Post by magicmuggle01 on May 3, 2019 9:26:51 GMT
Jadzia falls in love with a scientist on a planet whose inhabitants shift between this universe and a plane of pure energy, re-emerging every sixty years. Back on DS9, Quark tries to obtain a holo-image of Major Kira for an erotic holosuite program for a wealthy patron.
Summary
Tiron
In the station's Replimat, Major Kira is sipping a hot cup of replicated coffee when Odo walks up to her. They sit together at a table and discuss the sensuality of food and drink, and the difficulty that Odo has in appreciating that sensuality by virtue of the limitations imposed by his Changeling physiology.
Just then Tiron approaches Kira and explains that he regretted her early departure from Quark's the night before. However, Kira's unimpressed and clearly anxious to make Tiron go away… so she tells Tiron that Odo is her lover. Hands are held, eloquent platitudes are exchanged all around, Tiron bids Kira farewell before leaving the Replimat crestfallen, Kira thanks Odo enthusiastically for playing along, and Odo is left staring at the hand Kira held after she leaves for Ops.
The USS Defiant is in the Gamma Quadrant on an exploration mission cadged from Starfleet notwithstanding the threat of Dominion attack. Gravimetric distortions are detected in the nearby Trialus system, so Commander Sisko orders Jadzia in to take the Defiant into the system for a closer look.
When the Defiant enters the system Dax discerns that the distortions aren't coming from the system's star. A few moments later, a planet comes into view and the distortions cease.
Act One
When Lieutenant Dax scans the planet in order to determine where it came from, they discover a settlement on the southern hemisphere of approximately thirty people, which shortly hails the Defiant. Sisko responds and describes his confusion; the woman at the other end of the connection introduces herself as Seltin Rakal, explains that her planet exists largely in a separate dimension that intersects with that of the Defiant and its crew, and invites the senior staff of the Defiant to the surface for first meal.
Jadzia is especially welcome on
Meridian
Once on the surface Sisko, Dax, Bashir and O'Brien sit down to eat with the inhabitants of the settlement. After some pleasantries, Sisko and Dax discuss with Seltin and Deral the nature of the planet's dimensional shifts. It is explained that the cause of the dimensional shifts is unknown but thought to be related somehow to the behavior of the system's sun. Seltin and Deral go on to explain that after each dimensional shift the planet, named Meridian, ceases to exist in normal space and its inhabitants become beings of "pure consciousness" until things shift back after 60 years, at which point everything is "just as [they] left it" since the planet is not subject to the normal passage of time while it is dimensionally shifted. Bashir says that he can see the appeal in this dimensional shift.
Back on the station, Tiron melodramatically explains to Quark that he couldn't stand his time in the holosuites, as he found it extremely boring and isn't likely to find it any more interesting, but describes what he really wants: a holosuite program built around Kira. Quark suggests that such a thing will be very expensive, and in response Tiron offers a bar of latinum and one of the rings from his left hand as payment. Deeply impressed by the suggested price, Quark remarks on the difficulty of the task, to which Tiron responds by baiting Quark over his reputation for getting things. Quark hesitates briefly, but promises to deliver the holosuite program Tiron's asked for. However, Tiron refuses to pay until the program is completed and deemed acceptable.
On Meridian, Deral explains to Dax that the inhabitants of the planet are descendants of an expedition that was stranded there a millennium earlier, and that their numbers have dwindled since they can only reproduce when they're not shifted out of the "normal" dimension, and those spells are growing progressively shorter, with the current phase lasting only 12 days. Deral goes on to explain that eventually the planet will be too unstable to shift back, at which point the planet and all of its inhabitants will cease to exist.
Act Two
Later, Sisko promises Seltin that he will do everything he can to help. Dax and Deral announce that they are beaming up to the Defiant to scan the system's sun.
Kira walks into Quark's only to discover that she's been declared the millionth customer. Quark tells her that she's won a number of gifts, including a beverage, a free spin at the dabo table and a free hour in the holosuite with a program of her choice. Kira's quite pleased with herself since she's never won anything. However, she points out that she doesn't like holosuites and tells Quark that she's going to give her free holosuite time to Ensign Quintana since it is his birthday. Kira excitedly takes her turn at dabo, however.
On the bridge of the Defiant, a probe with shield modifications is being sent into Meridian's sun. Once the launch goes off Deral, who's been steadily romancing Dax since she first came to Meridian, gives her an invitation back down to the planet for some quality time… which she accepts with mock bashfulness, as Sisko and O'Brien observe them from the other side of the bridge. Once on the surface of Meridian, Deral explains to Dax that he's a widower who's been "waiting for the right woman to fall out of the sky" – and that Dax is that right woman. Deral leads Dax into a tree and moments later they lean in to kiss, but Dax loses her balance and they climb down, instead. However, after a little more time they finally do share a passionate kiss.
Act Three
Later, Sisko contacts Dax to announce that they've obtained more telemetry from the probe, and throws in a few good-hearted jibes about her acceptance of Deral's affections. With the telemetry data downloaded onto a PADD, Dax is able to work out a way to keep Meridian in normal space for more than thirty years, once it has shifted out and back again.
Kira catches Quark trying to
record her holo-image
Meanwhile, at the station Odo is with Kira on the upper level of the Promenade, and spies Quark attempting to take a holo-image of Kira from the mezzanine of his bar. Once he's been caught, Quark tries to weasel his way out of the situation, but Kira simply throws Quark's holo-imager over her shoulder and down onto the main level of the bar. She warns Quark that if she catches him again taking a holo image of her, she will make him eat the imager.
Back on Meridian, Dax explains that her idea will work, and will in fact equalize the time between dimensional shifts – but that the needed changes won't be completed until Meridian has already shifted back. This is at odds with Deral's desire to start a relationship with Dax, which she's entirely willing to reciprocate, so he offers to leave Meridian with her and return with the Defiant to the Alpha Quadrant.
Act Four
In Quark's, Tiron is waiting impatiently for Quark to finish the new holoprogram. Quark has obtained the encryption key for Kira's personnel file, and with this development he assures Tiron that he'll be able to finish the new program before Tiron leaves the station in two days.
However, Quark's efforts have not gone undetected by Odo. In his security office, Odo informs Kira of the security breach and that he traced it back to the Ferengi bartender. He offers to arrest Quark or have Kira do it herself, but the major has a better idea…
Back on Meridian, Dax and Deral are cuddling, but a distracted Deral concedes that he'd stay on Meridian if he could have Dax there with him. She offers to use the transporter buffer to make her physiology compatible with the demands of the dimensional shift, which greatly pleases a shocked Deral.
Act Five
"I've been waiting for you."
Later Dax goes back to her quarters on the Defiant to put in a request to Starfleet for a 60 year leave of absence, which Sisko supports in spite of the fact that the prospect tugs on his heartstrings. The commander tearfully tells Dax how much he will miss her, and she emotionally tells him the same.
"Another satisfied customer, Quark?"
Again in Quark's, the Kira holoprogram is complete. Tiron goes into the holosuite to inspect his purchase. However, the Kira character has been altered… the body is Kira's, but the head and voice are Quark's! Tiron storms out of the holosuite and thence out of the bar, promising to do his best at ruining Quark's reputation. As soon as Tiron stomps out Odo and Kira step in, asking Quark if he's gotten "another satisfied customer."
Something's wrong…
Finally, after many emotional goodbyes, Dax is ready to beam down to Meridian and undergo the dimensional shift. Once it begins, however, something goes wrong – the others are shifting, but Dax isn't, and the bridge crew of the Defiant determines that the anomaly is threatening to tear Meridian apart. O'Brien goes to transport a dying Dax back to the Defiant… which allows the planet to complete its dimensional shift.
Later, Dax is alone in her quarters, beside herself with grief. Sisko comes in offering remorse, but Dax says that she'll "just need some time." After Sisko leaves, she sits down in a corner and says, "just sixty years or so."
Log entries
"Commander's log, stardate 48423.2. Despite the continuing threat posed by the Dominion, I've convinced Starfleet that we must continue our exploration of the Gamma Quadrant."
Memorable quotes
"Odo, I know you don't need to eat, but did you ever try it anyway?"
"Once. Not long after I was first able to assume the humanoid form."
"And…?"
"… And since I don't have taste buds it was very unsatisfying. Not to mention messy."
"Messy?!"
"I'd rather not talk about it."
- Kira Nerys and Odo
"… We were having such a pleasant conversation."
"As I recall, you were the one doing all the talking."
- Tiron and Kira
"I wish we'd had time to beam down to the surface and take a closer look."
"Yeah, but I'd hate to have run into a Jem'Hadar patrol while we were down there picking flowers."
- Jadzia Dax and O'Brien
"The gravimetric distortions are intensifying, but they don't seem to be coming from the star itself."
"But where else could they be coming from? There aren't any planets in this system."
"There are now."
- Jadzia and O'Brien
"I was admiring… your markings. Are they decorative?"
"No. Are yours?"
"No. …If you don't mind me asking… how far down do they go?"
"All the way."
- Deral and Jadzia
"It's delicious."
"Especially if you've been looking forward to it for sixty years."
"That's a long time between meals."
- Jadzia, Deral, and O'Brien
"Oh, for that kind of money, you can move into a holosuite. Now, what is it you want?"
"I want… Major Kira."
"Kir- What are you going to do with Kira in a holosuite? …No. Don't tell me. I don't want to know."
- Quark and Tiron
"After eight lifetimes as a humanoid, existing as pure consciousness… might be interesting."
"Next time we see each other, I'll probably be a great-grandfather!"
"Good, then I can call you Old Man."
- Jadzia and Sisko, finding it impossible to hold back their giggles
"Do you think you'll be done overhauling the station by the next time I see you [sixty years hence]?"
"I doubt it."
- Jadzia and O'Brien
Summary
Tiron
In the station's Replimat, Major Kira is sipping a hot cup of replicated coffee when Odo walks up to her. They sit together at a table and discuss the sensuality of food and drink, and the difficulty that Odo has in appreciating that sensuality by virtue of the limitations imposed by his Changeling physiology.
Just then Tiron approaches Kira and explains that he regretted her early departure from Quark's the night before. However, Kira's unimpressed and clearly anxious to make Tiron go away… so she tells Tiron that Odo is her lover. Hands are held, eloquent platitudes are exchanged all around, Tiron bids Kira farewell before leaving the Replimat crestfallen, Kira thanks Odo enthusiastically for playing along, and Odo is left staring at the hand Kira held after she leaves for Ops.
The USS Defiant is in the Gamma Quadrant on an exploration mission cadged from Starfleet notwithstanding the threat of Dominion attack. Gravimetric distortions are detected in the nearby Trialus system, so Commander Sisko orders Jadzia in to take the Defiant into the system for a closer look.
When the Defiant enters the system Dax discerns that the distortions aren't coming from the system's star. A few moments later, a planet comes into view and the distortions cease.
Act One
When Lieutenant Dax scans the planet in order to determine where it came from, they discover a settlement on the southern hemisphere of approximately thirty people, which shortly hails the Defiant. Sisko responds and describes his confusion; the woman at the other end of the connection introduces herself as Seltin Rakal, explains that her planet exists largely in a separate dimension that intersects with that of the Defiant and its crew, and invites the senior staff of the Defiant to the surface for first meal.
Jadzia is especially welcome on
Meridian
Once on the surface Sisko, Dax, Bashir and O'Brien sit down to eat with the inhabitants of the settlement. After some pleasantries, Sisko and Dax discuss with Seltin and Deral the nature of the planet's dimensional shifts. It is explained that the cause of the dimensional shifts is unknown but thought to be related somehow to the behavior of the system's sun. Seltin and Deral go on to explain that after each dimensional shift the planet, named Meridian, ceases to exist in normal space and its inhabitants become beings of "pure consciousness" until things shift back after 60 years, at which point everything is "just as [they] left it" since the planet is not subject to the normal passage of time while it is dimensionally shifted. Bashir says that he can see the appeal in this dimensional shift.
Back on the station, Tiron melodramatically explains to Quark that he couldn't stand his time in the holosuites, as he found it extremely boring and isn't likely to find it any more interesting, but describes what he really wants: a holosuite program built around Kira. Quark suggests that such a thing will be very expensive, and in response Tiron offers a bar of latinum and one of the rings from his left hand as payment. Deeply impressed by the suggested price, Quark remarks on the difficulty of the task, to which Tiron responds by baiting Quark over his reputation for getting things. Quark hesitates briefly, but promises to deliver the holosuite program Tiron's asked for. However, Tiron refuses to pay until the program is completed and deemed acceptable.
On Meridian, Deral explains to Dax that the inhabitants of the planet are descendants of an expedition that was stranded there a millennium earlier, and that their numbers have dwindled since they can only reproduce when they're not shifted out of the "normal" dimension, and those spells are growing progressively shorter, with the current phase lasting only 12 days. Deral goes on to explain that eventually the planet will be too unstable to shift back, at which point the planet and all of its inhabitants will cease to exist.
Act Two
Later, Sisko promises Seltin that he will do everything he can to help. Dax and Deral announce that they are beaming up to the Defiant to scan the system's sun.
Kira walks into Quark's only to discover that she's been declared the millionth customer. Quark tells her that she's won a number of gifts, including a beverage, a free spin at the dabo table and a free hour in the holosuite with a program of her choice. Kira's quite pleased with herself since she's never won anything. However, she points out that she doesn't like holosuites and tells Quark that she's going to give her free holosuite time to Ensign Quintana since it is his birthday. Kira excitedly takes her turn at dabo, however.
On the bridge of the Defiant, a probe with shield modifications is being sent into Meridian's sun. Once the launch goes off Deral, who's been steadily romancing Dax since she first came to Meridian, gives her an invitation back down to the planet for some quality time… which she accepts with mock bashfulness, as Sisko and O'Brien observe them from the other side of the bridge. Once on the surface of Meridian, Deral explains to Dax that he's a widower who's been "waiting for the right woman to fall out of the sky" – and that Dax is that right woman. Deral leads Dax into a tree and moments later they lean in to kiss, but Dax loses her balance and they climb down, instead. However, after a little more time they finally do share a passionate kiss.
Act Three
Later, Sisko contacts Dax to announce that they've obtained more telemetry from the probe, and throws in a few good-hearted jibes about her acceptance of Deral's affections. With the telemetry data downloaded onto a PADD, Dax is able to work out a way to keep Meridian in normal space for more than thirty years, once it has shifted out and back again.
Kira catches Quark trying to
record her holo-image
Meanwhile, at the station Odo is with Kira on the upper level of the Promenade, and spies Quark attempting to take a holo-image of Kira from the mezzanine of his bar. Once he's been caught, Quark tries to weasel his way out of the situation, but Kira simply throws Quark's holo-imager over her shoulder and down onto the main level of the bar. She warns Quark that if she catches him again taking a holo image of her, she will make him eat the imager.
Back on Meridian, Dax explains that her idea will work, and will in fact equalize the time between dimensional shifts – but that the needed changes won't be completed until Meridian has already shifted back. This is at odds with Deral's desire to start a relationship with Dax, which she's entirely willing to reciprocate, so he offers to leave Meridian with her and return with the Defiant to the Alpha Quadrant.
Act Four
In Quark's, Tiron is waiting impatiently for Quark to finish the new holoprogram. Quark has obtained the encryption key for Kira's personnel file, and with this development he assures Tiron that he'll be able to finish the new program before Tiron leaves the station in two days.
However, Quark's efforts have not gone undetected by Odo. In his security office, Odo informs Kira of the security breach and that he traced it back to the Ferengi bartender. He offers to arrest Quark or have Kira do it herself, but the major has a better idea…
Back on Meridian, Dax and Deral are cuddling, but a distracted Deral concedes that he'd stay on Meridian if he could have Dax there with him. She offers to use the transporter buffer to make her physiology compatible with the demands of the dimensional shift, which greatly pleases a shocked Deral.
Act Five
"I've been waiting for you."
Later Dax goes back to her quarters on the Defiant to put in a request to Starfleet for a 60 year leave of absence, which Sisko supports in spite of the fact that the prospect tugs on his heartstrings. The commander tearfully tells Dax how much he will miss her, and she emotionally tells him the same.
"Another satisfied customer, Quark?"
Again in Quark's, the Kira holoprogram is complete. Tiron goes into the holosuite to inspect his purchase. However, the Kira character has been altered… the body is Kira's, but the head and voice are Quark's! Tiron storms out of the holosuite and thence out of the bar, promising to do his best at ruining Quark's reputation. As soon as Tiron stomps out Odo and Kira step in, asking Quark if he's gotten "another satisfied customer."
Something's wrong…
Finally, after many emotional goodbyes, Dax is ready to beam down to Meridian and undergo the dimensional shift. Once it begins, however, something goes wrong – the others are shifting, but Dax isn't, and the bridge crew of the Defiant determines that the anomaly is threatening to tear Meridian apart. O'Brien goes to transport a dying Dax back to the Defiant… which allows the planet to complete its dimensional shift.
Later, Dax is alone in her quarters, beside herself with grief. Sisko comes in offering remorse, but Dax says that she'll "just need some time." After Sisko leaves, she sits down in a corner and says, "just sixty years or so."
Log entries
"Commander's log, stardate 48423.2. Despite the continuing threat posed by the Dominion, I've convinced Starfleet that we must continue our exploration of the Gamma Quadrant."
Memorable quotes
"Odo, I know you don't need to eat, but did you ever try it anyway?"
"Once. Not long after I was first able to assume the humanoid form."
"And…?"
"… And since I don't have taste buds it was very unsatisfying. Not to mention messy."
"Messy?!"
"I'd rather not talk about it."
- Kira Nerys and Odo
"… We were having such a pleasant conversation."
"As I recall, you were the one doing all the talking."
- Tiron and Kira
"I wish we'd had time to beam down to the surface and take a closer look."
"Yeah, but I'd hate to have run into a Jem'Hadar patrol while we were down there picking flowers."
- Jadzia Dax and O'Brien
"The gravimetric distortions are intensifying, but they don't seem to be coming from the star itself."
"But where else could they be coming from? There aren't any planets in this system."
"There are now."
- Jadzia and O'Brien
"I was admiring… your markings. Are they decorative?"
"No. Are yours?"
"No. …If you don't mind me asking… how far down do they go?"
"All the way."
- Deral and Jadzia
"It's delicious."
"Especially if you've been looking forward to it for sixty years."
"That's a long time between meals."
- Jadzia, Deral, and O'Brien
"Oh, for that kind of money, you can move into a holosuite. Now, what is it you want?"
"I want… Major Kira."
"Kir- What are you going to do with Kira in a holosuite? …No. Don't tell me. I don't want to know."
- Quark and Tiron
"After eight lifetimes as a humanoid, existing as pure consciousness… might be interesting."
"Next time we see each other, I'll probably be a great-grandfather!"
"Good, then I can call you Old Man."
- Jadzia and Sisko, finding it impossible to hold back their giggles
"Do you think you'll be done overhauling the station by the next time I see you [sixty years hence]?"
"I doubt it."
- Jadzia and O'Brien
