Published in the Star Trek Fanzine "Eridani" in 1994.

THE YOUNG SHALL LEAD

by: MaryD
maryd_oz@yahoo.com

(c) MaryD - May 1994

The promenade was bustling as the usual day to day business was undertaken.
At nearby Quark's bar, Jadzia Dax, the Trill Science officer sat
at the back of the bar with Keiko O'Brien, the only school teacher on
the station.

"Since we're not expecting any ships for a couple of days, I've asked
Benjamin to take the runabout into the wormhole."

Keiko's smile widened at the news. She spoke to her science class
many times about the wormhole and the Bajoran children wanted so
much to visit their Celestial Temple that she decided to ask Jadzia
Dax about the possibility of travelling through it. She didn't expect
Dax to be so enthused about the idea nor the participation in the
science class which Keiko was grateful for. She was glad that Dax
wanted to help.

"That is perfect! When do you think we can do this?"

"Later today looks like a good time to me."

"Wonderful!" She said as she rose to leave. "I'll see you later, I'm
sure the children will be overyjoyed."

The Ferengi who owned the bar, Quark, came up to Jadzia and stood in
front of her with a drink in his hand.

"What's that Quark?"

"Ah...something special..just for you!" Quark said and set before her
the glass of blue and orange liquid. Jadzia took the drink and tasted
it. She smiled at Quark and then drank the rest.

"Any more where that came from?"

The Ferengi's eyes glinted at the prospect of his new drink creation
being a hit.

"Certainly, come with me! I've called it the Dax Twister!"

Jadzia got up and then she felt a strange sensation. She felt her knees
buckle and she passed out at Quark's feet.


********

The Operations Centre of Deep Space Nine was quiet. No ships were due
to arrive for a few days which gave Major Kira Nerys, the Bajoran Liaison
Officer and second in command time for deferred duties.She sat at
her workstation going over some over due reports and thankful for
the quiet period. She had been rushed off her feet the last couple
of weeks and didn't have time for reports, inspections and lost
cargo that had somehow disappeared or misplaced. The duty rosters were
supposed to be on Sisko's desk a week ago. Kira ran her fingers
through her hair and sighed deeply.

Commander Benjamin Sisko, the commanding officer of Deep Space Nine
stood outside his office and looked down to where Kira sat.

"Major, I _need_ those reports."

"They will be ready soon...I hope...that's if I don't get interrupted
by another minor debate with the Minister..." she said as she looked
at her commanding officer who was scowling at her.

"I heard your minor debate with the Minister...I think most of the station
heard it as well...do you think you can finish your reports before going
in attack mode with any more ministers?"

"I know, I know...reports first, have debates with ministers second,
chase up lost cargo third, do inspections fourth....!" She said and
held up both arms as if she was surrendering.

"Bashir to Commander Sisko." Doctor Julian Bashir's voice sounded on
the intercom.

"Yes, Doctor."

"Sir, can you come down to the infirmary please."

"On my way." Sisko said as he headed towards the turbolift.

"Major, I need those reports." He said as he disappeared down the
tubolift.

"Yes _sir_!" Kira said and did a mock salute and went back to the
duty rosters.

******

Benjamin Sisko, walked into the station's infirmary. Doctor Julian
Bashir, the station's Chief Medical Officer was hovering around a
very agitated Jadzia Dax on one of the biobeds.

"You wanted to see me, Doctor? What happened to you, Dax? Where is your
uniform?" Sisko smiled at his friend.

"Hello, Benjamin. Julian won't let me leave. He won't give me back
by uniform!"

Jadzia Dax looked at her friend and commanding officer and tried to
get up but was restrained by Dr Bashir.

"If you don't stay quiet, I'm going to put you in a restraining field.
I'm not letting you leave until I find out why you passed out at
Quarks!"

Sisko's smile faded as he heard Dr Bashir's report. He wasn't aware
of the episode at Quarks and was now very concerned.

"What happened at Quarks?" Sisko said as he looked at Bashir then at
Dax.

"Quark called me, He said Jadzia passed out at his feet. She was still
unconscience when we brought her in but she came to before you arrived."

"I had a drink that Quark gave me and then I got up to leave, slipped
and I fell."

"Quark said you passed out after you got up..I analysed that drink..it
had nothing in it that would give a reason as to why you passed out..".

"Maybe it was the food..and I slipped, I didn't pass out!" Dax protested.

"You passed out!". Bashir corrected her.

"Are you injured?" Sisko interupted his two officers.

"Only my pride." Dax said and smiled. "I just want to Julian to give
me back my uniform."

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

"I promised Keiko that I would pilot a runabout through the wormhole
for the children's science class. You said I could take the Orinoco
for their trip."

"Well you're not going anywhere and you're definetly not flying." Bashir
said as he ran some more tests on the Trill. "As your doctor I'm
releaving you of duty, Jadzia."

"Benjamin! I didn't hurt myself." Dax protested.

"He's your doctor, Dax. You're grounded."

"What about the children. They have been looking forward to this trip
for weeks."

"Another time, when you are not passing out at Quarks." Sisko said
and gave her a smile.

"But Benjamin, the children have been looking forward to this for weeks.
and..."

"You're still grounded, Dax."

"But Benjamin they will be so dissappointed..."

Sisko sighed. When Dax got into a stubborn mood, nothing could shift
her. He could see this trait had passed on from Curzon Dax, the previous
host.

"All right..the class can take the Orinoco..." Dax brightened up and
smiled. She tried to get up from the biobed. "Major Kira will pilot
the runabout." Sisko concluded to Jadzia's obvious disappointment.

**********

The operations centre was quiet as Kira worked silently as she tried
to finish the monthly duty roster. The late monthly duty roster. She
rubbed the back of her neck. Sisko stood watching Kira from his office.

"Major, I think you need a break."

Kira looked up and stared at him as if he was going mad. He knew the
amount of work she had to do. He specifically mentioned it before he
went to the infirmary.

"Excuse me?"

"You need a break." Sisko said as he walked to the replicator and
ordered a hot coffee. He sipped the drink and walked down the steps and stood
in front of her. "Those reports can wait a couple of hours. I have a
new assignment for you."

"Which is?"

"You are taking the Orinoco and flying through the wormhole." Sisko
said he pointed to the wormhole's direction.

"I've already been through the wormhole, Commander!" Kira laughed. She
got back to her reports. "These reports need doing."

"You haven't been through the wormhole with Mrs O'Brien's science class yet!"

Kira stopped what she was doing and looked at Sisko incredulously.
What did she have to do with Mrs O'Brien's science class.

"I'm what?

"You're taking Mrs O'Brien's Science class through the wormhole and
introducing the children to the Gamma Quadrant!"

"Why am _I_ taking a class of children through the wormhole, I'm not
their science teacher!"

"Dax is in the infimary. She passed out at Quarks and Dr Bashir
wants to find out why."

"Is she all right?!" Kira said with concern for her friend.

"She is _now_ but Julian doesn't want her flying and I don't either,
so I thought you would like to take the class and have them look at the
celestial temple! You are looking very tired and I just want you to take
a few hours off."

"Sir, I'm _really_ busy...I don't have the time being a tour guide...I've
got reports to do and an inspection of the..." Kira protested.

"Major, it would really be a shame since the children have been looking
forward to this trip. Dax didn't want to disappoint them. You
wouldn't want to disappoint them... would you?"

"But...I've got..." She looked at the half finished report and then
at Sisko who was smiling. She knew that smile. Kira was caught. She
knew it and so did the Commander. She got up and headed for the turbolift.

"The reports can wait until you come back..." The commander's voice
echoed as the turbo lift descended.

Sisko chuckled to himself. He didn't know who to feel sorry for, the
children or Major Kira.

******

The noise from the classroom reached Kira before she approached the
school room. She sighed and wondered why she was being sent to
do be a tour guide when all those reports and inspections needed to
be done. Before she reached the doors, Cheif O'Brien stopped her.

"Ah..Major...I hear you're doing the science lesson today?" O'Brien
said not knowning how the Major was feeling about this extra duty.

Kira looked at him and smiled. She liked O'Brien and she found they
had developed a friendship ever since he helped her rescue Li Nalis
from Cardassia 4. He had risked his life and she held him in high
regard even if he was a Federation Officer.

"You mock me?!" Kira laughed and stood with her hands on her hips.

"Ah..Never! Keiko told me that the children were looking forward to
going through the wormhole."

"You owe me one, O'Brien!"

"Done...I'll play Springball with you when you get back. Have a quick
look around and then head back. I don't think it would take longer than
a couple of hours at best."

"You're sure of that now?" Kira said with a mischevaous look."I'm looking
forward to coming back then."

O'Brien stopped outside the school and gave Kira a quick smile and left.
Kira sighed and walked in to a cacophony of sound. It seemed that every
child was trying to talk at the same time as soon as they saw her.

Keiko O'Brien, the botanist come school teacher looked up and smiled
at Kira. She met her half way down the room.

"Thank you for taking the class, Major." Keiko said as she went to the
front of the class. "Class we have Major Kira Nerys to guide us
through the wormhole and into the gamma Quadrant."

"We're going through the celestial temple!" A young Bajoran boy
yelled as he looked up at Kira.

At that all the kids starting talking. Kira looked up at the ceiling
and silently said a Bajoran curse. She was never good with kids. This was
going be harder than dealing with wayward ship Captains. Sisko made a big
mistake.

Little Elsbeth, the youngest of the children raced to Kira and
tugged her uniform jacket. Kira looked down at the golden haired
cherub face.

"We're going through the wormhole!" She said and raced back to her
seat.

Keiko hurried all the children out of the schoolroom. A young girl
straggled behind. She slowly made her way out of the classroom and
followed the still very vocal group of children. Kira walked on
ahead followed by the children

"Ah! Major Kira...and her merry band!" Chief O'Brien said as he passed
them and chuckled.

Kira glared at him and walked off shaking her head. She was met at the
airlock by Sisko. He watched as the children formed around him
waiting to enter the runabout Orinoco.

"I trust this will be a very quiet trip, Major." Sisko said as he tried
in vain to stop a smile from forming. "I hope you will be well
rested when you come back."

"Are you sure Dax is not up to this?"

"She's grounded. Look at it this way, Major. You are a science officer
for a day and it's not every day you get to show the children of Bajor and
the Federation the Celestial temple/or the wormhole. It will be fun
and you do need a break."

"Science Officer for a day, eh?...I'm honoured." Kira said dryly and
brushed past him to take controls of the runabout.

Keiko stopped in front of the Commander and ushered in all the children.

"Thank you Commander for giving us the opportunity for this trip. I
trust Lt Dax is feeling better, please give her my best wishes. She's been
so good with the kids. They are actually looking forward to some of
the science lessons now!"

"I'll pass on the message. Have a safe trip."

**********

The runabout slowly made it's way from Deep Space Nine and entered the
mouth of the wormhole. The previous boisterous sounds were replaced
by silence as the children looked in awe of the multicoloured tunnel.
The sound quickly returned to the previous decibal level and the bubbly
enthusiasm of the children returned as they exited the wormhole.
Keiko had seen this before and was pleased that her charges had the
opportunity to view it close up. Keiko sat next to Kira at the
controls.

"Thank you for doing that."

"It's okay. So where do we go now?"

"I would say back home..."

An audible cry of "OHHH" echoed in the runabout and Kira and Keiko turned
around to see the children's faces.

"I suppose we can tour a bit of the gamma quadrant..."

A huge cry of "YEAH" reverbirated from the children that Kira couldn't
help but smile.

As the runabout did a turn and headed for the gamma quadrant. Keiko
took the opportunity to show her class various planetary systems on
the console.

There was a sudden jolt and everyone went quiet.

"What happened?"

"I don't...."

Kira didn't finish her sentence as she vainly tried to regain
control of the runabout. The children started screaming and the
little ones started to cry. Kira motioned to Keiko to come over.

"We have to land quickly." Kira whispered.

"Is there any place to do that, that is close by?"

Kira pointed to a planetary system and headed for it. Keiko knew that
Kira was a good pilot, she just wished that she would get there on time.
The runabout received another jolt and this time the power went out
and sparks from the console illuminated the darkness. The children cried
as they realised the runabout was in trouble.

"Hang on, it's going to be a bumby ride down." Kira said as she struggled
to control of the crippled runabout.

*******

Commander Sisko sat at his desk. Things were too quiet. Far too
quiet. Dax sat opposite him. They played a game of chess and as
usual Dax was winning.

"How did you convince Kira to take the class?" Dax asked as she
surveyed the board.

"I told her the children were looking forward to it and you didn't
want to disappoint them and she wouldn't want to disappoint them
either, she went to pieces after that." Sisko chuckled."I didn't
know who to feel sorry for, the children and Mrs O'Brien or Kira."
He looked up before he made his move. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine..." Dax said as she made a move. "Check." She smiled at Sisko
"Julian couldn't find out what happened...probably Quark's food."

"Hmph."

"What time is the Orinoco supposed to come back?" Dax asked as she
made another move.

"A couple of hours. Unless Kira takes them further in and gives
them a bit of a tour."

Dax smiled and then made her move. "Checkmate."

********

A heavy dense fog surrounded the crashed runabout. It had crashed
in dense bushland. Kira sat on the ground, her shoulder ached and
she gingerly felt the area to make sure it wasn't broken, the red dirt
clung to her uniform. Next to her lay the injured Keiko. She ran a
tricorder over the prone figure. Jake Sisko looked on worridely.

"How is she?"

"Not good. She's got internal injuries...we have to move her into the
cave over there." She motioned towards the cave. "How is everyone else?"

"Melanie has a sprained ankle and the others just have bruises and
some cuts...Nog and I are okay."

Kira sighed and sat down.

"Do we have any provisions in the runabout? Or what's left of it..."

"We have water and some candy bars. The replicators shorted out."

"The first thing we need to do is get everyone inside the cave."
Kira scanned the horizon. It was going to be difficult to locate
them in the dense bush and it looked like the fog was getting more
and more thicker. "Get everyone together."

Jake and Nog brought everyone into a cave and then Jake helped Kira
lift the unconscience Keiko and brought her in. Nog brought
along the blankets that were in the runabout. Kira went into the
runabout and took out a medikit and two phasers. Just in case they
needed them. She tested the subspace radio and found it was useless.

Darkness fell quickly and the warm air quickly turned cold. Kira
used her phaser to light a fire as everyone huddled together. Kira
montioned Jake away and went to the mouth of the cave.

"Tommorrow at daybreak, I will go to find some food. It might be
some time before help arrives."

"Can I come with you?"

"No..with Mrs O'Brien injured I need you to look after her and the
other children...do you think you can do that?"

Jake nodded.

"Good. Nog will help you." Kira said and withdraw one of the
phasers and gave it to Jake. "Use this if trouble finds you."
Kira looked around and spotted the young girl who she noticed in the
school room. "What is that girl's name?"

"Elise Yuli."

Elise Yuli, the only other teenager, had kept to herself for most of
the trip and was now sitting by herself. The other children stayed
away from her. The reason was very obvious. She was a half-breed -
part Cardassian, part Bajoran. The obvious Cardassian features were
intermixed with the nose ridges fo the Bajorans.

Kira went towards the girl and squatted down in front of her.

"Elise...I need your help. You are the eldest apart from Jake,
tommorrow I'm going to search for some food at daybreak, would you
like to come with me?"

The young girl looked at Kira with her dark brooding eyes. No one
asked her to join anything. She smiled at the Bajoran. She would
have something to tell her mother when she got back...if she got
back she thought.

"If you want me."

"I want you."

******

The absense of the Orinoco caused considerable concern at the
Station after Kira failed to report in. Sisko answered query after
query from worried parents and finally called a staff meeting.
Security chief Odo stood in the corner of Ops as Dr
Bashir, Chief O'Brien and Lt. Dax sat while Sisko paced the room.

"It's possible Kira took them to a planet."

"It's possible she did but Kira would have sent a message saying
that she was doing that." Sisko responded. He looked at his officers
and sighed. "Dax, how many Class M planets are in the nearby region
of the wormhole?"

Dax got up from her seat and went to her console.

"The nearby system has 10 Class M planets."

"10!" O'Brien muttered.

"Doctor, is Dax able to fly?"

"Yes sir."

"Dax I want you to take the Rio Grande, Doctor, you take the Mekong
and I'll take the Ganges..."

"Sir, I want to come as well.." O'Brien asked. His concern for his
wife also a paramount importance as well as finding the children and
Kira.

"I want you here Chief...just in case there is a sub space message...
and for us to keep in contact...lets get moving people!

*********

The sun rose over the mountain peaks as Kira stood at the entrance of
the cave. Her shoulder froze overnight and any movement caused her
cosiderable pain. Rolling black clouds hung overhead. She didn't like that.
She went into the runabout and tried the sub space radio again. It
was still dead. She went back into the cave and gathered everyone

"Elise and I will be going to get some food. I want everyone to
stay together. I don't want anyone leaving the area. Hopefully we
should be back by nightfall."

Elise got up and went outside together with Kira and Jake.

"Jake, I don't think the cave will be suitable - there is a storm
coming. Move everyone in the runabout and close the door. At least it will
give you some protection. We should be back by nightfall. Keep trying the
sub space radio. Anything is possible."

They went back into the cave and gently laid Keiko on a makeshift
stretcher and moved her into the runabout. Kira placed some water,
the phaser and the medikit in the knapsack and hung it across her
uninjured shoulder. Jake stood in the doorway as Kira and Elise made
their way towards the mountains in search for food.

They made their way past a small river no more than a trickle and
over the other bank. The dark clouds grew more blacker as the
thunder sounded in the distance. The thunder grew to a roaring sound.
Kira thought to herself it sounded like canon fire.

Small droplets of rain began to fall on the two travellers.

*******

The three runabouts took off from the station and each entered into
the wormhole. Miles O'Brien watched from the viewscreen at Ops. He
felt useless.

"They'll find them, Chief." Odo said as he sat at Kira's workstation.

"I hope so..."

The turbolift came up and Quark entered Ops and looked very
distressed.

"O'Brien!"

"What is it, Quark?"

"My replicators have stopped working!"

O'Brien looked at him and sighed.

"I'll look after Ops..." Odo volunteered.

"I might as well...at least it will take my mind off it for a
while." O'Brien said as he followed Quark down the turbolift.

*********

The storm had progressed into a raging thunderstorm. The sky turned
dark and ominous. Jake shut the doors to the shuttle as the children
sat in the darkness. Some whimpered and others more older tried to
act brave. Nog sat next to Keiko.

"I hope she comes back soon."

"Yeah so do I..." Jake said as he held tiny Elsbeth in his arms.

The two friends fell silent. The only sounds heard was the rain and
the thunder.

"Jake?"

"Yes, Nog?"

"I think the runabout moved."

"We're embedded in rock, Nog."

"Jake, the runabout moved."

"I couldn't have Nog."

"JAKE! I said the runabout moved!" Nog got very agitated.

Just then the thunder clapped and everyone jumped. A loud thump was
heard and water started to leak into the runabout. A few moments
later the runabout was pushed by the torrent of water outside and it
slowly slid down off the rock mass where it crashed.

"I TOLD YOU THE RUNABOUT MOVED!" Nog yelled to be heard of the noise
of the thunder.

Jake sighed and tried to calm the young children. The runabout came
to a stop embedded between two trees. Jake watched the rain from the
viewport and wondered how long till the trees gave way under the
weight of the runabout and the force of the water.

******

Kira and Elise made their way through the downpour. Kira's shoulder
started to ache more and she found herself getting very tired. Their
clothes had been saturated by the rain. They found a small cave and
stopped there. Kira sat down on cave floor. Her shoulder started
throbbing.

"How's your shoulder?" Elise said.

Kira looked at her and realised she hadn't spoken to the young girl
for over an hour. She had been lost in thought. She wasn't aware
that Elise knew her shoulder was injured.

"It doesn't hurt that much..."

"Why are you looking like you're in severe pain?" Elise retorted.

Kira looked at the teenager and grunted. "I'm not in severe pain...
it just aches."

They sat in silence as Kira closed her eyes. The pain in her
shoulder had intensified.

"Major, can I ask you a question?"

"Mmmm.."

"Are the stories about you true."

Kira opened her eyes and smiled for the first time since they
crashed.

"What stories?"

Elise hesitated. "That you were in the resistence?"

"It's true." Kira said and closed her eyes and hoping that her
shoulder would stop throbbing. Silence fell between them as Elise
watched Kira and decided to ask her some more questions.

Kira lay slumped against a rock. Her eyes still closed.

"Major...were you in the Shakah?"

Kira opened her eyes and stared at the young girl. Elise realised too
late she asked a very personal question but she wanted to ask it
ever since the incident with that Cardassian who had come on board.
She wanted to know.

Kira sighed. "Yes..."

Anther lapse in conversation occured for a few minutes and Elise
went over to Kira and sat next to her.

"My mother's husband was killed by the resistence..." Elise said matter
of factly as she tried to act nonchalant.

"Your father?"

"No...her husband."

Elise sat up and went to the mouth of the cave. Kira could see the
young girl was trying not to show her she cared about the Cardassian
who fathered her. Kira closed her eyes trying to shut out the pain.

"Don't be ashamed of who you are, Elise. You have the best of both
worlds. You are Bajoran and Cardassian."

Elise turned around and faced Kira.

"You _are_ Bajoran...I am a Cardassian!" Elise said and pointed to
her face. "What do you know of being ashamed of what you look
like, knowing that just by looking at me, many Bajorans fear and
hate me and all the other children don't want a friend whose a
Cardassian."

Kira heard another 12 year old, many years ago utter words similer
to those. She heard herself.

"Elise when I was your aga I too was ashamed of my people. Ashamed
because they surrendered and did not fight but I soon realised I
could not erase the past. If I wanted a free Bajor then I would need to
work at getting what I wanted. Being who you are is not something
you should be ashamed of, you didn't commit those crimes...you have
me as a friend.." Kira said and winced as the painful shoulder ached
even more.

They were silent again. The sound of the rain echoed in the cave.

"Kira..you can call me Yuli."

Kira smiled at the high honour being given to her. "Thank you,
Yuli... and Yuli?"

"Yes?"

"You can call me Nerys."

A broad smile crossed Elise's face. The others would be envious to
find out she had the second officer as a personal friend. She liked
Nerys even though she was a bit gruff.

Elise looked out and thought she saw movement in the brush.

"Nerys, I think there's something out there..."

Kira opened her eyes and got to her feet. She took out her phaser
and peered outside. She detected the same movement.

"Stay here..." Kira said as she went to go outside.

"But you're injured!"

"I said, stay here." Kira ordered.

Elise watched a Kira went out into the downpour and moved out of her
vision. She inched herself back to the entrance of the cave but
couldn't see Kira.

Kira slowly made her way towards the brushes. She turned the phaser
on to kill. She heard noises coming from behind her and quickly
turned around. Facing her was an animal, it's fangs prodruding
from it's mouth which was covered in blood from it's recent kill.
What they heard was the animal killing its prey. It sized Kira up
and got to it's feet. The beast was as tall as Kira.

Kira stepped back and raised her phaser and fired. The beam didn't
have any effect on the animal. It made it's way towards Kira and
Kira fired again. The animal stopped and grunted. It charged and
came towards her quickly despite it's huge size. Before Kira could
shoot the animal again. The animal struck her in the chest with one
of it's horns. Kira fell and the animal stopped a short space away.
Kira strugged to get up again and turned to find the animal charging her
again, she fired the phaser and kept firing. The animal stopped dead
a foot away from her. Kira dropped the phaser in the rain soaked mud
and she fell to her knees and passed out.

*********

The three runabouts made their way out of the wormhole. The Gamma
Quadrant lay before them.

"Dax, I want you to search in the south, Doctor you will be to the
north and I will search the west. We will readevous in the east. If
you find them before that time, yell out.

The three runabouts seperated in search for the missing party.

******

Some time passed and Elise began to worry. She heard the animal but
couldn't see it. She decided to venture out and find Kira. She got
out of the cave and went a bit further down through the thick brush.
She saw the dead beast and she smiled and then saw Kira's body in
the mud. The phaser lay next to her. She raced to the Bajoran's side
and gently turned her over. She felt for a pulse and was relieved to
found it. She exhaled loudly. Blood had soaked the front of Kira's
uniform where the animal's horns had struck her.

Elise dragged the unconscience Kira slowly inside the cave. She then
went and covered the animal from any preying boars. At least the
others will have some food if they ever got back. Elise pulled out
the medikit from Kira's knapsack and some rags and collected some
water to clean her up. She removed the Kira's jacket. She found
Kira's claim of a slightly injured shoulder to be far worse than
that. The shoulder was a mass of purple and black. Her side had a
large bloody gash running to her back.

"Only slightly aching!" Elise said to the unconscience Kira and
began to clean the wound.

Elise washed Kira's gash as best she could and tied a makeshift
bandage. She learnt how to do that in survival class and she was
pleased with herself that she paid attention when Doctor Bashir gave
the lesson. She tried to keep Kira warm by getting some dried branches.

She sat watching Kira for a while and waited. Several hours passed
and the downpour hadn't abated. A small puddle of water started to
form near the entrance of the cave which worried Elise. They needed to
get further into the cave. She wondered if there were any surprises
further in. She couldn't move Kira in the condition
she was in but if the downpour continued then water would enter the
cave. She wondered where the cave led to. She went outside and
picked two strong looking tree limbs that lay on the ground. She
took off her jacket and tied it to the poles. She gently placed Kira
on the makeshift stretcher and started to pull her along further
into the cave.

********

The downpour continued as Jake watched the rising tide of water. Nog
went and stood next to his friend.

"It's rising, isn't it?"

"Yeah..."

"What are we going to do?"

"Stay put. Major Kira said not to leave the area..."

"Jake, I think the runabout has already moved from the area where
Kira told us to move from!"

Jake looked at Nog in frustration.

"Well we won't move from _this_ area then. Kira won't know where we
are if we leave the runabout, and there's Mrs O'Brien...how is she?"

"I don't know...I hope Major Kira comes soon!"

Jake wished that Kira would come back quickly. The runabout made another
thud and moved slightly.

The downpour continued as the hours past and as darkness set in. All
light in the runabout ceased as the darkness fell. Jake felt a tug
at his shirt and looked down to find little Elsbeth, the youngest of
the children.

"Jake, when is Major Kira coming? I'm hungry..."

Jake took out his candy bar and gave it to the child. He realised
that if Kira didn't come back soon they would be very hungry. The
runabout shuddded as the trees that held the runabout gave way.

"We're going to die!" Nog screeched and fell to his knees to pray to
Jake's God, to the Prophets...to whoever was going to listen to him.

"Nog! We're _not_ going to die..."

The runabout crashed against some rocks and a torrent of water
carrried it downstream while the children screamed inside the now
mobile runabout.

******

"Benjamin, I think I found the Orinoco but I'm detecting only 6 on
board!"

Jadzia Dax scanned the image before her. She was certain it was the
Orinoco and it was moving.

"Where abouts are you?"

"South West. The third planet."

"Can you get a lock on them?"

"I have it now. Energizing."

The children and Mrs O'Brien materialised on board the runabout. At
her feet, Nog was on his knees praying loudly.

"You can get up Nog." Jake said as he looked down on the Ferengi.

Nog opened his eyes and saw black boots and then looked up and
found the smiling face of Jadzia Dax.

"I'm not dead?"

"You're not dead, Nog." Jake said.

Dax went over to the prone figure of Keiko and ran the medical
tricorder.

"Benjamin, Mrs O'Brien needs urgent medical attention."

"Is everyone there?"

"Kira and Elise Yuli are missing..."

"Dad, Major Kira and Elise went searching for food..we haven't heard
from them since they left."

"Dax...take the runabout back to DSN. Doctor Bashir and I will go
down and look for Kira."

"You won't be able to till daybreak. The weather pattern in this
area is gaining momentum. I wouldn't risk the runabouts in
this weather. From the looks of it I think the weather will break in
the morning."

"When is daybreak?"

"In three hours."

******

Chief O'Brien stared at the viewscreen. He wondered if he stared at
them long enough the wormhole might discorge the runabouts. He got up
and went to the replicators.

"Coffee, black."

He picked up the steaming mug of coffee and took a sip. Out of the
corner of his eye he saw the wormhole open and a runabout exited.

"Rio Grande to DSN!"

"Dax! Did you find them?"

"Everyone except Kira and Elise Yuli. Notify the infirmary, Chief,
we have casulties..."

"Keiko?"

"Mrs O'Brien is injured but I think she will be okay."

News spread fast that the children were found. As the runabout
entered into dock, the parents of the children stood outside the
airlock waiting. Jake and Dax carried the stretcher with Keiko out
first and were met by the medical team who took over.

"Chief, she is going to be okay."

"Yes.." O'Brien said and he followed the medical team to the
infirmary.

******

Elise stopped dragging the unconcscience Kira and sat on a rockmass.
She still heard the rain. She spotted light and walked towards it.
The cave had two entry ways.

"At least this is dryer."

The rain continued as Elise pulled Kira into the second cave. Elise
watched the rain from the entrance. She used to enjoy watching the
rain but now she was sick of it. She noticed water running down the
cave wall.

"Great way to spend my birthday." She said to herself thinking Kira
was still unconscience.

"Happy birthday." Kira hoarsly replied.

She turned around.

"I thought you were asleep..you killed that beast..although he looks
in better shape that you do! How do you feel?"

"Ah..slightly achey...I'm thirsty..."

Elise picked up some water and took it to Kira and wiped her face
and gently raised her to drink. Elise placed her hand on Kira's face
and felt her burning. She was concerned.

"You know what would be nice now? Some Kesa." Elise said as she
turned away to get some water for herself. She turned around and
found that Kira had passed out again.

"Maybe not." She said to herself and covered Kira with some dry
branches. "I hope they come soon, Nerys."

*********
The previous evening's downpour gave way to sunshine as Benjamin
Sisko stood where the Orinoco used to be. Dax and Bashir scanned the
area with their tricorders but found them useless.

"This is going to be difficult."

"Kira would have walked North, according to Jake..."

"That would have meant that they would have had to go through the
river over there." Sisko said and pointed to now swollen river.
"She had Elise with her. I don't think she did that...Dax take the Rio
Grande and scan the south. Doctor Bashir and I will try and search
down here on foot.

"There is another storm front heading this way in a few hours."

********

Elise tried not to fall asleep. She needed to be on alert for any
animals. She positioned herself at the entrance and sat with her
back to the wall. She noticed the rain had stopped and had given
way to the daybreak's sun. She wanted to get out of this cave and
find a more safer area from the weather and from animals. She
wondered is she could make it back to the runabout and get Jake. She
went back to Kira and felt for her pulse.

"I'm still alive." Kira whispered although she felt half dead.

"Oh that's good...I don't want my new friend dying on me...Nerys, we
have to get out of here and back to the runabout. Do you think you
can make it?"

"Lead on.."

She knelt at Kira's side and helped her up. Kira leaned heavily on
the young girl and they slowly made their way out of the cave and
into the sunlight. They walked a short distance and Kira passed out.
Elise layed her on the ground. She wondered if she could hide Kira
and then go to the runabout but she dismissed the idea when she saw
the dead animal nearby.

"Some science outing!" Elise muttered to herself as she went back
inside the cave and picked up the makeshift stretcher and put Kira
back on and started to move.

******

The day dragged on as Sisko and Bashir failed to locate the missing
duo. Sisko was frustrated. He looked up at the sky and noticed the
dark black clouds were back again.

"Dax, can you find anything?"

"No, Benjamin. I'm going to land soon, the weather front in closing
in. The only other possibility is that Kira and Elise did go North.
There are some caves in the mountains. I've tried scanning the caves
but our sensors can't penetrate the rock mass."

Sisko looked at the mountains. "How much time do we have before the
weather breaks again?"

"Three hours, maybe less."

"Bring the Rio Grande down and we will search them."

******

Elise dragged the unconscience Kira and stopped near a clearing.
She was exhausted. She then heard a noise. She reached for her
phaser and crouched down. She couldn't see what it was but it was
big and it grunted. She silently prayed to the Prophets and hoped
she could fire this phaser or else both of them were going to die on
this planet.

"Oh great...another boar!" She muttered to herself and set the
phaser on kill.

The animal slowly came out of the shadows. Elise's fears grew as she
saw the size of the animal. She fired and kept on firing. The animal
made a few steps towards her and stopped dead only meters from her.
She had spent the phaser. She threw it away in frustration.

********

Sisko, Dax and Bashir made their way into the mountains. The thick
brush made the job difficult. Bashir stopped. He sighted the dead
animal near the cave entrance.

"Commander!" He called back to Sisko. "I've found something."

The three of them grouped around the dead animal.

"This animal didn't die of natural causes...that's phaser burns."

"How long ago was this?"

"A day maybe..."

Dax entered the cave and shone the torch inside. The light fell on
some rags that Elise used to clean up Kira's wounds.

"Benjamin, I think you'd better come in here."

Sisko and Bashir followed her in. Dax stood holding the bloodied
rags. Bashir found Kira's bloodied jacket nearby.

"I think they might have met our friend outside...Let's see where
this cave leads to."

The three officers followed the cave's passages and found themself
on the other end where Bashir found some more rags. They exited the
cave and saw the drag marks on the ground and followed the tracks
until they reached the second dead animal.

"This obviously died just recently..." Sisko said as he squated
in front of the dead animal.

"Benjamin..." Dax said as she found the spent phaser.

******

Elise was exhausted. She stopped near another cave and looked inside
hoping no other animals lurked. She picked up the stretcher again
and dragged it inside and collapsed on the floor. Sleep overtook her
and she lay next to Kira.

******

The three officers again tracked them through the brush. Bashir
entered the cave and saw Elise asleep next to Kira.

"Commander! They're in here!"

Julian went to Elise and ran his tricorder over her. She was in good
condition apart from dehydration. He shook her.

"Elise..."

Elise opened her eyes and was met by the Doctor's smiling face.

"Doctor Bashir!" Elise cried and gave him a hug.

Bashir smiled and then went to the unconscience Kira.

"She injured her shoulder in the crash and she got mauled by that
animal...

Benjamin Sisko and Dax came into the cave. Sisko knelt beside Bashir.

"How is she?"

"A little worse for wear but Elise did a terrific job in keeping the
wound clean." Bashir said and smiled at the young girl.

**********

The Operations Centre was a hive of activity as the last few days
gave way to the normal mayhem of life near the wormhole.
Benjamin Sisko stood outside his office with his hands on his hips.

"Major, I need those reports!"

Kira looked up and walked up the steps to the turbolift.

"Where are you going?!" Sisko exclaimed in frustration.

"Continuing my science teaching job." Kira said as she was about to
go down the turbolift.

"Reports! I _need_ those reports!"

"See Dax." Kira said as she descended.

Sisko sighed and spotted Dax.

"Dax! I need the reports!"

Dax looked at him puzzled. "OH! _Those_ reports!" She said and
smiled.

******

Elise and her mother set the table for her belated birthday. She sat
down to eat when the intercom sounded.

"Come."

Kira Nerys stood at the door smiling.

"Nerys! Come in! Just in time for some kesa!"

"Happy birthday." Kira said and handed her a small package. "Kesa,
eh? well that just happens to be my favourite!" Kira sat down.

Elise slowly opened the package to reveal a Bajoran earing with her
initials on the rim. Elise's smile grew. "Thank you." She said and
tears rolled down her cheeks and she hugged Kira.

THE END