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The Cardassian ships had turned back, Benjamin was safe and headed for the dock, and everyone in Ops had breathed a collective sigh of relief. Everyone except Jadzia. Now that the action was over, she found that she couldn’t catch her breath, and her hands were shaking so badly, she knew she would drop her padd if she tried to pick it up. Clasping her hands tightly behind her back to hide the trembling, she hurried toward the closest restroom, stumbling twice on her way.
Once inside, Jadzia slid to the floor with her back pressed against the wall, one hand covering her face and the other wrapped around her knees.
Just breathe, Jadzia, Breathe.
She didn’t notice when the door opened, but Jadzia jumped a mile when a hand touched her shoulder. She looked up to see Major Kira kneeling next to her, her hands up in a gesture of surrender.
“Easy, Lieutenant. It’s just me.” The Major’s eyes were softer than Jadzia had ever seen them before, and her usual abrasive nature didn’t seem to be present. “First time?”
“What?” Jadzia gasped.
“First time under fire,” Kira clarified. “It’s alright. Take a deep breath.” She slipped a small hand into Jadzia’s and held it firmly. “Come on, in and out. In. And back out. Slowly.”
Jadzia kept her eyes focused on Major Kira’s calm gaze as she spoke. She tried to breathe along with her, and after a few gasps and hitches, she found the rhythm.
“There you are,” said Kira gently. “You’re alright.”
“I’m sorry,” Jadzia flushed. “I don’t - I mean, it’s not like Curzon never -”
“But you’re Jadzia,” Kira interrupted carefully. “I can’t say I know a lot about Trills, but from what I understand, it was Jadzia’s body that just stood out there at her battle station, not Curzon.”
“But I only adjusted some settings and monitored the shields!” Jadzia burst out. “I didn’t really do anything! Chief O’Brien was practically manufacturing weapons on the fly, and you - you were threatening war to a Cardassian Gul with a starship full of torpedoes pointed right at you!”
Kira laughed. “I’ve had some practice. You did your job, Lieutenant, and you did it well. You held it together as long as you were needed, and no one can ask more than that. The first time is scary for everyone.” She gave Jadzia’s hand one last squeeze before she stood.
“Be sure to get your head on straight before next time - meditate, pray, talk to someone, whatever works for you. But do it soon because I doubt we’ve seen the last of the Cardassians.”
With a brisk nod, Kira strode from the restroom, leaving Jadzia to pull herself slowly to her feet. The Major might be a hardened freedom fighter with an attitude, but there was a real person under all that steel and barbed wire, and in that moment, Jadzia couldn't have been more grateful. She took a few more minutes to splash some water on her face before she took a deep breath and stepped back out into Ops.