Star Trek: Sigils and Unions--The Thirteenth Order

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction' started by Nerys Ghemor, Aug 18, 2008.

  1. Sovereign_One

    Sovereign_One Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Man. For Rhos possibly to be stuck like that for the rest of her life...:(

    And Speros--he just can't resist sticking in the knife and twisting (so to speak). What can anybody do short of saying "shut up, old man!" You can't feel anything but sorry for Berat, but I know he wouldn't want my pity! ;)
     
  2. Nerys Ghemor

    Nerys Ghemor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    "Shut up, old man!" is definitely the last phrasing that would come to a Cardassian's mind--"old man" would be taken as a compliment! ;)
     
  3. Rush Limborg

    Rush Limborg Vice Admiral Admiral

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    As for Rhos...the "obvious" route would either be for her to be restored without problems, much to everyone's delight...or...

    I dunno. There's an inkling in the back of my head suggesting that the poor lass has a target on her back.

    I sincerely hope not. But I'm not convinced the trauma of having to wear the face of a Vorta forever could be handled by her--even if she is a Cardassian.

    As for Speros...hmm. Somehow, I'm pining for something in a later battle where Speros has to directly depend on either Spirodopoulos or Folani for his life. Something to bring his arrogance down a notch.

    That being said, I do like the contrast between him and Berat.

    I, personally, do not feel pity towards Berat, per se--but a tremendous respect. He has stared death and weakness in the face--and has resolved that he will not succum, that he will triumph. (I wonder what a conversation between him and Ezri Dax would be like. Somehow...I'd think they'd both have a lot to say to each other, and could find their struggles have a lot in common....)
     
  4. BrotherBenny

    BrotherBenny Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I'm waiting to see Spirodopoulos's reaction and that of the other Starfleet people when they see the damage the Breen did to Earth, to Starfleet Headquarters, and to the Golden Gate bridge. If I were seeing that after knowing that the Breen had previous been neutral, my first instinct would be to toss a grenade into their suits.

    I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes!
     
  5. Gul Re'jal

    Gul Re'jal Commodore Commodore

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    It's hard, but he still manages not to do it. It takes a lot of inner strength not to kick back someone, who treats you like trash, especially if you have a nerve to do it, but choose not to.
     
  6. Nerys Ghemor

    Nerys Ghemor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    They could hardly be more different! And personally I agree that Berat is a very strong person, inside.

    I'm not sure how much they could relate, since compared to her Berat is very young. At the time of this story, Gul Berat is 43 years old (about 32 years old in 24th-century human terms, physically speaking). While that means they'd probably appear as though physically the same age, Dax's perspective would make them very different psychologically.

    (BTW...you know a story I'd love to see you write? I wonder what a young Dax was like? Not any of the hosts, but the symbiont, after it first budded or hatched or was born, or however you think symbionts are born. Where did it get its personality and opinions before its first joining, and how did it think and communicate?)

    Thanks! :)

    As to that reaction...well, you'll have to wait and see for that. Right now, given that they DO live in the "post-Photoshop era," I think just images alone aren't going to be anywhere near enough to get the reality of it through to them. That's why they need the results of those tests on the Trager itself.

    You're very right...he struggles very much not to return Speros' rudeness (and even in this you can still see that he speaks a bit more sharply to Speros than he does to most people), but I think he has decided he wants to be the bigger person.
     
  7. Rush Limborg

    Rush Limborg Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Ah...I was referring to Ezri, not Dax, per se. :)

    Before the relaunch, remember, she was making it a point to set herself apart from her previous hosts. Considering her own experience...she'd be a lot younger than Berat. ;)

    Woah. As far as I know, I most certainly do not see that on my agenda. No way, no how, no ma'am! :eek:

    (Ironically...the past hosts are what I'd probably more likely do--particuarly Lela, the politician, for obvious reasons....)
     
  8. Nerys Ghemor

    Nerys Ghemor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I guess it all depends on just how young you think her personality really is, then, with Dax blended in there.

    Whoops...was I offensive? If so, I didn't mean to be.
     
  9. Rush Limborg

    Rush Limborg Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Oh, no, no, no! It's fine. Just...way outta my line of expertise...writing wise. ;)
     
  10. Nerys Ghemor

    Nerys Ghemor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Darn...because I would've found it SO interesting!
     
  11. KimMH

    KimMH Drinking your old posts Premium Member

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    I've been swamped by RL - this chapter is a wonderful little vacay!

    I am interested in seeing Spirodopolous' reaction to the available proof. Initially - the Starfleet members could have played things both ways - but with proof - if it is incontrovertible - they will really be in it for the pound of flesh (pardon my mixing of metaphors . . .)

    The conflict between Speros and Berat shows how precarious the 13th Order's position really is. The enemy of my enemy does not always the optimal ally make . . .

    Thank you for another fantastic chapter Nerys Ghemor!
     
  12. Nerys Ghemor

    Nerys Ghemor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Thanks! :)

    Well, they will find that the ships were fired on by the Breen and the Dominion at the same time (at Rondac III). They will then have to decide how much they trust that information.

    Without the relationship Macet has with them both (Macet is Speros' protege, and Berat is Macet's protege), I think that situation could get even more volatile. Berat respects Speros' age and seniority in rank/experience--but NOTHING else. And Speros basically thinks Berat's a mistake and shouldn't be there. It might not play out quite the way it would with humans, but it would be a toxic situation in its own way for sure.
     
  13. Rush Limborg

    Rush Limborg Vice Admiral Admiral

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    ^If not for the renowned Cardassian discipline...I would expect Berat and Speros's conflict (or even Speros and Spirodopolous's conflict) to eventually come to fists, the elder "gentleman" (to use an admittedly less-than-appropriate term) is so verbally abrasive....

    In private, of course.
     
  14. Nerys Ghemor

    Nerys Ghemor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    If Speros were to even THREATEN physical violence against Berat, the match would be lost. If Berat has technological tricks on his side, he is a wily and dangerous opponent, as he proved with Dasreen. (I don't see that as dishonorable in the slightest, regardless of what the Klingons might say--he used technology to do what his body could not do reliably.) But his disability means that he cannot last in a mano-a-mano fight. He does swim, which keeps his muscles toned and his heart and lungs in good shape, so he's physically fit, but if you put him in a high-impact, quick-reflexes situation like that, the neurological damage will hinder him seriously. While the most noticeable symptom in his day-to-day life is the loss of function in his hands (and even that can mean trouble in a fight--yeah, he could still make a fist and throw a mean punch, but will be in trouble if he tries to throw his opponent, another object, and maybe even to climb on something), his reaction times are hindered. But it's the neuralgic pain I'd be the most worried about--he's likely to have a bad flareup and that would cripple him in a very literal sense. (This is NOT garden-variety pain. I don't know if you've ever experienced true nerve pain, but it is excruciating in ways that are very hard to describe.)

    And let's not even talk about what would happen if phasers got involved in this hypothetical fight.

    Speros might not know all aspects of Berat's condition, but he knows very well that Berat is not an "able-bodied" man. And despises him for it. But if he ever dares threaten or actually try to carry out a violent act, he's going to be in DEEP SHIT.

    As for Speros and Spirodopoulos--well, that's a tense one. We'll see what happens.
     
  15. DavidFalkayn

    DavidFalkayn Commodore Commodore

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    I have a ton of reading to catch up--but it's an enjoyable task. It's good to get reacquainted with Berat, Speros, Spirodopoulos and the rest.
     
  16. Nerys Ghemor

    Nerys Ghemor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Thanks...I hope you'll enjoy it! :)
     
  17. Nerys Ghemor

    Nerys Ghemor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    “Gul Macet.” Commander Spirodopoulos regarded him with careful, searching eyes.

    Ve’, Commander?” Macet rose from his seat with a restrained, purposeful motion, remaining just beyond arm’s length of the terhăn. “Did you have additional concerns?”

    Spirodopoulos shook his head. “I think you’ve made a sound choice of target. It makes sense—plus, those bastards…gen—khen—

    Ghentregă’ămsthe,” Macet supplied in a low voice, knowing what Spirodopoulos was trying to say.

    Spirodopoulos nodded. “Ghentregă’ămsthe,” he repeated slowly, though it was clear the aspirated Cardăsda ‘gh’ and ‘th’ were still hard for him to pronounce at will. “They attacked my homeworld. They attacked the heart of Starfleet and strafed civilian targets, too. Giving the Breen some hell after that—it’s not exactly a tough pill to swallow, as we say. That is, it won’t be once your offer of proof is satisfied.”

    It took a moment for Macet’s translator to make sense out of the lieutenant commander’s figurative expressions, but once clarified, Macet nodded in comprehension. “I expected so,” Macet replied, then made another attempt. “Is something else troubling you?”

    “No,” Spirodopoulos said. “There was just something you said when I first came aboard the Trager that I wanted to ask you about. You said you’d dealt with my people before…I just want to know what happened.”

    Very interesting choice, Macet thought to himself. He suspected he understood what Spirodopoulos was after, and he approved: the Starfleet soldier hoped, perhaps, to develop a greater sense of his reactions and intentions through his past interactions. While it wasn’t quite as subtle as most Cardassians would have gone about it—a culture without the restraints of the Cardassian Union would, of course, lack the practiced ease in communicating without stating one’s message directly—Macet had to respect the attempt.

    This was about establishing trust, Macet decided; he would honor the request. “Are you familiar with what happened to Captain Maxwell of the Viynix?” he asked, pronouncing the Vedrayçda word as best as he could manage.

    Spirodopoulos narrowed his eyes in thought; the terhăn recollection process could be a bit unreliable when they didn’t have rapid access to their databanks and search protocols. “Yes—ve’,” he added in Cardăsda with greater certainty, gathering his memories into shape. “He went rogue, crossed the border, started attacking Cardassian ships without orders. I heard Captain Picard went into Cardassian space to go get him.” The alien officer paused, then met Macet’s eyes with piercing gold-green ones. “I also heard a lot of rumors that Maxwell’s accusations were right, even though his methods weren’t.”

    Definitely testing, Gul Macet thought to himself with a flash of regret and understanding. “I was the gul sent to intercept the Viynix when it attacked. I did fire on the Enterpriseat first…because I was under the impression they were complicit in a deliberate attack on the Union. I did so with phasers only at that time because I was not certain…I hid our full power; I wanted to see how they would react. But what Maxwell did was so brazen Central Command suspected little else but war. Once Picard explained what was happening, I urged my superiors to let me work with Captain Picard to resolve the situation,” he related in solemn tones.

    “They put me on point, gave me orders to do what I could to avoid a war. At that time, Central Command was finally starting to recognize the cost the Bajoran Resistance was exacting from our forces, and what would soon happen to us if we lost the resources we were taking from the Bajorans. They knew we could ill afford a war—and I agreed. I’m sure they at least suspected my leanings, and I had the feeling they were deliberately using me because of it. There are times I wonder if they engineered the entire situation knowing Maxwell was deranged, and knowing how Picard and I would react. I wonder sometimes if the entire thing was an attempt to build political capital to help us at the negotiation table.” Macet crossed his arms over his cuirass in disgust at the notion before he continued.

    “Now the other part of my orders was to not speak of the rearming effort that was underway. Commander, I am sure your people will discover this eventually in the course of this war, if they have not already: until the Detapa Council took over—yes. Cardassia was indeed violating the terms of the cease-fire, which I strongly disagreed with because I knew all it would do was provoke a war, not prevent one. Open deterrence is one thing, and perfectly reasonable; even in nature, no species survives without its natural defenses being known to its enemies. Even subterfuge has its place. But we gave our word—there’s a special sort of anger that provokes when it’s discovered, and I fear that wrath is falling upon our worlds even now.

    “So I hope you understand this, Spirodopoulos. Because of my inclinations, I was there to provide plausible deniability for my government, and I strongly suspected even then that’s what they intended with me. Yet I truly did want to prevent a war…and the only way to accomplish that was to carry out my orders to the best of my ability: learn to work with Picard, and help him retrieve his traitor before Central Command would ignore his aggression no longer. What else do you know?” Macet probed.

    Spirodopoulos crossed his arms in echo of Macet’s gesture, testing the arithmetic. “I heard about Maxwell’s arrest,” he said. “As far as I know, he’s still serving his remaining time.” As if someone like him ever ought to be out in his lifetime—or live at all! the Cardassian commander thought to himself with a flash of indignation he carefully hid from his face. “And I know the rest of his crew made it out alive.”

    “They did,” Macet confirmed. “And that was not easily accomplished. None of the commanders you’ve met were serving with me at that time…and few of those who were, were as inclined to keep the peace as I was. I fired on the Enterprise, yes—but hoping the entire time I wouldn’t have to destroy them. I will never understand why your people put families on a warship—and I did not want to be the murderer of children. But some of the other guls had no such compunctions, and reining them in was a tough task…especially given Picard’s provocation.”

    Provocation?” Spirodopoulos burst out, raising an incredulous, dark-haired eyebrow. “The words ‘Picard’ and ‘provocation’ hardly go together.”

    “Perhaps not by your people’s standards,” Macet acknowledged, “and to be honest, I suspect Picard didn’t truly comprehend how his actions were coming across to us. He did make some tough decisions at times—once the situation deteriorated badly enough, he assisted us in ways…” Macet paused; he wasn’t sure how Spirodopoulos would feel about the fact that Picard gave the Cardassian task force key codes for the rogue captain’s vessels, codes that perhaps could have allowed the guls in Macet’s task force to destroy the Phoenix if they had been able to act quickly and decisively enough. “Ways I would have struggled with, had our positions been reversed. I respected that.

    “But there were other things he said and did that to this day, I simply cannot make sense of. There are times I think he believed too much in the better side of his people’s nature, too much in unfounded hopes that Maxwell would simply—see reason and lay down his arms with just a word…and maybe not even that.

    “While we were searching for Maxwell, we moved through our space at Warp 4. That was part of our initial agreement; we needed to limit the Enterprise’s range in Cardassian space for security purposes. But when we located the Phoenix, he was deeper in Cardassian space than we thought. And he was already beginning an attack. At maximum warp, we would have stood a chance to intercept, to save some of the people he ended up killing. Yes…Picard did give us information that helped. But he never even suggested accelerating until after 650 people died as he watched. I was right there on his bridge—I had the authority to change the terms of the agreement in an emergency, and he didn’t even ask! It seemed so obvious that I didn’t even realize he wouldn’t come up with the idea on his own until it was too late. I don’t know what he was thinking—did he want to stand back, uninvolved, while people died, so he could wash his hands of the responsibility? Did he think that Maxwell would repent at the mere sight of the Federation flagship? Who takes action like Maxwell did and just crumples at the first sign of trouble?

    “A freighter crew and a full Gălor crew died…there wasn’t even a chance to launch the escape pods.” He paused, allowing Spirodopoulos to compute the numbers. “They weren’t the first to die during Maxwell’s rampage. And they weren’t the last, not even when Picard finally caught up with the Viynix. Now tell me, Commander Spirodopoulos—you specialize in security and tactics, correct?”

    “That’s correct,” said the terhăn.

    “In your professional opinion, if a ship’s commander had committed crimes of that nature, and you had just witnessed the proof firsthand—how would you apprehend the perpetrator when you had him at a standstill? When he actually accepted a meeting between captains and lowered his shields to make it possible? Feel free to stay with generalities—I won’t ask you to divulge anything you don’t believe you ought to. But tell me…if it fell upon you, how would you handle it?”

    Spirodopoulos let out a soft breath, averting his eyes. Did he know already how Picard had actually handled the situation? The Starfleet security officer, however, gave little hint one way or the other. “I would have taken the commander into custody,” he carefully replied. “I would also have slaved the controls of the other ship over to my own, remote-controlled them back to the nearest starbase, probably with a tractor beam too, just in case. True, the rest of the crew would’ve kicked up a hell of a fuss, but sitting there in the middle of—ah…foreign territory isn’t exactly the time to sort out potential co-conspirators from the rest. I’d rather have an innocent crew mad at me for commandeering their ship to pull them back out of danger than let potential co-conspirators go back on the warpath.”

    Macet nodded; a grim smile of approval tugged at his lips. “Well proposed,” he replied. “I wish it had really ended that way. But it didn’t. Picard thought he could just talk to Maxwell, just ask him politely to follow him home—nothing you suggested. Not even a tractor beam. Do you think a madman like that was going to slink meekly home with his head bowed low? Do you think he would accede to soft words and reason? Of course not—reason was what he lacked! He escaped again, engaged another one of our ships, nearly attacked.

    “And then, after all of this—yes. Picard found the evidence of what Central Command was doing, or at least had enough sense to suspect. But after the halfheartedness of his actions, he had the nerve to suggest that I couldn’t understand loyalty as a terhăn can, because I pointed out how misplaced his loyalty to Maxwell was, and that of his crew. Yet his notions of loyalty are blind even to the point of refusing to see treason before his own eyes, and they led over a thousand of my people to their deaths, when you count the station and all of the ships Maxwell destroyed. Battles in war have been fought with fewer losses! And Picard recklessly endangered his own crew and all those families and children—for what? Some remote ideal that was clearly unachievable in that situation?

    “I no longer answer to Central Command; they are corrupt—and it’s been that way for a long time. So I’ll tell you now what I wish I could have told Picard. I both acted and kept my silence so I could stay alive and prevent a war in spite of that man’s naïveté and my government’s failure to honor its loyalty to its word. As for Picard…I respect his dream of peace. But I do not understand or respect his blindness to reality. To the corruption in the cardasdanoid nature.”

    The look in the lieutenant commander’s eyes was difficult to read, at first. Perhaps, Macet now thought, he hadn’t known exactly what transpired in Cardassian territory, how many lives Picard’s failure to act decisively had taken, and how many others it had endangered. Yet Spirodopoulos’ own thoughts had been at such odds with one like Picard. And Macet could almost swear he’d caught a subconscious nod of agreement from Spirodopoulos with his final declaration.

    “Maxwell was insane,” Spirodopoulos said, carefully refraining from any direct remarks about Captain Picard. “Anyone who’s seen the things I’ve seen and really thinks they want a war is insane. It’s one thing if someone takes aggressive action towards you. But to go actively seeking it the way he did…he’d lost his mind.”

    “But as you say,” Macet countered, “sometimes you have to take action. And you can’t act in accordance with dreams in those times…but with reality, however unpleasant. ‘Defense is the highest duty,’” the Cardassian commander quoted in a low voice, and meant it. “And it carries the highest price. I’ve seen things too, Commander, and so have most of us in the Thirteenth Order. I want it to end so I don’t have to fear for my family and my people anymore. That’s why I’m acting. I think it’s the same for you.”

    Spirodopoulos nodded, glancing down at his feet…or more particularly, Macet suspected, what he carried tucked in his boot: the picture of his family. “I don’t want them to ever have to go through something like this.” Then he fixed Macet’s eyes with a powerful, appraising gaze. “And I want to see them again.”

    “I want you to as well,” Macet sincerely replied. “I understand that. You’re…” So much more like one of us, he thought to himself. “A soldier,” he finished, “and that too is something I can understand.”

    After a brief moment of silence in which they took stock of each other, Macet spoke again. “Have I answered your questions, Spirodopoulos? Is there anything else I can assist you with?”

    “I think that answers my questions for now,” Spirodopoulos decided, inclining his head in a very Cardassian-like acknowledgment. “Pakar malin çada. Yozol…” He paused, searching for the right word—and realizing what he had just said wasn’t entirely correct, either.“Youzol klet çadav edek.” Thank you. I will see you soon.

    Me çadel edek,” Macet replied. And I you.
     
  18. Gul Re'jal

    Gul Re'jal Commodore Commodore

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    Spirodopoulos is not a blind Federation citizen, who believes in its superior morality, superior right to do things and superior whatever whenever however. He can see that his Federation is not perfect and that there are Captains who make mistakes.

    I wondered what he would tell Macet, but even if I suspected he wouldn't support Maxwell's and Picard's - especially Picard's, which are served to us with a pretence of correct and right - actions, I wouldn't have guessed that his opinion would be so harsh. "Maxwell was insane." He not only says that, he back that with arguments.

    Maxwell could have brought a war on the Federation, but the Cardassians didn't react. I'm tired of people pointing out how bad Cardies are, they were arming, Maxwell wanted to protect the peace, blah, blah, blah.
    Protect my a$$! He murdered hundreds of innocent people and Picard didn't stop him. You don't prevent a war shooting and murdering people, you start it this way. The Central Command didn't pick the bait, lucky for the Feds, and that tells me that they were not as evil, bloodthirsty warlords they are presented. Maxwell falls into that category and I'm sorry to see that Picard, and many others, seem not to see that.

    Loyalty and support of a man, who took lives and risked destroying many more, is misguided [irony mode] even if he is a Federation captain [/irony mode].

    I think that's good Macet and Spirodopoulos cleared that between them. That conversation was very important as now they both know where they stand, what to expect from each other and that's a good step to deepening their trust.
     
  19. Nerys Ghemor

    Nerys Ghemor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    He has his own strong sense of right and wrong, and the Federation can't tell him what that ought to be. They're not God, even though they try to be. There are some things where they're right, and he loves his home, but he definitely has disagreements with their policies. Vehemently so. I don't know if you saw it earlier in the story, but he even disapproves of the Klingon-Federation alliance. He would never be rude to Worf if he met him, mind you--I think he would respect Worf greatly as a fellow officer and that the two of them would see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. But the Klingon Chancellor, High Council, and House leaders (aside from Worf) he would have zero respect for.

    I felt that Maxwell was presented as insane. Picard didn't call him on it. I am at least willing to excuse O'Brien because he has personal issues of his own. But the difference between Maxwell and O'Brien is that O'Brien didn't go off on a little quest for vengeance, even if he DID think the "bloody Cardies" couldn't be trusted.

    Exactly! Central Command was at least pragmatic, unlike the Klingons. They knew when they couldn't afford a war. (And they were also looking at long-term political gain in the treaty.)

    Picard was massively incompetent in that episode. I realize the writers probably did the "Warp Four" thing for drama, so they could get their video-game war scene, but it made him look like an absolute, total callous ass.

    You can honor the memory of a person, if they weren't always that way. But it IS misguided not to do what you have to do because of it.

    I'm glad you liked that. :)
     
  20. Gul Re'jal

    Gul Re'jal Commodore Commodore

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    I am not sure if it was here, or somewhere else, but I've noticed that in some of your stories the notion that maybe the Klingons were not the best choice for allies appears more than once. The Klingons are brutal and vicious. The Cardassians would be much better material for a good, trustworthy ally. Less unpredictable, perhaps.