Disclaimer: Paramount is God, I am nothing. I promise to put the toys back where I found them after I'm finished.

NOTE: This story is old in years but young in writing. The idea merely needed fruition and encouragement to come into the light.

NOTE II: This story would not be available without the help of Cath (Internutter) and MC, who helped and proofed through her own trials and tribulations. If not for them, I would still be blind in the wilderness, not writing in the light of Quarks.

Some have asked how many more stories I will write. The answer is always the same; as long as Kira Nerys keeps whispering them in my ear or shouting them at me in the pub, I'll keep writing them.

Misfits

"Mama hug J'nel, and wants to know why she's out of bed." Kira rubbed noses with her child and felt another body move in the bed. Her husband was awake.

"Papa would like to know why as well." Odo winked at Nerys and reached over to tickle his daughter. "J'nel knows she's supposed to wait until mama and papa get up before she gets out of bed."

"I wanna go outside and play!" J'nel chortled happily, before wriggling away from her father and sat on the bed in between her sleepy parents as they glanced at each other, before Kira propped herself up onto her elbow.

"Not before breakfast, and definitely not at . . ." She checked the bedside clock and grimaced, "Six thirty in the morning." She yawned and snuggled back under the blankets. "Go back to bed, chula."

"No!" J'nel started bouncing up and down on the bed, trying to keep her parents awake. "J'nel want to play!"

"J'nel, you know your mother isn't a morning person." Odo sat up and brushed an unruly red lock off the child's forehead. "Why don't you play quietly in your room for a while, practise your shapeshifting maybe."

"Will papa practise with me?" If there was one thing J'nel enjoyed, it was shapeshifting with her father. The two Changelings could, and often did, spend hours playing together, becoming animals such as tribbles, cats, dogs, birds, anything they liked.

Odo shook his head. "No. Papa wants to get a little more sleep before he gets up. Now off you go." He motioned towards the door, and a very disgruntled child left the room sulkily, shooting dark glances at the two adults. Odo smiled as she shut the door behind her then grinned as he lay down and Nerys snuggled into him. "Good morning wife." Both parties enjoyed a long, languid kiss as Odo adjusted his form to envelop her.

"Good morning husband." Nerys whispered the words when they eventually broke apart. "I wonder how many other couples are interrupted by their children on their honeymoon."

"A few, I imagine. Bajor has mellowed a surprising amount in that regard." Odo trailed a long finger down his new wife's face and smiled lovingly. "But I don't really mind. Do you?"

"No. Besides, she never would have stayed with the O'Brien's if we had left her with them for the two weeks like they offered." She shivered with pleasure as Odo's finger trailed down her body, brushing lightly over the skin now as familiar as his own form. Nerys wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled his shoulder enticingly. "Now, what shall we do now that we're awake this early?"

"Sleep?" Odo whispered the word cheekily before his mind became occupied on more energetic matters.

Nerys stretched out on the lounge on the house verandah and smiled as she watched Odo and J'nel tumble around on the grass. Father and daughter were masquerading as horocats, with J'nel now busily engaged in pulling on the other cats tail. Kira didn't mind not being able to join in, since simply watching the others was entertaining enough. Settling herself further into her pillows, she thought back over the most amazing year in her life...

The day had begun like any other in Ops...

Until Kira Nerys, who had been looking slightly green all morning, threw up over Sisko's desk during the morning staff meeting.

Sisko raised an eyebrow and ordered everyone to leave the room, as Bashir knelt beside the woman now convulsing on the floor.

"Easy Colonel," Julian rubbed her back gently and handed Kira a glass of warm water. "Drink this, it'll help settle things until we get to the infirmary." His bronze face was filled with concern. "Would you like me to call Odo?"

Nerys sipped the water gently and relaxed as her stomach settled down, albeit still churning away. "No, he's in a conference with Starfleet security this morning." She retched slightly, but managed to keep the water down as she slowly got to her feet, Julian at her side. "Don't worry Odo, it's probably nothing."

Doctor Bashir frowned and gently propelled Kira out the door and towards the turbolift. "Nonsense. People don't retch for no reason Nerys. Not unless they're D'ralian's. So since you're Bajoran, you're coming straight to the infirmary with me." He glanced back at Sisko, who was standing in his office doorway as the automatic sonic cleaners cleaned the room up. "Captain, the Colonel has been relieved of duty for the rest of the day."

Sisko nodded gravely. "I agree. Let me knew the results doctor."

The trip to the promenade was made silently and swiftly by both Kira and Bashir. But the jolt as the lift stopped proved her undoing, and she staggered out of the lift to vomit again as she knelt against the wall. Fortunately, they were only metres from the Infirmary,

A few minutes later, Kira was lying on a biobed with Bashir running every test he could think of. "Well Colonel, you don't have any diseases or viruses in your system." He smiled and was rewarded with a rueful grin from his surprise patient. "Has this happened before today?"

Kira nodded and blushed. "In the shower this morning, before my shift."She squirmed a little under the man's sharp gaze. "I thought it was just a stomach upset, I didn't worry about it."

"And I expect you didn't tell Odo either." Bashir made a few adjustments to his scanners and ran them over Kira again.

"He'd already left for the conference." Kira's blush deepened, and Bashir opened his mouth to speak.

But whatever he might have said would never be known. A loud crash in the entrance as someone knocked a chair to the floor startled them both, and was explained a mere nanosecond later as Odo seemed to fly into the room to his lover's side.

Grasping her hand, he glared at Bashir. "What's wrong with her?"

Julian sighed and shrugged slightly. "So far, I have no idea. She isn't suffering from any of the usual Bajoran diseases that cause these symptoms."

Odo glanced at Kira suspiciously and placed a hand gently on her abdomen, watching as she suppressed a wince. "Has she told you that she's very tender here?"

"No, she hasn't." Julian leaned over and watched his patient sternly as he rubbed her stomach softly. "How long has this been tender Nerys?"

"About a week, and I'd appreciate it if you stop doing that please." The Bajoran gasped slightly as Bashir pressed a little harder, and pushed his hands away. "It's probably nothing serious, just a little bug."

Bashir sighed and readjusted his scanners again, this time also reaching for a hypospray. "I'm running a more detailed scan, an internal one this time. I'm also taking some blood samples, to check for any deeper problems that might show up."

Kira sighed and grasped Odo's hands a little tighter. "How long do I have to stay here?"

"Until I know what's wrong with you." Julian was all doctor now, and would brook no arguments from the woman. "Odo can stay with you if you like." Placing the hypospray against her inner elbow, he took several vials of blood from her. "I'll be in my office, examining the results of the scans. Don't leave the bed."

Kira watched the Human leave, then turned to Odo, a small smile on her face. "How did you know I was here?"

"It's not every day you throw up in Sisko's office." He smiled and brushed her hair away from her eyes. "I went to Ops to ask if you were going to be free for lunch, and Dax told me what had happened." His smile deepened. "I got here as fast as I could."

Kira sniffed a little and her smile grew. "We heard the crash." Raising her other hand, she trailed a finger down Odo's face. "I won't be here long, it's just a virus or something."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Colonel." Bashir's voice sounded loud in the quiet of the examination chamber. Turning off the machine above the bed, he faced the pair before him, his expression grave. "Kira, you appear to have a growth in your abdomen, approximately the size of a Larish seed. And it's growing."

Kira shrugged slightly. "Well, take it out then. If it's small, then it won't have spread--"

"Nerys, it's not a tumour." Julian gazed helplessly at the two officers, and plunged in. "Kira, it has the same structure as Odo, but there's a genetic drift towards Bajoran DNA. Nerys, it looks like... Nerys, I think you're pregnant."

Kira and Odo stared at the Human, who simply gazed back at them, his face a mass of concern

And so it began, the beginning of the end...

The large horocat rolled over languidly and gently boxed the smaller cats ears, which let out a very un-kitty giggle, before morphing back into its usual form of a young Bajoran girl, about three years old, who promptly shot into her mothers arms for a hug.

"You spoil that child you know." Odo reformed and stretched out on the grass, watching his new wife and child with joy. Kai Winn had stolen much of the glory and prestige that rightfully belonged to him and his family, but that didn't matter. All that mattered to him was that he was with the woman he loved, and as an added bonus, they had a child. Life, as far as Odo was concerned, simply could not get any better.

"I know I spoil her." Nerys pouted and rubbed noses with her daughter cheekily. "I'm her mother, it's my job to spoil her." J'nel was making small happy noises that meant she agreed, but all the fresh air and exercise was making her sleepy. A few moments later, Nerys found herself cuddling a small, still solid bundle of Changeling that was rapidly softening into its liquid state. "Beloved--" The words were barely out of her mouth before Odo was at her side with J'nel's own small wooden bucket, ornately carved with Bajoran symbols. It had been a gift from her 'Uncle Edon', also known as First Minister Shakaar.

"It's exciting for her, being on Bajor for the first time." Odo helped his wife gently place their child in the tub where she thrummed happily, occasionally sending little waves of herself up to slap against the tubs rim. Odo sat down next to Nerys and kissed her hand gently as she stroked his hair. "I wonder how the crew are surviving after the party?"

She chuckled. "They would all have been drunk, there'll be more people in the cells than ever before, Quark would have gotten away with every scam in the book--and Worf has had to deal with the lot." She dropped a light kiss onto his head. "We'll clean it up when we get home."

Odo nodded and gazed at the surrounding Bajoran countryside. Next to the cottage were two patches, almost like flowerbeds that had never been planted, but were covered with flourishing grass. He knew that they were the graves of his beloved's father, Kira Taban, and of a Cardassian, Legate Tekene Ghemor. A small village basked under the autumn sun less than a kilometre away. The family had travelled to the mountain community the previous day to buy food supplies, and Odo had been pleasantly surprised and not just a little proud to see the acceptance the Bajorans had given him and his daughter. And the obvious pride that the community took in Kira's position as an officer on the station, and as the Bajoran who's position meant that she gave advice to the Emissary. "I don't understand why you didn't stay here."

Nerys shrugged, her fingers twining with his. "After the Occupation finished, I joined the Militia, to protect Bajor. I just could not stay still, couldn't come back here. There were too many memories here then, too much pain." Her grip tightened and her dimples appeared as she smiled fondly at Odo and J'nel. "Now I can come here always, because now this is where I brought my husband after we were married."

Odo turned to gaze at her and smiled. "Have I told you how much I love you today?"

She laughed, her arms wrapping around his neck. "Not in the last five minutes."

Sisko rubbed his temples. The festival had been a roaring success, with an all time record of arrests and fines issued. He sighed and once again regretted the idea of putting Worf in charge of security while Odo was away. Odo would have kept the offenders in overnight then sent the on their way after they'd sobered up. Worf actually wanted to charge people. The Klingon simply couldn't get it through his skull ridges that this was a station, not a starship.

"Captain, Doctor Mora and a Doctor Brycen are here to see you." Dax's normally strident voice was very soft today, and Sisko knew why--she was as badly hungover as he was.

"Show them in and join us, Commander." Sisko pasted a smile on his face and stood as the three scientists entered his office. "Doctor Mora, it's a pleasure to see you again. Doctor Brycen, welcome to Deep Space Nine." He motioned toward the chairs in front of the desk. "This is my science officer, Lieutenant-Commander Jadzia Dax. How can we help you?"

Brycen smiled a smile that neither Sisko nor Dax liked. "Captain, I'll come straight to the point. Doctor Mora and I are here to collect your Changelings and take them back to Earth for further study." He leaned back, obviously enjoying the shocked silence on the faces of the others, except for Mora, who'd had the entire trip from Earth to become used to what was about to happen, not that it made it any easier.

"Why does Starfleet want to request Odo go to Earth? The Dominion have withdrawn from Federation space." Sisko's voice seemed to come from a distance, even to him.

"It's not a request Captain, it's an order. You will see to it that this Odoital and his....' Daughter' are secured for the transport to Earth, and that all records of any kind that involve them are handed over to me."

"You want to take J'nel as well?" Fear leapt into Dax's eyes as she glanced at Sisko. "What about Colonel Kira? She is married to Odo, and is J'nel's mother. She's not going to like the idea of moving to Earth, not when Bajor is this close to Federation admittance."

Brycen shrugged. "I'm not planing to take the Colonel with me. She may come to Earth, or she can stay here, I don't care. But if she does travel to Earth, she will not be seeing either specimen again. There is too much we have to discover about them, too much we must investigate. We know exactly how old this Changeling is; we need to study its development as soon as possible. Now," he stood and stared down on the other people, "When can I collect the specimens?"

"You will have to wait two weeks, until after Odo and Nerys return from their honeymoon on Bajor." Sisko's hand crept towards a button under his desk and pressed it. The button automatically locked down all the ships in dock, and the lockdown could not be reversed without his authorisation."Dax, will you find quarters for our visitors?"

"Captain, I am prepared to travel to Bajor to collect them if I have to." Brycen had stopped smiling by now, and was just glaring. "I will take whatever measures are necessary to obtain these Changelings."

"The problem, of course," Sisko leaned back and steepled his fingers, "is that Bajor is not a member of the Federation, and I have no right to demand anything of Nerys or Odo. And my own ancestry means that I have an aversion to anyone being treated as objects, not people."

Brycen shrugged disinterestedly. "Bajor will do what the Federation orders it to, if this First Minister knows what's good for his people. And if you try and prevent us from capturing them, you will be removed from this post and arrested yourself, for harbouring a fugitive."

There was a stunned silence for several minutes. "As you wish." Sisko stood. "I will try to discover their whereabouts for you. We were not told the exact location of their holiday destination, so if you are prepared to wait for an hour or so...?"

Brycen nodded sharply. "You have one hour Captain." He swept out of the room, as Dax and Sisko pounced on Doctor Mora.

"Doctor, what the hell is going on?" The Human was furious, and Mora seemed to sink a little lower into his chair.

"It's the Federation science council. They know that there is no way Odo would ever come to Earth voluntarily, so they decided to invoke a rule that gives scientists the right to contain and examine any members of a potentially threatening race."

"But what about Kira?" Dax was horrified at the thought of what might happen. "She loves Odo and J'nel. If you try to separate them, you won't end up with any of them, they'll just disappear on Bajor and no-one will ever see them again. You can't treat Odo and J'nel like things, they're people. Nerys won't stand for it, it's too much like how the Cardassians treated Bajorans during the Occupation."

"I know, but what can I do?" Mora shook his head helplessly. "Doctor Brycen has the authority to take Odo and J'nel by force if necessary. My hands are tied."

"Perhaps." Sisko glanced at Dax, who nodded significantly. "Doctor, it's been quite a while since you spent any time on Bajor, hasn't it?" Mora nodded and Sisko smiled. "Well, since I suspect that you'll be here for a while, why don't you take some time to look up some old friends?"

The Bajoran nodded slowly and stood. "I think I will. I'll see you later Captain, Commander."

After Mora had left, Dax turned to her commanding officer. "I assume you want me to call Nerys and warn her of what's happened?"

Sisko looked at her blankly. "I'm sorry Commander, what did you say?"

"Nothing Benjamin." She grinned and left the room, as Sisko sat in the dark with his memories.

It had been a long three months...

Odo patted Kira's hand furiously and looked around desperately for the medical team that was supposed to be on their way. Kira meanwhile, was lying on the floor of the replimat, alternately panting and moaning as the cramps within her struck. "Soon Ale'al, they'll be here soon." Odo sighed with relief as he saw Bashir and two nurses shouldering their way through the interested crowds. It wasn't every day that the station's First Officer collapsed screaming on the Promenade.

Bashir knelt beside Kira's prone form, and cast a professional eye over her. "Colonel, it's time we made a decision." Touching a hypo to her neck, he smiled as she relaxed slightly as the painkiller took effect. "You've only gotten this far because I've pumped you full of drugs to keep your body from rejecting the..." He hesitated, reluctant to give a name to the growth inside of the Bajoran. "The child." He settled on the title after a blazing look from Odo.

"It's time to remove it, isn't it?" Kira gasped as a sharp pain once again coursed through her. She gazed up at Odo and smiled, a little teary eyed. "I'm sorry beloved, I can't do this anymore."

Odo paused for only a moment, then picked Kira up and started down the promenade towards the Infirmary, Bashir trotting beside him. "I won't loose Nerys, Julian. Whatever else the cost, I won't lose her." Now inside the medical centre, he gently placed Kira on the operating table, then stepped away as Bashir anestheized her.

Julian gave a sharp nod and walked the man to the waiting room. "I'll do what I can Odo, but I can't promise anything."

Odo nodded and sat down primly on one of the chairs, prepared to wait for whatever may come.

It was the longest hour of their lives . . . .

'Odo looks exhausted' The thought ran through Sisko's mind idly as he waited for news on Kira's condition with the rest of the command crew. The group had gathered in the waiting room as soon as the relief crew had arrived in Ops, and were immediately taken aback at Odo's condition. The Changeling looked like he hadn't regenerated in days, almost as if he couldn't hold his shape anymore.

"She'll be okay, Odo." Dax placed a hesitant hand on the man's shoulder and smiled, but received no response. "Julian will keep them both alive, I know he will."

"You're assuming that whatever is inside Nerys is alive to start with, Commander." Odo's expression was bleak as he continued to stare at the surgery door. "For all the good doctor's medical knowledge, we still have no idea whether this growth is actually a baby Changeling, or just a tumour."

"We do now, Odo." Bashir pulled his red hood off and ran a hand through his hair. "Nerys is stable, but she'll be very sore when she wakes up. The internal damage wasn't as bad as I feared, and she's in recovery now. I expect her to be able to go home tomorrow."

"And the..." Odo couldn't bring himself to name the unknown object that had caused so much damage to his lover.

Bashir sighed and opened the door to the recovery room. A large clear container, filled with a dark orange fluid, sat on it's own bio-bed, next to Kira's. "It's a Changeling, at least, it has most of the same genetic structure as you do. But it also appears as if some Bajoran DNA has been incorporated into it's structure."

"Is it..." Odo couldn't take his eyes off the container, walking towards it as if drawn by a magnet. "Is it alive?"

Bashir shrugged. "I have no idea. I can only read it when I adjust my scanners, as with you. There is a certain amount of Bajoran DNA that can be read however, but only you can really tell us what's happening."

The Changeling didn't say a word as the others crowded around him and the potential baby shapeshifter. Slowly, he placed a hand inside the container, his light colour showing against the baby's darker shading. There was a brief shimmer as his hand liquefied and merged, then a look of utter contentment spread across Odo's face.

The rest of the crew watched him carefully, all anxious for both him and Nerys, when the liquid began to stir and shift. Odo retracted his hand, and turned to Kira, who was drowsily blinking her eyes as she woke up. Cradling her face in his palm, he smiled at her as she stirred and woke. "Ale'al, time to wake up now. We have a baby to look after."

"Baby?" Kira whispered the word as she fought through the fog in her mind. "It is a baby then?"

"She is." Odo smiled even wider and glanced at the container, where the new Changeling was still shifting, almost faster than the eye could see. "She's still trying to work out her shape. It'll take a while, so you have plenty of time to rest and recover."

"She?" Kira was slowly getting the idea that she was now a mother. "A little girl?"

Odo was grinning from ear to ear by now, his happiness almost tangible. "She decided she liked your shape better than mine."

Old Bajoran Proverb--Good news travels fast; bad news travels faster...

Odo morphed into civilian clothing and hurried over to the cabin communications console. He and Nerys had been enjoying a water shower rather than the more practical sonic variety they used on the station, while J'nel was sleeping happily in her tub. Opening the channel, Odo smiled. "Dax, the idea of a honeymoon is that no-one interrupts you with work."

"Sorry, but this is important. Is Nerys with you?"

"She's in the shower. Is it important?" Dax nodded and Odo sighed, before disappearing from view for a few moments, then reappearing with Kira at his side.

"What's wrong Jadzia?" She didn't like the interruption, but Nerys supposed a few minutes of station business wouldn't ruin the holiday. "Can't you handle a few happy Bajorans?"

"Oh, we dealt with them easily, it's the scientists we're having trouble with." She took a deep breath and launched into the problem. "Doctor Mora arrived at the station just now with a Doctor Brycen from Federation science. Brycen has orders to take Odo and J'nel back to Earth for study--and Nerys, you're not invited."

"Mora." Kira hissed the word through clenched teeth, as a cold chill swept through her. Odo simply stood, stunned.

"No, he doesn't want anything to do with this." Jadzia shook her head vehemently. "We think Brycen brought him to try and keep Odo in line. He's as miserable about this as we are."

"Sanctuary." Odo spoke for the first time, causing both women to face him. "J'nel and I need sanctuary, from Bajor if we can."

Dax shook her head. "No good. Bajor agreed years ago to give the Federation all assistance with the Dominion, and Brycen has invoked that agreement. There's nothing Shakaar can do, his hands are tied."

"Then it's up to me." Kira straightened, and her face became hard and cold. "How long before they come looking for us?"

"Forty minutes, that's all the time we could get you." Dax looked up nervously. "I have to go. Brycen wants your location soon, so he can come and get the 'specimens', as he put it."

Kira nodded sharply. "Don't worry. Just give him this location, and leave the rest to me. If you can get through to Shakaar again, tell him that we are 'doing a Jaldar'. He'll understand."

Dax nodded and closed the line sharply, leaving Odo to stare at his new wife as she quickly and efficiently began packing their bags. "Nerys, what does that message to Shakaar mean?"

"It means that we are going into the Bajoran hills to live, to a few places that only members of Shakaar's resistance cell would know." She continued bustling around, and within minutes, they were ready to leave. "Jaldar used to hide escaping prisoners and such in the hills, in places that had very secure entrances. We're going there." She disappeared into the second bedroom and reappeared with J'nel in her bucket. "We'll have to carry her, she's still tired."

Wordlessly, Odo carefully took the container holding their child, settled a knapsack on his back, and took Kira's hand as she glanced around the cabin. Walking out the door together, the two left without a backward glance and vanished into the surrounding countryside.

Brycen smiled as the Bajoran flyer landed a short distance from the Kira clan family cabin. Some distant ancestor of Nerys' had hollowed the rooms out of the mountainside generations before. It had been a mountain retreat for the artistic clan, and generation after generation had come there, on their honeymoons, their birthdays, or holidays, to paint, to create in the red soil clay, or to write about the love of the Prophets and Bajor. It had always been a place of peace and faith.

Until today.

As the Human alighted from the flyer, he saw a Colonel in the Militia march over to him and salute snappily. Brycen nodded and gazed at the cabin. "So Colonel, they're inside are they?"

"No sir, they were gone by the time we arrived." Colonel Fel valiantly fought back a smile as the Human turned bright red and spluttered, before racing into the cabin.

Brycen took a few minutes to look around, then swore loudly. "I want trackers brought in, and a full sweep of this entire province immediately!"

"You're not authorised for that!" Fel spoke softly, but there was a glint in his eye that anyone who'd had dealings with Bajorans would have recognised and instantly left for a safer environment -- like Cardassia!

"I'm authorised to take those two Dominion infiltraters back to Earth, and that's what I intend to do!" Brycen was breathing heavily as he advanced on the Bajoran and stabbed his finger into Fel's chest. "Now, get me those trackers and start looking for them!" He leaned in closer and breathed "And if this 'Kira Nerys' resists, shoot her!"

Fel raised an eyebrow as silence fell over the small house and Brycen stomped outside. Glancing at his fellow officers, the Colonel gave an evil smile. "Contact Militia headquarters and ask for the tracking equipment. But tell them it's no emergency." He headed towards the door. "They can get it here in an hour or so. Preferably or so."

Dax marched into Quarks and sat heavily on a barstool. "Quark! I need a bloodwine."

The Ferengi sidled up and poured her drink. "Commander, you look lovely tonight. Are you waiting for Worf?"

"No." Her tone warned him off further conversation, and he drifted away to serve other customers, still keeping an eye on the woman at the other end of the bar. He noticed a small commotion on the Promenade, and saw a Human pushing his way through the early evening crowds towards the casino. Dax, it seemed, also noticed the man since she picked up her glass, the bottle, and immediately moved to a small booth at the back.

Doctor Brycen stormed into the bar and glared at the patrons, obviously looking for someone. A small figure with large ears swam into his field of vision and smiled. "Welcome to Quarks! All new patrons receive one free drink and a free spin at the dabo wheel." The figure motioned towards the bar. "Now, what would you like to drink?"

"Go away. No, wait." Brycen reached out and grabbed Quark's jacket, pulling him closer. "I'm looking for a Trill. Do you know where I can find it?"

"A Trill?" Quark brightened. "Well, I can arrange for you to hire a holosuite for an hour, all deposits non refundable of course--"

"Not a thrill, you idiotic moron, I said a TRILL!" Brycen was yelling by now, and attracting a rather large, and highly amused, audience. "Now where the hell is she?"

"As I was saying, I have a rather extensive collection of holo-programs, several of which involve Trills, of both sexes." Quark picked up a nearby PADD and started tapping industriously. "Now, if you'll just put your impression here, I will upload one of the programs into holosuite three."

"For the last time I don't want a holosuite!" Brycen was extremely angry by this time, and the surrounding onlookers were laughing at the scene, including a curious Bashir who had just finished a very long shift. "I want to know where I can find Commander Dax! NOW!"

"Oh, Dax. Well why didn't you just say so?" Quark waved vaguely towards the promenade. "I believe I saw her heading towards the Klingon restaurant just a few moments before you came in."

"Thank you." Brycen snarled at the Ferengi and stomped off towards the restaurant, while Bashir sidled up to Dax's table.

"What did you do to him?" Julian smelled a scandal.

"He's here to take Odo and J'nel back to Earth, so they can be 'studied'." She gulped down another drink. "When we told him that Odo and Nerys were on their honeymoon, he demanded we tell him where they were so he could go and collect them."

"Colonel Kira won't like that." Bashir leaned back worriedly "They've only just started to get their life together."

"He doesn't care about Nerys, just about the Changelings. He's not even going to take her to Earth." Dax drank deeply again. "I warned them, and now he's probably after me to find out where they are."

"Do you know?"

"No, and I don't want to." She sighed. "I suppose I'd better face him."

"The longer he spends looking for you means that Odo and Kira get a longer head start, right?" She nodded, and he tapped his commbadge. "Bashir to Garak."

"Doctor, what can I do for you?" The Cardassian sounded genuinely pleased to hear from the Human.

"I need your help to keep a Doctor Brycen occupied for as long as possible. If I send him to your shop, can you keep him out of the way?"

"Of course, I know just the thing. I take it this is about Odo and his daughter?" Bashir, Quark, and Dax looked at each other in amazement, sure that they could detect a trace of humour in the man's voice.

"Yes. How did you know about that?"

"Doctor, please give me a little credit. Besides, several years ago Commander Data the android built a 'daughter' that the Federation tried to take away from him." They could almost see the smile. "My only surprise is that it's taken this long for the Federation to try to remove Odo and J'nel."

Quark nudged Bashir, who looked up to see Brycen looming in the far doorway. "The doctor will be with you in a few moments Garak."

"I'll be ready." He promised as Julian closed the channel and walked with Quark to the bar, where Brycen was drumming his fingers impatiently.

"That Klingon hasn't seen her all night. Now where is she?" He was beginning to get seriously annoyed.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Bashir." Julian smiled his brightest smile. "Who are you looking for?"

"Dax." Brycen forced the name out through clenched teeth, and watched as the doctor thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers

"I know where she is. She had a fitting at Garak's, our stations tailor. He's very good you know, perhaps she's still there." Julian plastered a dumb look over his face. "Maybe you should get a new suit, he has some--"

"Thank you, Doctor." Brycen shot out the door towards Garak's, while Bashir turned and lifted his glass to Dax's table, but she was already gone.

Julian turned to Quark and grimaced. "Only Starfleet could cause this much trouble here."

Quark shrugged and poured Morn another drink. "I don't know, remember all the trouble we had when the Dominion found out about J'nel?"

Bashir snorted and nodded sharply. "Who could forget?"

They had managed to keep her hidden for six months...

"Incoming message from Cardassia." Dax frowned as she traced the signal back to its source. "It's coming from a ship that's heading this way."

Sisko raised an eyebrow and glanced at Kira, who shrugged and looked expectantly at the view screen. "On screen."

The image of the Founder's leader appeared on the screen, Weyoun at her side. "Good morning, Captain."She shot a look of disdain at Kira. "And to you too, Colonel." Her gaze returned to Sisko. "Captain, we understand that you have had a recent addition to the station population who apparently is a Founder. We are on our way to the station to see if this is true."

Sisko glanced at Kira and noted the determined set to her jaw and sighed. "And if I refuse to allow you passage?"

"Captain," The Founder leaned forward, her expression intent. "We must prove this claim to be true or false. There have been no new Changelings within the link for over one hundred years, we must learn if this is a true Founder," She glared at Kira again, and the tension in Ops reached freezing point. "Or whether this is just a wild claim to cover a betrayal and unfaithfulness of the worst kind."

Kira leaned forward, her legendary temper bubbling to the surface. "Just what, exactly, are you accusing me of?"

The Founder leaned towards her monitor, seemingly growing larger on the viewer. "Just this Colonel; We don't believe, for even a moment, that this child is a true Changeling. I expect that it is merely an extension of Odo, or indeed, a solid child from some..." her lips curled in distaste. "Some sordid affair you have had with a male, and Odo has accepted the child as his own. Personally, I favour this theory." She drew away from the monitor and turned to Sisko. "We shall arrive in three hours. I suggest you do not impede us." The commlink closed.

Sisko didn't even count to one before his First Officer exploded in a rage the likes of which she hadn't displayed in over a year.

"Who the trangin does she think she is?" Kira began to stalk around Ops, and ensigns quickly moved out of her way. The command crew merely watched her get it out of her system. "As if I would ever... I have never visited a hurit in my life! And I certainly have never cheated on a lover!" Coming to the turbolift, she planted her foot in the wall with all her force, and Dax winced as a shower of sparks shot out of a nearby panel.

Sisko decided enough was enough. "Colonel! In my office, now." He waited until Kira had entered the office and was standing before his desk, before heading up the stairs sedately, murmuring, "Show's over people," as he went.

Entering the room, he took his time getting a coffee and sitting at his desk before leaning back and steepling his fingers as he looked at Kira. "Colonel, I realise that you are not given to swearing in Ops, so after this little chat, we shall say no more about it. I also want you to realise that no-one who knows you would ever believe that you would see a prostitute, or that you would be unfaithful to your relationship with Odo. So, while I realise that you're insulted by the Founder's words, I suggest you remember that she is arriving here, whether we like it or not. And that she wants to see your daughter."

"Over my dead body!" Kira, as always, was forthright as she hunched over the table and glared at him. "I'll worship the Pagh-wraiths before I ever let her link with my child."

"Kira, you may not have a choice." Sisko leaned forward and indicated for her to sit down opposite. "We can't afford a stand-off with the Dominion fleet at the moment. And it may not be necessary for them to link with her, she can simply change shape for them, that should satisfy them."

Kira snorted in disbelief. "If you believe that Captain, then with all due respect, I don't think you realise who we're dealing with." She leaned forward and spoke intensely. "They won't settle until they've linked with her, and if they do, they may not give her back. Or they could infect her, or even kill her!" She shook her head sharply. "No Captain, I won't let them see her; I'm not losing my daughter to the Dominion!"

The ways of the Prophets are hard to understand...

The Founder and her Vorta assistant stepped through the airlock to be greeted by Odo -- and a large security detachment. Odo stepped forward politely. "Founder, we will be escorting you to the wardroom where Nerys and my daughter are waiting. You will have exactly thirty minutes to examine J'nel, then you will be escorted back here and ordered off the station."

"I see." The Founder stiffened with disapproval and glanced at the Vorta, then began walking towards the wardroom, the security detail close behind. "I am disappointed that you have remained here Odo, and that you have accepted this child as your own. The whole link understands the pain you must have felt at the Solid's betrayal of you, but don't you think that you should just admit her inferiority to you and her unfaithfulness? We will welcome you with open arms and heal all your pain."

Odo merely smiled. "Founder, don't assume things about Nerys, or my daughter, before you meet them."

The group arrived at the meeting place and Odo indicated for the Founder to precede him into the room. Sweeping in, the shapeshifter barely acknowledged either Sisko or Kira's presence as she abruptly demanded"Give me the child!"

Kira stepped backwards, holding the Bajoran-looking child tightly in her arms. "J'nel will change shape for you, that will be proof enough. But she won't link with you, under any circumstances."

"Colonel, I don't think you're in any position to tell me what I can and can't do." The leader walked closer to Kira, reaching out as if to snatch the child from her arms, when Sisko intervened.

"If you attempt to touch the child, you will immediately removed from the station by transporter." He turned to Kira, who was looking more mutinous by the second, Odo at her side. "If you place her on the table, she'll have plenty of room."

Kira shot a look at the Founder that could have penetrated a deflector shield, and gently placed the child on the conference table. "Chula, this person wants to see what you if you can shapeshift like your papa. Would you like to show her that you can?"

The child nodded solemnly, a slow smile spreading over her face as she turned to the Founder. There was a flurry of movement, and then the table was supporting a reasonably decent replica of a Bajoran swamp-dragon. The animal lashed it's tail across the table and hissed sharply at the Founder, who's expression was becoming more astounded and horrified by the moment.

"I take it you are satisfied now?" Odo spoke up, a warm smile splitting his face as he gazed at his now-humanoid formed daughter, who was sitting on the table, playing with her clan earring.

The Founder hadn't moved, and the Vorta was turning a very interesting shade of purple, his eyes bulging. Sisko smothered a smile and stepped closer to the two Dominion representatives."As you can see, Madame Founder, this child is definitely a changeling, just like her father. She does posses some Bajoran DNA within her genetic structure, but this doesn't prevent her from being able to adjust her form as Odo and you do."

"A baby Founder" The Vorta had fallen to its knees in reverence, it's gaze locked on the child. "There have been no new Founders in a hundred years in the Link."

The female Founder had other things on her mind, however. "Bajoran DNA?" The phrase seemed to snap her of her stunned reverie, and cast a suspicious gaze on Kira. "So this child is not a true Founder after all."

"My daughter is as much a Changeling as I am, and nothing will ever convince me otherwise." Odo had J'nel in his arms, and she appeared to be going to sleep, bored by all the talking. "She is a part of Nerys and I made flesh, living evidence of our love for each other. And it ruins your theory that Changelings and Solids cannot be happy together."

"It appears it does." The Founder was still glaring at the small family with great disgust, but there was also a tinge of interest in her eyes. She stepped back and, the Vorta stood, its eyes still fixed on the child. "Captain Sisko, Cardassia and the Dominion would like to meet with your negotiators here within the week. As soon as I return to Cardassian space, we will cease all hostilities and return our forces to Dominion space in the Gamma Quadrant." With that, she turned and left.

Sisko turned to face an amazed Kira and Odo. "I'd say this meeting has gone well, wouldn't you?"

Old Bajoran Proverb: Peace is not just a state of mind; It's also a state of the soul . . . .

Odo gazed around the cavern Nerys had led them to and smiled. A small stream flowed through the far part of the cave, and there were several bunks already made up, obviously left over from the occupation. A large boulder was near the cave entrance, and Odo had already seen how easy it would be to roll the boulder to block anyone trying to enter. Kira had started a small fire, and seemed to be warming a packet over the coals. "I hate combat rations." Kira sat down beside him and gazed unhappily at the small package of food supplement in her hand.

"Normally I regret not being able to eat with you, but this time I think I'm rather glad." Odo smiled as Kira grinned and began doggedly eating the food, then slipped an arm around her waist and sighed. "How long can we stay here?"

She shrugged. "As long as we need. There is no way Shakaar is going to tell them about this place, and only five other people knew about it anyway." She stared at the wall sadly. "And three of them are dead now."

"So who was Jaldar?" Odo tried to get the conversation onto less upsetting matters.

She smiled. "Not was. Is. Jaldar is now a leading surgeon in Dakhur's main hospital. He specialises in paediatrics; he always did love children. But when the occupation started, he had just qualified as a doctor. He used to be our cell doctor; he patched me up more than a few times. These were special caves where we used to bring escaped Bajoran prisoners, severely injured fighters, that sort of thing. Edon sent me here for a while once after I'd been badly injured in an attack, and Jaldar tried to train me as a nurse, without much success." She chuckled merrily. "But I stayed for a while anyway. Because we always had people coming in, only five people ever knew where the caves were exactly. A guide would meet incoming patients and bring them here secretly. Jaldar, Shakaar, and I are the only people left who know where these places are. If we're going to be found, it will be one of them who betrays us."

"Is that likely?" Odo eased Nerys down onto the ground next to him and hugged her close as she stared at the ceiling.

"No, not really. Edon will contact Jaldar, and warn him, but I think they'll both keep their mouths shut, whatever happens. The only dangerous times will be when I have to go out to hunt for food." She grimaced. "I won't be able to eat those rations for long."

"I'll do that, I can look after you at least a little you know." He smiled, then looked concerned again. "Will Shakaar really not tell the Federation science department?"

Nerys watched him steadily then looked away, running a hand own his arm reassuringly. "Edon and I were friends long before we were involved, you know that. More importantly, he's got a high sense of justice, and I know he won't approve of what's happened to us. Besides, he likes you, he believes you're an honourable man and he loves being an uncle to J'nel. He's not going to tell anyone where we are."

They both turned as they heard a noise behind them to see J'nel rise from her tub and reform. The girl looked around her new surroundings, then turned her frightened gaze on her parents as she literally flew whimpering into her mothers arms.

"Shh, it's all right chula, it's all right." Kira crooned quietly at the child as J'nel tried to burrow into her. "It's okay, papa and I are still here."

Finally, J'nel surfaced to look into Kira's eyes. "Where house go?" She was scared, and neither of her parents could blame her. They were scared too.

"We had to move, chula." Odo gently placed a hand on J'nel's shoulder. "Bad men were coming to take you and papa away from mama, so we had to leave before they came. We're safe now, it's going to be all right."

J'nel bit her lip and nodded solemnly, her fear dissipating as she looked around the cave with interest, tugging away from her mother to wander around. Kira let her go, still keeping a careful eye on the child while indicating the doorway. "Odo, we should close that. It's going to get dark soon, and I don't want company from the wildlife."

"Or for J'nel to go walking either." Odo nodded and walked over to push the boulder over the doorway, while J'nel watched curiously. "Now J'nel, you aren't to go outside at all without mama or papa. Understood?"

She nodded. "Yes papa," and skipped over to Nerys, who suddenly found she was very tired. "Mama, how long we gonna stay here?"

Kira sighed and shrugged. "I don't know, chula, until the bad men go away." She reached out and drew the child into her arms, hugging her tightly. "Don't worry, mama and papa will take good care of you. You're safe here."

J'nel wrapped her little arms around her mothers neck, and the two lay together for a long time as Odo quietly got some blankets and placed them over his small family, then smiled as he realised that Nerys was already asleep. Drawing J'nel away, the two Changelings played together in a corner as Kira fell deeper into a dreamless sleep.

"Get me out of here!" Brycen wanted to throttle the Cardassian, but there was no point. They'd been trapped inside the tailor's shop for the last two hours, waiting until Chief O'Brien returned from wherever he was and fixed the malfunctioning door. "I have a Changeling to catch!"

"Really?" Garak feigned interest and innocence. "I thought the Dominion was no longer a threat."

"Nonsense. We should prepare for the possibility that they will invade again, and the only way to be ready is to study all specimens we can get. The two specimens on this station are the only ones left, and I intend to know how to defeat them if I have to take them apart molecule by molecule." The look in Brycen's eyes made Garak back away slowly. It was obsession, complete obsession with an ideal, and he knew that anyone who came between this man and his desire would get very hurt.

"But Odo is married to Colonel Kira, they have a child. How can you break up the family that brought about the truce between the Alpha and Gamma quadrants, just because you think there might be another invasion?" The Cardassian was turning on all the charm he could muster, but he still felt ready to strangle this annoying Human.

Brycen snorted. "He's a Founder, nothing more, nothing less. I don't know why the Bajorans even let him live after they discovered who he was, let alone work here. And this 'Kira' that everyone is talking about, we all know why she's with him. He's a shapeshifter, I think that says it all."

"I see." Garak glanced at a chronometer and sighed. "I wish I could help, I really do. But you see," he spread his hands expansively, "I'm afraid I know nothing about electronics."

Brycen snarled loudly and flopped onto the floor. Garak hoped that Bashir would tell the Chief to release them soon. He disliked being cooped up with psychopaths!

Old Bajoran Proverb: Dreams are the spice of the universe, because they sometimes come true...

Dax grinned as she watched Kira smooth her dress for the hundredth time. "Do you really think my hair is all right?" The Bajoran patted at it nervously, then straightened her ceremonial clan earring yet again.

Jadzia laughed. "Nerys, you look fine, and your hair is perfect." Standing, the Trill smiled as J'nel came out from her room, also wearing a dress. "And you look very pretty too!"

The child smiled shyly, and hid behind her mother, peeking out at the Trill. Nerys smiled, and picked the child up, careful not to crumple her dress. J'nel gently fingered her Kira's earring. "Pretty flashes..." The girl watched with delight as Nerys laughed and slowly moved her head from side to side, making the jewels sparkle as they caught the light.

"It is now fourteen-twenty."

The dispassionate voice of the computer interrupted the trio, and Kira gently placed J'nel back down after giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. "I guess it's time to start to the shrine."

Dax nodded, a smile still on her face as she lifted J'nel onto her hip. "We'd better get going, Odo will be upset if you aren't there on time." The smile became impish as the women headed down the corridor. "Although on Earth, it is traditional for a bride to be a little late."

Kira laughed out loud. "I think Odo would collapse if I did that." She grinned at her daughter, who was quietly counting Dax's spots. "Ready to see mama and papa get married chula?"

"'Ess." J'nel looked around with interest as the lift doors opened to the promenade, showing an unusually large crowd on the station. "Lots of people mama!"

"There are indeed, little one." Kira gave the crowds no more than a curious glance before heading towards the shrine where Odo would, no doubt, be waiting. To her surprise however, she found the rest of the command crew standing outside the shrine and Odo nowhere in sight.

"Ah, Nerys." Sisko stepped forward looking rather worried. "There seems to be a slight holdup. Security has been activated and Odo has been called away with them."

Kira stared at him for a moment, then slipped into officer mode. "Why wasn't I told." She glanced around wildly to Keiko. "Can you take J'nel until I come back? I'll just beam back to my quarters and get changed."

"Nerys, there's nowhere for you to beam to. Odo's off station with the security team and under a comms. blackout. We don't know what's happening until he gets back ourselves." Ben took the woman's arm, trying to calm her down as she was obviously stressed. "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

Kira pulled her arm away and shook her head, her hands clenching in frustration. "Do we have any idea of where they've gone?"

"Somewhere in the Bajoran system." Sisko shrugged. "Other than that, we have no idea." He glanced uneasily at Vedek Tonsa who had been supposed to co-officiate the ceremony. "Nerys, I know how much today means to you, but I suggest you should postpone the wedding for now. We can reschedule when Odo returns."

Kira nodded miserably, tears in her eyes now. "Very well, Emissary." Sitting at the bench opposite the shrine entrance, Dax and J'nel beside her, she looked up at Sisko ruefully. "This isn't how I pictured today at all."

Ben crouched down before her, his formal jacket carefully draped over one arm and smiled gently. "I doubt it's exactly what Odo had in mind for today either." He sighed and held her hand companionably. "Why don't you and J'nel go home? Dax can go with you and keep you company until Odo returns and you can rearrange things then."

Kira nodded and stood. "Yes sir." As she turned to leave, a sympathetic Dax only a step behind, she paused and turned back towards Sisko slightly. "When he does let you know, Captain, I'd like to be briefed as soon as possible."

Sisko bowed slightly. "As soon as I know what's going on, you will too, Colonel."

Kira gave a sharp nod and headed back towards the turbolift, her steps lengthening as she tried to get home before the tears spilled over.

Four hours later, Nerys was cuddling her daughter on the lounge, listening as J'nel practised her reading when their quarters door opened and a tired looking Odo entered. Nerys didn't say anything, merely looked at him steadily, while he came over to the lounge to sit at the other end. "I'm sorry about today. There was nothing I could do about it and I was instructed not to tell anyone else where I was or what was happening."

Nerys absently kissed her daughters upturned forehead. "Chula, could you go and play in your room for a while? Papa and mama need to talk."

J'nel hoped off the lounge reluctantly and slowly went into her room, glancing back at her parents every few steps with a worried look on her face.

Waiting until the child had closed the door to her room, Nerys turned to face Odo, her eyes searching his face for answers. "What happened? Today was supposed to be our day, our families day. It was no time to go chasing criminals." She repeated herself insistently."Today was our day."

Odo dropped his eyes and sighed as he slid along the lounge to sit next to her, bringing a hesitant hand down to rest on her knee. "I'm sorry. I should have told you what was happening, but I was ordered not to say anything to anyone, especially you."

Kiras nose wrinkled even further in annoyance. "That's the second time you've said that. Who ordered you?"

Odo sighed and clasped his hands in his lap, still unwilling to meet her eyes. "Kai Winn." He winced as Kira swore under her breath. "She called me early this morning and ordered me to bring my most experienced security team to Bajor, to investigate an alleged security breach, she said. We spent all day going through everything we could think of and couldn't find any evidence to support her allegation." He finally dared a look at Kira, to see tears in her eyes as she stared at him. "I think she just wanted to ruin our day, and she succeeded."

"Oh Odo . . . . " Nerys wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight as she buried her face in his neck. "How long is she going to keep doing this to us? Today was supposed to be our day."

"Shhh . . . . " Odo caressed her back and stroked her hair as he held her close. "Next week is the gratitude festival. Why don't we get married the night before, and then by the time she finds out, we'll already be away from the station?"

"With her presiding over the temple in the Capitol, she may not even know we are married until several days afterwards." She sat up and smiled at him as Odo took his hand from her waist and stroked her cheek gently. "I think it's a very good idea."

"Good." Odo kissed her then reached down to his uniform belt and held up long parchment. "Because as soon as I realised what was going with the Kai, I contacted Shakaar. We had lunch together, and he gave me this." He handed it to Nerys, who unfolded it to find a long document covered in Bajoran writing, but with several key areas left blank. "It's our wedding certificate. All we have to do is fill in the dates and have it signed by the witnesses and lodge the electronic copy with the Bajoran Central Archives. And we can probably get Captain Sisko to delay doing that for twenty-six hours after the ceremony actually takes place."

Kira nodded and carefully placed the paper on her coffee table, then reached out and drew Odo back into her arms for a more languid kiss, whispering as she did. "And this time, we don't tell anyone what's happening until it happens."

Ancient Bajoran Proverb: Sometimes the only warning of the coming avalanche are the falling snows . . . . .

Odo stood at the cave entrance and watched the gathering dusk carefully. A faint dot on the opposite hillside told him that his wife was on her way home after hunting her dinner, but by the speed she was moving at, it didn't seem that she'd found much to eat.

Five minutes later, Kira walked into the cave with Odo close behind. "I only found a horocat today." She grimaced and tossed her antique phaser onto her pack. "It was mothering, I couldn't kill it." She shook her head in remembrance."I never have been able to hurt animals since I accidentally killed that cat. And J'nel loves changing into a horokitten. I looked at it and thought . . . "

Odo slipped an arm around Kira's shoulder and hugged her close. "Never mind, we've got plenty of rations, so you won't starve for quite a while yet." He chanced a smile and was glad to see it returned. A slight noise behind them made them both turn, to see their daughter rising from her bucket where she'd been regenerating for the last ten hours.

Kira smiled as J'nel rushed into her mothers outstretched arms, and kissed the child's forehead, holding her tight. "It's alright, mama's here."

J'nel squirmed away to stand before her sitting parents. "Want to play outside!" She stood there, her tiny hands on her small hips, and a look on her face that was a mirror image of her mother's at her most stubborn.

Odo's smile widened and he reached out to gently hold one of her hands. "We'll go out soon J'nel, after the sun has gone down a little more."

The child pouted slightly, but knew better than to argue with her father. If it was her mother, she knew she had a fair chance of getting her own way, but not with her father. Turning, she sat in the doorway as close to the outside world as she dared to go without disobeying her father. Odo and Nerys both smiled, then turned back to each other. Odo gathered Nerys against him. "What do you want to do next?"

"We should try and contact Shakaar. He's very well protected though, especially with us running around. Bajoran security will know that we'll be trying to get to him, they've probably already doubled the guard."

"That might mean he won't be able to slip away to get a drink for a change." Odo smirked a little.

"I doubt it." Kira grinned. "The guards are there to keep us out, not keep him in." Her expression sobered."Which brings us back to the original problem. How to contact Shakaar?"

"I think that job will have to left to me, Nerys. You simply can't disguise yourself well enough."

"What about your face? You still can't do faces well, or noses." She trailed a finger lightly down the nose in question and smiled.

"Which will be to my advantage." He changed his clothes to an appearance of the average Bajoran male, then became uneasy. "You might want to sit back, this probably won't look pleasant."

Kira steeled herself but refused to move. "You're my husband, I can look at any shape you choose to form."

Odo briefly bowed his head. "As you wish." His features began to swirl and reform, eventually settling into a visage that Kira shuddered at. She had seen similar faces before, in the death camps during the Occupation. Odo's eyes were the same as before, but the jaw was misshapen, there were scars latticing the face, twisting the lips into an evil leer. The edges of the ears were jagged and torn, and the hair tufted and scruffy.

Kiras jaw dropped in astonishment as her eyes roved over the changes. The person sitting before her was nothing like the man she had know for the last ten years. She nodded slowly. "Good disguise. No-one would know it's you, even if they knew you."

"Good." Odo relaxed his face and took back the form he normally used. "Now, how do we let him know it's me, assuming I can get close enough to contact him."

Kira thought for a moment, then began laughing until tears ran down her cheeks. J'nel looked up from the door, startled at her mothers reaction, then toddled over to her father and wrapped her arms around his neck, anxiously watching Kira over his shoulder. Eventually the Bajoran managed to get the laughter down to a series of giggles and sat back up. Looking over at her husband and their daughter, who were watching her with slightly wondering expressions, she began to explain, still smiling widely.

"Years ago, when I was still a teenager, Shakaar was seeing a local nurse, whenever he went to town for supplies. After a while, she discovered he was in the resistance. When she did, she began giving him boxes of condoms to bring back with him, to prevent unplanned births she said." Nerys blushed a little. "She was sending so many boxes in the end that we were using them for everything! We were taping them around rifles to keep them dry, wrapping them over wounds to keep water out and lower infection, as tourniquets in emergencies, using them to ferry water, as patches on equipment and bedding, even gluing them together to make groundsheets. Shakaar eventually broke up with her, but by then, we had thousands of the things! We couldn't even give them away to other cells." She started laughing again. "For months afterwards, every time anyone wanted to kick his bucket, they'd just yell 'Gotta condom, boss?'. It drove him mad, in the end he said that anyone who even mentioned the word would be put on guard duty for a week."

"So how many weeks did you end up doing?" Odo reached up and ruffled J'nels hair, making the little girl giggle herself.

"Five. I couldn't resist for a while." Nerys looked at the others affectionately."If you can get to him, use that to get his attention. He'll immediately know that it's someone connected with his resistance cell. There's a good chance he'll even guess it's me."

Odo nodded and turned to watch the last of the sunlight drain away as night fell, then stood, J'nel nestled in one arm, and reached a hand out to Nerys. "Come on, let's go for a little walk under the stars. And while J'nels practising her shapshifting in that dell over there," he drew Nerys to him and kissed her passionately, "we might go dancing in the moonlight."

She smiled and trailed a hand down to Odo's backside. "I'd like that very much," then turned and led her family out into the dark. A few minutes later, a faint singing could be heard as Odo and Nerys danced under the stars.

Brycen glared at Mora, who folded his arms and looked his most obstinate. "So, doctor, you are refusing to help me continue to search for this enemy Changeling?" Mora nodded once and Brycen turned back to Sisko. "In that case, I must demand you place this Bajoran under arrest immediately and arrange for his transportation to Earth for interrogation. It is absolutely vital that every possible method of capture be attempted, and that requires that we have as much information about them as possible, whether provided willingly or not."

Sisko was sitting behind his desk, apparently paying silent but close attention. The reality was that he was getting more annoyed with Brycen with every demand. Controlling his temper with an effort, he smiled through clenched teeth. "I will certainly organise for Doctor Mora to return to Earth if he wishes, but this is a Bajoran station, and he is a Bajoran citizen. I cannot force him to leave for anywhere other than Bajor."

Brycen waved a hand as if this was unimportant. "I'm sure the Federation council will be able to see their way clear to ordering Bajor to suspend his citizenship as they did that Bajoran female."

"Hold on." Sisko sat up straight; this was news to him! "The Federation council instructed Shakaar to suspend Kiras rights and citizenship?"

"Of course. She went through some farce of a marriage to this shapeshifter, who also claimed Bajoran citizenship, as did their alleged child. The only way I could be permitted to enact the suspended racial laws was to have them declared enemies of the state and their citizens rights revoked. The council ordered this First Minister of Bajor to do so, and he complied yesterday."

"Were any more of the war legislation enacted against Odo and Nerys." Sisko was very still, almost holding his breath.

Brycen grimaced in annoyance. "Unfortunately, no." Sisko began to breath again in relief. "I was unable to have them enact the 'Shoot to kill' order on this Kira Nerys, nor could I have them establish the anti-terrorist legislation. If I had, we could have held her indefinitely in solitary confinement on Earth until she revealed the whereabouts of the two Changelings."

"Thank the Prophets for that." Mora sighed in relief, then stood and reached over the desk to shake Siskos hand. "Well, Captain, it's been wonderful meeting you again, despite the circumstances. If you'll arrange for me to leave on the next shuttle to Earth, I'll be going."

Sisko smiled toothily and nodded. "Of course, doctor. The shuttle leaves tonight, you'll have passage booked." As Mora left the office, he sat down and turned back to the other man. "Well, it seems that all you can do now is wait and see if Kira turns up." Leaning back, he fought down an amused expression. "Just as an interest, how long are you prepared to stay and wait for them?"

Brycen leant forward, the flame of fanaticism in his eyes. "Forever."

Bajoran Proverb: Pens may be mightier, but swords end arguments faster

J'nel studied the landscape before her intently. Somewhere out there was her mama. Papa was resting at the back of the cavern and had made her give her solemn promise that she wouldn't go beyond the caves opening no matter what might be out there that looked interesting. And both mama and papa had told her that if she did see someone, a person or a group of people, that she was to tell them immediately.

So she was scanning the Serpents Ridge hillside for mama, while playing with a holographic toy Aunt Jadzia had given her. It was a holobox that created shapes of varying complexities as holograms, from simple cubes and spheres to multi-sided shapes. The idea was that she would put her hand into the box and replicate the shape of the hologram as best she could, and every time she got it right, it increased the difficulty level and gave her a Bajoran centicredit. She could then save her pocket money up and every week papa and mama would take her shopping so she could buy something for herself that she'd earned all by herself.

She still earned pocket money like her other Bajoran friends did, by helping at home, making her bed without asking, and by helping mama keep their home tidy. While the computer could have done all that by itself, both Nerys and Odo believed that the responsibility the chores would instil in their daughter early on could only stand her in good stead later in life.

Looking around the hills again, she saw a movement in the distance and gave up all pretence of playing with her toy and hurriedly toddled in to Odo. "Papa, papa, mama come back!"

Odos golden mass flowed off the boulder he'd been draped over and reformed into his civilian attire, picking up J'nel as he strode to the entrance and looked around expectantly for his wife. Eventually he spotted her as she toiled up a gully towards the cave, tired and hungry. As she reached them, he reached out and drew her close for a hug. "No luck again?"

Nerys shook her head in exasperation. "Either I've lost all my hunting skills, or there's nothing out there to hunt." She sighed and grimaced slightly. "Looks like rations for me again tonight."

As the family entered the cave, Odo looked increasingly thoughtful. He watched silently as Nerys heated up her ratpack, then finally spoke as she began eating it with obvious distaste. "Nerys, I think we need to stock up on supplies, or move to a new area at least. And with winter coming soon, we're going to need snow clothing and blankets."

She shrugged in agreement. "So what do you suggest? We can't go into one of the local villages, the local police would arrest us as soon as we arrived."

Odo smiled. "I'm thinking of something called the 'Sherlockian Disguise Theory'. According to it, you hide a leaf in a forest, or a knife in a kitchen,-"

Kira interrupted and grinned. "Or a body on a battlefield. So instead of hiding here, we hide with people."

Odo nodded. "Exactly."

Jolanda City was the centre for culture and government for several surrounding provinces. As such, it had quite a large transient population of farmers, artists, militia, police, traders, and students. Consequently, the trio could hide amongst them in almost complete anonymity. On their way to the city, Nerys had broken into a farmers barn and used some weedkiller to bleach her hair, while Odo had wrapped several sacks around his waist under some real clothes he'd liberated along the way, giving him the appearance of a stout man.

It was J'nel who had undergone the most dramatic changes. Before, she had appeared as a young Bajoran girl about three or four years of age. Now, she looked about twelve, tall and slightly gawky. It had taken some convincing from both parents that she needed to change her hair colour from red to another colour, and she'd spent an entire night going through almost every colour in the rainbow before finally settling on black. Odo had raided a charity shop and taken some fairly nondescript clothes and shoes for all of them, and Nerys had burnt all the clothes they'd brought with them from the station. Since she'd lost much more weight than was healthy during their escape, even her close friends would have been hard pressed to recognise her at a glance.

So the group managed to enter the city at dusk without anyone noticing. Leaving Nerys and J'nel in a suburban library, where J'nel descended on the junior books section and Nerys devoured the news reports for the last two weeks, Odo turned into a local bird and began to scout around possible hiding spots, generally in low security office complexes. Eventually, he found a small set of offices tucked away behind several warehouses in an inner city industrial area. It looked like whoever had owned the offices had moved out and the warehousing had grown up around them, leaving a blocked in space that had been forgotten about for the moment.

Getting into the offices didn't prove difficult, nor did disabling the security alarms. He merely rewired the system to be linked in to the cleaners storeroom, and provided they didn't enter it, no-one would know they were even there. A more complicated piece of engineering was getting the small replicator in the office working again. In the end, he couldn't and gave up, resigning himself to having to find food for Nerys and supplements for J'nel and himself some other way. Being a policeman, he had an inbuilt aversion to theft, but what little disquiet he felt about this was silenced with the knowledge that he was providing food for his family, not just stealing for thefts sake. The small bathroom was still in working order, apparently linked into one of the warehouses sewer systems. Odo moved all the tables and chairs into one of the five rooms, then looked around in satisfaction.

Aside from the four rooms that could be used by the trio, there were two small computers, still powered and able to be connected to the planetary grid so Nerys would be able to stay in touch with what was happening on Bajor, and J'nel would be able to do some rough schooling when not practising her shapeshifting with her father. The only thing lacking was bedding and food. The family would just have to bunk down on the floor, not an enormous hardship to any of them after living in a cave for so long. Near one wall of a warehouse, there was even a small courtyard, about a metre square, that was covered over with a green mesh. A hole in one corner of the mesh had allowed Odo access to the rooms, and it was how he would be able to get out again to gather supplies. The only remaining problem was how to get Nerys in, but he decided to let her help work that out when he guided them here.

Changing into a goa bird again, he took flight and returned to the library. Casually investigating every room, he eventually found Nerys and J'nel tucked away in a corner of the old news storage section, with J'nel reading a book out loud and her mother helping her with the difficult words. She might look older, but she was still essentially a baby at heart. Odo took a moment to watch them together, a warm feeling suffusing him, before kneeling down and interrupting quietly. "Nerys, I've found somewhere I think we can use."

Her eyes flickered cautiously around the sparsely populated room then came back to rest on Odo as she gave a small nod. "You should take J'nel and pretend to be birds. I'll follow you. That way, if someone recognises me, you'll both be able to get away without them realising who you are."

Odo nodded slowly as Nerys hugged J'nel to her chest and rocked her slowly. "I don't like it, but it's the safest way." Reaching out to pick up J'nel, he stood and helped Nerys to her feet, then let her lead them into a temporarily deserted stairwell near the front door and turned to J'nel, smiling. "Now, do you remember how to be a bird? We practised lots over the last week in Dakhur."

The child nodded fervently. "Yes papa. I can fly very well now, too!"

Odo's smile broadened and Nerys tousled her daughters hair playfully. "Good, because we're going to fly and mama is going to follow us." Opening the door slightly, he checked that the library entrance was still unoccupied. "Now, we'll change into doves, and then you follow me very closely." J'nel nodded and two soft sounds later, Nerys was standing in an empty stairway with two paua -coloured doves, indistinguishable from any other bird commonly seen in the city.

Opening the door, Nerys took a deep breath and casually wandered through the foyer to the street, two doves fluttering out the door into the open air ahead of her. The birds took off, one after several heavy hops and a rather shaky start that almost saw it crash into a lightpole. It was all Nerys could do not to wince as the bulkier dove avoided the pole at the last moment and flew after the first, wings pumping madly as it tried to gain height.

Wandering down the street, apparently aimlessly, Nerys followed the birds for many blocks, stopping several times to browse in various shops as police came by, although none of them showed any interest in her. Finally, she crossed into a park and saw Odo and J'nel land on a bench opposite an industrial site. She sighed and curled her sore toes in the ill-fitting shoes, then glanced at the sleeker dove which was Odo. "You don't think you could have found somewhere a little further away - say, on the next continent? That walk was hell!"

The bird fluffed its wings indignantly and she chuckled. "Don't get stroppy on me, Constable. You and J'nel are just soaring around, enjoying Being birds and using the air currents. I had to use my two feet, and they hurt." The bird hopped closer and seemed to have an abashed expression on its face. Well, as much as a bird could, anyway. Meanwhile, Nerys had looked around and was getting uneasy. "Odo, we appear to be short a daughter."

The bird fluffed its wings again, this time obviously agitated as they both looked around, trying to find something out of place. Nothing stood out though, and Nerys gave time to a fleeting thought that the problem of having a child that could be anything she liked was exactly that -- having a child who could literally be anything she liked! She risked a louder voice, as there didn't seem to be anyone nearby. "J'nel! Whatever you are, just move a little so we can see you. Not much, people might see, but enough that mama and papa can see."

A long moment passed, then what appeared to be some blue moss on a tree next to the bench began slowly sliding down the trunk. Nerys looked at it closer. "J'nel, if that's you, change to green." In an instant, the moss was the sort of virulently green colour that no sane humanoid would touch with a barge pole, given a choice, and Nerys sighed with relief. Keeping her voice low again, she saw Odo settle back down onto the back of the bench, his feathers still ruffled but apparently much calmer. "J'nel, I want you to slide onto my shoe and then wrap around my leg. You'll need to change colour to match my pants." Several minutes passed, before the child managed to be entirely wrapped around her mother, then Nerys stood and stretched, wincing slightly as her legs complained about walking again. "So, how do I get in?"

Not even Bajoran birds can talk. Well, not unless they're very special Bajoran birds. Odos well-modulated tones coming from a rough-looking pigeon almost made his wife giggle. "That's the problem. The area I found is right in the middle of these four complexes, it's been forgotten about and is blocked off from access from the warehouses. And any entrance I might make will be large enough to be noticed."

"What about air conduction units?" Nerys scanned the top of the complex. "If that's a fan unit on the top, I should be able to crawl through that, if you can disable it long enough for me to get up there."

"Thankfully, that won't be a problem. I can become a ladder for you to climb up to the roof." Odo looked at a nearby light. "I have a better idea. Why don't you just get to the roof and I'll guide you from there. Just let me have a few moments to break that light." He was gone before she could reply, and seconds later, the light fizzed out, and he was back. "Now, if you head across the street towards that corner, we should be able to get onto the roof from there before anyone arrives to fix the light."

After that, it was the work of mere moments, and some inventive shapeshfting on Odos part, before Nerys found herself carefully climbing down the 'ladder' again into a tiny space between all the buildings. Peering through the gloom, she made out an open window and climbed in, hearing Odo enter behind her. The darkness in the room was even darker than outside and she stood still rather than fall over anything left lying around. She felt Odo move past her and a moment later, a dim glow lit up the room. It was about the wattage equivalent of an unwell glow-worm, but it did provide enough light for her to see comfortably after her eyes adjusted.

J'nel flowed from around her mothers leg and reformed into her usual shape of a small Bajoran girl. It was easier to remember than the new shape she'd had to concentrate on for the past days, and began to tentatively explore their new rooms, while Odo took Nerys hand and gently guided her through the rooms. " We have 4 rooms to use for ourselves. I thought one as a bedroom for J'nel, and one as a computer room. That room over there," he indicated a room that had been welded shut and had several 'Do Not Open' plastic strips across it, "No-one must ever enter. The security program is locked into that room, so as long as it remains undisturbed, we shouldn't be discovered."

J'nel had found the computers and was engrossed in bringing up old episodes of her favourite children's shows. In seconds, the small office quarters resounded with the something called "The Wiggles" and a young Bajoran girl bouncing up and down and twisting and twirling and bending to the music.

Odo drew Nerys closer, the hand on her back sliding down to rest on and then stroke her backside as he whispered in her ear. "She'll be caught up in this for hours, so why don't we go back into the sunroom and see if we can't get some exercise ourselves?"

Nerys grinned and practically dragged her husband back to the sunroom, both of them leaving a trail of clothes along the way.

"So there have been no sightings at all of the fugitive's in two months?" Sisko was in Shakaars office, relaxed and sipping a cup of coffee. The Kai was present, as was Dax and Brycen. Mora had vanished as soon as he could from Bajoran space, and Sisko had it on good authority that he was headed back to Earth but taking his time about getting there. "It seems to me that you may never find them at all, Minister. After all, we are talking about two heroes of the Occupation who managed to outwit the Cardassians more times than we know of." He plastered an expression of blasé innocence over his face. "I really don't know why you thought you would be able to catch them at all on Bajor. If I were you, I'd give up now."

On cue, Brycen jumped in, bubbling in anger. "With respect, Captain, I believe that we should increase our searching for the outlaws, not admit defeat and permit them to return to society."

"I must remind you all," Shakaar shuffled some PADDS on his desk in annoyance, "That at the demand of the Federation security council, I have already reluctantly suspended their rights as Bajorans. The are able to be arrested on site, regardless of whether they're committing a crime. If they attempt to escape from the police, they may be shot to wound. Dead would defeat the point, alive lets us interrogate them." He looked up and glared at the Kai in hatred at the next bit. "The will then be handed over to the Kai's personal guard for debriefing, until Odo and J'nel arrive on Earth and had been secured. At that time, the Colonel will be returned permanently to the station Deep Space Nine, as a civilian."

Dax almost laughed out loud at this. "If you think this will stop Nerys and Odo and J'nel from being together as a family, you've underestimated the bond of the Bajoran family.

"Lieutenant, I think you have underestimated the drive I have to save the Federation." Brycen sat back and said no more.

Old Cardassian proverb: Fate bites back

"It's not like I'm ungrateful, Odo," Nerys trailed a hand along Odos arm as they enjoyed what little sun came through the mesh above into the lightwell. "But how long do you think we can stay here? You can't keep going out bringing back food for me forever."

Odo trailed kisses down her neck, a tendril sliding under her shirt sleeve and wandering up her arm. "We stay as long as we need to stay. When things have calmed down and people have started to forget, then we can move out to somewhere else. I think we should go back to the hill country and find an abandoned farm."

"Sounds good." The tendril was stroking the curve of her breast now, and she was smiling at the gentle caresses, when J'nel came flying through the window.

"Mama, papa, people come!"

Odo reformed in an instant as J'nel launched herself to the top of the roof, while Kira scrambled back through the window, looking desperately for her phaser. "Nerys, there's no time, come on!" Odo tried to grab her hand and drag her back over the ledge as a small group of people moved down the corridor towards them. "Nerys!"

The name struck a chord with the group, and they gave up all pretence of moving cautiously. One of them yelled "It's her!".

Nerys turned and launched herself at the window but missed as one of the mob tackled her from behind, her head smacking into the wall.

Odo gave an anguished moan as he leapt up to the roof next to J'nel. A few muttered words later, and the two doves were winging there way over the city, while the mob posed for holopictures with their captured prisoner and the local militia before she was finally taken to hospital.

"They've found Kira." Sisko had called an emergency meeting of his command crew to update them on the situation with their friends. "Cleaners in a warehouse overheard noises early this morning and called in the local police. Nerys headbutted a wall trying to escape, but Odo and J'nel vanished, and she's refused to say where they might have gone."

"What's going to happen to her?" Dax was worried.

"At the moment she's recovering in hospital, but after that is anyone's guess." Sisko traced imaginary lines on the Ops table. "The Federation science council is furious that they've lost the Changelings, and Doctor Brycen has all but demanded we check every rock on Bajor."

"What about the First Minister?" Chief O'Brien wasn't the ministers' greatest fan, but he knew that Kira still had a lot of respect for the politician. "Isn't he able to do anything for them?"

"Shakaar has assured me that Kira will not be physically harmed because of her actions. She has done what she feels is right, to protect her family. Bajorans understand that, and the First Minister won't let her be imprisoned."

"Then what's going to happen?"

Sisko shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. We have to wait until the Bajoran military council sits next week. She's scheduled to appear then."

"Colonel Kira, do you have anything else to say in your defence?" General Ray spoke sternly as he gazed at the figure before him dressed in civilian clothing. Kira had been placed under guard as soon as she had been delivered to the provincial hospital a week ago, although no trace of her husband and daughter had been seen since.

"Only that I cannot betray my family, whatever the cost." Kira stood ramrod straight, prepared to face whatever they threw at her.

"Then I'm afraid that I have no choice but to strip you of your commission as an officer in the Bajoran Militia. As of this moment, you are hereby returned to civilian status. Furthermore, you are hereby exiled from Bajor Prime for the rest of your natural life. Should you try to return to the planet proper, you will be immediately and permanently exiled from Bajoran space."

Kira forced back the hot tears that came to her eyes. "May I ask where I'm supposed to live, sir?"

"You may live on the station currently known as Deep Space Nine. You are to come no further to Bajor than the station, regardless of any requests or potential employment. The government has allocated you a generous monthly allowance in view of your courage, dedication, and loyalty to Bajor, both during your time in the resistance and as Bajoran Liaison Officer and First Officer of Deep Space Nine. You will be given permanent quartering and rations on the station, and will be allowed unlimited supplementation through any employment you may be able to undertake." General Ray shuffled his papers nervously. "Is there anything else you wish to know before you're dismissed?"

Her voice rough with pain, she asked "What will happen to Odo and J'nel if they're found? And what if they come to the station to be with me?"

"Then you are bound by Bajoran law to inform the authorities and provide every assistance in detaining both Changelings for transport to Earth. Is there anything else?"

"He's my husband." She whispered the words in anguish. "We were married only a month ago! J'nel's our daughter. How can you expect me to just hand over my family to the Federation for them to do Prophets knows what? This is my family we're talking about!"

The general shuffled his papers again, increasingly agitated. "Your marriage has been annulled by the state. As of this morning, you're no longer married, so neither you or 'Odo Ital' can claim any marital rights. The child is under his custody, and as such you are ordered to have nothing more to do with either of them." He coughed, obviously embarrassed by what he was saying next. "We know that the Emissary blessed your union, but the Kai has given a special dispensation to have the blessing negated. It is the same dispensation that was given to Bajoran and Cardassian couples, regardless of whether children were produced from the union or not."

Kira shook her head, tears tracking down her cheeks. "I own, through inheritance, two properties on Bajor, in Dakhur. Am I allowed to visit my property? And what of my descendants if I marry again and have children, will they be permitted to return to our family homes on Bajor?"

The seven council members muttered to each other and called for books on law. One or two of them glared at Kira, but none spoke for half an hour. Finally, some form of consensus appeared to be reached and General Ray turned back to face her. "Although it goes against our previous adjudication, we have decided that you are permitted to spend one week per Bajoran year at your family home in Dakhur. You may not take up residence, either permanent or temporary, on Bajor until after your ex-husband and daughter are captured. However, you will be permitted to be buried on Bajor if you wish." He cleared his throat. "Anything else?"

"No. If you can provide all the regulations I have to abide with, I'll begin to prepare to return to the station."

"Good." He nodded to the nearby guards who stepped forward. "Then go with these soldiers. Sergeant Kran will see that you are fully debriefed, that your military issued kit is returned and checked off, and that all your necessary paperwork regarding your immediate discharge is attended to. " He banged the gavel and stood. "This court-martial is completed. Judgement has been made and sentenced carried out." He bowed to the flag on the far wall, the visible symbol of the faith of the Bajoran people. "May the Prophets have mercy on those who have been judged today and lead their feet down the true and righteous paths. May all go in peace."

Kira stood for a moment after the others had left, staring at the wall. So far, she had sacrificed her commission, her career, and her friends for the sake of protecting her family. Sighing, she turned to see a grey-haired man smiling at her sadly. "Sergeant Kran?" He nodded. "I believe I'm in your hands now."

The man motioned towards a small door, and led her out . "All your belongings were packed up and sent straight to Bajor as soon as we knew you had been captured. Ordinance and supplies have already gone through and gather all military items into one section, while leaving as much of your personal items alone as they could. " He motioned towards a large warehouse. "So, if you'll come with me, we'll go through the list and sign back all your issued kit, then arrange to have your personal belongings returned with you to the station."

Kira nodded. It was going to be a long and lonely road, but freedom had always only been won by sacrifice.

Dax and Sisko sat on the upper level of Quark's and watched the new technicians as they were cleaned out at the dabo wheels. Quark made no secret of the fact that his favourite times were the first week after a crew rotation, before any of the old hands had time to warn them about him. Suddenly, a nondescript figure appeared at the table and snatched up the wheel operators' hand, revealing the small electronic device on its hand. Quark watched aghast as every player grabbed back their bets and abandoned the table, then looked around, but the figure had disappeared.

"It's her." Dax was forced to crane her neck around a corner, but she could partially see the solitary figure shadowed in darkness at the back of the casino. "She's by herself, looks like she's drinking fairly steadily too."

"Let's go." Sisko led the way down the stairs and into the rear of the bar, before slipping into a seat opposite his former First Officer. Dax dragged over another chair and sat, effectively blocking all view of the table and its occupants. Sisko smiled sympathetically at Kira. "Well Colonel, long time, no see."

Kira chuckled mirthlessly and took a deep swallow from her drink. "You seem to have the wrong person, sir. I'm just an ordinary civilian who's permanently exiled to the station. I can't even return to my home planet until I'm dead."

"You just remind me of someone I once knew, that's all." His expression became solemn. "She was a Colonel in the Militia, she'd had a very hard life, suffered a lot of pain during the occupation, but she seemed to finally find a home here with us, even married our ex-security chief." His concern deepened as the woman before him simply shrugged at his words, and he tried again. "They were on their honeymoon, with their daughter when a scientist caused some trouble and they had to hide. We haven't seem them since."

"Bajor is a big place, Captain." Kira looked him in the eyes for the first time. "I doubt you'll ever find your friends. Once you lose yourself in the country, you never really come back. There's always a piece of yourself back there."

"I see." Sisko knew that he needed to walk gently with their old comrade. "Well, I'm sorry to have troubled you." He and Dax moved to leave as Kira buried her nose even deeper in her glass. "If you ever hear from the Colonel though, please tell her that we'd love to see her again. We care about her very much."

A ghost of a smile crossed Kira's face as she looked up at them. "If I ever see her, I'll let you know. But she's probably somewhere in the back-country, looking after her family."

The Human nodded and left, with Dax walking slowly beside him. Back on the promenade, he turned to the Trill. "Well, what do you think?"

"Odo and J'nel are hiding out in Dakhur province, but she's not sure where." Dax's voice was thoughtful as they strode into the security office, where Bashir, Worf, and the two adult O'Brien's were waiting. "It's probably a good thing that she doesn't know where they are, then she doesn't have to lie to anyone who asks."

"Agreed." Sisko paced the room slowly. "The problem now is how we can help her."

"She would make an excellent security officer." Worf's normally gruff voice was surprisingly gentle. "Her military experience and previous posting to the station make her ideal. And security does have the unique option of recruiting straight from the civilian population, not military personnel."

"You don't think there might be just a few too many memories for her to deal with?" Sisko was more concerned about her mental health than where she would be best suited. "No, not security. At least not yet." He paced again as silence fell for a moment. "I think, for the moment, we need to let her adjust to what's happened in her life before we try to help her find work."

Odo held his daughter close and carefully stole through the quiet streets of the Capitol. They had slowly and cautiously made their way to the government's headquarters over the last ten days, cutting across country at night, and masquerading as luggage during transports in short hops from province to province. Every soldier was on the lookout for something strange, all wanted to be the one who caught the shape-shifters. Odo was taking a perverse pleasure in knowing just how many times he'd managed to avoid the military, but it was taking a toll on both himself and J'nel.

Arriving in a quiet outer suburb of the city, he sat down in a shadowed doorway and studied the house opposite, the residence of the Bajoran First Minister, currently Shakaar Edon, and Kira's old resistance leader. Shakaar was not a frequent visitor to the station, but he was certainly J'nel's favourite, since every trip meant a new toy for her. Security had been increased around the residence, no doubt to prevent exactly what Odo was planning, a break-in so he could talk to Shakaar personally.

But Odo knew Shakaar's habits, something the Bajoran guards didn't, and that gave him an ace up his sleeve--the minister knew of a secret exit from the house, and often used it to get out for a few hours. He had tried something similar on the station, but Odo's vigilance had prevented him so far. This fact was now going to hopefully help the Changeling at least talk to the minister, if not actually solve the whole problem. Putting J'nel down gently, currently disguised as a sports ball, while Odo was pretending to be a teenager, he watched the door of what appeared to be a guard station. It was in fact, a recessed door that Shakaar, if he intended to escape tonight, was going to have to use to get to the street. He was finding it odd to be shorter than he normally was, although J'nel was having fun with the various shapes and forms she was assuming. It had also been curious that a young Bajoran girl had flashed him several interested looks when she passed him in the street. Odo had sure that with a little encouragement, she would have flirted with him, and he wasn't sure how that would have looked when he told Nerys eventually.

Sure enough, about three hours later, a tall figure dressed in grimy street clothes, sauntered out of the exit and headed down the street towards Odo. As Shakaar came level with the doorway he was hiding in, Odo spoke quietly, just loud enough to be heard by the man "I got a tyre that needs fixin'. Got a condom, buddy?"

Shakaar stopped in his tracks, then leaned against the wall, not looking into at the Changeling. "You're taking a chance, friend." His eyes constantly watched the top of the street. "Life has become very . . . Difficult recently, for both of us."

"A fact I am well aware of, minister." For the teenage body he was in, Odo's natural voice would have been amusing if the situation weren't so grave. "While I have no doubt about my ability to look after my child, I cannot say the same for my wife. What has happened to her?"

"She's back on the station, but not as before." Shakaar's tone became sadder, and Odo steeled himself for bad news. "While I was able to ensure she wasn't imprisoned, I couldn't prevent her being discharged from the Militia." He sighed deeply. "She's out of my hands now, I can't help her friend. To become involved would damage Bajor's standing within the Federation. I'm sorry," He paused and almost turned to look at the fugitives, "But my advice to you is to find a hiding place and stay there until you can escape to the station. Nerys has been exiled to Deep Space Nine for the rest of her life. She can't return to Bajor until after she's dead. There's nothing I can do for her now."

"You can't do anything? Not even after all we've done for you and Bajor?" Odo had no qualms about using emotional blackmail to try to get some compromise for his family.

"That's not fair friend." Shakaar saw several people walking down the street and froze, but they passed by without a word or sign of recognition. "I'm trying to find a loophole, but I can't promise anything."

"All I ask is that you try." The minister heard movement behind him, but didn't turn around as Odo stood and picked up his daughter. "I will return in a month. Now, perhaps you should go on to the tavern before I leave."

"Actually, I don't feel like going to the tavern anymore." Edon wrapped his cloak around himself and turned back to the hidden door."We won't meet here again, it's too risky." The Bajoran wracked his brain, then had a clever thought. "In exactly twenty eight days, at thirteen hundred, I'll run a system diagnostic on the computers in my office. It will take the security system off-line for ten minutes. Be there somehow then." He smiled slightly. A Bajoran dove, perhaps?", then sniffed a little. "There's a sudden chill in the air. Maybe I should just drink in my room tonight. Good night, friend." He walked swiftly back to the secret entrance and disappeared as Odo quickly jogged in the opposite direction. He had to get to his hiding place soon, before he became too exhausted.

Keiko bustled around her families quarters, making minute changes to the settings before the dinner guests arrived. Miles had finally talked Kira into having dinner with them, and Sisko was joining the small party, anxious to spend some time with his former First Officer. The door slid open, and Kira stepped slowly into the room, followed by Chief O'Brien, who grinned as his daughter raced over to the woman she called 'Aunt Nerys', and hugged her.

Kira smiled slightly and hugged Molly tightly; memories of her own daughter flooding back. Putting the child back down, she was quickly enveloped in a cuddle from Keiko. "How are you doing, Nerys?" The shorter Human looked at their Bajoran friend worriedly as Kira's smile faded and she shrugged.

"No too bad. At least I'm on the station, not stuck on a prison on Bajor." Kira took her usual seat on the couch as Keiko smiled sympathetically.

"Nerys, I don't think Odo would have let you stay in prison long." Her eyes were twinkling now, and Nerys couldn't help the cheeky grin that began to spread across her face. "I think he would have broken you out within the week and taken all three of you somewhere safe."

Kira chuckled and glanced at the drink Miles had given her. "You're probably right." Her expression sobered. "But right now, I don't even know where he is, or if he knows where I am." She turned away, fighting the tears that tried to fall. Collecting herself, she managed a wan smile for her hosts. "Anyway, I'm here now, and one day I'll manage to find a way to get my family back together."

"I hope so, Nerys." The Chief smiled and gently squeezed her shoulder, as Molly climbed into Kira's lap and gazed at her aunt thoughtfully.

"'Rys, where's J'nel? I want to play!" Molly didn't understand the sad smile that crossed the adults' face, and sat expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"She's with her papa, on Bajor." Kira's heart was almost breaking as she looked at the young child. "They'll be back soon, and you can play all you want then. Okay?"

"All right." Molly wasn't exactly happy with the answer, but knew it would have to do.

Keiko clapped her hands and motioned towards the table. "Dinner is ready if anyone's hungry." Just then, the door chime sounded, and a few moments later, Benjamin Sisko strolled into the room.

Kira shot to her feet, blushing profusely. "Captain, I didn't realise..." She headed towards the door. "I'll go now, let you have dinner,"

"Kira!" Sisko grabbed her arm gently as she hurried past and forced her to halt her exodus. He continued in a gentler tone. "Nerys, you were invited to dinner, and so was I. We want to talk to you, find out how you are, how you're coping with what's happened." He slowly led her back into the room towards the food-laden table. "Now, sit down, and let us be your friends. We're worried about you, and we care about you."

Kira nodded sadly, still fighting tears. "Yes sir." Sliding into her seat, she barely noticed as she piled food on her plate.

"So, have you heard any news from Bajor, Nerys?" Keiko tried to delicately tiptoe around the sensitive subject. "Has Shakaar sent any news?"

"No." Nerys picked at her plate, her eyes wet with tears. "Edon hasn't talked to me in weeks. He's revoked all my security clearances. I have a very generous monthly pension, more than enough to live on, but I have absolutely nothing left of my military life. I have no job, no family, no work, no more purpose in life."

Sisko tried to lighten the mood. "As you know, you could always apply to Starfleet for a field commission. You would be able to leave Bajor and see more of the galaxy than most Bajorans will see in a thousand lives." He shrugged as she wrinkled her nose at the idea. "Well, you could always become an unaffiliated trader in the Gamma Quadrant, acting as a go-between for traders from here and those seeking to further their trade routes in the Gamma quadrant."

Kira slowly nodded her head as she ate her salad. "I would be working for both Bajor and the Federation, in a way. And my discharge payout from Bajor would give me enough working capital to outfit a small trading ship. And with a little investment help from Quark . . . . " She suddenly looked up, stunned. "What am I saying? Help from QUARK? I must be mad."

Miles chuckled and broke the tension as he handed her a drink. "I'm sure he'll be happy to cut you in for say . . . . . eighty percent of the profits?"

"He'll get fourty percent and not a lita more!" She put on her most ferocious scowl and grinned as the others laughed.

Shakaar watched a light rain fall outside his office window and waited. Sure enough, at exactly one pm, two small yellow doves swooped through the air to land on his balcony. Trying to look casual, he took a packet of seed from his pocket and scattered it just in front of the door, then turned and went back to sit down at his desk. Apparently unconcerned, one of the birds followed the seed into the room, while the other sat outside, ruffling its feathers in the sun.

"I turned the movement sensors off five minutes ago." Shakaar tapped absent mindedly at his console, speaking as though to thin air. "It'll be calibrating for the next five minutes."

A soft sound later and Odo was standing in front of the desk, arms folded, frowning at the Bajoran. "I'm still not sure this isn't a trick."

Shakaar sighed and glanced at the man. "Odo, I would hope you and I have a better relationship than that." As Odos expression didn't change, he tried again. "Nerys and I were friends long before we were lovers. And we've stayed friends long after our intimate relationship finished. I learnt to respect you many years before we met, and none of that has changed since you and Nerys became involved or have been married." He stood and walked over to look back out the window, the rain still coming down. "From what I've learned, Nerys has been taking time, resting. There's a rumour she's looking into becoming an independent trader between the station and Gamma quadrant species. She's purchased an old freighter, and frankly I can't see her leaving Bajoran space unless she has something to go forward to."

"She shouldn't have to leave at all." Odos voice cut the air savagely. "She spent more than thirty years fighting for Bajor, for your peoples independence. She's spent her life protecting Bajor, giving everything, even offering her life up, and all Bajor has done is kick her in the guts. It's rejected her and our family out of hand; It's told her that all she has sacrificed has been for nothing!" Odo had to make a conscious effort to keep himself from shouting, for fear of alerting the security guards. He dropped his voice to a cutting whisper. "So what are you going to do about it, First Minister?"

Shakaar lowered his head to stare moodily at the floor, his arms folded. "There's nothing I can do." He risked a glance at Odo to see baffled fury on the Changelings face. "She's exiled for life, Odo. And I'm breaking Bajoran law and our treaty with the Federation by even talking to you. I should be calling the guards right now, to have you and your daughter arrested and sent to Earth for study."

"So why aren't you?"

Shakaar shrugged and turned back to the window. "Because I'm a hopeless romantic." He smiled a little. "And because I remember sending Nerys to Terok Nor, to find out who was collaborating with the Cardassians. And because the new civilian security commander had the chance to hand her over to the enemy and didn't because he believed her innocent, even though he was threatened that it would cost the lives of others." He turned and gazed at the other man steadily. "That kind of courage and honour is rare."

"She was guilty." Odo's gaze slipped from the Bajorans as he turned to face the window himself. "She lied to me better than I thought."

"And yet, the case remains unsolved on your files." He flashed Odo another smile and the Changeling turned to him, aghast. "Did you really think Nerys wouldn't tell her old commander about what really happened? And when you finally found out?" He frowned slightly. "Who did you think she passed those names on to?"

"So what happens now?"

Shakaar returned to his desk, knowing that time was running out and idly began reading a PADD. "Did you know that Cassidy Sisko's ship is leaving for the station in twenty minutes? She taking a grain shipment to Prophets Landing tomorrow, but she's stopping over at the station tonight." He shot a look at Odo. "She has the worst security arrangements of all our traders. I keep meaning to speak to her about it."

Odo didn't bother to speak again. Within seconds, there were two pigeons on the landing again, then both took flight, heading towards the spaceport. A moment later, a guard poked his head around the door and nodded at the minister. "Sir, the computer has finished the calibration. Sensors are up and running again."

"Thank you, lieutenant." Shakaar smiled to himself. "Everything is fine."

Kira decided that she'd spent enough time reading her ships technical manual and that it was well past time to go to bed. As she had to leave in two days to visit a new race past the wormhole, a race with plentiful grain but little technology, there was a great trade opportunity for Bajor in manufacturing and training. Pulling on the grey pants and shirt she slept in, she replicated a raktajino and retreated to her bedroom. Laying on the bed, she was about to turn out the light when suddenly the bed moved. Rocketing to the other side of the room, she realised with a shock that it was the bed quilt that was slowly moving and reshaping into the well-know form of Constable Odo. He blinked a little, then gazed lovingly at his wife as he held out a hand. "It's all right, beloved, it's me." She continued to just stare at him until the floor under her bed also dissolved and reformed as her daughter.

"Mama!" J'nel shot into her mothers arms and nuzzled Kira's neck as the woman's arms closed around her child, and a strangled sob broke out of her throat. Holding the little girl tightly, Nerys didn't even feel Odo gently steer her over to the bed to sit down as he held his wife and child for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

Finally, Kira managed to stop sobbing long enough to spare her family a smile. Tracing Odo's face with her palm, she shook her head as he gazed at her in adoration. "I thought I'd lost you forever. How did you find me?"

"I paid a visit to an . . . . 'Old friend'." Odo grinned as J'nel snuggled further into Nerys' arms, as if determined to never leave her mother again. "He told me what had happened to you."

"This friend," the smile widened, "He wouldn't happen to be a farmer, would he?"

"He would, yes." Odo ran a gentle hand over his daughters back as the young Changeling began to lose her shape tiredly. "He doesn't know if he can help, but he's going to do all he can." He eased J'nel from Kira's arms and carefully placed her on the bottom of Nerys' closet, before returning to lie beside his wife on the small bed. "We can't stay long, they might find us."

Nerys wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him gently. "Let them. I'm not going to let you go again. I'll never be able to go back to Bajor again, but I'm not going to let them take you away from me ever." Her actions became more passionate as the pent-up desires vied for release, and her voice became rough. "I've missed you, Ale'al. Let's never let them separate us again."

Her hands were smoothing over Odo's form, and it was becoming harder to keep his shape. Groaning, he let his form begin to fade, retaining his arms and torso as he held her close. "Nerys, J'nel is just over there, we should wait until we have some privacy." Her hands stilled slowly, and she sighed as she nodded.

"I know." Kira buried her face in his shoulder. "It's just that... that I've missed you so much." Pulling back, she began to think of what to do next. "Are you able to stay on the station, is there somewhere safe for you both?"

"We're going into the conduits, down into the lower part of the station." He smiled, still holding her tight. "No-one comes down there, we'll be safe." He ran his hands down her back soothingly and whispered "But we can stay tonight, if you think it's safe."

"I'm going on a trade expedition into the Gamma quadrant in a few days. Perhaps we can arrange for the two of you to come with me." Nerys snuggled back under the blankets and ordered the lights off. "Just having you here is better than sleeping alone." She saw her husband smile, then quickly fell asleep in his arms, peace settling over her for the first time in months. Odo stayed awake a little while longer then let his form slip away, nestling next to his wife, and thrumming happily for the rest of the night.

The next morning, Dax walked into Quark's and glanced around. She caught Quark's eye, and he indicated a booth to his right. She gave a slight, imperceptible nod and headed for the privacy of the enclosed space. Sliding back the curtain just enough to slip inside, she let the curtain fall closed behind her as she allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness.

"Hello, Dax."

"Nerys."

The old friends smiled together, secure in the knowledge that they had a precious short time to share, but they were alone from prying eyes. Dax looked carefully at Kira, and what she saw in her friend's eyes made her eyes narrow. "So, what is going on? Have you heard from Odo and J'nel yet?" With a wealth of centuries of experience, she could decipher the faint blush to creep into Kira's cheeks, even in the gloom. She drew in a slow breath. "You have, haven't you." It was a statement, not a question. "Are they on the station?"

Kira tilted her head on the side a little and shot Dax a smug look, "Jadzia, you know I have to report any contact with them to command staff. You would have been alerted already if they had returned."

Dax sighed, smiled, lifted her eyebrows, and slightly shook her head. "I doubt it. Nerys, I'm not here in an official capacity, you know that." She sighed again, louder, "I had hoped you could feel that you could trust me . . . . "

"That's not fair." Kira had a smile on her face as she looked down to avoid her friend who was looking at her inquiringly. Nerys paused, her face becoming more solemn as she met the Trill's eyes again, "I do trust you, Jadzia . . . . " her eyes became more tortured, " . . . . but you have to realise that my family means everything to me. I can't . . . . " she paused, unsure of what to say. Dax's hands reached out and covered Kira's, trying to express their friendship silently.

"Nerys," she stressed, "I understand. But I just want you to know that we're still your friends."

A deep communion passed between the two females before Dax leaned back in her chair. "Besides, what we don't have any proof of can't be reported upon, can it?"

Kira smiled again, relief in her face. "That's a good point. How do you like make-believe?"

Jadzia settled back and sipped her drink. "I always enjoy a good fairy tale. Carry on."

Nerys took a swallow of her drink and arranged her thoughts, then sat back and gave a faint smile. "Once upon a time, a soldier fell in love with another soldier and they had a child. But the second soldier was very special and he passed what made him special onto their daughter. But an evil witch and her army and servants didn't like the two soldiers being together, and they liked it even less that they had a daughter as well. But when they discovered the child had magical powers as well, the evil witch and her empire left the two soldiers and their army in peace."

"You should write fiction." Dax grinned.

"You should read my old diplomatic reports!." Kira smirked and took another drink and settled back again. "Anyway, just as the soldiers and their daughter went on a holiday after the parents got married, and life had settled down to normal, the kings scientists told the king and his advisors that unless they were allowed to lock up the special soldier and his daughter and examine them, they might become a threat to the kingdom. Because the king and his advisors didn't want another war, they agreed to the soldier and his daughter being locked away and that the soldier who loved them should never see them again. But the two soldiers didn't like this and defied their king and the kingdom and ran away to hide until they could speak to one of the kings advisors in the hope he could help them. But the lady soldier got hurt and had to go to hospital while her special husband and their daughter kept hiding, trying to see the advisor. Eventually, the hurt soldier healed but wasn't allowed be a soldier any more because she wouldn't tell where her husband and daughter were, so they exiled her to the wilderness, never to be permitted home again."

"And this is where the story really starts." Dax signalled Quark for a new drink while Kira surreptitiously checked the nearest chrono.

"So, exiled in the wilderness, the ex-soldier found a new job as a trader. She hadn't seen her husband and daughter for weeks, and was going to leave to work for her friends and the kingdom, even though they didn't want her anymore. But a few nights before she left, she was alone in her cabin when her husband and daughter appeared. Their friend, the kings advisor, had managed to smuggle them to her cabin without anyone knowing. They spent two wonderful nights together, then went apart again. The special soldier and his special daughter are hiding again, and the trader who used to be a soldier will be leaving tomorrow for a new life on the frontier. And none of them might ever come back to this town again."

Dax nodded slowly. "Not a bad story, Nerys. I would hope that the trader does return again though, to visit the town and her friends occasionally." She grinned a little. "And, of course, if she picks up a crewman along her travels and brings him with her, well, there's nothing we can do about it, it there?"

"Except he might be subjected to blood tests, and if he's not Humanoid . . . . " Kira let the question dangle as she sipped her drink. "Besides, having a small child in tow as well might just give things away slightly."

"To change the subject completely," Jadzia grinned as Kira snorted slightly in disbelief, "Did you and Julian ever talk about J'nel and her likely growth rates? Doctor Mora must have quite a lot of data from when he was studying Odo."

"The Bajoran angle may make a difference. We never really talked about it." Kira avoided her friends eyes.

It was Dax's turn to snort this time. "And I'm a Bolian." She noticed Kira's eyes wandering to the chrono again and sighed. "When do you leave for the Gamma quadrant?"

"Tomorrow morning." The Bajoran stared at the table, twiddling her glass in her hands. "I'm scheduled for departure at oh nine hundred." She stood nervously. "I have to go. I have a little packing still to do and I'd like to get a good nights sleep before I leave."

"Hmmm." Dax finished her drink, not believing a word of it. "Well, I'll drop by in the morning to wish you luck."

"Thanks Jadzia." Kira smiled and impulsively reached out and hugged her friend. "I'd appreciate that." She moved towards the exit but turned just before she left the booth. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Nerys grimaced and ignored her aching knees as she crawled through yet another conduit. Gritting her teeth as she banged her head on the ladder, she began climbing the three floors to level four. Just under the command centre, the area contained storage rooms. Originally containing computer parts under the Cardassians, it was designed to be easily accessible for replacements. However, under the combined Bajoran/Federation administration, it had become largely unused. Several of the rooms still housed what few Cardassian computer parts they needed, but most of the others were empty. Odo, as a man who knew where everything was on his station, had discovered the rooms when the Cardassians occupied the station and never forgotten.

That knowledge had never been more useful than now.

At the top of the ladder, Kira turned left down a narrow corridor until she came to the second door on the right. Hesitating before she knocked, she was stunned when the door opened and a Human girl, about 12 years old, stood, frozen, in the doorway. "J'nel?"

"Mama!" The child almost leapt into her arms, as the stunned Bajoran slowly came to hug her. A moment later, Odo appeared, smiling, at the door and drew them both into the room.

"It's alright, J'nel, your mother's here." Odo gently rubbed his wife's neck and shoulders until she and their daughter finally broke apart. As Kira shot a questioning look at him, his smile deepened."We decided it was time to put her shapeshifting skills to use. And as she looks older, there's a good chance she may be less noticed by others."

Nerys shook her head ruefully. "I should have thought of that myself." Sitting down, she leaned tiredly against the wall, her eyes on Odo. "Are the two of you ready to leave for the ship tonight?"

He nodded slowly. "I went down to the airlock earlier today and altered the sensors. If someone is looking, that's what they'll find." He looked puzzled. "How are you proposing to get us aboard?"

"I'm due to collect medical supplies before I leave. It means I'll have to make several transports from the cargo bay to the ship. If you can get down to the bay, I'll have some hand luggage you and J'nel can hide in. I'll go back and forth from the ship several times, I can't see them stopping me and scanning me every time."

Odo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If they do, we'll have problems." The smile became bitter. "But I suppose we can worry about that at the time."

Nerys nodded and glanced briefly at J'nel. "Do either of you need to regenerate?"

He shook his head. "No, we've spent all day regenerating when she wasn't practising her new shape." He caressed her hand. "Relax, Nerys. Tomorrow night we'll be in the Gamma quadrant, and away from anyone who can hurt us. We can worry about us then, Nerys."

She smiled with regret. "I know, ale'al. It's just that this is the first time we've been apart because of something other than work since we became involved and I miss you." She placed her arms around his neck and trailed kisses along his jaw as Odos' arms wrapped around her waist. "I miss you very much." Her voice was husky with repressed desire.

Odo caressed her backside lightly and whispered into her ear. "Tomorrow night, I promise you, we can make up for lost time." He gently pulled her against him as she began tousling his hair. "Trust me, by the time we're finished, you won't be able to walk."

Nerys chuckled quietly at the image this provoked and reluctantly stepped away from her husband. "I'll hold you to that, ale'al." Her expression sobered. "We need to come up with a way for you pass blood tests."

Odo nodded as he led her to a chair and settled into a seat opposite himself. J'nel came up to them and leaned against her mother, her head on Nerys' shoulder, silently listening to her parents. "I've been thinking about that. The tests are fairly basic, merely a check to see that the fluid stays just that and doesn't revert. So if J'nel and I can learn to hold a bag of some replicated obscure animal blood within us when we need to, we can pass the tests. What she and I will need to work on is our features, to make them different to Bajorans and Humans." He smiled ruefully. "Just when you were getting used to this face in our bed, I have to go and change it. Ironic, isn't it?"

Nerys reached out and ran her palm down Odos cheek, a tender smile gracing her face. "Odo, I don't care what you look like! I love you for being you, not for how you look." A poignant silence filled the room for a few moments, before Nerys glanced at her watch and sighed. "I have to go. They probably have a trace on me, and if I vanish from the computer for too long, it will alert security."

Odo nodded and stood, then held out a hand and helped Nerys to her feet as well. "I could probably avoid them without trouble, but J'nel doesn't have the skill I do." Odo opened the door and examined the corridor, relieved to see it still empty. Turning back slightly, he drew Nerys to him and kissed her breathless. "You're best not to know the details. Just stock the ship as you would normally. We'll find a way of getting onboard without being detected." Ushering out the door, he reluctantly let go of her hand as J'nel once again fiercely hugged her mother, unwilling to let her go. "Don't come back here, it's too risky."

"Understood." Nerys gave her daughter a final, hard, hug then gently pushed the girl back to Odos side. "I'll see you on the other side of the wormhole tomorrow." She turned away and hurried down the corridor before the threatening tears could fall, as Odo and J'nel quickly walked in the other direction to another hideaway.

Dax arrived at the airlock for Kiras ship, officially named the 'Gandjibala Wandabaa', to find the loading well underway - thanks to all three Sisko's, both O'Briens', Bashir, and even Garak and Quark, although it did seem that Quarks entire contribution to the loading was in directing the others. Jadzia sidled over to Kira who was leaning against a wall and merely watching the activity around her. "What's going on?"

Kira grinned. "I haven't been allowed to move a thing all morning. Everyone arrived just as I started to beam the stores onto the ship and dragged me off for coffee. That took a good twenty minutes. When we got back," she indicated a Human holding a tricorder who was rushing around apparently trying to scan everything as soon as someone moved it, "he was here, obviously looking for Odo and J'nel. As soon as the others saw him, they started shifting stuff but refused to allow me to touch anything, claiming it all had to be manually moved onto the ship."

Dax began to chuckle and turned to watch the others as well, seeing a pattern emerge in the apparently aimless scurrying of the command crew as they moved crates of stores around the bay, stacking them up then moving them and stacking them in fresh piles. "How long have they been at this?"

"For about an hour." Kira's grin was even wider. "Julian has carried that box on and off the ship four times now, and that's the third time the Chief and Captain have taken the same two injector rods onboard. I'm not asking any questions."

Jadzia nodded sympathetically. "I know what they're up to." She watched Brycen hustle past, trying to scan yet another med-pack. "He must give up soon."

"Prophets, I hope so." They watched for a few more minutes, then Kira's eyes narrowed as she noticed a sudden change of pace, and suddenly the airlock was clear and everything stowed away. Shouldering herself off the bulkhead, she turned to Dax and shrugged. "Well, that's that. Time to go."

Dax found she couldn't speak past the lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat and settled for giving Kira a fierce hug, as tears trickled down the Trills face. Finding her voice again after a moment, managed a hoarse "You take care of yourself out there, Nerys."

"I'll be fine, I promise." Nerys smiled through her own tears, then put her mouth as close as she could to Dax's ear and whispered "See Vic, he has a message for you."

Dax, to her credit, didn't give any indication Nerys had said anything, just squeezed her again, then stepped back, allowing the others to hug her as well. Benjamin Sisko was the last of the group to make his farewell, giving his friend and former officer an extra hug, before standing back. "So, what's your first stop?"

"Dax has asked me to look in on that holographic village she and Odo discovered a few years ago and make sure their generator is still working properly. After that, I've got a list of planets to visit on behalf of Bajor, to arrange trade agreements or diplomatic envoy exchanges." She smiled briefly. "Once that's done, I'll be back for a short break and to pick up a new list of assignments. It'll be at least half a year before I'll be back at the station, but this will be my base of operations wherever I am."

Sisko nodded slowly. "Well then, we'd better let you get started."

As the group escorted her to the airlock, Kira glared at Brycen. "I hope you're pleased with what you've done."

Brycen sneered at her and deliberately turned his tricorder on her, obviously scanning her clothing to try and detect the Changelings on her. "Woman, if I had my way, you would be under guard in the stations holding cells until we located the enemy infiltraters And if that took forever, then that's how long you'd in gaol." Apparently disgruntled at not finding either Odo or J'nel hiding on her person, he snapped the tricorder closed peevishly and turned to Sisko. "Captain, I must reiterate my suggestion that this Bajoran be held in custody indefinitely until we are able to locate the Changelings she has collaborated with."

"And I must insist in reminding you that I have no intention of locking up Kira Nerys just to support this deluded fantasy of yours." Sisko's voice was low and menacing. "And I would once again remind you that, in some way, every person in this room has 'collaborated' with Odo and their daughter, so I would not press the point if I were you." Brycen, his expression one of baffled fury, stormed away, while Sisko motioned Kira towards her ship and muttered. "Go, quickly, before he changes his mind."

Denied the heartfelt farewells she'd wanted, Nerys hurried onto her ship and closed the airlock. She didn't bother examining the cargo bay, but simply undocked and headed through the wormhole.

As he'd expected, Sisko arrived back in Ops to find Brycen waiting for him at the doors to his office. "Yes doctor, what can we do for you?"

Brycen held out a PADD, arrogance in every line of his stance. "Captain, this is authorisation from Starfleet for me to be issued a runabout. I'll be leaving immediately."

Ops stilled into silence as Sisko read the PADD. "You want me to issue you a runabout, for an indefinite period, so you can track Kira."

"I intend to subject her to weekly scans and random ship searches until I manage to locate the Changelings." His green eyes glittered. "Despite my searches and scans today, I believe she has probably managed to smuggle them aboard her ship and has successfully helped them escape. Therefore, I intend to follow her wherever she goes, for as long as it takes to capture them. I then intend to return to Earth after the enemy has been safely contained. Now, which runabout are you giving me?"

Ben carefully placed the PADD on a nearby console. "Unfortunately, all the stations runabouts are currently being used. I believe there will be one free in approximately a week, which you may borrow, along with a pilot, for a few days. After that, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until the Federation supplies me with a replacement runabout." Sisko smiled evilly as Brycen began to huff and puff in frustration. "Of course, you could always buy your own ship and follow her that way."

"Then I'll do that!" Brycen stalked to the turbolift, and hurled himself into it. "You haven't heard the last of this, Captain.!"

Sisko waited until the lift had left Ops, before sedately entering his office, murmuring at the same time just loud enough for the rest of Ops to hear him. "And I look forward to hearing what happens when she catches you, doctor.

Finite . . . . for now . . . . .