Hi folks – sorry for the long wait for the finish – new job, no net at home etc – Thanks for all the awesome reviews for a first time writer!!

Captain's log stardate 49018.4

There is no trace of the entity known as 'the Cyriani' aboard the station. Chief O'Brien has conducted a level 5 sensor sweep of both the station, and the surrounding sector, and thus far the sweeps have returned negative. The Chief insists on completing the scan a second time, and in light of recent events, I can hardly say I blame him. It appears that the time we spent under the influence of the 'temporal anchor' initiated by the Doctor has had no adverse effects upon Deep Space Nine, and our return to normal space has prompted questions both from Starfleet, and from Bajor's provisional government – questions I fully intend to try to address, after a number of my own questions have been answered.

Benjamin Sisko stared across his desk at the Doctor, his fingers steepled in front of his face. He could not fathom the change that had apparently occurred within the man. For a start, there was the disconcerting way the Doctor kept grinning at him; a grin that for the first time since his meeting with this strange being, was almost reflected in his eyes as well as his face. Almost. A grin that Sisko had woken up staring into in his office. Since that time - time when Sisko had been coordinating the repair efforts of his command - the Doctor had busied himself with supposedly simple repairs to his vessel. He had remained aboard DS9 at Sisko's request – a request he hadn't really expected to be accommodated. But here he was, smiling like a hatter. Sisko couldn't help but wonder what kind of effort it took to maintain such a facade. To appear as carefree and enthusiastic as he did, yet at the same carrying the emotional weight that had crippled him just mere hours earlier.Inside, Sisko made a silent promise to discover more about this man at a later date, when he had time. 

But for now, Sisko sighed, knowing the following conversation would be no less infuriating than it had been the first time.

'Perhaps you wouldn't mind running that by me again Doctor' Sisko said.

'Well...' began the Doctor, once more scratching behind his ear, 'I worked it out. In the temple. The very nature of the temporal anchor acting upon the null space would have negated the thermodynamic, transubneural particles acting upon the orb. The act of resonating it would have caused it to implode rather than explode, thus eliminating our only means of stopping the Cyriani, and leaving us in quite a pickle I must add'

'That part I understood doctor. It's the rest that I find...vague'.

The Doctor for a second adopted a thoughtful expression which was quickly replaced by a smile.

'Sorry Captain, but as I said before your very own prime directive will not allow me to answer you with any more detail than I already have. Wonderful idea really. Protecting the development of less advanced societies by withholding superior technology. Wonderful I imagine except if you're on the business end of it.'

'Whilst I understand your reluctance to elaborate Doctor I must report to my command. I need details -What shall I tell them?'

'Tell them what I told you – I inverted the tenth, eleventh and seventy third dimensional properties of the psionic field the Cyriani was maintaining over your crew. When the host minds began to reassert themselves, the sheer psychic volume diminished that of the Cyriani and it lost cohesion. I then reverted the twenty sixth and forty eighth strings using the orb's energy field as an amplifier and it lost it's temporal cohesion. Bob's your uncle, fanny's your aunt – except on Metrak six where Bob can be both your uncle AND aunt, depending upon his physiological calendar.'

'A very interesting explanation. Interesting give that it can neither be verified or even understood – There's more to this, isn't there Doctor?'

An almost sly expression crossed the Doctor's features as he simply said,

'Let's just say I had a friend watching over me. Speaking of which, I'm late to meet Jadzia for a drink in Quark's – bright girl Jadzia, really I, ...'.

'I'm afraid that wont be possible Doctor.' stated Sisko sadly, this was the part he'd not been looking forward to...

'I thought I'd been absolved of all charges – you even gave my coat back – Oh wait a minute... Quark is pressing charges for an unpaid bar bill isn't he?– doesn't that equate to grand larceny on Ferenginar?'

'I'll be taking care of that for you Doctor, it's the least I can do. What I'm referring to is a little known mandate under article 12, section 31 of the Starfleet charter. It's states that should any Starfleet officer encounter 'The Doctor' he is to be detained on sight, and all property is to be confiscated forthwith. It was transmitted to me as soon as we returned to normal space. Priority One. However...' and now Sisko did smile. 'Given your participation during this recent matter I will allow you to return to your ship, unescorted, to remove any personal items you wish to bring with you into custody – photographs, a change of clothes perhaps. I give you fifteen minutes to return to this office and then I will order my deputies to find and detain you'.

'Right. Best be going then – people to do, places to...oh never mind.I'll just, you know, skidaddle. Allons-y, stage left. Fifteen minutes from..when? Now?'

'Goodbye Doctor' said Sisko.

'I prefer see you later' grinned the Doctor, graspin the captain's hand, again, from a certain point of view.On that note that he walked rather briskly from the office.

...

Mero Sesra made her way toward docking ring three, struggling with her baggage – both her personal effects, and the death of Winters. She was glad it was quiet, with minimal pedestrians on the promenade. The majority of the crew affecting the repair and testing of systems damaged during the station's transition back to normal space.She could remember all of it. The Cyriani, the complete suppression of will, the hands reaching for his throat.The look in his eyes; and she was responsible her hands, her...

'Oof' she cried – someone had walked right into her. As she reached down to gather her things she looked up into the face of the man that had walked into her. In his eyes she saw infinite kindness, and a name. She knew his name as well as the fear that had gripped that thing which had taken her body at the very first time it had seen him – the thing that had...It all came crashing down upon her, and she struggled to hold back the tears.

'I'm sorry she said her voice almost a sob' I didn't see, I..'

'Funny thing about good people. Always feel the need to apologize, even when they've done nothing wrong. Events transpire , unpredictable circumstances hurtle at them like a steam train, upending everything they think they know. The universe throws a curve ball, yet some people will still stand up and try to take responsibility for something that isn't their fault, that never could have been their fault. Like some idiot walking slap bang into them in the middle of an empty street. It wasn't your fault Sesra – no matter how hard you stare in front of you there'll always be the things you wont see coming, and even if you do, there's nothing you can do stop them. What you can do is pick up your bags, hold your head high and walk on knowing that the responsibility is not yours – Only the the decency inside you that demands you search for it. As I say, funny thing, good people.'

Sesra felt as if he could see her soul. She thought of speaking, of saying something to him, but he was already walking away. She thought she could hear him whistling.

...

The Doctor closed the doors of the TARDIS behind him. He walked over to the flight controls and inputted his next destination. He thought about what he'd said to the Bajoran Sesra, about curveballs. His mind tracked back to Benjamin Sisko – what a curveball he'd been after all. His words, 'this is not our last meeting' in the front of his mind. When and where would they meet again?

'Oh well Old Girl' he said out loud, 'let's see what's out there. Um...again'

With that he initiated the engines and sped into the vortex, neither knowing or caring where he'd end up – For thanks to the crew of DS9, and especially it's captain, it all looked just a little bit brighter again.

THE DOCTOR WILL RETURN IN 'OUT OF THE FRYING PAN'