LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING Written by Mary Draganis (C) February 1994 The Operations Centre was a hive of activity as Commander Benjamin Sisko walked up his office. Behind him came Major Kira Nerys, his Bajoran liaison officer and second in command, Lt Jadzia Dax, the science officer and Dr Julian Bashir. They entered his office and sat down. "There seems to be a problem with some plants down on Bajor's third moon. I'vejust been talking to a government minister and he tells me that people are havingadverse reactions to some of the vegetation." Sisko said looking at his officers. "Is it a virus?" Dr Bashir said, leaning forward. "That's what I want you to find out, Doctor. It's most unusual for a virus to be found in vegetation but we must find a source of this contamination." "When do we leave, Benjamin?" "Right away!" ************ As the officers were making their way towards the runabout, Mekong, Quark walked towards the group with a bag slung across his back. Major Kira stopped him. "What do you want Quark?" "Ah Major Kira, can I ask a favour?" Kira looked at him and turned to leave. "I really need transportation to Bajor's moon..." "What for? And how do you know where we're going?" "One hears things...I have some...business to attend to..." Kira looked at Dax, who shrugged, then reluctantly motioned Quark to come along. ************ They approached the moon and Kira landed the runabout near a clearing. There tomeet them was the minister from the Provisional Government. He welcomed them andshowed them to the village. "Women are most affected. We can't figure it out. I'm glad you're here," the Minister said shaking Bashir's hand. "What's wrong with them?" Bashir asked as he set down his equipement. "Well I'd hoped you will tell me, Doctor!" "We'll get onto it right away," the Doctor assured him. "Yes, certainly. If you need anything I will be staying over there." He said pointing to a house near a hill. As the Minister was heading away Quark scuttled after him. "I wonder what those two are up to?" Kira said more to herself than anyone. *********** Night fell and the village bedded down for the night. Kira and Dax walked towardstheir bungalow when Kira tripped over the prone figure of Bashir. "What the hell are you doing Doctor?!" Kira snapped "I'm sleeping under the stars! I've always wanted to camp out... never had achance before...you should try it Major!" Kira sighed. "Doctor, I've slept under stars, under logs, in tunnels and places I can't even remember, I think a bed is _much more comfortable_," Kira snapped and walked away leaving Dax and Bashir to look after her. "What's wrong with her?!" Bashir asked as he snuggled in his sleeping bag. "MajorKira has no sense of adventure." "_Good night_, Julian..." Dax shook her head and smiled to herself as she followed Kira. ************* Later that evening, both Dax and Kira woke to thes sound of cries from Bashir and raced to find what the commotion was about. When they got there, Bashir was sitting up in his sleeping bag staring at Quark who had trodden on him as he was going to his bungalow. "You shouldn't be sleeping in the middle of a road!" Quark roared. "Why didn't you look where you were going!" "Both of you shut up!" Kira yelled and did an about face and walked back to her bungalow. Inside she paused and wiped a clammy brow. "Do you feel warm, Dax?" "No." Dax said as she settled once again. "It seems to be kind of warm tonight," Kira muttered as she got comfortable. Dax was already asleep. ******************* Later, out of a sound sleep, Bashir felt a hand caress his face and woke to find Kira kneeling beside him. His eyes bulged and he sat bolt upright. "Ma..Ma..Major...what are you doing...doing here?" Bashir stammered. Kira leaned toward him and kissed him tenderly on the lips. "Julian, I want to make love to you," she said softly. "Ah..you do?...Major..I think.." "Call me Nerys, Julian." "Ah Major...Nerys...ah Kira--" Kira kissed him again and she started to unbutton his shirt. Bashir tried in vain to stop her. A light was turned on and Kira got up. "Come to my bed, Julian." She whispered. Bashir's jaw had dropped as he watched Kira walk away. He shook his head. Julian you've been eating too much Klingon food he thought to himself and settled back into his sleeping bag and also took a final look into the darkness. ********* The next morning, Kira and Dax went straight to work on the samples they were to collect. Bashir met them at the runabout with some soil and water samples. Kira brushed past him. Bashir then dropped the samples he was holding. Dax looked at the broken samples and sighed. "I'm going to get some of those samples..." Dax said as she went towards some vegetation. Kira went over to Bashir who had turned around to do some calculations with the computer. She turned him around and kissed him then took his hands. "You didn't come to me last night Julian." Kira said seductively as she ran her hands through his hair and then took his hands. "These are the hands of abriliant doctor...and lover," Kira said softly and kissed them. Bashir looked astonished. "I'll come to you later tonight but we'll find a comfortable bed." Kira whispered in his ear. She left the runabout as Dax entered with the sample. Dax looked at the stunned Bashir. "Are you all right Julian?" "Ah..yes..no..I don't know..." Bashir said as he sat down. "Major Kira..." "She's not feeling well, I wouldn't worry about it, Julian." Bashir looked at Dax then after Kira and shook his head as if to clear it. "You don't look well, Julian. Are you feeling ill?" Bashir smiled crookedly at Dax and shook his head. He went back to work muttering. After working a while Dax went out again for more samples. Kira came back with some water samples and set them down. She went over to Julian and began unzipped her uniform jacket. "I can't wait till tonight, Julian..." "Major! Please...um...wh..wh..what...are..you doing!" "I want you Julian, ever since you came on board...I could think of nothingelse!" She took off her jacket. Bashir tried to put it back on her. Quark's voice was heard coming towards the runabout and Bashir fell trying to get Kira's jacket back on. Quark entered. "Ah! There you are, Major. The minister was looking for you." "Where is he?" Kira said matter-of-factly. "Near the water towers." Kira strode out. Bashir was still on the floor looking up at a perplexed Quark. "What are you doing, Doctor?" Bashir got up from the floor and dusted himself off. "Quark, you wouldn't believe it. You just wouldn't believe it!" Bashir said,going back to work. Quark went back towards his bungalow. He passed Kira on the way, glanced back and noticed that she was looking at him. He was about to close the door of the hut when Kira slipped inside. "Yes, Major what can I do for you?" He asked, carefully closing the door after her. Kira started to undress, Quark eyes bulged. She came to him and started to slowly run her fingers down his ear lobes which sent Quark into ecstasy. "Ahhhhh...Major..." Quark exclaiming not believing his luck. "Nerys, Quark, call me Nerys..." Kira led Quark to the huge bed. Quark's face hurt from all the grinning his was doing. "I didn't know you felt this way!" "I tried to fight it, Quark, but it was no use...I want you!" Quark let out a yelp and both of them landed on the bed. As strenuous as Quark's loving making always was, he wasn't quite prepared forthe voracity of Bajoran appetites, or their endurance. Eventually it was Quark who began to wilt first. Finally it was over, Quark positively panting for breathand exhausted, Kira radiant, but covered in sweat. She rolled back, and Quark managed to admire the youthful lines of her slim figure as she stretched out. "You know, Major--" "Nerys, my name is Nerys," she purred. "Nerys...why did you wait so long! It's because of Odo isn't it?" He said as heran his hands down her body. "We lost so much time and _I knew_ you wanted me.. I just knew it!" "Yes...I was afraid..." Kira whispered. "You know, Nerys, I was really fooled. I was sure you thought I was a repulsive,dishonest..." He stopped suddenly. "Quark--!"Kira lost all colour and her eyes rolled up. Quark panicked. He lifted a limp hand and watched it drop back on the bed, shook her, and put his ear near her mouth to feel for breath. She still breathed. He grabbed his robe and headed for the door, he stopped and looked back at Kira who lay bare on the bed. He raced back and hauled a sheet over her naked form and ran out the door screaming. He raced as fast as he could to get Bashir and Dax. He was dumbfounded. He didn't think he had been that strenous...not _that_ strenous. And Kira had been..well, wild...even better than his holosuite programme. "Doctor Bashir! Doctor Bashir! Come quickly..." Quark yelled as he pulled Bashir towards the bungalow. ' "What _are_ you talking about, Quark!" "It's Kira! Come quickly! She's passed out..." Bashir and Dax followed Quark into his bungalow and stopped dead in their tracks. Kira was on Quarks bed, naked only coverd by the bed sheet. "What happened?" Dax said as Dr Bashir passed a tricorder over the prone figure. "Ah..." Quark looked at Dax and then at Bashir and then back to Kira."We...ah...we made love," he said softly. "YOU WHAT?!" Dax yelled. Quark was taken aback. He had never seen the Trill so agitated. "She came into my bungalow and we..she..started to give me Oomax...She was good too!" he added with a leer. "We have to get her to the station...." Bashir said quietly. ************* Back on DS9, Dr Bashir and Dax were seated in Sisko's office. Commander Siskostared at both of them. "She did WHAT?!" Dax and Bashir looked at each other. "She had sex with Quark, Benjamin." Commander Sisko fought a smile that was coming dangerously close to exploding over his face. He stood up and stared into the viewport. "It seems Major Kira was infected with a virus, sir. Sh..She..made advances tome as well..." Bashir said, feeling embarrassed. "Why wasn't Dax affected?" Sisko asked still staring at the stars. "We surmised that my metabolism wasn't affected. Practically all the people affected by this virus had different reactions to it." Dax said matter-of-factly. "Doctor, you said Kira made advances towards you? What did she say to make youthink that she did?" "Ah..she...ah..told me I was a good doctor and ... a good..lover." Bashir whispered. The smile on Sisko's face broadened. He was glad he wasn't facing them. He continued to look out. "How is she doing now?" "She's still in the infirmary, she doesn't know why she's there but she's feeling pretty awful at the moment." "Does she know what happened?" Sisko asked, his smile vanishing as the reality of Kira's problem settled on them all. "No. We thought we would hold out until we could figure out what it was." "So who is going to tell her?" Sisko said and turned around to face them. Bashir looked terrified. He didn't want to the job of telling Kira that she made advances to him and had sex with Quark. She would be mortified. He looked at Dax. "I want to live till my next birthday, Commander!" Dax looked at both of them and sighed. "I suppose that just leaves me..." Dax got up and strode out of the office and down the steps past Ops. ************ Dax walked towards the infirmary just in time to see Quark about to enter with flowers in one hand and a bottle of Bajoran Fire wine in the other. She grabbed him by the jacket collar. "What are you doing here!" "I've come to see my beloved Nerys, of course! Don't be jealous Jadzia!" Dax stared at him increduliously. "I've come to see how she is and hoping our love making didn't injure her! We were rather...rough!" Quark said and grinned. Dax looked at Quark and wished she could once hit him on the head and do some damage. "I'm not jealous, Quark and it's not Nerys. It's Major Kira to you!" "Well...it wasn't..we didn't need formalities...she told me to call her by hergiven name, it was pure harmony, Lieutenant! That little green monster is rearingit's head...if you want I'll come by your quarters and..." Dax flung him across the corridor and he hit the wall panel. "Quark listen to me, Major Kira was infected with a virus. She had no control over her actions. I suggest you keep your mouth shut because when Kira finds out she will splatter you to a pulp and Julian wouldn't want Ferengi blood all over his infirmary!" Quark paid no attention as he looked towards the infirmary. "She doesn't know we shared the most enjoyable afternoon together?! You know Lieutenant, I never thought a Bajoran warrior would be so much fun - even betterthan the holosuit ...." Quark stopped short. "You have a holosex program of Kira?!" "No...I don't need to anymore!" Quark said, his eyes gleaming and smile as he remembered the passionate way Kira made love. "Are you telling me she doesn't remember anything?!" Dax sighed. "No, she doesn't remember any of it." Quark whistled in amazement. "I've never had that response before! All right Jadzia, I'll come by later and bring her my gifts." He said and walked off. Dax sighed again and watched as he walked away. She shook her head and went into the infirmary. She found Kira on one of the biobeds. "Hi. How are you feeling?" "Like I've drunk ten cases of Quarks special brew! My head feels like it's about to burst!" Kira said and she put her hand to her head. "What happened to me?" Dax looked at Dr Bashir's assistant and motioned her away. "Well...you had a virus." "Why can't I remember anything?" "The virus had that side-effect. We were there for two days and an insect that we brought in with our soil and water samples bit you and some hours later you passed out." "Oh...what was I doing before that?" Dax looked uncomfortable. "You made love to Quark." Dax said hurriedly. A look of total shock registed on Kira's face, replaced seconds later with anger. "I WHAT?!" Kira screeched. "You slept with Quark." Dax repeated. "I heard you the first time!" Kira said as she struggled to get off the bed but she was restrained by Dax. "You can't mean I had sex with that little troll!" "Well, the virus affected you in the sense that you were making advances to both Julian and Quark." "Oh God!" Kira held her head in her hands. She looked up at Dax. "I made advances to Bashir?! What did I do, have sex with him as well?!" "No...you didn't have sex with Julian, you just told him that you thought he wasa good doctor..." Kira brightened up. "That's not that bad, he is a good Doctor." "You also told him that you wanted him and that he was a good lover." Dax said trying to suppress a grin. Kira groaned. "Maybe that little troll made it up that I had sex with him?!" "Ah..no..he couldn't have." "Why? I wouldn't put it past him!" Dax placed her hand on Kira's shoulder. "You passed out in his bed...when we found you, you were unconscious and..." "And what?!" Dax took a chair and straddled it. Kira was about to explode. "You didn't have your uniform on." Kira looked stunned and horrified. "I was naked?" "Yep...like the day you were born, but Quark did cover you with a bed sheet before he came and got us, if that's any comfort." Kira swore. "I'm going to kill that little troll!" Kira said as she lay down on the bed and closed her eyes. THE END!