After several hours of play, the only three left were the Edosian dealer, Zatara, and one very stubborn Vulcan male. Zatara looked at her cards.

"Logically," the Vulcan said, "based on the cards dealt, the total left in the well, and the position we're in, you would be best served by retreating."

He then pushed his remaining latinum onto the table

Zatara smiled, "Logic. That's why Vulcans are always terrible at card games. Confront."

Zatara pushed her latinum, significantly less than his, into the pot.

The Vulcan's eyes widened the slightest bit, but he unceremoniously revealed his cards. Zatara revealed hers, which beat his hand soundly.

The Vulcan stood, "Congratulations," he said and walked away.

The Edosian dealer laughed and said, "Wow, that is the most dedicated I have ever seen anyone be to eliminating everyone at the table."

"Well," Zatara said, "I wanted a moment alone with you, Dr. Re Razib"

"With me?" he asked, "Now what would a Cardassian spy masquerading as a Federation commander want with me?"

"Spy?" She asked, lacing her voice with practiced surprise, "What makes you think I'm a spy?"

Razib pulled a bottle from beneath the table and uncorked it. As soon as he did, Zatara could smell the alcohol.

"There is exactly one Cardassian in Starfleet, and he is neither female nor an albino," He answered.

Zatara again feigned surprise, "Oh, so you think you know every member of Starfleet?"

Razib took a long pull from his bottle, "No, just all the ones who, like me, aren't members of the Federation and thus had to be sponsored to earn a commission."

Zatara scoffed, "There are hundreds of us, you can't possibly know who we all are."

"There are fifty-three of us, I do know them all, and you're not one of us," he said, "In fact, there's only one Edosian besides myself actively serving, and he works for Division 14."

"Well, if you're correct," She said, "Then when you check Starfleet records on me later, you won't find that an exiled Cardassian named Lacil Nasik defected to the Federation eighteen years ago. You also won't find that she was sponsored into Starfleet, moved quickly up the ranks to reach commander, was kept well away from the Cardassian front during the war, only to be brought in as a liaison when Cardassia finally turned against the Dominion."

Razib put his left and right arms behind his back while his center hand rested on the table, drumming his fingers. "That still doesn't answer my question," he said, "What do you want with me?"

"I'm putting together a special team," she answered, "We have a classified mission, and we need the best."

"Hm. It's not in my nature to trust the word 'classified'," he said, "Especially when coming from a Cardassian."

"And what does my race have to do with it?" Zatara asked indignantly.

The Edosian leaned in close, so close that Zatara could somehow smell the holographic cigar on his breath, "You humanoids tend to be very self centric. Not all of us see the universe like you do."

Not knowing what to say to that, Zatara moved on, "Regardless, I need someone with your creativity and skills."

Razib straightened up, staring down at her suspiciously. He took a long pull from his cigar and asked, "What do you know about my creativity and skills?"

Zatara leaned back in her chair, idly playing with her strips of latinum. "I know you were responsible for a rather unique delivery method for a cure to a disease caused by a biogenic weapon on Volan III."

"Revolutionary is what I'd call it," he responded, "Precision targeting of long range hyposprays to open a window for us. Not a lot of doctors or engineers would have thought to-" he stopped mid sentence.

He took another long pull from his cigar. "Oh, you're good," he said, "You're very good."

Zatara merely opened her hands and bobbed her head slightly in a small imitation of a bow.

"Ex Obsidian Order?" he asked.

Zatara shrugged, "I suppose at this point it would be useless to deny it."

Razib pulled the cigar from his mouth with his center hand, "Useless because I'm right, or useless because I wouldn't believe you."

Zatara stood, "Look, you clearly don't trust me. If anyone can understand that, it's a Cardassian in a Starfleet uniform. But do your checking. Commander Lacil Nasik. I'm still technically assigned as a liaison to the Cardassian government, but you'll find my assigned ship is the runabout Nile, which is presently docked here at bay D twenty-four."

The Edosian rubbed his chin with his right hand, "You are certainly giving me a lot of information up front."

Zatara turned to leave, "That I am," she said over her shoulder, "That I am. I'll see you tomorrow."

Zatara walked through the runabout airlock and onto the bridge. Meps wasn't there. She tapped her comm badge, "Kalces to Meps."

"Meps here," came the response, "I'm in the ward room."

Zatara tapped the badge again to close the channel and headed to the back of the runabout. When she walked in, she could see dozens of PADDs on the table. Meps sat on the couch against the wall, studying them.

"What's all this?" she asked.

Meps looked up, "Our first mission. I know you were friends with Jadzia Dax, but were you ever close with Ezri Dax?"

Zatara chuckled, "No. She tried, but she was too young, too naive."

"Well," he said, looking to the PADD in his hand again, "I kind of wish you had. Her family business is at the heart of our task."

Zatara sat on the couch caddy corner to the one he was on, "What do you mean? What business?"

Meps smiled, "Ezri's family are, or at least were, mining magnates. They were pushed out of the top five of pergium mining companies in just the last few years. Right now, due to the Orion Syndicate and a family scandal, they're on the brink of collapse. Section 31 would like us to prevent that."

Zatara scoffed, "What are we going to do, offer them a business loan?"

"Nothing so mundane," Meps said casually, "We're going to kill the leader of their main competition."

"Wait, really?" Zatara said in disbelief.

Without looking at her, Meps nodded, "Yes. This is actually the culmination of several operations. The Ferengi corporation is unstable thanks to various efforts by section 31. When we assassinate their leader, they'll be forced to sell off assets at record low prices. One of those assets will be their mining interests. The Tigan family, Ezri's family, will be encouraged to buy those interests, which will make them the largest producer of pergium in the sector."

Zatara shrugged, "Why does it matter which company has the bulk of the mining of, what was it?"

"Pergium," Meps answered, "It's one of the most versatile substances in the galaxy. It's used in environmental filters, power plants, you name it. The Tigan family is, being Trill, sympathetic to the Federation. The Ferengi are not."

"Okay," Zatara responded, "But you promised I'd be helping Cardassia."

Meps looked at her and smiled, "The Federation needs that pergium to fulfill its promises, promises engorged by Section 31's influence, that have already been approved by congress and only require the president's signature."

"Sloan was serious?" she asked no one.

Meps answered anyway, "Yes. Believe it or not, but the advancement of relief and reduction of suffering is a core tenet of Section 31. The Vulcans are fond of saying 'The Needs of the Many Outweigh the Needs of the Few', but how many are actually willing to truly live that. Because that's Section 31's entire mission statement."

There was a long silence as Zatara took in this information. This shook her entire view of the Federation to its core. She, like most Cardassians, had thought of the Federation as self-righteous moralizers who had no idea how life really worked.

"Get some sleep," he said, "We have a long day tomorrow."

"A long day of what?" Zatara asked.

Meps Smirked, "A long day of fleecing young officers."

Re Razib sat at the computer in his quarters aboard the USS Kentaji A which was docked at Starbase K Seven.

Looking over the records he could find, Commander Lacil Nasik was indeed on the up and up. Which made everything even more suspicious. If this were indeed a classified mission endorsed by Starfleet, why the 'recruitment'? Why not just assign him to it. Also, no commendations, but also no reprimands. A perfectly acceptable officer. Especially for someone who supposedly moved quickly up the ranks. This reeked of planted information. The rub was that the coded engrams were authentic, meaning it had to be a ridiculously resourceful spy or someone high up in Starfleet.

All was not as it seemed.