The Other Side

Pt. II

Based upon Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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Ezri Dax swaggered through OPS on her way to Benjamin's office. She liked the way she felt now; since she stopped being Ezri Tigan and started being Ezri Dax.

Dax gave her confidence. Dax gave her experience. Dax gave her . . . leverage.

She walked into Benjamin's office without knocking and with a big smile on her face. She was in complete control, and he didn't even know it yet.

Benjamin looked up, and seemed pleased to see her. "What can I do for you, Old Man?" he asked. Dax amended her previous thought: he did seem pleased to see her, but he was distracted and maybe a little worried.

"This is a very interesting question, Benjamin," she sneered, and watched him flinch. She was confirming one of his biggest fears, and she knew he knew exactly what she had in mind. He picked up his baseball to stop his shaking fingers.

"There are so many things you can do for me, Benjamin. And, I want so much."

His gaze darkened. She could tell that he had thought she was going to expose him, now he realized her was going to blackmail him, which was so much better; for her, at least.

She sat on the corner of his desk and smiled. "You see, I know about your and Jadzia's little 'secret.'" She waited a moment as Benjamin sat as still as stone. He didn't move, and she continued. "I know all about it, and I know how much you wanted to keep it a secret.

"I know how much you'll still do to keep it a secret; a secret from namely: Captain Yates." Ezri kept her cocky gaze on Benjamin's smoldering one.

She crossed one leg over the other and leaned back a slightly. "Things would have gotten very . . . interesting in six or seven months, wouldn't they?" She forced a small laugh. "Who would have killed you first, do you think? Worf, when he saw his baby was not half-Klingon, but half-human? Or Kassidy, when she found out it was yours?

"Or maybe Kassidy would have just left you to Worf. She and I both know how important her baby is to you, especially after Jake has been in the custody of the Cardassian Union. Sure, I miss Jake as much as the next person and I hope he's alright, but you and I know that you probably won't want him back after the Cardassians are threw with him. They thought Picard was in bad shape, they should see a teenage boy. . ."

Benjamin was so angry it looked like he would lunge at her any second, but she could tell he was too angry to even move.

"So, you killed her before they killed you," she said losing her cleverly devious tone, and turning to a much darker one.

Finally, Benjamin forced words out. "You can't prove anything."

Ezri laughed, sincerely. "Not 'I'm sorry,' not 'you're right,' but 'you can't prove anything?' HA! I can prove everything!

"You see, I knowyou knew Dukat was planning a demonstration. You contacted him and made a deal. You would help him escape if he did you a favor."

Benjamin regained his wits and scoffed at her. "I have bigger problems than one of my officers trying to blackmail me."

Ezri smiled as her tone turned slightly playful again. "You mean like the Pah Wraith Cult gaining strength as their 'persecuted leader' Vedek Winn was so 'valiantly' rescued by the 'heroic' Cardassian: Skrain Dukat. Kai Bareil can only sway so much support, and I think even he is losing interest in 'The Coalition.'

"It won't be very long that the only thing that keeps him from joining the Cardassian Union is Kira's excellent . . . persuasion.

She shook her head and laughed. "I have no sympathy for you; you got yourself into this mess."

Benjamin's posture returned to 'scared stiff.' She knew he was broken.

"What do you want?" he breathed.

A devious smile spread back across her face. "That's more like it." She got up and circled his desk slowly. "Everything, I want everything."

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