"So," said Laas, mockingly. "Now that we've had the latest instalment of 'The Follies of Odo', I believe there was a report to be made?"
"Taran'atar. I'm sorry," said Odo. "Please, go ahead."
Taran'atar snapped to attention.
"Founder. The crew of Deep Space Nine recently became entwined in a complex plot involving individuals from an alternate quantum dimension. I myself was inadvertently caught up in these events, which resulted in my visiting that dimension for a period of several days."
Odo paced back and forth thinking, vaguely remembering something from his time on Deep Space Nine. He stopped suddenly and turned to Taran'atar.
"Was that the parallel universe that was visited in the past by members of the Deep Space Nine command officers?"
"I do not have that information, Founder," replied Taran'atar. "I was not present at that time. However, it seemed to me that Captain Kira was familiar with it."
"I see. Captain Kira ordered you to accompany her?" inquired Odo.
"No," replied Taran'atar rather hesitantly.
"Then why did you go?"
"I... came under the control of another. A former agent of the Cardassian Obsidian Order."
"The Obsidian Order? Garak!" Odo had reacted with both shock and surprise. Surely Garak had not go back to his old ways.
"No, Founder," replied Taran'atar quickly. "The individual's name was Iliana Ghemor."
"Ghemor?" asked Odo. "Tekeny's daughter? I thought that she was dead."
"No, Founder. She lived but she looked like Captain Kira. She had perfected a method of overriding a Jem'Hadar's loyalty to the Founders and replacing it with a compulsion to follow her. I was helpless to refuse."
"Then how are you here now?" asked Odo, confused.
"Because the only way to break Ghemor's control over me...was to free me from all control. Including that of the Founders."
"Then... you no longer need to follow my orders?" asked Odo.
Taran'atar stepped back shocked and worried. "Is that not what you wished, Founder? Was I mistaken?"
Odo paused to consider the truth of all that has transpired. Pointedly avoiding the smug look of I-told-you-so from Laas.
Taran'atar was fully expecting to be punished and Weyoun was very confused about the whole thing.
"No, you were not mistaken. I am gratified that you have managed to learn to make decisions."
Weyoun reacted shocked to Odo's statement and was about to say something when he remembered that a Vorta does not question a Founder. However, he could not help but be confused. If a Jem'Hadar may make decisions by himself does that mean he could do so too and even be allowed to question the decision of a Founder.
"Is that... everything?" asked Odo.
Taran'atar thought for a moment. Now that he was no longer forced to follow the Founder he could just avoid answering. The mono-forms called it lying or, in this case, avoiding giving extra information. That's one thing he had learned from them. Sometimes it is better for all concerned that the truth not be known. Nevertheless, he decided to tell Odo everything.
"No, Founder. There is more," he replied
"Go on..."
"In my confusion between your wishes and the coercion of the other, I... lashed out. People were injured."
"Who?" asked Odo, with a feeling of trepidation overcoming him.
"The chief of security, Ro Laren," replied Taran'atar. "And... and Captain Kira …. I dealt her a fatal blow."
Odo stood alone, working to try to process what Taran'atar has told him. Nerys... how could she be dead? It wasn't not possible, it couldn't be...
Laas strutted across in front of him, smugly smiling.
"...An entire empire resting on Odo's every word... and his pet rock murders his one true love."
Laas stopped in front of Taran'atar, who was now on his knees, head bowed, awaiting his fate. Even Weyoun stepped forward, as a Vorta commanding his Jem'Hadar. Odo stood back, still too stunned to move.
"First," said Weyoun, confronting Taran'atar. "Your orders were to obey Captain Kira as if she were the Founder himself."
"Yes."
"She was your Vorta."
"Yes."
"You know the consequences of a Jem'Hadar attacking a Vorta."
"I do."
"And what do you have to say?"
Taran'atar looked up, trying to make eye contact with Odo.
"I accept your punishment."
Odo slowly raised his eyes to meet Taran'atar's, and the blind fury was starting to take over...
"Well, Odo?" taunted Laas. "Aren't you going to do anything?"
Odo knew Laas is deliberately taunting him, but it was getting to him anyway.
"Here you are," said Laas. "Trying to change the Jem'Hadar for the better, make them peaceful and docile, and the one you trusted most of all betrays you in the worst possible way."
Weyoun stepped behind Taran'atar, unsheathed the Jem'Hadar's knife and offered it to Odo. After a moment's hesitation, Odo took the knife from Weyoun. He looks at it, as if wondering what to do with it.
"Don't you love her?" said Laas, continuing to taunt Odo. "Shouldn't she be avenged? Doesn't she deserve that? Or is your precious vision of the future for the Dominion worth more than your lover's life?"
Odo stood immobile with Laas looking on and Odo knew that Laas was having great fun taunting him. He looked down at his hand, very aware of the knife he was holding while Taran'atar knelt on the stone ground, accepting his death with calm serenity.
"It is the order of things."
Odo looked down at Taran'atar kneeling at his feet and he could feel the revulsion building up inside him. Nevertheless, he managed to control it, realizing that Taran'atar had been as much a victim of circumstances as everyone else. He reach out to Taran'atar and place his empty hand up his shoulder, in a similar way you might do to an errant child.
After all, though Odo, that's what he really is. Just a child in a grown-ups' world.
Odo signaled Taran'atar to rise and, as looked up at the empty landscapes, an idea formed in Odo's mind.
He turned and spoke to Taran'atar. "I have a job I would like you to perform, if you are willing."
"I do not understand, Founder," replied Taran'atar. "I am here to serve at all times. I am not here for my own wishes."
"Nevertheless," replied Odo, "I wish you to decide if you will perform this mission. You have learned now how to make your own decisions, have you not?"
Taran'atar looked at Odo uncomfortably. He realised that Odo was correct. He had decided himself to rescue the crew of Even-Odds.
"That is correct, Founder," he replied. "What is it that the Founder requires of me."
Odo gave him an exasperated look. "Not require, request. Do you understand the difference?"
It was clear to Odo that Taran'atar felt very uncomfortable with the whole notion of free will. Nevertheless, he felt that he had to give him the opportunity to refuse if he wished.
Odo paced up and down on the island before turning to Taran'atar.
"I wish you to return to the Alpha Quadrant, if you are willing. You will return to Deep Space Nine and contact whoever is in charge there."
Odo then went on to explain to Taran'atar exactly what he wished him to do.
"Your wish is my command, Founder," replied Taran'atar, after Odo had finished.
Odo sighed. This was definitely more difficult than he thought it would be.
"One very important thing," said Odo. "Under no circumstances are you to tell anyone about the dissolving of the Great Link. Be warned, if you are not accepted then you may be in grave danger."
"Understood, Founder."
"Good," replied Odo. "You should return to the ship and get prepared. Don't forget to tell Vannis what I have told you."
As Taran'atar dissolved in a transporter beam, Lass approached Odo.
"Well, that is about the stupidest idea you have ever had," he said.
"Actually," replied Odo, "I think that is one of my best ever ideas."
"You do realize that the moment Taran'atar sets foot in the Alpha Quadrant he would be captured and tried for murder."
Lass started to taunt Odo. "Is that what this is all about? Revenge for what happened to Kira. If so, why not just do it yourself? Lost your nerve have you?"
Odo tensed up. Am I trying to get him killed? Do I really have some ulterior motive?
"No," replied Odo, firmly. "I honestly think that this is a good idea and will be beneficial to all parties concerned."
With that, Odo slowly dissolved his humanoid shape. His arms started to expand and lengthen as his torso got thinner and shorter. At the same time, his head became more pointed and a small tail protruded from the end of his torso. Then Odo flew up using his massive wing span to float on the steams of warm air as he headed out across the bare rock face that one formed the Great Link. Odo actually felt exhilarated - as if he had no problems.