I'm Just a Part of You

Bluff

"Ezri..." Bashir said. "Why?"

"Because I can." She responded, sticking out her tongue. "And because I need to make sure Dax gets as many interesting experiences as possible. And because..." She petered off.

"Say no more. I know exactly what you mean."

Ezri didn't quite know where to go after that thought. Jadzia would probably have dragged Julian straight into the cell there and then. Emony would probably have waited until they were somewhere private, then pounced. Lela wouldn't have dreamt of making that sort of advance in public. Audrid... Audrid would probably have been a bit more reserved, but still made her feelings clear.

"Curzon has a lot to answer for." She said. "Before him, Dax's were... even counting Emony, less..."

"Less likely to try and start short relationships?" Bashir completed.

"Or relationships generally. They settled more." She stammered, before realising what she'd just said, and looking away. "Even Emony."

"I see." Bashir observed.

Before it got even more uncomfortable, Rom returned with a second tray of dishes and another bottle of wine. Bashir was presented with a steak, accompanied by a red wine sauce, julienned potatoes and garden vegetables. Ezri found herself with a Bouillabaisse, which appeared to have been made using white fish, some form of tuna, and what appeared to be part of an eel. The fish portions of the dish were served on a side plate, with the broth and vegetables in a large bowl.

With their glasses full, Rom left them to it.

"Who set the menu?" She asked, curiously.

"Captain Sisko." Julian replied. "He knew you for two lifetimes, after all."

Ezri didn't quite know how the human was able to anticipate her orders so precisely. Then she remembered telling him about Emony's trip to Earth. He'd probably... she sighed. He'd also known Dax for twenty-six years, in one host or another.

"Ben needs to stop digging that deep." She muttered. "Curzon would have replaced his next six care packages if he had done something like this to him."

"What was he like?"

"Ben?"

"Yes. What was he like as a junior office?"

"Impulsive. Brash. Somewhat foolhardy." Ezri smiled, fondly. "I once had to talk him out of walking into the headquarters of the Tal Shiar to try and convince them to let a member of the Federation embassy staff go. He actually thought he could manage it." She giggled slightly. "I shouldn't talk about my commanding officer like this, Julian."

"It's fine." Bashir observed. "He knows you have these stories. If anything, I think he likes to hear them as well. Except the one with the Orion pirates."

"Oh... Creator." Ezri swore, unable to hold in the laughter. "That was... brilliant."

"How exactly did you get him out of that fix?"

"I... that is, Curzon may have replicated a Starfleet captain's uniform, wandered onto the bridge, and commed them while standing in front of the command chair. He told them that we'd open fire on their transports unless he was released."

"You didn't..."

"Yep." Ezri admitted. "And they bought it."

"How did the bridge watch react?"

"I seem to remember several of them making comments such as 'Phasers locked and ready, Captain.'"

"And how did the ship's real captain react when he came out of his ready room?" Bashir asked, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.