bluenebula@mail.chariot.net.au
Paramount owns the characters and yes, even the situation. But the
dialogue and everything else is mine!
Do not archive or reprint for public use without my permission.
Any and all feedback welcome at bluenebula@chariot.net.au
This is my take on the conversation between the Elder Odo and the
Younger Odo in ‘Children of Time’.
——–========= (o) ========——–
One Self – Elder and Younger
by
Debbie Kaminski
(c) May 15, 1997
——–========= (o) ========——–
Odo stood to the side, gazing sadly at the golden gel that was his
younger self. He knew too well what thoughts raced through the
younger self’s mind. So alone…so afraid….just like he had been two
hundred years ago. Trapped in stasis, unable to form into his
humanoid shape to find out what had happened, who had been hurt,
who had …. died.
*He must know* Odo decided. *He must not be left in the dark.*
With that thought, Odo lowered his hand and linked with his younger
self.
Immediately the questions he himself had had so many years ago
barrelled towards him, demanding to know who he was, where they were,
what had happened. As simply as he could, Odo allowed the knowledge
and memories of two hundred years pass effortlessly from the elder into
the younger, carefully hiding a few of the more recent memories.
Mere minutes passed in silence. Then the younger self’s thoughts
broke through with both their pain and anguish.
^_Nerys_ … dead…^
*They all died, the Prophets just called our Nerys quicker than the
others*.
Even through the link the words held bitterness and sarcasm.
There was quiet.
^I never told her…^ the younger mourned.
*No, you never did. I told her*
^WHY!?! I hid it for so long…^
The elder sighed. *Two hundred years is a long time to rethink
your mistakes. A long time to carry pain. I made the choice you
would never make, that I never made. I regretted never telling her,
painfully. I could not let you carry that pain if what I plan fails*
The younger was startled. ^How did she react?^
*When I told her? Why don’t I let you remember…*
Now the elder allowed the hidden memories to surface. The kiss,
the softness of her lips on his….
^Oh my…^
The elder smiled. *Yes, you see now*
A pause.
^What you plan…what are you going to do?^
*Undo the wrong. This was not meant to happen.*
^But that would be an interruption in the…^
The silent words were harsh. *No! _This_ was the interruption,
_this_ is not the way time flows. Time moves forward, not backwards
like this! It must be corrected, to save their lives, to save Nerys*
^Nerys…^
*Yes, I can save Nerys*
^But what will you do?^
*I can reset the co-ordinates. They will never crash, Nerys will
not
die yet, you will return to the station. And you will not be at fault,
you have no way of warning them of my interferance. It will be _my_
interferance that will correct the time flow, not yours. Convince
Nerys of that when you return and are well. It was me, not you.*
^But we are one and the same. That’s how Nerys will view it…^
*Convince her, younger self. If not you will feel the same pain I
have*
The elder paused. There was not much time left.
*Younger self, I must leave now. Our time is over. I will try to
change what has been wronged, and when you return to the station
cherish your time with her three folds. You will outlive her, and your
memories will stay with you eternally. It’s up to you whether they are
of pain or of joy.*
The younger was silent for a few seconds then finally answered. ^I
do cherish her….but can she cherish me?^
*I do not know the answer, younger self. I do not know what will
happen for you, but learn from what I have passed onto you. My
memories are now yours. Learn well.*
The link broke then. The elder pulled away and reformed his hand.
Odo took one last look at his younger self before stepping out to do
what he must do.
——–========= THE END ========——–