The Mist by Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch Page B

expected as much. From Gul Dukat's point of view, the station was gone. That meant the wormhole was up for grabs. Dukat was going to be in for a large shock when the station suddenly reappeared.
    "We'll worry about Dukat later," I said. "Right now, we concentrate on regaining the station."
    "Captain," Worf said. "I am reading phaser fire in a dozen places around the station, including Ops."
    Dax smiled. She knew, as I did, how difficult the station would be to take. Months later, it would take the Dominion and the Cardassians working together to capture Deep Space Nine after a long and difficult struggle. The colonists did not have that kind of force.

    "You don't have the station anymore?" Arthur asked from behind the bar. He was cleaning glasses. Sisko wondered what happened to his drink and jambalaya orders.
    "Oh, I do," Sisko said. "The struggle with the Dominion and the Cardassians is another story, and believe me, I do not have time for that one even if I were to quit telling this one now."
    "Don't quit," the Quilli said.
    The Trill grinned, and cast a sidelong glance at the Quilli. "It might be dangerous for all of us."
    The Quilli frowned at him, its bristles moving forward with the furrowing of its tiny brow. "I'm not always violent," it said. Then it climbed on the back of its chair. The chair tottered precariously. "I wouldn't mind hearing the Dominion story after this one, though."
    "Greedy bastard," the middle-aged man at the bar said just loudly enough for everyone to hear.
    Sisko held up a hand. "I'd love to tell it," he lied. "But I don't think my voice will hold out that long." He held up his empty ale bottle. "When's my refill coming?"
    Arthur blushed. "I thought you wanted it with the jambalaya," he said.
    "You're cooking the jambalaya from scratch, aren't you?" Sisko said. Somehow he had expected them to have it on the stove, waiting. "I think I'd better have the ale now. And the water."
    "It won't be long for the food," Cap said.
    "Still," Sisko said. His voice was rasping against his throat. He still had a lot of story to tell, and with this crowd, it wouldn't do to run out of voice before he ran out of story.
    "Coming right up," Cap said.
    Sisko nodded, and then cleared his throat. "As I was saying"
    "Dax had smiled," the Quilli said breathlessly. Sisko was shocked at its memory. It grinned a shaggy, toothy smile and put its paws under its chin, bracing itself. "She knew how difficult the station was to take"
    "And on and on," the Trill said.
    The Quilli ignored him. "The colonists didn't have that kind of force. Over to you, Captain."
    "Um," Sisko said, still slightly shocked. "Right. Um. Oh, yes ..."

    "Our people are still putting up a fight," O'Brien said, his voice excited.
    I had done the right thing, leaving Kira in charge. She could defend the station with sticks and rubber bands if she had to. I was as pleased as my crew was at the news of the continued fighting.
    "Now we must help them," I said. "Dax, you have the bridge. Help the Madison keep those Mist colony ships in a tight group. Worf, Chief, you're with me."
    Without another word I turned and headed for the transporter room. I wanted my people to beam into the station before the Klingons had a chance to get there.

    "What did you think we would do, Sisko? Join forces with the Mist?" Sotugh wiped the blood wine off his mouth with the back of his hand as he spoke.
    "No," Sisko said. "But I had a balancing act. I had to remember that in our space, you and I were on the verge of total war. It wouldn't do to have Starfleet troops running around the Empire at that time, would it?"
    Sotugh scowled. "Point taken," he said.

    We had just reached the transporter room when Dr. Bashir joined us. I had seen him in many states over the years from a green doctor on a far station outpost to one of the most skilled, and calm battlefield surgeons but never before had I seen him look like this. His angular face was white with shock. He looked both