TITLE: Fan Girl
AUTHOR: MikeJaffa
SYNOPSIS: Answer to Trek BBS challenge: the 13th Doctor and Yaz encounter a weeping angel on Deep Space Nine because of regulations.
DDISCLAIMER: Paramount owns DS9 and the BBC owns Doctor Who
8
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“So, you’re the Doctor,” Agent Dulmur said. “Lucky number 13 if I’m not mistaken.” Agents Dulmur and Lucsly, Temporal Investigations, were in Benjamin Sisko’s office on Deep Space Nine. The female Time Lord known as the thirteenth Doctor (though that wasn’t exactly correct) and Yasmine Kahn were standing in the corner of the room. Captain Sisko was sitting behind his desk, Major Kira Nyres standing next to his chair.
The Doctor said, “And you be the lads from the Federation’s Temporal Investigations. Now I remember why I don’t like this time period. The Federation’s bureaucracy was too much like home.”
Kira muttered, “You’ll get no argument from me.”
The agents shot her a look. Then Dulmur turned to the Doctor and said, “Starfleet and Temporal Investigations inherited UNIT’s portfolio, including you. Regulations require us to debrief you and your traveling companions if you encounter Starfleet personnel, assuming we can catch you before you leave. I’m surprised we caught you, and that the station in one piece.”
The Doctor said, “Aye, no problem fillin’ you lads in.”
“In that case, Doctor, why not start at the beginning.”
Yaz said, “If there is such a thing.”
“Well,” the Doctor said, “best start with the captain, then.”
“Yes,” Sisko said, “three days ago, a small ship arrived at the station. The pilot was an Orion woman named Diten. Scans showed she had a prohibited life form…”
Lucsly broke in, “A weeping angel.”
“Yes,” Sisko went on, “a weeping angel. We confined them with no resistance and then, in accordance with regulations, contacted the Doctor…”
8
8
Major Kyra Nerys entered Cargo Bay 2 and came to stand by Benjamin Sisko, Chief O’Brien, and Odo.
She said, “What’s going on? Word is it some kind of time traveler.”
“Yes,” Sisko said. “The Doctor.”
O’Brien had his eyes on his tricorder. He said, “Picking up elevated chronotons…He’s here, Captain.”
A cyclic worbling filled the room. It deepened to a rumble as the Tardis materialized.
O’Brien couldn’t contain himself. “A Tardis! Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. And don’t let the size fool you, Major. It’s--”
“Bigger on the inside,” Kira said. “I know. I read the reports.”
The rumbling stopped. A moment, the door opened, and a blonde woman popped her head out. “Who’s captain Sisko?” Her eyes found Captain Sisko. “You look like a Captain Sisko.”
“Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander of Deep Space Nine. This is my first officer, Kira Nerys, operations chief Miles O’Brien, and Station Security Chief Odo.”
The Doctor came out. “Well, I’m the Doctor, and this is Yaz,” she said as she and Yaz exited the Tardis. “You caught yourselves a weeping angel?”
“Yes,” Sisko said, “and an Orion woman, although we don’t know the nature of their relationship.”
Odo growled, “We have them confined in the security office. So far, they’ve offered no resistance.”
“Not doin’n nothin’?” the Doctor asked.
“Nothing except the Orion, Diten, asked to see Major Kira,” Odo said. “We put them in cells while we waited for you to arrive and provide your expert opinion.” He barely hid the distaste in his voice.
Yaz stepped forward. She said, “The Doctor is just here to assist, Chief Odo. We’re not here to step on anyone’s toes.”
Odo turned to Yaz. His eyes narrowed. “Who did you say you were again?”
“Provisional Officer Yasmine Khan, Sheffield Police Department.”
“I see. Odo. Around here, I am called ‘Constable.’”
“Of course.”
Sisko said, “Major, why don’t you and Odo show Officer Khan to the security office? I’d like to have a word with the Doctor.”
As Yaz, Odo, and Kira left, Sisko saw O’Brien edging towards the Tardis door. “Chief.”
“I was just hoping for a quick look, Captain.”
“You have work to do.”
“But--”
“I’m sure the Doctor can be kind enough to give you a tour before she leaves.” He turned to the Doctor. “If you don’t have to be anywhere urgently.”
“No.” The Doctor turned to O’Brien. “The old girl loves visitors.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” O’Brien said as he left.
The Doctor turned to Sisko. “Now, then, Captain, what did you want to talk to me about?”
“I’ve read the writings of Brigadier General Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart and…others…”
“You mean his daughter, Kate.”
“They speak very highly of you. But they also mention that your arrival usually heralds high casualty events. I am responsible for thousands of lives on this station, including a resident civilian population. I am also prosecuting a war--”
“With the Dominion. I know.”
“I know that the weeping angels are part of your ‘rogue’s gallery,’ and they got…personal. Regardless, I would appreciate it if whatever…business there is between you and this angel, you take it off the station. Am I clear?”
“I’ll do my best, Captain. But that depends on the angel.”
Sisko looked into her eyes. “I will hold you to that. This way.”
As they went down the corridor, the Doctor said, “So, Alistair’s writings are required reading?”
“Well…not really. After I was briefed on you, I did additional research. Meeting him has become my dream, after meeting James T. Kirk.”
“Which, if I’m right, you already did.”
“Correct.” Sisko chuckled. “He wrote, ‘There was never a dull moment when the Doctor was around.’ I enjoyed his dry humor.”
“Yeah, that sounds like him.”
8
8
In the cell bock behind the security office, they found the angel in one cell, her hands over her eyes. Four security officers, two human and two Bajoran, stood facing the angel’s cell. In the next cell over was a green-skinned Orion woman dressed in a leather flight suit. Dax and Kira were off to one side.
Dax was by the door and smiled as the Doctor entered with Sisko. She said, “You must be the Doctor.” She extended her hand. “Jadzia Dax.”
The Doctor shook Dax’s hand. “Huh. A joined Trill. Been a while since I’ve seen one of those.”
“Yes,” Dax chuckled as she let go of the Doctor’s hand. “Although I must seem like a youngster compared to you. I was wondering if we could talk late. Compare experiences of multiple lifetimes.”
“We might, but first thing’s first.” She turned to the cell with the Orion woman. “You were traveling with the angel?”
“Yes,” the woman said. “I’m D’Lara Diten. And this…well, this is my angel. Although it’s more of a partnership”
Looking through the force field, the Doctor’s looked into Diten’s eyes. “The angel is controlling you, isn’t she? I can tell.”
“It’s not like that,” Diten said. “Angels don’t have language the way we do. I know what she wants to tell people, and I put it into words.”
“Why? What’s in it for you?”
“I wanted to travel and do something other than pirating. And she…well, liked having a partner. And she sees the world through my eyes.” Diten looked around. “Everything is fresh and new to her, even being in this cell. When she sees it that way, I see it that way.”
“Huh,” the Doctor said. “So what are you doing here? What do you want with Major Kira?”
Kira stepped to the Doctor’s side.
Diten took a breath. She was nervous. “Sorry, it’s not me…well…A few years ago, Kira was in a resistance cell that took refuge in a Bajoran cemetery.”
Kira said, “I remember that night! A mission had gone sideways and a Cardassian unit was on our tales.”
“Aaaaannnnnnnd you bumped into this statue and started talking to it?”
“Yeah, I thought it was a person. But when I realized it was a statue, I kept babbling. It felt like she was listening, and I was tense, so I needed to--” Kira broke off, then turned to the angel’s cell. “That was you!?”
The lights blinked. In that time, the angel lowered her hands and smiled at Kira.
Diten went on, “She thought you were kind. And funny and smart. She likes you a lot. .”
“But it was just for a couple of minutes!”
“No one talks to the angels much, so it made a big impression. Even you didn’t know it. But you were talking to her…”
“Yes, and then the Cardassians rolled up--”
“Yeah, you traded shots with them and ran for it. And like I said, the angel liked you and, to be honest, really didn’t like the Cardassians. So she…took care of them.”
“I was wondering why the shooting stopped. We were running and didn’t stop to look back.” Kira went to the angel’s cell. “So that’s it? You’re here because you think I owe you?”
“No,” Diten said. “What do we look like, Ferengi? A few days ago, she was visiting with her friend, Carl--”
“Who?” Kira asked.
“Um, the Guardian of Forever,” Diten explained. “He calls himself Carl—oh, crumbs, that’s right! The angel reminded me he won’t use that name for 800 years. Starfleet types, you didn’t hear that! But anyway, Kira, Carl showed us the newsfeeds of this speech you gave at the new Bajoran Polytechnic Institute. She remembered you, and she’s really proud of you.”
“Wait…I just got back from giving that speech. It’s not on the newsfeeds yet.”
“Tomorrow’s newsfeeds.”
“Ugh.” Kira squeezed her eyes shut. “I hate time stuff.”
“Yeah, me too. But the point is, Carl helped her look up more stuff about you and, well, she’s a total fan girl now.” Diten couldn’t contain her excitement. “I have to say, I am, too.”
“Well…” Kira was a little embarrassed. “Thank you. I’m flattered. In advance. Whatever.”
The Doctor said, “And that’s it? Just drop in, have a cuppa, and catch up on old times?”
Now it was Diten’s turn to be embarrassed. “Well, and scare up a little work.”
“Work?” the Doctor asked.
“Radiation decontamination,” Diten explained. “I beam her into an engine room or a reactor with a leak, she sucks up the radiation, and then the engineers come in. Not everyone has the Feds’ fancy shielding, so there’s plenty of business for freelance decon teams. No offense,” she said to Sisko.
“None taken,” Sisko said. “But why did you think you would find work here?”
“All the people coming though this station these days?” Diten said. “Are you kidding? And there’s this old Cardassian hulk. You’re still using the old fusion reactors, right? Their shielding is not up to Fed spec. You get these little microcracks and then before you know it--”
“We can’t use a prohibited species,” Sisko said gently.
“Bajor isn’t in the Federation,” Diten said.
Kira said, “We’ve been harmonizing our regulations. An ordinance was passed just last week.”
“Ook,” Diten said. “That’s awkward.”
The Doctor said, “There’s always a loophole. If you play straight with me, I’ll see what I can do. Thing I don’t understand, why sop up radiation? They usually feed off the time energy of sending people back in time.”
“Yeah,” Diten said, “she’s compared it to a humanoid trying to live on confections. But it goes back to that night in the cemetery. She tried to send them back this valley thing near the Cardassian capital ninety years in the past, but then she found out they landed town five clicks over, just seconds before she sent them back! Whoa! I mean…I don’t know what the Doctor has told you, but the angels are very serious about making sure the people they send back arrive safely. It’s a point of honor with them. All the other angels shunned her. I mean, can you imagine? I mean what if she sent them back, but they ended up in orbit of the planet? Or in the center of it? Huge crisis of confidence here.”
Kira said, “Wait, I think I heard about that unit. They were sent to a work camp for desertion. They had this crazy story about being on Cardassia in the past and they were rescued by this weird ship…”
The Doctor said, “Shaped like a blue box?”
“Yeah, now that you mention it,” Kira said.
“Bigger on the inside?”
“I think so.”
“And there was, what, a blonde woman in the box?”
“Yeah! And there was a Bajoran woman in some kind of uniform and this Trill woman in these Starfleet pajamas…”
“Like what Dax is wearing?”
“Yes!” Kira said. “How did you know—wait--”
The Doctor just looked at Kira.
Kira squeezed her eyes shut. “More time stuff.”
Sisko intoned, “Predestination paradox.”
The Doctor rubber her eyes. “Or a fixed point in time. Borusa took either answer on his test.”
Dax said, “Temporal Investigations is going to love that.”
The Doctor turned to Sisko. “Still, rescuing Cardassians, would that be worth something?”
“We are currently at war with the Cardassians,” Sisko said, “but retrieving victims of an angel attack…I’ll see.”
The Doctor sighed. “Give me the space time coordinates, I can go get them.”
“Oof!” Diten said. “She doesn’t do numbers very good.”
“Bloody hell,” the Doctor sighed.
Kira said, “Wait, I remember what night that was!”
“You sure?” the Doctor asked.
“Yes…well…I think so… Doctor…I think…no wait…well…”
“Come on, you two,” the Doctor said as she left. “We’ll work it out.”
As Dax and Kira followed the Doctor out, Dax said, “Technically, we already have.”
“By the Prophets,” Kira muttered, “two of them.”
8
8
Chief O’Brien was at his console in Ops when his combadge chirped. “Kira to O’Brien.”
“Go ahead, Major.”
“Report to cargo bay 2.”
O’Brien got up. “On my way. When did you get back from your mission with the Doctor?”
“We’re still on the mission. We’re returning to the station. She just patched me into the coms.”
“Did something go wrong?”
“Just…meet us in the cargo bay.”
The Tardis materialized just as O’Brien got to the cargo bay. The door opened and some water flowed out.
The Doctor led Dax and Kira out of the time machine. All three women were soaking wet. The Doctor did not look happy.
O’Brien hazarded, “Major?”
Kira pointed over her shoulder. “Water damage, chief.”
“Yeah, sure.”
O’Brien crept into the Tardis. The sight of all the water damage overwhelmed any amazement over the Tardis being bigger on the inside. “Bloody hell.” He stepped up to console. “Well. Don’t worry, old girl. We’ll get you all dried out.”
The console rumbled.
O’Brien chuckled, then he tapped is combadge. “O’Brien to Nog…”
8
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Yaz was sitting in the chair in Odo’s office, giggling, Odo seated behind his desk and smiling when the door to his office opened. Yaz looked over her shoulder, saw the Doctor, Kira, and Dax, and jumped out her chair in alarm. “OH MY GOD! What happened?”
“English weather,” the Doctor deadpanned. “You have fun?”
“Yeah,” Yaz said, still in shock as she and Odo followed the other three women, “cop talk.”
When the three women, Odo, and Yaz got into the cell block, it was Diten’s turn to look alarmed. “Holy—what happened?”
The Doctor said, “That ‘valley’ turned out to be a dry lakebed that floods during the monsoon season. You didn’t know?”
“No, I didn’t! The angel didn’t. Honest. Is there anything I can do?”
“Nah. Just have to stay long enough to dry out the Tardis. Captain?”
“I’ve been going over the rules, Doctor,” Sisko said, indicating the PADD he was holding. “There don’t seem to be many…”
Commotion from the outer office interrupted. An angry Ferengi in a Daimon’s uniform charged in. “Captain Sisko! I demand to speak with you now.”
“Daimon Zago,” Sisko said. “As you can see, I am rather busy. I promised to make time…”
“Your ethics debate can wait! My time is latinum. I remind you the Ferengi alliance has been transporting supplies to your fronts, on most generous terms.”
“Yes,” Sisko said, looming over the Ferengi. “Most. Generous. For Ferengi. Your people have been helpful, Daimon, but you are not necessary. We can move cargo even if our ships are not as efficient as yours.”
Zago read the room. Other Ferengi had told him hyu-monn captains could be tough negotiators, even if they weren’t acquisitive. He softened his tone. “Of course. But my ship is no good to anyone docked on one of your pylons. My engineers tell me the radiation leaks are totally out of control, and they can’t begin to make repairs until they are sealed, and the engine room decontaminated. Quite simply, we don’t have the means.”
The Doctor and Sisko looked at each other. Then they looked at Diten.
Diten smiled. “How much radiation are we talking about, Daimon?”
8
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Days later, in Sisko’s office, Dulmur rose out of his chair. His anger showed: “You let Diten and the angel leave on a Ferengi ship?”
Sisko said, “Yes.”
Lucsly said, “The Ferengi also have laws about weeping angels.”
The Doctor said, “Yeah, but with the Ferengi everything is negotiable. Between their laws, Bajoran laws, and a footnote in the treaty of alliance against the Dominion, we found a little wiggle room.”
Kira said, “The Bajoran authorities issued a citation. Diten is supposed to be in court next month. If she’s not…we’llsee.”
The Doctor’s smile faded as she crossed to Dulmur. “I was more than fair under the circumstances,” she said, an edge entering her voice, “and if you know anything about me and weeping angels, Agent Dulmur, you know I cut them a lot of slack.”
Muldur locked eyes with the Doctor. Then he smiled. “The Federation is grateful for your assistance, now and throughout history. In spite of some…unusual circumstances, I think Temporal Investigations can consider the matter closed.”
Muldur and Lucsly said their goodbyes. Kira led them out of the office.
The Doctor said, “Well Yaz, best be off…”
“Actually, Doctor, I was hoping we could stay a little bit longer.”
“Wot!? Yaz, we’d best leave before Mr.s O’Brien roles a seismic charge into the Tardis.”
“Yeah, but Odo promised to introduce me to this Quark fella. We came up with a way to scare the bujeezus out of him. Can’t wait to do it.”
“Welll…off you go then. Remember the lifts are--”
“Voice activated. I know! ‘Promenade’!” Yaz jogged out of the office.
The Doctor puffed out some air. Then she turned to Siskp and smiled. “Say, Captain--”
“I think you’ve earned the right to call me ‘Benjamin,’ Doctor.”
“All right, Benjamin. Fancy a trip in the Tardis? There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
8
8
“Doctor,” Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart said as he entered the lab, “about that dinner at the palace. Her majesty’s--”
He broke off when he saw the Tardis had vanished from its corner. No doubt the Doctor had taken Doctor Sullivan and Miss Smith on an adventure.
And who knew when they would turn up again.
“Yes,” he said. “Well, I’ll tell them you’ll be a little late.”
He turned to leave but then heard the Tardis’ cyclic rumbling. He stepped back into the room just as the Tardis materialized.
The door open and a short blonde woman popped her head out. “Alistair?”
“Yes…Misss…”
“Doctor.”
The Brigadier’s eyes widened. “Good grief! Did you change again that quickly?”
The woman—Doctor—came over to him and said, “I’m actually several ‘changes’ down from Teeth and Curls. Don’t worry! I’ll be back with Sarah and Harry, but DO NOT tell me I was here.”
“Don’t worry, Doctor, mum’s the word the next time I see you. Good heavens. I understood that. Well…why come back?”
“I want to introduce you to…well, you could say he’s fan of yours.”
A tall, bald, bearded black man in what the Brigadier reckoned were space clothes hesitantly stepped out of the Tardis. He stopped facing Alistair and seemed a little nervous.
He said, “Brigadier General Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.”
“Yes?” Alistair said.
The black man stepped forward and extended his hand. “Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander, Federation Starbase Deep Space Nine.”
Alistair shook Sisko’s hand. An officer was an officer and would be treated as such. “Pleasure, Captain.”
“The pleasure is mine, Brig--”
Seargent Benton entered the room on a run. “Brig--” He stopped and took in the scene. “The Doc’s back? Where is he?”
The Doctor pointed at herself.
Benton’s eye’s widened. “Good grief, Doc! When did you get cute? I mean--”
Alistair said, “What is it, Sergeant?”
“Uh, yes, sir. Call from London. It’s rather urgent. There’s…been an incident.”
“I see.” Alistair turned to the Doctor and Sisko. “Care to help out?”
“I wondered what happened while I was away,” the Doctor said.
As they went down the hall, Sisko chuckled, “Never a dull moment when the Doctor’s around, eh Brigadier?”
“No, Captain.” Alistair smiled. “Never thought of putting it that way, but I like it.”
THE END
AUTHOR: MikeJaffa
SYNOPSIS: Answer to Trek BBS challenge: the 13th Doctor and Yaz encounter a weeping angel on Deep Space Nine because of regulations.
DDISCLAIMER: Paramount owns DS9 and the BBC owns Doctor Who
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“So, you’re the Doctor,” Agent Dulmur said. “Lucky number 13 if I’m not mistaken.” Agents Dulmur and Lucsly, Temporal Investigations, were in Benjamin Sisko’s office on Deep Space Nine. The female Time Lord known as the thirteenth Doctor (though that wasn’t exactly correct) and Yasmine Kahn were standing in the corner of the room. Captain Sisko was sitting behind his desk, Major Kira Nyres standing next to his chair.
The Doctor said, “And you be the lads from the Federation’s Temporal Investigations. Now I remember why I don’t like this time period. The Federation’s bureaucracy was too much like home.”
Kira muttered, “You’ll get no argument from me.”
The agents shot her a look. Then Dulmur turned to the Doctor and said, “Starfleet and Temporal Investigations inherited UNIT’s portfolio, including you. Regulations require us to debrief you and your traveling companions if you encounter Starfleet personnel, assuming we can catch you before you leave. I’m surprised we caught you, and that the station in one piece.”
The Doctor said, “Aye, no problem fillin’ you lads in.”
“In that case, Doctor, why not start at the beginning.”
Yaz said, “If there is such a thing.”
“Well,” the Doctor said, “best start with the captain, then.”
“Yes,” Sisko said, “three days ago, a small ship arrived at the station. The pilot was an Orion woman named Diten. Scans showed she had a prohibited life form…”
Lucsly broke in, “A weeping angel.”
“Yes,” Sisko went on, “a weeping angel. We confined them with no resistance and then, in accordance with regulations, contacted the Doctor…”
8
8
Major Kyra Nerys entered Cargo Bay 2 and came to stand by Benjamin Sisko, Chief O’Brien, and Odo.
She said, “What’s going on? Word is it some kind of time traveler.”
“Yes,” Sisko said. “The Doctor.”
O’Brien had his eyes on his tricorder. He said, “Picking up elevated chronotons…He’s here, Captain.”
A cyclic worbling filled the room. It deepened to a rumble as the Tardis materialized.
O’Brien couldn’t contain himself. “A Tardis! Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. And don’t let the size fool you, Major. It’s--”
“Bigger on the inside,” Kira said. “I know. I read the reports.”
The rumbling stopped. A moment, the door opened, and a blonde woman popped her head out. “Who’s captain Sisko?” Her eyes found Captain Sisko. “You look like a Captain Sisko.”
“Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander of Deep Space Nine. This is my first officer, Kira Nerys, operations chief Miles O’Brien, and Station Security Chief Odo.”
The Doctor came out. “Well, I’m the Doctor, and this is Yaz,” she said as she and Yaz exited the Tardis. “You caught yourselves a weeping angel?”
“Yes,” Sisko said, “and an Orion woman, although we don’t know the nature of their relationship.”
Odo growled, “We have them confined in the security office. So far, they’ve offered no resistance.”
“Not doin’n nothin’?” the Doctor asked.
“Nothing except the Orion, Diten, asked to see Major Kira,” Odo said. “We put them in cells while we waited for you to arrive and provide your expert opinion.” He barely hid the distaste in his voice.
Yaz stepped forward. She said, “The Doctor is just here to assist, Chief Odo. We’re not here to step on anyone’s toes.”
Odo turned to Yaz. His eyes narrowed. “Who did you say you were again?”
“Provisional Officer Yasmine Khan, Sheffield Police Department.”
“I see. Odo. Around here, I am called ‘Constable.’”
“Of course.”
Sisko said, “Major, why don’t you and Odo show Officer Khan to the security office? I’d like to have a word with the Doctor.”
As Yaz, Odo, and Kira left, Sisko saw O’Brien edging towards the Tardis door. “Chief.”
“I was just hoping for a quick look, Captain.”
“You have work to do.”
“But--”
“I’m sure the Doctor can be kind enough to give you a tour before she leaves.” He turned to the Doctor. “If you don’t have to be anywhere urgently.”
“No.” The Doctor turned to O’Brien. “The old girl loves visitors.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” O’Brien said as he left.
The Doctor turned to Sisko. “Now, then, Captain, what did you want to talk to me about?”
“I’ve read the writings of Brigadier General Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart and…others…”
“You mean his daughter, Kate.”
“They speak very highly of you. But they also mention that your arrival usually heralds high casualty events. I am responsible for thousands of lives on this station, including a resident civilian population. I am also prosecuting a war--”
“With the Dominion. I know.”
“I know that the weeping angels are part of your ‘rogue’s gallery,’ and they got…personal. Regardless, I would appreciate it if whatever…business there is between you and this angel, you take it off the station. Am I clear?”
“I’ll do my best, Captain. But that depends on the angel.”
Sisko looked into her eyes. “I will hold you to that. This way.”
As they went down the corridor, the Doctor said, “So, Alistair’s writings are required reading?”
“Well…not really. After I was briefed on you, I did additional research. Meeting him has become my dream, after meeting James T. Kirk.”
“Which, if I’m right, you already did.”
“Correct.” Sisko chuckled. “He wrote, ‘There was never a dull moment when the Doctor was around.’ I enjoyed his dry humor.”
“Yeah, that sounds like him.”
8
8
In the cell bock behind the security office, they found the angel in one cell, her hands over her eyes. Four security officers, two human and two Bajoran, stood facing the angel’s cell. In the next cell over was a green-skinned Orion woman dressed in a leather flight suit. Dax and Kira were off to one side.
Dax was by the door and smiled as the Doctor entered with Sisko. She said, “You must be the Doctor.” She extended her hand. “Jadzia Dax.”
The Doctor shook Dax’s hand. “Huh. A joined Trill. Been a while since I’ve seen one of those.”
“Yes,” Dax chuckled as she let go of the Doctor’s hand. “Although I must seem like a youngster compared to you. I was wondering if we could talk late. Compare experiences of multiple lifetimes.”
“We might, but first thing’s first.” She turned to the cell with the Orion woman. “You were traveling with the angel?”
“Yes,” the woman said. “I’m D’Lara Diten. And this…well, this is my angel. Although it’s more of a partnership”
Looking through the force field, the Doctor’s looked into Diten’s eyes. “The angel is controlling you, isn’t she? I can tell.”
“It’s not like that,” Diten said. “Angels don’t have language the way we do. I know what she wants to tell people, and I put it into words.”
“Why? What’s in it for you?”
“I wanted to travel and do something other than pirating. And she…well, liked having a partner. And she sees the world through my eyes.” Diten looked around. “Everything is fresh and new to her, even being in this cell. When she sees it that way, I see it that way.”
“Huh,” the Doctor said. “So what are you doing here? What do you want with Major Kira?”
Kira stepped to the Doctor’s side.
Diten took a breath. She was nervous. “Sorry, it’s not me…well…A few years ago, Kira was in a resistance cell that took refuge in a Bajoran cemetery.”
Kira said, “I remember that night! A mission had gone sideways and a Cardassian unit was on our tales.”
“Aaaaannnnnnnd you bumped into this statue and started talking to it?”
“Yeah, I thought it was a person. But when I realized it was a statue, I kept babbling. It felt like she was listening, and I was tense, so I needed to--” Kira broke off, then turned to the angel’s cell. “That was you!?”
The lights blinked. In that time, the angel lowered her hands and smiled at Kira.
Diten went on, “She thought you were kind. And funny and smart. She likes you a lot. .”
“But it was just for a couple of minutes!”
“No one talks to the angels much, so it made a big impression. Even you didn’t know it. But you were talking to her…”
“Yes, and then the Cardassians rolled up--”
“Yeah, you traded shots with them and ran for it. And like I said, the angel liked you and, to be honest, really didn’t like the Cardassians. So she…took care of them.”
“I was wondering why the shooting stopped. We were running and didn’t stop to look back.” Kira went to the angel’s cell. “So that’s it? You’re here because you think I owe you?”
“No,” Diten said. “What do we look like, Ferengi? A few days ago, she was visiting with her friend, Carl--”
“Who?” Kira asked.
“Um, the Guardian of Forever,” Diten explained. “He calls himself Carl—oh, crumbs, that’s right! The angel reminded me he won’t use that name for 800 years. Starfleet types, you didn’t hear that! But anyway, Kira, Carl showed us the newsfeeds of this speech you gave at the new Bajoran Polytechnic Institute. She remembered you, and she’s really proud of you.”
“Wait…I just got back from giving that speech. It’s not on the newsfeeds yet.”
“Tomorrow’s newsfeeds.”
“Ugh.” Kira squeezed her eyes shut. “I hate time stuff.”
“Yeah, me too. But the point is, Carl helped her look up more stuff about you and, well, she’s a total fan girl now.” Diten couldn’t contain her excitement. “I have to say, I am, too.”
“Well…” Kira was a little embarrassed. “Thank you. I’m flattered. In advance. Whatever.”
The Doctor said, “And that’s it? Just drop in, have a cuppa, and catch up on old times?”
Now it was Diten’s turn to be embarrassed. “Well, and scare up a little work.”
“Work?” the Doctor asked.
“Radiation decontamination,” Diten explained. “I beam her into an engine room or a reactor with a leak, she sucks up the radiation, and then the engineers come in. Not everyone has the Feds’ fancy shielding, so there’s plenty of business for freelance decon teams. No offense,” she said to Sisko.
“None taken,” Sisko said. “But why did you think you would find work here?”
“All the people coming though this station these days?” Diten said. “Are you kidding? And there’s this old Cardassian hulk. You’re still using the old fusion reactors, right? Their shielding is not up to Fed spec. You get these little microcracks and then before you know it--”
“We can’t use a prohibited species,” Sisko said gently.
“Bajor isn’t in the Federation,” Diten said.
Kira said, “We’ve been harmonizing our regulations. An ordinance was passed just last week.”
“Ook,” Diten said. “That’s awkward.”
The Doctor said, “There’s always a loophole. If you play straight with me, I’ll see what I can do. Thing I don’t understand, why sop up radiation? They usually feed off the time energy of sending people back in time.”
“Yeah,” Diten said, “she’s compared it to a humanoid trying to live on confections. But it goes back to that night in the cemetery. She tried to send them back this valley thing near the Cardassian capital ninety years in the past, but then she found out they landed town five clicks over, just seconds before she sent them back! Whoa! I mean…I don’t know what the Doctor has told you, but the angels are very serious about making sure the people they send back arrive safely. It’s a point of honor with them. All the other angels shunned her. I mean, can you imagine? I mean what if she sent them back, but they ended up in orbit of the planet? Or in the center of it? Huge crisis of confidence here.”
Kira said, “Wait, I think I heard about that unit. They were sent to a work camp for desertion. They had this crazy story about being on Cardassia in the past and they were rescued by this weird ship…”
The Doctor said, “Shaped like a blue box?”
“Yeah, now that you mention it,” Kira said.
“Bigger on the inside?”
“I think so.”
“And there was, what, a blonde woman in the box?”
“Yeah! And there was a Bajoran woman in some kind of uniform and this Trill woman in these Starfleet pajamas…”
“Like what Dax is wearing?”
“Yes!” Kira said. “How did you know—wait--”
The Doctor just looked at Kira.
Kira squeezed her eyes shut. “More time stuff.”
Sisko intoned, “Predestination paradox.”
The Doctor rubber her eyes. “Or a fixed point in time. Borusa took either answer on his test.”
Dax said, “Temporal Investigations is going to love that.”
The Doctor turned to Sisko. “Still, rescuing Cardassians, would that be worth something?”
“We are currently at war with the Cardassians,” Sisko said, “but retrieving victims of an angel attack…I’ll see.”
The Doctor sighed. “Give me the space time coordinates, I can go get them.”
“Oof!” Diten said. “She doesn’t do numbers very good.”
“Bloody hell,” the Doctor sighed.
Kira said, “Wait, I remember what night that was!”
“You sure?” the Doctor asked.
“Yes…well…I think so… Doctor…I think…no wait…well…”
“Come on, you two,” the Doctor said as she left. “We’ll work it out.”
As Dax and Kira followed the Doctor out, Dax said, “Technically, we already have.”
“By the Prophets,” Kira muttered, “two of them.”
8
8
Chief O’Brien was at his console in Ops when his combadge chirped. “Kira to O’Brien.”
“Go ahead, Major.”
“Report to cargo bay 2.”
O’Brien got up. “On my way. When did you get back from your mission with the Doctor?”
“We’re still on the mission. We’re returning to the station. She just patched me into the coms.”
“Did something go wrong?”
“Just…meet us in the cargo bay.”
The Tardis materialized just as O’Brien got to the cargo bay. The door opened and some water flowed out.
The Doctor led Dax and Kira out of the time machine. All three women were soaking wet. The Doctor did not look happy.
O’Brien hazarded, “Major?”
Kira pointed over her shoulder. “Water damage, chief.”
“Yeah, sure.”
O’Brien crept into the Tardis. The sight of all the water damage overwhelmed any amazement over the Tardis being bigger on the inside. “Bloody hell.” He stepped up to console. “Well. Don’t worry, old girl. We’ll get you all dried out.”
The console rumbled.
O’Brien chuckled, then he tapped is combadge. “O’Brien to Nog…”
8
8
Yaz was sitting in the chair in Odo’s office, giggling, Odo seated behind his desk and smiling when the door to his office opened. Yaz looked over her shoulder, saw the Doctor, Kira, and Dax, and jumped out her chair in alarm. “OH MY GOD! What happened?”
“English weather,” the Doctor deadpanned. “You have fun?”
“Yeah,” Yaz said, still in shock as she and Odo followed the other three women, “cop talk.”
When the three women, Odo, and Yaz got into the cell block, it was Diten’s turn to look alarmed. “Holy—what happened?”
The Doctor said, “That ‘valley’ turned out to be a dry lakebed that floods during the monsoon season. You didn’t know?”
“No, I didn’t! The angel didn’t. Honest. Is there anything I can do?”
“Nah. Just have to stay long enough to dry out the Tardis. Captain?”
“I’ve been going over the rules, Doctor,” Sisko said, indicating the PADD he was holding. “There don’t seem to be many…”
Commotion from the outer office interrupted. An angry Ferengi in a Daimon’s uniform charged in. “Captain Sisko! I demand to speak with you now.”
“Daimon Zago,” Sisko said. “As you can see, I am rather busy. I promised to make time…”
“Your ethics debate can wait! My time is latinum. I remind you the Ferengi alliance has been transporting supplies to your fronts, on most generous terms.”
“Yes,” Sisko said, looming over the Ferengi. “Most. Generous. For Ferengi. Your people have been helpful, Daimon, but you are not necessary. We can move cargo even if our ships are not as efficient as yours.”
Zago read the room. Other Ferengi had told him hyu-monn captains could be tough negotiators, even if they weren’t acquisitive. He softened his tone. “Of course. But my ship is no good to anyone docked on one of your pylons. My engineers tell me the radiation leaks are totally out of control, and they can’t begin to make repairs until they are sealed, and the engine room decontaminated. Quite simply, we don’t have the means.”
The Doctor and Sisko looked at each other. Then they looked at Diten.
Diten smiled. “How much radiation are we talking about, Daimon?”
8
8
Days later, in Sisko’s office, Dulmur rose out of his chair. His anger showed: “You let Diten and the angel leave on a Ferengi ship?”
Sisko said, “Yes.”
Lucsly said, “The Ferengi also have laws about weeping angels.”
The Doctor said, “Yeah, but with the Ferengi everything is negotiable. Between their laws, Bajoran laws, and a footnote in the treaty of alliance against the Dominion, we found a little wiggle room.”
Kira said, “The Bajoran authorities issued a citation. Diten is supposed to be in court next month. If she’s not…we’llsee.”
The Doctor’s smile faded as she crossed to Dulmur. “I was more than fair under the circumstances,” she said, an edge entering her voice, “and if you know anything about me and weeping angels, Agent Dulmur, you know I cut them a lot of slack.”
Muldur locked eyes with the Doctor. Then he smiled. “The Federation is grateful for your assistance, now and throughout history. In spite of some…unusual circumstances, I think Temporal Investigations can consider the matter closed.”
Muldur and Lucsly said their goodbyes. Kira led them out of the office.
The Doctor said, “Well Yaz, best be off…”
“Actually, Doctor, I was hoping we could stay a little bit longer.”
“Wot!? Yaz, we’d best leave before Mr.s O’Brien roles a seismic charge into the Tardis.”
“Yeah, but Odo promised to introduce me to this Quark fella. We came up with a way to scare the bujeezus out of him. Can’t wait to do it.”
“Welll…off you go then. Remember the lifts are--”
“Voice activated. I know! ‘Promenade’!” Yaz jogged out of the office.
The Doctor puffed out some air. Then she turned to Siskp and smiled. “Say, Captain--”
“I think you’ve earned the right to call me ‘Benjamin,’ Doctor.”
“All right, Benjamin. Fancy a trip in the Tardis? There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
8
8
“Doctor,” Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart said as he entered the lab, “about that dinner at the palace. Her majesty’s--”
He broke off when he saw the Tardis had vanished from its corner. No doubt the Doctor had taken Doctor Sullivan and Miss Smith on an adventure.
And who knew when they would turn up again.
“Yes,” he said. “Well, I’ll tell them you’ll be a little late.”
He turned to leave but then heard the Tardis’ cyclic rumbling. He stepped back into the room just as the Tardis materialized.
The door open and a short blonde woman popped her head out. “Alistair?”
“Yes…Misss…”
“Doctor.”
The Brigadier’s eyes widened. “Good grief! Did you change again that quickly?”
The woman—Doctor—came over to him and said, “I’m actually several ‘changes’ down from Teeth and Curls. Don’t worry! I’ll be back with Sarah and Harry, but DO NOT tell me I was here.”
“Don’t worry, Doctor, mum’s the word the next time I see you. Good heavens. I understood that. Well…why come back?”
“I want to introduce you to…well, you could say he’s fan of yours.”
A tall, bald, bearded black man in what the Brigadier reckoned were space clothes hesitantly stepped out of the Tardis. He stopped facing Alistair and seemed a little nervous.
He said, “Brigadier General Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.”
“Yes?” Alistair said.
The black man stepped forward and extended his hand. “Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander, Federation Starbase Deep Space Nine.”
Alistair shook Sisko’s hand. An officer was an officer and would be treated as such. “Pleasure, Captain.”
“The pleasure is mine, Brig--”
Seargent Benton entered the room on a run. “Brig--” He stopped and took in the scene. “The Doc’s back? Where is he?”
The Doctor pointed at herself.
Benton’s eye’s widened. “Good grief, Doc! When did you get cute? I mean--”
Alistair said, “What is it, Sergeant?”
“Uh, yes, sir. Call from London. It’s rather urgent. There’s…been an incident.”
“I see.” Alistair turned to the Doctor and Sisko. “Care to help out?”
“I wondered what happened while I was away,” the Doctor said.
As they went down the hall, Sisko chuckled, “Never a dull moment when the Doctor’s around, eh Brigadier?”
“No, Captain.” Alistair smiled. “Never thought of putting it that way, but I like it.”
THE END
