Disclaimer: see chapter one.
Tevlik's Moon
Or The Dominion's Pearl Harbour
The house was quiet as she stood within its comforting cocoon whilst she stared at the wild weather trying its best to batter the plants around their modest garden. She knew this part of the city suburbs could often endure such inclement and treacherous weather, but this was the first time she'd ever experienced it. Most of the family were either at Starfleet or visiting friends, thus it was just her and her young daughter tussled up warm and snug within the house whilst the winds and rain lashed around it outside.
She sighed knowing the current wild weather was in a way a fitting reflection of her own tempestuous thoughts and feelings at that time. Miral fed contentedly from her, bringing some sense of peace to her troubled world as she gazed at her child's face, contentment washing over her for the briefest of moments.
Because in the next she realised she wasn't alone any-more, sensing an unwelcome bodily presence standing close-by and looking back at her, reflected in the storm rain lashed window pane.
"What do you want?" she growled at him.
"A word," he responded. "Aren't you going to ask how I got in?" he sneered, feeling confident.
"Don't flatter yourself," she snorted, assisting Miral to finish feeding and then putting her down into the snuggle-cot-bag on the nearby couch for a nap. She sensed him moving closer to her, her hand balling into a fist, she lashed out at him as she stood up, the back of her closed fist connecting with his lower jaw sending him staggering a few steps away from her. She stood and glared angrily at the former Bajoran Vedek-cum-Maquis rebel as he stood rubbing his bruised jaw reflectively.
"Seems to be a common fault of yours hitting people around their face," he commented causing her hackles to rise as she'd only hit one other person in that fashion recently and that was Janeway in her closed office, thus she stood tense both her hands balled as fists at her sides.
"So what do you want?" she ground out for the second time and not letting on that she realised he was obviously in with those three Admirals from that office, for they were the only ones who'd have such information; her husband and Janeway being the other two present at that time.
"A word, just a word," he said, his stance still self-confident, hoping she would tell him what he wanted to know without having to resort to any unpleasant methods or questions; yet she kept stubbornly silent. "Oh, B'Elanna," sighing dramatically, trying to convey friendliness, but she just wasn't buying it. "Surely I don't have to drag it out of you?" he asked mildly, taking a step closer.
She growled, thus he wisely backed off in a way that allowed her to see over his shoulder into the room beyond him.
"I only want to know where he is," trying to calm her with his tone of voice.
"Who is this he?" her own tone revealing that his calming techniques were way off target as always. She – like her missing friend – had never liked this man and after what had happened on Voyager whilst in the Delta Quadrant even less so now.
"Our mutual missing friend," the Bajoran said, his tone still trying to calm her. "His location, as I'm aware you have met with him," he added.
"Oh is that all!" her voice incredulous. "I would have thought it was more than that!" she sneered. "What if I don't want to tell you, Teero; as you are no friend to us."
"I'm sure we don't want to resort to anymore physical persuasion!" he wheedled. For a moment she contemplated whether she should keep talking to this fiend, when she caught sight of her husband and the silent encouragement he was giving her, to do just that - talk.
"As I have already said, I do not know," she said through gritted teeth. "Even if I did know I certainly wouldn't tell you, Teero."
"Why ever not?" seemingly genuinely puzzled by her open hostility towards him. "You're Maquis, so am I."
"If you really were, Teero; you'd let this die along with the dead on Tevlik's Moon," her voice softening in thought of her brutally lost comrades.
"It is for them, I'm here," his voice angry, taking the opposite stand to herself. "They need to be avenged; those responsible need to be punished for allowing them to die in such a manner," his eyes taking on a maniac glow.
"Why and who needs to be punished," puzzled by his vehemence.
"You wouldn't understand," evading the question and turning to look out the window and the wild weather outside. It afforded her a quick look into the room beyond to see her husband and father-in-law watching and listening. If there were any security guards close by they weren't visible.
"Why wouldn't I understand? And what has this to do with my missing friend?" He grinned almost cruelly at her, his expression telling her as loudly as any words that he was there to ask her the questions, not to answer any, even though she had a legitimate reason for asking.
"You still maintain that you do not know where he is?"
"That's about right!" feeling her frustrations rise along with her justifiable anger. "I don't know what game you're playing, Teero. But I'm not dancing to your tune!"
"Interesting metaphor!" Her growl causes him to shrink back from her as she steps forward to keep her sleeping daughter safe. "Don't you want to see justice done?"
"Justice, yes," she agreed.
"Just not the Maquis way!"
"Just not your way, Teero!" her voice emitting a dangerous edge to it, which worried her husband wanting to move forward, but a gentle restraining hand on his arm, kept him in place, beside his father, who shook his head in silent advice to stay put. Reluctantly he did so and continued to listen, the recording device picking up the Bajoran's every word and actions.
"He can't hide forever," he said, hoping it would loosen her tongue; she just glared at him. "I'll be back," he assured her, twisting the pendant he wore and waited, but nothing happened.
"Waiting for a transport?" asked her husband casually, coming into the room. Before Teero can react two security males appear either side of him – via transport and take him into custody. The glare he gives the couple as he's lead away leaves them in no doubt that he has unfinished business to settle with them at some time.
Only once he's gone from the house does she relax into her husband's gentle loving embrace, feeling the tension drain out of her.
"At least we know that's one player out of the picture," commented Paris Snr.
"I'm not so sure, Dad," noted his son frowning. "The only way he could have known about our meeting with Chakotay was from that day in Janeway's office."
"No-one in the family knows, except possibly Ayala as we met him at Scarborough," B'Elanna assured him.
"I see," he was thoughtful, as they contemplated what the Bajoran had said, sitting comfortably together, Miral awake and held in her father's arms. "I'm puzzled as to why he wants to punish someone for Tevlik's Moon massacre, as it was reported that it was a Bajoran that revealed the location to the Cardassians and the Jem'Hadar."
"Why?" asked Torres puzzled by this information.
"We'll never really know, my dear."
"Maybe not; For the Dominion though it turned into their Pearl Harbour," said Paris junior.
"You'll have to enlighten us, non history buffs," his mother quipped joining them, having arrived in time to hear his last comment. Thus he explained about how Japan's actions against America's Navy at the Hawaiian military base led to the US entering World War two. "It was documented that the Japanese Fleet Admiral said that they'd already lost their war against America, as they'd awoken a sleeping lion that would not rest until he'd roared his loudest. What the Dominion did to the Maquis with the aid of the Cardassians and the Jem'Hadar on Tevlik's Moon had the same effect on the Federation, and I think they realised that."
No-one said a word as they thought over all that had happened so far and wondered what the next few days and hours would bring to them, the Federation and especially Starfleet Admiralty.
=/\=
