NEW: DS9 (Kai's Fables) The Cardassian Who Would Be King, 1/1
Note: With apologies to Aesop, these are various Aesop's Fables re-written for the Star Trek Universe.
THE CARDASSIAN WHO WOULD BE KING
The group of Bajoran children eagerly settled in at the feet of the elderly Kai, anxious to hear yet another of her stories. This had become a common way to spend the afternoon and, in spite of the vedek's protestations that the Kai had more important matters to tend to, she was always waiting in the garden when school let out.
"What shall it be today? Perhaps the story of the Cardassian who would be king?"
"Yes," the children cheered in unison.
"A long time ago," she began, "Cardassia was a wealthy and powerful place. They took what they wanted without regard for anyone but themselves. One Cardassian in particular was very obsessed with his own desires, his name was Dukat. Dukat had a nice life, a wife and many children and he was an important man among the Cardassians, even given important responsibilities; but that wasn't enough for Dukat, his sights were set much higher. He rose in the ranks of the Cardassian military by playing the part of the good, little soldier and supporting those over him until he had information about them that he could use to elevate himself. When someone became inconvenient to him, he disposed of them, even his own illegitimate daughter who could devastate his political ambitions. Dukat was absolutely ruthless to those he considered inferior, slaughtering them by the millions and regretting only that more hadn't been killed. His thirst for power was unquenchable, he gave no thought to anything else and, ultimately, his selfishness indulgences in his own wants would drive away his wife and their children. He didn't let that stop him. Through deceit and manipulation, Dukat rose to power, crushing anyone in his path.
Dukat decided that power alone wasn't enough, he wanted the love of his half-Bajoran daughter, Ziyal. He lied to her, telling her things that she wanted to believe about the man who was her father, but she was also Bajoran and she had the heart of a Bajoran. It angered Dukat that his daughter might choose freedom and the love of a man over his possessive, controlling idea of love. Dukat ruthlessly manipulated her and even sought to have her lover killed, but in the end his thirst for power caused the death of Ziyal and he was devastated to have been denied what he wanted. His anger drove him to seek out and make a pact with the pah-wraiths, themselves."
"Ooh," the children murmured at the mention of such evil.
"His ambitions knew no bounds, he had no qualms about allowing the pah-wraiths to use him, possess him, as long as he got what he wanted from the deal. He almost succeeded in releasing the pah-wraiths from their prison, but the Emissary of the Prophets fought bravely and, with the guidance of the Prophets themselves, he trapped Dukat with the pah-wraiths for all eternity. The man who sought to rise far above everyone around him, ultimately ended up in the very depths of hell itself."
When the story was over, the children thanked the Kai for the story and left for home. Kai Kira watched the vibrant colors of the sunset and thought back to those days and how close they had come to unspeakable horror.