Chapter 9

Huntress

Crewman Campbell stood near the airlock. Reluctantly, he stood in wait under orders by Colonel Kira to greet the woman who was piloting the Nausicaan vessel that had just docked. He wished there had been a better reason other than because he was the nearest officer. It was the end of his shift and he was looking forward to the rest.

He had just finished assisting the installation of a holoprojector into a Delta-Class shuttle that had arrived the day before. Apparently it's purpose was on a need to know basis and as an old saying went, he didn't need to know because he wasn't told.

With a hiss, the circular airlock rolled counter-clockwise into the bulkhead. He looked inside the short gangway and saw the exterior airlock open.

The woman that stepped out of the ship was captivating. She walked slowly but seductively. Long, flowing black hair came down to her shoulders and she donned a form fitting, black leather garb. It covered her petite frame from shoulder to toe, a section cut out from the neck to chest displayed a trifling amount of cleavage. At her left side, where a phaser would be on a Starfleet officer, was a silver metal rod. Her footsteps echoed in the small corridor connecting the exterior and interior airlocks. He then looked at her face. She was part Klingon, by her cranial ridges he guessed half. A glimpse of her ears told him she was also part Vulcan. An odd combination.

Her beauty was almost hypnotic, he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. The time it took her to cross the threshold seemed like an eternity. "Welcome to Deep Space Nine." The anxiety was present in his voice. "Are you here for business or pleasure?"

In a split second he noticed that he could not breath, then he realized it was because she had her hand clamped around his throat. Raising him off the ground with one arm, she spun him around and thrust him against the bulkhead, a splatter of blood colored the wall where his head met metal.

She released her grip and he landed on his feet, barely conscious and barely able to stand. Tasmith took a step back and raised her right leg, delivering a kick to his head. He lay on his stomach on the deck. She stepped towards him and brought her heel down on his back with full force. She knelt down and rolled over his convulsing body. Saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth and his eyes were rolled up in their sockets. She reached out and lightly caressed his neck, the pulse of his slowing heartbeat made her own go faster. Then, not out of mercy, but out of the boredom she now felt, she reached out, grasped his neck and snapped it.

"Both."

"Status report, Colonel." said Sisko as he walked out of his office.

"Nog has informed me that they've just completed the installation of the holoprojector and he just needs another hour to calibrate it."

"Did he mention how he managed to convince Quark to give him the holoprojector?"

"He told Quark not to forget who his father was."

Sisko grinned widely and chuckled. "That'd do it. What's this about a Nausicaan combat raider that just docked?"

"The Ilkresh. The pilot said that she had been running her ship a little hard the past few days and needed a rest." Something seemed familiar about the ship, but she couldn't place it right away. Must not have been important or she would have remembered.

"Where is Commander Wilson now?"

"He told me that after Dr. Bashir was finished with their alterations he was going to use one of the holosuites. Apparently Quark owes him some time. I believe he's there now."

Alec closed his eyes and felt his hair blow in the breeze. Sitting on the grass in the recreation of a Japanese field, the sun shone down on him with a very pleasant warmth. His shirt lay on the grass nearby, there was no need to worry about a sunburn from a holographic sun, and it was too constricting when he was meditating. He loved it here. So peaceful, so quiet. The program came with him wherever he went. It was on this field that he and Rene wed after he graduated from the Academy. He used it whenever he needed to relax, and it was working without fail as it always did.

His katana stuck out of the ground next to him. The blade held firmly in place by the soil beneath the grass. It had been years since he had practiced with it and he wanted to be confident in his ability by working out as many proverbial kinks as he could. After five minutes he felt as if there was no two year gap. His sword was an extension of his arm, it was a part of him. His imaginary opponents took on several forms: Jem'Hadar, Romulan, Borg. All were cut down as the katana swung through the air with a metallic whine.

For the first time since it happened, he had a chance to truly reflect on the event in the cave. He came to the conclusion that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was a pawn, a scapegoat, someone who was just there to take the fall, regardless of identity. People that could set one up like that were without conscience garnered no mercy from him. A fire had been lit within him that he thought was extinguished. It felt good to have it burn again.

Alec's father once told him 'the smartest warrior you could ever hope to be is the one that will never have to fight.' Sorry to disappoint you, Dad. But you obviously never had to go through what I'm going through now.

The down time also gave him an opportunity to think about other things. Never in his career had he considered requesting a stationary posting, until now. However that might not be an issue in the near future. His children needed a place to grow up where they didn't have to worry about Romulans, or seeing their father go through something like this. Not only that, they needed a place where they could explore all there was to childhood, and that wasn't available on the Enterprise. He and Rene had never discussed it before but he knew she was thinking it too. She always had the edge when it came to parental instinct. They'd figure something out. They always did.

Business at Quark's was rather slow considering it was 1625 hours. The Ferengi bartender sent one of his waiters home because he didn't want to pay someone if they didn't have any work to do. The effect of the incident on Vesuvia evidently didn't stop at the entrance of his establishment. Even Morn was missing.

Times like this made him wish he ran a bar on Ferenginar where business would be flourishing no matter what happened on a distant planet. He could have a bar there if he wanted it, his brother was the Grand Nagus. But, and he would never admit this to anyone, he had grown attached to the station all the years he had been here. But moreso the people. He missed Odo, even though the shapeshifting chief of security had foiled his dealings countless times.

The one thing that irked him the most was his inability to find a suitable replacement for Leeta, who had been his best Dabo girl. She moved to Ferenginar with her husband Rom when he took over as Nagus from Zek. He had been unsuccessful in his attempts to convince Lieutenant Dax to take up the position. And he wasn't even going to try and ask Colonel Kira. He liked having the use of his arms.

Quark had just finished mixing an Arcturian fizz when his eyes glanced up towards the entrance of his bar. He almost dropped the glass in his hand. The amazing creature that entered his bar was unlike any he had ever seen. She walked with a movement so fluid it rivaled that of a flowing stream.

He wasn't the only one that was entranced by her, many of his patrons had watched her enter as well. Some of his male customers were reprimanded by their female companions with a kick to the shins under the table or an elbow to the ribs.

She walked towards the bar, indifferent to the attention she was receiving. Quark could tell she was here with a purpose. "Welcome to Quark's, my dear. If there's anything I can get for you please let me know."

She scanned the room with her eyes. Looking at each face. "Lieutenant Commander Alec Wilson. Where is he?" she asked in a soft tone.

Quark wondered if this was a test. This could very well be a way to see if he was able to keep his mouth shut. "Never heard of him." he said with a sly smile. She leaned forward on the bar, he couldn't resist looking down her cleavage.

Again she spoke softly, but more insistently this time. "Surely a man such as yourself must know who's who on this station." She reached up and stroked one of his ears.

She gives good oo-mox. Kudos, Captain. You're pulling out all the stops with this one. He hoped nobody was watching. "As a matter of fact, I do. But unfortunately I've never heard of the man you're speaking." He let out a high pitched scream that grabbed the attention of everyone that hadn't notice her come in. She was squeezing his ear with the force of a vise.

"I am in no mood to play, Ferengi. Now tell me where he is." she spoke in the same soft tone.

"I don't know where he is." said Quark between gasps. "I swear!" The ears of a Ferengi were extremely sensitive, and it wasn't exactly the most well guarded secret. "I haven't even heard of him!"

"There are ten hours left in this day. And my grip only gets tighter."

The pain was excruciating. This was no test. "He's...he's in holosuite four. It's... it's upstairs."

She let go of his ear and grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt, pulling him across the bar until their faces were only an inch apart. "Thank you." With no effort she threw him backwards against the shelves, breaking several bottles and spilling alcohol all over the floor behind the bar. Those that gathered nearby to see what was happening now moved out of her way as she walked to the stairs leading to the upper level.

It was amazing that a simulation could bring such peace. If Alec did not know better he would have thought it was the real thing. At one point a holographic bird even flew down and landed near him, walked around for a minute, and then flew off towards the holographic horizon. The horizon was in fact projected from the wall of the holosuite a few meters in front of him.

He had heard stories of claustrophobics that when placed in a holodeck could feel the walls around them no matter how open the simulation. He thanked God for small favors when his fear was limited to the wrath of an angry wife.

His meditation was broken when he heard the exit doors open behind him. Must be Rene, she's the only one that would disturb me while I'm meditating. The doors closed and he could hear them vanish followed by soft footsteps on the grass. He could feel the presence of someone behind him. The feel of hands caressing his shoulders confirmed his suspicion that it was Rene. They had not made love in over three days, which as short a time as that may be to some people was a rarity for them, and he knew it had more to do with tension between them than the cramped living conditions on the Travioli.

Her soft hands continued to caress his shoulders. He could feel the warmness of her breath as she started to kiss his neck. He inhaled through his nose so he could smell her always pleasant scent. But something was not right, and he realized it too late. A burning pain seared his scalp, he was being pulled to his feet by his hair. Being caught off guard like that did not allow him to prepare for being spun around and kicked square in the stomach. He fell backward to the ground winded.

Alec, holding his arm across his gut, looked up at his attacker who he knew now o to be his wife. He was shocked to see that his attacker was not a man, but a beautiful young woman. Her beauty was so striking that if he had not already been winded by her kick she would have taken his breath away. She stood about 5'1, about the same height as Lieutenant Dax. She had the cranial ridges of a Klingon, but they were prominent enough to be fully Klingon. He was surprised even further when the breeze caught her long brown hair and it blew aside to reveal the pointed ears of a Vulcan. He had never heard of Vulcans and Klingons mixing, no matter what the percentage of the genealogy was. Her apparel was unique as well, it reminded him of what Seven of Nine wore on Voyager, only much more provocative.

And then a she-wolf appeared; she seemed to carry every craving in her leanness. His breath finally returned to him, but he feigned fatigue and injury. "Who are you?" He eyed his katana which was directly next to her several feet away.

She smiled, it was empty of emotion. "I am Tasmith." She spoke softly, as if there was no conflict.

"Bounty hunter?"

"Correct."

"I'd say it's nice to meet you but I'm not known for lying."

"You're not known for killing politicians either, yet you did that anyway."

That angered him, which was no doubt her intention, but there was too much to Sha'Gra's death for him to feel guilty anymore. "Sing another song. I'm tired of that one."

She knelt down to the ground, seemingly studying the environment. Her reaction indicated she held no appreciation towards the beauty of her surroundings. "I accepted the bounty on you because of your reputation alone."

"I'm honoured." Alec was ever so slowly shifting his weight, making it easier to leap for his sword. He had a feeling he'd need it. "How did you find me?" he asked, stalling.

"That is not important. I am offering you a choice."

"Which is?" He was almost ready.

"No doubt you saw the transmission that announced the bounty. You may recall it said 'dead or alive.'"

"I'm guessing you'd prefer me dead."

"I have no preference. I have no wish to see such an excellent physical specimen die, but I'm also eager to see if you are as formidable as it has been told."

"You sound pretty confident of yourself."

"I have-"

Alec sprang from his crouch towards his katana. There was no doubt in his mind he would reach it, but sometimes a person can be wrong no matter how sure they were. He had never seen anyone move so fast. She reached to her side and grabbed the silver metal rod he noticed, it extended into a staff that she brought down onto his shoulder. He believed she was holding back and could have hit him harder if she wished. He landed on the ground face down, the pain in his shoulder slowly going away. Alec rolled over onto his back and planted his hands on the ground beside his head. He then pulled his knees towards his chest and thrust them upward, landing on his feet, narrowly avoiding Tasmith's staff. Alec acted quickly, spinning on his foot and delivering a round kick to her head which sent her tumbling to the ground. Once again on two feet, he pulled his sword from the grass.

He had never fought a woman before and he did not know what to expect. But he knew it would not be easy. For over two millennia, from the ancient Amazons of Earth to modern Klingon warriors, women havd proven themselves to be just as combat capable as men, maybe even moreso, given their naturally higher tolerance for pain.

Alec swung down with his katana. Tasmith countered by gripping her staff at the opposite ends and holding it lengthwise over her head. His katana was unable to dissect her staff. He pushed down as hard as he could, but her strength was superior. Her left leg left the ground and before he knew it he was thrown backward by a kick to the head. Stunned, Tasmith further caught him off guard by striking his right hip followed by a hard blow to his left. He grit his teeth through pain as he staggered backwards. She lunged forward and jabbed with her staff as if it were a spear. Alec released his left hand from his katana and grabbed her staff, pulling her closer. Immediately he pivoted on his foot and delivered a spinning backhanded punch to her head.

It was his favorite technique. Normally such a fierce blow would have brought down a man twice her size, but her unique physiology gave her an impressive resistance. With her superior Vulcan speed she placed him in a headlock. Bending her left knee back, she connected her heel with his face three times before releasing him. He stood for a moment, dazed from the blows. She wasted no time in continuing her assault. She used his weakened condition to her advantage and swung her staff at the inside of his left ankle. The force was sufficient to cause his body to spin counter-clockwise and rise up off the ground. She swung upward with her staff, striking him in the gut.

His breath didn't return as quickly as it did before. Alec knew he would have to give everything he had if he was going to turn the tide of this confrontation. He rose back to his feet and threw his katana at his enemy. As he anticipated she ducked to avoid the projectile. He used the opportunity to run towards her and grab her by the shoulders. Before she could react he swung his leg forward and brought back against her legs. She fell onto her back, held in place by his left arm. He knew that wouldn't last so he drew back his right fist. His punch never connected. Tasmith caught his fist in her left hand resulting in a loud smack. She squeezed his fist, he heard a crack and felt the fracturing of bone.

Then, in a demonstration of a classic Klingon battle technique, she head butt him. He saw nothing but stars for several seconds, but he could feel himself being raised up and then pushed backwards. Tasmith moved quickly towards him, and in a previously unseen agility, she placed her right leg on his abdomen for leverage then raised her left leg, kicking him on the underside of the jaw. She then kicked upward with her right leg, allowing the momentum to continue a backflip and landed on her feet.

Alec had never been on the losing side of a fight before, and needless to say he wasn't happy with it.

He ignored the pain. Now wasn't the time for it, he'd feel pain later. He picked up the sword with his left hand, his right hand was useless at the moment. Now is the time when being ambidextrous would come in handy. Tasmith struck the blade of his sword with her staff, sending it flying out of his grip back onto the ground several meters away. Alec then disobeyed one of the key rules of a fight: He took his eyes off his opponent. But he had little choice. He turned to run for his weapon and Tasmith acted on his error. Her staff retracted to it's previous length, and out of one end protruded a long, metal cable that was roughly 4cm in diameter and got progressively narrower all the way down to the tip. There was a loud whoosh as the whip tore through the air. The lash wrapped around his ankle and his foot was yanked from under him as she pulled it taut.

Alec was once more sent down to the ground. This time, he was worried he wouldn't be getting back up. His sword was slowly moving away from him. It took him a second in his disoriented state to realize it was the other way around. Tasmith was pulling him in. He felt like a dogie being roped up by an old cattle rustler. He fought against unconsciousness, vowing not to die in disgrace at the hands of someone paid money to take him out. But there was little he could do. His sword was out of reach and he had nothing else to use. Wait a minute! I'm an idiot!

"Computer, change the weather parameters! I need lots of thunder and lightning!" The sky quickly went from perfect blue to full of dark clouds. Bright fork lightning brightened the clouds throughout the endless sky. The thunder followed, it wasn't deafening, but it suited his needs. His opponent shouldn't be able to hear his commands, but the computer would. "Computer, I need a type II Starfleet phaser." The simulated weapon appeared in his hand, but in a moment the fact that it was a simulation would be moot. "Computer, disengage the safety protocols. Authorization, Wilson pi 3-0-0-1." He rolled over on his back and aimed his phaser at the silhouette of his enemy. Deja vu hit him for an instant. But when the lightning struck once more and Tasmith's full form was illuminated he did not hesitate. In a flash of red light she went down.

Alec dropped the phaser and uncoiled the lash from his ankle. With adrenaline wearing off, the effects of the fight began to catch up with him. His fractured hand hurt like hell, as did every place where Tasmith's staff made contact. He could barely move, fatigue swelled over him. "Computer, end program." The simulation disappeared. Everything, the grass, far away trees, the dark lightning filled sky, all vanished and were replaced by metal and synthetic Cardassian materials.

The doors to the corridor outside opened and in entered two Bajoran security officers with their phasers drawn. Their late arrival was understandably frustrating. "Great timing, guys."

The nearest deputy holstered his phaser and rushed to Alec's side, helping him to his feet. "Are you alright, sir?"

"I'll live."

The other deputy hovered over the unconscious body of Tasmith. Even in this state she was exquisite. "Who is she?"

"Don't get too close." said Alec. "I wouldn't be surprised if she fought in her sleep."

The deputy assisting Alec observed his wounds and looked at Tasmith. "Sir, she did this to you?"

Alec was not amused. If he had not been in a holographic environment he could very well be dead by now. "If I were you, I'd be less concerned about me and more concerned about what she's going to do when she wakes up." The sooner she was contained the better. A heavy stun setting on a phaser typically left someone unconscious for an hour, but with her unique physiology there was no telling how long she would stay out for.

"Yes, sir." The deputy assisting him gently released his arm and joined the other deputy in carrying Tasmith by the arms. "We'll put her in a holding cell right away."

"You want some advice? Put her behind two forcefields."

When Alec arrived in ops the senior staff was already conversing. Upon seeing her husband, Rene ran across the deck and latched onto him. He winced in pain by said nothing. He was relieved to see she was unharmed. If Tasmith had gotten to her first there's no telling what he would have done. He suspected she must have done something to get the attention of security. The phaser blast, despite being fired with the safety protocols off, was still a simulation and therefore wouldn't have triggered the internal sensors.

"Commander," said Captain Sisko. "It's good to see you still in one piece."

"Are you alright?" asked Dr. Bashir, noticing Alec's injury induced gait. Underneath the nearest console was an emergency medkit, he opened it and removed the medical tricorder within, proceeding to scan Alec with the attached peripheral device.

"I've been better." said Alec, sarcasm in his voice.

"Who did this to you, Commander?" asked Sisko.

"A bounty hunter by the name of Tasmith."

"Tasmith?" Kira's tone indicated sudden realization. She went back to her console. "When I saw the Nausicaan raider on sensors and heard a woman's voice I knew there was something familiar."

"You've heard of her?" asked Nog. He had the left the work of calibrating the holoprojector to one of his technicians so he could be present for the meeting.

"During the Occupation, the resistance tried to acquire her services in taking out Gul Dukat but she wouldn't accept."

"Did she ever say why?" asked Dax, giving a concerned look towards Alec.

"She said that 'any race that would allow their freedom to be taken from them so easily did not deserve it to begin with.' Turns out we didn't need her help."

"Did she attack anyone else but me?" asked Alec, who was finally released by his wife so Bashir could get a more thorough scan. The sound of the tricorder was beginning to give him a headache.

Bashir spoke. "She killed Crewman Campbell outside the airlock of her ship. Crushed three of his vertebrae before breaking his neck." For a brief instant he blamed Alec for the young officer's death, who would still be alive if he had not come to Deep Space Nine. But he shook off the feeling, Alec had no way of knowing this would happen. "And I repaired some bruising to Quark's ear. Naturally he wants to press charges."

"Tell him he'll have to stand in line." said Sisko. "Is there any other information you can share with us, Colonel?"

"There is almost no information on her. But what little there is spins a bigger mystery. She's been accepting contracts for over seventy years. No one who has faced her has lived to tell about it, so nobody has been able to identify her."

"How can she still be a bounty hunter after seventy years?" asked Nog, who was trying his best to take his mind off of his injured uncle.

"I can answer that." said Alec. "She's part Vulcan. And here's more spice for the stew, she's also part Klingon."

Even officers that were not part of the conversation stopped working when that last little tidbit was dropped. A Vulcan and a Klingon mating was unheard of. It had often been the subject of some debate among geneticists what the offspring would be like. Most believed that the resulting offspring would be uncontrollable, that the combination of the hereditary violent Klingon instincts and the fierceness of the suppressed emotional turmoil inherent to Vulcans would produce a child that was forever out of touch with existence. However, there were those among them that believed that Klingon endurance and instinct blended with Vulcan strength and reflexes would result in the ultimate fighting machine. Tasmith had some of one and a lot of the other.

"A Klingon and a Vulcan?" Nog almost couldn't believe it. "Who would have thought it possible?"

"I imagine the same amount that would never suspect a Ferengi and a Bajoran." said Bashir, referring to Nog's father and stepmother.

"You said nobody had seen her and lived to tell about it." said Sisko, raising a grim prospect.

Kira knew what he was getting at and confirmed it. "Yes, sir. She's never left a contract unfulfilled. According to what has been passed down through the years, when her bounty is in a public place, she seduces him. And once she's spent the night with him, she carries out the contract. The Commander here is the only one that's come through a confrontation alive."

Shivers went down the spines of all those present. The person they were dealing with was not only a highly skilled fighter, but sick and twisted. Alec recalled the moment in the holosuite when he thought it was Rene behind him. Tasmith was kissing his neck. It made him wonder what her intentions originally were, but he then decided he was better off not knowing.

The sound of Bashir's tricorder clicking shut broke the silence. "I ran more than one scan to make sure there are no permanent injuries. You have a mild concussion, and a fractured hand. There's some internal bleeding but nothing that can't be repaired. I'd like to get you down to the infirmary."

"Not yet." said Alec, waving him off. "Not until I know how she found me."

"Could she have followed you here?" asked Sisko.

"No, Nausicaan sensors are less advanced than ours. And I made damn sure the Enterprise wasn't going to follow me."

"We haven't been able to get aboard her ship." said Dax. "But by what we can tell by sensor scans, she has a wide array of technology at her disposal. She might have been able to track you somehow."

"I'm afraid it's much easier than that." said Kira. On a hunch she checked all the outgoing transmission logs for anything out of the ordinary. She found a hidden message. "The logs show a transmission was sent to Starfleet on a subspace carrier wave."

"Who sent it?" asked an angered Alec. He already had a hunch who it was.

"Commander Jones."

Before Kira finished speaking, Alec had left the group and was headed to the turbolift. Dax looked to Sisko. "Captain, aren't you going to stop him?"

"Stop him?" Sisko raised an eyebrow. "I'm tempted to join him."

Alec sidestepped around person after person on the promenade. Jones had crossed the line and Alec was going to make sure he knew it. Every square inch of him rattled with pain at the pace which he was moving, but he didn't care. He had always had an iffy relationship with Eric Jones, but this was the first time his feelings toward him had grown to hate. His opinion of the man had also changed. Up until now he had thought Jones to be a self centered but still loyal Starfleet officer who would never purposely do anything to place another officer in danger. And while Jones might not have sent a message to Starfleet for the sole purpose of luring a bounty hunter to the station, he would still have known that every communiqué being sent through subspace would be monitored in search of two specific words: Alec Wilson. Yet Jones did it anyway.

Alec came into view of the security office. Through the windows he could see Jones standing there with his back to the door. You little weasel. From the time he left ops he had been working the fingers in his right hand, getting himself as used to the pain as he could. As he got closer to the office he quickened his pace. Jones turned to face the entrance when the door opened, but he did not anticipate nor did he react in time to the fist that struck him in the jaw. He flew backwards onto the desk sending report padds to the floor.

Alec's hand was killing him, but did it ever feel good. Jones let out a groan and raised a hand to his jaw. "What the hell is the matter with you?!" he asked as he rested back on his elbows.

"Don't you dare claim ignorance, you son of a bitch. You sold me out."

"What are you talking about?"

Alec pulled Jones up by the scruff of the uniform and drove his fist into his face once again, this time in the nose, sending his head back to the desk surface. "If you play innocent one more time..."

Jones' eyes were watering up, blurring his vision. He couldn't fight back if he wanted to. There was no way he'd take on someone fueled by rage such as Alec was now, injured or not. He cupped both hands over his nose and spoke in a muffled tongue. "I was doing my job. You're a fugitive, Starfleet had to be informed."

"You can't take the higher ground on this. You didn't contact Starfleet because you wanted to do your job, you did it to ingratiate yourself with them. Well I have news for you, you piece of shit, I may be a fugitive but I am still a Starfleet officer and a citizen of the Federation. You not only put my life in danger but my wife's as well. For that I should kill you. Lucky for you I don't kill slime."

"She was never in any danger. The bounty is on you, not her."

Alec stared dumfoundedly at him. "It's impossible for you to be this stupid. Do you think that a bounty hunter would even hesitate for a minute to use her as leverage? They accept money to hunt people down, morals don't come into question."

Jones sat back up and wiped the blood from his nose. He looked halfway between anger and fear. "What are you going to do?"

"Me? Nothing. I've done all I came here to do. But I'm sure Captain Sisko will have something planned." Alec saw his sheathed katana on the desk next to Tasmith's staff. "This is mine." he said as he picked up his sword. To his left was the door that led to the holding cells. Tasmith was in there. Alec pushed the panel to the right of the door.

"You can't go in there." said Jones. It was his last desperate attempt to gain control of the situation.

"You're welcome to try and stop me." Alec stepped through the archway, the door sliding down behind him.

The two Bajoran deputies what apprehended Tasmith stood roughly two meters apart in front of a holding cell. Contained behind an invisible humming forcefield was their prisoner. She was lying seductively atop the bench, her head leaning against her hand and her left leg resting atop her right. She seemed to not care that she was a prisoner. She had already brought despair to many.

He was not surprised to see that she was awake. Normally, the maximum stun setting on a phaser rendered a person unconcscious for an hour. But there were certain lifeforms that proved resistant and were only unconscious for fifteen minutes.

"You two, you're on break." said Alec. The two guards obeyed without question or hesitation. Whether it was out of respect and understanding or eagerness to get away from such a dangerous prisoner was irrelevant to him. There was a chair in one corner he pulled it to the front of the cell and sat in it backwards leaving against the back rest.

Tasmith watched him as he sat down, an eerie smirk on her face. "We meet again. I was wondering when you were going to come visit me."

Alec was not fooled by her soft tone. He knew better. "Enjoy it while it lasts because we won't be seeing each other ever again."

"Do you really think this quaint little cell will be able to hold me?" she asked with a giggle that bordered on girlish.

Alec twirled the scabbard in the fingers of his left hand. He wanted to make it seem as if he was uninterested. "Not really. And I'm even less confident in your warden's ability to watch over you. But that doesn't really matter now. I'm not going to be on this station much longer. And I'm willing to bet that a ship is on it's way here to transfer you to a holding facility. Killing an innocent man doesn't exactly earn you many friends in Starfleet."

Tasmith laughed at the memory of killing the officer who greeted her when she came through the airlock. There was no guilt or remorse present, only complete and total amusement. It sent chills up Alec's spine. "I wish they all squirmed like that." she said before laughing once more. "He looked like a fish out of water before I snapped his neck."

He found it hard to believe there could exist such a person. Killing for any other reason other than self defense was appalling to him. He even had a hard time fathoming that centuries ago there were numerous cold blooded murders on the streets of Earth each day. "Why did you kill him?"

Her laughter stopped dead. She stood up from her alluring pose and stepped towards the energy barrier, holding out her arms and leaning against the forcefield. "Because I could."

Alec heard nothing but sincerity in her voice. To think that anyone could justify murder simply because the opportunity was there almost made him sick to his stomach. He was beginning to regret his attempt to get inside the mind of a killer.

Tasmith stood erect, removing her hands from the forcefield. She placed a single index finger on it, running her finger along. "Rene has such a pretty face."

The tip of his katana's hilt hit the floor. His undivided attention was placed on the imprisoned huntress. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Her lips parted in a cruel smile. She sat back on the bench, lying down and rolling over onto her stomach, her legs arched back playfully over her backside. "Does Sonia look more like Rene? Or your mother? I can't decide."

"If you ever go near-"

"James definitely has your eyes, but his hair is more like Rene's natural color."

"I'm warning-"

"For twins, they sure don't look-"

Alec stood in a flash and flung the chair across the room crashing into a wall. Tasmith didn't bat an eye. At the sound of commotion the two guards came back in, hands on their phasers. He stepped closely to the forcefield, close enough that he could feel the energy tickling his skin, making his hair stand on end. "If you keep talking about my family, I will come inside that cell and kill you with my bare hands."

Tasmith rolled back over and perched herself on the edge of the bench, her palms face down on the surface at her sides. "Because you could."

No, it's not as simple as that. Maybe in your mind, but not mine. Alec backed away from the forcefield, his grips on his sword handle relaxing. He couldn't believe he had let her bait him like that. "You and I are nothing alike."

"Whether you accept it or not makes no difference to me." Laying lengthwise on her back, she held her hands out and looked at them curiously. "How long do you think it would take?"

"How long would what take?"

Her head turned slowly until heir eyes met. A smile forming once more. "For these hands to squeeze the life out of their tiny little throats."

Alec dropped his sword and rushed towards the control panel adjacent to the cell to deactivate the forcefield. The guards grabbed him by the arms before he could enter the command. Even over their protests he could hear the maniacal laugh of Tasmith. He finally stopped struggling and was released by the guards. After he picked up his sword he walked to the exit. He took one more look at her, she waved at him.