Thanks for the reviews, everyone!


Embarrassed by the crowd of people around her, Lorna dashed over to the restroom to dry her tears and make herself more presentable. She couldn't have the captain of the station see her, famous authoress that she was, looking like something the cat dragged in. Military officers tended to frown on that sort of thing. She went into a stall and shut the door behind her.

There was a hole in her heart, widened by the sad truth that she knew she would never see N'Vek again. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen! How did it come to this? She had such grand dreams of love, of living happily ever after with a man who adored her. All her life she had been terribly lonely. Was it too much to ask for a bit of happiness? Just as when she was a little girl, Lorna felt powerless, miserable because she couldn't change her fate with the stroke of a pen.

After several minutes, she was able to pull herself together. She made for the restroom exit. But before she reached it, she heard the stall door behind her creak open. Two arms seized her, and a hand covered her mouth.

"Do not resist me, Lorna," came her assaulter's voice in her ear. He activated a communicator on his wrist. "This is Lovok. Two to beam up."


Lorna watched the busy spaceport from a tiny window on Lovok's cloaked ship, wondering why they hadn't yet left orbit. Vessels were coming and going from the docks. Take me with you, she wanted to say to each one that left. If only she could bang on the glass, and somehow, someone would hear her. But it was no use; sound simply didn't travel through the void of space.

There was a chime. Lovok entered. He was holding a large box wrapped in gold paper, with a classy, glittering bow. She tore her eyes away from the package, and instead turned back to the window.

"You don't need to be afraid of me," he said gently.

Somehow, she doubted the veracity of his words. "Then why did you kidnap me? You know I'm not a spy."

"I thought that should be obvious by now." His handsome features made her heart flutter, despite the danger she knew she was in. "Dinner will be served soon. Will you join me?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"You always have a choice, Lorna."

Except whether or not I can leave, she added silently.

He set the box down on the table. "Open it."

Still cautious, Lorna lifted the lid to reveal an elegant dress. It was absolutely gorgeous! Floor-length white satin, it was shimmering with silver sequins. A small rosette on the shoulder finished the gown. She had to admit, it was one of the most beautiful gifts she had ever received. But she checked herself when she remembered that there were strings attached.

He had already seen her first reaction, however, and chose to ignore the second. "I would very much like to see you wear it."

"I'll bet you would." His wounded expression quickly changed her mind. He had shown considerable thoughtfulness by choosing it for her. "Okay," she said, this time without any sarcasm, "I'll have dinner with you. But you'd better not get any other ideas."

"I am honored. Don't worry, I promise to conduct myself like a gentleman." Satisfied for the moment, he bowed and left.

She turned once more to face the window. Oh, N'Vek, where are you when I need you the most?


N'Vek, all the while, was in yet another struggle for his life. Rakal had managed to catch up to him before he could leave the station. Both were trying to gain the advantage—without alerting the Starfleet authorities.

"It's just you and I, N'Vek." The blade in her hand gleamed in the soft lighting of the maintenance footway. Below them, the garbage of the station was heaped into huge containers, waiting to be crushed and dispersed into space the following morning.

"So it is," he held his fists in a defensive position. Unlike his adversary, he didn't have a weapon. He wasn't familiar with Starfleet security, and was concerned that it would have been detected.

She lunged forward, her knife slashing. N'Vek was able to dodge her attack.

"When I'm through with you, I'll be certain to give Miss Winters your regards. And then I'll kill her, slowly." There was a hungry look in her eye, the look of a beast searching for blood. Naturally, she was trying to bait him. N'Vek wisely kept silent, and didn't permit the slightest twinge of fear to form in his heart.

"Lovok has her now, you know," she continued. "I'll wait until he has his way with her, and then she'll die. But how should I kill her?"

At this point, N'Vek found himself wishing he had allowed Ambassador Spock to give him a few meditation lessons before he left Romulus. Outwardly, however, he was certain that his facial expression didn't betray him.

"Strangulation? Asphyxiation? Bleeding? Or perhaps I should just cut her pretty form into a million pieces?"

He swallowed. "Isn't that a bit excessive, even for you?"

"Do you care for her, N'Vek? Did that human woman make you soft? Weak?"

Enough was enough. It was time to turn the tables. "It is you who are soft, Rakal," he taunted, "You have let your jealousy of Lovok's attentions weaken your focus."

A wicked smile came across her face. "Nice try."

But he wasn't through unraveling her yet. He needed to be sure to pause between lashes, so that the previous sting wouldn't dull her to the next. They circled each other a few times before he spoke again. "Lovok doesn't care about you. He's just using you."

"Do you think I'm not aware of that?" She attacked and once more missed, barely. A rush of cool air on his arm told him that his sleeve had borne the brunt of her ire.

"Then why do you continue to play the role of his sycophant?"

"I'm not his sycophant!"

"Yes, you are. Lorna Winters would never stoop to such a position. That's why he wants her and not you." There was more where that came from, but N'Vek soon discovered that no more insults were required.

Unable to bear the cold, hard truth any longer, Rakal shrieked with fury, and dived toward him. This time, he couldn't move out of the way. Instead, he gripped her wrist to keep her knife from plunging into his gut. His normally superior masculine strength wasn't much help here, as Rakal had agility for her ally. A twist of her wrist, and she was free from his grasp.

N'Vek blocked one rapid strike after the other. Rakal's martial skills almost seemed to improve with anger, and he began to wonder if he had made a mistake in goading her on. Too late now. They struggled for a while longer. All at once N'Vek's feet were swept out from underneath him, and he flipped over the railing. Rakal stared after him as he fell down, down into the trash compactor.

Now he was really in trouble. He could, of course, climb out, but that would take time. And that was assuming Rakal didn't turn on the machine. He knew better than to think she wouldn't.

She brushed the dust off her hands. "They always said I was good at taking out the trash." With a malicious laugh, she activated the switch.


Lovok's face colored slightly when she entered the candlelit room. "Lorna, you're enchantingly beautiful. Even more so than the evening we first met."

"When you tried to kill me?"

"A mistake I would do anything to change." He pulled one of the chairs out, and gestured for her to sit. She reluctantly complied with his request.

"And now, to complete the look." He opened another smaller box, and offered her a silver tiara. "For the queen of my heart." Lorna blinked in surprise, then nodded. He placed it on her head, then took his own seat. "Yes," he said in awe, "It suits you perfectly, just like the dress. I knew it would."

The setting was flawlessly romantic. On the table, she noticed there was a single, red rose. The only light came from the hundreds of tiny candles flickering around the room. It was everything she could have wanted, just like a magical dream. Lovok was the perfect host, and as he promised, he behaved like a gentleman. His dark, mysterious looks reminded her of the Phantom of the Opera. Ironic, considering they first met at an opera.

Sing once again with me

Our strange duet

My power over you

Grows stronger yet

You'll give your love to me

For love is blind...

A traitorous part of her imagination wondered if he could sing, but she quickly forced the idea out of her head. If he thought she was going to swoon like Christine, he was wrong.

After a dinner worthy of the finest restaurants of Paris, he escorted her to the large bay window. The cut of the glass gave the illusion that one could simply reach out and touch the stars. Lorna wished she could float through it out into space and escape, before she lost herself in this fairy tale.

"The stars are beautiful, are they not?" She could barely make out his reflection behind her.

Lorna nodded, but said nothing.

He moved closer and took her hand, choosing his words carefully before continuing. "I meant what I said about your stories. They taught me that love is never impossible, no matter what the circumstances. Before you, I never questioned that my life would always be cold and lonely."

"Wait, are you saying that you...love me?"

"I don't merely love you, Lorna. You pierce my soul—I can't exist without you! Can you not see that it has been for you alone that I have thought and planned?"

So, he reads Jane Austen, too. Captain Wentworth was her favorite Austen hero, as Lovok was no doubt well aware. She couldn't help but be flattered that he was quoting what was, in her opinion, the most romantic letter ever written. And yet...something was fishy. "This all feels like a game to me."

"It was at first," he admitted, "but something happened that I didn't expect. I lost my heart to you. Tell me it isn't too late to win yours. Lorna, put aside the past and run away with me. We'll have a life together."

Lorna couldn't help but be moved by his words. She wanted to believe him, to surrender to him. Though she still cared about N'Vek, she was tired of the uncertainty of his affections, tired of his constant advancing and retreating. She understood his reasons, but was frustrated nonetheless. It was heart-wrenching that he cared more about his duty than he did about her.

And here was Lovok, confessing his undying love. Was he even capable of love? Half of her wanted to swoon, but the other half was wary. She was already acquainted with his cruel side. "But you're a part of the Tal Shiar—and what about Rakal? Doesn't she care for you?"

"Rakal," he practically spat her name. "She is but a means to an end. Oh, she has her uses. I sent her off to take care of N'Vek. When she returns, she'll be re-assigned. I'll have no jealousy between us."

Lorna gasped. "N'Vek is dead?" Tears welled up in her eyes. "But..but he saved my life."

"Before you mourn his loss, remember that he left you. I would not do that to you, Lorna. I intend to make you my wife."

"What?" She was still horrified.

"Let me speak, please. I am grateful to N'Vek on one account: that he stopped me from harming you. You must understand that I was only doing my duty. Now that we know the truth about each other, I beg you to forgive me."

"But why did you have to kill him?"

"Experience has taught me never to leave a stone unturned, for that is always where one's enemy will seek refuge, and return another day."

By now, her cheeks were wet. "You're very cruel."

"I know." He tenderly wiped a tear away. "That's why I need you to show me how to change."

Cruel and crazy, she clarified mentally. With this revelation, all attraction she felt for Lovok melted away. N'Vek was gone, so she would have to rely on her own devices. There would be time to mourn him later. Right now, she had to escape. But how?


As some of you have no doubt guessed, the inspiration for this chapter came from Phantom of the Opera. Lovok looks a little like Gerard Butler, but I imagine he'd probably sing more like Michael Crawford. ;-)