Creek Johnson and Nance Hurt
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: We are but fleas on the elephants' posterior that is Paramount. No infringement on their rights is intended. We hope none is taken.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In a place that is neither light nor shadow, in a land that is neither of dreams nor of dreaming, two shadowy figures are locked in an endless struggle. You move through swirling mists - not mere mists of vapor for these mists are made of living memory. The further you move through them, the further into memory you go. Memory so dense your pulse pounds, your breath comes in rasping gasps.
Voices cry out to you from the mist. Voices filled with laughter, voices filled with love, voices raised in anger, voices from the depths of despair. Above them all you can hear the gasps of the shadow warriors.
You try to reach them, desperate to end the endless struggle. No matter how you fight against the mist, you are trapped. Your chest heaves; your heart strains. You can move no further.
You cry out but no sound issues forth from your lips.
You awake in a cold sweat.
You manage to gasp out a single word.
Father.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The snow kicked up that afternoon and Kira was grateful for the strong wind that muffled the sounds of the Militia as they crept close to the isolated cabin. Keeping well out of Tobin's way, she hung back with Jake as the group prepared to move in on the residents. The fact that she did not recognize any of the officers aside from Tobin bothered her a little at first until she reminded herself that this was not by any description her operation. Granted, she was the ranking officer, but in reality she was as much a bystander as Jake. She held Jake back as Tobin gave the signal for her men to make their move. "You stay right here," she warned Jake. "We have no idea if these people are armed or not."
"I'm not a child," he reminded her.
"No," she agreed. "You're not. But you're not trained for this type of operation either."
"But it's my sister in there!"
"And this is Tobin's job," she reminded him. "You had best let her do it."
Seconds ticked by like hours as they waited. Eventually Tobin appeared at the cabin door and waived them in.
"Where is she?" demanded Jake. "Is she okay?"
"They're gone," remarked Tobin flatly. "We're too late."
"Or," ventured Kira. "Someone tipped them off."
"That may be," said Tobin leading them into the cabin. The scene before them was one of disarray and it was clear the inhabitants left in a hurry.
"Is there any indication that Sarah was even here?" asked Kira.
"We're checking now," replied Tobin indicating several of her team sweeping the area with tricorders.
"Where could they have gone?" demanded Jake, clearly frustrated at coming so close to retrieving his sister only to be met with another roadblock.
"This may tell us," remarked one of Tobin's team handing the Lieutenant a piece of paper. "I found it on the floor right inside the door. It looks like a map."
"A map?" asked Tobin spreading the paper out on a nearby table. "A map of what?"
Kira recognized it immediately as did Jake. They were both well familiar with the area following the disappearance two years ago of Jake's father.
"It's a map of the Fire Caves," said Kira.
"At least they haven't gone far," replied Jake. "But why go there?"
"If they've gone there at all," Kira cautioned him. The whole situation seemed a little too convenient to her.
"It is a good place to get lost," ventured Tobin. "So it stands to reason it's also a good place to hide out."
"Well," demanded Jake. "What are we waiting for?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You wanted to see me?" asked Bryan Landis. He stood in the doorway of Jack Blankman's quarters and looked at the chaos around him. "We appear to have somewhat of a situation on our hands," remarked John Marshall looking up from the padd he was reading.
"You mentioned in your reports that you suspected Blankman to be merely involved in some type of questionable business with Cardassia," replied Landis. "Are you saying it's something more than that?"
"A great deal more," Marshall assured him. "I began to become suspicious of Mr. Blankman when I realized Quark had taken a peculiar interest in his activities. Then not two days ago, Mr. Blankman was seen hauling a Cardassian man by the name of Tosko Fudan out of Quark's bar against his will. When questioned, Mr. Blankman told a rather unconvincing story about a minor disagreement regarding payment for a package Fudan delivered to him from Cardassia Prime."
"Nothing unusual in that."
"No," agreed Marshall. "However, shortly thereafter Dr. Bashir alerted me to the fact that a known member of the Orion Syndicate was found dead on Cardassia Prime and I concede there is nothing, in and of itself, unusual in that. Members of the Orion Syndicate are often found dead in the most unlikely places. However, that did get me thinking, and after some gentle probing I discovered that about the same time a Bajoran student was killed in an attempted robbery, also on Cardassia Prime. Two things about her death struck me as unusual; she had been surgically altered to look like a Cardassian and secondly, she had a child with her, although an autopsy proved she had never given birth, much less been pregnant."
"And how does this tie in with us?" asked Landis.
"The suspects in her death are two members of the Orion Syndicate," continued Marshall. "Two suspects who just so happen to have arrived on the Station a day after the murder of Huna Chin and who stopped by the offices of the Centurion Corporation just hours after arriving on the Station."
"Circumstantial at best," commented Landis. "But I suspect there's more?"
"Indeed," said Marshall with a nod of his head. "The one thing that bothered me the most about the murder of Huna Chin is that I could not figure out what a student would have in her possession that would be worth not only an attempted robbery, but her subsequent murder, until it occurred to me that it might be the child."
"But who would want a Bajoran child?" asked Landis.
"Apparently no one," confirmed Marshall. "But a DNA sweep of these quarters confirms that there was a child present here, not a Bajoran child, but a human child. A human child, I might add, who is a genetic match to one Benjamin Sisko."
"Sweet Jesus," said Landis looking at the evidence Marshall handed to him. "And Bashir confirms this?"
"That he does."
"But what would the Orion Syndicate want with Sarah Sisko?" asked Landis. "What would Jack Blankman want with her for that matter?"
"According to Mr. Blankman," replied Marshall. "He is merely a victim of circumstance. He says that yesterday morning, the fellow calling himself Tosko Fudan showed up in his office apparently looking for another business. They talked for a moment and Fudan left; only he left behind the child, buried under an orange jumpsuit of some type. Once Mr. Blankman realized he had been left holding the baby, so to speak, he sought out Mr. Fudan and drug him back to the offices demanding an explanation."
"And what was Fudan's explanation?" asked Landis.
"He explained that he and his wife were attacked because of information they had regarding the former operatives of the Obsidian Order and that his wife had been killed as they attempted to flee but that he and his child had escaped. Fudan then appealed to Mr. Blankman to provide shelter until he, Fudan, could get off the Station promising to give Blankman what information he had on the Obsidian Order in exchange."
"And he agreed?"
"Reluctantly, or so he says," replied Marshall. "He then claims to have contacted an associate on Cardassia Prime in an attempt to confirm the story but discovered Fudan was lying. Before he could confront Fudan he was approached by the two men from the Orion Syndicate. Instead of reporting the incident to Security, which he now somewhat belatedly admits he should have done, he came here intent on confronting Fudan about his story, little realizing that Fudan had attempted to access the Station's computers using a code that once belonged to none other than Gul Dukat."
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph," declared Landis. "This just keeps getting better doesn't it?"
"Indeed," affirmed Marshall. "Understandably, we picked up on the unauthorized attempt to access the computer and sent a team here immediately. Needless to say we did not locate Mr. Fudan or the child he claims to be his. What we did find was the remains of an orange maintenance jumpsuit, evidence of a child (but one that is neither Cardassian nor Bajoran), a rather suspicious puddle of Ferengi blood, and most puzzling of all, one standard issue Starfleet comm. badge. Mr. Blankman, of course, denies all knowledge of the blood and the comm. badge."
"Any idea who is missing their comm.?"
"I have an idea," remarked Marshall. "Quark wasn't the only one interested in Mr. Blankman's activities, it appears Commander McKinley has recently taken an interest in Quark's activities especially where they concern Mr. Blankman."
"What the hell?" asked Landis. "Hasn't he anything better to do?"
"One never knows," remarked Marshall. "However, if Quark came here hoping to find out more about what Blankman was up to, it would explain why his blood is on the floor and why D. McKinley is presently missing in action."
"So, you think they interrupted Blankman, or Fudan, in whatever they are up to?"
"It is a possibility," conceded Marhsall. "Mr. Blankman, naturally, denies all knowledge of the whereabouts of Quark and McKinley. Which, if he is telling the truth leaves us with the possibility that Fudan and/or the two men from the Orion Syndicate are holding both Quark and McKinley as hostages."
"What do we know about Fudan?" asked Landis. "Or do I want to know?"
"Tosko Fudan has no history," confirmed Marshall. "All we have been able to piece together from our sources is that he arrived on Cardassia Prime from the Deus System. That he spent a few days on Cardassia Prime before boarding a shuttle for here."
"And that he has access to some rather old Cardassian security codes as well."
"Indeed," replied Marshall. "However, it did occur to me that Tosko Fudan is a rather unusual Cardassian name, so I took the liberty of feeding it into the computer and discovered that it is an anagram of…"
"Son of Dukat!" exclaimed Landis for whom word games were a bit of a hobby. "Damn it all, John, this just gets more intolerable by the minute. Where is Blankman now?"
"Mr. Blankman is currently cooling his heels in a holding cell while we check out his story."
"And the two men from the Orion Syndicate?" asked Landis. "Are they merely a fabrication or are they real?"
"Very real," Marshall assured him. "Captain Flato confirms their existence and verified their identification from images sent with the file on Huna Chin. Unfortunately, they are also very much still at large, and Security recordings confirm that they were in this area just prior to our arrival."
"So, there is an element of truth in Mr. Blankman's story," mused Landis. "Have you considered that Blankman may in fact only be an accessory after the fact?"
"Indeed," confirmed Marshall. "I have someone checking out his alibi at this very moment. It appears he did in fact only contact Cardassia Prime after Fudan reached the Station. There is no record of his contacting Cardassia prior to that and he only received one subspace message from Cardassia since."
"Well, keep on it. Has anyone contacted Bajor regarding Sarah?"
"I tried reaching the Colonel earlier," confirmed Marshall. "But she was not available. Captain Flato is currently on the horn with Captain Dhek, who is in charge of the investigation."
"Well," replied Landis with a weary sigh. "Use what resources you need to track them down. Just remember Commander, we have a Station full of people here for the Lunar Convergence, try not to get into any fire fights on the Promenade if you can help it."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dr. Bahsir has just confirmed it," said Flato Rey trying to keep the irritation from showing in her voice. "It's a DNA match with Sarah Sisko." "Right," confirmed Dhek. "I have a suspect in custody, shall I book him, or do you want him sent to the Station?"
"I don't really know, that's why I was hoping to speak to the Colonel."
"Well," continued Dhek a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "As I said, we don't presently know where the Colonel is at this moment. Last anyone saw of her, she was with Jake Sisko…"
"And now they're both gone, I understand," replied Flato. "May I speak to Odo then?"
"He won't tell you anything," complained Dhek. "He hasn't told us anything."
"You make him sound like a suspect."
There was an awkward pause at the other end of the subspace line. "He is," remarked Dhek.
"What?"
"You said yourself, Captain, that you are holding Mr. Blankman as a suspect in the kidnapping," replied Dhek. "Mr. Blankman works for Odo, it only stands to reason that he at the very least has knowledge of Mr. Blankman's activities."
"But…" sputtered Flato. "You can't…The evidence against Mr. Blankman is shaping up to be rather circumstantial…"
"Sarah Sisko was in his quarters was she not?" asked Dhek.
"Well, yes."
"Look Captain," continued Dhek. "Odo is the only link we have so far to the whole business. We're checking his story now, and if there's no evidence to support a charge against him, we'll let him go, otherwise, he's staying at the top of our list of suspects."
"Fine," replied Flato. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when the Colonel finds out about this, she thought. "Just so you know," she continued. "Our records show that Mr. Blankman made no effort to contact anyone on Bajor over the last week. As a matter of fact, he apparently made no effort to contact anyone on Bajor since he's been on the Station."
"We're finding much the same here," confessed Dhek her voice betraying the frustration she was feeling. "But Odo did make an extended trip to the Capital the day after Sarah Sisko disappeared, and he made several attempts to contact Nokis Orr after he was dead."
"Do ya think it may have been because he didn't know Nokis Orr was dead?" asked Flato and was shocked to realize the sarcasm in her own voice.
"Perhaps," replied Dhek shortly. "Why don't you just concentrate on finding Sarah Sisko and let us deal with our own end of the investigation? Dhek out."
"Damn," said Flato as the screen went blank.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Odo sat in the living room of the Sisko house under close scrutiny by a couple of guards and willed his body not to fidget. Every instinct he had as an investigator told him that events were in motion and that they had to act soon or it would be too late. For a moment, he considered how easy it would be to over power the guards and flee, but go where? That was the problem. He was certain that Kira and Jake were presently following a lead, but what lead? He had no way of knowing where they went, or when they had departed. "So," said Dhek as she entered the living room. "Now that you've had a chance to consider the situation, what have you to say for yourself?"
"Have you considered?" asked Odo trying to keep a reasonable tone to his voice. "That all this is merely another delaying tactic? This entire investigation from start to finish has been nothing but one delaying tactic after another."
"So you claim," replied Dhek taking a seat across from him. "Why do you suppose that is?"
"I suppose, it is to hide the fact that Sarah Sisko is in reality quite close to here," ventured Odo. "I suppose, it's to keep us busy until tonight when the Lunar Convergence is in full effect. I don't know, really, you'll have to ask who ever is responsible."
"That's funny, I thought I just did."
"Captain," exclaimed Odo. "I have no knowledge of what has transpired on Deep Space Nine, you can check my communication logs if you do not believe me, but I can tell you this, Sarah Sisko is not the target of this scheme, or plot, or whatever it is, Jake Sisko is."
"Would it interest you to know that Sarah Sisko is presently on Deep Space Nine?" asked Dhek.
"I'm delighted to hear it," countered Odo dryly. "As you are so well informed, perhaps you can tell me where Jake Sisko is presently. The legend of the Shadow Warriors specifically mentions the child who knows his father shall be the key. His. Not her father. Sarah and her disappearance are merely incidental."
"Tell me about this supposed legend."
"On the day of Nokis Orr's funeral," began Odo trying desperately to keep his voice conversational. "I learned that a series of messages were delivered to the other recipients of the Medal of Freedom. The lines, it turns out, are all part of an ancient Bajoran legend of two brothers who were doomed to be locked for eternity in a struggle to prove whose gods were the strongest. According to the legend…"
"Yes," interrupted Dhek. "Your trip to the Capital. You were very busy that day. Funny, how you failed to mention any of this to anyone involved in the investigation."
"I didn't think, at the time, that it had any bearing on the Sisko investigation," declared Odo. "If I did, I would have mentioned it."
"I'm sure you would."
"The legend makes mention of a period when the heavens are in alignment – such as now with the lunar eclipse. It further discusses how a child of the light, which I now know may refer to the group calling themselves the Children of Anjohl, and a child of darkness, will join together to end the struggle of the shadow warriors. If you allow that Jake Sisko is one of the children and that…"
"What do you know of a man called Tosko Fudan?" interrupted Dhek clearly not interested in the story Odo was telling her.
"Nothing. Who is Tosko Fudan?"
"The man who supposedly brought Sarah Sisko to Deep Space Nine from Cardassia Prime. Most likely the man responsible for the death of Huna Chin, and before you ask, Huna Chin brought Sarah to Cardassia from Bajor. But you knew that didn't you?"
"Only because I read of Huna Chin in your report," protested Odo. "And, if I remember correctly Huna Chin may be connected in some way with the Children of Anjohl. The pieces are all there if you will only look!"
"Tell me about your Cardassian connections," prompted Dhek. "And who you know in the Orion Syndicate?"
"Everyone in this room has connections with Cardassia," countered Odo. "They occupied this planet for over sixty years, who doesn't have connections with them?"
"And yet you worked for them."
"I have never denied that. I've also worked for the Bajoran Government as well. And considering in all that time I worked as a criminal investigator, it's fair to say, I know of quite a few people in the Orion Syndicate. Let me ask you this; how many people are you acquainted with who, have at one point or another in their lives been considered a terrorist or an outlaw? This is pointless. Instead of asking questions about my loyalties, you should be trying to determine where Jake Sisko is!"
"You're not an investigator anymore," Dhek reminded him. "And I'm asking the questions right now. Tell me who Tosko Fudan is and how Cardassia figures into all of this?"
Odo's protests were cut short by the approach of a guard who whispered in Dhek's ear. With a nod of her head Dhek rose and without a word to Odo left the room. Tosko Fudan, scoffed Odo. It wasn't even a very convincing Cardassian name. They may as well have chosen to call themselves Tsoka Fondu, or more likely Sko Ta Fundo …his mind froze as the letters resolved themselves in his mind. My god, he thought, no, it's not possible, the Dominion would have hunted down the family and eliminated them just as they eliminated so many others.
Son of Dukat! Mikor Dukat, if he managed to somehow survive the war, he would be old enough now, to…to what? Take revenge against the Sisko family? Or, try and find his father! Odo's mind raced with the possibilities. The voice sounded once more in his head, a voice that appeared to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time; complete the circle.
So engrossed was he that he failed to notice Dhek's approach, or the look of barely controlled anger on her face.
"Let him go," she ordered the guards through clenched teeth. "It seems you have friends in high places, Odo."
He paid no attention. In his mind he was going over the evidence found during their hunt for Benjamin Sisko. Traces of DNA had been found at the scene, minute traces of Human and Bajoran DNA. But there was more, they had also found other traces of DNA. DNA, so faint as to be almost indistinguishable, but traces nonetheless of DNA that Bashir had thought were Cardassian. Could it be? Was it possible? Could Dukat have been there was well? If that were the case, then it was possible that Dukat was the other shadow warrior! And if that were the case, then Mikor Dukat would be the other child…but…
"Are you listening?" demanded Dhek. "I said you could go."
"But why?" asked one of the guards. "What happened?"
"It seems, the Kai has ordered him released," complained Dhek. "Says Odo was busy doing a job of work for him and was not to be interfered with."
"Damn."
Dhek waived her hand in front of Odo's face. "How long has be been like this?" she asked.
Before the guards could reply, Odo became aware he was being discussed. He blinked once or twice and demanded to know the time.
"About 16:00," replied Dhek. "Why?"
"What time is sunset?"
"In about an hour. Are you alright?"
"Yes," replied Odo. "I think I know how the circle will be completed. You!" he ordered turning to one of the guards. "Find out, if you can, if Mikor Dukat, or any of the Dukat family managed to survive the war."
"Now wait a minute," protested Dhek. "The Kai may have let you off the hook, but I haven't. You can't go ordering my people around like that…"
"I can and I will," declared Odo. "How many men can you get together in half an hour?"
"I'll be damned if I tell you until you tell me what's going on."
"If I'm right, and I'm not sure that I am," cautioned Odo. "There is a strong possibility we will all be damned if we don't get to the Fire Caves before the sun sets and the eclipse begins. If I understand the legend properly, Mikor Dukat intends on using Jake Sisko to help him complete the circle and free the Pah'Waiths!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Well?" demanded Jake. "We know who we're looking for, we have a good idea where they went, what's the hold up?" Kira glanced at Tobin and the two exchanged a look of understanding.
"Jake," said Kira soothingly. "We don't even know if they did, in fact, go to the Fire Caves. This just may be another delaying tactic. This whole business has been one delaying tactic after another…"
"Are you seriously going to stand there and suggest we do nothing? You said yourself that you think that this whole business revolves around the Convergence, if that's the case, we can't afford not to go."
"Mr. Sisko," volunteered Tobin. "The Fire Caves are vast. We couldn't begin to mount a search with as few men as we have here. What I suggest we do is call back to Headquarters and request more men…"
"But that would take hours!" protested Jake. "How can you be sure we won't be too late?"
"We can't be sure," Kira replied. "But we won't be doing Sarah any good if we run off half cocked."
"Look," said Jake and it was clear he was forcing his voice to remain steady. "Colonel Kira and I know the caves well. We searched them thoroughly two years ago when we were looking for my father. How about we start the search while Lt. Tobin goes for more men?"
Two years ago, thought Kira, how it all came back to her in a flash. They had three times as many men working on the sweep and they still found no trace of Benjamin Sisko and here they were, two years later looking for his child. Two years later as though…as though…the circle was completed…. The circle must be completed, she thought, of course. She glanced up to see Tobin and Jake both staring at her as though waiting for her decision. Sweet Prophets, she thought, don't let this be a mistake.
"I agree," she said and instantly felt as though not only her life, but also the fate of Sarah and Jake Sisko, now lay with forces beyond her control.
"Fine," replied Tobin turning to her team. "Finish up here," she commanded. "And let's go."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack Blankman sat in his cell and fidgeted. It wasn't the first time he had spent time behind bars, and if truth were told, it most likely wouldn't be the last time either. But what bothered him the most was the thought that he had been out-witted by not only a shifty Cardassian, but by two dimwitted thugs from the Orion Syndicate. Fine, he chided himself, let that be a lesson. Never again, he vowed, would he lift a finger to help out a solid. I am a damn fool, he thought.
It's a good thing, he reminded himself, that Gus wasn't around to see him now. He could just imagine what she would have to say about all this. All his previous transgressions had been rather harmless, resulting in nothing more than time served and a small fine - but accessory to murder and kidnapping – that was an entirely different kettle of fish indeed. So lost in his own misery, he did not notice the guard enter the holding cell area until he was directly in front of the force field.
"Go away," growled Jack. "I have nothing to say."
"I'm not surprised," replied the guard lowering the force field and leveling a phaser at Jack. "I always knew you would end up in jail, it was only a matter of time."
"Pilgrim?"
"Hands up," ordered Pilgrim. "And the least you can do is pretend I'm threatening you."
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question," commented Pilgrim dryly. "But there isn't time."
"Now, wait a second," replied Jack sitting back down on the bunk. "I'm in trouble enough as it is, if I walk off with you now, I'll only get into more trouble. So, push off."
"You have no choice," replied Pilgrim advancing in a threatening manner. "I need your assistance. From the security recording it will look as though I'm taking you by force, that should be enough to convince Security that you were an unwilling escapee."
"I don't care," protested Jack. "I'm not a willing escapee and that's that. Give me one reason why I should go with you."
"Very well," said Pilgrim. "Renegade."
"What?"
"Renegade is on the Station. I followed her here and I will require your assistance in tracking her down."
"Renegade?" replied Jack. "Do you think she might have something to do with this Sarah Sisko business?"
"There isn't time to go into it now," Pilgrim protested. "The real guard will be back on duty shortly. Are you coming or aren't you?"
Jack heaved a sigh. If he stayed, he was certain that Marshall and his goons would not be able to piece together enough evidence to convict him of anything more than a vague connection to the charges against him. On the other hand, if he went, it would give them an incentive to try and make the charges stick. Still, if he were able to track down the Orion boys and Fudan, it would go a long way towards proving his innocence. However…well hell, he thought, damn the however, he wasn't going to just sit here and let someone else decide his fate.
"Fine," he said putting his hands up in mock surrender. "Just call me a damn fool."
"Fine," replied Pilgrim. "Just do not expect me to kiss you."