Chapter Six: Patriot or Traitor
Mission
The Alvex has been dispatched by the Detapa Council to the Venru sector to meet with a Ferengi vessel that supposedly is carrying cargo of interest to the Cardassian government. Once the cargo is secure then orders are to bring it directly back to Cardassia Prime.
Mission Date:
217th day in the 2368th year of Molar
Throughout the bridge the loud tapping echoed. If there was one thing Duren hated it would be having to wait on others. It had been nearly two hours since their arrival in the Venru sector and almost one since they were supposed to meet with some unknown Ferengi ship.
Missions like this were everyone's least favorite. Sneaking around, being given few if any mission details. All that wrapped in some top-secret plot created by the government. No one on the crew knew which Ferengi would be contacting them, or even what the 'precious cargo' was, but they all knew that the Detapa Council wanted it. That plus they didn't want anyone else to know about it. Otherwise they would have gone through the normal Alliance channels to give the orders. Gul Duren had received these orders by messenger; in a triple encrypted file nonetheless.
Duren looked around the ship's bridge and at his crew. Though they were all busy with diagnostics of some sort Duren could tell they were bored. All of them hoped that this mission would be an easy pick up and drop off delivery run. Of course though a mission of this importance never was easy and hardly ran smoothly.
Still though this was a nice break from their last mission. The Alvex's crew was thrilled to have an actual combat mission, one where they had a chance to make a difference in the war. While they did accomplish the mission at Valkor IV they barely escaped with their lives. A nice calm mission like this was just what they needed.
A nice calm mission? This was anything but that. The mysterious orders were enough to get most soldiers nervous, but the ship rendezvousing with them being late was enough to turn everything worse.
"Any sign of the Ferengi vessel we're supposed to meet yet?"
"No sir. I'm not reading anything but stellar dust in this entire sector."
"Very well lieutenant. Inform me if anything changes." Duren slumped back in his chair and let out a silent sigh. They didn't have all this time to spend out here waiting on some unreliable Ferengi. The Alvex was still in need of several repairs from its last mission. And the only reason they were here in the first place was at the insistence of the council. That was another thing that puzzled Duren, why did they need him? He was sure that there were plenty of other captains that were suited for this task. In fact why didn't they just send a cargo vessel? The more Duren thought about it the more questions came to his mind.
Without giving it more then a few seconds thought Duren rose from his chair and walked over to a newly installed replicator located just behind his chair. A few taps to the terminal's controls before a tall bottle of Kanar appeared. He quickly removed the cork and took a sip before heading back to his chair. Kanar was truly a delicacy among delicacies and few if any other drinks could compare. With another sip Duren eased back in his chair and began to feel at rest again, a rest that was quickly interrupted.
"Sir I'm picking up a Ferengi D'Kora class marauder coming in from directly above us."
The news jostled the commander from his newly found paradise and sucked him back into the bustling reality. "Where are they coming from so quickly? I thought you said there were no other ships in this sector lieutenant."
"I did sir, because there was none on our scanners." The Cardassian lieutenant did a quick look over the sensor display to try and see if he missed something. After studying the diagram for a moment he turned his attention back to the commander. "Sir I believe they were hiding in the outer corona of the nearby star."
"Hiding? Whatever could they have been hiding from?"
"Uncertain sir. Whoever they are we're getting a message from them," said a gruff soldier sitting at the comms station.
Duren hesitated for a moment trying to decide what to do. Finally his desire to be finished with this begotten mission took over. "Well put them through."
"This is Kreplar, first officer of the D'Kora class marauder Kraylor. My Daimon wishes to extend his apologies for being late and wishes to beam aboard and talk to you personally Gul Duren."
Duren leaned forward in his chair and slightly stroked his chin deep in thought. The Ferengi ship was the Kraylor? One of the fellow ships in the elite tactical group ARA? Everything seemed to turn around all at once. This was a trap, and Duren knew it. A test probably sent by the Regent himself to test the loyalties of himself and his crew. If this wasn't handled carefully then things would get very messy very fast.
"And who might this daimon of yours be?" he said coolly. "I'm curious to see who the Grand Nagus decided to stick in the captain's chair of the Ferengi flagship."
"He says he does not wish to reveal himself just yet. However he wants me to tell you he knows a secret concerning you and the Overseer."
A secret concerning the Overseer? Could he be referring to the secret plot to overthrow her? There was no need for concern though, it could mean anything. Ferengi could hardly think their way out of anything so there was no way for any of them to know of the plot and his involvement.
The Ferengi first officer just stood there and stared at him from the screen. He seemed as impatient about this mission as everyone was surely feeling. After tossing the situation back and forth through his mind he made his decision. "Very well Kreplar, tell your daimon he may transport over at his earliest convenience.
A sly, toothy grin took shaped on the Ferengi's face. "Excellent. The daimon will be pleased to hear that. Prepare for him to beam aboard momentarily."
"Understood. Gul Duren out." He made a gesture to one of his officers and the screen faded and was replaced with an image of the Kraylor. "I'll be in transporter room one," he quickly said before approaching the turbo lift. As he stood there a large, muscular Cardassian walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Would you like a security officer to go with you sir?"
Duren looked at the officer's face, at the concern in his eyes. "No, I don't think that would be appropriate. After all they are our allies." The turbo lift doors opened and Duren calmly stepped in. He turned back around and gave a last look at the officer before the doors closed and sped toward its destination. Whether the Ferengi were allies or not there was still a bit of cause for concern. This mission had too much to lose with only the hint of something to gain.
After several moments of calm humming the turbo lift stopped and opened it's doors out onto the deck. With a quick look around the gul felt a bit more at ease before stepping out into the empty corridor. Their orders for the mission had been given quickly while they were still docked, so the bulk of the crew was still sitting and waiting for their return. He turned down one of the corridor's many corners and nearly tripped over a panel casing that had been left carelessly on the floor, probably by one of the station technicians who had left so quickly that the operation had slipped his mind.
Inside the transporter room was another open panel with a couple of wires haphazardly welded together to force a use out of them. Duren snorted in disgust at the current state of the ship.
"Sir, the Ferengi ship is reporting that the daimon is ready for transport."
"Then by all means," he gestured at the officer to beam the Ferengi commander aboard.
A yellow beam filled the small area of the transporter pad and a figure began to emerge. Within seconds the Ferengi features began to appear; bald head, large prominent ears, short stature. As the daimon materialized Duren tried to make out who it was, see if it was someone he knew. It wasn't until after the transportation was complete and the yellow beams of light faded away did he realize who it was.
"Tierzak?" his eyes widening as he spoke.
"Gul Duren!" replied the short man in a nasal voice, his hands raised in the air. "How are you friend?"
"Good, all things considered." The Gul's attention turned for a moment from the Ferengi to the Cardassian officer who had brought him aboard. "You're dismissed ensign." The young officer gave both of them a quick glance before scampering out of the room.
"I'm glad to see you here Duren. We have much to discuss."
"Yes indeed we do, like teaching you how to be on time for an appointment." There was a brief pause before both of them started to laugh.
Tierzak abruptly stopped laughing and the expression on his face turned from one of joy to a serious, concerned one. "All jokes aside, there is something of importance to talk about. Something concerning the matter we discussed a while back on that supply mission to Alderok Nor."
"I see..." Duren's voice trailed off and he became lost in thought. This must be important if it made Tierzak look so concerned. "Shall we head to my quarters then to make sure this is a private discussion?"
"Before that we have to wait for the other two to come aboard."
"Other two? Which others are you speaking of?" A puzzled look washed over the Cardassian's face.
"You mean you don't know?" Tierzak displayed the same puzzlement back to Duren, like he was an emotional mirror. "What did you think you came to retrieve?"
"To tell the truth I'm not sure. All I was told was that we were to get some cargo from a Ferengi vessel and that this cargo was really important to the Cardassian people."
"Important to the Cardassian people?" the short Ferengi scoffed. "If these two were so important to the Cardassian people then they wouldn't have been banished."
"Banished? Who could you possibly be speaking about?"
A wide grin came across Tierzak's face. "Oh wait and see my friend, I think you will really enjoy this." He walked over behind the transporter control console and tapped a series of buttons to activate the unit.
Duren looked at him for a moment before turning to see two bright lights appearing in the terminal. The lights continued to grow in intensity for a few seconds before quickly fading and disappearing together. What was left on the terminal was a tall man and a young, frail looking woman. They were both wearing tattered brown robes which hid their features from view. Duren strained to see if he could make out who they were, or even what species they were. Unfortunately he couldn't.
The man turned his head and studied the room carefully before pulling down the hood of his robe. "Finally! Back on a Cardassian ship where I belong!"
Immediately Gul Duren knew who the man was and he became so overjoyed that he had no concept of how to greet the man. It was his personal hero, Gul Dukat.
Quickly the other new arrival followed suit by removing her hood. She was also easily distinguished as Dukat's daughter, Tora Ziyal. Both had been labeled as traitors of the state several years ago and had quietly disappeared shortly thereafter.
The short little Ferengi stepped out from behind the console and walked over to Dukat. He smiled back at Duren before he spoke. "Dukat I'd like you to meet my good friend Gul Duren. Duren, this is Dukat and his daughter Ziyal."
"I uh...already know who they are Tierzak." The Cardassian commander just stood there in awe, not having a single iota of a clue as to what to say.
Dukat looked over the Cardassian commander that stood before him and turned away a bit disgusted, but also a bit honored. A soldier should not make such an obvious show of hero-worship towards anyone, yet because it was directed at him he decided to tolerate it. "Is there a place where we can talk Gul Duren?"
Duren paused for a moment before shaking his head and the trance off of himself. "We can go to my quarters. It is the most secure room on the ship. But if I may ask a question first of you Gul Dukat..."
"My name is Dukat. I lost my rank long ago for another person's actions." Anger glinted in Dukat's eyes and he looked as though he had just been slapped without cause.
"I'm...sorry Dukat. I had no idea that the issue of your former status offended you so much." Duren slightly gulped and displayed an apologetic look, hoping to gain his idol's forgiveness.
Dukat looked at him and let out a sigh. "Don't worry about it. You didn't know so it's not your fault." He paused for a moment, "So what is your question."
Question? What question? In the commotion of the offense Duren had forgotten all about his question. "What exactly are you doing here? And why did you disappear for so long?"
"Those questions can all be answered later in you quarters." He looked around cautiously with what seemed like a hint of paranoia. "Speaking of which can we go there now? This transporter room has lost my interest."
"Of course. Right this way." With his hand he gave a waving motion outside of the door. Tierzak was the first one to exit, still displaying his usual toothy grin. Dukat stayed for a moment and helped his daughter off of the transporter pad before they both walked out side by side. After a brief pause Duren joined them in the hallway and took the lead.
Tierzak sped up his pace and caught up to his friend. "So what do you think of my 'cargo'?" he quietly whispered.
Duren looked over his shoulder at the two passengers as they continued down the corridor. "What do I think? This is such a complete surprise that...well I don't even know what to say. Where did you find them anyway?"
The short Ferengi turned towards Duren still displaying his wide grin. "I knew you'd enjoy it. You would have never guessed but I found them at the ruins on Tesslak Prime."
"Tesslak Prime?" the gul shouted out with shocked eyes. "You can't possibly mean the desolate colony of thugs and criminals."
"The very same," Tierzak said with a nod of his head. "They have been living there ever since their exile from Cardassia Prime, nearly two years ago."
Gul Duren was very shocked by this news. Dukat was one of them most respected soldiers in the Cardassian army up until his silent discommendation. In all of his days Duren never would have thought a man of that stature would ever end up in a place like Tesslak Prime. The colony there was little more then an ancient prison that had long been released and forgotten by its keepers. It just went to show how quickly one can fall from grace, and end up in a dump.
"Now for the real question Tierzak. Why are they here?"
This time it was Tierzak who looked back at the two meager Cardassians. After a long glance he turned his grinning gaze back around and stared mindlessly ahead. "Don't worry Duren, they will explain everything to you. I will say though that it involves our plan dealing with the Overseer and maybe a solution to our dilemma."
"A solution?" His mind raced with possibilities as Duren sifted through all the information his friend had given him. He was lost in thought as they reached the doors of Duren's private quarters. Slowly they filed in. "Please sit down," the gul said as he motioned to several comfortable chairs sprawled throughout the room. "May I get you a drink Dukat? Perhaps some Kanar?"
"Yes, some Kanar would be quite good," the ragged Cardassian said as he slowly eased into a chair.
Gul Duren quickly walked over to the room's replicator and ordered four snifters of the spicy drink. A hum kicked on for a brief second then suddenly back off as the drinks materialized from mere particles floating in the air. After picking them up he walked around the room giving one to Tierzak and Dukat and placed his and the one Ziyal kindly refused next to the chair behind his desk.
Dukat took a sip of his and let out a sigh of enjoyment. "This is what the Cardassian heart yearns for, this is what it ticks for. It has been far too long since I had the chance to enjoy this, and I hope that my palate is never forced to be absent of it again."
"This truly is one of the things that make the Cardassian people so great. One of our greatest achievements can be found right here in this simple pleasure." Duren leaned back in his chair and took a sip himself, enjoying the cold and smooth drink flow down his throat into an eager stomach.
"While I too enjoy it I don't think we are all here to sip on drinks. There is business to discuss after all gentlemen." Being a typical Ferengi Tierzak wanted to get this little transaction of information over with so he could examine the possible gain, not to his own fault seeing as how this was a known Ferengi trait.
"Tierzak! Some...." Duren said trying to get some silence from him.
"It's okay Gul Duren. After all the little Ferengi is right." Dukat interrupted. "We have precious little time to address such a large scale matter." There was a mix of concern and caution on Dukat's face, not what anyone had expected him to present.
"A large scale matter? What exactly do you mean?"
"Well," the former soldier said with a sigh, "Thanks to Tierzak we have been informed about your desire to remove Seven from the Overseer position and to expose her true nature before the council. I think that we will be able to do this but..." he paused for a moment and looked at Ziyal, who was comfortably relaxing in a soft oval chair. "...I think Ziyal can explain the rest better then me."
She sat up and had a nervous look in her eyes. It took a smile from her father and a slight nod to go on before she began to speak. "Two years ago I was the chief assistant to Winn Adami, the leader of Bajor and head Kai. One day though someone snuck into the Kai's office and brutally murdered her."
"Yes, this is all ancient news to me. You disappeared that day and everyone blamed you and thought it was a Cardassian plot to remove the Bajorans from power..." Suddenly he stopped in his commentary as hurt appeared in the young woman's eyes. His attention turned to Tierzak who only lifted a hand, telling him to be quiet and listen. "I'm sorry Ziyal, please go on."
The young woman inhaled a deep breath before continuing. "Well during the chaos after her death I hid in my office's closet until two strong men grabbed me and took me off the planet. The men were Cardassian and I later found out that they worked for a man called Enabrain Tain."
"Tain? You mean the leader of the Obsidian Order? Why would they be involved in your abduction?"
"I'm not exactly sure," Ziyal said softly and hesitantly. "I think it had something to do with my father though."
Everyone's eyes turned to look at Dukat as they sat and wondered how he tied in with all of this. Tain must have had a good reason for orchestrating the whole thing, if not a clear one.
After a deep breath Ziyal continued with her story. "For whatever reason Tain did what he did is not important to this matter. The real thing that I need to talk about is a Terran woman whom I befriended shortly before all of that took place. Her name was Seven, and she was the chief assistant to Kira Nerrys during her time as Overseer."
Seven spent some time on Bajor? And she was Kira's assistant? Nothing seemed to be adding up and all the girl was giving him were pieces to a puzzle that didn't fit together.
"During our time together she asked a lot of odd questions concerning the building. Guard postings, automated defense systems, structure layout, that sort of thing. At the time it didn't seem all that odd, after all we got tons of questions about the building due to its political significance. Since the information she asked for wasn't restricted I supplied her with all that she needed. I didn't really think nothing of it or the fact of how close she and Kira were until after the assassination of Kai Winn."
Duren leaned back in his chair and absorbed the entire story Ziyal had just fed him. Deep thought shown on his face as he concentrated on every tidbit of information. Slowly in his mind he fit the pieces together and connected the dots from a to b to c until the picture began to take shape. Suddenly he sat straight up in his chair and looked at the young woman in an eager shock. "So Kira had Seven kill Kai Winn?" he blurted out in uncertainty.
Ziyal looked down at her feet. "That's what I believe," she mumbled.
A grin slowly creased across Duren's face as he realized the full effect this story could have. If it got out that Kira and Seven were the real people behind Kai Winn's death then they'd be executed without hesitation or worse yet, made into pariahs and exiled from Alliance space forever. It was if all of his problems had been solved with one swift motion. As he got up from his chair it took all of his strength to not let out a triumphant yell.
"And you can prove all of this?" Tierzak said, interrupting Duren's joy.
"Well with some help I might be able to gain access to the security logs of that day and try and get a positive readout of everyone in the Kai's room that day. Plus there's a contact of mine, a woman called Leeta, who could help me prove that I've spoken the truth."
As he fell back into his chair Duren's heart sank as well. In the midst of his silent victory celebration he had forgotten the need for proof. Ziyal's story did seem a bit far out there, and would be hard to convince others to believe. But at least they had options, and a sign of hope. "We'll begin a search for this Leeta character as soon as repairs are finished. Then we can finally remove that Terran from such a high position and place someone more worthy in her place." Duren looked around the room at his partners; those that would help him bring glory to their peoples. He raised his glass of Kanar and toasted them, "To the future!"
Mission
The Alvex has been dispatched by the Detapa Council to the Venru sector to meet with a Ferengi vessel that supposedly is carrying cargo of interest to the Cardassian government. Once the cargo is secure then orders are to bring it directly back to Cardassia Prime.
Mission Date:
217th day in the 2368th year of Molar
Throughout the bridge the loud tapping echoed. If there was one thing Duren hated it would be having to wait on others. It had been nearly two hours since their arrival in the Venru sector and almost one since they were supposed to meet with some unknown Ferengi ship.
Missions like this were everyone's least favorite. Sneaking around, being given few if any mission details. All that wrapped in some top-secret plot created by the government. No one on the crew knew which Ferengi would be contacting them, or even what the 'precious cargo' was, but they all knew that the Detapa Council wanted it. That plus they didn't want anyone else to know about it. Otherwise they would have gone through the normal Alliance channels to give the orders. Gul Duren had received these orders by messenger; in a triple encrypted file nonetheless.
Duren looked around the ship's bridge and at his crew. Though they were all busy with diagnostics of some sort Duren could tell they were bored. All of them hoped that this mission would be an easy pick up and drop off delivery run. Of course though a mission of this importance never was easy and hardly ran smoothly.
Still though this was a nice break from their last mission. The Alvex's crew was thrilled to have an actual combat mission, one where they had a chance to make a difference in the war. While they did accomplish the mission at Valkor IV they barely escaped with their lives. A nice calm mission like this was just what they needed.
A nice calm mission? This was anything but that. The mysterious orders were enough to get most soldiers nervous, but the ship rendezvousing with them being late was enough to turn everything worse.
"Any sign of the Ferengi vessel we're supposed to meet yet?"
"No sir. I'm not reading anything but stellar dust in this entire sector."
"Very well lieutenant. Inform me if anything changes." Duren slumped back in his chair and let out a silent sigh. They didn't have all this time to spend out here waiting on some unreliable Ferengi. The Alvex was still in need of several repairs from its last mission. And the only reason they were here in the first place was at the insistence of the council. That was another thing that puzzled Duren, why did they need him? He was sure that there were plenty of other captains that were suited for this task. In fact why didn't they just send a cargo vessel? The more Duren thought about it the more questions came to his mind.
Without giving it more then a few seconds thought Duren rose from his chair and walked over to a newly installed replicator located just behind his chair. A few taps to the terminal's controls before a tall bottle of Kanar appeared. He quickly removed the cork and took a sip before heading back to his chair. Kanar was truly a delicacy among delicacies and few if any other drinks could compare. With another sip Duren eased back in his chair and began to feel at rest again, a rest that was quickly interrupted.
"Sir I'm picking up a Ferengi D'Kora class marauder coming in from directly above us."
The news jostled the commander from his newly found paradise and sucked him back into the bustling reality. "Where are they coming from so quickly? I thought you said there were no other ships in this sector lieutenant."
"I did sir, because there was none on our scanners." The Cardassian lieutenant did a quick look over the sensor display to try and see if he missed something. After studying the diagram for a moment he turned his attention back to the commander. "Sir I believe they were hiding in the outer corona of the nearby star."
"Hiding? Whatever could they have been hiding from?"
"Uncertain sir. Whoever they are we're getting a message from them," said a gruff soldier sitting at the comms station.
Duren hesitated for a moment trying to decide what to do. Finally his desire to be finished with this begotten mission took over. "Well put them through."
"This is Kreplar, first officer of the D'Kora class marauder Kraylor. My Daimon wishes to extend his apologies for being late and wishes to beam aboard and talk to you personally Gul Duren."
Duren leaned forward in his chair and slightly stroked his chin deep in thought. The Ferengi ship was the Kraylor? One of the fellow ships in the elite tactical group ARA? Everything seemed to turn around all at once. This was a trap, and Duren knew it. A test probably sent by the Regent himself to test the loyalties of himself and his crew. If this wasn't handled carefully then things would get very messy very fast.
"And who might this daimon of yours be?" he said coolly. "I'm curious to see who the Grand Nagus decided to stick in the captain's chair of the Ferengi flagship."
"He says he does not wish to reveal himself just yet. However he wants me to tell you he knows a secret concerning you and the Overseer."
A secret concerning the Overseer? Could he be referring to the secret plot to overthrow her? There was no need for concern though, it could mean anything. Ferengi could hardly think their way out of anything so there was no way for any of them to know of the plot and his involvement.
The Ferengi first officer just stood there and stared at him from the screen. He seemed as impatient about this mission as everyone was surely feeling. After tossing the situation back and forth through his mind he made his decision. "Very well Kreplar, tell your daimon he may transport over at his earliest convenience.
A sly, toothy grin took shaped on the Ferengi's face. "Excellent. The daimon will be pleased to hear that. Prepare for him to beam aboard momentarily."
"Understood. Gul Duren out." He made a gesture to one of his officers and the screen faded and was replaced with an image of the Kraylor. "I'll be in transporter room one," he quickly said before approaching the turbo lift. As he stood there a large, muscular Cardassian walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Would you like a security officer to go with you sir?"
Duren looked at the officer's face, at the concern in his eyes. "No, I don't think that would be appropriate. After all they are our allies." The turbo lift doors opened and Duren calmly stepped in. He turned back around and gave a last look at the officer before the doors closed and sped toward its destination. Whether the Ferengi were allies or not there was still a bit of cause for concern. This mission had too much to lose with only the hint of something to gain.
After several moments of calm humming the turbo lift stopped and opened it's doors out onto the deck. With a quick look around the gul felt a bit more at ease before stepping out into the empty corridor. Their orders for the mission had been given quickly while they were still docked, so the bulk of the crew was still sitting and waiting for their return. He turned down one of the corridor's many corners and nearly tripped over a panel casing that had been left carelessly on the floor, probably by one of the station technicians who had left so quickly that the operation had slipped his mind.
Inside the transporter room was another open panel with a couple of wires haphazardly welded together to force a use out of them. Duren snorted in disgust at the current state of the ship.
"Sir, the Ferengi ship is reporting that the daimon is ready for transport."
"Then by all means," he gestured at the officer to beam the Ferengi commander aboard.
A yellow beam filled the small area of the transporter pad and a figure began to emerge. Within seconds the Ferengi features began to appear; bald head, large prominent ears, short stature. As the daimon materialized Duren tried to make out who it was, see if it was someone he knew. It wasn't until after the transportation was complete and the yellow beams of light faded away did he realize who it was.
"Tierzak?" his eyes widening as he spoke.
"Gul Duren!" replied the short man in a nasal voice, his hands raised in the air. "How are you friend?"
"Good, all things considered." The Gul's attention turned for a moment from the Ferengi to the Cardassian officer who had brought him aboard. "You're dismissed ensign." The young officer gave both of them a quick glance before scampering out of the room.
"I'm glad to see you here Duren. We have much to discuss."
"Yes indeed we do, like teaching you how to be on time for an appointment." There was a brief pause before both of them started to laugh.
Tierzak abruptly stopped laughing and the expression on his face turned from one of joy to a serious, concerned one. "All jokes aside, there is something of importance to talk about. Something concerning the matter we discussed a while back on that supply mission to Alderok Nor."
"I see..." Duren's voice trailed off and he became lost in thought. This must be important if it made Tierzak look so concerned. "Shall we head to my quarters then to make sure this is a private discussion?"
"Before that we have to wait for the other two to come aboard."
"Other two? Which others are you speaking of?" A puzzled look washed over the Cardassian's face.
"You mean you don't know?" Tierzak displayed the same puzzlement back to Duren, like he was an emotional mirror. "What did you think you came to retrieve?"
"To tell the truth I'm not sure. All I was told was that we were to get some cargo from a Ferengi vessel and that this cargo was really important to the Cardassian people."
"Important to the Cardassian people?" the short Ferengi scoffed. "If these two were so important to the Cardassian people then they wouldn't have been banished."
"Banished? Who could you possibly be speaking about?"
A wide grin came across Tierzak's face. "Oh wait and see my friend, I think you will really enjoy this." He walked over behind the transporter control console and tapped a series of buttons to activate the unit.
Duren looked at him for a moment before turning to see two bright lights appearing in the terminal. The lights continued to grow in intensity for a few seconds before quickly fading and disappearing together. What was left on the terminal was a tall man and a young, frail looking woman. They were both wearing tattered brown robes which hid their features from view. Duren strained to see if he could make out who they were, or even what species they were. Unfortunately he couldn't.
The man turned his head and studied the room carefully before pulling down the hood of his robe. "Finally! Back on a Cardassian ship where I belong!"
Immediately Gul Duren knew who the man was and he became so overjoyed that he had no concept of how to greet the man. It was his personal hero, Gul Dukat.
Quickly the other new arrival followed suit by removing her hood. She was also easily distinguished as Dukat's daughter, Tora Ziyal. Both had been labeled as traitors of the state several years ago and had quietly disappeared shortly thereafter.
The short little Ferengi stepped out from behind the console and walked over to Dukat. He smiled back at Duren before he spoke. "Dukat I'd like you to meet my good friend Gul Duren. Duren, this is Dukat and his daughter Ziyal."
"I uh...already know who they are Tierzak." The Cardassian commander just stood there in awe, not having a single iota of a clue as to what to say.
Dukat looked over the Cardassian commander that stood before him and turned away a bit disgusted, but also a bit honored. A soldier should not make such an obvious show of hero-worship towards anyone, yet because it was directed at him he decided to tolerate it. "Is there a place where we can talk Gul Duren?"
Duren paused for a moment before shaking his head and the trance off of himself. "We can go to my quarters. It is the most secure room on the ship. But if I may ask a question first of you Gul Dukat..."
"My name is Dukat. I lost my rank long ago for another person's actions." Anger glinted in Dukat's eyes and he looked as though he had just been slapped without cause.
"I'm...sorry Dukat. I had no idea that the issue of your former status offended you so much." Duren slightly gulped and displayed an apologetic look, hoping to gain his idol's forgiveness.
Dukat looked at him and let out a sigh. "Don't worry about it. You didn't know so it's not your fault." He paused for a moment, "So what is your question."
Question? What question? In the commotion of the offense Duren had forgotten all about his question. "What exactly are you doing here? And why did you disappear for so long?"
"Those questions can all be answered later in you quarters." He looked around cautiously with what seemed like a hint of paranoia. "Speaking of which can we go there now? This transporter room has lost my interest."
"Of course. Right this way." With his hand he gave a waving motion outside of the door. Tierzak was the first one to exit, still displaying his usual toothy grin. Dukat stayed for a moment and helped his daughter off of the transporter pad before they both walked out side by side. After a brief pause Duren joined them in the hallway and took the lead.
Tierzak sped up his pace and caught up to his friend. "So what do you think of my 'cargo'?" he quietly whispered.
Duren looked over his shoulder at the two passengers as they continued down the corridor. "What do I think? This is such a complete surprise that...well I don't even know what to say. Where did you find them anyway?"
The short Ferengi turned towards Duren still displaying his wide grin. "I knew you'd enjoy it. You would have never guessed but I found them at the ruins on Tesslak Prime."
"Tesslak Prime?" the gul shouted out with shocked eyes. "You can't possibly mean the desolate colony of thugs and criminals."
"The very same," Tierzak said with a nod of his head. "They have been living there ever since their exile from Cardassia Prime, nearly two years ago."
Gul Duren was very shocked by this news. Dukat was one of them most respected soldiers in the Cardassian army up until his silent discommendation. In all of his days Duren never would have thought a man of that stature would ever end up in a place like Tesslak Prime. The colony there was little more then an ancient prison that had long been released and forgotten by its keepers. It just went to show how quickly one can fall from grace, and end up in a dump.
"Now for the real question Tierzak. Why are they here?"
This time it was Tierzak who looked back at the two meager Cardassians. After a long glance he turned his grinning gaze back around and stared mindlessly ahead. "Don't worry Duren, they will explain everything to you. I will say though that it involves our plan dealing with the Overseer and maybe a solution to our dilemma."
"A solution?" His mind raced with possibilities as Duren sifted through all the information his friend had given him. He was lost in thought as they reached the doors of Duren's private quarters. Slowly they filed in. "Please sit down," the gul said as he motioned to several comfortable chairs sprawled throughout the room. "May I get you a drink Dukat? Perhaps some Kanar?"
"Yes, some Kanar would be quite good," the ragged Cardassian said as he slowly eased into a chair.
Gul Duren quickly walked over to the room's replicator and ordered four snifters of the spicy drink. A hum kicked on for a brief second then suddenly back off as the drinks materialized from mere particles floating in the air. After picking them up he walked around the room giving one to Tierzak and Dukat and placed his and the one Ziyal kindly refused next to the chair behind his desk.
Dukat took a sip of his and let out a sigh of enjoyment. "This is what the Cardassian heart yearns for, this is what it ticks for. It has been far too long since I had the chance to enjoy this, and I hope that my palate is never forced to be absent of it again."
"This truly is one of the things that make the Cardassian people so great. One of our greatest achievements can be found right here in this simple pleasure." Duren leaned back in his chair and took a sip himself, enjoying the cold and smooth drink flow down his throat into an eager stomach.
"While I too enjoy it I don't think we are all here to sip on drinks. There is business to discuss after all gentlemen." Being a typical Ferengi Tierzak wanted to get this little transaction of information over with so he could examine the possible gain, not to his own fault seeing as how this was a known Ferengi trait.
"Tierzak! Some...." Duren said trying to get some silence from him.
"It's okay Gul Duren. After all the little Ferengi is right." Dukat interrupted. "We have precious little time to address such a large scale matter." There was a mix of concern and caution on Dukat's face, not what anyone had expected him to present.
"A large scale matter? What exactly do you mean?"
"Well," the former soldier said with a sigh, "Thanks to Tierzak we have been informed about your desire to remove Seven from the Overseer position and to expose her true nature before the council. I think that we will be able to do this but..." he paused for a moment and looked at Ziyal, who was comfortably relaxing in a soft oval chair. "...I think Ziyal can explain the rest better then me."
She sat up and had a nervous look in her eyes. It took a smile from her father and a slight nod to go on before she began to speak. "Two years ago I was the chief assistant to Winn Adami, the leader of Bajor and head Kai. One day though someone snuck into the Kai's office and brutally murdered her."
"Yes, this is all ancient news to me. You disappeared that day and everyone blamed you and thought it was a Cardassian plot to remove the Bajorans from power..." Suddenly he stopped in his commentary as hurt appeared in the young woman's eyes. His attention turned to Tierzak who only lifted a hand, telling him to be quiet and listen. "I'm sorry Ziyal, please go on."
The young woman inhaled a deep breath before continuing. "Well during the chaos after her death I hid in my office's closet until two strong men grabbed me and took me off the planet. The men were Cardassian and I later found out that they worked for a man called Enabrain Tain."
"Tain? You mean the leader of the Obsidian Order? Why would they be involved in your abduction?"
"I'm not exactly sure," Ziyal said softly and hesitantly. "I think it had something to do with my father though."
Everyone's eyes turned to look at Dukat as they sat and wondered how he tied in with all of this. Tain must have had a good reason for orchestrating the whole thing, if not a clear one.
After a deep breath Ziyal continued with her story. "For whatever reason Tain did what he did is not important to this matter. The real thing that I need to talk about is a Terran woman whom I befriended shortly before all of that took place. Her name was Seven, and she was the chief assistant to Kira Nerrys during her time as Overseer."
Seven spent some time on Bajor? And she was Kira's assistant? Nothing seemed to be adding up and all the girl was giving him were pieces to a puzzle that didn't fit together.
"During our time together she asked a lot of odd questions concerning the building. Guard postings, automated defense systems, structure layout, that sort of thing. At the time it didn't seem all that odd, after all we got tons of questions about the building due to its political significance. Since the information she asked for wasn't restricted I supplied her with all that she needed. I didn't really think nothing of it or the fact of how close she and Kira were until after the assassination of Kai Winn."
Duren leaned back in his chair and absorbed the entire story Ziyal had just fed him. Deep thought shown on his face as he concentrated on every tidbit of information. Slowly in his mind he fit the pieces together and connected the dots from a to b to c until the picture began to take shape. Suddenly he sat straight up in his chair and looked at the young woman in an eager shock. "So Kira had Seven kill Kai Winn?" he blurted out in uncertainty.
Ziyal looked down at her feet. "That's what I believe," she mumbled.
A grin slowly creased across Duren's face as he realized the full effect this story could have. If it got out that Kira and Seven were the real people behind Kai Winn's death then they'd be executed without hesitation or worse yet, made into pariahs and exiled from Alliance space forever. It was if all of his problems had been solved with one swift motion. As he got up from his chair it took all of his strength to not let out a triumphant yell.
"And you can prove all of this?" Tierzak said, interrupting Duren's joy.
"Well with some help I might be able to gain access to the security logs of that day and try and get a positive readout of everyone in the Kai's room that day. Plus there's a contact of mine, a woman called Leeta, who could help me prove that I've spoken the truth."
As he fell back into his chair Duren's heart sank as well. In the midst of his silent victory celebration he had forgotten the need for proof. Ziyal's story did seem a bit far out there, and would be hard to convince others to believe. But at least they had options, and a sign of hope. "We'll begin a search for this Leeta character as soon as repairs are finished. Then we can finally remove that Terran from such a high position and place someone more worthy in her place." Duren looked around the room at his partners; those that would help him bring glory to their peoples. He raised his glass of Kanar and toasted them, "To the future!"