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Julian Bashir, finally free from a nightmare of a shift (Klingon barfights in Quarks again, and the only good story he got out of it was an ensign insisting their wound needed to be sewn up for the fulfilment of some sort of bet), turned what was usually a very normal corner on the way back to his quarters.
Today, however, it wasn't a normal corner, and Julian came face to face with a stranger wearing clothes he recognized more from the holosuites than regular everyday wear. They were muttering worriedly under their breath, something about 'this' being 'not normal'.
Things were never normal on DS9. Julian sighed, quietly mourning the loss of his reading time before turning towards the stranger.
"Do you need help?"
The stranger suddenly turned around at the sound of his voice and their eyes widened.
"You're Julian- how am I here? Please be some sort of dream" they pleaded, entirely avoiding the question. Their accent was Australian, Julian noted, one which none of the current human families staying on the station sported.
"I am Doctor Julian Bashir, yes. But I don't think this is a dream" he tried to school his voice into one of explanation, and to not remember the last time he'd been stuck in a psychic dreamscape "It certainly doesn't have the hallmarks of one"
"I was at home, on my bed, watching Deep Space Nine, and now I'm here. You're fictional! What else could this be?"
"Deep Space- You were watching, what, our lives?" Julian asked incredulously, trying to hide the panic such an idea gave him "maybe someone in ops can help"
"Doesn't hurt to check" they replied, before suddenly seeming to have an idea "if I'm here, you might as well call me Figs"
---
"Your cells seem to be from another dimension entirely" Captain Sisko explained to Figs, half an hour of scientific testing courtesy of Jadzia later. They were looking around his office with no lack of wonder. "we'll try to figure out a way to send you home"
"But until then I'm stuck here?" Figs shifted in their seat, worried.
"That would be correct, yes" Sisko sounded resigned to that fact "You'll have temporary quarters on the station for the duration. If you could refrain from telling people about the, ah, show element of our existence while you do?"
"I can do that" they nodded.
"Good," Sisko turned towards him "Doctor Bashir, could you help our guest?"
"Of course" Figs stood up to leave while he replied.
As the doors to the office closed behind them Figs' face broke into a small, jokey, grin "At least I get to see how accurate my sims are"
"Your sims?"
"Don't worry about it"