In the Arms of the Goddess

Chapter 8- Feralae

While Dax briefed Rachel on what to expect, Marco, Alloran, Cassie and I prepared for the mission. For them it meant studying a layout of the ventilation shafts. We were going to use bat morphs in order to tell where we were going. At least one of us would be carrying a communicator so that we could be tracked. Odo and Okami would follow us in the form of squirrels. Odo had protested vigorously to that form, but Okami pointed out that Bats and Squirrels were some of the only forms that could slip through the ventilation shafts.

Sisko practically dragged me to Major Kira's quarters on the Defiant. "What's happened now?" She asked, curious, looking up from the pad she was reading.

Sisko explained about the dream as I grew redder and redder with embarrassment.

"But that doesn't explain anything! The Prophets have you why would they want to appear to a little girl? And why would they leave the wormhole? HOW would they leave the wormhole?" Major Kira was definitely flustered.

"I have no idea. But I suspect that Winn will have some idea what's going on." Sisko explained.

"Kai Winn has better things to do, and besides, children are more easily controlled than adults. She'll try to manipulate Feralae and the other Animorphs to her own ends, shamelessly I might add. I mean… when I think of it, I may not like the Cardassian leader, Dukat, but our own Winn is no saint either." The major was pacing up and down in her quarters, data pad forgotten at her tiny desk.

Sisko let her vent. "I think, however, that we should find somebody to teach her about the Bajoran faith, hopefully somebody who won't tell anyone what's happened." Sisko said calmly.

Major Kira thought for a moment. "Hmm… somebody discrete. I think I know, She's a Vedek at a Shrine in the old city of Katik. Her name is Teret Izual. She's the youngest Vedek in history, about nineteen, and she's no friend of Winn's. I met her on a raid one time. I was injured and she and the other priestesses at the shrine cared for me until I could return to the cell. I'd say she owes me a favor or two. Feralae will have to learn Bajoran of course. But ours is not a hard language to learn." Kira peered down at me. "Did you have any visions before this?"

So I told her about the vision I'd had before waking up on the Enterprise. "They referred to me as a Child of Light." I told her. "They said that I was to be a Warrior, an Artist and an Explorer. That's kind of like the three fold path that Andilite Warriors take when they're accepted to the Andilite Military Academy. The Warrior is required to be an Artist and a Scientist as well as a fighter. Because they were so similar, and because I was injured at the time, I didn't think anything of it." I explained.

"So it wasn't an isolated incident." Sisko mused. "More reason to get her lessons. That's all, basic lessons. Although… Feralae, can you morph sentient species?"

"It's not that we can't, we Animorphs just don't choose to. We do it out of respect for other sentient creatures. However, there is a way to combine the DNA of several individuals to make a new morph, a disguise of sorts. It's called the Frolis Manuver. Alloran taught it to me. If I can acquire enough DNA samples then I can create a new identity."

"That's good." Major Kira said, nodding her approval. "Humans aren't always welcome on Bajor, especially in Katik. There are at least three Anti-Federation/Anti-government Resistance cells operating in that area. Heaven forbid if they get their hands on an Animorph."

"Nobody can chain an Animorph for long. Sometimes not even a forcefield can keep us out." I pointed out. "Then we would either morph something small and run away or morph something big and kick butt."

Sisko chuckled. "Yes, but we don't want them to know about the morphing technology yet if we can help it. Because if you were to make it available, you can bet that Winn would be first in line to get it. And I don't think that's wise considering her track record. And if you were to morph and fight them, they'd think you were a changling and sound a planetwide alarm."

I nodded. "I'll keep it on the hush then. I'd rather they not mistake me for Odo or Okami."

Sisko really did laugh then. I grimaced. Major Kira rolled her eyes. "What's so funny about that?" I demanded.

"The way you said it." Major Kira chuckled.

"Do you know if the other Animorphs have gotten visions?" Sisko asked me.

"I think if they did, they would either have freaked out by now or thought they were going crazy." I told him. "Now Marco might keep something like that private. So would Rachel or Cassie. But Cassie usually can't hide anything from me and Rachel clearly hadn't heard anything. You can tell by her reac…"

FLASH!

White light, I was riding on Beemur, my pet horse back home. The Prophet had taken the form of Picard this time, and he was riding beside me. "The Kai is in trouble. The invaders seek revenge."

"Invaders? You mean the Cardassians? And you mean Kai Winn by the Kai."

The Picard/Prophet didn't answer my questions, typical. "The attack will not happen until two days after the Invader's leader reaches the gate. Hurry, the Emissary must guard her."

"You mean Sisko, so Sisko is supposed to deal with this? Not me?"

The Prophet didn't answer. He was looking past us. "Caught you red handed." Said a snide, smug voice behind me.

I turned. Q was hovering in the air, keeping up with us easily. "I think it's time this ended don't you?"

"Do not interfere. This is beyond you." The Prophet stated. Did I detect the merest tinge of annoyance? But it was too late…

FLASH

I was back in Kira's quarters. Q had a steadying hand on my shoulders. "Well, I finally managed to catch them in action."

"Q WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Major Kira demanded.

"The Wormhole Aliens came after her again and I stopped them." Q said smugly. "They aren't supposed to leave the Wormhole and every Q knows not to mess with a mortal child." He said, sniffing in offended dignity.

"GET OUT!" Major Kira shouted, "That could have been important Q! The Prophets do things for a REASON! And you spoiled it! They may not try to communicate with Feralae again and we may need her!"

"Major he was just doing what Q do." I said with a laugh. "Besides, you know what he's like. I think I got what we need though." He told her.

"See? No reason for her to go back. Now, I know when I'm not wanted. See you!" That last was sneered.

"Okay, what happened?" Major Kira demanded.

I told her what had happened. "But I don't think the strength of a vision is enough to hold out in Federation Court. So I think we should try to catch the perps red handed." I told them. "And I think it just became doubly important to spy on Dukat like we were planning. The hard part is going to be to catch them before they can hurt this Kai Winn of yours."

"Since when was she MY Winn?" Major Kira demanded.

"Odo can take care of it." Sisko said thoughtfully. "With Okami as back up, although I hesitate to burden either or them."

"I'll help. I can be a visible guard while Odo and Okami hide on her person somewhere, maybe a piece of jewelry or something." Major Kira suggested.

"If you guide her to the Rachel I can show her around, maybe keep her busy for a couple of hours, but that's it, because I doubt that the Kai would stoop to housework and that's what we'll need most. But I want confirmation that they might be trying it before I take this to the others. Jake may want to help. I'll ask him."

"I have a son named Jake." Sisko sighed, sitting down on the chair Kira had vacated. "He's nothing like yours. But I can imagine the confusion that will come up between the two of them when they meet." There was a long silence.

"Man, this is going to be hard. Which Cardassian? It may not necessarily be Dukat who attacks her. It might be somebody else, and if we let it out that the Prophets warned of a Cardassian attacking the Kai, every Bajoran on the planet is going to attack every Cardassian they see. They'll kill first, ask questions later. Should we keep this to ourselves?" I asked.

"For now." Sisko agreed. "Although I will warn Picard about it."

That was when Chief O'Brian's voice came over the communicator. "The Cardassian ships we found earlier are here Captain. They want to beam over and speak to Dukat."

"Tell them I'll be with them in a moment." Sisko turned to me. "Action stations."

I nodded. That was when the door chimed. Marco, Alloran, Okami, Cassie and Odo made their way in. "Ready?" I asked.

"We are." Marco agreed.

Major Kira crouched near the entryway to the ventilation shafts. "This is it." She pulled the grill off.

"Alloran, you will be keeping track of the time right?" I asked.

Yes, let us begin the morph.

I closed my eyes and focused on the picture of a bat. To be precise, the species was called a "Little Brown Myotis."

The first thing to change was my hands. They stretched and stretched and the webbing between the palms grew to change into a wing. My body became covered with soft brown hair. I began to shrink. "EW!" Major Kira stepped back. "I did not need to see that." You see, the morphing technology is never logical. I had a bat's body and a human's legs, full size human legs.

My ears shrank and slipped up the side of my head. The structure and form reminded me strongly of the Dominion created species calling themselves the Vorta. I growled, hurrying the changing of the ears, I HATED Vorta. They were so obnoxious. Then my legs began to shrink. A tail came out of my butt, tiny and with webbing attached to my legs.

Within one minute I was a bat. Odo and Okami had changed into squirrels. Okami was a red squirrel and Odo was a gray squirrel. Okami grabbed her communicator badge and followed us into the shafts. Marco in the lead, we shuffled our way towards the downshaft that would take us to Dukat's quarters. I heard footsteps as Sisko left Kira's quarters.

Which way Marco? I asked.

Down. He replied. We have to drop two decks and go halfway across the ship itself, but we can make it before those Cardassians get to Dukat.

I looked down at the black maw of the ventilation shafts. I fired a burst of echolocation down it. In the immortal words of Missy Elliot, 'HOOOODEEE HOOOOO! Run for cover mother fucker!' I cried as I dropped.

The wind rustled past me. I opened my wings, flapping downwards and fired another burst of echolocation. Which way? I cried as we reached the other deck.

Right! Marco shouted. Odo and Okami had gone semi liquid and were slithering along the side of the shaft. They followed us into the right shaft. This way. He flapped to the lead and we flew/ran as fast as we could for Dukat's quarters.

Another burst of echolocation. There was an exit. I saw several grates along the way. Wrong exit, ignore it. Marco said boredly. Alloran! Time?

We have been in morph for 15 minutes. Alloran commented. We will have plenty of time to listen.

I hope you're right! Cassie said as she struggled to keep up. Man, Tobias would HATE flying in these conditions.

Then we don't need to worry, because he's not here. I told her. Another junction coming up.

Keep going straight. Marco commented.

Uncle duncle! I told him. We flew until.

RIGHT! TAKE A RIGHT HERE! Marco said suddenly. We flew right and suddenly we were looking down the in-grill to Dukat's quarters on the Defiant.

Odo and Okami skidded to a halt and came up behind us. The Cardassians were just entering Dukat's quarters. "What can I do for you gentlemen?" Dukat asked. Okami clicked the specially modified combadge to record the message.

"Dukat, Gul, it's good to see you!" Said one of the two Cardassians.

That's a rank isn't it? Cassie asked.

Yes, Gul is the Cardassian equivalent of a Visser. Only there are more of them. I explained. He was in charge of Deep Space Nine back when it was called Terok Nor.

The two Cardassians shook hands and Dukat indicated that the other two sit down. "I'll be to the point Gul. It's time for Cardassia to take revenge for their embarrassing defeat at Bajor."

"I see, and how do you intend to affect this revenge?" Dukat asked, nonplussed.

"We will find the Bajoran Kai, and we will kill her." Said the other Cardassian.

"And how would you expect to get away after the murder?" Asked Dukat, I couldn't see too well behind the ventilation slats, but I could tell that he was annoyed.

"We will steal a runabout, but if that fails, we will be glad to die for our planet." Said the first Cardassian. "We need somebody to help us, somebody who will be able to get close to the Kai long enough to kill her."

"Sorry, but I know where this is going and it's not going to be me." Gul Dukat said calmly. "Bajor is OVER! DONE! Cardassia needs to stop living in the past and work on building a future! Furthermore, killing the Kai would serve no purpose whatsoever."

"You will be demoted Dukat." Said the other with a sneer. He unsheathed a knife and pressed it angrily to the Gul's throat. "You will lose all face and if that's not enough, we have an interesting piece of information about your past that will make very good reading in the Cardassian Tabloids!"

I wanted to throttle these two creeps. I wanted to morph lion and kill them both. But we needed them alive, and we needed evidence. I whispered to Dukat. Do not give up. Find a way out of this. You're not going to let these two creeps push you around are you?

If he heard me, he gave no sign. Dukat's eyes darted wildly around the room for a moment, then he focused on the knife at his throat. "Alright, alright I'll work with you."

Cassie growled. I'll kill him if the Bajorans don't.

He's being manipulated. That's all. I told her. Like the Hork Bajir. He is to be pitied.

Pity, right, look at him. He gives up that easily? I wouldn't have expected a Cardassian Gul to do something like that. Marco said.

Perhaps he has something in mind to take care of these two. Suggested Alloran. What is the human term? Up his sleeve?

"Here is the information you need. Meet us at the given rendezvous point on Deep Space Nine. I believe you know where they are." Said the leader of the two.

They left. The others flew or crawled away. Dukat said aloud. "Who's there?"

You may not know my name. I heard the conversation. No, you are not hearing things. I chuckled as he looked around, dumbfounded and then clapped his hands over his ears. I take it that the mighty Gul Dukat has something up his sleeve?

"No, for once I have nothing."

So double deal with them.

"And end up in the brig?"

You'll end up in Federation Prison if this goes through, that's much worse than a brig. I pointed out. No, don't try to find where I am. You won't find me unless I want to be found. Don't give up. Remember, you outrank them. YOU should be the one in control of this situation. We'll speak again Gul. I told him.

I flapped my way back the way I had come. After about five minutes I kept up with them and made it back to Major Kira's quarters. We demorphed. "He has nothing up his sleeve." I growled. "They're stringing him along, they're going to use him as a scapegoat and it's not even his fault!" I growled.

"Who?" Major Kira asked.

Marco explained.

"It's not fair!" I protested. "They're going to use him as a scapegoat, mark my words."

"I think you'd better hear this Major." Said Okami as she replayed the conversation.

"Feralae, you were right." Major Kira breathed.

"Right about what?" Asked Cassie.

I told them about the vision. "And then Q hauled me out of it before I could get any more out of him." I explained.

I repined my combadge and it chirped. "Deanna to Feralae. It's going to happen soon."

She didn't have to say what. We all knew. "Well, I think it's time we cross our fingers and hope for the best." I stood and stretched. "And we'll have to report in to Jake."

"I'll do it." Marco told us. "You're closer to Rachel than I am."

So we headed back to the Enterprise, for a game of waiting more trying than any form of espionage.