I was re-watching "Rocks and Shoals" (the first episode with Keevan) the other day and - while I'm fairly sure the intended message of the episode is that the Vorta is awful for betraying his men - I really can't see it that way. So this mini fic is a result of my thoughts on in that episode.
Obviously I don't own star trek and I'm not making any money from this.
Hope you enjoy :)
November 2016: Minor edit to fix two typos I noticed.
The Only Option Remaining
When Keevan looked into the case of white and found all but two of the vials broken he saw death closing in. It was just a question of which killed him first, his injuries or his own men.
"I'll look after you," he told them but it was a lie. There was nothing he could do. They would die painful drawn-out deaths and so would he.
He'd already died once. Once had been more than enough.
When the Jem'Hadar marched two Federation prisoners into the cave he realized he could use them.
Remata'Klan wouldn't tell him who had disobeyed orders, had engaged the Starfleet officers and gave away their position. The Third said that he would disipline his men, not Keevan. He said that was the order of things. The Vorta knew all about the order of things. It said he should serve the Founders, give his life for the good of the Dominion over and over. He thought -privately- that he might hate the order of things.
He didn't want to die again. Every breath felt like knives stabbing into his chest but he wanted to live.
When he told Sisko of his plan the human looked at him with such disgust. The Captain didn't understand, thought he could save the Jem'Hadar by taking them prisoner. He didn't understand at all but it didn't matter, he didn't need to understand.
He gave Remata'Klan his orders. The Third was a good leader. He was smart enough to know that the unit were being sent to their deaths yet he asked no questions. "You're the First now," Keevan had told him. The soldier said nothing; he understood.
The white was gone.
There were no more choices left.
They had perhaps a day before the Jem'Hadar lost control, another two before they were all dead.
Though they didn't show it they were afraid, didn't want to die curled up in the dirt, wracked by the pain of withdrawl.
Keevan just didn't want to die. He would do what was neccessary to survive.
Despite their lofy ideals, so would the humans. They wanted to live just as much as he did.
The Jem'Hadar wanted to die in battle.
"I'm not going to die here," he'd said. Now he wouldn't.
"I'll look after you," he'd told them and it wasn't a lie anymore.