The Shawl

By Laura Schiller

Based on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Copyright: Paramount

Major Kira Nerys threw her padd down onto Odo's desk with a clatter.

"And that's the last report," she said wearily, leaning back in her chair.

"All right," said Odo, putting down his own padd. "Good night, Major."

Nerys nodded to him as she stood up, having to grab the edge of the desk for balance. She had been sitting still in that chair, in this still, cold room, that her fingernails were purple and her skin covered in goosebumps. An involuntary shiver ran through her.

"Is something wrong?" Odo's blue eyes, always the most expressive part of his half-formed face, were wide with concern.

"No," she fibbed, crossing her arms for extra warmth. "Why?"

"You've been shivering all evening, Major," said Odo, in his pointing-out-the-obvious tone. "Computer, what is the temperature aboard the station?"

"Eighteen degrees Celsius."

"Computer, raise temperature by – "

"Computer, belay that order," snapped Nerys, holding up her hand. "It won't work. There's a glitch in the environmental control system – the damn Cardassian computer just won't cooperate. Chief O'Brien's having fits."

Odo snorted a laugh. "I'm sure he is. But, Major," and he stood up, glowering down at her as if she were one of his perpetrators on the Promenade. "If you were cold all this time, why in all the world didn't you put on a sweater or a coat?"

"Oh, please!" She flapped a hand at him. "I don't need to be wrapped in cotton wool, Odo. I've slept in rocky caves without a blanket. I've lived through the ice storms around Bajor's North Pole. Believe me, this is nothing."

She walked through the opening doors, only to turn around in the corridor at the sound of Odo's footsteps behind her.

"Believe it or not, you stubborn woman," he growled, "But spending a day exposed to the cold is not nothing as far as your health is concerned. You'll be of no use on the station if you fall ill."

She paused. He had a point. Commander Sisko's disappointed face flashed into her mind – not that he would look disappointed, polite as he was. And what if some emergency came up and he needed her help as Bajoran liaison? The provisional government would walk all over him without her there to talk back.

"I'm just going to my quarters for the night," she said, looking over her shoulder. "Is that all right, Constable?"

She grinned to let him know she was teasing, and that she was glad of his protectiveness even in its more annoying aspects.

Odo met her eyes for a moment, not saying anything, his features unreadable. Then he looked down, making that sound in his throat he had picked up from his humanoid colleagues. A nervous cough.

"Perhaps I could assist you … Major?" he said quietly, a softer edge coming into his sandpaper voice.

"What do you mean?"

"Er, well … " His big hands bunched into fists, another sign that he was uneasy. "Look. I'll show you."

His smooth, pale face, with the thin lips and hawklike nose, suddenly broke out into a sheen of what looked like sweat. It melted, along with his sand-colored uniform, into a whirling column of amber liquid, which collapsed onto the floor of the corridor and shaped itself into – cloth.

Nerys stared down at the motionless bundle for a few seconds, speechles. It was a woolen shawl with a fringe, neatly folded into a square shape, of a rich maroon color which almost exactly resembled her hair. Her fingers itched to pick it up, so warm and fuzzy-looking … rub her face against it, wrap it tightly around her body against the cold … What am I thinking?

"Wrapped in cotton wool … that's funny, Odo." She giggled, remembering the Human idiom that must have given him the idea. "Nice shift. You look great. Now c'mon, turn back before someone brings you to the lost-and-found."

Odo-the-shawl unfolded halfway and fluttered its edges at her, as if asking to be picked up.

"Seriously? You want me to wear … " It? You? How does one talk to a sentient piece of clothing?

She really did feel chilled. And it was only a walk along the corridor and a short turbolift ride. Besides, he was her best friend. Plenty of friends walked with their arms around each other, so why should this be any different?

"Okay," she said, with a shrug, deciding not to ask herself if he could even see her in that shape. She picked up the shawl and draped it around heraelf with gentle fingers, being careful to avoid certain areas in front.

It really was as soft as it looked. It was also already warm, as if from someone's body heat – well, naturally, since it was someone's body.

"Nothing on this station should surprise me anymore," she muttered, a smile creeping up her face as Odo-the-shawl adjusted smoothly to her back and shoulderblades.

The turbolift was already occupied by Jadzia Dax, who, due to her Trill physiology and the thick fabric of her uniform jacket, had no need of extra clothing. They exchanged nods and smiles, and before Nerys realized it, Jadzia was reaching out to stroke the shawl.

"That's pretty," she said, smirking. "So, now do you admit you were cold?"

"Yes, all right? You and Odo!" Nerys instinctively stepped out of reach. Jadzia's eyebrows shot up, but she did not comment.

"Let me guess – he kept nagging you until you put that on."

That woman is incredible – or I guess the symbiont is. Three hundred years of life experience and she can read you with one look.

"He doesn't nag!" she said. Usually, given the time of night and the mod she was in, she would made some biting remark to agree with Jadzia about Odo's mother-bird attitude. But with him draped over her shoulders like that, she couldn't; the finer points of humanoid sarcasm still gave him trouble sometimes, and she couldn't risk hurting his feelings.

"He just … "

"Overprotects you?"

"Dax!"

"What? He does."

The shawl tightened ever so slightly. Had he heard? Was he annoyed or embarrassed? Nerys patted the wool lightly in a calm-down gesture, her face heating up.

"So, do you know how the Chief's doing fixing the heating system?" she asked, to change the subject. Ugh, way to go, Nerys! You're about as subtle as Dr. Bashir is when he's hitting on Jadzia.

"No," said Jadzia. "Haven't seen him since our shift ended. I've been having a steambath in the holosuite." She sighed and closed her eyes with remembered pleasure. "You could come along sometime, if you like."

"Maybe. Not tonight, though."

Jadzia took another look at the shawl.

"It would look good with a brooch," she said, smiling impishly. "Something golden Or maybe a pin to hold the edges together." She made a stabbing motion with one finger.

Nerys bit back a horrified exclamation. A tremor ran through the shawl; she couldn't if it was fear or amusement.

The turbolift stopped, the doors whooshing open to reveal the gray walls and black doors of the Habitat Ring.

"Night, Kira. See you tomorrow."

"Good night, Dax."

As soon as the doors closed, Nerys looked down and whispered: "Don't worry, Odo. Nobody's sticking a pin into you."

That vibration again. It was laughter; somehow she just knew. How does he do that?

It was quite pleasant, actually.

"There," she said aloud, stopping in front of the doors with her name on them. "My quarters. Er … you can change back now."

Before he started, she hurriedly remembered to take off the shawl first. She didn't know if his natural liquid form would leave stains on her uniform, let alone how he would feel sliding and swirling around her. She folded him up and placed him on the ground with all the delicacy of a vedek handling an Orb, ignoring the chill that swept over her as if to make up for lost time.

"Go ahead," she said, stepping back and closing her eyes.

When she opened them, Odo was standing before her in humanoid form, smiling with his eyes.

"Lieutenant Dax is too clever by half," he said, shaking his head in rueful admiration.

"She'd better not tell the whole station if she knows what's good for her."

Odo gave her another long, penetrating look. "I don't care if she does," was all he said.

Nerys found herself blushing – again. Now she sounded as if she were ashamed – she wasn't. Only …

I'd prefer to keep this private.

"Thank you for this, Odo," she said. "I know you don't like shapeshifting when it's not necessary … "

"This was necessary, Major."

Nerys had never felt comfortable with that military title. It made her sound like part of the 'establishment', not the freedom fighter she had been during most of her youth and childhood. But, for some reason, she had always liked the way Odo said it – with true respect and affection in his deep, rumbling voice.

"Good night, Constable," she said as the doors slid shut between them.

She might have heard him whisper good night, Nerys, followed by slow footsteps walking down the corridor … but she couldn't be certain.