Zatara watched as her adopted brother, Elim Garak, spoke with Dr. Bashir. Garak had always had a certain affection for the man. She never knew why he didn't say something.

Eventually, he parted company with the doctor and met her at the door.

"That goodbye was hard for you," she said as they began walking down the hall.

"Leave it alone," he said.

"Why didn't you ever say anything to him?" she asked as if she hadn't heard him.

"Leave it alone," he answered, his tone slightly more forceful.

"You two had lunch together every day-"

"My Dear Sister," Garak said, stopping and turning fully to her, "Leave. It. Alone."

Zatara smiled affectionately and nodded. Elim put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry about Damar," he said, real sympathy leaking into his voice.

Zatara expertly hid her emotions, putting on a neutral expression, "He was a passing fling. His death is more of a tragedy to Cardassia. He would have been a great leader."

Elim smiled and squeezed her shoulder in a way that showed he didn't believe her. Then he turned and walked down the hall.

*Several Days Later*

Cardassia was recovering. Despite the devastation to her industrial centers, despite the destruction of her cities, despite the number of her children dead numbering in the billions, Cardassia was recovering. It would take years, maybe generations, but Cardassia would recover.

Zatara told this to herself every morning. It helped her cope as, while having been on the landing party that eventually wrested control of her homeworld away from the Dominion, since then it had felt like she had done nothing for her people.

It was early yet. She knew that she might find her place in this new populace driven government. While the Obsidian Order was well and truly dead, there had to be work for someone with her talents and skills.

One fateful morning that felt like any other, she awoke, bathed, made herself presentable, and walked into her living room to see a human clothed entirely in black sitting in what was rapidly becoming her favorite chair.

"Good morning, Zatara," he said, a smug smile on his face.

"Good morning," she replied as she edged toward the small potted plant sitting in the window of her modest home.

The human held up a phaser in two fingers. "If you're looking for this," he said, "Well, I want to have a conversation."

"Actually," she said, "I'm looking for this." And with that, she pulled a second hidden phaser from the end table below the window. Because she wasn't in as favorable a position, the human had time to dive from the chair before her shot hit home. He rolled behind her couch, out of her view. In the tense moment of indecision, her front door slid open. Only one person on Cardassia besides her could open her door uninvited.

"Elim, watch out!" she shouted.

Garak moved to the side, hiding as much of himself as he could behind the door frame.

"Who's there," he called.

"Garak, it's Sloan," the human said.

Garak came fully into view, looking as indignant as ever.

"Are you serious?" he asked, "I told you that I needed to speak to her first. You're lucky she didn't kill you."

"Elim," Zatara called, her voice laced with confusion and a hint of desperation, "What the hell is going on?"

"Zatara, put the phaser down," Garak said, "You need to hear what this human has to say."

Twenty minutes later, Zatara glared over her glass of Kanar at the audacious human in her home. Sloan looked back, his expression carefully neutral. Garak, for his part, gave his most disarming smile as he looked between the two.

"Well," he said, "Despite getting off on the wrong foot-"

"He broke into my home, Elim." Zatara interrupted coldly.

Sloan raised an eyebrow, "That's quite the objection from a former member of the Obsidian Order."

Zatara's eyes narrowed, "You're lucky to be alive."

"I concede that," he answered with a nod, "I underestimated you. I apologize."

Zatara set down her glass. "For underestimating me, or for breaking in?"

Sloan let the question hang without an answer. After several tense seconds, Garak finally spoke.

"Zatara, my Dear Sister-"

"DON'T 'MY DEAR SISTER' ME, ELIM!" It wasn't quite a yell, but it commanded silence. "You're making deals behind my back? Deals with the Federation?"

Garak held up a hand, "Nothing could be further from the truth. Zatara, this man approached me with an arrangement that I believe will be very good for Cardassia. I know that you want to help our people, and this is a way that I believe you can. I had intended on speaking to you first, but," he glanced at Sloan, "Our friend here got a little over zealous."

Sloan opened his hands and shrugged, "I will admit that the 'show up in a chair and present the hidden weapon you were going for' move may be a bit overdone. In my defense, I usually get more than two sentences in."

Zatara took a long drink from her glass of Kanar. "I think you'd better start explaining yourselves."

Garak nodded, "Two days ago, Sloan reached out to me about a possible exchange that would help with the rebuilding of Cardassia. His organization can move goods and materials, discreetly, with very little cost to us."

"What's the catch," she asked.

Sloan leaned forward, "The catch is you."

Zatara looked between them. "Me?" she asked.

"My organization is recruiting," Sloan said, "And frankly, you're a perfect candidate. Former Obsidian Order, trained by the great Enabran Tain, expert in covert operations and loyal to the people of Cardassia. While Mr. Garak also fits those qualifications, he's far too publicly known, having taken a leadership position."

Garak reached out to touch her on the knee, "Not to mention the unfortunate stigma you face here on Cardassia."

She looked away from him.

"Stigma?" Sloan asked.

"My albinism." she answered. Sloan looked genuinely surprised.

Garak withdrew his hand and looked at him, "A few of the more ignorant among our people hold that particular accident of birth in disdain."

"It's more than a few," Zatara said, the venom apparent in her voice.

"The point is," Garak said, turning back to her, "This is a chance to help Cardassia, a chance I know you desperately want."

Zatara sat quietly for a moment. She took another long drink, then looked Sloan in the eyes.

"I won't work against my own people," she said flatly.

Sloan leaned forward, almost excitedly. "Of course not," he said, "Quite the opposite. We have a vested interest in Cardassia's future. If the recovery of Cardassia is seen to be helped along by the Federation, Cardassia could become an extremely valuable ally, if not a future member world."

"I can't believe I'm considering working for the Federation." She practically spit the last word.

"Not exactly the Federation," came a voice from beside her. Zatara and Garak practically jumped out of their chairs as they saw the source of the voice. He had the telltale spots going down his face of a Trill, but other than that was overwhelmingly average. He was about 175 centimeters tall, average weight, brown eyes, with a remarkably forgettable, clean shaven face.

"More like Federation adjacent," he finished.

"Who the hell is this?" Garak asked.

Sloan held out a hand toward the Trill, "Meet Axon Meps. As you can see, he has a talent for going unnoticed." Then to the newcomer he said, "I was wondering when you were going to get here."

Meps raised an eyebrow, "I've actually been standing here since Miss Kalces asked you to explain yourself."

Sloan chuckled, "I see. Well, Miss Kalces, Meps here would be on your team. You would lead, but he would be responsible for reporting to command and laying out your missions."

Meps spoke up, "Your entire life would become covert."

Zatara scoffed, "I was a member of the Obsidian Order for years."

"I'm aware," Meps responded, "But this is a level of secrecy and compartmentalization that the Tal Shiar could only envy. I've been a member for years and I can still count on my fingers the number of people I've met in this organization. I'm actually very surprised that I've been asked to be on a team."

Sloan said, "Your identity would be purged from every data bank that's ever even gotten a glimpse of you. In a very real way, you won't exist. Your actions will look like the natural chaos of the galaxy."

Zatara was quiet for a long moment, considering.

"And how does this help Cardassia?" she finally asked.

Sloan relaxed into his chair, "My organization has a lot of influence in the Federation government. They are already considering aid to Cardassia. We'll make sure that aid is swift and robust. We'll also make sure it lasts. It will take decades to rebuild. We can cut that time down to years."

"I need to speak to my brother," she said, then glared at Meps, "Alone."

The Trill nodded. He walked toward the front door as Sloan stood and followed.

Zatara poured another glass of Kanar, leaned back in her chair, and looked at Garak.

"You can't be serious, Elim." she scoffed.

"Oh but I am, Zatara. Look, I know it sounds crazy. But you, of all people, should know what the Federation is capable of. Take a look at this." He produced a Federation PADD and handed it to her. On it, she could see lists that included food, food replicators, industrial replicators, industrial equipment, medicine, and most importantly, personnel.

He went on, "That is what the Federation is considering giving to Cardassia right now, and he's promising to increase that. And he's also promising to keep them from adding a clause preventing us from building up our own military."

Zatara looked at him incredulously, "All of this just for me to work for him? I'm good, Elim, but I don't know if I'm this good."

Garak smiled, a teasing look in his eyes, "Well, as much as I love you, Dear Sister, I am going to have to dampen that ego just a bit. You are the last piece. I have to work the population around to the idea of allying with and eventually joining the Federation."

"Why is he so focused on us?" she asked.

"I believe that he is seizing an opportunity," he answered, "From what I can gather, his organization operates much like the Obsidian Order or the Tal Shiar. They work covertly and extralegally to increase Federation influence, but with a Federation mindset. Why destroy an enemy that you can turn into an ally and make yourself that much stronger."

"Alright," she said as she stood, "Go get Sloan."

With Sloan and Meps, who had helpfully announced himself as he reentered her living room, standing in front of her, she declared, "I have conditions of my own."

"Very well," he said, "They are?"

"First," she said, "I want assurance from you that if I am to lead this team, I am actually the one to lead it."

Sloan nodded, "Of course."

"No," she said, "I want it from him." She pointed at Meps, "You said he reports to you. I want to be sure he is going to follow my orders."

"You have my word as a proud citizen of Trill that, as long as I am under your command, I will carry out your orders to the best of my ability." he stated solemnly. Zatara saw a glaring omission from that oath, but he addressed it before she could, "You also have my word that you will know ahead of time when I will no longer be under your command."

Zatara nodded, satisfied. "Next," she said, "I want weekly reports of the supplies the Federation is sending to Cardassia. Detailed reports."

Sloan nodded, "Done. Anything else?"

"I take it that if I accept, I likely won't ever set foot on Cardassia again?" she asked.

"I wouldn't say that," Sloan said, "But there will definitely be years long stretches between visits."

Zatara nodded, "Then I want a lifeline. I want to speak to Garak every week."

"Mhm, I'm not sure that part is doable," he said, his face pinched.

"It's a deal breaker," she stated, her voice hard.

Sloan seemed to think for a moment, "Would you accept at least having one recorded message every week?"

She considered. She would get to hear his voice. And he would be able to update her on the progress of reconstruction.

"Alright, but one from him to me and one from me to him every week."

Sloan nodded and extended his hand. As she shook it, he smiled, "Welcome to Section 31."