I don't know how long I was asleep, but it was light when I woke, and I remember it being a dimmer light when I went to sleep. I thought perhaps I had slept the night, but I couldn't be sure. I did know I was starving and thirsty. There was a knock at my door. I slid on my pants and my tunic and padded down the ladder as quickly as I could. When I opened the door there was a woman with long red hair walking away, with a basket on her hip, "Did you want something?" I called out.

When she turned I gasped. I would have to note her down in my aesthetics journal as pleasing. I looked over her entire body. She had long wavy red hair, and bright green eyes. A smattering of freckles over her ridge nose made her look young. She was wearing a long flowing dress, and some kind of simple white top laced up the front. Her look was pleasing. As I took one last look ever her, I noticed she was not wearing any shoes. Interesting, since the climate, he thought was a little cool, at least today.

"Where is Pravar Tomlek?" She asked me, looking over my shoulder into the house, "Doesn't he still live here?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly, "I only just moved in. Is there some service I can provide?"

She laughed, and held up her basket, "I was stopping here on my way to the market to see if he wanted some Fresh Moba fruit. I don't suppose you want any?"

I looked into the basket, and then into her eyes. I could see innocents. That was one thing I could see and knew the word to describe. Being a politician, a servant of the dominion gave me such an instinct, "I don't know if I would, I don't recall ever having Moba fruit before."

I watched her take one from the basket and she looked as if she was contemplating something deeply. If I had to guess, I would say it was whether she could afford to give a stranger one and still make the money she needed. She handed it to me, "Here, try this."

I smelled it first, it smelled of sunshine and fresh water. I smiled and took a bite, not really expecting to experience much in the way of taste. To my surprise though my mouth exploded with flavor, it was sweet, and, and…the taste was something I had no words to describe. "Most pleasing!" I giggled, overwhelmed with a sudden rush of pure joy, "I want to buy them!"

Her green eyes went wide, and I could see disbelief and shock. "How many?" she asked hesitantly.

"All of them!" I couldn't contain my own pure joy, and I wondered if my laughter bothered her. "Come in, let me get you money, whatever you ask if I can I'll pay."

The lady climbed up the three steps and stood in the door frame as I gobbled down the fruit as I looked for the purse of money Odo had given me. "How much for the basket?" I looked at her and waved for her to come in the rest of the way, "Come now how much?"

She looked down at her feet, wiping them on the step she put a foot into my home. "A…slip of latinum?"

What she said stunned me, I knew money very well. I did recordkeeping and finance reports all the time, it was a part of my job. One slip was hardly half of a full credit. She was young, she was naïve, or there was something wrong with the fruit, odd I hadn't tasted poison in it. No, there was no poison, and as a side thought I considered I better look to see if that poison immunity had been removed from my genetic coding. I approached her and she shied away. It made me feel bad, for her, that she was so timid. It was no wonder Dukat found the females of this world to his liking, he could dominate them. "May I see the fruit?" I asked tilting my head, and she held the basket up for my inspection.

They looked healthy, no blemishes, not too soft or too hard. There were at least twenty five pieces. When I finished inspecting the fruit I looked at her, she was staring at me, I don't know why. Judging from the angle of her eyes I would say it was my ears. "I'll give you five strips." I said and watched confusion fill her bright green eyes.

"That is way too much, Sir. I only asked one slip."

"I know, but it is good business to treat people who you want to do business with again better than they expect." I gave her a grin. I did not add that I usually used such tactics to earn trust that I would later betray. She didn't need to know that, and wouldn't think of it on her own. Besides, I doubt a seller of fruit would have something I needed so badly I'd need to lie to her.

She held out her hand timidly. "I accept. I think you are foolish for paying so much, but I accept. I will not tell others about this, because you would be set upon by everyone."

I pulled the currency from my pouch and placed it in her hand. She handed me the basket and I giggled in spite of myself. It was better than winning at Dabo. I looked at her, she looked as sweet as the fruit tasted. I wondered if that was a term of aesthetics.

"Are you going to require a maid and laundry woman?" she asked softly.

I had not thought of that. I knew other vorta who did such services for me when I served the founders, so I had no such skills myself. "Do you know someone or are you offering your services?"

I watched her swallow, "I performed those services for Pravar. I can sew ,cook, and mend clothes too."

I could tell she added that last part out of pride. "How much do you charge for that service?"

"Two slips a week. I come three times. I'll come more if need be, to help with harvest if you plant but that is more."

I couldn't see myself farming, but I could see the need for clothes cleaning and such. I knew she wasn't over charging me for the service, if her price on her fruit was any indication of her business acumen "It is a deal, but only if you tell me your name."

"I am called Derna, after the fourth moon."

"Derna, I am Weyoun. It is pleasant to meet you. You will begin service tomorrow." She bowed slightly to me and turned. When she looked back and no longer saw me at the door she took off running as fast as she could. Her hair color reminded me of Major Kira, but this one had a far more docile temperament. I much preferred Derna's temperament.

I tried to be moderate about the consumption of the Moba, but it was so good. It tasted, and that was what amazed me. Taste was not something Vorta had, it was removed as un-needed by the founders. Odo had given me a precious gift with this new ability. I wanted to eat more, finish the basket, but my stomach just didn't let me so I put them in the storage box in the kitchen for later.

The com panel beeped and I answered it, it was Ezri, I remembered her vaguely, and then it struck me. I had interrogated her and the Klingon. She smiled at me, it didn't look like a real smile, but given the memory I had there was no reason why seeing me would be pleasant. Though, I had to say to myself, she too was a most pleasing looking being to look at too.

"How are you settling in, Weyoun?"

My smile was genuine, "I believe very well. Though I do not exactly know why I am here or what purpose being here will serve to help Odo."

Ezri nodded, "How about if I come down day after tomorrow and you and I spend the day talking about that."

"Of course. I will make sure I am ready." I bowed my head slightly, a submissive habit I picked up when dealing with other races, it seemed to make them feel like they had the upper hand on me. Only secretly, I feared, Ezri did have. I had no idea what her talks would entail, or if what she meant by talking was going to be more of an interrogation.

The com went blank and I found myself once again alone, and without a true sense of purpose. I looked at the cottage. Everything seemed simple and quiet. It wasn't at all what my former lives were used to.

I took the PADD with the information on the genetic adjustments out and sat on the couch. Odo wants me to learn something, I thought, I will start with this.

O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_OO_O_O_O_O_O

The reading was interesting. The blocks that kept the Vorta from enjoying aesthetics had been completely removed. Our eyesight had been improved by fifty percent. There were odds and ends minor things about digestion, and the removal of the taste suppression gene. I was happy to discover that my immunity to poisons was not changed, nor had my excellent hearing. It was impressive to begin with, and the notes made reference to the fact that within ten Vorta generations all alterations would be brought back to genetic neutral, as they stated. The last sentence took my breath away, that in seven generations the Vorta would be capable of natural reproduction.

I leaned back, my mouth was gaping. I tapped the tab about reproduction and found myself gasping again. He had already been altered so that he could begin feeling a natural urge to mate. This was scandalous. We had been clones since the Founders saved us from our primitive state. Oh, there had been reports of Vorta males and females taking the occasional mate, even a rumor that one had fathered a child.

I couldn't help but laugh. The very idea of my species taking mates, and living as family units was…I had to stop myself. I was questioning a founder's wisdom. This kind of drastic change could not have come from just one founder, assuming more survived. So if Odo was the last or he was one of many, this wisdom came from…them.

I threw the PADD in the chair beside me. I knew enough about creative genetics to know that if we were genetically neutral, then we could not breed with others of our race. We would be forced to find…

That's when it struck me. Perhaps, just perhaps, that was our gods wisdom. That we, being neutral, would breed with others and provide them with generations of loyal servants and worshippers. My head spun. It was something only a god could think of, if I was correct in my thinking, it was the absolute domination of not only the Alpha quadrant but…any.

Still, I am not Keevan or Gelnon, both of which I had rumor and report had taken mates of some kind. I shivered violently, the very thought of it made my skin crawl. Such an unclean unsanitary act this mating business. Still, it did garner a certain devotion. I shuttered again and stood. I needed to cleanse myself in a shower. I felt slimy suddenly, dirty, yet to challenge the founders was most unwise.

Removing my clothes I looked at myself in the mirror. I could see the appeal my body might have for a solid. I found I admired the aesthetic value of my own body. As always the founders choose wisely. I smiled at myself in the mirror before stepping into the shower.

Perhaps there was a way, to avoid this mating urge, I thought, as much as I want the line of Weyouns to go on and to be a part of the Dominion I was not sure I wanted it to be in such a disgusting way.

Next time I spoke with Odo, I would ask.