Chapter Twenty-three

Major Kira Nerys paced back and forth across the floor of the small room that Gentanar had stuffed her in, along with Dax, Sisko, and Odo. "We have to do something," she muttered to the others.

"What do you suggest, major?" Sisko asked from where he sat on the edge of a small cot. "We are heavily guarded."

"I know that. I just…" Kira sighed and stopped pacing, running her hands across her face. "I just wish we could do something, anything. I'm so--so worried--and not just about us. He has them out there, Marina and Julian. Who knows what he's doing to them!"

"He, of course, meaning this Gentanar fellow," Odo spoke up quietly. He stood with his back to the door, arms crossed, staring at the wall.

"Yes. Who else?"

Odo turned slowly. "You remember what Garak told us about him?"

Kira nodded. "Yes. He is mentally unstable. He murdered his family years ago. And… he is far older than he appears to be."

Miles shook his head. "The man is setting himself up as--as some sort of god."

Sisko rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Yes, I can see that. He desires immortality, absolute power… He wants to be a god."

"Perhaps therein lies his weakness," Dax spoke up.

Kira frowned at her friend. "I don't understand."

"He wants to be a god," Dax said, smiling slowly. "But he's not."

(LINE)

"This is amazing, Marina!" Julian leaped to his feet and held out his arms. "I feel--I feel fine! It's like nothing ever happened to me."

"You look like you feel perfect," Marina said.

Julian frowned as he looked down at her. "You don't." He knelt quickly beside his girlfriend. "Are you feeling all right? Your face looks pale."

Marina closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. "I feel a bit nauseated."

"Just relax." Julian took her hand and stroked it. "You're probably quite worn out from healing me."

Marina half opened her eyes and smiled crookedly at him. "That's worth feeling like I have to throw up."

Julian settled beside her on the floor and put his arm around her, drawing her head to his shoulder. "This is an amazing discovery, Marina. You can heal people. That's--that's simply amazing."

"You keep saying that," Marina said groggily, closing her eyes and burying her face in his shoulder.

"Well it's true. You're amazing. And don't you worry. We'll find a way out of this."

Marina sighed, smiling. "I'm supposed to be the optimistic one, not you."

Julian kissed the top of her head. "I'll take over for you since you're not feeling well."

Marina nodded into his shoulder.

There was a sudden knock at the door.

Marina groaned and sat up straight. "Let me guess--our friend Gentanar."

Gentanar walked into the little building, smiling as usual. "Your friend, eh? That's the spirit. I'm so glad to see that you've come to your senses."

"I assume you've come to take us on your grand tour?" Julian spoke up.

"Indeed." Gentanar held the door open wide, revealing a dark, cold Catronis night. "If the two of you would come with me…" He bowed theatrically.

Julian stood, pulling Marina to her feet beside him.

"Oh, I noticed that you seem to be feeling better," Gentanar said to Julian.

"I am, thanks to Marina." He glanced at the young science officer worriedly. "She's a bit drained from the effort."

"But I'll be fine," Marina added.

"Initially, healing does drain one's strength," Gentanar said to her. "But after awhile, it isn't so bad. Of course, I do not practice healing much. Only on myself." He shrugged. "Never mind that. Let's go."

(LINE)

"Is that them, up ahead in that other hover car?" Dax asked from the back of the hover car she rode in.

Kira, who sat near the front of the vehicle, strained her eyes to see. "I can't tell. But I think so. No one else I know has hair that color. Just Marina. That looks like her braid."

"You can't sense her or anything?" Quark asked.

"No. Not this time." Kira sighed, annoyed. "I think Gentanar is blocking any psychogenotron activity except his own."

"But Marina is so powerful. Could she not break through his barriers?" Whorf spoke up.

"I believe Gentanar has leverage," Garak replied. "Julian is with them."

"I see," Whorf muttered.

"That girl would do anything for that man," Odo said quietly. "And I believe he would do the same for her."

"Indeed," said Dax. "That's part of being in love."

Everyone was quiet for awhile in the big hover car.

Kira turned to the Jem'Hadar piloting the vehicle. "Do you have any idea what Gentanar is planning to do?" she asked him.

The soldier shook his head. "All I know is that his plans will benefit the Dominion."

"Do you know what he's going to do to us? To Marina and Julian?" Miles spoke up.

"Be quiet. I have no time for your questions."

(LINE)

"There it is, my dear. My paradise."

Marina stood up in the hover car, pulling the throw Gentanar had given her around her shoulders. Up ahead, a tall shadow blocked out the lower stars. It was a huge, black stone house, a mansion, complete with columns and alien carvings, dimly lit by the glow of two large torches towering in the front yard.

"What do you think?" Gentanar asked, smiling back at her.

Marina sat quickly. "It's all right, I guess."

"Just all right?"

"It looks a little… imposing." Marina shivered, tucking the throw around her legs and Julian's. It was so cold.

"And you, Julian? What do you think of it?"

"I'd like to blast it in pieces with phaser beams," Julian said, smiling at his captor-host.

Gentanar frowned at him, then turned back to piloting the hover car. "We're almost there." He steered the vehicle into a small hangar near the mansion, followed by his Jem'Hadar and Cardassian pilots.

"How did the colonists not know you were here when you had this just sitting out here like that?" Marina exclaimed, motioning to the house.

"Standing, dear. Not sitting." Gentanar hopped down from the vehicle and reached to help Marina out. She ignored him and stepped down arm in arm with Julian.

"I don't believe you answered her question," Julian said.

Gentanar flashed him an annoyed look, then turned to Marina, smiling suddenly. "The colonists never explored this far. There were too many wild animals between here and Catronis 6."

"Y our wild animals, of course. The Vanfors and Fadroths and wolves." Marina crossed her arms and turned from him, looking out at the mansion.

Julian frowned. "Why Catronis?" he asked suddenly. "Why in the world would you, with your 'great' power, attempt to conquer some out of the way little colony like Catronis 6? Why do you want this planet, Gentnar?"

Gentanar snorted impatiently. "Attempt to conquer? My dear boy, I've already succeeded."

"Once again, you fail to answer our questions," Julian snapped.

Gentanar raised his hand as if to strike Julian.

Julian just looked at him, unblinkingly and unflinchingly.

Gentanar lowered his hand. "I caution you, doctor," he said quietly. "Do not treat me with such insolence."

"I'll treat you however I like," Julian retorted, crossing his arms. "You're nothing but a common criminal who thinks he's some sort of god. Just because you have mind powers, you think you're something special. Well let me tell you something--the skills don't make the man. That takes character, integrity, justice, and compassion--all of which you have none of."

Gentanar stared incredulously at Julian.

Marina reached to take the young doctor's hand.

"I'm not finished," Julian continued. "You have none of the traits that earn respect and honor. You are nothing that I admire, nothing that I owe allegiance to. You do nothing that merits praise. I disrespect you. I look down on you. Your mind powers do not impress me. I've seen many more impressive talents in the universe. Just look at Marina. She is just as skilled as you. But that's not why I care for her. I respect and love her for who she is. She has integrity and justice and compassion. And that means far more than power."

"Are you finished yet?" Gentanar asked. He looked a bit red in the face.

Julian held up one finger and opened his mouth. Then he nodded. "Yes."

Gentanar stared at him, icy blue eyes wide. "Well. I must say, you are very good at giving inspiring speeches. Very good."

Julian smiled and said smoothly, "You should see my Henry the Fifth."

"Unfortunately, everything you just said made me hate you even more than I already do."

"Good."

Gentanar worked his jaw angrily, not quite sure what to say. Marina could feel rage and hatred emanating hotly from him.

"Let's--let's go see the mansion," she spoke up quickly.

"Wait, my love…" Gentanar started.

"I'm not your love," Marina snapped. "Let's go!" She tugged on Julian's hand, glaring at Gentanar.

"I think I need to deal with this impertinent young fool first," the psychogenotron said, turning to Julian.

Marina stepped between them. "Hurt him again and I'll never be your love. I would rather die."

"Both of you tend to forget who is the captor here, who holds the power," Gentanar growled.

Before either of them could reply, a Cardassian soldier stepped up to Gentanar. "Sir."

"Yes?"

"We've moved the other prisoners to the basement level, sir."

"Very good then."

"What about--?" The soldier nodded toward Marina and Julian.

"Prepare the grand welcome," Gentanar ordered.

The Cardassian nodded, then hurried off to follow orders.

Gentanar turned to Marina and held out his hand. "Come. Your welcome awaits."

Marina shook her head. "I'm not holding your hand."

"Remember who I've got down in my basement. Remember who is standing right behind you."

Glaring at him, Marina placed her hand in his. "I'm doing this for them. Not for you. Not for me."

"Fine." He glanced at Julian. "Follow behind us. And don't try anything."

Julian said nothing. He just turned to Marina and nodded to her. Be careful, he sent, hoping she heard him.

She did. I will. You, too. Your speech was wonderful.

Thank-you.

They smiled at each other.

"What? What's going on?" Gentanar asked.

Marina smiled. "You mean the almighty Gentanar couldn't eavesdrop?"

He ignored her, turning toward the hanger door and turning her with him. "Let us proceed to the mansion," he said.

They walked out of the hover car hangar onto a black stone walkway. As they walked, torches lining the walkway lit up around them. It had an impressive effect.

Finally, they came to the door, a huge, ornately carved piece of work. "Open," Gentanar called in a commanding voice.

The door swung open the old fashioned way, and Gentanar led Marina and Julian in. They were in a huge, marble-floored room with a chandelier above. Everything was in grays, blues, greens, and purples. Marina's favorite colors. The room was the mirror image of a ballroom from one of her holo-suite programs. And there was a crowd of people filling the room, mostly Cardassian and Jem'Hadar, but Marina thought she spotted a few other races in the mix as well.

"I present to you Lt. Marina Richardson," Gentanar announced loudly.

A cheer rose up from the crowd. Someone started chanting, "Marina! Marina! Marina!" Soon, the whole crowd had joined in.

It hit Marina like a heady rush. The room seemed to spin. She could fell chills running up her arms.

"We love you, Marina!" a voice cried out.

Marina turned to Gentanar. "What is going on?"

"I've told them all about you, my dear," he whispered in her ear, his voice low and soothing. "My people love you. You are… their hero."

"Oh." Marina's eyes were huge as they stared out over the crowd.

"Marina." Julian touched her shoulder from behind her. "Be careful."

As Marina stood there before the cheering crowd, dazed, Gentanar turned to smirk at Julian. I believe I have found her weakness, doctor. Isn't there something in Marina's Bible about the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life? How they are evil and to stay away from them? Well, she deals quite well with the lust of the flesh. She's 'not that kind of girl.' The lust of the eyes is no problem to her. She desires neither money nor power. What she does desire is fame, recognition, to be loved and praised by all. Yes, it is the pride of life that is our mutual friend's weakness.

Julian scowled at him.

Let me tell you my plan, Julian, Gentanar continued to send. I feed her desire for fame. I fan the flames of her pride. Then, I introduce her to other vices. I can teach her to want power. And we all know what power does to someone, don't we? After I've got the last two sins out of the way, I'll move on to the first. His smile broadened. The lust of the flesh. Then, she will totally be mine.

Never, Julian sent hotly. He turned from Gentanar and grabbed Marina's arm. "Marina, listen to me. Gentanar has terrible things planned for you. Remember who you are. You are a Starfleet officer. You have a strong faith. You are… you are the woman I love." His voice trembled. "Don't give in to him," he whispered. "This is all a big ploy to drag you further and further down, closer to him."

Marina turned to look at him, turning from the crowd. She had barely heard his voice for the sound of people calling her name. "Julian…"

"Did you hear me, Marina?" Julian cried. He almost had to shout to be heard. The cheers were growing louder.

"Yes. I heard you." She took his hand. "Don't worry. I won't--"

"Come, Marina." Gentanar took her by the arm. "It's time to go to your room."

Marina jerked her arm from his grip, struggling to regain her senses. "What of Julian? And the others? Why do you need them when all you want is me?"

"If I did not have them in my grasp, would you even be here right now?" Gentanar asked quietly, holding up a hand to silence the cheerers.

"No," Marina replied, looking down. "I would have tried to kill you long ago."

Gentanar signaled and two Jem'Hadar walked up to Julian and took his arms.

They were going to be separated.

"Marina," Julian said calmly, "Don't let him fool you. Don't forget yourself." He bit his lip. "And don't forget me."

"I won't," she whispered as they dragged him away.