if thereâs one species that takes a particularly ⌠violent, stance on child abuse and mistreatment, itâs humans. something julian finds laughable, given not a single soul who saw him decided to do something, or say something. yet it remains true. even the most vile of humans wonât tolerate that among their species or others. any who harm a child within the range of a human; any who have even a history of it?Â
   they wonât make it out of that area alive.Â
   no doubt, word of julianâs augmentation reached earth long before his father did. no doubt, people looked into his work, discovered he was an exceptional doctor on the front lines, and one of the kindest souls the grace starfleet medical.
   a word that wouldâve reached even those in richardâs penal colony.Â
   a heart attack. right. julian snorts at that, head shaking. â it wasnât a heart attack, odo. it was murder. this is common when anyone who mistreats a child, no matter how long itâs been, lands in a human prison. to be honest with you, iâm shocked captain sisko and chief oâbrien let him off this station without murdering him, or at least doing some physical harm.  â
   the padd is taken, but he doesnât look at it. he doesnât want to. he drums his fingers against it, the smooth and warm metal not registering to his body. nor does the single tear rolling down his cheek. he shakes his head more, offering odo the padd again, letting out a shaky sigh as he speaks.
   â unless thatâs a direct order from the captain or major, iâm not going to. i have too much to do here.  â pausing, his lips pull tight briefly, before replying to the constableâs quiet words. â he wasnât much of a father, odo. even without what he did to me. he was never around. it was only my mother and i, and us being dragged around the galaxy by him. and when he was there, he was angry, and violent, and i was the perfect outlet. i wasnât his son. i was a legacy he built.  â
    â  thereâs no good parts to miss. thereâs nothing there to grieve ⌠heâs still my father, and i still love â loved â him, but thereâs nothing there. itâs â itâs just a bit of a shock. iâll be alright. thank you.  â
   itâs a half-truth. julianâs positive heâll recover from this with ease, but heâs far from alright. and given his recent history, he highly doubts odo will believe that. so, with a glance down, then back to the constable, julian adds.Â
   â iâll be safe, odo. i promise.  â
Though his expression remains still, Odo shifts his weight between his feet at Julianâs suggestion that Richard Bashirâs death was other than what the report offered. He hates that heâs probably right. The idea that justice can be disrupted in the very seat where justice is supposed to be upheld is uncomfortable for him. It brings his own demons too close to bear. Though, he supposed, for the crime which Julian suggests, some might believe that justice was, indeed, served. Far more so than simply letting Richard rot in jail for a few decades would be.Â
Odoâs discomfort is refocused on the man before him. Eyes are quick to search his face, his mannerisms, for the truth behind the stone wall heâs fronting. Humans are an emotional species. A tad less so than Bajorans. But he always finds it fascinating that, for an emotional species, when something like grief or despair grips them, they attempt to become as stony as a Vulcan.Â
The human condition, he supposed.Â
âThereâs no direct order . . . yet,â he adds. âBut you will be monitored. By myself, personally. Iâll try to be as un-intrusive as possible. Itâs just . . . with your recent history,â he clears his throat awkwardly, âeveryone just wants to make sure you can make it through.â When Julian hands the PADD back to him without so much as reading it, he takes it but taps it against his leg for a moment.Â
Julian seems to understand Odoâs particular concern, too, when he attempts to reassure him that heâll be safe. âI hope so, Doctor. Thereâs a great number of people here who depend on you.â Clearing his throat again, Odoâs posture stiffens and his hands move to clasp behind his back. âYou may not take time off for yourself, but you may want to consider visiting your mother. Iâm sure sheâd be grateful for your company.âÂ
Naturally, if he did decide to go, Odo would go along with him. Ever since heâd found him in the cargo bay nearly lifeless, heâd taken the doctorâs well-being upon himself. There wasnât a single hope he was going to let Julian out of his sight with this on his shoulders.Â