SEASON 2: EPISODE 07

INTO THE FIRE: Epilogue

  Major Kira accompanied Jonathan as he walked to the airlock to his shuttle.  The walk had been mostly quiet with little conversation.

  “I’m sorry Captain Sisko could not be here to see you off, Captain,” apologised Kira.  “He has returned to Earth for leave.  This has been a trying time for him.”

  “I can imagine,” replied Masters.  “It isn’t easy to lose good friends and colleagues.”

  The two came up to the airlock and paused outside it.

  “Thank you for walking me to my shuttle, Major.”

  “It’s okay, Captain.  I think Jadzia would have been pleased that you came for this.”

  “I wish I didn’t have to.  Jadzia should still be alive.”

  “I wish she were too.  We all do.  Dukat is a heartless monster and we should be celebrating over his grave not grieving over Jadzia’s.  He’ll pay for his crimes.  The Prophets will make sure of that,” said Kira, the venom in her voice was clear.

  “I hope they do, Major.  You can tell them to give Dukat one from me.”

  “I will.  Good luck when you get back to the front.  I hope to catch up with you after we grind the Dominion, Cardassia and Dukat into dust.”

  “I look forward to it, Major.”

  With a simple handshake the two officers, one Starfleet, the other Bajoran Militia parted.

  Masters walked through the airlock and boarded his shuttle.  Major Daley and the shuttle pilot were already there waiting.  He shut and sealed the door behind him.

  “Are we cleared for departure?” he asked.

  “We are, sir,” replied the pilot.

  “Take us out, Crewman.”

  The shuttle slowly cruised away from the ex-Cardassian station.

  “We’re getting a message from the station, Captain,” said Daley.

  “What does it say?”

  “ ‘Give ‘em hell’, sir.”

  Masters sat back and watched as the shuttle continued to cruise away from the station.  Deep Space 9 had not been a very happy place for him over the last few years.  Masters was not sure about fate, deep down he was a hopeless romantic and believed in fate in that respect, but he also did not like the idea of having things set out for him, it was too controlling.  Fate had seemed to deem it that whenever he came to Deep Space 9 something terrible would happen to him.  As the shuttle entered warp he wished that it would be a long time before he had to return.