Chapter Five is here. People, I want reviews! Please, tell me how do you like my work.
Chapter Five
Isabel had not enjoyed spending the remainder of the two days in the Infirmary. She was not one of those weak-stomached people who were afraid, unnerved or made sick by hospitals. No, Isabel merely felt bored, lying around, doing nothing, without any company than Tevak, who was too busy to have a decent conversation with her anyway.
If that hadn't been the case, Isabel would have, even with a doctor, in spite of her extremely limited knowledge of medicine. She was one of those people who could talk about anything, wiggling out of situations were they were in darkness by use of words. In other words…she was capable of making herself look like an expert on matters where she was, to put it plainly, a dunce, merely by saying a thousand words that conveyed practically no message. As long as people surrounding her got the impression she knew what she was talking about, they did not find any wish or reason to doubt her.
After Odo had left, she had begun devising a plan for survival here. Unfortunately, none seemed good enough. Foremost, she tried using her imagination, a very powerful tool indeed. Unfortunately, it hadn't worked. The moment she started imagining some brilliant plot, dashing intrigue, romantic scenery, she found herself yearning, her limbs itching to get up and try it all in real life. It did more bad than good; long gone were the times when she couldn't have brought all her fantasies into reality and when merely thinking could have satisfied her.
There were no noises in the Infirmary, save for Tevak walking from one computer console to the other in his officer. Isabel didn't know what brougth her more irriatation, the fact that she was hearing someone move while she couldn't at moments, or the fact that everything was so silent and boring it simply made her want to move.
Finally, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but she simply was not tired, regardless all that had happened to her. Excitement and adrenaline never tired her. They had always brought her refreshing clearness. She was partially rescued when Quark passed by to bring her a drink. Tevek allowed it(after a very cross look from her as he'd opened his mouth to protest), since it was mere Spring Wine. Another quarter of the rescue came hand-in-hand with a transmission from Admiral Duane. It had been rerouted to the Infirmary from the Prefect's office(where she would have very much liked to climb) , but at least she was allowed to get up and sit in a chair before the computer. A few steps, but it surely felt better.
Duane was a man in his fifties, fifty-nine, actually, she believed. He had known her ever since she'd signed in with the diplomatic corps, and had always been very fond of her in a fatherly sort of way. The concern on his face had never been a pleasant sigh for her, not even in her mushier moods.
"Isabel. Gul Dukat has notified me about the accident. Are you--?"
"I'm fine, sir." Isabel interrupted him, rudely, she realized, but showing weaknesses in front of her mentor had always been uncomfortable for her. Not being fine was a sign of weakness to her, "Even though it hardly was an accident." She went on softer, "A Bajoran had attempted to murder Constable Odo."
Crossing over her impoliteness, Duane's look sharpened reasonably.
" Murder? I thought Dukat was overreacting…Cardassians often tend to let their eloquence get ahead of them." His brow furrowed, "Can you tell me what exactly he meant with 'appropriate punishment'?"
Isabel smirked slightly. For some reason, she especially liked the idea of herself being looked upon as someone who could interpret the Prefect's thoughts. And something within told her it had nothing to do with her usual vanity and enjoyment of superiority.
"Execution, of course."
Duane sighed. He'd often found himself appalled and scared by Isabel's cruelty…or simply indifference towards such methods as taking someone's life for a crime.
"You seem to support it. I am against it." He stopped, looking into her eyes deeply with his blue ones, "But I am not the one who got shot by that Bajoran."
The Admiral had so often sought excuses for her. Isabel had never seen any point in justifying herself. She did as she liked or as circumstances required. That was her own prerogative. What others thought of it…it mattered little. When she wished to impress someone, she did it without changing herself for them or hiding anything about her.
But Stephen Duane cared about her, and he was a Starfleet Officer who'd dedicated his whole life to Starfleet and the Federation in the same time. He had to seek for excuses to let her so openly step on protocols those two ordained. She understood that, and she let him do it.
"Precisely." However, they had a hidden policy. Whenever he would make such an excuse on her behalf, it meant he wished to gently steer off the current topic. Presently, executions. Isabel respected that.
"The only thing I currently mind is being forced to remain in the Infirmary for two days."
Complaining helped her; she often complained. Most thought she did it too much, but Duane had never minded it, even though he would warn her when she'd go overboard.
"I know how difficult that can get." Duane ran his hand through the rare head on his round head, "But the more you listen to the Doctor, the sooner you'll be able to leave."
"If I survive that long." She cut off sarcastically.
"Now that's what I call overreacting."
Even though Duane had said that casually, completely unrelated to any of his words before the change of subject, Isabel caught the back of her mind glowing slightly because he'd described Dukat with the same word then.
Soon, it went out of her head, though, since the said glow had been far more subconscious than conscious.
"That's what I call objectivity." She smiled quickly, "A joke, sir. I have to thank you for breaking the monotony partially…the Doctor actually let me get up to conduct this transmission."
Duane laughed.
"Always glad to help…Intendant. Unfortunately, I have to run now. Duty calls; Admiral Nechayev needs a full briefing."
"Huh!" Isabel waved her hand, "Be sure to send her my dis-regards. I swear, sometimes I believe that woman sleeps with protocols instead of her husband…"
"All right, all right, I get the point!" Duane was still grinning, "I'll do as you said. In return, you get better soon."
"Yes, sir. And good luck."
After that, she had spent almost entire two days completely alone.
Almost.
In the morning of the second(thankfully, the last) day, Gul Dukat entered the Infirmary.
Her first thought was how she still looked sleepy and ungroomed, and how naked that made her feel. The mere fact that she hadn't done her best to perfect her appearance gave her a strange vulnerability she hadn't been exposed to before. It took her a few seconds to recall he'd already seen her sleeping face, and how she must have looked a million times more ungroomed when she had been dying in front of his eyes.
She was sure he hadn't spotted her brief uncertainity, or had mistaken it for something else. He certainly didn't showanything, in his perfect, black uniform, as he strutted towards her.
"Miss Kellis." He drawled, "I hope you are feeling better today."
She shot him with an ironic gaze.
"How would you feel in my position of a stranded person?" A chortle, "Other than that, fine."
"Ah, but I am also very often…stranded…in my office." He joked.
"But you don't have guards that forbid you to leave." Isabel's glance darted to Tevak's office.
"I am certain the Doctor has only your best interests in his mind." Teasing was spread all over him, "One way or another, I have come with good news."
"Oh?" Sitting up, she not once removed her eyes from his.
"Miss Kellis," Dukat's look went from teasing to seductive at an unexpected, incredible speed, leaving her completely worldless for a few moments. Luckily, she was not supposed to say anything.
Dea would've congratulated him for being the only person that managed to shut me up. Isabel recalled her best friend, and realized that the Prefect of Bajor truly was the only one who had succeed in such an impossible mission.
"I will tell you that you shall be let out of your…" He showed around with his hand, also not looking away, "Safe haven, a few hours earlier. At 17:00, actually, so you would be able to witness at 18:00 the execution of Tanal Lomarra…the Bajoran woman who had doomed you to this torture."
It had taken her tremendous efforts to keep her focus strong enough to be able to discern the words among the thrill that filled her. Not because of the fact she was leaving the Infirmary, but because Dukat had gotten dangerously close to her during his speech.
Their faces were only small inches apart, she saw, her hertbeat increasing. The hammering didn't help her concentration. Enchantedly, she stared into his eyes. Go ahead, She thought…no, ASKED…Kiss me. Kiss me…Kiss me!
When their lips pressed against each other finally meeting, she closed her eyes, completely letting go to him. I knew you couldn't resist me, I knew you wanted me…The lines ravaged through her mind victoriously.
They pulled apart, and she couldn't help but feel dumbfounded at the same look of victory in Dukat's eyes. Soon, though, it turned into cause for even more triumph-he must have been feeling victorious because she had allowed him to kiss her, returned the kiss. How good that felt--
"That was an appropriate expression of thankfulness, Intendant. Although, I must admit, it did come as a surprise…"
What? The meaning unclear to her, Isabel scowled slightly. What was he talking about? It came as a surprise? She was showing she was thankful? Hadn't he..
And then it hit her like a lightning bolt out of a clear sky-She had kissed him.
Nothing, not even the realizition that she had been dying, had ever caused that kind of shock tu erupt within her. It was like a volcano, and for a moment her jaw even dropped. She'd been lulled…deluded to believe he had been the one to make the first move, to near her and kiss her. Not deluded by him(that was the worst and the most petrifying part), but by herself. Because she'd wished it to be so.
Naturally, her mind tried to look for reason within this, naturally!I had wished for him to fall prey to my irresistable charm, as I always do…and it is also natural that the man makes the first step!
Even if she had maybe convinced herself to that(and she had always been great at lying to herself…and others), there was no logical explanation she could have found for the fact that in the end she had fallen prey to his charm.
It left her completely frozen, her inside trapped in a hurricane.
Perhaps it is a Cardassian…thing? Perhaps I find ALL Cardassians so magnetically attractive…
But she hardly cared for Zolan and Tevak.
It took her a few seconds to finally let it go and decide not to bother with it at the moment(she easily dismissed things she found unpleasant to think of), but as soon as Dukat's face was again clear before her eyes, she saw plainly he had noticed it all. That he was aware of all that was happening within her mind. The feeling of nakedness crept back into her, and she angrily shook it off. The smug look on his face helped.
"Now you see how extremely revolting I find this enviroment."
Now it was turn for his jaw to drop slightly, even though he struggled to keep the grin still. Isabel produced one as well, big and satisfied. She quickly forgot about her former defeat and remained completely focused on her victory. A natural refelx she and all humanoids had in common. All wanted their mistakes or defeats to be forgotten, and to be remembered for their victories.
However, Dukat was humanoid as well…and her loss was his victory. He moved closer, leaning in so his mouth almost touched her ear. She jolted faintly. Had he uncovered a weakness within her…himself?
"If that brings me a kiss from you, Intendant…even though an unaware one…I shall gladly tell Doctor Tevak to keep doing his job the way he is."
Isabel pursed her lips at that whispered, but so gently that it merely represented her true state…bewitched. She fought a bloody battle with her eyes to prevent them from closing, with her tongue to prevent it for asking for more.
Her victory was like that of Pyrus.
In a way, she had succeded in her mission. But her tongue couldn't have been stopped from producing a sound. Dukat was the only person that had managed that…the statement included herself.
So, instead of greeting him, saying goodbye, she asked, again stupefied by her own words;
"May I know what will you be doing after the execution, Prefect?"
She sounded so casually seductive without even thinking. Dukat moved away, roguery plastered on his face. Her shock subsided quickly; she knew he was going to accept. It brought unexpected relish.
Keeping her roasting, he appeared to ponder. Huh! As if that was going to work…
However, it worked. Her eyes widening, Isabel felt her heart beginning to hammer nervously. Come on! She knew…it was plain fact…that he was going to say yes, that she should come to his quarters. He was merely putting up an act now…
What was going on with her? Perhaps a side-effect of the damned mushiness?
"I believe…" Dukat initiated slowly, still 'pondering', "That I might just say…"
Hurry up! Come on! Say it!
"My quarters…or yours?"
Now, as she lied on the biobed, Isabel shook her head. Who was she deluding? She had not been almost not alone.
It felt as if she had never been so not alone in her entire life.