Chapter Text
Her name was Rose. Rose Amelia Lucas. She was nineteen and a full time psychology student. It was her major that earned her an almost free ticket to Deep Space Nine; the Federation space station above the planet Bajor. Rose, one could admit, could be a little naive at times, and some believed that her choice to accept the student Visa showed this. Rose didn’t listen to many opinions, though.
It was the beginning of her second week at DS9. Rose spent most of her time sitting alone at the station’s restaurant and bar; her table tucked away just enough that she could be easily overlooked. She took notes on everyone and everything, applying every possible aspect of psychology to her observations. This time, however, she had come across observations that she found particularly interesting. Two Ferengi men, deep in conversation, were sitting across the room. Rose made occasional notes on their behavior and demeanor. Although psychology had opened her mind to different cultures and species, she continued to find that Ferengi men were normally somewhat perverted and “touchy”. She ordered a refill on her non-alcoholic drink and continued to sit alone. She caught sight of the station’s doctor, Julian Bashir. She picked up on his name from overhearing conversations, and recognized his face from seeing him every day at the bar. She smiled and scribbled down two words in her research journal:
J cute
Rose took a drink and nearly choked from how big her smile was. The student happily doodled the word “distractions” and underlined it twice. Closing her notebook, Rose moved to exit the bar, planning to return later. Before she could move, though, a man she didn’t know approached her. “Um, can I help you?” she asked.
“You son of a bitch!” he yelled, slamming his fist into her left cheek. Rose stumbled back from the force of the blow.
“What the hell-” she began to question. The man hit her again, obviously drunk, but our naive and petite student didn’t know that. Covering her face, Rose tried to get away from her agresser. “Please stop, stop you’re hurting me,” she pleaded. Out of quick reaction, she rammed her palm into the man’s face, forcing him to stumble back a little. Rose was about to take off running, but felt a jab of electricity and suddenly collapsed to the ground, her world going dark.
A few hours had passed until our friend Rose awoke in a cell of the small DS9 prison. She was instantly met with an intense migraine.
“Damn,” she muttered. Realizing where she was, Rose stood up in a panic. “Hello?” she called out. There was no response. “Is anyone there? Hello? Please.” There was still no response. Many thoughts were running through Rose’s head, but she was mostly worried that this would cause her student Visa to be revoked. A door opened and a figure entered the room.
“Another fight. That’s two this week,” the figure said to themself. Rose immediately recognized their beautiful and warming accent.
“Julian?” she heard herself say.
“Hello?” the Doctor asked in response, then realizing that it was her speaking to him. He walked over to the cell she was standing in.
“Um, hi. There must be some mistake. I mean, I shouldn’t be down here,” Rose began to explain, reminding herself that they didn’t personally know each other.
“No, not really,” he answered, adding to the student’s confusion.
“No, there has to be a mistake. I didn’t do anything.”
“Yes, you did. You fought that man at the bar.”
“Because he started hitting me for no reason and I couldn’t get away from him,” she replied, beginning to get a little defensive.
“When I got there, you punched him and I incapacitated you both.”
“I was trying to get away from him.”
“That’s not what I saw.”
“He kept hitting me. I don’t even know how to fight, why would I pick a fight with some random guy? I swear, I would never have hit him if he didn’t hit me first and I was trying to get away from him.” She wanted Julian to trust her so badly. She knew his morning routine already and most of his free times. She knew that he liked to go to the back, where the bar’s game room was located. Rose knew him, but she didn’t truly know him.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t believe you.”
“Please, I wouldn’t lie to you. I’m here on a student Visa. I would never want to cause trouble and get it revoked. I would never lie to you.”
“More lies in themselves, maybe?”
“No, please, no. I have my student ID with me and my research journal….is still at the bar.” The realization made Rose’s chest start to tighten. The student needed that journal, just as she needed air to breathe. “But I do have my student ID and my student Visa.” She pulled out her wallet that was designed as a puppy, taking out her ID and Visa. Julian thought for a few minutes, but then deactivated the forcefield that divided them. He took the credentials from her, reading them over. Rose was nervous. She had never been in trouble before and didn’t want this to leave a mark on her record.
“Fine,” he finally said.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet.”
“Just, one question.”
“What?”
“Did anyone take that notebook I had with me? I need to know. I need that notebook.”
“No.”
“Okay, that’s good.”
“Why?”
“It has all my research, everything I need to graduate. I need to get it back as soon as possible.” Julian nodded a little in return.
“First, you need to speak with the head supervisor.”
“I really don’t want to cause any trouble.”
“Let’s go.” Rose followed Julian out the door. There were so many things she wanted to tell him and talk to him about, but the student knew that it wasn’t the time. She followed him, silently and somewhat awkwardly, until they reached a room. Julian knocked on the door. It opened a few moments later.
“It’s two in the morning, what do you want?” a Bajoran woman answered, coming to the door. Unknown to Rose, the Bajoran was the executive officer of the station, Major Kira Nerys. Rose could feel her face going pale from being informed of the time.
“Well, then, good morning, Major.”
“I swear, what is it?”
“Security check.”
“For who?”
“This one here.”
“And you are?” Kira asked the student.
“I’m Rose. Rose Lucas. I’m here on a student Visa.”
“She started a fight at the bar, claims she didn’t do it. Her Visa is valid,” Julian explained.
“Oh, her. Let me see the Visa.” Kira examined the Visa for a few minutes, but then handed it back to Julian, who gave it back to Rose. “She’s okay to go, but someone is to keep watch on her for a month.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know, just tell Quark or something.”
“You’re sure about that?” Julian didn’t think the Ferengi bar owner was a very good candidate for the job.
“Yes.”
“Okay, then.” The door shut and Julian walked away without another word, leaving Rose alone.
“I’m sorry about any trouble I caused you,” Rose said, just before Julian was out of earshot.
“You’re fine.”
“I should um go.”
“Don’t get into trouble.” The student started walking, without confidence, back to her quarters.
Rose made a quick detour to the Promenade, heading for the bar. She needed to grab that notebook. The lock on the door wasn’t exactly secure, so she easily walked in and grabbed her notebook, then made a run for it. The student double checked to make sure everything was okay with her journal. It was quiet and peaceful all around her; the type of nights she lived for. Walking through the empty halls, though, were a little unsettling. Rose saw a plant with large pink flowers, placed as a decoration in the hall. She smiled at it a little, then opened her notebook and began to sketch the flowers. Rose had a very prominent artistic talent, which almost always showed itself in her research journal. The flowers, suddenly, began to change shape, startling Rose. She could only watch as it slowly built itself up to form a humanoid figure. She stumbled backwards onto the floor. The humanoid figure that formed, unknown to her, was Constable Odo, the chief of security of DS9. Odo was a changeling, which allowed him to take whatever shape he desired.
“What are you doing up past curfew?” he asked Rose. The student, although open to everyone, had never seen anything like that before. Her eyes were wide and it was difficult for her to collect her thoughts.
“I um, I was just….I didn’t mean to, um….” She picked her notebook up off the ground, standing up.
“Well?”
“I was just going.” Rose shrunk in size a little, feeling very insecure. Truthfully, she didn’t have many social skills, but she always managed to muddle her way through. Hesitating, she moved to walk past Odo.
“Excuse me,” he said in a gruff voice. Rose froze awkwardly, unsure of what her next move was supposed to be.
“I was just going back to my place.”
“Really?” She nodded in return. “I doubt that.” Odo had delivered a major shot of fear into the student. She didn’t want to have to go back to the security room.
“I was just taking notes at the bar for a while and then I decided to go back to my place, which is when I stopped here to sketch and then you….appeared.” It had been a while since Odo had heard someone talk so fast. He didn’t like any young women, especially ones that were pretty as her, walking around at night by themselves.
“After hours?”
“I’m a student, I’m used to late hours. I really don’t mean to cause you any trouble.” Thinking she was about to dart, Odo held up a hand.
“Hold it, right there. Let me see your ID card.” Rose fumbled for it, but pulled out her student ID, along with her student Visa. Odo read over both. He saw that she was nineteen years old, and wasn’t a Starfleet Academy student.
“I’m a psychology major,” Rose told him, seeing Odo read over the credentials.
“Mhm.” Rose still felt awkward and nervous. “It checks out.”
Odo gave the psychology major back her ID and Visa, adding to her internal relief.
“So I can go?” she asked.
“Yes.” She quickly moved to walk past Odo. He didn’t stop her. By the time Rose reached her room, her tiredness took over. She fell asleep a few minutes after.