Julian Bashir sat quietly along with Dax and O'Brien as Captain Sisko finished making his log entry. His focused on the captain's words as he spoke.

Bashir was shaken from his quiet contemplation by the voice of Jadzia Dax.

"So, I hear that you spent the evening with Admiral Pierce." Dax said to Sisko.

"Yes. I had dinner with the admiral and his command staff."

Dax laughed.

"What?" Sisko asked, smiling.

"Oh nothing." Dax replied, chuckling quietly.

Bashir knew that Dax was holding something back, as did the captain. It was only a matter of time before she said what was on her mind.

The glares from her friends in the captain's office made it a short wait.

Dax laughed again.

Bashir found himself memorized for the millionth time by the beautiful Trill's laugh. He felt a short wave of melancholy pass through him as he realized for the millionth time that she belonged to another. The young doctor's wind wandered back to six years ago when he first met Jadzia Dax on the Runabout that brought them both to Deep Space Nine. He remembered how his fascination with her when she first saw Jadzia. Fascination that turned to infatuation. Infatuation that turned to love, although it pained him to admit it now. He was in love with someone who would never know how he truly felt. 

Bashir felt a pain from deep within himself, a pain that with all his medical training, all his knowledge, all his genetically enhanced abilities, he still could not explain the reason that he felt this pain.

Doctor Bashir was shaken from his ruminations by laughter. Chief O'Brien and captain Sisko were both laughing hysterically. Bashir saw that O'Brien was having trouble breathing.

"...and I had to drag both of them, practically kicking and screaming, back to the Livingston." Dax finished.

O'Brien struggled to regain his composure. He wiped tears from his eyes as he continued to laugh.

"I don't believe it." O'Brien finally managed through his laughter.

"It's true, I swear." Dax replied, settling back into her chair to survey the damage she had done.

O'Brien looked to Sisko.

"I'm afraid she's right, Chief." Sisko said, leaning back and still laughing. "But you have to remember that this took place over twenty years ago. The admiral and I were very different men back then."

O'Brien looked at Sisko for a moment and his expression became serious.

"I'm not so sure, sir." O'Brien began. "From what Dax has told me before, this wasn't the only time this happened to you on Risa."

Sisko's eyes widened and he stopped laughing.

Damn, Bashir thought angrily. What did I miss?

"Lies, all lies, chief." Sisko said, dramatically slapping his hand on his desk for effect before he was struck by another fit of laughter. 

"Well, maybe there was one other incident." Sisko admitted.

"One." the chief replied, unconvinced. "The way I hear tell, it was at least five times."

"Five?" Sisko looked shocked. He leaned back in his chair again. "I guess it may have been. It seems like so long ago, and I try not to remember too much about those years."

Bashir straightened up in his chair, determined not to miss any more.

"Dax's face turned serious.

"Now Benjamin," the beautiful Trill began, "you just have to remember the good times and not dwell upon the Cardassian war. We have some good memories from those years, well I know I do at least."

Sisko nodded.

"You're right as always, old man. As I remember, you made quite a few good memories for yourself on Risa."

Jadzia's jaw dropped as she placed her hand over her heart.

"Me?" Dax said coyly. "I was always the model Starfleet officer, always standing by to rescue my shipmates whenever needed."

Bashir smiled and shifted in his seat, knowing that she was lying.

"Rescue my eye." Sisko shot back. "Do you forget the time with you in the casino and..."

"I thought we were talking about your tour of the Liberator." Dax interrupted.

Sisko stopped.

"Alright old man, have it your way."

"Now wait just a minute!" Bashir and O'Brien said together.

"I think it's only fair that since you've slandered the good captain's name, that it's only fair that he be given the opportunity to return the favor." Bashir said, looking at Dax.

"Right." O'Brien added.

"Not today." Dax replied defiantly.

"Oh, come on. You've got to tell us, now." O'Brien replied.

"Maybe some other time, Chief." Sisko said, getting their attention.

O'Brien nodded and turned back to face the captain.

"I understand you got a tour of the Liberator yourself." Sisko said to O'Brien. "By Admiral Scott."

"Oh, yes sir." O'Brien replied. "It's an amazing ship."

Bashir saw the gleam in O'Brien's eyes.

"How so, Chief?" Bashir asked, not knowing much about the ship other than it was the largest Federation ship he had ever seen.,

O'Brien shrugged.

"You name it," the chief began. "From it's dual warp cores to the third nacelle, the Liberator is the most technologically advanced starship ever built by Starfleet."

"Built for what purpose?" Bashir asked. 

"What else, to fight the Dominion." O'Brien replied. "Do you know its also the first Federation starship to carry a wing of fighters."

"Fighters?"

O'Brien looked from Bashir to Sisko.

"Well, at least it will have fighters as soon as they complete their final testing stages, which should be in less than a month according to Scotty."

"Scotty?" Sisko said quietly.

"Admiral Scott." O'Brien replied. "He insisted that everyone in engineering call him Scotty."

"I'm sure he did." Sisko replied, smiling again. "He's a remarkable man."

"Anyone who survived being suspended inside a transporter beam for seventy-five years would be considered remarkable, at the very least." Bashir said, taking the opportunity to participate.

"That's the least of it." O'Brien replied. "I mean, just look at all his accomplishments. He survived seventy-five years in a transporter pattern buffer, returned to the academy and renewed his engineering degree in less than a year, joined the ship yards at Utopia Planitia and practically designed every system on the Sovereign, Steamrunner, and Akira class starships, and almost singlehandedly solved the problems that the Theoretical Propulsion team was having trying to make the three-nacelled warp drive work."

"Surely Miles, you're exaggerating just a bit." Bashir said smiling. He knew how much his friend liked Admiral Scott. 

Hell, Bashir thought, Scotty was as much of a legend in Starfleet as James T. Kirk, Hikaru Sulu or Spock.

"Not by much, according to Admiral Pierce." Sisko replied, sipping his cup of raktajino. "Admiral Scott joined the Andromeda class development team at a crucial time."

"How so?" Bashir asked, his interest piqued.

"Well, the weapons systems were nearly complete, the ship was built, and then doctor Leah Brahms took an unexpected leave of absence. A completely new starship class, like nothing ever created before, was on the verge of being scraped because no one could figure out how to make the three-nacelles to work together with the dual warp cores. Scotty comes in, and within six months the first tests are complete with flying colors."

"You see." O'Brien piped in. "You just don't slap another warp nacelle on a ship and expect it to work. Theoretical propulsion scientists have been wrestling with the idea for over a hundred years, expecting to use it on a dreadnaught class starship." 

"Now that's something I don't understand," Bashir began. "Why would the Federation need a dreadnaught in the Starfleet in the first place?"

O'Brien gasped.

"Where the hell have you been the past three years? Some people say that the Dominion is only months away from bringing the Federation to its knees, and you're wondering why we needed a dreadnaught."

Doctor Bashir was shocked by the way that O'Brien seemed to take his question personally.

"I only meant that the United Federation of Planets has always been an alliance of peace." Bashir replied. "That ship," he said, pointing out the window, "is contrary to everything the Federation has stood for the last two-hundred plus years."

"Julian." Jadzia began. "I see what you are talking about but these are different times."

"Don't you think I realize that." Bashir shot back. "But that doesn't mean that the Federation should change one of its main, fundamental principles. The Starfleet has always been about the defense of the Federation. That ship was created for one reason, to wage war."

"And what's wrong with that?" O'Brien replied, his face getting red with anger. "The Dominion has destroyed hundreds of starships, killed thousands of people and invaded dozens of Federation worlds. I think it's time we took back what's ours."

Bashir shook his head.

Sisko raised his hands.

"Gentlemen, please." Sisko said, interrupting the exchange. "This isn't the time for this kind of a debate."

Both Bashir and 'Brien seemed ready to carry their argument further, but stopped after their captain's order.

"This discussion is moot. The ship has been built, whether we agree with its mission or not." Sisko said after several seconds of silence had passed.

"Yes, sir." O'Brien said, eyeing the doctor.

Bashir returned O'Brien's glare but nodded.

"Well," Jadzia said, smiling. "It seems that my problems are insignificant compared to this."

"Problems? Sisko said, eager to change the subject. "What kind of problems could you be having?"

Suddenly, two Defiant class escort ships screamed past the captain's window and towards the Liberator.

"What the hell!" O'Brien said.

All four Starfleet officers stood and moved to the window, hoping to get a better look at the two ships.

The two starships quickly reached the larger ship and began to circle it, gaining speed with every pass.

"One of them is the Defiant." Bashir announced.

"I'd say that Worf is satisfied with the repairs made to the Defiant." Sisko said, looking at Dax.

"I guess so." Jadzia replied, smiling.

"Who's flying the other ship?" O'Brien asked, with a hint of anger in his tone.

Bashir strained to see the designation on the other ship. With each turn, the registry became hard to read. Finally, the doctor could make it out.

"U.S.S. Justice." Bashir said, squinting to see more.

Dax and Sisko looked at each other, smiling.

"What?" O'Brien asked, seeing their expression.

"That's Commander Dan Shetley, Operations Manager of the U.S.S. Liberator and commander of the Justice." Captain Sisko announced in an official tone.

"He's another one of our old friends from the Livingston." Dax added.

Both ships suddenly shot away from the Liberator and out of view.

"Worf's doing a pretty good job of keeping up with Dan." Sisko said, returning to his seat.

"That's my Worf." Jadzia said, smiling proudly. "Accepting every challenge."

Bashir noticed that Miles O'Brien seemed slightly annoyed with something, but remained silent as they both took their seats.

"You were going to tell us your problem, old man." Sisko said, getting back on track.

"Actually, it's Worf's problem." Dax replied after a short time. "He told me this morning that the Negh'Var will not be combat ready for at least three days."

"Three days." O'Brien spat.

"The next attack is scheduled, if I understand the Intell correctly," Bashir began, unconvinced by the information concerning the next attack he had learned, "for less than thirty-four hours from now."

"I know." Jadzia replied, staring into her own raktajino. "General Martok is not pleased by the fact that he will not be participating in the next battle."

Bashir shook his head, fully understanding what Jadzia's comment had only hinted at. Klingon warriors live for battle, and General Martok was certainly no exception. It must be tearing him up inside knowing that combat is coming and he will have to watch it from the stands.

"Most of the Klingon engineers were killed in the first battle, and the damage to the Negh'Var is too extensive for his limited crew to complete before the Dominion battleship attacks." Dax mused.

"It must be hard on Worf too." O'Brien said quietly. "I know how close he and the general are."

"It is." Dax replied.

Wait a minute." Julian said, snapping his fingers. "Why couldn't the Klingons stay aboard the station. I'm sure that the Jem'Hadar will send in their shock troops like they've done in the past."

"Sure, the Klingons love a good hand-to-hand scrap." O'Brien added.

"That may work." Dax replied, nodding. "I'm sure that Odo would welcome the extra help, with all the casualties that the security teams sustained before.

"What do you thin, Benjamin?"

Sisko, who had been quiet during their new discussion look up.

"Yes, I think that it's a good start." the captain replied, sipping from his mug. "I may have something more for the general as well. Let me give it some more thought, but by all means let them know that we are terribly undermanned where station security is concerned. Let it be their idea to help the constable."

Bashir smiled.

"That way, Klingon honor is preserved intact."

"Exactly." Sisko said, acknowledging the doctor.

"Thank you, Benjamin." Jadzia said, smiling.

"You're welcome, old man." Sisko replied, returning her smile.

At times, Bashir thought, the bond between the captain and Jadzia made him fell a little jealous. 

Not this time.

Bashir's contemplation was interrupted by the familiar chime of the station's internal communication system.

"Captain Sisko, Admiral Pierce has arrived and is waiting outside to see you. Also, there is an encrypted priority signal from Earth for you."

The female voice belonged to the young Bajoran lieutenant that was standing in for major Kira's station until her return. 

Very beautiful also, Bashir thought.

Sisko tapped his communicator.

"Very well, lieutenant. Send the admiral in and I'll take the message in here."

"Acknowledged."

Jadzia Dax and Chief O'Brien stood.

"Should we leave?" Dax said, straightening her uniform.

"No." Sisko replied standing as well. "I've been waiting for the admiral and this message, but it isn't necessary for you to leave."

The doors to the captain's office opened and Admiral Pierce entered.

Instantly, Bashir understood why the others were standing.

Bashir sprang to his feet, silently cursing himself for his momentary lapse of situational awareness.

"Please, gentlemen and lady, sit." Pierce said, motioning for them to return to their seats with his hands."I'm here for the conversation."

Bashir, Dax and O'Brien slowly returned to their seats as Captain Sisko moved around his desk to the communications view screen. Bashir noticed that the captain has positioned himself so that whoever he was going to speak to could not see that he was not alone.

Pierce moved to the right of Captain Sisko, making sure that he was not in the field of vision for the view screen.

After receiving a nod from the admiral, Sisko activated the screen.

The view screen lit up and Bashir was instantly shocked to see the face of Calvin Hudson appear. 

Bashir remembered that the captain's old friend had betrayed him five years ago to the terrorist organization known as the Maquis. Hudson was the Starfleet attache' to the Federation colonies in the Demilitarized Zone assigned to uphold the Federation-Cardassian treaty. Hudson came to Deep Space Nine to confer with Sisko concerning a Cardassian freighter Bok'Nor that was destroyed in the Demilitarized Zone. In reality, Hudson was already a Maquis leader, unknown to Sisko and Starfleet. As a result, Hudson alienated himself from Sisko and Starfleet. However, a year after the war with the Dominion began, amnesty was granted to all members of the Maquis not wanted for specific capital offences against the Federation.

Bashir remembered that Michael Eddington, another former Maquis leader, had told Captain Sisko that Hudson had been killed.

Obviously, the young doctor thought, either Eddington had been misinformed or had attempted to use the death of the captain’s friend as a psychological weapon against him.

Calvin Hudson seemed unaware of the reports of his own death.

"Hello, Ben." Hudson said quietly. "I was surprised to hear from you."

Sisko was silent but Bashir, like everyone else present, could see the pain in the captain's eyes.

"It's been a long time." Hudson said.

"Yes." Sisko replied after a time, folding his arms.

"Look, Ben." Hudson began. "I don't have all day. I'm sure that you didn't contact me just to reminisce about old times."

Hudson sat.

"No, I didn't so I'll get right to the point." Sisko replied. "I need some information from you."

Hudson seemed confused.

"Information?"

"Yes, concerning the time you spent with the Maquis."

Hudson frowned.

"I know that as one of the leaders within the Maquis, you had knowledge of the locations of any hidden Cardassian outposts inside the Badlands." Sisko continued.

Hudson nodded.

"Maybe, but since I didn't talk to Starfleet after they so graciously granted me amnesty, what makes you thing I would give it to you?"

"Because I am asking you." Sisko replied, emphasizing that he was making a personal request.

Hudson laughed.

"Ben, you've got to be the craziest..."

"Oh come on Cal, we were friends once." Sisko said, raising his voice. "I'm asking for your help."

Hudson was silent for what seemed like an eternity.

"Alright, Ben." Hudson finally said, nodding his head. "On one condition."

Sisko tilted his head.

"What condition."

"Tell me why you want it" Hudson replied.

"I'm sorry Cal, but that information is classified." Sisko replied.

"Well then in that case I'm sorry too. No deal."

"Oh, come on Cal." Sisko said, getting angry.

"Tell me why its so important to you." Hudson said flatly.

Sisko stared at his former friend for several seconds and then, finally looked towards Admiral Pierce.

Pierce nodded.

"Who's that with you." Hudson said. "I thought we were alone."

Without hesitation, Pierce stepped into Hudson's view.

Hudson's eyes widened at the sudden appearance of a Starfleet admiral. After several seconds, Hudson spoke.

"Admiral Pierce."

"Mister Hudson." Pierce replied flatly. "Good to see you again."

"It looks like the years have been a lot better to you, Admiral." Hudson replied.

Pierce nodded.

"Perhaps."

Hudson stood and came closer to the view screen.

"This still doesn't tell me why you want this information." 

"We believe that the Dominion is using a Cardassian outpost located in the Badlands as a staging area to launch attacks into the Bajoran system." Pierce said without hesitation. "In less than two days, a new Dominion battleship will attack this station from a hidden location within the Badlands."

Calvin Hudson was silent, absorbing this new information.

"It's too late for us to stop the battleship before it leaves the Badlands." Pierce continued. "But there is time for us to destroy the outpost before it can be used again."

"Is this true, Ben?" Hudson asked in disbelief.

Sisko nodded but did not speak.

Hudson sighed.

"Alright." Hudson said finally. "I know the location you're talking about, but its not a military outpost. The Cardassians were doing research on the plasma storms in the Badlands." 

"That's the information we have as well." Pierce replied. "But now the Dominion is using it to stage attacks into this sector."

"The Maquis never considered a Cardassian science station a threat." Hudson said quietly. "Very well, I'll find the coordinates and send them to you within the hour." "Thank you, Cal." Sisko said with a hint of a smile. "Your information is going to save a lot of lives."

Hudson nodded. 

"It was good to hear from you, Ben"

"And you, too."

The view screen went black and for a bit, Pierce and Sisko continued to stare into it. Finally, Admiral Pierce turned and sat down on the sofa in the captain's office while Sisko returned to his desk.

"Thank you, Ben." Pierce said after a time. "I know how hard that was for you."

Sisko nodded.

"Calvin Hudson was a damned good Starfleet officer. I hate to see him like that."

Pierce thought for a moment.

"Calvin Hudson and others like him defied Federation law and took up arms against one of our allies." Pierce said sternly.

Sisko's eyes widened.

"An ally that we are fighting now for our very existence!" the captain shouted.

Bashir jumped at the captain's sudden anger. He glanced quickly at Dax and O'Brien and saw that they were becoming as uncomfortable as he was.

However, Admiral Pierce did not return the captain's anger in kind. He merely sat quietly and listened ask Sisko continued. 

"The Maquis saw that the Cardassians never had any intention for adhering to the treaty. Even as it was being signed, Cardassian forces were assaulting colonists within the Demilitarized Zone." Sisko's anger rose. "Federation colonists who's only crime was that they were now living on the wrong side of a new boundary. They spent years establishing colonies on those worlds, and in a single day their homes were ripped out from under them."

Pierce stood and walked over to Sisko's desk.

Doctor Bashir suddenly felt an odd ringing in his ears.

"And then the Federation and Starfleet abandoned them." Pierce stated.

"Yes!" Sisko shouted.

"Some Starfleet officers and civilians, who had friends and families on those worlds felt compelled to help." Pierce said quietly.

Suddenly, Bashir felt a wave of euphoria engulf him. The room seemed to spin as he struggled to stay in his seat. He was becoming more and more dizzy with each passing moment. 

What the hell is happening to me, Bashir thought.

Doctor Bashir could see that Dax and O'Brien were feeling the same thing as he was experiencing. He could hear the blood pounding in his ears, pounding with the beating of his heart.

"Yes, they were only helping their families!" Sisko shouted.

Pierce moved around the desk to stand right in front of Sisko.

"And the Federation stood back and watched as thousands of its former citizens were killed by the Cardassians." Pierce said quietly.

"Yes, damn them." Sisko said, backing up towards the window behind his desk.

"Those officers had to fight the Cardassians to save their friends and families, didn't they?" Pierce asked quietly.

Bashir struggled to remain conscious. What the hell is happening to me, he thought again.

"Yes." Sisko replied, leaning back against the window.

"And you just sat back and watched as those colonists fought for their lives." Pierce said, shaking his head.

Bashir saw that O'Brien was slumped forward in his seat. He could see Dax struggled to keep her head up.

"Hiding behind that uniform." Pierce continued, reaching out and grabbing Sisko's arms.

"Yes!" Sisko shouted.

"Sat back when you wanted to be helping those colonists, helping your friends, helping the Maquis." Pierce said quietly.

Bashir felt consciousness slip away. He last thing he heard before darkness enclosed around him was Captain Sisko's voice.

"Yes!"
 
 
 

Doctor Bashir opened his eyes and looked around the captain's office. Jadzia and Chief O'Brien was awaking up as well. Captain Sisko was sitting at his desk with his head bowed and his face resting in his hands.

"Benjamin, are you alright?" Dax said, standing and then grabbing her chair for support.

Sisko was silent.

"Benjamin?" Dax said again.

"Thank you." Sisko said quietly. "That will be all, people."

Jadzia Dax started to move towards Sisko.

"I said get out." Sisko growled.

Dax stopped. 

Quietly, Bashir turned and quickly left the captain's office with Dax and O'Brien close behind.

"What the hell just happened in there." O'Brien said when the doors to the captain's office had closed behind them.

"I don't have any idea." Bashir replied, shaking his head.

"One minute we were listening to them talk about the Maquis, the next minute I felt like I was going to be sick, then I passed out."

Bashir looked at Dax.

"Jadzia, you served with this Admiral Pierce, do you have any idea what happened to us?" the doctor asked.

"Not a clue." the Trill conceded. "I've never experienced anything like that before."

"Did you see what it did to the captain?" O'Brien asked.

Bashir and Dax both nodded.

"There is a lot about this Admiral Pierce that strikes me as strange, the least of which is why an eighty-five year old man looks like he's barely thirty." Bashir said.

"Well, he is half Vulcan." Dax said, not sounding very convinced herself.

"That doesn't account for his appearance." Bashir replied. "You said yourself that both you and Captain Sisko did not recognize his when you first saw him, even though you served under him for years aboard the Livingston."

"You're right." Jadzia said, nodding.

"I think that I'm going to do a little digging on your Admiral Pierce." Bashir said. 

Dax nodded.

"I think that I may be able to find out something from a couple of people aboard the Liberator that Benjamin and I used to serve with on the Livingston." the beautiful Trill replied.

"Well, while you two are having fun I've got to get back to work." O'Brien said, walking towards the turbolift.

"Please Chief!" the young doctor exclaimed. "You really don't mind working beside a living legend, do you?"

O'Brien smiled as He, Bashir and Dax entered to turbolift.

"No, Scotty's a genius."

"Perhaps you can pump 'Scotty' for some information about Pierce as well." Bashir said hopefully.

O'Brien frowned at the prospect but nodded.

"We'll meet at Quark's at eighteen hundred hours." Bashir said.

Dax and O'Brien looked at each other and back to Bashir, nodding.

Bashir leaned back against the wall of the turbolift and contemplated the events of the last hour. What happened in the captain's office wasn't normal and he was positive that this Admiral Pierce was behind it.

Bashir folded his arms and smiled.

Learning the secrets that surrounded Admiral Pierce shouldn't be too difficult to uncover, Bashir thought.

At last, a mystery the Doctor thought.

Bashir's smile grew wider.