Chapter Text
She could feel his warm breath against her skin. Usually, he was the one who would initiate such close proximity, getting right up into her personal space, whether she cared for it or not. Now, however, things were reversed. She had been the one to approach him. She had been the one wanting, needing to get close, as close as she could get to deliver her threat:
“I swear I will make you pay for all of this one day,“ she breathed, making sure he felt very word upon his cold, grey skin.
Still, the shimmer did not leave his eyes as he answered: “Maybe, but not today. “
Those damned grey eyes kept staring at her, never once flinching away, never admitting that she was the one currently in control. He was still confident as ever that he was the one pulling all the strings. If only she could show him otherwise, make him bend to her will, make him suffer as she had imagined so many times. But today was not that day. The bastard was right.
And yet she could not bring herself to step back from his lean form. Instead, she remained frozen in place, waiting for him to make his exit. His gaze lingered for a moment longer as he searched for something within her facial expression. Was he hoping to find something other than pure and utter hatred there? Then he was sadly mistaken. As long as their eyes met, she was determined to let no other emotion cross her face. She did not want him to see the fatigue that had taken hold of her these last few days when she had bestowed endless hours of devotion upon a member of his race. She did not want him to know what she was going through, the extent of her emotional struggle. Her mask of hatred and revenge was something safe to hide behind, and she ensured that this mask was safely in place until the very last moment when he finally retreated.
She only exhaled once the door to her quarters had closed again, and he had vanished from her side.
~~~~~
Dukat could no longer hide his smile as he strolled along the corridor, two Federation security officers by his side, watching his every move.
It had been quite a struggle convincing Weyoun to let him go and talk to the Major privately. Assuring him that the good Major hated the Vorta even more than she hated the Cardassians had finally done the trick. Weyoun still could not understand why Dukat would want to confront such a woman when she seemed such a threat. Then again, there were many things Weyoun did not understand about Dukat, which was a good thing. After all, there were some things Dukat preferred to keep to himself, and his odd relationship with Major Kira was undoubtedly one of them.
Since arriving back at the station, he had longed to meet her in private. He knew that she would shout at him, but it did not bother him in the least. Throwing something at him was new behaviour and almost did not suit her. She had never before resorted to actual physical violence against him. Perhaps she was more affected by his sudden change in direction than he had initially thought. Oh, he knew she would be furious, but they had never been on friendly terms. In fact, they had been enemies much longer than they had been allies if such a term was even appropriate.
This was personal, he decided. Her hatred had nothing to do with politics, the damned Federation or the Dominion. Instead, she had felt personally betrayed by him, which touched something deep within him more than he could have ever anticipated. Approaching him afterwards, getting near almost enough to feel each other’s breath, had given him the final piece of evidence he had been searching for. Oh, this was personal, alright, as personal as hate can get. She had acted almost like a Cardassian would, controlling her words and body language, disguising anything else she might have been feeling at the time. Only her eyes had betrayed her. Those dark brown eyes had haunted his dreams so often. They had spoken to him and told him how weary and worn out she was, tending to Legate Ghemor and how little energy she had left to argue with him. But there had also been something else. After she had delivered her little threat, he had sensed a pull towards her. Almost as if she was the one wanting to draw him in. Her eyes had softened briefly, showing him a glimpse of something else he had not quite fully understood yet. Oh, but what pleasure it had given him. To know there was more beneath the surface than simply hate for him. And even if she one day were the one to kill him with her bare hands, he would gladly accept his fate and die a happy man, just to lose himself in those eyes once more. But not today.
~~~~~
Kira longed for peace, a moment of complete clarity that could only be achieved through meditation. The calm surroundings of the Bajoran temple usually helped her with this pursuit, but not today. No matter how long she stared into the flames or how hard she tried to commune with the Prophets, no peace was to be had. Damn Dukat and his damn military records about Ghemor! Damn his punctual arrival, giving him just enough time to spoil everything. Was it not enough that she had to struggle with remembering her father’s death and the fact that she had let him die alone, cowardly fleeing the scene to avoid the pain? No, now she also had to struggle with the ugly truth of Ghemor’s past. His record was also stained by the horrors of the occupation. She might have known. Every Cardassian was a killer, a monster in her eyes. And yet she had believed Ghemor had been different, a better person. Prophets, there had even been a time when she had believed Dukat might have become a better person when he had saved Ziyal and showed her true devotion. But no more.
Kira took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Ghemor was dying. All he wanted was her by his side, the only resemblance of a family he had left. Could she really deny the wish of a dying man for something he had done over 50 years ago? If only she had never known. If only Dukat could have just let it be, but no, is what not like Dukat to let a chance like this slip quietly on by. Besides, there seemed to be some knowledge Ghemor possessed that could threaten Dukat’s new position as the head of the Cardassian government under Dominion rule. Of course, Dukat just had to take his chance and talk to her alone. She could have denied him access to her quarters, but that would have simply been another act of cowardliness. In the past, she had never run from Dukat. Instead, she had always confronted and stood up to him. She wasn’t about to change that just because he had once again changed the colour of his coat. She only wished she could have shut him up, not allowed herself to listen to what he had to say. It was his voice she always blamed. That damned baritone voice, deep and yet soft, lured her in every time. That voice made her want to listen, though his words were often pure poison. That voice sometimes haunted her for days and left her feeling weak and submissive. Did he know what effect the sound of his voice had on her? She always tried to hide it as best she could, but when it came to Dukat, she often felt he could see right through her. No man had ever been able to make her feel so exposed, almost naked, as he did. Frustrated with the whole situation, she just wanted him to stop. Finally, she snapped and threw her teacup at him. Of course, he had avoided the collision, his excellent Cardassian reflexes setting in. Afterwards, he almost looked hurt. That’s when she made her move. She had wanted to tower over him, but despite wearing her high-heeled boots, she was still a few inches shorter than him. She had decided that if her physical height could not overpower him, then her body language would have to. That and her personal threat. Had she even reached him? Had he taken her seriously? For a brief moment, it appeared that way, but then there was a slight shift in his stance and his gaze interlocked with hers. Luckily he hadn’t challenged her further, simply letting the matter rest. And still, he haunted her thoughts even now in the sanctity of the temple.
Oh, Prophets, what should I do? Once again, she tried to concentrate, ban all thoughts of Dukat from her mind and focus on the one thing that was important at the moment: Ghemor.
~~~~~
Weyoun came to talk to Dukat later that day when he returned to their ship.
“Have you finished your personal business?" he inquired, a strange smile on his face that made Dukat often wonder what truly lay behind it.
“I have,” Dukat answered briefly, not wanting to prolong their conversation if necessary.
Weyoun nodded but did not seem satisfied with the answer.
“I still do not understand why you had to speak with the Major alone. She is the highest-ranking Bajoran officer on Deep Space Nine. As such, I should have clearly been present as a representative of the Dominion.”
Dukat almost wanted to growl. He was steadily growing more and more tired of Weyoun’s constant interference.
“This was not an official visit, nor was it in any way political. As I have said before, it was merely a personal matter between the Major and me. I assure you there was no need for your presence or any other representative of the Dominion.”
Weyoun smiled once more.
“Whatever you say. But I am pleased you have safely returned to our ship. After all, I am responsible for your safety on this trip. I do not want to see you harmed in any way, especially by such a seeming hostile individual as the Major.”
Dukat almost wanted to laugh. Harmed by the Major, well, that was a thought. Briefly, he recalled the shattered teacup. He wondered if Weyoun would consider this incident an actual attack on Dukat, compromising his safety.
“I assure you I was in no danger. The Major may appear hostile, but thus far, she has never acted on her threats against me. And there have been many times she could have injured or even killed me if she had wanted to. But as you can see, I am still in one piece.”
Weyoun nodded.
“Well, as you say, no real danger. But I must advise against such personal visits in the future. If plans go ahead as we hope, things will change in this sector, and our former relationships must also alter.”
Dukat clenched his fists without Weyoun noticing. That despicable little Vorta and his constant interfering in matters that did not concern him.
“I am no idiot, Weyoun. But know this: Who I visit and when I visit them is still up to me. I may be the head of the new government on Cardassia, but I am no puppet. And I do not care for other people trying to pull my strings.”
Weyoun took a step closer, but not nearly as close as Kira had come just a few hours before.
“Dukat, you are too arrogant for your own good. You are no longer just a Gul. You are a leader, a figurehead. And must I remind you that the Dominion has put you in this position, and the Dominion can take it from you again if you do not comply with our wishes. You and Cardassia, as part of the Dominion, obey our rule. You give speeches when we tell you to. You go on diplomat missions when we so wish. And you meet only with those representatives that we approve of. Is that clear?”
Dukat glared at Weyoun. Although the Vorta lacked any elegance when delivering his threat, it was loud and clear and almost made Dukat’s stomach turn. The ugly truth he had wanted to forget was laid bare for him to see. The cost of making Cardassia great again was accepting Dominion rule. The Jem’Hadar troops were stationed throughout Cardassian space, ready to defend Dukat’s home world. But they were just as prepared to destroy it should he and the Cardassians turn against the Dominion. Dukat knew he was playing with fire.
Not for the first time, Dukat started to have nagging doubts about his decision to go to the Dominion for help. But he had made his bed, and now he had to lie in it, whether he wanted to or not. This time he couldn’t just turn around and run the other way, back to Sisko and Kira for help. Or could he?
~~~~~
Ghemor was buried on Bajor in the Dahkur Province, where Kira had been born and raised. She picked the spot herself, a peaceful place for his eternal rest. Sisko had luckily agreed to her arranging the funeral and burial before Dukat and his little Vorta had a chance to get their greedy hands on him. They were still in orbit, close to the station, for whatever reason, Kira did not know or cared to know. She hoped they would depart before arriving back at DS9 later that day. Instead of waiting on a transport ship, Sisko had allowed her to use a roundabout from the station. In a few hours’ time, she would return it, and her mission would be fulfilled, Ghemor’s last wish honoured. She had not let him die alone, and although it had been so painful to watch, especially towards the end, she felt proud of herself for not having run away or given into her past hatred, as Dukat had clearly hoped she would.
An incoming message pulled Kira from her thoughts. She asked the computer of the roundabout to play the message whilst she prepared for launch. It was from Ziyal.
“Nerys, I heard about Legate Ghemor and wanted to give you my condolences. I cannot imagine how hard it must have been for you, of all people, to be there for him at the end and to have now lost a dear friend. I hope his spirit rests with his gods. I wanted to let you know that I have had a message from my father.” Here the recording went silent for a moment before Ziyal’s voice could be heard again.
“He says he wishes to see me before leaving for Cardassia Prime. He wants to speak to me and explain why he acted the way he did. Oh, Nerys, I know how this must seem to you, but I must go and speak to him. He is my father, after all, and I do love him, no matter his actions. So I must hear what he has to say. But, please, do not get angry with me for speaking to him. I shall see you later on DS9. Take care. Ziyal out.”
Kira could not believe what she was hearing. Dukat wanted to talk to Ziyal after leaving her behind to die. That bastard! No doubt he would try and convince her that he had had no other choice. He would ask her forgiveness, and then what? Would she simply bestow it? Would he try and take Ziyal back to Cardassia with him? To live there under Dominion rule? Kira had heard enough. There was no time to lose. She had to return to DS9 and stop Ziyal from making a terrible mistake.
“Kira to DS9. Do you read me?”
Static than the sound of Jadzia's voice. “Hello Kira, we are receiving you. Ready to come home yet?”
“Dax, has Gul Dukat's ship departed?”
“Not yet. But soon, we think.”
“Do you know why he is still there?”
“He went to see Captain Sisko a few minutes ago. That is all I know.”
“Dax, tell Sisko to stall Dukat, if possible. He must not, under any circumstances, let him out of his sight until I get there. Do you understand?”
“Care to tell me why?”
“I have just had a message from Ziyal. She wants to talk to him. She is on her way to the station now, I believe. We must stop her! Dax? Do you understand me?”
“I do, but she is his daughter, after all. Who are we to interfere if she really wants to see him? I can have Odo post extra security, but that is all I can do.”
“Damn it!” Kira said aloud, more to herself than towards the comm.
“Alright, just stall him, any way possible. I’ll be there as fast as I can. Kira out.”
~~~~~
Ziyal had agreed to meet Dukat in the privacy of his quarters on his ship. To say she was not nervous would be a lie. Beaming aboard from the freighter that had transported her into space from Bajor, she was greeted by the sight of two Jem’Hadar guards, one Vorta and her father.
“Ziyal, it is good to see you again,” Dukat said, welcoming her into his open arms. She was taken aback by his obvious portrayal of affection which was uncommon among their race and something she certainly hadn’t expected after their last encounter. He had been so angry at her decision to stay on DS9 and had seen it as a personal betrayal. But none of that mattered as he welcomed her with all the love a father could show for his offspring.
“Father, I have missed you,” she admitted and hugged him back.
The Vorta took a step closer to greet the new arrival.
“My dear, it is a pleasure to meet you finally. I am Weyoun. My father has told me so much about you.”
She tried to greet him politely and not show any of her nervousness towards him. From what she had heard of his species, they were not to be trusted in any way. It disturbed her greatly to see her father in the presence of a Vorta but more so to see him guarded by armed Jem’Hadar, who appeared fiercer than the Breen ever had.
“Perhaps it is best to let Ziyal get settled in first of all,” Dukat offered, slinging an arm around her waist and gently guiding her towards his quarters.
“I am sure we will get the chance to talk later, get to know one another,” Weyoun said, but without attempting to follow Dukat. The Jem’Hadar also stayed behind. It seemed Ziyal was considered to be no threat to Dukat.
Once they had entered his quarters, Ziyal escaped her father’s grasp and turned around to face him.
“You are not angry with me anymore? I thought you no longer considered me to be your daughter. I thought you left me to die with the others on the station.”
She had intended to remain calm and not let her emotions get the better of her, but no sooner had she opened her mouth that the tears began to run down her cheeks.
“Oh Ziyal, my dear, of course, I am no longer angry with you. I have forgiven you. You are young and bound to be foolish sometimes.”
“Foolish? You think my decision was just a foolish whim?”
He approached her again, trying to calm her down.
“I did not mean it like that. I am sure you thought...you think you know what you feel and what is best for you, but, my dear, I am your father, and I must look after you. So I only want what is best for you. I love you.”
She dropped her gaze, no longer being able to look her father in the eyes. He seemed so sincere. But was he telling the truth? Could she really trust him? In her mind, she heard Nerys warning her against Dukat. They had talked long and hard after Dukat had suddenly joined the Dominion and left her behind. Nerys had been the only one who had been able to comfort her and tried to explain why her father had acted the way he had. What would Nerys say now?
“Oh, father,” she cried out, giving in to all her constricting emotions. She could feel the touch of his hand on her cheek and then on her beneath her jaw, gently lifting her head.
“Look at me, Ziyal. I can only imagine what you must feel, but I want you to know that you mean everything to me. And now that I have a safe position back at Cardassia, I can take you back home with me. No one will dare to speak out against you now.”
She shook her head. “Safe position? Is that all you care about? You hurt the people who trusted you. You betrayed everyone who believed in you. How could you? You do not care for me. You only care for Cardassia. It is true. Nerys was right.”
Dukat dropped his hand and cringed. So the Major had talked to Ziyal. Of course, she had.
After taking a deep and steady breath, he continued: “Ziyal, what I did, I did for Cardassia, but also for you. For my family. To protect all of you.”
“But you betrayed us all! The people on DS9 have become my friends over the last year. And you were willing to sacrifice them all. Even Nerys, who has been like a mother to me. I thought you cared for her. You entrusted me into her care. How could you turn against her like that?”
Dukat gritted his teeth. If he could only make his daughter understand. This had nothing to do with the Major. He had never wanted to betray her personally. Had she taken him up on his offer to help him fight the Klingons, none of this might have come to pass. And he certainly never meant to kill her. The universe was a much more exciting place with her in it.
“I do care for her,” he begrudgingly admitted, “and I never wanted her to die or any of your friends. Unfortunately, my words were spoken in anger, and I regret them.”
Ziyal did not know if she could trust him. He had told her so many things in the past. He had spoken of his regretting the occupation of Bajor and all the unnecessary violence, but had he really meant it?
“And what about Garak? You wanted him to die, do not deny it. I know you do.”
“Garak is the exception, but that is a subject for another time, my dear.”
Ziyal could hardly accept that as an answer. Garak was important to her, and she had to get her father to honour the friendship they shared before she could agree to anything he asked of her.
“But father, I do not wish to go back to Cardassia. No one there cares for me. All who do are on DS9.”
Dukat looked taken aback by her comment. “And my care and love do not count? Ziyal, I am your father, and I can give you more love and comfort than any of your friends can. We are family, Ziyal. And family is all that counts.”
Ziyal shook her head. “No, that’s not true. Father, I do love you and respect you, but family is not all that counts. Friendships count as well. And sometimes they count more than blood.”
Suddenly Dukat spun around and looked towards the porthole of his quarters. The station was still looming large against the black backdrop of space. What a twist of fate that the place he once called home was now home to his daughter. The only true home she had ever known. It was only natural, considering that her siblings on Cardassia Prime had treated her with such discontent. There had been no alternative for her other than to seek out a new family here on Deep Space Nine. And now she believed she had found it amongst these people, this mixture of Bajorans, Terrans, Ferengi and whatever other species roamed around there nowadays.
“Ziyal, I understand why you think that, but it is not true. Not entirely. Family does count. And I want to protect you against what is coming.”
Ziyal took a step closer.
“What is coming? What do you mean, father?”
Dukat took a deep breath. “Oh my dear, if only I could tell you. Only know this: you are no longer safe at the station. That is why I must insist on you accompanying me to Cardassia Prime. Please. I am only concerned for your well-being.”
“Father, you scare me. Please, tell me what is coming. Do you mean war? Is there to be an attack against the station? Please, father, I have to know.”
~~~~~
When Kira finally made it back to the station, she was relieved to find that Dukat’s ship had still not departed. And yet she got the information that both Weyoun and Dukat were on the ship waiting on something. It seemed no one knew what.
“First, you ask Commander Dax to stall them, and now you want them gone?” Sisko asked, sitting on his office chair. “I cannot command them to leave, Major, no matter how much I want them to. Hovering like this near the station is rather unsettling. But they are free to stay for as long as they want to if they are no threat to us. Must I remind you, we are not in a state of war, at least not yet.”
Kira nodded. There was little time to explain.
“I understand. But I must ask: has anyone beamed aboard the ship from the station?”
“Not according to our records. Why? Are you worried someone might want to collaborate with them?”
Kira gave him a somewhat worried look.
“So no one has gone on board other than Dukat and Weyoun?”
Sisko checked again and had Dax do another check of the transporter records. But, again, no one had beamed aboard.
“Thank you, Captain,” Kira replied and quickly made her way back towards Ops. For some reason, she did not yet want the Captain to know about Ziyal’s message. After all, it had been a private message, and she felt it was her duty to take care of it, just as it had been her duty to take care of Ziyal when she had first come to live on DS9. Now the only thing she had to find out was where Ziyal was.
“Computer, locate Tora Ziyal,” Kira said as soon as she had entered the turbo lift.
“Tora Ziyal is not on board Deep Space Nine.”
Okay, so maybe she hadn’t made it back yet? That, at least, was Kira’s hope. Maybe there still was time to stop her from talking to Dukat. If he got the chance, the Prophets only knew how he would turn her head and make her believe his lies.
The next thing Kira could think of was contacting Bajor to find out what ship Ziyal might have taken to the station. Surely she was bound to find out when the girl would arrive. She waited until she had safely returned to her own quarters to access the information. It was only then that Kira learned that Ziyal had been a passenger on a freighter which had already arrived on DS9 hours ago. But Ziyal had not boarded the station. There was no record of her anywhere. Perplexed, Kira decided to contact the freighter’s captain and crew.
As soon as the viewscreen flickered to life, she looked into the eyes of an old Bajoran man, worn down by years of occupation.
“Major Kira, I am Chari Rilbal. What can I do for you?”
“I am trying to locate a friend who used your freighter earlier today to leave Bajor. Her name is Tora Ziyal. She’s half Cardassian.”
The old man’s face changed from friendly to sad within an instant. Had something happened to Ziyal?
“No sooner had we cleared the planet’s orbit that she commanded to be beamed aboard the Jem’Hadar ship. Everyone told her that it was madness, but she insisted. She said she had some unfinished business there.”
Kira took a deep breath. Oh, Ziyal.
“Thank you for letting me know. Kira out.”
So that was the reason there had been no record of her arrival. She was still on that ship. Still talking to her father, no doubt. Would she listen to his lies? Would he be able to turn her head? Kira hoped and prayed that Ziyal would not so easily succumb to her father’s wishes, but there was no way to be sure.
She had to go and talk to Captain Sisko once again to inform him about the current situation.
~~~~~
“I know how much you hate this, Major, but as far as I can tell, this is a personal matter. A family matter. And we cannot intervene. If she decides to join her father, that is her choice. I know you only want what is best for the girl, but she can make her own decision.”
Kira let out a frustrated sigh.
“Captain, I know, but we both know what Dukat is capable of. He will feed her the lies she wants to hear. He will turn her head, and before she knows it, she will be bending to his wishes. That is not what she wants.”
Sisko looked down towards his baseball, brushing his hands against the leathery surface.
“She has stood up to him before. Who is to say that will not happen again?”
“Then why talk to him in the first place? She has already made her position clear on the matter. Captain, I know Cardassians, and I know Dukat. He will try to persuade her. Now that he knows where she stands, he will use a different approach. He will find other arguments. He will persuade her.”
“I am sorry, Major. But this is out of our hands. If you want to talk to her, that is up to you. But only in a private capacity. I do not want this station’s highest-ranking Bajoran officer making any threats against the Dominion and its allies. Is that understood?”
Kira nodded and got up from the chair. “Yes, Sir.”
All had been said. There was nothing else the Captain could do for her. It seemed entirely up to her to try to convince Ziyal to stay on DS9. If only she had returned earlier...
~~~~~
There was nothing to do but wait. Wait for Ziyal to hopefully return soon. So Kira went back to her quarters, astonished to find both Bajoran security officers and Jem’Hadar guards standing at the entrance to her quarters.
“What’s the meaning of this?” she asked, infuriated. Had Dukat already gotten to Ziyal?
“There is a delegation waiting for your inside, Major,” the Bajoran officer said.
A delegation? Kira had a bad feeling that she knew exactly who was waiting for her inside. But no matter how much she hated having to face him, she didn’t have a choice.
Taking a deep breath, she went through the sliding door. Inside she was greeted by a strange welcome committee comprised of the Vorta Weyoun, Gul Dukat and Ziyal.
“Ziyal, are you alright?” Kira asked, rushing to her side to check on the girl.
“I am fine, Nerys. You needn’t worry about me.”
She gave her a brief hug, then turned her head sideways to look at Dukat. The bastard was almost smiling. He seemed more confident than ever before, which greatly disturbed Kira.
“What do you want with her? I thought you’d be halfway back to Cardassia by now,” Kira spat, no longer wanting to hide her hatred for this man.
“There was some unfinished business I had to attend to, Major. Family business. I am sure you understand.”
The Vorta seemed out of sorts. He also turned to Dukat and said: “You Cardassians and family. We, Vorta, do luckily have no such ties that bind us. That makes us less prone to emotional decisions.”
Dukat growled at him. It was obviously something he did not want to hear.
“Family is important.”
“Yes, I see that. But really, Dukat, the Major, is right. We really should be back on our way to Cardassia. I hope we may depart soon. We have already overstayed our welcome.”
He emphasized the last words, thus putting more pressure on Dukat than he seemed to care for.
But Dukat was not so easily swayed. Instead, he simply brushed Weyoun off and turned his full attention back to Kira.
“Major, I must discuss something with you and Ziyal in private. If you please.”
He gestured towards her bedroom. But, of course, Weyoun was displeased.
“Dukat, what have I told you before about personal matters? This is the last time I will accommodate you, is that clear? So talk to your daughter once and for all. We leave for Cardassia within the hour.”
Dukat barely acknowledged him. Instead, he waited for Ziyal and Kira to enter the adjoining room. When the door closed, he exhaled, and his tight facial expression instantly relaxing.
“Already bored of the new company you’re keeping, Dukat?” Kira asked, enjoying seeing him under such duress.
Instead of giving her an answer, he stepped closer, his eyes never leaving hers. Then, just before he could open his mouth to say something, Ziyal came between them.
“Father, you promised me. Please, we must work together now.”
Kira’s gaze flicked to Ziyal. Just what was the girl talking about?
“What has your father told you, Ziyal? What lies has he been spreading this time?”
“Major, why must you always assume the worst?” Dukat asked.
“Years of experience in dealing with you, I guess,” she almost hissed.
“Nerys, please,” Ziyal pleaded. “I must beg of you to try and be civil. My father has something to tell you,” she offered, trying to make peace between them again.
Kira looked to Ziyal, seeing the plea on the young woman’s face. If there was one thing she could not deny, it was going along with Ziyal’s wishes. So she silently nodded and tried to behave herself.
“Father has told me of the plans the Dominion fleet has to attack the station.”
And there it was. The ugly truth, or was it just another lie?
“He has given me details, when and how they will attack. He says he can give us more information to help us stop the Dominion.”
Kira thought she wasn’t hearing correctly. Was Dukat offering them information? Suddenly she couldn’t control herself anymore and laughed out loud.
Dukat looked actually hurt by her reaction.
“Major, please. I am serious.”
“Serious? As serious as you were last time, you lied to all of us? Oh, please, Dukat, you don’t honestly think I will believe a word that comes out of your mouth.”
He dropped his gaze and closed his eyes.
“I know I have not always been trustworthy. I’ll admit that my past actions make it difficult for you to trust me now, to believe me, but you must listen to me. Please, you must hear what I have to say. If not for your own well-being than for that of your precious Federation.”
Kira couldn’t believe it. Was he genuinely changing sides yet again? Once a turncoat, always a turncoat, she thought. But still, she was far from believing what he said.
“Give me one good reason why I should listen to you?”
“For Ziyal’s sake. She will not leave this station, no matter how much that pains me. And I find I cannot leave her here, knowing that she will face certain death if the Dominion fleet attacks. So you see, Major, it is all for my family, for my daughter, whom I love.”
“Oh, so now you suddenly remember that you love her? How convenient to forget last time you left her here, denouncing her.”
“I’ll admit that that was a mistake. I was full of rage and anger. My actions were not...entirely thought through. But don’t you understand, Major? I have come to make things right again. I only wish to save my daughter. That you must understand.”
His greyish-blue eyes bore into her, looking through her like her body was made of glass. It wasn’t as unsettling as it usually was, and that scared her even more for some reason. Dukat seemed almost to be telling the truth. He did love Ziyal. Not even Kira could deny that. She had seen him weep over her mother’s grave, and he was sure to weep over hers should she die. After all, he had been the one to protect her, to give her a new life; he wasn’t prepared to simply forget about her now.
“Are you saying that you are selling out the Dominion simply because you can’t convince Ziyal to follow you? What about your new cosy position in the Cardassian government? What about your people and your home? I thought they all meant so much to you.”
Kira shook her head. “No, Dukat. It isn’t that simple. You can’t just come in here and expect me to trust you on a simple declaration of love.”
“Nerys, please,” Ziyal pleaded in the background. “I believe him. You must try. I’m sure father can give you hard evidence. Give you some information you can use immediately to show his loyalty.”
“His loyalty,” Kira sneered. What a joke. Dukat had never been loyal to anyone in his entire life except to himself. Yet Kira could not forget that she was talking to his daughter, the one person in the entire galaxy who probably still loved him.
“Major, please," Dukat pleaded. "There isn’t much time. Weyoun is already starting to suspect something is going on. I can’t fool him for much longer. We must depart within the hour. If you need evidence, I can provide it.”
Suddenly he pulled an isolinear chip out of one of the pockets of his uniform pants.
“Here, evidence. Data on the movement of the Dominion fleet. Locations of the ketracel-white storage facilities in the Alpha Quadrant. Clearance codes. It’s all there. Everything I managed to acquire during the last few months.”
As he handed it over, Dukat’s hand gently brushed Kira’s fingers, the slight touch being enough to make her visible shudder. She quickly pulled her hand back, gripping the chip safely within her palm.
But was any of it valid information, or was it all just a ruse, another one of Dukat’s sick little games?
She stared at him for a moment in silence.
“Why?” she breathed, barely understanding why he was doing this. “You can’t have possibly planned any of this in advance. That I won’t believe. Double-crossing the Dominion was surely not part of your original plan. At least not in this way.”
Dukat smirked. “You know me well, Major. Indeed that was not my original plan. Sooner or later, it might have been. But as any good Cardassian would, I simply stored certain information just in case it would come in handy one day. Though I must admit, I didn’t think I would need it quite so soon.”
“That sounds like something Garak would say,” Kira answered, clearly upsetting Dukat with her answer. He let out a frustrated sigh.
“Please, Major. The isolinear chip,” he said, his hands almost touching hers once more.
“Dukat, you know very well that it will take hours, if not days, to verify this information.”
“That is time we do not have, Major.”
“I agree. So there has to be another way,” Kira said, carefully thinking about was she was to say next.
“You want me to believe you, Dukat?” she asked. He nodded.
“Then kill the Vorta,” she said in a cold tone.
Dukat gaped at Kira, giving her the same facial expression he had given her when he had heard her say her child was Chief O’Briens’.
“Weyoun? You want me to kill Weyoun? Now?”
Ziyal gasped in horror. “Nerys, you can’t be serious.”
“Please, Ziyal, let me handle this,” Kira said, briefly acknowledging the girl before she turned her full attention back to Dukat.
“Well, what is it to be? Kill Weyoun now and convince us of your loyalty, as you put it, or don’t and leave this station.”
“Father, don’t! There must be another way.”
“Ziyal,” he said, the tone of his voice shutting her up almost instantly. Then he took a deep breath, as his mood changed. He was no longer shocked or desperate. Instead, he seemed to be in good spirits, a vicious smile beginning to spread across his face.
“Well, Major, you do astonish me. Are you suggesting executing a man simply to prove a point, even if that man has not hurt you in any way?”
“He is a Vorta, a part of the Dominion, and the enemy. That should be reason enough,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm and under control.
“Ah, spoken like a true Resistance fighter,” Dukat said, pleased with that answer. “Your wish is my command,” Dukat finally said, slightly bowing his head in respect.
The following series of events happened so quickly that Kira barely had time to process it all. Her body went into fighting mode as soon as Dukat made his first move. He quickly snatched her phaser when he opened the door. Then he called out to Weyoun and, without further hesitation, fired. Kira ran in behind him, adrenaline pumping through her veins. Gathering all the strength she could muster, she punched the first Jem’Hadar soldier she came across whilst Dukat was already tackling the second soldier. Weyoun lay on the floor, bleeding but still breathing.
“Kira to Odo. I need a security team in my quarters, now!” she shouted into her communicator as the Jem’Hadar soldier managed to throw her down.
“Understood. I am on my way,” Odo replied, sounding much more worried than he should be.
Kira fought against the Jem’Hadar as she had once fought against the Cardassians. Whilst he tried to strangle her, she jammed her knee into the soldier’s stomach, making him constrict in pain and roll over her. Then she took the nearest thing she could find to use as a weapon, in this case, it was a vase, and smashed it over his head.
The first Jem’Hadar soldier was out cold by the time Odo’s team reached her quarters. The second one was still engaged in a fight with Dukat, both men now unarmed and matching each other in strength. In the meantime, Kira had managed to retrieve her phaser, which lay discarded on the floor next to Weyoun. She checked the setting, aimed her phaser both at Dukat and the Jem’Hadar and shouted: “Dukat!” She was about to fire, but at least she wanted to give him a chance to get out of the way. Luckily for him, he took the hint, and after punching the soldier once more, he managed to duck out of the way just in time.
Kira fired the phaser on the highest setting, instantly killing the other soldier.
All the while, Weyoun lay on the floor in her quarters, taking his last breaths.