Urgent Matter

Robert J. LaBaff

She stood looking out over the sea of flowing liquid. She watched as the ripples of the flow started to swirl in the middle. The swirl began to move closer to her, and bubbles started forming on top. As the liquid reached the shore of this lone piece of land here in this vast sea, a shape had started to form. Kira felt her heart rate quicken, as she started to think about what she was going to say. She realized that she had been holding her breath and trying to control her emotions; she did not want to lose control over seeing him. Then a thought went through her mind. What if this form is not Odo, but the other Founder? The one who tried to take him away from me in the first place. She was the only other person who knew what it was like to be in love with Odo as Odo. Not as a piece of the Great Link, or worshiped like other Founders, as a god. The form was just about complete as her combadge beeped.

Kira called out, “Computer, freeze program.” She turned and responded, “Kira here.”

The voice of Lieutenant Ezri Dax answered her over the comlink, “There has been wormhole activity; a Jem’Hadar ship has come through and is approaching the station. I have been trying to hail them, but there has been no response.”

“I’m on my way to ops,” Kira said.

Kira closed the comlink. Just as she turned to instruct the computer to end program, she noticed the hologram’s completed form. It was Odo’s face on a Ferengi body.

She called out, “Computer, end program!”

Exiting the holosuite into the den of Quark’s bar, she looked around to try and find the troublemaking Ferengi. She discovered him near the entrance, looking as if he were busy instructing one of his many dabo girls. Kira could tell from the way he was watching her departure from the bar that he wanted to bother her about something. She decided she would deal with him later and headed out for ops.

Kira had not gotten far on the Promenade when she heard Quark calling her name. He caught up to her just as she was entering the turbolift. She spun around to stop him from entering as well.

“Is it true?” he asked. “Is there a Jem’Hadar ship approaching the station that is not responding to your hails?”

“If you know about the ship already, then you know the answer.” Kira said. “Need I remind you of what would happen to you if you tapped into station communications again? Now, if you do not mind, I have to get up to ops.”

“Do you think they are going to attack? What could they want? I finally started to turn a profit, and now this!”

“Just return to the bar and let me get to ops so I can find out for myself what is going on. If you don’t start moving I’m calling security to have you put in the brig till this is over! Do I make myself clear?” Kira said.

Quark turned around and started back to the bar; as he walked away Kira could hear his complaining.

“Try to be a good person, look out for your customers, and all you get are threats of incarceration for it! You would think Odo was back on the station,” he mumbled.

She finally entered the lift. “Ops” she told the computer.

Once the lift reached ops, Ezri gave Kira a status update. “Station shields are up, and we have continued to hail the ship; but still no response. They have not raised their shields nor have they powered up their weapons,” she said.

Kira approached the com system, opened all hailing frequencies and addressed the ship, “This is Colonel Kira Nerys of Deep Space Nine, please respond?”

The comboard signaled an incoming message. “Incoming message is audio only,” Dax said.

Before Kira could reply the turbolift arrived, carrying Dr. Julian Bashir and Quark. Quark! she thought. She did not have the time or the patience to deal with him now.

“Put it through,” Kira said.

The voice that came over the com system made everyone in ops stop to listen.

“Jem’Hadar ship asking permission to be allowed to dock with the station. I have an urgent matter to discuss with you, Colonel.”

It was Odo.

Odo! Odo, here now! was all she could think. Kira put her emotions in check, and replied, “Permission granted, Odo, please dock at pylon two. I will meet you there in five minutes. Deep Space Nine out.”

“Acknowledged, it will be a pleasure to meet you, too,” Odo replied. “Jem’Hadar ship out.”

Kira turned to cross ops to the turbolift, stopped, and thought, Did he say meet me? then decided that this is Odo. He would explain once he was on the station.

“You have ops, Lieutenant. Doctor, you’re with me.” Kira said.

As she and the doctor entered the lift they discovered that Quark had already entered and was planning to accompany them. “Stay out of my way or else, do I make myself clear, Quark?” Kira ordered.

The three of them arrived at pylon two, just as the airlock doors rolled back to allow Odo to come aboard. Kira’s heart started to race. She could not wait to welcome the most important person in her life back aboard DS9. As she watched, Odo came through the docking bay, smiling at them all as he approached. He was wearing his constable outfit, and looked as if he was just as happy as she was to be here. Kira could not contain herself any longer; she rushed up to him and hugged him.

“It is so good to have you back home! I have missed you so much!” she said.

“Yes, Odo, things have not been the same around here without you,” Bashir commented.

Quark, feeling he needed to fit in, joined Kira by hugging her and Odo both. “Don’t start thinking I missed you, because I didn’t,” he said.

Then, to the surprise of them all, Odo said, “I am sorry, but I am not Odo. I am a Founder from the Great Link, but I am not the Founder known as Odo.”

Just as quickly as Kira’s heart had sped up, it was just as quickly close to stopping.

“Why are you using Odo’s personal form and voice? What is this urgent matter you said we need to discuss?” she demanded. She was now feeling very disturbed with herself for letting this changeling on the station, and because her emotions had led her to believe Odo had come back to her.

The changeling realized that his appearance was making things difficult for everyone. He altered his face to become more Bajoran-detailed, including complete nose ridges and an earring. His hair darkened and his outfit became more civilian-styled, darkening to an off-gray color. “Does this image have a more pleasant appearance for you?” he asked.

Kira, Bashir, and Quark all nodded their heads in agreement. Kira decided it was time to find out what was going on and why he was here.

“Did Odo send you here? Was the urgent matter just part of your act to get us to let you on the station?” she continued.

Quark interrupted her. “He’s probably here to see if the Alpha Quadrant is recovering from what the Domintion did; maybe they want to try again!”

“I said to stay out of my way, Quark! I’ll ask the questions,” Kira reminded him. “Did Odo send you here, or not? Is there something wrong with him?” she asked.

The changeling let them say their piece, then proceeded to explain his arrival. “Odo is with the Great Link, and has helped us to recover from the plague that was killing us. He is working with the Link to help our understanding of how other sentient beings evolve. His thoughts, experiences, and emotions continue to be shared within the Great Link. It is for these reasons that he decided to remain linked, and sent me to you,” he said. “Within twenty-four of your standard hours, an urgent matter will arise and he feels my presence here will be of service to you,” he continued.

“What is this urgent matter that you are talking about? Is there a danger to the station?” Kira asked.

“I was instructed by Odo not to inform you of the specifics on the matter until tomorrow. I do, however, have a request of Dr. Bashir. Odo would like you to examine my molecular structure. He wants you to compare the results of his recovery from the plague to that of mine,” the changeling said.

“I can examine you in the infirmary now if you wish,” Bashir said.

Before the changeling was able to respond to Bashir, Kira demanded, “I am telling you that if there is any danger to this station or Bajor, you need to tell us now so that we can prepare a defense!”

“I am sorry to delay your knowledge at this time, but I must abide by Odo’s instructions. I can assure you that there is no danger, and will give you all the details when I can,” he said. “As for my exam…?” he asked again.

Kira stopped to consider her options. She decided that if Odo did indeed send this changeling here, she would trust his judgment as always.

“Yes, Dr. Bashir can do the exam. Go with him to the infirmary and then report to me when you are done,” she instructed him. “I will have Lieutenant Dax show you around the station and assign you quarters for your stay,” she continued.

“Very well,” he replied.

“This way,” Bashir instructed. He and the changeling started down the corridor to the infirmary.

“He never fooled me for a moment, trying to pass as Odo. As if!” Quark said.

Kira turned from watching Bashir and the changeling leaving. “Quark! I told you to stay out of station business! You need to get back to your bar and when you do, you had better be resetting all of your holosuite programs. If I hear that you are even thinking of replacing holo characters with Ferengi bodies, I will have you in the brig for so long, I might forget all about you. Understood?” she demanded.

Quark just stood there with a mischievous grin on his face, his mind deep in thought.

“Understood?” Kira repeated.

“Oh, yes! I understand perfectly,” Quark responded.

He started down the corridor, leaving Kira to herself and her thoughts. She stood alone thinking, If the matter is so urgent, why can it not be revealed till tomorrow? What could it be? And why is Odo having him keep it from me? She decided to return to ops; at least station operation should take her mind off the matter for now.

After a couple of hours of reviewing reports, personnel evaluations and maintenance logs, Kira decided to go to the Promenade to get a bite to eat. As she was passing Quark’s, she noticed that Dr. Bashir, Dax, and Quark were all gathered at a table. She also discovered that the changeling was with them and from the sounds of their voices, seemed to be discussing something important. As she approached the table, the four of them noticed her and quieted down. Just as she reached the table, Quark abruptly left, headed in the direction of the bar.

“If you will excuse me?” Bashir said, as he also rose from the table to leave. “I need to return to the infirmary and complete the test for Odo. Good night, all.” He proceeded to the Promenade and crossed to the infirmary.

“Have you gotten settled into your quarters?” Kira asked the changeling.

“Yes, Lieutenant Dax has been of great help and has graciously shown me around. I was just getting ready to return to my quarters to rest. I am not as experienced as Odo in maintaining a solid form for long periods,” he said. “So if you will excuse me as well, I’ll meet with you tomorrow at the time Odo designated.” He left the bar and Kira joined Ezri at the table.

“Did he say anything to you as to why Odo sent him?” she asked Ezri.

“No, he insists that it is imperative that he follow Odo’s instructions, and that he will provide us with the information at the appropriate time tomorrow,” she replied. “I will need to be on my way as well. My shift in ops begins soon.”

Before Dax could leave the table, Kira asked, “Is there anything wrong, Lieutenant?”

“No, why do you ask?” Dax asked.

“Well, everyone was just here with this changeling we know very little about, and then when I approached the table, everyone decided to leave,” Kira said.

“I had told Julian we would meet for dinner before my shift at ops. We asked the changeling to join us when he expressed an interest in how to consume humanoid food,” Dax said. “I do need to report to ops, unless there was something else I can help you with?”

“No, you’re dismissed, Lieutenant,” Kira replied.

“I will see you tomorrow, Colonel, Have a good night,” Dax said as she left the bar.

Kira sat thinking about what could be going on, what could happen. Then she once again decided that if Odo did send this changeling to help them, then she needed to trust him as she would Odo. After a moment she realized how late it was getting and decided to go to her quarters and turn in.

The day had been pretty uneventful and Kira was sitting in her office, impatiently waiting for the changeling to arrive to explain his presence. When the intruder alarm rang out from ops, the monitor on her desk showed an intruder had beamed into cargo bay three.

“Security to cargo bay three. I will meet you there!” she called out to the computer. As she rushed down the corridor to the cargo holds, she thought to herself, If this has anything to do with Odo sending the changeling here, then why did the changeling say there was no danger? And if this is why he is here, why has he not revealed the information to me and the staff yet? She reached the cargo bay and found a security detail waiting for her.

“I will enter the bay, you two cover me, and the rest watch these doors. Do not let anyone exit this bay,” she instructed the detail. She touched the door release, and as the doors parted she noticed that the lights were out in the bay. She leapt to the left of the cargo doors, trying to use the crates that were sitting there as cover.

She waited a moment and then called out, “Lights!” to the computer. She started around the crates just as the lights came on and stopped stunned at what she saw.

“Surprise!” came at her in a chorus of voices.

She could not believe what she had walked into. Dr. Bashir, Ezri Dax, Quark, and many other personnel from all over the station were there standing under a sign that read,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIRA!!!

Then she noticed the changeling. He was standing near a cake that read.

KIRA’S BIRTHDAY