Chapter Text
The quiet day in Ops was interrupted when Garak surprised them with a visit. As the turbo lift ascended, he looked around quickly, spotting Dax at the Science workstation and approaching her before Kira got a chance to question him.
“Commander, I have an urgent matter to bring to your attention.” He tried to whisper discretely. “That person you wanted me to keep an eye on several months ago, it would seem they are currently on a cargo ship headed across the border into the Bajoran sector, and I just lost communication with them when a Klingon Bird of Prey decloaked.”
Dax looked at him, startled by this unexpected information. “And you’re certain they’re on this ship?”
“I would stake my reputation on it.” Garak confirmed.
“What’s going on?” Kira asked, listening in to part of the conversation due to the unusual occurrence of Garak being in Ops.
“Klingons going after Cardassian cargo ships along the Federation border.” Dax explained.
Kira shrugged her shoulders. “We’ve been told to leave the Cardassians and Klingons to their own, unless they’re breaking Federation laws.”
“Garak has reason to believe that there is a Bajoran citizen on that ship.” Dax told her cautiously, watching Kira as she suddenly snapped to attention with that news.
“Are we sure of this? Who? Where are they? Have we had any communications from the ship asking for assistance?” Kira demanded to know.
Garak cautiously descended to the Central Ops table with Kira, looking at the star map that was opened on the console screen. “I had been tracking the ship while I was repairing a split in Ensign Va’tar’s uniform, when the ship’s captain mentioned it looked like a Klingon ship decloaking, and then communication went silent. I believe it has become standard practise for Klingon ships to jam all communications to stop distress signals getting out.”
“You have contact with those within the Cardassian borders? And why were you tracking to this particular ship?” Kira had so many questions for him, but realised if the Klingons had already engaged this ship, that it was not time for questions. “Okay, last known location? If they had passed into Bajoran space we can stop the Klingons.”
“They hadn’t yet crossed the border when everything went dead.” Garak pointed to the map where a small symbol kept flicking on and off the screen as sensors struggled against the Klingon jamming device. “They did seem to be drifting. Major, I believe if you want any hope of saving that ship, you’ll need to move fast.”
Kira stared at the screen. “It will take us 15 minutes to get there at warp if we take the Defiant.”
“I wouldn’t recommend it, but we could be there sooner if we jump to warp 9 once we’re safely clear of the station.” Dax told her, doing the math in her head.
Sisko’s office door opened with him sensing that something was not right when he saw through the windows that Garak was visiting.
“Captain,” Kira swivelled around on her chair to see him. “Mr Garak has informed us that the Klingons are continuing to harass ships along the border. They currently have a cargo ship stopped just on the Cardassian side. And his sources say there is a Bajoran citizen on that ship.”
“Is this true Garak?” Sisko asked skeptically.
“Indeed it is.”
“I’d like to take the Defiant out, sir.” Kira looked keen to get moving.
“No harm in flying past and seeing what the Klingons are up to.” Sisko mentioned, walking over to the transporter pad, motioning to Kira, Dax, and Worf to join him. “Beam us to the bridge of the Defiant please Lieutenant.” Sisko the officer who sat at the transporter controls.
Materialising on the bridge they all quickly assumed their seats, Dax taking the helm, while Kira slid into the familiar position at the tactical station.
“Take us out Commander.” Sisko ordered. “Go to warp as soon as we’re safely away from the station. I think speed is of the essence right now, and I don’t want the Klingons to have time to know that we’re coming.”
“Aye sir.”
Kira watched her panel in preparation to engage with the Klingons, sensors still having trouble detecting the ships other than as a shadow that kept blinking off their radar.
“Commander Dax, is there anything we can do about the sensors?” Kira asked Dax, “I’m not getting a stable reading on the Cardassian ship, and the Klingons aren’t showing at all. Are you sure Mr Garak was telling us the truth?”
“We should be in visual range soon, then we can find out what is going on.” Dax let them know.
“I’d like that, because I have a lot of questions of Mr Garak when we get back to the station.” Kira muttered.
“Me too Major.” Sisko commented, stroking his beard as he stared at the viewscreen ahead. “I didn’t realise that despite the conflict with the Klingons, that he still was able to keep in contact with what is going on with the Cardassian home world.”
The ship now on course and warping out to the Cardassians, Dax turned around from her console. “I would assume he still has contacts on Cardassia, and access to various listening devices through the Obsidian Order, whether they are still an active force on Cardassia or not. He has been able to provide us with knowledge in the past that would indicate this.”
“And who is this Bajoran citizen he is so concerned about? The Cardassians better not having any more prisoners from the Occupation still in their custody.” Kira asked, annoyed by the prospect of Cardassian lies and secrets.
Dax looked at Kira, wanting to tell her, but also not wanting to let her know in such a public place and just before a battle, where the news could unsettle her. “I think I’ve got the ships coming into visual range.” She informed them, thankfully seeing three specks in the distance starting to grow in size.
Everyone snapped their attention back to the viewscreen and the task at hand.
“Magnify.” Sisko ordered, and Dax increased the resolution on the view screen.
“Only two Klingons, but they look like they’re completely overpowering that cargo ship.” Dax reported.
“I’ve finally got them on sensors.” Kira announced. “The Klingons have their weapons powered up, but they haven’t fired yet. The shields on the cargo ship wouldn’t hold long if they did fire though.”
"We’ve seen this ship at the station before. It’s the Navark.” Dax looked at the information on their database. “It's been to the station several times before. At least thirty years old, warp three on a good day, not enough weapons to rob Quark's with. It doesn’t stand a chance against the Klingons."
“Let’s hope we get there before the Klingons decide to test them out.” Sisko stared at the screen, as if he could will the ship faster. “Which side of the border are they?”
“The Cardassians are drifting slowly and are now firmly in Bajoran space.” Kira told him. “Enough that the Klingons should know that.”
“Commander Worf, can we open a channel to the Klingons? I’d rather talk our way out of this situation rather having to fight to defend them.”
“They are trying to scatter all signals still.”
“Broadcast on all frequencies.” Sisko ordered, and Worf gave him a nod when the channel was opened. “This is Captain Benjamin Sisko of the USS Defiant. This Cardassian ship has crossed over into Bajoran space. For what reason are you holding them?”
There was silence as they waited for a response.
The screen flickered on. “This is Commander Thor’oz of the Warbird Poruk. We are verifying where this cargo ship has travelled as we believe it to be smuggling weapons that could be used against the Klingon empire.”
Kira spoke up. “As we have made the Klingons aware on many occasions, any ship that is in Bajoran space will be dealt with by Bajor, and our representatives in the Federation. This ship is in Bajoran space, the Defiant will escort it back to Deep Space Nine where it will undergo a thorough cargo inspection, and for any changeling infiltrators.” Kira added, sure that the Klingons were more interested in weeding out changelings than they were weapons being smuggled on an old cargo ship.
The Klingon captain turned to his officers to confirm this, realising that Kira was right, then violently turned off the view screen with a snarl.
“No manners.” Dax commented, amused by how the interaction had gone, watching the Klingons leave when they realised that they were in the wrong.
“The Cardassians are now hailing us.” Worf informed them.
“Onscreen.”
“Captain, we are grateful for your assistance.” The Cardassian captain appeared on the screen. “I know my ship does not have the shields or weaponry to stand up against even one Klingon ship, let alone two. My cargo is unimportant, nothing more than grains and foods that I hope to trade for medical supplies, but it is my passengers that I need to get to their destination. I must get them to Bajor.”
“We will escort you to Deep Space Nine for repairs, and a security scans. Will your engines make it, or were they damaged?” Sisko asked.
“We will make it there under our own power; however our shields are dangerously low. We cannot take any more weapons fire.”
“If you head on a direct route to the station, we will match course and extend our shields around you.” He nodded to Dax, and she manoeuvred the Defiant closer to the Cardassian ship, extending their shields around the other ship once in range.
“Captain, I was hoping that you could also assist us with contacting the Bajoran Provisional Government. We have a Bajoran citizen to return home, and need to contact the relevant authorities to make sure this matter is dealt with discretely.”
Sisko seemed surprised by how upfront they were, but hesitantly agreed. “We can assist. Maybe if you tell us who…”
“Captain, I have been instructed to discuss this matter only with the Provisional Government. It is a delicate matter.”
“Then we will see to it once we arrive at Deep Space Nine.” The Cardassian captain nodded and closed off comms. “Well, that cleared up nothing.” Sisko held his hands together, fingertips steepled as he contemplated what the Cardassians had said, and did not say.
“I’m at a loss too captain.” Kira admitted. “Are they prisoners, or are the Cardassians kicking out Bajoran collaborators that have been residing on Cardassia?”
Dax swivelled her chair around to face them both. “I know.” She looked guiltily over to Kira. “Ner... Major, I think I better explain. Benjamin, you need to know too.” She got up, indicating to a nearby officer to take her post and walked off the bridge with Kira and Sisko following, Worf taking over the captain’s chair.
“What’s going on Dax?” Kira asked quietly, starting to worry at the secrecy.
“This needs full privacy, not just a corridor.” She took them down to the mess hall, empty due to the unexpected suddenness of the mission. “Nerys, sit down please.”
Kira slowly sat down at the table, worried by Dax’s sudden familiar use of her given name while on duty. Dax held her hand in comfort, even though Kira tried to pull away, feeling uneasy with the intimacy in front of Sisko.
“Several months ago I approached Garak to find out if he was still in contact with anyone on Cardassia, and if he could occasionally check in on a young Bajoran Cardassian child.”
The colour drained from Kira’s face. “Oh Jadzia, what have you done? Garak knows? And you’re saying that she’s now on that ship heading to the station?”
“I’m sorry I shared that information, Nerys. I know it wasn’t mine to share, but it was when you were pregnant with Yoshi, and you got worried for her because you hadn’t heard any news in over a year. I just wanted to ease your mind a bit. When you got that photo, your whole mood changed.”
“But to tell Garak of all people?” Kira stared at her, questioning what she had done.
"Do you care to elaborate Major?" Sisko looked at them both, unsure of what he had being left out of.
"Captain, no one on the station knows the full story about this except Jadzia." Kira took a deep breath, steeling herself against the onslaught of memories. "During the Occupations, I was captured and held in a Cardassian interrogation centre for being a member of the Bajoran Resistance. I was tortured... and raped by the prison prefect to get information. I became pregnant, and gave birth to his child, a girl I called Myra. Afterward her birth he found me and took her from me. I haven't seen her since." Feeling sick to her stomach with all the memories, she looked down at her hands, unwilling to look at Sisko for fear of seeing his judgement, or pity.
Sisko stared at her, amazed by what she had just blurted out to him. "Major, I had no idea."
"No one does really." Dax stepped in for her. "Doctor Bashir knows part of what happened for medical reasons. I've been the only one who Nerys has been able to tell." Dax held Kira, squeezing her hand reassuringly. “Over the years he had been sending photos and updates to Nerys, but when the Klingons moved into the area, that all stopped.”
“So, you asked Mr Garak to use his connections to find out?” Sisko confirmed.
“I guess I was concerned too.” Dax shrugged, “I wasn’t expecting that she’d be heading here on an old cargo ship during a war, nor did I expect Garak to be the one to come to their rescue.”
“Mr Garak continues to surprise me. Once we arrive at the station, we’ll be sure to greet the Cardassians at the airlock. I’ll have Odo's security team deal with a thorough sensor sweep while we deal with the passengers, and whatever news they are bringing. They seem quite insistent…”
"Captain, if it is Gul Burdek, I don't know if I can face him.” Kira spoke up. “He is one demon from my past that I have never come to peace with. I would appreciate it if you could act as an intermediary for me. I want to see my daughter, but I cannot face him."
“I'll do all I can." He reassured her.
She smiled and nodded at him. "Thank you Captain, I know you will." She pulled away, standing up and pushing down all the emotions that were threatening to spill over. “We should get back to the bridge. We need to be ready when we dock.”
Dax and Sisko looked at each other, surprised by her sudden business-like manner as she walked back to the bridge.
=/\=
Dax put a comforting arm around Kira, trying to get her to relax while they waited by the airlock. She pulled away, feeling self-conscious in front of Sisko, instead pacing around the walkway by the airlock.
“I’m surprised a Cardassian ship made it as far as it did with the Klingons out there,” Dax commented, trying to make small talk, although Kira didn’t feel like talking.
“Commander Worf has reminded me many times that there is no honour in taking down such an inferior foe. They…” Sisko stopped short.
The inner doors whooshed open, bringing a party of several Cardassians into the airlock.
"It seems we are to be greeted by the captain of this ship." Sisko commented, straightening up and facing the door. "I can’t see any children, or other military personnel we didn’t see on the viewscreen." He turned to look at Kira, who had unconsciously edged herself away from the airlock.
The outer airlock door opened and soon the captain and two other Cardassian officers stood in front of them. “You have my gratitude captain for saving my ship. I am Glinn Pakort, and this is my officers, Dokir and Rasgo.”
"I'm Captain Sisko, commander of Deep Space Nine." Sisko stepped forward, introducing himself. "And this is my First Officer, Major Kira Nerys, and my Science Officer, Commander Dax."
The captain of the cargo ship looked suddenly at Kira, surprised. "You are Kira Nerys, of the Dahkur Province? Formally of the Shakaar Resistance Cell?"
Kira was on edge, surprised that they knew of her. “Yes, I am. Who is it that wants to know?”
"If you are the Kira Nerys that we are looking for, then we have passengers on board who have been sent to find you. We were instructed to contact the Bajoran Provisional Government to find you.” He turned to the man beside him and gave him instructions to fetch someone. “My apologies, Executor Idris should be out shortly. That was our mission when we set to cross the border.”
Kira turned to Dax and Sisko. “Garak was telling the truth then.”
“For once.” Sisko turned to Odo’s security team who had arrived, armed with dataPADDs and enough bureaucracy to keep the Klingons satisfied. “Just make sure the Cardassians aren’t smuggling anything not listed on their manifest, and conduct blood screening of the rest the crew.” Sisko told them. “Send anyone injured straight to the infirmary. These old cargo ships won’t have the facilities. When you’re done, be sure to send on the report to me so I can keep those Klingons off our doorstep. They’ll be demanding answers.”
“Aye Captain.” They all chorused.
Sisko looked at the Cardassian captain apologetically. “I’m sure you understand.”
Pakort nodded. “I expected as much would happen. The Klingons are usually not so polite in the way that they ask. At least the Federation still follows procedures without a phaser rifle in their hand and a knife in their belt.” He nodded at the group and lead the security team back into his ship.
Further footsteps could be heard on the decking in the Cardassian ship, this time several Cardassian civilians coming out to the airlock.
An older Cardassian man stepped forward from the group. "Such a reception is unwarranted, as I'm sure Major Kira will agree. However," he shrugged, leaving the statement floating. "I am Idris, arbiter and legal executor for Glinn Burdek."
Kira tried to supress a shudder, scanning the faces closely of the Cardassians in front of her. "Burdek? He's here?" she asked.
"Major, it is my duty to inform you that Glinn Burdek has died." Idris told them all, and she looked at him in disbelief. "In his will, and again during his final days at his shri-tal, he requested that something of yours be returned. Given the name, I'm sure you know what. Or rather whom?"
Kira tensely nodded, her mind numb to all that was suddenly happening. “I do.”
One of his aids came to his side. "Sir, the child has been quite argumentative and is refusing to leave. Her sister is currently trying to coax her out. She should be along shortly."
"Her sister?" Dax looked at him, confused by his comment. “How can she have any other siblings?”
"I do beg your pardon. We refer to her half-sister, related by father." Idris clarified, dismissing his aid.
There was a loud thump from inside the ship.
"I will not go!" a young voice screamed out.
Kira pushed past the Cardassians and into the airlock, to find a young girl clinging to the door of the ship to stop from being pulled out.
"Myra?" Kira whispered, approaching the girl and the young woman with her. The girl stopped struggling and looked up at Kira, although not letting go of the doorframe.
"Kira Nerys?" The young woman with her asked.
Kira nodded, staring at the girl with both Bajoran and Cardassian features and kneeling down to her level.
"Elka, this is your mother. Your Bajoran mother."
Elka looked at Kira as though sizing her up, then let out a scream. "I want Papa!"
Sisko, Dax and the rest of the party joined them in the airlock.
Kira reached out to Elka, holding her by the shoulder. "I am so sorry I let you go Myra." Gently she stroked her hair, the lights catching the deep auburn tones in her dark Cardassian hair. “I never thought I’d see you again.”
"Elka has not yet accepted our father's death." The young woman spoke to her. "And I would like to apologize for what my father has put you through. He told me all during his shri-tal and insisted that your daughter be returned to you."
Kira looked up surprised by the statement. Elka pulled away from Kira, hiding behind her sister.
"Major, as you may appreciate, there are legal procedures to follow.” Idris spoke from behind her.
Kira stood up, trying to compose herself. "Of course."
"I suggest that we use the wardroom." Sisko led the way, Dax guiding Kira with a gentle hand on her back and bringing up the rear of the group.
“You are certain she is your daughter?" Dax asked, untrusting of the level of deception that a Cardassian would go to, especially after Kira had once been captured by the Obsidian order.
"I knew he had given her a Cardassian name, but there is no mistaking her. She has the same nose I see every morning in the mirror. I never thought I'd see her again."
"Are you ready for a child in your life?" Sisko asked, ushering the rest of the party into the turbo lift.
Kira paused, unsure of what to admit.
“You’ve got our support Major. You won’t be doing this alone.” Sisko’s smile had a fatherly warmth to it and bolstered her confidence.
Slowly they all took their places at the table in the wardroom, Cardassians to one side, and Starfleet and Bajoran to the other.
Elka looked small and nervous flanked by the adults, and Kira wanted nothing more than to comfort her. The girl shyly looked at her, unsure of what to make of the woman that had always been a mystery to her.
“I am sure you would like to get this done as quickly as possible and be on your way.” Sisko announced as he sat down on the other side of Kira. “What formalities do you do you need to go through so that Major Kira can have her daughter returned to her?”
“A simple DNA test is required to confirm that you are indeed her mother.” Idris told Kira.
Sisko reached for his comm badge to call Doctor Bashir, but Idris put his hand up to stop.
“Cardassian courts require that this is performed by a court appointed doctor.” Idris nodded to the Cardassian woman who stood behind him, who approached Kira and jabbed her arm with a hypospray.
Kira glared at her for the unexpected ambush on her, rubbing her arm as the doctor now stepped back from her, examining the vial with her scanner.
The doctor nodded to Idris. “The DNA is a match. This woman is the mother to the Burdek child.”
“Let the records state that we have found Kira Nerys of the Dukhur Province, formally of the Shakaar Resistance Cell.” Idris noted, marking details on his dataPADD, then turning to Kira. “Now that we have confirmed you are who we were looking for, I do have to ask if you would accept this child into your life, love her despite your history as someone who has actively sought out and killed Cardassians. We know that Bajorans view family differently to Cardassians.”
“Family means everything to Bajorans.” Kira stared at him in disbelief at what she was hearing. “Our families were ripped apart during the Occupation. You only saw that we had no stable family because you stole them from us or killed them. I once had a family, but my mother, father, and brother are all gone from me.”
Sisko held his hand up to her, motioning Kira to stop and take care of her anger towards the Cardassians.
Idris checked the dataPADD in front of him. “Yes, Cardassian records show that both your parents and one of your brothers are dead, and you have no family living around you. The only records we have of a relationship show that he also died. A single person is not much of a family for a child. We need to take that into account, and consider whether she would be better suited to an orphanage on Cardassia where she will not be on her own.”
Kira quickly looked around the room, then glanced to Dax. “I do have family here on the station. I would not be raising Elka on my own.”
“That was not in our records.” Idris scrolled through pages of notes. “Who is it that you live with?”
“We haven’t formalised our relationship, even though we’ve been together for several years now. If Elka is to be returned to me, then I will be asking Commander Jadzia Dax to move into larger quarters with me.” Kira looked to Dax. “You’d move in with me, won’t you?”
Dax seemed surprised by the request, but nonetheless, happy by it. “Of course I would. And I would love to raise your daughter with you and be a family.”
Idris sighed, packing away the dataPADDs in front of him. “Very well. I had not expected that this would be the outcome, given your history, and assumed that this would be a very quick return trip with the child.” He turned to Sisko. “Captain, the ship’s communication system cannot break through the interference generated by the Klingons along the border. I trust you have ways of communicating with Cardassia. I need to inform the Detapa Council of this since they do like to keep track of all Cardassian citizens. We take our responsibilities to all our citizens seriously.”
Sisko nodded. “It does require a bit more effort, but there are ways around the communication blocks. If you’ll come up with me to Ops.”
Kira jumped up. “Captain, I can do that. Chief O’Brien and I have been working on this problem.”
Sisko held his hand up to her, motioning for her to stay. “Major, I believe you have more immediate personal matters to attend to. Chief O’Brien and I can sort it out. You’re on leave.”
“Captain? I…” Kira started, but then looked to Elka, realising that her priorities had now changed.
Idris motioned for the rest of his team to join him. “Major, we will reconvene once I have contacted Cardassia and have an answer. I expect we will know in a few hours. If the ship was not too greatly damaged, we will be returning to Cardassia shortly after. Please make sure you will be ready to receive her cargo.” He left quickly, following Sisko.
Kira looked awkwardly at Devira and Elka who were both staring at them from the opposite side of the table.
“Thank you.” Devira finally spoke up. “Thank you for taking Elka back. Despite what Idris says about her being cared for, I was worried for her if she was to stay on Cardassia. Mixed species children are not treated well.”
“I know.” She thought of Ziyal and all she had been through since being liberated from the Breen camp. “Bajor has repatriated many of them after the Occupation. And on this station with all the other races that come through here, she will not be noticed for her differences.”
Dax gave Kira a gentle nudge towards Elka. “I’ll use the wardroom console to find us new quarters, suitable for 3 people, while you go meet her properly.”
Kira squatted down beside Elka’s as she sat in the chair. “Hello.” She felt all confidence drain, looking at the girl she knew nothing about.
Elka stared at Kira's face, taking her in before slowly reaching out a hand and tentatively touching her nose.
“It’s okay, you can touch them.” Kira offered, brushing the little girl’s hair back and seeing her ears were less scaly, and more lobe shaped than Cardassians usually were.
“No one else had a nose like me.” She whispered softly, touching Kira’s ridges.
“Well, you and I are very much alike. I also have 5 ridges on my nose.”
“You’re my mama?” She asked, taking in everything about Kira.
“Yes I am.”
Unexpectedly Elka jumped out her chair, wrapping her arms around Kira’s neck and hugging her.
Tentatively Kira patted her back, slowly relaxing into the hug. “I have missed you so much, and I’m so sorry I haven’t been in your life until now.” She felt Dax’s hand touch her back, gently letting Kira know she was there.
“Everything is sorted.” Dax mentioned to her.
Kira nodded, slowly feeling Elka drawing away. “Elka, I would like you to meet someone who is special to me.”
Dax crouched down to Elka’s level too. “Hey Elka. My name is Jadzia, and I’m your mama’s partner.” Dax told her with enthusiasm that made Elka immediately warm to her. “You know, we’re all going to live together, and I’m going to also be one of the special adults in your life now.”
She looked curiously at Dax’s face and spots. “You’re not Bajoran. Do all people have spots where you’re from?”
“You know what, not everyone does. Those who are from the very northern continents don’t have them. Do you like my spots?” She turned her face so that Elka could see her face spots better.
“That one looks like a rulot seed. It’s all twisted and wiggly.” She pointed to a spot by Dax’s ear.
“Later I’ll have to show you the spot I have on my shoulder that looks like a Trillian sand flea. When I was little, I use to draw legs on it and say it was my pet that came with me wherever I went.”
“That sounds funny Jadzia.” Slowly she slipped her hands into both Kira and Dax’s, feeling comfortable enough to want to hold them.
“If we were on my home world Trill you would call me Evrah. It means mother's lover. I think it’s a good name for you to call me. What do you think Nerys?" Dax asked, turning to her.
"It sounds beautiful Jadzia. Makes us sound like a family." Kira gave Elka’s hand a squeeze, the trepidation she had felt slowly draining away. “Elka, do you want to come and live with me?”
At first Elka nodded eagerly yes, then turned to look at Devira, realising it meant leaving behind the only family left that she knew. “I want Devira to stay. I want my pet wompat.”
“I’ll look after your wompat for you, and maybe you can come back and visit me one day.” Devira tried to enthusiastically tell her, trying not to be sad for her new life.
Kira nodded in agreement, unsure if she was making a promise she wouldn’t be able to keep given the situation in the region. “We will try to visit Devira as much as travel in the area will allow, and we can always send communication to Cardassia. Your father was always able to send me photos of you as you were growing.”
“You got those?” Devira asked. “Father was always unsure if they had reached you. He continued anyway, even when the Klingons arrived.”
“I didn’t receive anything after the Klingons arrived, just this one photo that looked more like a surveillance photo.” It dawned on Kira where that photo came from, and she looked to Dax. “Garak? He got you that photo?”
Dax nodded, feeling guilty that Kira was finding out that her trust had been broken.
“Elka, we need to pack up your toys you left on the Navark and have everything sent to your new home.” Devira looked apologetically at Kira. “I promise you that I will return her once Idris has finalised all that he needs to. I am certain they will not deny your rights as her mother.”
“I trust you.” Kira placed Elka’s hand in Devira’s, getting up and watching as they both walked out the wardroom.
Dax slid a supportive arm around Kira once the doors closed and they had privacy. Kira shrugged her off. “I need to get back to my quarters. We need to pack up and have all my personal effects moved, and then yours as well. We don’t know how long Idris will be, and the Navark will be sending over all her things too.”
“Can we just take a moment?” Dax asked, trying to help with the onslaught of thoughts racing through Kira’s mind.
“Not now Jadzia.” Kira looked at her, and Dax saw the look in her eyes that said she was barely holding herself together, but did so because she didn’t want others to see her vulnerable.
“Let’s go and pack then.” Dax suggested, Kira not caring about Dax’s hand in hers, leading her to the turbolift, and then back to the quarters she had become familiar enough with to start to call it home.
Once in the privacy of Kira’s own quarters, Dax tried again to comfort Kira. This time she fell into Dax’s waiting arms, her body soundlessly heaving with tears and anguish.
Dax held her, unable to find the right words of comfort, before realising that all Kira needed was her. “I’m here for you Nerys.” She whispered into her hair, gently rubbing her hand along her back.
“I don’t know if I can do this Jadzia.” Kira murmured when she finally calmed, the shock starting to dissipate from her body as she clung to Dax. “I don't know if I can love her because of what she reminds me of."
"I know you love her. I saw it when you ran to her in the airlock today. You're just worried about giving yourself away, that by showing love for her, you're forgiving him." Kira stared at her, realising that what Dax said was true. "She is not responsible for her father’s crimes. She is not her father. And it will be hard, every time you see those scales around her eyes, see that greyed skin tone instead of pink you'll be reminded. Whatever else she is, she is also your daughter, a part of you."
"I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know how I'm going to look after a child. It's a lot different to that tiny newborn baby she was.” She paused, uncertain about sharing something she had trouble admitting herself. “When I had Kirayoshi, I had so much trouble walking away from him, giving him over to the O’Briens. I wanted to hold him and never let him go. That heartache I felt for him reminded me of the emptiness I felt when I lost Myra… I mean Elka. I don’t know if you realised how much I’ve been trying to deal with it since he was born.”
Dax’s hand on her cheek pulled her into her calming blue eyes. “I’ve known. I watched you struggling, and I’ve tried to be there for you without saying anything until you were ready to talk.”
“You knew?” Kira seemed surprised, slowly sitting down on the couch. “I never expected to be in this position. I’ve learnt to live with my loss of her that I never expected her to come back into my life.”
Dax sat down beside her. “And that’s why you’ve been hesitant to visit with the O’Briens. You wanted to cut ties and grieve your loss like you did for Myra. But he’s not gone, and neither is your daughter.”
Kira stared at her with sudden realisation of what her words meant, breaking down and weeping again into Dax’s arms.
“Shhh.” Dax soothed. “This is going to be a very healing time for you, for both your experience with Myra and Yoshi. And we’ll go through it together.”
“Together.” Kira confirmed, eventually pulling back, rubbing at her eyes and trying to hide away that she’d let her emotions get the better of her. “Were you serious about moving in with me?”
“I would love to move in with you. I wasn’t sure if you were serious, or if it was just a ploy to get the Cardassians to return her to you if you were seen to have family on the station.”
She looked nervously at Dax, unsure how to word it. “I really do want to live with you. I am worried about what it could lead to on Bajor, but I’m even more scared of being a parent alone. Doctor Bashir is right, I’ve got the support and protection of everyone around me here. Sisko, Bashir, the O’Briens… all of them, they wouldn’t let anyone take me away for ‘social retraining’.”
“I know they won’t. And if we need to leave Bajor and the station for a little while, my parents have a house with enough rooms for us to stay in. We could go back to Trill for a visit while Benjamin, and First Minister Shakaar, smooth things over with Kai Winn.”
“I don’t want to leave others to fight my battles for me.”
There was a chime on the door, Kira flying away from Dax, who called the door to open onto the service workers bringing an anti-grav lift along with several storage boxes.
“Oh great, you’re here. Would you mind packing up the non-standard furniture and taking it to Major Kira’s new quarters in level 5, section 24, and then bring the anti-grav tray back for the rest of the personal belongings that are going to be packed away.” Dax ordered, handing Kira a box. “I thought it best to get a few people to help with the heavy stuff. I can pack away your altar for you, unless that’s something that only you can touch. Otherwise maybe get started in your bedroom.”
“It’s fine for you to move my altar.” She gripped the box in her arms. “Thanks Jadzia. It’s all so overwhelming, I don’t think I could have done this on my own.”
Dax discreetly squeezed her hand. “That’s what partnership is about. Helping each other. Besides which, we then have my quarters to pack up, and that’s not going to be as easy.”
=/\=