THE OUTCAST
A Bajoran woman is walking down a dirty street as the sun is going down, carrying a baby in her arms as she looks at the baby and says, "Quite little one I will find work so I can feed you." She smiles down at the baby who has a Bajoran nose but the rest face is Cardassian. She looks around and sees that a lot of Bajorans are busy with the rebuilding of Bajor, now that the Cardassians have finally left Bajor. She smiles down at her baby and says, "At least I will not have to cook or make the Cardassians happy!"
When she sees a Bajoran walking on a new build she walks up to him and says, "I'm looking for a place to work, I can cook."
The man stops working and looks at her and the at her baby and says, "I'm not hiring, you will have to find someone else to hire you!"
She reaches out and touches his arm as she begs, "Just give me a chance, I need the money!"
The man looks at her hand and answers her, "Their no law that says I have to hire the likes of you!" He turns he turns his back to her and goes back to working on the building.
With tears running down her face she heads back down the road as she looks up at the night sky and says "Prophets please guide me!"
Four years later Major Kira Nerys and Lt. Jadzia Dax are walking throw the Promenade when they come to a shop with some stools in front of it, the Bajoran woman who is running it looks real bored standing behind a counter. With the smell of food coming from behind her.
After they have passed her, Kira turns towards Dax and says, "I do not know why she ever open her shop, no one eats there!"
Dax just smiles as she answers her, "I eat there, she is a real good cook, Lt. Bowden eats there too, he eat all of his meal there.because she does not use repicators."
"Then you two must be her only customer, no one here will eat there! She cannot live on you too." Kira says as she laugh a little as she shakes her head no.
Back at the shop the young Bajoran woman is taking some food out of an oven and sets it on the counter and looks around at the Bajorans who are walking by her shop. She smiles as she sees Lt. Bowden exiting a turbolift heading towards her shop.
Bowden is smiling as he walks up to her shop and sits down on one of the stools and looks up at the menu and says, "I sees you have pancakes today, I love pancakes, I'll try your today."
Her smile gets a little bit bigger as she says, "I'm going to try some earth recipe, it may get me more customers." She turns around and picks up a plate of pancakes and sets it in front of him.
"I'm trying to do my part, I tell everyone that you are the best cook on the station." He says as he picks up a fork and starts to eat the pancakes.
From behind her a young boy about five years old who look like a Cardassian but has a Bajoran nose, he hands her a data padd as he says, "Here my school work you gave me to do."
Bowden smiles down at the young boy and says, "Your mom is sure a good cook, Garrett." He turns around and then turns back to the woman and then says, "It looks like a busy day here, Rona."
"Yes all the other shops are going to be busy I guess." Rona answers as she looks down at Garrett with a frown on her face as she says, "Go back to the kitchen and I will look over your school work there."
Bowden is just finishing his pancakes when he hears a Bajoran man behind him saying, "You had better not eat there Star Fleet she is a bad one."
Bowden puts his fork down and then very slowly answers him, "I eat where I want too!" He just as slowly turns around and sees that the man looks like he may have had a few too many. Bowden stands up and says, "Go sleep it off."
"How can you stand the smell that comes from that's shop?" As he points at Rona as he laughs at her.
Bowden smile as he says, "The smell is what brought me to her shop, in the first place."
The Bajoran just laughs as he points at Rona and says, "You do not understand, what I mean by smell, have you not seen her son, he is Cardassian! The Cardassian paid her to sleep with them!"
Bowden just stares at him and tells him, "Like I said, go sleep it off."
The Bajoran just pushes Bowden back a little bit as he answers him, "You cannot tell me what to do! I wonder what I would have to pay her to sleep with me?"
Bowden gets between the man and Rona as he says, "Your drunk!" He puts his hand on his right shoulder to keep him from going around him.
He just looks at Bowden and then looks over his shoulder and then looks at Bowden with a small as he says, "Take your hands off me, Star Fleet." With a little smile he throws his right hand into Bowden stomach and they both fall to the floor together.
Rona leans over her counter and watches as Bowden and the Bajoran man are punching it other as they are rolling on the floor. Bowden gets on top of him and throws a two punches into the man face, just as Odo comes running up to him and pulls him off the man.
Odo looks down at the man and then looks at Bowden and asks, "What's going on here?"
Bowden looks down at the man and says, "He would hit me, after I stop him from bothering Rona!"
The man gets up slowly holding a blooding nose as he says, "He's lying, I just want too talk to her is all."
Odo looks at Bowden and then at the Bajoran man and says, "Till I get to the bottom of this, you both stay away from each other."
Bowden looks at Odo and says, "I will, if he stays away from Rona." As he turns and looks at Rona and Garrett who is standing next to her mother with a look of shock on his face.
The Bajoran man looks at Bowden with a look of hate and says, "You have not hear the last of me Star Fleet." He wipes some blood off his nose as he turns and walks away from them.
Odo turns and looks at Bowden and says, "I will be keeping an eye on both of you two."
Bowden walks up to the counter and sits back down and asks, "Do you have anymore of that apple pie left?"
Odo walks up to Bowden and says, "If I was you I would not turn my back to Hiram, he has a lot of friends."
Bowden picks up a fork and takes a slice of the pie as he says, "So do I Constable." He starts to eat the pie as he smiles at Rona who has a worried look on her face.
Rona walks up to Bowden and says, "Maybe I had better close my shop and finds some other way to make a live for me and my son?"
Bowden finish the apple pie and looks up at her as he says, "Do me a favor and stay here for a lease two more day, I have a feeling things are going to change." He then stands up and walks away from her shop.
Garrett picks up the empty plate and looks up at his mother as he says, "I think he like you."
Captain Sisko is sitting behind his desk reading a data padd, when Dax walks into his office with a big smile and says, "Benjamin you are not going to like who is coming here for a visit!"
Sisko puts the data padd down and looks up at her as he asks, "Alright who is it?"
Dax leans over his desk and answers him, "Admiral White Gloves Dee Jones!"
Sisko slowly stands up and as he shakes his head no and then asks, "I hope this is a joke, we are not ready for her kind of investigation!"
"Benjamin this station is not a Star Base, it belong to Bajor." Dax answers as she stands up straight.
"I hope your are right old man." He says as he walks past her and heads out of his office and stands at the stop of the stairs leading into his office and says, "Listen up people, we have a Admiral coming here for a visit, she will be looking for things that are wrong here."
Kira stands up and takes a step closer to him as she asks, "We have had other Admiral come here before, why is this one different?"
"We have not had one like Admiral Dee Jones." He answers her as he starts to walk down the stairs towards her.
Chief Miles O'Brien eyes light up as he asks, "No Admiral White Gloves Dee Jones?"
Sisko looks up at O'Brien and answers him, "Is there any other Admiral Dee Jones!"
Kira looks at Sisko with a puzzle look on her face as she asks, "Why do you call her White Gloves for?"
Dax takes a deep breath as she walks over next to Kira and answers her, "She always wears white gloves so she can find the direst place."
"Why is she coming here? This is a Bajor station not a Star Fleet Star Base." Kira says as she looks at Dax and then Sisko.
Sisko looks at Dax and then at Kira and says, "Her son is station here."
Rona is in the back of her shop helping Garrett with his studies, when all at once the front of her shop explodes in a fire ball. The next thing Rona sees is the roof coming down on top of her and Garrett. She pushes the roof off of herself and then pulls the roof off of Garrett and with a look of shock she sees that he has been hit on the head by some of the roof and is bleeding badly. She picks him up and walks throw her shop that is still burning. Once outside of her shop she sees that everyone is busy watching Bowden and Hiram busy fighting off to one side of her shop. Her knees start to feel weak and she drops to the floor. She sets Garrett down on the floor as she shakes her head no as she a woman running towards them who looks like a Cardassian, but as she get next to them she sees that her nose is Bajoran.
The woman bends down and asks, "Can I help you?" She looks down at Garrett and then says, "My name is Ziyal, let me help you to get him to the infirmary."
Odo comes running throw the crowd who have been watching the fight as Rona and Ziyal are heading towards the infirmary. He sees them, as he moves up to the two men as Bowden is picking up a bloody looking Hiram who has a wild look in his eyes as he thou at Bowden.
Odo gets between the two men and shouts, "That's enough you two!" He holds them apart as he men grab both of the men by the arms.
Bowden stares straight at Hiram and says, "I sew him throw a bomb at Rona shop!"
Hiram just laughs at him as he says, "So what if I did, she is a traitor for what she did during the occupation." He tries to break free from the men holding him, but fails.
Odo looks at Hiram and says, "You are not her judge and jury." He looks at his men and says, "Take him to a holding cell." He looks at Bowden who is watching Hiram being lead away as blood gets in his eyes from a cut on his fore head. "You had better get that cut look at Lt.." Odo says as motion for his men to let go of him.
Odo watches him walking away and then walks over to Rona shop and watches as some men start to put the fire out.
From off to the side Sisko and Kira are moving towards him at a fast pace, Sisko looks at the burn out shop and asks, ""What happen here constable?"
Odo turns and looks at Sisko and answers him, "Hiram tried to kill Rona and Garrett, with a fire bomb!"
"Why would anyone want to harm her and her son?" Kira asks as she shakes her head no.
"When was the last time you got a good look at her son?" Odo asks as he turns and starts to leave.
"This make no sense, he is just like Ziyal and no one has tried to harm her yet!" Kira says as she walks closer to the burned out shop.
"Maybe if Ziyal did not have some Bajor Major looking after her someone may have tried too." Odo answers as he walks away from them as he shakes his hand no.
Sisko shakes his head no as he looks over the burned out shop, he turns and looks at Kira and says, "He is right you know." He turns to walks away as he says, "Get a detail to clean this mess up before the admiral gets here."
Dr. Julian Bashir is standing over Garrett, holding a medical tricorder in his hands, he looks at Rona who has a very worried look on her face and he tells her, "He's going to be all right, he has a mild concussion. When I'm done with him I will have a look at your arm."
Rona looks at her arm and sees that she has a small burn on it, she looks at Bashir and says, "Help my son, he is hurt worse then me." As tears start to run down the sides of her face.
Bashir looks at her and says, "I have did all I can for him for now, so let me see that arm!"
Rona just move up next to Garrett and grabs his arm and says, "No, help him first, he is all I have!" Tears start to roll down her face, she picks up his hand and gives brings it up to her lips and gives it a kiss.
Bowden walks over from where a nurse is working on the cut on his face and slowly pulls her away from Garrett as he says, "You have to have your arm look at so you can help him later."
Rona fights to get away from Bowden as she screams, "No, I have to stay with him, I cannot loss him!"
Bashir picks up a hypospray and puts it on Rona's neck and she slowly starts to fall to the floor, but Bowden catches her and carries her over to an empty table and sets her on it as he says, "Take care of her Doctor."
Ziyal who had been standing off to the side walks up to Bowden and says, "She sure loves her son." She then walks over to Garrett's side and says, "I hope you do not have it as ruff as I have had it!"
Bowden looks down at Rona and says, "I was on my way to her shop to asks her a question, if she says yes they both will have a better life."
Later that day Kira is slowly pacing back and forth in front of an airlock, when it opens a Bajoran male walks out of it with a frown on his face. Kira looks up at him and asks, "What bring you to Deep Space Nine today Shakaar?" She smiles up at him as they start to walk down the Promenade.
Shakaar puts his hands behind his back and answers her with a frown on his face, "I have come to visit a old friend who I hear may need my help. I have heard she has had some trouble."
Kira gives him a little laugh as she says, "I'm not having any trouble that I know about."
Shakaar stop and turns and looks down at her and says, "I'm not talking about you Nerys. I'm here to see Rona."
Kira's eyes get real big as she asks him, "How do you know her?"
Shakaar slowly gives her a little smile as he tells her, "Where do you think I was getting all that information during the occupation?
Kira's mouth drops open as she says, "You mean she work for you, during the occupation?"
Shakaar nods his head yes as he answers her, "Yes, she is my second cousin." He starts to walks again as he says, "I'm the one who got her to come up her and open a shop here."
Kira moves to catches up with him as she asks, "Why did you not tell me, I could have help her?"
Shakaar looks down at the floor as he answers her, "She did not want anyone to know what she did during the occupation. She is not proud of what she had to do during the occupation. Her son is all she care about now."
Kira grabs Shakaar by the arm and asks, "I need to know, did you tell her to sleep with the Cardassians?"
Shakaar looks up at he ceiling and answers her with a sad look on his face, "There was a seven month period that I did not hear from her. When I did finely did I found she had been rape by the Cardassians and had a baby! She found she could not just give him away and get on with her life."
They start to walk again and then walk up to Rona shop and sees that Rona is slowly working at her shop. She is slowly working at getting her shop ready when she looks up and sees Shakaar and Kira walking towards her.
Her mouth drops open when she sees Shakaar, she looks around at all the Bajoran who are watching him and she quietly asks, "What are you doing here?"
Shakaar show her a big smile as he says, "I heard you have the best food on the station and I'm hungry." He sits down on one of the stools and looks up at the menu and says, "I'll try a number two."
At another airlock Sisko and Dax are standing watching it open as an older woman wearing a Star Fleet Admiral's uniform, she is also wearing white gloves. She walks out of the airlock followed by an aide. She walks up to Sisko and says, "Captain I would like to get something to eat before we doing anything."
"We have many fine place to eat in the Replimat, here on the station." Sisko answer as they start to walks thou the Promenade.
"My son has told me he eat at one place all the time, I would like to try it." Admiral Jones says as she smiles.
Dax looks at Jones and asks, "What is your son name?"
With a big smile Jones looks at Dax and then at Sisko and answers her, "Lt. Paul Bowden."
Dax smiles back at her and say, "I think I now where you want to eat."
Sisko smiles too as he says, "She has been having some problems today."
Jones turns and looks at Sisko as she asks, "So I heard, how could something like that happen here?"
"We cannot watch everyone on the station, Admiral." Sisko answers as he turns and spots both Shakaar and Kira sitting at Rona shop eating.
Admiral Jones walks right up to Rona shop and sits down just to the right of Shakaar and looks up at the menu and says, "I'll have the number seven."
Rona who was just setting a plate in front of Shakaar smile and asks, "How do you like your meat?"
"Medium, with some hot sauce on the side?" Jones asks as she turns and looks at her aide and says, "If you tell my husband, you will make me very upset if you do, ensign!"
Her aide is so busy reading the menu he does not hear her, he move over next to Kira and says, "I'll have a number ten, with dark bread and a cup of coffee, please."
Rona looks at the people sitting in her counter and then says, "It will take me a few minutes to get it ready." She turns and almost runs into the back of her shop.
Shakaar turns and looks at Jones and says, "The way she makes it, it almost melts in your mouth."
From behind them they hear, "Mom...Admiral you are early." They all turn and see Bowden with Garrett who has a very big smile on his face.
Jones smiles as he asks, "Have you asks her yet Paul?"
Bowden looks down at Garrett and answers her, "Not yet, I asks what Garrett thought of the idea first."
Jones slowly takes off her gloves as she smiles at Garrett and asks him, "So what do you think of the idea?"
"I think it a great idea." Garrett answers as he smiles up at Bowden."
"What is a great idea Garrett?" Rona asks as she sets a cup of coffee in front of Jones aide.
Bowden slowly walks up to Rona and reaches out and takes her hand and looks her right in the eyes and asks her, "Will you marry me?"
Rona's mouth drops open as she looks at him and then at Shakaar, she looks back at Bowden and answers him, "I have to think about it, I have to talk it over with Garrett first."
She turns and holds her hand out to Garrett and they both heads towards the back of her shop, Shakaar looks at Bowden and asks, "I hope you know what you are getting yourself into?"
Bowden looks towards the back of the shop and answers, "I thinks so."
Rona comes walking back holding on to Garrett's hand with tears in her eyes, she stops and looks at Bowden and says, "I have just one question before I answers you. What will I do if I do marry you?"
"If your cooking is as good as he says it is, there is not a captain in Star Fleet who would not love to have you on their ship." Jones answers her with a big smile.
"Not to say anything about Star base Commanders." Sisko says with a very big smile.
Rona lets goes of Garrett's hand and on weak legs around her counter and up to Bowden and puts her arms around him and says, "YES."
They all hear someone taping the counter and they turn and see, Jones taping the counter as she asks, "How about my order?"
Rona gives Bowden a little kiss and turns back towards her shop as she wipes some tears off her face and says, "Give me a minute."
Two days later Bowden and Rona are standing at a airlock with Sisko, Kira and Ziyal, Ziyal is bending over talking to Garrett, "You remember to write to me, you hear." She gives him a big hug as she stands back up.
"Don't worry we will keeping reminding him." Rona answers as she smile at Ziyal and then holds her hand out for Garrett to come to her, but Garrett walks up to Bowden and takes his hand.
Sisko and Kira both give a little laugh as Sisko says, "Have a safe trip Lt. and tell Captain Roberts he is getting one hell of a good cook."
Rona smiles as she says, "I'm getting a big kitchen to cook in." She looks around the Promenade and then says, "In some was I'm going to miss this place."
Garrett looks up at Sisko and says, "I'm going to go to school with kids my own age."
Bowden, Rona and Garrett walk into the airlock, once it has closed, Ziyal takes a deep breath and says, "I hope someday I find a man as good as Lt. Bowden."
Kira takes her by the arm and they start to walk away as she says, "You are still young and I think you will find then man of your dream someday. In the mean time I'll buy you a drink at Quark's."
"I'll take that drink later, I'm have a dinner with Garak in ten minute." Ziyal answers her with a little smile.
"I would be careful around him, you know how your father feels about you seeing him?" Kira says as she shakes her head no.
They bout laugh as they enter Quark's.
THE END
If you like this story let me know at Trakkerdan@geocities.com
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