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“You remember Marritza?”
They’re standing on the second level on the Promenade, where Jake and Nog used to sit. Odo hasn’t seen Jake there in a while. He wishes he had. It would make for some feeling of normality.
“Of course,” he responds.
“He said I didn’t know what it’s like to be a coward.” Nerys is staring down to the first level, where the Jem’Hadar and Cardassians are walking and talking and it almost looks as if everything’s the same as back when they were Bajorans and humans and Bolians, but they both know better. “I think I do now,” she says.
It’s Odo’s first instinct to say that she’s not a coward. He believes it with all his heart. If either of them is a coward, he is. He let Ishan Chaye and Jillur Gueta and Timor Landi die while Nerys was fighting for them.
“Think about it,” she continues. “He didn’t do anything about the suffering all around him, but it horrified him. But being horrified isn’t enough. You have to do something. I’m not. I’m not doing anything. I’m going along with them. I’m letting them occupy Deep Space Nine.” She’s quiet for a moment. “I’m just like him, aren’t I?”
“Maybe you are. But he was a good man. You told him, he was only one man. He couldn’t have stopped the other Cardassians. You can’t stop the Dominion on your own.” He considers putting a hand on her shoulder, but he doesn’t.
“I don’t suppose I can. But it feels awful, Odo. It feels awful.”
“I know it does.”
“When do you think Sisko and the others are coming back?”
“Soon.” It’s a promise. Odo hopes it’s one he can keep.