From io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks Fri Aug 4 21:58:01 1995 Path: io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks From: krpeaks@cc.memphis.edu (KAREN CUSHING) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, Prologue Message-ID: <1995Jul31.013303.55555@msuvx2.memphis.edu> Date: 31 Jul 95 01:33:03 -0500 Organization: The University of Memphis Lines: 162 Summary: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 0/6 Reply-To: hengor@scorch.hna.com.au Followup-To: alt.startrek.creative Keywords: deep space nine, trek Expires: 15 Aug 95 01:34:24 -0500 Distribution: world STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE - Till Death do us Part by: Jenni Pedron Copyright Jan 1994 PROLOGUE It was love at first sight for the young boy as he sat at the mini-kids table chin in hands gazing across the room with a look of pure adoration on his face. Across the room the reason for the look, Catriana and Kati Bahnes, pint sized identical twins, were playing with clay. Cat was smiling at her clay creation a fairy tale dragon. Kati scowled at hers. A messy looking something or other. Kati turned to look at her twins sisters fairy tale creation with a glare. `How dare that moronic sister of mine turn out something so wonderful when I can't even turn out anything but a mess...' thought the young Kati. And with that thought in mind she jumped up and moved to her sisters table and started mashing the fairy tale Dragon gleefully. Cat reacted the only way she knew, by wailing at the top of her lungs. An entreaty for someone, anyone, to come and save her from her terrible twin. The young boy looked around for an adult who would take care of the wicked girl but no help from an adult would be forthcoming. There were none in the playroom. It was just him and the twins. He looked back at the twins just as Kati scooped up clay from her messy something or other to begin smearing Cat's face and clothes with it gleefully. Seeing that it was up to him to stop the tiny terror he stood puffing out his chest then pounced on one of the pillows that was scattered around the room, armed and dangerous he charged across the room to save Cat from the despicable Kati. He began pummelling Kati with the pillow until she was forced to back away from her wailing sister or lose her balance. Skipping out of the young boy's extended reach Kati glared at him. Cat kept right on wailing and began scooping clay off her face so she could see what was happening now the touch of her tormentor had ended. Kati poked her tongue out at the young boy then splattered him with the clay she had retained. Her displeasure at being made to cease and desist all despicable action made clear to the young boy the tiny terror wandered off looking for something else to create mischief with. The young boy looked at the clay splatters on his clothing and knew his mother would not be pleased with the state of his top. Then he shrugged off that thought and smiled, puffing out his chest again thoroughly proud of his first successful foray into the white knights arena. Saving beautiful maidens from the vile depravations of the nasty people in the universe was his goal in life and he'd found the perfect beautiful maiden to become protector to. He studied her as she wailed and wondered how to first, stop her wailing, secondly, how to impress her even more. He looked at the mashed dragon and headed for it. He was certain she'd be impressed when she saw first hand that he too had knowledge of the dragon kind. Cat watched the young boy start trying to repair the damage her terrible twin had inflicted upon her wonderful dragon and stopped wailing to start checking him out. Not too tall, not to short. Nice wavy black hair and an interesting skin tone that reminded her of one of her favorite sweets, toffee carmel. His face was set with an ever so serious look as he did his best to fix her poor mashed dragon. He had a cute snub nose and big wide eyes a colour that reminded her of her *all time favorite* food-chocolate. She wondered where he was from, who he was and where he had learned about dragons. He turned away from the dragon and gave her a friendly smile, his eyes lighting up with happiness. "Y..y..ou t..talk f..funny t..too. S'Ok. I unerstan..." he stuttered, then smiled. "I Kn..now all ab..bout dra. gons m.my granma's an Pol.." His young face took on a look of intent seriousness as he tried to get the word out. "Pol..ogisst.."Then he gave up trying to remember the correct name. "A l.long word.. Sh..she m.makes. m.models f.for..m.me." He held out a clay covered hand and gave her his most endearingly eager look. A look that reminded Cat of a puppy she'd once seen behind a pet store window. She'd wanted to take that puppy home and smother it with love and attention. "M.my n. names J.j..ul..i..an..B..Basssh..ear..Wha's y.your.ss..? She told him her name. "Cat?" He enquired not wanting to spoil the beginning of what was destined to be a long friendship by getting her name wrong. "C..Cat's are all sss..oft and..fluffy..and p..urr and sss...leep and h..hisss and scratch..And ch..chase th..things.." he said showing off his knowledge of the feline species of quadrupeds. She repeated herself emphasising the fact that her name was indeed Cat and his eyes widened as he noticed something he hadn't noticed before. Curiosity burned bright in his eyes. "H.how d..do y.you t.talk w.with out op..pen..ning y.your m.mouth..? he asked her. Cat was rather surprised at the question not seeing anything wrong with the way she talked. Then it occurred to her that if he was surprised maybe she was doing something wrong. She directed a question at him. He nodded. "Yes. M..ost p.people oo..pen th..their m.mouthss t..to t..talk..." he answered her, then paused for a moment with an ever so serious look on his young face. "S'cept m.me. Mama says I h..have.." he paused again while he collected his thoughts and remembered exactly what his mama has said about him several times. "She ssays I h..have t..ermi.n.nal .foo.t in mouth disease. Sh..she sssayss th..that m.means I onl.ly open m.my mouth t.to ch..chan..ge wh..which f..foot I stick in it.." Cat found the image that provoked in her head highly amusing and giggled. He looked wounded that his fair maiden was laughing at him, he had thought she might be different, but no she was like all the rest, everyone laughed at him... He turned away prepared to go back to his table to mope with a sigh. He wanted a friend to laugh with, to play games with, not someone who would laugh at him and make a game out of tormenting him like everyone else did as soon as he opened his mouth and tried to talk. She read his mind clearly and was sorry she'd laughed, it wasn't nice being the odd one out, she was the odd one out and she knew what it was like. She thought it over then decided the best way to extend the hand of friendship was to let him know why she laughed. She sent a thought in his direction and let him see what it was that made her giggle and he stopped in his tracks a smile breaking on his face then laughed too. Julian turned to look at her and decided to try again. "W..would y..you l.l..like t..to p.play with my toys?" he asked her stutteringly. She smiled and nodded scrambling up to her feet. A moment later a ball of soft gooey clay hit Julian dead center in the back of the head, driving him off balance, sending him to the floor with thud and an instant headache. Startled and stunned at the suddenness of it he lifted his head just in time to see Cat fall back dropping to the floor limp as one of the soft toys his mother called rag dolls, her pretty face was obscured by a large mound of clay and what he could see of her skin was rapidly turning red. Julian rolled over and sat up to see Kati was back with another large clay missile in her hands then she was hurling it at him with all the strength her young body possessed. Before he could duck or raise his hands it hit him dead center of the face. He felt a harsh stinging pain as his view of the room exploded into a brilliant light show and he saw no more as his consciousness deserted him. And so it began. ********************** END OF PROLOGUE Standard Disclaimers apply. DS9 and the Regular Characters used within this story are copyrighted by Paramount. All guest characters among them Dudley, Cat, Kati, Red Skye, K'Hrest and all other subsidiary characters created for this story are copyrighted to the creator - Jenni Pedron. COPYRIGHT 1995 "Mission Ops Productions". From io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks Fri Aug 4 21:58:08 1995 Path: io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks From: krpeaks@cc.memphis.edu (KAREN CUSHING) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 1/6 Message-ID: <1995Jul31.013446.55557@msuvx2.memphis.edu> Date: 31 Jul 95 01:34:46 -0500 Organization: The University of Memphis Lines: 455 Summary: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 1/6 Reply-To: hengor@scorch.hna.com.au Followup-To: alt.startrek.creative Expires: 15 Aug 95 01:35:30 -0500 Distribution: world STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE - Till Death do us Part by: Jenni Pedron Copyright Jan 1994 CHAPTER ONE "For you" Julian Bashir announced as he leaned forward and offered a small soft velvet pouch to the attractive woman who sat opposite him. Instead of pleasure at the presentation of the gift a flicker of annoyance crossed the face of Cat Bahnes. She tried to see in his mind what the pouch contained but he successfully blocked the probe with jumble of absurd thoughts, he knew she would not penetrate without his full and absolute cooperation. "Tell me that isn't that engagement brooch of your granny's again..I told you, Julian. Over and over. I won't marry you.." She said at last letting her exasperation with his little game out verbally. Unnoticed by the two who were intent only on each other, Quark approached carefully carrying a tray of food and drinks. Bashir opened the pouch and tipped the contents onto the table top before her to reveal a unique Bajoran style earring. The iridescent metal of the earring shimmered and reflected the light, making it appear almost ethereal and the design was anything but Bajoran. Cat's exasperation faded away as her gaze fell on the earring and reached out to pick it up and began studying it fascinated. Bashir smiled. He'd been expecting just that reaction from her. "In a way its Granny's brooch.." Cat's eyes shot to his face at that. Quark stopped beside the table and set his tray down on table and began setting out food and drinks slowly and as unobtrusively as possible for a Ferengi. Neither Cat or Bashir paid him the slightest bit of attention he could have been a piece of the furnishing for all they cared. "I took that brooch to a Bajoran jeweller and he melted it down for me to create that to my specific design. Remember that code we made up as kids..Hmm..I used it in the design. Cat resumed studying his gift in positive interest. "Now before you refuse to accept it..Point one..I need a way to tell you and Kati apart..That brooch was created from the remains of a meteorite..500 years ago.." He said catching Cat's attention yet again. "The jeweller says the metal it produced is Metralite" Quark's total interest was assured at the name of the metal and Cat looked incredulous. "That's not possible..It always breaks down in a oxygen rich atmosphere. "Not this piece..Seems the heat from entry into Earth's atmosphere then the chill of landing in snow and ice stabilised it. And there is not another piece of stable Metralite in existence.." Quark dropped the plate he was holding. Bashir and Cat looked at him for the first time giving him their attention. "Quark would you mind..I'm trying to have a personal conversation." Bashir said annoyed with the Ferengi for eaves dropping and himself for not noticing the Ferengi was doing it. "Excuse me..But did you say you have some Metralite..That doesn't break down in a breathable atmosphere." Quark breathed avarice shining from his hooded eyes. "Look Quark..It's not for sale..It's a family heirloom..So.." "I will give you a million gold pressed latinum bars for it." Quark announced determined to acquire the metal known for it's rarity and the value of it. He mentally chuckled to himself as he thought of how he could easily sell it for ten times..No 20 times that much possibly twice that again. Cat looked dumbfounded as she sensed what was going on in the Ferengi's head. Bashir scowled at Quark for absolutely destroying his careful plans to talk Cat into accepting his token of love. "The Jeweller offered me 20 million..So scat. Your offer's chicken feed." Annoyance at being so thoroughly outbid flashed in Quark's eyes and he finished setting out the rest of the food, brooding over it. Then the earring in dangling in Cat's hand caught his eye as he set her plate of food before and he almost started drooling. Then he jumped back as Bashir gave his shin a kick under the table. Shooting the Doctor a glare, he spun on his heel and strode away. Plans for acquiring that virtually priceless piece of jewellery began flitting through his head. Bashir watched him walk off with satisfaction then his attention was caught by a dazzling rainbow of light out of the corner his eye. He looked back at Cat too see her holding the earring out to him. "I can't accept something that valuable from you Julian." Bashir wanted to strangle Quark. But pushed the thought aside and concentrated on trying to repair the damage the Ferengi's greed inspired intervention had wrought. "Cat..That's a Pagh earring. You give them to your soul mate..And that's what you are..My soul mate...Soul mates are worth more than all the gold pressed latinum in existence," he declared with utter sincerity. Cat studied him ready to reject the earring again if she sensed the slightest bit of deceit behind the declaration. Finding none, she slowly pulled her hand back and placed the earring on her ear. A smile lit up Bashir's eyes, and in his moment of triumph his carefully erected shields against Cat's extraordinary telepathic gift fell. "Don't get any idea's, Julian..This doesn't mean I'll be your bed mate..You know that.. "You're 99% celibate..Yes yes..I know..." he said slightly rueful as he realised she'd been reading the fantasies that had been zipping though his mind ever since her return into his life. "100%" Cat said firmly. "99%..Remember the (name)Park..Hmm.." He let the cherished memory of that day fill his head. A faint blush tinged her cheeks as that prompted her own memories of the day and then she gave him a smile, willing to indulge him as it was one of her own most cherished memories. "Ok..Ok..99%...But that's the way it stays." Bashir's eyes glinted with mischief as he began imagining the exquisite ways he would worship her body with his if only he could do so in complete safety. The blush on her cheeks threatened to get deeper, then she got a mischievous smile of her own and shot back with a vision of an ice cold mountain stream in the swiss alps and him teetering on the edge of it then she blew him a kiss. In the vision he stopped teetering and plunged into the icy depths. Every nerve ending in his body reacted to the mental suggestion. He broke out in goose bumps and gave a convulsive all over shiver. Cat smiled. Then Bashir was saved from further mind games which he always lost anyway as he heard what could only be one person. "Whoah..!!!" He almost cringed in sympathy as he heard the thud that followed and laughter from the other people in that area. He jumped to his feet looking around for the source of the merriment. "Dudley. Didn't I warn you to stay out of Quarks?" he said in his sternest voice. "Oh damn..I didn't know yer were there, Doc," Dudley groaned mortified to have been caught by the one person he was hoping to avoid. Bashir walked away from the table leaving Cat behind and heading for Dudley's location. "You are a walking disaster area..A true tangle foot..." Bashir declared. More laughter came from the people in the area at that. Bashir stopped before the unfortunately extremely clutzy half human half Berdallian man who was sprawled on the deck getting and looked him over. Dudley was dressed in a Starfleet medics uniform and very short he was also as he put it terminally cute. A fact of life he was constantly either cursing or thanking his lucky stars for..Depending on the reaction it engendered in others. The worst side of it was that people treated him like he was still a mere child and failed to take him seriously or were overwhelmed with the urge to cluck over him like a mother hen with a newly hatched chick. On the other hand sometimes that had it's advantages, but this was not one of those times. Dudley managed to get himself on to his hands and knees with out breaking any bones in the process and looked up at Bashir, highly embarrassed. "I just wanted to use the `olo-suites, Doc," he confessed, putting on his best puppy dog look. But this time Bashir wasn't about to be taken in by it. He leaned over Dudley and helped him to his feet his disapproval at Dudley's disobedience plainly stamped on his handsome features. "Stick to your books, Dudley..And stay the hell out of Quarks," he said, then he waved at the stairs nearby. "Damn it..I don't want to be finding you at the base of those stairs with every bone in your body broken because you got tangle footed going up or down the stairs." The interested observers burst into a fresh round of laughter at that. Dudley wished the floor would open up and swallow him, then hastily retracted the thought, thanks to his heritage just thinking such a thing could make it happen and he didn't want to end up where he'd end up if he did sink through the floor. "I'm always real careful on stairs, Doc.." Bashir leaned forward to look the highly embarrassed paramedic in the eye. "One word..Kira..." he said too soft for anyone but Dudley to hear. A love sick look appeared on Dudley's face at just the mention of the fiery Bajoran woman who made his heart beat faster and his brain turn to mush every time he was in the same room she was. She was everything Dudley could desire wonderfully feminine with her aggressive nature being to Dudley's mind delightfully masculine and she wasn't too tall either, which made her even more attractive to Dudley who loved the fact he didn't get a crick in his neck looking up at her. "If she walked past you one the stairs..You'd turn to mush and forget everything and just follow her around with that love sick look on your face...." Bashir said softly still not wanting the entire population of Quarks to learn Dudley had a huge crush on the Major. But then the whole of DS9 knew it already it was a wasted effort. "Then the next thing you know..You're nursing a broken bone or sprained muscle from one of your falls," he finished then straightened up and reached out to ruffle Dudley's hair to show Dudley he was'nt really angry. "It's your welfare I have in mind when I barred you from Quarks." Dudley looked up at Bashir with a such a penitent puppy dog look that the last of Bashir's irritation melted away in the face of it. "I'm bored..I've read every book I've got.." Dudley said. "I swear you devour books at the rate you go through them," he said with an indulgent smile. Dudley continued giving him the puppy dog look until Bashir fell under the spell of complete and utter cuteness of it. "Since you're already up here here..Come and meet my lady love..She's Lt Commander Cat Bahnes.." "Think you can put in a good word for me huh?"He asked leaning forward to ask the question in a low voice to avoid the possible eavesdroppers hearing. Dudley nodded and gave a smile having achieved what he was looking for something to alleviate his boredom. Bashir gave Cat a smile as he sat back down in his seat indicating Dudley should take the third seat. "Cat, I'd like you to meet Dudley Gunn. He's the best damn diagnostic paramedic there is..Anywhere," he said then indicated Cat. "Dudley, this is Catriana Bahnes, DS9's new First Contact Specialist." Cat's hair stood on end as she sensed what was going on in Dudley's head and started toying with her food in a highly suggestive manner... "A pleasure to meet you," Cat said, lying through her teeth. "He's got a photographic memory all I have to do is stick him in front of a computer listing symptoms of every known medical state and he just..absorbs it all and spits it all back verbatim. And when I say he absorbs it. I mean it. You never have to tell him anything twice. Once he learns it..he never ever forgets it," Bashir informed her. Under the table Cat wiggled her foot out of her boot and shucked it to stretch out her leg and slowly started running her foot up Bashir's leg. "Really..a useful talent..Are you thinking of being a doctor, Mr. Gunn?" she said putting on her most practised counsellors face. Bashir frowned and looked at Dudley with an *oh no* look on his handsome face, The look changed to one of confusion when he saw nothing there to indicate it was Dudley who was playing footsies with him under the table. `If it's not him..then it must be..' He looked at Cat. She gave him a suggestive smile then nibbled on her food in a way that sent Bashir's hormones into overdrive. Bashir's face showed his total shock as it fully registered in his brain that Cat was most defiantly the one playing footsies with him under the table. Dudley was for his part totally oblivious to everything going on under the table as he answered Cat's question. "Ah no..I can't be trusted with a scalpel on a live patient. I had my brain's neural functions permanently scrambled. If I get excited or stressed out the messages from my brain really get scrambled on their way to my limbs and I become an extreme clutz," he said then remembered Bashir's entreaty that he put in a good word for him. "The Doc managed to reduce the scrambling to livable levels after it happened. E's a really great Doctor," he finished and gave her his most adorable smile. "Mmmhmm...." was Cat's only reply. Bashir leaned on the table and dropped his head forward and gave a little groan of pleasure as Cat's undercover activities had her desired effect. At that, Dudley finally realised that something was going on and he peeked under table to see if his suspicions were correct. He stood fast with a blush starting on his face after he saw exactly what Cat was doing to Bashir under the table. "I really `ave to be going," he announced then carefully turned, walking away with as long a stride as he could take. Cat watched him walk away and then stopped playing with her food (and Julian) and leaned toward Bashir 100% serious. "Julian..That man is planning a murder. *Yours*. I read it very clearly in his mind." Bashir looked up at her wide eyed. "It made my hair stand on end the moment I turned my attention his way. The man is a psychopath. He finds nothing at all wrong with planning the foulest of crimes." Bashir tried to collect his thoroughly scattered wits. "We have to talk to Odo and have that man arres.." "No!" Bashir squeaked. Cat looked at him amazed. "No?! Julian, didn't you hear me?! Have you suddenly gone deaf? I'm telling you that man is dangerous. Psychotic. Insane. Murderous. Amoral. His mind is absolutely seething with.." Bashir took a deep breath and tried to control his poor rampaging hormones. At the moment it was Cat who was the more likely of the pair to be strangled and it wasn't Dudley who'd commit the act. Cat read that thought in his head. "Don't be like that..I had to distract you before you announced to him that I'm telepathic. I didn't want him to know I could read his mind." "You...damn well..know I don't announce to all and sundry that your deaf and telepathic," he said, then dropped his head into his arms and shuddered. "You could have simply used mind- speech to tell me what you sensed..You didn't have to do what you did.." he growled in her head. "I wanted to distract you and make him leave us alone..It worked didn't it." "Only to well. I need a cold shower," he groaned. A highly satisfied smile appeared on Cat's face. He looked up at her and gave her a glower. "You think it's funny..It's not..It's..mortifying..Don't you realise anyone on the lower levels could have seen what you were doing to me?" Cat looked startled at that, the thought hadn't occurred to her, but now that he mentioned it. She looked down for a moment seeing several people watching her and Bashir with interest waiting to see what else they'd get up to and blushed. "I didn't think of that." "You didn't think full stop..You did what you do so well and just reacted. Only this time it was the wrong reaction." He said standing. ********************** "We'll finish this somewhere more private. Somewhere we don't have an avid audience." " Er Julian.." He leaned forward on the table until his nose was barely an inch from hers and looked into her wide eyes. "Don't you trust me.." She stood. "Trust is earned Julian." He straightened up with a hurt look. She moved to his side and carefully linked her arm through his taking care not to allow their hands to brush together. "And you've earned my trust over and over." The hurt look faded from his eyes to be replaced by a smile then he started leading her toward the stairs. "Even if you do have the most wicked fantasies about me." She said teasingly now. "Wicked? I never have wicked fantasies about you. I dream about you true..Fantasise about you too..But there's nothing even remotely wicked about the fantasies I have about you.." Then he gave her a wicked smile. "Now if we were talking about Kati..Then we'd talking about wicked fantasies..The sort involving boiling oil, honey ant's and stakes in the desert sun." "Julian." Cat exclaimed shocked. "Don't act so shocked. You know I can't stand her. From the very first day we met the battle lines were drawn. She's pure poison." "That's not true..I don't know why you hate her so much. "I don't hate her. I despise and loathe her. My blood run cold when she even so much as smiles at me and skin crawls when she touches me." "Julian that's a disgusting thing to say. "I'm stating a fact Cat." "Just because she was a terror as a child is no reason to hate her now..She improved drastically as she got older. In fact I distinctly remember she stopped growling at you and started cooing when ever you were around after we turned thirteen. The nasty side of her was just a phase kids go through." "That's what you think. If she was'nt PSI null and totally unreadable to you you'd know exactly what sort of person your sister is. She takes pleasure in pain. She's a sadist." Bashir stated. Cat stared at him wide eyed. "And she took advantage of her identical appearance to you to get me into her clutches three times..And believe me after getting a taste of what she considers pleasure. I bolted. The second time she bolted the door so I couldn't escape her that way. Fortunately your parents home is a Pre- Eugenics house..I managed to get out through a window.." Cat looked shell shocked. "And I don't even want to think about what she did the third time..It was the most disgusting thing she could have done. Especially at the time she did it..I was totally out of my head with worry about you and she played on that using it to get me right where she wanted me." He said grim faced. Cat hugged his arm and gave him a careful pat in sympathy. He looked at her and his face softened. "But no matter what she did she could never turn me against you. My lady love."he said his voice dropping to a sensuous purr on the last. "Watch it Julian..Your hormones are showing." He poked her in the ribs and tickled her and she pulled away and ran laughing down the promenade with Bashir in hot pursuit. ********************** Kira and Dax watched as the Bashir and Cat raced past them on the promenade. "I seriously doubt that woman's sanity." Kira stated. " Why?" Kira looked at Dax with a raised brow. "Haven't you seen the way he follows her around." Kira asked. "You mean with the same sort of love sick look on his face that Mr Gunn has on his when you walk past."Dax asked. "Don't mention that irritating little nuisance to me. He's positively dangerous to himself..He's always walking into things tripping over his own feet and ending up in the infirmary more often than not because he needs to be patched up than because that's where he works." "He only walks into things when your around Kira."Dax said with a teasing smile. "Wall's, door frames, stanchions, people, furnishings and the prophets only know what else..If it can be walked into or tripped over he'll walk into it or trip over it..I'm totally amazed he hasn't broken his neck yet." "You and anyone who knows him." Dax admitted. "To get away from the subject of that nuisance..Lets get back to the Doctor and the counsellor." "Lets not." "Jealous?"Kira inquired with a wicked look. "Absolutely not." "Then why do you always change the subject when it comes up." "Because I am thoroughly sick of people bringing it up. All they've done since she arrived is gossip about her relationship with Julian." "You have to admit..It's catching attention. He hasn't so much as looked at another woman since she arrived. He's even stopped flirting with you. He's spending all his free time flirting with her." "So." "He's acting like a love sick teenager." "If he wants to make an utter fool of himself over a woman that's his business. Besides which he's always making an utter fool of himself over some woman. I don't see why people are making such a hullaboo about it now." "Because this is different Dax. He had a (word) made for her. That suggests he's truly serious about this woman. In fact I noticed she was wearing it when she ran past." "I didn't notice." "You were too busy trying to pretend like it was'nt happening. I hate having to attend this wretched trial just when things are getting interesting. I want to know every detail of what goes on between those two when I get back." "I'm sure you'll hear every single detail from all those people who have nothing better to do than gossip Kira. But you won't hear it from me. As far as I'm concerned what those two get up to is their own business." ********************** END OF ACT ONE Standard Disclaimers apply. DS9 and the Regular Characters used within this story are copyrighted by Paramount. All guest characters among them Dudley, Cat, Kati, Red Skye, K'Hrest and all other subsidiary characters created for this story are copyrighted to the creator - Jenni Pedron. COPYRIGHT 1995 "Mission Ops Productions". From io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks Fri Aug 4 21:58:14 1995 Path: io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks From: krpeaks@cc.memphis.edu (KAREN CUSHING) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 2/6 Message-ID: <1995Jul31.013547.55559@msuvx2.memphis.edu> Date: 31 Jul 95 01:35:47 -0500 Organization: The University of Memphis Lines: 602 Summary: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 2/6 Reply-To: hengor@scorch.hna.com.au Followup-To: alt.startrek.creative Expires: 15 Aug 95 01:36:36 -0500 Distribution: world STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE - Till Death do us Part by: Jenni Pedron Copyright Jan 1994 CHAPTER TWO Cat sat on the end of Bashir's bed. Listening to the sounds coming from the bathroom while Bashir made use of the sonic shower. She tried to read his mind to work out what was going on in his head but he effectively blocked her by thinking up all sorts of exquisite fantasies where she had a starring role. Giving up in frustration she sent the good Doctor a mental suggestion that he was standing on an iceberg in Antarctica during a blizzard wearing nothing but coat of snow and icicles. She gave a small smile of satisfaction as she heard his teeth start chattering as he turned off the shower. "I j..j..just b..b..bet n.n.no m.m.man th..thinks anyth..thing b..but p.purely p..plat..tonic th..thoughtsss a..around you af..after y..you d.do th..that to h..him f.for f..fantasising about y..you around you.." Bashir chattered from the bathroom. "Only the total jerks who think their the creators gift to womankind..But they usually give up after the third time it happens to them.."Cat replied. "Ah sss...so wh..what does th..that m..make me.? You've done it t..to m..me so m..many times I've lost count." Bashir countered. "Either cold blooded or highly motivated." Bashir walked out of the bathroom fastening up his uniform and headed straight for the replicator. "Can we talk about what I sensed Julian? That man was planning your murder. We have to talk to the security chief and get him watched closely." Bashir ignored her and stopped before the replicator and tapped away at it. "1 Tea (temp & type) and 1 hot chocolate with triple chocolate and extra sweet. (temp)." He ordered. The replicator supplied the drinks and he picked up the hot chocolate and sipped it. Finding that for once the replicator had given him exactly what he wanted he picked up his own tea and turned to walk to the bed. Cat watched him impatient to get on with discussing more serious subjects. He handed her the hot chocolate then moved to the head of the bed to sit cross legged facing her. He looked utterly relaxed as he leaned back against the headboard and sipped his tea. "Let me tell you something about Dudley. Cat...Dudley dreams of being like his great great great great great great great..(pause)And a few more great's, grandfather..Who was a private detective. He's too short and too clumsy to get into security work..No one ever takes him seriously..He practically devours every book on murder, crime and espionage he can lay hands on..He's a walking database on the criminal element.. Means and methods of murder..(He leans forward)And this part you have to keep to your self Cat..He's the best selling author of 10 murder mysteries..Under his pen name Red Skye. Maybe you heard of his most famous book..Murder on the Uss Orient express..You know I had all his books.. Cat's face took on a look of stunned and embarrassment. Bashir smiled and sipped at his drink again. What you sensed was probably Dudley planning out a scene for his next book.. I think he's writing a book set on DS9. Thank's to you I now know he's putting me in it." "Aha..That's why you're being nice to him to get into his next book."She accused Bashir in a teasing tone seeing a chance to escape her embarrassment. Bashir grinned unrepentant. "Point one..Wether or not I'm in it doesn't matter. The fact that he's come out his shell enough to consider writing a new book after so long is wonderful news. Point two I hear the Lieutenant he used as the base for his hero in USS Orient Express has been fighting off the ladies ever since." Cat gave him an it figures look and sipped at her drink and then gave a near purr of contentment. "So tell me where you learned to play the vamp so well." Bashir asked. "Haven't you heard sex is 90% imagination.." She said looking up from her drink with a smile. "And Mr Gunn isn't the only one with a highly active imagination.."She added with a teasing smile. "*Cat*!.."Bashir said with mock shock. "It was your mind I was referring too." She shot back. Bashir was seriously tempted to let her know what simply watching her take so much enjoyment out of drinking hot chocolate did to him in revenge for that shot but decided against it. ******************* It was late in the stations day and all manner of people and aliens had flocked to Quarks intent on enjoying their off duty time in the pursuit of latinum, pursuing it at the Dabo tables. Other's were simply content to enjoy the company of others who came to Quark's for the food or the liquid refreshments on offer. And then there those who remained in the bar sipping drinks or nibbling at snacks while they waited for a holo-suite to be available so they could spend their leisure time at other far more intimate pursuits than were on offer in the bar. Odo sat on a stool at the bar, but instead of discretely or otherwise watching the humanoids who made up the bars patrons that night his attention was directed at the Padd in his hand. He was thoroughly engrossed in the story that flickered on it's screen. Quark leaned on the bar with a smile on his face as he saw how engrossed Odo had become in what he was reading. Further along the bar Dudley had taken residence on a stool and was watching Odo like a hawk a very slight smile on his face at seeing the constable so obviously engrossed in his reading matter. Miles Edward O'Brien perched on a stool near the short man sipping a drink watching the ebb and flow of personal movement in the bar. Not far from the bar a group of Klingon males clustered around Kati and what was more the Klingons were flirting with her. Odo lowered the padd looking at Quark annoyed. "That's only the start. If you want the whole book. You'll have to buy it," Quark said smugly. Odo produced a credit with ill humour and tossed it at the Ferengi. Quark caught it, and quickly tucked it away before Odo could change his mind. Odo watched as the Ferengi produced the desired book chip he'd just paid for and held it out for him. Odo snatched it from Quarks hand and walked away with planning to spend the next few hours reading. Quark smiled as he wandered over to lean on the bar before Dudley. "Did I not hear the Doctor warn you for the fiftieth time to stay out of my bar." "Now you're starting," Dudley complained. "What do expect..If you break your neck and end up a cripple I have to pay out compensation.." "I'll restrict myself to the promenade level," He responded as he set a credit on the bar. "One (fancy drink)," He ordered "I have a nice selection of fruit juices," Quark suggested. A flash of irritation and resignation flickered over Dudley's terminally cute face. "I'm legally old enough to drink," he retorted "How old are you?" Quark inquired, he had too, if Odo caught him serving alcohol or synthahol to minors he'd revoke his licence with glee. "24," Dudley answered with a look that just challenged Quark to refute it. At that challenging look Quark remembered vague whispers he'd overheard, whispers - rumours - that the `little man' was not as defenceless as he looked and could put men twice his size and bulk down. Quark decided not to put those rumours to the test "That's old enough," Quark said then moved off to collect the request drink. Dudley looked around the well attended bar, eyes gleaming, partly with satisfaction at winning the mind game with Quark and partly with glee at being here, right in the thick of things - the one place he wasn't supposed to be. He wondered what sort of deals were being made. What romances were being kindled or ended here in the bar. Trysts made, hearts broken, Paupers in the making- wealth for the taking. This was what he wanted to experience something he couldn't get on Earth. Dax and Cat shared at table on upper levels chatting. Neither of them noticed the scowling Klingon woman at the table beside theirs looking down at the Klingon men flirting with Kati as she sipped her drink. "You don't fool me..I've seen the way you get along with Julian..In fact I saw you leaving his quarters yesterday" Dax responded to Cat's protestations and look of innocence in response to the Trill's anything but discrete attempts to work out where things stood between Julian and Cat. "Julian and I were just talking in there... We are just very good friends," Cat said with perfect sincerity. "Some people think other wise..He seems to have taken to following you around with a thoroughly love sick look on his face..And he's buying you jewellery. He hasn't done that before," Dax said pointing out the earring Bashir gave Cat. Cat could sense curiosity from the Trill about the earring and removed it from her ear to offer to Dax for a closer look. "He uses it to tell me and Kati apart." Cat explained. It took Dax only a short period to make her examination. "It's not made out the materials Bajorans use to create these," She reported as she held it up and indicated the shining jewel within it's form. "This is a diamond. It must have cost him a small fortune," Handing it back and watching Cat as she put it back on her ear. "It's positively priceless. Jealous?" Cat asked. "Insanely so," Dax said in a dead serious tone. Then both women giggled breaking the tension that was growing between them. Looking for something to attract the Trill's attention and away from her cat looked around, then down. "Speak of the devil..Here he comes now..Hormones at impulse..ive." Bashir walked into Quarks and began looking around hoping to find some friendly company to pass the few short hours of off duty time he had before he would have to retire for the night. The two women weren't the only ones to spot Bashir entering the bar, so did Dudley. Knowing what would happen if Bashir saw him Dudley did his best to avoid being seen by the good doctor without doing something that would attract the doctors attention his way. A pretty woman crossed Bashir's path and he began to follow her with his eyes. Dudley sent up a prayer of thanks to whatever god above had smiled down at him and sent such an affective distractant around to get Bashir's glance to stray away from his location. "Hormones at warp two." Cat said with a smile. "Watch the blonde..I bet she sends his hormones into warp 6 at least." Dax predicted. Bashir moved further into the bar and as Dax predicted a stunning blonde with a body worth a second and third look walked past him to catch his attention. Cat giggled at the look of interest on Bashir's face. "Warp 6.5. (straightens up) Uh oh. His Hormones just hit warp ten.." "He's spotted us," Dax warned, stating the rather obvious. A big smile lit up Bashir's face as he looked straight at Cat and Dax and headed for the stairs intent on joining two of his favourite women. His plans were doomed to never be fulfilled as Kati spotted him and left the flirting Klingons behind to move in on Bashir. She held out her arms smiling away at Bashir as she moved in for the kill. "Jules..You got my invitation." Kati purred. For one brief moment in time Bashir thought it was Cat, that he'd been mistaken about the woman with Dax, not a hard mistake to make when there were identical twins about. Then he saw that his precious gift to Cat-which she had agreed to wear for him all the time wasn't dangling from the ear of the woman closing in on him. A wide eyed look of pure terror appeared on his face as memories of humilation at this woman's hand came unbidden to his mind. The Klingons who had been irritated by Kati's defection found the look on his face hilarious and burst into mocking laughter. Cat giggled finding it just as amusing as the klingons did. "Hormones in full reverse. Adrenaline at Warp 50.... He's about to bolt," She reported to Dax. Just as predicted Bashir spun about and bolted from Quarks as if he were being pursued by a horde of daemons. Truth to tell he would have preferred the company of the horde of daemons to that of Kati's. The various people within the bar who caught the action as it happened reacted in different ways. Kati looked outraged. O'Brien was curious as to why Bashir had acted that way. Quark was stunned - he'd never seen the doctor react that way to such a desirable woman. Dudley was vastly relieved-it meant he wouldn't get caught and could spend more time in the bar doing what he did best, observing the actions of others-fodder for his overactive imagination to chew on and produce new and interesting fantasies. Dax was surprised. Cat not a bit. The Klingon looked rather catty in amusement. "He looked terrified," Dax said stating the blatantly obvious. "That's just his reaction to her. She's affected him that way..since we were... Oh..16. He says it's because she and I are so identical. You notice. He never ever gets physical with me in situations where he would touch you or move in close. Lean over your shoulder." Dax nodded. "Well. Now lets just say he did take up Kati's very, very obvious invitation. And they became lovers. At some point or the other he sneaks up behind the wrong twin and gives her a very affectionate cuddle. With the result she, being me, goes into convulsions. Or a coma." "Hypothetically speaking of course,"Dax said. "It's a very possible scenario... I'm very, very sensitive to touch. He's seen me go into convulsions. Some so bad I'm left comatose after just from accidental touch through out my teenage years. He put me into a coma once..We were 16 on a camping trip." ******************* Julian dressed in the best camping gear his father's credit could buy for his just past 16th birthday followed after the equally well dressed and recently turned 16, Catriana otherwise known to her friends as Cat. Cat was heading toward a ravine with a natural stone bridge and pointed out to the view of lush forest on the other side of the ravine to Julian. "All we have to do now is to cross the ravine head left for 1 K and we'll reach the campsite." "This she says after a 10 K hike already," Julian grumbled. Cat looked around. "Did you say something?" Julian gave her a brilliant smile. "I just said I'd follow you to the ends of the Universe and back, my dear Cat," Julian responded lying through his teeth about what he said, but not what he'd do. "Sure you did..What ever happened to adventure being your middle name? Hmmm?" Cat queried. "I think..I prefer my adventures to be found curled up in a nice soft chair with a good old fashioned paperback book full of stories about valiant knights rescuing their ladies fair from marauding dragons and rampaging hordes of infidels..not to mention looking for holy grails and magical things to save their kingdom," Julian answered honestly. "That's not adventure Julian..That's escapism." She waved at the outstanding view that was theirs to behold drawing his attention to it. "Out here. Facing what ever nature can throw at you. Now that's adventure... We've only got an hour to get to the campsite so hustle..It's be dark soon and then it'll be a real adventure trying to find the campsite." Cat finished turning and hurrying toward the bridge. Julian gave a little groan and started trudging after her. "As Ten C.C would sing..The things we do for love,"he sighed. `Face it Julian Bashir is she worth it?' a little voice asked in his head making Julian slow down to think it over. Without looking back Cat started racing across the Bridge and half way across when there was a massive cracking sound from the bridge. Cat was positively oblivious to the noise, being deaf as a doorpost. Julian though was not deaf and look up startled at the noise to realise where it came from. He stared at the bridge intently trying to work out at which point the bridge had begun to break up. It didn't take long to work it out. Large very visible chunks of it started separating from the bridges structure to fall down into the ravine. That was all Julian needed to see and he started racing for the bridge at top speed. "Cat! The bridge isn't safe! Get off!" He yelled, both on the verbal and mental levels. Cat spun looking back trying to understand what Julian's mental broadcast was about. The bridge under her started to crumble and she looked down finally realising her danger, too late. The section she was standing on started collapsing under feet and gave a screech of pure terror. "Cat!!!!" Julian screamed. Regardless of his own safety Julian raced onto the bridge moving faster than he ever had in his 16 years off life to dive at Cat. His body tackle carried both across the remainder of the bridge to the safety of the other side of the ravine. Breathless from their landing Cat and Julian looked around to witness the total collapse of the sandstone marvel in the next few moments and clung to each other pale faced as the edges of the ravine started to crumble too. Cat turned her head away unable to watch any longer, thinking of how close she had come to death on that bridge Julian gave her a bear hug unable to take his eyes away from the spectacle unfolding before them. As the rumbling from bridge and ravine edge landslide ended and the movement of land subsided to a trickle of dust. Julian looked up to the sky breathing a thank you to whatever god above had allowed them to escape death by such a small margin. Thanks given he looked down at the trembling Cat, kissed her head and started running his hands over her back soothingly. "S'All right. It's over. We're safe here," he crooned. Cat looked up at him-her eyes all pupil. He gave her a shaky smile. "I think Mother nature decided to show us what real adventure is all about," He joked. "You could have died coming after me.." "White knights always save their lady loves," He responded and hugged her tighter as he realised the answer to the question he'd been pondering just before Cat had been placed in such danger. "And then they always get married and live happily ever after." He continued after a pause then he sucked in a deep breath and tried to banish the high pitch that was creeping into his voice. "Wanna get married?" He asked without a second thought, after all, that's how things worked in the books. In reply Cat kissed him passionately pushing him back toward the ground. Julian did what any other hormonal teenage male in the same situation would do kissed her back and let her push him down and have her way with him. Quite some time later the thoroughly dishevelled Cat and Julian dressed rather haphazardly after gathering their scattered clothes. Julian sat back with a thoroughly love sick and satisfied look on his face watching the sun set turning the sky a bloody red without a second thought as too what that meant for two people who needed to find their camp which was over a kilometre away in the wilderness. Cat scooted around looking for the shoe that wasn't where it belonged, on her foot. "Now I know why the White Knights live happily ever after," Julian said with a love sick sigh his mind turning back to the far more pleasurable event that had just taken back. "Cat giggled on hearing that, then she saw her errant shoe and pounced it to start pulling it on. She frowned, everything was starting to become misty and unfocused, stars were appearing one by one in rapid succession before her eyes between her eyes and her foot which meant.... "Oh...dear." Julian looked around at hearing that he was just in time to see Cat limply collapse to the ground in a heap, out cold. "Cat!" He screamed scrambling to his feet to hurry to her side. With a trembling hand he reached out to turn her over onto her back and placed his hand on her throat looking for a pulse. ***************** Dax looked fascinated. "I just passed out..and spent 6 months in a coma after," Cat said ending her narration of the events that had taken place half a life time ago. So he avoids Kati like the plaque to be sure he never does that to you again," said Dax working it out for herself now she had all the facts at her disposal, or so she thought. "That's his explanation and he's sticking to it," Cat replied with a smile. "And just for the record. I'm 100% celibate for medical reasons... Well.. .99% anyway. These days. Julian and I are just friends," she emphasised in the hope Dax would believe it and stop pestering her about it. *************************** Cat was walking down a corridor in the habitat ring passing by Bashir's quarter when the door to those quarters opened and Bashir popped his head out and smiled. "Psst...Cat," He hissed in a manner that hinted at consipiracy to be shared. She looked around at him. "Read my mind," Bashir suggested with a mischievous look. Cat debated the sense of that, then shrugged and took a second or two to do just that, a moment later a look of pure lust appeared on her face as she saw what he had in store for her. "Triple deck chocoholics delight," She breathed. "Made to my mama's old family recipe. You me..a chess set..and The Cake. Interested?" He asked waggling his brows at her, knowing without a shadow of doubt she was. She was a sucker for his mother cake. "I'm all yours," She responded just as he knew she would. Bashir stepped back, waved her into his quarters heaving a melodramatic sigh and looked up at the ceiling raising his hands in supplication to whatever gods were looking down. "Don't I wish." Cat turned swatting at him playfully. He ducked and laughed at her. "Aha, I knew it you can't keep your hands off of me," he teased. "You dreamer you. It's that cake I want..lead me to it," she retorted. Bashir made the gesture that usually accompanies the word, rats. Cat laughed. He then turned and lead her to the cake while the door closed as the computer final processed the fact that no one else was coming in or leaving. Out in the corridor - unseen by the laughing couple the unamused Kati was standing in the corridor obviously having seen her sister enter Bashir's quarters and the look on her face, well, suffice to say, if looks could kill her sister would be ash. Then one of the formerly flirting Klingons from Quarks, Kh'rest by name, moved up behind kati dropping a hand to her shoulder. She spun on the balls of her feet to face him. ********************** Odo sat behind his station padd in hand thoroughly riveted by the story unfolding on it's screen. He didn't notice the Doors opening or Dudley enters with a tricorder in hand and a medical kit slung over his shoulder and brushing against his calf as he walked. Dudley stopped before the station. "You wanted a medic. Mr Odo. Sir?" He enquired Odo didn't take his eyes from the Padd he just pointed to the brig. "Cell three..Examine the prisoner." he responded absently his mind still on the story and the mystery within that had grabbed his attention. "The butler did it," Dudley piped up. That caught Odo's attention he looked up then down to find Dudley's adorable face looking up at him. "You don't even know what I'm reading," he retorted. "Ya brought it from Quark..I was curious and asked `im what `e sold you," Dudley admitted. If Odo had possessed a blood circulatory system his blood would have started to boil. "That's Red Skye's latest novel. Revenge is sweetest served chilled," Dudley finished making it quite clear he *did* know what Odo was reading. Irritated Odo set the padd down and glared at Dudley. "I hate it when someone tells me the ending,"he growled "Sorry Mr Odo. Sir. (beat)Other than drop dead for spoiling the ending Sir. What do ya want me to do..?" Dudley asked A faint smile touched the corners of Odo's smile at that. How could you stay irritated and the terminally cute little man, everything about him was just so..Likeable. Reminding himself of the business at hand Odo erases the smile and got down to business. "The prisoner put up a fight when he was caught..He was fine when he was brought in..But know he's complaining about being in pain..I want to know if he's in pain from the results of the fight he put up..Or if he inflicted other injuries on himself after we put him in the cell.." "Ah..The old scream police brutality trick.." Dudley said picking up all the clues he was meant too. "Exactly..Now he was arrested three hours ago and started complaining about pain 20 minutes ago..So.." Odo left the rest to Dudley's overactive imagination. Not that it needed to be overactive to work out this big hint Odo gave him. "That's all I need Mr Odo Sir..Why don't ya go back to yer book." Dudley said as he headed for the brig. "Why? You already spoiled the ending," Odo grouched. "I lied. To get yer attention Mr Odo. Sir," Dudley admitted with a sly little smile. Odo was amazed by the sheer audacity of the little man. ********************** Bashir and Cat sat cross legged on his bed with a good old fashioned flat one level chess set between them, by the placement and lack of pieces left on the board it was obvious that they were at the conclusion of a game. Cat finished off the last piece of the Triple deck chocoholics delight cake with a MMMHMMM. Bashir sitting cross legged on the edge of the bed reached out to move a chess piece. On looking over the board Cat realised she had been placed in a no-win situation and tipped her king over conceding defeat before she looked at Bashir once more. "So..How about we play poker next?" Cat suggested. "No challenge..I always win," Bashir pointed out. "I had Strip poker in mind," Cat purred in a sultry tone that caused a million and one fantasies to zip through Bashir's head. Cat smiled at the flustered look on Bashir's face and stood to heads for the replicator intending to get some tea for him and some hot ultra chocolate for herself. "Revenge is sweet. You always fantasised about you and me playing it when we played straight poker. Distracting the hell out of me. So you always won," she said then laughed softly. "I wonder how many hands you'll win when it's for real and distracting you rather than just your fantasies distracting Meeee," she finished, the last a screech as she staggered and grabbed at her head pain and agony lancing through her skull. Bashir looked around at the screech before leaping off the bed grabbing the blanket as he moved ripping it off to send the chess set flying in all directions. He bolted to cat's side and threw the blanket around her like a cape with one hand catching the other end of it when it whipped around her. Cat's legs buckled and he manipulates the blanket to use it to cradle her under her and Bashir used the blanket to slow her fall to the deck. He dropped to one knee beside her as she started shuddering and then began convulsing. Ever so carefully he wrapped the blanket around her trying not to touch her and worsen her condition. "Medical emergency. Lock onto Lt Commander Bahnes and I and beam us to Sickbay," he barked to the computer. "Transporter functions are off line due to sensor malfunction," the computer reported calmly. Bashir panicked for a moment. "Dammit..I can't carry her there.." Cat stretched out a badly shaking arm and grabbed his to cling to it for dear life. He looked at down at her hand and started trying to pull away. Cats hand dropped away as she curled tighter going into violent convulsions giving vent to a scream of agony. Bashir forced the panic back. Panic was bad, panic could cost Cat her life. He needed to think straight. He couldn't get her to the infirmary so he had to find out what was wrong and try to deal with it here. Standing fast he bolted to his desk where his tricorder sat to snatch it up and return to Cat's side in seconds to begin scanning her. What he saw made him freeze his eyes widening. "What in heavens name have you locked into...?"Bashir breathed horrified at what the tricorder scan revealed. What ever it was, it was killing her, there was no doubt in his mind about that. Without a second thought he dropped the tricorder, jumped to his feet and races to the replicator and tapping away fast inputting the special code that allowed him to use it to replicate pharmaceutical items. "Cat 1." A hypo appeared fully loaded. Snatches it up Bashir spun and hurried back to Cat dropping to one knee beside her. He took a deep breath then reached out to brush her hair from her neck and takes hold of her chin to hold her head still. Before he could use it, he needed to explain it to her, he prayed she was still capable of comprehending him. "I started concocting this when I started thinking up ways to get past your. ultra sensitive senses. But it's experimental.. Theoretically...." "Forget the theories..Use it..!" Cat screeched. "It could permanently shut down your telepathy. It's too damn strong to use... But if I don't use it. And this keeps up..you'll be too dead to worry about telepathy..." He babbled. "Please give me some another way to help you," he begged. She had gone beyond answering by that time. On realising he'd run out of options Bashir drew in a deep breath forced the trembling from his limbs and injected the experimental drug into her system. He listened to the hiss and watched the cartridge empty before tossing the hypo aside to snatch up the tricorder once more. He scanned her, studying the results that flickered across the display intently. "Please God let it work." ********************** END OF PART TWO Standard Disclaimers apply. DS9 and the Regular Characters used within this story are copyrighted by Paramount. All guest characters among them Dudley, Cat, Kati, Red Skye, K'Hrest and all other subsidiary characters created for this story are copyrighted to the creator - Jenni Pedron. From io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks Fri Aug 4 21:58:20 1995 Path: io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks From: krpeaks@cc.memphis.edu (KAREN CUSHING) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 3/6 Message-ID: <1995Jul31.013655.55561@msuvx2.memphis.edu> Date: 31 Jul 95 01:36:55 -0500 Organization: The University of Memphis Lines: 514 Summary: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 3/6 Reply-To: hengor@scorch.hna.com.au Followup-To: alt.startrek.creative Expires: 15 Aug 95 01:37:34 -0500 Distribution: world STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE - Till Death do us Part by: Jenni Pedron Copyright Jan 1994 CHAPTER THREE The less than gentle sounds of Chief Of Operations Miles O'Brien kicking and thumping the main operations station reverberated through out Ops. "Damn it work!" O'Brien snarled Dax gave the station a visual once over, for the dozenth time that hour. "Try the (whatever) sensors," She suggested. O'Brien scowled at the station, giving it a parting kick before spinning to stride off in search of a tool kit. "I already tried those. Damn Cardassian computers they can't be trusted. We're blind till I figure out why they went down," He grumbled. Dax leaned over the station, trying her best to operate and frowned over the results before giving up. She looked around at the ensign sitting at the stations communications station. "You better start warning ships. Due to a computer malfunction no ships can dock." The ensign nodded and got to work as O'Brien returned to the main station with his tool kit. He set it down beside the station as he squatted to start removing access panels to get at its circuits. "Good thinking why let them know we couldn't spot a hostile ship if it was sitting right in front of us," He commented. Then it occurred to him that visiting ships weren't the only ones who had to be hailed. "You better hail the Ganges and let them know. They're due back any time now." Dax nodded and moves towards communications station when she noticed the Ensign alternately stabbing at controls then sitting back to frown down at it. O'Brien's efforts at the station resulted in the panel coming loose then off, he was rewarded by a smoke pouring out to start chocking him. Rearing back coughing he waved his hand around and waited for the smoke to clear. Hearing the coughing and smelling something burning Dax looked around to see the miasma of smoke now hanging around the station. "It looks like the whole damn systems overloaded." O'Brien said when he noticed her looking his way. The ensign at communications turned to face Dax. "Subspace communications are down sir. Completely. I can't even raise Bajor." ************************ Cat lay on Bashir's bed in a semi-conscious state while Bashir scanned her with his tricorder. When the life signs reached the point he was waiting for he reached out and put a hand on her arm, careful to touch the sleeve and not her hand as he leaned close to her. "Cat, can you open your eyes?" Bashir asked. There was a long pause that seemed to last forever to the anxious doctor before Cat stirred opening her eyes. Bashir flipped the tricorder closed and set it aside on bedside table. "You locked into something telepathically and went into the worst convulsions you've ever had. You're pulse was so fast that I had to shut your telepathic senses down fast. Your heart might've exploded from the strain it was under," He babbled as he looked back at her. Cat tried to sit up as she fully recovered her senses only to discover every muscle ached, instating mind disciplines she'd learned from a Vulcan she banished the pain to the very fringes of her awareness. "Julian.." She said trying to get a word in edgewise. "I had a serum I was working on, to shut your senses down temporarily..But in all the computer simulation tests of the serum. It proved too strong. But you were dying. It was the only thing available that would shut you down fast enough. I had no choice..I had to use it," He said still babbling. An earnest look appeared on his face. "If there had of been any other way I would have taken it," he said earnestly then paused as a new thought occurred to him. "Oh hell. I'm babbling. You can't understand a thing I'm saying can you," he said, not really asking a question. I understood every word. Stop tormenting yourself. It didn't work the way you thought it would. I can still sense you," She responded. "You can?!" Bashir exclaimed unable to believe it. "Well the thoughts you direct at me I can understand," Cat admitted. Bashir turned away from her to snatch up the tricorder flipping it open to start tapping at it trying to find the answer there. "All the tests were the same. You should have no Psi ability. I must have misread the scan," He muttered to himself as he studied the tricorder intently trying to figure where he went wrong. Cat pushed her self up into a sitting position then draped herself over his shoulders wrapping her arms around him. He was too busy trying to work where he went wrong to register it. "No. This is exactly the same result as I got in the computer simulations," He muttered, then began inputting the command's again thinking perhaps he'd made a mistake while doing so earlier. A look of pure mischief appeared on Cat's face and she started nibbling on Bashir's ear surprising the life out of him. He dropped the tricorder and jumped to his feet spinning around as he went. Deprived of her support Cat dropped to the bed then pushed herself up again to give him a sultry smile. "Cat..!" Julian exclaimed. "Julian. You know what almost getting killed does to me. It puts me in the mood," Cat purred in a sultry voice. "And don't I know it." Cat smiled as she climbed off the bed to her feet, starting after him. He started backing away waving his hands around trying to ward her off. "But! You know what happened last time. You were just fine until after it was all over. That's when you went into that coma," He said with a haunted look taking the place of the panicked. "I ... don't ever want to do that to you again." "I could always read you with out touch," She said with a smile. "The only difference is that now I can touch you without the convulsions," Cat finished as kept moving after Bashir who backed right up to the wall trying to escaped her. "It's just your body chemistry going crazy reacting to the near death situation. When you relax..the adverse reaction to touch is back. *Twice as nasty," He said emphasising the last. "Computer. Music 20th century Earth-Rose Royce-Just be good to me," Cat requested. As the Music began Cat pounced pinning Bashir to the wall then hooked her arms around his neck. "Then lets just test that theory. Dance with me. It's supposed to be relaxing." Bashir gave a nod and she stepped back slightly. Bashir took advantage of it to slip away from her grasp, bolt for the bed and scoop up the tricorder. Cat spun on the balls of her feet giving him disappointed look. Bashir rapidly entered a new set of commands into the tricorder, then looked at her to holds out his arms to her while keeping a firm grip on the tricorder. "Ok. Dancing it is, but no Tango. No Lambada and no dances from your favourite 20th century movie," He said waving a finger in her face. A look of mock horror appeared on Cats face. "What no dirty dancing?" She enquired. Bashir moved toward her she wasn't waiting, she pounced grabbing him, tipping him back. Bashir managed to hook an arm around her for balance and get the tricorder where he could keep an eye on it before she kissed him. He tried to keep an eye on the tricorder then gave up as the chemistry between them took hold of him. He wrapped both arms around her and proceeded to enjoy. Cat slowly brought him back on balance then broke off the kiss, just when Bashir's head started spinning - either from breathlessness or the kiss, he couldn't tell which. While he tried to catch his breath he peeked at the tricorder to what effect that kiss had, had on Cat. "Dirty dancing is defiantly not on. This is most defiantly not relaxing you... Or me. (whew) You are dangerous when you're in the mood. It's slow relaxing dancing or nothing," He said firmly. Cat pouted then nodded to start slow dancing with him. Bashir arranged himself for a slow dance - and tricorder monitor and then put a discrete distance between himself and her. "Better." He said as his hormones started to settle down. "If I took you up on your invitation. You'd hate me tomorrow." "I didn't hate you last time," she said with a shy smile. "And you're not the only one who's had fantasises. About us since," she admitted next. "Maybe that's all this is. You left. I got to thinking about that serum. Fell asleep and dreamed all this up. That would explain why the serum worked just like the computer simulations but didn't take away your telepathy.... I don't want to take that away permanently it's a very part of you... It's how you `hear'. You'd go crazy if it was gone. And the reason I was trying concoct the perfect serum in the first place was so we could do just what you want me too." He said thoughtfully then smiled highly satisfied to worked it out at last. "This is all just a dream, so.." Bashir dropped the tricorder and pulled her in close to start planting kisses along her neck starting at the collar working his way up her throat. "Please don't pinch, hmm (kiss) I hate waking up just (kiss) When things. (kiss) Are getting interesting," He finished as his lips reached her jaw. "I wouldn't dream of it," she responded with a sultry little smile. They kissed deeply and passionately without breaking up the slow dancing. ************************ O'Brien was tinkering away inside the station while Dax hovered around waiting for a report. "The whole sensor system. Internal and External is defiantly out," O'Brien announced. The sound of tinkering and cracking circuit boards could be heard along with softly uttered curses. "This whole techno-babble is fused completely. We're completely blind until I can replace this lot," He continued after he'd finished cursing. "Lt Commander Bahnes report to Ops," Dax commanded. When there was no response Dax looked around at the ensign manning the communications station. "Internal communications are down too," the ensign announced apologetically. "She's a first contact specialist or counsellor only remember," O'Brien reminded Dax. Dax sighed and looked down at O'Brien's legs poking out from under the station. "With both Benjamin and Kira at that trial she is the highest ranking officer that makes her the acting commanding officer," She said explaining her decision to call Cat up to Ops. "Sure it does. And by now she's sensed this is going on and if she thought she could be useful she'd be here like a shot... I swear she's almost as bad as Bashir," He muttered. The tinkering noises coming from inside the station became louder as O'Brien began trying to remove the damaged circuitry. Dax moved in to squat beside O'Brien's legs. "But unlike him she passed all the academy exams with a perfect score..1st person to do it since Data. Interesting huh. Body and sheer brains. No wonder Bashir follows her around with that love sick look," He commented. "I noticed the love sick look. He used to have it on his face when he followed me around," Dax said dryly. O'Brien's chuckle drifted out from inside the station. "Jealous?" He asked teasingly. "No I am not. I like Cat Bahnes. I just think it's a shame he's become fixated on her. Nothing will ever come of it," Dax expounded, trying to convince O'Brien of it. "You think not... Me thinks the young Doctor is totally head over heels for the Commander and trying to work out a way to get around her ever so sensitive *telepathy*," O'Brien commented his tone changing when he said the last. "Why do you keep ..using that tone when you talk about Cat's telepathy?" Dax asked. "She's not a telepath. That's why," He replied. Dax looked quite surprised. O'Brien wiggled out from under the station to exchange tools then looked at her. I've got what we Irishmen call second sight. Some times I can see things not on the physical plane," he explained. "What does that have to do with Cat?" Dax enquired not understanding what it had to do with the counsellor at all. "Everything. Last night I saw Cat Bahnes. In my quarters watching Molly sleeping with a real wistful look. It scared the life out of me till I realised she wasn't on the physical plane... The woman's an astrapath. Calling her an empath or telepath understates her true gift. She exists on more than the physical plane and so does her so called telepathy," O'Brien announced, and with that said he ducked back under the station to resume his tinkering. Dax stood taking in all he revealed and puzzled over it while she moved to her station and sat. It was an interesting concept. One she had to learn more about. "Computer, show me everything you have on the subject of Atrapaths," She said quietly. ************************ Cat and Bashir were still slow dancing and had gone from kissing to literal necking. As the music stopped Bashir left off his nibbling on Cat's neck to request more. "Computer. Music Terran Era 1990's-Artist Billy Ocean. Suddenly. Soft." The Music began. "Mhmm my favorite era," Cat announced. "Mmhhmm... The wonderful thing about that particular era. You can let the music say what you can't... Now where were we... Ahh yes. I was checking your pulse," He said in a throaty little growl to resume nuzzling her neck. Cat literally purred in response as he worked his way up to her ear then began nibbling on it. "Marry me," Bashir murmured in her ear. "Noooo. You like your freedom too much and I like mine," Cat breathed caught up in the pure sensuality of his amorous activities. Her answer was enough to make Bashir stop those amorous activities with a groan. Realising she'd just tipped him off to the reality of things Cat took over the amorous side of things and started to nibble away at his neck. "Now I know I'm not dreaming. You always say yes in my dreams," Bashir groaned giving her a pinch that made her cease and desist. "Stop that," He growled trying to control his now rampaging hormones. "The serum works. We already proved that. So stop fighting. You know you want it," she purred then resumed her amorous activities. "Cat.." He begun then broke of with a sound of pleasure as her teeth found one of his erogenous zone and gently nibbled at it. It took him a little while to recall what he was going to say. "I doubt you ever used birth control in your life... Because of your religious beliefs on the matter. I stopped taking it when you showed up. Because I was only interested in you and didn't see the point of taking it." Cat didn't seem to get the point, she just kept right on doing what he was trying to talk her out of. But then again, he didn't *really* want her to stop, not deep down. Deep down he didn't want this night to ever end. "If we..do..this, there will be a baby," he said finally laying everything out on the line in one last attempt to make her stop. "Mhmmm..S'ok, I like babies," she murmured in his ear and then began to lavish attention on it with her teeth and tongue sending shivers down his spine. He sighed with pleasure and tried to gather his rapidly scattering thoughts. It was getting harder to think straight with every passing moment. The ache in his groin was making him wish he could just sweep her up take her to the bed and make love to her till she begged him to stop. Then again, he remembered why that wasn't such a good idea. "So do I. But I am not going to create a baby I can't be a full time father to... And you won't marry me. So, stop that," he sighed. She stopped and looked at him solemnly before heaving a melodramatic sigh. "Then I'll just have to marry you," she announced. He gaped at her for a long moment his jaw almost hitting the floor at her words. "You..will..M..m..marry..me," He stammered unable to believe his ears. She nodded smiling away. With a huge smile lighting up his face he embraced her, to swing her around, sweeping her off her feet into his arms. She laughed delighted as he began caring her to the bed. "It's about time. I've been dreaming of this since we were sixteen," Bashir growled. As he set her on the bed her seductive look became a thoughtful one. "Maybe this should wait," she suggested. The look on his face told her what he thought of that. "Until our wedding night Julian..That will give you plenty of time to come up with a serum that you're sure is 100% effective," She said hastily so he'd understand the thought that had popped into her head at the most inopportune moment. The look that appeared on Bashir's face spoke louder that words, it practically bellowed "You're Joking!'. *********************** INT. OPS O'Brien had transferred his attention from Ops to the Communications station. After several hours work he wiggled out from under it to look up at Dax and the ensign who were hovering around waiting to hear if there were to remain deaf and dumb for an indefinite period or not. "Ohhkay.. We have internal communications back on line. Externals still off line. And it'll take longer to bring back on line than the sensors. I may as well start with them. Maybe then I can find out why the communications are out," O'Brien announced. Dax nodded. "Take a break, get a little rest and some coffee, then get onto it," She said. O'Brien's response was a look of gratitude as he scrambled up to his feet. Dax turned away and headed for the lift. "There's something I have to something to check on," She said in way of explanation for her departure. ************************ Dudley left the brig to find Odo still reading at his station. A moment later gave a growl and slammed the PADD down. "Self inflicted injuries," Dudley announced. "You lied about lying..The butler did do it," Odo growled annoyed. "So. Ya still enjoyed it anyway trying to figure out who did it, didn't ya?" Dudley challenged with a smile. Odo considered it then nodded with an ever so faint smile as he realised the truth of that challenge. "True. But then the writer is a devious sort. I've yet to figure out who dunnit before the final page," Odo admitted. "But if ya could. Then ya wouldn't enjoy it `alf so much," Dudley pointed out with a smile, then stifled a yawn that crept up on him. While that might be true, just once, I want to work out who did the deed and how before his Hero does," Odo said. "Really. Why don't ya try the `olo-suite programmes Quark's got. `e's got all the books converted into `olo-mysteries," Dudley suggested. "I already read all the books. There's no challenge." "That's what yer think. (smile) I `appen to know Red Skye is working on another one. Set right `ere at DS9. I'm sure Red might be convinced to let ya have a stab at picking `er villain before `e reveals it," Dudley said slyly. "And how do you know that?" Odo asked. "Ya could say I'm a close personal friend of Red's. An Red always like to put `er stories to the test," drawing Odo in further. "So. Just how does a person get to be a test subject..?" Odo asked interested. Dudley pulled the PADD that he had ever so conveniently brought along, out of his uniform and handed it to Odo. "Ya sign this." Odo took the PADD and began studying the contract displayed on its screen while Dudley gave a huge yawn. "I agree not to divulge anything and to let her write me into his book in anyway she feels like it." "That's the deal. If ya want the chance to beat The Master. Ya got to play the game by `er rules." Dudley responded. Another sly smile appeared on his face as he prepared to snap the trap. "I already know Quark, Jazdia Dax, Doc and the Chief have signed on the dotted line," he said ticking the names off on his fingers as he went along. At the mention of Quark, Odo took the bait hook line and sinker picking up a stylus to sign the contract on the ever so convenient dotted line, then he handed the PADD back to Dudley. "If Quarks in.. I'm in," Odo stated. ************************ The very, very dishevelled Cat strolled down the corridor with a very, very satisfied look on her face humming here comes the bride while she toyed absently with the earring Julian had given her. She was too wrapped up in her pleasant little fantasies to notice the menacing shadow of someone stealthily approaching her from behind. ************************ Bashir slept naked on the very rumpled bed, his clothes were scattered every which way over the room. The big smile on his face indicated that he was obviously dreaming of what he intended to get up to with Cat next. Deep in his dreams he failed to notice the shadow that fell over his sleeping body. As the cause of that shadow leaned over him the tinkling of Cat's earring caught his ears and he stirred opening his eyes to look up and smiled. ************************ Dudley wandered down the corridor lost in his own little fantasy world, yawning his head off, tuckered out after his long day. He failed to see the Klingon woman race into area, failed to register her until it was far too late, she ran right into him sending staggering into the wall. He hit the wall with a resounding thud, then slid down it to fall to the deck in a little heap, well and truly out cold. The Klingon woman kept running without once looking back. ************************ Bashir was hidden from sight huddled up in a little ball under the blanket. "Sickbay to Bashir. We have an emergency in Corridor (no.) Deck (no.) Section (?)," The night nurses voice announced. The little hump that was Bashir stirred and gave a pained groan. "Condition critical. Transporters are off line. She's two sections from your quarters," The night nurse continued. ************************ Bashir raced down the corridor carrying a medical kit half dressed, he was tugging his uniform on properly wincing away as he ran. His face was marred by a nasty set of bloody scratches a bruise or two and a black eye. He raced around corner then stops dead when he saw Odo drawing a sheet over a corpse in the corridor. It didn't take much guessing at the cause of death there was a large amount of blood splattered on the wall and floor around the now covered corpse. Bashir recovered from the shock of seeing the evidence of such violence so close to home and began moving in. Hearing Bashir's approach Odo looked around. "You're a little too late to be off any use to her..She's dead," Odo reported. Something about the from under the sheet made Bashir's blood run cold. He knew with out a doubt he didn't want to look under that sheet to see who it covered, but he had no choice he had to do so. Going to his knees beside the covered Corpse he reached out with a shaking hand to lift the sheet away to find it was Cat's face staring back at him in the way only dead people do. Bashir stared down at Cat's corpse with a truly horrified look. Odo noted Bashir's face. "What happened to you?" Odo enquired when he noticed Bashir's slightly battered appearance. "NOOOOOOOOO!!!" Bashir howled rearing back with a look of horror and grief for dreams so horribly shattered just when it seemed they were in his reach. Odo jumped a good three feet back at that and stared at the doctor in shock. ********************** END OF CHAPTER THREE Standard Disclaimers apply. DS9 and the Regular Characters used within this story are copyrighted by Paramount. All guest characters among them Dudley, Cat, Kati, Red Skye, K'Hrest and all other subsidiary characters created for this story are copyrighted to the creator - Jenni Pedron. From io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks Fri Aug 4 21:58:27 1995 Path: io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks From: krpeaks@cc.memphis.edu (KAREN CUSHING) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 4/6 Message-ID: <1995Jul31.013749.55563@msuvx2.memphis.edu> Date: 31 Jul 95 01:37:49 -0500 Organization: The University of Memphis Lines: 454 Summary: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 4/6 Reply-To: hengor@scorch.hna.com.au Followup-To: alt.startrek.creative Expires: 15 Aug 95 01:38:26 -0500 Distribution: world STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE - Till Death do us Part by: Jenni Pedron Copyright Jan 1994 CHAPTER FOUR Several hours after returning from her `errand' Dax worked with the very tired O'Brien and several techs at the operations station trying to bring it, and all the systems routed through it back on line. O'Brien wiggled out from under station then stood under Dax's watchful gaze. O'Brien looked at the station saw that his efforts had seemingly been for nothing. In sheer frustration after the long hours of hard work he gave the station a resounding kick. As if by magic the station lit up and all sorts of noises that translated into, O.k, O.k, I'm working don't kick me again, resulted. O'Brien gave a little nod of satisfaction. That would teach the bloody machine to get stubborn with him. Dax started testing the stations operations then looked around at O'Brien with a smile. "External sensors are back on line," Dax reported "About bloody time," O'Brien said with a yawn and a stretch to get out the kinks that being scrunched up under a station had given him "Now I can go to bed." "Odo to Dax." "Dax here." "We have a murderer loose on the station," Odo announced. O'Brien and Dax shared looks, O'Brien said good-bye to bed. "Who was the victim?" Dax asked. "Lt Commander Catriana Bahnes," Odo stated. "Cat..Oh no," Dax breathed. "Where, when and how?" O'Brien demanded. "Deck (no). Judging by the blood splatters around her... She was brutally attacked at least three hours ago. She died from the blood loss almost as I arrived. I won't describe the corpse. It's already made the medics throw up," Odo reported. "Julian is not going to take this well," Dax commented. "He already knows. He arrived too late to do anything. The medics had to sedate him." O'Brien and Dax looked sympathetic for their friend. "I don't think he is going to be of any use to me in the investigation. He's too distraught to carry out an autopsy. And the one medic who'd be able to carry it out in his place was apparently found unconscious in another corridor. Get communications back on line to Bajor and get me a doctor who can carry out an autopsy. Odo out." Taking a deep breath, Dax looked at O'Brien. He looked away with a sigh and fetched his tool kit before heading for the communications station. "Already on it," He said in a resigned tone. ************************* It was cold within the stations morgue, colder than a bank managers heart at foreclosure time. The mortal remains of Cat lay in an open stasis drawer covered by sheet awaiting the doctor who'd been summoned to carry out the required Autopsy. Odo led the Bajoran Doctor into the room and waved to the drawer. The doctor crossed the room and lifted the sheet to take a peek at the remains then dropped the sheet and looking away fighting the wave of revulsion that swept over him. "And I thought the Cardassians left messy corpses behind," he muttered. "I want you to do a full autopsy.. I don't have a single clue to go on," Odo said. The Doctor nodded taking a deep breath before turning back to Cat's corpse pulling the sheet back to reveal it to the light. Odo looked at anything but the corpse. You didn't need a stomach to be queasy, and when someone who'd been so vibrant and alive ended up cold, lifeless and battered before him, he usually felt queasy. At times like these a million and one questions ran through his mind. Apart from the expected, who, what and why's there was the question - Could I have prevented this if I'd been more vigilant. Did the killer give a hint as to his/her/it's intent that was there for me to see. Did I fail her by failing to protect her. "Hmmm. Have you been able to track down her movements over her last hours?" The Doctor's voice interrupted Odo's unproductive chain of thought. "Internal sensors were down and her killer took advantage of the fact. The are no records leading up to hours before her death to trace her movements... But as far as we know. She was going to her quarters to sleep and that was the last time anyone saw her alive." "Married?" The doctor asked. "No." "Lover, then?" The Doctor prodded. "Definitely not. She can't stand to be touched. She could have gone into convulsions if she tried that with someone. I was always watching her like a hawk in Quarks to keep the gropers away," Odo responded. "Well there's your motive. Someone wasn't taking no for an answer," The Doctor reported. Odo look around. "She was completely dressed when I found her," He retorted. "Obviously she got away from her rapist got her clothes on and ran for it..He caught her... and finished her off," the Doctor theorised. He made a come here motion. "Look at these bruises from the neck down. They weren't made the way the others were. They were made with someone's teeth. Humans call them love bites. Odo moved in to take a good look and a brow raised. The Doctor was right. He hadn't seen those marks before, but, then again, as he'd reported she'd been fully clothed so they weren't obvious until she'd been stripped for the autopsy. "Carry out a full autopsy and let my deputy know when you can confirm or deny your theory," He said then turned and started for the exit. "Bye bye lunch hmm..?" "I have to inform her sister. And then get my rest. I wont be available for several hours, so when you're done give your report to Primmin." Odo responded as he exited. ************************** As he made his way through the infirmary Odo noticed Dudley sitting up on the treatment table with a large bruise and bump on his head. A nurse was scanning his head with a him with a stern look. Odo crossed to the bed to study Dudley. "What happened to you?" He demanded. "I..ah.." "He's a clutz. He tripped over his own feet and hit his head on the bulkhead on the way down," the nurse interrupted. "Is that what happened?" Odo demanded. "Er. Most likely, Mr. Odo. Sir. I was tired. My mind was wandering. Not really watching where I was going. Next thing I know I'm waking up `ere," Dudley answered miserably. "Hmmph. Next time. Go to bed rather than wandering around in that state," Odo said reproachfully before turning to leave. Dudley sighed, there was nothing worse than looking stupid in front of people you looked up to - figuratively speaking. ************************** Bashir lay curled up on the rumpled bed sleeping with the blanket tucked around securely. The scratches and black eye he'd had were gone, dealt with by the medic who'd sedated him. Dax sat on the edge of the end of the bed watching him as he slipped from deep sleep to near wakefulness. Bashir's hand started wandering over the bed looking for Cat who'd not so long ago shared the bed with him. When he didn't find her there he stirred waking to look around for her. Dax noted he looked puffy eyed, somewhat sick and a little lost. On noticing Dax sitting on the edge of his bed, Bashir curled back up into a little ball and pulled the blanket up over his head trying to hide from her. "Go `way," He rasped. "Julian, I know how you felt about her," Dax said her voice dripping sympathy. "You don't know anything," He retorted. Dax edged along the bed and started patting what she hoped was his shoulder soothingly. The little mound that was Bashir started shuddering trying not to give into his grief before Dax. "Everyone here knows how you felt about her. You made it very, very obvious. You would have married her if you could. And if you want someone's shoulder to cry on. Mine is available," She offered. He ignored her. After a long pause and no response Dax accepted his wish to be alone and stood, turning, about to walk away. Her foot brushed against something lying on the floor unnoticed as she moved she kicked it under the bed unwittingly. The familiar tinkling that resulted caught her attention and she looked down. Seeing nothing there that might have caused the tinkle she shrugged passing it off to imagination and walked away. ************************** Dressed only in her night-robe looking rumpled and feeling grumpy at being woken Kati stood at the door. The DOOR CHIME that had woken her sounded again telling her the person out there hadn't given up yet, worse luck. "Open." The door opened revealing Odo. Kati looked at him a little curious but mostly annoyed. "Ambassador... I have to speak with you. May I come in," He asked. Kati felt like saying no, drop dead. But she squelched the urge to do so. "Come back in...say ten minutes... I have Company. Close door." The door closed in Odo's face before he could respond. Kati looked around the room noting the evidence of her nights activity scattered around the room. She had some work to do before she her ten minutes ran out. She started moving through the room gathering up the scattered items of Klingon clothing that littered the floor. She snatched her hand back with a muttered curse as she cut her finger open on the bladed klingon gauntlet hiding under an innocent piece of clothing. Sucking on her finger she almost kicked the gauntlet before remembering her bare feet. Having no desire to slice up her tootsies she carefully retrieved the glove holding it out as if it had a life of its own and might attack her at any moment. ********************** Odo looked at door absently as he mentally planned his speech to Kati informing her of her sisters death and debated whether or not to question her about her sisters movements once he had. "O'Brien to Odo," O'Brien's voice, rough with exhaustion interrupted his train of thought. "Odo here..Tell me the internal sensors are back on line," Odo said. "You've got them," O'Brien announced. "About time too... I want you to start a scan for that unusual Bajoran Earring Bashir gave to Commander Bahnes. It's one of a kind. If we can find it we may find her killer." "Odo..I'll pass this onto Primmin. He can do the search. I'm dead on my feet. O'Brien out," O'Brien responded yawning his way through it leaving Odo in no doubt to the state of his exhaustion. Odo scowled and then looked at his hand which was starting to get drippy. Damn. This was the last thing he needed. He scowled down at his hand and then slapped his insignia. There was nothing more he could do today, He had no choice but to get back to his pail, stat, before he turned into a puddle of goo. "Odo to Primmin. Take over the investigation into Commander Bahnes' death. I can't continue it right now." "Primmin here. Where do I start?" Primmin enquired. "Join me in my office. I'll give you all the details so far," Odo responded. ************************** Kati flicked a wrinkle out of her diplomats uniform and brushed an errant strand of clothing off as she approached the door. When she opened it to reveal Lt Primmin standing in the corridor she was quite surprised. She could have sworn it had been the Security Chief - not his deputy she'd spoken to earlier. "Ambassador Bahnes. I'm deputy chief of security Lt Primmin. Constable Odo had to rest." Primmin stated. That explained things. "May I come in?" Primmin asked. Kati stepped back nodding. Primmin entered the suite and over the sound of the door closing behind him he noticed the sounds of the suites shower in use. Looking around the room Primmin noted the rumpled half made bed and came to the conclusion the Ambassador had given the suite a general fast clean up by the looks of things. He could see a clutter of lumps on the bed, items she didn't want seen were hiding in plain sight under the blanket. He wondered why she'd gone to the trouble, then brought his thoughts back to job at hand. "You might wish to sit down," He stated. "Just get it said," She replied. When Primmin looked uncomfortable she glanced toward the bathroom. "He's not going to stay in the shower all day... and he's shy," She said after a delicate pause. Primmin decided the best thing to do was to do as she requested - get it said. "I regret to inform you that your sister Cat Bahnes was Murdered last night," He said with total sincerity, he did regret having to be the one to tell her. "Murdered?! Impossible... She can... sense... intent... to kill... a K... away," Kati croaked. "This is one time your sisters telepathy failed her... I'm sorry to put you through this. But I must ask you some questions... We know that she was heading for her quarters after she left Quark's and that you were following a short distance behind. She didn't make it to her quarters. A search of them proved she did not return there. Did you see where she went instead of her quarters?" He asked her. Kati stared at him wide eyed with shock, a trembling running through her frame before she turned away heading for the replicator. "How..How did she die?" She asked. Primmin took a deep breath. This was the part of the job he hated most. "She was... brutally bashed to death. Possibly raped...If you saw her with anyone," He said leaving the rest up to her. Kati stopped before the replicator and tapped at the controls. "Scotch a double-straight," She ordered. The requested drink appeared. She picked it and sculled it. Then she looked down at the glass in her hands for a long moment before taking a deep breath. "I..saw her..With someone," She said in a hesitant voice. "If you could tell me who. I can question them," Primmin said. "It was Jules. She walked..past his rooms and he opened the door and called her back," She responded slowly as if she was loathe to reveal what she knew. "And?" Primmin prodded. "He lured her into the room with the promise of her secret vice," Kati informed him. "Vice? She had a vice?!" Primmin exclaimed in surprise. "She was a closet chocoholic. He knew it and offered her the one treat she never could resist. His mothers own special chocolate cake," She told him. Primmin thought that a pretty innocent vice. He liked chocolate himself. Didn't everyone. Kati drew in a shuddering catching his attention again. "I should have known better than to let her go into his quarters alone with him. He put her into hospital for 6 months after he raped her when they were 16," She said with a shudder racking her body. "But she would never charge him for it. Poor thing. She was devastated..by it. He was the one person she trusted over everyone else," Kati said with a sigh. Primmin was shocked at these revelations, he'd never even suspected the Counsellor had been hiding such a tragic secret. "Jules was totally obsessed with her and laughing off his obsession, trusting him again. Has cost her, her life." "This..Jules? What is his full name? I don't recognise it. Did he come off one of the ships that arrived in the last week?" Primmin asked. ************************** Primmin's line of investigation had brought him up to OPS where he was watching an Ensign working at the main operations station checking out the status of the stations interior sensors. "Ok. The sensors are defiantly back on line. What are you looking for?" the Ensign asked. "The victim had an earring. Very, very unusual. Everyone talked about it." "Oh yeah. I know the one. No other like it. I heard Doctor Bashir bragging about it being real unique. Virtually priceless due to it's uniqueness... I know I saw Quark trying to convince her to sell it to him... She wouldn't sell it no matter how much Quark offered. Maybe that's why she was killed for the earring," the ensign theorised. "Are you suggesting Quark had her murdered to get his hands on it?" Primmin demanded. "Just pointing out a possible motive for the attack. That earring," The ensign replied. "Do you know what made it unique?" Primmin asked. "Sure..Doctor Bashir had an antique brooch made from Metralite. He took that brooch to a jeweller and had it turned into the earring." "So... He has more of the materials. "No. The brooch was it...He wanted that earring to be real unique so he could always tell the twins apart. (beat) He had the jeweller use every last piece of it's materials. Just to be sure Ambassador Bahnes couldn't get her hands on it and get an earring made to fool him," the Ensign reported as he started tapping away at the console inputting his commands. "So there will only be one trace on the station and wherever that earring is, is where we'll find her killer," Primmin said aloud stating what the Ensign thought was so bloody obvious. The computer beeped and the Ensign turned his attention back to it. "Definite trace..(beat)Deck (no.) Section (?)," he reported. "Doctor To Primmin," Doctor (whatever's) voice announced over Primmin's communicator. Primmin held up a hand cutting the Ensign off before he could supply the exact location of the earring. "Primmin here. Go ahead Doctor," Primmin responded. "I've finished the autopsy. If you'll join me in sickbay. I'll give you the results." "On my way, Doctor. Primmin out." And he was, before the words were out of his mouth he was crossing ops heading for the lift. "I'll check out that trace later. Thanks for your help," he said as it occurred to him to thank the ensign. ************************* The Doctor stood behind the nurse seated at Bashir's computer watching as she operated the computer. Primmin stood behind Doctor looking over his shoulder. "Now if the person who raped and murdered the victim is a resident here. We should be able to give you a name... There were skin flakes under her nails from where she scratched at her attacker. And other evidence," the Doctor stated looking around at Primmin. "What sort of evidence?" Primmin asked. "He impregnated her," Primmin scowled. "Search complete. Positive match," The computer announced. The Nurse tapped at the controls. "Show me the match and identify on screen," she commanded. The computer obliged her by placing the requested information on the screen. Primmin and the Doctor leaned over the nurse's shoulder to look. As it registered who's name was on the screen the nurse looked horrified. "Oh my God!" she breathed The Doctor and Primmin straightened up and the Doctor looked at Primmin. "There's your murderer," He stated pointing grimly at the screen. ************************** Bashir was sleeping again having cried himself to sleep after Dax's departure. He was so deep in sleep that he didn't even hear the door open and the security team lead by Primmin walk in. Looking around Primmin noted the Doctors placement and then indicated the other two security officers should start their search. One of the officers started scanning the room with a tricorder while the Primmin closed in on the bed, the other officer headed for the bathroom to see what he could find there in the way of evidence. Primmin reached out and shook Bashir awake roughly. Bashir awoke with a start to looking around startled at being so rudely awaken. "Dr Julian Bashir you are under arrest for the rape and murder of Cat Bahnes," Primmin announced. Bashir looked at him wide eyed with shock, speechless. The shock of being accused of his beloved's rape and murder was too much for him, as Primmin watched what little colour the doctor had drained away and his eyes rolled back in his head as he fainted dead away dropping back onto the bed. One of the security team scanning the room head picked up the sign he was looking for under the bed. Crossing the room in long strides he knelt beside the bed and peered under it to find what he was looking for. He reached under and then produced the evidence holding it out on the palm of his hand for Primmin to see he'd found Cat's earring. Primmin took it holding it up to the light watching the sparkles of iridescence that shimmered over the ornament in a very familiar way. There was no doubt in Primmin's mind that it was indeed Cat's earring. "That clinches what Kati Bahnes told me..Cat Bahnes was here last night," Primmin muttered. The other member of the security team returned from the bathroom with a bloody towel and Bashir's blood stained top in his hands. He held them out looking grim. The sound of his approach caught the attention of the other two men and they looked around. "I found these in there and bloody prints on all the fixtures. The scan says it's a match for Commander Bahnes's blood," the officer announced. Primmin looked down at Bashir with pure loathing clenching a fist around the earring. If there was anything he despised more than anything else, it was when someone he trusted betrayed that trust and committed such a violent crime right under his nose. "Take him to the brig," He barked. ********************** END OF CHAPTER FOUR Standard Disclaimers apply. DS9 and the Regular Characters used within this story are copyrighted by Paramount. All guest characters among them Dudley, Cat, Kati, Red Skye, K'Hrest and all other subsidiary characters created for this story are copyrighted to the creator - Jenni Pedron . From io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!news.moneng.mei.com!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks Fri Aug 4 21:58:31 1995 Path: io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!news.moneng.mei.com!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks From: krpeaks@cc.memphis.edu (KAREN CUSHING) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 5/6 Message-ID: <1995Jul31.013841.55565@msuvx2.memphis.edu> Date: 31 Jul 95 01:38:41 -0500 Organization: The University of Memphis Lines: 427 Summary: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 5/6 Reply-To: hengor@scorch.hna.com.au Followup-To: alt.startrek.creative Expires: 15 Aug 95 01:39:12 -0500 Distribution: world STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE - Till Death do us Part by: Jenni Pedron Copyright Jan 1994 CHAPTER FIVE Odo stood before cell in which Primmin had placed Bashir. The doctor was lying on bunk curled up in tight foetal ball, facing the back of the cell, he seemed to be barely breathing. Odo scowled when he noticed that. "Odo to Infirmary. Send a medic to the Brig," he said as he turned to look at Primmin. Primmin was standing at the interview table with several PADDs lying on its surface close to hand. "What did you do to him?" Odo demanded. "Nothing other than have a medic give him a through physical exam when he was brought in," Primmin replied. "You have to be mad to charge Him with Her murder. It was patently obvious even to me that he was head over heels in love with her," Odo challenged waving a hand over his head to emphasise his point. "I wouldn't call it love. I'd call it a fatal obsession for her," Primmin returned. He reached to pick up one of the PADD then held it out to Odo. "This is the list of evidence to back up my arrest of him for the Commanders rape and murder." Odo crossed to the table snatching the PADD from Primmin with a scowl. "It better be damn good if you think it's going to convince me you didn't make a huge mistake," he growled as he started reading. Primmin watched him closely. The more Odo read the grimmer he became. A faintly victorious gleam appeared in Primmin's eyes as he picked up another PADD, offered it to Odo the moment he lowered the first. "The results of the exam of Bashir. It discovered bruises, bites and scratches hidden under his clothing that proves he raped her and that she tried to fight him off," Primmin stated. Neither man noticed Dudley enter the cell and didn't register his presence until they heard his growl at Primmin's statement. They looked around to see Dudley ready with his medical kit slung over his shoulder. He was waiting a discrete distance away looking Primmin's way with a glower on his cute face. Odo pointed Dudley toward Bashir's cell. "Good. You're the one I was thinking of. Examine him." Dudley nodded and heading for the cell. Odo followed him across the room to drop the force field to let him into the cell. As soon as Dudley was in and crossing to the bedside Odo reestablished the force field then turned and rejoin the Primmin. Primmin shuffled through the PADDs arranging them in order. Odo began reading the second while Primmin picked up the third ready to hand it over. As soon as Odo set the second PADD down Primmin handed him the third which Odo started reading immediately. "That's a statement from Ambassador Bahnes who saw Bashir lure Commander Bahnes into his quarters last night... And also a statement that proves this was not the first time that Julian Bashir had raped the Commander. Only he got away with it the last time," Primmin said in a disgusted tone. Odo looked up startled at the mention of a prior rape. "When was the first time?" Primmin picked up another PADD and handed it to Odo. Odo read the PADD with wide eyed shock. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "With all the evidence against him.It's an open and shut case." Primmin crowed. Strident beeping from Dudley's tricorder broke the silence between the two men in the next moments. "Mr. Odo. Sir." Odo looks around to see Dudley standing beside the bed tricorder in hand looking down at Bashir with a worried look on his face. "The Doc's in a coma from deep shock. If it's not treated now. `E'll die. `E needs treatment in the infirmary immediately," Dudley reported looking around to let Odo see just how concerned he was. For the first time Dudley looked older than his years. Odo strode to the cells and dropped the force field giving Dudley a nod that said all that needed saying. "Medical emergency two to transport to the infirmary." Dudley said slapping his insignia the moment the field dropped. A few seconds later Bashir and Dudley dematerialised. Odo turned and looked back at Primmin ready to blast him for letting Bashir get into that condition when Primmin held out another Padd. "You didn't see this one. It's Bashir's confession. He admitted he killed her." Odo did a double take at that and then headed back to Primmin and snatched the PADD from his hand to start reading. ************************** Dax sat in front of her computer with the PADD in hand scowling at it. Odo stood in front of her waiting for her response. Dax finished reading Primmin's report then lowered the PADD and looked up at Odo. "The person who set Julian up knew just enough about his past to do it damn well. Combined with all the other evidence against him. It makes Julian look capable of committing the very crimes he's accused of." "They knew about his past association with Commander Bahnes. How much did he make known?" Odo asked. "Actually. He made very little known. He just said he's known her since they were children," Dax answered "Contact the authorities on Earth and find out if the ambassador's claim was ever made in a official compliant. Something Primmin didn't bother to do," Odo told her. "Nog to Odo." Nog's voice said cutting in just before Dax was about to point out that was a chore Odo should handle. "Odo here. What do you want?" Odo growled. "Jake and I just found a very dead Klingon... Jake is busy throwing up," Nog reported. Any irritation Odo felt with Nog vanished at that moment. "Where are you?" He demanded. Nog named a location deep in the bowels of the station that hadn't been used since the occupation - and possibly not even for years before that had ended. "I'm on my way," Odo replied. He started heading for the door keying his communicator as he went. "Odo to Infirmary. We have another corpse on our hands. Send a medic to.... " ************************** Odo knelt by the sheet covered corpse peeked under the sheet and began feeling queasy, he wasn't the slightest bit surprised Jake had thrown up. Dudley was leaning on a wall nearby looking well and truly nauseous. "Just like the Commander," Odo muttered. He dropped the sheet and looked around at Dudley. "You do get around don't you," he commented. "It's my job, Mr. Odo, sir," Dudley responded. "Well... Before you lost your lunch did you scan the Klingon and make a diagnosis?" Odo asked. "Yes, sir," Dudley answered. He took in a deep breath and marshalled his thoughts. "`is name is K'Hresst, `e arrived three days ago. `e's been dead for at least 24 `ours, sir," Dudley announced. " So... He was murdered before Commander Bahnes," Odo mused. "`E was'nt murdered `ere. No blood. With wounds like `is there would be. It was the first thing I looked for when I arrived," Dudley said. He pointed to the dusty floor drawing Odo's attention to it. "Notice the thick dust. Those foot prints are made by the two boys who found the corpse. I talked to them before I sent them `ome. There were no prints before they arrived." He pointed to two other sets of prints in the thick dust. "The other foot prints there belong to you and I. I gave the room a scan. The dust is the natural result of time passing, the boys shed a few skin flakes. So did I but the Klingon didn't. That proves until the boys started exploring that no one had entered this room alive in months." Odo looked at him surprised. "That was not the response I was expecting." "Sorry sir.. I always wanted to be a detective like my great, great, great, great granddaddy. I studied so `ard for it. And got rejected at the academy. So I decided to be a private detective... Took a paramedics course to learn about the physical side of murder and ended up being sent to the Medical academy to learn about being a Doctor instead," He babbled. Then he noticed the way Odo was staring at him. "Am I babbling I always do that when I'm excited," He admitted. "Just what I need a clutzy babbling medic who thinks he's Sheerluck Gnomes," Odo said. "That's Sherlock `olmes," Dudley retorted bristling. "And if I may say so..(beat) An autopsy may establish `is murder coincided with the unexplainable malfunction of the sensors and communications systems and it could be the motive for Commander Bahnes murder,"he continued. Then he trailed off looking embarrassed when he realised that he'd started babbling again. "Just what is your name again. I keep missing it," Odo stated. "The names Gunn. Dudley Gunn," Dudley said with a faint smile glad that Odo wanted to know his name. "Friends call me D'Gun, Mr. Odo. Sir." "I bet your enemies call you Dud Gun." Odo said dryly. "Not for long. I `ave master status in 16 different forms of martial arts," Dudley said without a trace of smugness. "Really??" Dudley nodded. "Well Mr. Gunn. Go on. I'm interested in learning if your aptitude for detection is as impressive as your claim of alleged martial arts skills. Please, go on... Have you come up with a theory yet." "I think perhaps Lt Commander Bahnes sensed `is death and went to investigate. That's why she was killed. The murderer set up the Doc to take the fall for it," Dudley said proving that he had indeed come up with one. "Bashir confessed," Odo stated. Dudley scowled in response to that statement. "That confessions gotta be a fake. Either that or the real murderer got to Doc and brainwashed him. There are over 634 different drugs that could be used that a scan wouldn't reveal. Unless you know what you're looking for... I gotta remember to examine `im again," He muttered. "Explain away the results of the autopsy on Mz Bahnes. If you can. Mr. Gnome," Odo sneered challenging Dudley to come up with more answers. Dudley bristled and took up the challenge. "Dr. (name) went into that autopsy looking for a motive for the crime. `E found proof that the commander had been with Doc intimately and called it rape. But `ow would `e know if it was consenting sex or not? All (name) found..was proof Doc and the Commander were intimate. That would be no surprise. Doc was looking for a way to overcome her sensitivity problem and I know `e'd already come up with a serum that would do just that... Only it was far too strong. It would've made `er able to get physical but shut down `er telepathy for life in the process. A definite no-no. Since she's stone cold deaf and needed `er telepathy to `ear through the minds of people around `er," Dudley said in response to the challenge. Odo moved in Dudley with a gleam in his eye. "Aha... That would explain the confession. For some reason `e had to use the serum. It shut down `er telepathy. So she didn't sense `er killers intent which she'd `ave done if she'd `ad it. So `e sees `er death as `is fault, babbles away in shock that it's all `is fault she's dead. Your Dep takes that as a confession when it's," Dudley babbled away getting right into now. Odo pounced grabbing Dudley by the shoulder. Dudley reacted defensively grabbing Odo's arm and sent him flying through the air without a second or even for that matter a first thought about what he was doing. Odo hit the opposite wall hard, splattered into a pile of goo then slid down the wall in a heap momentarily stunned. Dudley jumped back into the wall behind himself startled. Odo recovered enough of his senses to reform and Dudley recovered his wits to head for Odo apologising profusely. "I'm so sorry Mr. Odo, Sir. I just reacted..I always do that when people sneak up on me..I didn't mean to throw you Mr. Odo, Sir. Are you alright Mr. Odo, Sir? Did I `urt you?" Dudley babbled. Odo sat up and just looked at Dudley. Dudley managed to trip over his own feet and went down to sprawl on the deck right in front of Odo. Odo stared down at him wondering how such a clutz ever got into starfleet in the first place, let alone survived past his 21st birthday. Dudley looked up embarrassed. It occurred to Odo that the man had a first class brain for deductive reasoning. His theories were sound. Better than Primmin's were. Odo was sure Primmin had fallen for a frame up. "First... Skip the Mr's and Sirs... Just Odo will do. Secondly. You are trained to carry out autopsies aren't you D'Gunn?" Odo asked. Dudley looked at him wide eyed. ************************ O'Brien was catching up on his more than well earned sleep when Molly's delighted laughter dragged him out of a sound sleep and bed. Dragging on a night robe, he staggered out of his bedroom. "If it isn't one thing it's the other," He groaned. A huge yawn over took him. "What does it take to sleep in this place?" He muttered as he staggered to Molly's door. Opening it he looked in. "Molly, Shut up!!!! Pleeeeeease! Daddy needs his sleep," He barked the reared away with a wide awake shocked look as the reasons for Molly's laughter registered in his sleep fogged brain. "Ohmigod!" He rubbed the sleep from his eyes then looked back into room. No, he definitely wasn't imagining it. "O'Brien to Odo." "Odo here," the constables voice responded a moment later. "Odo, remember that murder you told me about before I went to bed." O'Brien queried. "Of course. If Primmin is to be believed the murderer is Doctor Bashir." "What?!!" O'Brien exclaimed unable to believe what he was hearing. "I had the same reaction. But Primmin seems to have all the evidence to back up his arrest of Bashir," Odo sighed. "Evidence I can't argue with... Yet. But I'm working towards proving Primmin wrong," Odo said. "Then what I've got to tell you ought to make you real happy," O'Brien declared as he looked back into Molly's room. Uh-hu, she was still there. Juggling ghostly balls of astral energy about for Molly's entertainment. Molly laughed and clapped delighted. "Commander Bahnes ain't dead. She's right here in my daughters bedroom." "Are you sure it's not the ambassador?" Odo asked. "Absolutely Odo," O'Brien said with such sincerity in his voice that Odo could tell he honestly thought she was. "I'm on my way," Odo informed him. ************************** Dudley studied the tricorder he'd just scanned Kh'rest's corpse with thoughtfully. Something wasn't right. It took a little while, then the light bulb went off in his head and he jumped into the air with a big smile and a victory gesture. "Yes!" He crowed then slapped his insignia. "Gunn to Odo." "Odo here. What have you found?" he asked. "I just figured out what put Doc into `is coma... A Klingon aphrodisiac. `umans are very allergic too it. It makes them freak out (beat) intensifying the tiniest shock. And it can send them into a fatal comas as a result... It didn't register with me. Until I found the same drug in the Klingon's body. And there's even more definite proof that who ever killed the Klingon got to Doc... "What sort of proof?" Odo demanded. "A definite pattern in the injuries inflicted on each person that will prove Doc did not attack Cat. Come to the Morgue and I'll prove it. "I'll join you in the Morgue as soon as I've talked to Commander Bahnes... In the mean time. Now you know what exactly put Dr Bashir into his coma can you bring him out of it." Are you kidding..I know everything there is to know about drug's poisons and antidotes..There aint a drug or poison I don't know about," Dudley bragged feeling rather smug now that he'd proved it. "So..Put that brain of yours to work on coming up with a way to bring Bashir out of the coma before he dies," Odo suggested. "I'll get right onto it..Gunn out." He spun around tangling his own feet and went down to the deck with a look of wide eyed shocked look on his face. A Klingon gauntlet with blades on knuckles came flying through the air to slice through the space he had occupied only moments before his natural clumsiness took him to the floor. ************************* Odo looked into Molly's bedroom while O'Brien hovered behind him. "I've seen her do that before. The woman's an astrapth. They can separate their minds from their bodies. She must have acted on instinct. Deserted her body before it died. Or left it to survive," He told Odo. "The state that bodies in. I doubt it's worth returning to," Odo commented. "Dax to Odo." "Odo here." he responded keying his communicator. "I just spoke to the authorities on Earth. Kati Bahnes was not making up her statement out of spite for Julian turning her down," Dax said with a sigh. "You mean he did," Odo demanded unable to believe it. It went against all his gut instincts and knowledge of the man. "No. The officer I spoke to told me Julian was charged. But he underwent both a lie detector test and mind meld to prove his innocence. He passed both and Cat backed up his story completely. He was totally exonerated. The officer is sending the details of the investigation to your office," Dax reported. "Thank you. Odo out." He scowled anything but pleased with the result. On one had it backed up his gut feelings. On the other hand. "There goes my best suspect.. The Ambassador. She was telling the truth as she knows it," Odo muttered. Scowling Odo looked at Door to Molly's bedroom wondering how long it would be before Cat left the room. He didn't have long to wait in the next moment Cat's ghost walked out and prepares to cross the room. "Commander Bahnes," Odo called out. She stopped cold in her tracks and looked around at Odo surprised. "Yeeesss. I can see you. So can he," Odo said pointing to O'Brien. "I strenuously suggest you do not attempt to return to your body anytime soon.. You'd die for real if you do. You were attacked brutally." Odo told Cat. "That's flatly impossible. I can sense intent to harm or kill when it's directed at me no matter how far away the person is..." Cat declared. "That's what you think. Follow me. I'll show you your corpse," Odo said flatly cutting in on her. ********************** Odo walked into the morgue with Cat's ghost hot on his heels. Odo stopped dead in his tracks and Cat's ghost almost walked straight through him. "D'Gunn!" Odo exclaimed. There were little splatters of red blood, several teeth, hair an d bits of klingon apparel scattered around the room along with Dudley's communicator and part of his uniform ripped in two - stained with blood. Both Cat's and the K'Hresst's corpse were now nothing more than piles of ash on in their drawers. Dudley was lying in a heap on the deck in a spreading puddle of blood fighting for breath beside the draw where the Klingon corpse had been. Recovering from the initial shock Odo raced to Dudley's side and dropped to his knees beside the injured man to reach to him. Dudley stirred at the touch and half raised his head to show a well and truly battered face to Odo. Cat moved in slowly and stood off to the side looking down at the two men. "I'm ..sorry..Odo. I tried..to..stop `er," Dudley said with a supreme effort before he dropped back to the deck limply. Odo gave him a little slap around the face not wanting to make his injuries worse. "Dudley..Who was it?" Odo asked. When the little man didn't respond Odo began a check for a pulse, then moved his hand over Dudley's chest searching for a heart beat. When he couldn't find one he stood highly agitated. "Damn it to hell!!!!" Odo roared. ********************** END OF CHAPTER FIVE Standard Disclaimers apply. DS9 and the Regular Characters used within this story are copyrighted by Paramount. All guest characters among them Dudley, Cat, Kati, Red Skye, K'Hrest and all other subsidiary characters created for this story are copyrighted to the creator - Jenni Pedron. From io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks Fri Aug 4 21:58:36 1995 Path: io.org!vanbc.wimsey.com!news.mindlink.net!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!willis.cis.uab.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!krpeaks From: krpeaks@cc.memphis.edu (KAREN CUSHING) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 6/6 Message-ID: <1995Jul31.013927.55567@msuvx2.memphis.edu> Date: 31 Jul 95 01:39:27 -0500 Organization: The University of Memphis Lines: 307 Summary: DS9: Till Death Do Us Part, 6/6 Reply-To: hengor@scorch.hna.com.au Followup-To: alt.startrek.creative Expires: 15 Aug 95 01:39:59 -0500 Distribution: world STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE - Till Death do us Part by: Jenni Pedron Copyright Jan 1994 CHAPTER SIX It was late in the station's night cycle and hardly a creature stirred. That is except for Odo, Bashir, Dax, O'Brien and Dudley who were all seated around a table in Quarks. Bashir was choking on his drink while Dax absently patted his back as she read her PADD. Odo and O'Brien were intently studying their PADDs trying to ignore Bashir's chocking. Quark hovered around the table while Dudley lounged back in his seat watching the quartets reaction to his story. sitting back in his seat. Bashir looked at Dudley red faced and outraged. "You made me the patsy," He tried to roar - all that came out was a wheezy rasp. "You signed the contract Doc," Dudley retorted. "Who wrote up that damn contract..?" Bashir demanded. Dudley pointed to Quark. "Ya want to know anything ya ask a bartender. `e told me who does what around `ere. Who'd be good in what role and suggested `ow to write up the contract." "In return. He put me in his book," Quark stated. "Thanks Quark," Bashir grouched. "What are complaining about Doc... The ladies will love the part. It's so romantic. Specially the slow dancing," He said with a grin. Bashir just scowled at him. "What you read was just the bare bones. Wait'll you read the whole thing. The love scenes will turn yer ears red," Dudley promised. "I doubt it," Bashir muttered hardly satisfied with that. The rest of the quartet put down their PADDs and looked at Dudley. I like it," O'Brien declared. "Ha, you're not the one who becomes a patsy. He got you down to a T," Bashir grumbled. "Well, from what I read he got you wrong," O'Brien replied. "Exactly," Bashir growled at Dudley. "You'd never give up your freedom to chase the ladies around," O'Brien finished with a grin. "I would too..For the right woman," Bashir said defensively. "She doesn't exist," Dax and O'Brien said in perfect unison. Odo, Quark and Dudley chuckled at that. Bashir hmmph'd and started sulking. "I didn't get a chance to catch Quark up to no good," Odo complained. "Ah. That was another part of my deal with Quark. You didn't get to catch `im up to no good." Odo Hmmmph'd at that and Dudley looked around the table. "So what do you think?" he asked. "Like I said. I like it," O'Brien responded confirming his opinion of it by stating it a second time. "You didn't get me quite right," Dax replied. "We could always talk that over and fix it. Over dinner perhaps," Dudley invited with a sweet little smile. "You've been around Julian too long," Dax retorted. Everyone but Bashir laughed at that then Quark wandered away to fetch more drinks. "Enough teasing... Let's get to business `ere peoples... I gave you all the clues. So who is the villain - or - villainess? Who did the foul deed? "In my opinion... You've tangled yourself up so much that you don't even know who did it or how." Odo said. "I always decide who did it before I start," Dudley stated then looked around. "Now. Please enter your suspect and the reasons why this person is the one you think `e, she or it is the villain on your PADDs. The quartet picked up their PADDs and start tapping away. Except for Bashir he ignored his PADD and looked at nothing inparticular drawing Dudley's attention his way. "Aren't you going to take a stab at it, Doc? Or are you still sulking because you were the patsy." "I'm thinking it over," Bashir muttered refusing to rise to the bait. Everyone handed their PADDs over to Dudley and he looked them over studying them closely as Quark returned with carrying a tray of drinks. "These are free. A Trailblazer for you," he announced setting a brightly coloured drink before Dax. He moved to O'Brien's side and sets down a small glass before the engineer. "Irish malt whisky." O'Brien lifted the glass and sniffing at it and looked surprised. "Non replicated." "And you're *not* charging us?" O'Brien asked. "You're test subjects. I'm testing these drinks on you," Quark said with an oily smile. "If you like them you'll be back for more sooner or latter." Now it made sense to them. O'Brien sipped at his drink and smiled. Quark moved onto Bashir and set down a cup of tea. "Deralian Tea for you Doctor... I just got it in. I *know* you'll be back for it." Bashir looked interested at that and sipped at the tea. A look of delight appeared on his face. "You're right about that Quark, this is.. Wonderful," He declared after a second sip. Quark moved onto Odo setting a glass down before him. Then he moved onto Dudley and set down a Martini glass with a mischievous smile. "One martini. Shaken not stirred," he announced. "That's James Bond. Not Red Skye," Odo said. Dudley picked up glass and drank it down in one gulp before setting the glass down. Everyone watched Dudley just waiting for him to react to drinking the drink so fast but instead of being left gasping for water he didn't seem to react at all and just kept right on reading from the PADDs. "Needs more Gin," Dudley said a few moments later. He ignored the response that engendered and sorted the PADDs into two piles before he looked over the group. He tapped one pile. "Mr. Odo and Lt. Dax think it's Kati Bahnes. Citing the clues... In chapter 2, 3 and 4." Odo leaned forward to explain why he thought it was Kati. "The attacker in the morgue used a Klingon gauntlet with blades on it. The same gauntlet you mentioned in chapter 4," he explained. "It could have been the ambassador dressed as a Klingon in the corridor," Dax added. "Ah..But what was `er motive?" Dudley challenged them. "Jealousy. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And Bashir scorned her publicly." Odo stated. "Very publicly. In Quarks," Dax seconded him. "Just the impression I was trying for. It was a red `erring," Dudley announced with a smile. Dax and Odo sat right back staring at him. Odo looked decidedly grumpy. O'Brien looked triumphant sure he'd been the one to work it out. Dudley looked at him. "You nominated Kh'rest's mate's motive for killing Cat Bahnes?" "That's easy..Kh'rest's mate caught the ambassador with her husband and killed him. The ambassador ran for it the woman chased her. She ran into the Commander, thinking it was the Ambassador, she killed her... Klingon are notorious for taking care of adulterers and adulteress's that way... She realised her mistake when she saw the earring and since she was eaves dropping on Dax and Cat she knew all about her relationship with..." He glanced at Bashir. "*Jules* and set him up to take the suspicion away from her," O'Brien finished his explanation. Dudley smile grew bigger. O'Brien's heart sank and he dropped back in his seat to stare at him. "That was another red `erring." "That's why he's smiling. We didn't guess," Dax said. "I bet Quark was behind the whole thing trying to get his hands on that earring," Odo growled. "You wish," Quark retorted. "You'll just have to wait till I write the final chapter and tie up all the strings to find out who did kill Cat Bahnes," Dudley announced. Bashir finished his tea and set the cup down and then leaned right back in his chair putting his hands behind his head smiling away. O'Brien looked at him taking in that smug smile, the general impression of self satisfaction. "Noooo," He breathed. Everyone looked at Bashir. "You think you know who it was," Odo said. "The evil twin sister is so old hat. The vengeful wife is just as old. And just as predictable. Red Skye's known for taking his readers by surprise. He'll use the oldies but goodies but only when it will surprise people," Bashir responded. "Ok Doc..Just who did do it?" Dudley challenged him. Bashir smiled then jumped out of his chair backing up acting like a true ham. "I admit it. It was me. All along. I killed her. I fooled you all... You were my patsy's," He declared in a triumphant cackle. Dudley's jaw dropped. Quark hurried off to fetch a drink for him, sure he'd need it. Everyone looked from Dudley then to Bashir. "You were the patsy," Odo said. "He's the ham right now," Dax said. Bashir smiled and moved back to his seat. "I always wanted to do that... You forget all the clues. He did use an oldie but goody. The obsessed lover with a twist," He said. Quark returned with a drink and set it down before Dudley. Dudley sculled it down in one gulp. "Make it a triple," He said as he set the glass down. "That's how the killer could come up behind Cat without her sensing his intent. He knew how to get around her Telepathy. He knew it was at a point where he could easily shield his thoughts from her. As a Doctor he knew all about the aphrodisiac and it's effects on different species. He set up the Klingons and Kati Bahnes to take the fall because he wanted revenge. Revenge on Kati for her trying out her bizarre lovemaking style on him in their past, that's what made him run from her. He didn't want a second sample," Bashir said expanded on his theory. "Wait a minute..There was no mention of that," O'Brien interjected. "It's obvious any human woman who makes out with Klingons is strange... Ok... I'm on a roll here. Can I get on with this? Or do you want to get picky," Bashir asked. "Ok. Ok. Point made. Go on." "As I was saying. He also wanted revenge on the people who laughed at him in Quark's. His smile grew broader as he went. "He knew none of his friends would consider him guilty and that they'd find the evidence to clear his name and point the finger either at Kati or the Klingons. Evidence he created to do just that. That's why the Klingon who ran into Dudley in the corridor didn't kill him. He wanted Dudley to remember seeing a Klingon covered in blood racing from the murder scene." "But it was a Klingon woman," Odo pointed out. "Hah... Under all those Klingon clothes how could you tell what the sex was. If I used a mask and wig... No one would know," Bashir pointed out. "All right. I'll give you that much. But what was the motive for killing Cat?" He demanded. "Ah that was in chapter 3. She pushed all his buttons and drove him to the edge of distraction then she gave him what he wanted so much..and..then denied him, leaving him frustrated. That's why he killed her. He snapped from the sheer frustration." Dudley said nothing letting everyone think Bashir was right for a then a slow smile appeared on his face turning into a grin. "Very good Doc. But you forgot about the clues in chapters 3 and 4. Someone did beat you up. And in the morgue I found the pattern to prove whoever did that killed the Klingon and Cat. But I liked your twist... I wish I'd thought of it. Hey, can I use it," He asked. Everyone looked at him amazed. Bashir dropped into his seat defeated and deflated. "Ok..You win. None of us knows who dunnit. So don't keep us in suspense any longer. Who did it?" He asked. "You'll just have to wait till I finish the final chapter and wrap up all the loose ends," Dudley said with a smile. He collected all the PADDs standing and walked away while the group all look rather stunned, they shared looks then as one they all stood and start stalking Dudley. "Dudley..How's this for a title... Who shot D'Gunn?" Bashir challenged. Dudley looked around with an uh-oh look and bolted. Unfortunately he tangled his feet and went down. The group surround him and looked down at him with nasty looks. "I won't talk Never ever!" Dudley declared. Bashir went down beside Dudley and started tickling him. "Never ever say never ever my very ticklish friend." Dudley shrieked with laughter and squirmed, Bashir was right he was extremely ticklish. "Alright..You fiend..Enough..I'll talk, I'll talk," he gasped. Bashir stopped ticking. The group leaned closer while Dudley scrambled to his hands and knees catching his breath. "The real killer was.." he began. "And here we were thinking no one would be up to welcome us back," Sisko's voice cut in. Every one jumped and looked around. Dudley scrambled to his feet with a big smile when he saw Kira standing beside Sisko a carry bag slung over her shoulder. "Kira! Light of me life, me reason for living, Me `earts desire, You're back." He enthused. Dudley dashed toward Kira and managed to tangle his feet yet again to end up skidding across the floor on his stomach to stop at her feet. She looked down at him amused. "Miss me?" She asked. "`orribly. Me days were so bleak without your smiling face to brighten them," Dudley declared. Kira helped him up to his feet and he took her bag from her. "Let me ease yer burdens my love... And escort ya to yer quarters..Cain't `ave me Goddess of love pounced on by the despicable types that might be lurking in the corridors just waiting to pounce now can we," He said. "You see enemies everywhere, Little Man," She teased him. Then she ruffled his hair, the closest she ever got to giving him a kiss, a love sick little smile appeared on Dudley's face. Kira turned walking out with Dudley hot on his heels. Sisko watches them go with a faint smile. "Why does he get away with it..?" Quark grouched. "He's teaching her martial arts," Bashir told him. "So," Quark retorted. "So... When ever she tried to deck him. She ended up on the floor.. And it's far more dignified to let him chase her," Bashir answered. "Isn't anyone going to welcome *me* back and ask how it went?" Sisko asked looking at the group. ********************** The End. -------------------------------------------------------------- Standard Disclaimers apply. DS9 and the Regular Characters used within this story are copyrighted by Paramount. All guest characters among them Dudley, Cat, Kati, Red Skye, K'Hrest and all other subsidiary characters created for this story are copyrighted to the creator - Jenni Pedron. --------------------------------------------------------------