Chapter Text
Captain Sisko stood silent in thought, hard eye trained on the rumpled uniform on the floor.
“It makes no sense.” Jadzia said for the tenth time, frown deep and worried. “There’s no sign of him anywhere on the station or the ship.” Her face turned somber. “He’s gone.”
“His clothes should have been destroyed as well,” Sisko said, calm despite the uneasy situation, “Keep looking.”
“She has a point though, Sir.” Miles too looked miserable, bags under his eyes. “Maybe whatever got him only affected living tissue.”
“We are not giving up this easy!” Sisko slammed Jadzia’s chair for emphasis, “I will not abandon Doctor Bashir for as long as there’s doubt of his fate, and I expect the same from all of you —”
A loud yelp came from the other side of the room. All eyes turned to Garak, who was jumping around making horrified sounds, seemingly trying to shake something off his left pant leg.
“Mr. Garak!” Sisko bellowed. “Will you pull yourself together!”
“Hhhggg..!” Garak wiggled on his feet, “There’s something — AUGHHH!“
A long, thin shape stretched Garak’s shirt from hem to collar, slowly slithering upward. Then, through the decorated neckline, a small pointed head emerged. It swiveled around, flashing a bit of tongue as it looked over the crew of Deep Space 9.
There was a moment of silent shock. They stared at the snake, none quite sure how to proceed. The snake blinked at them, showing it’s tongue again.
Calmed, Garak gently pulled the creature out and held it inside his palm, looking it over with curiosity.
“You’re quite large for a worm.”
“It’s a snake!” said Miles, distressed, “Careful, we don’t know if it’s poisonous.”
“Venomous!” said Jadzia, earning a glare from Sisko.
The brown snake coiled its delicate tail around Garak’s wrist, head tilting from side to side, as if in thought. Garak squinted at it, then poked the flat nose. The forked tongue shot out again, to hiss in displeasure, but the snake didn’t attack, allowing Garak to pet and poke as he pleased. It even reached to nuzzle his cheek as Garak brought it closer, a look of affection in the bright green gaze. Sisko frowned; it reminded him of someone.
“It would seem…” said Garak slowly, “…that I’ve located our missing Doctor.”
The large mouth opened in what could only be described as a delighted gasp.
“What?” Miles scoffed and crossed his arms, shaking his head. “That’s not Julian! It can’t be.”
“Your wife turned into a child once.” Jadzia pointed out and stepped over to Garak. She leaned in to coo and grin at Julian the snake.
“I will never let you forget this,” She said, voice deceptively sweet, “Ben, bring me a camera.”
Julian, unaware of any mischief, wiggled happily from the attention, bumping his snout to Jadzia’s cheek in a kiss of sorts. Sisko joined in to pet the admittedly adorable snake, grinning.
“I’ve always liked how snakes are so quiet.” He and Jadzia laughed, joking of course. Still Garak gave him an offended look and pulled Julian away, holding him to his chest.
“Don’t you listen to them, my dear Doctor,” He said to the snake, “While your current form is indeed charming, I’d be most disappointed if your thoughts on literature were left forever unvoiced.”
Further back, O’Brien was still not convinced.
“If that is Julian,” Miles pointed a finger at the snake, now on its way up Garak’s arm, “Where’s the rest of him? Can’t all fit into one wee snake.”
A fair point, thought Sisko.
“That’s something we’ll no doubt soon discover, hopefully before we come up with a way to get him back.”
“Maybe there are more snakes.“ Jadzia grinned. “Imagine. 50 little snake Julians, slithering about.”
Miles made a sound of disgust.
“I’d rather not.”
“Doctor Bashir is rather on the slim side,” Garak scratched under the scaly chin, watching with a soft smile as the hazel-green eyes fell shut, “While his current state makes little sense in the scientific sense, it is quite apt.”
“Well,” Sisko rubbed his forehead, “Let’s sort this out as soon as possible. In the meantime, I trust Mr. Garak will look after our altered Doctor?”
“Me?” Garak frowned, “Are you quite certain?”
“I’d say the decision was already made.” Sisko gave a pointed look to Garak’s neck, around which Julian had snugly coiled, busy peppering snakey kisses all over Garak’s face.