"Bad Boys- Federa(tion) Bureau of Investigation"

Agent Pairs was sweating in this heat. New Mexico wasn't he
favorite place, it wasn't even on his top ten list, but he was on
assignment. Pulling out a red kerchief he wiped his brow and then
removed his dark glasses and wiped the rest of his moist face. He was
grateful that this was an undercover operation, for as it was he was
overheated in his jeans and T-shirt. He hated to think how he'd sweat
in his suit and tie. He then took out the sunscreen and covered his
pale skin with it, 15 pH, was the highest they had at the store; he
was going to be in need of skin grafting if those thugs didn't show up
soon.

Again he was grateful he could wear something cool instead of
the suit, and even though his team could too, he was able to be out in
the open where what little wind there was cooled his heating flesh. It
was then that he spotted something in the sky, but it wasn't heading
toward the landing strip as was decided when he made the set-up deal.
He looked around then pulled out a pair of binoculars. He pulled back,
blinked and looked again. That was no biplane, and it landed
horizontally on top of the plateau. He was about to call out to see if
someone else had seen the strange aircraft land when the familiar buzz
of a biplane caught his ears. He looked around and could see it
coming from the direction he had expected. "Get ready everyone!" he
shouted. He watched as the small plane circled, as he knew it would,
checking out to see if the coast was clear. Of course he knew they
would find it to be so, he wasn't a top agent for nothing, and he
watched as the plane started to make its decent. But curiosity got the
better of him and he used the binoculars toward the plateau just in
time to see the little aircraft take off, and hover down to the other
side. (I have to investigate that,) he told himself, but he had
business here first.

He put the binoculars back in his backpack and headed down to
greet the plane. He had to play it cool for not only were they about
to bust one of the top drug lords of the Columbia Cartel, there was an
agent whose life was hanging in the balance should he be found out. He
sauntered over to where the plane was, but not before placing his pack
on the hood of his dirty blue bronco, a signal for all those hidden to
stand-by. He wiped the blond sweaty hair from his face and removed his
sunglasses. He wasn't to put them back on till it was time for his
people to move in, so he looped them on his shirt and waited for the
plane to come to a full stop. Then he waited some more, for the
passengers were still checking out the scene. They needed to believe
all was safe, for they couldn't officially bust Sisko till he stepped
on to American soil. Then finally the door to the small plane opened
and several men jumped out with small Uzi's searching the area.

"Hey! I said no guns!" He protested, though he knew there
would be.

"Shut up!" Said a tall, broad Native American dressed in a
dark blue suit, as he stepped out and took a look around. He gestured
with his hands and one of the men with Uzi's moved over and searched
Paris for a gun, which of course they found a small barrette hidden in
his boot. He gave a boyish smile, "Hey, one can't be to careful, now
can one," he teased even though he was facing down the barrel of an
automatic pistol

Then the Native American gestured again, and as Tom was
dragged over toward him as another of the armed assailants checked out
the vehicle. There was no sound until the other guy gave the all-clear
sign. Then the tall dark and handsome Indian looked at the blond, "You
Collins?"

"Yeah, " Tom lied with just enough annoyance to sound
convincing.

"Check his ID," ordered a deep booming voice from inside the
plane.

Pairs had been prepared for this, so he didn't worry too much
as the big Indian reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet.
Then he flipped it open, "Tom Collins," he said. "Everything seems to
be as it should be," he stated to the big dark man still sitting in
the plane.

"Good," Sisko said as he started to move out of the plane.

Tom couldn't help but think, that it was not enough to get
Sisko out of the plane, they needed to get him in a position so those
guys with the guns were easily dealt with; it didn't help that out of
the four guys, not including Sisko, he didn't know who the agent was.
This need-to-know basic crap tended to get on his nerves a lot, this
being one of those times. They told him that if he knew he might give
the agent away with a look or something. Tom wanted to protest he was
way too good for such a rookie mistake like that. Tom played it cool,
or as cool as any American local drug dealer faced to face with a big
Colombian Cartel lord, alone in the desert should be. He gave his
boyish smile then let it fad; Sisko wasn't into buying it. He wanted
what he came here for; Tom was just the middleman. "This way," he
eased as he started slowly toward the dirty bronco.

The toughest part about this assignment was taking down the
bad guys without killing anyone, since they could accidentally hurt
the unknown agent. He moved to the bronco and waited silently as five
men, still leaving a pilot, moved to the truck. "Hop in," he smiled.

"This was the best you could do?" Sisko complained.

"I thought a limo out in the middle of nowhere would look a
bit suspicions should anyone be flying overhead," Tom stated a tad
defensively. "Besides, it has all the comforts of home," he smirked.
(And a few other things,) he grinned silently to himself. He watched
as one by one they got into the vehicle, two in the far back, Sisko
and one of his goons in the middle, leaving the big Indian up front.
"Oops, almost forgot my backpack," Tom smiled as he closed the door,
the windows all being up, and placed on his glasses as he grabbed his
bag. When the gas started pouring out the vent system, Tom ducked
down, pulled out his gun and his badge and leaned back against the
car. "FBI! Your under arrest Benjamin Sisko for drug trafficking,
money laundering, tax evasion, and last but not least, murder!" he
shouted as he saw his people move out from under their hot sweaty
hidden locations. They swarmed the plane, and had the vehicle
surrounded, though only one or two shots come through the window, then
what sounded like lots of hacking and coughing. When Tom was convinced
that the knock out gas had done its job, he gave the signal they moved
in, opening the doors all at the same time. It worked everyone was out
cold. "Cuff them," he ordered as he stepped back with a huge grin on
his face. The mission was a success. The agent would just have to bare
processing till they got separated later.

The vehicles were now moving in as they were dragging the
bodies from the bronco. Tom wanted to yell be careful, but the pilot
was still conscious, and he might wonder why an agent would care. Tom
sat on the hood of his little surprise bronco drinking some cool water
as they carried the unconscious form of Sisko's mouthpiece. (Pity,
he's really sexy,) Tom thought then shook that though out of his head.
(Careful Pairs. That kind of lifestyle doesn't bold well in the FBI)
he warned himself, again. Tom had his share of women, but he knew he
was bisexual, and he hadn't been with a man in ages and his body was
crying out for that kind of attention, even if it could get him into
hot water with the department. (A cold shower should do the trick, and
who knows, maybe I can talk Nancy into strapping it on,) he silently
smirked to himself, then the smile faded. (Nah, she'd never go for it,
to straight-laced.) He was about to leave when as he got up the
binoculars fell out of his bag reminding him of the strange craft he
had seen earlier. He'd have to go check it out, could be some local
drug runner with a head for new inventions. The craft was silent,
could land just about anywhere, that wasn't good. But first thing was
first. He had to make sure Sisko was safe and sound on his way to
Washington, DC for prosecution.
 
 

***********

"Any luck?" Garak asked.

"None. I can't find any trace of the anomaly anywhere."
O'Brien said giving a sigh of frustration.

"We could do much better if we go back into orbit," Garak
offered.

"I thought of that, but power on the shuttle is already weak.
I don't want to waste it looking for what I really don't think is
there, then crash on this planet. If we survived." he started then
looked at the Cardassian. "Lets just say that you would have a much
bigger problem than I would if we get caught by the authorities of
this time period," he smiled with a hint of menace.

"And why would that be?" Garak asked, though he knew from the
novels that Julian had shared with him that the Twentieth century was
far from open to the idea of aliens. The term vivisection had come up
in more than one story.

"Well, perhaps you would like being someone's lab experiment,"
Miles teased.

"Chief O'Brien, if this is your way of irritating me, than you
are being most successful," Garak replied. "Well, since going up to
look around is out due to the desire to conserve power, than it's
going to be up to you to find the nearest source of food and water,
since I obviously can't go out among the natives," he smiled.

"Fine. You keep searching and I'll take a look around."
O'Brien started for the door.

"Are you going out in that?" the tailor asked. "I don't think
they had Fleet uniforms during this time."

"Well, since the replicators use a lot of power, I don't see
much choice," he snapped. Though he did remove his com badge and place
it in his boot. "Just in case keep a transporter lock on me, okay?"

"As you wish," Garak responded pleasantly. Then watched
O'Brien leave. There was a small part of him that was actually afraid
the big irritating mad wouldn't return and he'd be alone on this rock
with a bunch of xenophobics'.

O'Brien was back with in twenty minutes.

"That was fast," Garak teased so not to show his relief.

"I searched and used the tricorder. The nearest place for food
and water is a good day's journey away by foot. I don't see much of a
choice, unless you've found anything," Miles asked with a bit of hope.

"Um.yes and no," Garak replied hesitantly. "No, I didn't find
the anomaly, but yes I did find something.a message."

"From the creature?"

"Ah, yes. It said that it had to rest before it could try
again, and that it could only take us one universe at a time, since it
used so much of its energy trying to fix things in the last one. It
said about a week or two our time."

"You're teasing me, right?" Miles asked in dismay.

"Chief, as it may be one of my many pleasure to 'tease' you as
you put it, I am 'not' that cruel. So, no I am not teasing, the
message appeared on the com panel shortly after you left."

Miles sat down; frustration was in his face. "Bloody hell!" he
swore again. "Well, then I don't have a choice. I'm going to have to
replicate some clothes and some currency, and hope what we have on
record for this time period matches this universe. Was there anything
else that thing told you?"

"Well, it did say that universes are not always parallel and
they don't always cross at the same time, as to what is meant by that,
I have no idea. It also said be careful and that it would contact us
again as soon as it was strong enough to take us on another jump."

"Did it give you any indication as to how many 'jumps' we had
before getting home?"

"No."

"Fine. Well, I'm glad you experienced human food, for that is
all we have down here. I'd like you to make a list of things you like,
then what you can stand, then what you can tolerate, for I don't know
how much of a choice there's going to be in that tiny town. Plus, I'm
not dragging back a ton, though I'll see if I can't find some mode of
transportation."

"The good Doctor said they used a thing called.cars during
this time period."

"Aye, I know. Though Julian always insisted on driving when
ever we were in one, so I didn't exactly get very good with one."

"The Doctor can be very persistent, can't he?" Garak mused as
he remembered the Julian Bashir he cared so much for, even if the
young man didn't return the affection.

"Aye, that he can be," laughed Miles as he thought of his
friend. Then he sobered up. "Help me get things together. Are you
going to be okay out here by yourself?"

"Ah, Chief O'Brien, I happen to enjoy the heat. And so long as
I have water and a bit a food, I shall be find. Though as a precaution
I shall keep an alert sensor up, but I will not be able to keep a
transporter lock on your for that amount of time, since power is an
issue."

"I understand. I'll keep my com badge in my boot along with a
small hand phaser," Miles replied as a pair of jeans and a shirt
followed by a jacket materialized.

"That is going to be to be a very crowded boot," Garak smiled,
glad that one of his comments eased the engineer.

Once precautions were done, it was night time, and Miles
headed out toward the small town and Garak locked up the ship, again
battling that awful feeling of being left out here all alone for more
than a few days, but a life time.
 

************

Pairs walked into one of the small rooms that were used to
make the New Mexico branch office. He had just come from a good long
cool shower, and still didn't need to wear that stifling suit. He
moved in wearing his jeans, T-shirt and dark glasses with his badge
pinned on his belt loop. He filed most of the reports last night over
the net, and now he was going to try and sway his boss into letting go
investigate that strange craft. He knew that they would think it a
waist of his time and talent, but Pairs had an infinity for flying
machines, that if it weren't for his father, a former FBI agent, he'd
gone into the Air force. But as things were, he was a good agent, and
he felt they owed him this one since he brought in Sisko without one
injury.

He started moving towards his boss's office when he stopped
and stared. He couldn't believe it, standing in his superior's office
was the big handsome Native American from the other day, and he was
shaking hands with the boss and they were both smiling. (Hot damn!)
Tom thought. (I knew he was too sexy to be a creep.) Then Tom caught
himself and plastered on his casual face, reminding himself to play it
cool. He walked over to his boss's doorway and knocked.

"Come in."

"Mr. Roberts?" Pairs said, seeing if now would be a good time.

"Ah, Pair, come in. I believe you sort of know Agent Chakotay
here."

Paris walked in holding his hand out for a hello, "We've met,"
he said giving a teasing smile. (Damn his eyes are dreamy. Stop it,
Pairs!)

"The knock out gas in the car was pretty ingenious," Chakotay
said as he shook Paris's hand. (Such beautiful blue eyes. Not now,
Chakotay!)

"Well, as much as I love too, I can't take all the credit.
That little gem came from one of our forensics' specialist. I've never
met him, but he's one hell of a genius."

"Anyway, you handled the situation quiet well," he smiled.

"Indeed, Agent Pairs. I was quite impressed, and not a shot
fired by one of our people," Roberts stated with as warm a smile as
the older man could give.

"Well, I'm pretty impressed myself," Tom added. "I mean,
second in charge to Sisko must have taken quiet some effort?" (Knock
it off, Tom. You're flirting with the guy.)

"It wasn't easy, but it was my job, though after seeing your
performance, I bet you could have done it too," Chakotay smiled.
(Knock it off, Chakotay. You're flirting with the guy.)

"Why don't the two of you go have a mutual appreciation
breakfast down the hall. This office is for those of us, who have a
job to do," Roberts teased as he clasped Chakotay on the back. "Hell
of a job, son. Hell of a job! With the evidence you gathered we'll
have enough to put that sorry excuse of a, well, away for the rest of
his life."

"Thank you, sir."

"Oh, I wanted to ask you something, sir?" Tom stated before
being tossed out of his boss's office.

"I saw something unusual yesterday while waiting for the plane
to land and I like to go check it out.'

"What was it?" Roberts inquired.

"Well, it looked like some unusual small aircraft. It landed
horizontally on top of the plateau east of my location then I saw it
hover down on the otherside as the plane was landing."

"Did anyone else see it?" Roberts asked as he took a seat
behind his desk.

"Ah, no. But they were all hidden so not to be spotted from
the air." Tom stated hoping he could still get his boss to okay it.

"I don't know if it was a craft or not," Chakotay interjected,
"but I did see the sun shine off something metallic while the plane
was landing from on top of Mesa Red Flat."

"Mesa Red Flat?" Tom asked

Chakotay smiled a tad shyly. "I grew up around here, so I know
the layout like the back of my hand."

"Ah!" Roberts smirked. "Trying to sneak in a little vacation
time are we?" he teased. He continued before Chakotay could protest.
"Well, since neither of you have any current cases, why don't you two
go check it out. However, unless you find something major in
twenty-four hours, its back to the grind stone. Now get out of here,
and let those of us who earn a real paycheck get some work done."

Chakotay and Tom left the office and was walking down the long
hall of the New Mexico FBI office. They moved into the tiny snack room
and grabbed a quick cup of coffee. Chakotay was adding a bit of sugar
when he turned to Tom. "The nearest town to where we were is Mesa
Flats," he said.

"Well, if you don't mind the drive, I'd be glad for the help,"
Tom smiled knowing the only reason he'd ever ask for held if not
ordered to was cause he wanted the company.

"No, I don't mind a bit. Though I prefer not to go in that
bronco," he smiled.

"Ah, but she's a real knock-out," he teased.

Chakotay smirked as he sipped his coffee shaking his head at
the poor joke. "I'll need to pick up a change of clothes before
heading out, if that all right with you? They don't deliver dry
cleaning from assignment to assignment," he smiled.

"No, don't mind a bit. You must be awfully hot in that suit?"

"You have no idea, especially since I've been wearing it for
three days."

"I have a better idea. I have a nice motel room while I'm
stationed out here. Why don't we get you some change of clothes then
head to my place, then you grab a quick shower and we'll be on our
way?"

"You don't mind?"

"Nah," Tom replied as he moved passed the big man toward the
door so he could hide his dancing eyes at the anticipation at a peek
at this man's body. "Not one bit, come on."

(Twenty-four hours being with this beautiful blond. Hmm, I
don't know if I can stand it, it's been so long) Chakotay thought to
himself as he gulped down the coffee.
 

Soon the two of them were back at Tom's motel room. The young
agent was sitting there drinking more coffee as he was envisioning
what lay behind his bathroom door. He could hear the water running and
on more than one occasion wished he could be the droplets cascading
down that broad chest and back. He wanted to be with a man so bad he
didn't think he could take it anymore, and this Chakotay was a real
man. He was starting so hard at the door that he almost jumped as it
opened revealing Chakotay wearing only a bath towel around his waist
as he exited the steamy room to grab his new clothes. (Oh heavens!
He's fucking gorgeous,) Tom silently moaned in his mind.

Chakotay was an agent like Tom, so being undercover meant one
had to be able to manipulate the situation from time to time. Chakotay
didn't always like it, but right now he didn't think he could think
straight if he didn't at least try. He thought he go for one of the
oldest tricks in the book. If Tom went for it, then the blond was
interested in him, for he was too bright not to see through it.
Chakotay had left his clothes out in the main room on purpose as he
exited wearing only a towel, leaving the bathrobe on the back of the
door. He then started pulling out his new clothes and 'accidentally'
dropped the shirt and as he reached for it."Ah!"

"What's wrong?" Tom asked with concern.

"Oh, nothing. Just my back, I think I pulled a muscle during
the flight."

(Could it be? Get real, Tom.) He chided himself. (But it's
possible, right? Well only one way to find out.) "Would you like some
aspirin?" Tom asked with some concern as he got up form his seat.

"Um, no, I took some already," Chakotay lied. (Oh, well. Had
to try.)

Tom smiled as he walked over to the big man who was still
holding his back with one hand and fumbling through his new clothes
with the other. "If it's really bothering you I could help you out?"
Tom asked hopefully.

(Could it be? Oh, please let it be,) Chakotay found himself
praying. "Um.sure, if you want."

"Why don't you lie down, I have just the thing in for your
back," he smiled, a wide grin crossing his face. (Oh, I get to touch
that body. I just hope he really wants more than a back rub, for I
don't know if I could stop myself if he doesn't.) Tom watched the big
man lie down on his bed, face down, as he moved and got some body
lotion from his suitcase. (One never knows,) he smiled. Then just
because he removed he socks and shoes and knelt on the bed. He then
placed some of the oil in his hand to warm it up a bit then started to
massage the strong back before him. "Must have been a long flight,
you're pretty tense," he replied, trying to keep his voice neutral.

"Well, two years of being undercover can do that to a man," he
joked.

"Two years?" Tom replied astonished.

"Well, you don't become second in charge over night," he
smiled into his pillow. "Ow!"

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"It's okay. Like I said, it's been two years, so I'm bound to
be sore. Please, don't worry about it. If you hurt me, I'll let you
know."

Tom smiled, (he must really want this) he thought. (Time to
turn up the heat.) Tom added some more lotion then as he was working
out the kinks in the strong man's back. "Let me get in a better
position, then I can get those tighter muscles better," he said as he
moved then straddled over Chakotay's legs. (So far so good.)

(Oh, Spirits yes!) Chakotay closed his eyes and let Tom's
strong slender fingers work their magic on him. He knew that Tom
wanted him as much as he wanted the beautiful blond, it was time to
let him know, since Tom was still feeling him out. "Hmmm, that feels
good," he said softly.

Tom was grinning ear to ear. There was no more doubt. "So, you
like this do you?" he teased in a seductive voice.

"Very much," Chakotay purred.

"Perhaps I can think of another way of easing that tension in
your body," he whispered. Tom knew he had the green light as soon as
moan of pleasure escaped Chakotay's lips. He managed to remove his
T-shirt without missing a single stroke on the big man's back. Then he
leaned down and placed a few sensuous kisses on the back of Chakotay's
neck and rub his chest along the strong firm back he was on top of.

Chakotay hissed with pleasure at the sensation of moist lips
on his neck, then a firm chest rubbing up against him as Tom's hands
decided to move from his back around to his front and caress him. He
laid there as best he could, letting Tom devour his back, but he
wanted more so he soon pushed up and as Tom braced himself on his
arms, Chakotay rolled over then pulled the blond down on him locking
them in a deep kiss. Chakotay wrapped his arms around the sensuous
body pulling it closer to him. He hands caressed soft creamy skin as
his lips moved from sweet lips down Pairs' long slender neck, and was
pleased to hear Tom moan with pleasure.

"I want you, Tom."

"Then take me. Take me like you've never taken a man before.
Possess me! Fill me!" He cried as he was becoming intoxicated by this
man's presence.

Chakotay was already all a fire over this beautiful blond
bombshell, hearing him cry out that he needed to be taken was all that
he needed to go over the edge of his sanity. He rolled Tom over and
kissed him so hard he felt his lips bruise. He removed the towel from
around his waist then reached down and made quick work of Tom's pants
and underwear. Soon they were body to body, rubbing hard against each
other. Feeling each other's erections and passionate need. Then
Chakotay started trailing kisses down the fair body beneath him,
stopping briefly at pink hard nipples then soon moved down to the firm
stomach, then down to creamy white thighs. He heard Tom moaning with
need and he could see the long slender member weeping for attention.

"Please," Tom whispered his need.

Chakotay knew he couldn't hold out as long as he would
normally desire, for it had been way too long since he had sex with a
man, and the attraction between him and Tom was strong. He moved up
and let his mouth take in the hard erection and sucked as if he had
been starving for it, which in fact he was. He felt the slim body
beneath him arch, Tom was close.

"Fuck me! Fuck me, now! Please!" Tom cried.

Again Chakotay had no intentions of making this beautiful man
wait, for he couldn't either. He grabbed the body oil that was still
laying on the bed then stopped his sucking much to Tom's displeasure.
He squeezed some in his hand then placed it in between the creamy
clefs and found his destination. Just touching the area made the
blonde's body jump. "Easy, almost there," he soothed. Then he removed
his hand and took what oil was left on his hand and placed it on his
own weeping shaft. He could see that Tom wanted it badly, for as soon
as he moved his hand form his clef, Tom had rolled over onto his hands
and knees lifting his rear in anticipation.

"So beautiful," he sighed out as he moved into position behind
Tom. Then he eased in slowly at first, but Tom wanted it so he felt
the young man arch and force him in the rest of the way.

'I'm not glass, take me!" Tom cried.

Chakotay didn't need to be convinced anymore. He grabbed Tom's
slim hips as he saw him grab the headboard for support, then slammed
into him. Hearing the howl of delight from Tom he did it again, then
again. Then he started rocking his hips, pumping the beautiful blonde
like there was no tomorrow. (Oh, let there be a tomorrow, and day
after that, and after that,) Chakotay prayed as his body lost control
and merged itself with Tom.

Soon all there was, was blinding white heat, flashes of color,
and pure ecstasy as two voices cried out as one. Then a mound of tired
flesh rested on one another, breathing, panting, feeling, and sated.

Once Chakotay was soft enough he gently pulled out of Tom then
rolled onto his back, still breathing hard. "That was fantastic," he
whispered in between gulps of air.

Tom shifted to his side as he too was breathing hard, but he
wanted to see the lovely face next to him. "I was going for the word
incredible, but that will do just as good," he smiled warmly. When he
saw the warm dark eyes locking with his, he felt something pass
between them, this was more than a one-time thing.much more. Tom
leaned over and kissed the big man and felt warm inside as strong arms
wrapped around him pulling him close.

Chakotay broke the kiss with a smile. "Looks like I need
another shower," he laughed

"Well, how about I join you this time?" Tom asked with desire
still in his eyes.

"I like that, but then we 'must' be off, for we only have a
day to find out about that strange craft you saw."

"Hmmm," Tom replied as he kissed the firm lips of the big man
by him. "Just after we take that shower."

"Yeah, the shower," Chakotay purred as Tom was kissing all
over him.

O'Brien was tired from the long walk. He had to rest during the night
so it was much later in the day than he had wanted as he arrived to
the small town of Mesa Flats. He moved around keeping as low a profile
as a new comer could. He thought about the long walk back and that
prompted him to go in search of a vehicle, he was glad he replicated a
good amount of cash.

The first thing he did was go to the only diner there was and
ordered some coffee and the special. He didn't know what it was, but
at this point of the day he didn't care. He listen to some of the
locals chatting about disappearances in the near by counties or the
lack of rain again. When the food arrived he was starved, that he
stopped paying much attention to anything and an ate.

"You want anything?" Mulder asked as he and Scully entered the
tiny dinner.

"Coffee, and lots of it," she demanded as she moved by him to
find what would pass for a restroom in this place.

Mulder moved over to the counter as he removed his jacket.
(This suit has got to go,) he thought as started to remove his tie as
well. He saw the waitress, "Two large coffees' and two specials,
please." Then he moved into a booth taking just a slight note of the
big male scarffing down his food in a booth next to his. He sat down
and was grateful that the waitress was kind enough to bring two
glasses of water, no ice. "Thanks."

Scully had just joined him as the coffee and food arrived. She
had her medium dark hair back in a ponytail as she sat down. She
grabbed the water and chugged it down not caring if it was warm. Then
she smiled at the waitress for the food then proceeded to eat just
like the guy in the booth behind Mulder, who over heard the guy with
his out of place Irish accent order another round of coffee and food.
"Are you sure?" she asked between bites.

"Hmm?" Mulder replied ,then his mind caught to speed of the
situation. "Oh, yes. I checked and out of all the counties that have
reported missing people, this is the only one that's with in the area
that hasn't had that problem, yet."

"Is that including the reservation?"

"Well, I'm not sure. We'll just have to go ask them if anyone
is missing and if they noticed anything out of the ordinary." Mulder
said after a few bites of his own meal.

"That is 'if' they'll talk with us," she replied. "We're not
on their list of favorite people being FBI and all," she smiled.

"Well that doesn't mean we can't try," he smiled back.

"Wow, a fifty!" the waitress stated in surprise.

"Um.you have a rest room?" Miles asked shyly.

"In the back." She smiled.

"Thanks. Oh, another round if ya don't mind?" he smiled.

"Not at all, honey" she smiled as she watched the stranger
move into the back. The she moved over to her other two customers that
were having more than coffee. She refilled their cups. "Anything
else?"

"No, thank you," Scully smiled back.

"No. But perhaps you can help us out a bit. Have you heard
anything about the disappearances?"

She looked at the two rather suspiciously, then she saw the
man pull out his wallet and show his badge. (Great, FBI) she thought
sarcastically. "Only what I hear other folks talking about. Mostly
just rumors. This is New Mexico, most of those rumors include aliens,"
she laughed then moved off.

Mulder looked at his partner who was just finishing her meal.
"Well, that helped," he teased.

"We've had less then we do now, plenty of times," she smiled.
"Though this time we have the latest report that gave us a location of
the kidnapping."

"Lot of good it did us," he mused with disappointment. "We
didn't find anything. Though I know we would have had we'd been
allowed to get a team on it."

Scully smirked, she knew something that her partner didn't but
she wasn't going to spoil the surprise just yet. "Oh, I wouldn't give
up so easily," she teased.

'I have 'no' intentions of giving up," he smiled back. Then
his eyes shifted from her to over her shoulder. "Hey, look?" he said
to his partner as he pointed behind her.

She turned to see a familiar blonde and a strange Native
American walk in, laughing, smiling and having a good time, so it
seemed. She surveyed the situation to determine if the blond was
undercover or not, but seeing his badge pinned on his belt loop, and
another on the other guys, she knew they weren't. "Well, well, well,
what do we have here?" she teased as she shifted around in her seat.

Tom looked in the direction of the voice and couldn't believe
his eyes. Two very familiar faces out here in the middle of nowhere.
"I can't believe it?" he said as he walked up to their table. "What
brings you two out here?"

"Ah, this place is just crawling with Fed's" Mulder teased.

Everyone laughed.

"Oh, where's my manners," Tom stated. "This is agent Mulder
and agent Scully. They're in special Ops division.you know the hush,
hush kind of thing," he teased as he smiled at his friends. "And this
is agent Chakotay."

"Pleasure," the big man said with a warm smile and handshake
to the two fellow agents.

"Have a seat?" Muller said.

Tom sat next to Scully and Chakotay next to Mulder. "So, like
I asked. What has you two out here in the middle of no where?" Tom
inquired.

"Reports of disappearances," Mulder replied. "But I can ask
you the same question. Why are you out here and not in Washington, DC.
Daddy mad at you or something?" he joked.

Tom flinched, (I'm going to get you for that) he thought. "No,
just took down Ben Sisko," he smirked with some pride.

"And no one even got hurt," Chakotay added, seeing that his
new lover deserved some backing up.

"Wow!" Scully replied astonished. "Pretty impressive."

Tom was going to gloat, but then his eyes saw the pride in
Chakotay's and he no longer felt the old need to prove himself. "Well,
not as impressive as this guy," Tom said gesturing toward Chakotay.
"Two years undercover with that sleaze bag and became second in charge
of his operation. We've got so much on Sisko that he'll never see the
light of day again."

"Way to go!" Mulder replied with a pat on Chakotay's back.

"Wow is right," Scully smiled, she couldn't help but notice
just how sexy the dark man across from her was. (Mulder's cute and
all, but this guy is hot!) she thought then gulped down some coffee to
control her thoughts. "But if that's over with, why you guys still
here?"

"Well, Chak grew up around here and knows the lay out pretty
well, plus while out yesterday I saw a strange small aircraft."

"Strange craft?" Mulder asked his interest peeked. "Do tell?"

"Well, it was small, but could hold about six comfortably, and
it could hover as well as land horizontally."

"Really?" Scully asked, just as interested as her partner.

"Yes, really. I wouldn't make something like that up," Tom
replied defensively.

"Oh, I didn't mean it that way," Scully said apologetically.

"It's all right. But I only have twenty-four hours to get some
proof or I'll have to drop it." Tom said with some disappointment.

"Where you see it?" Mulder inquired.

"Mess Red Flat plateau," Chakotay answered.

"Tom? Chakotay?" Miles said in surprise, before he realized
his mistake. He quickly took a seat and started eating his food hoping
that no one heard him.

But the agents did hear him. "Do you know him?" Scull asked
Tom quietly.

"No, never seen him before," Tom replied just as quietly, his
eyes keeping the stranger in view as he kept his head down.

"I find it interesting he knows my name, considering I've been
out of the country for over two years, and I haven't been back here in
at least three," Chakotay added equally quiet.

"Well, from what I've over heard, he's new to town, for the
waitress didn't know him, and he's carrying large bills, for I heard
the waitress exclaim her excitement at seeing a fifty.

"I think this individual needs some checking into," Tom mused
as he saw the stranger get up a bit too casually and head out the door
muttering something about keeping the change. Tom looked at his fellow
agents, seeing all nodded he was up out of his seat right behind the
stranger.

Miles was out the door walking across the street to the
general store. He could feel that he was being followed. He risked a
small glance, it was Tom. (Great! How stupid can you be, Miles) he
chided himself. He was trying to think of an excuse when the blond
suddenly ran in front of him.

"Hey," he smiled. "Do I know you?"

"No," Miles retorted. "I thought you looked like someone I
knew, but I was wrong. My mistake," Miles said trying to get around
the blond, but Tom was moving to stay in his way.

Tom's smile faded as he saw his partners now behind the
stranger. "Well, it would seem that you're not being totally honest
here. Why don't you make this easy on your self and tell me where you
know us from?" he asked indicating Chakotay and himself.

Miles knew he was in trouble, not just because four people
surrounded him, but because he caught a glimpse at the badge hanging
on Tom's hip. He knew what the letters FBI meant in this time period.
(Way to go, Miles,) he chided himself again. "I told you, it was just
a mistake, that 'I' don't know you!" he protested, knowing that it was
futile.

"The odds that you know another by the same name as me,"
replied Chakotay, "are very, very slim."

"In other words," Mulder stated coolly. "We're not buying it.
Now spill or we'll run you in and we'll get to the bottom of this else
where."

What could Miles do. He couldn't exactly tell them that he met
Tom and Chakotay in another universe while he was dimension hopping,
and while temporarily stranded here he saw them and couldn't keep his
big mouth shout. No, he couldn't tell them that, and there was no
other plausible tale he could give. So, he just clamed up, and prayed
for the best.
 
 

*************

Garak was startled when the parameter alert sounded. He moved
over to the sensors and set them to a low scan. He raised an eyeride.
(Two non-human life forms and a human, though life signs are weak,) he
thought as he doubled the range of the scan. To his surprise the
aliens and the human were going into the plateau itself.

"Must be a hidden cavern there," he mused. "But what are
aliens doing on Earth during this time period?"

Being a naturally curious being, Garak left a note as to his
activities and the location he was going to be investigating should
O'Brien manage to get back while he was out. He grabbed a phaser, and
then got a small one and placed it in his boot along with his com
badge. "Seems like a good idea," he mused. Then he grabbed the
tricorder and exited the shuttle, but not before locking it up. Only
O'Brien or himself could get in.

He cautiously headed out of the cavern and toward the tall
Plateau where the life signs were coming from. He moved slowly for
there were not a lot of places for cover and he didn't want to be seen
by anyone, just yet. He moved to the side of the smooth rock, and if
he didn't have the tricorder he would of thought it impossible for the
signs to have gone any further. According to his eyes, there was only
stone, but the sensors told him that there was a holographic
projection covering a cave entrance. The sensors also told him that
there were no life signs near the him, so he decided to step through
and check things out for himself.
 
 

***************
 

The four agents stared at the older Irish man, simply known as
Miles O'Brien, through a two-way mirror. They watched him just sit
there, obviously on edge, but he wasn't talking, and all the threats
in the world wasn't working.

"He either doesn't' have a record of any type or he doesn't
exist," Mulder said as he looked at the finger print report.

"Besides several thousand dollars in cash," Tom mused, "He has
no ID, and nothing illegal. Though why he had these in his boot, I
don't have a clue," he said indicating the com badge and the tiny hand
phaser.

"What are they?" Scully asked.

"I don't know, but I did see him get awfully nervous when I
was checking out the tiny box," Chakotay replied.

"Well, like it or not," Scully stated as he folded her arms
around her chest, "We don't have a thing on him, and it's really not
illegal not to have ID and carry a lot of cash."

"But suspicious as hell," Tom replied.

"I agree, but legally we can only hold him up to 48 hr without
charging him, and we don't have anything to charge him with. Knowing
the names of two agents doesn't really count," Mulder added.

"Well, it should," Tom snapped irritated that this mystery was
going to slip from his fingers.

"I know, why don't we bug him, let him go and see who he leads
us to?" Chakotay offered, seeing his new lover getting frustrated.

Mulder snapped his fingers, "Great idea."

"We don't have any proof of any malice to get authorization,"
Tom sulked. But it was a good idea.

Scully raised her eyebrow, she knew then that she hung out
with Mulder too much. "What if I knew someone who could replicate what
we needed, say as a favor, then we really wouldn't have to ask for
authorization, now would we?" She couldn't believe that came out of
here mouth.

Tom looked up, his eyes sparked with glee. "Who? How? I really
like to get to the bottom of this," he said.

"Not to mention we still have to go out to Mesa Red Flat and
check out that siting," Chakotay added.

"Yeah, and my time is running out," Tom stated irritably.

"I can fix that," Mulder smiled. "I'll just get you and Chak
reassigned to help me and Sully on the disappearances in this area.
Besides, I was going to ask you, Chakotay, if you'd help me talk with
the folks on the reservation. See if anyone has come up missing or if
they have seen anything unusual."

Chakotay looked grim. "I'll do what I can, but I haven't been
home in over three years, and I'm not exactly welcomed."

"You grew up on the reservation here?" Mulder inquired.

"I said I grew up around here, that would be the only place my
people were allowed," he returned softly, a bit of irritation in his
tone.

Tom thought it wise to change the subject, for obviously home
was a soar subject for his new lover. "Mulder, you get us reassigned,
and Scully, how soon can we get that device?" he grinned.

"Well, the person who I'm talking about isn't here yet, but
when he is, shouldn't be long," she smiled a wide knowing smile.

"Who's not here?" Mulder asked noticing his partners grin.

"It's a surprise," she smiled, "I wasn't even going to mention
it till they got here, but now you'll just have to wait. They should
be here soon."

"Ooh, you little bitch," he smiled as he hugged her. He knew
if she was grinning ear to ear it had to be a good surprise that she
knew he'd like, "Okay, I'll wait as I go fix things with our bosses,
but what about him?"

They all looked at the tired miserable man, "We make him as
comfortable as possible, keep his toys and cash safe, and let him
sweat it out," Tom mused with a grin.
 
 

********************
 
 

Garak had edged his way down the long cavern entrance to where
it opened to a very large cavern. In the middle of the cavern was a
large dark purple ship. He took cover behind some rocks and watched.
His tricorder was picking up a hundred alien life forms and two dozen
humans. He watched and saw through the artificial light what must have
been the aliens. They were short, with huge black almond shaped eyes.
They had large heads, no body hair or clothing on their bodies from
what he could tell. Their limbs were long for their bodies, though
they had humanoid hands and feet. They chittered, but he was to far
away for the translator to pick it up.
 

Garak decided he should take a closer look. He couldn't tell
what they were up to from this distance, so as quietly as he could he
moved down to the cavern floor. He was moving closer to the ship when
he stumbled on some loose rocks. (Damn!) He could tell that the aliens
knew someone or something was in here with them as they scrambled out
in all directions. Garak tried to blend in the shadows, but soon he
was surrounded by five of the aliens. He was glad he had his phaser in
hand, but before he had a chance to use it, his head started to throb,
then all went black.

*************

Miles now found himself sitting in a chair across Agent Tom
Paris's desk, waiting. Tom kept staring at him, playing with some ball
that could be squeezed and molded with some pressure. As far as he
could tell, the holding room he had been in was one of two this office
had and both were now needed for 'real' criminals. But he still wasn't
being released, and he had no idea how to get back to the town of Mesa
Flats from here. He was also worried about Garak. The poor guy, was
all-alone, and an alien in this time period, yes he had to admit it,
he was worried about the tailor.

Tom just started at O'Brien, this man was stubborn. Pleasant,
but stubborn. If you ask Miles for the time of day, he'd give it to
you. Ask Miles where he's from, he said Ireland. Ask him where in
Ireland, he'd just say it wasn't important. Ask what he did, he
replied engineer, ask where or for whom, he'd say no where and no one.
Of course hearing that Miles tinkered with mechanics and a stranger in
Mesa Flats, and lots of cash, made Tom think that Miles probably had
something to do with that new craft he saw.

"I bet you like to build air crafts, don't you?" Tom asked to
see Miles' reaction. He got it. He saw, just for a second the man's
eyes shit. (Yes! I knew you had something to do with that.) "Have you
ever worked on a hover craft?" He asked again, but noticed that Miles
had schooled his expression, which was enough for him to know he had.
Then Tom noticed a new face walking in across the room. The young man
had dark hair plastered down around his face, big silver rimmed
glasses, wearing a baggy light brown suit and a bow tie. (Whoa!) Tom
smirked. (Throw back to the 50's.) he smiled. (Nice golden skin
though.) He watched as the young man walked in his direction carrying
a duffel bag and two suitcases.

Miles looked up and his eyes went wide with disbelief,
"Julian?" he said before realizing he did it again.

The timid young man looked up toward the individual who knew
his name, "Do I know you, sir?" he asked in a timid British voice.

Tom sat up in his chair. Not only did Miles know him, and
Chakotay, but now he knew this guy too. "You know him?" he asked
Miles.

Miles felt even more stupid, same mistake twice over. "Again,
thought he was someone else," he replied quickly.

Tom snapped his eyes up at the shy man next to his desk. "Is
your name.Julian?"

The shy man smiled, "Um.yes."

(Wow, nice smiled,) Tom thought for a second, then was back to
business. "Agent Pairs, Tom Paris," he said as an introduction.

"um.Julian. Julian."

"Bashir!" Mulder shouted from across the room.

Everyone looked at Mulder who was rushing across the room
toward the young man, then scooped him up in a bear hug. "Julian!" he
shouted again. "Scully should have told me you were coming," said as
he finally put down the visibly shaken young man. "I thought you hated
to fly?"

(Bashir,) that name was ringing a bell in Tom's head.

"Ah, um.Scully said you need my help, so I couldn't let you
down," he said softly. "Though if you didn't know I was coming, how
did this man know who I was?" he gestured softly toward Miles O'Brien
who was doing his best to ignore the situation.

Mulder wanted to say more, but it was best not to have the
suspect in earshot. "Mr. O'Brien, would you come with me a moment," he
said taking a firm grasp on the big man's arm just behind the elbow.
He started to lead the man away, "Don't you go anywhere," he teased
the young man over his shoulder then moved O'Brien to another location
to wait it out.

"Bashir, Dr Bashir?" Tom asked.

The shy young man smiled, "Um.yes, that's right."

"I know you!" he said snapping his fingers "I mean we never
met, but I'm 'very' familiar with your work. In fact it was that gem
of a timed knockout gas bomb that helped me reign in one of the Cartel
over lords the other day."

Julian's eyes shied down to the ground. "I'm.I'm glad it was
useful," he smiled.

(Ooh, very nice smile,) Tom thought.

"Julian!" Scully shouted as she came walking into the room.
"Has Mulder seen you yet?"

"Um.yes, yes he did. I thought he'd break me," he quipped,
then got bashful again.

Chakotay came in the room moments after Scully. (Whoa! Wow!
Creamy blond and Golden brunet, be still my heart!) His dark eyes
locked on that charming smile that was like a beacon in the night.
"Chakotay," he said introducing him self.

"Hey, Chak! This is Dr. Julian Bashir, the one who dreamed up
that little surprise in the bronco the other day," Tom exclaimed with
excitement.

"So, this is the genius you were telling me about," the big
man smiled.

Tom would usually feel jealous or angry right about now, but
somehow thinking of his big lover and this shy young man made him
tingle inside. "Yep, he's the one."

"Please," he said softly. He was blushing under all the
attention.

(Sweet and shy,) Chakotay thought looking at the young man,
(Outgoing and energetic,) he thought looking at the blonde. (Oh, be
still my old heart!)

"Bashir!" Mulder shouted excitedly again as he came back into
the room. Then as he stood next to the young man he looked at Scully,
"I' could kiss you for this," he chimed warmly placing a hand on
Julian's shoulder. (Though I'd also like to kiss Julian, too. Damn
he's so beautiful, especially when he takes those damn glasses off.)

"Um.could someone fill me in on what's going on," Julian asked
softly, feeling very overwhelmed. He also was getting the feeling of
being undressed by someone's eyes, little did he know it was by all of
the people standing around him. "Um.please?"

It only took an hour to fill the young forensic specialist in
on all that was going on, from the disappearances, the hover craft,
and Miles O'Brien that knew people, that didn't know him and according
to fingerprints, didn't have any records or existed. Scully asked if
Julian could rig a tracking device on one of the items Miles was
carrying. Julian agreed after just a bit of persuading by Mulder.

Julian was given one of the small offices to work in. It was
only an hour passed the time they had finished explaining things to
him. He was already finished, had been for over fifteen minutes, but
he learned early on that if he didn't make people wait, they got
nervous around how fast he could do things. He didn't know why he
could do what he could do, but he learned early to just be the
typical prodigy genius, though he knew without being arrogant that he
could work circles around most of them.

He was examining the small box and was amazed to discover it was a
energy-powered laser that phased the beam to various levels. He knew
this wasn't anything typical, in fact he doubted that the American or
any government had this thing, for it would bring a whole new facet to
the power struggle already going on in the world. (But where did it
come from?) He was one of the top forensic scientist for the FBI, but
he didn't do well in the field, so he vanished to the back rooms,
where he preferred it.

It was Mulder that had discovered him one night while tinkering in
Julian's lab with some strange metal shards. Julian had startled the
agent, but it was his lab, he felt he had the right to ask what he was
doing. Mulder babbled out about the shards and that three other
doctors, and scientists, including his partner Scully couldn't figure
it out. Julian being who he was offered to take a look. To Mulder's
surprise, the young doctor solved the mystery in less than two hours.
All Julian asked was that Mulder keep his name out of his report,
stating how he detested the limelight. Had enough trouble as it was
with his inventions as it was. Mulder agreed, and has been dragging
Julian into his world of unknown for years now. Julian some how felt
he couldn't tell Mulder everything he had learned and discovered from
all the stuff the agent had brought him, he just couldn't. It was
difficult as it was trying to keep a low profile and work up to some
standard that 'he' considered somewhat normal.

Julian took off the glasses he didn't need and wiped his eyes.
He had better then 20/20 vision, but glasses were a sign of normalcy,
and Julian just wanted to be normal. He knew he was a freak, though he
didn't know why. His adoptive parents were very kind to him and left
him well off when they died in a plane crash, which he was the only
survivor, his reason for hating to fly. But Mulder was a true friend,
and when Scull said Mulder needed him, he was out on the first plane
here. Hearing the door about to open he put his glasses back on and
the strange weapon in his pocket, and made himself look busy. He
looked up to see Mulder, and smiled.

Mulder had brought Julian some tea, knowing his friend didn't
care for too much coffee at night and some food. He closed the door
behind him as he walked over to the desk where Julian was working.
"How's it going?"

"Almost done," he lied sweetly.

"Thought you'd be hungry," he said as he took a seat on the
edge of the desk.

"Thanks. Well, that should do it," he said acting like he just
finished, he couldn't keep tinkering with it with Mulder in the room.
He had planned on waiting at least another hour.

"Wow, that was fast," Mulder smiled. "But you were always good
with your hands," he smiled.

Julian looked up at the agent's warm face, (Is he flirting
with me? Oh, I wish that was true.) But he only blushed and smiled in
responds. Then he took his tea and sipped it not meeting Mulder's
face. He was feeling the heat in his cheek as it was. (Between Mulder,
Pairs, and that Chakotay, I could just melt.)

"You look tense," Mulder quipped as he got up and shot around
to behind Julian's chair, not sure what was getting into him as he
took hold of the young man's shoulders and started rubbing them.

Julian thought for a second that he feign that he didn't like
it, but as soon as Mulder's hands touched him his body betrayed him
and eased into the touch. He closed his eyes and just leaned back
forgetting about the tea in his hand, the food in front of him, or the
office he was sitting in. All he could feel was firm hands touching
him, caressing his shoulders, it felt so good.

Timing is everything in life, unfortunately for Mulder Tom and
Scully had decided that this was a good time to check on Julian's
progress. He was just able to look casual before the two agents got
any ideas. "Hey," Mulder said grabbing his own coffee.

"How's it going?" Tom asked impatient.

"Oh, it's finished," Julian said as he sipped on his tea,
trying to settle his body's functions, (Well, that's at least one good
thing about being a freak, I can control my body when I concentrate.)

"You're kidding!" Tom exclaimed with excitement.

"Who's kidding?" Chakotay asked as came in with more coffee
for everyone.

"Julian's already done with the tracking device!" Tom replied
very impressed.

"Well, it seems that your reputation doesn't do you justice,
Doc," Chakotay said as he smiled warmly at the young man.

"Oh, that's okay," he whispered. "If it did, I'd never be
allowed out. As it is, it's hard for me to get about. I haven't seen
the outside in so long, that I tend to forget it exists, except for
times like this to remind me," he smiled.

"You're kidding, right?" Tom said with dismay.

"No, they keep him buried deep in the basement in Washington,"
Mulder replied not too happy about that fact.

"That's hard to believe," Chak added.

"It's okay, really. I don't like lot of attention, and down
there people tend to forget about me, and I prefer it that way," he
smiled shyly.

"Well, some of us will never forget about you, Julian," Scully
smiled. "Well, lets get this show on the road shall we?"

Julian handed over the tiny metallic item he was asked to
attach a tracking device too. He wondered for a moment if he should
tell them that the reason it didn't take so long, cause he just had to
rearrange some of the components in the communication devise? Then he
realized that he'd have to explain that it was a communications
device, then he'd have to explain how he knew that, then they'd only
ask about the box, and he wasn't about to tell them it was a weapon.
So, he just smiled and handed over the item and the tracker he had
ready. "It has a thee hundred mile radius," he smiled.

"Wow," Mulder smiled again. "When you do something, you do it
right."

"What about the other item?" Scully asked.

(Figures she'd remember it.) Julian thought. "What other
item?" he asked in his most innocent face.

"There was a small box like thing with this, didn't you see
it?" she asked again.

"Hmm, no that was all that was in the box I got," he replied
easily. He knew that people thought they read him like a book, and
most times they were right. But when he wanted to he could pull the
wool over people's eyes, he did it on a daily basis.

"Great," Tom remarked annoyed. "I know he's going to want that
thing back."

"Well, it's not the first time things have gone missing,"
Mulder mused. "We'll look around, and if we don't find it, well, we'll
just have to make him leave without it."

"Fair enough," Chakotay replied. "I'll check see if it's with
his other items."

"I'll check my desk, I thought I saw it there earlier," Tom
replied as he followed Chakotay out of the room.

"Is someone going to give him a lift back to Mesa Flats or are
you just going to just let him out the front door and hope he'll go
back," Julian asked causally.

"Hmm, you have a point. I'll arrange a ride for him," Scully
replied than she left the room.

Mulder wanted to go back to rubbing those delicate shoulders,
but now was not the time. "I'll go get Mr. O'Brien processed so we can
have him on his way with in the hour," he smiled then left also.

(Okay, Jules my boy. If you won't give the thing back, you'll
need to make a copy. It won't work, but that's the whole point of you
taking it wasn't, so it didn't fall into the wrong hands. He moved and
locked the door, he didn't want any disturbances, not this time, and
pulled out his equipment and got to work. (Oh, I knew I should have
gone into regular medicine, instead of forensics, and engineering.
This way I could be saving lives instead of adding to the death count.
But isn't that why you've worked so hard on little items like the
knock out gas?) he sighed. (Mulder's hands felt good, maybe he might
be.let it go Jules. You have work to do.)
 

*****************
 

Mulder's body moved and functioned on autopilot for his mind
was still back in the office with they shy, timid, but oh so sweet
young man. He remembered when he first met Julian. He was headlong
into another mystery that he couldn't get any answers to, and he was
at his wit's end. He knew about the labs down, way down in the FBI
basement, and one night decided that if no one else would help him,
he'd help himself. Stupid really, he didn't know shit about half the
things he would have needed over the years to get the answers he
needed, but he took it as fate stepping in and giving him a shove in
the right direction.

He broke into one of the furthest and most equipped labs he
could find. He saw the name on the door, Dr. J. Bashir, but didn't
think anything about it. He was pulling things out, trying to remember
his high school and college chemistry, as he was trying to decipher a
mystery of some sort.

Mulder laughed in spite of himself, he could remember meeting
the young man, but he couldn't remember what he had been
investigating. Though he remembered being so engrossed that he didn't
hear anyone come in.

"What are you doing?" he heard a lilt accent voice ring in his
ears.

When he looked up all he saw was a man, with glasses, staring
at him looking very puzzled. Mulder was quick to identify himself,
showing his badge, so he wasn't considered a thief, though he thought
that if he had been this young man would have been dead. He was so
frantic that he just started spouting out what he was doing and why,
that this may be a clue to his lost sister, and a few other things
that he no longer could remember.

The young man didn't call security, but stood there and
listen. Then he gave a soft sympathetic smile. "Well, I'm Dr. Julian
Bashir, and this 'is' my lab. Perhaps I can help," he offered.

Mulder was floored. He usually had to twist, pull, and even
threaten people to help him and this guy just offered. Then Mulder was
astounded. He watched the young man move with intense grace and with
in a few hours had the answer that others couldn't even fathom.

"You're a genius!" the Agent shouted with glee. "How can I
repay you?"

"By keeping my name out of this. I prefer 'not' to be noticed,
it's 'safer' that way," he said softly.

Mulder agreed. The word safer rang true to him, and so he
didn't say a word, even to his own partner. Over the next year, after
hitting stonewall, after stonewall, after stonewall, he'd go back to
the basement, find Julian and.Tada!.the answer, well most of the time.
There were times that even the brilliant Bashir couldn't solve the
mystery. Over the years, he just somehow accepted that if Julian
couldn't solve it, he wasn't meant to know. It was over this long
term, though secret friendship that he started to take note of how
beautiful the young man was, and couldn't help but wonder why; he kept
himself so hidden. This why still bothered him, even today.

Julian insisted that Mulder keep up the three-strike rule
before coming to him, otherwise people might take notice, and he
didn't want that, and he still didn't want any credit. Though Dr.
Bashir didn't need any help from agent Mulder in that department, his
own discoveries were popular among many agents as it were. Mulder
mused how many praised the doctor, but didn't know him, didn't have a
clue about him.

Scully had enough of Mulder suddenly coming up with answers
when everyone 'she' knew had failed. She was a good agent, and did
what any agent would do; she tailed him all the way down to the depths
of the FBI building to locations even she didn't know existed. There
she followed him right to the lab of Dr J. Bashir. Of course she let
he self be known, and Mulder apologized to Julian, but as usual, the
kind young man took it in stride. Soon Scully and Bashir were friends,
though Mulder really thinks that she got jealous there for awhile. (I
mean, I was always saying.Julian this, Julian that. Dr. Bashir said
this Dr. Bashir said that.)

The agent was signing papers, as was part of the red tape to
prepare for O'Brien's release. His mind was still thinking about how
good it had felt to touch those slender shoulders. Women were the
rule, and men.well, Julian.Julian was the exception. He had known the
young man for over three years now, and has been fantasizing about him
for over a half of that time. Today, between the sudden surprise of
seeing him here, knowing that the young man flew, while hating to fly,
just to be here for him, and seeing him look so...(Oh, I should of
locked the damn door!) he chided.

"Hey, take your time," Tom said as walked in the office. "I've
talked with the others, and since it's getting late, we've decided to
let him stew a bit, then let him go in the morning. Chak is arranging
rooms for you, Scully and the Doc," he smiled.

"Sounds good by me," Mulder said. He turned to the clerk,
"Hold the final paper till morning. Change of plans."

He walked back with Tom and met up with Chakotay, and Scully.
Just then Bashir emerged from the office, looking stressed and tired.

"I've arranged for some rooms," Chakotay said.

"Oh? I didn't know I was staying that long," Julian said
softly. Then looked at Scully. "You only said he needed me for a short
time.I.well, I didn't really pack any clothes," he replied bashfully.

"How like you, Julian," She smiled. "Well, a good meal, a
chance to make some plans, what you think?" she asked looking at all
the handsome men around her. (Oh, I sense a good dream coming on
tonight,) she smiled to herself.

"Sounds good to me," Tom chimed. Then he looked up and down
Bashir as if sizing him up. "I think I have some things that might
fit. Then tomorrow you can pick up some stuff from the store, how bout
it?" he smiled charmingly.

"I don't think I'll be here." Julian started.

"Nonsense. You've been cooped up in that basement for far to
long. Some fresh air will do you good," Mulder insisted.

"Indeed, Doctor," Chakotay added also giving a charming smile.

"Face it, Julian. I don't think anyone is going to let you go
back to your dungeon, at least not yet," Scully laughed.

"Oh, very well," Julian said softly, though glad that he was
welcomed by these seasoned agents. He may carry a badge like them, but
he was a lab rat, these were real agents, and he felt honored that
they wanted him to tag along.

It was now 9:30pm when the agents rolled up to the
motel where Tom was staying, and now thanks to Chakotay, they all
were. Chak informed Mulder, Scully, and Bashir that the agency was
kind but cheap, this was nothing new. So no one thought twice that he
was sharing a room with Tom, and Bashir and Mulder would have to, too
but Scully lucked out, she got her own room.

They all moved in to get a shower and some rest. Tom had given
his Pajamas over to Bashir, he knew he wouldn't be needing them, and
some shirts and pants that he thought would not only be cooler to wear
in this heat, but look much better than that awful suit and bow tie.

When all were snug behind their doors, Scully relaxed lost in
her fantasies, Tom and Chakotay explored the shower together, again,
and Mulder was dreaming of the young man out in the other room.

He stepped out to see that Julian was already dressed in the
blue pajamas, rearranging his clothes into his duffel bag, and going
over his stuff in one of his two cases, that held tools, equipment,
and books.

"Light reader, huh Doc?" Mulder teased seeing the War & Peace
size books in his bag.

Julian brought over a chair and sat in it using the bed as a
desk, since their room was too small for a large table, and he needed
more room to reorganize his stuff. He looked up and smiled. "Oh,
these? Just reference manuals, can't keep it all in my head," he lied
convincingly. He was well versed in making it look just good enough so
people weren't that suspicious of his abilities.

He couldn't help it, seeing Julian take off his glasses and
stretch like a cat, sent waves of heat through his body. He didn't
remember deciding to move up behind the young man or placing his hands
back on his slender shoulder and start rubbing them again. "You need
to relax more, Julian," he heard himself saying.

Julian was a little startled by feeling firm hands again on
his body, but they felt good and this time he didn't want to resist.
He let his glasses drop from his hand to the case in front of him and
leaned back to the touch. He couldn't even speak it felt so damn good.
(I'm so ripe he wouldn't have to do much to send me over the top) he
thought as his mind was shutting down so only his body was present.

Mulder's eyes drank in the beauty of the young man relaxing
under his touch. He saw Julian just lean back into the touch, his head
bending back letting his mouth open just a bit to breath in and out. A
small moan escaped those sensuous lips and he had to act, he had to
taste those lips for they were calling out to him. He leaned down and
placed his mouth gently over Bashir's and tasted the sweetness he
found there. He then felt the mouth below his come to life, pressing
back, opening wider so he could slip his tongue in and taste more.
Another moan escaped from between locked lips, but whether it was
Julian's or his, he couldn't tell.

He felt his hand moving from slender shoulders down a firm
chest and caressing it. He had never been with a man before, but
something about Julian turned him on, he had to touch him, caress him,
pleasure him, he had too. He broke the kiss panting hard. He moved
around to face Julian who also was panting hard, his dark eyes glazed
over with desire. Mulder just reached out and took the young man by
the hand and pulled him gently up to his chest. "Let me," he
whispered.

Through a soft puff of air, "yes," was said.

Mulder led Julian to the bed that didn't have anything on it
and laid him down it. Then he removed Julian's shirt, slowly, button
by button. First just taking in the sight before him, then after the
second button he placed a kiss on the tantalizing golden skin he was
discovering. His eyes took in the sculptured smooth chest, then the
muscular abdomen. "Your gorgeous!" he breathed out his excitement.

He saw the blush fill the golden cheeks and leaned in and
kissed them. He felt Julian's hands reach up and undo his shirt then
reach in and caress his skin. The slim fingers were stronger than he
thought and his touch was like fire and ice to his body. He wanted
more, so he delved into a deep kiss and let his own hands finish
removing the cotton cloth that was covering the young body beneath
his. He also felt Julian removing his pants and soon their flesh was
touching, head to toe. Their bodies pressed and rubbed against each
other with need.

"Oh, I have never needed to touch a man the way I need to
touch you," Mulder said between kisses.

"Touch me, please, touch me anyway you want," He responded.

Julian wrapped his long muscular legs around Mulder's waist
and the two of them rubbed harder against each other, kissed each
other deeper, till there was nothing but passion between them. They
twisted, tumbled and pressed harder against each other. Julian having
heard Mulder's confession of never being with a man before had no
intentions of introducing any more than what Mulder himself could come
up with. What they were doing felt damn good, as it was, more at the
moment wasn't necessary.

"Oh, Julian!" he cried as his body started to convulse with
spasms of pleasure.

Julian continued to rock against the older man till he too
felt his body climax, then was lost in the haze of pleasure.

When Mulder came back to his senses, he was laying, sweating
on top of Julian who was only hugging him tightly, breathing evenly.
Julian fell asleep. He moved gently next to the young man and for the
first time was really able to take in the beauty of Julian Bashir.
(Why does someone as beautiful, smart, kind, wonderful as you hide
themselves? Why?) He thought again for the umpteenth time. He cradled
the young man in to his arms and was glad to feel Julian responsive
enough to snuggle next to him, murmuring how it felt good, then was
back asleep.

The next morning the agents were meeting down by the vehicles.
Scully looked refreshed and glad to be in shorts and a T-shirt, her
badge in her wallet, her gun in her bag. She smiled as Tom, in his
jeans and T-shirt emerged putting on some dark sunglasses, for it was
already bright and the sun had just been up for a few hours. Chakotay
followed, looking just as hot as Tom in a tight Tee, and jeans.

"Morning," Tom chirped.

"You guys look like you got some rest," she smiled not
understanding the warm exchange smiled between the two men.

"Yeah, this place has comfortable beds," Chakotay said with a
straight face.

Tom was about to make a quip when Mulder came down carrying
his stuff and one of Bashir's bags as well, "Need a hand?"

"Thanks," he replied with a smile, as Tom helped him load the
bag into the trunk of one of the two four-by-four's they borrowed from
the agency. Then plan was decided last night over dinner. Tom and
Scully would play good FBI agent Bad FBI agent then send O'Brien in a
cab back to Mesa Flats where they would track him with the tracking
devise. They were glad that Julian had found the missing little box,
it had fallen in the trashcan, silly no one even though of looking
there. While they were doing this, Mulder, Chakotay, and Dr. Bashir
would head out to the reservation.

Tom knew his lover was apprehensive about going home after so
long, but it was in the line of duty, so he would go. He told Tom last
night that he and his father didn't see eye to eye on many things,
that was still the case just before he passed away. That was only
three months before he was sent down to South America, and he hadn't
been home at all during that time, so three years had passed and now
in the line of doing what his father didn't approve of, he was going
back.

"Damn, that's heavy!" Tom replied after placing it in the
trunk.

"Tell me about it," Mulder smiled. "I don't know how he
managed to carry that and the other bags he has."

"Mulder? I said I would get them," Julian said as he came
down. He was wearing a tight white T-shirt given to him by Tom and
blue jeans as well as some sneakers that Tom had let him borrow. His
hair was wet from the shower and dripping in his face. As he placed
his bags in the trunk of the vehicle he'd be riding in he took off his
glasses and without thinking he wiped his face up ward so to push the
dripping bangs away from his face. He was unaware that this single act
had everyone drool around him, for it was naturally sensuous, and the
sun shown down on his dark features no longer inhibited by the
glasses.
 

(Beautiful!) Mulder thought.

(Gorgeous!) Scully mused.

(Heavenly! Be still my heart!) Chakotay smiled

(Wow!) Tom responded quietly.

When Julian opened his eyes he blushed seeing everyone staring
at him. He quickly replaced his glasses and moved around to get into
the back seat of the dark green vehicle. "Um.we should get going," he
stammered.

"Ah, yeah. Come on Scully let's let Mr. O'Brien off the hook,
or on the hook as it were," Tom joked as he gave a warm glance to his
lover then got behind the wheel of the other dark red four-by-four.

"Try to keep him out of trouble," Scully shouted warmly.

"I will," Mulder replied

"I was talking to Julian" she smirked.

Then everyone was in their perspective vehicles and was off.
Tom and Scully heading back to the office, while Mulder, Chakotay and
Bashir were off to the reservation.
 

Mulder let Chakotay drive, since he knew the area better and
it was his home, so he'd know the fastest way there. The drive would
still be an hour and a half, so the three settled in, stopping to pick
up breakfast to go they headed to the highway. There was a bunch of
small talk, mostly between Chakotay and Mulder, though they tried to
bring the shy man in the back seat.

"Why do you hide in the shadows so much?" Chak asked outright
of the young doctor.

Mulder feeling protective of his friend and (hopefully) new
lover, "He's doesn't like the limelight," he responded trying to make
it sound light.

"Is it that the only reason?" Chakotay asked eyeing the
handsome young man in the back through the rear view mirror.

Julian looked at Mulder who looked like he'd jump in any
second, then back at the big man, his dark eyes drawing him in. "It's
safer there," he replied softly, not sure why he answered so directly.

Mulder seeing Julian's discomfort decided to change the
subject, "So, three years since you've been home, your family must be
thrilled," he smiled.

Chakotay kept his eyes between the road and the dark beauty in
the back seat. He heard Mulder and could sense how protective he was
of the young man so decided to drop the subject, for now. (I'd rather
die than hurt him or Tom for that matter,) he found himself thinking.
He heard himself give some abstract response to the agent's question,
but his mind was dwelling on the sudden realization that he really
'would' die before hurting either of the two young men he 'just' met.
Like Tom there was something almost magical that pulled him to this
young man as it did Tom, but he had started a relationship with Pairs,
he couldn't really start one with Julian, could he? His principals
said no, but his heart was screaming yes, as his soul scream that he
needed to be with Tom too.

Miles sat in the office again, he couldn't help being worried about
Garak out there all by himself, something told him he had reason to
worry. He should have been back last night but he knew between the
good guy bad guy routine they where pulling on him, (Oh, so like the
old vids Julian and I have watched,) he softly smiled. (Oh, I can't
wait to tell him how geeky he looks in this universe, and that bow
tie!) Miles smiled because of his thoughts, though he could see that
Tom and the woman.Scully thought it was because of their generosity,
and that was part of it too.

They handed him all his stuff, and placed him in a cab back to
Mesa Flats, all paid for. Their way of making it up to him, was what
they told Miles, he didn't trust them, but he didn't have a choice. He
sat quietly in the cab looking at his stuff, the small phaser seemed
off some how, and (Probably tried tampering with it.)

When he got to the small town he tipped the driver a fifty,
made the man very happy indeed. Them Miles went in search of a
vehicle. It took him several hours but he found a truck that he could
afford, but most importantly could drive, well enough to get the stuff
back to the shuttle anyway. He slowly drove the truck to the nearest
and only grocery store in Mesa Flats, not noticing he had two shadows
in the far distance.

"A truck and now he's buy groceries like he's planning on
holding up for a few weeks," Tom replied as he watched the suspect
with binoculars through the store window from the confounds of their
vehicle.

"He probably is," Scully replied. "After all, he was just
released from the FBI, he's probably scared. But we can still hope
he'll lead us to someone or something," she smiled with hope as she
drank her third cup of coffee this morning. "Donut?" she asked
offering the box over to her current partner.

Tom laughed, "We seem more like regular cops then FBI," he
smiled. "But don't mind if I do. Ooh, chocolate with colored sprinkles
on top," he drooled. They laughed.
 
 

***************

Garak felt his head swimming, and then he felt a cold rough
surface beneath him. (Either the shuttle carpet has changed or I'm not
in the shuttle,) he thought his eyes still closed. He used his senses
to make any determinations of his surroundings. It was quiet; there
was a breeze, but no movement. Slowly he opened his eyes, as they
fixated on his surroundings he saw he was looking up a cavern roof. He
looked around and was surprised to see he was only feet away from the
shuttle. (How did I get here?)

He slowly got up, his head hurt, but otherwise he seemed all
right. The last thing he remembered was looking.for something. "Must
have been O'Brien," he mused to himself as he moved over and entered
the access code so he could enter the shuttle. He looked around and
saw the console beeping. He checked it out and was surprised that it
was from him. He looked at the date of the message and the
chronometer, he'd been gone for over a day and he didn't remember a
thing. He read his own message, glad he was very detailed in his
message, but if it was never read by anyone else, that meant that the
Chief hasn't returned yet. "Something's wrong."

He sat back in the shuttle pilots chair. (And just what can
'I' do about it? I can't go into public, unless.I cover myself from
head to toe. But in this heat, which feels good by me, it would be
very suspicious.) Garak let out a sigh of frustration. "O'Brien, I
sure hope your okay." He sat there for a few more minutes, (power is
low, but I could see if I could pick up his com signal? But power is
low.I have to know.) Garak danced his fingers over the console.
Lighting it up then directed the sensors. To his relief, or so he
hoped, Miles was heading back in their direction much faster than
normal. Garak turned off the additional power, (must of found a.car.)
"Well, one small trouble handled, now about these aliens and why I
can't remember a damn thing." He then looked on his person and noticed
the tricorder and the phaser was both missing. "Well, that clinches
it. I must have found them, but they didn't want me to remember them,
but didn't have a way of knowing I left information on them in the
shuttle. They obviously couldn't get in, but they can't be all that
bad, I'm alive and they brought me back to my ship. Hmm, curious," he
said out loud to himself. (Nothing to do but wait till O'Brien
returns,) he thought then headed to the back of the shuttle to grab
something to eat and drink and contemplate the strange turn of event.
 
 

****************

Chakotay was nervous, but he hid it well, he was good at
hiding his heart and soul from the world. He remembered his father
accusing him of not having either a heart or a soul once when they
last spoke with.no at each other. His father wouldn't listen to him,
so he decided not to listen to his father, now he regretted it, for
that was the last conversation he ever had with the man. Now over
three years later he stepped from the vehicle to see that things
looked so much the way it did back then, little had changed, on the
outside anyway. He could see faces that he remembered, now older, he
also could feel the place, it's presence, he couldn't do that before.

He felt himself move through the paces, something he trained
himself to do, to function without feeling, for he was afraid to feel,
but it was there just waiting to be released, pushing to be released.
He introduced Mulder and Bashir to the Chief Elder who greeted them
politely, but Chakotay could see suspicion in his eyes. He knew it was
because of whom they represented, but he also knew it was because of
him and the circumstances of how and why he left. He had boasted that
the 'white man's' world had a thousand more things to offer than this
lost forgotten reservation ever could, and it sent his very
traditional father into a fury. (That was the past, think of only now
and lets get this over with,) he told himself.
 

The moment Julian stepped from the vehicle and felt the wind
caress his skin he could feel it. This place, it was alive some how.
He was afraid of feeling it, but not of it, for it felt welcoming,
beckoning to him. He closed his eyes and felt the sun warm his face as
he peered his head up to meet it and the wind blowing around him. He
had never felt anything like this, he felt.wanted. At the sound of
Chakotay's voice he moved over by him and Mulder and greeted the Elder
who was in charge of the reservation.

"The council are meeting, we need to speak with them first,
I'm sure you understand," the Elder stated.

"Of course," Chakotay responded.

The Elder started to walk toward the edge of the small group
of buildings that made up the center part of the reservation. There
was a large log cabin like in design building, though the building was
more unique in its crafting, with heavy furs covering the doorway. The
Elder reached the entrance with Chakotay just behind him when he
turned. Mulder was just about to continue when he felt a hand on his
arm.

"This place isn't for us," Julian said softly. "We are not a
part, there for we should not enter."

Mulder looked at Julian puzzled by what he meant then at
Chakotay and the Elder. The Old man had a smile in his eyes and nodded
his head with approval. Chakotay looked stunned. "Um.I guess we'll
wait our here," he said quickly.

"I will send for you when the Council is ready to welcome you
Mr. Mulder," The Elder said then moved inside.

"How?" Chakotay asked looking at Julian whose attention was
now on a group of children at play near by. He looked at Mulder then
back to the building hearing his name then gave the agent looking at
him a puzzled smile. He had known that Julian had never been to a
reservation before, he said so in the car. Julian's experiences of
what he shared were around books, schools and his lab. How the young
man knew this building was for tribal members only caught him off
guard.

"Chakotay," the Elder called again.

"It shouldn't be long," he said to Mulder who matched his
puzzled expression then entered the building.

Mulder turned from seeing Chakotay now gone back to ware
Julian was. He looked around and smiled. The young timid man somehow
allowed himself to be drawn into a half backed version of a soccer
game with the small group of children that was playing near by. Mulder
moved back near the truck leaning on the front, folded his arms and
smiled seeing Julian glow with happiness.

"He's not your destiny you know," the voice of an older woman
filled the agents ears.

Mulder turned to see a short, stocky, though regal looking
older woman about in her late sixties. "Excuse me?" he asked not sure
if he heard he right.

"The young man," she smiled. "He's not 'your' destiny. The
spiritual tie that you seek has already been connected, but your eyes
are looking in the wrong direction, though the connection is close to
you," she said warmly as she wrapped a colorful shaw around her
shoulders.

Mulder looked at the woman, he didn't know how to respond to
her, "Um.thank you," he said awkwardly. He could see the woman
understood his situation.

"You are welcome," she mused knowing that only a small
fraction of her words had touched this man. "The Elders will see you
know," she smiled as she gestured to the building that laid in another
direction to where she had walked from. "And, please, let my son know
that his home is open to him." She gave a warm smile, then a very
slight nod of her head then turned around to walk back in the
direction she had came.

Mulder stared at the old woman for a few minutes then snapped
out of it when he heard his name being called by Chakotay. He moved
over to him and his lip curled, "The Elders are ready to see me?" he
asked more to confirm a deep suspicion, for he was sort of use to the
stranger things in life happening to him.

"Ah, yes, they are," Chakotay answered but saw the odd look in
the man's face. "Did I miss something?'

"I just met an interesting woman. She gave me some interesting
information than told me the Elders were ready to see me. That was
pretty good considering she came from that direction," he said point
the way she left. "She also said to tell her son that his home is open
to him," he finished getting the feeling he just delivered the
message. He saw the big man's eyes shift with uncertainty. "I've got
it," he said then moved in leaving Chakotay outside.

Chakotay took a few short strides away from the Elders council
and looked in the direction his home was. His mother had the gift, but
refused a council seat stating it was not her path. She kept her own
council and shared what the spirits moved her to share, he admired and
respected her very much. He also respected his father even if they
didn't agree on matters. The only thing his mother said after the
fight with his father was that he'd be home when the spirits were
ready to embrace him and his true journey would begin. That he had
chosen his current path but soon he would find the streanght to let
himself be carried and only then would he find what he was really
searching for, only then would he no longer be empty inside. She
kissed is bare temple and walked away to make dinner. That was over
three years ago.

He turned to the sound of laughter and his heart warmed, as he
saw several of the tribal children playing with the beautiful young
man, and the look of joy on Julian's face was priceless. Chakotay felt
a pang of envy, for all his life he didn't feel he belonged here, and
seeing Julian newly arrived being embraced by 'his' home, stirred
emotions he didn't understand. He didn't see any reason to pursue this
feeling so pushed it aside. Since he knew Mulder and the Council would
be awhile and Julian was having too much fun to disturb him, he headed
home.

The house was just as he last remembered it as being. The
loose shutters still banged in the wind and it was in need of a paint
job. Thousands of memories, good and bad, came rushing at him. He took
several deep breaths to handle the feelings he didn't know how to
process, so like usual he pushed them back down and moved forward. He
didn't even have to knock.so like his mother.

"Come in, Son. I have just finished making some of your
favorite, fried bread and have plenty of powdered sugar," he warm
voice beckoned.

He moved inside, and there on the kitchen table, for the
entrance was right into the kitchen, was fresh hot fried bread, his
favorite, even the kid in the big man still craved it now and then. He
saw her sitting in the living room working on something made of
leather. "Mother?" he said softly.

Her warm loving dark eyes looked up and met his gaze letting
him know he was more than welcomed and wanted. "Eat, than we'll talk,"
she smiled. "The others are away, I knew you'd be home today and not
ready to deal with them so I sent them on errand that will take the
whole day, now eat and come in here when your done."

Chakotay did as he was told the portions of fried bread were
small, and it was delicious as only his mother could make. Then he
moved into the living room and sat in the chair next to his mother's
typical old rocking chair, but she had loved this chair long before
she became an old woman. He saw she was working on a medium sized
leather pouch. It has many items he remembered from his childhood to
indicate a medicine bag. The type a warrior used when going on a
vision quest. What surprised him was that after she finished the last
stitch she handed it over to him.

"You will need to fill this during your journey, I'm sure you
remember all the details, it was too ingrained in you by your Father,"
she smiled.

"That is for a warrior who goes on a vision quest, I'm."

"About to begin," she finished for him as she stood up and
hugged him tightly. "You are home, your true journey begins today. The
spirits will guide you if you let them, but you walk 'their' path
now." She moved from him and handed him a small box of items that
belonged to his father's medicine bag. "He knew these would be yours
someday, he just didn't understand that it would be the spirits not
him that would chose the day." She handed the box to her middle son of
three boys and two girls.

Chakotay took the box and saw all the items that his father
insisted that he knew how to use, why, and when. He then looked up
puzzled into his mother's face; he had no intentions of being here for
more than a few hours, but now she was telling he had 'was' going on a
vision quest. His mother was never wrong on these matters, though she
spoke little of such things, but when she did, she was 'never' wrong.
"Mother.I.I didn't.I can't." he stared still finding this hard to
accept.

The Older woman looked knowingly at her confused son.
"Chakotay, son, hear me. The path you 'will' walk will be a vision
quest like no other; you do not have to go in search of it, for it
will find you. You just need to be prepared for it or you will lose
what you have just found, and trust me son, you can not afford to lose
either of those precious pieces."

The big man stood up slowly placing the contents of the box in
the bag, he didn't know what to do or what to say, he felt lost.empty.
He looked at his mother and she had that glossy look, the one that
scared many in the village, not because it meant something bad, only a
raw truth that many were not always ready to hear. He felt his body
freeze as she placed on hand on his abdomen then smiled, "This
connection is strong, make it more so, she.no.he is the keeper of your
soul. He will bring back what you have known to be lost back to you as
you will bring soundness to his chaos.love is never wrong," she
smiled.

(Tom! I knew he was special,) he smiled feeling a warmth where
his mother was touching, but she wasn't done for her hand then moved
up over his heart. He then felt empty and cold inside.

"No, son, don't dwell in the emptiness that is there, for there is no
longer need," she said. "Follow me," she whispered.

He saw her delicate fingers move over his chest to the heart
charm then her fingers seemed to grip onto something that no one but
her could see. She moved along as if following an invisible string to
the kitchen then out the door, down the porch and back in the
direction of the vehicle. He moved along next to her, puzzled, amazed,
and scared for he wasn't sure what she was doing or if he was ready to
know it himself. She moved passed the vehicle toward the crowd of
children, who seeing 'that look' in her eyes stopped playing and moved
back. They didn't run from her, they just knew what ever she was doing
was the work of the spirits, and that alone made everyone humble and
children silent. Chakotay stopped as she kept moving till she walked
up to the huffing and puffing young Bashir, who was smiling, but
seeing the children stopped, looked up to see her place her hand on
his chest. Then the look was gone, her dark eyes warmed even more, "I
knew it," she whispered.

"Um.knew what?" he asked nervously, knot knowing what was
going on.

"That you were special," she smiled.

Bashir blushed, and wiped some sweat off his face. He then
looked at Chakotay in hope of an explanation, but his expression of
blank amazement let him know the big man wasn't going to be of any
help. "Ah, Thank you," he said, then blushed again and cleared his
throat, not sure what to do.

"The ball,' she said.

"Hmm?"
"The ball. The ball has gone down the hill past the stone
wall. The children are not allowed that far, would you be so kind as
to fetch it for them?" she asked sweetly.

Thankful for a reason to leave, "No problem, I'd be glad too."
He turned to the quiet children. "I'll be back in a couple minutes,
don't worry," he smiled then ran down the hill.

Once Julian was out of hearing range she turned to the
children, "Your parents are in need of your help, go." The order was
firm but warmed from her kind heart. The children didn't need to be
told, by her twice to do anything; they ran home as she turned to her
son, a full-fledged smile on her face. "Now I know. Now I understand
why you have been so unhappy for so long, and why you fathers word had
hit you so hard."

"Why?" Was all he could ask of his Mother, for he didn't
understand what was happening.

"Your Fathers words, though filled with anger, was merely an
observation. In a manner of speaking, my son, you are only a part of
that which needs to be whole to be truly fulfilled."

"My.soul mate," he said softly, again thinking of Tom.

"For some that is all they need, for others that is only part.
You have found the keeper of your Soul, inside a part of you
recognized it and have connected to it, I am so glad. But fate was
kind to you, Son. It has let me find the keeper of your heart," she
smiled.

Chakotay thought about this for a minute, "Julian?"

She smiled, "Yes, the young man who has just left here. He
holds your hear and you the same gift you would offer the
other.being?"

"Tom," he said as his face darkens with some embarrassment. He
looked up and was very glad to see his Mother didn't hold anything
against him for this.

"The same gift you would offer Tom. And he holds the same gift
he would offer you to Julian as well; you are a rare, three parts to
make the whole. Usually it is two, but in three the heart, mind, and
soul are stronger, for they have not been split, but they are very
difficult to find, much less to join. Your journey, Chakotay 'will'
give you this rare opportunity, take it with both hands, son. Help the
three of you to truly be at peace and be happy, for as the mind of
reason, you 'must' bring and seal the pieces together."

"But.I, the family wouldn't."

"Son, don't let 'white man's' corrupt values degrade what 'we'
have known to be a beautiful thing since time began. This is the will
of the Spirits, but are you willing to walk the path to make it so? If
not, then the three of you will be left to blow in the wind, like
tumbleweeds in search of a home. You are the anchor, only you can make
it so. The vision quest is for all of you, even the others that will
travel with you. Just remember two things.trust your heart and your
soul.all 'will' work out, and it take courage to be honest and
forgiving." She then walked over to her aged son and gave him a big
hug. "Good luck, and I will thank the Spirits for giving you this
opportunity," she whispered then moved by him heading home.
 

Julian had to run all the way down the hill and saw the ball
did indeed roll beyond the broken stone wall. He was going to hop the
wall, but even with hole big enough for a ball to go through, it was
still semi tall and wide. He thought better of it, for that would be
showing off, and he just couldn't do that, someone might see. He moved
to the gate and moved by just as the wind picked up and grabbed the
ball blowing it fast and far out toward the desert and the many hills
and plateaus.

He had to run again to try and catch up with it, it belonged
to the children and he promised he'd get it back for them. The wind
blew harder, and after a while had realized he had no choice, to catch
it he would really have to run to catch it. He stopped and saw that he
was now fairly far from the buildings of the center of the
reservation. He took a deep breath and dashed. When he finally caught
the ball, he felt a glow inside him, for it had been many years since
he just let go, even for a few minutes. He could see that no one was
around so he started to play with the soccer ball the way he knew he
could, but would never do in front of others. He had kept it from
touching the ground for a good five minutes without his hands before
he caught the ball and stopped. He felt something again. It was
different than what he felt at the reservation a while ago; this was
different, familiar. He turned around trying to pick up what it was,
he knew it came from the inside of him, but he wasn't sure of what to
do about it.

He took several steps in different directions, the feeling got
fainter or slightly stronger, till he moved SW when it got real
strong. What ever was.calling to him was coming from this direction.
He thought about heading back, but he had never felt any of the
feelings he had since coming to this place, now another feeling was
overwhelming him, calling him, it was if he was being asked to.come.
He tucked the ball under his arm and started to move SW where he saw a
large plateau in the distance. He waked for a few more minutes and as
the feeling grew he moved faster, soon he was running, running like he
could, not like he should if others were around him.he was flying like
a cheetah and was gone.
 

*********************

Miles had everything he though they would need loaded in the
back of the truck and headed out of town then when he though he was
far enough he left the road and headed back toward the shuttle as fast
as the old vehicle would let him. He didn't complain too much, it was
a hundred times better than trying to lug all this stuff on his back
and walk. What would have been almost a days walk only took him
several hours. He stepped from the truck and moved in carefully to
make sure all was well. He saw the shuttle and heard the door open.

"Garak?"

"Chief O'Brien, I was beginning to wonder if you had decided
to settle down here after all," the Cardassian teased, not wanting to
show his relief at seeing the human.

Miles noted that Garak had donned a pair of jeans and a long
sleeved shirt with a deep hood. "Going somewhere?" he asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I was. But one of the two reasons I
have for departing this location has just arrived," he smiled. Then
before Miles could feel any warmth from the comment, "the food and
water is most welcomed."

Miles narrowed his eyes, "Help me unload the truck," he
replied dryly.

They two moved silently for a while when O'Brien remembered,
"Two. You said one of the two reasons you had for leaving was no
longer an issue. What was the second?"

"Ah, that is a most fascinating matter," Garak replied. "It
would seem that 'I' am not the 'only' alien being on this planet."

O'Brien stopped in his tracks. "What? There was no alien
contact during the twentieth century!"

"Well, besides that this is not 'our' time line, the fact
remains that there 'are' aliens on this planet and they are doing
something with the humans, but I don't know what. The only thing I do
know was that I discovered this a few days ago and decided to
investigate it since I located them not far from here. I left you a
message incase you had somehow gotten back before I did. This turned
out to be prudent, for next thing I knew I'm waking in front of the
shuttle, the phaser and tricorder gone and not remembering a thing.
Had it not been for the detailed message I had left for you, I would
not have had a clue."

Miles wanted to ask if the Cardassian was messing with him,
but after spending couple months with him, he had learned to tell, at
least, when he was serious, and now he was serious. "They mind blanked
you?"

"Apparently, but only the part that had to do with them. I did
list the location on which I had detected them, but decided to wait
for you before.trying to investigate it again, if at all."

Miles and Garak exited the cave to get the last of their
supplies. "I'm not sure what we should do. I'm not crazy about the
idea of aliens messing with earth, even if it isn't our time line."

"Then I suggest we." Garak stopped. He felt something touch
his foot. He looked down and saw a dirty round sphere with ragged
material fraying off it. He looked to see where it came from,
"Julian!"

Miles whirled around at the sound of Garak's voice and saw the young
Julian, though except for the glasses, looked more like his old self,
standing there staring, stunned at Garak. His eyes were open wide, his
jaw slack, he was in shock. "How the hell!" he replied.
 

**************

"Thank you," Mulder was saying, as he shook the Elder's hand
as he exited the Council's gathering, feeling very privileged to be
welcomed inside. He saw Chakotay sitting under one of the few tall
trees in the area, he seemed to be mediating, and for once looked
peaceful. (Three years of not being home, two of them in hell, I don't
know how he did it, but I'm glad he can still find peace,) Mulder
mused. Then he looked around and saw the children were no where about
and there was no sign of Julian anywhere. He didn't want to disturb
him, so moved by the stoic man and went in search of Bashir.

After searching for over half an hour he started asking
questions on his way back if anyone had seen the young man, they said
no. He hurried back to Chakotay.

"Have you seen Julian?" he asked concerned. He had to ask
several times before Chakotay heard him.

"He went to get the ball," Chakotay mused as he got his barring again.
He had never has such an intense meditation before. He met a strong
female wolf and they talked.they really talked, and she seemed to know
him better than he knew himself. As he felt himself being pulled away
from where ever he was she said she would be honored to be his spirit
guide, then he was facing Mulder, who he now noticed was a bit upset.
"The soccer ball. He went to get it," he said as he got up.

"How long ago was that? I've been searching for him for almost
forty-five minuets now," he exuberated.

Chakotay had taken in this information, then he looked at his
watch, (Have I really been out of it that long?) Then concern filled
his own face, "I saw him last this way," he said as he headed down the
hill toward the stone wall.

When the got there the gate was left open, but no sign of the
young man. Chakotay leaned down to the ground, actually grateful for
one of the skills his father had taught him. "He came this way, I see
his tracks, no one else here was wearing these kind of sneakers," he
said as he started to follow them trail. After a few minutes he
stopped and looked with disbelief toward Mulder.

"What?" Mulder asked.

"The trail continues, but the pace.I'm not as good at this as
I should be, I can't." He wanted to say that according to the tracks,
Julian just suddenly bolted like lighting across the desert, but that
was impossible. But the fact that the trail 'was' still there and led
into the desert was the only clue they had. "Get the truck," was all
he said and continued to follow the trail as Mulder ran as fast as he
could back to get the vehicle.

Tom and Scully had followed the signal as it led them out to the
dessert. They were getting close when as luck would have it they got a
flat tire. The good news was that the signal had just gone to the edge
of their tracking limit and stopped.

"Scully helped Tom get the spear tire out from the back of the
truck. "Well, he's not far and out in the middle of nowhere, we should
be able to fine him no problem, though I can't help but wonder why
anyone would want to hold up out here?"

"Who knows. Drug lab or smuggling? Maybe he's just a rich
eccentric inventor, who knows. Hey get the jack will ya?" Tom asked.

Dana gave him the jack and he proceeded to change the tire.
"Hey, guess they didn't call this place Mesa Flats for nothing, huh?"
he teased as he rolled the damaged tire to the back of the vehicle.

She just groaned at the bad comment. "So, how did you land in
New Mexico, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, you mean because of dear ol' dad?" he mused with just a
tad of bitterness. "Well, it's mostly luck," he smiled trying to hid
the negative emotion he had let slip about his father. "I was in the
right place at the right time to overhear they wanted an experienced
agent to help take down Sisko, but they needed to becarefull for there
as an agent undercover and they couldn't risk blowing his cover; not
only because Sisko's friends may come looking for him, but also
because if things didn't go as planned he'd still be needed in his
position. I jumped at the chance," he grinned. "Though I admit I had
to push my record in their face a bit before they said yes. And of
course I didn't tell my father, he likes his little boy close to
home," Tom smiled as he finished tightening up the bolt to the tire
and lowering the jack. "Thanks," he said as Dana gave him some water
to drink. "The rest as they say is history," he smiled.

"I know you get razzed about getting special treatment because
who your dad is, but I've known you for a while and have seen your
record. You've earned every promotion, commendation on there, 'you'
not your dad. You're a damn good agent Tom, but if your not happy
doing a Washington desk job, than don't. If I've learned anything from
being an FBI agent, a doctor and mostly Mulder's partner, is that life
is way too precious not to live it right. I know that's easier to say
than do, believe me, I'm trying to follow my own advice, and I'm still
falling short," she smiled.

Tom got up and wiped his face and got more sunscreen for his
skin, he was touched by her words and their sincerity. "Well, I
believe what you say is true, I just don't know if I have what it
takes to 'swim' up stream as it were instead of just going with the
flow?"

"Well, I think you have what it takes, but in the long run,"
she was saying as he got in the truck, "it's what 'you' believe that
counts."

Tom was taken by his temporary partner's faith in him. "Shall
we go find out our Mr. O'Brien's little secret?" he smirked
mischievously.

"Lets," she grinned back equally mischievously.
 

****************

"So? What do we do with him?" Miles quietly asked Garak as he
moved the fixated Cardassian away from this world's Julian Bashir who
was now sitting in the shuttle still stunned.

"I'm not sure," Garak finally replied. "What were you doing
out in the middle of the desert?" he asked the stunned young man, not
sure if he'd get an answer.

Julian just stared, eyes wide. Then, "I came from the
reservation," he murmured.

"Reservation?" Garak asked.

"A Native American reservation," Miles replied. "Not on our
most proud of actions list, but it was a place where most of those of
Native American decent had to live. I think it was one of the more
stupidest of ideas, but that's probably why they all gathered one day
in the future when space travel was more common and left to find their
own home." He finished shaking his head in shame of humans' poor past.
Then he looked up, "There wasn't human life detected closer than the
town, and that was a distance on foot"

"Which direction is the reservation?" Garak asked, unable to
stop smiling at the wide-eyed look of Julian Bashir, even if he wore
stupid spectacles, the tight shirt and pants hugged his body very
well.

"North east," he said softly, still in shock. "You're.you're
aliens aren't you?"

"Bright boy," Garak quipped with a smile.

"Oh, good going, Garak. Now what? Do we just unfold out the
entire computer for him?"

"You!" Julian said as if coming to his senses. "You were the
one in the FBI office that knew my name! O'Brien wasn't it?"

It was Garak's turn to looked stunned, but at Miles for not
mentioning anything along the lines of meeting Julian or this FBI
office. "Chief? Was there something you forgot to mention earlier?"

"Ah, yeah, but it can wait. If 'he's' out here, then those
other agents have to be around too. I have to hide the truck, you keep
an eye on him, and 'don't' let him leave, understand?" Miles ordered
with irritation in his voice. "It will probably be a few hours, for
there is no place close to hide it, and I'll have to walk back," he
growled then left the shuttle.

Garak locked the shuttle door after O'Brien, then turned to
face his 'captive' with a very charming smile. "So, Julian, what 'do'
you do on this world?" came the odd question.

"Um.work? I. I'm a forensic Scientist-Engineer. Um.for the
FBI," he replied, still staring at Garak. "Where.where did 'you' come
from? Is Miles like you only in disguise? Why do you have scales?" he
started spouting.

Garak couldn't help the smile again; this young man was
starting to sound just like his Julian the first time 'they' met. "Ah,
so many questions," he teased as he moved closer, glad to see that
Julian didn't flinch as he drew near. "My people are called
Cardassians, and of course, I am a Cardassian," he smiled his most
charming. He saw dark eyes light under his stare, (oh still so lovely)
he thought. "I have scales, because my ancestors derived from the
reptilian life form that was dominant on my planet as yours was more
primate."

"Cardassian?" he said trying out the word. He looked closer,
you seem more humanoid than lizard,' he innocently quipped. He didn't
think, he just reached out gently and touched Garak's face, running
his fingers on the scales. "Soft, like I'd imagine a dragons' to be,
not a typical reptilian," he said his eyes transfixed on the creature
before him.

Garak grinned ear to ear. "Pray tell, what is a dragon?" he
asked carefully so not to startle the young man's touch on his face.
(His fingers are so sensuous,) he sighed internally.

Julian looked up to meet the deep hypnotic gaze of crystal
blue eyes, then blushed. He removed his hand slowly; "They are
mythical creatures of reptilian design, but of noble and pragmatic
bearing.well most of them. It is said that besides their mass
intelligence, and highly organized culture, they had powers of magic,
and unlike other reptiles, their scales were prized. They were said to
possess the magic of the dragon itself. Sadly, humans being what they
are, were said to hunt them, taking their scales which were said to be
soft as silk.like yours," he finished feeling his face blushed and he
shied his eyes away.

Garak's eyes filled with desire and mischievousness. "You're curious
aren't you? How I look, how I 'feel?" he asked softly moving just a
bit closer to the scrumptious young man.

Julian felt drawn to this alien, it was crazy, but true.
(Perhaps he's messing with my mind,) he thought. "Meeting an alien
is.fascinating," he replied nervously as he subconsciously took a
small step backwards, now leaning up against some type of console.

"My skin is softer than the ridges," he said lowering his
voice to a seductive tone. "Do you.want to feel?'

Julian's curiosity was filling him, this urge to touch and
explore this being before him was powerful, and all he could do was
shake his head yes. (Those eyes, that smile, what 'is' he doing to
me? I should resist.)

Garak was now only inches way from Julian, he could feel the
heat fluster within the young man's body, pleased to see that he was
not alone in his desire, even if Bashir wasn't totally aware of it.
"There is one catch though," he said, his voice lower, softer, his
eyes locked with Julian's. "I'll let you explore my body, but I get to
explore yours as well, deal?" he dared to run a finger along Julian's
flushed golden cheek. "Hmm, soft," he purred.

Julian couldn't think very well, he raised his hand and
started touching Garak's face in return, then let his fingers trace
the ridges and they did indeed find the difference in texture
appealing. First it was just his fingers then his hand, then both
hands were feeling the scales and ridges of the body in front of him.

Garak matched touch for touch at this point. The only problem
was that his erogenous zones were different than Julian's so when
supple fingers ran down his neck his body gave a slight shutter. He
was pleased to see it produced a smile from Julian, as if on some
subconscious level the young man knew what he was doing and was
enjoying it. Garak decided to push the pace a little by moving down to
Julian's chest letting his fingers move under the shirt touching skin.
Julian was now matching him movements. When the tailor caressed
Julian's nipples his body shivered, (he likes this as much as I do,)
he smiled, seeing Julian's dark eyes that were glazing over with
desire.

As their hands finally traced each other down to one another's
waist, Garak moved in and lowered his lips on to Julian's. He kissed
the young man, first soft and slow, but as their mouths continued to
touch, he felt Julian's lips part and he plunged his tongue in to
taste the hot sweet mouth he had wanted for so long. "Hmmm" he replied
through the kiss. He was even more pleased to hear moans of pleasure
slip from Julian's mouth as Garak pulled Julian into a full tight
embrace and let his hands caress his firm back and backside.

They were no longer just touching for exploration, they were
making out, their bodies pressed against each other with desire, want
and need. Garak cupped Julian's shapely round butt and lifted him onto
the console, then with his own legs pushed his thighs apart so he
could move in closer, so Julian could feel his erection pressed
against Julian's own. The sensation sent fire through his veins. He
pulled off Julian's shirt then his own, then without hesitation went
back to deeply kissing the golden treasure he had in his arms.
Julian's hands were all over his body, searching out his sensitive
zones, and when he found one he didn't forget it. Garak wanted to ask
Julian if he could be inside him, but felt that words at this point
could be a disaster, it could make Julian think, and he didn't want
Julian to do anything but what he was doing, responding with pure
passion.

He reached down and pulled off Julian's shoes and socks, then
reached in and started to undo the button and then the zipper of
Julian's pants, feeling his hard member spring forth once it had it's
freedom. Then with one arm pulled the lilth body up so he could pull
off both the pants and underwear. Soon he had a very naked passionate
Julian in his arms. He was about to reach for his own pants but felt
Julian all ready there, doing the same thing, his fingers were so
nimble and had Garak's pants undone in record time. Then as he stepped
out of them and pulled Julian around him again, their hot flesh
touching. "Yes!" he hissed feeling Julian fully against his body.

"Oh!" Julian cried in delight. (I don't know when I decided to
become an intergalactic whore, but fuck this feels good!) He started
to rub himself against Garak, wondering if this male being knew what
to do with 'his' body. He didn't have to wait to find out. Garak had
him up in his arms, letting Julian's muscular legs wrapped around his
waist, one hand around his slim waist supporting most of his weight,
(Damn he's strong.) The other sliding down to his clefts, then his
finger moved between them, then to his entrance, then "Oh heavens!" he
shouted in delight. (He knows! He knows!) his mind kept shouting as
Garak's fingers were fucking him into frenzy.

"Let me in you," Garak whispered.

"Yes, yes, oh heavens yes!"

Though Julian missed the fingers he didn't complain for he
knew he'd feel something better soon. He felt Garak lean him back on
the console, lifting his rear over the alien's erection, then felt the
moist warm member start to push in. "Oh! Yes, more!" he shouted. He
felt Garak plunge into him. Then he started slow, thrusting in and out
of his body, driving him mad, insane, "Take me," he whispered, he
wanted this so badly.

Garak started to thrust harder at hearing his young lover's
request, but he didn't want to lose control, he didn't want to hurt
Julian, but as he felt Julian's body pushing back, thrusting himself
deeper onto his erection he couldn't control it anymore. He started to
thrust deeper, harder, and with every cry of pleasure he heard Julian
shout he did it again and again, till he was pumping wildly, roaring
his own cries of pleasure. Julian's body was so hot and tight, and
feeling him wiggle with delight under him, knowing he was bringing his
love such intimate joy, shoved him over the top. He pumped and thrused
then his body convulsed the hardest it had ever done and he felt his
seed flow into the delectable body he was possessing. Seconds later he
felt Julian's body follow suite with cries of delight that would fill
the cavern had the shuttle not been soundproofed.

The two of them lay there panting, not moving. Then Garak felt
he could move and slowly slipped from his lover's body and pulled the
panting young man to him for a deep kiss. Then when the kiss ended he
looked into deep dark questioning eyes. "I hope you enjoyed that as
much as I did," he whispered.

"Much," sleepy. He usually had a good endurance, but he was
not use to sex, he had practically been a virgin most of his youth,
till 18, even then he didn't let to many close to him. When he started
noticing how different he was he pulled away from people, so he hadn't
had sex, except with Mulder the other night, in years. He felt his
body being picked up in strong arms then felt himself being carried
than laid down on a bed of some sort. As his eyes drifted shut he felt
a gentle touch and a warm moist cloth and a soothing voice, then
darkness.then dreams of another place.

For Garak's peace of mind and for the young man's he cleaned
Julian up then dressed the sleeping beauty. Garak noticed that Julian
was all ready in REM State. (I must have worn him out?) He mused to
himself. (Ah, of course, he'd only be human in this time line,) Garak
smiled. (I bet Julian would be pleased to know that in some time line
he was just as smart, capable, and beautiful without any enhancement,)
he mused then headed back to the front of the shuttle, he had a
console that needed a bit of house keeping.
 

*****************

"Chakotay? How could he have gotten this far without our
seeing him?" Mulder shouted from the truck as he slowly drove so the
big Indian could follow the track from the passenger window.

"Look!" he snapped. "I don't know how? But the tracks are
clear, and it 'is' the same shoe prints we started out with, and with
the wind blowing like it is, they aren't that old! I don't get it
either, but the fact is.the tracks are his, their current and they
lead this way!" His face was flushed, for he was mystified at how the
track indicated that Julian was traveling faster than a desert coyote,
but if he didn't see it with his own eye, he knew he wouldn't believe
it. Also, with the information from his mother, that Julian was a part
of him.his heart.and the gut feeling that Julian was in danger made
him upset.

"I'm worried too," Mulder said in responded, knowing they both
shared the same emotion. "I didn't mean to question your skill,
it's.well, it's so open out here.. And."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't take my frustration out on you,"
Chakotay said, feeling a bit shamed at loosing his temper, something
he hadn't done in almost three years. (But I didn't have my heart or
soul about me either,) he thought. "I can't explain it, only follow
what I see, and they lead that way." he stopped a realization dawning
on him. "Mesa Red Flats!" he suddenly said. "That's were Tom and I
were originally heading before we got mixed up with that O'Brien
person, and the tracks are heading right there!" he said pointing
straight a head seeing the plateau far ahead.

"Do you think?"

Chakotay looked out the passenger window to the tracks on the
ground then up to the plateau a head before leaning back in the
vehicle looking at Mulder. "Yeah, I think."

Mulder hit the gas and headed to Mesa Red Flats.
 
 

"Well, well, well," Tom smirked when he was the plateau not
far from their location. "It's too much of a coincidence that O'Brien
was at the Flats a while ago, even if he is heading in another
direction now. That's where I saw that craft I spoke of the other
day."

"Well, by the tracker, he moved 30 miles away and is snailing
his way back," Dana Scully replied.

"My guess, dropped off his load, decided to hide the truck and
is walking back, so where ever he was doesn't have room to hide it."

She smiled. "That's a big deduction, most likely true, but a
big one. Hey!"

"What?" Tom said, taking his eyes off the desert in front for
a moment to look at her.

"Isn't that the other 4x4?"

Tom looked, "Sure looks like it, but only one way to know for
sure," he said and slightly changed directions.

Within minutes the two agents were getting out of their
vehicle to see Mulder and Chakotay exit theirs.

"Have you seen Julian?" Mulder asked with concern.

"No, he was with you," she replied noticing the worry. "What
happened?"

"We don't know. We were at the reservation and he was.playing
with some of the local children when the soccer ball rolled down the
large hill and beyond the reservations wall. He went to get it.that
was hours ago," Chakotay said, a small smile remembering the play,
then concern when discussing the disappearance. "I've been tracking
him, seems he's on foot, but somehow still managing to stay ahead of
us, and we have the truck.they lead to Mesa Red Flat."

"Whoa!" Tom gasped. "We tracked O'Brien there, though he's
about 25 miles in that direction, he stopped for a long time period
there, and we think he hid the truck and is walking back."

"How? How could he possibly get from the reservation to the
plateau on foot a head of you?" Scully wondered out loud.

They all looked puzzled, "We'll ask him when we find him," Tom
quipped, determined to keep a positive attitude here. "Lets go see why
Mesa Red Flats is so popular all of a sudden, shall we?"

They all nodded, jumped into their trucks and headed to the
place called Mesa Red Flats. Chakotay led them around to the far side
then they saw the large cavern entrance on the far side.

"Mesa Hollow," Chakotay replied with a sense of remembrance, and
superstion. "My father use to tell me, and all the children never to
play around here, that the spirits around here were.unnatural."

"Do the tracks lead here?" Mulder asked, not caring about
superstion at the moment.

Chakotay looked around, then after a few minutes. "Yes, but
there are two other set of foot prints, and tire tracks of a truck.
They 'all' lead into the cave," he finished standing slowly looking at
the cave with apprehension and concern.

"This doesn't make sense!" Tom grumbled. "Julian just
arrived.how can he be connected to O'Brien? Unless he's involved in."

"Don't go there, Tom" Chakotay suggested quietly for his own
sake as well as in response he saw building in Mulder's face. "We'll
find out soon enough."

They all moved back to the vehicles, made themselves
comfortable by removing jackets, and double-checked all their weapons
and placing their badges in place as was standard procedure. Then they
gave each other a nod and headed to the cavern entrance, Chakotay and
Tom with flashlight.
 

***************

Garak could see activity on the far edge of the cavern
entrance, it was people, and O'Brien's moving the truck didn't help
after all. "Garak to O'Brien"

"Yes?"

"It seems your attempt at keeping those people you were
concerned with away has failed. There is a small group heading this
way."

"Is the shuttle locked up?"

"Yes, but they will see it, though I have raised the front
shutters so they can't see inside."

"How is Julian? Does he know?"

"The.young man is resting, the strain being.too much for him."

"Damn! Well, it'll take too long for me to walk there, and
power is still low."

"It's either you return in that vehicle or I beam you aboard,
either way we still have a problem.for we 'have' been discovered."

Garak waited for a few minutes knowing O'Brien was debating
the situation. "I'll go back and get the truck, then be there as soon
as I can. Just let them quietly poke around the outside. When I get
there, I'll stun them, then we'll move them outside, and when they
wake we and the shuttle will be gone."

"What about.Julian?" he asked not use to his name since he
always called him Doctor, but in this world he wasn't.

"One problem at a time, Damn it! I'm an engineer not a Doctor!
It's not like I can wipe his memory or anything! Now, be quiet, keep
him quiet, and let me handle it! O'Brien out." The com link closed.

"He's a very stressed out man isn't he?" Julian said startling
the Cardassian.

Garak turned to see the young man was up, looking particular
seductive in his movement, though it was more due to the afterglow of
sex, as he walked further in the room and that he totally forgot about
those ridiculous spectacles. He moved up to Garak and rubbed his hand
gently up his chest. (Oh, this is wonderful, but not the right time,)
he mused then snapped out of it as he saw not lust but sadness.
"Julian?"

"I don't know how I know this, but I'm not your destiny," he
whispered as he placed a kiss on his cheek. "I have to go," he said
then started moving toward the door.

Garak was stunned for a moment, then, "You can't leave right
now." Then got another surprise as Julian simply punched in the
shuttle door code that he and O'Brien use. The doors were opening.
"How?"

Julian looked bashful, "I saw you do it," he smiled timidly.

(I only did it once in front of him.how?) Garak was thinking
as he started to move to stop Julian from leaving, but it was too
late.

"Stop FBI!"

"It's okay, Mulder," Julian replied from the entrance. "It's
me, Julian." The young Doctor held his hands up in front of his face
as flashlight beam hit his eyes, then relaxed as Mulder, Chakotay,
Paris, and Scully rushed up around him, then locked eyes and Guns on
the alien figure behind him.

"What the hell?" Tom shouted.

"Spirits!" Chakotay blurted out standing protectively in front
of Julian and Tom.

"Mulder, Look! Another type!" Scully exclaimed.

"Are you with the other ones?" Mulder demanded. He remembered
the horrors the other aliens he and Scully had found, he didn't know
what to think, this didn't look anything like them, but it wasn't
human."

"What do you mean another one?" Tom glared at Scully with
surprise.

"Another type of Alien life," Scully replied to her amazement.

"Hey!" Julian replied annoyed as he stepped around Chakotay in
front of the Garak. "Put your weapons away! Is this anyway to greet
strangers to our world?" he looked angry, annoyed, and protective.
"This is..." he turned to the Cardassian. "I'm sorry, I forgot your
name all ready," he smiled with a touch of embarrassment.

"Garak. Elim Garak," he said as charming and as non-threating
as possible."

"Ah, yes, Mr. Garak. Yes, he 'is' and alien, but just because
he's not from here doesn't mean we have to go off half-cocked.okay?"

"Julian? Are you feeling all right?" Mulder asked with concern
that his friend and lover would be defending an alien he just met.

"I'm find, just feeling a bit ashamed at our behavior. I mean.
Why did we put up all those satallight probes and signals to contact
alien life if, once we meet one we act like this?" He looked a shamed
as he turned to Garak. "I apologize on the behalf of my people, Mr.
Garak. But.this 'isn't ' something that happens everyday."

"Well, it obvious does happen or that one, and that one,"
gesturing to Mulder and Scully, "wouldn't have made mention of me
being 'another' type?"

Now, Mulder and Scully were the center of attention. Mulder
spoke first, "Sorry Julian. I didn't think you would have been too
keen on the idea of helping look for proof of alien life, though
everything I told you was true, I.just left some stuff out."

"I know it's hard to believe, but there are aliens on this
planet, and they have done some very awful things," Scully added, then
looked at Garak. "You're the first one who ever bothered to talk to us
without attempting to kill us at the same time," she replied lowering
her gun.

"Aliens?" Tom mumbled, he was still trying to take all this
in.

"Well, far be it for me to add to that list," Garak smiled.
"But I would agree you should have your concerns, since there 'is'
another race hiding inside the plateau."

"Are they green and goockiey?" Mulder asked.

"No. They seem small, large dark almond shaped eyes; large
heads, long limbs, and have humans with them for an unknown reason. I
attempted to discover why, but I was.unable. Though I do know their
location?" Garak offered hoping to take their attention off of him to
the others, giving O'Brien time to return.

"Are you.'really' from another planet?" Tom asked unsure.

"Yes I am, Mr. Paris," Garak replied. (Damn! O'Brien must be
influencing me, for that was stupid.)

"You.know me?"

"He's with Mr. O'Brien," Julian added. Then turned to Garak,
"he knew me as well, how?"

(Well, why not. They most likely won't believe me anyway.)
Garak smiled. "I'm not only from another planet, I and Mr. O'Brien are
from another.dimension. We got trapped in an anomaly and now were
trying to get home. The reason we know you.is because.we do. You see
we happen to be friends in our world. Though I must admit, I only met
Mr. Chakotay and Mr. Paris recently," (They don't need to know about
the other dimensions, too long of a story anyway,) "But I have not had
the pleasure of meeting the other gentlemen or the lovely young lady,"
he smiled charmingly.

"This is 'really' getting to be too much. Out! Now!" Tom
shouted aggressively. He waved the gun to indicate he wanted the
'alien' to move a head of him and outside.

"Tom!" Julian replied, but he could see by the looks of the
other men, they were too caught up in their concerns at the moment. He
was quiet, and gave an apologetic look to Garak.

They all moved out side to the two vehicles, but timing
couldn't have been worse for O'Brien for he was just getting out of
the truck when he was face to face with two guns in his face.

"Mr. O'Brien," Tom smirked coolly, "perhaps 'now' you'll
answer a few question."

Scully and Paris escorted him to the other vehicles where Julian was
drinking some water away from those who had guns trained on Garak. He
eyed the Cardassian coldly, (Damn idiot! I told him to stay in the
shuttle, now look at us!)

Tom looked at Garak and O'Brien then at Mulder and Scully,
"All right! Give! What the HELL is this all about?"

"I told you," Mulder said. "But if you wan the long version."

"Damn right I do!" Tom replied as he moved closer to the other
agents, but not till he cuffed O'Brien and Garak back to back so they
wouldn't be running anywhere.

"Good work, Mr. Obsidian agent," Miles shot in a cold whisper.

"How was I to know that Julian could remember the accesses
code to the shuttle by only seeing it once?"

"Duh! Enhanced mind?"

"They don't have that technology now, I thought he was a normal
human?"

Miles was about to snap quietly again at the Cardassian when
he realized he was right. "Julian should only be a normal person,
you're right. But it is 'not' unheard of humans having photographic
memories."

"And 'I' was suppose to know this?" Garak muses till both were
told to remain quite for a while, by Scully. (Well, at least 'she' is
polite about it.)

"Julian?" Chakotay walked up to the young man that was sitting on the
hood of the darker truck drinking some water. He had noticed that the
young man looked distant, sad, dehydrated, and didn't seem to be
bothered one bit about not wearing his glasses. He walked up quietly,
"Julian? How.how did you get out here so fast? I.we were worried about
you? What happened?" he asked feeling his emotions whirling around
him.

Julian placed the empty small bottle back in his duffel bag,
then looked up and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. "I don't
know," he lied. "I just remember being outside the wall then outside
here, but I'm fine," he finished as he opened his eyes to see the dark
pools of intense concern looking at him. Julian was feeling all
confused; too much was happening to him too fast. First he was on a
plane, which he hates, then Mulder.(sadly I know he's not my destiny
either) he sighed inside. Then the reservation.(that place felt good,)
he smiled softly, knowing Chakotay was watching as his expressions
changed while he was thinking. Then the calling.then Garak.now.
"Chakotay?" he asked in a very hushed voice.

"Yes?"

Julian felt he wanted to say something else, "We have a
problem, we can't let anyone harm them. They didn't do anything wrong,
and somehow I think we both know our government isn't 'that'
understanding." His dark eyes pleading with the big man before him.

"Your right," he replied, feeling drawn even more to the young
man before him, but he resisted. "I'll go talk with the other agents,
I'm sure we can figure it out together," he smiled reassuringly.

"Thank you," Julian replied, his eyes turning warmly softy
with a small curl to his lips.

Chakotay had overheard most of what Mulder and Scully was
telling Tom. He had to admit the story was too amazing to believe, but
he knew it was true. His people had told tales of other spirits from
the stars for generations. Only now were they starting to have real
meaning for him. "So, what do we do now? We can't really turn them
over.what have they done wrong?"

"Besides being aliens that may be like the other's attempting
to take over, who know," Mulder replied a bit hostile. "My sister was
abducted when she was a child. No one would believe me when I said it
was aliens. Though most of our government doesn't know, a dangerous
few do, but are manipulating it to their advantage. This will be proof
to the world."

"Um.excuse me," Miles said.

"Be quite!" Mulder snapped, his emotions taking control.

"I can't say I don't agree," Tom added. "I mean without them,
we have no proof of any of this. Plus, did you 'see' that 'ship'?
Think about what we can learn from it?"

"Um.excuse me," Miles said again a bit more insistent.

"What is it, Mr. O'Brien?" Scully asked, her patients running
thin from the stress and the heat.

"Oh, I only thought you might want to know, that 'Julian' has
left." Miles said dryly.

"What?" Chakotay whiled around to where he left the young man,
his bag was gone and so was he.
 

"Why would Julian go off like that?" Tom wondered out loud,
now he was concerned; this was odd behavior, even for a geek
scientist, no matter how sexy he looked.

"Well, he was moving very quickly toward the base of the
plateau there," Miles said, he was concerned for the young man for he
looked too much like his Julian not too.

"No!" Garak responded. He tried to turn around to see where
Miles was referring too, though hurting both their wrists in the
process. "That's where those other aliens I told you about are
located. We have to stop him!" he didn't bother to hide his concern
this time.

"I'm going after him," Chakotay said. "Tom you should stay
here and keep an eye out for trouble." He wanted to keep the blond
safe, but could see by the quick answer coming he wouldn't be able to
do it.

"Hell no! I'm coming too. These two," gesturing to Mulder and
Scully, "Can baby sit."

"We have more experience in these matters," Mulder quipped in.

"Let us help?" Miles said. "We have.technology that will help
find him and deal with most alien life forms."

"Oh, and why should we trust you?" Mulder snapped.

"Because, as I told you before," Garak said looking at
Chakotay and Paris, "we are friends in the other dimension. In our
world Julian is a brilliant Medical doctor, and a 'very' good friend
of mine," Garak stated with determined conviction. "The time we are
wasting could be that much less he has before they get their hands on
him, plus, their entrance is hidden and 'we' can find it. It would
take you hours to our minutes.chose!" his eyes were a fire with
concern for Julian's danger.

Chakotay was gathering the flashlights and more ammo just in
case as he listen, he was going, he didn't care who went with him
(except Tom, he wanted him safe and sound) but he wasn't wasting time.
He saw his blond love move with out hesitation, his mind made up and
removed the cuffs.

"What are you doing?" Mulder shouted.

"Call me nuts, but I believe him. Besides, ship or no ship, I
wouldn't take anyone into custody simply for being what they are. You
can do what you want but I'm outta here," he said as he grabbed his
stuff and was soon moving away with Chakotay.

Scull looked at the frustration of mixed emotions on Mulder's
face then at Miles and Garak that were still not moving due to the gun
still pointing at them. "Can you really track him faster?"

"Yes!" Garak snapped, "Just let us do it."
 
 

Since Garak had a general idea of the location and the help of
the tricorder they were able to locate the entrance again, this time
there was a barrier. Garak and Miles were working quietly with the
tricorder talking things that no one understood, too technical.

"This is just a wall!" Tom snapped.

"But Julian's foot prints end here, at the wall, like he moved
by it. No, they must be right, how else could it be so?"

"We've seen some strange technology, anything is possible,"
Scully said, giving Mulder a smile of I-guess-I-finally
believe-you-after-all-these-years.

"Got it!" Miles exclaimed as he swiped the tricorder over the
wall then it blinked out and there was a cave entrance.

"Damn!" Tom replied.

"We need to be quiet, they may be able to detect us. Plus,
since they may also be expecting us also may I suggest extra caution,"
Garak said.

"Pity you lost the other phaser," Miles whispered. "I'd feel
much better about this, since I don't like the idea of projectiles
bouncing around us."

"Just be glad you have one and there was an extra tricorder,
now shall we?" Garak said leading the way.

They got close to the far end of the cavern, "I'm picking up a
human life sign moving in our direction," Miles said softly.

The little group, taking his word moved to the sides of the
cave to wait to see who it was. They noticed that there was low
illumination in the cavern that flashlights were not really needed
this far in. They saw a silhouette of a slim figure move in the middle
of the cavern and keep walking steadily.

"Julian?" Mulder asked when he saw the young man walking back,
carrying his duffel bag casually.

The group moved to him, "Are you all right?" Scully asked
concerned.

"That was pretty stupid," Tom snapped though concern was on
his face too.

"What did you see?" Miles asked.

"First, I'm fine. Second, I had to check out what Mr. Garak
said about the aliens.it appears they have gone. Third, I doubt it is
any more 'stupid' than 'you' would have done," he said with a small
smile to Tom.

"But the wall?" Miles said in soft protest.

"What wall?" Julian asked puzzled.

"We had to force our way in here," Chakotay said, still
concerned.

"Really? Well, it was an open cave when I got here. Perhaps I
triggered something.

"Perhaps," Mulder said. But I want to take a look anyway as he
moved passed the young man further down the cavern.

"Mulder!" Julian shouted in exasperation. Then he looked at
the group, "Guess we should follow," he said then turned around and
moved after the agent.

"I would have thought the wall would have been used to keep
people out, not in," Scully mused out loud as the group moved to catch
up with Mulder.

"My thoughts exactly," Garak said.

They reached Mulder who was standing a top the ridge of the
deep cavern where he could see the large purple ship and tiny aliens
that fit the thousands of descriptions he has read about over the
years. As the group caught up to him he turned, standing akimbo, "You
lied?" he said looking at Julian

They all looked at him as he shrugged, "Yes, I did," he said
flatly. "I tried to make this easy for you. We leave, by the time
anyone came back all would be gone, but." he said as he pulled out a
hand held phaser. "I guess, you'll just have to become apart of the
circle instead."

"Julian?" several of them said in disbelief.

Miles tried to slowly slip his hand to reach for his phaser.

"I wouldn't bother Mr. O'Brien. Your weapon won't do you any
good. It's a cheap copy I made back in the office." He looked at all
the surprise faces and grinned. "If you'd be so kind as to move that
way," he said.

"Julian? Why are you doing this?" Scully asked.

"Did they mess with your mind?" Mulder asked.

Julian laughed. "Yes, you might say that." He saw that Tom, Chakotay
were tensing as if to pounce. "Don't think I won't shoot. I 'do' know
how to use this. I has a various level of energy disspersment, the
highest setting would kill you, as several of the lowers would do
too."

"How could you know that?" Miles snapped.

"Simple, I took it apart." He looked at Mulder who was staring in
disbelief and sorrow. "I'm sorry I never gave you all the answers I
discovered, but I didn't think you could handle it, nor did I want
anyone to know I had figured them out."

"You're.. You're one of them?" Mulder asked, his hear wrenching.

Julian smiled, "Yes and no. I'm the result of their work here.I
just.didn't know."

"Work here?" Tom asked.

Chakotay stopped a moment and looked into Julian's eyes.he could sense
something.a struggle. "Julian? Do you 'really' want to hurt us?" he
asked softly, staring deep into the young man's eyes. For a moment he
saw them shift in confusion, then transfixed a glare.

"Very clever, now move!" he shouted with anger.

"What." Garak was about to ask

"Be Quiet! Now move." He gave an unbelievable shove that sent Pair
flying, then Chakotay, then Garak, and O'Brien, so fast they barely
caught themselves from crashing to the floor. He only glared at
Scully. She moved down quicker.

They were moved into the ship, and passed the aliens that looked with
curiosity at the group of humans. They seemed to then be staring at
Julian; he nodded his head as he moved by. "Left and straight down the
hall."

They moved as were directed then they entered a dark room that it's
only light was from dozens of chambers that held unborn children.human
children.

"Spirits!" Chakotay gasped.

Everyone just gasped in horror as they looked around moving slowly in
stunned shock.

"What is this!" Mulder finely whirled and demanded.

"My brothers and sisters," Julian said flatly.

"Why?" Scully asked her heart aching at what she saw.

"The circle of life," he said dryly.

"What ever these aliens." Miles started

"They are 'not' aliens," Julian snapped. "They are what 'you' will
become because of stupidity.

Now everyone stared stunned at what he said, everyone but Garak. "They
are from the future?"

"Yes, of this time line," Julian said more calm. "They have traveled
back in time to find ways of either changing the future or reproducing
children capable of surviving it."

"I don't understand?" Chakotay and Mulder said in unison.

"Julian," a female voice came from the shadows. "Put the weapon down
and snap out of it," she said softly.

Her voice seemed to penetrate for the harden look dropped and a guilty
look of sorrow filled him as he lowered the phaser. "Oh, I'm.I." he
moved back away from the group toward the female moving to his side.
She was dressed in a silver robe, not quite Julian's high, but similar
slim build for a female, and hugged him.

"Don't worry, they'll forgive you. They understand you were being
strongly encouraged to apprehend them if they didn't leave, but.Mulder
was always too stubborn even for his own good," she soothed.

"You know me?" he said awkwardly.

She took the phaser and placed it in her pocket and while still
hugging Julian turned to the group and lowered her hood. Except for a
bit of grey, she looked a lot like Mulder, but prettier.

"Elizabeth!" he shouted torn between wanting to run to her and faint
in disbelief.

Julian turned around; his turn to looked surprised. Then at the woman,
than back to his friend, "She's your sister?"

Mulder just nodded yes and stared.

"What's going to happen to us?" Tom asked, thinking everyone else had
forgotten that they were prisoners.

"Our techniques in memory are not always effective," she said. "Though
it is unfortunate that we have to 'take' people for we need the large
genetic material to work with, those who don't want to stay and help,
we try and erase their memories and put them back as soon as we can.
Those who stay are here of their own free will, but may never leave,
for we can't erase that much memory, but a day or two at best," she
smiled slightly.

"Elizabeth, you were taken as a child, how could you give consent to
help?" Mulder asked as a mix of anger and glee and sorrow filled him.

"When they first started this project, they tried to start with those
who had a poor effect on the future's out come. This way they could
try altering the future and gather genetic material at the same time.
For you see, in the future we can no longer produce viable offspring,
even cloning his becoming useless for the genetic material is too thin
and breaking down. Eventually they realized their error, for they are
not 'all' lost to their humanity," she smiled, but by then for me it
was too late, I was involved. So another plan was placed into action.
We still gather genetic material, but we need to alter it, for the
conditions of our future world is too harsh for any of us to live in,
so genetic enhancements are being worked on, plus we add some of our
most special children into the world in hopes of their making a
difference."

"Programmed?" Julian asked, knowing she was referring to him

She looked at him lovingly and motherly, "Oh, no," she soothed. "To
tamper with the spirit is what got us in this mess in the first place.
We tried to make the perfect person and forgot that we are more than
flesh and blood, till the flesh was not capable and the spirit almost
gone. So, no Julian, you have lived your life as 'you' deemed fit, not
us."

"But why was I.drawn here?" he asked.

"We sensed you were in the area, alone, and wanted to check up on you,
that's all honey, nothing more. But." she turned to the others. "Your
friends are too persistent, and the call had been made, you were
coming here and it couldn't be stopped. They hoped to get you to get
them to leave. When they wouldn't they were angry, for emotions till
exist, though less variety," she smiled sadly. "They then thought if
you wouldn't leave they make you apart, but there are enough of us to
remind them of who the are and why they came back here."

"So.I.just an.experiment?" Julian asked, his dark eyes filling with
pain.

"No, honey," she soothed lovingly "You are our 'hope' for the future.
To help mankind remember what is important. We went to a lot of
trouble to find good parents for you, we.didn't know about their
death, you were already too far from us to keep track of," she hugged
him tightly. Then she turned back to the others. Then at Garak and
Miles, "You are not of this time line, I have been asked to ask, do
they make the same mistake in yours as well, or do you not know?"

Miles looked around at all the unborn children, Julian, and the woman
known as Elizabeth, "No, we don't. We came close thought, but then we
made contact with other life forms that were peaceful.so no."

She smiled. "Good. Now, as for the rest of you, I can erase your
memories if you like."

"Why?" Julian said. "By their knowing they could help 'make' that
difference in the world you are hoping for, otherwise it's blind
luck."

"What kind of help?" Tom asked.

"Most help by overseeing the children, others by genetic material
donations, though only a select few have been able to work outside of
this location to place the children in homes or keep us informed of
the changes. We try to keep a low profile, but most recently have
noticed that our erasure technique in not as good as we had thought."

"How have you affected the reservation?" Chakotay asked with firmness.

She smiled warmly, "We have taken material from 'all' races, but the
Native America's are a few of the small groups of us that hold true
the key to our survival, so we would 'never' do them any direct harm.
It is from those of them that have chosen to be among us that we.they
have relearned to get back in touch with their humanity, though it is
difficult."

"It is difficult to imagine a race that has lost touch with itself
attempting so hard to assure it's older versions of themselves
survival," Garak said, taking this all in quietly.

"One of the Elders that is among us said, that, that is the reason
that we have hope, for they had 'not' lost all touch or hope would
have died with it," she smiled. "Let me show you around, then decide
what you want to do." She turned around to face Julian "Do you want to
come or stay?"

"Stay," he said softly, still up set by so much revelation.

"If you would follow me, please," she smiled them moved back down the
hall they had come from, followed by Mulder, Miles, Garak, Scully, and
Tom.

Chakotay moved to exit then stopped and turned to see Julian lean
gently on one of the small chambers that held an unborn child. He saw
the pain and anguish in is face, and it ran deep in Chakotay's own
chest. He moved up quietly and laid his hands gently on the slender
shoulders. "Don't do this," he said knowingly.

"Don't do what?" Julian said turning his face away as the tears fell
freely.

"Don't beat yourself up," Tom's voice replied as he moved over next to
Chakotay and Julian. "I know that path too well," he said as he laid a
gentle hand on Julian's right shoulder over Chakotay's hand. "People
like 'us' tend to blame ourselves for other's doing's or come down on
ourselves ten time harder than needed when we mess up, I know.and I
still do it," he said softly feeling the sobs build up in the young
man's body.

"But this is different.I mean.I'm not even." Julian couldn't finished,
he hated losing his emotions in front of anyone, but he couldn't help
it, he felt safe with them around him, so he let his pain flow.

"You 'are' human, Julian," Chakotay said with total conviction. "They
called you their 'hope' their hope for 'human' survival," he added.

"The fact that you're a bit different." Tom started.

"A bit!" Julian looked up "I'm more than a bit. I can run as fast as a
cheetah, memories books like people remember the alphabet, and can
bench press five times my own weight without breaking a sweat, and
that's just for starters.no, I'm not A BIT!" he snapped though more
disgusted with himself.

"Stop it!" Chakotay snapped back. "Stop it. You have a good heart,
compassion, and the will to give unselfishly, that 'is' what makes us
human, our heart, mind, and soul, not whether or not we can memories
text or out run large cats. It's our ability to love and be loved that
makes us human. Look me in the eye and tell me you can't love or be
loved and them.maybe I'll believe you."

Julian whirled around ready to say just that, his dark eyes locked
with Chakotay's, but he couldn't, then found he locked with Tom's soon
after, and still couldn't say it. Then he looked down, "I don't know
what love is," he whispered.

Chakotay wrapped him in an embrace, "Not knowing is not the same as
not being able too," he soothed.

"Plus, I'd say there are plenty around here that care a great deal
about you," Tom added, just jumping in on the hug, and felt warm when
Chakotay wrapped him in his arms too, then Julian's arm around him
only added to the completion of the hug.
 

***************

"Thank you for the power cells," Miles smiled at Elizabeth. "I
don't think we'd have lasted this other week with out them. I wish you
guys a lot of luck in this time line," he added as he shook her hand.

"Ah, my dear Chief O'Brien, with good people like Bashir,
Paris and Chakotay, their future is assured," the Cardassian smiled
charmingly at the three other men standing near by to say good bye.

"True," Miles replied. Then he looked at Elizabeth, "I'm sorry
your brother and his partner were not able to accept the situation.
He'll just be out searching for you again," he said, looking
sympathetic to her.

"He will survive, as will I, but most importantly, so well we
all," she smiled.

"Well, what will you three be doing?" Garak asked though his
eyes still stole glances at Julian who looked so comfortable between
Tom and Chakotay in their casual native outfits.

"Well, I'm retiring from the FBI and going to stay here and
work with Elizabeth and my people," Chakotay said warmly.

"Well, I'm not quitting, though I am going to transfer out
here to the New Mexico branch, so I can be of help out here and keep
and eye on those who might go snooping around. Plus, two other special
reasons," Tom smiled as he reach over and hugged Julian and Chakotay,
who smiled warmly back.

Julian smiled and met Garak's eyes with warmth. "I'm not old
enough to retire," he snickered getting a small tap on the back of the
head from Chakotay, "but I am resigning. I'm going to move out here,
help Chakotay, and see what my skills can do to help. Who knows, I
have this desire to go into medicine, thought it might be too late for
that."

"Oh, no," Garak said softly. "In my time, you are a great
doctor, and I can see you being one here too. And you, Mr. Paris, a
wonderful pilot with skills unmatched, and Mr. Chakotay, a leader
among men with the respect that is due such a man," though he only
knew them from the other dimension, Garak really believed that what he
said had to be true. He saw all of them blush and felt pleased with
himself.

"Well, I never had the pleasure of knowing you too well," he
said looking at Paris and Chakotay, after hearing Garak thin the
truth. "But what I did know I admired. And as for you," he said moving
over to Julian. "You're my best friend, and he wasn't kidding.you're
one hell of a doctor. I know what ever you put your mind too, you'll
be the best because your heart will be in it."

"How very true," Chakotay smiled.

"It is time," Elizabeth said. "We've scrambled their sensors,
you can leave without being detected. Good luck." She stepped back
with the three men.
 

Soon Garak and O'Brien were off and back in space. They had
the course of the anomaly and were heading for it. They had fixed the
shuttle with the help of the future race, and Julian and his dozen
brother and sisters that lived on the ship too.

"Nice to know Julian won't feel so alone in this world," Miles
mused.

Garak looked concerned as if he just learned something new,
"He feels alone? But with so many friend."

"He still holds himself in contempt, and with no one to relate
too, he feels alone, though he doesn't say it, but I see it.
Especially when he throws a game of darts making me think I won since
he gave me an advantage. But it make him feel normal, and he thinks he
makes me happy, and it does," Miles added slyly "But my overboard
attitude makes him happy so I make a big deal of beating him, though,"
he sighs, "I wish I really could," he smiled.

Garak smiled at the chiefs warm commentary, but he was in thought
about how he didn't see this part of Julian, though he knew Julian
didn't feel as happy as he tried to pretend he was, he didn't know
this."

"Ah, hell, here we go again!" Miles shouted as the shuttle
entered the anomaly and the tiny ship started shaking and shimmering
violently.

A total repeat of the experience of the last two trips, but
this time, with the extra power cells they lost only fifty percent of
power and not eighty like last time. Soon the anomaly was gone and
they saw.stars.

"Checking sensors.. Navigational charts say.Alpha quadrant,"
Garak smiled.

"Checking quantum signatures.."

"Were being hailed," Garak said suddenly.

Miles looked to the Cardassian, "Put it through."
 

"This is the USS Attica GPS State your name and you're
business or we're open fire." The strong male voice demanded.

The two looked at each other. "Attica GPS?" they said in
unison.

"Ah, this is Chief Miles O'Brien of the United Federation of
Planets. We are on a peaceful mission and have had.quantum problems,
we're just trying to get home."

There was silence for a while. Then, "We detect your quantum
signature doesn't match ours. But we too have a Federation, and
therefor you are most welcome to dock and make any repairs you need to
continue your journey, though we can't guarantee we can help, but
we'll do what we can. I'm Captain Winters, of the USS Attica GPS as
I've said before. We also detect a Cardassian on board, our treaty
with them is still in good standards, so they are welcomed as well."

"Um.GPS? Miles asked not getting the ship reference as the
large ship that looked more like a battleship that the old earth navy
built in the twenty century.

"Genetic Prison Ship. I hope this doesn't bother you too much.
But our mutants are well secured and we hold the best mission record
in Fleet to date," the Captain said with pride. "We have you, power
down and let us tractor you in, easier that way, since or bays have so
many ships. I look forward to meeting you, Winter out."

"Genetic Prison Ship?" Miles said as they looked at each other
not knowing what to think.
 
 

<The end of F.B.I

Continued in: Bad Boys - Genetic Galactic Gladiators