Strange as it was, the Dominion War was finally over. It had undoubtedly taken its toll from all over Federation and Klingon territories and forces, but probably not as much as it had taken from the Cardassians, who were almost wiped out by those who had been once their allies, the Dominion.
At Deep Space 9, one of the main hubs during the war for its location near the Bajoran wormhole, everything has changed, not only due to the aftermath of war. The thing that, most of all, had left a very big hole was the ascension, if you could call it like that, of Benjamin Sisko, operated by the Prophets in order to save him from his certain death after his fight against Dukat and Kai Winn.
With a mixture of sorrow and relief, Jadzia had watched her ex-husband, the Klingon Worf, leaving the starbase for Qo’noS alongside Martok, Chancellor of the Klingon Empire, as the Federation Ambassador to the Klingon. After all, who was better suited than a Klingon who had been raised on Earth and had served for years as a Starfleet Officer?
For her part, Lenara was only relieved that the Strategic Operations Officer had finally left the station: the last year had been a little awkward, mainly because it would happen that she came across the Klingon, by whom she felt a little bit intimidated, notwithstanding Worf had always maintained exemplary behaviour towards her. Now that he was finally gone, she secretly felt just a little better, even if she wouldn't ever tell her partner so.
The O’Brien family had decided to follow Miles O’Brien to Earth, where he was going to teach the new recruits at the Academy. Julian Bashir, DS9 Chief Medical Officer, had accompanied them to the docking hatch and had waved goodbye to his best friend, Miles, with the promise to keep in contact, notwithstanding the distance.
Colonel Kira was spending the better part of her days in what once had been Captain Sisko’s office and now was hers. She didn’t know very well what to do with her new assignment as commanding officer of Deep Space 9 for Starfleet, but she was going to do the best she could to live up to Sisko’s legacy. Especially now that the Provisional Government of Bajor had decided to join the Federation and let its military choose if to remain in the Bajoran Militia or enter Starfleet. In agreement with the Federation Council, police activities aboard DS9 had been assigned to the Bajoran Militia, even if Starfleet personnel had been authorized to lend a hand if and when the situation arose.
All things considered, it was a mess, thought Kira herself, while sitting behind the imposing desk that, once, was Sisko’s, looking at some reports she had found on it when she entered a couple of years before. Not because there was no cooperation between all the parties involved, that wasn’t absolutely at issue, but because the Colonel felt that the trust all placed on her was misplaced: she was, after all, more of a terrorist than a politician or an administrator, even if Sisko had proved more than once, all over the seven long years they had spent together aboard DS9, that one could be both, when the necessity presented itself.
With her, scattered around the room, were the few staff officers who had remained aboard DS9: Jadzia Dax and Lenara Kahn, respectively the Chief Science Officer and leading civilian expert in artificial wormholes, were seated on one of the sofas, while Julian Bashir, CMO, and Ezri Tigan, Chief Counselor, were taking drinks from the replicator.
«So,» Julian Bashir started the conversation after a sip from his freshly replicated raktajino, «why did you need the four of us here so early in the morning, Colonel?» He knew very well how Kira was annoyed when she was reminded of her rank and what it meant since Sisko’s ascension, so every now and then he enjoyed poking her about it.
Without taking the bait, Kira answered: «I’ve just received word from Starfleet Command.»
«And…?» Jadzia asked, having interrupted her conversation with Lenara; both of them had stood up and had walked over the Colonel’s desk, joining the conversation as soon as it had started.
«And they’ve confirmed pretty much what I thought they might. So,» she continued, with a smile, «we’ll have something more to celebrate alongside the end of the war.»
«I’m intrigued, now,» chuckled Lenara Kahn, «what are you talking about?»
«The usual,» observed Kira, «they’ve convinced me to be part of Starfleet. I’ll be a Commander by the end of the week and, probably, Captain by the next couple of months.»
«You’re going to be great, Nerys,» smiled Jadzia, while the other three nodded in agreement and Ezri added: «You have nothing to worry about, you’ll be able to live up to Ben’s legacy. I’m sure of it. We all are.»
«No pressure, eh?»
«Not at all,» smiled Bashir fondly, without any hint of teasing in his voice.
«That’s not all, of course.» Kira continued, «I’ve accepted my Starfleet commission as long as you four were to remain here, as part of my senior staff.»
«I’m merely a civilian,» noted Doctor Kahn, who had returned aboard DS9 a few months back after an accident that had almost killed Jadzia and Dax, her symbiont, «I don’t think that Starfleet could boss me around.»
«That’s only partially true,» observed Dax, with a smile, «you need to consider that you’re the leading expert on artificial and natural wormholes. Although you're a civilian and a contractor with Starfleet, they could always ask you to be stationed at the Daystrom Institute, for example.»
«It won’t happen. Not in the near future.»
Four pairs of eyes set up on Kira, who explained: «As I was saying, I’ve asked Starfleet Command to have the four of you remain stationed here on Deep Space 9. The Admiralty had acceded to my request and approved my promotion recommendations.»
«Your… promotion recommendations?» Ezri, as always, tended to speak very little, but when she did, she went straight to the point.
«Yes,» confirmed Kira, «for you, Doctor Julian Bashir, to Lieutenant Commander; for you, Counselor Ezri Tigan, to Lieutenant; and for you, Jadzia Dax, to Commander. And, Jadzia,» she added, looking towards the Trill Science Officer, «I want to ask you to be my XO.»
«What?» Jadzia was surprised by the request and by the fact that Starfleet Command had approved her promotion, even if she had undergone the Bridge Officer’s Test before being transferred, almost seven and a half years back, to DS9.
Kira smiled, before answering: «With all due respect, Jadzia, I don’t think there would be a better qualified officer other than you to take the role of XO. And it was my impression that the Admiralty agreed with me. Think about it,» continued the Bajoran, while Jadzia was still at loss of words, «what better person than one with all the training required, with an invaluable experience aboard Deep Space 9 and all the things that are going on in this sector?»
«Please, don’t need to flatter me any more than that, or Lenara might get jealous,» joked Jadzia, while Kahn gave her a playful punch on the shoulder, a big smile on her face.
«I’ll be your new exec.»
*
«I knew it,» gloated Bashir, some time later, when the four of them (Kira was still taking care of some things that needed her attention) sat on a table at Quark’s.
«You knew… What, exactly, Julian?»
«I’m sorry?»
«Oh, please, don’t tease me, Doctor,» snorted Ezri Tigan, with an impish smile, «you know very well what I’m talking about. So, what did you know with unwavering certainty?»
«You’re going to always wind me up, eh, Ezri?»
«Yup, whenever I can.»
The last remark was followed by a little jester on the left hand of Bashir, and a peak on his cheek, before Ezri took a long sip from her glass of herbal tea, a concoction that Lenara had suggested she tasted, for its peculiar and intense flavour. It seemed that the young Counselor was enjoying not only her newfound drink, but also her new relationship with DS9 Chief Medical Officer, as it was perfectly clear by their banter in front of Lenara, Jadzia and the other customers that were at Quark’s at that time of day.
«Well?»
This time it was Jadzia who prodded, gently, her longtime colleague and friend to give them all an answer, which seemed really slow in coming. Grunting, rubbing his shoulder half seriously, Bashir finally obliged the three of them: «Well, it was blatantly obvious that Kira would’ve chosen you as her exec officer.»
He looked up to Dax, with a boyish smile: «Better you than me, that’s for sure.»
«You know, Doctor?» Jadzia observed sardonically, «I’m going to have fun working in my new position… as your superior officer.»
«Oh no…» groaned Bashir, perhaps realising for the first time ever that Jadzia would effectively be the one who, alongside Kira, would tell him what to do from now on; the laughter that followed his remark catched some eyes, while he looked longingly at his empty glass, thinking about how much miserable Jadzia would render his life as the new XO of Deep Space 9.
«Oh, Julian, don’t you worry,» smirked Jadzia, «I promise I’ll be good with you… every now and then.»
From behind the bar, Quark gave a wry look towards the four of them, while continuing serving the customers nearer his position. For a little he toyed with the idea to finally being able to have his illicit affairs without anyone looking over his shoulder, trying to undermine his profits, since Kira had chosen Jadzia as her XO, but then he thought better: after all, DS9 would be a Federation starbase, even if it was commandeered by someone like Kira (who really disliked him, no matter what he did or did not), and that means that he needed to be more careful than ever in some of his… activities.
And talking about the devil, Kira Nerys herself entered his bar at that precise moment, wearing its Starfleet duty uniform, with a red collar and three full pips on her right. It seemed she was looking for someone, because she didn’t pay much attention to the Ferengi bartender, but kept sweeping the crowd until she found who she was looking for (Dax and her three companions) and walked straight toward them.
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