The BLTS Archive - Romeo & Julian by Novus Homo --- Warning: For those unable to think for themselves, this is slash. As in, male slash male. Or, for the wholly dense, this details sex between men, specifically Bashir from ST:DS9 and a man of my own design. If this doesn't trip your trigger, don't read it. If it's illegal for you to read this, for heaven's sake don't tell anyone. Disclaimer: "Deep Space Nine", "Star Trek", "Bashir", "Sisko", "Odo", "Kira," "Doctor," "Maquis", "phaser", "Klingon", "infirmary", "runabout", "hemorrhaging", "tall", etc., etc., are all copyright Paramount Pictures. Alexei Tagenian and the runabout Matapedia are copyright moi. (Well, no they're not, but I made them up, so don't use them.) They're not making money off of this; neither am I. I'm just taking the DS9 crew out to play for the night. No copyright infringement intended. Reposting: R'Rain's archive? Sure. ASCE Archive on aviary.share.net? Sure. Anywhere else? Email me (I'll probably say yes). Historical Note: This story is set after "Let He Who Is Without Sin" (DS9) and quite some time before the events in "Blaze of Glory" (DS9). Gripe: Jeez, all this to read a bit of slash? --- "Steel bars, wrapped all around me I've been your prisoner since the day you found me I'm bound forever, till the end of time Steel bars wrapped around this heart of mine." Michael Bolton, "Steel Bars" (Thanks to Joanne for the suggestion!) --- "Red alert. All senior staff to duty stations. We have an SID in progress." Ship in distress. At the prompting of Major Kira's voice over the comm link, Doctor Julian Bashir threw off the covers and quickly donned his uniform. Shaking the cobwebs from his head as the sirens clanged in the corridor, he left his room at a run and slapped his communicator. "Bashir to Ops. What's the situation?" Major Kira's resolute voice sounded tinny over the communicator. "Doctor, we have a vessel approaching the station under fire. We're moving to assist." "Acknowledged. I'll ready the infirmary. Bashir out." He changed his course and headed for the medical bay, his domain. --- Captain Sisko walked into Ops and addressed Kira and Worf at the main situation table. "I gave up a dinner with Jake for this. It had better be good." Kira looked up briefly. "It's the runabout Matapedia. It was stolen from DS-8 six months ago by the Maquis. The single occupant claims political asylum from the Maquis. He's under fire from a Peregrine-class cruiser. His warp core is on the verge of a breach." Suddenly, the communicator crackled to life. "...ian on board the Mata....est assistance!" "Dax?" said Sisko. "The warp core is critical," reported the tall, dark-haired Trill woman at the science station. "We can beam him out, but it has to be soon." "Do it," replied the commander. "Beam him directly to sickbay." "Energizing," responded Dax, at precisely the moment that the good ship Matapedia exploded into a thousand shards of glittering plastic and duranium. --- Bashir looked up from his emergency procedures preparations when he heard the whine of the transporter. He turned around to see the rush of golden spirals disclose a huddled, bleeding shape. "Nurse!" he called out. The Andorian med tech ran with him to the figure and moved him onto a biobed. The man moaned and clawed at air. Bashir flipped open a tricorder. "Human," he reported. "Multiple lacerations to the thorax, head, and abdomen. Simple fractures to the ribs, clavicle, and skull. Internal hemorrhaging. Get me 3 cc's of trianoline, 2 cc's of metacetamin, and an anaesthetic, stat." The blue, antennaed man nodded one eyestalk in assent and ran to get the drugs that Bashir needed. When he returned, Bashir injected the man. The latter's limbs went limp and he slumped back onto the biobed. On Bashir's monitor, the internal bleeding was shown slowly stopping. It was the work of several hours to repair the damage to the man's bones and viscera, but finally it was done and the man lay healed on the biobed. Bashir took advantage of the moment to do some assessment. The man was as tall as he was, with brown hair which came to either side of his face, pale skin, and a well-muscled frame. Bashir injected him with a weak stimulant. The man's eyelashes slowly fluttered open, revealing sapphire-blue eyes the colour of the Arctic Ocean. The first thing he saw was the Cardassian biosensor suite. He gasped, and scrabbled wildly with his hands in the shape of claws. The doctor put his hands on his shoulders. "Easy! Easy. You're safe. I'm Julian Bashir, chief medical officer of Deep Space Nine." His patient relaxed and sighed in relief. "Did you... save my life?" "Yes." "Thank you." His head sank back into the pillowed head rest. "You arrived somewhat dramatically. What's your name?" "I'm Alexei Tagenian..." His eyes snapped open suddenly. "I have to speak to this station's commander immediately! It's extremely important!" "I'll arrange to have the captain speak to you. Right now, you need to rest." "Thank you. Thank you so much. You have no idea how important this is." --- The faces of Sisko and Odo were masks of grim efficiency as he entered the infirmary. Bashir rose in respect; Alexei sat up in bed. "Mr. Tagenian. I'm Captain Benjamin Sisko, and this is my chief of security, Constable Odo." "Good morning, Captain, Constable." "I'm told you wanted to see me." Sisko sat down in a nearby chair. "Yes, sir. When I first contacted your station, I was being pursued by the Maquis. I used to" (this he emphasized) "belong to that group. Last week I discovered that certain members of the Maquis were planning a suicide mission. They were planning to steer a ship filled with moridium quinteinsteinide into the Cardassia star, thereby destroying the entire Cardassian solar system and sending a pionic pulse throughout the sector, which would destroy every living thing within a light year." The horror of this idea was plainly visible on the young man's face; the contrast made Bashir realize how young the man was. He couldn't have been more than 20. He checked his readings: 21. He was close. Bashir continued to look at the young man's chiseled features; the doctor hadn't noticed how attractive Alexei was while he was labouring to save his life. Bashir snapped back into reality at Sisko's quiet basso. "Mr. Tagenian, I thank you for the information. I will forward it directly to Starfleet Security." "Thank you, sir," said the younger man. "Unfortunately," Odo put in, "I'm afraid I must arrest you for membership in a terrorist group." Bashir was aghast, but before he could say anything, Alexei quietly said, "I understand." "However," said Sisko, "I believe I can persuade the authorities to grant you a pardon in exchange for the information. Until such time, you will be confined to quarters or to the Infirmary." Bashir broke in here. "Captain, Constable, may I speak to you a moment?" They walked into another part of Sickbay. "Captain," began Bashir, "there are no quarters available right now due to the Shami'in festival and the diplomatic talks between the Bajorans and the Ghaludsnah." Sisko paused. "Oh? I was unaware that so many people had docked." "Well," said Bashir, "maybe you should talk to Kira about that; she was handling the quarters assignments. However, failing that, perhaps you would consider remanding Mr. Tagenian to my custody. I've plenty of room." Sisko paused, failed to find any reason to refuse the request, and said, "Granted." They returned, and informed Alexei of the decision. There was no objection, and Bashir certified him as healthy. Bashir and Tagenian, flanked by two Bajoran security officers, walked out the door, and Sisko and Odo left the infirmary to the nurse on duty. Sisko paused, then hit his commbadge. "Sisko to Kira. May I speak with you, Major?" --- Alexei couldn't sleep. He feared for his life. He was lying on a sofa in a Starfleet officer's quarters. He had delivered his message; Starfleet would do what it could to prevent the destruction of Cardassia. Even so, he was terrified out of his wits. *Not just for yourself,* he reminded himself, *but for everyone on this station.* He didn't know what sort of Maquis counterattack to expect. He thought of all the friends he had had in the Maquis, friends who were now his bitter enemies. They'd try to kill him if they saw him. That wasn't his only problem. Julian was the other one. Secretly, his heart had slammed into his throat when the doctor offered to take him in. He'd been tormented by enticing visions of the olive-skinned man since he had bade him goodnight. "Fuck this," he muttered, and walked towards the bathroom. --- Julian couldn't sleep. He had fallen asleep, once. He had woken up after a dream. A rather intense dream, actually. What troubled him was that it didn't involve Dax, or Leeta, or Tom, or any of his past crushes he was used to having in his fantasies. It was Alexei. *Alexei!* he screamed at himself in his mind. *How can I be in love with him? I just met him!* He couldn't deny it. He had awoken on fire, and yet cool and comforted by the Maquis' presence in his dream. He got up and ordered Bolian tonic water, to calm his nerves. He drank it, lay down once more, and continued to dream. Unfortunately. --- "No, sir," said Kira. "There are still three quarters left in Level 4, Section 7. Why?" "Never mind," said Sisko. "Thank you anyway. Sisko out." He decided that it had been an innocent mistake on the doctor's part. Well, maybe not *too* innocent, he thought, a smile creeping up his bearded face. --- The replicator in the conference lounge had been making raktajino all morning. The senior staff had been up since 0400 discussing the significance of the plot to destroy Cardassia's sun, and of Alexei's presence aboard the station. It was decided that he was probably unsafe here. The starship Excalibur would rendezvous with the station in three days and Alexei would transfer there, thence to travel to the Judge Advocate General's office on Starbase 173. In the meantime, due to updated instructions from said office, Alexei would be free to walk the station. The meeting broke up and the officers left. Bashir had a break coming and decided to check out the action at Quark's. He was wondering how to tell Alexei that they would be separated without going into a mawkish scene leaving the young man wondering what to think about the doctor. Manoeuvring through the largely empty promenade, he slammed completely unexpectedly into a warm body. He turned to apologize and it was Alexei! "Sorry, doctor. Are you okay?" "Yes, fine," Julian replied. "And please, call me Julian." "Only if you call me Alexei," said the young man, grinning. "Deal. Are you all right?" "Oh yes," said Alexei, dusting himself off. "Actually, I was feeling a mite thirsty and was wondering where a body might go to get refreshed." He flashed that beautiful grin again, and Julian mentally reviewed in an instant and in profound detail the myriad double meanings in that statement. "I know just the place," said Julian. *My god, Jules, get your mind out of the gutter!* he scolded himself. They walked on to Quark's. Then all hell broke loose. Suddenly, Bashir heard a voice. A quiet, threatening voice. It said, "That's him." Julian spun in his tracks, saw the phaser. Quick as thought, he shoved Alexei away into a cross corridor and leapt after him. He felt the heat of the phaser blast on his feet. He pulled out his own sidearm and laid down a crossfire. In the heat of the battle, he then barked out commands to the computer. "Security to the promenade! Computer, two to beam directly to any runabout!" Alexei and Bashir vanished in a gold haze. --- Kira snapped, "We're reading weapons fire on the Promenade. Odo reports that he is on the scene. One crew in that section, two civilian." A red light caught her attention. She looked up. "The crew and one of the civilians have transported to the Rubicon." "Identity?" Sisko responded, tight and dutiful. "It's Bashir and Alexei Tagenian." She paused. "Weapons fire has ceased. Odo reports one suspect in custody." A voice came over the Conn. "Bashir to Ops." The captain wasted no words. "Sisko. What was that and why are you on the runabout?" "Captain, I am requesting clearance to depart. The incident," Bashir said, stressing the word, "was an attempt on Alexei's life. I intend to take him to a secure location and then continue on to Starbase 173 as scheduled." Sisko noticed two things in a fleeting moment. One of them was Bashir's use of Mr. Tagenian's first name. The other was that this was another one of Bashir's requests which he couldn't think of a good reason to refuse. Kira broke in, saving the captain from an arbitrary reason by giving him a pretext. "Perhaps that's a good idea, Captain. Obviously there are Maquis operatives on the station, and they're in deep cover. Mr. Tagenian isn't safe here, and his presence could endanger himself and others." "Very well," he said. "Kira, clear it with Odo. Once the major does so, Doctor, you have clearance to depart. Stay out of trouble. Sisko out." --- The sirens began in the runabout bay. Startled technicians scattered away from the house-sized spacecraft resting on the elevator pad. After the crew were safely behind duranium and transparent aluminum, the huge doors opened and the air flooded out of the room, boiling into the vacuum of space. With a noise that would have been deafening if there had been an atmosphere in the bay, the elevator began to ascend on its vast hydraulic jacks. Finally, it snapped into place flush with the exterior hull of the station, the thrusters on the runabout fired into action, and the Rubicon sailed away from the station at one-quarter impulse. The grace of its motion was interrupted by a shimmer in space off its port bow. --- "Bozhe moi," said Alexei. --- "Ji'i kasha," said Kira. "Shields!" yelled Sisko. --- "It's a Klingon bird of prey, K'Vort class! But it's not showing Klingon colours." mused Bashir. "It's the Revanche. It's a Maquis ship. I'm being revenged, it seems." muttered Alexei grimly. "Shields up," reported Bashir. "Microtorpedos armed, phaser banks charged." --- "Torpedos and tri-cobalt devices armed," reported Kira. "Phasers charged." "They've locked on to the Rubicon," said Dax, her voice filled with what seemed like the fury of a mother beast about to enter combat for her young. "They're firing." A dreadful flash of green lanced out from one of the forward protrusions of the ship on the screen. --- For a brief second, all that could be seen in the cabin of the Rubicon was a blinding flash of green-white light. Then Julian was on the floor, one leg hopelessly twisted out of shape, the other hidden under a fallen console. He felt an agonizing pressure in his chest and realized that he was having trouble breathing. Blood was trickling from his mouth and nose. *Ribs broken*, he thought numbly, phasing in and out of awareness. *Short of breath... maybe punctured lung. Alexei...* He looked. He could barely turn his head or see through the red haze over his eyes, but he could make out Alexei's profile at the console, desperately manoeuvring clear of the phaser blasts. --- "Return fire!" ordered Sisko. "Status of the Rubicon?" "Interference is heavy, but I'm picking up two life signs with the best of them. I can't tell their condition. Their engines seem to be largely unaffected, but I'm reading damage to the sensor array, life support, stabilizers, communications and weapons systems." Dax was still intensely scanning her board. On the screen, the bird-of-prey seemed to be alternating its fire between DS9 and the runabout, and not sustaining too much damage in between. Suddenly, the runabout appeared to dash right into the path of an oncoming torpedo. "What the hell's he *doing*?" Sisko said. Dax stared at her monitor. "Prime mother," she breathed. "Lariviere! It's a Lariviere manoeuvre!" Sisko understood. "Dax! Thoron field! Now! Weapons stations, fire at will!" The torpedo exploded scant meters from the Rubicon. Or rather, where the Rubicon would have been if it hadn't leapt to high warp just at that second. The blinding flash of the warp jump mingled with the explosion of the warhead, creating the thoron-field illusion that the Rubicon had been torn apart in an antimatter explosion. The bird of prey continued to pummel the station for a few seconds, then pirouetted away and flashed off in the other direction, recloaking just before jumping to warp. Its mission seemed to be accomplished. "Prepare a rescue party to go after the Rubicon," said Sisko. Dax reported, "Captain, locking clamps on the Defiant are fused and the runabout bays are non-functional. It'll take us at least a week." Sisko sighed, in barely repressed frustration, "Starfleet?" "The nearest ship is the Alan Turing, two weeks away at maximum warp." It was one of *those* days again. --- Alexei had no idea what to do. The doctor was dying. *Julian* was dying and he had no idea what to do. Julian's eyes rolled open. Alexei bent over. "Doctor! Doctor, can you hear me?" "whaa... hurts.." Julian moaned. His head rolled back. "I don't know what to do. Help me!" "gimme tricodder." Julian asked weakly. Alexei found it and gave it to him with trembling fingers. Julian scrabbled, got it open, read the report. "gotta... gotta... dammit... umm.... shit. ask 'puter. thorax... medical readout here." He stabbed with a finger at the screen of the tricorder. Then his head lolled and consciousness mercifully fled. "Computer!" said Alexei, louder than he should have. "What do I do for a punctured lung?" --- The computer had helped. Alexei had gotten Julian mostly stabilized. It had been slow going, but the internal bleeding had stopped and he had gotten Julian stable and had even set his legs and ribs. The anaesthetic the computer had recommended seemed strong enough to knock out an elephant. Now Julian was lying out straight, crosswise across the floor of the runabout. Alexei was at Conn. *Hope you have better luck with this ship than with the last one,* he thought. The situation light went on. Life support was failing and he had set up the computer to scan for M-class planets. There was one now. Anja VII. He scanned for locations and found a beach. Temperate climate, no large predators. He began the touchdown procedure. --- When Alexei came back from investigating the surroundings, Julian had come to and was sitting on the bench in the crew cabin, running a tricorder along his body. Alexei climbed into the runabout. "It seems," said Julian, "that congratulations are in order. You did a creditable job on my injuries." "Good," said Alexei, relieved. "I didn't understand the purpose of a lot of what the computer was telling me to do." "Speaking of which, what's our status?" "The replicators and library computer are functioning, but not life support, transporters or the engines. We don't have two-way comm either; the best we can do is a distress beacon." "Good, I'll set it up." Julian got up with a barely perceptible effort and walked to the cockpit. He tapped a brief command and the repeater engaged. That done, he walked to the replicator. "Would you like something to eat or drink?" Alexei thought. "Whatever you're having." "Computer," Bashir instructed. "Two raktajinos." "What's this?" asked Alexei as the doctor brought the glass mugs to the table. "Klingon iced coffee," the doctor replied. "The captain introduced it to the station. It's quite good." The younger man took the coffee, sniffed it, decided it was close enough, and began to drink it. "Well," said Bashir after a few moments, "we have to pass the time some how. Play cards?" "A little," answered Alexei. "Do you play Roladan wild draw?" "Actually, yes," said Bashir, rummaging for the cards. "Chief O'Brien taught me. He's our chief engineer; I don't think you met him." "No," said Alexei. Bashir brought the cards into the wardroom, sat down and dealt. They played in silence for a time, save only the occasional responses demanded by the game. Bashir's mind was only half on the game. To save Alexei in this manner had been the height of folly. He was all but AWOL from the station. Now he was stuck on a planet he'd never seen before, with a man he was completely infatuated with, and he had no idea what to do. And Alexei was bloody handsome at that. His brown hair, longish at the back, fell forward on either side of his face, veiling his chiseled, fine white features. The cards in his hands seemed to dance nimbly in between his tapered fingers. At length, Julian asked, "What was it like?" Alexei looked up. "What?" "The Maquis." Alexei put down his cards. "At the time," he said, sighing the words, "I thought it was fine. I grew up on New Saskatchewan, and I wanted nothing more to get away from the damn quintotriticale. Me, disenchanted with life and the Federation. I join a terrorist group, fighting for the freedom of the border territories. I respected everyone in my cadre and they liked me. They thought I was tough, I had what it takes. One of the cadre leaders - this big Indian fellow who was killed by a Cardassian patrol in the Badlands a few years back - told me once that I had balls of duranium. They believed in me. Then, they plan genocide and I couldn't deal with it. So I ran. Like a coward." His voice had grown to an unsavory mix of despair and self-hatred. Bashir leaned over and put his hand on Alexei's shoulder. Alexei looked up and their eyes locked. "You're not a coward, Alexei. A coward would have stayed and done what they knew was wrong. What you did saved lives. Don't ever forget that." Alexei paused. "You're right," he said finally. "I suppose you're right. But I betrayed my friends." "They betrayed you by forcing you to choose between them and your morals." Alexei flashed a quick grin then dropped back to a serious expression. "Correct as usual, Doctor Bashir. I guess." Alexei seemed to be pondering something. "Doctor?" he asked. "Do call me Julian, please," offered Julian. "Julian, then. Are you married?" Julian was somewhat surprised. "Me? No, no, I'm not even with anyone now. Why do you ask?" Alexei's face flashed hopeful for one millisecond, then collapsed back again. "No - no reason. Just curious." As the night fell, Julian left the runabout to watch the suns set. He kept replaying the conversation in his mind. As the three red suns sank into the violet ocean horizon, he still had no idea to do. After the moons had risen, he returned to the runabout and walked into the ward room. Alexei was lying quietly in the sleeping bag on the bunk. There was another bunk with a similar sleeping bag. As Julian prepared for bed, he heard a whisper. He turned around, and Alexei was calling out softly in his sleep. --- He was in the runabout, in space, nearing Deep Space Nine. Suddenly, the Bird- of-Prey swept down on him and shot at him. The ship exploded and showered him with shards and sent him flying - into the vastness of deep space, and he began to freeze, until he felt the warmth of an embrace, and he twisted around in zero gravity to see Julian - and they fell together towards a planet, riding a hot runabout, flashing into flames - and Julian grew wings, and pulled him up into the cool atmosphere, and he wrapped Alexei in the warm feathers of his white pinions, and Alexei watched the world whip by underneath his face, and he was full of exhilaration and love, and he called out, Julian, I love you! - and then - --- Julian could hear Alexei clearly now. "Julian!" he said in his sleep. "...love you..." Well, well, well. Wondering what he was doing, he bent down and kissed him gently on the face, and whispered, "I love you too, Alexei." Alexei's beautiful blue eyes opened, and gazed into Julian's, and he felt Julian's warm face against his and realized that that part at least hadn't been a dream. He reached his arms up and encircled the doctor's shoulders, and pulled him down alongside him. Julian moved parallel to Alexei's body and they embraced and kissed gently for many minutes. Alexei's fine hands roamed Julian's back as they continued to kiss. His hands came around to the doctor's chest and unfastened his uniform shirt and peeled it off of him, then removed the soft undershirt, leaving Julian's tawny chest bare. Julian reciprocated, shucking away the top of Alexei's jumpsuit. Then they removed the trousers they were wearing and moved apart to see each other nude for the first time. The contrast was beautiful. Julian's frame was somewhat sparer than Alexei's, the tawny skin gleaming gold under the soft light of the cabin. A thin trail of hair led down from his navel to his groin, from which emerged a lovely, well-shaped shaft, some twenty centimetres. The fine sprinkling of soft black hair continued down his legs. His brown nipples rested like chocolate drops. His gawky, awkward air had left him, and here he was composed and sensuous. Alexei was more muscular than the doctor, but his features were nonetheless fine and delicate. His figure gleamed ivory against the Egyptian man's burnished bronze. His well-defined chest was hairless, with small rose nipples, and his cock was ringed by a bush of soft gold hair. Once again they embraced, their organs dueling between their bodies. Julian ran his hands down Alexei's chest. He moved downward on the younger man's body, here pausing to stroke and lick, tasting Alexei's skin; there nibbling and rubbing his face against it and smelling Alexei's unique aroma. He left a trail of pleasure running down the man's chest, and moved down and took the head of Alexei's cock into his mouth. He went down on the shaft with his tongue, bathing it and stimulating it nearly beyond tolerance. Alexei threw his head back and moaned in a strangled voice, running his fingers through Julian's thick black curly hair. "Oh... please... that's so good... please... love you..." Bashir kept tonguing Alexei's shaft, teasing the front of it with his teeth as he laved the rest with his incredibly agile tongue. Alexei could stand it no longer and gave a low moan of desire and relief. His seed filled Julian's mouth, and Julian tasted the rich, silky, sweet essence of his lover. He moved back up. "This is what you taste like," he said quietly, and drew Alexei into a long kiss, sharing the younger man's seed with him. They continued to kiss, and Alexei let his hand down to Julian's shaft. He wrapped his fine fingers around the older man's organ, and moved it back and forth, delicately fondling and caressing his lover's tool. They continued to kiss, lick, and rub against each other. Under Alexei's skillful ministrations, Julian was overcome. The younger man kept him on the edge for many minutes, until finally Alexei accelerated the pace at which he was masturbating the doctor, and Julian came over Alexei's chest and his own. Alexei scraped off the semen from their chests. He lifted his hand to Julian's lips, and said, "This is what you taste like." Satisfied and in love, they fell asleep in each others' arms. --- Epilogue --- They made love for most of the next week, exploring the possibilities inherent in the runabout, the beach and the jungle nearby. They were understandably disappointed to be "rescued" a week later. Julian and Alexei stood looking at each other in the airlock of Starbase 173. Their conversation was brief; Alexei had a court appearance in five minutes. "I suppose this is goodbye," said Julian at length. "No, I don't think so," said Alexei. "I've talked to the Judge Advocate General." "How is Admiral Louvois?" "She's fine. She considers that I'll probably be pardoned in exchange for testifying. I'll probably be free to go in two months." "It'll be too long," said Julian, his voice catching. "Alexei, I love you." Alexei gazed into the doctor's deep brown eyes. He could think of nothing better to say than the classic. "Julian, I love you too." They embraced and kissed for many minutes, and then the doors opened and Alexei walked away. Julian stood watching him leave. He stood there for some time. --- continued in 'When It Alteration Finds'