Disclaimer: Star Trek belongs to Paramount, I just play here.
2. Many meetings, few results
Their mission to Cardassia was quite uneventful. They collected propaganda, taped election tri-vid broadcasts, and gathered intelligence. They didn't manage to meet with any of the more important contacts they had made over the last year but they still agreed the mission had gone well. Back in Maquis territory, they landed the small vessel and went into the building where the council met.
Well over an hour later, Julie was getting frustrated. "They're using these raids in their propaganda, and the people of Cardassia are listening! The elections are only one and a half months off. If the Order and the Sach Ba gain power we will be at war."
"And we won't have this treaty anymore. That is what we wanted," Rainor, a tall man with half-long, brown hair said.
"No. Not now, and not like this. They won't just break the treaty, they will move in right away." Julie let out another frustrated sigh. "Look, you were Starfleet. You have followed the news. The situation with the Klingons is shaky at best. There are reports of Romulan activity. There are rumors that even the Tholians are stirring again. Starfleet has sent one single, out-dated, Constellation Class Starship to patrol the border. Their main forces are at least 24 hours further from the Zone than the Cardassians. We can't hold off a full invasion force for that long."
Sabi was the only one who really agreed with her, a few others looked doubtful.
"Perhaps we should at least answer Captain Sisko's messages," Ro said. The Bajoran hated Cardassians with all her heart, but her Starfleet training had taught her about strategy, and she wasn't too biased to use it. Or at least, to talk about it. Julie wouldn't bet on anything more.
Julie knew it wasn't going to be enough. The way this was going, even if they would eventually agree to suspend or even stop the raids, it would be too little, too late.
She had come here over a year ago, joining up as a diplomatic advisor and political spy. She'd had experience on many planets, most of the time in conflicts between governments on one planet, in one system. Some called her a mercenary, and in a way she was. But she only fought for those causes she could identify with, not for the highest bidder. As a matter of fact, she hadn't been paid for months. She kept half of what she earned on the trading missions she covered her travels with, and the Thalys was her own.
Her payment wasn't her highest concern, though. She saw what was happening in the Quadrant, and although the Maquis hadn't joined in the changeling-hype, they would be pulled along if they could not stop the Cardassians from overrunning the entire Zone.
Slowly, others nodded, and agreed to a meeting with Captain Sisko.
A week after her return to Maquis space, a meeting was arranged. Julie met the Captain in his office. She saw the Station's security chief, Odo, as she walked through Ops. Good. If he was here, looking humanoid, at least he wasn't disguised as anything in Sisko's office.
She came in and introduced herself as Julie Barnards, again. She had many aliases, but preferred to use her own first name as much as possible. Last names, she could not remember how many she had.
She'd seen the Captain several times before, when she had put in with the Thalys, but this was the first time she spoke with him.
The meeting did not go very well. Oh, she and Sisko agreed the raids had to stop, and that a war right now would be disastrous, but she didn't get a lot of new information that would convince the others of that.
She spent the next three weeks flying frequently up and down between the Maquis headquarters and Deep Space Nine. Finally, only another three weeks from the Cardassian elections, she booked results. The council reluctantly agreed to at least suspend the incursions on Cardassian territory.
Julie and Sabi went to DS9, and Julie met with Sisko.
"They've finally agreed to stop the raids, but I'm afraid it is too late. There's only three weeks left. By the time the Cardassians believe the raids have really stopped, the elections will be over," Julie said.
Sisko had no better news. He had been even less successful in convincing Starfleet to sent more ships. He has gotten to the point where he was half-and-half expecting orders to return the Defiant, as well. If the Cardassians were to move now, they would probably gain control of Bajor, the Wormhole, and the Demilitarized Zone. Then, the Federation would finally wake up to their problems, and move in. It was quite possible the Romulans would take the opportunity to attack the Federation in the back, causing war all over the Quadrant.
"And that is exactly what the Founders want. With all of us at war there will be no missions through the Wormhole. In the end, no one in the Alpha Quadrant will win this one," Julie said.
Sisko knew the Maquis woman had the same goals as he; to prevent war and to stop the Founder's scheme. He'd never directly told her he had worked toward the same goals with Dukat, and he was not entirely sure how she would react, but he needed her. Dukat hadn't been able to come to the Station for the last two weeks, and neither had Sisko dared to send any important information through subspace. He had considered going to Cardassia Prime himself, or to send one of his staff, but a Starfleet officer would stand out on Cardassia in the best of times.
He knew Julie and Sabi regularly docked at Cardassia, and he had even been able to find out Julie had spoken with Dukat at Quark's. But he was far from certain she would agree to go into hostile territory and actually work with the Cardassian.
"I have been working with someone in the Cardassian Union who thinks the same way. I can't contact him directly, and have been thinking of sending someone to work with him in person. You would be a good choice, if you're willing to work with a Cardassian," he finally told her.
"I have worked with many races in my life. If he can help stop this changeling-hype madness, I'll do it," Julie replied.
"Will the rest of the Maquis let you?" Sisko asked.
Julie shrugged. "If I go back to the council, they'll spent the next three weeks discussing it. By the time they decide either way, it'll be too late. The Thalys is mine. I'll declare it an emergency, and deal with the council when I get back. If it still matters by then."
"Good," Sisko said. "I know you have met Dukat, that should make it easier to contact him on Cardassia."
"Dukat, eh?" Julie didn't sound surprised. Sisko was willing to bet she knew the Cardassian had been visiting the Station regularly. "So you know I've spoken with him," she continued. It was a statement, not a question.
"We might be working together on some things, we still keep an eye on him," Sisko said.
The double meaning of his words was not lost on Julie, but she showed none of this to Sisko. Inwardly, she laughed. Not all of the security personnel that had watched her since they knew she was Maquis, had been able to stay hidden from her experienced eye. To the Captain, she showed only a little irony. "I'll remember that."