Originally written sometime in 1998. Reformatted 01/01/01

�I�m sorry I�m late,� Julian said quietly. �I was held up in the lab."

�It�s all right. I was just admiring the view.�

�It is a lovely evening, isn�t it?�

�Yes, it is. Beautiful and perfect, just like everything else in our lives,� Emi sighed, nestling herself into Julian�s arms. �I can hardly believe that tomorrow, we are graduating. Actually graduating. Can you believe it, Julian? We will be commissioned officers tomorrow. It hardly seems real. After all this time and work, we�ll actually be in Starfleet. Does it seem real to you, Julian? Because it certainly doesn�t to me.�

�No, it does not.�

�We make such a good team, don�t we, Julian? You are going to be the best doctor ever and I�m going to be the best engineer. And we�re going to have a wonderful life together in Starfleet. Imagine, exploring new worlds, discovering new things. Life on a starship is going to be wonderful. More wonderful than we ever dreamed.�

Julian cleared his throat, �Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that.�

Emi turned to face him, her dark eyes filling with fear.

�Something serious?�

�It depends,� Julian said.

�Depends on what?�

�There�s been a change in plans, Emi.�

�A change in plans? What do you mean?�

�I won�t be coming on the Majestic with you.�

�What?� Emi screeched. �But we planned it, Julian, so that we could be together.�

�Deep Space Nine needs a doctor,� Julian said quietly. �I�m going.�

�What? To that godforsaken rattletrap? Julian! I don�t believe this. How could you do this to me?�

�Starfleet needs engineers there too. It�s all Cardassian technology, Emi, and they need people to figure out how to work it, to meld it into Starfleet technology. We can still be together.�

�No,� Emi shook her head. �I can�t believe this. We planned it all, Julian.�

�You planned it, Emi,� Julian answered. �You know that I�ve always wanted to practice frontier medicine and now I have the chance. This is the post I�ve always wanted.�

�What about me?�

�You can come too, Emi. I asked. I know you�ve always wanted to be on a starship, but this could be interesting too. There is so much potential out there. We just have to find it.�

Emi shook her head, �I can�t, Julian. You know I can�t. What about Katy?�

"Katy still has another year here, Emi," Julian said. "That gives her plenty of time to be assigned to Deep Space Nine. Your sister isn't a little girl anymore, Emi."

"I can't, Julian. I can't leave Katy and I can't see why you don't understand that. You know how important it is for me to be near Katy."

"This is about what I want, Em, not just what you want."

"This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous."

�I don�t want to fight with you, Emi.�

Emi started to walk away, but Julian grabbed her arm.

�This doesn�t have to be the end of anything,� he told her. �I love you.�

�You have a funny way of showing it,� she answered bitterly.

�You know I would do anything for you.�

�Except come with me on the Majestic?�

�I am sorry.�

�Love means you have to compromise.�

Julian held out his hands, �Please, Emi? Just come with me.�

�Your turn next,� Bashir said to Dax. The Trill pouted as she left her seat and took the darts O�Brien offered her.

She aimed, missing the target twice.

�I guess that effectively wipes me out of the game,� Dax said with a smile.

�You did that on purpose!� Bashir accused. �No one is that bad at darts.�

Dax merely offered him a cryptic smile and left the bar. O�Brien eyed the doctor pensively.

�It�s just you and me, sir,� O�Brien said. �And just because Jadzia let you win that round doesn�t mean I�ll let you off that easy.�

�I never doubted it, Chief.�

They played a couple more rounds before O�Brien had to beg off.

�I have to pick Molly up from daycare,� O�Brien said. �We�re going to spend some quality father-daughter time together.�

�I will see you later then. We really should try that kayak program sometime.�

�How about tomorrow?�

�Sounds good, but I have to check with Keiko first.�

�Is it serious?�

�What?� Bashir was startled out of his reverie.

Quark eyed him suspiciously, �What you�re thinking, is it serious?�

�No. Just musing about what might have been.�

�Ah. Well, are you going to buy something? Because if you�re not, I need the table. A very important customer just walked in.�

Bashir sighed and stood up, �No, you can have it. I was just leaving.�

�Good.�

Bashir walked out of the bar, feeling very alone indeed.

****

�You�re in perfect health, Captain,� Bashir said the next morning as a rather reluctant Benjamin Sisko got dressed. �I can�t find a thing wrong with you.�

�That�s wonderful news. I told you there was nothing wrong with me.�

�Yes, but Starfleet Command has to hear it from me.�

�Very well.�

Bashir sighed as the captain left; with all the senior staff physicals due into Starfleet Command, it promised to be a very long day.

****

�Rough day, Julian?� Jadzia asked sympathetically, as he plunked down in the seat opposite her.

�Face it, Julian,� Jadzia said, laughing. �No one wants to get their physical done. It�s just so intrusive and you run so many tests.�

�I like to be thorough, that�s all. I�d like to say the staff at Deep Space Nine is extremely healthy.�

****

�Hello, Julian.�

It was indeed Emi. She looked the same as he last remembered her, except for the hardness around her eyes. Something in life had not been kind to her, Julian thought, and for a moment, he wondered if it was all his fault.

�Emi,� Julian said, �My God, Emi.�

�Won�t you ask me to sit down?�

�Please,� Julian indicated the chair Jadzia had just vacated. �How did you find me?�

�I asked around. You weren�t in the infirmary, so I asked where you most likely would be.�

�Well, you found me,� Julian laughed nervously.

�You look good, Julian. Older, but good.�

�Thank you. You are exactly how I remember you.�

�We didn�t leave things on the best of terms, did we?�

�No. I missed you desperately, Emi. I was very sorry.�

�Me too,� Emi lifted those dark eyes to meet his. �I was afraid maybe you weren�t going to be here. Serving on the war front isn�t exactly the most requested post these days.�

�It�s where I�m needed the most.�

�I can see that,� Emi leaned back in her chair.

�So what brings you here?�

�I was looking for you.�

�For me? Why?�

�That can wait. Why don�t you show me around the station first?�

�My pleasure.�

****

�This is Quark�s,� Bashir said. �We won�t go in there, but it�s a popular place to hang-out. A little on the shady side, but fun all the same. And this here is a Klingon restaurant. Makes a pretty good gagh, if I say so myself.�

�Gagh? You?� Emi appeared amused. �Back at the Academy, you could hardly tolerate Martian cuisine, let alone Klingon.�

�Let�s just say that I�ve acquired a taste for it.�

�I wonder what else has changed about you.�

�More than you think,� Julian said.

They proceeded into the turbo lift.

�Ops,� Bashir commanded. �That�s where all the station�s main operations are carried out. I can introduce you to everyone there.�

�Sounds good.�

They emerged in Ops and the first person Bashir glimpsed was Major Kira.

�Kira,� Bashir said. �I�d like you to meet Lieutenant Emi Dane, from the Majestic. Emi, this is Major Kira Nerys, our Bajoran liasion to Starfleet and second-in-command.�

�Pleased to meet you, Lieutenant,� Kira said genially.

�Actually, it�s just plain Emi Dane,� Emi said quietly. �I left Starfleet two years ago.�

Bashir turned to Emi in surprise, �You did? Why?�

�It�s a long story. I�ll tell you about it later.�

�Well, it was nice to meet you, uh, Lieutenant, uh, Emi,� Kira said.

Bashir took a quick look around but did not see Sisko, O�Brien, Dax, Worf or Odo. He propelled Emi back into the turbo lift.

�I�ll introduce you to the others later,� Bashir said. �You�re right. We do have a lot to talk about.�

****

The door chimed and Bashir roused himself from the couch where he had briefly fallen asleep.

�Who is it?� he asked wearily.

�Me,� Dax answered from the other side. Bashir opened the door and Dax strolled in.

�Did I wake you?� she asked.

�Just a nap. Long day.�

�Oh.�

�What can I do for you, Jadzia?�

�I was just talking to Major Kira and I was wondering who your friend was. How dare you keep her from me.�

�I don�t know what you�re talking about.�

�You never told me about this.�

�It�s not easy to talk about. We were supposed to serve on the Majestic together, but I decided to come here instead.�

�Must have been a difficult decision.�

�It was,� Julian admitted. �I never thought I�d see her again.�

�Why not?�

�She was so angry the last time we spoke. And I don�t blame her really. You see, we were supposed to get married.�

****

�I did get your last letter,� Emi said quietly. She had stopped by Julian�s quarters long after Jadzia had left. �I cried for days. I read it over and over. I think all the ink ran eventually from my tears.�

�I am sorry.�

Emi shook her head, �It�s been five years, Julian, but seeing you now, it feels like no time has passed at all.�

�We�re not the same people, Emi.�

�I know that and I�m not here to ask to start over. It�s too late for that.�

�Why did you leave Starfleet?�

Emi sighed, �I knew you were going to ask about that eventually.�

�Well?�

�My sister died in a border skirmish two years ago. And I just lost everything. You know how close Katy and I were. It was like with her gone, I just had no reason for anything. So I turned in my commission and I went to live on Vargas.�

�I am sorry to hear about Katy.�

Emi smiled sadly, �I think about her often and I know she would approve of what I�ve done. Vargas is perfect for me and I think Katy would have liked to have been there too. Instead, she died in some meaningless border dispute even before she got a chance to live and I guessed, in a way, I blamed Starfleet for that.�

�I am sorry.�

�But at Vargas, I�m healing. Slowly, but surely.�

�I don�t know much about Vargas.�

�It�s a beautiful planet settled by humans about a hundred years ago. It�s very peaceful; we don�t believe in war or weapons and that�s very important to me. We get very few visitors and we are completely self-sufficient. I�ve been developing a cloaking device for the planet. It�s a grand project and I�m very close,� Emi�s eyes took on a shine. �We want nothing more than to just disappear from this universe, to be left alone. The cloaking device will allow us to do that.�

�That sounds like an impressive project. But then again, you�ve always had such big ideas. I guess I always loved that about you.�

Emi smiled, the color rising in her cheeks.

�You haven�t said what you�re doing here yet,� Julian reminded her.

�I�m here, Julian, to collect on your promise.�

Julian eyed her with trepidation, �Promise?�

�In your letter, you promised to make it up to me. That if I ever needed you, you would help me. I need you now.�
�What is it?�

�There�s a plague on Vargas. Something dreadful. Our doctors are stymied, they don�t know what to do. So I�m here to ask you to come with me to Vargas and help.�

�Vargas isn�t a Federation world.�

�I know that. I�m asking you as a friend to help me. I�m asking as someone who loved you.�

The past tense of the word �loved� was not lost on the doctor and he felt that pang of guilt inside again. Their eyes met and he knew Emi was daring him to turn his back on her. Again. No, he thought, I won�t let her down again.

�Let me talk to Captain Sisko,� Bashir promised. �I�ll see what I can do.�

�That�s all I ask.�

****

Sisko was playing with the baseball, which meant he was seriously considering Bashir�s request.

�You want to go to Vargas to treat this plague?� Sisko asked.

�And that�s where you come in,� Sisko said. �Is that all she wants of you, Doctor?�

Bashir looked puzzled, �I believe so.�

�You will need a runabout?�

�The Rubicon, if it�s all right.�

�Take Dax with you,� Sisko said. �You may need her help in piloting the runabout. I hear the route to Vargas is littered with asteroid fields and other debris.�

�Thank you, sir. I appreciate it, sir.�

�Good luck, doctor.�

****

�You didn�t have to ask her to come with us,� Emi said sullenly as she and Julian settled into the runabout.

�You don�t have to worry, Emi. Jadzia and I are good friends, that�s all. Besides, I think she wants to chart the Vargas system, so she�ll be busy for most of the trip.�

�That�s not what I meant. I was hoping to have you all to myself.�

�Well, I went over the starmaps with Jadzia yesterday and it does look as if it will be difficult to reach Vargas. We could certainly use her expertise in navigating those asteroid belts.�

�You could have trusted me to do that, Julian.�

Julian laughed, �Emi, flying was never one of your strong points. You knew your isolinear chips inside and out, but flying was not something you excelled it. And don�t give me that look; there�s nothing to be ashamed of. I�m not the world�s best pilot either.�

At that moment, Dax entered the runabout.

�Sorry I�m late,� she said cheerily. �Worf had a ton of things he simply had to tell me now. You know how he is.�

�It�s all right,� Emi said curtly. Dax shot Emi a look and then shrugged.

�Kira has cleared us to leave anytime,� Dax said. �I estimate it will take us two days to reach Vargas.�

�By all means,� Julian said. �Let�s leave.�

****

****

�Ah, another day in the runabout,� Julian sighed and stretched out on the cot. �Makes you want to just open up the airlock and head out.�

Emi glanced at Julian in amusement, �That could be fatal.�

�It wasn�t the time you and I did that near Mars. Remember?�

�We had some good times, didn�t we?� Julian asked wistfully.

�Some very good times.�

�Emi, I never did stop loving you. I want you to know that.�

�I know. And I never stopped loving you either. It was just too hard to keep it up. And after what happened with Katy, I just wanted to disappear somewhere. I�m sorry I didn�t keep in touch with you.�

�But you came to me when it counted. That�s what�s important. You know I would never let you down.�
Emi nodded.

Dax entered the back cabin.

�We�re on autopilot for a while,� Dax informed them. �It�s going to take all my concentration to make it through the asteroid belt, so I figured I would take a rest right now.�

�Actually, it�s not necessary to go through the belt,� Emi said slowly.

�I know, but the other way will add another day at least to our trip,� Dax answered. �If the situation is as serious as you say, then we can�t afford to waste time. Besides, I�m looking forward to the challenge.�

�That�s not what I meant. We�re not going to Vargas.�

Bashir gasped, �What do you mean?�

Emi turned to the doctor, �I�m sorry to have lied to you, Julian. But there really is no other way to get you here.�

�Where is here?� Dax asked, trying to control her temper. Emi glared at the Trill.

�It would have been so much easier if you had left her behind,� Emi said quietly.

�Emi, what are you talking about?� Julian demanded.

Emi reached into her pack and pulled out a Starfleet-issue PADD.

�These are the new coordinates,� Emi said quietly. Dax took the PADD and stared at them.

�This is right inside Cardassian territory,� Dax said. She handed the PADD back to Emi. �I can�t do that.�

�Please,� Emi said. �You must. I�m begging you.�

Bashir eyed Emi and then Dax; he had never heard Emi beg for anything in her life before. Dax seemed to consider for a moment.

�Where are we going?� she asked.

�Tell me why we�re going.�

�Not now.�

�I can�t then. If you won�t give me any information, I have to refuse your request,� Dax said firmly. �In fact, Julian, I think we should return to the station.�

Bashir nodded, �I�m sorry, Emi. But Dax is my commanding officer. I have to obey her. If she says we go back to the station, then I�m afraid, we�re going to have to go back, unless you give us more details.�

�No!� Emi exclaimed. Before Bashir or Dax could react, Emi whipped out a phaser and fired. Dax crumpled to the floor. Bashir glanced at Emi in shock before kneeling beside his friend.

�Are you crazy?� Bashir screeched.

�She�s not dead. It was set on maximum stun, that is all.�

�That's all?� Bashir shook his head. �Emi -�

�I won�t hesitate to use this on you, Julian,� Emi said. �Now, enter the coordinates for me please. You�re right, I�m a terrible pilot and I need you to take us here.�

Bashir glanced down at Dax and then at Emi.

�What happened to you?� he asked quietly. �What happened to the Emi Dane I loved?�

�No more questions. Do as I say. Now. Or I will kill her.�

****

Sisko nodded, �I told both Dax and Bashir to contact us the moment they reached Vargas. I know Vargas is a fairly private world, but still, they would have sent us a message. When was the last time we heard from them?�

�Yesterday, early morning,� Worf said. �Dax sent a message that they were three hours from the asteroid belt.�

Kira�s face turned ashen, �You don�t think?�

�Jadzia is an expert pilot,� Worf said slowly.

�Nonetheless, we should check it out. Kira, you and Worf take the Defiant out,� Sisko ordered.

�Aye, sir,� Worf nodded as he followed Kira into the turbo lift.

****

�Careful,� Bashir said, helping Dax to sit up. �You�ve got some serious burns.�

�Do you have anything for the pain?� Dax asked.

�Here,� Bashir pressed a hypospray against her neck. �This should help.�

Dax nodded gratefully and collapsed against the wall.

�Your friend is quite a piece of work,� she said quietly.

Bashir looked into the other cabin, where Emi was at the helm.

�I am sorry about this,� Bashir said. �I had no idea.�

�No, I don�t blame you. Though, I have to tell you, phaser burns are not my idea of a good time.�

�There is some good news though,� Bashir said. �She has volunteered some information.�

�Where are we going?� Dax asked.

�A planet called Delta IV.�

�A Cardassian world?� Dax frowned.

�Unfortunately.�

�Has she told you why?�

�No.�

�She seems very angry.�

Bashir sighed, �That�s an understatement. Dax, I don�t want you to get the wrong impression about Emi.�

�What impression would you like me to have, Julian? Because I�m open to suggestions here.�

�She�s had a rough time in life. Her parents both died when she was barely in her teens and she had the task of raising her sister, Katy, alone. Katy died two years ago while serving as an ensign on the Malinche. I don�t think Emi has quite recovered from the blow.�

�Still that�s no excuse to lie to us,� Dax said. �She came looking specifically for you, Julian. Why?�

�I made her a promise once. I couldn�t go back on it.�

�What�s going to happen now?�

�I have no idea. She hasn�t told me anything, but I have a feeling the situation is desperate. She does need a doctor, but certainly not for a plague on Vargas.�

The runabout lurched, throwing Bashir across the room. Dax groaned as she slammed into the wall.

�What was that?� Bashir scrambled to his feet and headed into the other cabin. Emi turned to him, panic in her eyes.

�It�s a Cardassian freighter. It just fired on us,� she said in a very small voice.

�Damage report?�

�I don�t know,� Emi said brokenly. She buried her face in her hands and for a moment, Julian could see the woman he had once loved so passionately. Dax came in.

�Move,� she told Emi brusquely. �Let me take over the helm.�

�No!� Emi cried out.

�What, you�re going to shoot me again?�

�You will return us to the station. I�m not going back there.�

The runabout lurched again. Dax pulled up the damage reports.

�Shields are holding at twenty-eight percent,� she reported. �Julian, divert power from the emergency systems to shields. I�m going to see if I can get us out of here.�

Dax felt the cold end of the phaser pressed against the back of her neck.

�You will not return to the station,� Emi said coolly.

Dax looked at Bashir and then said, �You will get no argument from me. Now, let me try to get us out of here.�

****

�This is the last known location of the runabout,� Worf announced as the Defiant slowed. Kira moved to stand next to Worf.

�Any sign of them? Did they go into the asteroid field?� Kira asked.

�Unknown,� Worf sighed. �I have not picked up any debris.�

Going into the asteroid field would be a virtual suicide mission for the Defiant. Kira considered her options for a moment.

�Scan for a warp signature,� she said finally. �There might still be some faint traces.�

Worf nodded, �Beginning scan.�

****

�Suppose you tell us what this is all about?� Dax asked.

�I can�t.�

�What do you mean you can�t?�

�I can�t.�

�Why me?� Bashir asked quietly.

�I need a doctor.�

�You need a doctor or does someone else need a doctor?�

�Someone else. Someone whom I love very much.�

�And Vargas?� Dax queried. �What does that have to do with all this?�

�I visited there just before my sister died. I would like to return there one day. But right now it�s not possible.�

�You do realize that Starfleet will look for us if we do not report in from Vargas,� Dax pointed out.

�They won�t find us,� Emi said confidently.

�No?�

"Because I disguised the warp signature. They won�t be able to tell the runabout apart from a Bolian freighter ship. I might not be a great pilot, but I�m an excellent engineer.�

Dax and Bashir exchanged looks. Emi raised the phaser menacingly.

�All I ask is that you save Dyns� life,� Emi said quietly. �That�s all I ask. And then you�ll be free to go.�

�Who is Dyns?� Bashir asked, feeling a curious pang of jealousy.

Emi did not answer.

****

The trio beamed down to the planet, and Dax immediately whipped out her tricorder. It was a habitual gesture more than anything else, but Emi knocked the tricorder out of her hand.

�No,� Emi said.

�That word�s getting to be quite a habit with you,� Dax said. �An irritating habit.�

By the glance Emi threw at Dax, Bashir could tell that his former lover did not care two credits for anything Jadzia had to say.

�Madame,� a Cardassian guard greeted Emi. Emi barely acknowledged the man. The Cardassian eyed the two Starfleet officers with distaste.

�Leave them be,� Emi said. �They have come to help Dyns.�

The guard withdrew, bowing his head at Emi�s words.

�Come with me,� Emi said. Dax and Bashir followed her up a flight of heavy wooden stairs.
There was a stillness in the house which was quite eerie; it was almost as if no one had moved in yet.

�Cloaking device?� Dax asked suspiciously.

�Yes,� Emi smiled. �I�ve perfected a way to cloak an entire planet. It�s been very effective. Soon, I will share the technology with other planets who wish to remove themselves from the affairs of the universe. Come, in here.�

The room radiated light and warmth, a contrast to the rest of the house. Emi immediately led the way to a bed and she sank down on her knees.

�Dyns, it�s me,� she whispered to the small figure lying on the bed. �I�ve come home, baby, and I�ve brought someone to help you. He has promised to help you, Dyns. Please wake up, baby.� Bashir moved to look at the small child and with a gasp, he realized that the child was half-human and half-Cardassian.

�Julian,� Emi stood up. �This is Dyns, my son.�

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