THE AGREEMENT
By The Collaborators
---
CHAPTER SIX
---
She hadn't seen Edon since they'd broken off their relationship, and she'd been anxious about how things would be between them now. She needn't have worried. Enveloped in his bear hug, Kira felt safe, comfortable, and pleasantly warm for the first time in far too long. The special warmth radiating from his hand on the small of her back, the look in his eyes, were a silent invitation to spend the night together 'for old-times sake'. It was tempting. She would have to give the idea some serious consideration -- if it could be managed circumspectly... Before she had the chance to give Edon an answer, his administrative assistant grabbed her arm excitedly and pulled her off to one side. She had to struggle a bit to remember the man's name -- Chaserat Joram, that was it -- Chaserat, like hasperat.
He was visibly unnerved by the collection of aliens she had arrived with. "Major, I need a word with you about the menu and the seating arrangements for dinner..."
Kira shrugged, she found this sort of detail nothing but an annoyance.
"We didn't know exactly who would be with your party, and we were told nothing about what they eat. This whole thing will be a complete fiasco if they expect special meals." He pulled out a handkerchief, and began dabbing the nervous sweat off his forehead and balding crown. "That changeling for a start... what does it eat?"
"Constable Odo," Kira bristled at the insult to her friend, despite recognizing it as the product of ignorance rather than malice, "does not require either food or drink. He will probably prefer, however, to go through the motions of eating with us -- a concession to courtesy on his part."
Chaserat tucked his handkerchief into a sleeve and made a note on a PADD. "Very well, thank you Major. Now, what about the Ferengi?"
"Quark?" She smiled, "He likes bugs."
"Bugs?"
"Yes, that's right. Worms, beetles, slugs, grubs... that sort of thing. It's easy: all you need to do is go out to the arboretum and see what you can find under a few rotting logs. Just be sure to serve them alive and wriggling."
Chaserat muttered under his breath as he made another note on his PADD. He looked at the group of aliens again, and had the misfortune to make eye contact with Dukat. The poor little man withered right in front of her, and he stuttered as he tried to ask her his last question, "What about the gu... guu... g..." He swallowed, hard, and tried again, "The gul?"
"Dukat likes Bajoran food." She frowned as a thought occurred to her, "One suggestion though: request that the meal be served family style -- on platters for us to help ourselves at the table."
"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Major. It's rather informal for a diplomatic occasion."
The man might not know much about the dietary requirements of alien life forms, but he was familiar with protocol.
"I realize that, but I think he'll feel more... comfortable if we're all eating from the same dishes."
Chaserat was shocked, "He thinks we'd try to poison him?"
She shrugged, "Think about it. If you were him, on your own here on Bajor, wouldn't you be just a little bit paranoid? Besides, if we were Cardassians, we probably would try to poison him."
He thanked her for her help and excused himself to go and see about Quark's dinner. She remained where she was, observing from a distance as Shakaar and Dukat approached each other. Both were smiling and mouthing pleasantries, but they still looked for all the world like a pair of Toskanar dogs meeting at a territorial boundary. Shakaar, who was both the taller and the heavier of the two, was trying to use his sheer size to intimidate Dukat. It wasn't working. The Cardassian was no doubt at least as deadly, and next to his leaner, duranium-wire build, Shakaar seemed almost... ungainly.
From out of nowhere, Quark appeared by her side. "Care to place a wager? I'd say they're pretty evenly matched, myself, but I think I'll give odds on Dukat for sheer ruthlessness..."
"Then kiss your latinum good-bye, Quark. Don't forget who 'persuaded' the Cardassians to leave Bajor."
Publicly, she would stand by her own kind. Privately, alarmed as she was by the barely-suppressed threat of violence between the two men, there was nonetheless a dark and secret place in her that found it deeply arousing.
"And don't you forget who brought the Cardassians back here again ..." He raised a hand to ward off her irate response, "Just an observation, Major."
She did not reply, but he wisely retired in haste to the bar for one last drink before dinner.
Formal greetings between the two leaders having concluded, Dukat sauntered over to where Kira was standing. "What did that sweaty little creature want?"
"Quark?"
"No, the other one. The one who kept staring at me like he'd just been impaled, and then was making notes about it."
"Oh, you must mean Chaserat. He's harmless. He was just sorting out the menu and was afraid you'd be demanding Bajoran babies for your dinner."
He shot her a quizzical look, and then laughed out loud, "No, not for dinner. But if he'd like to know what I want for breakfast ..."
"I told him you like Bajoran food, and to hold off on the voraxna -- to poison you here might undermine the agreement between our governments."
He laughed again, "There you go, looking out for my best interests. I knew I'd be safe in your capable hands."
"Yeah. I'm saving you to shoot myself, when the time comes."
"Ah, I thought we'd gotten past that, Major -- didn't you tell me earlier that you wouldn't shoot me?"
As usual, he'd succeeded in flustering her.
"I meant I wouldn't shoot you in cold blood, Dukat. If and when the time comes that it should be necessary... I won't hesitate. I thought you understood that."
Chaserat opened the doors to the dining room, and the group began assembling to go in.
Dukat gripped her arm and held her back to speak softly in her ear. "Very well, Major, consider it understood... but in the meantime, please allow me to remind you that, at this moment, you are here as my attache and my bodyguard and, as such, I expect you to place your duties ahead of any... assignations."
She felt herself flush with embarrassment. So he'd noticed what she thought had been a discreet exchange with Edon. Prophets! Did the man miss nothing? Just to make things even worse, she looked up and saw Edon watching them from where he waited in the doorway. He looked... pleased... as if he'd accomplished his goal, which, all along, had been to needle Dukat.
...And you're a son of a bitch too, she thought, glowering at him. How dare you use me like that!
Well, a date for later was out of the question now, that much was certain.
Dukat took her arm, like a perfect gentleman, and escorted her to the dining room. When they reached the doorway where Edon still waited, nods were exchanged, and Dukat left her while he went on in to find his seat.
"You look tired Nerys, is everything all right?"
"I'm fine Edon, except for your little games. Don't ever pull a stunt like that again!" She tried to whisper, but it came out more as a hiss.
"You're overwrought. I can understand that, working with him. Don't worry, you don't have to go back. I'll take care of it -- I'll get someone else to take your place."
She jerked away from the hand he'd put on her arm, "That won't be necessary. I rather like it up there -- as far away from you as possible."
She glanced up at the table to find that Dukat, yet again, had closely observed the entire interaction, and was having a good chuckle to himself at her expense. Prophets! And the evening was just beginning ...
Kira took her seat at the circular table with Dukat on her right and Odo to her left. Shakaar sat on Dukat's right, and Quark completed the circle. Odo had been even more taciturn than usual all evening; he was visibly uncomfortable with the company. She'd been able to get a few minutes alone with him before the reception started -- just long enough to pass on Weyoun's comments about Jake. He'd surprised her by being inclined to trust Dukat over Weyoun -- but perhaps his own prejudices were getting in the way of an objective assessment. He detested Weyoun's habit of deferring to him as a god. His normally gruff voice approached a growl when he spoke of the Founders, "We are not gods, we are merely living, mortal creatures, and I am appalled that my people have continued to allow -- indeed encourage -- the Vorta and the Jem'Hadar to believe otherwise." Was his hatred clouding his judgment? On the other hand, how could she expect him to draw accurate conclusions when she hadn't exactly told him all the facts...
Looking around the table at her companions did not decrease her anxiety. On either side of her sat a prospective lover, her former lover next to one of them, and as for Quark -- well, she didn't want to imagine what roles she might have unwittingly played in some of his more unspeakable fantasies...
If only Dax were here... she would know how to handle this situation with aplomb.
Hell, Dax had probably been in similar situations hundreds of times -- and had no doubt savored every moment!
But Dax was on the Defiant with Captain Sisko and most of her other friends -- preparing to fight, and quite possibly to die, in the war that one man had brought to all of them...
Prophets please keep them safe, she begged in a quick and silent prayer.
Chaserat had reached a clever compromise concerning the style of service. Waiters entered the room carrying huge platters of retamba stew and veklivar, from which they served the plates already placed in front of each diner -- excepting Quark, whose meal was brought in separately. Quark smiled at the sight of the writhing mess he was given, but he seemed far more interested in the figures on the PADD he held in one hand. Odo pushed his food around his plate with a fork, but did not take a single bite. Kira found she had no appetite either; only Shakaar and Dukat appeared to be enjoying their meals.
Dukat attacked his dinner with gusto, "My compliments to your chef, First Minister -- this is absolutely delicious! I developed quite a taste for Bajoran cuisine while I lived here. I even have a Bajoran-trained cook on Cardassia Prime, but nothing can quite compare with the genuine article, can it?"
Shakaar smiled at him, "I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I will certainly pass along your compliments. The chef will be honored -- you must have been accustomed to only the very best Bajor had to offer."
"It was a wonderful place..."
"Yes, it was, and it is becoming so again."
Quark coughed uncomfortably in the silence which followed Shakaar's remark.
Kira stared at her food, wondering just how far the two of them would go. She could not avoid sensing the ever-increasing levels of male hormones being emitted around her -- and the sensation had gone well beyond the disquieting but erotic, and into the realm of downright unpleasant.
Shakaar speared a bite of veklivar with his fork, and lifted it up for a closer inspection before putting it into his mouth. "You know though, Gul Dukat, as good as this is, sometime you should be introduced to the delights of ordinary Bajoran dishes."
"Sounds interesting."
"Umm," he paused to sample the morsel of veklivar. "It might not seem credible, but few things are as tasty as a well-prepared Paluckoo spider stew. Nerys used to be a dab hand at such things, back in the old days ... The toughest part, as I recall, was catching those pesky spiders! Meaty little things they were though, I'll bet you'd enjoy them, Quark."
"No doubt - I'm not so sure about the 'stew' part though, I generally prefer my food living - one knows it's nice and fresh that way -- but I'm always willing to try something new. Anyway, gentlemen," Quark plastered on his most obsequious smile, and tried to change the subject. "Speaking of food, perhaps we could turn our attention to several hundred tons of Bajoran moba fruit, mazo stalks, and the other commodities which are..."
Dukat ignored him and focused his attentions on Kira instead, "So you can cook, Major. Shame on you for not telling me! I always suspected there was more to you than the 'woman of action' I've come to know so well."
Kira said nothing, recalling with some embarrassment the thin soup she'd replicated for him. He'd carefully chosen his words to keep their mutual secret, while simultaneously delivering a private reminder of her faux pas.
Shakaar replied in her place, "Major Kira is a woman of many talents, Gul Dukat."
"So I am beginning to appreciate..."
Infuriated by the implications of Shakaar's comment as well as by Dukat's, Kira spoke up for herself this time, "In the Resistance, we all pitched in, and did whatever was most needed at any particular time."
"I'm sure it was not an easy life." Dukat raised his glass to her in a casual toast and smiled, almost apologetically, at her. "At least, I did my best to make sure it wasn't... You were good though -- 'The Shakaar'. As hard as I did try, I never quite succeeded in catching up with you."
He paused long enough to take a drink.
"I must admit it now strikes me as rather a good thing that I did not -- for if I had, we could not be sitting here in such amiable fellowship as we find ourselves tonight!"
Once again, an uncomfortable silence fell over the group, and once again, Quark tried to turn the topic to the deal at hand. For a short while, it actually worked, and prices and quantities of foodstuffs and other basic supplies remained the subject of conversation. Both Shakaar and Dukat seemed impatient, and both were prepared to give away much on the deal, because each of them knew that far more was at stake than a simple financial advantage. Quark was visibly mystified by their cavalier attitude towards bargaining. Odo, who hadn't said two words throughout the entire meal, obviously wished he were anywhere else, and Kira sincerely wished she were there with him. She was beginning to wonder what she'd ever seen in Edon -- had he always been such a user?
As for Dukat... she could not fathom him at all. He'd been very subdued after his reunion with Ziyal, although from what Kira could see, it appeared to have gone well. She wished Ziyal had not insisted on making the rendezvous at the burned-out monastery. She feared Dukat had been insulted by its story, although she'd told him nothing but the truth -- and she had hoped the last part would soften the rest. Most of all, she'd hoped that reconciling with his daughter would increase his sympathy for Captain Sisko, and hence for Jake...
Her attention was captured again by Shakaar, when she heard him make a remark of such foolishness, she could hardly believe her ears. "I must say, Dukat, it's been a great pleasure getting to know Tora Ziyal. She's a truly lovely young woman, intelligent, kind, and witty -- as well as beautiful."
Kira felt Odo tense beside her, as he too anticipated a violent reaction on Dukat's part to this expression of familiarity with his daughter. Although she had no telepathic ability whatsoever, and neither did Edon, she did her level best to send him a mental message to shut his mouth before his stupidity resulted in bloodshed. She remembered all too well hearing how Dukat had nearly killed Garak -- merely for holding Ziyal's hand. As for Edon, Dukat certainly knew of his reputation with women...
If he even suspected...
Once again she thought her ears were deceiving her, when she heard Dukat's friendly laugh in reply. "She spoke highly of you as well, and I am very grateful for the interest you have taken in her."
When had this happened? At some point between the first course and the I'danian spice pudding, among the talk of Kava root and bars of latinum -- directly under her nose, while she'd been sitting right there in constant dread of them murdering one another -- these two lifelong enemies had taken each other's measure, passed each other's tests, and become... well, "friends" might be taking it too far, but they had formed some kind of bond which was completely beyond her comprehension.
"Well, Edon," Dukat continued, "I think we've worked out all the necessary details. Quark will have your latinum for you tomorrow morning. We'll be expecting your first shipment by transport in return, and we can both look forward to a long and mutually agreeable arrangement."
Shakaar and Dukat both stood, clasped hands and slapped each other on the back.
Quark, grinning ear-to-ear in obvious delight at the fat commission he had earned, pushed back his chair and stood, still clutching his PADD, "Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure doing business with you."
Odo grunted, shook his head, and muttered something under his breath about "solids".
Kira, the last to leave the table, silently promised herself that, if she survived this crisis, she would investigate the possibility of joining the nunnery at Klanidar.
---
"So -- I'll see you in the morning, then," Shakaar announced brightly to the Terok Nor delegation. Kira noticed with some surprise that his gaze even encompassed her. "I will be meeting with several of my aides tonight to come up with a -- shall we say -- 'diplomatic' way of informing the Council of Ministers of the details of our agreement."
"Surely you don't expect any difficulties in that area," Dukat scoffed. "First Minister, you only moments ago assured me that--"
"And I'll keep my word, Dukat." Shakaar's gaze was unwavering. "However, Bajor is governed by elected officials," he paused imperceptibly, "who are responsible to their constituents for any decisions they make. We don't want this mutually advantageous exchange to be misunderstood by those ministers who may not be as, ah, 'enlightened' as we are."
He bowed to the group, cutting off Dukat's further protests as he swept past him and out of the dining hall.
Dukat, irritated, turned to face Kira. "Major, your First Minister--"
"--I know, Dukat, I know." She sighed. "Listen, Shakaar is not about to go back on his word, not any part of it. But what he tells you is the truth - he can't simply ram a decision like this down the Council's throat. Can you imagine what people are going to say when they hear that Gul Dukat is supplying Cardassian troops with Bajoran--"
"--Major," he interrupted her, "I believe we've covered all that ground already. We are not supplying Cardassian 'troops' with anything -- we're requesting food and medical supplies to aid our starving population. It's a credit to your people that they are willing to help us."
"Du-- " Kira stopped. His last words had taken her off guard.
"Ah -- thank you, Dukat."
"Thank you, Major." He favored her with a slight but nonetheless courtly bow, never taking his eyes off her face. "And now -- I was hoping you'd do me the honor of joining me for another walk, so I can see the grounds of this beautiful place by moonlight, and perhaps work off a little of the delicious meal we've just been served."
Kira couldn't prevent her eyes from wandering to Dukat's very well-muscled but slim abdomen; the man probably never had to 'work off' a gram of food in his life.
"Well... " She hesitated. The grounds would be lovely in the moonlight, the tehsa birds would be calling to each other with their distinctively mournful cries, and she would be alone, completely alone this time, with the man who was beginning to fascinate her beyond all reasonable explanation. Ziyal would never be expecting them to go walking at that hour; the girl had undoubtedly already gone to bed. Quark and Shakaar and the First Minister's delegation were sorting out terms of trade in a room somewhere, and Odo -- what about Odo?
He chose that moment to clear his throat and sidle up to her. "Major, if I could have a word with you."
"Certainly, Odo."
She glanced at Dukat, who nodded and pretended to be interested in a tapestry hanging on the far wall.
Odo stood with his back to Dukat, while Kira's eyes seldom left the Cardassian. "Major, I hope you'll pardon me, but I really don't think it would be a good idea for you to go walking alone after dark here without an escort."
"What do you mean, alone? I'll be with Dukat."
"Precisely." He continued to watch her, waiting for his words to sink in.
"Odo," she began again, exasperated, "Dukat and the Bajoran government have just agreed to cooperate in a major exchange of food and medicine -- do you really think he's going to throw all that away by staging some kind of attack on me in the woods?"
She couldn't read the emotion that flashed across the changeling's face, but within a fraction of a second, the emotion was gone, replaced by Odo's usual, passive features.
Kira smiled, in an attempt to take some of the seriousness out of her rebuke. "Please, Odo. I think I'd like a chance to talk with Dukat alone, away from all these 'delegations,' for a few minutes. I don't know exactly what he's up to, but I could almost swear there's some kind of, well, 'softening' going on in his position toward Bajor. Some kind of new acceptance."
Odo snorted in disbelief, but didn't seem inclined to argue the matter further. Dukat was already approaching with a purposeful stride. Watching him, watching that self-assured swagger, Kira felt again an almost irrational urge to be alone with him for a few minutes -- just a few minutes without Shakaar's pompous self-importance, Quark's obsequious bowing and scraping, and Odo's -- Odo's... what?
She smiled at Dukat and placed her hand on his arm. Odo retreated through the doorway. "Ready, Major?"
"Yes -- let's go. It's been a long time since I've seen this area in the moonlight."
"And I don't believe I've ever seen it in the moonlight."
He smiled down at her, and she stared straight ahead and released her light hold on him.
Prophets, why was she doing this, anyway? Maybe Odo was right. But the night was cool, the sky was clear, and just as she had expected, the birds were calling to each other in the distance. Dukat walked companionably next to her, his heavy boots crunching the fallen leaves underfoot, his hands clasped behind his back. Kira, occupied with stealing sidelong glances at him, nearly tripped over a branch and Dukat smoothly and effortlessly reached out to steady her. When he didn't completely release his hold on her shoulder, she playfully pulled away.
"I'm all right now, Dukat."
"I never said you weren't... Kira." Surprised, she stopped walking and turned to face him.
'Kira'?
Granted, the level of informality was still very low; she herself almost always called him 'Dukat,' after all, not his title of 'gul.' And yet, there was something in his tone of voice, in the emphasis he gave the name, that startled her. She knew, in the back of her mind, that he could at almost any moment choose to enjoy her company in any way he desired. Yet his civility, the impression she had recently come to entertain of his innate sense of honor, had lulled her into a false sense of -- security -- with him. If anything more personal, more intimate, were to take place between them, she had always felt that she would be the one to initiate it, the one in control, the one to decide whether or not such a relationship was to exist. But now... with that softly spoken "Kira"...
Could it be that Dukat was trying to sway her? To woo her? She decided she needed a moment to think, and leaned back against the stone fence that separated the monastery gardens from the fields beyond. The moonlight filtered down through the trees and cast intriguing grayish shadows on Dukat's face, as he remained standing, silently watching her. Then, before she even knew what was happening, Kira felt herself being enveloped in his arms, held tightly against his chest and the metal plating of his uniform. Acting purely by reflex, she reached out to push him away, but he drew his face close to hers and, as she stared wide-eyed at him, he kissed her. Not a demanding kiss, not a passionate kiss, but rather, a -- satisfying kiss, one that Kira found impossible to stop. She felt her arms, again acting as if by reflex alone, wind around his neck, above the uniform, and pull him into a more comfortable position against her body. Whoever had designed Cardassian uniforms had certainly never entertained the thought that the wearer might wish to engage in a little tender kissing...
Kira closed her eyes and leaned into the embrace, Dukat supporting her, his hand coming up to gently caress the back of her head, the other arm remaining firmly around her waist. She knew, with every second that passed, that she had to put an end to this, and tell that insufferable, egomaniacal Cardassian to keep his hands off of -- Dukat opened his mouth against hers and she nearly gasped with surprise and satisfaction. What a warm, sweet mouth he had -- she had always been so fascinated while watching him speaking, never realizing that perhaps she was harboring a desire to explore that mouth more fully at her leisure...
Suddenly, Dukat broke away from her with a curse. Kira opened her eyes, startled, to see Odo walking up to them, making his way uncertainly among the trees. "Oh, damn," she sighed.
---
He had meant only to keep an eye on her, the way he always did. To make sure that Dukat did not take advantage... they may have a deal, but that was no reason to let Dukat hurt Kira more than absolutely necessary. He knew they had this deal for young Sisko's sake, and if he knew Dukat, the boy would be safe for as long as their understanding held. But if he, Odo, was here for security reasons, then security he would provide. Security for Kira.. And then he saw them. They must still be hoping he had seen less than he had, because humanoids always discounted his keen perceptive powers. He was really eyes and ears all over, and concentrating his senses to specific points of his being only enhanced their acuity. All he was lacking was the sense of smell, but his other senses more than made up for it.
He had no trouble at all seeing their two forms, hearing the small sounds, and for all the difference it made, Kira's body language might as well have been in broad daylight. The only thing Odo could not be sure of was how much was acting, dictated by Dukat on some earlier occasion. He was willing to grant her the benefit of the doubt, but his willingness was wearing thin. He could have slipped away unnoticed, but it hurt too much to leave them like that. He took another step forward, and the Cardassian's ever watchful eyes picked him up. He walked on, finding some small, strange satisfaction in interrupting them, but he said only what he had come to say in the first place: "Gul, Major -- I have just had an urgent message from Weyoun. We have to return at once to Terok Nor."
---
By The Collaborators
---
CHAPTER SIX
---
She hadn't seen Edon since they'd broken off their relationship, and she'd been anxious about how things would be between them now. She needn't have worried. Enveloped in his bear hug, Kira felt safe, comfortable, and pleasantly warm for the first time in far too long. The special warmth radiating from his hand on the small of her back, the look in his eyes, were a silent invitation to spend the night together 'for old-times sake'. It was tempting. She would have to give the idea some serious consideration -- if it could be managed circumspectly... Before she had the chance to give Edon an answer, his administrative assistant grabbed her arm excitedly and pulled her off to one side. She had to struggle a bit to remember the man's name -- Chaserat Joram, that was it -- Chaserat, like hasperat.
He was visibly unnerved by the collection of aliens she had arrived with. "Major, I need a word with you about the menu and the seating arrangements for dinner..."
Kira shrugged, she found this sort of detail nothing but an annoyance.
"We didn't know exactly who would be with your party, and we were told nothing about what they eat. This whole thing will be a complete fiasco if they expect special meals." He pulled out a handkerchief, and began dabbing the nervous sweat off his forehead and balding crown. "That changeling for a start... what does it eat?"
"Constable Odo," Kira bristled at the insult to her friend, despite recognizing it as the product of ignorance rather than malice, "does not require either food or drink. He will probably prefer, however, to go through the motions of eating with us -- a concession to courtesy on his part."
Chaserat tucked his handkerchief into a sleeve and made a note on a PADD. "Very well, thank you Major. Now, what about the Ferengi?"
"Quark?" She smiled, "He likes bugs."
"Bugs?"
"Yes, that's right. Worms, beetles, slugs, grubs... that sort of thing. It's easy: all you need to do is go out to the arboretum and see what you can find under a few rotting logs. Just be sure to serve them alive and wriggling."
Chaserat muttered under his breath as he made another note on his PADD. He looked at the group of aliens again, and had the misfortune to make eye contact with Dukat. The poor little man withered right in front of her, and he stuttered as he tried to ask her his last question, "What about the gu... guu... g..." He swallowed, hard, and tried again, "The gul?"
"Dukat likes Bajoran food." She frowned as a thought occurred to her, "One suggestion though: request that the meal be served family style -- on platters for us to help ourselves at the table."
"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Major. It's rather informal for a diplomatic occasion."
The man might not know much about the dietary requirements of alien life forms, but he was familiar with protocol.
"I realize that, but I think he'll feel more... comfortable if we're all eating from the same dishes."
Chaserat was shocked, "He thinks we'd try to poison him?"
She shrugged, "Think about it. If you were him, on your own here on Bajor, wouldn't you be just a little bit paranoid? Besides, if we were Cardassians, we probably would try to poison him."
He thanked her for her help and excused himself to go and see about Quark's dinner. She remained where she was, observing from a distance as Shakaar and Dukat approached each other. Both were smiling and mouthing pleasantries, but they still looked for all the world like a pair of Toskanar dogs meeting at a territorial boundary. Shakaar, who was both the taller and the heavier of the two, was trying to use his sheer size to intimidate Dukat. It wasn't working. The Cardassian was no doubt at least as deadly, and next to his leaner, duranium-wire build, Shakaar seemed almost... ungainly.
From out of nowhere, Quark appeared by her side. "Care to place a wager? I'd say they're pretty evenly matched, myself, but I think I'll give odds on Dukat for sheer ruthlessness..."
"Then kiss your latinum good-bye, Quark. Don't forget who 'persuaded' the Cardassians to leave Bajor."
Publicly, she would stand by her own kind. Privately, alarmed as she was by the barely-suppressed threat of violence between the two men, there was nonetheless a dark and secret place in her that found it deeply arousing.
"And don't you forget who brought the Cardassians back here again ..." He raised a hand to ward off her irate response, "Just an observation, Major."
She did not reply, but he wisely retired in haste to the bar for one last drink before dinner.
Formal greetings between the two leaders having concluded, Dukat sauntered over to where Kira was standing. "What did that sweaty little creature want?"
"Quark?"
"No, the other one. The one who kept staring at me like he'd just been impaled, and then was making notes about it."
"Oh, you must mean Chaserat. He's harmless. He was just sorting out the menu and was afraid you'd be demanding Bajoran babies for your dinner."
He shot her a quizzical look, and then laughed out loud, "No, not for dinner. But if he'd like to know what I want for breakfast ..."
"I told him you like Bajoran food, and to hold off on the voraxna -- to poison you here might undermine the agreement between our governments."
He laughed again, "There you go, looking out for my best interests. I knew I'd be safe in your capable hands."
"Yeah. I'm saving you to shoot myself, when the time comes."
"Ah, I thought we'd gotten past that, Major -- didn't you tell me earlier that you wouldn't shoot me?"
As usual, he'd succeeded in flustering her.
"I meant I wouldn't shoot you in cold blood, Dukat. If and when the time comes that it should be necessary... I won't hesitate. I thought you understood that."
Chaserat opened the doors to the dining room, and the group began assembling to go in.
Dukat gripped her arm and held her back to speak softly in her ear. "Very well, Major, consider it understood... but in the meantime, please allow me to remind you that, at this moment, you are here as my attache and my bodyguard and, as such, I expect you to place your duties ahead of any... assignations."
She felt herself flush with embarrassment. So he'd noticed what she thought had been a discreet exchange with Edon. Prophets! Did the man miss nothing? Just to make things even worse, she looked up and saw Edon watching them from where he waited in the doorway. He looked... pleased... as if he'd accomplished his goal, which, all along, had been to needle Dukat.
...And you're a son of a bitch too, she thought, glowering at him. How dare you use me like that!
Well, a date for later was out of the question now, that much was certain.
Dukat took her arm, like a perfect gentleman, and escorted her to the dining room. When they reached the doorway where Edon still waited, nods were exchanged, and Dukat left her while he went on in to find his seat.
"You look tired Nerys, is everything all right?"
"I'm fine Edon, except for your little games. Don't ever pull a stunt like that again!" She tried to whisper, but it came out more as a hiss.
"You're overwrought. I can understand that, working with him. Don't worry, you don't have to go back. I'll take care of it -- I'll get someone else to take your place."
She jerked away from the hand he'd put on her arm, "That won't be necessary. I rather like it up there -- as far away from you as possible."
She glanced up at the table to find that Dukat, yet again, had closely observed the entire interaction, and was having a good chuckle to himself at her expense. Prophets! And the evening was just beginning ...
Kira took her seat at the circular table with Dukat on her right and Odo to her left. Shakaar sat on Dukat's right, and Quark completed the circle. Odo had been even more taciturn than usual all evening; he was visibly uncomfortable with the company. She'd been able to get a few minutes alone with him before the reception started -- just long enough to pass on Weyoun's comments about Jake. He'd surprised her by being inclined to trust Dukat over Weyoun -- but perhaps his own prejudices were getting in the way of an objective assessment. He detested Weyoun's habit of deferring to him as a god. His normally gruff voice approached a growl when he spoke of the Founders, "We are not gods, we are merely living, mortal creatures, and I am appalled that my people have continued to allow -- indeed encourage -- the Vorta and the Jem'Hadar to believe otherwise." Was his hatred clouding his judgment? On the other hand, how could she expect him to draw accurate conclusions when she hadn't exactly told him all the facts...
Looking around the table at her companions did not decrease her anxiety. On either side of her sat a prospective lover, her former lover next to one of them, and as for Quark -- well, she didn't want to imagine what roles she might have unwittingly played in some of his more unspeakable fantasies...
If only Dax were here... she would know how to handle this situation with aplomb.
Hell, Dax had probably been in similar situations hundreds of times -- and had no doubt savored every moment!
But Dax was on the Defiant with Captain Sisko and most of her other friends -- preparing to fight, and quite possibly to die, in the war that one man had brought to all of them...
Prophets please keep them safe, she begged in a quick and silent prayer.
Chaserat had reached a clever compromise concerning the style of service. Waiters entered the room carrying huge platters of retamba stew and veklivar, from which they served the plates already placed in front of each diner -- excepting Quark, whose meal was brought in separately. Quark smiled at the sight of the writhing mess he was given, but he seemed far more interested in the figures on the PADD he held in one hand. Odo pushed his food around his plate with a fork, but did not take a single bite. Kira found she had no appetite either; only Shakaar and Dukat appeared to be enjoying their meals.
Dukat attacked his dinner with gusto, "My compliments to your chef, First Minister -- this is absolutely delicious! I developed quite a taste for Bajoran cuisine while I lived here. I even have a Bajoran-trained cook on Cardassia Prime, but nothing can quite compare with the genuine article, can it?"
Shakaar smiled at him, "I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I will certainly pass along your compliments. The chef will be honored -- you must have been accustomed to only the very best Bajor had to offer."
"It was a wonderful place..."
"Yes, it was, and it is becoming so again."
Quark coughed uncomfortably in the silence which followed Shakaar's remark.
Kira stared at her food, wondering just how far the two of them would go. She could not avoid sensing the ever-increasing levels of male hormones being emitted around her -- and the sensation had gone well beyond the disquieting but erotic, and into the realm of downright unpleasant.
Shakaar speared a bite of veklivar with his fork, and lifted it up for a closer inspection before putting it into his mouth. "You know though, Gul Dukat, as good as this is, sometime you should be introduced to the delights of ordinary Bajoran dishes."
"Sounds interesting."
"Umm," he paused to sample the morsel of veklivar. "It might not seem credible, but few things are as tasty as a well-prepared Paluckoo spider stew. Nerys used to be a dab hand at such things, back in the old days ... The toughest part, as I recall, was catching those pesky spiders! Meaty little things they were though, I'll bet you'd enjoy them, Quark."
"No doubt - I'm not so sure about the 'stew' part though, I generally prefer my food living - one knows it's nice and fresh that way -- but I'm always willing to try something new. Anyway, gentlemen," Quark plastered on his most obsequious smile, and tried to change the subject. "Speaking of food, perhaps we could turn our attention to several hundred tons of Bajoran moba fruit, mazo stalks, and the other commodities which are..."
Dukat ignored him and focused his attentions on Kira instead, "So you can cook, Major. Shame on you for not telling me! I always suspected there was more to you than the 'woman of action' I've come to know so well."
Kira said nothing, recalling with some embarrassment the thin soup she'd replicated for him. He'd carefully chosen his words to keep their mutual secret, while simultaneously delivering a private reminder of her faux pas.
Shakaar replied in her place, "Major Kira is a woman of many talents, Gul Dukat."
"So I am beginning to appreciate..."
Infuriated by the implications of Shakaar's comment as well as by Dukat's, Kira spoke up for herself this time, "In the Resistance, we all pitched in, and did whatever was most needed at any particular time."
"I'm sure it was not an easy life." Dukat raised his glass to her in a casual toast and smiled, almost apologetically, at her. "At least, I did my best to make sure it wasn't... You were good though -- 'The Shakaar'. As hard as I did try, I never quite succeeded in catching up with you."
He paused long enough to take a drink.
"I must admit it now strikes me as rather a good thing that I did not -- for if I had, we could not be sitting here in such amiable fellowship as we find ourselves tonight!"
Once again, an uncomfortable silence fell over the group, and once again, Quark tried to turn the topic to the deal at hand. For a short while, it actually worked, and prices and quantities of foodstuffs and other basic supplies remained the subject of conversation. Both Shakaar and Dukat seemed impatient, and both were prepared to give away much on the deal, because each of them knew that far more was at stake than a simple financial advantage. Quark was visibly mystified by their cavalier attitude towards bargaining. Odo, who hadn't said two words throughout the entire meal, obviously wished he were anywhere else, and Kira sincerely wished she were there with him. She was beginning to wonder what she'd ever seen in Edon -- had he always been such a user?
As for Dukat... she could not fathom him at all. He'd been very subdued after his reunion with Ziyal, although from what Kira could see, it appeared to have gone well. She wished Ziyal had not insisted on making the rendezvous at the burned-out monastery. She feared Dukat had been insulted by its story, although she'd told him nothing but the truth -- and she had hoped the last part would soften the rest. Most of all, she'd hoped that reconciling with his daughter would increase his sympathy for Captain Sisko, and hence for Jake...
Her attention was captured again by Shakaar, when she heard him make a remark of such foolishness, she could hardly believe her ears. "I must say, Dukat, it's been a great pleasure getting to know Tora Ziyal. She's a truly lovely young woman, intelligent, kind, and witty -- as well as beautiful."
Kira felt Odo tense beside her, as he too anticipated a violent reaction on Dukat's part to this expression of familiarity with his daughter. Although she had no telepathic ability whatsoever, and neither did Edon, she did her level best to send him a mental message to shut his mouth before his stupidity resulted in bloodshed. She remembered all too well hearing how Dukat had nearly killed Garak -- merely for holding Ziyal's hand. As for Edon, Dukat certainly knew of his reputation with women...
If he even suspected...
Once again she thought her ears were deceiving her, when she heard Dukat's friendly laugh in reply. "She spoke highly of you as well, and I am very grateful for the interest you have taken in her."
When had this happened? At some point between the first course and the I'danian spice pudding, among the talk of Kava root and bars of latinum -- directly under her nose, while she'd been sitting right there in constant dread of them murdering one another -- these two lifelong enemies had taken each other's measure, passed each other's tests, and become... well, "friends" might be taking it too far, but they had formed some kind of bond which was completely beyond her comprehension.
"Well, Edon," Dukat continued, "I think we've worked out all the necessary details. Quark will have your latinum for you tomorrow morning. We'll be expecting your first shipment by transport in return, and we can both look forward to a long and mutually agreeable arrangement."
Shakaar and Dukat both stood, clasped hands and slapped each other on the back.
Quark, grinning ear-to-ear in obvious delight at the fat commission he had earned, pushed back his chair and stood, still clutching his PADD, "Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure doing business with you."
Odo grunted, shook his head, and muttered something under his breath about "solids".
Kira, the last to leave the table, silently promised herself that, if she survived this crisis, she would investigate the possibility of joining the nunnery at Klanidar.
---
"So -- I'll see you in the morning, then," Shakaar announced brightly to the Terok Nor delegation. Kira noticed with some surprise that his gaze even encompassed her. "I will be meeting with several of my aides tonight to come up with a -- shall we say -- 'diplomatic' way of informing the Council of Ministers of the details of our agreement."
"Surely you don't expect any difficulties in that area," Dukat scoffed. "First Minister, you only moments ago assured me that--"
"And I'll keep my word, Dukat." Shakaar's gaze was unwavering. "However, Bajor is governed by elected officials," he paused imperceptibly, "who are responsible to their constituents for any decisions they make. We don't want this mutually advantageous exchange to be misunderstood by those ministers who may not be as, ah, 'enlightened' as we are."
He bowed to the group, cutting off Dukat's further protests as he swept past him and out of the dining hall.
Dukat, irritated, turned to face Kira. "Major, your First Minister--"
"--I know, Dukat, I know." She sighed. "Listen, Shakaar is not about to go back on his word, not any part of it. But what he tells you is the truth - he can't simply ram a decision like this down the Council's throat. Can you imagine what people are going to say when they hear that Gul Dukat is supplying Cardassian troops with Bajoran--"
"--Major," he interrupted her, "I believe we've covered all that ground already. We are not supplying Cardassian 'troops' with anything -- we're requesting food and medical supplies to aid our starving population. It's a credit to your people that they are willing to help us."
"Du-- " Kira stopped. His last words had taken her off guard.
"Ah -- thank you, Dukat."
"Thank you, Major." He favored her with a slight but nonetheless courtly bow, never taking his eyes off her face. "And now -- I was hoping you'd do me the honor of joining me for another walk, so I can see the grounds of this beautiful place by moonlight, and perhaps work off a little of the delicious meal we've just been served."
Kira couldn't prevent her eyes from wandering to Dukat's very well-muscled but slim abdomen; the man probably never had to 'work off' a gram of food in his life.
"Well... " She hesitated. The grounds would be lovely in the moonlight, the tehsa birds would be calling to each other with their distinctively mournful cries, and she would be alone, completely alone this time, with the man who was beginning to fascinate her beyond all reasonable explanation. Ziyal would never be expecting them to go walking at that hour; the girl had undoubtedly already gone to bed. Quark and Shakaar and the First Minister's delegation were sorting out terms of trade in a room somewhere, and Odo -- what about Odo?
He chose that moment to clear his throat and sidle up to her. "Major, if I could have a word with you."
"Certainly, Odo."
She glanced at Dukat, who nodded and pretended to be interested in a tapestry hanging on the far wall.
Odo stood with his back to Dukat, while Kira's eyes seldom left the Cardassian. "Major, I hope you'll pardon me, but I really don't think it would be a good idea for you to go walking alone after dark here without an escort."
"What do you mean, alone? I'll be with Dukat."
"Precisely." He continued to watch her, waiting for his words to sink in.
"Odo," she began again, exasperated, "Dukat and the Bajoran government have just agreed to cooperate in a major exchange of food and medicine -- do you really think he's going to throw all that away by staging some kind of attack on me in the woods?"
She couldn't read the emotion that flashed across the changeling's face, but within a fraction of a second, the emotion was gone, replaced by Odo's usual, passive features.
Kira smiled, in an attempt to take some of the seriousness out of her rebuke. "Please, Odo. I think I'd like a chance to talk with Dukat alone, away from all these 'delegations,' for a few minutes. I don't know exactly what he's up to, but I could almost swear there's some kind of, well, 'softening' going on in his position toward Bajor. Some kind of new acceptance."
Odo snorted in disbelief, but didn't seem inclined to argue the matter further. Dukat was already approaching with a purposeful stride. Watching him, watching that self-assured swagger, Kira felt again an almost irrational urge to be alone with him for a few minutes -- just a few minutes without Shakaar's pompous self-importance, Quark's obsequious bowing and scraping, and Odo's -- Odo's... what?
She smiled at Dukat and placed her hand on his arm. Odo retreated through the doorway. "Ready, Major?"
"Yes -- let's go. It's been a long time since I've seen this area in the moonlight."
"And I don't believe I've ever seen it in the moonlight."
He smiled down at her, and she stared straight ahead and released her light hold on him.
Prophets, why was she doing this, anyway? Maybe Odo was right. But the night was cool, the sky was clear, and just as she had expected, the birds were calling to each other in the distance. Dukat walked companionably next to her, his heavy boots crunching the fallen leaves underfoot, his hands clasped behind his back. Kira, occupied with stealing sidelong glances at him, nearly tripped over a branch and Dukat smoothly and effortlessly reached out to steady her. When he didn't completely release his hold on her shoulder, she playfully pulled away.
"I'm all right now, Dukat."
"I never said you weren't... Kira." Surprised, she stopped walking and turned to face him.
'Kira'?
Granted, the level of informality was still very low; she herself almost always called him 'Dukat,' after all, not his title of 'gul.' And yet, there was something in his tone of voice, in the emphasis he gave the name, that startled her. She knew, in the back of her mind, that he could at almost any moment choose to enjoy her company in any way he desired. Yet his civility, the impression she had recently come to entertain of his innate sense of honor, had lulled her into a false sense of -- security -- with him. If anything more personal, more intimate, were to take place between them, she had always felt that she would be the one to initiate it, the one in control, the one to decide whether or not such a relationship was to exist. But now... with that softly spoken "Kira"...
Could it be that Dukat was trying to sway her? To woo her? She decided she needed a moment to think, and leaned back against the stone fence that separated the monastery gardens from the fields beyond. The moonlight filtered down through the trees and cast intriguing grayish shadows on Dukat's face, as he remained standing, silently watching her. Then, before she even knew what was happening, Kira felt herself being enveloped in his arms, held tightly against his chest and the metal plating of his uniform. Acting purely by reflex, she reached out to push him away, but he drew his face close to hers and, as she stared wide-eyed at him, he kissed her. Not a demanding kiss, not a passionate kiss, but rather, a -- satisfying kiss, one that Kira found impossible to stop. She felt her arms, again acting as if by reflex alone, wind around his neck, above the uniform, and pull him into a more comfortable position against her body. Whoever had designed Cardassian uniforms had certainly never entertained the thought that the wearer might wish to engage in a little tender kissing...
Kira closed her eyes and leaned into the embrace, Dukat supporting her, his hand coming up to gently caress the back of her head, the other arm remaining firmly around her waist. She knew, with every second that passed, that she had to put an end to this, and tell that insufferable, egomaniacal Cardassian to keep his hands off of -- Dukat opened his mouth against hers and she nearly gasped with surprise and satisfaction. What a warm, sweet mouth he had -- she had always been so fascinated while watching him speaking, never realizing that perhaps she was harboring a desire to explore that mouth more fully at her leisure...
Suddenly, Dukat broke away from her with a curse. Kira opened her eyes, startled, to see Odo walking up to them, making his way uncertainly among the trees. "Oh, damn," she sighed.
---
He had meant only to keep an eye on her, the way he always did. To make sure that Dukat did not take advantage... they may have a deal, but that was no reason to let Dukat hurt Kira more than absolutely necessary. He knew they had this deal for young Sisko's sake, and if he knew Dukat, the boy would be safe for as long as their understanding held. But if he, Odo, was here for security reasons, then security he would provide. Security for Kira.. And then he saw them. They must still be hoping he had seen less than he had, because humanoids always discounted his keen perceptive powers. He was really eyes and ears all over, and concentrating his senses to specific points of his being only enhanced their acuity. All he was lacking was the sense of smell, but his other senses more than made up for it.
He had no trouble at all seeing their two forms, hearing the small sounds, and for all the difference it made, Kira's body language might as well have been in broad daylight. The only thing Odo could not be sure of was how much was acting, dictated by Dukat on some earlier occasion. He was willing to grant her the benefit of the doubt, but his willingness was wearing thin. He could have slipped away unnoticed, but it hurt too much to leave them like that. He took another step forward, and the Cardassian's ever watchful eyes picked him up. He walked on, finding some small, strange satisfaction in interrupting them, but he said only what he had come to say in the first place: "Gul, Major -- I have just had an urgent message from Weyoun. We have to return at once to Terok Nor."
---