encore
Whispering human voices.
".....ashir,
there he is."
"Where?"
"Ssh! He'll
hear you. Over in the corner by the plant."
"His
appearance is a lot younger than I had been given to expect."
A deep Klingon voice.
"And a lot cuter..."
Giggles.
"If you
like the pretty type."
Disdain in the
second human's voice.
*Thank
you, young man, but I'm thirtysomething and well past
pretty."
"Jealous, Gregor?"
Muffled laughter again.
"He doesn't
look like a spy."
A Bolian accent.
*WHAT?!*
He glanced
casually around the Replimat, ending at the table that held him under
discussion. Two humans; a solidly built
blonde male and a small dark-haired female with Eurasian features, sitting with a Klingon male and a slender female Bolian. All
were ensigns, Science blue and Engineering yellow. He didn't
recognise any of them. They caught his gaze and hurriedly turned to
their plates, the female human smiling almost coyly before she did so.
The sound of
food consumption for several minutes.
"Do you
think he heard us?"
The Bolian again.
"He's
across the room for god's sake."
"But he's,
you know..."
"Only
mentally, I think."
*Only!*
"You mean
he got that body naturally? I'd like to run a few tests on that theory."
"Shian, get
your mind out of the gutter."
"After you, Gregor."
Gentle laughter.
"So you
think he really does work for Starfleet Intelligence? He doesn't look
like a spy."
The Bolian was
obviously not one to give up a line of enquiry.
"What does
a spy look like? I would have said someone with a reputation like his
would be the perfect choice." Shian's voice turned almost dreamy
"I wonder whether the personal parts are true..."
"Anyway,
who's to say he works for Starfleet? I heard he was very chummy
with the Obsidian Order and the Tal Shi'ar."
"Greg!"
the word was hissed "That's not even funny! You've seen his
record! You know what he went through during the war!"
*No,
my dear, you don't. But that doesn't bother me in the slightest.
Some things should be kept from the innocent.*
"That does
not mean he is not a spy. I would surmise his work on Cardassia gives
him wide opportunity for espionage."
*Are
you sure you aren't a Vulcan under that Klingon hide?*
his appetite for dessert had suddenly vanished along with his taste
for the conversation.
"Come on Del'eek, the man's practically a national hero on Cardassia."
*Considering
what usually happens to 'national heroes' on Cardassia, that is not necessarily a desirable status.*
"Exactly my
point!" the male ensign jumped in again "He spends all his
leave there and..."
*What's
this? Even the junior staff keeps track of me nowadays?*
"And he's
a doctor. The Cardassians desperately need medical aid. It may have
been three years but their homeworld's still in chaos."
"Yes, and
who do they have to blame for that?"
Taut silence.
"Gregor..."
"I know, I
know, I'm sorry. It's just it's so hard to forget sometimes...."
"No-one
asks you to forget,"
Julian turned
his head to see the Bolian stretch across the table and place a
hand over the male ensign's.
"Just to
forgive. Those who suffer now are not our enemies. Nor do they
deserve the price they pay for their leaders' actions. To aid them
heal is to aid ourselves heal. It will not be easy, but it is right.
Is this not why we are in Starfleet?"
There was
several seconds' silence after the Bolian's speech, then the Klingon placed
his hand over hers', swiftly followed by Shian.
Gregor placed his hand on top of them all and the four figures
stilled into a tableau as they silently pledged their allegiance - to
Starfleet and each other.
Gregor gave a
shaky laugh and the intensity of the moment was broken. The four
returned to their meals in an embarrassed clatter of cutlery.
A figure dressed
in Science blue with Lt.Commander's pips paused by their table.
"Hello, I'm
Dr Bashir, the CMO."
"Sir!"
the ensigns made as if to stand up, but Julian waved them down.
"No, no,
finish your lunch.
I assume you just got assigned here?"
"How did
you know that?" Shian almost gasped.
Julian smiled
gently "I always do the initial medical check-ups for staff
myself and I haven't seen any of you before. The "Fortitude"
also just delivered the latest transfers. You came in with them,
Ensign..?" the statement tailed off into a query.
"Ensign
Ling Shian, Engineering, sir."
Julian directed
his gaze at the others.
"Ensign
Gregor Duretev, Astrophysics, sir!"
*A
little stiff there. Hoping I didn't hear what you said? Never mind,
you're young. You'll learn.*
"Ensign Del'eek, Engineering, sir."
"Ensign
Teleti Dop, Biomed lab, sir."
"So we'll
be working together then, Ensign Dop."
The Bolian looked discomforted.
"Yes, sir.
I have heard much of your work and I look forward to the honour of
serving under you."
*If
you could blush like a human, you'd be scarlet*
Julian's smile deepened.
"Tell me
that again in six months! Well, welcome to Deep Space Nine, Ensigns."
"Thank you
sir." Gregor murmured.
"Sir! Can I
ask you a question?" Ensign Dop straightened in her seat. The
other ensigns exchanged apprehensive glances. Encouraged by the lack
of a negative response, the Bolian continued "Sir, is it true
you were a spy during the war?"
"Teleti!" Del'eek hissed. Gregor closed his eyes in embarrassment. However both
the Bolian and Shian stared at him in wide-eyed query. Ten
years contracted and twisted in a split second and Julian knew there
was only one thing he could say.
He feigned surprise.
"Really
Ensign, wherever did you hear that nonsense? I'm just a plain, simple doctor."
