SUMMARY:
On the way back to DS9 from a trip, Dax and Bashir respond to a medical distress call and find a badly injured Bajoran on a freighter. Taking him back to the station, they discover a past that no-one knew existed....

MY BROTHERS KEEPER

by Felicity Carthew (e-mail: dakhur@iinet.net.au)

Dax and Bashir raced down a corridor, and found themselves in a crowded cargo bay, made even smaller by the group of men huddled around the body of a moaning Bajoran male. Pushing through the crowd, Bashir pulled out his tricorder, as Dax knelt and opened the emergency medical kit.

"His arm's crushed beyond repair. I'm going to have to amputate as soon as we arrive back at DS9." Bashir glanced at the nearby ship's captain. "What happened?"

"His name's Tarkenn, he was a passenger on the ship. We were moving cargo around, and he offered to help, apparently he'd had experience with anti-grav movers. The machine he was using broke down, and the cargo tumbled back down onto him." The Bolian guestured towards the moaning man. "This is the result. We called for assistance immediately."

"Tarkenn, can you hear me?" Bashir had injected the man full of painkillers and he was starting to come around, as Dax tapped his cheek and spoke to him. "Tarkenn, can you see me?"

The man groaned and tried to focus on the woman before him. "Yes."

"What's your name, where are your family?" Dax glanced worriedly at Julian as he used a cauterisor to stop the plentiful bleeding.

"What family?" Tarkenn was becoming more coherent, but the downside was that the pain had forced its way to the surface again. "I have no family, whoever you are. The resistance was the only family I had."

"I've finished all I can do here, Jadzia." Bashir packed away his equipment, and clipped an emergency comm badge onto the Bajoran's shirt. "Let's transport back to the runabout, and get back to the station."

Nodding, the three people disappeared in the swirl of a transporter beam, and re-appeared in the nearby runabout. As Bashir sedated the whimpering Bajoran, he glanced up at Dax as she swiftly set the runabout on its way back to DS9 and locked in the craft to warp six. "He's badly hurt, his entire right arm has been crushed. Well, as much as he had left." Julian reached down and casually pulled off the Bajoran's arm below the elbow. Dax saw that the arm was false, obviously taken after an accident had removed the lower arm. "I'm going to have to remove the rest of the limb, but I should be able to replace it with a new one soon."

"I'll inform the station that we're bringing in a severely injured patient, who'll require immediate surgery" Jadzia brushed the Bajoran's hair straight, and smiled quietly. "At least he's cute."

Julian looked up from the padd he was writing on. "I hope you think he's as cute when he's missing an arm! But it'll only be for a few days, until I can replace it." He shook his head as he returned to the padd. "Why do these ships always keep faulty equipment around? These kind of accidents are just waiting to happen."

"Is there likely to be any problems with the operations?"

"Not unless something very unusual happens. Julian looked up at the Trill. "Has the station responded to our call yet?"

"Yes, they're on standby." Dax spoke softly, looking thoughtfully at the rather handsome man asleep on the floor of the runabout. "He said he had no family, that the resistance was all the family he had known." Dax looked at Julian. "There must be a way that we can find out if he has any family still alive."

"At least by the time he wakes up, I'll have done one of the operations already. I'll worry about his past when I've given him a future. After I've removed the arm, I'll talk to Kira about setting up the computer to cross-reference his DNA with all available Bajoran records. We've had a fairly good cross section of Bajoran families come through the station in the military, so there's bound to be a match somewhere."

"Thank you, Julian. I have a feeling that our new friend just might have someone still alive, and it would be great to help him find them." Dax smiled at the doctor and then went to check on their estimated arrival time at the station.

Tarkenn opened his eyes, and blinked at the bright light. A face swam into view, a dark face with no nose ridges. "Who are you? Where..?"

"You're on Deep Space Nine. I'm Doctor Julian Bashir, chief medical officer for the station." Julian flashed his brightest smile. "I've got some bad and some good news. Your arm was totally crushed from the shoulder down, but after you've recovered for a few days, I'll be able to give you a completely new arm."

Tarkenn nodded. "Sounds good to me. How long before you remove the arm?"

Bashir took a deep breath. "I already have." He watched as the Bajoran tentatively touched his now empty shoulder. "It was totally destroyed in the accident, and after I discovered the your lower arm was false anyway, the decision became easier." Julian looked around as Major Kira strolled into the room. "This is Major Kira, our First Officer on the station. She wants to talk to you, if you're up to it. He's all yours, Major, but don't stress him too much, his body needs to rest."

As Bashir left, Nerys smiled cheerfully at her countryman. "How are you feeling Tarkenn? I'm the Bajoran Liason on the station, so I'll be happy help you contact your family if you wish."

"Family? Major, I'm lucky to even be alive after my childhood." Tarkenn slowly swung his feet around and sat up. "I was adopted by Bajoran resistance in the badlands after the they shot down a Cardassian shuttle when I was a baby. All they could find to identify me, was a anklet with my name and a number. We don't know why I was on the ship, and all the Cardassian's were killed."

"The resistance often attacked ships, without always knowing what they were carrying." Kira helped Tarkenn stand up, and suported him for a few moments while he steadied himself. "Doctor Bashir has set up the computer to scan the DNA of all the Bajoran's on the station, to see if someone on the station might be related to you. It's not one hundred percent accurate, but it will give you somewhere to start. That is, if you want to." She looked at him hesitantly.

"I'd appreciate that, thank you. You don't get much opportunity on the surface to access DNA in a war zone. Over the years I've tried to find anyone I might be related to, but with all the damage from the occupation, I've not had much luck. Now, what's going to happen until the second operation?" Tarkenn was slowly getting his balance, now the room had stopped spinning and he only saw one woman, not two. "Will I stay here or am I able to apply for quarters until I can leave?"

"It's up to Bashir." Kira stepped away from the man as he seemed to be able to stand by himself now. "I suggest we go and see him, and then I'll take you for lunch if he'll let me." Walking into the main area of the infirmary, they saw Dax and Bashir intently watching the main computer monitor. "What's the problem, Dax?"

Jadzia glanced at the two Bajoran's, and did a double take. Taping Julian on the shoulder, the Commander and the Doctor stared at the red-haired Bajoran's before them, while Kira and Tarkenn glanced from each other to Dax and Bashir enquiringly. Finally, Dax spoke.

"Well, that answers that question." She looked back at Julian. "Why didn't we see it before?"

"Because we weren't exactly looking for it." Bashir could see that Kira was confused, so he pointed to the monitor. "I asked the computer to cross-reference all the Bajoran's medical records on the station, and it did so. After only a few minutes, it came up with a match, and it's been matching ever since. At the moment, there's a sixty-nine percent probability that the two people are related, and it's climbing."

"So who is it?" Tarkenn could barely contain himself. The idea of having a relation, no matter how distant, had been all but a dream up until that moment.

Bashir took a deep breath. "It looks like it's Major Kira." The shock on Kira's face was instant. "The computer has matched her DNA with yours, which means that at the moment, you seem to be cousins."

Dax nodded to the door. "We can only wait on the computer. Why don't you two have something to eat, and we'll call you when it's done?"

"Are you joking?" Kira exploded, but Dax laid a hand on her friends arm before she could say any more.

"Kira, this will probably take several hours, and you pacing around the sickbay won't make the time go any faster, okay?" Dax enlisted Tarkenn in her plea, who looked at her curiously. "We haven't been introduced yet. I'm Lietutenant-Commander Jadzia Dax, the station's science officer."

Tarkenn nodded, and then spoke as a thought came to mind. "The woman from the 'Argo', just after the accident." Dax grinned and nodded, as Tarkenn smiled, then glanced at the increasingly-nervous Bajoran officer beside him. "Is there any way we can find out if I am the Major's cousin, other than DNA records?"

"I could use the security computer to access my family records at the central achives on Bajor." Kira had regained her composure by now, and her brain was working like lightning. "I'll be able to get all the information we need from there." The woman frowned slightly. "And I think we'll pay a visit to Garak, and see if he can tell me why a Bajoran baby would be all alone on a Cardassian ship." The two people left, as Dax and Bashir continued to watch the DNA match rise.

Sisko read Bashir's report, and glanced at him and Dax with concern. "If I'm reading correctly, this man is closely related to Kira. How close are we looking at?"

"A ninety-five percent match means that Tarkenn is either her son, her father, or her brother. He could remotely be her uncle, but that's a bit too remote." Julian was having a hard time with the news he had found. "We know he's not her father or son, therefore, he must be her brother."

"Either that, or this is the greatest coincidence that's ever happened." Dax was of two minds. Part of her wanted to race out and tell her friend that she had a blood relation left, but part of her wanted to make sure that all this was real, not just a fluke that would break Kira's heart.

"How much luck has Kira had tracking down her family records? When I spoke to her, she was still trying to get information from the central archives." Sisko motioned his officers into a turbolift, and the three of them headed towards the promenade. "Bajoran children aren't born on Cardassian ships. Especially without a Bajoran mother within sight."

Dax nodded. "Nerys was still trying to cut through the red tape. All the information she'd recieved recently was from before her family had been forced into the Singha camp. The archives don't seem to have any records after that." Jadzia spoke gently. "Ben, we have the opportunity to give Kira the most precious thing anyone ever could - a member of her family. The only way I see we can get the information, is to ask a Cardassian." She grinned maliciously. "I suggest we pay a visit to Garak."

"Agreed. Doctor, how much do you think Garak would know about this?" Ben stepped out of the lift, and strolled towards the tailors shop.

"It depends on whether he was involved with the Obsidian Order at that time." Julian's expression was as somber as it ever had been. "If he was involved, he should be able to give us quite a lot of detail."

Reaching Garak's shop, they found Odo determinedly pushing buttons. "Captain, we have a situation." The Changelings face was worried. "Kira has locked herself in the shop with Garak, and I can't break the code she's used. I can't shape-shift under the door, because of the force field."

"Sisko to Kira." The Human's expression was grave as he heard his friend's voice answer him. "Major, please release the door lock, we'd like to talk to Garak as well."

"Sir, he won't tell me the truth!" Nerys' voice sounded frantic, but determined, as if she'd already made up her mind.

"Kira, let us in. Maybe we can help you talk to him." Dax used her most soothing voice. It must have worked, because after a few seconds the door clicked open.

Odo was the first into the shop, prepared to find a beaten, bleeding Cardassian. Instead, Garak was casually sitting behind his desk, while Major Kira was pacing around the rest of the shop restlessly. Sisko carefully placed a hand on Kira's shoulder, and turned her to face him. "Major, where's your cousin?"

"He's not my cousin!" Nerys was snarling. "The Bajoran registry has never heard of him, and I don't remember anyone by that name in my family." She sat down, as close to tears as she'd ever been. "The whole thing's a hoax, just a giant coincidence."

Dax sat down next to Kira and tried to comfort her. "Nerys, there might be another way to find out who he is. Didn't you once tell me that the monk at your camp kept private records of all the people in the camp?"

"Yes. But when I called the central archives, they had no computer records from Singha." Kira was obviously deeply stressed by the whole affair. "We were a backwater camp, not one of the main centres."

Ben Sisko had been listening intently, and seeing Kira's attitude, decided action was the best cure. "Major, tomorrow you and Dax will go to Bajor and visit the central archives personally. Use the contacts we've made in the Assembly to see if you can get access to the monk's private records. There has to be a record somewhere." Turning to Julian, he added "Re-match Tarkenn and Kira's DNA, I want those results confirmed. Garak, I want to know how a Bajoran baby could get on board a Cardassian ship."

Everyone looked expectantly at the Cardassian, as he spread his hands openly. "Captain, I have no idea how a Bajoran child would be on a Cardassian ship." His expression was as benign as ever.

Sisko smiled. "Thank you for your help. I'm sure we'll be able to get the rest of the information shortly. And I'm sure the Cardassian government would be grateful for all the assistance you've given us, both on this matter......and others."

Garak's calm demeanor slipped temporarily. "Surely you wouldn't be bothering the Detapa Counsel on such an inconsequential matter, Captain. They might not appreciate it."

"Why Garak, I do believe you're worried. Is there something more on this matter that I should know about before contacting them?" Sisko fixed the tailor with a piercing stare.

The sight of Garak searching for an answer was not a usual one, and as such gave the Starfleet and Bajoran witnesses pause until he could speak. The tailor sighed, and beckoned Kira over to him.

"Many years ago, the Obsidian Order decided to try a new attempt at destroying the resistance. They took Bajoran babies, raised them, trained them to be sleeper agents, and sent them back to Bajor. The idea was that they would infiltrate the resistance, and the Order could then use them to destroy the cells at will. It sounds as if the young man you're talking about was one of those children."

"But why is there no record of Tarkenn's birth?" Kira was whispering, starting to believe he was related after all.

"There probably was. But the Order often changed the records to suit themselves. They would select a child, a baby, and make it sick, then tell the parents that the baby had died. A death was recorded, and since no-one ever looks for a dead child, the Order was free to corrupt the child as they wished." Garak backed away as he saw Kira's anger rise. "Major, I wasn't involved. By the time I joined the....military, the exercise had been discontinued. The Order had found that the Bajoran agents tended to be discovered by the resistance, and the resistance de-programmed them. We were getting no-where, but it is possible that your Bajoran was destined for the Orders facilities on Cardassia." Garak gurgled out the last few words, as Kira's hands closed around his massive neck.

Odo and Sisko grabbed hold of the woman's arms, trying to prise her fingers off the man's neck. Finally, they managed to seperate Nerys and Garak, pulling her back from the gasping Cardassian. Sisko took a good look at his First Officers face, and was shocked by what he saw there.

Kira's expression was one of pure, unadulterated hate. The Human stepped back in shock, but Odo, who had seen such looks before, simply took a firmer grip on Kira's arm.

"Constable, you and Commander Dax escort the Major to her quarters, lock her in, and place a guard on the door. She is not to leave her room until she and Dax leave for Bajor tomorrow morning." The three people left with Odo and Dax pulling Kira between them. She wasn't struggling, just staring fixedly at Garak, who was being examined by Bashir.

Sisko looked at the Cardassian, as the man sat up rubbing his neck. "Garak, you will be within your rights to charge the Major with assault, but I would think long and hard before doing so. It would mean explaining the provocation to the arbitor, and that might make life more difficult than it already is."

"Captain, I have no intention of charging Major Kira." Garak was exceedingly glad that he, like most Cardassian's, had neck muscles like steel cables. "But I'm unable to give you anymore information than I already have, and you'll never get the real story out of the Cardassian Military. All the records were destroyed at the end of the experiment."

Sisko and Bashir left the shop, trying to remember why they let Garak stay on the station.

Dax pressed the buzzer to Tarkenn's quarters, wondering how she was going to explain the past few hours to him. As the Bajoran opened the door, she smiled brightly and was rewarded with a flashing grin.

"Come in, Commander. Is Kira with you? She said she'd be dropping by when she finished her shift." The man beckoned the Trill in, curiously looking for his Bajoran friend.

Dax took a deep breath and faced the man. "Certain....developments have happened recently, and I'm afraid that Nerys isn't able to visit you tonight. But, I thought you should know that Kira and I will be travelling to Bajor tomorrow to track down your family. We'll be visiting the central archive to see if we can find any physical evidence that might not be on the computer."

Tarkenn nodded slowly, and indicated the woman should sit down. "Well, please let me know how it goes. I wish I could come with you, but Doctor Bashir says he'll have to start preparing my shoulder nerves for the new arm." Tarkenn looked intently at the young woman's neck. "Forgive me for asking, but those spots.....do they go ALL the way down?"

Dax smiled coyly. "I could tell you, but that would make it too easy!" She and Tarkenn laughed softly, each feeling the attraction to the other. As the man got her a drink, she realised that getting involved with Tarkenn might not be such a great idea. On the other hand, it couldn't really hurt. "So, what's life like in the Demiliterized Zone? We don't get many visitor's from the border."

"Ahh, now that's a long story." Tarkenn looked intently at the young woman. "It could take all night." He waited quietly, as her mind realised what he was suggesting, then smiled at the slow grin on her face.

"I'm not busy." Reaching out, she touched his shoulder. "It's been a long time since I spent an evening listening to a friend's story."

"In that case, make yourself at home." Tarkenn didn't know how far his new friend would want to go that night, but he wasn't about to turn down an evening with a pretty girl.

The silence on the runabout was almost tangible. Kira hadn't strung an entire sentence together since she'd been released from her quarters that morning. The computer did show that she'd spent three hours the night before talking to Minister Shakaar on Bajor, but only those two knew the contents of the conversation. Sisko had only allowed the trip to take place when he had recieved an assurance from Kira that she would be on her best behaviour.

Dax, however, was still riding the emotional high from the night before. She and Tarkenn had spent the entire night together, but the Trill had no regrets about their actions. They had enjoyed their time, and Dax was hoping she'd get back in time for a repeat performance that evening.

Turning to Kira, she tried again to start a conversation. "Alright Nerys. Where do we start looking when we get to Bajor?"

Kira sighed. She wanted to stay angry, to keep hating, but her heart wasn't in it anymore. Besides, it wasn't really Dax that she was angry at anyway. Finally, she spoke. "You check the computers, I'll try to find out if there's written evidence from the camp. If there is, we might have to go to the monastry to find it."

Won't that mean we'll have to talk to the Kai?" Dax knew that the two Bajoran's had only a thinly veiled hatred of each other, but she also knew that Nerys would be on best diplomatic behaviour considering the circumstances.

"I hope not. But, if we do, I'll try to make it as brief as possible." Nerys smiled longingly as her home planet came up on the front view screen. "I feel I should apologise for my behaviour yesterday. I just saw a Cardassian, who was telling me how his people deliberately destroyed hundreds of families lives, and he showed no remorse, no regrets. It made me so angry, all I wanted to do was make sure that at least one Cardassian payed for what they did." While the words weren't strong enough to say what she meant, it did mean that she didn't have to mention that she'd wanted to rip out Garak's heart and shove it down his throat.

Dax smiled sympathetically, wisely staying silent, and brought the craft in for a smooth touchdown outside the archival buildings. Leaving the craft, the women saw the now-familiar figure of First Minister Shakaar strolling in their direction. Looking at Nerys, Dax saw the surprised expression, and guessed that Adan had taken a more personal interest in station affairs once again.

"Shakaar, what are you doing here?" Nerys was pleasently surprised by the appearence of her lover. "Has the government closed down for a day or something?"

The man laughed and hugged his friend. "No. But after our talk last night, I thought it might be a good idea if I came and helped you look for the records."

After the three people exchanged greetings, they walked to the records office. "Nerys, I might have found what you're looking for. At least, I think I have." Adan understood Kira's need to discover the truth, but he didn't hold out much hope. "When we liberated the Singha refugee camp, I tried to make sure that all records were intact, and kept that way. We then sent them to the central monastry, who brought them here after the occupation finished."

"I know all that. What I want to know is whether Tarkenn and I are related, or whether this is simply a coincidence." Kira was trying to keep her anxiety under control, but it was barely working.

"Kira, the records from Prylar Jaban's private files are stored somewhere in this complex." Shakaar nodded at the records clerk, who lead the three people down into the bowels of the complex, to rows of files, documents, pictures, and records.

Dax stopped short at the sight of the huge area, in some places the files reached to the ceiling. "We have to look through all this?"

Shakaar shook his head and grinned. "No, just this section over here." He led the women to a slightly shorter pile than the others. "All records from the Singha camp are stored here. Well, this is where they say they put them." He turned to Dax worriedly. "You can read Bajoran, can't you Commander?"

"Yes, thank goodness." Dax grabbed a thick file, and sat at a table. "Well, this isn't going to get done by standing here and staring at it." Kira and Shakaar chuckled, picked up a file each, and began reading.

It was two in the morning in the records department. All the government employees had left hours ago, while three figures huddled over various reports in a corner. "Did you know the Cardassian's considered placing a major nuclear facility in Dakhur, but decided against it because of the resistance put up by the local terrorist cell?" Dax winked at her Bajoran friends. "Remind me to stay on your good side, Nerys."

"It was the nuclear plant that made me create the cell in the first place." Shakaar was more intrigued with the camp prefect's reports on the local resistance cell. "Our first strike was to make life as hard for the Cardassian's in Dakhur as possible."

"Pity it didn't work for ten years." Nerys was engrossed in a report on her schooling. "Apparently my school teacher didn't like my chances of making it through the occupation. She's written that I was 'uncontrolable, sarcastic, and far too inquisitive for my own good.'" All three chuckled quietly.

"Sounds like your teacher had a pretty good idea of your personality." Shakaar ducked as Kira threw a file at him. "Well, I have to admit that if I was going to describe you when I first met you, that's what I'd say."

"I was very young, and very angry." Kira yawned as she toyed with another file. "I'm getting tired. What's say we pick this up in the morning, after some sleep?"

"Just let me finish with this article." Dax glanced at the file Kira had thrown at Shakaar, and froze. "What was the name of that monk again?"

"Prylar Jaban. Why?" Nerys followed Dax's gaze, and snatched back the file she'd discarded. Opening it, she stared at sheets of paper, all meticulously filled with a name, footprint, a sketch of the family earring, and a history of the person. "This is the file, this is it."

Flipping through, she groaned as the last entry started with 'J', then began scrambling through the pile at her feet. "Somewhere is the other half. Find it, it's got to be here."

The three people hustled through the pile, until Dax held another thick wad up in triumph. "Got it! Now, what was that name again?" She cut the jokes, as Kira ground her teeth in frustration, and flipped through the file. Suddenly the name 'Kira' flipped by, and she backed up. Pulling away from the others, Dax silently read the seven pages, all the pysical records that was left of Kira's family, and then placed the sheets on the table. Pointing to them, as Kira and Shakaar looked over her shoulder, Dax explained.

"This is his records of your family, including you and your little brother, Tarkenn." Jadzia saw Adan put his arm around Kira. "According to these records, Tarkenn died from a severe case of Rallates Disease. If you were Human, I'd call it measles. From what we learnt from Garak yesterday, I'd say the Obsidian Order deliberately infected him, told your family Tarkenn was dead, and then planned to take him back to Cardassia."

"If they thought he had an infectious disease, the body would have been burnt to prevent spreading the disease, and no-one would have been any the wiser." Adan drew Nerys closer and lightly kissed her. "Turns out you have family after all. You were so young, you wouldn't have known him."

"I wish our parents could have known." Kira sniffed a little. "I think we'd better get these files, and take them back to the station, so I can show Tarkenn. He's going to want to see them for himself."

"First, let's leave a note for the Archives Chief Registrar. He'll need to know where the files are." Shakaar typed a brief message on the centres computer as they left the building, and escorted the women back to the runabout. "I'll have to be transported back to the capitol. I've got a meeting with the civil service in four hours. They're trying to sneak a pay rise by the government without us realising. It didn't quite work."

Kira checked the time, did a mental calculation, and realised it was five in the morning in the Capitol's province. "Alright. I'll let you know how it goes with Tarkenn later. See you in a few weeks?"

Shakaar grinned, and kissed Kira deeply. "You bet! I'll need the break by then, and it's always good to talk to Sisko about the Federation." Saluting cheekily, he disappeared in the transporter's swirl, as Jadzia and Nerys returned to DS9.

Sisko carefully examined the records that Dax had presented him with, before smiling brightly at Nerys and Tarkenn. "Well, it seems that these records prove your parentage, Tarkenn." Sisko paused, not quite certain how to address the grinning man before him.

Nerys was gently holding her brothers hand, still not sure how to handle a brother, but sure she would adapt. "It's alright, sir. Tarkenn goes in to have his arm replaced tomorrow, so it'll work itself out by then. In the meantime, I was wondering if I could take some leave?"

"Nerys, you've got enough leave built up to take a year off." As the people stood, Sisko shook Tarkenn's hand. "I'm glad you found your sister, she's someone you should be very proud of." Ben grinned as Nerys rolled her eyes at him.

"I know." Tarkenn looked proudly at his sister and clutched her hand tightly. "Major Kira's reputation has spread throught the DMZ and badlands as a feared but honourable fighter. I look forward to getting to know her as my sister, and my friend."

"Well, consider the station your home for as long as you wish." Sisko led the two people into Ops, and watched thoughtfully as Nerys and Tarkenn left for the promenade.

As they walked along the deck, Nerys noticed that Tarkenn kept looking sideways at her. Finally she took a seat in the replimat, and faced him sternly. "Alright Tarkenn, what's wrong? I'm still the person you met three days ago, I haven't changed overnight."

The man grinned shyly. "I still can't believe that you're my sister. I wasn't joking when I said you had a reputation on the frontier. Everyone out there knows we have you to thank for protecting us from the Cardassian's and the Klingon's. It's just hard to imagine you as a person, and not the military hero I've heard about." Tarkenn smiled as Nerys shook her head.

"I'm no hero, I've just managed to avoid being on the recieving end of a phaser blast so far." She smiled at her brother. "One day, I'll probably be in the wrong place, and...." Nerys paused, and gripped his hand. "I'm not serious. I've got too much to stay here for, without getting myself killed after all these years."

Tarkenn nodded. "I was talking to Dax the other night. She told me you lived with father until he was killed by the Cardassians."

Kira stared at her drink. "He was all I had left in the end." She braced her shoulders, and stood. "Come on. I think you had better find out about the last thirty years. It won't be easy, but you deserve to know the past." The two Bajoran's left for Nerys' quarters.

Dax listened to Tarkenn thoughtfully, before lifting her head and looking into his eyes. "I think you should be pleased that she's been so honest with you. Nerys didn't have to tell you about the rest of your family, she could have kept it to herself." The Trill ran her fingers through the light hair on his chest and smiled. "I, however, suggest we forget about the past, and concentrate on the present. After your operation tomorrow, you're going to have a sore arm for quite a while."

"That didn't stop me before." Tarkenn grinned and trailed his hand down her side, as Dax twitched. "Ah, so Trill's are ticklish!" Pushing her gently onto her back, the Bajoran grinned. "You're right. Nerys has been more than open about her past, and our family. I wish I could have known them, but I'll be more than happy to get to know my sister. Now," he began to nuzzle the woman's spots and smiled as she sighed softly, "Where were we before?"

Dax groaned, and gave up resisting. "Who cares? Let's start again from the beginning."

Ben Sisko frowned as he saw his Chief Science Officer yawn for the fourth time in fifteen minutes. As her Captain, he could have pulled her up and demanded she tell him why she was so tired, but Sisko figured he could already make a fairly accurate guess. Tarkenn had gone in for his new arm that morning, with Major Kira by his side until the last moment. Ben noticed that Kira was also watching Dax, with a very suspicious look on her face, and he decided that it was time to end the briefing.

"Very well, that's all for today. Doctor Bashir has informed me that Kira Tarkenn will be out of surgery soon, complete with his new arm." He smiled at Kira. "I'm sure we're all happy that Nerys has found her brother, even if it was under unusual circumstances. Dismissed." As the crew left his office, Ben saw Kira hole Dax up in a corner, and decided it might be worthwhile listening in.

"Dax, I'd like to know what you and Tarkenn have been up to. Every time I tried to get hold of him last night, the computer told me he was unavailable, and when I asked the computer where he was, he was with you. All night! Now, would you mind telling me what's going on?" Kira waited.

Dax saw Sisko give her an enquiring glance, and shrugged her shoulders. "I assume you don't want details? If you do, it could get embarassing." Jadzia watched as her friend turned slightly red, but she still managed to keep her head up.

"What I want to know is, who started this relationship, and just how far are you planning to let it go, before you tell him that it has to end?" Kira regretted talking to her friend like this, but was discovering a very protective side towards her brother, something she hadn't felt since she'd last seen her oldest brother, before he'd been killed in the war, the last member of her family to die. "I just don't want him hurt, or you either", she offered with an apologetic gesture.

Dax smiled her enigmatic smile, "It's OK, Nerys, we both knew what we were doing...believe me."

"Yes, well, I'll be in the infirmary" Kira seemed embarrassed and turned away towards the door, as Dax put a hand on her arm.

"We're all worried about him. Some more than others." They smiled at one another, and Dax held her friends hand. "Nerys, I know you think we've probably moved too fast, but it felt right. Can you honestly tell me that you've acted differently with your past lovers?"

"No." Kira faced Dax for a moment, then hugged her friend. "Want to accompany me down to the infirmary Jadzia?"

Sisko watched them leave with a half smile and turned back to his work.

Bashir stood in the shadows for a moment, watching Dax and Kira take it in turns to pace up and down the waiting room. He'd suspected that there was something going on with Tarkenn and Jadzia, but it now seemed confirmed. Stepping into the room, both women swung towards him, and he held up his hands. "He's fine. The operation was a complete success. The new tissue grafted on without any problems, and the nerves are already responding."

"When will I be able to see him?" Kira moved towards the open door as Bashir beckoned them both to the recovery room.

"Right now. He should be recovered from the anesthetic by now." The three people entered the room, just as Tarkenn groggily sat up and gingerly putting weight on his new arm. Bashir gently worked the man's arm, carefully watching the readings on the nearby monitor. "Well, it seems to be working fine. I'll give you a gradual rehabilitaion program, but don't attempt anything too strenuous for the next few days." Glancing at Dax, Bashir grinned and left the two women alone with the man.

Nerys was the first to speak. "I'm glad Julian was able to give you back your arm. It'll make life a little easier when you go home."

"Trying to get rid of me so soon?" he joked back at her.

"No, no, of course not." She gave a nervous laugh, "Whatever gave you that idea?" A worried look passed over Tarkenn's face.

"Nerys, what's wrong?" Tarkenn glanced at Dax, and saw her mouth a few words with some hand signals, before he looked back at his sister, understanding crossing his face. "Are you having a problem I could help with?" His kind face creased into a smile, and Kira smiled back.

"It's just this.....thing with Jadzia kind of caught me off guard. I'm not quite sure what I should say, but I don't want anything bad to happen to my new brother, or my best friend."

"Believe me, Nerys, it's been anything but bad," he replied with a lecherous grin.

Dax was finding it hard to keep a semi-straight face, especially with Kira Nerys turning the same shade as her hair. "I'm sure she doesn't need details, Tarkenn. Besides you've just had major surgery, so you need your rest. Come on Nerys." Dax turned to go with a relieved Major in her wake, leaving a quietly chortling new member of the Kira clan.

Dax and Tarkenn staggered out of the springball courts and headed towards Quark's. "When Doctor Bashir said he wanted you to have a full rehabilitation workout, I doubt if this is what he had in mind!" Gasping, the Trill dropped into a nearby chair, as a waiter scuttled over. Looking around, Tarkenn took in the sight of scantily-clad Dabo girls, big-eared Ferengi waiters, and shook his head. "Life around here

must be a never-ending adventure." "Don't let Nerys hear you say that." Dax finished ordering dinner and grinned at the man. "That's what Julian first said to her when he arrived, and she hasn't let him forget it yet." Jadzia and Tarkenn both chuckled quietly, and were surprised by Nerys' voice interrupting them.

"I thought Bashir told you to take it easy?" Kira grinned at her brother and her friend, noticing the paddles for the traditional game of Bajor on the table. "Springball is hardly a relaxing sport."

"And she ought to know." Dax shook her head at her boyfriend. "A word of advice, Tarkenn. Never challenge your sister to a game of springball, she has the reputation of being unbeatable, even by the best players on the station."

"Not quite true." Kira sat down and ordered a drink as well. "I have been beaten by a few people."

"Yes, but Bareil doesn't count." Jadzia smiled at Nerys, knowing that Nerys was well able to cope with the mention of the Vedek, while Tarkenn looked on confused.

"Bareil? Who's he?" Tarkenn was discovering the same thing that Kira had: That having family made you very protective of them.

"He was a....friend of mine, a long time ago." Kira smiled fondly at her memories of her dead lover. "As it is, I'm here to ruin your fun. Dax, I know you're off duty, but you remember that report you wrote on the latest wormhole scans? Well, the computer lost it."

"What! I spent two weeks compiling that report." Dax threw her towel onto the table and stood up. "Sorry, Tarkenn, but I've got to go and find or re-write the report. Starfleet's going to want a copy soon. Excuse me." As Dax left, Tarkenn glared at his sister.

"That's sneaky." He was speaking softly enough for only Nerys to hear, and no-one else. "Tell me, how did you manage to lose the report so conveniently?"

"Lose...?" Kira was insulted. "I didn't even read it, let alone lose it. I said I don't have a problem with you and Dax, and I meant it. You're family, the first family I've had in years, and if you and Jadzia want to think about her being part of this family, then I can live with that." Nerys grabbed both of Tarkenn's hands, and held them tight. "It's your life, and all I ask is that you understand where I'm coming from."

Tarkenn nodded and grinned sheepishly. "This family business is a bit difficult to cope with. All my life I believed I had no family left, and now..." His voice trailed off, as the two people stood and walked along the deck. "Nerys, can I ask you something? About our family, I mean."

"Tarkenn, you can ask me anything you like." Nerys sat down at a nearby seat and sighed. "I can't guarentee I'll know all the answers, but I'll try."

Tarkenn thought deeply, and looked into his sisters eyes. "What was our father like?"

Nerys blinked and thought hard. "Father was...kind, gentle, had a great sense of humour, and loved us all very much." She smiled at a memory. "I remember once, I was in trouble with the camp monk for swearing. Father marched up to the priest and, in front of the entire shrine congregation, told the monk that he himself had taught me to swear - at Cardassian's, and he was sorry I'd used language like I had in public."

Tarkenn and Nerys laughed until their sides hurt. Eventually, the man wiped his eyes and stopped giggling. "He sounds like a father to be proud of." Nerys nodded, as her brother spoke again. "How did he cope with being in the resistance? He doesn't sound like the type of man who would have enjoyed killing."

"He didn't." Kira was thoughtful again, remembering the last time she'd seen their father alive. "He was only three months in the Shakaar cell, before he was killed on a mission. Every night, he would come into my room, even as a child, and tell me that 'the stars still shine', even though the Cardassian's had tried to blot them out." Tears shone in her eyes for a moment, and Tarkenn put his arms around her gently. "Every time he came back from a mission, he would tell me the same thing. Then one day, our cell leader came to find me, and told me that one of the stars wasn't shining anymore, and I knew he was dead."

Sobbing, she buried herself in her brother's shoulder, as he tried to imagine what it must have been like for a young child to know what it was like to have family--and to watch them all die one by one.

Several days later, Major Kira was taking her brother on a tour of the station. His arm was completely healed, and Nerys had to agree that his relationship with Dax wasn't the disaster that she thought it was going to be. Coming to the docking ring, Nerys decided to show off her favourite vessel, her semi-customized runabout, the 'Hawksbury'.

"And this, is a runabout, one of our light travelling ships." Kira used her code and led her brother into the ship. "Only authorised personel are allowed to use them, and since they're armed, it's easy to know why."

"Should you be showing me this, then?" Tarkenn looked around the little craft and smiled. "Small, compact, and easy to fly. I wish I'd had some of these during the occupation. We would have given the Cardassian's a run for their money."

Nerys laughed. "Don't you believe it! They're strictly peace-time designed. In combat, everything's just that five centimeters out of reach, and I've found that out the hard way, believe me!" The two people laughed, and moved back into the station. "So, how long are you planning to stay on the station? Dax said you called a friend and told him you wouldn't be back on the frontier for a while."

Tarkenn thought carefully for a moment, before hugging Nerys tightly. "I want to get to know my 'little' sister yet," he looked down from a full head above her and ruffled her hair, "and maybe I want to see what life is like in the quieter parts of the universe." They headed towards Ops, as Nerys tried to think of a suitable comeback.

Eventually, just as they reached Ops, something sprang to mind. "Did I hear you say quieter? You stay here, and you'll see just how quiet this part of the universe is!"

As Tarkenn strolled over to talk to Dax, Bashir marched into the room, closely followed by a loudly complaining Ferengi. Bashir walked over, sat at the Ops table, and let his head thump the table, as Major Kira put on her most ferocious snarl and scowled at the little man.

"Quark, you know Ops is out of bounds to you, so get out of my sight. Please." She smiled as pleasently as she could, while waving towards the door insistantly.

"Major, yesterday a client of mine went to see your doctor for a minor ailment, and I'm now told that all my holosuites will have to be closed down until they're cleared of disease by Doctor Bashir." He looked around wildly. "I run a reputable business, with virus filters on ALL of my holoprograms." He turned to Bashir. "I deny any claim that a customer of mine contracted a disease in one of my holosuites!"

"Kira, Odo asked me to scan the rooms after I found a man had a transmittable virus. I've cured him, but I wanted to make sure Quark's was clear." The Human grinned as Kira nodded sharply. Whispering, he continued. "The more he complains, the longer I'll take to clear him."

Kira almost burst into laughter. "Put it off for another day if you like. If he's going to complain, we might as well make it good."

Over at the science desk, Tarkenn was busy talking Dax into taking a night off from beating Quark at Tongo, when he and the Ferengi noticed each other. Staring for a few seconds, the Bajoran quickly recovered, and was relieved that no-one else had noticed them. Thinking quickly, he spoke.

"Actually, it sounds like fun. I think I'll join you tonight." He smiled tightly. "It'll give a chance to explore the station's nightlife."

Dax pouted. "Just as long as it doesn't ruin our nightlife."

"Not a chance!" Tarkenn kissed her lightly, and left, as Quark stared after him, one very puzzled Ferengi.

Dax cheerfully laid her last hand down, and scraped up all of the gold into her nearby bag. "I win. Again!!" Chuckling, she looked around as Tarkenn sat nodding sleepily on a nearby chair. "Tarkenn, time to go."

The Bajoran roused, and spoke quietly. "I think I'll stay and have a last drink, before calling it a night." As the Trill sashayed over, he grinned and shook his head. "Tomorrow night, I promise." Watching Dax and the other Ferengi leave, a very-alert Bajoran suddenly turned to Quark and grabbed him by the shirt. "Who knows?!"

"Nobody!" Quark back away, rubbing his ear gently as he smelt the unmistakable aroma of possible blackmail. "I take it you don't want anyone to know who you really are, Commander?"

"Considering the details I've just learnt about my family, I think it would be wise to keep my career a secret." Tarkenn leaned on the bar and spoke softly. "The Maquis want to know why you have failed to deliver your last two munitions shipments. We are fighting now, more than ever, and we fight the Klingons. We need those munitions!"

"The Federation has cracked down on all illegal activities within their borders, and Bajoran's are becoming less inclined to support your cause, now that they are joining the Federation." Quark looked sideways at the young man in front of him. "Besides, your sister would be less then pleased with your choice of occupation."

"She is a good officer, and a good friend." Tarkenn looked at his glass for a long time. "Do you think she would listen, if I asked her to join me?"

"KIRA?!" Quark couldn't believe his ears. Either this boy was more naive than he looked, or he was blinded by his new-found friendships. "You have more chance of converting a Changeling than of convincing Major Kira to join the Maquis."

Tarkenn nodded, his hands tightly gripping the glass before him. "I wish I could get my hands on the leader of Bajor. I'd tell him what to do with his Federation application." Finishing the drink, he stood. "I'll expect you to get a munitions shipment ready for when I return to the badlands. You may only have a few days."

As the man walked away, Quark spoke up again. "A word of advice: I suggest you don't tell your sister how you feel about the First Minister. They're....good friends."

Up in the shadows, a figure had stepped out of a holosuite just as everyone else had left, and had sadly heard every word.

"Sir, can I ask you a question?" Julian Bashir stepped nervously into the Captain's office just as the night shift started.

"Of course, doctor. Is this about Quark's holosuites?" Sisko had already read the man's report on why he had closed the rooms, but he also knew that the Ferengi had been raising hell about the closure.

"Not really, sir. It's more hypothetical." Julian stood and began pacing around the office. "Just suppose that you found out that Jake had sided with the Maquis, and that he was using your influence to get them weapons and supplies. What would you do?"

Ben sat like stone. Mentally sifting through the man's words, he sat up, all senses on alert. "Do you have some evidence that Jake is involved in anything prohibited, Doctor?" His parental senses were wide awake, and Julian realised his mistake in using his commanding officers son as an example.

"NO.....sir, I didn't mean Jake specifically." He searched for an other example that wouldn't be a dead giveaway but was at a loss for words. Sisko's sixth sense finally kicked in.

"This wouldn't involve a close family member of the command crew, would it, Julian? A...recent addition to the family?" Bashir looked up in horror, his face revealing the truth in the statement. Sisko leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. "Well, it appears we may have a problem." He pressed a button on his desk, "Sisko to Odo."

The response drifted in the air, "Yes, Captain."

"Locate Lieutenant Commander Worf and both of you please come to my office as soon as possible. Sisko out."

Bashir was emulating Sisko's idea of the most miserable human being he had ever seen. Obviously he'd meant only to feel this out with his commanding officer. Calling in his security chief and tactical advisor might make the young man uncomfortable, but if the Maquis threat was real, it was a necessary step. Bashir made one last attempt to extricate himself from the ever deepening quagmire that felt like it was about to overwhelm him.

"Captain, I was only wondering hypothetically about what would be the consequences. I was probably mistaken in what I heard, Ferengi are notoriosly bad in pronunciation...."

"Quark. I should have known." Odo muttered out loud from behind the Doctor, startling him as Odo and Worf both entered the room, stopping the young man's rapid retreat towards the door. Sisko smiled slowly.

"Please, Doctor, sit down." The Captain indicated the chair in front of his desk. Odo and Worf followed Bashir to the chair, reminding Sisko of two cattle dogs with a very worried sheep. Julian sat down with a defeated look, as Sisko looked up at his security chief.

"Doctor Bashir has - hypothetically - heard something to do with both the Maquis and our new friend Tarkenn. I am assuming," he said to Bashir, "that it is Tarkenn we are hypothetically discussing?"

Julian pursed his mouth momentarily and then let out his breath in a large sigh. "Yes. I overheard him talking to Quark in the bar while I was conducting the final inspections on the holosuites. It seems that Kira Tarkenn has had dealings with Quark in the past as he recognised him on sight. They spoke of shipments to the Maquis of weapons," Bashir could feel Odo come to alert status behind him, "and of fighting Klingons." He cringed inwardly as both Odo and Worf were poised behind him. Hopefully, they could find someone more deserving of their wrath...like...the Romulans maybe. Sisko took pity on the cringing little doctor just as the verbal war broke out.

"Sir, I must protest!" Worf expoused.

"Captain, Quark has gone too far this ti--" Odo demanded.

"Shut up, both of you." Sisko calmly replied. He turned to Julian.

"I don't suppose there's any way you could be mistaken on this? Did you only hear part of this or did you hear the full story?"

"I came out of the holosuite and was about to yell to Quark when Dax and the others left and Tarkenn cornered Quark. I didn't think it prudent to let them know of my presence." It was painfully obvious that Bashir could hardly wait to bolt from the room. Sisko waved a hand.

"Thank you Doctor, we get the idea. Now, gentlemen, where do we go from here?"

"Well, I can lock up Quark for a start." Odo muttered happily.

"Sir, I recommend we arrest Tarkenn immediately to minimise danger to the station security," Worf rumbled, "And we cannot be sure that Major Kira is not involved so I recommend that we suspend her duties until her innocence is confirmed."

Odo bristled, "Captain, I find it extremely hard to believe that the Major would betray the station for someone she has barely met!"

"Blood is thicker than water." Worf grumbled.

"Commander, I think that for now we have to give Nerys the benefit of the doubt. I think that we should assume that she is unaware of his occupation, and I dare say that if we have a quiet chat with Tarkenn we could find out some interesting information." Sisko decided.

"Captain, if we tell Nerys this, it's going to break her heart." Julian pleaded with Sisko, as Odo and Worf looked on stoically. "Please, let me talk to Tarkenn. If I can get him to leave the station in the next few days, it'll let him know we know about the Maquis, and Kira and Dax will just think he's gone home. We tell him he can visit for a holiday, but he isn't to bring his affiliations with him." Julian looked like he was about to keep speaking but Sisko interrupted first.

"Doctor, I hate to see a man beg." Ben sighed and swiveled his chair to look out to the stars. "Alright. Keep this low profile though. I didn't help Kira find her brother, for her to have a breakdown on me. The stress of the last few months has already given her enough to worry about, I don't want her to be burdened further." As the men left the room, Ben wondered if it might have been better to have simply left things alone.

Tarkenn was sitting in Quark's carefully watching the owner, when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. Thinking it was Dax, the Bajoran smiled cheerfully, but the expression fell a little when he saw it was only Doctor Bashir. "Doctor, what can I do for you?"

"I think you and I need to have a talk." The Human relaxed into a nearby chair, noting that Odo was keeping watch on the lower exit, while Worf was undoubtably eyeing the upper doorway. "Last night, I was examining Quark's holosuites, when I accidentally overheard a conversation between you and Quark." As Tarkenn's face hardened, Julian continued hurriedly. "I've told Captain Sisko, but considering your relationship with both Nerys and Dax, we've agreed that you won't be charged or arrested. Instead, you can stay as long as you wish, and may visit the station when you wish. But you are not to bring your political beliefs to the station when you come here. At this moment you have done nothing to our knowledge that has endangered the station or Bajor, which is why you're not being arrested at this moment, but if you are implicated or caught helping the Maquis or harming the station Odo will have no qualms about throwing you into the deepest cell he can find, and losing the key. Do we understand each other?" Julian said, smiling to cover the words.

Tarkenn nodded and stood. Just before he walked away, the Bajoran leaned down and snarled "If you breathe a word of this to Nerys or Jadzia, I'll break your neck. I've spent the whole of my life without a blood relation in the world, and in one week, I've found a sister and a lover. If you ruin that, I'll destroy you myself."

"Commander, if that happens, the only person you'll have to blame is yourself." Bashir answered quietly, as Tarkenn's head snapped back, and he stalked out of the casino, as Bashir wiped the sweat off his forehead.

Tarkenn stomped around the station for a few minutes, his brain furiously trying to find a way out of the situation. Eventually, a plan came to mind, even though it would mean a certain amount of danger, and praying like hell that his sister was all that he'd heard when it came to looking after herself.

Heading back to his room, the man made a few purchases at a local shop, and placed a call to Quark.

Tarkenn gently massaged Jadzia's neck, and thought about the future. Sighing, he tapped her shoulder until she turned her head and faced him. "Jadzia, how would you feel if I wasn't able to come and visit you anymore? I'm not saying I can't, but what if I couldn't?"

Dax turned around, and thought for a few seconds. "I don't know how I'd feel." She looked at Tarkenn suspiciously. "Has Nerys been saying something to you? Because if she has, I'll take her on myself!" The Trill tried to look her most ferocious, as Tarkenn laughed brightly.

"No, not Nerys." He thought for a moment. "It's just, that when I return to the frontier, I might not be able to get back for a while, and I'd hate you to be waiting for a man who could be a long time away."

"Then don't go." Dax was failing to see the problem. "You've just found family here, and I'm sure we could find a place for you on the station. Why don't you stay, and let us have a chance?" Jadzia thought of another reason he might want to leave, and bowed her head. "Unless you already have someone in the badlands."

"No!" Tarkenn decided to continue as he'd decided already, and pray that his lover would understand. "Forget I asked. Let's just worry about us, the future can take care of itself."

Kira's eyes flew open, as she grabbed a shirt and pants and stumbled out of her bedroom, to be greated by the sight of Sisko, Odo, Worf, and Bashir standing in her lounge room. But before she could ask the reason for the intrusion into her quarters, Sisko spoke.

"Major Kira Nerys, you are hearby under arrest for treason and accessory to theft." The man's voice thundered in the enclosed space, drumming through Kira's already sore head. "You will be given time to dress, under Doctor Bashir's supervision, then escorted to the station's cells, where you will remain until your court-martial. Do you have anything to say?"

"Theft? What theft?" Nerys tried to understand her bosses words as they echoed through the fog in her mind. "What exactly am I being charged with the theft of, and what treason am I accused of?" His eyes seemed to be on fire, and Kira felt them burning into her face.

"At oh two hundred hours this morning, you assisted your brother in stealing a runabout and a quantity of Federation phaser rifles, hand phasers, stun grenades, and body armour. Your codes and voice print are recorded as opening the airlock, and activating the runabout's transporter system, from where you helped steal the equipment, before obviously returning to your quarters." Odo spoke as sternly as he could, but his eyes betrayed the sorrow and hurt he felt.

Bashir broke in, as he saw Nerys sway against the wall slightly. "Major, are you feeling okay? You look like death!"

"I'm fine Julian, it's nothing." She stared at Ben doggedly. "It wasn't me." Kira spoke with such conviction, that Sisko blinked in surprise. "I was nowhere near the runabout pads all evening. In fact," she continued leaning casually against the wall, and tried to look unconcerned about wearing only her pajamas in front of her commanding officer, "I haven't left my quarters since I went off duty last night."

"Are you able to prove that?" Worf interrupted before anyone else could get a word in. "Do you have an alibi?"

As Nerys hesitated, and glanced at her bedroom door, a chuckling voice spoke from inside. "Nerys, they'll find out anyway, so I may as well give you an alibi before this goes too far." As he spoke, First Minister Shakaar appeared in the doorway, dressed only in trousers, and casually draped his arms around his lover's shoulders. "Besides, treason carries the death penalty, and I'd rather not see your neck stretched by the rope." Glancing at Sisko's face, the man could barely keep the grin off his face, even though his eyes betrayed concern. "I've grown rather attached to it."

"When...?" Ben's expression was priceless, while Odo and Worf tried to pretend they were somewhere else. Bashir just grinned with relief.

"On the last shuttle last night." Shakaar tried to look apologetic. "I know we should have informed you I was on board, but we wanted at least one quiet night together. As to Nerys' activities, she was unaware I intended to visit the station, and did not know of my presence until I arrived at her quarters, complete with a bottle of Alderbran whiskey, which I purchased on Bajor." He nodded towards an empty bottle and two glasses on Kira's table. "Trust me, she hasn't left this room." He winked. "I'm not sure either of us are in any condition to leave now, if you want her on duty sober. We did empty the bottle."

Sisko stepped back, his eyes still glowering in anger, but it was no longer directed at his First Officer. "I apologise for the intrusion Kira, but I've got some bad news."

"Obviously." Kira spoke drily and detactched herself from Shakaar's embrace. "If you don't mind, gentlemen, I'd like to get dressed before we continue this conversation."

As she returned to the bedroom, Shakaar replicated himself a soothing drink and sat at the table. "So, I take it Nerys' brother has gone bad?" Adan didn't know whether the headache was from the whiskey or the interrupted intimacy.

"Not really." Ben looked at Kira apologeticaly as she emerged and sat down. "Kira, a few days ago, we discovered your brother is involved with the Maquis. We didn't tell you because we didn't want to destroy your new-found relationship with Tarkenn. But, we did let him know that we knew about his activities."

"So what did you say, that he was to leave and never come back?" Nerys wanted to burst into tears, but held back. Instead, she settled for snuggling into Shakaar's embrace, as he sighed 'oh no', and held her tightly.

"No." Ben sighed and tried to word things as gently as he could. "We said that he was welcome to visit you and Dax as often as he liked, but we would not tolerate him bringing his political beliefs to the station, or his using you or Dax to get political or military support for their cause." Ben shrugged his shoulders. "It seems he didn't like our terms."

"Who spoke to him?" Adan was as angry as he could get, while Nerys had given up stopping the tears, and was standing in his embrace, sobbing.

"Doctor Bashir. Perhaps I was wrong and should have done it myself, but he wanted to protect you, Kira." Sisko watched Shakaar carefully as Bashir stepped forward.

"I didn't tell him to leave and never come back." Julian saw the Bajoran's anger rising. "We didn't know whether to tell you or not, Nerys. I didn't want to hurt you by having to tell you your brother was a Maquis officer."

"Officer?" Shakaar was still holding Kira, but she had stopped sobbing, and he knew she was listening to the conversation.

"From what I overheard, he's a commander in the Maquis." Julian stepped back and looked ashamed. "I'd better leave. I'll see you later, Minister." As he turned to leave, Kira lifted her head from Adan's shoulder.

"Julian, wait." She walked over and grasped his hand tightly. "I know you did what you thought was best. Thank you." Bashir nodded and left, as Nerys returned to Shakaar's embrace.

Ben grimaced and stood. "I'll see you in Ops, Major." He looked apologetically at Shakaar. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask her to return to duty, but only when Nerys is ready. We have to track down the runabout now. Again, I'm sorry."

After the others had left, Adan hugged Kira as tightly as he could, while she cried uncontrollably. Finally, she pulled back and sat down. "Why? He could have stayed here and found a job on the station. I thought he cared more about me than that."

"The past can be a hard thing to let go of, Nerys." Shakaar knew this only too well. "Just because he went back, doesn't mean he doesn't care about you." The man guessed what was really biting her. "But he shouldn't have used you to steal the weapons from the station."

Kira nodded slowly. "That's what really hurts. And Sisko's going to be angry with me for not telling Odo or himself that you were here either."

"Somehow, I think he's going to be more concerned about Tarkenn's activities, than about our minor indiscretion." Shakaar put his arms around her again. "It's as much my fault as it is yours, and don't think I'm going to let you take the blame all by yourself. Now, as hard as it sounds, you have to help Ben catch your brother. The weaponry he's stolen could do a lot of damage."

"And you want to know the worst?" Nerys gazed at her lover, and silently started crying again. "I'm not sure if I disagree with the Maquis fighting the Klingon's."

Captain Picard relaxed in his bridge chair, and mused over the ion storm on the forward screen. He was about to leave for his ready room when Data called his attention back. "Sir, there's a small Federation craft flying a rather eratic course just along the edge of the storm."

"On screen." Picard's face became serious. "That might be the missing runabout from Deep Space Nine. Hail them." Data nodded, but moments later looked back to the Captain.

"Sir, they're not answering our hails."

"We'll have to assume they're hostile. Fix a tractor beam on it and bring it into shuttle bay three. Have security meet the occupant and take him to the brig. Notify me when he's there." He stood, watching the tractor beam snake out and snare the tiny ship and wondered who had managed to outsmart the DS9 crew.

Commander Riker entered the brig shortly after they had contacted DS9 and talked to Captain Sisko. He faced the Bajoran on the other side of the force field who rose to his feet at the sight of the commanding officer. "I'm Commander Riker. You are on the USS Enterprise. We are currently returning you and the runabout to DS9, where you'll be handed over to station security. Until then, I suggest you accept your time here as inevitable."

Tarkenn stood and looked at Riker. "Commander, if you have an pity for a dead man, then please, shoot me out an airlock right now. It'll save them the cost of a trial anyway."

"Why should I do that? I doubt if Captain Sisko is really going to let you come to any harm, even if you did steal one of his ships." Will was curious as to the man's attitude about his future.

"Commander, to steal that ship, I betrayed my sister's trust, used her voice print, and deliberately broke my lovers heart, not to mention destroying the trust that the command crew of the station had put in me." Tarkenn was genuinely frantic. "By the time Nerys finishes with me, I'll be fish bait! Please, take me back to a starbase, and have me tried there, under Federation law."

"I can't do that." Riker stepped back, and moved to return to the bridge, before turning back. "You know, I do know what it's like to have an angry Bajoran woman on your hands, I served with Ro Laren," Riker noticed Tarkenn's start of surprise but the wily Bajoran refused to say anything that would incriminate another Maquis. Riker sighed.

"We were quite...close. If you ever see her again, give her my regards, won't you?" and with that he turned suddenly and strode out.

Tarkenn slumped down against the wall, wishing he'd never heard of DS9, or Major Kira Nerys.

"So do we know why he did this?" Captain Picard and Captain Sisko strolled along the promenade together. "Riker says that he didn't seem like a fanatic when he spoke with him during the trip to the station."

"He's not a fanatic." Ben indicated towards a table in the replimat, and got both men a drink. "If his sister's anything to go on, he's probably very intelligent, and has a keen sense of tactics and command abilities. I think it's a case of being on the wrong side, and using whatever he has at hand to help his friends."

"But that he used his sister, and her voice?" Jean-Luc looked at Ben sadly. "How will your First Officer cope with that kind of betrayal? She might have a hard time accepting his actions."

"I know exactly what you mean." Ben stared at his coffee for a moment, then smiled at the other Human. "But she's strong, and has good friends to help her through the future." He drained the cup, and stood.

"Mind you, I think maybe Kira's right, and I'm starting to become like the Bajoran's around me." Sisko smiled brightly. "I wonder what would happen if I sent her to Command School?"

"If she's anything like the Bajoran's I've worked with," Jean-Luc smiled and walked with Sisko towards the security office, "the place will never be quite the same again." The two men chuckled, then quietened as they saw Kira standing nervously outside the security office.

Major Kira stood outside the office and steeled herself for what she about to do. The Enterprise had arrived shortly before, and Tarkenn had been transported straight into Odo's loving care. Which meant he'd been thrown head-first into a cell. Gathering her courage, she marched into the office and nodded at Odo. "Where's the prisoner?"

"In cell number three. He's my only 'guest' at the moment." Odo looked relieved as Sisko also entered the office.

"Major, you don't have to do this interview if you don't want to." Kira had barely said an entire sentence since she'd arrived in Ops earlier that morning. "If you'd like Odo and I to--"

"No." Kira braced her shoulders and moved towards the cell block. "This involves me. And to tell you the truth, I want answers."

"I'm coming in anyway." Sisko held up his hand before she could argue. "Nerys, he did steal one of my runabouts, and I object to people borrowing things without my permission." Nodding gently, he opened the door and they entered the room, to see Kira's brother sitting dejectedly in his cell.

Tarkenn looked up and saw his sister and Captain Sisko walk into the room. Standing, he gulped, steeling himself to face their anger, but the two people just stared at him. Finally, he broke the silence. "Well? Aren't you going to yell at me or something?"

"I'm trying to work out why a man, who we welcomed into our lives and our home, should want to destroy us." Sisko sat down casually. "And why that same man, should hate his sister, who he only just discovered was even alive, and his lover so much, that he would throw away everything he had with them."

"I did what I did, Captain." Tarkenn looked the Human straight in the eyes and didn't flinch. "I know what I've done, and I'll face the consequences of my actions, but I believe that what the Maquis are fighting for is right. Ans since no-one on Bajor or in the Federation will help us, we have the right to fight any way we can." He glanced at Kira miserably. "Whatever that may cost us."

"I understand your feelings," Kira spoke softly to her brother, wanting to soften the blow of what she had to do. "and I agree that somebody has to fight the Klingons." Kira felt Sisko's eyes snap in her direction, but she pressed on. "But, I can't agree with your methods. Out there, an honourable Cardassian is trying to reclaim his peoples dignity and land. Bajoran space was not invaded by the Klingons, and Bajoran's were not involved in their war. This is a Cardassian conflict, and if you're going to try and tell me that the Maquis have joined with the Cardassian resistance, then I'm a Bolian!"

Tarkenn turned away and sat down, thinking. "I wish I'd known how you feel." He looked up and grimaced. "It wouldn't have changed my mind, but I would have left differently. I wouldn't have knowingly hurt you or Jadzia, I swear I wouldn't."

"Two days ago, I would have believed you, brother." Kira turned off the force-field, and indicated a chair at the table. "But now, I can't afford to." Stepping back, Kira became all business. "Please sit down. The Captain and I are going to conduct your interrogation. If you don't co-operate, I'll have security come in and stand guard." Her voice softened. "Please don't make me call Odo."

Tarkenn looked at Nerys for a moment, before sitting opposite Sisko and sighing. "Let's get this over with."

Kira and Dax sat silently in the replimat, stale drinks before them. Occasionally, one would reach out and hold the others hand for a moment, then draw back. Shakaar watched them from the shadows of an empty Promenade. It was late at night, and the man was due back on Bajor the next day, but he couldn't bear to leave his friends like this. Finally, he walked over to the table, and sat down, holding both Dax and Kira's hands.

"I know it must be hard, for both of you. But, I'll try and see that Tarkenn's co-operation since his arrest be taken into account at the trial." Adan saw Nerys' eyes cloud with tears, and winced at Dax's tone as she spoke.

"Taken into account? Minister, he fired on a Federation starship. He'll be lucky if the Federation doesn't ask Bajor to lock him up and throw away the key." She looked back at her drink. "Or worse. I'm beginning to think I'm a bad luck charm."

"Jadzia, it was his choice. You didn't put the voice recorder in his hand and force him to use it!" Kira looked at Adan suddenly. "Would you talk to Tarkenn before they send him to gaol? Please, it's important, to me."

"What am I talking to him about?" Shakaar was used to strange requests from people, but Nerys didn't often make weird demands of him. "Am I talking about you, Dax, Bajor, what?"

"About the Maquis, and Bajor's future." Nerys had on her most intense expression, as Dax and Shakaar listened closely. "We always say we'll listen to the enemy, if they talk to us. Maybe Tarkenn can help you see the Maquis' point of view, and we can start a dialogue with them. He might be able to help us work out a compromise." She sat back in her chair. "Well, most of them are Bajoran's, or Bajoran sympathises, and the Federation hasn't got anywhere with them. But we ARE Bajoran's, and it can't hurt to talk, can it?"

"No, it can't." Shakaar stood and smiled. "Come on Nerys. You have to get some sleep, and so do I. I promise I'll see Tarkenn before I leave tomorrow." Nodding to Dax, he and Nerys walked back to her quarters, leaving the Trill to contemplate her emotions alone. Finally, something snapped inside Dax, and she walked swiftly to the security office.

Odo looked up in amazement as she stormed in. "Commander, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes. I want to see Tarkenn, and I want to see him now." Jadzia wasn't about to take no for an answer. "It's very important, Odo. I have to see him before they take him back to Bajor."

Odo examined the Trill's expression for a long moment, then unlocked the outer door. "Do you want me to come in with you Lieutenant?"

"No. This is personal, Odo." Dax marched through the door and came to stand in front of Tarkenn's cell. She watched Tarkenn's sleeping face for a few moments, before turning on the lights in the cell.

Tarkenn awoke instantly and sat up. With eyes quickly losing all blearyness he looked sadly at Jadzia, and absentmindedly scuffed his foot along the floor. "I take it this isn't a wake-up call?"

"No, it's not." Dax sat at the table and faced the Bajoran male. "I want to know if I really meant anything to you. Or if everything you said was just to put me off my guard, so you could steal from the station." Dax wanted to shut down the force-field and make the man talk to her, but that wasn't how a Starfleet officer behaved.

"Dax, everything I said to you, about how I feel, and what I wanted for us, was true." Tarkenn moved down to the floor and put his hand up to the barrier as Dax did the same. "Jadzia, I never wanted to hurt you, I swear I didn't. But I had to get back to my companions on the border. We have to fight the Klingons now, not to mention the 'True Way' Cardassian faction." He grimaced and stared at the wall. "They might not be funded by the government now, but those Cardassian's are just as dangerous as they ever were."

"You could have left quietly, and we never would have known." Dax had tears in her eyes. "Why did you have to steal from us? If you'd left like they suggested, we could have kept seeing each other, and you could have seen your sister again. Now, the only time we'll see each other is when I visit you in prison." She looked away. "And that could be for the rest of your life."

Tarkenn smiled. "It won't be that long, surely. And anyway, at least I'll have a visitor occasionally." He grinned seductively. "Do Bajoran prison's allow conjugal visits?"

"Tarkenn!!" Dax blushed, and hoped that Odo wasn't outside monitoring the conversation. "I can't visit you in that way. Starfleet would have a fit if they found out I was consorting with a known Maquis officer."

"Consorting with." Tarkenn smirked. "I like the sound of that. Any chance of a consort before they take me away to prison?"

Dax burst into laughter and stood. "Man, you are impossible."

Looking at the door as it opened, they saw Odo appear, and nod to Dax. "I'm sorry Commander, but Captain Sisko left orders that no-one was to have longer than fifteen minutes with the prisoner, including yourself." The Changling looked apologetic. "If you'd like to talk to Sisko himself, I'm sure that--"

"It's alright Odo." Dax stepped away as Tarkenn sat back on his bed. "I was just about to leave anyway." Turning back to the Bajoran, she smiled gently. "I'll see you before you leave Tarkenn. Goodnight."

After the Trill had left, Odo glanced at Tarkenn. "You are a very foolish man, Kira Tarkenn. That woman loves you, and you threw it away."

After Odo had turned out the light and left, Tarkenn sat and whispered into the dark "I know".

Tarkenn was just finishing breakfast as a strange man strolled into the cell block. Curious as to the identity of his guest, Kira lounged on his bunk and waited for the man to introduce himself. Eventually, he did.

"Good morning. I'm First Minister Shakaar, leading politician of Bajor. Major Kira has asked me to talk to you about the Maquis, and how Bajor can help our people on the frontier better."

"You can throw away this idea about joining the Federation, and give us your full support, in military, political, and financial areas." Tarkenn didn't really expect Shakaar to take him seriously, so he wasn't surprised when the minister chuckled and sat down. "I don't see what's so funny. Nerys seems to be a very capable officer, I have no doubt that she could command this station very efficiently, without help from Starfleet."

"Thanks to your actions, Major Kira will be lucky if she keeps her rank and title here." Shakaar saw the final realisation of what he had done cross the man's face. "But, I doubt she'll have that much trouble, with both Captain Sisko and I supporting her. We know she wasn't to blame, even if others try to make it look that way."

Tarkenn sighed. "I've really screwed this up."

"Yes." Adan smiled in sympathy. "But, you will be given the chance to make up for what you've done. By telling me how the government could help the Bajoran's at our outposts, I'll be able to try and find a way to make the outpost leaders accept peace. It's time we stopped fighting, and started taking our place alongside the other planets around us."

Tarkenn sat for along moment and studied the man before him, while Adan did the same thing to Tarkenn. Eventually he spoke. "Minister, why should I tell you anything at all, except to get lost?"

"Because Nerys asked me to see you, and to talk to you so I can understand the Maquis better, and so I can help them reconcile with Bajor." Shakaar grinned. "Your sister's a very persuasive woman when she puts her mind to it. I love her a great deal."

"Love?" Tarkenn's mouth dropped open. "You and Nerys are...." He stopped at the realisation, as Adan laughed.

"I'm sorry. I thought Nerys would have told you about our relationship." The Bajoran explained quietly. "I was the leader of the Shakaar resistance cell in the Dakhur province. When Nerys was twelve, she joined our cell, and became one of Bajor's most respected fighters. She was posted here after the occupation ended five years ago, and we became lovers a year ago." Shakaar's eyes twinkled, as Tarkenn realised just the kind of sway his sister must have in the Bajoran government. "Don't believe that I do everything she says. But if Nerys disagrees with me, she has no qualms about telling me."

"I think I might have underestimated Nerys, just a little." The prisoner glanced at Adan. "If you really want to know, I'll tell you what life's like out there. Maybe you can help a few of our people." Adan nodded, and sat back as Tarkenn described life in the badlands.

Odo and Worf escorted their prisoner to the waiting shuttle for transportation back to Bajor's central correctional facility. Since he had admitted the crime, their would be no trial as such, but the judge had already been informed that Tarkenn had been assisting Bajor and the Federation since his arrest, and that would be taken into account when he was sentenced.

Kira, Dax, and Sisko were waiting at the airlock to bid Tarkenn goodbye, and for a moment, Odo agreed to take the restraints off. Nerys hugged her brother tightly, before stepping back. "I'll see you when I come to Bajor. I don't have to testify at the hearing, so I'll be able to sit in the court. Stay strong, Okay?"

"Always." Tarkenn winked at his sister, and was rewarded with a grin, as he turned towards Dax. Bowing his head, the man scuffed the floor before looking at the Trill hesitingly. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to put you through all this. It wasn't supposed to happen this way."

Dax looked at him and grinned. "At least we were able to talk. I hope you don't have to spend too long in prison. You're too good a man for that." She looked looked sideways at Sisko who pretended not to hear her next words. "I'll be with Nerys at the hearing, so I'll see you then." Dax hugged him briefly, before Odo replaced the handcuffs and hustled him into the shuttle, where Bajoran officers took over.

As they watched the shuttle leave for Bajor, Odo examined Kira's face carefully, noting the pain that he could see plainly written there.

"Major, he'll probably only be locked up for a few years, maybe not even that long."

"Odo, don't cheer me up." Kira stomped back to Ops with Dax, as the three men looked at each other helplessly.

Tarkenn watched curiously as the stars flew by on the hour long trip back to Bajor. He also smiled quietly as he saw a very small craft detatch itself from behind a passing asteroid and casually begin dogging them. The shuttle had its shields down, and the two officers were bored, which probably accounted for the complete surprise as they saw their prisoner disappear in a transporter beam, as the tiny craft veered off sharply.

Tarkenn grinned and looked at his pilot, as she manovered between two asteroids. "What took you so long?"

Ro Laren glanced at him and laughed. "Love the bracelets, Tarkenn. Are you planning to start a new line in Maquis jewellery?" She spared a hand from the controls for a second, and pulled a satchel from under the seat. "Lock picks for Bajoran cuffs should be somewhere in there. I think I remembered to pack them."

"Thanks. By the way, Ro, I'm pleased it's you who picked me up, as I have a message for you," he smiled. Ro's curiosity was piqued.

"Who on Bajor knows...."

"Not Bajor. I ran into an old friend of yours, a Commander William Riker of the USS Enterprise. He asked me to send his regards to a former close friend." He noticed her eyes widen in surprise before a slow smile spread across her face.

"Thank you. Considering what I did to the Enterprise, I'm surprised that any of them remember me with any fondness at all. Maybe I made more of an impact than I thought." The smile widened even further, tinged with a certain amount of wistfulness. "But Will always was a great man, and a good friend." She looked at Tarkenn. "If there's anything I regret about what I did to leave Starfleet, it's that I hurt him, and Captain Picard."

"You just concentrate on flying straight, Commander." Tarkenn concentrated for a few moments, then tossed the now-open cuffs behind him.

"So, how did you know where to find me? I thought I was going to be tossed into a damp cell and forgotten about."

"One of our operatives in the militia told us you were being transported to Bajor today." Ro grinned as the shuttle following them shot passed their hiding place, and she turned the ship towards one of the Bajoran moons. "The rest was simply picking straws to see who wanted to collect you."

"Thanks, I really feel wanted." Tarkenn frowned. "I don't mean to be rude, Laren, but aren't we going in the wrong direction?"

"They'll be looking in the asteroid fields, while I intend to be hiding safely in a cave, until all the fuss dies down." Flying into the cave, she shut the engines off, and faced the Bajoran. "So, tell me what your little holiday on DS9's been like."

All was quiet in Ops. It was three weeks since Kira Tarkenn had been rescued by the Maquis on his way to be tried on Bajor, and the Militia hadn't found a trace of the ship that he'd escaped in. Kira and Dax had been under suspicion for a while, until Sisko put his foot down and refused to have his officers treated like suspects.

"I've completed all the weekly reports, and here are the performance reviews on the last drill." Kira handed the reports to Sisko and turned to go, as Ben called her back and indicated for her to take a seat.

"Major, what's wrong?" Sisko locked his office doors, and moved around to sit next to his friend. "If something's bothering you, I need to know what it is so I can help."

Kira sat for a moment. "It's Tarkenn." She looked at her boss pleadingly. "Please, let me take some leave and see if I can find out what happened to him? I'll only be gone for a week."

"No. I'm sorry, I can't let you do that Nerys." Ben put his hand on her shoulder, as her face fell. "What do I do if they capture you, and don't let you come home? How do I explain that to Shakaar and our friends here? You're too important to Bajor and this station for me to let you risk the Maquis, Cardassians, or worse the Klingons, holding you for ransom." He stood as a Lieutenant buzzed the door. "Sorry Nerys. I wish I could, but I can't." As the door opened, a puzzled lieutenant entered.

"Sir, we've just recieved a very strange communique from the badlands." The officer turned over a padd to Kira and Sisko. "It seems to be a code, but it's nothing that the computer has ever seen before. We're baffled. The entire message simply reads 'The stars are shining still'."

Sisko ushered the officer out and turned to Kira as she examined the short message over and over again. "It's from Tarkenn, isn't it?" Kira nodded and looked up at the Human, smiling.

"Yes. Nothing special. Just enough to let me know that he's okay, and he's still thinking of me." Kira stood and moved to the door. "I won't be needing that leave after all, Captain." Glancing out the glass doors, she saw Dax sitting dejectadly at her console. "And if you don't mind, I think I'll take Dax for a drink."

"I'll see the two of you tomorrow morning, Kira." As he saw Kira break the news to Dax, Sisko grinned at the thought of what would happen if he let them both loose on the Maquis. The results could be interesting.

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