My enemy, my ally
Owl was shaking his head as he strode out of the time portal onto a deck he knew very well. The metal walls were so familiar that it hurt. Eliza followed with Draco right beside her. She stilled as she took in the white walls, the red equipment, the sweeping ceiling and the various things scattered about. She stared at the clam-shell door in the far distance.
"This isn't a Klingon ship." Eliza said very quietly.
"Yes, it is." Owl replied as he started for the door that he knew led to the interior hallways of the ship. Then he came to a sudden halt as a group of being came into view. They had been behind a blocky object with two long cylinders on either side of its bottom. His eyes narrowed as he took in the group and when he spoke again, his voice was flat. "Something is wrong. Draco, ward Eliza. Empress? Do not move unless someone takes a shot at you. In that case, shoot back."
Draco activated his shroud again and moved to stand in front of Eliza who stared at Owl and then at the group who were not moving. There were humans and others in the group and Eliza slowly shook her head, but before she could speak, Owl barked a demand in Klingon as he drew his batleth.
"NuqNeh!" [What do you want?]
At his aggressive tone, everything seemed to stop. Everyone stared at him as he took another step forward, placing himself between Eliza and everyone else. Everyone jerked as his batleth started to glow!
"Dehar Master!" One of the beings in the group said slowly the common tongue of the Tenno, an evolution of the language once called English. He looked almost human except for the ears that went from the top of his head all the way down to his neck. "I..." Whatever else he was going to say was cut off as a large form with spiny protrusions all around his head slugged him in the gut with an obviously iron hard hand. He went to to one knee, gasping.
"Do not speak. The General told you not to speak." The raspy voice of the being who had struck was cold and hard. Not angry, just hard. The same language and easy to understand, which was likely why they used it. Miscommunication here would likely be very bad. He met Owl's angry gaze with a slow nod. "General Neesha is on her way."
"Is she now?" Owl asked in a very mild voice. Everyone in the group jerked and then the one who had hit the other took one slow step forward. "I am sure she has a very good explanation for this."
"She does." The other did not do reassurance very well, but he wasn't drawing a weapon, so that was good. Sort of. Owl knew better than to trust him though.
A door behind them hissed open and four humanoid forms hustled in, only to freeze in place as they took the scene. One was female, the others male. None were human and all wore armor, the female's was a uniform of sorts, but still armor. Another form entered, this one shrouded in a long cloak. The female nodded to Owl, but before she could speak, another voice sounded. This one was sour.
"How much are you going to break this time?" All eyes turned to the side where a rock was sitting. No, not a rock! It moved forward and deliberately placed itself between Owl and the others. It wasn't a rock, it just looked like one. "How much am I going to have to fix this time?" The female voice was coming from a box on the thing's back. A box with several stripes.
"Hello, Narahta. Commander Narahta now, I see." Owl said softly. "I would rather not break any of it after all of the effort we spent to 'acquire' and refurbish it. I have one question: What the hell are Jem'Hadar doing on my ship?"
That was a shout and more than one of the listeners winced. Eliza and Draco both tensed, but then relaxed a little when nothing else happened.
"Commander, stand down." The newly come female said quietly as she stepped forward. "I take responsibility, Owl." She had long, dark hair and her brow ridges were pronounced.
"Wej jang SoH!" [You did not answer!] Owl snarled in Klingon.
"No, I did not." The other said quietly. "This is not a conversation to have in the shuttle bay."
"So, we just walk into whatever trap the Dominion has laid this time?" Owl snarled and then spat. Everyone jerked as he shook his head. "Not happening."
"Owl!" The female snarled. "Don't be a fool! You cannot fight him alone!"
"I will roast in Grethor before I ever trust anything that the Dominion says after what they did to Sirella!" Impossibly, Owl was even angrier. "Any of them will lie if a Founder orders them to." He took a slow step back, setting himself to fight.
"Stop!" The other snapped. "Owl! Stop! This isn't what you think!"
"What I think is that you cannot be Neesha, the female I loved." Owl's words seemed to make the huge bay frigid. "She loved Sirella with all of her heart. And what they did to that poor woman..." He shook his head. "Evil scum! I will never trust them."
"They didn't hurt me." One of the form stepped forward. The form was androgynous and Owl stiffened as he saw the face. Klingon, but not. "They hid me the only way they could, Owl."
"QaSovbe'" [I do not know you.] Owl snarled and the androgynous form retreated a step from the rage in his voice. He/she looked hurt.
"Do not harm the honored one." The Jem'Hadar who was obviously in command moved to stand between Owl and the form in the cloak. "She is not to blame."
"Honored one." Owl said very softly. "You misbegotten, miserable..." He broke off, took a deep breath and then shook his head. "You are First." The Jem'Hadar nodded. "Name." That was a command.
"I am Krusk." The Jem'Hadar said with a nod. "Leader of the honored one's guards."
"You, I will speak with." Owl snarled. "Him..." A dismissive nod at the Vorta had everyone relaxing just a little. "Him I will destroy if he speaks again." The Jem'Hadar nodded. "Speak."
"What was done was wrong." The Jem'Hadar said slowly. "I am a warrior, not a med-tech. I do not understand all of what was done, but the Founders have spoken and they say that what was done was wrong. She is to be protected. We obey."
"They didn't hurt me." The form behind him tried to move forward, but the Jem'Hadar blocked her easily. "Let me see him!"
"You are in danger!" The Jem'Hadar replied. "My orders are clear and directly from a Founder. You are to be protected."
"I had to be here or he would have attacked." The other replied, a touch of heat coloring her words.
"After what was done to him and you?" The Klingon that Owl called Neesha said quietly. "Can you blame him? Can you blame any of us? You were one of us and they hurt you. You don't remember it, but they did hurt you."
"How many times must I say it?" The other snarled and that was pure Klingon. "It didn't hurt! None of it hurt!"
"Physically or psychologically?" Eliza spoke up and Owl held out a warning hand to stop her as she moved to his side. Draco was on her other side, his hands on his sword hilts. "Owl, they obviously don't want a fight. They would lose and they know it. Jem'Hadar. Dominion." She mused. "I see."
"You are Eliza?" The other asked softly. She moved to take a step forward, but the Jem'Hadar blocked her again. "Krusk!" That was a command. "Let her pass."
"He will hurt you!" The Jem'Hadar protested.
"Just from what I have heard here? He likely would." Eliza said quietly. "Me? Do you wish me to disarm, First of Warriors?" She slung her weapon and waited.
"I was briefed. You are Eliza, empress of your realm. Your daughter was taken. This is all wrong. Leaders should not fight." The Jem'Hadar sounded resigned now. "But that thing Kronus breaks all of the rules."
"That he does." Eliza replied. "This need not come to conflict, Owl." She looked at Owl and her eyes were twinkling. "I am honestly curious. How the hell did you steal the ISS Enterprise?" Everyone looked at her and she shrugged. She pointed at a plaque on one wall that showed a very familiar ship and name. "It wasn't that hard to put together. I looked over every record available when I was contacted. This is the Terran Empire Constitution class starship Enterprise. Kirk's ship. I do wonder how the 'Emperor' reacted when Owl made off with it." Her grin was evil.
All eyes were drawn to the cloaked being as she started to chuckle. She was shaking her head as her chuckles turned into full blown laughs. She looked at Neesha who was also obviously fighting not to laugh. She shrugged helplessly and suddenly, everyone was laughing. Even the rock was laughing. The Jem'Hadar looked amused as odd as that was. Owl and Draco didn't, of course. Bodyguards and all.
"Kirk was… less than amused, true." Neesha said between laughs. "Owl made off with the ship, a bunch of his prized gladiators and his greatest weapon all in one act. One reason I love him. The silly male never thinks small."
"Oh, that had to sting." Eliza's grin was wicked as she moved past Owl. Draco started to follow her, but she held up a hand. "No, Draco. This is my duty. My burden. Few of my ancestors understood responsibility, but I do. I lead, but not from behind. This is not a task for warriors, not matter how skilled. This is a task for leaders." She took another step.
"Empress!" Draco and Owl protested as one.
"If they wanted me dead, I would be." Eliza said as the cloaked form stepped out from behind the Jem'Hadar who did not try to stop her this time. "Sirella of the Dominion, I am Eliza of Orokin." She gave a formal nod that the other returned. "We are not in conflict, are we?"
"No." The other said quietly. "We are not, Eliza of Orokin. What do you know?"
"Less that I might wish, and more than is good for my sanity." Eliza was just a quiet as everyone watched her and Sirella. "Owl has his reasons for hating. I didn't know what happened to you. I didn't know which timestream he went into."
"Most of the people I have talked to who are knowledgeable about such things call our universe a dark mirror." Sirella said mildly. "In my own studies, I have looked into brighter ones. I saw one where Martok actually became Chancellor of a Klingon Empire and my namesake survived him." Sadness peeked out of her eyes for a moment and then was gone. "Our people revile my father as a traitor and coward. He knew our race was self destructing and sought another way. Gorkon's way. They killed him for it when Owl was gone."
"I had my duty, Sirella." Owl said quietly. "Tanah gave me little choice about leaving. I could choose how, but not when."
"I know." Sirella sighed and relaxed. "That is why father sent me to find shelter among the Dominion. He knew the Empires, the Federation, someone would take me and use me. I am of the line of Martok, so my blood is important. My mind? Less so." She looked at Owl who looked at her, impassive. "Don't tell me you didn't wonder. I know better."
"I knew my duty." Owl said flatly. "They lied to me. Disabled me. Took you. Hurt you."
Just like that, the mood changed from relaxed back to tense.
"I had to be out of everyone's reach." Sirella replied. "Altered, I am useless to the Great Houses as breeding stock." The last was sour. "The DNA sniffers cannot find me now, Owl." She smiled at him. "I do thank you for protecting me for so long, from so many. But now? I have my own duty and we have a common foe." She sighed deeply and then stilled as realization struck. "You came after me, didn't you?" She looked at the Jem'Hadar who met her gaze unflinching. "He did, didn't he?"
"We did." Neesha said very quietly. "You were one of us. We went after you."
"Against the entire Dominion?" Sirella said weakly. "Oh no… You didn't!"
"We could not save you." Neesha was still quiet. Owl did not speak. "We found you, took a hostage to trade for you, but we could not save you. They had already done it. Altered your mind and body. You may think you are who you were, but you are not. You do not remember immediately after waking, do you?"
"No." Sirella said slowly, staring from her to Owl and back. "No… They didn't!"
"The Dominion does not survive by being 'nice'." Eliza's voice was calm, assured. It cut the tension like a knife, releasing some of it. "No government can be 'nice' all the time. It simply doesn't work against such as the Terran Empire. The Dominion has learned just like everyone else."
"Who did you take hostage?" Sirella demanded suddenly. No one spoke and she snarled. "Who did you take?" She spun to the Jem'Hadar who eyed her, impassive. "Who did they take?"
"Stand down, Sirella." Owl said very quietly. "A bunch of Jem'Hadar died along with sixteen of mine, but no one else."
"Who did you take?" Sirella all but snarled that as she took a step towards Owl, only to pause as Eliza moved to stand between them.
"Who else could he take hostage and actually have any of the Dominion care about?" Eliza inquired mildly. "I assume there was a deal done or the battle would likely be continuing to this day." She asked Owl who did not react. "General?" She asked Neesha.
"None of us can speak of it." Neesha said flatly. "We all gave our word, and while many Klingons find honor irrelevant or silly, my husband is not one of them. The crew abide by our oaths."
"Okay. You cannot speak of it." Eliza turned her gaze to the rest of the group and then further. She nodded to a figure in a distant corner. half hidden behind a green angular ship. The green skinned girl in armor did not move as everyone looked at her. "Can you?"
"Me?" The girl asked even as Eliza took a step towards her. She sighed deeply and suddenly, where a girl had stood, a humanoid form composed of brown orange liquid stood. Owl was suddenly between her and everyone, but she spoke and her voice was sad. Her form shimmered and her body solidified into a humanoid form with an oddly unshaped face. "No, Dehar Master, stand down. Our oaths are meaningless now if reality itself comes apart around us. You have abided by the oath as have we." The Jem'Hadar were all staring at her in shock and she smiled at them. "You have done well, First."
"This is not my way." The Jem'Hadar said quietly. "But I obey."
Sirella had paled and the Vorta was all but gibbering. Everyone ignored him.
"Founder? I... You..." Sirella said weakly. The Changeling, stepped to her side, Owl pacing her. The Founder laid a gentle hand on Sirella's shoulder. "Why?" She begged.
"At first, it was an exchange of hostages. You needed a place to hide and Owl did not know what your father planned. He reacted badly to the Jem'Hadar taking you. To what was done to you to hide you." The other said gently. "He took me, held me. He wasn't gentle about it, but he wasn't overly rough either. You know how the Imperials or even your people react to my kind." Sirella nodded, her eyes glistening. "I expected to die, not to find what I did here on this ship." She smiled at Owl and Neesha. "Of all the things I might have expected, acceptance among a horde of space pirates was not one of them."
"If there is anything we of the Owl clan understand, it is being different." Neesha said softly. "Yes, you were bit more different than most, but not even close to the weirdest. Sorry, Hannah."
"Hannah?" Several voices inquired. The rock sidled up to her and the Changeling smiled.
"Yes, I took a name." The non-human said with a smile. "I am still in contact with the rest, but I find I like it here. My responsibilities are smaller and easier to handle. Even if my boss is a tyrant." That was joking at the rock who made a sniffing noise and muttered something about 'injection manifolds'.
"We did not know." The Jem'Hadar sounded close to tears.
"That was the point, First." The Changeling shifted back into the green skinned girl in armor. "We are not enemies, Owl. Once, we were. Now? You held me to safeguard Sirella's life. You could have simply locked me in a box. Why didn't you?"
"Neither you nor I are toke'straav, Hannah." Owl said flatly. Every Klingon in the room nodded at that. 'Willing slave' in old Klingon was just about the worst insult that a Klingon could give. "I cannot forgive what was done. I cannot forget. But I can go on. I refuse to be the ones who took me and held me so long ago. Who made me their weapon. I do not hold slaves and I will not hold slaves. You could have escaped anytime."
"Why didn't you?" The Jem'Hadar demanded of Hannah.
"Because he was doing good, First of Warriors Krusk. I found I liked helping." Hannah replied. "We of the Dominion have been pragmatic for so long, jaded and bitter for so long, that none of us understood. They were kind to me once I stopped resisting. They were not gentle, but in their own way, they were kind. They hid me, kept me safe. As safe or safer than any Jem'Hadar or Vorta could. Three of them have died protecting me during assaults on this ship, First of Warriors. I..." She looked at the floor. "I wanted to help, but I am no warrior."
"That is good." Owl and Krusk chorused that. The Klingon and Jem'Hadar stared at one another and then, as one, shook their heads.
"Who else is here?" Eliza asked when it was clear no one dared to break the uncomfortable silence that fell. "Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Dominion, who else?"
"Everyone who has ever meddled in time travel is here." Neesha said sourly. "This system is so packed with cloaked vessels, I have had to move us way up above the ecliptic to keep from running into people."
"Does this ship have a cloak?" Eliza asked, concerned.
"Hard to be a privateer for the Romulan Federation without one." Neesha shrugged. "And yes, the negotiations were a bit convoluted."
"Romulan… Federation..." Eliza shook her head and blew out a deep breath. "I think I need a briefing."
"We can do that." Neesha said quietly, then paused looking at Owl who still held his blade in hand. "With your permission, Dehar Master." Owl wasn't looking at her, no, his gaze was off in the distance. "Owl?"
"Qoh." [Fool] Owl breathed and then his gaze hardened. When he spoke it was to everyone. "Kronus is going after Iriana."
A hungry growl swept the deck. Hannah looked at Krusk who nodded and saluted Owl.
"Command us, Dehar Master Owl!" The Jem'Hadar said flatly.
"This is likely a trap." Owl said with a smile that Neesha shared. "What say we spring it with one of our own?"
The shout of 'Qapla' that came from every throat should have burst the ship asunder.