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This wasn’t like any other time they had spent at the Alamo.
In fact, it was all wrong.
When Miles suggested they spend an afternoon at the Alamo, Julian was excited. He only had a few days on Earth - between the medical conference, and the reluctant visit with his family (at his mother’s request). Still, he couldn’t imagine coming all this way and not seeing his best friend.
The two met at Starfleet Command in San Fransisco, then shuttled over to the O’Brien’s new family home in Maui. Keiko, Molly, and Yoshi were all delighted to see Julian, but no one was surprised when the two friends excused themselves right after lunch.
“We still have a few hours of sunlight…” Julian said, filled with excitement, as the two rushed out the door.
The excitement, however, was short lived.
In San Antonio, the Alamo reminded Julian of nesting boxes: a 19th century mission, nestled inside the neat little 20th century park, in the middle of the bustling 24th century city.
“It’s not right,” Julian finally said from 50 meters away, as the two stood staring at the façade.
“What’s not right?” Miles asked.
“I don’t know. But it’s just not... right.”
“Julian, it’s not going to be exactly like the holosuite program.”
“There’s something wrong with the layout.”
Miles turned and looked at Julian, confused.
“What?!” Miles shook his head. “Julian, this is it. The Alamo. The real Alamo.”
“But it’s off…”
“Look, you’re getting caught up… in the people…” Miles explained. He turned to point out some of the contemporary features in the landscape. “Take away all those buildings behind it…”
But Julian was already gone.
The doctor had jogged up to the building, then backed away. From up close, he looked up the stucco wall of the façade. He spread his arms wide open, as if they could span its entire length.
“No. It’s off!” the doctor shouted.
Miles walked towards the building. It wasn’t how he’d hoped it would be. Then again, he wasn’t sure how it would be. It's not as if they could recreate the battle scene here, today.
The doctor buzzed around the perimeter of the building, anxiously. Finally, he turned around and waved to Miles.
“Come on, Chief!” Julian barely seemed to notice that there were other people all around. He jogged into the building, through the front wooden doors.
Miles finally followed through, to the inside the mission. He looked around, trying to find his friend. At first, he couldn’t see him, but he finally heard his voice.
“Miles! Look!” Julian shouted, standing near a far wall. “This is where the breach was.”
Miles nodded, as he looked around.
“Well, don’t you see it?” Julian shouted, a bit disappointed.
“What?”
“You don’t see it?” the doctor repeated. “It’s too far!”
“What?” Miles shouted back, a bit embarrassed and very confused. A family of tourists looked over their shoulders at the two.
“It’s too far!” Julian repeated once more, this time pointing in front of him. “From here to the well!”
“How can it be wrong?” Miles called back, with a sigh.
“Look!” Julian shouted, as he touched the wall. “It takes me exactly twelve seconds for me to run from here...”
Julian bolted away. When he reached the old well, he finished his sentence.
“…to here. Twelve seconds."
"So?"
"That, Miles O'Brien, was thirteen. You see?"
What?”
It’s too far!”
“Maybe you’re just slowing down in your old age!” Miles smirked.
“Never!” Julian replied. "Look at it… it’s too far away.’
“Are you saying that the Alamo... is wrong?”
“Yes. Yes, I am.”
Miles laughed, playing along.
“Julian, this is the Alamo. THE Alamo. It can’t be wrong.”
“Are you saying that we got it wrong?” Julian said defensively, sounding very insulted. “Are you telling me that Miles O’Brien, - Professor Miles O’Brien - got some simple measurements wrong? I think not.” He raised his voice, just a little so that the tourists slowly strolling through the grounds could hear him.
Miles shook his head.
“He can put together a starship from… from memory! But he can’t build an accurate scale model of the Alamo?” Julian carried on. “I don’t believe it for a moment!”
“Now you’re just taking the piss.” Miles turned his back, and surveyed the site, just to make sure.
Maybe Julian was right. Something just wasn’t right.
Later, at a cantina on the Riverwalk, the two sat at the bar, drinking some synthehol. After an awkward pause, Julian broke the silence.
“It’s not the same without you.”
Miles nodded in agreement. “I just couldn’t do it to Keiko... Molly… Yoshi. They needed to get off that station... they need to be here.”
“What do you need?”
Miles looked away. Finally, he swiveled on his seat, and turned 180 degrees to watch the river boats pass them by.
“I’m fine.”
Julian pursed his lips and nodded, unconvinced.
“You know, Miles, it’s not every day a man loses his best friend to.. “
“To his wife…?”
Julian smiled, then turned around in his seat, too. The two men continued to watch the boats and tourists. There’s no congestion, and no buzz. The hustle and bustle they grew used to on the station’s promenade is light-years away.
“You seem a bit jealous.”
“Me? Jealous? Why should I be jealous? I have plenty of friends at the station!”
“Oh, yeah.” Miles scoffed, as he raised his drink. “Is Garak back?”
“Now who’s jealous.”
“Me? Jealous? Of Garak?! You’ve got to be kidding me.” Miles rolled his eyes.
After a moment, the two men chuckle.
“You know he writes to me.”
“Garak?”
“At least once a week…”
“Good for you.”
“Yes. It is.”
“Is THAT what this is about?” Miles put his drink down, as if suddenly everything was made perfectly clear. “I don’t write to you enough?”
“You don’t write to me at all.” Julian corrected.
“Oh. Bollocks,” Miles grumbled.
“Well… you don’t.”
“Look, who suggested we come here?”
“I have to travel all the way to Earth, just to get a simple message from you?”
“What are you? My wife?”
Another awkward pause.
“Garak writes to me.” Julian turned his head, in slight exaggeration.
“Yeah. You said that. Does he invite you to play spy on Cardassia, too?”
“He’s too busy, rebuilding an oppressive totalitarian regime.”
“A democratically elected one, though, right?” Miles joked.
“Of course.”
The two men laughed, looked at each other, then raised their drinks together.
“Cheers.”
“Cheers.”
“And you know I’m right.” Julian smirked.
“About what?”
“About that wall.”
“The wall?” Miles asked, for emphasis.
“Yes. The wall.”
Miles chuckled. He didn’t want to admit it, but Julian was right.
As improbable as it seemed, it was just a little too far for either of them to ever let it go.