Reader, I just want to make clear that this story could not have
been completed without great encouragement and *lots* of
gracious and helpful suggestions from Judith, otherwise
known as the OdoGoddess, although some of us remember her
as OdoLover. :-)
I wrote it after 'Our Man Bashir' and it's not canon, but just a fun story.
SUMMARY: Odo decides if he can't have Kira one way, he will
have her another!
DISCLAIMER: Paramount owns the characters I 'borrowed'. They
earn scads of money from them, I don't earn anything. I've been
given to understand that is the way of Trek fandom.
This bit of whimsy takes place after the episode "Our Man Bashir"...
"Computer, run last program from the beginning."
"Using former or recently added parameters?"
"Those recently added."
"Working."
He waited nervously even though there was no chance of anyone seeing him. Quark's bar was closed and the Ferengi's security system was laughable compared to his skill at avoiding it. He had taken every precaution. He had every right, in fact, the duty to investigate this program for himself. He had put it off long enough. So why was he nervous? He jumped when the computer spoke.
"You may enter when ready."
The doors opened for him and he stepped in curiously. He hid his curiousity well, even though only holograms would be the only ones who saw it. This was just habit with him.
The room was incredibly plush, a recreation of what he recognized from some of the Earth novels he'd read. Polished wood, gleaming marble, thick carpeting, paintings and sculptures, the room was lavish, even by modern day standards.
Suddenly a bespectacled woman in a very tight, short dress stepped up to him. She frowned at him and asked, "You are a friend of Julian's?" He nodded at her. "I'm Miss Luvsitt, Mona Luvsitt." She walked to a counter and asked him, "What will you be having?"
"What do you mean?"
"To drink."
"Oh. I'm not, uh, thirsty."
"Very well. Julian isn't here right now. He had to step out. I've got work to do, but you can look around, read--you *can* keep yourself occupied?"
"Yes, thank you."
She exited with a satisfied nod and he turned his attention back to the room's furnishings. He felt it was overdone, but then he wasn't one to judge other people's furniture. A wall of books caught his attention. He went to it, began to read the titles.
'Mark Twain' was probably some famous Earth philosopher's biography he decided, while 'Moby Dick' made him frown. He had no idea what "Moby" was; a name? A "dick" however was a term he understood from O'Brien's detective novels. It meant a private investigator. The chief had also told him the word was a way of referring to a male's sexual organ. Perhaps the story was about some detective named Moby? He kept reading titles now, thinking he would ask the computer about the story some other time; he liked detective novels.
'Pride and Prejudice' was obviously a psychological study. His brows lifted at the next volume which was obviously out-of-order in the alphabetized library: 'Of Human Bondage.' That sounded like one of Quark's holosuite titles and he frowned. He didn't think the doctor would have that type of material in his library, even in a holosuite program, but he had learned not to dismiss any possibility.
"It is quite a selection. Julian is a most well-read man."
He turned with a guilty start to find himself looking right at the very holographic person he was curious about. One of the walls had transformed into a plush circular bed. She stood right beside it, looking exactly like the most beautiful woman in the world...to Odo. He cleared his throat to talk.
"And you are...?"
"A poor hostess. First I scare you, then I do not introduce myself properly. I'm Ana...Anastasia Komananov...and you?" The old Earth accent of her voice gave him an odd feeling. Not bothersome, just peculiar. He cleared his throat again, nervous.
"Er...maybe it's best you don't know."
She thought this over. "How quaint. You are spy, too, like Julian?"
"Something like that."
"You are a friend of Julian, I take it, then?"
"Yes."
"He has excellent taste in friends." She looked him up and down, stepping behind him and lifting her eyes with feminine appreciation at his lean straight back and long legs. "Most excellent taste. This is such a military uniform. Are you in the service?"
"I'm an officer, yes."
"I love men in uniform." Her accent made love sound like 'luff'. Her voice dropped to a husky whisper and she smiled at him provocatively. "They're so structured, so disciplined. And I love helping them to *unwind*."
"I think I should leave now. Julian obviously isn't here and--"
"Yes, he is gone. I think he'll be away for long time. Why don't I keep you company? Otherwise," she stepped up and breathed right into his face. "You could keep me company. It's very cold here this time of year. It gets so chilly at night."
"I could get you some blankets." Was this part of her programming? He looked around.
"I have a better idea, spy man. No. No, I'm not liking this nick name for you. What is your title?"
"I'm a, um, security officer."
"Ah, a security officer. By your back, I knew you would have masculine job, it is straight and strong. Such forceful occupation, security. So virile. May I call you 'Commandant'?"
He winced. "Actually, to me that sounds like a title used by some of my, um, enemies. I don't like it."
"Very well, then, how about 'comrade', spy man?"
"That's all right, I suppose."
"Then, my dear comrade, let me show you around Julian's penthouse."
As she took his arm, the door slammed open and a curly-haired man with an eye-patch stepped in. He looked like O'Brien. Odo frowned, as did Anastasia. This looked like a good time to end the program. He had seen enough to answer his questions. Then Anastasia took his arm and slid close to him. The feel of her body beside him was distracting.
"Computer?" He cleared his throat and lowered his voice. "Discontinue all characters...except Anastasia."
O'Brien disappeared and Anastasia gasped. She let go of Odo's arm and went to the place he'd been standing. She felt the air, looked around and around, then turned back to him.
"Amazing, my darling comrade. This is amazing." Her eyes shone with awe.
"Well--"
"You are a truly powerful adversary. So cunning and so decisive." She went back to him and put her arms around his neck. His eyes grew wide. "I must congratulate you on your quickness and cunning. As well as this amazing technology you possess."
Before he could speak, she began to kiss him. It was deep. It was moist. It was *passionate*. It was too bad, Odo thought as he kissed her back, that he did not know what a real kiss by a real woman was like so he could compare them. He had a sneaking suspicion he would find the experience no different. She pulled back, still nibbling on his lower lip and he put up a hand. It was shaking so he lowered it and stepped away from her.
"I really think I should go. It's been very nice, Anastasia."
"Nice?" She stepped back to him, rubbed her hand along his chest and kissed his chin.
"*Extremely* nice, but--"
"Nonsense, you are so tense, you are needing to unwind. I will see to it. Julian would never forgive me if I didn't see to your comfort while you are visiting."
**Julian would never forgive me for staying much longer...** Then she slid her hands down his chest and tucked them into his waistbelt. He shivered at the sensation of her cool little hands slipping inside him for a moment. She wiggled her fingers in the warmth of his waist and spoke right into his mouth.
"And *I* would never forgive me if I didn't find out more about you, my strong and toasty comrade." Her hands were working on his clothes now and her small teeth were gently nibbling on his lower lip as she kissed him. It was all very distracting. He was beginning to see why Bashir used this program so much.
Since Odo couldn't answer her, he simply kept quiet. Others enjoyed the holosuites; it was harmless, after all; why couldn't he? While he argued with himself, Anastasia's fingers made the discovery he was not what he seemed to be. This discovery made her gasp and gave him unaccustomed shivers of pleasure.
"How very curious, darling comrade spy. Does the rest of your uniform disappear like so?" She rubbed her hand along his bare back until she reached the waistband of his pants, smiling as he shivered again. "And you are so heated. I love strong, hot-blooded men."
He found his voice. "Actually I don't have any--"
"Julian will thank you for keeping me from catching cold, you are so warm."
"Ana? I think it would be best if you don't tell Julian about this." When had he decided to stay? **This isn't right,** his mind argued. Another part of his mind told that part to shut up and participate; how else could he investigate the program?
Anastasia smiled at this as if she found him quaint and old-fashioned and liked it very much. "Not to tell Julian about us? He is not exclusive man, is Julian. I am not exclusive woman. I only care he be well and content. He only cares I be happy. You, my hot-blooded comrade, will keep me toasty warm and very, very content, I am thinking."
"I, uh, still think we shouldn't mention this. It might upset him." **Liar!** his mind continued to argue and he continued to argue back. It was hard to think though with her busy little hands rubbing his lower back.
"If it makes you happy, darling comrade. Ach, you are so muscular, so lean! Are you swimmer?" She ran her hand down to the backs of his thighs, massaging his legs through the uniform pants.
"Well, no." **I'll be a puddle if she keeps this up!** This thought and her action almost made him groan. The vision he got of her running her hands through him made him shiver again.
"A running man, then. You must exercise a good deal. Your thighs are so lean, so long." She moved her hand up higher, grasped his buttock and smiled. "So hard and firm."
"I'm trying, I mean, I *do* walk a lot. Every night. I patrol, you see."
"I thought so. Such powerful legs. I admire this. Ach!" Her other hand had massaged down his chest. Now it found the magnificent lump beneath his uniform pants. He shivered at this new and blissful sensation. "How impressive."
He agreed. It didn't hurt to be polite, after all. He shut off the accusing thoughts in his head. It wasn't hard to do, especially when Anastasia slid her hand beneath his pants. They quickly disappeared and he lay naked to her--and strongly aroused.
"*Most* impressive," she proclaimed. Before he could do anything she quickly slipped the straps of her gown off and shimmied out of it. It fell in a pool of silk at her feet. She waited for his reaction. She was not disappointed. His mouth fell open. She trailed a finger down his chest, lower, made him shiver again. "I am taking it you find me also impressive, darling comrade?"
When he started nodding, he couldn't stop until she kissed him. He was stunned at the desire he felt for Anastasia, even though she was not a real person. **But I'm not a 'real' person either...**
"I thought it would be so. You do not say much, but the eyes they talk, that is good in a man. I like strong, silent, hot-blooded men. I like you. I think you and I will make good team, a *tight* fit." She pushed him back against the mattress and climbed on top of him without warning, easily straddling his slender hips. Her body felt solid to him...wonderfully solid.
She shifted a little and before he could speak, she took him inside her. She threw her head back and sighed with satisfaction. He could only look up at her. Her satin skin, the sun-kissed tips of her firm breasts, the soft triangle of hair that nestled against him all combined to make his head spin. **This isn't real...** but he wondered if Kira really looked this way. Was she truly so delicate, so lovely? He blinked. **Forget it. You'll never know...**
Anastasia leaned over him. She began to move sensuously, slowly, against him. As he moaned, she whispered in his ear, "I *knew* it would be so, my darling comrade."
The program played on very late into the night...
* * *
A FEW NIGHTS LATER...
Captain Sisko held the little alien with one strong, dark hand. He had caught him as the lift arrived, his bag full of Bajoran icons, definitely stolen. He was waiting now, for Security's presence. The thief tried to twitch away and Sisko held him tighter.
"The constable should be here soon. I wouldn't do that," he warned. Sisko wondered what held up his normally quick security. Running footsteps could be heard overhead and Odo peered over the upper level of the Promenade.
"You wanted me, Captain?"
"Get down here, constable, we have a situation."
"On my way."
Before Odo could arrive though, a Bajoran man came running out of the lift, dressed in a sleeping gown. "What is going on? The alarm in my shop sounded my personal alarm in my quarters."
"I caught the thief, sir, don't worry," soothed Sisko.
"Don't worry! I sell religious artifacts. It's sacrilege to be stealing my icons!"
"Here, here, what's happening?" Odo took in the situation with a glance.
"About time, constable! I was just getting a late night snack when I thought I heard something break in that shop." Sisko pointed, then stepped over to him, thief in hand. "I caught this man leaving the icon-sellers with a dufflebag full of religious icons. I thought you patrolled the Promenade late at night, Odo?"
"I do, sir. But the last few evenings, I've, er, varied my late night patrol a bit. Obviously this little sneak-thief noticed that." He scowled down at the Dokterian who shrugged and looked sheepish.
"Well, so long as he was caught. I'd like you to put another deputy on the Promenade if you aren't going to patrol like you usually do, constable."
"Understood, sir." But the shapeshifter looked a bit frustrated to him. He didn't want Odo to think he was telling him how to do his job. He sighed. "Please take this 'gentleman' into custody."
"Gladly." Odo lifted the little thief up and nearly off his feet, using almost no effort. He looked at the shop-keeper. His voice was also filled with irritation. "I'll need your statement."
"Be glad to." The group headed down the Promenade for the security office and Sisko sighed. The constable was definitely frustrated, he would have to find the time to apologize later. He tiredly headed back for the lift, it had been a long day.
* * *
The following evening Kira frowned at Quark. "A ghost?"
"Honestly, Major, a ghost. Grek swears the holosuite occupancy light for room four turns itself off and on late at night. He's so scared he won't even use the holosuites. I only wish the rest of my employees were like him! Save me some money," the Ferengi smiled at the thought of saving money, then shrugged.
"What the hell is Grek doing in the bar after hours anyway?"
"Employees can use the holosuites at discount only when the bar is closed. Since I open at ten-hundred and close at oh-two-hundred, that policy saves me money, but Grek's been a little lonesome--his wife is pregnant, you see, and she won't let him touch her, so--"
"Forget I asked! Look, Quark, why don't you just ask Odo to check it out? He patrols late at night."
"I already did. That grumpy shapeshifter accused me of making up the story to waste his time."
"Why haven't you checked it out yourself?"
"Are you kidding? I just told you I open at ten hundred hours and close at oh-two-hundred. I'm not about to waste the little time I have to myself sitting in a dark hallway waiting for some ghost."
"Why don't you ask Rom to check the door? Maybe the light is malfunctioning? He works late shift, too."
"Are you kidding? He'll just use the holosuites free of charge and not check anything out. I don't have the time to watch him and make sure he works like I used to. My lazy brother is your problem now. Now I trust you, Major. You don't like the holosuite, you hardly ever use them."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Holosuites are not high on the station repair list, the work crews have me at the bottom of the list."
"I don't make up the repair list, that's O'Brien's job."
"Terrific. He hates me! I never get a break. But just you wait and see what everyone will say if the holosuites malfunction! No one will say poor Quark. I'll just hear the complaints!"
The Major sighed. It was a trivial thing, but she didn't want to hear Quark complaining anymore. She couldn't leave, because she was waiting for Jadzia who asked to meet her at the bar. She had told her she might be a few minutes late, so she had to wait. Kira was already regretting her decision, but it wouldn't hurt. Besides, it would get her away from the annoying Ferengi!
"Maybe I could take a quick look right now."
"Why Major! I'm shocked! And very pleased."
"Just to get you to stop grumbling, Quark."
"You think I'm carrying on, you should hear Grek! He's been complaining for three days. He even swears he heard moaning sounds in the hallway last night. He said it sounded just like a ghost."
Kira snorted. It all sounded more like an overactive Ferengi imagination, but she stood and headed for the upper level of Quark's bar anyway.
* * *
Jadzia did not find Kira in the bar when she entered half-an-hour later. Quark filled her in on the ghost story and she went to the upper level holosuites. Room's one and four were occupied. She stepped to room four.
BASHIR P-12 was what the panel read. She frowned and entered the room; it was not locked. A recreation of an old-Earth suite complete with thick carpeting, plush fittings and a bar met her. Kira stood in the middle of the room, hands on her hips, looking mad enough to bite her way through the station's hull. What could have her so upset?
"Kira?"
The Major turned around and glared, noticed Dax and calmed a little. "Oh, hello, Dax."
"What's going on? Quark told me you were checking on a ghost?"
"Oh, yeah. I checked the panel and nothing was wrong with it, so I thought I'd run all the programs that were used when the bar was closed for this last week. This was the only one; Bashir's program."
"But he wouldn't use the holosuites without going through Quark. Besides, Julian's been working an eight-night rotation to complete that bio-research project of his."
"I know. I wondered who was running it and why. Then I saw her."
"Her?"
Kira took in a breath. "Computer, display Anastasia and freeze."
Immediately, the hologram of Colonel Anastasia Komananov swirled into being. She stood frozen in place. Jadzia's eyes widened.
"I see."
"No, you don't. Not yet. Computer? Animate character."
Anastasia looked around, noticed Dax and frowned. "What is it that is going on?"
"Never mind that now, please tell her what you told me about these late night trysts you've been having."
"With my strong, sexy comrade, yes?"
Dax brightened immediately. "What is his name, Anastasia?"
"This I cannot tell you. Is secret."
"Now do you see?" Kira scowled.
"Yes. Computer? Freeze program." Dax began to pace. Kira almost said something, but Jadzia lifted her hand. She was thinking things through. Finally, she said, "There's three ways about this, Major. One is for Chief O'Brien to break the holosuite programming and get the security code of whoever is using it."
"Too complicated and the station regulations forbid it unless I get the Captain's permission. I don't want him to getting involved with this! Besides, whoever's having sex with this cheezy hologram of me might get suspicious."
"Then the second thing we can do is reprogram Anastasia and give her late night visitor a big surprise when they come to see her next. Put a scare in them and they won't come back. We could program her to look like a Bajoran snail-worm or a Lethiian flame-serpent."
Kira thought about this, then shook her head. "It might scare them all right, but I want to know who is doing this. The problem is that station privacy regulations--"
"Forbid monitors in the outer hallway of the holosuites," Dax finished.
"So I'd have to stand there and when this pervert went in to use the program, he would see me."
Dax brightened. "Say, what about Odo? He could watch, pretend to be the wall or something?"
The Major sighed. "I already thought of that. After I calmed down, I called and asked him if he was open for a little work later tonight but he begged off. He's got some sort of late night surveillance operation going on right now."
"So that leaves my third idea."
"Which is?"
"Take Anastasia's place."
"What?!"
"You heard me. We can order the computer to cancel her image and you replace her for tonight."
"What if this creep doesn't show up tonight?"
"Well, you might have to do it for a few nights, but I'm sure he'll show up again. How many times has the program been run?"
Kira scowled, totally disgusted. "Five, so far."
"Well, Major, this next time will be a real charm."
* * *
Later that night, Odo finished completing the station security report and checked the time. Perhaps he should not visit the holosuite tonight? Yesterday's interruption had filled him with dread. He barely got into the holosuite and started the program when Sisko called him. Fortunately he still had his commbadge at the time. It disappeared very quickly (along with his uniform) once Anastasia saw him. **If the call had come a few moments later...**
He sighed. He hated carrying a real commbadge. It was easier to form one, but after last night he decided he better. **Maybe I should stop using the program.**
He looked at the monitor which showed him the sleeping thief from last night. He was asleep in the holding cell. Odo went to his office door and looked down the Promenade. It was dark and quiet; late night. He checked the time; Quark would not open the bar for another seven hours and it was still another four before Alpha shift began. He realized he was not trying to stop his holosuite visits, but see they continued. Odo sighed, disgusted with himself, but he could not deny how compelling Anastasia was. How could he let this go on so long?
**Because you love her and cannot have her any other way. But it's wrong. I have to stop this.** Hard, but necessary decision made, he headed out his office.
* * *
Kira waited in the holosuite, feeling more than ridiculous in the thin, slip of a dress Dax had replicated for her. After a bit of fussing over her make-up, the Trill had pronounced her "perfect" and slipped out of the holosuite. Dax would have waited, but she had worked a double-shift and was very tired. Plus Kira was still mad enough to bite and she didn't want to stick around and watch the fireworks.
The Major was tired, too, but energized by the fact that if the disgusting pervert using this program showed up, he would be uncovered...and not just the way he usually was by Anastasia!
If he showed up that was; she had been waiting four hours with no sign of him. She had spent two hours listening to Anastasia tell her about her late night mystery man; what he liked, how he made the Falcon 'vanish' with his mysterious power, everything but his name. Her description of him was vague; he was tall, he was muscular, he was handsome and he had nice buttocks. *That* really helped! **If I gave that to Odo as a description of him...** she smiled at the thought of the expression he would make if she did. He was so secretive, Anastasia had told her, that she only called him darling or comrade or my darling comrade. It was a cute little thing between them, the hologram said. It was sickening, Kira thought. What sort of disgusting pervert was this?
Abruptly, the dark room came to life around her, making her heart beat faster. The culprit that was using this program would soon be revealed to her! The doors slid open and Odo walked in, looking around somewhat uncertainly. Kira almost groaned with disappointment; the constable had obviously changed his mind about helping her. He probably asked the computer where she was and had come to find out what it was she had wanted help with. **So the culprit isn't coming after all.**
She was about to drop her cover when he saw her and stepped up to her. "Anastasia?"
Kira's heart started to race again. He was her culprit! She managed to keep her reaction hidden; she'd had a lot of time to practice. Now her thoughts raced. Why on Bajor would *Odo* do such a thing? How could he?
**No, he couldn't,** the Major decided, this had to be some security exercise he put himself through, to see if he could break into Quark's holosuite. But Anastasia had been clear about the reason her mystery man visited her. Kira just never dreamed it would be this man! **Oh, Odo, I wish I hadn't discovered this about you!** She forced herself to look at him without any expression. He looked at her in the exact opposite; his face showing feelings she hadn't known he could feel.
"Anastasia, I didn't come to be with you tonight." His voice was full of feeling, too; sorrow and guilt and regret. It pulled at Kira who watched her friend, torn between feeling hurt and feeling sad. She forced herself to speak. It helped that she had to speak in the thick, strange Earth accent.
"Why have you come...my comrade?"
His eyes grew so sad at this, she nearly dropped her disguise, but made a fist behind her back and made herself to listen to what he had to say.
"I came tonight to tell you that I won't, I *can't,* be coming here to see you anymore."
"I...am not understanding, comrade."
"It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I can't do this anymore." Odo looked away, feeling guilty and ridiculous. Why did he feel he needed to explain his disappearance to a hologram? Especially when he programmed Anastasia to not mention his name to anyone? It was not as if she would ask Bashir why he did not visit her anymore.
"You are not caring for me anymore, my comrade? This is it, is it not?"
Anastasia's voice was so sad it actually tugged at Odo's resolve. He shook his head and looked back at her. Her large brown eyes were so much like those of the woman he loved so hopelessly, he couldn't help himself. "No, no, never! I care for you a great deal. You must know that, Kira...I mean, Ana."
The Major straightened, suddenly alert. "Kira? Tell me--who is this Kira? She is reason you do not want to come to see me, this Kira woman?"
"No, but you do remind me of her." His hand touched the softness of her hair and he sighed. Kira swallowed as he put his hand down and shook his head sadly; it only reminded him of what he could not have and that he couldn't allow this to continue. It was wrong. It didn't matter if she was only a hologram. She still represented the woman he loved.
"You love this woman, this Kira, don't you?" He simply nodded. "But she does not know this, does she, my comrade? It is reason why you came to me."
"She doesn't know," he said.
"You should tell her, this Kira woman. You should tell her of your feelings for her."
"I can't." Kira's expression grew sadder as he whispered sadly, "I was going to tell her, but she fell in love with someone else."
The Major nodded, finding it hard to speak, but she made herself. "I think Anastasia can see now. You want her, this Kira woman, to be with you and only you." He nodded and despite herself, she reached up and touched his face. "Such love is uncommon, my comrade."
"Maybe, but it's what I hope for."
"So this is why you come to me? You cannot have what you want, so you take what you can have?"
"I don't regret what we've done, Anastasia, but it's still wrong. I think it's best if we stop. These last few nights have been very precious to me." His voice dropped even lower and Odo brought her hands to his lips, kissed them gently, held them against his chest. Kira fought to keep her expression steady. "Until I met you, no one ever touched me without being curious or afraid...except for Kira. I won't forget that. I won't forget you, Anastasia."
She watched him, her eyes filling with tears she could not stop. Her voice was the softest whisper. "You're more persuasive than you think, darling comrade. Talk to this Kira woman. You might get what you wish."
"I no longer expect to, Ana." He was so certain it made her feel pain. To her surprise, he suddenly dropped her hands. She took a quick moment to gather herself, but he spoke first. "A friend of mine--he found out how I felt for Kira, before she had chosen her current companion--and he told me to tell her how I felt, but I didn't listen to him. I thought if I waited, if I *showed* her how I felt, then she would see, but--"
"You thought this Kira woman would notice you?"
"Yes. But she never did."
She thought about this. "Tell me, my comrade, what you did to show this woman, this Kira, your feelings for her." She thought he might ignore her, she was a hologram to him, after all! But he spoke as if she was real. That touched her. He rarely talked to anyone about himself.
"I don't know much about love, I'm afraid. She misunderstood everything I did. I walked her to her cabin after shift. I would meet her for coffee breaks and we would discuss our work. I learned all her favorite foods, what she liked to drink, so I could order exactly what she wanted, no matter what the occasion. And I...I tried to approach her a few times about meeting for some event or ceremony or other, but--"
"But this Kira woman, she thought you were only being polite. A friend, yes?"
"Yes. When she would agree to meet me...she would come with someone else, or with work for me to do. Once she met me with a new work project that would take a month to do."
"Let me guess, my comrade--you worked this project in record time, yes? To impress this Kira woman?" He looked up at this, studied her. Finally he nodded. "Was she impressed?"
Odo thought this over and nodded again, suddenly smiling again, which almost made Kira smile, too; she had never seen him this relaxed, then she sobered as she recalled the situation.
"Kira's always happy with my work. But she never notices when I make a special effort on her behalf. She always assumes it's because I like my job."
"You do not like your job?"
He shrugged. "It's a job. I do it well and I take pride in my work. But the hardest efforts I make are due to her, not from any personal satisfaction I would get."
"So you work hard to try and please this woman, this Kira?"
"Yes. That was my only purpose. Everything I did was to please her. It was the only time she noticed me, so I got better and better at my job. I figured it would get her to notice me, but she never did. It's what brought me to you, Ana. I realized she would never look at me as anything but a friend, a co-worker. It was making me not care about my job. I can't let that happen."
"Your job is important to you," she whispered now, the accent nearly gone.
"It's all I have without her," he said honestly. "That friend of mine? He told me I either had to tell her how I felt or forget her. I was still trying to forget her, to learn how to stop wanting her, when I met you, Ana. You helped me a great deal. I need to thank you for that. You are a very special woman. You deserve better than this, better than *me*. I'm sorry."
Odo turned to the exit, but Kira stopped him, one hand on his arm, a sad look in her eyes. She did not want him to leave. She was finding out more about her quiet, devoted friend than she had learned in all the years she'd known him. He was not at all what she had thought and things were falling into place for her now. Odo simply waited for her to speak. She swallowed.
"I'm very sorry, too. I like you. I like you very much." To give herself time before he could detect anything amiss, she said with mock cheer, "You know what I *don't* like about you, my comrade?"
To her surprise, he grinned...grinned! She didn't know Odo could even do that! He asked her, "Calling me comrade all the time?"
She smiled, wondering what else he was capable of, and how he would respond. "What is your name? You have not let me use it, my comrade."
He considered this, then shrugged. "Odo."
"I see it is a strange name, but nice."
"It's a Cardassian term."
"Cardassian?" She made herself frown as if she did not know what that was.
"An enemy nation," he responded, changing his terms to things Anastasia would understand, as he did whenever he was with her.
"What does 'Odo' mean then?"
"Nothing."
"It is just a sound?"
"No. It literally means 'nothing' in Cardassian."
She grew suddenly angry at this, her accent faltering as she spoke, "No, I am not liking this. You let people call you this? To call you 'nothing' all the time?"
"The woman, Kira, she started calling me 'constable'. Most people call me that. And they don't know what 'Odo' means, so when they say it, it's just my name. I don't think about it anymore."
"I see." She looked up at him, tried to touch him, but he pulled back from her; he didn't want her to touch him. He felt like taking her in his arms and it was hard enough to fight it without her touching him.
He reminded her, "You didn't tell me what you didn't like about me, Ana."
She dropped her hand. "It is not important."
"I think I'd like to know anyway, since I won't be coming back."
Kira thought frantically. She had been about to drop her disguise a minute ago, but the moment had passed. Now she brightened as a notion struck her. The real Anastasia had her own ideas for her mystery lover. Now she gave a silent thank-you to the hologram and said, "What I am not liking is these clothes you wear. I have yet to be seeing you not in work suit. You always wear uniform when you come to see me."
"You've seen me without it, Anastasia," he suddenly teased, with a slight smile.
Kira choked with the sudden urge to laugh. Why had she never seen this side of Odo before? "Oh, you virile man to joke so! No, but you come to see me always with this uniform. This uniform it means so much to you? You have no other clothes except for work suit?"
"I don't usually wear other clothes, but I can."
"I want to see you for once in something else." She went to the wardrobe, opened it, then pulled out the only items she found; a hat and tie. "These."
"I can--"
"No, no, it is special for woman to take off man's hat, to run hands through his hair and take off his tie. It is heated, sexy," Kira repeated Anastasia's earlier words to her. "Do you see this, my Odo?"
"No. But I believe you think it is."
"Just this once I'd like to do this, yes?"
He smiled again and nodded and she was amazed yet again at how relaxed he was in her presence. **He thinks you're a hologram, Kira, of course he's relaxed!** She took a breath and stepped up to him.
She slipped the hat on his head and threw the tie around his neck. She hoped he didn't notice she had no idea how to do it right as she knotted it clumsily, then shrugged; this *definitely* was not one of her better ideas!
Meanwhile Odo made fists of his hands, argued with himself to leave, but he could not; this *definitely* was not one of his better ideas!
Kira stepped back to study him. The sight made her smile which helped her hide her other feelings of confused panic. She still wasn't sure what she was going to do. Forget it? Confront him?
"It is different. But it is good." She stepped back up. Without thinking, she reached a hand to touch him. This time he did not pull back. She rubbed his cheek, carressed his brow, noticed that he was shaking.
Her eyes grew sad as she remembered what he told her--that the only gentle touch he had known was from a hologram. A hologram that looked like her. A hologram he let touch him because she reminded him of her, of the woman he loved.
**Odo loves me...** the Prophets worked in strange and mysterious ways; her dearest friend in the entire galaxy was in love with her and she had not seen it. He stood now, waiting in front of her, wearing a ridiculous hat and lumpy tie...because he loved her. **He really does love me.**
Her eyes filled with tears again. Forget it? Confront him? Was there another choice? She was full of sudden curiosity. Without another word, Kira Nerys slipped her arms around Odo and kissed him deeply for the very first time in her life...and he did not fight it.
* * *
Cardassians always had more than one way out of a situation. Garak knew this was very true, but he also knew they had more than one way into situations. He finally finished working the computer access rod into the rarely used cargo bay transporter. He adjusted the console for a delayed transport, stepped onto the pad and let the machine take him to his destination--just inside the entrance of a holosuite.
To his surprise, Garak found the normally empty holosuite already activated. He cursed himself for a moment, thinking Quark had finally caught him at one of his secret late night visits to the holosuites. Then he saw the program running and his eyes widened. So the good doctor did keep the program, he thought with a smile. He could hear definate sounds of passion coming from the next room. Despite himself, he went to sneak a look.
His gasp of surprise was met by two others...
* * *
"I must say, constable, I would never have thought you capable of *this.*" Despite the situation, Garak's voice was as mild as it always was.
Odo seethed. If he had been humanoid, he would be flushed with anger and embarrassment. As it was, stifled desire battled flames of angry heat in him. His face was a bit blurred as he battled for control over both. Anastasia watched the two men silently, uncertainly, and waited.
"I should run you in," he finally managed to say.
"Oh, but then you would have to explain what you were doing in here, too. Of course, you could say that you thought I was up to something and that *you* had followed *me* here. You could say that *I* had run the doctor's program and everyone would believe you. After all, who would believe that you, the upstanding paragon of station virtue could find interest in a sexual holosuite program?"
Anastasia stepped up to Odo and, looking at Garak, said, "I am not liking this man, darling comrade. Make him vanish like the Falcon."
"Yes, please do. I await your sentencing, constable."
To the Cardassian's interest, the constable looked away, then turned to the hologram. "Anastasia, could you please leave us for a moment to talk?"
She glared at Garak, but nodded at Odo and stepped out of the room. He turned back to the Cardassian then, glaring at him, as well. Unfortunately, his effort was lessened by the loose tie that hung down around his neck and the hat he'd forgotten he still wore. Garak managed to keep his expression innocent and mild even though he felt like laughing.
"What do you want, Garak? Why did you come here?"
"I could ask the same thing."
"You aren't the chief of station security. You can't put me in the lock-up."
"But you can do that to me, can't you? I tell you what, constable; you say nothing about my indiscretion and I say nothing about yours. We both just go our own way."
"How do I know I can trust you won't say anything?"
"You don't. Anymore than I can know you won't be watching me from now on, to see if I sneak into Mister Quark's holosuites late at night to use them free of charge."
"This is ridiculous. I refuse to justify myself to you!"
"And I to you. I wasn't doing anything. I only investigated an unusual noise."
"You have no business in this holosuite and you know it!"
"Oh, so you paid Quark for the use of the holosuite and got the doctor's permission to run his program?" Odo stayed stubbornly silent and Garak nodded with satisfaction. "That's what I thought."
The constable shook his head. The hat slid off and he realized he was still wearing the tie Anastasia had tied on him and just started to take off when they'd been interrupted. He grit his teeth. "Since neither of us should be here, we both leave, we both say nothing and neither of us holds what we saw against the other."
"Oh, and what did you see *me* doing?"
"Garak!"
"Really, constable, so touchy. I think it's a good thing you are in here. I've often thought you need to loosen up, to permit yourself a bit of pleasure, even a bit of perversity."
"There was nothing perverse going on!"
"I wouldn't know about *that,* but I was speaking of letting yourself have a little fun from time to time. Using a holosuite program is harmless, constable. Judging from how well Colonel Komananov seems to know you, I would bet you've run this program more than once? Still, I think you would be far better off if you just *told* her."
"What are you talking about?"
"The Major. Anastasia's counterpart. You should just tell her that you love her." The Cardassian shook his head as the constable looked mad, then looked away. "There's no shame in it, after all. It's not as if you were the enemy or some vile criminal...or a Cardassian, say, and you absolutely knew she despised you and would never stop hating you no matter how lovely and graceful you thought she was." Odo looked up sharply at this. Garak merely met his gaze evenly. "Yes, constable?"
"*You* find her attractive, Garak?"
"A man would have to be very ill or not attracted to women to not find Kira Nerys attractive, constable."
"I wouldn't know. I'm not humanoid."
"No, but you are a male, are you not? According to your medical file you have chromosomes, DNA." Odo glared at him, but Garak merely continued, "that means you were conceived. In a woman's womb or in a test-tube it hardly matters. Two came together to give you life and so you are drawn to others. As a normal, healthy male, you are drawn to females. As a male brought up among the Bajorans, you naturally are drawn to the females around you, Bajoran females. As a male who works closely with the Major--"
"I get the point, Garak."
"Yes, but what will you do?"
"What I should have done days ago. I'm shutting off this program and leaving. You do what you like." Ripping off the tie, the constable turned and shouted, "Computer! Discontinue program."
The walls vanished. To both men's surprise, Anastasia remained in the far corner of the room, looking surprised, too. Odo frowned, not alarmed, just annoyed at this glitch.
"Computer, discontinue entire program."
"Program Bashir P-12 has been discontinued."
"Discontinue holographic character of Anastasia Komananov."
"There are no holographic characters currently running."
Kira took a deep breath, made a decision. She stepped up to the two men, not taking her eyes off of the constable. Odo's mouth fell open and his eyes grew wide with shock. Garak blinked, then turned to the stunned constable. His tone was even, but he spoke so fast he almost bit himself.
"I think I should be leaving *now,* constable. We can talk about all this at some other time! Computer? Initiate Garak program Gamma six."
The Cardassian disappeared in a swirl of transporter energy, leaving the two friends staring at one another. Kira decided to take the lead, since Odo could only stare at her, open-mouthed. "I think we should *talk,* Odo."
He turned away from her. She caught a glimpse of panic in his eyes before he did. His tone was gruff, hiding his feelings. "Don't worry, Major, I'll leave the station."
"Leave?"
His voice held only a little panic, but she could tell it was building. "I resign, Major, as of right now. I'll vacate my quarters and take the morning shuttle. Don't be concerned, I'm sure I can find suitable employment elsewhere." When he turned for the doors, Kira barred his exit. He took a breath, but couldn't meet her eyes. He spoke to her shoes. "Major, *please* let me pass."
"No."
"Kira--"
"You can scuttle out of here just as soon as I've had my say, Odo."
At this he looked up at her in dismay. His shoulders slumped in utter disgrace. He clearly expected her to thoroughly chastise him and he nodded and waited numbly, prepared to accept this final humiliation without complaint. Kira considered her words with care.
"Actually, I'm not sure what to say," she admitted. She stepped up to him to see him eye-to-eye, but his gaze stayed fixed on his boots, so she tipped his head up. Her eyes grew sad at the miserable look on his face. "Well, maybe I do."
He waited, shivering with fear. To his shock and confusion, she moved up and kissed his cheek gently. He blinked as she whispered, "I forgive you."
"What?"
"I forgive you, Odo. I can't be mad at you. I can't even be upset. Not after you come in here to ask my hologram's forgiveness. Don't get me wrong! When you walked in here and started talking to Ana...*me*...I was mad enough to toss you in the station's main reactor chamber and not look back!" She stopped to take his hands in hers. "But I figured I'd better listen to you and see what you had to say. After I did, I realized that you honestly love me. You wouldn't even hurt the feelings of a hologram that only looked like me! And I realized I've been stupid."
He watched her fearfully; he was still expecting her to get angry. "What do you mean?"
She pulled his hands, brought him closer to her. He came without protest, still shivering. Her expression was encouraging. "That last kiss I gave you? It wasn't just a ruse, constable."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean before Garak interrupted, I found out some interesting things. About the both of us."
Odo felt like a Terran parrot. "What do you mean?"
She pulled him closer yet. She studied him. "You *really* love me."
He took a breath, nearly melted with feeling. "More than anything."
"I see."
He waited now, not moving, all he felt for her in his blue gaze. She took a deep breath, considered everything she had learned, everything they had said. The wait was too much for him. "What...what do you want me to do, Kira? I'll do anything you want me to--I'll leave, resign, transfer. Just tell me what you want."
Kira Nerys slipped her arms around Odo and kissed him deeply for the second time in her life. When she let him go he stood stunned and shaking. "I want you to stop wasting time and show me how you *feel.*"
Their joining was awkward, but loving. Just like Anastasia, Nerys led the way. Odo let her; he was too confused and too hopeful to question. He didn't dare stop and ask. Both made wonderful new discoveries. Nerys was surprised to discover how ordinary Odo's 'body' was, how naturally it reacted. Odo was surprised to discover he *could* tell the difference between the hologram and Kira. She looked no different, but her touch was loving, warm and unselfish.
Even though he was shaking with need, he dared not touch her. At least not until she gestured to him and whispered, "You can touch me, Odo."
The gentleness of his hands awed her; he was *so* cautious. She let him explore, let him see her reactions. He let her explore, too. He let her finally see and feel his passionate, powerful need. They were naked to each other in every way. Tenderly carressing... teasing... tasting... kissing... embracing, the lovers' passion grew and grew. At long last they eagerly united.
He could feel her wet inner heat close around him. She could feel him buried deep inside her. Again, Kira took the lead and he let her, moved as one with her, held her as pleasure made her grasp at him and hold him closer and closer. It did not give Odo any pleasure. He felt only a strange sort of friction as he moved inside her. But seeing Kira's beautiful face before him, hearing her passionate sounds, feeling her clutch at his shoulders; *this* satisfied him. He gently rubbed his face against hers, felt her silky skin against his own, let her hair tickle his forehead.
Suddenly she threw her head back against the pillows. Her breath became ragged. He felt her clamp tight around the part of him inside her. She cried out, breathing in gasps, then fell quiet. While she rested, he allowed the part of him inside her to dissolve. Now *this* was pleasure; her moisture mixing with his own. It was incredible for Odo and he shuddered at the feeling, overpowered by his love for her. He fought to stay formed, fought to focus on her, but his fight was over; she had won. He melted in her arms. That hadn't happened with Anastasia.
When he could, he fearfully reformed. What would she say? Would she be disgusted? Would she be afraid? Would she ever talk to him again? Kira lay on the plush penthouse bed, smiling at him lovingly, waiting. She held out her arms and he went to her instantly. His voice was hoarse.
"Nerys?" She nodded, held him tight to her. **"I love you."** She sighed; a happy sigh. "Nerys?"
"I know, Odo. I love you, too." She patted his back. "Now let's enjoy this. It's so nice."
He held her closer. Even though she returned his embrace, he was troubled. Being a man of habit, he couldn't merely accept. His questioning nature ruled him. He had to ask her. "Do you know what we're going to do now?"
The sleepy Kira smiled and curled herself around his warm body. "Again? Changelings must be insatiable."
"That's not what I meant, Nerys. I'm asking--this isn't an ideal situation. You aren't unattached."
"Hm, that *could* be a problem."
"And you're still my superior officer. This is against regulations."
"Let me deal with Shakaar. As for the other, well, that *is* a slightly more difficult problem."
"What will we do?"
They both lay there then, bodies at peace and minds filled with concern. Suddenly, Kira smiled and looked at him triumphantly. She moved closer yet and began to kiss Odo passionately. He was glad he didn't have to breathe because she wouldn't have let him. **I'd be a very happy dead man...** After this affectionate display, she let him go, her voice cheerful.
"Regulations might state senior officers can't 'have relations' with junior officers, but there's no regulation against a senior officer enjoying a holosuite program and a junior officer enjoying that same holosuite program."
Odo thought this through. For the first time since before Garak discovered them, he smiled. "What do regulations say about those two officers enjoying the same holosuite program together?"
"No regulation that I can think of. You?"
"I'll have to check, but I don't think so."
"It's not urgent. Check later. *Much* later."
His eyes were innocent, his voice teased. "Next week?"
*"Later."*
"Next month?"
"I told you it's not urgent. It can *definitely* wait."
"You'll have to remind me then. I get very busy."
"Don't worry. We'll keep tabs on it together. We *do* plan on getting together about this every now and again?"
"It *is* a matter of station protocol. We may have to schedule a nightly meeting."
"Yes, I am the senior Bajoran officer on the station." She lay her head on his shoulder. "We can hold it in my quarters some nights."
"And I am the chief of security." He kissed her. "We can hold it in my quarters on other nights."
"Well, so long as we stay on top of it, it shouldn't be any problem." She kissed him back, starting at his lips and moving down. "We both work *much* too hard, Odo, my love."
"Part of our job."
"Lucky for us Quark has these holosuites. Help us...relax."
"Hm..."
After this, no more could be heard from Quark's number four holosuite, except some slight moaning sounds...
* * *
A tired and frustrated Grek stepped into the holosuite hallway. He looked around nervously, but saw nothing. The hallway was dark and empty and he relaxed. He stepped up to the doorway. Nothing happened and he took a deep breath. As his hand touched the controls, his sharp Ferengi ears suddenly heard a loud cry coming right through the door of the room. It was a lusty and passionate sound, but he didn't notice in his panic.
Grek ran all the way to his quarters, vowing to never use the holosuites again.
~ end ~
Vicki Page (vpage@lazymail.com)
"I love italian...and so do you." Kirk to Spock