"So you mentioned that, you were on Yandera prime when you spoke with the Prophets.
What else can you tell me about your surroundings?"
Sisko placed his fingers together as he slumped over in his chair contemplatively gazing directly at her.
"There are valleys of green, the purest blue streams running through in various places and It is spring there, the gold looks like fire in contrast to the lavender petals of the blossoms that loosly clutch onto to the numerous trees."
"Spring, that always means new, they are either trying to tell you that this is a new message or it is simply a new meeting.
However the blossoms of gold and lavender petals seems allusive.
Are the colors gold and purple somehow significant to you?"
Odo decided to enlighten him.
"There is actually some considerable significance behind those unusual hues, Commander.
I could enlighten you on the subject but I'd have to ask my technical advisor first before I disclose such vital and personal information".
"Your technical advisor?
Hmmm... interesting...I wasn't aware you even had one."
"Allow me to introduce my official Technical Advisor, Ensign Taya Nollo, former inhabitant of Yandera Prime and former prisoner of war.
I'm not sure if you two have met and been properly introduced.
It's a big station, so it's easy to lose tracks of certain names and faces.
I myself at times overlook the obvious as well as the unseen.
So you needn't feel too bad about it".
"I don't believe I've had the pleasure.
I have to start off though to say how wonderful it is to meet you Taya.
I've heard so much about you and I've been greatly looking forward to meeting you but you'll have to excuse my impertinent negligence, I've been so preoccupied with all my duties on the station I haven't been able to get away and actually get a chance to meet with you.
Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Benjamin, Benjamin Sisko, former member of Star Fleet and former Captain of the USS Defiant.
I am of Earth, sadly I don't do any neat tricks like you do and even more unfortunate is I cannot change my shape at will like Constable Odo can but I like to count my blessings, I mean now that I'm officially the new Commander around here, I can actually help people.
I Love being a service to people.
So yes that's enough About me what about you?"
Sisko couldn't resist a good joke and Odo shook his head at the ridiculousness of his jests.
"The official Commander huh?
That's rich.
I thought I was the Commander around here, Benjamin".
Odo smugly chuckled at the notion.
"Perhaps I spoke prematurely but as much as I love a good joke, Odo, that wasn't really part of the joke.
I'm glad you called me here when you did because I just got done speaking with Kurland and he has decided to give up his post as Commander of this station. The truth is, he isn't coming back."
Odo stared at Sisko in horrified bewilderment.
"Before you get too excited Odo, he told me it just wasn't fair giving you all this responsibility, so I discussed with him how I was helping you lighten the load.
He asked if I enjoyed it and said Absolutely and then he was like When do you want to start?
So I told him whenever I can be reinstated back into the Commanders Chair.
So as of now I'm the new Commander.
I haven't been initiated yet so don't worry, we'll all have to process this for a little while before it becomes official.
I hope this doesn't displease you too much Constable".
"Oh no... I'm far from displeased, I'm relieved actually.
It was all way too much responsibility for me anyway.
I think it's fitting that you should take the commander seat again and frankly I wouldn't know any man that's more well suited for the job in fact."
"Thank you Odo.
You see that's why I keep him around, he's so polite and proper, always too the point, never beats around the bush, he's always orderly and punctual.
He always gives me the best compliments Taya, he flatters me so much, I just have to look at him and I have that sudden boost of confidence."
"Flattery is never enough, Commander.
I suppose I should congratulate you on the so called new position you've been given recently.
Will there be a award ceremony by any chance?"
"Yes and unfortunately there will be a speech but not by me, I want you to do it this time, Odo.
Your speeches tend to be more concrete, direct, short and concise.
I doubt you want to listen to me ramble about my time in Academy or about how I compared Life to Baseball with my Son Jake.
I know I tend to carry on aimlessly and idly, I ramble, I know this.
I see you all sigh and roll your eyes when I announce I'm going to make a speech.
I'm not that oblivious.
Why would you want to listen to an old man praise himself for his own accomplishments?
There's simply be no sense in it, so I want you to make the speech".
"Thank you, Commander.
I don't know what to say except that I'd be honored to make the speech for your reinstatement ceremony sir".
"Good, I look forward to hearing it and you young lady, I suppose you might want to hear this speech of his when the time comes".
"Yes, of course, sir.
I'd love hear it.
Is that a invitation I hear?"
"You bet your bottom dollar it is.
Everyone on staff is invited every Star Fleet and Bajoran personnel included.
Now I suppose we should get back to the matter at hand.
Odo you were about to consult your official technical advisor here."
"Yes, Taya, I hope you don't mind if I disclose certain pieces of information with the Commamder.
Information regarding the repair of a particular holodeck."
"Permission Granted Constable".
"Well I'm glad that's settled.
Go on".
Sisko seemed amused by his own cleverness.
"I assigned my technical advisor recently to repair a certain holodeck, It was abandoned, the Systems were still online but only to the main power due to technical negligence.
She succeeded in this assignment with flying colors yet again, of course, like she always does but it's the way she repaired it that was so unusual.
There was this display of gold and lavender light, the light repaired everything it touched.
This strange light had a peculiar and pattern and shape.
The shape appeared to be some sort of rare flower, the petals would spin and then they would divide as they did so.
The energy appeared to be made of some undiscovered plasma, yet that wasn't what was so concerning, what was concerning is I witnessed her control this unknown energy and this energy didn't just repair the Holodeck, it completely recreated it.
Recreate is not the right word, Commander, it all began with a simple modification yet after listening to a few of my suggestions, she invented something in the process and I saw her bring it to life".
Odo's voice was strained, almost frustrated as he desperately tried to grasp what had just happened so he could accurately describe it to Siskom
"So if recreate is not the word perhaps you could elaborate on what you mean by the term "Bring to life".
Sisko was now even more intrigued but as fascinated as he was he kept his demeanor calm and collective.
"There were pieces that needed to placed inside in order for the modification to be completed but somehow she was able to bring forth these pieces, she summoned them into existence and I saw them materialize right before my very eyes Commander".
"Aw...I think now I understand.
Are you either of you familiar with the Project Genesis?"
Sisko decided to stretch his legs by slinking over to the replicator and to order him himself a Raktajino.
"I've only read about it but yes I suppose I've heard about it in a way".
Odo appeared impatient as he said this.
"Wasn't that the project that Captain James T. Kirk was involved with?"
Taya's expressions was mildly disturbed but her eyes flooded with a fresh flow of interest.
"Yes one in the same.
It was a project that almost cost his career and his very life.
Although in all honesty Kirk had no real hands on involvement, he was merely a bystander until he had what he thought to be a brilliant idea, he decided to use this invention for the benefit of Star Fleet and Federation, he took over the project but it came at a price.
The research team wasn't happy since they had managed the project fine without him for years and this particular group of scientists did not like the idea of anyone let alone Star Fleet using this device as a weapon.
You see this invention was designed to create new life but that was just one side of the coin, if the device was placed in a area that was already inhabited by life, it would then destroy the life that was there just so it could be replaced.
The device was eventually destroyed but that was only after qwitnessing the death of his closest friend Spock and then having to bury his only son David.
Spock was eventually revived by the energy that was left over from the Genesis device but his son never returned to the land of the living."
"Is there a point to this melancholy story, Sisko?"
Odo was getting more and more impatient by the minute.
"When you told me she brought things to life it reminded of Project Genesis and it got me thinking if you can create new Life, Taya, is there a price you have to pay in order to do that?
In otherwords can this miraculous power you possess destroy life as well as summon it into existence?"
"So you think I'll destroy the station is that what you're saying?"
"No, I don't think you would but is it possible if you weren't careful?"
Sisko had a delicate touch to his tone.
Taya wanted to cry but she knew now was not a opportune time.
She felt a sharp jab of dread pound her chest.
She tried not to take this so personally but it hurt to think that not even Sisko trusted her.
"Taya, you must understand that Sisko isn't accusing you of anything.
You aren't in any kind of trouble.
He's just weighing out the possibilities.
He is going to be the new Commander and he needs to make note of every possible danger no matter how unlikely the scenario may be.
This is part of his job, it is his job to make these inquiries of you, it is his business to know the truth of everyone on this station."
"I thought it was your job, Constable?"
Taya's eyes bled with venomous tears.
"It is my job and my duty to uncover the truth of everyone aboard this station as well, Taya.
I'm the Chief of Security, so It is my job to be nosy, suspicious and inquisitive.
Now you can take this wrong way and act as if this is a personal attack on your character and current reliability or you can calmly awnser all of our questions with the utmost honesty without wasting your energy on defensive behavior."
Odo was doing his best not to come across as disapprovingly negative, he kept his voice level so it wouldn't intimidate her in any way.
"I'm not being defensive, I'm actually insulted that either of you would think I would do anything to sabotage this station."
"Taya, that is besides the point.
Odo is right, we aren't accusing you of anything and we both know you would never intentionally sabotage anything aboard this station.
I'm only asking you if there is another side to this coin so to speak.
Is there a possibility that there is a destructive side effect to the modifications that you are making to the station?
It's a simple yes or no question, Taya.
Don't make it anymore complicated than it needs to be, Taya".
"You don't understand what you're asking Commander.
You've asked me several loaded questions, that literally could compromise my position on this station.
If I give you one wrong answer, you may end up sending me away and I don't want to leave, just yet, I've come to far to get here to be thrown to the wind again.
Do you have any idea how long I've been hoping to come here?
Do you know how many years I've waited to step foot onto this station?
I've dreamed of coming here everyday of my life.
Coming here was the only reason I didn't decide to take my own life.
Coming here was the only thing that kept me alive all those years on Cardassia.
I survived interrogation after interrogation, merely scraping through my existence, never living for myself, if I was living at all, I lived with half a soul, I buried my heart in those hot sands so I wouldn't have to hurt but nothing helped, nothing stoppped the pain.
I came here so I could live for myself and not just exist,I came here to claim my soul and to dig up my heart that I thought I left on Cardassian.
I found that my heart was here all along.
Deep Space 9 is my home, since I have no home to go to now.
I have no family to speak of, no distant relatives I can stay with and there are no friends waiting for me out in that vast exspanse of stars.
So forgive me if I complicate your words Commander.
I have a lot at stake if I answer you incorrectly".
"That's just it, there is no incorrect answer.
This isn't a quiz or a questionaire nor is this a interrogation.
We just want to know Taya, will your power bring an end to all worlds like Project Genesis almost did?"
"Commander, I think you're only making it worse.
All Your questions have done so far is complicate things even further.
She didn't come here for this.
She came for your help, Commander."
"Oh really? So I suppose you could do better?"
Sisko flashed a forced smile in his direction.
"That's not quite what I meant but yes I could always do better, better than you anyways.
What I meant is you are overwhelming her Commander, you are scaring her Sisko.
She came here for our protection, instilling fear into her just to get specific information isn't working and it certainly isn't helping either".
"Alright, I see your point.
Then what do you suggest we do?"
"For starters stop treating her like she's some kind of weapon.
She's not a doomsday device, Commander, she was merely completing a task I assigned for her to do, she was following orders Sisko, not plotting to sabotage the whole station.
The only reason she performed those modifications on the holodeck was because I asked her to.
Then you start rambling about some ancient doomday device that Kirk literally had nothing to do with.
It's not very reassuring or encouraging for her or for anybody else in this room for the matter.
Now as much as I'd love to hash it out with you right now, Commander, I have other things I need to attend to, so I'll be leaving you two alone and I expect you two to be civil towards one another.
No arguing, no heated debates, no drawn out history lessons and please no discussions about Project Genesis.
There will be no questions regarding that forgotten piece of history and there will be no further questions about death, destruction and fallen worlds.
This means you are not to ask her any in depth questions regarding how destructive her powers could be in the future.
I have this whole place completely monitored, I've placed so many listening devices around this room, I doubt you'll be able to find them all and the camera's are so well hidden that you'll probably need a tricorder to even detect any of them at all.
So please don't try anything funny.
If you do I assure you that before the day is out I will know all about it.
You may be the Commander of this station but she still answers to me and she will follow my orders and abide by my rules, not by yours or by the standard regulations of Star Fleet.
She's under Bajoran Jurisdiction now, she has a Bajoran Rank and she even wears the Bajoran uniform to prove it.
So please don't abuse my bajoran staff members, don't harass my employees and I'm sure we'll all get along just fine".
"Understood Constable.
I wasn't intending to abuse or harass any of your staff or employees Odo.
I'll drop it for now if it makes you feel any better.
It's a sensitive subject, I get it, I told you I ramble. It's a problem that has struck me in my old age it seems".
"Old age doesn't seem to have struck you yet, Sisko.
At least your memory is still fully operational.".
"Yes it could be worse.
So are you heading up to Operations, Odo?"
"Yes, I will eventually.
I'd like to stay a little longer if you don't mind."
Odo leaned against the archway entrance of his office, crossing his arms regally as if he was unimpressed by Sisko's performance so far.
However his eyes were intensely fixated on Sisko as if he didn't trust him enough to leave him alone with Taya.
"And just what are you waiting for now, Odo?"
"I want to make sure you'll behave yourself."
"Why am I here again?"
Sisko gazed over at Taya who was ignoring the both of them for the time being, her back was facing them and she stood cradling her arm, in attempts to comfort herself and hopefully calm herself down.
"Taya, Why are you trembling?"
Taya dazedly peered around the room, she gaped in confoundment for she saw the room was completely empty.
"Taya you're trembling.
Why do you tremble so?"
The voice was not Odo's, it was not Sisko's, it was the voice of an old friend, a friend that had abandoned her long ago back on Cardassia.
"Gul Dukat."
The sting of pain put a tragic strain on her voice.
The voice was arrogant and aristocratic, it had a humorous sort of superiority yet beneath all that manglomania was a tragic edge.
She'd heard the sad hum of his Pagh, she'd felt the strange luke warm aura of sadness that emanated from his soul.
She had been drawn to his sadness but seeing him stand before her just triggered a deep rage she had buried beneath the sands of Cardassia.
"Your hands tremble, your hands are surprisingly warm, everyday you avoid my gaze, you can never look me in the eyes it seems.
Do I frighten you, Taya?"
"I'm confused what are you doing here?"
"I often wished we had met under far more pleasant circumstances.
I wish we had met before the occupation, perhaps before the war, yet here we are bound together by the bloods of war.
It is almost romantic the way we weave in and out, a subtle game of cat and mouse, the moment I think I've caught you, you bear your teeth to reveal you are a lion.
You are not the same tragicaly dazed and confused little girl I brought to my home from the blood ridden wreckage of Yandera Prime.
You've grown since then, you've grown stronger, far stronger than Madred ever anticipated."
"I don't understand why you're here. Why won't you answer me?"
"Why don't you answer me, Taya?
You aren't that skinny terrified child anymore Taya so why do you tremble before me?"
"I know where you're going with this. I remember now.
You find out that I'm in love with you, you pretend to love me and then you go to love another.
Although you already loved another to begin with.
You have loved many before you even met me.
You loved Nerys, you loved Tora, Tiyal's mother and you loved Athra your wife long before that.
So I know you never loved me.
How could I compete with all those women Dukat?
I never gave myself to you because I knew you'd never love me in the way I loved you.
It was a mere infatuation anyway. If you want to know why I tremble, it's because I'm angry.
You broke me Dukat, I was already broken but you broke what little hope I had left.
I thought you'd be my way out but you never came back Dukat.
You never came back to rescue me".
"Yet you came back for me in the end and so here I am coming back to you. I broke your heart yet your heart has mended has it not?
You thought I was your last hope but your hope has shifted to another.
Who is this new hope?"
"It is Bajor, Dukat. I am of Bajor."
"Bajor gave you hope? After all these years you were pining for Bajor?
Bajor is a people that were destined to be ruled.
They signed off on peace and then they dug their own graves just to keep that peace.
You don't bury your head in the sand, you don't keep peace at the cost of your life, you fight with claw and tooth and with every weapon you've got against cruelty and injustice.
You don't break under pressure, you break those that try to break you.
You are not of Bajor, you are of Cardassia".
"No I am not of Cardassia.
I never was and I never will be.
Cardassia is your home, it is your comfort, it was never mine.
You took my home from me, you took my freedom and now you want my mind as well?"
"Your mind was always your own.
Madred should have known that.
I never took your freedom, Taya.
Madred did, I did everything I could that was in my power to free you Taya, but the counsel, the courts and the all the magistrates, they wouldn't listen.
I even offered them money but there was no amount of bribes that would change their minds.
After Madred found out about your little gifts, he wouldn't even allow me to take the problem back to the courts.
I did my best Taya but Madred was stronger and far more powerful.
I never meant to rob you of your home and your family.
It was a casualty, a casualty that has weighed heavily upon my soul for many years.
That is why I showed you such kindness, I knew you had very little comfort in your life.
You know Athra was this close to adopting you, she was terribly upset when she found out that it wasn't possible.
You could have been my child, my very own daughter if it weren't for Madred."
"So you only showed me kindness out of mere pity for my predicament.
You were kind because you pitied me.
Admit it Dukat!"
"It wasn't guilt that drove me to take you in, it wasn't guilt that drove me to pay for your education at the Vulcan Academy!
It was not guilt that drove me to send you to Bajor on all those summer months!
I gave you escape, I gave you food and shelter, I gave you your education, Taya!
I trusted you, Taya.
I trusted you with Tiyal.
You never once betrayed, not even under torture or under pain of death, you kept Tiyal a secret and I commend you for that. What you did in that interrogation room, was very noble, you performed beautifully under pressure, Taya.
I have to say I admire you for your relentless strength.
Garak reported to me that you had never cracked once during a interrogation session.
He was impressed by your ability to withstand incredible amounts of pain.
You were Invincible Taya.
Your recovery rate was always astonishing.
I heard over 10 Cardassians had to subdue you, just so you could be dragged to the interrogation chair.
You broke bones, you drew blood, some I hear still bare the scars you gave them during those long grueling interrogation sessions."
"Enough, Dukat.
What are you doing here?
Are you a hallucination or is this just my brain trying to make sense of what happened in my past?"
"It's neither, Taya.
This isn't a hallucination or a subconscious mental tactic.
This is real.".
"Then you're really here?"
Taya dryly chuckled as she looked him dead on in the face with cruel incredulity.
"No, I'm not really here, Taya, I am nearby though.
What does the term Synaptic Stimulator mean to you?"
"Do you mean a Synaptic Transmitter?"
"One and the same Taya".
Dukat smiled in that sickeningly smug way.
"Why are you using a synaptic transmitter to contact me? Couldn't you just hail me when I'm actually alone in my quarters?"
"So you have quarters.
Thank the gods, I was afraid you would be arrested or lost out in space somehow.
I've been searching for you, Taya.
This is the first breakthrough I've had in months."
"Why are you searching for me, Dukat?"
"I'm searching for you in hopes that I'll find you before Madred does.
Madred has been tracking you. Taya.
I couldn't just hail you without knowning your exact coordinates and even if I knew your exact location, hailing you through any average communication systems could prove to be far too compromising and extremely dangerous. So I had to reach you this way.
You showed me how to make this device, you invented it, so I used your ingenious little invention to contact you".
"So you're here to warn me?"
"Yes, but I was also hoping you'd return with me".
"Return with you where?"
"Return with me to where it's safe.
Look Taya, I don't know where you are but I highly doubt that you are safe.
Are you safe right now Taya?
Can you promise me that you'll be safe not just now but in the future?"
"I can't promise anything right now, Dukat, but if you were so concerned for my safety why did you abandon me on Cardassia".
"After Ziyal, I lost everything, my wife, my children, Tora and eventually even Tiyal herself.
Now I am alone, Taya.
I have no one, no friends, no family and currently no allies.
I'm like you, Taya.
I need you, I need someone to keep me company, hopefully someone who can love me.
Please don't refuse me, Taya.
I'm far too desperate".
"You know if you'd come to me 5 years ago, I would have said yes but Dukat there is no temptation left, there isn't even any love left for you. So no I can't go with you, not now and not after all that's happened".
"What do you mean, Taya?
What's happened?
Oh I see, you love another.
Who is he?"
"There is no one I love Dukat.
I only love myself now, yet as for others, I don't think I'll ever love again. Love is too complicated anyway. I'm sorry Dukat, I don't mean to be a disappointment to you but I'm choosing myself this time.
I've lived for others, I lived for you, I lived for everyone but now it is time to live for myself and for Bajor".
"So you're saying that you're living on Bajor?
Which province?"
"There is no province, I'm not anywhere near Bajor.
I'm not even on a planet."
"So you're either on a ship or a space station. Which is it Taya?"
"I thought you said you were nearby.
If you're nearby you'll know where to find me".
"Taya please, give me your coordinates.
I need get to you before Madred does.
If he discoverers where you are first, he will destroy everyone on board, there will be no survivors. You must understand he'll kill everyone in his way just to get to you.
Don't be foolish and just give me your coordinates.
I promise I will protect you."
"No, I don't want to run this time, Dukat and I don't want to live in hiding with you.
It would be even more foolish to live the rest of my life running and hiding from those that wish me harm.
I'm not a coward like you Dukat".
"Wait, Taya...Tiyal is gone, don't you understand, she's gone, gone forever."
"You no doubt could have saved her like you could have saved me from Madred.
Tiyal never asked to be your daughter yet she loved you and she trusted just like I have and just look where it got us.
Don't try to reach me again Dukat, I'm done with you and I'm done with Cardassia.
Goodbye Dukat, I hope you find happiness and peace.
I hope you stay alive as well.
Send my respects to Tiyal.
She will be greatly missed".
Dukat's Synaptic Transmitter started to spark and burn, he snapped off the device, throwing it onto to the floor of his Cardassian vehicle.
"Whatever is the matter, Dukat?
Why is my device on the floor?"
Garak stepped in while huddling over to examine the severely damaged device that be noticed was presently smoking ever so slightly.
"She broke connection with me.
She did so by destroying the device itself.
It was burning me, so I had no choice but to toss it on the floor.
Can you make another one by the way?"
"I'll see what I can do.
She didn't by any chance say where she was before she completely severed communications with you, now did she?"
"That's the infuriating part.
She spoke in riddles.
She claimed she was of Bajor.
I asked her which province she was in she said there was none, she wasn't even on Bajor in the first place.
So the only thing I can establish is she's either on a Bajoran vessel or a Bajoran run Station".
Garak's abnormally large eyes illuminated with a fresh fervous zeal.
"Did you say a Bajoran run station?"
Garak was gleeful at this little tidbit of information.
"Yes I did. Why?
Stop smiling like that Garek, It's unsettling, just go ahead and tell me, you know I hate being kept in suspense".
"What would you say if I told you that I know exactly where she is right now at this very moment?"
"I'm listening.
Really, I'm very intrigued".
"I shan't keep you in suspense any longer, so don't you worry about that.
I know you see her as being a strong, noble, almost invincible individual and that's just it, she's almost invincible, emphasis on Almost, if you will.
She may keep your secrets under extreme interrogation but as far as keeping her own secrets, let's just say she could do better.
She was very young at the time, so I really can't blame her but she did mention a few things to me during her interrogation sessions.
I kept such information to myself of course, since personal goals and fantasies were not vital to my investigation at the time.
She often would say certain word, certain names such as Jadzia, Anslem, Sisko, O'Brian, Nerys and my personal favorite Odo Ital.
So from what I've gathered from those names there is only one place she could be right now.
She's on Terok Nor".
"Terok Nor? Do you mean Deep Space 9?"
Dukat stared at him quizzically.
"Precisely.
She used to repeat these names over and over again during her interrogation sessions.
It must have been some mental tactic to keep her mind occupied, a distraction from the interrogations themselves I'm sure.
When she claimed she was of Bajor, she was merely telling you that is now currently working under Bajoran jurisdiction."
"Working, I thought she was only living under their law.
What makes you think she's working under them?"
"You probably aren't aware of this but when you Left Cardassia, she reverted to a state of madness.
Eventually she wouldn't even react to any of our interrogation methods.
She'd sit there, smile and hum to herself.
She never mentioned those names ever again but on her spare time she'd write furiously about her desperate desires to leave for Deep Space 9.
She wrote page after page about her longings and constant pinings to live on that station, there was however a sort of peculiar madness that set in, particularly while she was writing, she seemed to have a rather unhealthy and over fixated obsession with a certain member that worked on Deep Space 9.
You remember Constable Odo Ital?"
"Of course how could I forget?
That face alone is enough to haunt your memories for a whole eternity.
You say she was obsessed with him.
Why would she be so obsessed with that monstrosity?"
"I don't think you'd be happy if I told you about it sir.
The writings were quite graphic and rather intimate by nature".
"Intimate? Do you mean sexual?"
"Yes that would be a better of putting it sir."
"So my girl happens to have a sexual obsession with a shape shifter.
How very quaint.
It's simply fantastic.
Oh dear this is very inconvenient but it may work to our advantage.
Tell me is the good constable still stationed on Deep Space 9?"
"Unfortunately, last I heard he was reinstated to his usual post on DS9. He still remains to be the Head Cheif of Security on the station."
"Dammit! Oh well, do you still have that stasis field device?"
"No, not at the moment sir but I could always make another, that is if I had the necessary parts to build it".
"I'll see what I can do Garak, in the mean time I'll set the coordinates for Deep Space 9.
Don't wander off too far, you never know I might need you".
"Of course sir, anything to help you, Dukat".
"Save it, Garak, save it for when you actually get reinstated to the Obsidian Order".
"But we both know that will never happen sir".
"Oh I know very well, Garak that's why I said that because I don't want you using flattery on me ever again".
"Whatever you say sir.
I don't really much care to flatter you anyway.
I'd much prefer to interrogate you for several hours instead."
"Dream on, Garak.
Funnily enough I've had the same fantasy about you".
"Really? What a coincidence.
I am glad we both have that understanding with one another.
I feel the air clearing Right now as we speak".
"If you keep talking I may resort to clearing more than the air with you.
What I'd really like to clear away is your broken and bloody body from off this bridge.
So keep it up, I love when I get to take part in clean up duty".
"Understood sir".
Garak smiled and then let his face drop to a angry grimace.
Garak knew then that he had to somehow thwart Dukat's plans.
Why was I such a fool to reveal those interrogation sessions to him?
Why did I even mention the writing?
The writings weren't even about him, at least not specifically.
They were only stories, romantic stories about shape shifters.
The rest were either dreams or were just details recounts of her encounters with him.
She wasn't mad, she was angry, but her mind was still intact from what I could tell.
It was the augment that did it.
Madred insisted we use that augment.
She was already powerful enough.
I told him that but he insisted having that put in place.
He claimed it wouldn't amplify anything at all but rather it would inhibit her.
It did for a time but afterwards it just created more problems.
She started writing like crazy, she would often bleed profusely
from her nasal cavity.
Then other people started bleeding in a similar manner.
I myself was even feeling the effects of her rage. She got so angry that eventually She broke that inhibitor.
There was no controlling her.
Madred should have never used any kind of technology to control her with.
I told him she was immune to technological devices but he once again didn't listen.
So what if she wrote errotia regarding Changelings?
Her writing was the just about only form of entertainment she had.
She wrote all those things to keep her mind off all the torture Madred put her through.
It was a defense mechanism.
She most likely has no feelings for the Constable.
I don't intend on putting him through polaran stasis again, not like before.
He nearly died, I can't do that again.
I thought I could withstand it but I couldn't, not when I saw him withering away right in front of me.
I know I'll sabotage the device.
I'll make it so that the device will shut down after a certain allotted time.
Maybe I can make it self destruct, internally of course.
I refuse to harm the Constable again in any way.
Better yet I'll delay Dukat.
I don't want him dragging her back to Cardassia.
She's suffered enough.
Why can't he leave her in peace?
Meanwhile Odo deserves to know that there is a attempt on his life.
I can't go to him just yet, not even in secret.
How can I contact him without alerting Dukat of my intentions?
Who can I send the message with?
How could I be so stupid?
I can contact Taya, Of course.
I'll scramble the signal and erase any records regarding my hailing history.
I have the coordinates so I'm sure it won't be too much trouble.
Garak schemed in his silence as he watched Dukat manually enter the coordinates into the computer system.
