0615. Colonel Reanla Kaelinn briefly glared at the chrono sitting on the desk in front of her, just to the left of the open console. I swore after Kerok Nor, I'd never pull these kinds of shifts again until I was shipped somewhere else. I'm only thirty-seven, yet I feel triple that. Nowhere near retirement age, yet I'm thinking about it. She rolled her eyes and downed another swig of raktajino. Then again, last night's comm call is precisely WHY I'm up at this hour....

Her gaze drifted through the doors of the office--after four years' serving here, she still thought of it as Odo's office--to watch a few early morning stragglers on the Promenade--two Fleeters no doubt headed for alpha shift, one of the waiters who worked at the Bolian restaurant on the upper level, and of course, a few of her own people. Over a year after the destruction of Kerok Nor had ended her term as Militia Commander there--and sitting where she was in Constable Brilgar's office, she was still expecting to see Cardassians in large numbers ambling by outside of those doors. She expected the doors to open to let in Rei, Kitanal, Quinn and Nishadi, in whichever order they came in--or even Maleah Merritt, who'd been their only real Cardassian friend on Kerok Nor. The Cardassian who didn't act like a Cardassian. Reanla smiled at the thought, but soon shook herself out of her reverie. There was work to be done, after all.

She turned back to her console and the Starfleet personnel file displayed on it. Its subject wasn't unfamiliar to Reanla--who hadn't heard of Starfleet's Kathryn Janeway and Voyager's daring journey, fighting their way across unknown and perilous space in order to get back to the Alpha Quadrant? But she'd never actually had a need to study her file until now.

Reanla was in charge of a team that was due to leave for Cardassia Prime in a few days. The team was headed there for this mission after months of discussion, deliberation, and, of course, argument. Reanla herself had been assigned to the team by Militia Command due to her experience as Militia Commander of Kerok Nor's Bajoran Embassy. Keiko O'Brien's friend Raduen Aredat was the diplomat of the team--he had contacts on Cardassia whom he had made friends with and their combined efforts had been brought to Gul Derrak's attention. And it was Derrak who had asked (well, coming from a Cardassian, it was more like insisted) at the last minute that Janeway accompany the Bajoran contingent.

Reanla paused in her reading when she got to the point in the file mentioning Janeway's capture and torture by the Cardassians during the Arias Expedition, back when she was merely an ensign. The Starfleet doctor on the Icarus had spared no details in the attached file of medical notes, and it left the colonel wondering why the other woman hadn't refused the "invitation". Had she been in Janeway's shoes, there was no likely way in hell she would have accepted.

Ten minutes--and her third cup of raktajino--later, Reanla had almost finished reviewing the file when the security office doors slid open to admit Rash'iel Quinn. The young lieutenant was dressed for duty and had a faint glow about her face that proved she'd already been up for at least an hour involved in something rigorous.

"Morning, Colonel."

Reanla shook her head. "How do you do it?"

Quinn arched a dark brow in a very Vulcanesque manner as she took the chair opposite. "Do what?" But a faint smile played on her lips; this was a conversation she and Reanla had had countless times since they'd begun serving together.

"Oh how did Rei put it one time? 'Be this damn perky at this damn hour'?" Reanla rose to her feet and moved over to the replicator, punching in the command for another cup of raktajino.

"I'm used to it. All through secondary prep school, Sensei would have me up and running ten laps, then practicing the choice of art for the day by 0530. Then at 0800, I'd go to school. Ahh, thank you." Quinn accepted the cup and took a sip. "So what has you up at this hour, by the way?"

"Our plans have changed--a little. We'll have an extra person along--" Reanla spun the console around to face Quinn. "--and Raduen will have a partner in running diplomatic interference."

Quinn nearly choked in surprise on her second swig of the drink at the face staring back at her. "Janeway? How by God and the Prophets did they pull that one off??"

"Gul Derrak 'requested' she be the Federation liaison." Both Bajorans rolled their eyes at Reanla's words. "In this case, her experience dealing with the Borg makes her the prime candidate."

"I'd say." Rash'iel's green eyes darted over the info as she read through it, using her free hand to scroll. "Can't imagine it'd be that hard to deal with a bunch of spoonheads after facing down the Borg."

"Them, and Prophets knows what else in the Delta Quadrant."

"Yeah, like these 'Kazon'." The young half-Bajoran was a fast reader and was already into the first year of Voyager's mission logs. "Nasty. Good thing they're on the other side of the galaxy."

Reanla stifled a yawn behind her hand and reached back to unclip her hair, briefly shaking out its auburn length before gathering it and reclipping it. "She'll be here at 1500. I've already left messages for the others, though Raduen was part of yesterday's subspace conference--so he, and no doubt by now his aide, are already aware. It's up to you--and the others--if you want to accompany me to wait for her transport."

"Oh, I'll definitely be there. And I'm ready for breakfast--how 'bout you?" Rash'iel had already set a spare padd on the console to download Janeway's file. She planned to go over it once more before the admiral's arrival.

"Might as well. Before we know it, the morning will be gone." Reanla rubbed a hand over her eyes, punched in a command to send the file to her personal console in her quarters, then closed both file and console before following her lieutenant out the door and onto the Promenade.

**

Kathryn didn’t know if the queasiness was due to her lack of spaceflight in so long or the food she had eaten in the galley that afternoon. She was willing to bet it was the food. She had heard that the quality of that served on transport ships was not that which she had been used to as a Captain serving aboard one of the most up-to-date starships as Voyager had been in her day.

She hated transport ships. Too many people and supplies crammed into a sardine can and flung through space as fast as the little ship could manage. They were notoriously loud, cramped, and a bit more bumpy of a ride than she was used to as well. As one of the most decorated Admirals in Starfleet, she usually had the luxury of a private shuttle to ferry her around, but this was different. This had been a last minute call for negotiations and she had to fly out on what was available.

The Hagatha, as the Captain had lovingly christened the craft after his Grandmother, was little more than a rusty bucket of bolts compared to the sleek lines of Voyager. Kathryn sighed as she sat on her narrow bunk. There were times when she missed those days in the Delta Quadrant. Voyager had been their home and it had been hard to say goodbye to her as Starfleet transformed her into a museum, with Neelix’s kitchen functioning to serve visitors authentic Delta Quadrant cuisine.

Kathryn pulled the padd containing her orders out of her bag and set about reading it. She found the itinerary of the group she would be traveling in the company of and set about reading their profiles. A few of the names she had recognized from the history lesson she had taken about the events that had transpired in the Alpha Quadrant during her absence. The one name that drew her attention was Reanla Kaelinn. The name jogged her memory and she recalled snippets of her involvement at Kerok Nor. Kathryn paged down to Reanla’s profile and position on this particular mission and set about reading the file.

Details on her early life were skimpy. It was the story typical of so many Bajorans, born into Cardassian oppression at the height of the Occupation. Both of her parents were listed as dead before she turned five and a sister, Blaisrai, had been shipped off to Terok Nor to work the ore processing plants and was never seen again. The report continued to mention a Resistance cell called the Thomar, of which Reanla was the only surviving member. An attached note mentioned that the Thomar had been betrayed by a collaborator. It continued to detail how the whole cell--but for Reanla and one Thomar Kiplin, younger brother of Thomar Dahaun, who was the leader--were lined up and summarily executed.

A second attached note, pulled from Occupation files, noted that six months later, Reanla and Thomar Kiplin were captured in a remote part of Ilvian Province. Thomar was listed as executed "for attacking a Cardassian soldier" and Reanla was sent to the notorious Gallitepp labor camp.

Kathryn cursed her pregnancy hormones because they had kicked into overdrive as she read the notes on the young woman who was to be her security detail for the journey to and while on Cardassia Prime. She wanted to cry for the suffering Reanla had endured at the hands of the Cardassians, which she was certain was much worse than her own limited experience. How could the universe be so unfair to one child while she, herself, had been raised on Earth with the advantages of a comfortable bed, healthy food, and parents who had survived to loved her? Kathryn felt defeated, knowing there were hungry orphans on the streets of most every planet in the universe who didn’t have parents who loved them--or who were just the stones in society that had fallen loose and crumbled to the ground, forgotten and forlorn.

For some reason, her mind called to image the son of Seska. She allowed herself to wonder for a moment what had ever happened to the first child born of a Cardassian and a Kazon. Did he live with hatred for an organization of people whom he had never met, but blamed for the death of his mother? Did he live with the vow to slaughter those who took her from him? Was he a happy child--or did he live in constant anger? Kathryn remembered the relieved look upon Chakotay’s face when he had learned that the child was not of his seed. She had wanted to hold him and promise him there would be children when the day was right, but she hadn’t. She had patted his shoulder and they had moved on.

Kathryn turned her attention back to the file as she shook the unpleasant thoughts from her brain. She wanted to know all she could about this woman, this survivor.

Further attached notes from Occupation files skipped ahead and now listed Reanla as a member of the Shakaar. Then nothing until entries dated post-Occupation. Completion of Bajor's Military Academy. A brief assignment to the failed New Bajor colony in the Gamma Quadrant. Assistant commander of the civilian military force in Bajor's capital. Third in command of First Minister Shakaar's personal guard. From there, an assignment to Deep Space Nine under Security Chief Odo.

The next attachment was logged by Odo himself, recommending Reanla to replace him as DS9's Security Chief due to the fact that the treaty to end the Dominion War required his return to the Great Link. Immediately following was a log from General Anórien, stating that a Lieutenant Brilgar was to replace Odo instead.... "...due to the Provisional Government honoring the Detapa Council's request, it is my recommendation that Major Reanla Kaelinn be promoted to the rank of Colonel, and installed as Militia Commander of the Bajoran Embassy on Space Station Kerok Nor."

Kathryn felt full confidence in the young woman who would be proving her security. She had certainly spent her fair share of time around Cardassians and, from what she remembered about the classified files she had reviewed in regards to Kerok Nor, the young woman was extremely experienced in dealing with political unrest. If she had learned anything about Kerok Nor from her reading, it was that integration had not gone as well as planned.

The short-lived civil war between the Second and Fourth Orders had resulted in the sacrifice of Gul Turak and many of his officers, and the destruction of the station itself. Turak had evacuated most of the non-Cardassian personnel on board before he and his chief engineer had set off the self-destruct, effectively ending any further attempt by the Second Order in their hostile takeover, as well as setting events in motion to end the civil war.

The final entry in Reanla's file noted that she had returned to DS9 awaiting future assignment.

She flopped the padd down into her pack and lay back onto the narrow and uncomfortable bunk. Her eyes had grown heavy and she felt very lonely. She knew she always had the option of revisiting the galley in an attempt to find someone to socialize with. Several of those traveling on the ship were too awestruck with her to carry on a conversation longer than a couple of slack jawed, vacant eyed sentences. She sighed and felt very lonely for Chakotay as she curled onto her side, wrapping her arm around one of the pillows on the bunk. She closed her eyes and thought of home and the pretty little pink and blue nursery, where she would soon be cradling her babies with her husband looking on with a joyful expression as he entered with a cup of tea and a holo camera. With a little smile upon her lips, Kathryn drifted off into a sleep and the beginnings of pleasant dreams.

**

At exactly 1500, Reanla and Quinn, along with Vedek Caprit Belisara, stood in front of the airlock along with a few others awaiting people from the transport that was just now docking. Reanla felt the very faintest of shimmers beneath her feet as transport ship and station connected. In someone else, it might have caused alarm or even panic. She was used to it.

The airlock cycled open and passengers of all species began emerging. The few Bajorans in the mix greeted or nodded respectfully to the three of them. Reanla acknowledged each with her own nod, her eyes searching for Janeway. But even after most of the passengers--and the few who'd come to meet some of them--had cleared out, there was still no sign of her.

"Were we given incorrect information perhaps?" Vedek Caprit questioned.

"Not that I know of, Vedek. I was told 1500 hours, on this particular transport." Reanla tapped her commbadge. "Reanla to Ops."

"This is Ops, Lieutenant Nog speaking."

"Nog, are there any other public transports due in at 1500?"

"No, Colonel. Just the one. Is there a problem?"

Reanla automatically began to pace in a slow circle in the immediate area as she talked. "Admiral Janeway's not on this transport like she was supposed to be. And I didn't receive any word that she would be delayed or on another transport."

"Double-checking...." Nog fell silent on the other end and Reanla could hear the background noise of Ops filtering through the connection. "No, just the one transport. The next public transport isn't due in until 1930 hours. And we haven't received any requests from private transport vessels or Starfleet ships."

"All right, Nog. Thank you. Reanla out." Shoving back a wisp of her hair, Reanla chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. "Well, I wonder where...."

"Are you Colonel Reanla?"

The husky alto snapped the colonel out of her thoughts and she turned to face a petite woman with hair as red as her own, but cut short in a style that framed her features, particularly her brilliant azure eyes. She was dressed in a tunic of hunter green and matching slacks that were a shade or two darker, and had the strap of a small bag on one shoulder. She was also heavily pregnant--to Reanla's eyes, weeks, if not days, from being due.

"Yes, I am." The blue eyes were boring into hers and there was something vaguely familiar about the woman that Reanla couldn't put her finger on.

“Admiral Kathryn Janeway,” the auburn haired woman introduced herself as she slung her travel bag over her shoulder.

Reanla blinked then blinked again as she looked from feet to forehead at the petite yet heavily pregnant woman that stood before her. This had to be a cruel joke! The woman was not even in a Starfleet uniform. This was not the lithe, tidy woman whose profile she had been reviewing only hours before. “Very funny, but I do not have time for jokes.”

“I assure you, Colonel Reanla, I am not joking. I am Admiral Janeway,” she stated a little firmly. Kathryn was very quickly deciding that she was not at all entertained by this red-headed Bajoran who didn’t recognize her from a civilian. She didn’t mean to allow such a trivial thing to irritate her and bore so deeply under her skin, but she had been spoiled by the fact that most everyone recognized her everywhere she went. When it came to fame, she certainly held the cornerstone on that. The media had spent nearly the past year following her every movement and she had finally learned to ignore them. When she had learned they had calmed down on their “Janeway Watch”, as they had dubbed it.

Reanla blinked once more, then narrowed her eyes slightly. Yes, there was a little more fullness to the face, no doubt brought on by the pregnancy, but there was no mistaking the infamous Janeway stare. Now that she had a second look, there was no doubt this was indeed Kathryn Janeway. So nice of Starfleet Command to inform me that Janeway was days away from giving birth--and that begs the question of what they're thinking! Derrak's demands or no, I can't believe they're sending a woman in her condition to Cardassia Prime! We'll be lucky if we manage to get onto the transport ship without her giving birth right there on the deck!

"My apologies, Admiral, no one thought to inform me of your condition." And I'll be speaking to Starfleet Command about that! "If you'll come with us, we'll see you to your quarters. Raduen Aredat and his aide will be joining us tomorrow morning and we will depart in the afternoon." Reanla gestured to her companions. "This is Lieutenant Rash'iel Quinn, one of my security team. The other, Lieutenant Ilario, will also be joining us in the morning before we depart. And this is Vedek Caprit Belisara, the Vedek Assembly's liaison on this mission."

Caprit smiled gently. "Well met, Admiral, and the Prophets' blessings upon your little one."

Quinn, for her part, was slightly awestruck and had to quickly shake herself out of it before speaking. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Admiral. If you like, I can carry your bag." She smiled as Kathryn nodded and handed it over.

Reanla led the way down the docking ring towards the nearest turbolift with Kathryn at her side, Quinn and Caprit bringing up the rear. "Again, I must apologize for my presumptions, Admiral, since I was not informed of your condition. Though I am extremely concerned--even more so now--about your safety and that of your babe. There will not be time to arrange to add a medic to our team, and you appear to be days away from your due date...."

“Days?” Kathryn gave her an amused look for a moment, then recovered herself. “Try two months, Colonel.”

“Two months?” Reanla repeated in disbelief as she eyed the Admiral’s figure once again. Surely she must have been mistaken. She still had two months to go, yet she looked almost overdue in Reanla’s opinion.

“Yes.” Kathryn wondered why Reanla seemed to question and doubt everything she said. The young woman had acted suspicious of her from the moment she laid eyes upon her and Kathryn decided she didn’t like it one bit. It was far from her fault that Starfleet had failed to inform her of her present condition. It wasn’t like she’d had a choice in the matter about appearing on behalf of the Federation in these negotiations. “My appearance would suggest I am due any day; however, I am carrying twins.”

That’s it! Reanla thought. Someone in Starfleet Command has lost their mind! Not only did they send Admiral Janeway, who could make a valuable hostage in and of herself, they sent her pregnant, for Prophets' sake! “Has Starfleet Command gone mad, or do they believe in endangering the next generation of the best and brightest?" she fumed under her breath as they departed the lift onto the Promenade deck. “If I may ask, Admiral, why did you accept this mission in your present condition?”

Kathryn was taken aback by her brashness. It was very forward for Reanla to ask about her motivations about the missions she accepted. “I wasn’t exactly given a choice about this one,” Kathryn bit out a little sharper than she had intended. She kept up with Reanla’s pace, despite the fact she was beginning to wonder if the woman was keeping a deliberately fast pace to try to prove to Kathryn that in her condition she couldn’t handle the rigors the station--let alone the mission she was about to undertake. Kathryn was beginning to come to the conclusion that she did not care for Reanla at all.

“Oh my God! It’s Admiral Janeway!” The voice rang out above all of the noise on the Promenade.

All of a sudden bodies surrounded them from all directions and boxed them in. Civilians were pushing and shoving to have a moment near the infamous heroine and they were all shouting questions that ranged from what kind of soap she used to how she defeated Species 8472 and outwitted the Borg.

The cry of "Oh my God, it's Admiral Janeway!" didn't take Reanla by surprise, but the force with which the crowd suddenly swept forward did. Her mind acknowledged with some shock that Vedek Caprit actually stepped back to let them advance, wearing a look of disdainful satisfaction. She longed to demand an explanation from Caprit, but knew there was no time for that at the moment.

Now that the mob had all but swallowed Janeway up, there was the hassle of trying to disperse it. It was easier said than done, though it helped that many of those in the gathering recognized Reanla--or rather her uniform--and did their best to move out of the way. This was hindered about half the time since the force of the crowd would sweep people back when they attempted to clear a path.

Kathryn lost sight of Reanla as the crowd advanced upon her and her confidence in the ability of her as the security detail for this mission was severely shaken. She had even watched how Caprit had stepped back from her to let the crowd swallow her instead of forcing her way forward to protect her. The tone for the mission had been set and Kathryn decided that it was not going to be an easy one. She certainly was not among friends on this journey as she was accustomed to. Perhaps Chakotay had been right. Perhaps she should have resigned and refused to take this mission. She refused to show the relief she felt as Reanla and her group seemed to regain their senses and pushed through the crowd.

Rash'iel spotted Lieutenant Brilgar and one of his deputies heading towards them from the opposite side of the Promenade, but knew they wouldn't get there fast enough. With some effort, both she and Reanla managed to break through a gap in the crowd--Reanla reaching the admiral first, while the younger woman displaced a pair of teenaged girls who were just dying to know what Janeway and Chakotay were going to name the twins. Once on Janeway's other side, Quinn put two fingers in her mouth and whistled as loud as she could manage.

That got the crowd's attention and they all fell mostly silent, with the exception of the Ferengi members in the crowd, who were moaning and holding their lobes.

"The Promenade is not a place for a mob scene and it never has been!" Reanla barked. "All of you, clear out of the admiral's way. And I mean now!"

Kathryn turned a sideways glance to the auburn-haired woman at her side. Perhaps she had been mistaken about her after all. Or perhaps she just knew that her job would be on the line, were anything to happen to her or the twins. Owen Paris wasn’t going to be happy to hear they had allowed her to be mobbed, but Kathryn sighed. It wasn’t the same as traveling with her usual security detail. Tuvok would have stunned anyone who came within a meter of her before he allowed her to be mobbed. She had been spoiled this last year as the Federation’s golden girl. She watched as her new security detail managed to disperse the crowd and get them moving out of the way and she felt Reanla’s hand grip her upper arm and guide her away from the scene.

The colonel's authoritative tone caused most of the crowd to begin dispersing, but a small handful were not so easily deterred. "Admiral Janeway is a public figure," one of the pair of teens snipped haughtily.

"Miranda's right! We have every right to--"

"The admiral is not to be harassed." Reanla reached out to grab the wrist of one of the girls as she tried reaching for Kathryn's belly. "Unless you'd like to spend the next two days in the brig." The girls tried to glare at her, but once Reanla and Quinn were joined by Brilgar and Lieutenant Ciarnai, they backed off. Reanla released her hold on the one girl and both took off down the Promenade, complaining of the unfairness loud enough to be heard on both levels. “This way, Admiral.”

Kathryn couldn’t help but smirk at the mouthy, protesting teenager. She was lucky the children she had the privilege of dealing with on Voyager were remarkably well behaved. She wondered at the future behavior of her own twins. Certainly they would not act like that around figures of authority or celebrity status. She thought about that for a moment. Celebrity status. She was certainly that! Out of the corner of her eye, she could see members of the press lurking along the fronts of the shops and mouths of the corridors and knew that as soon as the video feed of her being mobbed on the Promenade got back to Earth, her husband was going to be frantic on the comm. Just another day in the life of being a celebrity. Kathryn wondered if it would ever go away and if she would ever be able to have a peaceful trip anywhere in the Quadrant again.

"They're lucky Kestrae isn't here or they'd be in the brig," Quinn remarked as they boarded for the lift that would take them into the habitat ring.

"Something tells half the crowd would have been downed in five seconds were she here," Reanla replied. The lift stopped on the correct deck and they exited. Her gaze kept flitting between Kathryn and Vedek Caprit. Still irritated, she was determined to question the vedek as soon as Kathryn was settled. But Caprit got away before Reanla had a chance to speak to her, saying she had to make some final arrangements before tomorrow afternoon's departure, and turned the corridor towards her own quarters. Reanla shot a glare at her back before they continued on.

"Here are your quarters, Admiral." Reanla punched in the code to unlock and open the doors and Quinn ducked in ahead of the two older women to double-check that everything was safe and secure. "Quinn and I will be in the quarters next door should you need anything. Raduen and his aide are due on the next transport from Bajor in an hour and, like Lieutenant Ilario, will be joining us in the morning. The starship Rainier will be here at 1230. They're already commissioned to take relief supplies to Cardassia Prime and Captain Steele had no problem with making the detour here to take us with them." She watched Kathryn settle her bulk onto the nearest couch. "Is there anything you need now before Rash'iel and I leave?"

Kathryn looked around the presidential suite and then back to Reanla. They were just going to leave her here? Alone? What was she supposed to do for the rest of the afternoon and the coming evening? From the look on both of their faces, they were waiting for her to acknowledge and then dismiss them so they could desert her. “No, thank you. You’re dismissed.” Kathryn watched as they slipped out, then stared at the closed door. She was not about to stay trapped here all night long. If her memory served her, there was a wonderful bar on the Promenade kept by a rather amusing and profit-hungry Ferengi who rigged his dabo tables.

**

Tinalo watched the elegance of architecture appear in the distance through the view port of Raduen’s personal transport. His breath always caught in his throat as Terok Nor came into view. The majestic look of the station poised against the backdrop of the star field was a sight to behold. It looked as though she had been sculptured by the most creative mind and painted into reality by the most proficient artist. It was a reminder of days past when the Cardassian people were powerful and successful. Now, after the war, their once great empire was left in ruins. People were starving and families were broken. It was pitiful what war did to civilizations. It had all begun with the uprising on Bajor and ended with the failure of the Dominion alliance.

“This is so very exciting!” Raduen decided aloud.

That was one of the things Tinalo found annoyingly irritating about him. He didn’t often seem to have the capacity to keep his thoughts to himself. He would blurt out exclamations of all sorts, especially when he was excited. Tinalo just nodded his acknowledgement so Raduen did not repeat himself, as he often did. Tinalo propped his head up on one hand at his console and absentmindedly listened to Raduen’s babbling.

“The Cardassians finally want to see reason and talk peace. I knew the Federation wouldn’t allow them to win the war and the prospect at peace at long last is so appealing, I can taste it. These negotiations for their return to the trade and commerce markets of the Alpha Quadrant are just the beginning of a bright new future for them! I know it will take a long time before the civilian fear at seeing a Cardassian walk down their streets subsides but, as peace endures, they will.” Raduen continued reviewing the texts on negotiation. “Oh, and to meet the legendary Admiral Janeway is appealing in itself.”

Yes, the prospect of meeting Kathryn Janeway is an exciting one. Tinalo had to agree on that account. He had heard rumors about her, studied her intelligence file and researched every fact and possible detail about her. He wanted to know her, understand her and be able to read her. He punched in her intelligence file and stared at the woman whose picture stared back at him. Quick, vivacious eyes seemed to penetrate his very soul and he did not like it. If he felt that exposed with just her picture staring at him, how would he feel when the woman herself was standing before him with those icy blue eyes trained upon him?

“Are you infatuated with her?”

Tinalo’s head jerked up as he swiveled to face his companion with a shocked expression. “Excuse me?”

“Admiral Janeway. That is the fourth time you have reviewed her personnel file since we left Bajor.” Raduen pointed out as he peered over his shoulder. “Are you attracted to her?”

Hardly! But instead Tinalo replied: “She does have her charms.”

“That is true. She is attractive, vivacious, charismatic, accomplished and completely unavailable.” “Unavailable?”

“Most certainly so. She married her first officer from Voyager. Cha...Charles--no. Ah yes, Chakotay, that’s it. They married within the last month, I believe.”

Oh, now this is interesting, Tinalo decided as he cursed the intelligence files and those who compiled them. This was information that was imperative to unlocking the secrets to one Kathryn Janeway. His eyes narrowed as he glowered at the image of the delicate little human woman before him. Everything was beginning to fall into place.

**

Kathryn checked the chronometer and, as it clicked to zero-twenty-three hundred, she palmed the keypad to her door and poked her head out into the corridor. She was almost afraid that Reanla had posted an armed guard outside of her quarters. She slid through the doors and headed down the corridor with her eyes on the floor. She hoped her disguise worked. She reached up and thumbed the ridges on her nose, and then reached to fiddle with the earring. It squeezed her ear a little tighter than she liked, but it would have to do. The traditional Bajoran dress was not becoming or flattering at all and it felt itchy, but she forced her mind to concentrate on something else. She rounded the corner and looked out onto the Promenade. Even at this hour of night, the station was alive and bustling with commerce.

She headed in the direction she remembered Quark’s bar to be from when Voyager had launched. She had struck up a rapport with the devious Ferengi man and she entertained the idea of running his dabo tables again tonight, but decided against the notion. She wanted to keep somewhat of a low profile.

It was a busy night. Quark cast a look around his bar with satisfaction. The newest addition to his staff, a dabo girl named Dulesea, was especially popular with the regulars. And even better, she always gave Morn a little attention, which he liked. Couldn't have his best customer neglected, after all.

Speaking of customers.... Quark's eyes wandered to the Bajoran female sitting at his bar. Short hair as red as Colonel Kira's, perhaps a little redder. Very bright blue eyes in the color of...what was the name of that hew-mon jewel? Ah yes. Sapphire. And very pregnant. So pregnant in fact, that he was surprised she was by herself. He would have expected the baby's father or a member of her family to be hovering nearby. But she was definitely alone. And drinking mineral water, to boot. Well, she was pregnant. But she'd taken a good twenty minutes to even ask for that.

"So exactly how long are you going to be taking up space at my bar?" Quark had no problem with her being in his bar--she was a paying customer, after all. But if all she was going to buy was that mineral water, then she didn't really need to be at the bar in his opinion.

Kathryn’s eyes narrowed as she locked them upon the beady eyes of the Ferengi barkeep. “Is this how you treat all of the celebrities that grace your bar with their presence?” she fired back at him, then sipped at the water in her glass. That would throw him for a few moments. One thing she had learned about dealing with Quark was to gain the upper hand first otherwise you wouldn’t get a word in edgewise.

"Celebrity, huh? You’re barely a paying customer with your glass of mineral water. Not exactly the kind of behavior I am used to seeing from celebrities,” Quark replied as he dried a glass. “If you’re not interested in drinking, perhaps you wouldn’t mind taking a table near the back.” He watched the woman's eyes narrow, as he expected they would from that jab. Meanwhile, his mind was busy at work trying to process just where he'd heard that voice before. He never forgot a memorable voice, and there was something about that whiskey-toned alto that he knew....

“In fact, I would mind, Quark. Now tell me, this isn’t the way you would treat the Federation’s golden girl, is it?” Kathryn felt the simpering grin creep across her face as she watched him freeze in his tracks and stare hard at her.

No way. No way in the name of the Divine Treasury was this Captain--no, Admiral--Janeway sitting in disguise at his bar. Quark's mind tried to associate the image he had from nine years ago--a trim, petite, hew-mon female in Starfleet uniform with that glorious hair tied up in an elaborate twist atop her head--with now, an extremely pregnant woman who, by all accounts, appeared as Bajoran as Kira. But the eyes were the same, and his brain began working faster. Admiral Janeway in his bar, incognito. The profit this might bring as soon as he announced her presence--

Kathryn saw the cred numbers light up in his eyes as his mouth opened to announce her name and she felt the panic rise in her chest. If he announced her now, there would not only be another mob, but a drunken one at that. She feared for her twins and she feared having to deal with Reanla when she showed up to contain the security breach. “Quark, if you call out my name, I will phaser the tongue right out of your head!” she hissed sharply. She drove her point home with the ferocity in her eyes and the ridged posture her body adapted when she felt threatened. She watched as his mouth closed and the latinum color seemed to dim from his eyes a bit.

Quark closed his mouth. Yes, he knew this was Janeway now. There was absolutely no mistaking that tone--and especially not that look. He'd been on the receiving end of it nine years ago and had never forgotten it. "Very well, Admiral." He kept his voice down but didn't hold back the disgruntled tone. "Mind telling me what brings you into my bar incognito?"

From a quiet corner, Ciarnai slipped out of the booth she was sharing with a friend of hers who worked as a dabo girl. Both were now off duty, but Ciarnai's sharp hearing had caught snippets of the conversations at the bar and she had the sinking suspicion that the woman trying to pass herself off as Bajoran wasn't supposed to be out at this hour. Once she stepped outside Quark's, she tapped her commbadge. "Ciarnai to Reanla."

"Reanla here."

"Colonel, I hate to disturb you....but I think we might have a situation."

"Situation?"

"Um, I hate to say this. But I think Admiral Janeway's down here in Quark's."

"What?!"

"She's dressed like one of our people--even with cosmetic ridges. But I heard her talking to Quark and I could swear it sounds like her."

"She's talking to Quark?! Prophets be damned, I'll be there as fast as I can. Reanla out."

The turbolift doors opened on the Promenade's lower deck barely in time for Reanla to storm through them. If Ciarnai was right--had Janeway gone mad? Not only trying to disguise herself, but talking to Quark?! She might as well announce to the entire station that she was there.

Shakaar was never this stupid, she fumed inwardly as she strode quickly down the Promenade. Then again, he always preferred the simple life and doesn't care a damn for all the fuss his position affords him. Starfleet must train their admirals to test thin ice and send their high-ranking women on dangerous missions while carrying babes close to term! Stopping outside the doors of Quark's, she forced herself to take several deep breaths, then plunged inside.

Surprisingly, there was no repeat of what had occurred on the Promenade earlier. Just the usual atmosphere at Quark's--games running, people making noise, the bar packed. Reanla caught Ciarnai's eye and the lieutenant gestured towards the far end of the bar where Quark was. Sure enough, that was the admiral across from him, trying her best to pass herself off as Bajoran. Reanla sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose above her ridges. Maybe I really should consider retirement. Let Ko'Tak take that new ambassador's job Martok keeps insisting he wants him to have--and just go with him. She shook herself back to the present. Time to get her out of here before someone else figured out who she really was.

Crossing the room, she came up behind the pair as quietly as she could. Quark spotted her and his eyes widened in alarm. But she said nothing, only pointed a finger at him briefly and gave him her best glare as she hopped onto the last available stool next to Kathryn's. Then she turned a lesser form of the glare on Kathryn--more a look of exasperation she'd had to use on Shakaar on rare occasion--one that plainly said must you make my job harder than it already is?

“Ah, Colonel Reanla! Quark was just filling me in on what it was like to be on the station during the war. I can’t say I am sorry that I missed it.” Kathryn tried to ignore the obvious look of irritation the younger woman was giving her. She was enjoying Quark’s company and was not about to be herded off to her quarters like a disobedient child.

“You know Ensign Kim mentioned his encounter with you before Voyager disappeared. I think you scared the poor young man witless!” Kathryn laughed, turning her full attention back to Quark and ignoring Reanla for the most part.

“Insulting young hew-mon. He told me that your Academy instructors had warned him about Ferengi!” Quark huffed as he refilled her mineral water. “For a species as disliked as we are supposed to be, I certainly wouldn’t be waiting on their most decorated admiral hand and foot if I were this profit hungry beast I was foretold to be!”

Kathryn just laughed. “Now, Quark, he was a fresh faced boy and I’m sure he didn’t mean any insult. I doubt he had ever seen another species outside of his history lessons until he attended the Academy! But honestly, he turned out to be one of my most valuable officers. He is a Lieutenant now.”

“Congratulations to him. Now, Admiral, tell me what a beautiful woman such as yourself and in such a condition is doing traveling to Cardassia? Not exactly a trip I would take for pleasure were I in your situation.”

She knew his mind was reeling for a way to profit from her presence in his bar, be it even from something as simple as classified information. She didn’t suspect he was the type to sell that information to the wrong person, though. Regardless of the image he liked to portray, she knew him to be on the up and up. Colonel Kira wouldn’t tolerate him on her station if he were selling information to the enemy. She reached out and teasingly stroked a finger along his left lobe.

“You know I can’t talk about that, Quark, but what I can talk about is playing a game of dabo.”

Reanla watched the pair interact and felt her ire grow at being deliberately ignored by both of them. Quark--well, that was his way. The admiral, on the other hand-- At the mention of the dabo game, she saw Quark's eyes light up with greed again, which fought with his eyes glazing over at the touching of his lobe. Much more of that and Quark would likely forget to keep his mouth shut about who was really sitting in front of him. Oh hell no. NOT on my watch, you're not.

"And normally, I'd join the both of you," Reanla tossed in as if Janeway hadn't been attempting to ignore her all along. "Especially since Quark has my two most favorite bluffs memorized and can use them against me."

"That I do--"

"Now, Quark. Don't give them away. You already went and told Rei and now I can't even trick her half the time anymore. It's no fun when you can't even beat your best friend." Reanla cast him a glance of gentle exasperation. She could feel that hard blue-eyed stare boring into her, but she decided it was only fair to give Janeway back a little of what she'd dished out just a few minutes prior.

"Hey, I didn't mean to tell Rei'ani...." the bartender protested.

Reanla snorted. "But it just slipped out, right?"

Quark pulled the best possible pout a Ferengi could manage. "I'd banged my lobes against a shelf in the storeroom that day. She was just helping out by rubbing the sore spots."

"Mhm. A little lobe-teasing and you spill my gaming secrets. Maybe next time, I'll make it cost you. Consider this time a warning." Reanla offered Quark a sly smile and hopped off her stool. "Now, we hate to leave, Quark--but us girls have an early day tomorrow. How about we promise to play a game on the way back? Then we won't have any worries or cares distracting us."

"All right, Reanla, but I'll hold you to that."

"Fair enough. And not a word--or I'll be speaking to Nerys." Her eyes narrowed and her smile grew at the brief flash of panic she saw in his. Quark nodded, doing his best to hide the shiver of anxiety at the tall colonel's words. Reanla was dangerous all on her own. So was Kira. Reanla and Kira together against him--that was a horror he'd only experienced once in his life, and one he didn't ever care to repeat. Reanla turned her brown eyes to meet Janeway's blue ones. She could tell the admiral wasn't happy, but her safety was more important than the state of her mood. "After you." The tone in her voice said she wasn't taking no for an answer.

They had drawn the attention of those nearby and Reanla did not like the small knot that was beginning to form around them. "Admiral, please,” she added low in her throat.

Kathryn turned her eyes away and fixed them on a bottle at the back of the bar as she slowly sipped her mineral water. If anything, she was going to finish the drink she had paid for and she was not going to be bullied by some colonel. It was not her way to stand down when there was nothing pointing to the fact that it was in her best interest. She could almost feel the heat radiating from Reanla’s furious stare as she waited for the other's temper to subside a bit. She inhaled a deep, relaxing breath as Tuvok had taught her, steadying herself and her own temper. Normally, she wasn’t this impudent, so she blamed it on the hormones. She swallowed down the last of the water from the glass and continued to ignore Reanla for a moment longer.

“Thank you for a pleasant evening, Quark. I’ll be sure to take you up on that game when we return,” she smiled graciously and spared one last teasing stroke to his left lobe before turning and breezing past Reanla.

Reanla exchanged a look of exasperation with Ciarnai as she hurried after the admiral whom she was growing to dislike a little more with every passing moment she spent in her company. She managed to catch up with Kathryn at the turbolift just as its doors opened.

“I want to make one thing very clear, Colonel,” Kathryn began as they stepped into the lift. “I do not appreciate being herded around like a little child. I was commanding a starship when you were no doubt still at the Military Academy.”

Reanla raised an eyebrow, but said nothing in response. The rest of the turbolift ride and walk back to quarters was done in complete silence until they reached Kathryn's door. She sighed and turned to face Kathryn.

"I'm not going to ask what possessed you to go to Quark's at this hour, unescorted. And I'm not going to waste my breath fighting with you about it. But I will make one request. For your safety--and that of your babes--if you get another case of wanderlust before morning, will you please call me? Trust me when I say I will not be offended or inconvenienced. I'm not some soft, spoiled ensign who has to have her beauty sleep. During the Occupation, I lived on what probably amounted to barely two hours a night at best. Especially at Gallitepp." She winced as she felt what could be the beginnings of a headache start, but did her best to ignore it.

Kathryn stepped across the threshold of her quarters and shot her one last defiant look, which ran out of steam before it even reached Reanla. “I will not have need of your services until morning, Reanla. Good night,” she replied as evenly as she could. She turned her back then and allowed the doors to swish closed, obscuring the colonel. Reanla possessed several of the traits she had first found annoying in Tuvok. She felt she had been assigned a babysitter and, while she knew Reanla was charged with her personal safety on this mission, the woman had to back off just a touch and relax. She made her feel like she was on pins and needles all the time, one of the traits she had broken Tuvok of.

She sighed, longing for the company of anyone from her former crew as she shucked her disguise and got ready for bed. She caught herself gazing out at the starfield and wondering what each of them was doing. Not too long back, she had been gazing out of the viewport in her ready room, wondering what her family in the Alpha Quadrant was doing. Some things never changed. No matter how near or far, she always found herself longing for the comforts of home.

Continue to part 3