Duty to Cardassia Supersedes All - Furlough, Country Style
Unexpected Destination
Early the next morning, at the beginning of his shift, Dr. Bashir smiled to himself when he saw Melset who was wearing full uniform, on her way to the docking ring to board a vessel to Cardassia. After six months of duty at SFHS, she was entitled to two weeks of downtime and planned to spend them in Loo'Wess. Nurse Jabara saw the doctor's expression and glanced at him questioningly.
"Within three or four days, I expect to receive a message of protest from our Station Cardassian once she sees what Garak and I have managed to arrange."
"Why?"
"I have asked him to keep her away from any form of organizational work, have also notified SFHS-Earth that incoming messages are to be sent only to SFHS-Deep Space 9. She'll be quite far from Loo'Wess, and spend the time in Kelan Province, near its capital Lesana 1, which her ethnic group have renamed Samagaltayi, by the way. To add insult to injury from her point of view, she'll be staying in one of the new farming villages where her family have a secondary home. We have a human expression: "Waaay out in the Boonies, in the sticks." He made an expansive gesture to underline the distance.
"Prophets! She will react!" replied Jabara, "You can only hope she'll see the sense of those measures. Her people just don't seem to realize when enough is enough. Remember Garak?"
Dr Bashir nodded. "Circumstances are slowly improving even after so short a time, a little over three years, but getting a Cardassian to accept furlough for pure R&R when there is work to be done?" He added, "This time, the two other heads of SFHS on-station are in on the plan. And on-world..." he shrugged, "I have a reliable ally who has allies of his own. The only thing she can get involved in this time is farm work."
Upon her arrival, Ferad Dimos was already waiting for her in the reception area near the transporter bays.
"Welcome back to Cardassia, Gul Melset," Dimos saluted her.
"It is good to be back, if only for two T-standard weeks." The woman looked around, relaxed visibly, Familiar voices and faces, hearing my language, being among my people again... Once outsidethe building, she took a deep breath. Cardassian air...hot and humid in spite of desert areas, so much more pleasant than the cold of the station.
It was still dark, sunrise two or three hours off. To her surprise Dimos went to a sleek new long-distance glider.
"I take it I will not be staying in Loo'Wess."
"No, not this time. We're traveling to Kelan-Lesana Province as you have not been in your home province for a long time. I must not forget: There is one important change on which we agreed after some discussion; you will remember being told that the capital city had always been called Lesana 1. This was a forgery and part of the attempt to slowly eradicate our minority's history. Among us, the capital city now unofficially bears its former name: Samagaltayi; the other towns and villages have also readopted their old names. We plan to make this change official in some years."
"Has the truth become common knowledge? That would be unprecedented."
"Not completely. There was some reluctance to release even this much information, but it was decided by the heads of Central Command and the New Order to admit to some few errors of the past before they are spread by others," his intonation was smug. "Ah, I must not forget. There are no official duties for you this time."
"I expected as much. For some reason the station doctor insisted on my finally having a real furlough at home, as he calls it."
"Humans won't ever understand us, will they. Duty to Cardassia always has absolute priority." He hissed in amusement, "There will be enough for you to do in service to Cardassia, only in another area."
"Ah, good. A downtime of doing nothing? Never!"
Dimos was vaguely apprehensive when he added, "It is best your title is not used during your stay because of the members of those NGOs. Old prejudices ..."
All the more freedom for me, which gives me some possibilities. She briefly inclined her head, "So, I'll be a civilian during my stay."
They sped towards the border to Kelan-Lesana Province while discussing the latest developments, and in a matter of hours, at mid-morning, reached their destination. Dimos reduced the glider's speed and chose a lower altitude, "Look." They had reached the extensive lowlands of Kelan Province which had always been one of the most fertile regions.
Some few agricultural areas were far greener than they had been even before The Defeat, but the fields were smaller than they had once been, and the factory farms had been dismantled. The reactivated fields themselves were surrounded by low berms. In accordance with the system before the Lissepian attack.
"We have planted shrubs on them to shield the soil against the wind and thus reduce wind erosion, conserve moisture and to serve as shelter for useful organisms that destroy pests and the shrubs will shelter seedlings of trees; thanks to our oral traditions, some of the elders still know the old methods, so we have begun effecting changes together with the returnees from Bajor who know them."
"Our Elders did their best to preserve our traditions ..." Melset commented pensively, "The old ways are encoded in the stories and adventures children are told. I remember them as my family lived here until I was five, then recounting the old tales became too much of a risk."
"Indeed," Dimos saw that his passenger was pleased and added. "This information has been shared with Baryn and Varon Provinces, is being spread in other areas as well. We need to feed our remaining population, become independent of donations from NGOs and the Federation as soon as possible, produce our own crops, not become used to or even dependent on alien ones which would have to be imported at some cost, besides not containing all of the nutrients we require."
"During my past stays I have seen coffee as well as raktajino offered in Loo'Wess. Many of us who cooperate with Federation agencies or work on the base have become used to those drinks, find them more stimulating than redleaf and less bitter than gelat. And this is only one minor element." She shrugged, "I indulge in these off-world beverages every now and then on Terok Nor, but prefer our own."
"If we can obtain the source plants...," said Dimos, "...it would be no problem. Produce our own."
"That is a luxury for the future. Those I saw on Earth were planted in the shady margins of forests. For now however, our priority is to reactivate agricultural regions, even marginal ones, but there is a forested area not far away from Samagaltayi..."
"...which we are expanding. The main problem we are facing are fields that have lost their topsoil due to over-exploitation and subsequent erosion, but you will see that first-hand in a few hours."
"With our determination and the help you mentioned, that problem can be solved." Melset added hopefully, "Perhaps some of the elders recall ways of mitigating the damage. Certainly this specific problem is not new."
The subject turned to the returnees and their unexpectedly rapid integration, the presence of mixed teams sent by two NGOs whose specialty were crops that could grow in and finally improve severely depleted soils. The off-worlders, 16 people in all, were a combination of Humans, two Trill technicians, four Betazoids, even a Vulcan.
Rediscovering The Old Ways
When Dimos and Melset arrived, projects to expand farming were already under discussion so both greetings and introductions were mercifully brief as the schedule for the day's work had already been established the evening before.
"According to our estimates, we will have enough crops to meet the quota for our area, have cuttings and seed for the next season and surplus for exchange with others; however," said Joret Dimos, "in the near future, reactivation of all the fields, even the degraded ones, will be required to reach our former level of productivity. That holds true of each agricultural area in our systems, even Unefra."
As though she had been waiting for this to be mentioned, Delhina replied, "My husband and I have something to show you which the off-worlders who are here to assist us might find of interest as well. It is from the time of The Ancestors; what we have found could possibly solve the most serious problem. Come, look at the visuals."
Delhina and her husband Losir took out their padds, laid them on a table and stepped back. The other members of the team examined the image of a relief on a limestone wall; there was no indication of where it was located, nor did anyone ask. What was shown was of greater importance: farmers making low, crescent-shaped walls, each half-encasing a shallow pit, as though protecting it from the prevailing winds.
"Obviously one of the old methods used to return fertility to over-exploited fields."
"Apparently those walls are made of small stones, a hand's breadth in height in front, the ends tapering..." Dimos pointed at the cross-hatching, then looked over at the returnees who had been taught Bajoran procedures.
Syrdar admitted, "I don't recognize this method, never saw it used on Bajor, at least not in the area I know... somehow, it makes sense." He looked at it more closely, "This could help reclaim over-exploited land that has lost its topsoil or bring marginal land under cultivation as it might prevent further erosion. There is that area of severely degraded fields that only bring forth crops of stone, dust and sand. It is worth a try."
One of the Humans, Haile Tadesse, was staring at the relief in astonishment, made a gesture as if wanting to touch the screen.
"You seem very surprised by this, Tadesse," Ayaal said at seeing his reaction.
"Indeed. Centuries before the Eugenics Wars, we used to do this in some areas of the African continent; it was highly effective though you needed patience to let nature develop these patches from near-desert to a field or, in some cases, even the beginnings of a small forest, but we were a patient people when it came to working the land before..." He briefly fell silent, remembering reading about the enforced changes which had ruined so much... "I was only surprised at how two vastly different civilizations on worlds far apart can arrive at the same solutions."
"Then the method is validated by your comment, my dear Tadesse. Your people used it successfully in the past, as did we, and as we will now," replied Ayaal, loudly enough for all to hear. As usual, the others had been listening in on their brief conversation and to judge by their attitude, they were willing to try it out.
"The regular crops are growing well, some already ripening so that they can be harvested in a little under three weeks. That gives us enough time for experiments," was Nairu's comment. "To whom does that field belong?"
Kerem muttered under his breath, "That's not a field. It's a catastrophe."
"We have decided to readopt the old system, with fields belonging to the community as a whole," replied Khereto, one of the elders. "No negotiations are necessary. As to your remark, Kerem, perhaps this will not be the case for long anymore."
Timur Diop, who had been observing everything inquired, "I have been wondering about one aspect: How does your produce reach the people who have different professions? Those who live in the cities?"
"They pay taxes on their income which are pooled, with a percentage going towards redevelopment of infrastructure, and other state-organized services including the creation of jobs as the first few factories are being reopened. What we are paid is not much as yet, would barely be subsistence level for a person in a city, but will increase as conditions normalize. Each farming community is under contract to deliver a certain percentage of produce in exchange for funding until the situation in general has stabilized. Only then will a different form of marketing agricultural products be created. Options are already being discussed," Vijim explained.
Most of the people went out to continue whatever they had been doing, leaving behind a mixed group whose members began analyzing conditions and possibilities before combining their results, finally agreeing on organization of this remedial work. After the orientation and configuration of the walls was established, work could start. The distance between pits was determined by the need for the breeze to reach all of them.
"Restrict the experimental plot to 500 square meters, 20 people will suffice to complete this within a day, but leave the rest of that field as is; if successful, we can always add more of those structures in some months," was Vori's suggestion.
Those present exchanged glances, then Retani decided for them all, "Agreed. It is no use committing to something of which we do not know whether it will work on this world, too. Conditions have markedly changed since the time those reliefs were created." A greener, fertile world, until we began overreaching ourselves, forcing one harvest after the next in vast monocultures to feed an expanding population until the entire system collapsed, leaving us with extensive deserts, obliging us to search for other worlds to colonize in order to survive.
She turned to Melset who had been observing and listening to everything without presenting her own opinion. "Do you have a suggestion, Melset?"
The woman shook her head, still examining the reliefs. "I have no experience in agriculture whatsoever, thus cannot make any proposals; I was raised far from here, in Loo'Wess, as of the age of five. However I do want to participate in the practical work itself: quite a change from organizing transportation and deliveries of assistance."
Everyone Doing His Part
In the meantime, six children between the ages of nine and fourteen with eight younger ones in tow had gone over to, but kept a respectful distance from, the adults involved in the project who were looking at a map of the three experimental fields with Retani. The children's speaker patiently waited to be addressed.
After some time one of the humans, Leszek, turned and saw the silent youngsters. "Look at these children; they have been waiting all this time. I think they want to speak to us."
"Come, children, and tell us what you want," Vori, one of the elders, gestured at them.
"We have been listening to what you are planning, Elder Vori. Our assignments have been completed, so we ask your permission to help in this task," said Emira.
The humans were surprised at how serious the children were. "They are nearly like adults in their language and behavior!"
"Not always," answered Turadyk. "When they have no duties, they can be very playful, are affectionate with those they know, love to wander around, look at everything, exactly like your own young ones. Once they begin asking questions, they are like interrogators, want masses of information; this," he gestured at the plans, "has aroused their curiosity."
Turning to one of the humans, Vori said, "Kelani are primarily agriculturalists and highly skilled craftsmen, however, we have always been active in general services, politics, all branches of sciences, military. Cardassia values unity in diversity."
"That is one thing we have in common," commented Jaden Thomas with a smile. "We adopted a similar phrasing from the Vulcans when the Federation was founded."
After conferring with the other adults in his group, Odanek told the children, "We welcome your help."
They responded with slight nods of thanks, then listened carefully when procedure was explained.
"Spacing has been established, so that we can get started. With twenty adults and..." Odanek counted, "fourteen children, we can advance more quickly. Melset and Ketmar, give them a demonstration of how it is done."
A nod of agreement and the two adults gestured [Come and observe]. At once they were surrounded by the silent, observant youngsters.
"First, look for small flat stones to make stable walls in the form of a crescent, outer curve facing the wind, a shallow pit of about 14 centimeters across inside."
They ran to collect what was needed, then returned to watch Ketmar and Melset make one each. "Make five of these so that you know what to do. Now: While building them, think why the wall is formed like this, slanting slightly inward, the pit inside the crescent and the pits about 45 centimeters apart."
With that they got up to return to the others.
Addressing the off-worlders, Vori said, "Watch them. You will find it interesting."
Especially the non-Cardassians were fascinated. ... For some moments, the children spoke together in a group before each one saw to a specific task; within minutes they had five walled pits finished. "Breeze blows against wall, flows over it," said an older one, Yarral.
Mareda looked over at a child of perhaps four, "Show what you just did, Yenik."
He took a handful of dust, held it a little above the ground, waiting for the next slight breeze, let the dust gently drift from between his fingers. "The dust is blown away; look, some goes into the pit." He looked up at Mareda who gave him a nod of praise.
Undrak took over, "Tiny pieces of dry plants, more dust ... They'll drift into the pits too, when the breeze is strong enough."
One of the adult Cardassians made a gesture of approval and asked, "Well done. And what do we often get before sunrise?"
"Fog," the group called out.
One of the elders then said, "And this fog..."
"...settles on the ground, on the screens set up to get fresh water and will collect on the stuff in the pits," one of the children called out.
Two of the children shouted together, "And a very small plant can grow!"
"And bigger ones, too, later!" said another.
"Yes. Well done, children, each of you has mentioned an important element of this method, this is the Cardassian way."
"There are more than enough stones in this field, so we can finish this experimental plot of 500 square meters, then wait. In some weeks there should be the first results," said Dauri. "See, Kerem, how useful the stones and dust on this catastrophic field have become?"
The reply was a hiss of amusement.
"We'll be at school, in Perali City when the first results can be seen!" the eldest children complained, disappointed.
"Reports will be sent for your instructors to see what you have done; you will perhaps be asked to explain, thus share information to help others do the same."
Losir responded to Semak's Vulcan reaction, a raised eyebrow. "Our children assist us as soon as they are able to, learn by imitation. We are patient, value even their first clumsy efforts. This further motivates them to learn. And in such processes," He indicated the field, "...we encourage them to think analytically." He did not feel like informing the Vulcan that his people were an ethnic minority with customs at variance with the mainstream.
"As do we," was the reply.
The Cardassians looked over at Endra, a Trill member of the NGO, when she said, "We who have come to help you will leave with valuable information we might be able to use to help others in turn."
Losir went to stand near the field, made a series of gestures to indicate the pattern of distribution, then joined.
With the children helping, work progressed rapidly, but by no means in silence until a rest period was called: working in the field would soon become too hot even for the heat-tolerant Cardassians.
Hazards of The Trade
At nightfall work ended, and according to custom, the members of the NGO were invited to share a very simple communal meal with the Cardassians to which they added their own rations, chosen to be suitable for all those present. Their hosts exchanged surreptitious glances and relaxed at seeing that they had brought no Federation luxuries, only basics; according to Cardassian custom this was a gesture of respect for their situation and an indication of their wish to cooperate as equals.
Before everyone turned in for the night, there still were further discussions of procedures and possible experiments as the organizers of the NGOs had decided to offer a crop plant native to a Federation colony in the former demilitarized zone. "We've brought something that might be of interest. I'll be right back."
Jan Wing went to their shuttle and returned with a small stasis container which he deactivated then opened to reveal a sample plant and directions in Federation Standard and Kardasi. "They grow very fast even under arid conditions, derive most of the moisture they need from the air, fixate nitrogen and concentrate other nutrients, thus improve the soil for the next crops; those we have brought are modified to tolerate the climate on Cardassia. The entire plant, tubers and all, contains enough protein and other nutrients to function as a stand-alone for several months. Containment is ensured as they don't set seed, but reproduce via suckers, these also edible both raw or processed; they will not crowd out other plants unless you permit them to spread, nor endanger native insects or other organisms. In case you're interested, we've brought enough for an entire field as they have to be planted a meter apart to attain full growth. All we need do is switch off the stasis container and they are yours. You won't be dependent on the company that gave them to us either, as they propagate on their own."
At first light the next day, The Pits, as the humans called the first field, was already completed; to the surprise of the teams the Cardassians had prepared the next field for the imported sample crops as well.
"Look around: there are enough of us, we have excellent night vision and require far less sleep than most of you. Then, too, there is a break of some hours during the hottest part of the day," Joret explained. "When sustained effort is necessary, it is willingly made for the well-being of our people and the Union." He briefly smiled, "Even after what has happened, we remain what we are: Cardassians who faithfully serve the Union." His words reflected pride, but the despair behind his words was recognizable.
"And with this determination you are improving the situation on your worlds more rapidly than any of us would have expected after such horrific destruction and loss of lives; you are to be respected for that," replied Semak and bowed slightly.
Joret's surprise at the Vulcan's words reminded the off-worlders who had heard the brief conversation of the preconceptions that had been voiced at their suggesting this project. The Cardassian said nothing, only touched his hand to his chest and inclined his head in a gesture of gratitude.
The mixed team started the planting.
After some time of working in silence, Odan, one of the Trill, said in a low sing-song voice, "The green part goes up, the thready part in the ground..."
"Nearly did that wrong. Thanks!" was the fake-thankful reply from Atrak, his Bolian neighbor who made a show of turning a plant right side up.
"Don't orient the furrows downhill," was another bit of advice.
The answer came promptly, "Hey, it would look nicer, though..."
A Betazoid, Denayil, saw that Melset had a small phaser in her belt. "Don't phaser the planting holes you make: the fused dust and sand will make them useless."
She touched it. "Years with Security; I would feel exposed without it."
"Now that would be embarrassing. Can't have that." Denayil purposely misunderstood the phrasing.
A suppressed snigger from Nazan Miller provoked a barely audible hiss; she turned to see the Cardassian was suppressing a grin.
The Vulcan added, "Remember to cover the roots with earth ..."
"Thought they need the sun..."
More comments followed, ridiculous suggestions, intentional misunderstandings. For the Cardassians who were concentrating on their assigned rows, this seemed odd as it was obvious the speakers knew what they were doing, made no such errors as implied. Melset, who was used to this from staff at SFHS quickly explained, "A Human custom. The multi-ethnic team at SFHS-Deep Space 9 does the exact same thing though not to such a degree as our work is very exacting; but every now and then, all of us do it to relieve tension when the workload is heavy. In spite of this job performance is exemplary; our branch has already received commendations."
Very strange custom indeed... The expression of her peers said it all.
"EEEYOW! Get outta here!" With a sudden loud yell of fright one of the humans, Armin Hansen, jumped up and backed away staring down at something, hoe raised. Disturbed by the activities and the vibrations, a brownish-black scolopendra the length and thickness of an older child's arm had rushed out of its lair, hissing, and reared up to sway back and forth, segmented legs spread, sharp-edged mandibles opened in a threat display, jointed feelers waving at him.
"What is it?" The Cardassian nearest him, Temaro, rushed over, briefly laughed and gently grasped the creature behind the fourth segment to pick it up. Avoiding its mandibles, he delightedly held it up for everyone to see, "Look at this! A Tsissalak, a young, second instar one!*1" He turned to the off-worlders, "They are very useful, prey on crop-devouring pests, so don't harm them or damage their holes. Most of us keep one or two of a different, smaller species in our homes to get rid of insects that manage to get in. One of the elders has already made artificial lairs for distribution in various fields to attract more." He gently set the writhing, hissing scolopendra down in front of its lair with the words, "You still have quite some growing to do..." A parting hiss, a click of mandibles and it disappeared into its lair.
Armin, embarrassed, resumed work, avoiding the others' glances.
His Cardassian neighbor, Kerem, said in a low voice, "They are quite ... surprising, aren't they? Every world has its own oddities. Melset told me she once found a bat circling in her quarters on Earth, first thought it a drone programmed to kill her then, realizing what it was, opened the window to let it out."
Hansen looked over at the Cardassian woman, met her glance, and she shrugged at him, brow ridges slightly raised; he grinned at Kerem, "Well, it is amusing in retrospect - the hazards of field work..."
Melset whispered to her neighbor, "And the size of that immature Tsissalak will increase with each telling..."
Sita Huygens replied, "That's what we call a 'fish story' on Earth, "The fish that has been caught tends to grow with each retelling, from a fingerling to a 15-pounder..."
At overhearing this, a Betazoid asked Melset, anticipating her reaction. "How big was your bat anyway?" He slowly and incrementally spread his arms.
"Only hand-sized, the unfortunate creature has not grown with the retelling; something must be very wrong with it," she replied seriously.
While the adults were seeing to the planting, the children had been sent to collect something in the fields with ripening crops; when they returned, talking excitedly, proudly carrying buckets with net coverings, they went to show Vori and Khetano what they'd found. The two adults seemed pleased about whatever it was and called out, "The children have provided part of our dinner and yours, too: these insects, deep-fried or raw are one of our traditional treats, kepraks are very rich in protein and fat in this season."
At seeing the off-worlders exchange dubious glances, Melset added, "They have already been scanned: They are not toxic for any of you so we can enjoy them together. They taste nearly like Terran shrimp, perhaps a little sweeter, with more crunch." Giving in to temptation, she asked Andrek, "May I?" At the child's nod, she quickly uncovered his pail, reached in, gave him a large one, then took out one for herself, held it up between thumb and forefinger before saying as if to a group of young children: "Look! Nice and plump! Very, very good!" and, like Andrek, ate it with pleasure after removing the wings and legs.
Hiding their amusement at the off-worlders' expressions, a elderly couple, followed by the children with their buckets, left to heat oil in a large kettle to deep-fry the kepraks.
The Cardassians in the field overheard some muted discussions, in which the words 'gagh' as well as 'tube grubs' occurred a few times before the helpers nodded. Apparently the invitation was accepted, though mainly for fear of causing offense. The Cardassians well knew that starvation was something humans had not experienced in centuries, whereas many of their own people had often been obliged to eat whatever they could find or catch to survive, even voles. And most likely now, after The Defeat, it was being done again in the population centers out of sheer desperation and need.
When the work was completed and they went back to the village, Turid Matthews asked, "What about irrigation?"
"Water will be pumped up by means of a treadle system; we'll do that after dark; a number of pumps have been installed, so we only need connect the pipes, lay them where they are needed. They have drip holes at the appropriate distance so that no water is wasted as would be the case in a system of open channels."
They spent the hottest time of the day together, the members of the NGOs and the Cardassians either dozed in the shade or participated in a discussion of diverse agricultural techniques such as no-till for marginal land, self-regulating drip irrigation for larger plants by means of sleeves of clay around flexible thin tubes*2 as well as traditional methods of water conservation.
Elder Retani described the underground systems that had fallen into disuse after the Lissepian Attack. They were currently being repaired during the afternoons when it was too hot even for Cardassians to work outside.
Indicating ridges snaking along the sides of some hills, she explained, "Look, another ancient method of capturing rainfall: runoff is directed into partitioned canals whose permeable beds permit the water to percolate into an underground lake which in turn feeds a river; it provides the refuges and springs with fresh water. A chain of cisterns is also slated to be repaired for reactivation within the next two years."
"Your world had a high level of agricultural technology, but you are tending the fields like you did hundreds of years ago as the new methods cannot be reintroduced as yet. We've been wondering how you have managed to preserve this knowledge so effectively that you have resorted to the old ways as though you had never given them up."
"Actually, they are thousands of years old, date back to the time of the Hebitian Empire. These traditions have been kept alive in folk tales, in children's stories, and illustrated in carvings in the Refuges," answered Vori, one of the Elders. "Moreover, we who live in this region were and are determined to preserve our distinctive traditions. Fortunately, we succeeded in spite of everything."
A Tour of Inspection (Aug 18?)
A week later, Garak was directed to make a tour of inspection in Kelan-Lesana Province. Although a member of the commission rewriting the Order's statutes, a project agreed on and jointly supervised by The New Order, Central Command and Detapa, he was also fulfilling the duties of an Organizer, which meant a heavy workload. Due to the catastrophic loss of lives many other officials were in the same situation because not one ministry or department had enough personnel to adequately recreate former structures and cope with the present situation.
According to custom, none of the communities on the list were notified in advance about the evaluation since otherwise even the most inept of managements could have been made to appear exemplary for the duration of the inspection... When he arrived at Lesana 3, the organizers of the village were already on their way, seeing to their respective projects; the only people who had stayed behind were those who had kitchen duty so he walked over to the building and went inside.
Immediately one of the staff, a Trill woman, came over and looked at him curiously before inquiring, "Can I help you?"
"Yes. I am Organizer Garak and currently evaluating select districts of Kelan-Lesana to report on progress in resettling the region as well as in reactivating marginal and formerly productive fields."
"Welcome, Organizer Garak. I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Endra, a member of the Federation Assistance in Redevelopment Group, a NGO, the other team is from Agriculturalists United; we decided to cooperate because the situation here is so dire. Today it's my turn for KP3."
"What are you preparing?"
"A combination of food crops that have already been harvested, herbs we have gathered, field rations and as a side dish, deep-fried kepraks." She smiled, "We were a bit surprised about this local treat, but at trying them noticed they are really excellent."
"So everyone here is more or less living off the land, improvising," Disguising his feelings about the difference between what had once been and what was now standard, Garak looked around. Compared with the time before The Defeat, the village looked primitive, even makeshift, yet it was perfectly maintained apart from a few depressions around a fenced-in shelter where the village's breeding stock of five regovas, turkey-sized ornithoids whose large and nutritious eggs were delicacies, took dust baths; houses were arranged according to family groups; some of them modular, sent by the Federation, others rebuilt using elements taken from the ruins. Further out, the the foundations for a large building had already been laid. Just outside, in another fenced in piece of land, he noticed a profusion of diverse plants. He went to look at it, saw it was a herb garden, chaotic at first sight, but plants grouped according to their requirements and for what they were needed. Food preparation a communal affair, fields the common property of the people working them, no longer of the State as was the case before The Defeat... everything functional, well-administered... He looked at the hedges planted on berms around the fields more closely. Large patches of vegetation underneath... Someone has brought in plants from the river valley that will become excellent ground cover once they begin spreading. He smiled slightly, Beginnings of a greener Cardassia.
Endra said nothing, only watched him consider the efforts of the inhabitants of the village who were doing their part to heal their world, but noticed him trying to disguise concern while inputting his observations. After some moments she told Garak, "Elder Rettak is one of those organizing the effort, and can tell you more."
"Where can I find him?"
"Just a minute, Organizer Garak," She went into the building and came out of the supply room with Rettak who had been taking stock of supplies then, with a friendly wave, Endra returned to work.
Rettak greeted him, pleased about the inspection which he chose to consider a visit. "Ah, Organizer Garak, I welcome you. The others are in the fields, and should return in about three hours. If you have the time and wish to do so, you are welcome to share with us; we plan to discuss details of our projects after lunch. As Endra has no doubt said, we may have no luxuries, but what we do have is simple but satisfying."
"This is most kind and I accept. For now, I'll go over and see first-hand how work is progressing."
"You will be positively surprised." Rettak lowered his voice, "The members of those two teams from Federation NGOs cooperate with us as equals, do not keep apart, participate in everything, have even given us a new food crop to try out which we planted yesterday. We did not expect generosity, only advice given in accordance with Federation norms, together with covert attempts at re-education." It was so surprising to him that he repeated, "Instead, they work side by side with us."
"In my experience, NGOs are different to official Federation agencies. They go where they think their help is needed and above all, accepted. They have no political agenda, only their group's statutes and for the most part, respect all peoples, try to learn from them in an unofficial exchange."
Rettak returned to his book-keeping, whereas Garak left the building to walk towards the fields, taking deep, slow breaths to sense the quality of the air. Keeping out of sight, he watched the activity. Two of the most degraded fields had been planted, and the NGOs' members, Kelani Cardassians, returnees and a few Cardassians from other regions who had decided to settle in Kelan Province were absorbed in a discussion while inspecting a half-field with small crescent-shaped structures which apparently were the subject of interest.
Childhood memories surfaced. His mother, Mila, a Kelani, had gone to Loo'Wess with her brother and both were hired by Tain. Highly educated in spite of being service class, she was observant, discreet and loyal so that he had enlisted her for the Order, where she took courses. Mila soon had acquired the skills of an agent, though officially, she was his housekeeper, whereas her brother Tolan was perfectly satisfied to be a gardener.
Seeing the people working in the fields reminded him of Mila's telling him about her home province when he was a small child, well before Tain began his instruction, well before he was sent to Bamarren; from then on, Kelani customs were a forbidden topic.
Moments later, Vijim and his neighbor happened to look his way; at recognizing him, they gestured at him in welcome. Garak went to the group whose members informed him about various events and developments, afterwards he spoke to a few others about their work, input notes then went over to Melset. After they exchanged neutral greetings, she indicated a handmade ornament on her tunic and whispered, "I have been compiling a report on what we are doing here, as well as on our experiments, methods and results. You will obtain additional details during the discussion of further procedure after we stop for the day." He saw her make a slight gesture [I have more].
His reply was a nod, a faint smile as he knew what she was implying. As if by chance, his hand brushed against hers when he took a plant from the box. Only Melset's family and Navri know about our enjoining. The document is classified.
The report she had given him was so comprehensive that he only had to insert a few of his own observations. Later in the evening he made use of the unexpected downtime to observe the mixed group, analyzing their interactions, comments and attitudes which would give him supplementary information about the community itself. Those elements were destined for the Order which was observing shifts in society as well as relations between social and ethnic groups.
"How is the situation in Loo'Wess and the other major cities?" Veral inquired.
"Difficult as yet, but there are signs of progress. In some few districts, the ruins have been removed and the recreation of infrastructure initiated; newly resettled areas are being linked up with sites where elements such as facilities for water and energy delivery as well as roads have already been repaired. Buildings are being erected, very basic as yet; the Federation sent a number of prefabs, so that the camps of evacuees are becoming slightly less crowded. The smallest one has already been closed. In spite of these advances, the situation remains critical in many areas, including a number of our systems. Even after three years, providing food, fresh water for the survivors is still difficult, access to medical care remains a problem as well. Our new administrative center is close to where the former one was, Central Command's and the Order's buildings remain provisional as housing the general population has absolute priority."
He turned to Losir and Delhina. "New arrivals in this community?"
"In Perali V, two hundred and thirty-five people, families and individuals from Loo'Wess city and Province, Locarian Province, all selected for skills required in Kelan-Lesana. The program the Federation gave us is highly effective at matching skills with requirements; people are resettled in counties where they can take up work immediately upon arrival. A family of agriculturalists, the Senadja family from Saranji Province has been authorized to come here because of family connections; they live near Aigela City, in Aigela 2."
To judge by your intonation, there are no problems. The program given us is indeed effective. He looked around at the members of the farming community, no signs of unease or avoidance.
"A family from Ubari Province is due to arrive. We have checked their background: no connections to the True Way, none to the supporters of the Dominion Alliance. They will be assigned quarters in Rhondak City, their children attend school there, the parents have been assigned work in administration," Garak said. "The Pyrrak-Meydar family had a narrow escape. Had they been at home, in Locarian City when it was leveled..." he did not end the sentence."
"Our area is doing relatively well, considering the circumstances," commented Ardan.
Losir agreed, "Indeed, thanks to our people's determination and discipline."
Garak had noticed Melset's nearly imperceptible reaction, made a gesture. [What is it?] He glanced at her hands, as though absorbed in thought.
[Afterwards]
The exchange of news continued. To everyone's relief, it was positive but for minor setbacks, gave everyone much-needed hope and encouragement.
Garak was fascinated at observing how smoothly the off-world teams worked with their Cardassian peers, and showed interest in his report about the planet's recovery. They interacted with the locals as though contact with Cardassians was nothing unusual at all. After work, they shared meals and even relaxed together. Certainly, there were differences in reactions, in customs, or phrasings, but they were no source of conflict, only of innocuous questions.
Past Affairs and Unconventional Methods
Once it had become too dark for the off-worlders to help outside, equipment was cleaned and stored. Small mixed groups formed to pass an hour or two relaxing, passing their time as they wanted.
Garak went over to Melset as he wanted to hear what she had to say about various topics. "Are you still on duty or do you have the time to accompany me on a tour of the region?"
"No, work is over for me too, so I can show you further projects," her reply was neutral in tone and loud enough for the others nearby to hear.
Before they got in the glider, Garak switched on the listening devices. The sections not relevant to my duties will be cut before I process them for my report.
"Have interactions been this positive and uncomplicated from the start?"
"Yes, as far as I have heard: politics are not a topic of discussion, there are no attempts at indoctrination, interaction is perfectly neutral and friendly. Meals and downtime are shared. The members of the two teams respect us and our ways, nor was there any hesitation when we invited them to associate with us outside of work. Comments? Some serious, some joking, hardly different to those my colleagues make at SFHS. They work with us as though there were no differences, as if the war had never happened. However, when I arrived, one of the humans, a colonist from the former DMZ, covertly stared at me, thinking I wouldn't notice, seemed very uneasy; within two days he left. Perhaps he made traumatizing experiences with our forces. If so, why did he come here anyway? There are so many of us around, this is Cardassia after all."
"You were startled when I mentioned the Pyrrek-Meydar family."
"I was." May as well inform him. Elim can be quite insistent. "During the Reymac incident I was on Terok Nor to assist in recapturing the ship complete with the terrorists and to analyze the situation on the station proper. I had quarters there for three days; Prefect Dukat accorded me a Bajoran servant. You may have read my report."
Garak nodded, "Very precise and highly informative, quite useful for our purposes."
She briefly hesitated. "He was sent to me for a reason; I suspect Dukat wanted to draw me into the station's goings-on to discredit me because by then we had already had serious differences about station policy, for example the question of security as Bajoran servants were often left unsupervised in Cardassian quarters."
Garak nodded. "Do you recall his name?"
"Meydar Tano."
"Ah, that explains your surprise. No doubt a relic from the days of Bajor's travels to the stars; your erstwhile servant descended from the branch of his family who stayed put."
He noticed her glance towards a precise area of the array and pressed an icon, nodded at her.
"What is the history of the Cardassian branch? Just the relevant details, that is all. It is the Bajoran branch..." she fell silent.
"Why?"
"Perhaps it is due to recent events - but I wonder what became of him, of his family. He told me his village was destroyed because the entire area was to be strip mined. To ensure his compliance, his family was sent to a refugee camp. A few select women and four or five men from his village were taken to the station." In a very low voice she added, "He was the male equivalent of a comfort woman; as reported, female soldiers and officers... indulged too on occasion. Meydar was chosen because he was unusually attractive for a Bajoran. Before returning to the Orissá, I gave him what he would have earned for those ... services."
"Decent of you." Garak realized his comment was an error the moment he had pronounced it.
"I adhere to our moral values, was to be enjoined with Gul Renor." Her tone of voice was icy. "Nor would such excesses ever tempt me."
"My comment was not meant to offend you, my dear." Garak added, "I can obtain the information you want about Cardassian Meydar, but as to the Bajoran, Kira or one of your contacts on station would be more effective." After taking a deep breath, he admitted, "I, too, wonder about the fate of a number of Bajorans ... and Cardassians. It would appear that The Defeat and its outcome have made us remember those we vanquished then exploited, respectively ... processed." He pressed the icon to reactivate the device as they had arrived near Perali City, after quartering the area, he entered a brief report along with visuals. Resumed the tour.
"This,..." she gave him the decorative pin in which she had hidden a chip, "contains information from the board computer of the NGO's shuttle. Federation civilians are quite trusting when received with friendliness and acceptance, so, well after dark when all had turned in, I entered their shuttle. No guards, no security measures, everything easily accessible, the doors to their cabins shut but that of the shuttle open a crack. I nearly feel guilty about abusing their trust."
"Most unwise, my dear, you could have been caught," Garak smiled slightly in anticipation.
"I was, but had taken precautions: a regova I lured along followed me into the shuttle. I had just downloaded the data when I heard a door open, then footsteps. I couldn't avoid discovery, so frightened the kyssil which screeched, ran and hid. Asked what I was doing, I explained one of our regova had escaped, perhaps run into the shuttle so I'd looked around, found it, but it had squirmed out of my grip. We finally found it under a console. Tadesse quickly turned it over and laid it in my arms. I thanked the team for their help, apologized for the disturbance and walked back home with my regova ... and the information."
"No questions?" was Garak's astonished query, "no suspicion?"
"None at all. I cautioned them to keep the shuttle door closed because there were less benign creatures around than one fugitive regova. They thanked me for the advice."
Another brief stop. "Aigela City, mixed terrain.. a non-polluting factory is being planned here, on sub-optimal land. Robotics..." He indicated the beginnings of groundwork. "Kelan-Lesana, Saranji Province, Baryn and Varon Provinces are going to become the breadbasket of Cardassia; the Unefra system has also resumed agriculture..."
"In essence, delivery of supplementary food should not be necessary in four or five years. I have already sent 10 kilograms of that seed crop to Bajor which I had promised the Arnas and Usso families in Nevaris Village."
He changed the subject after he had recorded the data. "A regova to explain unauthorized entry,... quite inventive, my dear... That you are capable of such treachery even towards our helpers shows that you have not adopted Federation norms and scruples..."
"Never. I will always serve the Union alone. Tell me, my dear Garak: What could be less threatening than a villager looking for escaped livestock? Knowing the off-worlders, this will be an entertaining story for them to share with their peers later on, especially as regovas do look startling: the size of a male Terran turkey, dark brown iridescent feathers, a head like an archaeopteryx, clawed wings, and a long, feathered tail."
Now serious, she added, "Neither the Federation nor its civilian population can be trusted as their generosity inevitably comes with a price, NGOs or not; hopefully the data I have obtained will prove informative."
"I've noticed that all of you behave and dress no differently to the Kelani farming population with whom you are cooperating; I have been observing all of you carefully: an off-worlder would notice nothing unusual. It is indeed advisable to blend in."
"Dimos warned me and the others as soon as NGOs began arriving. They may seem inoffensive, but the Federation could be planting agents in their teams without their even being aware of the fact in the hope that despair has made us less secretive after The Defeat. After all, we have already been pressured into accepting that Federation base just outside Loo'Wess in exchange for more assistance."
Their tour of Perali District was nearly over. "Regrettably, I have to depart within a few hours as the Commission is meeting in the late morning to discuss potential changes to certain statutes of the Order. We are advancing quite rapidly, but it is extremely exacting and very intensive work."
He had planned the round trip so that they arrived just as everyone was preparing for the day's work. Covertly, Garak interlaced his fingers with Melset's before she got out. "Inform the others that their efforts have my full approval; the AgroDep should evaluate what has been accomplished no differently."
With that, he departed in the direction of Loo'Wess whereas Melset went into the building where everyone was getting ready.
After changing into work clothes, she left with the others. This form of duty to Cardassia was a welcome change, hands-on activity, basic but essential, cooperating with others to ensure the Union's survival, knowing that, across this Union, others were doing the same, in all professions, every day, unhesitatingly, each citizen fulfilling tasks according to his or her abilities.
In a few more days I'll be leaving for Deep Space 9... Strange. When did I begin using fhe Federation name of the station instead of its Cardassian one? It appears when you hear something often enough it sticks, as humans would say.
1This creature belongs to Kaelio, is called a bowticka in Restore, Remake, Rebuild... I've invented a variant as I like scolopendras.
2Idea from: Alan Weisman: Gaviotas
3KP: American military expression. Kitchen Patrol = preparing and cooking rations and cleaning up afterwards.