Dabo!

[Atragon9 0]

" 'If I had to be assigned somewhere that didn't move around, this would definitely be it,' is that really what you said the other day, Admiral?"

 

A9 was walking along the upper deck of Deep Space 9 with the station administrator, Commander Benjamin Sisko and the Commander had just presented this provocative question. A9 turned without slowing his strolling pace and just smiled. "I would think you would take that as a compliment, Commander." Sisko smiled back, seeing that his goad wasn't taken, "A think one, but I see how you would think this could make me happy. As it happens, now that we have the Defiant finally out of mothballs, I will be doing more 'moving around.' "

 

A9 came to a stop where he had a view of the Promenade below him and the Special Ops engineering teams working on the Wing, just outside the windows above. "I thought about co-opting the original Defiant to join us, but with the Pensacola already beefed-up to be a bigger, better Defiant, I thought why do I need a second?" Sisko smoothly stopped next to A9 and casually leaned against the railing, also not willing to be goaded into an emotional response, "Now Admiral, you know that the Defiant was my special design and that the Fleet wants it here to help against just the sort of threat that almost chased you back here, hmm? So, let's get to the reason to your visit to the station. You have been supervising all of the repairs and departure preparations from the Manticore, are you here for one last spin of the Dabo wheel?"

 

A9 turns to Sisko with a serious look on his face, "Ben, I just wanted to let you know that the Special Ops Wing will be ready to help you with the Jem'Hadar whenever they decide to make their move, Maquis in tow or not. You have seen all the same intell that I have and you've also got copies of all of our recent logs from our little vacation in the Gamma Quadrant. These guys are no push-overs and we only got out alive thanks to the element of surprise and the thick skin of my ship. You are truly on the front line, so don't be shy in asking for more gunslingers by your side. Now, before you go all lone wolf on me and tell me that you'll be fine and I don't need to worry and blah blah blah... just know we're out there for you - and that's all I'll say about that. Anyway, we are getting the Wing all fixed up and your docking pylons will finally get freed up after these weeks of our monopolization. Your staff have been skilled, efficient and kind to bear with all of our ... special Special Ops needs." [insert Sisko-isms (I hate "speaking for" established Trek canon characters) ]

 

They shake hands and A9 moves away toward the lift that will take him back to the Manticore. He stops, halfway down the deck and turns back to Sisko, who was watching him go. "Maybe I *will* try my hand at Dabo, eh Ben?" A9 turns and heads for the stairs down, smiling that he finally got the shocked reaction he was looking for, from the Commander's reaction to that statement.