****Okal's POV*****
Okal walks in the holographic bar to meet Vic greeting everyone at the door*
"Hey pally, how ya doin'?" I ask.
"I'm doin' just fine. You're not dancing solo tonight are you, a pretty girl like yourself?"
blushing, "No,no. I'm supposed to meet some friends, Nu'Daq, Rafko and some others."
"Fine folks. Saw them come in a little earlier. There over there at the bar." Pointing in the general direction my eyes followed his arm. I give a little wave to everybody. Putting my hand on his shoulder, I thank Vic.
"Hey, no problem kid."
He turns and starts to walk away, as do I. I quickly turn on a heel before he's out of earshot.
"Hey Vic!" He looks my way.
"Sing me a song would'ya?"
He nods. "How 'bout... 'I've Got the World on a String?" With a motion of his thumb and finger like a gun, he makes a cracking noise with his mouth.
Then he says, "Anything for you, doll."
I walk to the bar, smiling all the way. "Hey guys!"
****Rafko's POV*****
*Rafko is standing by the bar, listening to Vic's rendition of "The World on a String" drinking a margarita*
"This was a great idea," I say to the Klingon standing next to me. "We should do this more often."
I get a growl in response. Talkative folks, these Klingons! I notice Ensign Okal at the far end of the room; during the last 18 months on Deep Space Nine, I've come to consider her as one of my good friends. She looks absolutely smashing in a mauve dress designed by Garak. Speaking of Garak, I see him standing with Julian Bashir; both are dressed to the nines in tuxedos. Other station personnel are here too - Odo, Kira, Chief O'Brien and his wife... It feels wonderful to be this relaxed. After two (?) years of war, it is a relief to be headed towards the peace talks. The treaty has been 18 long months in the making. I just hope nothing goes wrong before we can begin talks. Vic Fontaine walks over to me, a smile creeping over his face.
"Did you have a request?" he asks.
I grin back. "'These Foolish Things.'"
"Any particular reason?" I bite my lip, "Sentimental reasons."
"Hmmm... an affair of the heart?"
"You could say that."
Beside me, the Klingon slams down his bloodwine, getting a little bit on me. The Klingon stalks off angrily.
"Something wrong with your pal?" Vic asks.
I shake my head, "It could be anything with him..."
"Ah... one of those," Vic nods wisely. Okal joins us.
"Thanks for the song, Vic," she says. "That's one of my favorites."
"You're welcome. `These Foolish Things' is next," Vic winks at me.
"Thanks," I say gratefully. Okal glances at me sideways.
"Need to talk?" she asks.
"No," I answer. "But the sooner we get off this station, the better."
"Couldn't agree more," Okal nods.
Vic's voice drifts over the room...
"A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces, An airline ticket to romantic places, A fairground's painted swings, These foolish things remind me of you."
"A tinkling piano in the next apartment, Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant, And still my heart has wings. These foolish things remind me of you."
"You came, you saw, you conquered me. When you did that to me, I knew somehow It had to be. The winds of March that make my heart a dancer,"
"A telephone that rings but who's to answer. Oh, how the thought of you clings. These foolish things remind me of you."
****Nu'Daq's POV****
Nu'Daq had spent the afternoon meditating in a holosuite. This is where he spent most of his times. Meditating, fighting or just sitting around. He liked to recreate his home on Q'onoS before the war, before these Federation people killed his parents. Sometimes he would run a combat training program - at level 12. This annoying little Ferengi had taught him how to disengage the safeties to add more realism.
Yesterday he had been in serious trouble attacked by two holo-humans, but he managed to defeat them with only a minor cut on the neck. It was healing nicely. As he entered his room, there was a message from some of his shipmates. "Join us at Vic's tonight for some fun". Fun was the last thing on his mind. Why should he waste his precious time on that.
But then again, _she_ would probably be there. Nu'Daq picked out a nice dress, nice in human terms. As he put it on, he felt how awkward it was on him. Nothing like a uniform, but relaxed, smooth, soft. Yuck! He just felt too human..... Walking down the Promenade he felt everyone's eyes on him. But he ignored them, he walked in a steady pace towards Vic's As he entered the room, he saw some of his shipmates at the bar. He went up there and gnarled a welcome at them, which with some good will could be interpreted as a "hello."
He ordered a blood wine and looked for her. She was there and looked as lovely as ever. He felt his heart beat and hurried down the blood wine. It burned so nice in his throat, it almost made him forget this strange feeling. Almost. A few more blood wines, but no. This awkward feeling was tormenting him. He triec to look at her, but this just made it worse. With a loud bang he slammed the glass on the table, gnarled and rushed out of the place. He almost ran back to his quarters and started his exercise program... Next morning: two broken tables, a smashed chair and two broken bones in his left hand.....
****Katja's POV****
Katja walked into Vic's a little nervously, looking for familar faces. She saw some of her shipmates at a table, and walked up to them. "Hi, guys. Mind if I join you?"
*****Rafko's POV****
Nu'Daq's temper tantrum was obvious to everyone, even Katja who had just shown up and taken the seat recently vacated by the angry Klingon. I suppose it's just the Klingon nature - they feel so much more deeply and strongly than we Bajorans do. Even Vic seemed perturbed by Nu'Daq's departure and he approached our table in trepidation.
"Is your friend going to be okay?" he asked.
"I think so," I said. "He's got some things to work on..."
"Anything serious?"
I shook my head, "Nu'Daq is very private. I don't think he would appreciate us talking about him."
Vic sighed, "Well, as long as he doesn't tear up my bar again..."
"That," I said with confidence, "is not something we can promise. Like I was telling Okal, the sooner we get off this station, the better. For all of us."
****Okal's POV****
I wave to Katja from across a few tables.
"Over here!" I motioned to her. Rafko and I were still standing at the bar with Vic.
Vic sighed, "Well, as long as he doesn't tear up my bar again..."
"That," Rafko said with confidence, "is not something we can promise. Like I was telling Okal, the sooner we get off this station, the better. For all of us."
I nodded my agreement. It did seem folks were getting a little stir crazy. Katja was now standing with us. Rafko, Katja and I chatted for a while. With one disturbance behind us in our evening of relaxation, a sight at the entrance befuddled us all. Ali was running into the lounge, without any footwear. Her hair was slightly mussed, but that was nothing considering her shoes were in her hand. We waved her down to the closest table to the bar, where we all sat, and allowed her the privacy of the seat closest to the corner. She needed somewhere to put on your shoes. Immediately Ali and Emalia started talking about Ali's dress. It's iridescent pale blue was stunning.
"I thought Nu'Daq was joining us this evening?" she asked while buckling the tiny strap on her left shoe. Her head bobbed from beneath the table to speak and bounced back down again.
"Well," Rafko began. I allowed a small grin to pass my lips. "I think he had other plans." We looked at each other with that familiar 'we'll-leave-it-at-that' look.
Over the music, I thought I could hear stifled screams from the adjacent holosuite. Then again, it could have just been the craps tables from the games rooms. The three women were around me talking up a storm. This was the first time we were really all together to have fun, not work. And the way things were looking, this may be the last for a long time. I found myself slipping into Vic's smooth voice and staring at the wall on the far side of the room...
****Rafko's POV****
I looked over at Okal, who was swaying gently to the music.
"Ensign," I said in a low voice. "Do you hear something?"
She opened her eyes, "What?"
"Do you hear something in the holosuites?"
Okal frowned. Next to us, Katja, Emallia and Aleana Lan were talking up a storm; they looked happy and relaxed. I had to agree - Emallia's dress was a masterpiece. All three of them seemed to be unaware of the noise I was hearing.
"I hear it," Okal said. "Maybe we should check it out?"
"Agreed," I looked over at Katja, Emallia and Lan; they wouldn't miss our presence and most everyone else's attention was riveted on Vic Fontaine. "Let's go."
We climbed up the narrow, twisting stairs up to the second level; every step of the way, I cursed my black high heels.
We stopped in front of the holodeck. Inside, the screams were growing increasingly louder and more violent.
I stared at Okal, "What do you think that is?"
****Emallia's POV****
"So, the second duck says, what do I look like, a type writer?" I say. What can I say, I'm a sucker for bad jokes.
"Ummm, Okay, that was either the stupidist joke I've ever heard or there was something I missed," said Lan.
"What can I say, dresses like this just get me going. What did you think, Rafko?" Silence answers me. "okaaaaaay. We've been ditched."
Another scream peirces the air. None of the holograms hear it. I look up at Vic and he's sending questioning glances in our direction. None of the others have heard it.
"I'll be right back. I have to go and see about a song." I start to head up to the stage and I arrive there just as he finishes his song. He excuses himself from the stage.
"Did you hear what I heard?" I ask him.
"I believe I did, doll. So did Rafko and Okal. They went up the stairs there."
"Vic, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a telepath. Oh, could you sing Sing, Sing, Sing for me? I told them I was going to ask for a song."
"Sure thing. You know, that was one of the songs Jadzia tried to get Worf to dance to. We never made it past the first chorus," he said with a small smile. The mention of Jadzia put a bad taste in my mouth. We may have fought all the time, but she was still my sister.
"Sorry, I.."
"Never mind. Just sing for me." I shrug it off. I know he didn't mean it. Well, he went back up and started as I tripped over my shoes. Again.
"Oh to hell with this." And with that, they were in my hands. I climbed the stairs and I could hear the sound getting louder and whispers of "What do you think it is?"
"It sounds like a very tortured soul to me."
Rafko and Okal jump three feet in the air.
"What have I told you about doing that to me!?!?!?" Rafko says.
"Oh, come on. You know you love me anyways." Our little argument is cut off by another scream. "Should we go in?"
****Rafko's POV****
The screaming was growing louder by the second.
"Do something!" I said to Okal frantically. She tossed back a look of exasperation at me.
"Give me a second," she muttered with gritted teeth as her fingers played the keypad in an attempt to override the security codes. Not for the first time, I regretted sleeping through most of my engineering courses at Starfleet Academy.
"It sounds like a very tortured soul to me," said a voice from behind us. Okal and I jumped in surprise. I turned to face Emallia, who appeared flushed, her shoes once again in her hands.
"What have I told you about doing that to me?" I asked Emallia, very much annoyed.
"Oh, come on. You know you love me anyway," Emallia smirked back at me. I was about to respond when another bloodcurdling scream filled the air and then there was silence.
"Should we go in?" Emallia asked.
"Okal is working on it," I said at the exact moment the holodeck doors slid open. Inside, the holodeck showed a scene reminiscent of the Klingon homeworld. More to the point, it was a temple famous for its sacrifices in the name of honor. I ventured in, feeling a little uneasy. We spread out a little, me heading towards the temple, Emallia towards a dense patch of vegetation and Okal towards an outcropping of purple-hued rocks. The air, true to Q'Onos atmosphere, was hot and sticky. I swatted a fly in annoyance and nearly stumbled over an uneven cobblestone.
I thought that Emallia had the right idea and was about to remove my shoes when Okal yelled, "Xenia! Over here!"
Okal was kneeling by the prone body of a Klingon warrior and from the look on her face, I could tell that this was no hologram but an actual Klingon. I felt for a pulse and could find none.
"Who do you think...?" Emallia's eyes were wide with fear. We did not have time for speculation as Odo, followed by three or four security officers, burst into the holodeck. "Ensign, Doctor," he said. "Move aside..."
We complied. As Okal, Emallia and I found a spot by an old, gnarled tree, my eyes fell on a mek'leth protruding from the said tree. I went over and wrenched it out; blood splashed onto my dress. "I've seen this before..." I said slowly.
Okal shook her head. "You better hide it," she said. "Otherwise..."
****Katja's POV****
I trailed the others out of Vic's, into another holosuite. On the floor lay a Klingon, now surrounded by Odo and several security officers.
"Oh my gosh!" I gasped, as a wave of emotion and trouble thoughts hit me. I quickly put up my mental shields. I had inherited my mother's telepathic abilities, but unfortunately my Klingon heritage prevented me from developing strong shields.
"What is it?" asked Okal.
"She's in a lot of pain," I answered. "Physical and emotional."
"Who is she?" Emallia wanted to know.
I shook my head. "I don't know. She wants to forget, and I don't want to dig that deep without her permission. Although... she does look familiar."
"Would Nu'Daq know?" Rafko wondered out loud.
Okal snorted, "Like he would tell you if he knew!"
I shook my head. I had been hoping to get close to Nu'Daq. After all, I was half-Klingon, but he didn't seem to let anyone get very close to him.
"He's angry, even for a Klingon," I commented.
Rafko looked over at the security officers cautiously. "Katja, you're half-Klingon..."
"So glad you noticed," I said dryly.
Rafko ignored my comment. "Do you know anything about this?" She pulled a mek'leth out from under a bush.
I fingered the family crest on the weapon, sure of whose it was. "This...this is Nu'Daq's family crest."
****Okal's POV****
I shared a panicked glance with Xenia. The pink blood on her dress seemed to draw all the colour from her cheeks.
"This evening doesn't seem to be going as relaxing as we had thought, has it?" I questioned while Odo was examining the scene. Apparently is was going to be a long night for her. We stood in silence for a few moments. Katja was still examining the crest on the Klingon blade when the Constable motioned for Xenia.
"Dr. Bashir will be ready for our newest patient. I think since you were here right after the assault, you should go with her and assist Dr. Bashir with any information you may have. As soon as you have the opportunity, however, I would have you meet me in Sisko's office."
She nodded. She turned and looked at me before she went to stand by our Klingon Jane Doe. Situations like these required site to site transportations. I watched as every molecule in her body was disassembled and spread about like dust to vanish into a computer buffer program. Still amazes me to this day, such simpleton electronics as such. **Odo, characteristically with his hands behind his back, approached me. Emalia and Katja were close at hand.
"I'll ask the three of you to meet me in Sisko's office, as soon as you change your... attire. He will be briefed of the situation before you arrive."
"Aye, sir" I said. Emalia quickly followed pace. Katja held a blank stare and the empty space once occupied by the victimized Klingon. Odo and the security staff left, save for one, who after we left would recheck the scene. Other than him, we were standing alone in a hot & sticky, and very humid holdeck. Oh, it was going take more than one going through the replicator to get my dress back to it's original grandeur.
"Katja," I began to ask, "why didn't you give the Constable the mek'leth?"
"It's too... incriminating. I don't want to do anything rash. I'll take it with me to Sisko's office, but I have a slight detour I want to make first. I don't have a good feeling about this, and it runs deeper than it looks I suspect."
With Emalia and I in standing in front of her so that the Bajoran security officer would be oblivious to our movements, she tucked the pointed weapon in the bust of her dress and headed out the door. On her way out, she darted him a smile that would make a Ferengi sweat.
"I'm coming with you. I'll walk you to the habitat ring. I have to change before we meet with Captain Sisko."
Emalia followed behind me. Katja stopped just before we reached the door.
"Do you think Captain Worf will be there too?" Emalia gave her a look that said more than she did.
"More than likely."
The three of us walked out together. Disheveled as we were, no one noticed. With some of Quarks holosuite rentals, we came out of it looking somewhat angelic to say the least. Once out of the holodeck, we noticed the corridors somewhat empty. We must have spent more time in there than we thought.
Do you have any idea what could be bothering Nu'Daq? Maybe whoever did this threatened him." I was trying to make conversation as we walked through the halls. Katja was gently running her fingers over the handle of the knife she now had out in the open.
"It's possible. His anger has been very uncontrolled as of late. It's strange. It's like it didn't have a chance to brew. It just happened and everything in his surroundings seems to spark one small piece of that rage." Her gaze was a constant fix forward. We arrived at his door. All was silent inside.
"Will you be okay?" I asked. Her eyes broke their blank stare and she looked at me.
"I am half Klingon. Besides. I have enough wits about me that I know how to duck."
I grinned. It wasn't often you heard someone of Klingon heritage pass from between their lips an utterance of avoiding a battle. I could see the half-hearted smile start on Emailia's visage.
Emallia and I turned the corner and left Katja to tend Nu'Daq and perhaps delve a little deeper into this fun-turned-mysterious evening. Her quarters were close to the turbolift, so we paused outside her door. "Are you going to tell Sisko about the mek'leth?". She leaned up on the wall, with her shoes in hand - again.
"I don't know..." I responded truthfully. "If Katja doesn't say something, I suppose one of us will have to. But I honestly don't think he'd do something that horrific, especially since we're this close to our first mission. He has been looking forward to that."
She nodded. "How could somone get their hands on a blade with his crest on it."
"I don't know that either. This has all happened too fast. But something's not right." In traditonal Vic Fontaine style I said "I smell a rat.."
She stifled a giggle. "Well, I guess it's back to the uniform, even at 2300 hours."
I nodded. She fiddled with the keypad out side her door. "See you in about fifteen?"
"Wouldn't miss it." I joked. She entered her quarters and I walked the few metres to the lift. As I entered the turbolift, the realization that there was absolutely no one in the corridors played with my mind. It was mere seconds before the lift stopped on my deck. I walked down to my quarters and opened the doors. They swished ahead of me. 'Funny,' I thought to myself. 'I don't remember leaving my stack of P.A.D.D.'s there...' I was sure I had left them on my desk, but now they were strewn about my small table. Just as I was about to tell the computer to turn on the light, I heard a scuffling noise from the other room...
I slowly backed toward the doors I used every day. As I backed up I reached for the communicator I had concealed in a small inside pocket of the waistband of my dress. But before I could call security, I heard a scuffling noise from behind me as well....
*****Nu'Daq's POV****
Katja rang the doorbell to Nu'Daq's quarters. There was no answer. She rang the doorbell again, but it was silent. For a moment she was in doubt, but only for a moment. She opened the doorpanel and shortcircuited the door. It slid open without any noise.
The room was dark. No sound. No movement. As if she had stepped into a black carpet.
"Lights", she said out loud. And looking at the room she gasped in surprise. It looked like a horde of targs had ravaged the room. Everything was smashed to pieces. Katja moved anxiously into the room with the mek'leth raised.
"What has happened?" she thought. "Where is Nu'Daq. Is he all right?" She stepped further into the room.
---
Nu'Daq was sitting quietly in his room, waiting. Suddenly the doorbell rang. And again. He heard someone tampering with the lock, and the door slid open. He recognized the silhouette of a woman. She had a familiar scent. "What?" he thought. "Katja?" He was surprised, he had expected the arrival of a security officer, not one of his shipmates. He ducked into hiding in the next room, considering how this could be....
---
As Katja stepped into the next room prepared to fight any intruder, she felt a hard push as someone knocked her down. She tried to turn, but her assailant was too strong. The mek'leth fell to the floor, and for once she regretted not being a full Klingon. That Klingon strength would have done her good now. She felt a strong arm turn her over. She was afraid, left at the mercy of her attacker. But as she saw his face, she felt relieved. She looked into Nu'Daq's familiar face. But as she looked into his eyes, they seemed more angry, more wild than usual. "What are you doing here?" he asked angrily. "This was not supposed to be like this!"
She was a bit surprised by his question, but before she could answer, his eyes gazed towards the mek'leth, she had dropped. His eyes opened in surprise, and he got up and took the mek'leth in his hand. He approached her and said: "You should have left it there. Now it is all ruined." He came towards her with the mek'leth in his hand and a wild look in his eyes....
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