Soulfire

Author notes: Since the real relationship won't happen for quite awhile in "canon" (this is set three years into the original Kerok Nor's stead--2379 in yearly terms), we decided to write this. Rather, Cheile decided to write it, realized she'd screw up writing a Cajun accent, then proceeded to beg Tanth for help. *snicker*

Legal B.S., etc: Star Trek belongs to Paramount. Kerok Nor belongs to GT. Kerok's main characters and NPCs belong to their respective creators, other minor characters created by us. The AU timeline is ours. Feedback, comments and polite/constructive criticism is welcome - mimicstarsong@yahoo.com and Elven_BladeSinger@ev1.net. Flames will be shot out the airlock to use for station target practice.

Rating: NC-17. Consenting het sex, violence, a bit of language, telepathic torture. If you're underage and venture onward, we ain't responsible. Parents, watch your own damn kids. We have better things to do. (like more evil plotting....*whistles innocently*).

Archiving: our pages, ASC and The Pit (Kerok Nor's fanfic archive) ONLY. No other archiving or linking without our express permission.

Thanks to: Aaz (Lissa) for letting Tanth hog her dinosaur of a computer (before it committed cannibalism) to write his parts and Windfire for the same after its demise. And the beta team: Lissa, Windfire, Andi, Chrysa, Karzen, Julie, Seema and D'Alaire.

Dedication: to Nikki (Wren)....who's probly Tom's biggest fan and was the inspiration for Deire. *mwah!* love ya, Wren-wren!


Soulfire
by Cheile and Tanth

Kitanal Kestrae stepped out of the turbolift onto the upper Promenade of Kerok Nor. As usual during the early morning, not many people were around. She passed by a few Starfleet officers, Romulan Ambassador Sarnak, a Klingon or two and a pair of Cardassians. Sarnak smiled and nodded in her direction and the Fleeters waved. The Klingons simply nodded, but as usual, the Cardassians eyed her warily.

She was used to the Cardassians' reactions by now. Working alone rather than with a Resistance cell against Cardassia's Occupation of Bajor, she had built up a reputation known to both her people and the enemy. She had taught herself essential defenses and fighting techniques--and how to kill, soon using her self-taught skills to strike out at their oppressors. One of her few friends had nicknamed her "The Ta'arhawk", because her golden eyes were strikingly similar to those of the Bajoran raptor. The name stuck--and most Cardassians soon grew to dread any mention of it. Many Obsidian Order agents had tried and failed to catch her, so she had survived the Occupation. Eventually, she had joined the militia and was now onboard Kerok Nor as Bajoran security.

Some officers Kitanal knew had refused to be transferred to the Cardassian outpost, still fearful of their former oppressors. But it hadnbothbothered her in the slightest. After three years, she'd gotten used to working around Cardassians rather than being hunted by them--and made friends, something that had never been easy during the Occupation.

"Morning, Kestrae." The voice of Lieutenant Rash'iel Quinn snapped her out of her thoughts. Kitanal realized her musings had carried her right through the doors of the Bajoran Embassy.

"Morning, Rash'iel, Vaurien, Colonel, Major," Kitanal repligivigiving the group of four a nod of greeting at large before flopping into her usual chair.

"You're late," Lieutenant Nishadi Vaurien joked, his green eyes twinkling as he passed her a mug of raktajino.

Kitanal accepted the mug with one hand, while leaning over far enough to give Vaurien's brown-bronze hair, tied back in its usual queue, a tug and smirked. "I doubt anyone cares that I'm--what, ten seconds?--late. Do you, Colonel?"

Behind the desk, Colonel Reanla Kaelinn looked up and shook her head with a smile. "I don't think ten seconds matters in the grand scheme of things."

"Told you so," Kitanal snickered. She gave Vaurien's ponytail another yank before he could duck his head out of the way, then sat back.

Vaurien rubbed at his head and scooted his chair as close to Quinn and as far away from Kitanal as he could manage. "Damn women," he muttered.

"I heard that." Major Krysa Rei'ani looked up at Vaurien from her spot on the far side of the desk, closest to Reanla. She pretended to look annoyed but her own eyes held a wickedly teasing glint. "You're fated to become as insane as the rest of us, Nishadi."

Vaurien slapped a hand to his forehead, rolled his eyes heavenward and flopped back in his chair dramatically. "Prophets, why me?" he groaned.

"Think of how bored you would be without us to entertain you," Krysa added before turning her attention back to her padd.

"So Kestrae, how was last night?" Quinn asked, in an attempt to distract Krysa from picking on Vau any any further.

Kitanal raised an eyebrow as she sipped her raktajino. "Define 'how was it', Rash'iel. 'Did I have fun?' 'Did I stay up late?' 'Did I go against my vow not to drink too much?'"

Quinn sighed in exasperation. "You know very well what I mean, Kestrae."

"She wants to know all the mushy details you women thrive on," Vaurien put in. n Krn Krysa looked up again, he put his hands up in surrender. "What can I say--that's the usual topic around here these days when we're not working."

"C'mon Kestrae, I want to know about Tom, what else?"

"What about him?" Kitanal shrugged. Next to Krysa, who had a habit of meddling in her friends' romantic lives, Quinn was the one who demanded from Kitanal every small detail about her casual dating relationship with Tothram Nash--known to most as Tom--a human civilian who worked in a shop on the Promenade's lower level.

"Quinn honey, just say it," Krysa replied, not looking up from the padd. "Have you two gotten anywhere yet or did he blush himself to death again?"

Kitanal rolled her eyes. "No, we haven't done anything yet. And even if we had, why would it be anyone's business but ours?"

"Because I'm your best friend?" Quinn said, even as she was giggling at Krysa's remark.

"You're nosy, Rash'iel Quinn."

"That's only due to being influenced," Reanla put in, inclining her head sideways at Krysa as she skimmed through the morning reports on her console. "She corrupts everyone."

"Well nothing else is going on right now....unless we want to get back to the subject of you....and a certain ambassador," Krysa said, a smug glint in her violet eyes.

"Shut up, Rei."

"And if I don't?" Krysa's other favorite subject was annoying Reanla about her two-year relationship with Klingon Ambassador Ko'Tak.

"I outrank you." Reanla fired her own smirk at her best friend and first officer.

Krysa settled back with a mumble. "Fiiiine. Take all the enjoyment out of life, Kae."

"That's what I'm here for," Reanla replied with a straight face, setting Quinn into laughter all over again. Before Krysa had the chance to protest, the Embassy's main doors slid open an instant before a small figure would have crashed right through them. "Morning, Maleah," Reanla added, recognizing who it was immediately.

Galt Maleah Merrit was a frequent visitor to the Embassy. She was by and large a very atypical Cardassian--open, friendly, and showing little prejudice. It was easy to spot her in a crowd, given her petite five foot even stature, long flowing hair barely restrained by elaborate braids and more often than not, accompanied by Glinn Thera Kesara, chief of security and also Maleah's boyfriend. Right now, she was impatiently bouncing on her toes where she had come to a screeching halt next to Reanla's desk, looking ready to burst from excitement--or happiness, it was hard to tell which.

"Kesara update?" Quinn guessed with a smile.

Maleah nodded vigorously, her eyes bright but said nothing.

"So spit it out," Kitanal said bluntly, not able to hide her own grin. "What charming thing did he say this time?"

"He--he--look!" she squealed, thrusting her wrist out. Being an engineer, Maleah usually wore no jewelry but today a delicate silver bracelet encircled her wrist. It looked almost antique. Swirls and Kardasi writing were etched in intricate patterns around the band.

Vaurien whistled low in appreciation. "That's some good metalwork," he commented.

"Does that mean what I think it means?" Krysa asked.

"We're enjoining!" Maleah cried happily. She started to spin a circle while bouncing on her toes. "He already sent a message to his family--now we just have to call mine on subspace. I think my mother will be happy, she likes Thera....my father will do his protective 'you treat my daughter right' thing but Mother can convince him. Marc's away so he won't hear for some time, I doubt the triplets will care one way or the other, and Amiya will just scowl because I'll be enjoined before she can find another husband," she rattled off, ticking them off on her fingers one by one. "Layja and the younger seven will just want to know who! They'll *adore* Thera, especially Adeben! Isn't this GREAT?!"

"Well congratulations, Maleah. I'm very happy for you," Reanla smiled at the little galt. Maleah beamed as the others echoed the sentiment.

"Are we invited to the wedding?" Krysa asked with a wink. "We won't make Kesara too nervous, we promise."

"The enjoining ceremony, I'm not sure about. Knowing Mother, she'll want it done at home, grand Teri'Pr'ch'tt style and all. But we have too many friends here and I doubt everyone would be allowed to leave the station and go all that way just for that." Maleah gestured with one hand as she talked. "So what we can probably do is Thera and I will go to Teri'Pr'ch'tt for the actual ceremony and my family's party, then come back, reserve Ulkat's for a night and have a second party here for our friends to attend."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Vaurien said.

"So who else knows?" Kitanal teased. "Or are we the honored first ones to find out?"

"Well Saman knows. And Keros." The others nodded, knowing that Saman, who was an old friend of the Merrits and Keros, her direct superior, would be the first ones to know. "But other than that, don't think so. Unless Thera told someone," Maleah mused.

"I guess this means we get to be the gossipmongers," Krysa grinned.

"Rei....it's Maleah's betrothal. Let her tell everyone."

"Oh, I don't mind if you tell anyone," Maleah said, her gleeful smile returning as she started to bounce lightly on her toes again. "Ooh, I can hardly stand the wait! It's going to drive me nuts during all the planning Mother's going to want to do...."


(-|-)


Tothram Nash was busily working on fixing the main board from a Bolian civilian's replicator in the assembly room. He glanced up and saw that Lisandra Trask, his boss, was busy with one of their acquaintances, Galt Tevar Sorak. Tom paused to study the Science Galt for a moment. He seemed more....quiet than he had when they'd first arrived. But then, he supposed there was cause for it.

*Poor guy.... Both parents dead. Maleah decahdin' t' pick Kesara over 'im. Jus' not de same person. Almos' lahke 'is spirit's been....stahfled....*

With a sigh, he went back to his work again, turning his mind to somewhat happier thoughts. He'd taken Kestrae into the holosuite last night for a trip to a place called Ballou's. It was a quaint little dance club....good food, live music, great atmosphere for getting to know a woman. They'd danced until they both thought they'd die and eaten mainly to rebuild their energy for more dancing. He'd almost forgotten how much he enjoyed dancing until he'd started seeing her. She loved to dance. He smiled faintly as he worked and then a voice broke his reverie.

"Hello, Tom."

He looked up and raised his goggles. "'Ey! T-man! How's it goin'?"

The Cardassian looked rather embarrassed. "I've had infinitely better times before I came here."

"Ah know, mon ami. Butcha not helpin' t'ings hahdin' out, ya know."

Tevar perched on the stool Kestrae sometimes occupied when she visited. "I'm not hiding, actually...."

Tom cocked his head and smirked at him. "Nah, n'trahin' t'snow me. Ah heard enough boutcha reputation 'fore ya trahed t'get wit' Maleah.... Y'could get anyone ya wanted."

He sighed. "No. I think that period is over. A pointless search for something that does not exist for me. So, now there's just work." He shrugged.

Tom mirrored the shrug. "Maybe it fahnd ya when ya not lookin'. Butcha know, Ah saw a pretty t'ing offloadin' yesterday when Ah went down t'get our shipment. Said she's a civvie n' gave me 'er contact info 'cause she wanted some work done on 'er quarters. Ah could....y'know....pass it on....." He grinned.

"No thanks. Are you up to getting whipped at billiards tonight?"

"Eh...." He ran a hand over the back of his neck. "Ah can't tonahght, chere. Got previous plans...."

"Kitanal, hmmm?"

Tom blushed. "Dat easy t'see, huh?"

Tevar shook his head slightly. "As obvious as it could be...."

"Sorry, mon ami."

He felt a little bad for it. He and Tevar had gotten to a point where they were decent enough friends. He'd taught him a few Terran games to give him something to do to drag him out of depression. Maleah deciding she wasn't for him had been rough. Tom had an idea what that felt like and so had sort of become his off duty support. But now....well, he and Kestrae seemed to want to spend more time together.

Tevar let out a breath. "It's no trouble. I can probably come up with something to amuse myself. I have paintings to finish, reports to write. A thousand things to fill the time."

Tom stepped over and put a hand on his shoulder. "Look....Ah could change mah plans if ya need t'talk."

Tevar looked him in the eyes. "I'll be fine. I wouldn't dream of pulling you away from Kitanal. It's getting easier each day."

Tom smiled. "Ah'm glad f'dat. Ya one o' de few Cardies here Ah know Ah ain't gotta worry bout stabbin' de ol' Bayou Boy in de back. Ah'd hate t'see ya transfer on account o' all dat."

"No, no transfers. I'm not one to turn tail and run. Not because of something like that."

Lissa stepped into the room then. "I've got the figures for the alterations to your quarters." She smiled. "I gave you a small discount on the labor and parts. Because you're a friend...."

Tevar grinned. "No need, Lisandra. I've told you enough times that there's no need to make special concessions for me. Saving you was duty and nothing more. Though I am glad I did. I'd rather not have to wait for Engineering to send someone...."

"'Fraid dey mahght send 'er, mon ami?"

"Yeah, well....I doubt they'd waste her expertise on something so low profile. But still...."

"You know, you really should at least try to be friends...." Lissa gave him a sympathetic look.

"It wouldn't work. Mainly because I would always want more than what she's willing to give. No, I think it's best if I just try to leave her to Kesara. They'll both be happier that way. If she's happy, I'm happy. If Thera's happy, it means he's not harassing me." He shrugged. "But, I do need to get back on duty. And full price, Lisandra, I insist."

"I know better than to argue. We'll start on it in two weeks as requested."

"Thanks. Have fun, Tom."

"Yeah....you too, T-man."

Lisandra watched the Cardassian leave with a shake of her head. "Think he'll ever get over it?"

Tom shrugged. "Dunno, chere. Can't really talk 'bout it, 'cause Ah promised confidence n' all."

She cocked a brow. "So, how was your evening?"

"Hmmm?"

"I saw you headed for the holosuites with Kitanal last night. Have a good time?"

He blushed and looked at the board he was working on. "Yeah, same's always. We jus' went dancin', got some dinner."

"So how long until we get to buy wedding gifts?"

He smirked at her. "Mahght ask ya de st'it'ing 'bout you n' Bolo."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, so I slept with him. Big deal. Doesn't mean I'm going to marry him. Besides, sometimes he's so caught up in his work he hardly knows I exist."

*Know dat feelin'....* "Yeah, well. Ya leaps ahead o' me, chere. S'don' get defensive."

"Ah! So, you still haven't tried, huh?"

Again, he blushed. "Ah lahke t'take it slow...."

She chuckled. "I know, Tom. I'm just picking!" She poked him in the ribs. "Almost done with that? Mr. Norobo will be expecting you back at 1400 to reinstall it."

"Ah'll be dere, chere. Doncha worry."

"I'm not." She smiled and went back out onto the sales floor to assist a customer who had just entered.


(-|-)


Around 1230, Reanla dismissed everyone for lunch. Kitanal declined Quinn's request to join her and Vaurien as was the usual. She planned to go down and tell Tom and Lisandra about Maleah's betrothal. "I'll catch up with you later," she said.

"Oh we see how it is," Quinn teased. "We're being stood up for Tom Nash." She nudged Vaurien in the ribs to get his attention. "We should be insulted, Vaurien."

Vaurien shook his head. "We?" he repeated. "Did *I* say anything?"

"Oh c'mon," Quinn groaned. "Take my side for once!"

"No, no, no. I've said it before, I'll say it again. I will not get involved."

"Smart boy," Kitanal smirked. She pinched Vaurien's cheek, then turned to descend the stairs to the Promenade's lower level. Trask Technologies was roughly a ten to fifteen-minute walk from the Embassies, give or take a few minutes depending on the time of day. She paused to study the latest window display in the art shop, spared a quick wave for Ealaion Raviya, the art shop's owner, then ducked through Trask Tech's front doors.

Lissa was out on a call and Tom was sitting on the stool behind the front counter, reading something on a PADD and eating from a bowl of seafood gumbo. The look on his face was thoughtful as he spooned some into his mouth and then set his spoon down. He looked up and a broad smile came over his face as he saw who'd come in.

"Hey, chere! Ya on ya lunch break?" His eyes lit up as she smiled.

"Hi, Tom. Yeah, just thought I'd stop in and say hi first."

"Well, Ah got some more o' dis in de back if ya hungry. Ah'd hate t' deprahve ya. An Ah wouldn't mahnd ya keepin' me company if ya want."

"I might pick up something on the way back to the Embassy--or join Quinn and Nishadi at the Replimat later. Just so they can't complain any more about the fact that I didn't spend the whole hour with them." Kitanal settled onto her usual stool and leaned her arms on the worktable. "Or should I say, Quinn complained. Nishadi just went back into his 'I'm not getting into this' mode."

He chuckled. "She still trahin' t' get 'im t'take a sahde, huh?" he grinned as she nodded. "Poor guy."

"What I really stopped down here to tell you you might already know. Thera actually got up the guts and proposed to Maleah. But I figured it was my duty to pass the word along to you and Lisandra if you hadn't yet seen Maleah dancing her way down the Promenade or Thera walking around like he's--what was that human expression again? Something about clouds...."

"On cloud nahne? Ah guess he must be." His expression faltered slightly. "Ah hell....T-man ain't gonna take dis too well. Hard enough f' 'im when she decahded t' stay wit' Kesara." His brow furrowed. "Never seen a Cardie get depressed lahke dat...."

"Who....Tevar?" He nodded. "I wonder if he knows....damn, if he weren't a Cardie, I'd say the news would kill him, but Tevar's the resilient type." Kitanal shook her head. "You'd think with his charm, he could just take some time to mourn having lost the chance and look for someone else. I wonder why he isn't taking that route?"

Tom shook his head. "Ah've talked t' 'im about it. From what Ah c'n tell, he really loved 'er a lot. Said she was only de second woman 'e ever truly loved. Ah been trahin' t' get 'im t' at least look, but...." He shrugged. "Den he lost bot' 'is folks rahght after. Guess he jus' ain't ready...."

"Maybe it'll just take him some time then. Everyone is different....and we of course like to say the Prophets work in mysterious ways." Kitanal shrugged. "So maybe someone will come along that will be right for Tevar."

"Yeah, maybe." *An' maybe de someone rahght f' me'll come too.... If she don't sit rahght here b'fore me.* He studied her face for a moment. "Ah guess Ah'll keep an ah on 'im. He may wanna talk 'bout it." He broke the gaze by spooning up another mouthful of his lunch and chewing it thoughtfully.

Kitanal nodded. "Talking to him is a good idea. The more he talks about it, the less painful it's supposed to become. Otherwise it eats at you for the rest of your life. Or that's what Starfleet counselors say. Between you and I, I think it depends on the person and not everyone can be lumped into that category."

"Yeah. Cardies ain't big on de counselin' t'ing, so Ah guess Ah get dat role. Nursed enough buddies through heartache. Ah guess Ah'm good at it. Pretty funny considerin'...."

She leaned her chin on her hand and fixed her eyes on him. "Considering what?"

He blushed and seemed quite intent on his lunch. "Well, Ah don' exactly have a lot o' experience in dat department, chere. Not wit' heartbreak anyway." He shrugged.

"Well at least you have an unbiased opinion on the subject," she pointed out. "Or you can be there to listen. Sometimes not having experience in matters of the heart can help. Unlike those Fleeter counselors. They just study about it and then some of them think they know it all, especially in regards to love or negative emotional states." Kitanal rolled her eyes. "Like the last time I went home, I stopped on DS9 at Krysa and Reanla's suggestion to visit their temple. The day hadn't started particularly well so I suppose I looked a little irritated to others--and practically got ambushed by one of those types. A Trill like Lisandra--but Prophets, did she think she knew it all!" She made a face.

He grinned and looked up, feeling the blush thankfully fading. "Ah t'ought about seein' one after dat attack when Lissa got hurt. But Ah couldn't do it. Ah jus' kinda worked it out on m'own.... Well' b' bah askin' ya out t'give me somethin' else t' t'ink about." Just as it was almost gone, another blush colored his cheeks.

She smiled back. "If I helped distract you, then I accomplished something," she winked. "Even if we both have to listen to others assume that it's something more than it really is. But let them assume whatever they please. Because no matter how hard they try, they're not finding much out from me."

He chuckled. "Lahke dat air o' mystery, huh?" As he said it, he realized that the mystery was exactly why he'd continued to see her even though she'd not shown much interest in him other than being friends. But they had kissed.... Without thinking about it, he slid his hand across so that his fingers touched hers.

She let him take her hand. "There's the mystery--and there's also the added aspect of driving people nuts," she snickered. "It's more fun than having even your closest friends knowing immediately what's happening at every turn. Not that that stops some," she added, referring to Krysa.

He smiled at her, trailing his fingers across the top of her hand. "Prahvate... Ah c'n understan'. Ah guess ya din't get a lot o' prahvacy wit' de Occupation. Ah lahke mah prahvacy jus' because Ah'm shah, Ah suppose...."

Kitanal snorted softly. "You could say that again. Of course I was lucky--I had my privacy because they couldn't catch me." She turned her hand over to clasp his fingers gently. "And there's nothing wrong with being shy. I've seen more than enough arrogant men in my life--Cardassian or not. It was nice to meet someone who wasn't."

He blushed brightly. "Glad Ah din't turn out lahke m'daddy den. He'll always have a much better track record wit' de ladies.... Always confident....always charmin'. Me, Ah usu'ly end up stutterin' out mah name...." His eyes dropped, studying their hands.

"Well don't change. I like you the way you are." *It's a wonder some other woman hasn't snatched you up long before now--shy or not.* "Your father's very nice, of course. But I rather like his son a lot too," she teased. "He's sweet, he can cook--and he doesn't mind being seen with an ex-terrorist assassin." She winked.

He chuckled nervously, blushing again. He wasn't used to being complimented like that. "Not when she's as nahce n' pretty as y' are, chere."

She smiled. "You're one of the few people who thinks I'm nice." A glance at the chrono told her time was growing short. She would have to leave soon if she was to catch Quinn and Nishadi for the second half of the lunch hour and get something to eat herself. "Are we still on for tonight or does Tevar need a pool partner and someone to vent at?"

"Ah tol' 'im Ah had plans f' tonahght. He'll prob'ly want some tahme t' t'ink n' mull t'ings over anyway, so Ah shouldn't hafta change our plans."

"Okay. I have to get going if I expect to have any time to eat. So I'll see you at 1900? Anything in particular I should wear or are we still falling back on 'don't forget the shoes for dancing'?" she laughed.

He grinned. "Dat rule seems t'keep us prepared f'most anyt'in'."

"Then I'll see you then." She gave him one last smile, which he returned, before sliding off the stool and dashing out the front door back onto the Promenade.


(-|-)


"So where in New Orleans are we going this time?"

"It's a surprise," he teased.

She rolled her eyes at him as they headed up the holosuite stairs. "If you say so."

"Which Ah do," he grinned back. They reached the top of the stairs and he paused to check the holosuite panel. "Perfect. Already up and runnin'." He tapped in a few commands and the doors slid open. She took the arm he offered and they headed inside.

They began on the lower, enclosed deck of the ship. It was laid out as a small, brightly lit and rather noisy casino. Tom grinned at the people sitting at the slot machines and tables. It didn't have the addition of dabo and domjot as the modern places did, but that was part of the charm....late 20th century ambiance....even to the detail of the oak bar at the far end of the deck. The portals looked out onto the observation decks. Out there, beyond the railing, he could see the lights of New Orleans, not far distant.

Not recognizing where they were, she turned to ask him when suddenly, the floor swayed beneath her feet. "What the hell?" she gasped, looking down in surprise. A young boy nearby saw her expression and laughed. "Ah take it she never been on a riverboat, huh?" he asked Tom with a grin.

Tom grinned at him in return. "She jus' gotta get 'er sea legs, chere." The boy snickered as he bounded off toward the door that led out onto the outer deck.

"Riverboat?" She turned to Tom in confusion.

He smiled at her, holding her arm. "Yeah. C'mon, Ah'll show ya."

He guided her toward the narrow stairwell that led to the other three decks of the boat. The top deck held the control cabin and a small observation deck that overlooked the other tiered levels. He took her up to the top and guided her to the railing. A skylight below looked onto the ballroom/dining room that took up the deck below. On all sides of the boat, the dark waters of the Mississippi glistened in the light of a red-gold full moon. Faint strains of some Cajun waltz drifted up from the ballroom. He wrapped his arm around her, the stiff warm river wind ruffling his hair. He took a deep breath and let it out in a soft sigh of contentment.

Kitanal looked around slowly, taking in everything before turning to him. "It's....amazing," she said. "And beautiful too. I can see why you like it so much, other than it's home for you--in a sense. Does it still look like this?"

He looked a little sad. "No. Lot more modern t'ings nah. Lotta de French Quarter burned in de late 21st century. Got bought up. Dey still trahed t'get de charm, but it looks....fake. Some o' de ol' parts still ain't changed, but.... " His voice trailed off and he leaned his hip against the railing.

"It isn't the same," she finished, leaning her head against his arm as they stared out at the moonlit river waters. She slipped her hand into his.

He gripped it tightly. "It changed a lot 'fore Ah was ever even here, but de family, dey had all kinda pictures n' stories bout what it used t'look lahke. Even some ol' vids. It's lahke lookin' at a theme park recreation nah."

"A lot of Bajor's still like that. When I left last year after Festival, they were still working on renovating the museum in Tozhat province. And some of the artifacts can't even be recovered. The Cardies destroyed them." She sighed quietly. "Ten years and Bajor still hasn't fully recovered."

He ran a hand through her wind-ruffled hair. "Feel kahnda silly goin' on 'bout how fake N'awlins looks nah, when ya whole planet was devastated...." He raised his eyes up to the moon, blushing slightly.

"Don't worry about it, Tom. It may take another generation or two but Bajor can and will recover. I know it. And someday, we'll just have to drag each other to the real thing." She gave him a smile. "You to Bajor, me to New Orleans. Both will look different to us," she added, referring to the holoprogram of the Kendra Valley she'd taken him to, "but they'll still be the same places."

He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. "Ah'd lahke dat...." He tightened his arms against her slightly, enjoying the faint drift of her scent on the humid wind. "Take ya t'some places Ah used t'go.... An' den y'can show me where y'from...."

"Might take us a few weeks to get around to everywhere I'd want to show you," she murmured, laughing softly. "You have to see the real Kendra Valley and my family's land--or where it was--is in a totally different place...." Without realizing it, they'd both leaned into a kiss. They had kissed a few times before but only as a quick good-bye. This kiss was more passionate, deeper, and had more feeling behind it. It seemed to linger and despite the warm river breeze, Kitanal shivered slightly.

*Damn....she feels s'good....* Holding her close like that made it feel like every nerve in his body was tipped with fire. He knew that if he kept it up, his mind would turn to taking things further. He wanted that to be her choice and didn't want to rush her. *God, but Ah don' wanna stop kissin' 'er....* But he did. He broke the kiss and took in a somewhat shaky breath as he pushed back the strands of hair the wind carried across her face.

Her eyes slowly opened to gaze into his. For a long moment, they simply looked at each other. Her emotions were in a complete jumble inside her. *What do I say? Do I even say anything? Damnit, why do I have to be so confused?*

He could see something in her eyes....a discomfort of some kind. He felt himself blushing as he took a step back, still keeping his arms about her waist. He lowered his eyes and when he spoke, his voice had a slightly husky quality to it. "So....wanna go dance? We could work up an appetite. As Ah recall, de dinner menu has some great t'ings on it." He realized as he spoke that just holding her and kissing her had been enough to begin arousing him. The realization only made him blush a deeper shade of red. He found he couldn't look into her eyes. *Y'too easy, Tom Nash! Look atcha! Lahke a teenager! Get a grip!*

Kitanal noticed how embarrassed he looked and moved forward to lean against him for a moment. She wanted to tell him he didn't have to be embarrassed, but wasn't sure how. *With my luck, I'd say it the wrong way.* Catching the sound of "New Orleans Summer" beginning in the background, she stepped back and took his hand. "They're playing our song," she teased gently. "We'd better get in there."

"Let's go den." He smiled and walked with her back down to the ballroom. As they entered, the sound of the band poured through the doorway accompanied by the chatting and laughter of the crowd and the aromatic scents of good food. He led her to the floor and faced her, hands on her hips as he began to sway to the rhythm. He hoped that concentrating on the dance would stop the effect holding her and kissing her hadughtught about.

"Dis a good band. Got a few recordin's o' deirs in mah collection. Dixie's Heartbreak dey called demselves."

She laughed as she started to move with him. "I have to wonder where they came up with some of those names for their groups. Or was a creative name just another way to draw the fans?"

He grinned. "If Ah read de history rahght, dey called demselves dat 'cause Dixie was de leader's wahfe an' she hated it when he had t'be away from home on tour. Not de weirdest band name Ah ever heard. Some o' Lissa's old fav'rites have really oddball names. Nahne Inch Nails....Front 242.... Never know if dey're serious or jokes...." He stepped lightly, just enjoying the warmth of heayinaying hips under his palms as they moved.

Kitanal raised an eyebrow at some of the names he rattled off. "Now those *are* strange names," she snickered, then smiled. "But humans are nothing if not unique when it comes to names. Like yours. Wherever did your parents get Tothram from?"

He scowled slightly. "Not sure, really. All Ah know 'bout it is dat Daddy don' lahke it. Musta been somebody else's choice'r somet'in'. 'E's always jus' called me Remy." He shrugged. "Don' matter much t'me."

She nodded. "Oh I was just curious. Not that Kestrae is anything unique," she remarked with a small snort. "I think my parents got it from some old legend connected to a tale of B'hala. My brother Ashren was named after my mother's grandfather. Jaed'ine, my baby sister, had been named after a grandmother and my sister Ro'aeni....I think hers was also after a relative but theirs had been 'Ro'eni'--without the a. They added it in to make it her own name. So I guess I'm the only one not named after an ancestor."

"Ah t'ink Kestrae's a fahne name. Pretty name f' a pretty woman...." He let his arms drift around to her back as they danced. It brought her just a little closer to him.

Her hands moved to his shoulders as the music started to slow in tempo just slightly. "When I was very little, Ro'aeni called me Kes. She was the only one I'd ever allow to use a nickname with. Well except for Lasraleen," she rolled her eyes as her Betazoid friend came to mind. "When she doesn't call me by my given name, she shortens Kitanal to 'Kita'. Which I can't stand, as you know, but she does it anyway."

He chuckled. "Ah t'ink Ah'll jus' stick t' callin' ya Kestrae. Ah lahke it. N' ya c'n call me whatever y' comf'table wit'. Ah'm sure Ah been called worse n'matter whatcha choose." He grinned and spun her around and danced beside her for a little bit, holding her hands in his. Then the tempo picked up again and he spun her back around to face him again.

"I wouldn't call you anything but Tom," she laughed. "And others have called me worse too. Some Cardies have made 'Ta'arhawk' into a curse just because it was my nickname."

He grinned. "Well, Ah guess dey're jus' goin' on what dey know, cherie. Ah count m'self lucky t'know better." His hands were on her hips again and he felt again that sort of weird otherworldliness he sometimes felt when they danced. It was as if they were in their own little world and little existed beyond it.

The song finally ended and they stopped, both out of breath. She moved one hand from his arm to push back her hair before the band started up again, playing a slower song this time around. She moved closer to lean against him as his arms slipped around her waist. "Now we can cool down before the next one," she laughed against his shoulder.

He nodded, smiling at her. *Unfortunately, dese days, bein' close lahke dis....it's not exactly a cool-down f'me....* He let his fingers gently massage along her back as they danced.


(-|-)


Kitanal punched in the lock code for her quarters and shuffle-stepped her way in, her mind still caught up with the beat of the music they'd been dancing to. She kicked off her shoes one by one at the bedroom doorway as she spun a circle slowly in step. "Damn good--exercise," she thought aloud breathlessly as she moved across the room to her bed. "I have got--to get Rash'iel--and Vaurien--to try it." Twirling one last time, she fell back onto her bed--and was greeted by an indignant squalling howl.

"Yorath!" Kitanal exclaimed, sitting up quickly. She turned to see Maleah Merrit's half Siamese cat stretching itself and looking insulted that she'd been flopped upon as though she were a furry pillow. "How in the name of the Prophets did you get in here?"

"Mrrraw?" was Yorath's reply. Despite her owner's attempts to keep her locked in her quarters, Yorath managed to get out and end up elsewhere at least twice a week.

"Oh brother," Kitanal muttered. "Maleah's probably looking everywhere for you." She shook her head and went to rise but Yorath crawled onto her lap, making that odd rumbling noise more felt than heard that was called "purring". She poked Yorath in the side but the cat simply curled herself into a furry ball and settled into the Bajoran's lap, happily purring away.

"Well then, I guess I'll wait a bit...." Kitanal couldn't help but smile wryly. *You've fought Cardies twice your weight and you're allowing yourself to be pinned down by a seven-pound Terran rodent-eater.* "So what do you think of Maleah's betrothal? Or is that why you escaped? Couldn't take her bouncing off the walls anymore?"

Yorath merely purred.

"You won't be able to play escape artist when Kesara moves in, I bet. He'll find a way to keep you inside so Maleah doesn't panic and run looking for you every three days."

"Mrew?" Yorath blinked her eyes--one green, one blue--innocently, then rubbed her head against Kitanal's thigh.

"Oh I know you understand me very well," Kitanal snorted, poking the cat in the side again. The cat reached up a paw lazily to bat her fingers. "Most humans I've met claim cats are smart creatures. Which of course explains how you get out of and into locked quarters all the time."

Yorath squeezed her eyes closed. "Mrrrw."

"You would gloat," she muttered in reply but she had to smile. She stared out the bedroom viewport at the stars, lng hng her mind drift. For some odd reason, Maleah's announcement had gotten her thinking about her own future. The thought of having her own family had never appealed to her--she had been alone most of her life. *I doubt I could stand tripping over others--even if they were my own family.*

*/But are you afraid of change?/* the annoying little voice in her head taunted.

*No, not afraid, just not sure if I could settle properly into a routine like that.* She shook her head to get rid of the mental argument but it resurfaced stubbornly. She never liked admitting to herself that if she felt ready to pursue that direction on her path, it would be difficult to find someone to walk it with her. Her Resise ree reputation was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it had kept her alive. A curse because it left most people wary of her and often she of them.

There were few people she really trusted. There was one older man on Bajor, Iranu Arden, now a university professor. They had saved each other's lives back on a Resistance mission and had sworn lifelong friendship. There was Lasraleen Aravin, her long-time Betazoid confidant, who had found her hiding places and work during the first years after the Occupation's end. More recently were Reanla, Krysa, Quinn and Nishadi. Her instinct didn't want to trust Maleah Merrit, but in her pagh, she had to admit she did trust the engineer a little bit. And then there was Tom Nash.... *What of him?* the little voice in her head asked.

"He's a friend I would trust," she muttered aloud.

"Mrrr?" Yorath twisted her head around to look up at Kitanal.

She sighed. "Nothing, Yorath. C'mon, get up." She lifted the cat into her arms, who mrowled a protest at being moved. "I need to tell Maleah I found you."

A call to Maleah's quarters proved her earlier thought--Maleah was almost in a panic and was happy that Yorath had been found. She made what was normally a 30-minute trip across the habitat ring and down a deck in half the normal time, collected her pet, thanked Kitanal profusely, then headed back, scolding Yorath the whole way. As the galt's voice faded out of earshot, Kitanal shook her head and went back inside her quarters. After changing into her usual nightclothes--faded black slacks and a matching top--she checked to make sure there were no more cats hiding among her pillows before calling for lights out and falling back among them for the second time that night.


(-|-)


They had arrived at the station late that night, a bit later than they had planned. However, there had been relatively little trouble passing the checkpoints. It was surprising to see how lax the security was in the rest of the station as well. Things definitely were not the way they should have been.

Even with the lack of proper security, they did not allow themselves to refrain from being cautious. Caution was absolute--that was and had always been the basis of their training. Any hint of vulnerability was intolerable, despite the sorry excuse for security.

That their prey still walked free, here, was also intolerable in their eyes. An intolerable error.

It was what they had come here to correct.