Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Libernobis

[Isadorabelle]

Re: Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Libernobis, Chapter 10

(I submitted this chapter to my beta a week ago, but I guess he's really busy so I decided to go ahead and post it here. If anyone notices anything, feel free to tell me! I'll be putting it on Ad Astra as well this weekend. So anyway, enjoy!)

His arrival back to the Gamma Quadrant came with with pleasure as Weyoun realized that Bashir had completed, begrudgingly, the task that he had been forced to do. His genetically engineered brain had identified all of the changes made to the Vorta DNA. He was able to change them as well, just as Weyoun was sure he would’ve been able to do. With the doctor and that information, the trip to the facility he had selected was brief. It was funny, they were so close to home, the ruins of their past and evidence of Founder lies, and they didn’t go because they simply weren’t told to.


Weyoun watched the progress of the two clones on the screen. Sheena was beside him, monitoring it with the efficiency of any good little Vorta who was given a task. And, she was good at her job, Weyoun observed as she expertly handled any caution blips that appeared on the monitor. ‘No clone was made without some complication, it is the nature of cloning,’ Sheena had told him five hours ago, when the process started. That was why they needed to be monitored constantly.

“The process is complete on my clone; the line you requested will be complete soon. His natural abilities are superior to my own.” Sheena’s eyes were the typical Vorta lavender, though they were naturally larger and Weyoun likened them to a terran almond shell tilted inward. They went well with her diamond-shaped face and the way her ears sloped into thick dark hair. He thought she might’ve been beautiful. Even if in that moment, anxiety clouded her face.

The doctor occupied himself by studying a read out, Weyoun ignored him and moved behind her and peered over Sheena. “Very good,” he nodded slowly and looked down at her. It wasn’t often that he was taller than someone else—Vorta were designed to appear smaller, timid and non-threatening. They were much like spiders. Looking ahead, he breathed in deeply and steeled himself.

“Forgive me,” Weyoun whispered softly. With a quick motion, his arm went around Sheena’s shoulders and he pinned her to him. Weyoun’s moves were fluid as he lifted his weapon of choice, a slender, elegant tool that was long and tapered into a spike, and drove it into her temple. Sheena’s gasp was audible and for just a moment, her hands formed claws on his forearm before her body relaxed against his own.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Sheena’s last breath did not go unnoticed by the doctor. Weyoun barely had the body rested on the ground before Bashir pushed him out of the way and was examining her. It was too late; as soon as the simple but effective weapon penetrated her brain, the transfer had begun and finished before her heart stopped beating.

Weyoun stepped back and pressed his hand over his chest. Seven hours ago, when he’d first walked into this smaller cloning facility, Weyoun hadn’t anticipated feeling anything for killing another clone. He’d done it before in service of the Founders, why should he feel uneasy about doing it in service of his species? Yet, Weyoun had to force his breathing steady again. By the time Bashir’s angry eyes met his own, he still wasn’t totally sure that he was under control. Bashir stood and approached him, Weyoun involuntarily took a step back. “You didn’t have to kill her for doing your dirty deeds!”

“Doctor,” his voice was slightly shaky, but Weyoun was quick to regain some of his composure. “Did you honestly think that I went to all the trouble of kidnapping you, replacing you and having you work on Vorta genetics because I was bored?” Weyoun’s tone was belittling, though his heart wasn’t in it and it lacked a certain bite. Pocketing the weapon and leaving Bashir to follow him if he chose, Weyoun went down to the cloning pod Sheena, new and with the changes, would be in now.

With a towel and white robe on his arm, Weyoun waited inside the archway and watched the liquid within the pod swirl. The pod its self was soft white, a sharp contrast to the darkly tinted, bulging front portion. Above the warm environment that nurtured the Vorta, two flat arms spread and disappeared into the wall. Below the body of the pod, two others disappeared into the floor, which was slightly bowl shaped beneath it.

The sound of breathing reached his ears and Weyoun felt the warmth of another humanoid. Bashir stood beside him and, with the doctor watching, a soft hiss gradually grew louder. Finally, the lid popped up just slightly and the liquid within began draining out. Slowly the bottom of the pod changed shape and the space between the lower legs became more canal-like as a pale and trembling body slipped out with the remaining liquid. The liquid, something of a somewhat syrupy nature, drained into slots within the floor.

“It’s a messy business, birthing Vorta.” Weyoun murmured to the human beside him. It was ironic, they were designed and put into production like packages on a shelf, yet the Founders made the pods womb-like so the clone, in the first moments of consciousness with a new body, would know that their parents were also their gods. Weyoun pondered this a brief moment. Perhaps the Founders should have studied the nature of solids: some people shouldn’t be parents.

Leaving the doctor at the archway, Weyoun approached the figure as she purged her lungs of fluid. He watched as she wiped the protein-based gel from her face and slowly, shakily got to her feet. “I’ve brought you a towel and a robe. There is food-“

Weyoun’s body tumbled back and both Vorta fell to the ground, Sheena’s nails dragged down the side of his face and for a moment, Weyoun was dazed from his head colliding with the floor. “You KILLED me! How dare you!” Grabbing her wrists, Weyoun managed to stop her attempts to return the favor in kind.

“Why did the Founders lose the war?” Confusion flickered over Sheena’s features and the woman momentarily stopped her struggling. Taking advantage of the situation, Weyoun pushed her onto her back and easily mounted the woman. For modesty (as he knew that would be an issue now), he haphazardly covered her body with the towel.

When Sheena demanded that he get up, Weyoun silently obeyed and began wiping off the protein gel as she quickly dressed herself in the robe. His eyes turned to the doctor and he gave the tanned human a less than friendly look. “You know, you could’ve helped.”

“Oh, oh me? Well, you seemed to have things under control.” Weyoun actually sneered at the doctor’s feigned innocence and silently, both men followed Sheena out.


“If I had thought you would believe me, I wouldn’t have killed you….I would’ve let you do it yourself.” Weyoun surprised even himself with the gentle tone in his voice. She would be one of the precious few who would be the parents of the Vorta. In one thousand years, Sheena would be praised for freeing the Vorta from their slavery. Her children, and their children, and the children after that would experience life in a way that his species had been denied for far too long.

“…what Vorta would believe that the Founders aren’t gods?” Weyoun didn’t hear the first part of her comment, but he didn’t have to in order to know that his effort wasn’t in vain; Sheena sounded tired, but reasonable. Her eyes were on the progress of the next clone as Sheena absently picked up a ripple berry. She popped it in her mouth and Weyoun had to suppress a grin at the instant reaction. Her face puckered and, seeming unwilling to spit it out, Sheena chewed and swallowed the tart berry quickly. “Shu sa’ve!” This time his lips did twitch up into a smile at the softly hissed swear word. Sheena shook her head and pushed the berries to him. “Never mind, I’m done eating.”

Together, the two approached the observation window that overlooked levels of cloning chambers. Despite having been clean, dry and warm for a few hours, Sheena still had her arms around herself. Weyoun wasn’t surprised and resisted the urge to touch a hand to her back as the walked. No doubt she was still in shock. It wasn’t every day that a Vorta went from genetically inclined slave to freed liberator.

Weyoun looked at her. “How many do you think you can clo without raising suspicion?” The facility had 150 pods and it took between five and twelve hours to do a clone, depending on if there were complications.

“I don’t know,” a frown came across her face as she studied her export orders. “I can do….twenty a week. I think I can write off that much material and protein gel without getting any extra attention.” Weyoun’s eyes met hers and he nodded. “I will be able to return at least twice a month. You should be able to use the housing left by natives of this planet. It’ll take some fixing up, but the facilities are livable.” Sheena nodded in agreement and breathed in before looking to another screen.

“He’s ready, Weyoun.”


Again Weyoun stood in the archway of a cloning chamber and watched as this Vorta, taller than Sheena but slender like her, eased out and purged his lungs of the liquid oxygen featured in the gel. Once he was standing, Weyoun stepped forward and tossed a towel at him.

“Keevan, I expect you didn’t plan wake up again.” Despite Weyoun’s change of heart and his plan to free his race, he couldn’t keep a certain tone if distaste from his voice from his worthy adversary. Keevan would enjoy his betrayal.


Keevan wiped the gel from his face and focused his eyes on Weyoun. He looked sharper, clearer and “Weyoun, you look older.” The smile that stretched over Keevan’s face was lazy and arrogant, much like his tone. Casually and without Sheena’s modesty, Keevan continued wiping himself down.

“When you are through,” Keevan looked up at Weyoun expectantly when he spoke. He mirrored Weyoun’s false smile. “I have a proposition for you and all you have to do is do what the Keevan line does best. Betray the Founders.” Tilting his head, Keevan listened as Weyoun explained his role in the Alpha Quadrant and what Keevan would be doing to prepare for the arrival of the others. Slowly, Keevan smiled.

 

[Gul Re'jal]

Let's just hope that betrayal of everyone isn't Keevan's speciality. For his own comfort, he could turn his back against anyone, Founder or no Founder.

Weyoun knows what he wants, he seems to have it planned in details and is ready to do everything that is necessary to achieve his goal.

This is going to get messy when the Founders learn about it. Or the Jem'Hadar--for them this would be an ultimate sigh of betraying their gods and they would not tolerate that. Weyoun has to be very careful.

 

[Isadorabelle]

Let's just hope that betrayal of everyone isn't Keevan's speciality. For his own comfort, he could turn his back against anyone, Founder or no Founder.

Weyoun knows what he wants, he seems to have it planned in details and is ready to do everything that is necessary to achieve his goal.

This is going to get messy when the Founders learn about it. Or the Jem'Hadar--for them this would be an ultimate sigh of betraying their gods and they would not tolerate that. Weyoun has to be very careful.

Haha yeah, Weyoun is playing with fire there because he's trusting someone who has been known to put his self interest above everyone else. He's balancing so much already with the Federation knowing, being an ambassador and now this.

But, he is pretty determined to see his plan for his race to come to a positive completion. He looks at the devastation the Founders caused and has this deep sense of betrayal.

 

[Isadorabelle]

I just updated my story! Finally! It has been forever, unfortunately. Though, it is summertime now and I'm going to do my best to update regularly. I may even finish it up this summer!

Anyway, I didn't copy and paste it here, but here's the full story on Ad Astra.

http://www.adastrafanfic.com/viewuser.php?uid=189

 

[Gul Re'jal]

Here's my comment from AdAstra:

So, Keevan is supposed to be Vorta "ambasador" to the Federation? That could go wrong in soooo many ways. I still don't trust him, especially not after his show toward Kira. The man doesn't seem to know what is required in a dimplomat--ironic, considering what is one of main tasks of the Vorta in the Dominion. But then--he only commanded a ship and wasn't a real diplomat, so maybe he wasn't designed for this. He could mess up a lot, either unintintionally, or intentionally. It's hard to tell.

Weyoun is risking a lot, trusting him.

But the idea of settling on some world and perhaps rebuilding what the Vorta had lost--their home, their culture and their lives and independence--is intruiging. We'll see where it gets them.

 

[Isadorabelle]

Here's my comment from AdAstra:

So, Keevan is supposed to be Vorta "ambasador" to the Federation? That could go wrong in soooo many ways. I still don't trust him, especially not after his show toward Kira. The man doesn't seem to know what is required in a dimplomat--ironic, considering what is one of main tasks of the Vorta in the Dominion. But then--he only commanded a ship and wasn't a real diplomat, so maybe he wasn't designed for this. He could mess up a lot, either unintintionally, or intentionally. It's hard to tell.

Weyoun is risking a lot, trusting him.

But the idea of settling on some world and perhaps rebuilding what the Vorta had lost--their home, their culture and their lives and independence--is intruiging. We'll see where it gets them.

I read your review on Ad Astra. lol I'll beware of the udon noodles!! My semester was so long that I was thinking "Oh no!!! I haven't updated in several MONTHS!"

Then, I looked. It was March. It wasn't nearly as long as I'd blown it up to be. Though, I'm hoping that I'll be able to update once every week or every two weeks. I'm taking the summer off from school work while I re-evaluate what I need where I'm transferring to, etc.

But, about the story. Yes, I agree that Keevan doesn't seem to be a good diplomat. He doesn't really strike me as a very good negotiator, at least not in the way that Weyoun was. Both of the could strong arm, but where Weyoun does it sly like and makes it look like the other party has a choice, Keevan is just like "This is a formality. You know you'll do it my way."

I do have some good news and I don't think I'll be giving anything away. I'm going to do another short and have it up asap. You'll get to see Kurill Prime again!

I'm still planning to write a series for that. Hopefully this summer I will. It's so funny, this past semester was supposed to be an easier one. NOPE!

 

[Gul Re'jal]

Watch out for dangerous noodles!

No, no, don't give anything away. I'm not a fan of spoilers. If I seem to be asking questions, they are not real questions, just thinking out loud

Well, we'll see if Keevan is more trouble than of use. I fear for the worst, though.

PS. You might still want to repost the chapter here, too. I know I don't like to be sent here and there with links, especially in the middle of a story Luckily, I read it first at AdAstra after getting an email about a new chapter

 

[Isadorabelle]

Watch out for dangerous noodles!

No, no, don't give anything away. I'm not a fan of spoilers. If I seem to be asking questions, they are not real questions, just thinking out loud

Well, we'll see if Keevan is more trouble than of use. I fear for the worst, though.

PS. You might still want to repost the chapter here, too. I know I don't like to be sent here and there with links, especially in the middle of a story Luckily, I read it first at AdAstra after getting an email about a new chapter

Haha okay, I won't give any more away. It's actually pretty hard not to because I just want to get it out so much, though I know it'll be better if I resist that urge.

After I finish replying I'll put it here. I think I was short on time and that's why I hadn't before, if I remember right. I'm also putting it on deviantart because they have a Vorta-Appreciation community. There's a lot of Vorta lovers there tool

Oh and by the way, I should have the next chapter up either in 12 hours or the next 24. I am a little over half way done with it and I would've finished it last night, buuuuut then the screen got blurry with fatigue. For my health , Weyoun let me go to bed. lol!

 

[Isadorabelle]

Chapter 11

Meticulously, Weyoun adjusted his tunic as Kira stepped out of the meeting with himself and Odo. Odo being there was something he was grateful for; Kira listened to Odo easier than she listened to him. That became more apparent to him throughout the meeting and he was that much more confident in his choice to bring Odo into the fold. His whole plan would’ve been so much easier without Major Kira or the Federation being involved, though what was done was done and he couldn’t change it. All he could do, all he would do, was use the situation to his advantage.

Kira’s prompt return made Weyoun turn his gaze from space outside and back into the room. Weyoun didn’t speak until Kira was seated at the table and he once again had her attention. Sitting down himself, he offered her a smile before pushing a datapadd in her direction.

“I have allies in the Dominion. An ally, rather, who is assisting in increasing our numbers. Her name is Sheena.” Her name was irrelevant to Kira, but Weyoun felt compelled to say it nonetheless. The Vorta had always simply been ‘a diplomat’ or ‘a Vorta’. They remained nameless slaves of the Dominion. Sheena was an individual; she deserved to be recognized as such. “It isn’t necessary that you know about our movements across the wormhole—I’m sure the less you know, the better.” It would interfere with their Federation morals somehow, he was sure.

The Vorta paused and indicated to the data on the padd now in front of her. “You’ll see my movement plans, the number of people that’ll be coming through your station-“

“And going where?” Kira interrupted and Weyoun watched her gaze go to his own. The Bajoran shook her head. “You can’t expect us to house so many Vorta. Look at these numbers! Deep Space 9 is only so big and what? You plan for them to go to Bajor? Yes, I’m sure that’ll go over well.” Weyoun frowned. Despite the fact that Kira’s mood had improved since the arrival of Odo, that good mood didn’t seem to extend to his plans. That was fine, he didn’t need her to like them; he just needed her to allow them to happen.


“Is your little station so full of Starfleet officers and pitcher-eared Ferengi that you can’t handle a few Vorta?” Kira’s head snapped up and she twisted toward the silky voice. Keevan stepped into the room and let the door shut behind him. Weyoun watched quietly as Keevan walked over and joined him and Kira at the table.

“I might’ve known that you’d come into the mix. It seems like Weyoun had the least work to do with you. You already betrayed the Founders.”

Keevan’s lips stretched into a cool smile as he regarded the Major. “It is fortunate that you managed to evade capture during the Occupation, Major.” Keevan offered her a smile that was almost sweet. “Otherwise, with a mouth like that, you wouldn’t have survived to grace us with your presence today.” His tone remained sweet, sickeningly so, and Keevan’s smile turned somewhat satisfactory at seeing the Bajoran’s subtle, though angered, reaction. He was a good actor, but even Keevan couldn’t keep it to himself that he enjoyed terrorizing her. She and the famed Sisko lent him to the Ferengi, who killed him. While dying at the hands of the waxy faced accountants undoubtedly saved him from an unhappy existance, he wouldn’t easily forget her role in it.

“Now that that is out of the way,” Keevan smiled to everyone at the table. “I’m sure you want your doctor back! I admit, I’ll be happy to be rid of him. People complain that us Vorta are chatty, they obviously don’t know him.” Of course, Bashir hadn’t been chatty. He had seemed rather relieved to be back on Deep Space 9 and the whole way there he hadn’t cared to engage either of his Vorta companions in conversatoin. But, lying was a skill one needed to practice regularly in order to keep it sharp.

When Weyoun suggested that the meeting ajourned, Kira readily agreed. Keevan assumed that it was because she wanted to interrogate—or question, the Federation didn’t interrogate, her doctor. The Major and Odo left, though not after a warning from the Federation officer. She’d have to tell Admiral Ross, Kira had told them as she leaned over a chair a final time. This was too big to keep between them, she noted, and the Major and the Changeling were gone.

Keevan watched Weyoun stand and walk around the table to sit in front of him. “Are you sure that rekindling your relationship with Major Kira by insulting her is wise?”

“Kira Nerys would be all the more suspicious if I didn’t open with insinuating that she doesn’t know how to keep herself in check. I was establishing normalcy. If I honestly wanted to make her angry, I could’ve told her what she could do with her mouth instead.” Keevan gave a somewhat cheeky smile. “But, I am not in the mood to visit Doctor Bashir again so soon.”

Keevan felt gratified at the other Vorta’s huff and how he made a point to ignore his comment. Weyoun was always too uptight, too…pro-duty. Once upon a time Keevan held the Founders above his own survival, but that had changed long before he fell into Federation custody. Up until he met Sisko and his lot on that planet, it was simply in his best interest to worship and serve the Founders. It was true, he supposed, that they had to do the least work on him as he was already ‘defective’.

“This is a suitable M-class planet. The location isn’t optimal, however it will provide protection.” Keevan took the datapadd that Weyoun pushed to him. An image filled with brilliant ambers, thick semi-transparent greens and dots of white light that pushed through it all filled the screen. In the center of it was a planet and he recognized the area of space from star charts.

“You’re right, the Briar Patch will provide some cover, assuming we can get there safely.” Keevan replied after getting over the initial appreciation he had at the fatal beauty of the visual.

“It isn’t permanent,” Weyoun continued. Keevan looked at him and sat the datapadd down. “But, it will be generations before we are a strong presence. You and I will not see that day, but we must lay the groundwork for it. Once the Dominion are gone, we can look for some place else, but until they are no longer a threat, and we do not have to worry about retaliation for our role in the war…the Briar Patch is safe.”

Keevan nodded in agreement. They were of one mind (which was scary in its self) on the matter. “The Briar Patch it is.”

For a moment both Vorta regarded each other, the gravity of the situation hadn’t been lost on either man. The subjects were forsaking their gods and more than that, they were leaving the promise land. Keevan looked down first and looked over the information once again.

“Have you spoken to the Federation about this? The Briar Patch is in their territory. They will not appreciate our colonization.”

“That’s your job.” Keevan’s eyes met his quicker and with more sharpness than he would’ve liked. Raising his brows slightly, he sat back and folded his arms.

“Come again?”

There was a pause before Weyoun continued. “While I am observing our interests in the Gamma Quadrant, you will be here managing them. It will be necessary for you to have a relationship and yes Keevan, a tolerance for Federation politics. Now is as good a time as any to start building that. In the meantime, we’ll both be searching for a more permanent settlement.”

The Briar Patch was truly temporary, then. Keevan grudgingly began forming plans of his own concerning a permanent settlement. Just because they would be in the Briar Patch didn’t meant that they couldn’t build a home somewhere else. There were those Vorta whose entire purpose was to create and build. They could put them to work, a small group of them, at their non-existent new home. By the time they would move, they would have a head start.

Sighing, he nodded. “Alright, fine Weyoun.” He didn’t like it, but Keevan would accept the role. He much preferred to let others do the work while he enjoyed the spoils of it, but it seemed that those days were over.

With a schedule to keep, Weyoun left Keevan in the meeting room to his thoughts. The Vorta crossed his arms again and went to the window to gaze out at the stars, towards the wormhole. A human ditty came unexpectedly to his mind. He couldn’t help but think that it was somehow fitting. Thoughtfully he gazed towards the wormhole: towards the Founders and added his own spin.

“Humpty-dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall. But, when he cried for all his horses and all his men, he stayed there alone, sad and broken until he met his end.”

 

[Isadorabelle]

Chapter 12
Enjoy!


Weyoun watched as two Vorta worked on installing a field dampener in the cargo bay. Both Vorta were male and they had full, dark hair. It was a touch longer than what he preferred, but the fact thrilled him. It was a mark of individuality—more so even than the bickering shared between the two men. From his location he could hear their conversation and the way they would seamlessly share the role of antagonize with one another. It was all in jest, he could tell because there was no true aggression behind what they were saying. And, they were working more efficiently together than they ever would have as servants of the Dominion.

“Those two are fun,” Turning, he looked at Sheena, who had moved to stand beside him. She smiled to him and he smiled back before looking at the Vorta again. “Their names are Kalem and Talness. They…are like brothers and have already managed to make a lot of progress with the mechanical part of our living arrangements.” When Sheena touched his sleeve, he followed her out of the cargo bay. It would be another four hours before the sensors were installed, tested and pronounced ready to go. Weyoun had exhausted himself on making every possible excuse to get back to the cloning facility and to Sheena, so when he finally was able to make it, a month had passed with Keevan alone in the Alpha Quadrant and Sheena operating on her own here. She wasn’t helpless, a fact that impressed him, and had made enough clones to create temporary residences around the facility.

“It was my intention to take back a small compliment of Vorta when I return, but Admiral Ross wasn’t as receptive as I hoped. Though, I cannot blame it on Keevan’s negotiating abilities, as much as I’d like to.” Weyoun told Sheena as they arrived in her quarters. She had already asserted her individuality there. Lamps with soft lights sat against the walls, which had been painted some light shade of brown. Her furniture was a darker shade of it and comfortably overstuffed. Weyoun had read that the colors were complimentary of one another, though his appreciation of it went scarcely farther than that.

“But,” he continued after making himself comfortable. “I’m confident that the plan will work, with or without his willing cooperation. Firstly, it would be against their idealistic ideology to eject the Vorta out of airlocks. They will have to relocate us. We have a plan for that already and even if we didn’t, we’re providing intelligence on the Dominion.” Weyoun stated and shrugged some before he looked at Sheena, who had curled up on the other end of the couch and was watching him.

“I’m not concerned about it,” Sheena finally stated and offered a smile. “Your confidence in yourself may waiver from time to time, but mine in you doesn’t. You weren’t regarded as one of their best servants without reason.

“None of us can remember Kurill. I don’t know if we were supposed to, I don’t quite understand how that part works.” She continued after a moment and looked at him. “Tell me about it. What was it like? Did we worship gods or nothing at all? Were we a race of artists, scientists? Technicians?” Sheena stood up and sat in front of him on the edge of a low-sitting table. One of her knees rested between his and her elbows dug into her thighs. The position was a vulnerable one for him but as Weyoun looked at her face, he closed his eyes briefly and embraced the feeling.

“It was…progressive.” He began as he sorted out what he wanted to tell her and what he didn’t. “The vegetation was green, but it had a blue hue to it and there was a lot of it. In the cities, progress and man-made structures blended with nature in such a way that if you needed to take a walk and found it to be comforting, you could. I would have my lunch in the park. It wasn’t particularly aesthetically pleasing of course, but it was quiet. There were birds in the trees, too.” He paused and looked at his hands over his knees.

“I lived in a residential area that was relatively close to the center of the city. It wasn’t so close that I felt crowded, but it wasn’t too far away either. The house leaned more towards natural décor and was filled with colors most associated with nature.” Weyoun didn’t mention Rujhah or Mah’lel. They were a private part of him and, as much as he felt he could tell Sheena, Weyoun kept their memory to himself.

“We had vehicles that took us around. Some of them were smaller and seated two or four people; others were larger and ran on electric tracks. They would hold so many people and had large windows so one could observe the city as it travelled.” Weyoun stopped in his description and looked at Sheena.

She had an odd look on her face, one that he couldn’t claim to have seen directed at him before. She had pulled his hands to hers and sat holding them; one of her delicate thumbs brushed his palm lightly. “It sounds like it was beautiful.” Sheena finally stated, quietly. The next question was the one Weyoun was afraid that she’d asked before he even began the description.

“Can I see it?” He shook his head at her soft question and rattled off some excuse about being unable to justify such a detour and that it would raise suspicion. It was a lie, and judging by the look she gave him with her intensely perceptive eyes, Sheena didn’t believe it.

“I don’t want you to see it now. What you see in your mind now is no doubt better than the reality.” He relented and told her the truth, which Sheena accepted with a nod. The woman in front of him shifted and lifted his hands to her face. At first he was alarmed and resisted flinching away from her, but the female Vorta simply applied a soft kiss to each of his palm. The gesture was alien, but somehow welcomed. For the first time, he didn’t feel like he was baring this burden alone.

Sheena shifted up to him and gave him a kiss, much like the kisses she’d placed on his palm. When she paused to see his reaction, Weyoun didn’t actually think about his own actions. Instead, he remembered an occasion in the orb, when he and Mah’lel watched the sun set from a hammock they shared. Thinking about the sun and the simple pleasure of being near someone else, Weyoun kissed her back.

 

[Isadorabelle]

I know this chapter isn't as long, but I feel happy with it. Firstly, it is less pressure on me to get done because it's not huge, but also I feel like this chapter is good for Weyoun and if it was longer, it would take away from that.

 

[Gul Re'jal]

Weyoun seems to experience his first love, although he doesn't seem to know what it is exactly

And he's trying to use the Federations "we're friend with everyone" attitude and abuse it is a way. Well, very Weyoun-like move, truly

 

[Isadorabelle]

Weyoun seems to experience his first love, although he doesn't seem to know what it is exactly

And he's trying to use the Federations "we're friend with everyone" attitude and abuse it is a way. Well, very Weyoun-like move, truly

Hahaha, yeah, it is very Weyoun-like. I think as well intended as he's being, he's still Weyoun.

I love Mah'lel and Sheena. I just love them both and I look forward to writing more of Mah'lel in the series after Libernobis.

 

[Isadorabelle]

Chapter 13

Keevan surveyed the Vorta in front of him: his five new roommates. He stifled a sigh. Keevan had gotten used to the private life with his own quarters and replicator. Albeit the quarters had been small, but he was alone to sort through all the things Weyoun had just thrust upon him since he emerged from his pod. It was overwhelming, but he supposed that his comrade felt that the time he’d given him was enough.

“Keevan,” turning to the voice, a female Vorta stood near him. She was nearly his height, which was exceptionally tall for a Vorta, and had very long dark hair. “Have ripple berries been programmed into the replicator, or do I need to do that?” He blinked at the female and tried to see if he could place her face from the littler information he had been given barely an hour before. Weyoun had so graciously dumped eighty-three Vorta in Keevan’s lap on this visit. Their names and faces had been identified on the datapadd, though he hadn’t really done more than scan over it quickly while Weyoun rattled on about this or that, Dominion things.

“Who are you?” Keevan asked her blankly and noted, with some irritation, that her brows rose slightly.

“Laelin.” She informed him and Keevan breathed in. Laelin. He knew that name and it came to him where he knew it from. She was a Vorta engineer responsible for improving shielding on Jem’Hadar ships. Though, her clone had been retired nearly six decades before due to apparent defects that began to crop up with each cloning. It seemed that Weyoun’s selection process wasn’t random.

Finally, Keevan answered. “Ripple berries are programmed into the replicator, though you may find them to be too strong now. Personally, there is a human dish called jambalaya that I’m rather fond of.” He recommended from his own culinary experimentation. Though, with that his digestive tended to react badly and he’d find himself restricted to the bathroom for some unpleasant consequences from eating that dish.

Laelin thanked him for the advice and Keevan tilted his head, watching her athletic form walk away. She was…aesthetically pleasing. Shaking the unnatural—or natural apparently, thoughts from his head, Keevan turned his head just in time to see one of the other females go towards the bathroom carrying a bundle of clothing.

“No! I know how long you women take in there. Let me in first.”


Three hours later, Keevan would’ve gladly given a toe to be waiting outside the bathroom in his own quarters. His face, which was normally relaxed into boredom or smugness, was contorted some by thin lips and his usually pale purple eyes brighter with annoyance. He’d told Weyoun he wasn’t a diplomat. His method of handling things was to force the issue, but to do it with a diplomatic smile.

“Yes Admiral, more Vorta will be coming, enough that will provide a sustainable gene pool. But, by the time those kind of numbers come through, we’ll have our temporary home established in the Briar Patch. It will be ready within the week as it is.”

“That is a plan I’m still not thrilled about,” Ross replied to the Vorta in front of him. He had interrogated Keevan before and had noticed the differences. He did seem humbled somehow and Ross no longer had the instinctive urge to not turn his back on him, but he was still very much the Vorta he had spoke to during the war. “There are other inhabited planets in the Briar Patch. They don’t lay claim to the other planets, however they appreciate their privacy and, should you find yourself in trouble, they can’t come help you.”

Rubbing his head, Keevan regarded the admiral. What made him think that they’d need help at any point? Perhaps it was how frail so many of the Vorta appeared. Appearances were deceiving as generally, they were pretty durable. Laelin, who he’d convinced to join him, stepped into the conversation. She’d been previously silent the whole time.

“Admiral,” Laelin’s voice was somewhat deeper, though very soothing, Keevan thought. “I understand your hesitation. We’re not asking for help settling on one planet, but two and we only plan to leave one of them,” Keevan wondered just whose side she was on. “But, until the Dominion threat is eliminated, which let’s be honest, may take quite a while, we need a place that will deter retaliation. The Briar Patch is well equipped for this. We’re turning our backs on our gods, Admiral. I think that deserves protection, don’t you?” Inwardly, Keevan snickered. Well played, for an engineer.

Laelin continued. “And, it IS only temporary. Soon, hopefully, we’ll have a permanent settlement picked out and a team of workers, Vorta workers, not your personnel, will begin working on it. All we are asking for are supplies in exchange for giving you the Dominion. We aren’t even asking to take away any of your officers to do this. I think the trade is more than fair, Admiral.” Perhaps it was because Laelin was less threatening, but soon enough the meeting drew to a close and Admiral Ross, while perhaps not thrilled, seemed more at ease with their plans.

“I’m glad you were here,” Keevan told her as they were transported back to the quarters they’d been assigned. He looked forward to being able to take walks around on the promenade, but information often times spread quickly and news of Vorta on Deep Space 9 would reach the Dominion’s ears sooner than they wanted. So, until then, they were restricted to fourteen large guest quarters in an area that was ‘down for maintenance’. This did allow some freedom, though with six Vorta to each of the quarters, one could only enjoy that so much. Still, he was happy for what they had and, as much as he grumbled over Kira’s arrangements, he did understand them.

“Well, I admit that I have my suspicions on why I’m here.” Laelin voiced, though the rest of her comment came as a surprise to him. “I’ve worked with Weyoun before, before I was declared as ‘defective’ or anything. He knows that I’m used to working with difficult Vorta and difficult men in general.” Keevan glanced at her, slightly offended. Something must’ve shown through on his face because she was smirking.



A lifetime ago, Weyoun would be standing there in utter elation. With a sea of dark caramel in front of him, Weyoun watched a lone stalk grow from it as it approached the small island he stood on. His face lit up with false adoration as the female Founder formed in front of him. Weyoun’s skin crawled. His hands spread in supplication for his Founder and gracefully, Weyoun bowed his head to her presence.

“Founder,” Weyoun murmured the word and kept a measurable mix of respect, awe, and love in the tone. Outwardly, he belonged to them. Inwardly, he wanted to throw up.

“What information do you have on Odo’s progress with the Federation?” They were never for small talk or concern for their servants. Why would they? Weyoun began the summary that he and Odo had prepared for the Founders. He watched as she accepted it without a second thought, her trust in Odo and in him total. At one time, he would’ve felt bad for his deception. Once, he also loved her too.

Finally the Founder lifted an impatient hand. “What about this ‘Orb of Death’ that we’ve heard of? What information do you have on that?” The question caught Weyoun off guard, but he hid his surprise.

“The orb strongly resembles the orbs of the Bajoran religion; however, it seems to carry the unique property of inflicting insanity on anyone who spends long periods of time around it. It is responsible for many deaths thus far.” Weyoun explained. He had no motivation to lie about that, though his curiosity about why the Founder asked got the better of him. “I could gather more information for you, Founder, and report back here.” Weyoun offered, fishing to see if he could get an explanation out of her.

“We want the orb.” Her simple statement made him blink. Once again the changeling in front of him caught him off guard, but he nodded very slowly.

“That will….take time, Founder.” The statement of fact earned Weyoun an aggravated look. Out of obligation, he bowed his head and watched as her attention turned upwards towards the stars.

“We have plenty of time, Weyoun.”

 

[Isadorabelle]

I have a short posted on Ad Astra as well as DeviantArt (you can locate both of my accounts by just searching for 'Isadorabelle' as a penname or 'Libernobis'). I won't post it here because I don't want it to become confusing with the chapters. The short is called 'Past and Future Choices' and it features both Weyoun and Keevan.

 

[Mage]

I've quickly read the first chapter, and it looks very interesting! I'm going to read in in depth later on.

But, one little thing. Isn't Major Kira supposed to be Colonel Kira by now?

 

[Isadorabelle]

Haha yeah, that had been pointed out to me. There's an explanation in the next few chapters. I hope you enjoy it! If you prefer, it is also on Ad Astra and dA. It might be a little easier for you to read.

 

[Isadorabelle]

Chapter 14
~~
“…The first group is settled in on the planet in the Briar Patch.” Kevan stated as he looked over the information and then pushed it to Weyoun. “They seem surprisingly upbeat. I’ve spent the night in caves and camping before, but they seem to think it is an adventure.” He offered a false smile to Kira, who sat across from him in the conference room. “Perhaps it was being under rifle point and in Federation custody that…soured the outdoorsman in me.” He looked down again at the new settlement information, intentionally missing the way Kira’s mouth opened in protest, then shut.

From beside Keevan, a sharp elbow jabbed his side. Laelin had become a regular fixture at the meetings, mostly at the request of Keevan. The engineer was more diplomatic than the overseer, whose solution was to just force compliance with a smile. She could talk on their peace-loving level. Though, as Keevan rubbed over his side, he thought maybe she should sit on the other side of the table.

“Survei IV is suitable, but until the Dominion is no longer a threat, it isn’t safe.” Laelin stated with a frown on her face.

Kira nodded. “I agree and so does Admiral Ross. After further deliberation, he feels that allowing Federation teams to go onto Survei IV would be better all around. Not only would it mean that your existence stays secret longer, but seeing Federation officers building is less suspicious than a small, unidentified number. There’s less chance that it’ll be a target.” Kira explained, though her voice wasn’t as compassionate as it would be to dislocated Bajorans or some other race. Keevan understood, but to him, it only highlighted a double standard.

“Isn’t the Surveallian Sytem rather close to Cardassian space?” Weyoun hadn’t spoken much more than a quiet greeting since his arrival at the conference hall. It had been three weeks since Keevan had seen him and he’d been hoping for more than that. Though, he supposed that they’d be talking after.

“It is,” Kira spoke up first. “But it is the only suitable, M class planet that isn’t inhabited and is within a practical, acceptable distance. It is still in Federation space and under our protection.”

“Until you negotiate another treaty with Cardassia,” Weyoun said quietly. “The Maquis, assuming they reformed, won’t even have us. And, if the Cardassians aren’t as understanding of us, what then?” Keevan watched Weyoun. He had valid points, but the fact was every other planet they found had this or that problem with it. Survei IV was the best choice for their new home, their new life. Weyoun was frowning when he continued. “But, if that is what you feel is suitable, Keevan, then that is what it is.” Keevan blinked in surprise. When they both loyally served the Founders, they knew one another and had a sort of rivalry between them. Weyoun antagonized him and second guessed him. Now, with such a big decision, he was putting his faith in him?

Keevan was the one to answer Weyoun when the Vorta asked about construction. “It has already begun.” Yet again he was surprised when he was met with approval by Weyoun after he looked at the information. The universe was turned upside down: Vorta would be living permanently in the Federation, the Dominion would have a threat, and Weyoun trusted him.

“I’m running late for another meeting,” Keevan looked up to Kira when she spoke. The Bajoran began to stand. “You three can take care of the rest of this?” He gave her a nod and watched as the major made her exit. Keevan turned his attention back to Weyoun.

It seemed strange to be in charge, in a sense. It seemed even more unusual for Weyoun to trust someone else with the task, but he supposed that what they were doing did require delegating. “When can we expect more?” Keevan questioned as he began turning off datapadds. They had little else to say, really, though he did have a few choice words for Weyoun about the living arrangements.

There was a pause as Weyoun seemed to consider it. “Within the next month. It takes time to clone so many without raising suspicion.”



Her presence at the meetings with Weyoun was more of a formality. Kira had seen the plans, she knew that until the Dominion decided to free the Vorta they had in their service, Weyoun’s Vorta would be the only free Vorta. That was why there was a temporary site, stuck back in a place that most ships didn’t want to go and weren’t capable of either, and then there was the permanent settlement. It was a smart location; Kira gave Weyoun that much as she walked towards the upper level of Quark’s.

“Kira,” she smiled when Odo spoke her name from the out of the way table that he’d gotten. In the time he’d been gone, Kira missed the rustic sound of his voice. Since his arrival, She’d been hoping, perhaps foolishly so, that they would get to spend more time together. Between relocating the Vorta and working with the Federation, Odo had little time for her and with her duties on the station, she didn’t have time for him outside of their professional duties. Tonight was different though and, for five hours they belonged to each other.

“Odo, finally we’re not surrounded by people and with a conference table between us.” Sitting down, she took his hands across the table. It was still a table, but the setting was intimate, and even if it was Quark’s, she couldn’t find it in herself to mind.

Odo smiled to her from across the table. Kira noted that his time with the Great Link hadn’t taken away that expression of personality on his features. “I’m so glad that we finally have more time.” His fingers stroking over the top of her hands gave her pleasant chills. “We have to coordinate our schedules. I want to see you like this more than once a month.” That was a statement Kira could sympathize with. Looking to their hands, Kira considered if her next words was something she wanted to bring up so early. It was more that she was afraid of the answer.

“Are you going to stay, Odo? They’ll know you worked with him.” Inwardly, Kira chided herself for adding the statement. He knew that, he didn’t need her to remind him that they would know of his betrayal. She just didn’t want him to go. Kira waited for Odo to answer, watching as he studied the table.

“I’ve always felt that the others kept things from me. In the collective knowledge of the Great Link, there are things that they…hid from me, from some of the other hundred.” Odo told her and frowned some. “I cannot hide things so well from them, and even if I could, they’d know that I was hiding something after a visit here. I won’t be leaving. At least” he hesitated and smiled to her again before resuming the back and forth motion of his thumbs over her hands. “Not any time soon. I can’t hide this from them, so I can’t go back to them until the Vorta are safe. I—We, the Founders—owe the Vorta that much.”

While Kira tried not to show it, her body relaxed in relief. She’d felt cheated after the war because she’d lost Odo to the Founders, just like they’d wanted. But now, through Weyoun of all people, they had a second chance.

“You didn’t do anything to the Vorta, Odo. That was then, not you.” The Bajoran told him softly. He didn’t need to take responsibility for so much, not when he didn’t do anything.

Odo shook his head and sat back. “That’s just it Nerys. It wasn’t me personally, but the others, what they did to the Vorta cannot be ignored anymore.” Weyoun hadn’t been forthcoming about his motivations, so when Odo continued, Kira listened. “I do not have their perspective, but I can imagine how it went.

“They found this planet, this race of people who’d outgrown their planet and had moons and small, budding colonies. But, in all this progress and their intelligence, they were arrogant. The Founders inspired them to grow beyond their meager cloning experiments and they appealed to the most skilled, most greedy and most ruthless of the population. And, when they did this, when they blindly gave the Founders everything they could, they finally made the ultimate sacrifice: their own people.”

Odo looked at Kira and offered her a brief smile. “They didn’t even really willingly give themselves over. The short sidedness of some members of the race enslaved the rest. Weyoun showed me images of Kurill Prime—the real Kurill Prime that Vorta are never permitted to see. Their cities were vast and their homes were just like the ones on Bajor. All of it was devastated, the inhabitants long since dead, murdered by the Founders.”

There was silence for a full minute as Odo processed the story he’d just told her. “I can’t imagine that.” It was more the idea of cities like Ashalla, or even Deep Space 9, left abandoned. The thought of the population evacuating was erie, the thought of the population as dead was horrifying.

“The Vorta are victims of the Dominion, maybe even more than some others. Other races, other planets, they retain who they are after they’ve been conquered, but the Vorta didn’t. They became the Dominion, serving them every day and with no idea that the very gods they worship, destroyed them. “

Weyoun’s face appeared in her mind, beckoned forward by the story Odo told. It wasn’t respect that bloomed inside her for him, but something else that she hadn’t yet identified. She was sure it wasn’t sympathy, but for the moment, Kira Nerys wasn’t comfortable putting a label to the feeling. Regardless of what she felt, she supposed that everyone and everything deserved a second chance, even the Vorta.

 

[Isadorabelle]

Originally this is exactly how it was supposed to be, but I seriously considered separating the part with Kira and Odo into a short. At the end of the day, the longer chapter, plus a little development for Kira and chance to get her in more, won out.

 

[Isadorabelle]

Life on Deep Space 9 did have its drawbacks, and one of them was that she couldn’t see how much one month changed the seasons on Bajor. The planet had exhaled after holding her breath all winter and allowed her people, and the animals and plants that dwelled on her, to warm up again. Now, after a whole hot summer, she was preparing to fill her breast with air again and let the world rest in the cool temperatures.

Kira breathed in deeply, able to pick up the faint sweetness of koji vines growing in the hedge nearby.

“You really miss being here, don’t you?” Kira turned to Lesedi, whose skin and uniform was a sharp contrast to white stone walls behind her. She smiled.

“Sometimes,” Kira admitted. “Actually, a lot, but I’m only really aware of it when I’m here. I’ll miss Bajor while I’m up there, and then I have this to do or that to do and I stop thinking about it. Then I actually get here and I miss this or that about the station.” The Bajoran admitted and gave her Human friend a smile and shrug.

As the two women stepped inside, Kira continued. “Do you think anyone would object to the station being moved from orbit and put here, on Bajor?” She joked as the two officers followed the well traveled route to Admiral Ross’ office.

“As you might imagine, Commander Vorak has been very curious about the orb.” Five minutes after arriving at the office and the three of them were observing the ‘Orb of Death’ from a safe distance. Collectively, twenty feet, a force field, and four inches of glass separated the dangerous artifact from everyone. The only person who had been able to get close to the orb and not experiencing its damaging affects was Nog. Doctors credited it to his four-lobed brain and thus a different structure than the majority of people who came into contact with it. She was glad that Nog wasn’t too much like his uncle; evil orb or not, she didn’t want it sold to the highest bidder.

“Vorak worked with an expert your Vedek Assembly sent and they’ve concluded that the object initiates an orb experience with anyone closer than fifteen feet.” Ross glanced to the other side of Kira and Lesedi when the sound of a door closing caught their attention.

“We believe these telepathic invasions caused the condition of the Romulan officers. It was simply too much for an undisciplined mind to handle.” Vorak’s tone was as even as ever, though Kira had spent enough time around Vorak to detect the mild arrogance in his voice when he mentioned undisciplined minds. She also knew that Lesedi had passed up the chance to make some comment about it. She’d done it before in front of Admiral Ross despite disapproving, albeit understanding looks.

“The Tears of the Prophets do not hurt those that experience them. A vision may be unsettling, but people do not go crazy after having an orb experience.” Kira Nerys wasn’t an expert, but she knew that much. Though, as she looked at the object, kept at such a distance just so they wouldn’t lose their minds, she had to wonder if it was even from the Prophets. There was another possibility, though it was one that chilled Nerys. The idea that the Pah-wraiths could be active was scary, it was more frightening that they could have their own orbs.

“Commander Vorak and I have to go, we have a meeting to attend.”

Lesedi’s voice drew Nerys out of her thoughts and she looked to her friend. Lesedi hadn’t told her about a meeting, but she didn’t keep tabs of her schedule. After quickly agreeing to lunch later, Nerys watched Lesedi walk out, the Vulcan behind her. She’d grown used to seeing the bickering between her human friend and her Vulcan, so it was just one more thing not right in the universe when she didn’t see it now.

Five minutes later and she was face to face with another thing not right in the universe. Weyoun had his ever present smile on his face, his hands clasped in front of him as he regarded her and Admiral Ross. Weyoun was supposed to be the enemy, not turning against the Dominion. She was grateful, just unnerved.

“I am pleased by the progress of the permanent settlement.” The Bajoran listened and followed along with Admiral Ross and Weyoun as they retraced the steps back to the orb. She only assumed that it had to do with the next phase if their plan concerning the Dominion. “We’re up to seven-hundred-thirty-four Vorta now. I will continue to move Vorta, however it is becoming more difficult to justify these trips.” The Dominion Ambassador’s trips had become less frequent, though he was no less dedicated and his load of Vorta reflected that. The longer he was away, the more Vorta he brought back with him. He was bringing information too. The Federation verified as much of it as they could, and the Admiral had grown to trust the Vorta. They now had a significant number of Vorta and, either way, they didn’t have much choice.

As Weyoun continued on about the pressing requests for the orb, the three entered the labs and the Vorta became quiet. She could see the reddish, rust colored orb just as it had been a few minutes before. It really was identical to the orbs she was familiar with, except for the dark, unpleasant color.

“How many Vorta do you have left to bring?” Weyoun didn’t answer for a moment.

“I do about three-hundred more. One-thousand Vorta to restart my race. I think…that will be enough, don’t you?” Kira didn’t answer but stepped closer to the glass, her eyes on the orb. He had enough time to get the rest, then.

Listening as Admiral Ross began to speak, she turned her attention to him as he outlined their plans. “We’re working on another orb. It won’t stand up to intense, thorough scans, but it’ll be enough for you to drop it off and then get back here.” The admiral seemed confident of that. Kira wasn’t sure but if she was honest with herself, Weyoun was disposable. It wasn’t an opinion she, or Admiral Ross, shared, but she was sure that it was in the back of the minds of Ross’ superiors. No matter what she thought of Weyoun, what he was doing was a big sacrifice for his people. He deserved to be free with them.

“How soon will it be ready?” Kira heard Ross answer Weyoun’s question, explaining that it would be done in a few weeks. She also heard the hesitation in his voice when he answered a moment later. Despite that, the Vorta agreed that it was a good idea and that he would take it not on this trip, but the next one back to the Dominion.

Kira watched as Weyoun stepped forward, his head tilted inquisitively as he regarded the orb. “Something on your mind?”

Violet eyes found her dark ones and Weyoun offered the slightest shrug. “I am just wondering, you go to so much trouble for something that you don’t’ even understand how it works, for gods that you’ve never seen and let you suffer in an occupation.” His voice maintained the usual forced politeness she was used to, though Kira thought she heard genuine curiosity in it as well.

“Faith is a matter of believing in something you can’t explain, see or understand.” Kira glanced at the Vorta. “With the exception of this orb maybe, the orbs are gifts to us, to guide us.” For just a moment, she thought that perhaps Weyoun understood that. His faith in the Founders, up until recently at least, was absolute.

“There is one thing I have discovered, Major Kira,” Weyoun paused and looked to her, his smile slightly patronizing. “There are no gods. Those domesticated animals you people keep, to them you are gods. I’m sure someone is a god to your prophets, just as there must be to the changelings.” He paused and looked back at the orb, his head tilting again. “There is a human expression I heard Jake Sisko use once. ‘There’s always a bigger fish.”



“AAAGGGHHH! Watch it!” Quark flinched at the sound of his own voice as he howled in protest of Doctor Bashir’s handling of his lobe. “I’m an injured man! If you can’t do any better than that, go get that cute nurse.” As a matter of fact, he could go get her anyway. Maybe he’d be able to talk the curvy human blonde into some oomax. She looked like the adventurous type.

“If you would hold still, or just stop trying to cheat your customers, this wouldn’t be such an ordeal.” The hew-mon sounded miffed, as if it was Quark’s fault that he was physically assaulted! Some people just didn’t know how to do business and didn’t understand that sometimes you had to act fast, or you took a loss. Quark winced and rubbed over his newly healed ear. He’d have to be careful to not be around when a customer took one of those said losses.

Standing, Quark tugged down his tunic and gave the doctor a toothy grin. “Thank you doctor. Perhaps you should just send one of those kits with me? I do have a lot of other Ferengi working in the bar…” Quark’s words fell off slowly, his head tilted as he turned his head, listening. Something was familiar from the back part of the infirmary. Quark couldn’t immediately place the voice, though he was sure he knew it and hadn’t heard it in a while. Soft and drawling, it was definitely male and it always bugged Quark when he couldn’t place a potential returning patron.

Disregarding the doctor, the short Ferengi started back. Immediately the taller, dark skinned human jumped in front of him. “Quark, there’s nothing back there.”

“Yeah, but I have this tickle in my throat, I’m just going to grab a drink from your replicator.”

“You own a bar, go get your own drink!”

“No, I think— AHHHHH!”


Stepping away from Laelin, Keevan grabbed his ears, the act was mirrored by the woman sitting on the bio-bed in front of him and gave Quark, who was shuffled in by the doctor, a dirty look. Once Quark was quiet, his eyes half the size of his ears, Keevan lowered his hands.

“You’re dead!”

“What can I say Quark? You leave a very lasting impression. I was compelled to come back.” Keevan was quiet when he felt Laelin smack his chest. In an effort to blend in during their stay, Laelin had opted to look human. Her tell was the large, violet eyes and Keevna found that he wished she’d had those changed too. It brought unwelcomed male attention to her and he couldn’t even do anything about it until he too was altered to blend in.

“What are you here for? Did you do something to…well hello,” Quark took a moment to really look at the alien on the bio-bed. “Say, are you looking for a job? I just lost a dabo-girl and I think her outfit-“

“Quark, this is a private matter, you shouldn’t be back here. Laelin, I can’t let you go yet, I have a few more tests…” Keevan watched Quark push off the doctor as he tried to push him back out again.

Stepping forward, he regarded Keevan then looked at the doctor. “Whatever she says he’s done to her, he did it!”

Keevan smirked. “I most certainly did.” Quark continued on as if Keevan didn’t speak and Laelin didn’t hiss a ‘shut up’, to him.

“Do you know what he did? He tried to leave us on that other station when we rescued Moogie! Then, he tried to say he was trying to save us all and then he died! He shouldn’t be here, we accidentally-“

“Ferengi, stop talking.” Laelin interrupted him, her expression sour. “Your voice hurts my ears.” Keevan watched as his mate slipped off the bio-bed and approached Quark. The height difference was noticeable and he watched how, despite the fact that she was constantly scratching, she still managed to seem intimidating. It made him smile. “I am Vorta too, my name is Laelin and this is not the same Keevan you murdered.”

Laelin’s attention turned from Quark and back to Bashir. “Please doctor, just finish your testing so I can get some relief.” Helping her back on the bio-bed, he wanted to harass Quark into leaving, but Laelin continued to scratch and she was his priority, not the Ferengi.

“Why are you here anyway?” Quark asked as the doctor, who was clearly unhappy with his presence, began another scan over the woman sitting on the bio-bed. As Bashir attended to her, he looked to Quark.

“Well, we’re here because she’s experiencing some unique side effects-“

“Nooo I mean why are you alive.” For a moment, Keevan enjoyed the ‘don’t be a smartass’ expression on Quarks’ face before answering.

“The Vorta are liberating ourselves from the Dominion. The Federation is lending a hand and secrecy is important. So, let’s pretend like you never saw this, deal?” The Ferengi made a face, a toothy, opportunistic grin, though after glares from both Keevan and Laelin, he seemed to reconsider.

“Oh fine, I don’t want to get mixed up with the Dominion again anyway.” Despite his desire not to get entangled in Dominion affairs, Keevan noted that the Ferengi remained, undoubtedly curious. Laelin didn’t seem to care, so he didn’t push the knobby headed thing from the room.

It didn’t matter anyway, the doctor finished his test and began putting his instruments away. “Well,” he began “your body seems to be reacting naturally to your…condition.” A glance at Quark changed Bashir’s statement, and it didn’t go unnoticed.

“Her ‘condition’? I still say poison.”

“No he didn’t poison me.” Laelin sounded irritable, bending some as she scratched her spine. “He impregnated me. Though, I’m beginning to see why pregnancy and poison might be mistaken for one another.”

Quark made a face as he looked between the two Vorta. “Ew,”


“I hate Ferengi.” Keevan snickered at Laelin’s declaration after they rematerialized in their quarters. “Are they all so obnoxious and loud?” As Laelin tossed off her shirt and awkwardly laid over the back of a chair, Keevan used the crème provided by Doctor Bashir and began rubbing her back. Laelin was the first Vorta to be pregnant in the Federation and they had no medical records. The doctor was understandably hesitant to give her medicines to counteract the side effects of her pregnancy, which apparently was severe cases of itching.

“Yes, all of the ones I’ve encountered are obnoxious and loud. Though, you should get used to it. As I understand it, so are new born babies. They poop and stink too. So, in eleven months, we’ll have a loud, messy, smelly offspring.”

“Keevan, you make fatherhood sound so appealing.”

Keevan jumped, his hands jerking on Laelin’s exposed back before he looked around. The Vorta settled slightly when he saw Weyoun sitting on their couch, which was in a more shadowed part of the room.

Weyoun continued as if he hadn’t startled the two. “I admit, I thought it would take longer before the Vorta began to repopulate the all-natural way.” He stood up and approached. Taking a sip of a deep purple juice, he regarded them.

“Well, that was the plan. We just…decided to get an early start.” Keevan replied as he rubbed the last part in. The woman bent over the back of the chair sighed in some relief before picking up her shirt again and angling to get it on. Keevan would’ve preferred to know about the other Vorta before Laelin provided such a show, but she had a bra on. There was some modesty observed, at least.

All three Vorta sat down and when Weyoun handed over a datapadd and container of data rods, Keevan looked inquiringly at him. “That is everything.” Weyoun’s explanation wasn’t enough. Keevan looked at the datapadd and sat the container aside before looking back at him.

“What do you mean, ‘everything?” Weyoun’s explanation surprised him, and somewhat overwhelmed the Vorta who, up until recently, didn’t like a lot of responsibility.

“I’ve had Vorta working on Kurill to compile information on our culture. It is a dead culture, but it was ours before the Dominion. I want you to learn it. When I return, the responsibility will be on you and I to govern our people. We should both be thoroughly aware of our species past, so we will not make the same mistakes they did.”

Weyoun’s explanation was sound, he decided, though he wasn’t sure how he felt about all that information. Looking over the datapadd briefly, he was aware of Laelin, who had shifted to look over his shoulder. She didn’t know it, but Laelin would be essential to learning this. There was no way he could pay attention long enough to assimilate all that information without someone keeping him in line.

Keevan sighed. “What happened to the thinking that you only trusted me to make self serving decisions?” Keevan looked up to Weyoun. The other Vorta’s eyes were on him and Laelin and he almost thought he saw Weyoun’s stiff, formal smile soften just a bit.

“You’ve got two very good reasons to do the best you can for our race. Even if you didn’t care about the rest of the quadrant, that is motivation enough.”