…and reappear. Not the world he had known, but something vaguely familiar. His eyes focused on the man before him.
“Garak,” he started, taking a step forward.
“Hold it right there.”
Odo stopped. While he had heard Garak talk in his native tongue on many occasions, never before had he heard it so thickly accented. And his clothes. A military uniform. Odo hoped he could remember the Cardassian he had learned those many years ago.
“Garak,” he asked, forming himself into his accustomed humanoid form. “Just who do you think I am?”
Garak laughed at the sight of Odoital reforming himself. Now he had him. And his coy schemes would not work this time.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Odoital. You should know better than that. It isn’t nice to get a sub-commander angry, you know.”
“What is your quarrel with me, Garak?” Odo asked, the realization upon him that this was not the Garak he knew.
“Come now, Odoital. The game is over. You have lost. This time and forever.”
“But why now, Garak? Why wait for so long?” Any flimsy limb is as good as another.
“It hasn’t been that long, my dear friend. Fifteen years. Barely a scratch upon the surface of your life. But your invasion of the Alpha Quadrant was the last straw. And you thought you would get away with taking control of Terek Nor. We will destroy it and the wormhole before you control it for long.”
“How did you find me?”
“Inquisitive, aren’t we? Very well. We intercepted a message between your fleet and the mercenary ships you’ve had working for you here. We knew all about your plans to kidnap the Kai and his wife before anybody showed up.”
“What?”
“Surprised? Well, I didn’t find it that hard to conceive that you would want to be present, make sure your hired help didn’t sabotage your plans.”
Odo was glad his outburst was so easily dismissed by the Cardassian sub-commander as simple surprise that his plan had been discovered. The Kai and Nerys were going to be kidnapped? Then another thought struck him-perhaps they had been already. Those figures he had seen coming up the pathway…he had been an investigator once, and it wasn’t too hard to put two and two together.
But he couldn’t let Garak see his alarm.
“You really don’t think this is going to slow down the takeover, do you?” Odo sneered as best he could- he had never really gotten the hang of that particular expression, but he thought that the Odo in this universe had probably mastered it at a very early age- taking a seat across from a portal the length and height of almost one wall. He must have formed it at least passingly well, because Garak looked suitably annoyed by his glance.
“Perhaps not,” Garak acceded, but his eyes remained icy. “But perhaps it will, and the Cardassians have a saying–the slow vole eventually gets caught.”
Odo didn’t particularly like being compared to a Cardassian vole, which were the Cardassian’s version of a rodent– a sort of cross between a rat and a lizard. And if Garak started to quote Cardassian euphemisms, they could be there all night. So, in desperation, he attempted to change the subject.
“What do you plan to do with me?” Odo asked in a scathing voice. He knew of only one way that the Cardassian could cause any physical pain, but he hoped- he prayed to the Prophets that they hadn’t ever heard of it. Or invented it.
“Please, Odoital, don’t be so naive. You’re obviously a hostage. Terek Nor will soon be in our possession again, as long as I have you to pay for it. The Jem’Hadar will put up little resistance when they realize I hold their esteemed leader captive.”
Odo tentatively took that to mean they knew nothing about any kind of quantum stasis field, for if Garak knew of it he would have definitely tried to intimidate him with it, for torture was always a good threat to start off a captor/captive relationship. That was one less thing he had to worry about. On to other worries.
“What about the Kai and Ne-his wife? Did you intercept the ship sent to abduct them?”
“You’re quick,” Garak complimented him in that tone of voice that never indicated whether or not the comment was sarcastic or not. “But not as quick as my ships. We should be rendezvousing with the other ship shortly. Although I must admit, I would like to see your people’s reaction when they discover I’ve beaten them at their own game. Nonetheless, we should have quite a celebration.”
Odo opened his mouth to make a rejoinder, but he never got the chance.
“Vekar to T’kour,” the comm-channel came alive. “We are ready to transfer our…guests to your ship now.”
“Speak of the devil.” Garak grinned at Odo, and then looked off into nowhere as people usually did when conversing over an audio comm-channel. “Beam them over. We’re ready on this side.”
“Aye, sir.”
Garak looked at Odo, his gray eyes inscrutable.
“Would you like to accompany me?” he asked. “Someone must be there to greet our guests.”
Odo stood immediately.
“There would be no way you could keep me here.”
(-|-)
The first thing she noticed was that it was warm-much too warm for her house to be in the beginning of spring. The second thing she noticed was that it was dark. This condition was easily rectified by opening her eyes, but the other obviously wasn’t going to be as easy to fix, since she obviously was no longer in her house. She wasn’t entirely sure where she was, but regarding her bleak surroundings– strange, metallic grate ceilings and what appeared to be a forcefield sealed entrance– made her start having serious regrets about opening her eyes in the first place.
Beside her, she heard someone stir, and turned to peer at him in the dim light.
“Bareil!” she exclaimed- but softly, as she didn’t want to call any more attention to herself and her husband than was absolutely necessary. A low moan issued from her husband’s mouth, sounding suspiciously like the ones he emitted early in the morning during her usually futile attempts to rouse him out of bed. “Bareil, wake up!”
He opened his eyes and looked at her groggily, his hand going up to shield his eyes even in the dim light.
“Where are we?” he asked dumbly, seeming to be unable to comprehend their surroundings to any great extent. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” Nerys answered honestly. “The last thing I remember is walking off down the pathway–“
“Storming off is more like it,” Bareil muttered, half under his breath. Nerys still caught it, and her anger with him was still close enough to the surface to come spilling over.
“Well, dear, if you-“
“I see we’re having a little lover’s quarrel here,” a dry, alien voice said in Bajoran, breaking in on what most likely would have been a tirade on Bareil’s rudeness. Her head swiveled to face the voice, and she saw a shortish Cardassian officer standing there, a slight grin on his gray-blue features. “Please don’t let me interrupt. I would just love to see this.”
“I’m sure you would,” Nerys retorted, the fire in her voice surprising even her a little. “But there’s no way I’m going to give you even that small satisfaction.”
“Pity.” Nerys almost laughed; she swore she could almost hear real regret in the Cardassian’s voice. “I suppose that will have to wait for another time then.” He turned, gesturing to an unseen person behind him. “There’s someone I think you’d like to meet here.”
Nerys stood and helped Bareil to his feet. If they were going to meet their captor, then they could at least do it on their feet.
The person stepped slowly, hesitantly forward, emerging from the shadows. Nerys’ first reaction was concern, followed quickly by confusion.
“Odo?”
“Nerys, I…” Odo seemed at a loss for words.
“Oh, I see you two know each other.” Garak’s voice clearly showed that he was relishing this scene, especially Odoital’s new form. A simple Bajoran male. Interesting. “Curious that you should know him, Mrs. Bareil.”
“Odo, what are you doing here?”
Odo cringed, and his mouth worked, but no sound came out. Garak seemed to notice his inability to answer, and resolved the problem by doing it himself.
“Why, Mrs. Bareil, don’t you know who Odoital is? He’s the one who kidnapped you!”
“NO!” Odo shouted, but it was drowned out by Bareil’s inarticulate howl of rage. The Kai seemed to lose all sense of control, and a sort of madness erupted on his face.
His battle cry resounded off the cold metal walls of the Cardassian cell, causing them all to freeze in shock even as Bareil threw himself at the forcefield, determined to tear down the electric curtain that stood in the way of reaching what he perceived as their greatest enemy, regardless of the consequences.
Able to ignore the pain that was searing him at every point in his body, he actually began to push his way through the field before the electric current triumphed and he was catapulted backwards, hitting the back wall of the cell with a sickening thud. And then he fell into a welcome unconsciousness.
Nerys rushed over to him, staring at his burned skin in horrified silence. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Odo step forward, faltering, as if he wanted to help. The insistent hum of the forcefield ceased, and she looked up to see who had entered the cell.
“Don’t you come near me,” she said from between clenched teeth, her eyes frosty enough to freeze Alpha Centauri. Odo stopped, his eyes tortured. He knew there was nothing he could say to lessen her anger- or her hatred. But somehow he felt he had to.
“Nerys, I never wanted this to happen. You have to believe me. I could never hurt you.”
She turned that icy gaze away from him, and he bowed his head partly out of respect for her wishes, but more to hide the agony he knew was residing in his eyes. Just as he was about to leave the cell, he heard her voice, the streak of steel in it wide and brittle, say three words:
“You already have.”
(-|-)
“How long will it be till you have to leave?”
Jadzia looked at him startled at the bluntness of the question.
“What do you mean, Julian?”
“Well, I just wanted to know how much longer you’ll be assisting on this mission,” he said casually, a bit too casually.
“Don’t worry, Julian. The Galen and I aren’t going anywhere until Odo’s back here where he belongs.”
Julian leaned back in his chair in slight relief.
“How’d you clear that with Starfleet?”
“I’ve got a few connections,” she grinned impishly.
“Ah,” he acknowledged, slyly. “Ambassador Sisko.”
“He did have his part.”
The conversation reached a lull.
“So,” started Bashir, changing the subject, “what were you doing in this neck of the galaxy anyway?”
“We were here to study the progress of the agricultural society, and how the biological life forms are responding to the long term treatment of the detoxification of the soils of Bajor.”
“Oh…are they still that bad? I mean, we ran into some debris in the field, but that’s got to be a rare find nowadays.”
“For the most part it is, but there are still some parts that were hit so hard, it’s been almost impossible for the farmers to get back on their feet. The Dahkur province is a prime example. There’s just too much damage.”
Bashir just sat there. Why did it seem that idle chit-chat, that he usually started, always turned out to go right over his head?
“Well, I think I’ll check on how the Chief’s getting along,” announced Bashir, rising from his seat.
“I think I’ll wait here awhile.”
“Well, oka-“
“Galen to Dax.”
Dax shot Bashir a look as she tapped her combadge.
“Dax here. Go ahead.”
“Captain, we’ve got something up here you’d better take a look at.”
“Is it life threatening?”
“Well…I don’t think so.”
“Well then, I suppose it can wait.”
“Actually…”
“Yes, Mr. Terell?”
“I still think it merits your attention, sir.”
“Very well. What is it?”
“It’s kind of hard to explain, sir.”
“Try, Mr. Terell.”
“Well, some of the plants and plots of soil we’ve been monitoring have developed a …unique variation.”
“Really?” Dax’s interest was piqued, slightly. Mr. Terell was not one of the most articulate crew members she had. “Such as?”
“Well, they’re showing no signs of radiation damage, past or present. It’s like they were never affected by the Occupation at all.”
“Maybe I will go with you to see the Chief. Looks like we have another puzzle for him to solve,” she said aside to Julian. “Prepare to beam three up. I’ll contact you again shortly. Dax out,” and she cut the link with the Galen short and set out to tell the Chief about his little extra credit assignment.
(-|-)
“Well, well, well. I must tell you, Odoital, that this has been turning out to be a truly fascinating experience.”
“You never change, Garak.”
“Why thank you!” he said, bowing ever so slightly. “I’m certainly glad to see that your opinion of me hasn’t changed over the time we were apart.”
Odo turned around.
“Leave me alone, Garak. Put me in a cell if you must, but leave me alone.”
“Come, come Odoital..you seem almost regretful about all of this.” Garak gave Odo a scrutinizing look, his eyes the slightest bit confused. He seemed to be about to say something, then relented and shook his head. “Very well, Odoital. We have made some preparations for your stay here… Daeik!” he called to a guard standing near the door. “Show our… guest to his quarters.” He smiled at Odo, and gave a curt bow. “I will see you later, of course. I am sure you will find your quarters adequate.”
Odo made no answer, but only followed the minor Cardassian guard out the door docilely. Garak watched as he left, the bemusement in him not showing on his face because of years of Cardassian Intelligence training, but his eyes betrayed him. The pain he had heard in Odoital’s voice had been real, he knew; he had learned long ago how to read a person’s emotional state, and oddly enough, he knew that the Changeling hadn’t been disguising the truth. But why would the Founder be so concerned over two Bajoran hostages? He knew he had heard something in Odoital’s voice when the shapeshifter had spoken to the Kai’s wife…and he had called her Nerys, much too informal for a first meeting. But how could he have known her from before? The Cardassians had always shunned Bajor and its overwhelming preoccupation with the Prophets, so it was extremely unlikely that they would have met during the time Odoital was held by the Cardassians. And to the best of Garak’s knowledge, when Odoital had escaped he had fled directly to the Gamma Quadrant, and back to his homeworld. Unless…
Garak’s eyes narrowed, and the dark gears in his quick Cardassian mind began to turn rapidly. What if the whole scene had been falsified, nothing more than a fabrication? What if Odoital had known them, but from after he had escaped? The talents of the Changeling’s people gave them an incredible affinity for infiltrating the Alpha Quadrant. Perhaps…perhaps the Kai and his wife were merely impostors? Perhaps Odoital hadn’t been trying to abduct them, but to retrieve a few of his operatives in this quadrant, a few of his people. If that was the case, then his emotions earlier might have been justifiable.
But there was only one way to really find out, wasn’t there?
“Trieka!” A slender Cardassian woman sitting at the weapons console turned.
“Yes, sub-commander?”
“Prepare the interrogation chamber. I have a few questions I’d like to have answered.
(-|-)
The streets were amazingly empty, and Jatira could tell that it was not a good sign. Usually the streets of Bajor’s capital were pleasantly filled with people. Something was definitely wrong, and no doubt it had to do with the disappearance of her parents.
She had to see the First Minister, find out what was going on. Maybe he would be able to help. After all, the people must have had a reason for electing First Minister Shakaar in the first place.
“Guess I’m going to find out why,” Jatira shrugged to herself as she turned off the road to take a shortcut.
(-|-)
Dax entered the bridge.
“Report.”
“A few more incidents have shown up since I last contacted you, Captain.”
“In the same areas as before?”
“These new readings show that the most recent developments have been in close proximity to the others.”
Dax nodded.
“Chief?”
O’Brien took a quick glance at the readings to confirm his hypothesis.
“It could be.”
“Very well…Mr. Terell, run a neutrino sweep of the areas affected.”
“Aye, sir.”
The bridge waited in silence for minutes in anticipation of the results, any results.
“Captain, something’s happening.”
(-|-)
Many days Jatira’s siblings and her had played in this field, overshadowed by the mountains crowning the city. The tall grass whipped around her legs as she made her way towards the house near the skirt of the field. The traditional house of the First Minister loomed in front of her as she approached, and for a moment, Jatira’s constitution faltered. But a moment later, she was once again tearing through the grass.
She tripped over something, and fell to the ground.
“What in the name of the Prophets?!” She looked up to see the First Minister’s house, now forlornly dark and empty where a lighted and vibrant house had stood only moments ago.
She heard the faint hum of a transporter and stood to see who it was.
She saw one man she did not recognized, a tall woman she knew as a Trill by the lines of spots framing her face, and…and (but why was he dressed in a Federation uniform?) her idol, the object of her fantasies, the galaxy’s newest tennis champion…
“MR. BASHIR!”
(-|-)
Bashir changed a glance at Dax, who was wearing a bemused expression.
“Yes?” he asked hesitantly, stepping slightly forward.
“Oh, Mr. Bashir! You’ve gotta help me.”
“How?”
“My parents are missing,” she said frantically.
“Okay, okay. Calm down. Who are your parents?”
“The Kai’s my father.”
“Your father? Well then, who’s your mother?”
She gave him an expression bordering on condescending.
“You just met her at the banquet last night! Bareil Nerys.”
“Bareil…Bareil Nerys?” Dax questioned. “But Nerys never had any children.”
Everyone turned towards the Chief as he said, tricorder in hand:
“That might not be entirely true. According to my scans, she is Nerys’ daughter, and Ved..uh..Kai Bareil’s.”
“But how can that be? Bareil died more than ten years ago. I should know,” said Bashir.
“Maybe here, Julian, but, apparently, that’s not true where she’s from,” explained O’Brien.
“What do you mean?” persisted Bashir.
“I think, Julian,” started Dax, “that what the Chief means is that this girl is not from our universe.”
O’Brien nodded and then all three of them turned to the girl, who looked at them with confusion, perplexity, and no small amount of fear written across her face.
But that wasn’t surprising. Being pulled involuntarily into another universe was bound to do that to a body.
(-|-)