Star Trek: Absolution
Chapter XIX: Long-Term Relationships
Gul Mullis entered the security area of his flagship and walked down a long corridor to a large set of sealed doors at the very end. Although his forces were still patrolling the former demilitarized zone and holding the Breen starships they had captured prisoner, his vessel had just arrived at Deep Space Nine for the conclusion of the peace conference. Prior to leaving the bridge he had given the order to initiate a standard docking sequence at one of the station's upper pylons. As he moved through the large security doors and further into the ship's brig, Mullis stopped in front of one of the occupied cells and glared with barely contained rage at the Cardassian prisoner within.
"You are Glinn Tavis, the man who has pretended to be my aide these past few weeks," he said accusingly. "I think you will find it most fortunate that our government is now run by civilians – I no longer have the option to have you executed on the spot."
"But I am Tavis," the man inside insisted, standing up and walking over to the forcefield at the cell's entrance. "Why am I being detained here? What have I done?"
"I did not understand at first why the Federation was so hesitant to fully inform us of their plan for retaking the DMZ colonies," Mullis commented. His anger continued to build as he held up several printed, color-coded computerized images of a Cardassian skull. "Your neural patterns indicate that you are not who you claim to be. I would call you a traitor but I have been told that this is not the case. Tavis died a hero to his people, and you are simply the thing that now has control of his mind and body."
"There must be some massive mistake Gul Mullis," Tavis protested, waving his hands in dismay. "I have no idea what you are talking about… I swear it."
Mullis responded by holding up another picture, this one a printed image of the electronic device confiscated from Patrick Hazelton's quarters on Deep Space Nine. The picture clearly showed the apparatus with its left and right wings fully open and the deadly needle in its center protruding forth. "We have identified you as an enemy agent using intelligence transmitted to us from Starfleet Command. Have you been hanging around impersonating my Glinn all of this time waiting for an opportunity to use one of these on me? We found one in your quarters – perhaps we should attach it to your forehead, then activate it and see what kind of abomination wakes up in your body next…" Mullis smiled darkly and Tavis noticeably flinched.
The prisoner glanced quickly at the picture, then at Mullis as his expression changed instantly to one of fear. "What are you going to do with me?" he wondered.
"We have a sudden opening in one of our labor camps," the Gul told him. "Before I'm finished with you, I promise you'll be begging to go back to whatever life you left behind when you so forcibly took possession of my aide's body. You're going to live a long life of suffering and penance in a Cardassian prison."
"We are here – already in your galaxy!" Tavis thundered so suddenly that Mullis took a surprised step backward. "You may imprison me now but my fellow Guardians will eventually prevail. Then the tables will be turned and you will become my prisoner. Release me now and I will see that your life is spared."
"For the first time in my life I have actually learned to trust the Federation," Mullis said in reply. "After all, they did warn us in time to stop your attacks on our people. It looks to me as though they are already one step ahead of you. Perhaps you haven't heard… your precious Dark Nebula project is being dismantled as we speak."
"You will regret this," Tavis vowed, his voice filled with hatred.
"Perhaps. But until that time arrives, you will spend all of your days working in our labor camp." The Gul turned sharply to his left and walked back down the corridor without another word, leaving his prisoner seething with fury.
Admiral Nechayev was on the Cardassian bridge when Mullis returned from his visit to the brig. She noted that his mood appeared to have improved substantially, which was a bit surprising after more than a week in the DMZ. Managing grumpy Cardassian soldiers who regularly interacted with even grumpier Klingon warriors had taken its toll on both of them. "You look pleased with yourself," she said with a curious smile. "Were you able to get any answers out of our prisoner?"
"No," Mullis said with a grin. "He does not want to tell us anything – exactly what I was hoping for." He glanced across the bridge at one of the Cardassian officers. "Make arrangements to have Tavis transferred to a penal colony until we have time to arrange for his trial."
As the officer nodded and turned back to his work station the door at the rear of the bridge opened and another Cardassian entered with a very fatigued, very weak looking human male standing beside him. The newcomer was very tall with dark hair and a full beard, but was extremely thin from an obvious long-term lack of proper nutrition and hours of forced labor.
"My people are extremely grateful for the continued assistance and intelligence data that your government is providing to us," Mullis told the short blonde Admiral. "The latest reports you gave me have saved the lives of a lot of our most prominent leaders – those we are depending on to see us through our post war crises. After what our military tried to do to the alpha quadrant during the Dominion war, I sometimes don't quite know what to say…"
"If we have learned from our past conflicts and our leaders can now safely trust each other then long term peace is definitely achievable," Nechayev told him. "Don't worry about what's in the past, Gul Mullis. There will continue to be animosity and mistrust between your people and mine, but many of the Federation's strongest allies were once our most lethal enemies. I've spent most of my career working with the Cardassian government because I have always firmly believed that we would eventually become strong allies."
"I know that," Mullis said sincerely, turning to the human standing behind him. "Your service record negotiating with my government is an impressive one, regardless of who has been in power. Additionally, we are grateful for your assistance in securing the recent release of so many of our prisoners captured by Starfleet during the Dominion war. With our home world in chaos right now, I don't have much that I can give you in return. However, I did manage to find one human prisoner in our penal system, so please consider my release of this man both a gesture of good will and a thank you on our part." He bowed to her. "It is truly the least we can do right now, but it is something."
He motioned to the guard and the human stepped forward. "Thomas Riker," Nechayev said as she recognized the wan smile on the face of the over-worked, long-term prisoner. "You're the transporter duplicate of William Riker – the Maquis leader who stole the Defiant from Deep Space Nine and then tried to attack the Orias system."
"Yeah," Riker said weakly. "The Maquis thought that the ships at Orias were being built by the Cardassian government in a massive effort to wipe us out." He shrugged. "Who could have known that we weren't the target – I spent years in a labor camp for nothing."
"As things turned out, it was the Obsidian Order who was building that fleet of ships," pointed out Mullis. "Since we now know their actual agenda was directed toward the eventual failed attack on the gamma quadrant, it is obvious to me how the illegal construction of warships by the Order could lead to this type of… misunderstanding." He nodded at the guard, who instantly began removing the handcuffs Riker wore.
"You're really freeing me?" Thomas Riker asked with disbelief.
"Yes, unconditionally," Mullis told him. "If Starfleet decides to prosecute you further we have no control over that. However, I personally consider your debt to the Cardassian people to be repaid in full. You may go home Thomas."
"Thank you," Riker said gratefully to him.
"Take him below and provide him with clean clothing and something to eat," said Mullis to the guard. "Then see to it that he is transferred to the custody of Commander Hazelton on Deep Space Nine."
Thomas continued to smile with relief as he was led away. Nechayev watched him go with interest, her thoughts drifting back to the Maquis and the staggering series of events that had transpired since its initial formation. Things had happened quickly, but not so fast that a seasoned Starfleet Admiral like her would fail to recognize the potential for change throughout the region. She and Kathryn Janeway had been working steadily on the peace plan for some time now, and with the Dark Nebula enigma safely out of the way she was feeling extremely optimistic.
"We shouldn't need the Klingons for much longer," Nechayev told Gul Mullis. "The Breen have complied with all of our demands, so keeping them confined and unarmed on one of the DMZ colonies should be easy enough for your men once we beam them down to the surface. Their ships will be returned to them – eventually. The Federation Council still hasn't decided as to what degree we will disarm them." She turned to study his expression. "Have there been additional fights between your men and the Klingons?"
"Not as many as you might think Admiral…" Gul Mullis said with a mysterious smile. "The Klingon squadron commander and I have come up with a new way to keep our men in line. If one of my troops starts a fight… well, then all Cardassians have to drink blood wine with their meal when they go off shift. If the Klingons cause trouble, then they drink our kanar." He chuckled at the stories he had already heard and smiled at Nechayev. "At first things were not going well – but since our troops found out that we're serious things have really settled down. Who would have guessed that discipline could be maintained so easily just by threatening to take away a favorite beverage?"
He watched Admiral Nechayev laughing merrily as she imagined the mighty Klingons drinking kanar. "Do you and the Klingon commander follow this policy as well?"
"Oh yes," grinned Mullis. "But years ago I worked as a diplomat, so my palette is broader than that of most Cardassians my age and more easily satisfied by a variety of beverages. I personally do not mind an occasional cup of blood wine, but I'm not so sure that my Klingon counterpart is totally used to kanar yet. It is an acquired taste, you know." They watched each other for a few seconds and then this time both started laughing.
General Kira Nerys sat down at the head of the conference room table and felt better than she had in years. Once more she found herself surrounded by a series of familiar, friendly faces – but this time it was after having gotten to know many of them a lot better through their recent adventures together. For a second time in as many weeks she was presiding over a Bajoran peace conference, but to her astonishment so many of the ongoing problems that had plagued them at their previous meeting were no longer obstacles. To her right sat Jommyn and Pykiim from the Xindi delegation along with Gul Mullis and Admiral Alynna Nechayev. On her left were Captain Picard, Admiral Janeway and Commander Hazelton. Odo was seated at the far end of the table and Garak was nowhere to be seen this time.
Next to Hazelton sat the woman Kira had come to know as Tasha Yar. Picard had briefed the General on Yar's history and requested that she be granted asylum on Bajor. After Kira promptly complied with the request the two of them had worked through the night to grant Tasha a new identity and provide her with the proper security clearance that she would need for her new assignment. Only the Captain, General Kira, Admiral Janeway and the command crew from the Enterprise knew the real truth – to the rest of the delegation she was now known simply as a representative from Earth.
"Before we get started I would like to introduce Jann Le'letha the new Starfleet Ambassador to Bajor," Kira said, gesturing warmly toward Tasha. "She will be taking over the leadership duties at the Federation embassy here."
Everyone applauded and Tasha smiled warmly and nodded in response. She noted silently that it wouldn't take much time for her to get used to her new identity. Over the years, people had ignored the lone human on the Romulan prison colony, so the sound of her name still startled her and continued to provide a constant reminder that yes – she had truly escaped from the enemy confinement that had restricted her freedom for those many years. The new surname of Le'letha that she had chosen was from a book she had read as a child on her home planet of Turkana IV. Having seen pictures of the surface of Bajor, Tasha could not wait for the chance to actually settle down there, live in peace and truly sample its unique culture.
"There isn't too much of a backlog in work down on Bajor, is there?" the newly-christened Ambassador Le'letha asked inquisitively.
"Oh you're going to be swamped," Kira told her, "With blue skies, fresh air, growing things… and lots of sunlight. You'll love it." The General winked at her and then glanced over to Gul Mullis. "I sincerely hope things are proceeding as expected for you also."
"Admiral Nechayev no doubt has already conveyed to you my deep appreciation – and of the entire Cardassian Detepa Council – for Starfleet's assistance in clearing out the demilitarized zone." Gul Mullis glanced appreciatively at all of the people sitting across from him. "As things have turned out, you have done us an additional favor by also halting the malicious activity taking place within the Dark Nebula. We do not yet know how to show our gratitude, but I can assure you that once we have rebuilt our society we shall think of something."
"We've shared our information on the Guardians with everybody we maintain relations with in the alpha and beta quadrants," Admiral Janeway mentioned. "Since we stopped them before they managed to secretly seize power on multiple worlds as they planned, those that remain in our universe are very easy to identify and track down. I'm just sorry we didn't recognize the threat that they represented sooner. They were able to conceal a lot from us within that nebula."
"In my brief experience as a government official, I've discovered that managing interstellar matters can be a complicated business Admiral," Odo commented, folding his hands together on the table top. "We will watch for stray Guardians in the gamma quadrant also, since they made us such a high priority on their list of targets."
Captain Picard turned to one of the four viewscreens that were still set up around the room to provide the aquatics with complete access to the discussion. "While we're dishing out thanks," he said, "Please allow me to convey my sincere gratitude to the Xindi delegation. Your assistance with ships and manpower helped us during a time when we are still rebuilding our own fleets. Vital defenses throughout the Federation stayed in place because of your help."
The aquatic swimming in the foreground of the viewscreen gave him a friendly wave. "You are most welcome Captain Jean Luc Picard," its translated voice told him. "However, we too have a vested interest of our own in all of this. With your help we have re-established contact with our reptilian brothers, and even if that contact is adversarial for now we have high hopes that they will someday rejoin us. We are also optimistic that they may eventually be helpful in assisting us to find out where the insectoid-Xindi traveled to."
"That will likely take some time to determine," Pykiim spoke up. The arboreal-Xindi shook his maned head thoughtfully. "The insectoids were prepared for a long voyage when they originally left us, and the reptilians I've spoken to so far have no idea where they went."
"Where is Garak?" Kira asked with interest. "He had replied to my message and confirmed the invitation I sent to him. I hope everything is all right with him."
"He is well but extremely busy back home," Gul Mullis stated. "I must admit that I was one of the toughest to convince where trusting the Federation is concerned." He paused to reflect for a moment. "At first. Your actions throughout this crisis have earned my complete trust, particularly Admiral Nechayev's arrangement for the recent release of the Cardassian prisoners you were holding from the Dominion war. Garak has returned to Cardassia Prime to assist in processing these men so that they can begin helping to rebuild our society. Your kind treatment of these prisoners is yet another action that our Detepa Council wants to evaluate further. They feel that proper treatment of our own prisoners is yet another issue that must be discussed and modernized prior to any future conflicts we may find ourselves in."
"It sounds like the Cardassian military – as it was – has had most of its teeth pulled," General Kira said, watching Mullis carefully for his reaction.
"That is one way of putting it General Kira," Gul Mullis decided. "But you must all understand that the people who used to run our military were lifetime appointees and often times extremely hungry for power. They considered themselves the elite leadership of Cardassia, in wartime and in peace. Unless they fell out of favor or were killed they ruled with large egos and total control of our military. Many of our citizens didn't like our culture run this way but had little opportunity to speak freely in support of change. Additionally, many of our military soldiers picked up the cruel traits of our leaders or imitated them simply because not doing so showed weakness in the eyes of those who were in charge."
"The Detepa Council has prevailed," said Nechayev with a smile. "They were the group that your civilians elected prior to the arrival of the Dominion, and it pleases me to have helped restore them to power in the aftermath of the most recent conflict between our people. Let us hope that it is the last one for awhile."
"Agreed," Gul Mullis said, nodding respectfully to her.
"How is Kai Opaka doing?" Kira wondered. "Does she like her new home?"
The warm, emotion filled smile that Mullis gave her was the most unique expression she had ever seen on a Cardassian. "You know that woman is remarkable," the Gul commented. "Some of our people have greeted her warmly, but many still harbor residual bad feelings about our occupation of Bajor and the way it was handled. Regardless of what they say to her, the message she communicates back to them is always the same – one of forgiveness, tolerance and acceptance. I have personally witnessed my people losing control of themselves and shouting arrogant impromptu speeches at her. Somehow she manages to listen, retain her composure, and turn their words back upon them. This has left many of her critics sorattled that they actually end up opening their minds and entertaining alternative points of view. It is truly wondrous what she is doing on our world. If nothing else, she has repeatedly confounded them by pointing out how many of my people have formed strong negative opinions about Bajorans over the years without ever having met a single one of you."
"From what she told me before she left, Opaka had plenty of time to practice being patient these past years," Kira said with a shake of her head. "It's good to hear that she is doing well." The General paused for a moment and then glanced next to Picard. "Having firsthand knowledge of how governments function I would expect that you will receive an earful of criticism if your efforts on Breen do not go well."
"Oh, people are complaining about that already," Picard said dryly. "It's something that we can never escape I'm afraid. The rapid demise of Section 31 will help somewhat, but politicians will always be politicians and our Federation Council is no different."
"Hindsight?" Kira guessed. "We've certainly had enough of it over the years on Bajor."
"Quite a bit of it actually," the Captain said with frustration. "Both the Breen and the reptilian-Xindi have belief systems that are centuries old, and those beliefs are precisely the source of the threat that their races represent to the alpha quadrant. We must put troops on the ground and expose their existing governments as the frauds that they are. By risking lives with our people side by side next to theirs it is much easier to demonstrate to them that we can accomplish more together than fighting brutal wars. I firmly believe it is imperative that we teach them how to tolerate other species if we wish to keep them from biding their time, plotting in secret and striking again at some point in the future. Try explaining that to a politician."
"My people learned this lesson the hard way," Mullis said with a hint of sadness. "That's why we are so grateful for the assistance that our allies have provided. In the short time we have been meeting here on Deep Space Nine a majority of my people have adequate food, clothing and regular sources of fresh water for the first time since the end of the war. That is the lesson that the members of our former military never learned – they liked building impressive military careers, but weren't so knowledgeable when it came to cleaning up after a conflict or running an effective government. It is easier to fight a war than to pick up the pieces… especially this time when so much damage was done to our worlds."
"It is also easier to break off diplomatic relations than it is to really talk to someone and then listen," pointed out Picard. "That is precisely why Admiral Janeway and I settled on the occupation of the Breen and reptilian home worlds as a priority objective. It will take a long time, but a sincere effort to effect permanent change on those worlds is needed and is quite simply the best way to win them over as allies. If we don't do the hard work now, history has shown that they will quietly isolate themselves – for centuries if need be – until another opportunity to attack us presents itself. Most people in politics often miss the larger picture because they focus too heavily on short term goals."
There was a long pause as everyone present took a moment to reflect upon the in-depth discussion. While the room was temporarily quiet, Kira found herself carefully reviewing the meeting agenda on the Starfleet data pad in front of her looking for additional major issues. To her surprise, there were none.
"The Bajor-Cardassian peace treaty is still in place, we have restored sovereignty of the former demilitarized zone to its colonists there, the Kai is doing great and the Dark Nebula project has been halted before it could pose a significant danger to the alpha quadrant." She glanced around the table at everyone. "It seems like we've had a successful peace conference to me… so what's left?"
"The surprise announcement," Janeway grinned, rising confidently to her feet. She walked over to Tasha Yar and placed her hands on the elderly woman's shoulders. "Ambassador Le'letha has been asked to join us because there's been another significant accomplishment during the time that we've spent here together."
"Oh?" General Kira glanced at her curiously.
"Yes," the Admiral continued. "Not everyone was here prior to the war, so I'll give everyone a brief synopsis. Captain Sisko originally recommended that Bajor's application for Federation membership be delayed. He did so because the wormhole aliens accurately warned him that the Dominion war was coming and Bajor's membership in the Federation at the time would simply have made it another target. His request for a postponement until hostilities ceased not only saved Bajor from additional destruction, but has also served to preserve the peace treaty that its then-provisional government made with the Cardassians."
"We know that membership was postponed – that's why I sent you all the duplicate paperwork, signatures and all," Kira said firmly. "So that our application can be presented to the Federation Council and reconsidered."
"We're past that already," Janeway said with a dismissive wave of one hand. "I contacted the Federation Council on our way back from the Dark Nebula, and they decided to approve your original petition for membership on a deferred basis. So the new application is totally unnecessary as it turns out, since as of 0600 hours this morning Bajor is now officially a member of the Federation." She smiled warmly at General Kira. "Welcome to the club."
For a moment that seemed to last an eternity, loud cheers filled the room. Mullis and the Xindi representatives simply watched the others in the room shaking hands and happily shouting their congratulations to the General. With a wry smirk, Mullis leaned over to Nechayev and whispered. "Perhaps I should leave while I still can," he remarked with a wry smile. "This Federation of yours appears to be contagious."
"We'll get you too one day," Nechayev said confidently, watching Mullis chuckle in response to her joke. "You may laugh but I am quite serious," she chided him. He studied her reaction carefully to determine just how sincere she was in her comments. Nechayev watched his puzzlement for a moment longer and then gave him an amused smile. "Joining up is optional," she pointed out. "I'll settle for a peaceful alliance between our two cultures."
Around them the cheering continued for a time, and as the room gradually began to settle down again Kira glanced gratefully toward Picard and Janeway. "All of Bajor will be partying tonight," she predicted. "I know your command staff has the Breen situation to handle, but I hope no one will mind if you stay and celebrate with us for awhile."
Janeway took a moment to sit down again. "There is nothing short term about the Breen part of our plan," she admitted. "I guess that's why the politicians back home don't like it – they're more worried about retaining their seats on the Council." The room grew very quiet and she studied the room full of familiar faces very carefully. "What do you think Commander?" she asked Hazelton. "Have we covered everything we need to?"
The expression on his face appeared to be one of mild amusement. "Yes we have. And I think we should twist the General's arm until she calls an end to the meeting part of this diplomatic affair," he suggested. "Like she said, all of Bajor will be celebrating this evening and I myself could really use a drink." He laughed heartily. "Perhaps even two once I'm off duty."
Later that evening Picard found Tasha out on the Promenade, sitting quietly at a small table in one corner of Quark's. She was watching all of the social activity on Deep Space Nine from the perspective of someone who had never seen it before. It was unlike anything she could ever been exposed to and he liked the relieved smile on her face.
Although it had actually been a Captain Picard from a different timeline who approved her transfer off of the alternate Enterprise-D, he could not help but feel somewhat responsible for the consequences she had suffered through. The world she originally came from had also been filled with violence, and since she had traveled to them from a timeline that had known only war with the Klingons he doubted very much that she had known much peace in her lifetime.
Picard wound his way through the large crowd, astonished that Tasha had managed to find a table at all. He stopped next to her and paused. "May I join you?"
"Please Captain," Tasha told him, continuing to watch the Promenade as she motioned for him to sit down.
From their vantage point they could observe most of the celebration in progress, including a very irritated Ferengi bartender who was standing by helplessly as Commander Data sat confidently at his bar and continued to win round after round on the Dabo wheel. As they watched from their table the wheel's latest electronic spin grew slower and slower before finally coming to a complete stop. Tasha winced a bit as once again she heard the enthusiastic crowd surrounding the android shout "Dabo!"
"How does he do that?" they could hear Quark ask with dismay as he carefully studied Data's self-satisfied expression. "You've got to be cheating somehow, and let me assure you, this bartender is going to figure out how you're doing it!" The Ferengi continued to watch the android with interest. "You've got a system worked out, don't you?"
"Good luck on your new assignment, Ambassador Tasha Yar," Picard said sincerely, "Although from now on I will be referring to you as Jann Le'letha, just like everyone else."
"Thank you Captain," Tasha replied. "I can't wait to get to the surface. From the pictures I've seen, Bajor is a major step up from the cold, isolated desolation of my former prison colony." She took a sip from the cup in front of her. "It will be comforting to be this far from Romulan space on a permanent basis."
"If you should ever need anything," Picard told her, "And I mean anything… just contact me on subspace. One of the few regrets I have as a starship Captain is that I did not have the opportunity to serve with you longer. You've come a long way from that little refugee girl Starfleet rescued from the streets of Turkana IV. You have demonstrated remarkable strength of character in both victory and defeat."
"Thanks," she replied. "I've read most of the history that Counselor Troi gave me, and unfortunately for my people the conditions on my planet are pretty much the same in both timelines. It's really a shame."
"There's still hope," the Captain pointed out. "But they must first choose to stop fighting each other before anyone can truly help them. Unfortunately I do not believe that this will occur in our lifetime." He stood up and this prompted her to also rise along with him. Without the slightest hesitation he walked over and hugged her warmly. "Good luck Ambassador Le'letha," he whispered in her ear. "Take good care of yourself, and enjoy your new life on Bajor."
"Thanks Captain Picard," she said with a smile. Behind her she could hear the familiar whirring and click of the wheel slowing to a stop once again.
"Dabo!" everyone surrounding the bar shouted once again.
Julian Bashir woke from his nap to the sounds of his wife busily working in the next room. Rising to his feet and stretching, he wandered into the main living area of their quarters and stared with surprised delight at the candles and festive table that she had set for him. There was quite a lot of food on the table and his eyes widened as he took in the sight.
"My, you've been busy," he observed. "I guess it's a good thing I brought my appetite."
"Have a seat Julian," she said with a mysterious smile as she kissed him. Ezri Dax walked around behind him and pulled out a chair and he sat down with a puzzled expression on his face. "When I first heard that the Defiant was diverted to the Dark Nebula I became extremely concerned," she told him. "Major combat operations were supposed to be a thing of the past for awhile… I certainly don't want to lose you now."
"What's so important about right now?" he wondered, taking a piece of bread and beginning to spoon some of the food onto his plate. He studied her eyes first, then the dark spots that speckled both sides of her beautiful Trill face before finally completing his appreciation of her features by taking in the full view of her – including the short dark hair that kept her looking attractive but professional as Deep Space Nine's Counselor. "You wanted to be certain I was back for the official entry of Bajor into the Federation, is that it?"
"No," she chided him. Her eyes flashed downward to glance at her own plate and then quickly back upward to meet his. "We've been through an awful lot together, and it would simply have been tragic if something had happened to you before I was able to tell you that you're going to be a father." She smiled warmly at him. "That's all."
Julian sat stunned for a moment with his fork halfway up to his mouth. A piece of beef fell off of it and splattered sauce all over the table and onto his uniform. "A father – me?" he gasped in shock before smiling with delight at the idea. "Do you mean to tell me that there are now three of you in that body?" he grinned.
"Four," she said, nearly knocking him over backward in his seat with mere words alone. "We're having twins, honey."
Odo stopped in front of the open airlock to his ship and turned back to face General Kira one final time before leaving on his trip back to the gamma quadrant. He motioned to the two Jem'Hadar following them and they nodded briskly before wandering ahead into the ship. Smiling at his good friend Kira Nerys, Odo hugged her warmly and then kissed her… one of the few things that he had truly missed doing during his time in the gamma quadrant. While linked with his people he was sincerely happy, but that feeling of being an individual – and the uniqueness that went with it – had really grown on him. He hadn't realized just how much so until coming back and spending a few days at his old stomping grounds.
"We've said good bye before," Kira said, the disappointment in her voice quite obvious.
"Ah but this time it's different," Odo told her. "You will see me again soon."
"What do you mean?" she asked with puzzlement. "Your people need you Odo."
"Needed is a better word," he decided, running his fingers over her shoulders and gently massaging her neck. "My people can transfer all kinds of information – emotions, knowledge, experiences – much faster through our linking process than with mere words alone. They have learned what they have needed to know." He paused, glancing toward the airlock wistfully and then back at her. "It's going to be difficult, but I'm going home to say good bye to them and then I'm coming back here. If you'll have me I would like to live with you on Bajor."
Kira's jaw dropped in shock. "Live with me? Odo… all I have is a crappy two-room apartment near the military headquarters. You'd hate it there."
"Then we'll get something bigger Nerys," he said simply.
She watched him carefully, but his expression was as serious and emotionless as always. "Odo, that sounds an awful lot like a proposal to me. Are you asking me to marry you?"
"Yes, I am actually," Odo said a bit awkwardly. "With all the diplomacy and work we've been doing, I haven't had time to review official Bajoran customs yet, but you can be sure that the issue will be remedied by the time I return to the station."
Are you serious Odo?" she asked. "How will your government function without you? They've been relying an awful lot on you and your knowledge of the solids since the war ended."
"My people know what needs to be done," he said fiercely. "It's simply a matter of us making the effort that is needed to see that the firm hand of the Dominion officially dissolves. And with the wormhole nearby, they also know what will happen if they don't behave." A wry grin appeared on his face. "If I have to go home now and then for a short visit to spank them I'm sure you'll be able to spare a runabout."
"A runabout?" She grinned at him with delight. "If you're officially choosing to come and live on Bajor, I'll take you home for visits as often as you like in the Defiant!"
"Well… unless you've found someone else since I've been gone?"
Kira laughed delightfully. "You've got to be kidding Odo." She shook her head elatedly. "I guess I've been a soldier in Bajor's military for too long. Ever since the war started you were the only one I've ever been able to connect with for any serious type of long-term romantic relationship. I simply haven't had time for even a part time social life."
"You haven't said yes yet," Odo pointed out.
Kira cast a wry smile at the station's former constable. "Yes Odo, I will marry you."
They both laughed for a moment and then simply gazed into each other's eyes as they had done so many times in the past. "Tell me," Odo said. "How is the female Founder doing… the one who led the invasion of the alpha quadrant? For her the agony must be nearly unbearable. She was active in my people's link for almost her entire existence, and then suddenly that freedom was taken from her."
"I'm told she isn't very happy," Kira replied. "Considering all the deaths her attack on the alpha quadrant caused, she has a lot to think over while stranded here. I doubt that the Federation will ever let her go. Like the upper echelon of the former Cardassian government that they still have locked up, she is probably going to be in prison for the rest of her life. Gul Mullis has emphatically stated that he doesn't want the Cardassian military leaders released – there's just too much of a chance that they would try to stir up trouble again on a world that's already seen enough trouble." Kira shook her head. "I used to think Bajor's problems were the worst in the galaxy – but there's been way too much killing everywhere else these past few years."
"Thankfully we're both in a position now to do something about that," Odo commented. "Years ago when I served as Deep Space Nine's constable, I never imagined that I would ever find my people – let alone rise to a leadership position among them." He glanced over his shoulder at the waiting airlock. "I'd better be going Nerys."
"Good bye Odo," Kira told him.
"Until we meet again," he said gallantly before kissing her gently one last time. Bowing respectfully he turned and headed offthrough the airlock to board his Dominion cruiser.
"I'll see you soon Odo," she whispered as she watched him go. "Please hurry back…"
William Riker was seated at the desk in his quarters on the Enterprise when his door chimed. Curious, he pushed aside the pile of report pads he was working on and hollered out "Come in!" as loudly as was polite. They still called it paperwork, even though most of it was electronic these days. He chuckled at the data forms he was expected to fill out for Starfleet and the list of mission reports he had yet to file. Being a First Officer meant that he wrote a lot of them, but it also allowed him the freedom to step onto brave new worlds and have the kind of adventures that most people only dreamed about. As he sat for a moment deep in thought he decided that he wouldn't change his life for anything.
A pair of female arms appeared from behind him and hands suddenly covered his eyes. He smelled a woman's perfume and felt a soft body press against his. Well, he decided silently. Perhaps there was one person that he would consider changing his life for. "Hello Deanna," he said with a wry smile. "And if you're not Counselor Deanna Troi, all I ask is that you make certain that she never hears about what happens in here tonight."
"Aren't you the beast?" she said playfully, removing her hands from his eyes and smacking him across the back of his head. Her next move was to lean over his shoulder and let her long dark hair fall across the front of his chest.
"If a beast is what you want…" he decided, reaching up with his arms and pulling her down alongside him. "Then I can arrange that." He kissed her passionately and they held each other for more than a few minutes. With one hand he stroked her hair affectionately and studied the expression on her face. "The bridge crew tells me you were quite the ace at tactical," he told her. "Your phaser targeting on those power domes was virtually perfect – just enough to disable them without causing any catastrophic secondary explosions."
"You and Worf are both excellent teachers," she said with a small smile. "I can see why you still get together when he's available to train on the holodeck."
He continued to watch her curiously. "What's wrong Deanna?"
"Oh nothing really…" she hesitated, then decided to actually follow the advice she so often gave to others. "Okay… to be honest I was a bit flustered when I found out that Betazed was one of the planets that the Guardians had targeted for conquest."
"No…" Riker mused, watching her reaction. "I think you were upset because it's quite possible that your planet was most likely going to be the first target hit after Deep Space Nine. It's closer to the Dark Nebula than Vulcan is and the Guardians no doubt wanted to capture your peoples' telepathic abilities to support their invasion."
"That plan of theirs was hideous," she said. "It makes my skin crawl just thinking about it." They stood up but held each other for a few minutes longer. "What would my people have turned into if they had been infiltrated by the Guardians?"
Riker smiled. "I think a better question would be: How long would it have taken your mother to sense the people planning evil on your planet and send the Guardians packing?" She laughed at his joke and found herself working her way past the residual fear within.
Admiral Janeway stopped by the Infirmary and the Bajoran nurse on duty waved her in. "I'm here to see Tuvok," she said, and the nurse pointed toward a bed at the far end of the room. She could see her former Vulcan tactical officer lying quietly there and he turned as he recognized her voice.
"It is good to see you again Admiral," he said with the expressionless sincerity typical of a Vulcan. "I trust that all has gone well for you?"
"Many thanks due to you Mr. Tuvok," Kathryn told him as she sat down on the end of his bed. "I'm told that there's nothing serious wrong with you, but Dr. Bashir does want to hold you a few more days for observation."
Tuvok nodded and looked straight up at the ceiling. "The confinement is regrettable but necessary," he told her. "After returning from the Colonies and mind melding with Ensign Baker, the alien consciousness that I merged with left some rather unpleasant after effects."
She picked up his hand with both of hers and held it firmly, noting that his mental barriers were in place well enough to shield him from her unexpected physical contact. "You've melded with quite a few unique personalities over the years, my friend. If it's going to threaten your mental health in this manner then perhaps you shouldn't do it any more."
"I think that you will agree this was a necessary risk," he told her. "We had to get information to you as quickly as possible." He continued staring at the Infirmary's ceiling rather than her. "In a sense, only I know what kind of alien mind the Guardians truly possess. The consciousness I contacted was astonishingly cold and emotionless. It had access to all of Ensign Baker's knowledge and experience, but retrieving his memories was the simple act of accessing a database to it. Those that have transferred themselves from one body to another are no longer capable of feeling emotion in the way that we do. You and I both feel emotion – I suppress them while you express yours. The Guardians, by contrast, feel absolutely nothing. They are driven only by a cold, arrogant lust for power that was already present within them prior to their transfer to an alpha quadrant body." He paused. "At least… that's what I sensed from the Guardian that I touched minds with. They do not care about anything other than expanding their influence."
"Do they truly feel anything at all?"
"Yes, but their transfer of consciousness damages areas of the host's brain that would normally allow it to feel positive emotions such as love, compassion, honor and loyalty." He paused, remembering the events of his meld with Ensign Baker clearly. "I think the transfer process is deliberately flawed in this manner to keep the Guardians loyal. If they can't feel anything positive toward the people they interact with, then there would be little temptation for them to ever even consider betraying their leaders. Once they figured out how to transfer themselves into the minds of one species, modifying those devices to account for the subtle differences between other races in the alpha and beta quadrants would be quite simple."
Janeway gently placed his hand back down on the bed. "Believe me, from what we found in the Dark Nebula it was quite simple. After you're feeling better, would you please prepare a brief report for me and describe what you felt during that meld?" she asked. "There will be people back home that will question our battle plan and ask why we didn't pursue our normal avenue of diplomacy. A first hand account like yours – even if it isn't information officially recognized within a court room – will be a big help in quieting the critics of our aggressive move to strike before they had time to expand out of the nebula."
"I will do so Admiral. I should also mention that Chakotay remained behind in the colonies for now but asked me to wish you well. He plans to continue assisting the people there, many of which lost loved ones during this crisis. I would ask that you do not forget to mention all the helpless civilian victims that were seized and experimented on in your own report." He took a deep breath and she could tell that he was still a bit fatigued.
"I will let you rest my friend," she told him. "When you're up and around there's an opening on my staff back at Starfleet Command." She gave him her best Kathryn Janeway smile. "I'd love to have you back on my team, Tuvok. And from what I've observed here in the Infirmary, you seem to need someone to take care of you."
"I will strongly consider accepting Admiral," he said. She could tell by how bluntly he ignored her jest that he was indeed feeling better.
Picard was on his way back to the Enterprise when he spotted yet another familiar face in the large crowd still dominant on the Promenade. He tugged on his jacket to make certain it looked its finest and then approached her with a big smile.
"Ro Laren… it's good to see you back on Bajor." He glanced toward one of the large windows and its view of outer space. "Well, almost back anyway."
"Thank you Captain," she said. Ro was dressed in lightly colored civilian clothing and still had the familiar bright red ribbon running through her dark hair. "We were isolated for so long that I haven't had time to visit home in a while." She smiled wistfully. "Since I heard that there was a peace conference going on anyway, your friend Chakotay suggested that I take a close up look at Deep Space Nine. He said it can be quite a place when there are enough people on board and I have to say – it certainly is extraordinary."
The Captain slowly surveyed the thriving marketplace, happy people, and sounds of celebration. "Yes I have to admit this is quite a turnaround from my first visit to this station." He shook his head at the memory. "The Cardassians had just left Bajor and they destroyed virtually everything before they departed."
"I sincerely hope that things settle down for awhile," Ro decided. She watched Picard raise an eyebrow at her, and grew immediately defensive. "I know I'm not the type of person to just sit around and admire the scenic view, but after a few years of utter chaos I guess you could say I've grown to appreciate life's quieter moments a bit more."
"If you ever wish to return to Starfleet Laren, I'm very certain that we could arrange something," Picard told her. "You certainly haven't let a black mark or two on your record stop you before."
"So far helping out in the Colonies has been just what I needed," she decided. "You know that I will always consider the Enterprise crew my family, but I really think things are better this way. If I fly off the handle and have one of my tantrums on the colonies, I'm just another loud-mouthed person. It's a lot tougher to get court martialed when you're a civilian."
The Captain laughed heartily at her humor and she smiled back at him. Behind them a huge group of customers continued to crowd the bar as everyone again shouted "Dabo!" Ro carefully watched Quark's latest reaction to yet another win by Commander Data and continued to laugh.
"Data has been doing that all evening," she told him. "He does lose a few rounds, but he is definitely beating the house tonight. If he ever wants to teach classes in statistical probability I think he would do as good a job as anyone."
They visited for a few moments longer until the Captain's Comm-badge suddenly chirped for attention. Nodding respectfully at Ro, Picard warmly shook her hand. "Take care of yourself Laren," he told her. "Live a good life in Ropal City or wherever else you end up settling down."
"I will," she promised him before disappearing back into the crowd.
"Picard here," the Captain said as he touched his Comm-badge.
"Captain, this is Commander LaForge from the Enterprise," Geordi began. Moving to a vacant corner of the room Picard did his best to get away from the overwhelming noise of the celebration surrounding him. "I was up on the bridge making some last minute adjustments before we officially begin dismantling the armor technology. While I wasworking we received a high priority transmission from Captain Harry Kim on the Rhode Island."
"Let me guess," Picard said dryly. "We have another crisis on our hands."
"Not exactly, but I think you'll want to view this message for yourself as soon as possible." Picard was already turning to head back to the Enterprise when Geordi continued. "I also think you should bring Ambassador Le'letha along, since this concerns her too."
Does anyone see those final two words yet? The ones that are spelled T-H-E E-N-D? You may see them spelled out, but they're not officially words yet! Please tune in again next week at the same time at which point Chapter 20 will be posted to officially conclude this on-line novel!
After that, my personalized version of "Star Trek" will ALSO fly off into the nearest sunset... but not BEFORE!