain that everyone stays put.ö
ôThen we understand each other.ö
ôThoroughly. Ohá.á.á. and do tell that Edemian ship to keep its distance from us. Religious fanatics are always tiresome, and I have little patience with them.ö
Abruptly Dax announced, ôAnother hailá.á.á. from the Zealous.ö
ôYou can tell them yourself, Gul. Considering that you both showed up here waving your weapons around, IÆm not particularly inclined to be generous toward either of you. IÆll attend to my affairs, and you may feel free to do the same for yours,ö said Sisko unhurriedly. ôSisko out.ö And Gul DukatÆs image had barely blinked off the screen before Sisko said, ôAll right, letÆs have the other one.ö
Mencar materialized on the viewscreen. He didnÆt seem to be in any better a frame of mind than earlier. ôCommander! We have not yet heard from the Mas.ö
ôThat may very well be because weÆre holding him incommunicado,ö Sisko said.
ôWe are awaiting his instructions!ö
ôWell, then, itÆs to my advantage to keep the two of you from conversing with each other, isnÆt it?ö
ôThis isùö
ôAn outrage. Yes, so IÆve been told,ö said Sisko.
Mencar paused a moment, as if figuring out the best way to approach the situation. ôCommander,ö he said slowly, ôjust because I wish to receive my instructions from the Mas does not mean I am incapable of taking action on my own. Furthermore, the presence of the Cardassian ship does not sit well with me. Not well at all.ö
ôWeÆre not ecstatic about the situation either. If you would like to tell the Cardassians to leave, you are welcome to try. I doubt theyÆll
listen to you with any greater attentiveness than they will to us.ö
Mencar frowned. ôDo not,ö he said, ôdo anything to change the status quo until this matter is settled.ö
ôYou know, Mencar,ö said Sisko, his temper flaring, ôI am getting somewhat tired of having everyone waving guns at me and telling me what I should and should not do. Now, hereÆs what IÆm telling you to do: get the hell off my subspace channel and permit me to attend to more important things! Sisko out.ö And he snapped off the channel.
ôWere you absent from the Academy on the day they taught diplomacy, Benjamin?ö
ôBe quiet, old man,ö said Sisko tiredly. The strain of watching his back every waking momentùand of not having a lot of sleeping moments, for that matterùwas beginning to take its toll.
The turbolift rose up into Ops at that moment, and a dog-tired Miles OÆBrien stepped off. His normally curly hair was matted down with sweat. His uniform was filthy, covered with dirt and scoring from the several occasions when junctures had flared during cross-routing and singed his clothes. One had apparently come even closer: Sisko noted that half of one of OÆBrienÆs eyebrows had been burned off.
ôChiefá.á.á.á?ö Sisko was almost afraid to ask.
OÆBrien nodded gamely. ô ÆSdone,ö he said. He headed over to the engineering station. In the crook of his elbow he was carrying a black box with a very old-style lever switch fitted into the top. Upon seeing SiskoÆs look, OÆBrien told him, ôWe have to make do with whatÆs available.ö
ôBy all means,ö said Sisko.
OÆBrien placed the box atop the engineering console and within moments had it wired into his main circuit board. He scanned it,
checked the readings, and was apparently satisfied with what he saw. ôAll right,ö he said. ôEither this is going to work orá.á.á.áö
ôOr what?ö Sisko asked, somehow suspecting he wasnÆt going to like the answer he got.
ôOr else itÆll blow out every system on the station,ö OÆBrien informed him.
ôSo itÆs all or nothing.ö
ôThatÆs about right.ö
ôThatÆs good to hear, Chief. If, God forbid, we want to contemplate a fallback position, knowing that we havenÆt got one will help me to save time down the road.ö
OÆBrien looked at him bleary-eyed. ôYou want a fallback position, sir? I can think of one, if youÆd like.ö
Sisko glanced at the viewscreen, on which the images of the Cardassian and Edemian ships were floating ominously.
ôSomehow,ö said Sisko, ôI donÆt think weÆre really going to have a lot of time.ö

Glav hadnÆt seen Quark for a while. He was starting to get apprehensive. He wandered along the Promenade, looking to see where Quark might have stashed himself. But there was no sign of him.
There was, in fact, no sign of anyone.
The absence of a crowd was starting to make Glav extremely nervousá.á.á. and then he saw Rom ambling out of a storage closet, carrying a bowl of seenash for nibbling. He put it out on the countertop, and Glav headed over to him. Rom looked up questioningly.
ôWhereÆs Quark?ö asked Glav.
ôWhat? You havenÆt heard?ö
ôHeard what?ö Then his eyes widened. ôDidá.á.á. the creatureá.á.á.á?ö
ôOh, no! No, nothing like that.ö Rom grinned and gestured around the casino. ôWelcome to RomÆs.ö
Glav gaped openly. ôWhat?ö
ôYup. Quark sold it to me barely an hour ago for a song, and getting off DS Nine for good.ö
Glav couldnÆt believe it. ôHowá.á.á. how much did you pay?ö
ôI told you. A song. I write songs on the side, and Quark has always liked them. So I traded one, along with all rights to it, in return for the casino. Quark thinks it could be a big hit. Listen.ö And in a badly off-key voice, Rom proceeded to yowl, ôOh, baby, oh, baby, now, you may think itÆs queer! You say you want to travel to the Big Dipper, but I got your Big Dipper right here! Ohá.á.á.áö
ôThatÆs very impressive!ö Glav shouted over the caterwauling.
ôYou think so?ö asked Rom. ôThere are eighteen more verses.ö
ôListená.á.á. listen to me,ö said Glav. ôI donÆt understand. Why is Quark leaving? For that matterá.á.á. how?ö
ôOhá.á.á. he said he decided that thereÆs no future for this place. I think he worked out some sort of deal with a ship thatÆs out there right now. HeÆs in his quarters packing. In fact, he may be gone already. If not, maybe another five, ten minutes at most.ö He sighed. ôWonÆt be the same without him.ö
ôNoá.á.á. no, of course it wonÆt,ö said Glav. ôIá.á.á. must go to see him off. If youÆll excuse meá.á.á.áö
And he bolted from RomÆsùformerly QuarkÆsùas fast as his bowed legs would carry him.

Rasa opened his eyes.
Then he yawned rather loudly and tried to stretchá.á.á. only to find himself encumbered by the medical unit.
Through his bleary eyes he was able to make out a familiar face
smiling down at him. ôMotherá.á.á.á?ö he asked.
ôYes, darling.ö She bent over and kissed him on the forehead. ôHow are you feeling?ö
ôA little achy,ö he said. ôButá.á.á. not like before. I feel better than I did before.ö He seemed genuinely surprised by the realization. ôMotherá.á.á. am I getting better?ö
She nodded. ôYes. Dr. Bashir is making you better. HeÆs going to give us medicine, and before you know it, youÆll be just like you used to be. YouÆll be my boy again.ö
Rasa leaned his head back and closed his eyes. His breathing was far more regular, and Bashir studied his vital signs with satisfaction.
Over on the other examination bed, Del snored peacefully.

Glav ran half the circle of the habitat ring before reaching QuarkÆs quarters. Behind him, on a tether, he was pulling a wheeled suitcase, which rolled along briskly.
Arriving at QuarkÆs quarters, he found the door locked. Disdaining the chime, he began to pound on the door. ôQuarrrkkk!ö he shouted. ôYou son of a space cow! Let me in! Let meùö
The door hissed open.
The light in the room was dimùdimmer than Glav was accustomed to. He thought he saw someone moving about, and he called out, ôQuark! WhatÆs going on?ö
He could make out QuarkÆs dim outline as the Ferengi moved around in the quarters. There were suitcases out. Quark was clearly in the midst of packing. Now, though, he stopped, his back to Glav, as if heÆd been caught looting someoneÆs home. He sighed heavily and said, ôWhat do you want, Glav?ö
Glav pulled the suitcase in after him, and the doors hissed shut. ôWhat do I want? Quark, I thought we were partners! I thought we
were business associates! I thoughtùö
ôNo,ö said Quark softly, shaking his head, more subdued than usual. ôNoá.á.á. thatÆs what I thought, because thatÆs what you wanted me to think. I figured it out, Glav. I figured it all out.ö
ôFigured what out?ö Glav laughed uncertainly. ôWhat are you talking about? First you sell your bar, then you arrange safe passage out of hereá.á.á. without thinking to extend it to me. And now you speak in riddles.ö
He took a step forward, but Quark spun away, keeping his arms in front of his face and cowering in the corner in the traditional Ferengi cringe.
ôQuark! What in hell has gotten into you?ö
ôIt was you,ö said Quark, his voice low and intense, still cringing. ôYouÆre behind it. YouÆre behind it all.ö
ôBehind what all?ö Glav didnÆt sound quite so indignant anymore. Actually he sounded more curious than anything.
ôYou didnÆt want to break Ferengi law, Glavùthe law which says that if a deal is fairly and lawfully made, then seeking revengeùespecially unprofitable revengeùis illegal. But you wanted me dead anyway.á.á.á. Even after you had made your fortune, you still wanted my head.
ôAnd then you encountered the shapeshifter. He was not a crazed creature, though, no. He was a cool, thoughtful assassin for hire. And he seemed the perfect agent to do your dirty work for you, because you were too much of a coward to do it yourself. And you also wanted to make absolutely sure that no evidence would point to you.ö
ôThis is an intriguing fairy tale, Quark,ö said Glav. ôPleaseá.á.á. go on.ö
ôSo you hit on a plan. You brought the shapeshifter aboard DS
Nine with you, disguised as something. He then went on a killing spree, murdering innocent people. But those crimes were a smoke screen for the real target: me. And youá.á.á. you would be in the clear, because after all, you appeared to be in as much danger as anyone else. Because the killings seemed to be the random acts of a serial killer rather than the careful scheme of an assassin. Kill a few people, kill me, kill a couple moreá.á.á. and then disappear. No one would think to investigate a homicide individually when it was just one of a string.á.á.á. You even kept me busy with your nonsense about a plan to buy this station.ö
Glav was silent for a long time.
Still cringing, Quark started to scamper backwards, bumping up against the wall. In the dim light he was a difficult target, but he was still accessible. ôGlav, pleaseá.á.á. IÆm begging you. Let me go. Iá.á.á. I wonÆt tell anyone!ö
ôUnfortunately, Quark,ö said Glav, ôitÆs not that simple.ö
His suitcase melted down. It became a mass of red and then re-formed, acquiring the surface and texture of a four-limbed being.
Meta now had two arms, two legs, and a head, but he had hardened his body into a solid red mass with only vaguely human features. Here he had no reason to ape human appearance. Here was going to be only blood and screaming and death.
He advanced on Quark, who let out a loud, terrified shriek. His begging and pleading did not register on the shapeshifter.
ôA pity, Quark,ö Glav told him. ôFor a while there I was actually starting to like you, but you have to understandá.á.á. itÆs just business.ö
The metamorph took two quick steps forward, his arms became two deadly spikes, and without hesitation, without mercy, he slammed them into the upper torso of the screeching Quark. He
ripped his vicious weapons in opposite directions, like a twentieth-century doctor with a rib spreader, and tore Quark apart from crotch to sternum.
Quark stumbled back, his arms pinwheeling from his shoulders, his ruined body thrashing about helplessly. And then, soundlessly, the Ferengi crashed to the floor.
Glav laughed triumphantly.
CHAPTER
19
BUT NOT FOR LONG.
Because QuarkÆs chest started to re-form.
The shattered mass pulled itself together, making odd slurping sounds. Quark staggered to his feet, turning to face the metamorph, who only had time to gape in flat-footed astonishment before Quark struck out with a fist that had the force and shape of a sledge-hammer.
Meta was hurled off his feet, thrown through the air, and slammed against the wall.
ôLights,ö said QuarkÆs voice, except now it sounded firm, full of confidence and a hintùno, more than a hintá.á.á. a very large doseùof arrogance.
The lights came up.
QuarkÆs body finished reassembling itself. But now, in the full light, Glav saw to his horror that although the head had the general outline of QuarkÆsùthe large ears, the vague shapeùthe face itself was not QuarkÆs.
The face was OdoÆs.
ôSurprise,ö he said.
The two shapeshifters faced each other, Glav in the middle.
ôKill him!ö shrieked Glav, pointing at Odo. ôKill him! What am I paying you for? Killùö
The metamorph moved with lightning speed, his right arm honed to razor sharpness. It sliced through the air and through GlavÆs neck without slowing down. The FerengiÆs mouth was still moving because he had not fully realized that he was dead. Then his head tumbled off his shoulders, and seconds later his body was on the floor to keep it company.
Odo was stunned, but only for a moment. ôYou killed Glav because your plan was ruined.ö
ôNo,ö said Meta calmly. ôI intended to kill him all along. I never liked him. But I found his greed and his hunger for revenge very entertaining. I like to be entertained.ö He looked at Odo curiously. ôYou promise to be the most entertaining of all.ö
Odo took a step toward him. Meta tilted his red head slightly, as if trying to get a better look at the security chief. ôSoá.á.á. what do we do now?ö
ôWho are you?ö demanded Odo.
Meta chuckled low in his throat. ôDonÆt you know?ö
ôNo. I donÆt.ö
ôAhh,ö said Meta softly. ôNow it becomes clear. You have no clue as to who you yourself are. Amnesia of some sort?ö
Odo made no reply.
ôAnd you perceive me,ö continued Meta, ôas perhaps a link to your unknown past. But youÆre not sure. I may be like youá.á.á. but then againá.á.á. I may not.ö
ôNo. No, youÆre nothing like me,ö said Odo firmly. ôI believe in justice. Nothing is more important to me. Respect for justice permeates every fiber of my being. So much so that I believe itÆs important to all my people.ö
ôMy,ö said Meta. ôWhat an egocentric being you are. What is your name, egocentric being?ö
ôOdo.ö
ôI see. It sounds like æOh no,Æ but spoken with a bad headcold.ö
ôIÆm aware of that,ö said Odo drily. ôAnd you areá.á.á.á?ö
Meta shrugged. ôNames are a handicap. You carry yours with you, and you feel the need to carry along the baggage of preconceived notions as well. For myself, I prefer my freedom.ö
ôFreedom is not an option for you,ö Odo told him.
ôHmmm.ö He glanced toward the door. ôAm I correct in assuming,ö he said, ôthat you have security guardsùand others, perhapsùwaiting outside that door?ö
ôThat is correct,ö said Odo. ôEscape is not possible.ö
ôIndeed. WonÆt it be stimulating to find out,ö said Meta. He actually looked pleased. ôOh, and donÆt concern yourself that IÆll do something dreary such asá.á.á. transform myself into a duplicate of you. My assumption is that if you were clever enough to figure out what was happening around here, then you were certainly cautious enough to prepare some sort of coded identity-confirmation system.ö
ôThatÆs quite correct,ö said Odo.
ôAll right, then. That being the caseá.á.á. let us go out and greet your security guards.ö
As if he had all the time in the world, Meta strolled out the doors, with Odo directly behind him.
They stepped into the corridor. Meta looked right and left, slowly and amusedly.
At either end of the corridor, forcefields were in place. Standing just beyond the forcefields were security squads. With the squad on the right side was Commander Benjamin Sisko, armed with a
phaser, as were all the security guards.
ôSo I am blocked into this corridor,ö said Meta, not sounding especially worried. ôSealed in at both ends.ö
ôYou will proceed to your left,ö said Odo firmly. ôEach screen will be deactivated for you to pass through, while at the same time the next forcefield will be activated. Once youÆve passed a forcefield, it will be reactivated. At no time will more than one section of corridor be available to you. There will be nowhere for you to run.ö
ôVery clever,ö said Meta. ôTell me, Odoá.á.á. did you have an easier time dealing with me when you thought I was simply some berserk, crazed monster? A bizarre aberration of your speciesá.á.á. presuming we are of the same kind. Or do you prefer me this wayùintelligent, articulateá.á.á. even pleasant, if you get to know me and I donÆt kill you.ö
ôI prefer you,ö said Odo, ôin a forcefield holding facility. Now move.ö
Meta did not move. Instead he regarded the security squads thoughtfully. ôThey are all on the other side of the forcefields. Keeping them out of my reach, are you? Very wise, Odo. You know how easily I can kill them, and so you keep them out of the immediate zone of danger. ThatÆs very considerate. Very considerate. YouÆre setting the ground rules in that respect, arenÆt you? ItÆs just you and me within the forcefield area. And thatÆs the way it should be. You and me.ö
ôI told you,ö Odo repeated angrily, ôto move.ö
Still Meta did not budge. His voice took on a singsong tone. ôThe game with Quark is over. That was just a means of killing time during the infinitely boring and unchallenging span that is my lifeá.á.á. and, for that matter, your life, too. ItÆs all a game, really, isnÆt it? We just chose to play on different sides.ö
ôYou donÆt choose the sides,ö Odo said sharply. ôThe sides choose you.ö
ôNo matter. ItÆs time to move on to a truly challenging game. You and me, Odo. You and me. The main event.ö
Odo stepped toward him, stopping less than a foot away. ôIÆm giving you one last warning,ö he virtually snarled in MetaÆs face. ôStart moving or IÆll knock you out and carry you there myself.ö
MetaÆs red face, which now had an almost crystalline look in its hardness, smiled. ôIÆll tell you what, Odo. IÆll tell you all about yourself. Your race. Your roots. How to discipline and improve your obviously untrained morphing ability. Everything youÆve always wanted to knowùif you will do one simple thing.ö
ôI donÆt make bargains with murderers.ö
ôThis isnÆt a bargain. This is a challenge. All you have to doá.á.á. is catch me.ö
And with that, Meta went liquid and vaulted toward the ceiling.
SiskoÆs comm badge was already on line; heÆd established a link with Ops the moment Meta and Odo emerged from the cabin. And he shouted, ôNow, Chief!ö
The air in the duct crackled with energy, just as Meta was seeping into it. The shapeshifter writhed as energy coruscated throughout his form. With a loud, ugly plop, the creature fell to the floor not three paces away from Odo.
Odo took a step toward himá.á.á. and that proved to be a mistake.
MetaÆs gelatinous form lunged forward, wrapping itself around OdoÆs legs. It yanked them together, and Odo started to fall backwards.
Even as he fell, Odo morphed, turning into an unrecognizable mass. The men of Deep Space Nine gaped in astonishment as the two creatures, now completely lacking any humanoid form, came
together. They bubbled and seethed like lava, and it was impossible to tell who was winning, who was losing, or even, for that matter, who was where and what.
The forcefields were starting to flicker. ôKeep the fields in place!ö shouted Sisko.
OÆBrienÆs voice shot back through the comm badge. ôWeÆre overloading the junction circuits with both the air vents and the fields going!ö
ôShut down the air vents! Maintain the fieldsá.á.á. and prepare to reinstate the vent charge at my order!ö
Oozing about on the floor was the most outlandish sight that Sisko had ever beheld. Every moment or so he thought he saw somethingùthe shape of an arm here, the vague outline of a leg there. The two masses were struggling against each other, and it was still impossible to tell how the battle was being fought, much less how it was going.
Suddenly the two masses separated violently, practically exploding in opposite directions. One of them crashed into a forcefield, and it crackled violently, the field energy sizzling through the amorphous being. It sagged forward and started to pull itself togetherá.á.á. and Sisko saw that it was Odo.
The other shapeshifter re-formed itself faster than Odo, and just as Odo came together, the shapeshifter with a roar charged forward. Spikes lanced out from all over his body, and he lunged at Odo, trying to drive him back into the force screen once more.
Odo wheeled aboutùliterally. His feet had shifted into wheels, and he sped backwards, gaining distance and a moment to compose himself.
Meta leapt forward. In midair his lower half morphed, and suddenly he was one-half humanoid, one-half coiled spring. He hit the
floor and sprang forwardùagain literally. He crashed into Odo, the spikes lancing through OdoÆs body.
He had Odo pinned against the wall, his hands at OdoÆs throat.
OdoÆs throat disappeared along with his head, sinking down into his shoulders, leaving the metamorph grasping at nothing.
ôDown here.ö
Meta looked down.
OdoÆs head was now projecting from under his arm.
And as Meta looked down in surprise, Odo grew another arm from his chest and slammed his fist into Meta, sending him reeling.
ôThis is crazy!ö one of the guards muttered to Sisko. ôThey canÆt hurt each other, sirá.á.á. can they?ö
ôThey can wear each other out,ö replied Sisko tersely. ôMorphing is a strain. The trick is to make whatever shifts are least strenuous but most effective. My guess is, whoever is left standing wins.ö
MetaÆs right arm was suddenly shifting again, and a huge double-edged battle-ax was projecting from just above his right shoulder. He swung it at Odo, slicing right through his middle, and OdoÆs form rippled just fast enough to get out of its way. In the meantime his own arm was changing, and when Meta swung the ax around again, it clanged loudly against the shield that Odo had created out of himself.
The deflected blow glanced off the shieldá.á.á. and crashed against the wall, rupturing a plate.
There was now a gaping hole in the wall.
That was enough for Meta, and he sprang through it, becoming a narrow column of gelatinous matter.
OÆBrien had, of course, not prepared for that. It had taken him long enough just to booby trap the air vents. Hot-wiring the walls as well had not been an option. It turned out to be a costly compromise
compromise, for within the blink of an eye Meta was gone.
ôOh, no, you donÆt!ö shouted Odo. ôNot this time!ö And as fast as Meta had gone through the opening, so too did Odo.
ôTheyÆre in the walls!ö shouted Sisko. ôOps, can we track them!ö
ôNegative! Repeat: negative! We have no sensor devices in the walls!ö Kira said over the comm unit, and then added, her anger directed primarily toward herself, ôWho the hell installs a security sensor net inside of walls and ceilings, anyway?ö
ôPresuming we all live through this,ö shot back Sisko, ôwe will.ö

In her quarters, Keiko OÆBrien heard something inside the walls.
Molly was safely tucked away for her nap, and Keiko was working up the next dayÆs lesson plansá.á.á. and trying to remember what it was like back in the days when she hadnÆt spent every waking moment afraid for her own life and the life of her child.
Now she leaned forward, puzzled. Yesá.á.á. something was definitely thumping around in there. It could be vermin, of course. She had shuddered when sheÆd seen mice scurrying through the hallways. But this noise seemed too loud to be rodents.
Perhaps it was coming from the pipes and conduits that carried energy through the station. The realization that something was thudding around behind the wall, and perhaps leaking energy, made Keiko uneasy.
She walked over to the wall comm unit and said, ôKeiko to Chief OÆBrien. Miles?ö
OÆBrien sounded extremely harried. ôKeikoá.á.á. can this possibly wait?ö
ôIá.á.á. suppose so. It just sounds as if thereÆs something inside the wall here. But if itÆs nothing dangerous, then itÆs all right.ö
It seemed to take a moment for what she was saying to register
a pause that she chalked up to MilesÆs fatigue from the pace at which heÆd been pushing himself lately. ôIn the wallá.á.á.áö he said. But when he spoke again, it was with more alarm than sheÆd ever heard from him. ôKeiko! Get out of there! Now! Hurry!ö
The near-panic in his voice was more than enough to stir Keiko to action. She headed toward the room where Molly was soundly napping.
And at that moment the wall in front of her bulged outward crazily, metal shrieking in protest. Keiko gasped, trying to get past, but there wasnÆt room. She was cut off from her daughter.
The wall ripped open like a burst bubble, and two beings tumbled out.
One was barely recognizable as Odo. The other was barely recognizable as human.
They were pounding on each other furiously, as if trying to tear each other apart. Meta spun and hurled Odo into the far wall. Then he tore off a large section of the bulkhead that had been damaged and ran flush into Odo. Odo had no time at all to react before being smashed flat against the opposite bulkhead. He started to ooze under the metal that was imprisoning him, but the effort was sluggish and he was clearly tired.
Meta, fully reconstituted now, turned toward Keiko, who was backing up against her desk. He grinned lopsidedly.
ôHello,ö he said. ôNice station you got here.ö
He reeled toward her then, an animal snarl ripping from his throat, or what served as his throat.
And Keiko snatched the phaser up off the desk, swung it around faster than she would have thought possible, and fired.
If heÆd been at peak energy levels, Meta could have morphed around the beam. But he wasnÆt, and he didnÆt. It hit him dead on,
hurling him against the locked doors of the quarters. He went liquid and seeped out through the crack between the doors, vanishing.
Keiko spun and shrieked, bringing the phaser up as she saw something moving behind her. Another mass, but this coalesced into the familiar form of Odo. He put up a hand, trying to speak. Clearly he was exhaustedá.á.á. but he was also determined.
Keiko quickly went to the door and punched in the sequence to unlock it. Odo staggered forward, and Keiko extended the phaser to him. ôHere, take this.ö
Odo shook his head. ôSorryá.á.á. never use them,ö he said, sounding out of breath.
He stumbled out into the hallway, looking right and left.
No sign of the metamorph.
No sign anywhere.
Odo had lost him.
He sagged against the wall, trying to clear his mind. But there was no clearing, because black fury seared through him, shaking him. And he shouted in a voice that reverberated throughout the entire areaá.á.á. perhaps through the entire habitat ring, ôCoward! The game isnÆt over, coward! You keep running from me, coward! What are you afraid of? Eh? Afraid youÆre not as good as you think you are!ö
As he heaved himself away from the wall, he heard a faint suction-type sound, like something sticky being peeled off a flat surface.
He held up his hands and looked at them in horror.
His skin was running.
It was dribbling down in rivulets, and the phenomenon wasnÆt restricted to his hands. His chest, his legsá.á.á. He put his hands up to his face, and yes, it was happening there, too; his face was beginning
beginning to slide apart. His entire body was melting like a candle.
The strain of the past several daysùthe lack of rest, the rapid morphingùwas starting to catch up with him. The only thing holding him together was sheer willpower, and even that would eventually succumb to exhaustion. If he didnÆt catch the shapeshifter soon, all the determination in the world wouldnÆt prevent him from dissolving into a helpless puddle, unable to move until his body was sufficiently rested.
But that time was not yet. Not yet.
He focused his concentration, calling on reserves of energy, refusing to accept any weakness forced on him by the demands of his body. The demands of his mind were of foremost concern to him. And his mind would not, would not, allow the morph to get away again, free to kill at whim.
He pulled himself together, his body firming into its customary humanoid shape. He flexed his hands, satisfied to see that they were whole once more.
ôCowaaarrrrrddd!ö he shouted once more, praying that the shapeshifter was somewhere within earshot.
Abruptly his communicator beeped. It was Kira, talking excitedly.
ôWeÆve got him tracked, Odo!ö she practically shouted. ôThe security grid wasnÆt effective when he was imitating humanoids or oozing through air vents, but nowùö
ôWhere, Major? Where is he!ö
ôTwo sectors away from you! Corridor eighteen-A.ö
ôComputer!ö snapped Odo. ôSeal off corridor eighteen-A!ö
ôConfirmed,ö the computer said serenely.
Ahead of him, he heard the forcefield flare up. The morph was
clearly slamming himself against it, and Odo could hear a crackling as the field fought to restrain him.
Suddenly the lights overhead flickered, and there was the sound of something shorting out, the smell of something burning.

In Ops, OÆBrien slammed a hand against a console.
ôWeÆve lost the security grid on habitat level fifteen, corridors eighteen to twenty-four,ö he snarled. ôThe circuit junctures didnÆt hold! ItÆs backlashing through the entire power grid! Compensators arenÆt holding! Goddamn jerry-rigged Cardassian technology!ö
ôWhat kind of pressure could the metamorph have put on the forcefield that managed toùö And then, on the screen, Kira saw itùor, at least, barely managed to see it, because the screen was flickering out. ôOdo!ö she shouted. ôMove! HeÆs heading your way!ö

Odo heard it, even felt it, before he saw it. But when he did, his jaw dropped in amazement.
The floor rumbled beneath his feet, and then with the speed and power of a berserk bulldozer, Meta rolled into view.
He had transformed himself into a giant boulder, rolling straight toward Odo.
And somehow, from amid the rumbling, came the words, ôCoward, am I?ö
Odo started to run.
He didnÆt want to morph again; he was afraid he wouldnÆt be able to pull himself back together. Even the strain of sustaining his ordinary humanoid formùthe body he was most practiced at and, consequently, the easiest to maintainùwas starting to wear on him.
He ran, staggered, stumbled, picked himself up, and ran again. He felt his body start to dissolve once more. His feet stuck to the
floor, making a strange ripping noise like Velcro with every step.
The boulder was gaining on him. In his imaginingsùor maybe it was realùthe rumbling sounded like laughter.
Anger seared through him, and he allowed the anger to take him, to drive him. He leapt into the airá.á.á. and morphed.
The boulder rolled toward him, but Odo wasnÆt there anymore. Instead, a high-powered drill, spinning furiously, was there to meet it.
The drill whirred, emitting a shrill scream, and slammed into the boulder, penetrating it, tunneling into it, coring it out.
The boulder roared in protest and collapsed. The drill clattered to the floor.
Both shapeshifters re-formed, facing each other.
ôYouÆre under arrest,ö said Odo again.
Meta hit him.
Nothing fancy.
He just hit him.
With an anvil on the end of his arm.
It smashed into OdoÆs chest. Odo staggered back, a large anvil-shaped dent in his body. He dodged as Meta came at him again, and now his arms and legs extended, split, split again.á.á.á.
Odo was completely gone. He had become a mass of tentacles, writhing and twisting, with no identifiable central mass. The tentacles lashed out, each one razor-sharp, slicing through Meta wherever he turned. Meta shrieked under the assault and ducked back, trying to find someplace where he would be safe from those vicious slithering arms.
Meta opened his mouth wideá.á.á. wider. His body began to shrink, while his jaws continued to grow. Huge fangs sprouted, a
tongue lashed out furiously, and within seconds he was nothing but one giant mouth.
It slammed shut on the multiple tentacles, trying to catch as many as it could, and began crunching.
The tentacles punched through the back of the mouth, and then the two morphs began to lose control of their shapes. Once more they were running together, dissolving.á.á.á.
The pounding of running feet alerted them to the fact that security squads were heading their way. Suddenly Meta tore away, hurtling through the air in a stream of protoplasm. He pulled himself into a perfect sphere and rolled away.
Odo drew himself together, the fire of his anger overwhelming, at least temporarily, the exhaustion that threatened to engulf him.
But then he started to succumb, and he was fallingá.á.á. except that Meyer and Boyajian were there, holding him up. ôAre you all right, sir?ö asked Meyer.
ôTerrific,ö said Odo with bravado. ôNever better. IÆm just getting warmed up. Now follow me, but stay behind me! IÆll engage the enemy. You stand back and wait for an opening! Understood?ö
They nodded in unison.
ôAll right! LetÆs go!ö

Meta had had enough, and more than enough.
Suddenly this game had lost its amusement value.
He had resumed his humanoid form because it was easier for him to get his bearings in that manner. But it was slower, and he was starting to feel the strain from the rapid shifts. But he was not as tired as Odo, he reasoned, and allowed himself a smirk of superiority. Neverthelessá.á.á.á
And then he saw what he wanted to seeùa sign just ahead of
him, with an arrow pointing off to one side: RUNABOUT AIRLOCKS AND SERVICING BAY.
Immediately he bolted in that direction, pleased that things were so clearly marked. And there he found them, just as the sign had promised: three airlocks, each leading to a runaboutùone of the small ships that Starfleet provided for the convenience of the stationÆs personnel.
Well, now the ship was going to serve at his convenience.
He saw quickly, in studying the control settings, that the runabouts were locked into place with mooring clamps. This, however, was not a problem.
He went to the wall on his left, lifted up the paneling, and reached in toward the massive lever that kept the runabout locked in place. He raised it, slid it down, and locked it into the open position. He went to the opposite wall and did the same. Then, for good measure, he used some small bit of his remaining energy to transform his hand into a spear once more. He slammed the blade into the grid that controlled the mooring clamps. Sparks flew and alarms sounded, but this was of no consequence to him. All that mattered was that no one up in Ops would try to slide the mooring locks back into place.
He went to the wall and punched the button that rolled the airlock door open. He stepped through it.
And then, from behind him, he heard OdoÆs outraged shout.
ôCoward!ö bellowed the security chief once more.
Meta had allowed that challenge to draw him back before. This time, though, the urge to depart the area superseded any desire to stay and exchange blows with Odo. So he gave a cheerful wave as the airlock rolled closed, shutting him off.
Odo, unable to stop his charge in time, slammed up against the
airlock door, taking the impact with his shoulder. ôOdo to Ops!ö he called. ôThe shapeshifter is stealing a runabout!ö
ôHeÆs blown out the command overrides,ö KiraÆs angry voice came back. ôLet him go! We can always pull him back with the tractor beams.ö
ôLet him go? Like hell!ö snapped Odo. ôIÆm not giving him any chance to pull some last-minute stunt!ö
ôOdo, wait!ö
But Odo was past listening. The airlock was sealed off, but the gaping conduits in the walls where the mooring clamps led through beckoned to him. Odo pulled his strength together and leapt into the conduits, morphing as he went. Within seconds he was goneá.á.á. and a serpent had lashed itself around the mooring clamps. It moved with phenomenal speed, its body rippling, hurling it forward down the conduits, toward the service bay.

Meta was inside the runabout, firing it up. He made a very fast systems check, glancing around the interior with satisfaction. Yes, indeed, he could travel a fairly healthy distance in this vessel. Leave Odo forever wondering. Yesá.á.á. yes, he liked that option a great deal.
Ideally the service elevator would raise the runabout to the surface of the habitat ring, but that wasnÆt absolutely necessary. Meta disengaged the airlock and hit the upward thrusters. The runabout began to lift.
Meta was glancing at the equipment board when he was startled by a loud noise, as if something had hit the front of the runabout with the sound and impact of a small meteorite. He looked up.
His mouth spread into a grin.
Odo had flattened himself against the front bay window of the
runabout. His arms and upper torso had sprouted suction pads, and he was holding on, pounding furiously.
ôSorry,ö said Meta. ôI donÆt pick up hitchhikers. Enjoy the ride while you can, though.ö
And with that, the runabout lifted out of the service bay, swung around, and fled Deep Space Nineá.á.á. with the frustrated chief of security still pounding on the outside.
CHAPTER
20
ôGUL!ö SHOUTED THE weapons officer on board the Ravage. ôTheyÆve launched a runabout!ö
ôNow, I know I told them not to do that,ö said Gul Dukat, sounding hurt. ôShields up. Phaser at three-quarter strength. Fire.ö

Sisko made it back to Ops just in time to hear Dax call out, ôTheyÆve raised their shields! Power to their forward phasers!ö
Sisko and Kira said at the same time, ôRaise shields!ö Kira glanced at the commander and promptly deferred to him as Sisko said, ôGet me Gul Dukat on theùö
The Ravage cut loose, hammering the just-raised shields of Deep Space Nine. The station shook under the pounding, but Sisko knew immediately that something wasnÆt right. ôThat wasnÆt full strength,ö he muttered.
ôNo, Commander,ö Dax informed him. ôTheir phasers were only at three-quarter strength.ö
ôWarning shots,ö said Kira.
ôGet that runabout back here!ö snapped Sisko. ôNow!ö
ôTractor beams activated!ö said OÆBrien.
The tractor beams lashed out, snaring the runabout. The small
craft struggled in the grip of the beams, fighting to put distance between itself and the station.
And Odo, exposed to the vacuum of space, held on for dear life.

Mencar, commander of the Edemian Holy War vessel Zealous, saw the Cardassian ship fire upon the station. A most volatile and holy wrath seized him.
ôThose Cardassian slime!ö he snarled. ôHow dare they intercede in the holy business of the followers of KÆolkr! Tactical! Target the Cardassian ship!ö
ôDisruptors on line!ö
ôFire!ö
The disruptors of the Zealous lashed out, striking the Cardassian ship square across the starboard shields.

Gul Dukat was astounded when the bridge trembled around him from the impact. ôThe nerve of them! This is a Galor-class warship of the Cardassian second order! Who in the seven hells do they think theyÆre mucking with? Sentor, return fire, full strength!ö
The Ravage ripped at the Zealous, hammering its forward shields. The Zealous fell back a short distance as the Edemian tactical officer rerouted power to shore up the main deflectors. The Zealous would have been sorely pressed to defend itself at that moment, but fortunately for the Edemians, Gul Dukat was abruptly distracted by something else.
ôGul Dukat!ö declared Sentor at Tactical. ôThe station has caught the runabout and is trying to pull it in. Butá.á.á. sir, I think you should see this!ö
ôFull magnification,ö said Dukat, puzzled at SentorÆs tone of voice.
The runabout appeared on their screens, and DukatÆs eyes went wide.
Security Chief Odo was clinging to the front of the runabout. Oblivious, it seemed, of the fact that he was in space, Odo was pounding on the exterior of the runabout with single-minded determination.
ôIs he out of his mind?ö said Dukat incredulously. ôWhat could possess Odo toá.á.á.áöAnd then the light dawned. ôOf course,ö he whispered and then, louder, ôOf course! The murderer must be piloting the runabout! Trying to get away! ThatÆs got to be it! Only Odo would be that obsessive!ö
ôOrders, sir?ö
ôSentor,ö Dukat said with relish, ôbring phasers to bear on the runabout. Prepare to fire.ö He added as an afterthought, ôSorry, Odo, but IÆm sure that you, of all people, would understand the things that must be done in the name of justice.ö

ôThe Cardassians are no longer firing on the station, sir,ö Dax said. And then in alarm she said, ôBenjamin! TheyÆre locking on the runabout!ö
There was no more time, no more options. ôChief,ö said Sisko firmly. ôFull phasers in short bursts. Distract them. Andá.á.á. fire!ö
ôFiring phasers, sir,ö said OÆBrien.

Phaser blasts danced along the shields of the Ravage, shaking up the war vessel and angering Gul Dukat. ôSisko, you idiot! I would have left you alone! ItÆs GottoÆs murderer I want!ö
And then the Ravage shook again, but the blasts had not come from the station.
ôEdemian vessel at two one one mark nine!ö warned the tactical officer.
Gul Dukat wasnÆt sure where to look first. The Edemian vessel was clearly the more immediate threat, but he could not, under any circumstance, let the attack from the station go unanswered. ôBring us about at a heading of four one eight mark six,ö ordered Dukat. ôLock photon torpedoes on the Edemians, and return phaser fire on Deep Space Nine! And try to hit that damned runabout while youÆre at it! Torpedoes and phasers, fire!ö
The Cardassian war vessel fired in all directions, erupting like a star gone nova.

The runabout, a small target, was still twisting and writhing in the grip of the tractors. Consequently, and slightly miraculously, the phaser blasts missed the vessel.
They did, however, strike Deep Space Nine. And since it had previously been a Cardassian station, the war vessel knew exactly where to strike in order to cause the greatest damage.
ôDamage to the inertial damping field!ö OÆBrien bellowed over the ruckus in Ops as DS9 was being pummeled by the Ravage. ôDamage to the subprocessor modules! Shields at thirty percent and dropping!ö

In the infirmary, debris started to fall from the ceiling. Bashir threw himself over the unmoving form of Rasa to shield him. Azira shrieked, convinced that the wrath of KÆolkr was going to bring death and destruction to them all.
Del, still asleep, rolled off the med table. He hit the floor and continued snoring.
In Ops, Dax delivered the worst news of the afternoon. ôWeÆve lost cohesive power on the tractors! The runabout is breaking loose!ö

*áá*áá*

And indeed it was.
Meta howled in triumph as the runabout shook loose the stationÆs tractor beams and lunged toward safety.
But then safety was suddenly blocked by the looming image of the Cardassian war vessel.
Meta banked the runabout hard around, angling awayùand there, right in its path, was the staggering but still functional Edemian holy war vessel Zealous.
Odo hung on, helpless, furious at the situation heÆd gotten himself into. He had let his opponent lure him into a situation that was in no way advantageous to Odo. Grimly he thought that next time, heá.á.á.á
Next time?
What in hell made him think there was going to be a next time?
MetaÆs hands flew over the navigational systems. The runabout went hard about, dropping in a cloverleaf maneuver, and gracefully steering through the obstacles, scampering toward safety.
And then Odo realized where the runabout was heading. Indeed, he realized it before Meta did, because the metamorph was less familiar with this area of space than Odo was.
But Odo knew, beyond any question, that if the runabout did not change its course, it would hurtle into the heart of the Bajoran wormhole in less than thirty seconds.
And then he saw itùthe muzzle of the microtorpedo launcher, one of the runaboutÆs few armaments.
It was a dangerous move, but he saw no alternative. Odo oozed up the side of the runabout, heading for the muzzle. He caught the briefest glimpse of the metamorphÆs puzzled expression, and then he got to the muzzle. In a flash, driven by desperation, he was inside, making his way through the inner workings of the ship. He stretched his mass to its utmost, barely molecules in thickness.
He seeped into the cabin, then pulled himself together as fast as he could. The metamorph heard him and turned to face him, a look of amusement on his features.
Odo reached for him, drawing his fist back, ready to overpower him and commandeer the vesselá.á.á.á
And then the world exploded around them.

ôThe runaboutÆs been hit!ö shouted Dax.
Indeed it had. A stray disruptor bolt from the Edemian ship had struck the small vessel broadside, rupturing the hull. The atmosphere of the ship rushed out as the vacuum of space pushed in, and within seconds the runabout blew apart.
ôSensor sweep!ö ordered Sisko, remaining as cool as possible under the circumstances. ôIf thereÆs any hopeùö
ôGot Æem!ö crowed Dax. ôReading two life-forms.ö
And then Deep Space Nine shook once more.
ôThe two ships are firing at each other!ö said Kira. ôWeÆre getting the stray shots!ö
ôWe canÆt beam Odo and the morph aboard while we have shields up!ö
ôThat wonÆt be a consideration much longer, Lieutenant,ö OÆBrien informed Dax. ôShields at twenty percent and still dropping. And as soon as we donÆt have shieldsùö
ôGet me the Edemians and the Cardassians on subspace! Now!
And get me full magnification on Odo and the morph!ö
The viewscreen shifted, and there, indeed, was the chief of security. His body was flowing, shifting, the pressures of space threatening to rip it apartá.á.á.á
And still he was battling. Battling with the morph, who was undergoing the same stress. Not conceding anything, even the likelihood of imminent death, the two shapeshifters were outside the wreckage of the runabout, intertwined, hammering at each other, struggling with everything they had and more than they had.
Insanely, Sisko thought, the Constable is the most single-minded individual I have ever met.
ôGet me both ships!ö he shouted again. And then, before the order was even acknowledged, he had them on line. ôThis is Sisko!ö he snarled. ôI am ordering both of you idiots to stop firing at this station and at each other immediately! Do you hear me? Unless we can safely drop our shields to operate the transporters, someone is going to die! And if that happens, Starfleet and I are going to hold you both personally responsible. And I can assure both of you, with utter certainty, that if there is one thing in this galaxy that you do not want, itÆs to have me angry at you!ö

The shapeshifters hurtled through space. As per the laws of physics, bodies in motion tended to stay in motion unless acted upon by another force.
And then another force started to act upon them. The force known as the Bajoran wormhole.
Odo and Meta started to pick up speed. Odo knew what was happening, but Meta did notùnot at first. His attention was fully focused on Odo. A hand sprouted from his chest and swept toward Odo, clawing him.
Odo tried to shout at him that this was insane, that this was the wrong move, but there was no air for his voice to carry through. He lost his grip, and Meta kicked away from him, putting some distance between himself and Odo.
Clearly MetaÆs plan was to float in space, hope to be picked up by a passing shipá.á.á. something. He was a survivor. He knew things that Odo did not, tricks that Odo had not learned. The vacuum of space held no terrors for him.
He saw Odo spiraling away from him, and he grinned to himself.
And then he became aware of space starting to distort around him.
He looked around, twisting in confusion as dim alarms sounded in his mind. Something was not right, most definitely not right. He felt odd, light-headed. Suddenly nothing seemed natural, and the depths of space no longer seemed quite so fear-free.
And then it was all around him.
It roared into existence, its mouth yawning around himùan incredible array of colors, and sound that was not soundá.á.á. sound that could not be heard but could be felt, howling through him, pounding him, assaulting every molecule of his form.
The Bajoran wormhole drew him in. Even under the best of circumstances it would have been nearly impossible for Meta to survive a trip through the wormhole unprotected. Still, it might have been vaguely, remotely possible.
Under the best of circumstances.
These, however, were the worst of circumstances.
This was the Bajoran wormhole while it was undergoing subspace compression, the galactic phonomenon that had shredded a Borg ship without difficulty.
One unprotected shapeshifter was no challenge at all.
Meta twisted around, besieged inside and out. He twisted around, caught a last glimpse of Odo in the distance, and stretched out his hand.á.á.á.

Odo saw it.
As the metamorph was sucked down into the maw of the wormhole, Odo saw the renegade reach for him. They were too far apart, and besides, Odo was hardly in a position to help anyone. In a few moments he, too, would be yanked into the wormhole to meet a dismal and terminal fate.
Still, just for a moment he saw, or sensed, the panic in the metamorph. Meta knew what was about to happen, would have done anything to avoid the hideous destiny that was his. And in that extremity, he sought aid from the one being who was like him.
And Odo would have done anything at that moment to save him.
Unfortunately there was nothing to be done.

Meta descended into the swirling pit of the Bajoran wormhole. He screamed into the airlessness of space, not out of pain but out of awareness of what was happening.
His body was ripped apart, atom by atom, scattering in a million directions at once. He felt himself being disassembled, being scattered all along the inner walls of the howling god that was the wormhole. He fought against it, but he had no chance in hell, because he was in hell, splintered like shards of glass.
Imagesùof all those he had killed, of the life that he had led, of the waste and self-satisfaction and murderous enjoyment that had constituted his existenceùflashed before him, and suddenly he wanted to take it all back, all of it. Please, anything. Just make it stop. Give him back his life.á.á.á.
And when he realized the futility of that wish, as he felt the last of himself being torn apart, his consciousness clinging to him, he begged the great howling god that if he couldnÆt have his life back, then at least end it now. End it.á.á.á.
But it didnÆt end.
His consciousness did not flee, could not. Every molecule of his body was independently aware. Ripped apart, scattered all along the interspatial conduit of the wormhole, every bit of him was aware that he had lost his body, lost his existence, and was waiting for it to end, in the name of God, waiting for consciousness to vanish and oblivion to claim him.
It didnÆt happen.
It never happened.
His awareness of nonexistence, of being everywhere and nowhere at the same time, was embedded throughout the wormhole. He tore through the space-time continuum, assaulted by images, assaulted by himself. And moments later, his molecules blew into the Gamma Quadrant, and he would never, given a million million lifetimes, be able to pull himself together. A cosmic Humpty Dumpty.
He would remain forever on the cusp of death, suffering, screaming in a voice that only he could hear. Or maybe he could not hear it, but it was nowhere and everywhere, and the voice kept saying, Let it end. Let it end.á.á.á.
And it never would.

The wormhole beckoned to Odo.
It roared into existence around him as he passed the outer perimeter, and a thought passed through his mind, one searing and infuriating awareness: Dammit! WhoÆs going to keep an eye on Quark?
And then he felt something surround him. At first, he assumed it to be an effect of the wormhole. But noá.á.á. this felt familiar somehow, and since his personal experience with falling into wormholes was, naturally, limited, he concluded that this was something that must have happened to him before.
Then the wormhole disappeared, as did the depths of space.
He felt something hard beneath him, and the familiar smell of stale airùbecause OÆBrien still hadnÆt gotten the damned air filters to work properly. He squinted against the light, and then the faces of Kira and Sisko were in his field of vision, smiling at him.
ôWelcome back, Constable,ö said Sisko.
Odo noddedá.á.á. but only once.
Then his head slid down into his chest. He had been leaning on his arms, but now his elbows dissolved, his biceps and triceps merging.
His feet were swallowed by his legs, which in turn blended with his hipsá.á.á. and before the astonished eyes of everyone in Ops, Odo became a very large puddle of red goo.
Sisko and Kira stepped back, treading carefully so as not to get any of Odo on their boots. They looked at each other questioningly, and then with a shrug Sisko tapped his comm unit.
ôSisko to Maintenance,ö he said calmly. ôWe need a cleanup in Ops. Please bring a mopá.á.á. and a fairly large pail.ö

ôI am impressed, Commander,ö said Gul Dukat. ôSuch forcefulness in your tone. Such anger. Suchá.á.á. What is the word?ö
ôArrogance?ö suggested Mencar.
Both commanders were on the DS9 viewscreen, conference together by Sisko. Sisko, the picture of calm, had his hands behind his back.
ôYes! Exactly so,ö said Gul Dukat. ôIn many ways, Commander, you would make a creditable Cardassian.ö
ôIÆll take that as a compliment,ö Sisko said. He heard OÆBrien mutter, ôI wouldnÆt,ö but he let it pass. ôIt was necessary to get your attention, gentlemen, since both of you were fighting over an entity whose fate was being attended to outside the confines of this station.ö
ôIndeed, the matter did become rather moot rather quickly,ö agreed Dukat. ôAnd it would have been a pity to sacrifice Odo on the altar of the EdemiansÆ stubbornness.ö
ôOurùö Mencar bristled.
Sisko spoke quickly before matters could escalate again. ôFortunately it has been attended to. It is not the way I would have liked it, gentlemen.ö
ôNor we,ö said Mencar.
ôNor I,ö concurred Dukat. ôThen again, I suppose we must settle for justiceùjustice handed down, perhaps, by someone greater than ourselves.ö
ôKÆolkr,ö Mencar said reverently. He didnÆt notice Gul Dukat rolling his eyes upward, but continued, ôWhich reminds usá.á.á. Mas Markoùö
ôIs being released from hisá.á.á. enforced accommodations even as we speak,ö said Sisko. ôHe will be able to leave at his convenience. My science officer informs meöùand he glanced once more at Dax, who nodded confirmationùôthat the wormhole has settled down. The subspace compression has reversed itself. If Mas Marko wishes to continue his mission, he may do so.ö
ôPerhaps,ö said Dukat slowly, ôthe wormhole was hungryá.á.á. and its appetite has been sated.ö
ôI tend to be more pragmatic in these matters, Gul,ö Sisko said.
ôAs do we all,ö Dukat replied. ôIs Odo all right, by the way?ö
ôLast I saw him, he was looking rather pail,ö said Sisko, ignoring the low moans this prompted from his crew.
ôWell, tell him we salute his courage,ö said Dukat.
ôAs do we,ö put in Mencar. ôHe has acted in the name of KÆolkrá.á.á. as do all things.ö
ôIÆll tell him. Sisko out.ö
They both blinked out, and Sisko turned to see that Kira was standing almost toe to toe with him.
ôCommander,ö she said in a low voice, ôI must protest.ö
He raised an eyebrow. ôReally?ö
ôI believe that you are taking unseemly delight in OdoÆs exhaustion, which has led to his currentá.á.á. difficult state,ö she told him stiffly. ôItÆs not appropriate, itÆs not respectful, and itÆs not fair.ö
ôI will admit to some degree of amusement,ö allowed Sisko. ôThe constable, for all his good points, has made his impatience with the Federation in general, and with me in particular, fairly evident. Stillá.á.á. I apologize, Major. If you find it upsetting, I will not make such disrespectful comments about the constable again.ö
ôThank you, sir,ö said Kira. ôWe should count ourselves fortunate that he wasnÆt killed.ö
ôYes,ö Sisko agreed solemnly. ôI would have hated to see him kick the bucket.ö
CHAPTER
21
MAS MARKO stood in the infirmary, looking at the life readings on his son. MarkoÆs face was unreadable, and Bashir took that as a good sign. Obviously, it meant that he had not dismissed the rightness of the doctorÆs actions out of hand. Azira stood nearby, her arms folded, not saying a word.
ôAs you can see,ö Bashir said, ôthe life signs have stabilized and, in several instances, are higher than they were before. Clearly, with the medication IÆve given him so far, and with the continued administration of the tricyclidine, Rasa will live a full and healthy life.ö When Marko said nothing, Bashir added helpfully, ôKÆolkr could not possibly object to that.ö
Marko fixed him with a passionless gaze. ôI see, Doctor. So you have now added theology to your fields of expertise.ö
ôLook, IÆm sorry,ö said Bashir, ôbut I just donÆt see how saving RasaÆs life so that he can continue to do your godÆs work can be a bad thing.ö
ôThat is the problem, isnÆt it, Doctor? For you see, the work of KÆolkr is performed on all levelsùamong the living and beyond that simple state, unto eternity. By your interference, you have disrupted whatever plans KÆolkr had for my son. Rasa is forever tainted. Whatever
Whatever effectiveness he might have had in this incarnationá.á.á. is gone.ö
ôDonÆt you think youÆre being a bit extreme about this?ö asked Bashir.
But Mas Marko was not listening to him. He had turned toward Azira. ôYou,ö he said softly. ôYouá.á.á. let this happen. Wanted it to happen. How could you?ö
She couldnÆt look into his glowing eyes. ôMarko, we have been a part of each otherÆs life for as long as I can remember. We were joined, promised to each other, when we were just beyond infancy. I remember you when you were RasaÆs age. He looks so much like you did. And you spoke to me back then of the things you were going to doùyour dreams, your hopes, the accomplishments that were so important to you. And IÆve watched you, taken pride in you, as you achieved your goals, one by one. Every time I looked at Rasa, I saw so much of you in him. And Iöùher voice trembledùôI love you too much, loved both of you too much, to allow RasaÆs life to end before he could accomplish any of his own goals. Itá.á.á. wouldnÆt have been fair.ö Now she looked at him. ôI didnÆt care what KÆolkrÆs plan was. No plan of hisùno matter how divine, no matter how inspiredùcould have made his death fair. Could have made it right.ö
ôAnd who are you,ö said Marko, ôto question his plan? He is KÆolkr! And you must answer to him!ö
ôI am Azira,ö she replied evenly. ôAnd I answer to myself.ö
There was a long moment of silence.
ôThe Zealous is waiting for me,ö he said after a time. ôI am told by Commander Sisko that the subspace compression has subsided. I will return to Edema, gather together new followers, and make the pilgrimage. And as for youá.á.á.áö
He drew himself up and then walked around her in a slow circle.
He muttered a string of words that Bashir did not understand. Azira closed her eyes, obviously in pain, but she did not allow a sound to escape her lips.
ôWh-whatÆs happening?ö demanded Bashir. ôI donÆt understand.ö
Mas Marko finished walking in the circle and then turned to face Bashir. ôIt is the consequence of your actions, Doctor. You tempted Azira off the holy path, and she succumbed to your enticements. The wife of a Mas must be held to the strictest standard, as must his offspring. Azira and Rasa are tainted. Forever tainted. No forgiveness on my partùeven if I had forgiveness to giveùcould expunge this sin from them.ö
Bashir looked from Marko to Azira and back again. ôWaitá.á.á. What are you saying? This isùö
ôThey will never be welcome into the arms of KÆolkr, for the sonÆs path has been altered and the mother has lost faith. She has elevated herself above KÆolkr, and that cannot be.á.á.á. Azira, I have spoken the words and walked the path that you cannot follow. We are forever divorced. Furthermore, you are forever excommunicated. If you walk the soil of Edema, you will be shunned by all followers of the word of KÆolkr. Some of them can beá.á.á. violent,ö he added reluctantly. ôI do not approve of their methods, but neither will I deter them.ö
BashirÆs anger erupted. ôYou heartless bastard!ö he shouted. ôThis woman saved your sonÆs life! And this is how you thank her? By cutting her off from you? From the life and world she knows? You canÆt do this!ö
Marko whirled on Bashir, faster than his size would have had Bashir believe possible. For just a moment his solemn voice seemed to crack. ôYou know nothing of what I can and canÆt do, Doctor! Do you think this pleases me? Do you think I wish to do this? My people
people do not believe in remarriage; I shall spend the rest of my days alone. Do you truly believe I find that prospect desirable? Do you?ö
He drew his robes tighter around him, as if trying to draw protection and strength from them. ôYou did what you felt you had to do, Doctor. And my wifeùapologies, I meant to say my former wifeùdid as she felt that she had to do. And nowá.á.á. I do what I must do.ö
Bashir looked to Azira. ôThis isá.á.á. You canÆtá.á.á.áö But he could think of nothing further to say.
Mas Marko walked slowly toward the door. Despite his great height, he seemed very small and vulnerable at that moment. He paused at the door as it opened and then said softlyùso softly that Bashir had to strain to hear himùôMay KÆolkr watch over you, Azira. You and Rasa both.ö
ôIf he wishes,ö replied Azira.
And then he was gone.
ôDoctor,ö said Azira after a moment, ôif you would be so kind as to arrange for us to have passage toá.á.á.áö She thought about it and then shrugged. ôTo anywhere, really. Perhaps to Bajor. That would not be a lengthy trip, and I understand Bajorans are a fairly religious people. Maybe their god will embrace us, even though our own has turned his back on us.ö
ôIá.á.á. IÆm sorry, Azira,ö said Bashir, knowing that ôIÆm sorryö didnÆt even begin to cover it. ôIá.á.á. I mean, had I knownùö
ôIf you had known, youÆd have what?ö Her voice was full of scorn. ôYouÆd have behaved differently? Spare me, Doctor. You were fixated on one thing and one thing only: saving a life. Even if I had warned you of what would happen, it wouldnÆt have mattered to you. You forced me to choose between my sonÆs life and my own lifeùthe life I knew with my people and my husband. And if you
were put into the exact same position, there is every likelihood that you would do the exact same thing again. WouldnÆt you?ö
ôVery possibly,ö he admitted. It galled him to confess that, because even when he had been doing itùwhen heÆd been subjecting Azira to the holoscenario from hellùhe had felt a measure of guilt. All that, however, had been washed away by the pure excitement and triumph of saving the boyÆs life, of looking death in the eye and saying, ôNot this time. Not this life. Not yet.ö And so again he said, ôVery possibly, yes. But I had no idea of the consequences when I took those actions. The only thing of significance to me was that your son would live. You, on the other hand, were perfectly aware. If you had it to do over again, would you take the same action?ö
She gazed at the sleeping child on the medical bed. The child who had cost her everythingùher mate, her religion, her planet, her friendsá.á.á. everything.
ôI wish I knew,ö she said faintly. ôI wish to KÆá.á.á. I wish to God I knew.ö
The door hissed open, and Sisko was standing there. He was scowling.
ôDoctor,ö he said. ôIÆve had a chat with Del.ö
ôYes?ö
ôAnd nowá.á.á. IÆd like to have a chat with you. A long chat.ö
ôYes,ö Bashir said softly. ôI rather thought you would.ö
CHAPTER
22
BENJAMIN SISKO walked into his quarters, flexing his arms and feeling a lot stiffer and a lot older. ôJake?ö he called.
His son came to him from the next room. Sisko smiled, because Jake was wearing a helmet. ôIs it safe?ö he asked warily.
ôOf course itÆs safe,ö said Sisko. He stretched out on the couch. ôThe Cardassians left hours ago, along with the Edemians. If any two races ever deserved each other, itÆs them.ö
ôAnd the morph guy?ö
ôGone. I doubt weÆll be seeing him again.ö
ôItÆs too bad he and Odo couldnÆt have been friends or something. ItÆs kind of sad for Odo, I guess.ö
This, of course, had already occurred to Sisko. ôYesá.á.á. I guess it is,ö he said carefully.
Jake shifted uncomfortably where he was standing, and Sisko looked at him questioningly. ôSomething wrong?ö
ôWell, Iá.á.á. I donÆt know how to say this, really.á.á.á.ö
ôOhhh, boy,ö said Sisko. He sat up and braced himself. ôOkay. What happened now? Did you and Nogùö
ôHuh? Ohá.á.á. no. No, nothing like that. I justá.á.á. Well, I just
wanted to say thanks. I mean about, you knowá.á.á. saving my life and junk.ö
ôOh. And junk.ö Sisko nodded. ôI see.ö
ôYeah. I mean, I was thinking about the other day. About how you said youÆd try to keep me safe. And you did. You saved my butt.ö
Again Sisko nodded. ôDoes that make you feel any better about being out here?ö
Jake considered it a moment.
ôNo.ö
ôAh. Wellá.á.á. give it time. These things always take time. Just do your best. No one can ask more of you than for you to do your best.ö
ôSoá.á.á.áö Jake moved over toward him and sat on the armrest of the couch. ôSo if, for exampleá.á.á. letÆs just say that I wasá.á.á. ohá.á.á. failing math, but I told you I was doing my best. Would that make it okay?ö
ôIf that was the absolute best effort that you could giveá.á.á. then, of course, I would have to be satisfied with it. And after all, Albert Einstein failed math.ö
ôYes, sir.ö Jake smiled.
ôOn the other hand,ö continued Sisko, ôyou ainÆt Einstein. And if you flunk math, IÆll kick that butt of yoursùthe one I just savedùall around the habitat ring. Got it?ö
ôYes, sir.ö
ôGood. Glad we had this talk, son.ö

Odo sat at QuarkÆs, at a table with Dax and Bashir. Quark was at that moment bringing over a large carafe of ale, and saying loudly,
ôAnother free drink for my great good friend, Odo, who risked his life to save me!ö
Odo looked at him disdainfully. ôI was doing my job, Quark. ThatÆs all. Furthermore, in case you have forgottená.á.á. if you hadnÆt done dirt to Glav early in your misbegotten career, this calamity wouldnÆt have been visited on the station in the first place.ö
ôA minor detail!ö said Quark.
ôI also noticed when we set up the trap, that you made sure to keep yourself as far away as possible.ö
ôOnly because I so admire your skills as a security officer,ö said Quark. ôI would have been in the way. But if you insist that you were only doing your jobá.á.á. then, fine. If thereÆs one thing I like, itÆs having the score be even. IsnÆt that right, Doctor?ö
Bashir nodded glumly.
ôGood.ö And Quark sauntered off.
ôDoctorá.á.á. is everything all right?ö asked Dax.
ôOh. Yes. Everything is fine. Iá.á.á. saved a life,ö said Bashir after a moment.
ôGood for you!ö said Dax. ôWho?ö
ôThe little Edemian boyá.á.á. Rasa.ö
ôWell, thatÆs excellent, Julian,ö Dax told him. ôYou must be very happy. I mean, saving lives is what doctors do, isnÆt it?ö
ôYes,ö he said tonelessly. ôYes, it is. Uhá.á.á. if youÆll excuse me.ö And he got up from the table and walked away.
Dax watched him, concerned. ôThatÆs strange. Usually he canÆt take his eyes off me. Now he barely notices IÆm here. Funny. His infatuation seemed so silly to me beforeá.á.á. but now I find IÆm a little bothered by his sudden indifference. IsnÆt that funny?ö
ôHilarious,ö said Odo. He was frowning at Quark, who was back behind the bar. ôOne of those damned Ferengi pulled a fast one the
other day. He sent Mas Marko to Ops for no reason that I can discern. IÆll have to worm it out of one of them.ö
ôOdoá.á.á.áö Dax looked at him in surprise. ôDonÆt you ever take a break? ThereÆs a world outside of law enforcement, you know. Do youá.á.á. do you wish to discuss the shapeshifter? The encounter must have been very difficult for you.ö
Odo looked at her questioningly. ôWhy should I want to discuss that? ItÆs a dead issue. HeÆs gone. Questions remain unanswered, but there are always unanswered questions lying about. No use fretting about it.ö He rose. ôIf youÆll excuse me, Lieutenant, I have a prior obligation I must attend to. IÆm not looking forward to it, but itÆs an obligation nevertheless.ö
ôOdo, are you sure youÆre all right withá.á.á.áö
But he didnÆt stay around to hear the questioná.á.á. or answer it.

Molly OÆBrien, three years old that very day, her face covered with birthday cake, stepped out of her quarters and gasped. She clapped her hands together in pure delight. Behind her, the children who were her guests, including Dina, squealed with excitement when they saw what was waiting.
The dappled pony stood in the corridor, tail swishing from side to side. OÆBrien stood beside it, adjusting the saddle. ôHeÆs just for today, Molly,ö he said. ôBut today is a very special day, so itÆs all right. So whoÆs first? Could it beá.á.á. the birthday girl?ö
Molly laughed, running to her father. Keiko came up behind her, trying to wipe her face clean with a napkin, but Molly squirmed so much that Keiko wasnÆt entirely successful. It didnÆt matter. Nothing mattered except that this was the happiest Molly had been in ages.
ôOkay. LetÆs go.ö And OÆBrien began to walk alongside the pony,
Molly perched atop the saddle and looking very proud.
ôI have to admit,ö said OÆBrien, apparently talking to Molly, ôthis is better than my magic tricks would have been. I guess my sleight of hand wasnÆt particularly goodá.á.á. although, you know, pumpkin, it did serve a valuable purpose. Because thinking about misdirectionùabout getting people to look at one thing so that they wonÆt look elsewhereùthat got Mr. Odo thinking. You remember Mr. Odo, the nice security chief? He started thinking about misdirection, and one thing led to anotherá.á.á. and it made him realize how someone was fooling him into looking at one thing when really he should have been looking elsewhere. WasnÆt that smart of Mr. Odo, sweetheart? And because he did, a bad man wonÆt be hurting people anymore. IsnÆt that nice?ö
ôYes, Daddy,ö said Molly happily. She wasnÆt really paying the least bit of attention. She was too busy waving at passersby as the pony patiently carried her around the habitat ring.
ôAnd because I was helpful to him,ö continued OÆBrien, ôOdo felt that he owed me. He thinks itÆs very important for everything to be just and right and fair and all that. And since I helped him, he felt he had to help me. And also because your mommy helped him with a well-timed phaser shot. IsnÆt that wonderful, Molly, that he is so honest and moral that he felt he had to pay us back?ö
ôOh, yes, Daddy.ö Molly stroked the ponyÆs thick neck. ôI want to name him Fluffy. Can I?ö
ôSuuure,ö said OÆBrien. ôRemember, itÆs just for todayá.á.á. but Fluffy sounds fine to me. Does it sound fine to you, Fluffy?ö
And Fluffy muttered, ôSo help me, OÆBrien, if you ever tell anyoneá.á.á. especially Quarkùö
ôNot a word from me, Fluffy,ö said OÆBrien. ôAnd, heyá.á.á. just to show my appreciationá.á.á. would you like a sugar cube?ö
Fluffy snorted disdainfully.
ôNo?ö OÆBrien shrugged and popped the cube into his own mouth. ôMore for me, then.ö
And Fluffy clip-clopped on his way.
Look for STAR TREK fiction from Pocket Books

Star Trek«: The Original Series

Enterprise: The First Adventure ╖ Vonda N. McIntyre
Final Frontier ╖ Diane Carey
Strangers From the Sky ╖ Margaret Wander Bonanno
Spock's World ╖ Diane Duane
The Lost Years ╖ J.M. Dillard
Probe ╖ Margaret Wander Bonanno
Prime Directive ╖ Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Best Destiny ╖ Diane Carey
Shadows on the Sun ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
Sarek ╖ A.C. Crispin
Federation ╖ Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Vulcan's Forge ╖ Josepha Sherman & Susan Shwartz
Mission to Horatius ╖ Mack Reynolds
Vulcan's Heart ╖ Josepha Sherman & Susan Shwartz
Novelizations
Star Trek: The Motion Picture ╖ Gene Roddenberry
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ╖ Vonda N. McIntyre
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock ╖ Vonda N. McIntyre
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ╖ Vonda N. McIntyre
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ╖ J.M. Dillard
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country ╖ J.M. Dillard
Star Trek Generations ╖ J.M. Dillard
Starfleet Academy ╖ Diane Carey
Star Trek books by William Shatner with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
The Ashes of Eden
The Return
Avenger
Star Trek: Odyssey (contains The Ashes of Eden, The Return, and Avenger)
Spectre
Dark Victory

#1 ╖ Star Trek: The Motion Picture ╖ Gene Roddenberry
#2 ╖ The Entropy Effect ╖ Vonda N. McIntyre
#3 ╖ The Klingon Gambit ╖ Robert E. Vardeman
#4 ╖ The Covenant of the Crown ╖ Howard Weinstein
#5 ╖ The Prometheus Design ╖ Sondra Marshak & Myrna Culbreath
#6 ╖ The Abode of Life ╖ Lee Correy
#7 ╖ Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ╖ Vonda N. McIntyre
#8 ╖ Black Fire ╖ Sonni Cooper
#9 ╖ Triangle ╖ Sondra Marshak & Myrna Culbreath
#10 ╖ Web of the Romulans ╖ M.S. Murdock
#11 ╖ Yesterday's Son ╖ A.C. Crispin
#12 ╖ Mutiny on the Enterprise ╖ Robert E. Vardeman
#13 ╖ The Wounded Sky ╖ Diane Duane
#14 ╖ The Trellisane Confrontation ╖ David Dvorkin
#15 ╖ Corona ╖ Greg Bear
#16 ╖ The Final Reflection ╖ John M. Ford
#17 ╖ Star Trek III: The Search For Spock ╖ Vonda N. McIntyre
#18 ╖ My Enemy, My Ally ╖ Diane Duane
#19 ╖ The Tears of the Singers ╖ Melinda Snodgrass
#20 ╖ The Vulcan Academy Murders ╖ Jean Lorrah
#21 ╖ Uhura's Song ╖ Janet Kagan
#22 ╖ Shadow Land ╖ Laurence Yep
#23 ╖ Ishmael ╖ Barbara Hambly
#24 ╖ Killing Time ╖ Della Van Hise
#25 ╖ Dwellers in the Crucible ╖ Margaret Wander Bonanno
#26 ╖ Pawns and Symbols ╖ Majliss Larson
#27 ╖ Mindshadow ╖ J.M. Dillard
#28 ╖ Crisis on Centaurus ╖ Brad Ferguson
#29 ╖ Dreadnought! ╖ Diane Carey
#30 ╖ Demons ╖ J.M. Dillard
#31 ╖ Battlestations! ╖ Diane Carey
#32 ╖ Chain of Attack ╖ Gene DeWeese
#33 ╖ Deep Domain ╖ Howard Weinstein
#34 ╖ Dreams of the Raven ╖ Carmen Carter
#35 ╖ The Romulan Way ╖ Diane Duane & Peter Morwood
#36 ╖ How Much For Just the Planet? ╖ John M. Ford
#37 ╖ Bloodthirst ╖ J.M. Dillard
#38 ╖ The IDIC Epidemic ╖ Jean Lorrah
#39 ╖ Time For Yesterday ╖ A.C. Crispin
#40 ╖ Timetrap ╖ David Dvorkin
#41 ╖ The Three-Minute Universe ╖ Barbara Paul
#42 ╖ Memory Prime ╖ Gar and Judith Reeves-Stevens
#43 ╖ The Final Nexus ╖ Gene DeWeese
#44 ╖ Vulcan's Glory ╖ D.C. Fontana
#45 ╖ Double, Double ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
#46 ╖ The Cry of the Onlies ╖ Judy Klass
#47 ╖ The Kobayashi Maru ╖ Julia Ecklar
#48 ╖ Rules of Engagement ╖ Peter Morwood
#49 ╖ The Pandora Principle ╖ Carolyn Clowes
#50 ╖ Doctor's Orders ╖ Diane Duane
#51 ╖ Unseen Enemy ╖ V.E. Mitchell
#52 ╖ Home is the Hunter ╖ Dana Kramer Rolls
#53 ╖ Ghost-Walker ╖ Barbara Hambly
#54 ╖ A Flag Full of Stars ╖ Brad Ferguson
#55 ╖ Renegade ╖ Gene DeWeese
#56 ╖ Legacy ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
#57 ╖ The Rift ╖ Peter David
#58 ╖ Faces of Fire ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
#59 ╖ The Disinherited ╖ Peter David
#60 ╖ Ice Trap ╖ L.A. Graf
#61 ╖ Sanctuary ╖ John Vornholt
#62 ╖ Death Count ╖ L.A. Graf
#63 ╖ Shell Game ╖ Melissa Crandall
#64 ╖ The Starship Trap ╖ Mel Gilden
#65 ╖ Windows on a Lost World ╖ V.E. Mitchell
#66 ╖ From the Depths ╖ Victor Milan
#67 ╖ The Great Starship Race ╖ Diane Carey
#68 ╖ Firestorm ╖ L.A. Graf
#69 ╖ The Patrian Transgression ╖ Simon Hawke
#70 ╖ Traitor Winds ╖ L.A. Graf
#71 ╖ Crossroad ╖ Barbara Hambly
#72 ╖ The Better Man ╖ Howard Weinstein
#73 ╖ Recovery ╖ J.M. Dillard
#74 ╖ The Fearful Summons ╖ Denny Martin Flynn
#75 ╖ First Frontier ╖ Diane Carey & Dr. James I. Kirkland
#76 ╖ The Captain's Daughter ╖ Peter David
#77 ╖ Twilight's End ╖ Jerry Oltion
#78 ╖ The Rings of Tautee ╖ Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
#79 ╖ Invasion! #1: First Strike ╖ Diane Carey
#80 ╖ The Joy Machine ╖ James Gunn
#81 ╖ Mudd in Your Eye ╖ Jerry Oltion
#82 ╖ Mind Meld ╖ John Vornholt
#83 ╖ Heart of the Sun ╖ Pamela Sargent & George Zebrowski
#84 ╖ Assignment: Eternity ╖ Greg Cox
#85-87 ╖ My Brother's Keeper ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
#85 ╖ Republic
#86 ╖ Constitution
#87 ╖ Enterprise
#88 ╖ Across the Universe ╖ Pamela Sargent & George Zebrowski
#89-94 ╖ New Earth
#89 ╖ Wagon Train to the Stars ╖ Diane Carey
#90 ╖ Belle Terre ╖ Dean Wesley Smith with Diane Carey

Star Trek: The Next Generation«

Metamorphosis ╖ Jean Lorrah
Vendetta ╖ Peter David
Reunion ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
Imzadi ╖ Peter David
The Devil's Heart ╖ Carmen Carter
Dark Mirror ╖ Diane Duane
Q-Squared ╖ Peter David
Crossover ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
Kahless ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
Ship of the Line ╖ Diane Carey
The Best and the Brightest ╖ Susan Wright
Planet X ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
Imzadi II: Triangle ╖ Peter David
I, Q ╖ John de Lancie & Peter David
The Valiant ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
Novelizations
Encounter at Farpoint ╖ David Gerrold
Unification ╖ Jeri Taylor
Relics ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
Descent ╖ Diane Carey
All Good Things... ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
Star Trek: Klingon ╖ Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Star Trek Generations ╖ J.M. Dillard
Star Trek: First Contact ╖ J.M. Dillard
Star Trek: Insurrection ╖ J.M. Dillard

#1 ╖ Ghost Ship ╖ Diane Carey
#2 ╖ The Peacekeepers ╖ Gene DeWeese
#3 ╖ The Children of Hamlin ╖ Carmen Carter
#4 ╖ Survivors ╖ Jean Lorrah
#5 ╖ Strike Zone ╖ Peter David
#6 ╖ Power Hungry ╖ Howard Weinstein
#7 ╖ Masks ╖ John Vornholt
#8 ╖ The Captain's Honor ╖ David and Daniel Dvorkin
#9 ╖ A Call to Darkness ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
#10 ╖ A Rock and a Hard Place ╖ Peter David
#11 ╖ Gulliver's Fugitives ╖ Keith Sharee
#12 ╖ Doomsday World ╖ David, Carter, Friedman & Greenberger
#13 ╖ The Eyes of the Beholders ╖ A.C. Crispin
#14 ╖ Exiles ╖ Howard Weinstein
#15 ╖ Fortune's Light ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
#16 ╖ Contamination ╖ John Vornholt
#17 ╖ Boogeymen ╖ Mel Gilden
#18 ╖ Q-In-Law ╖ Peter David
#19 ╖ Perchance to Dream ╖ Howard Weinstein
#20 ╖ Spartacus ╖ T.L. Mancour
#21 ╖ Chains of Command ╖ W.A. McCay & E.L. Flood
#22 ╖ Imbalance ╖ V.E. Mitchell
#23 ╖ War Drums ╖ John Vornholt
#24 ╖ Nightshade ╖ Laurell K. Hamilton
#25 ╖ Grounded ╖ David Bischoff
#26 ╖ The Romulan Prize ╖ Simon Hawke
#27 ╖ Guises of the Mind ╖ Rebecca Neason
#28 ╖ Here There Be Dragons ╖ John Peel
#29 ╖ Sins of Commission ╖ Susan Wright
#30 ╖ Debtor's Planet ╖ W.R. Thompson
#31 ╖ Foreign Foes ╖ Dave Galanter & Greg Brodeur
#32 ╖ Requiem ╖ Michael Jan Friedman & Kevin Ryan
#33 ╖ Balance of Power ╖ Dafydd ab Hugh
#34 ╖ Blaze of Glory ╖ Simon Hawke
#35 ╖ The Romulan Stratagem ╖ Robert Greenberger
#36 ╖ Into the Nebula ╖ Gene DeWeese
#37 ╖ The Last Stand ╖ Brad Ferguson
#38 ╖ Dragon's Honor ╖ Kij Johnson & Greg Cox
#39 ╖ Rogue Saucer ╖ John Vornholt
#40 ╖ Possession ╖ J.M. Dillard & Kathleen O'Malley
#41 ╖ Invasion! #2: The Soldiers of Fear ╖ Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
#42 ╖ Infiltrator ╖ W.R. Thompson
#43 ╖ A Fury Scorned ╖ Pamela Sargent & George Zebrowski
#44 ╖ The Death of Princes ╖ John Peel
#45 ╖ Intellivore ╖ Diane Duane
#46 ╖ To Storm Heaven ╖ Esther Friesner
#47-49 ╖ The Q Continuum ╖ Greg Cox
#47 ╖ Q-Space
#48 ╖ Q-Zone
#49 ╖ Q-Strike
#50 ╖ Dyson Sphere ╖ Charles Pellegrino & George Zebrowski
#51-56 ╖ Double Helix
#51 ╖ Infection ╖ John Gregory Betancourt
#52 ╖ Vectors ╖ Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
#53 ╖ Red Sector ╖ Diane Carey
#54 ╖ Quarantine ╖ John Vornholt
#55 ╖ Double or Nothing ╖ Peter David
#56 ╖ The First Virtue ╖ Michael Jan Friedman & Christie Golden
#57 ╖ The Forgotten War ╖ William R. Forstchen
#58-59 ╖ Gemworld ╖ John Vornholt
#58 ╖ Gemworld #1
#59 ╖ Gemworld #2

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine«

Warped ╖ K.W. Jeter
Legends of the Ferengi ╖ Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe
The Lives of Dax ╖ Marco Palmieri, ed.
Millennium ╖ Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
#1 ╖ The Fall of Terok Nor
#2 ╖ The War of the Prophets
#3 ╖ Inferno
Novelizations
Emissary ╖ J.M. Dillard
The Search ╖ Diane Carey
The Way of the Warrior ╖ Diane Carey
Star Trek: Klingon ╖ Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Trials and Tribble-ations ╖ Diane Carey
Far Beyond the Stars ╖ Steve Barnes
What You Leave Behind ╖ Diane Carey

#1 ╖ Emissary ╖ J.M. Dillard
#2 ╖ The Siege ╖ Peter David
#3 ╖ Bloodletter ╖ K.W. Jeter
#4 ╖ The Big Game ╖ Sandy Schofield
#5 ╖ Fallen Heroes ╖ Dafydd ab Hugh
#6 ╖ Betrayal ╖ Lois Tilton
#7 ╖ Warchild ╖ Esther Friesner
#8 ╖ Antimatter ╖ John Vornholt
#9 ╖ Proud Helios ╖ Melissa Scott
#10 ╖ Valhalla ╖ Nathan Archer
#11 ╖ Devil in the Sky ╖ Greg Cox & John Gregory Betancourt
#12 ╖ The Laertian Gamble ╖ Robert Sheckley
#13 ╖ Station Rage ╖ Diane Carey
#14 ╖ The Long Night ╖ Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
#15 ╖ Objective: Bajor ╖ John Peel
#16 ╖ Invasion! #3: Time's Enemy ╖ L.A. Graf
#17 ╖ The Heart of the Warrior ╖ John Gregory Betancourt
#18 ╖ Saratoga ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
#19 ╖ The Tempest ╖ Susan Wright
#20 ╖ Wrath of the Prophets ╖ David, Friedman & Greenberger
#21 ╖ Trial by Error ╖ Mark Garland
#22 ╖ Vengeance ╖ Dafydd ab Hugh
#23 ╖ The 34th Rule ╖ Armin Shimerman & David R. George III
#24-26 ╖ Rebels ╖ Dafydd ab Hugh
#24 ╖ The Conquered
#25 ╖ The Courageous
#26 ╖ The Liberated
#27 ╖ A Stitch in Time ╖ Andrew J. Robinson

Star Trek: Voyager«

Mosaic ╖ Jeri Taylor
Pathways ╖ Jeri Taylor
Captain Proton: Defender of the Earth ╖ D.W. "Prof" Smith
Novelizations
Caretaker ╖ L.A. Graf
Flashback ╖ Diane Carey
Day of Honor ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
Equinox ╖ Diane Carey

#1 ╖ Caretaker ╖ L.A. Graf
#2 ╖ The Escape ╖ Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
#3 ╖ Ragnarok ╖ Nathan Archer
#4 ╖ Violations ╖ Susan Wright
#5 ╖ Incident at Arbuk ╖ John Gregory Betancourt
#6 ╖ The Murdered Sun ╖ Christie Golden
#7 ╖ Ghost of a Chance ╖ Mark A. Garland & Charles G. McGraw
#8 ╖ Cybersong ╖ S.N. Lewitt
#9 ╖ Invasion! #4: The Final Fury ╖ Dafydd ab Hugh
#10 ╖ Bless the Beasts ╖ Karen Haber
#11 ╖ The Garden ╖ Melissa Scott
#12 ╖ Chrysalis ╖ David Niall Wilson
#13 ╖ The Black Shore ╖ Greg Cox
#14 ╖ Marooned ╖ Christie Golden
#15 ╖ Echoes ╖ Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch & Nina Kiriki Hoffman
#16 ╖ Seven of Nine ╖ Christie Golden
#17 ╖ Death of a Neutron Star ╖ Eric Kotani
#18 ╖ Battle Lines ╖ Dave Galanter & Greg Brodeur

Star Trek«: New Frontier

New Frontier #1-4 Collector's Edition ╖ Peter David

#1 ╖ House of Cards ╖ Peter David
#2 ╖ Into the Void ╖ Peter David
#3 ╖ The Two-Front War ╖ Peter David
#4 ╖ End Game ╖ Peter David
#5 ╖ Martyr ╖ Peter David
#6 ╖ Fire on High ╖ Peter David
The Captain's Table #5 ╖ Once Burned ╖ Peter David
Double Helix #5 ╖ Double or Nothing ╖ Peter David
#7 ╖ The Quiet Place ╖ Peter David
#8 ╖ Dark Allies ╖ Peter David

Star Trek«: Invasion!

#1 ╖ First Strike ╖ Diane Carey
#2 ╖ The Soldiers of Fear ╖ Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
#3 ╖ Time's Enemy ╖ L.A. Graf
#4 ╖ The Final Fury ╖ Dafydd ab Hugh
Invasion! Omnibus ╖ various

Star Trek«: Day of Honor
#1 ╖ Ancient Blood ╖ Diane Carey
#2 ╖ Armageddon Sky ╖ L.A. Graf
#3 ╖ Her Klingon Soul ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
#4 ╖ Treaty's Law ╖ Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
The Television Episode ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
Day of Honor Omnibus ╖ various

Star Trek«: The Captain's Table

#1 ╖ War Dragons ╖ L.A. Graf
#2 ╖ Dujonian's Hoard ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
#3 ╖ The Mist ╖ Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
#4 ╖ Fire Ship ╖ Diane Carey
#5 ╖ Once Burned ╖ Peter David
#6 ╖ Where Sea Meets Sky ╖ Jerry Oltion
The Captain's Table Omnibus ╖ various

Star Trek«: The Dominion War

#1 ╖ Behind Enemy Lines ╖ John Vornholt
#2 ╖ Call to Arms... ╖ Diane Carey
#3 ╖ Tunnel Through the Stars ╖ John Vornholt
#4 ╖ ...Sacrifice of Angels ╖ Diane Carey

Star Trek«: The Badlands

#1 ╖ Susan Wright
#2 ╖ Susan Wright

Star Trek« Books available in Trade Paperback
Omnibus Editions
Invasion! Omnibus ╖ various
Day of Honor Omnibus ╖ various
The Captain's Table Omnibus ╖ various
Star Trek: Odyssey ╖ William Shatner with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Other Books
Legends of the Ferengi ╖ Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Strange New Worlds, vol. I, II, and III ╖ Dean Wesley Smith, ed.
Adventures in Time and Space ╖ Mary P. Taylor
Captain Proton: Defender of the Earth ╖ D.W. "Prof" Smith
The Lives of Dax ╖ Marco Palmieri, ed.
The Klingon Hamlet ╖ Wil'yam Shex'pir
New Worlds, New Civilizations ╖ Michael Jan Friedman
Enterprise Logs ╖ Carol Greenburg, ed.