He didn't like this. It was too…open. Too sterile. And much too bright.

He was wishing now, in a tiny and deep part of his heart, that he had resisted the urges of his defective mind. He was upset at himself for being what he was, doing what he was doing. Everything that was right felt wrong…and everything wrong felt right.

It made him quite dizzy.

And he did not appreciate the stares he was getting and the fact that his life was in the hands of someone other than his beloved Founders. "Beloved? You betrayed them you fool!" A dark part of his mind had been yelling over and over a thousand times since he had been awakened in the shuttle. He felt such conflict and turmoil inside but decided to hang onto his love for the shapeshifters he called gods despite how unworthy and sinful he had become to their cause. It was one of the few things that made sense to him now, and that was saying something.

Though if he were honest with himself, he knew they would have likely terminated him on the spot had they had an inkling of his treacherous thoughts to begin with.

The last Founder he had any true long-lasting devotion and hope for in this moment was Odo, but the constable didn't favor the little vorta in return one bit. At least, that's what Weyoun assumed. He could often tell when the male changeling was lying or telling a half-truth (unlike the Female Changeling, Odo had picked up humanoid facial cues and mannerisms and so Weyoun could read him perfectly), but ever since he had given himself up, to defect to the Federation, Odo had been particularly hard to read. And particularly absent once they reached the station and Weyoun was handed off into Starfleet custody as a prisoner of war and more importantly, an informant.

Weyoun sighed, supposing his inherent instincts and talents were now going, along with his Dominion loyalty. It almost made him cry, but he wouldn't dare allow these Starfleet or Federation-sympathetic Bajorans see him well up.

He shifted in the bio bed, unused to these feelings of unsurety and the unknown.

"Your heartrate is speeding up, you need to calm down, Weyoun." Julian said as he glanced at the chart and the steadily increasing pattern of beeps that represented Weyoun's heart rate. Weyoun glared back at the doctor, not liking Bashir's tone. It was resentful, and it was not helping to ease his anxiety. He had been under the impression that Bashir's bedside manner was better than this…

"I don't see why I'm here. I have already been debriefed by your superiors. Eighteen hours of my life I won't be getting back." Weyoun shot back just to be spiteful. It's like no one was grateful he had done this, that he had joined their cause.

They didn't understand what he had given up for them.

"You're here because from what I understand, by all accounts and purposes, you died." Julian explained, looking at the smaller alien without much sympathy in his eyes. In fact, there wasn't anything in particular in the human physician's eyes other than mild curiosity, which unnerved Weyoun just a bit. His past memories remembered a brightness there that now was gone. At least they weren't devoid of all compassion, something Weyoun knew all too well in the eyes of his former Dominion doctors…and even the Cardassian physicians. Julian Bashir was not uncaring…just tired, and aged from the war. Nothing shocked him like it would have five, six years ago. Weyoun looked down at his lap, feeling guilty now on top of everything else. He knew in a huge yet somewhat indirect way, he was the cause of this drastic change in the human healer.

"I have died six times, doctor. That's nothing new." Weyoun replied quietly, still looking down at his pale hands, missing the spark of remorse in Julian's eyes at that statement. Despite what Weyoun may have thought, the young doctor did feel rather shocked at that figure. Still, feeling resentful at this Weyoun for his past-counterparts' actions in this war, he didn't feel like showing it.

"Yes well, be that as it may…there's quite a big difference now." Julian prodded. Weyoun looked up owlishly but said nothing.

"Be coy all you want," Julian sighed, "but we both know what makes this time unique."

Weyoun had to hand it to the human, he was right. Weyoun hadn't just died and woken back up in another identical body in a lab like the other six times. He had come back to his old body. Not even these Federation-loving solids that Odo seemed so loyal to could do that. At least, not usually as far as he understood…in his research of Earth, he noted several exceptions to this statement of being, but until now he had just waved it off as Starfleet propaganda to instill a sense of power in their various campaigns against what they termed as 'evil'. To influence their sense of right and that the insignificant made a difference and may have rewards beyond measure for their contribution for furthering the Starfleet agenda.

Hmm. Perhaps he was looking at this in a bit of a biased perspective. But then, it was still in his genetics.

"So what do you want to know exactly? I couldn't tell you how I did it, if that's what you're getting at, doctor." Weyoun sighed, twitching his shoulders in annoyance. Questions here questions there; it was never ending.

"Calm down." Julian came over swiftly, placing a hand on Weyoun's chest, an instrument in his other that recorded readings for him. Weyoun finally noticed the increasing beeping once again as his heart rate skyrocketed.

"Look, I am just trying to do a final exam for the day before you go and rest. Dying and coming back to life can have its toll on the body, even for a Vorta clone like yourself. And I need all the information you can possibly give me. It's my duty to ensure you pose no threat to this station…or to yourself." Julian replied with a certain look that Weyoun was unsure how to take. He had felt a thrill of alarm and fear when Bashir said that. And then anger, which quickly turned from a flame to ash. He had no reason to be upset or embarrassed. It had been his honor to give up his life to save his Founder…an honor which turned into a nightmare…but that was not what Bashir was worried about. He probably hadn't had a chance to speak with his Captain about the contents of the debriefing. All the human must know so far was the basics. And Weyoun was thankful for that as he was far too fatigued to explain everything all over again.

"I've given everything I had. There's nothing else I can give." Weyoun replied in a smaller voice. He felt like an old dish rag that had been wrung and twisted until all the water was gone.

"That's my point. I'm not a psychiatrist, but I do have an oath that binds me to make sure I have done all I can to keep you alive." Bashir said, now looking behind the nape of Weyoun's neck. Weyoun flinched at the contact, something Julian noticed distinctly. But he continued his work, gently taking the Vorta's jawline and tilting his head to get a better view of the area described by Odo in his report. A tendril of a scar lay there now, and Weyoun grimaced when Julian prodded it gently to inspect.

"Is this the only point of self-harm you're engineered with?" the doctor asked softly.

Weyoun hissed out a small yes. This felt incredibly intrusive.

"Good, as it's deactivated. A one-use only deal I imagine. I can't find anything else that would give me pause, so for now I'm giving you a clean bill of health." Julian declared, letting go and typing on a tablet now. Anything to distract his feelings of pity for the man before him that in past lives had masterminded such a dark part of the on-going war.

Weyoun meanwhile looked down again, clenching the sleeves of his old uniform that he still wore. He conceded with a nod dully, feeling remarkably depressed. The spark and zeal he had when he started out on this quest was all but lost now, and he wondered what comforts Seven was enjoying as his replacement. Perhaps even basking in the praise of their gods…

Weyoun's ears picked up on movement before Julian's but the small Vorta decided against looking up and acknowledging the new arrival.

"I decided to…check in." Came in the deep rumble of Benjamin Sisko's rather melodic voice. He seemed in a lighter mood than Weyoun had ever heard in his presence, but it still had an edge.

"Well everything checks out. His vitals are virtually the same as when he arrived yesterday. The debriefing did not seem to have any ill effects." Bashir replied, putting down the padd.

"No…abnormalities?" Sisko asked vaguely, concern lacing his tone but in a way clearly not for the Vorta but rather the results.

"My abnormalities reside in my head, not my body, captain." Weyoun said with a hint of a glare directed at Sisko. After that debriefing, Ben wasn't sure how to take that.

"I had to ensure you don't pose a risk to this entire station." Julian basically repeated from their earlier conversation. Though purposefully leaving out the 'and yourself' bit. Weyoun was glad for that small courtesy.

"I don't." Weyoun sighed and looked down at his hands again. "Not anymore."

"Good work, doctor…I look forward to your detailed report. Weyoun, these guards are here to escort you to your quarters." Weyoun looked back up to see Sisko motioning to the two Starfleet officers in red and with phasers on their hips; one was a human considerably more physically threatening than those he had dealt with thus far, the other being an Andorian if he remembered his studies correctly of Federation species. Weyoun slipped off the bed and clasped his hands together on his front, anticipating the Andorian's intention of putting silver Starfleet-issue manacles on his thin pale wrists. He followed the human guard, the Andorian following directly behind them.

Because of the placement of the medical facility he was forced to be escorted out in the open in order to reach the lifts that would take them to the occupancy part of the station. It had been far easier the day or so before as it had been almost midnight by the station clock and therefore the promenade was closed for business. No one to gawk at his defeated form.

Today was far different.

Quark's was full of patrons, who now stopped in their tracks to view the spectacle of the small former Dominion liaison, washed up and scorned, being led away to whatever new prison he would be kept in until he was needed further.

Or to be forgotten entirely.

Weyoun kept his sights on his feet and just enough upward to watch where the guard was leading him. He could hear every insult and threat whispered as he passed.

Weak eyes, good ears, as he used to be fond of saying.

Now he wasn't so fond of the ability.

"Alright alright! Go back to whatever you were all doing, there's nothing to see here." Came a gruff voice and Weyoun immediately lit up and turned sharply to the source. As he walked along, he saw Odo shooing the patrons and passersby away with help of a couple of his Bajoran underlings. The mass dispersed deftly and quickly under his command and pride welled in Weyoun's chest for his Founder at such quick and efficient work. Nothing less than what he expected from a Founder of course.

As they turned a corner, Weyoun was able to steal one last glance of Odo, who stood there in front of Quark's Bar, with Major Kira and Quark himself flanking his sides, sharing his gaze back at the receding Vorta.

It was this small kindness that brought all his faith and adoration back ten-fold for his Founder, and for the first time in over twenty hours he was sure he had made the right choice in choosing the Federation.

He smiled at Odo before walking out of sight and towards his new, if slightly more comfortable, prison cell.

"Did you see that? He smiled at you." Quark blurted out when Weyoun left.

Odo growled. "And? He's always smiling."

Quark folded his arms, unconsciously mimicking the changeling. "Not like that. That wasn't like his usual smile. That was genuine."

Odo rolled his eyes, his ounce of patience for the Ferengi already spent. "And how would you know anything about being genuine? Hmm? Or what that would look like on a Weyoun? You barely spent any time with him, you always made excuses not to serve him directly when he came into the bar. You always made your witless waiters do it."

Now Kira was looking at Quark exactly like Odo was, expecting Quark to say something stupid. The Ferengi blushed slightly at the accusation (which was true like it always was) and was now exasperated.

"I have eyes! I can see without chatting up a war criminal!" Quark breathed heavily.

"Keep your voice down!" Odo snapped. Kira decided to break up an argument she knew was going nowhere.

"Quark, if I were you—and I thank the Prophets I'm not—I would tend to the bar. Looks like that Bolian is reaching behind the counter while your waiter is flirting with the dabo girls." It worked like a charm, Quark immediately tutted back inside to throw a dish rag at the waiter and keep an eye on the blue alien.

Odo and Kira decided to walk down the Promenade to his office. Quark's was just too cramped just now.

"As loathe as I am to admit, he's right y'know." Kira said after a moment of silence in their walk.

"I know."

"Odo." Kira stopped and put a hand on his shoulder, making the changeling stop in his tracks. "We haven't had time to really talk about all this—" Odo waved off her finishing her thought. She could tell by looking into his eyes that there was much he was keeping inside, like he always did. It pained her to see it, but had known him long enough to know what it meant. Odo wasn't sure how he felt about this whole situation now. It bothered him. And he had always had trouble with understanding his own emotions.

"I need to be alone for a while, Nerys." Was all Odo was able to grind out before almost running away to the solitude of his office. He left a confused and concerned Major standing in front of Leeta's confection stand.

Kira stood there another moment before sighing heavily, bouncing a fist on her hip and turning away sharply. She decided it would be the perfect time to visit the Emissary.

Eighteen Hours earlier.

"So let's start from the beginning." Odo had asked, leaning into the table, arms resting on the top to keep his pose non-threatening—for now.

Odo had stated his claim to conduct Weyoun's debriefing himself, as Chief of Station Security. He had fought for over an hour with Starfleet on the matter, but with Sisko and Kira backing him, their hands were effectively tied. The Changeling had won and was allowed to lead the questioning of the Vorta defector. But on the condition that Sisko and the Major attend it as well, to represent Federation and Bajoran interests. And because of the unsaid truth of not quite trusting a shape-shifter, Odo very well knew.

And so the three were there, along with an over-kill of guards both Bajoran and Starfleet, facing the small and slightly trembling man who once waged death and destruction on the entire quadrant.

Sisko had to keep reminding himself that was a different Weyoun; a different life. If they could all be so lucky to rise blameless and untainted from sin in this war.

"When I woke up in the shuttle?" Weyoun asked, squinting slightly at the bright light shining directly down on him, showering him in soft but still agonizingly bright light while the rest of the room was obscured in darkness, including everyone else in the room aside from Odo; Sisko and Major Kira on the constable's sides at the table.

"No." The Odo replied after a moment. "How about…when you first started getting these…feelings. Inclinations for defection."

"We'd like to understand your motive for turning on your people." Kira added, eyes narrowed just a bit, the only indication of how much she trusted the man before them.

Weyoun's face immediately darkened. "I'm not turning on my people." He hissed. "I'm doing what's best for them. This war they're fighting...it's wrong."

Sisko and Kira shared a surprised look.

"Well," Sisko gave a slight humorless laugh, "that is one thing we can agree on."

Weyoun merely looked downward, fidgeting with his sleeve.

"It started the moment I gained consciousness." Weyoun continued, ignoring the captain's slight passive aggressive remark.

"Can you elaborate?" Odo asked, Kira hearing the gentleness in his voice.

Weyoun sighed. He had been eager to talk to Odo about the life of his people, their history and purpose for being. What greater privilege than to speak with one of the fabled One Hundred about their shared and sacred past! But now…now it was like throwing pearls before swine with these others present. These Starfleet officials didn't care beyond what they could exploit for their side of the war. But, the Vorta had to admit, he likely would have felt the same about them. At least, in his previous lives. Except the First…Weyoun 1 would have cared deeply about them, as he had with all life in all its forms.

But that was neither here nor there.

"As you may now know, the Founders share an existence called The Great Link." He spoke softly now, choosing his words with exact care, and it was apparent he felt his words and this subject were incredibly sacred to him. His tone even impressed Kira, and made Odo unfold his arms, enraptured by the implied weight of what he was about to explain. Sisko barely blinked in his attention.

"Well, they were able to engineer my people with a similar, primitive of course by comparison, existence. While we Vorta live apart as Solids, our consciousness is linked to our labs, and by a more important extension, our clones. When we die, we effectively awaken in this new body. It was deemed necessary in order to function efficiently in our work. What good is a diplomat who needs to relearn everything every time he dies?" Weyoun was looking just at Odo now, with hands clasped gently in front of himself. He let that information sink in for a moment before continuing.

"When I woke up, it had been incredibly disorienting and…painful." Weyoun closed his eyes, remembering the moment to which he was talking about.

"It is not, normally?" Odo asked, incredibly curious.

"No." Weyoun answered, inside hating he could not speak of this privately with Odo. He was starved for this knowledge and it was a momentous moment spoiled by the others intruding on it. But he had a duty to them, since he had chosen Odo he knew he had, in effect, chosen them as well.
"Only when we die under…abnormal and traumatic circumstances. The shock and residual pain and emotions are initially too much for the new clone to experience at first and so such a transition is often…uncomfortable." At the sound of it, that seemed to be quite an understatement. But it looked like Weyoun was not one for baring his soul to random Starfleet officials.

"So what happened?" Kira blurted out.

"I was murdered. Again." Weyoun sighed and sat back impatiently, but anyone watching could hear the hint of hurt in his voice. "By my dear liaison to Cardassia, Gul Damar." There was a flash of a sarcastic smile everyone knew belonged to the Vorta but somehow it didn't look right on this one.

"He's allowed to do that?" Sisko said in that unique way he had. It was a question, but his face and tone betrayed nothing else.

"No. Damar is a drunk fool of a puppet for our—I mean, for the Dominion's agendas." Weyoun spat, angered by the memory even now. "That and the fact I'm expendable is what gave him the leeway to pull such idiocy and remain in his position."

"You were second in command of the Dominion forces here in the Alpha Quadrant, and yet our sources corroborate your claim that Damar was alive and well by the time you left with Odo in the shuttle. Did his actions not warrant some kind of retaliation for eliminating such a high-ranking liaison to the Dominion?" Sisko continued, Odo and Kira sitting there expecting an answer of some kind. Weyoun narrowed his eyes at the human. He continued his answer, but with an expression that was much darker than before.

"Unlike the Federation and its lovely Starfleet 'family'," Weyoun laid on the sarcasm quite heavily here, with another nasty smile conveying what he thought of the Federation. "The Dominion works at its highest proficiency with the least allowance for any margin of error. We function for the sole purpose of achieving the highest excellence in our preordained jobs the Founders deem fit to allocate to us. My existence is to serve the Founders in all things." He held his wrists upright and bowed his head towards Odo as he said this. "Should my death further their cause, it is within acceptable losses that I am…disposable."

Odo shifted in his seat. Even Kira found this disturbing, but she had to keep up her unaffected facade. "So in short, while a valued asset to the war effort, you as a clone are ultimately expendable." She stated for clarification.

"Yes." Weyoun simply replied.

"So, after Damar's successful attempt on your life, your 'rebirth' sparked a sort of…vengeance on him? On the Founders? That was why you defected?" Sisko asked.

Weyoun shook his head impatiently, motioning with his hands. "No no no, you've got it all wrong." He folded his arms now, a defensive stance that was surprising to see from the Vorta. "I could have cared less for what Damar did to me. Cardassians are distasteful creatures…or at least the few I had to work with day in and day out." It was here Kira couldn't suppress a snort. She could imagine what hell Weyoun must have endured working with both Damar and Dukat for so long. "It was to be expected."

"And the Founders are perfection. You don't question perfection." Weyoun finished his thought a moment later, stealing a gaze at Odo before casting his eyes downward.

This sentiment made Odo incredibly uncomfortable. He absentmindedly clenched his uniform in a vice of a grip.

"And yet here we are." Odo observed. Weyoun dipped his head as he usually did, his smile no less than a smirk but tinged with a bitter sadness that those who had known him well would have been able to point out.

"Luckily for the Federation I am defective."

They said nothing to that and so Weyoun continued.

"Since the moment I awakened, I felt doubt. Reviewing my memories, my interactions with you, Captain Sisko and your staff on Terok—" he corrected himself here, "Deep Space Nine—and the cost of this war on the life in the Alpha Quadrant and in our own sectors beyond the wormhole, projections we have been making on the loss of life therein…and I began to see that this war we were waging on you, on the Federation, everyone here…that it was wrong."

His former confidence and sarcastic smile were gone now and in its place was a totally new individual. Weyoun's eyes looked bigger somehow, and his overall stature very small, especially with the spotlight in the dark room. He was paler than usual, and his eyes held deep dark circles. His uniform was rumpled and his hair slightly wild. For the first time in the debriefing, Weyoun looked defeated.

"You may think what you like about the Dominion Empire, but we—they—have not survived for two millennia by being a heartless and destructive force bent on irrational schemes to attack the weak. Their name is not always revered in what you call the Gamma Quadrant out of fear, but for being benefactors to those under our protection. We were strict and yes, destructive, but only as a last resort. Why do you think the Founders engineered diplomats along with their soldiers? Peace was our highest goal. The Founders wished to instill structure in worlds beyond their own after experiencing the harshness of lesser, more primitive species.

But after coming to your Alpha Quadrant…things changed. We began to conquer or destroy. There was no in-between. And I realized I could no longer condone such large losses of life that I had been witnessing. I realized my allegiances had changed—and that my place was with one Founder rather than those I had been working for."

"Odo." Kira confirmed and Weyoun nodded.

"Yes." Weyoun breathed, sounding like Odo was his last gasp on reality—or sanity. His unwavering devotion was apparent and Odo had to clear his throat and shift in his chair again, feeling antsy at the sentiment.

"And so I defected. Of course, they weren't going to let me go without a fight. The Dominion does not take kindly to betrayal."

"Just like it doesn't tolerate acts of terrorism, right Weyoun?" Kira jabbed in a hateful and short voice. Odo looked anywhere but at her and Sisko gave her a look that said 'cool it!'.

Weyoun retracted his hands from the table and onto his lap, looking down. "My progenitor's actions against your friend is one of many regrets I must live with." Here he looked up at her, his violet eyes more piercing than ever. "But you must allow that Rom was breaking the law set by the Dominion, knowing the consequences. Weyoun Five did not have much choice but to condemn him to the correct punishment for his crime."

"Why you little-!" Kira jumped up, fist almost swinging. Weyoun flinched. Odo stood up swiftly to calm her (maybe restrain her if he had to) but Sisko's voice rang out clearly in reason.

"Major! The Dominion's occupation of the station is not in question. Our job is to get what information we can from this defector and determine if it's true! Rom isn't dead and this Weyoun is not the one that threatened his life. Either you can stay here or you can leave, but I will not tolerate you threatening him. And I'm sure Odo will not either." Kira glanced at them both before nodding and sat back down. Odo followed suit, but avoiding looking at her.

Odo then said, "The Dominion does not tolerate a lot, as we both know. The other Weyoun and Damar caught up with us after his defection and gave us quite the ultimatum."

"They would have killed you." Weyoun said fiercely, looking at nothing as he was caught up in the horrible memory. "That…that thing would have killed our Founder if it meant destroying me."

"Your replacement?" Sisko asked.

"Seven." Weyoun confirmed with a nod. "He was activated shortly after I went missing. His memories began only where Five died, of course, since I wasn't dead…yet. He's…he's like none of us. My past clones. He is more…ruthless. I think he may also be defective…but in a worse way…" he trailed off and then snapped back to reality, looking directly at his interrogator. His god.

"So what did you do?" Sisko asked, but noting Weyoun's stare at the constable.

"I did what I needed to, to keep the Founder alive. I killed myself."

Here Kira gasped. It was one thing to read as one vague sentence in a report. But hearing someone say this? In person? It blew her mind what lengths Weyoun would have gone to protect his deities. A newfound respect was grudgingly growing for him in her mind, even in the midst of her anger at him for what his other clone almost did to Rom. Being a part of the Resistance had instilled a similar sense of duty to her causes. To die for what you believed in, especially to protect those you loved, garnered a sacred and special place in her heart. And there was a place there close by for those who did the same. It's part of what moved her in befriending the Starfleet personnel assigned here after the Occupation. They were willing to do what it took to finish a mission if it meant saving lives. And she was seeing that Weyoun had more potential than she thought, even if his courage surfaced for this single reason: protecting Odo. It was a start, and it was more than enough to give him more than a second thought now.

"But you are sitting here talking, very much alive. You were unsuccessful?" Sisko continued.

"No." Weyoun again pushed back, impatience again gracing his tone. And an undecipherable melancholy that was new to his voice. "Odo's report surely illustrated I was indeed dead. It was the only reason Seven allowed Odo to leave back to Deep Space Nine. As if his place gave him the right to bargain with a god." Weyoun scoffed. "It was several hours into the trip back that I gained consciousness in my body again."

There was silence now, everyone obviously wanting an explanation.

"Well? Can you explain how you returned to life, or was it by sheer will alone?" Kira ground out, her conflicting feelings making her ill.

Weyoun narrowed his piercing violet eyes but he looked far too tired to quip back and merely sighed.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me." Sisko said.