She sighed softly and sat back in her chair, observing the flickering lights indicating occupancy in the docking pylons.  Two Cardassian Galors on the aft arch and five Keldans waiting placidly on the remaining two pylons.

Joy.

"Anything to report, Major?"  The voice of Benjamin Sisko drew her out of her daze, and Kira shook her head slightly before rubbing the corner of her eye wearily.

"Nothing out of the ordinary.  The Cardassians are still waiting for the arrival of the flagship Vikrant, and security has been doubled per your request.  Aside from a bit of protest from the Bajoran occupants, nothing has been pointing to any sort of disturbance."  She let go of her eye and leant forward a bit, elbows over the Ops' table.  "And with all due respect ... I'm not very convinced that this was the right location to have these ... negociations," she added, her dark eyes rising to Sisko.

The Commander shrugged ever so slightly.  "I suppose ... but trust is measured by both sides, Major.  I heard the Haradar is not a fan of violence, in any case."  At this, the Bajoran gave rise to an undelicate snort.

"Apparantly, you were informed wrong.  Haradar Nuvek is quite the ... character."  Sisko raised his brow faintly, turning to the side where he creased his nose with distaste.

"Maybe I should talk with the Constable to keep tight look on the Haradar then."  Kira nodded crisply at him before she caught a new light appearing on her console. She stood from her post and gestured to two security officers before she turned to Sisko.

"He's here." With a slight nod, the commander took the time to tug decisevly on his dress uniform, while Kira instructed the Bajoran officers on their orders.  They both glanced at each other before stepping into the 'lift.

Sisko knew his CMO and Science officer would already be waiting at the airlock.

HARADAR DEKLAR NUVEK stepped out of the airlock, accompanied by a tall, elegantly clad woman and three other officers surrounding them.  The Haradar himself was taller than the rest, imposing in his presence and frightfully young to hold the title of world leader.  He perused the Starfleet and Bajoran officers present with a critical eye, waiting for some sort of introduction to be initiated.

Sisko must have recognised the look since he stepped forward and graced them with a polite and respectful nod.  "Ladies, gentlemen, I am Commander Benjamin Sisko, commanding officer of Deep Space Nine." He could not help but detect a faint twitch in the Haradar's lips at the revised station name.  He turned briefly to the side, motioning to Kira.  "And this is my first officer and liaison to Bajor, Major Kira Nerys."  The Bajoran nodded crisply at them, her face unreadable. Nuvek stared at her far longer than necessary, still no emotion lifting his features.  The woman at his side, however, smiled politely and inclined her head at the major.

"And this is Chief of security, Odo, Lieutenant Julian Bashir, our CMO, and Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax, our science officer." All three nodded guardedly to the Cardassian group with no more than a faint smile.

Nuvek swept his eyes over them once more, assessing each of the welcoming comittee before he parted his lips and spoke.  "I am Haradar Deklar Nuvek.  This is my first officer, Guldrohmched Rikek Sok," he indicated a Cardassian at his side who merely nodded, "And head of the Obsidian Order, Glinn Aria Rekal," he added, gesturing to the woman who, in all evidence, had been the only one to display any sort of emotion.

Odo glanced at Sisko with clear surprise etched in his azure eyes. Rekal chuckled and waved a dismissive hand.  "Oh don't let the title worry you, Constable."  She flashed a modest grin to which Deklar promptly erased with a glare.  He turned back to Sisko and shifted slightly on his feet.  "Perhaps we should get this over with as soon as possible, Commander. I have duties I otherwise have to take care of at home."

What a splendid diplomat, Sisko thought unkindly as he lead the way for the Cardassians with a respectfully proferred hand.  Nuvek looked at it with a raised eyeridge, then over his shoulder to his group.  He tossed his head for them to follow before they fell in step after Sisko.

Kira grumbled slightly as she turned to the side at the others. "And for this I wore my good uniform," she hissed, tugging at her midnight blue tunic. Odo made some sort of gruff noise, Dax smirked while Julian simply stared after the Cardassians as they disapeared behind the bend.  After a moment, he shook his head.

"Something was familiar about that woman ... that Rekal.  I can't quite place my finger on it ..." Dax twisted her features unkindly and placed a hand on Julian's shoulder.

"Well at least you have the perfect pick-up line for her, don't you?"  Bashir blushed bright red, and turned the other way as he pulled uncomfortably at his collar.  "I have some work to catch up on."  Kira and Dax watched him leave with a shared smile, while Odo rolled his eyes and fell in belated step after the Cardassians.

"I DON'T LIKE IT HERE," Rekal said, gazing out the viewport of their suite.  Nuvek came up behind her and lightly pinched her backside with a vicious smirk.  "Is my little Obsidian Order kitlen scared?"

She hissed and shoved his hand away.  "Don't ever call me that again if you don't want another stay in the medbay."  Nuvek took a step back, his eyes dark and menacing at the fact he was being threatened by she whom he'd vowed everything to.  Even his life.

He grabbed her arm and swiveled her around.  "Now listen to me carefully ..." he growled.  "I didn't come all the way here just to have everything ruined on the count of your fear.  Don't make me regret letting you come," he said crisply before stalking off into his bedroom.  Rekal watched him leave for a moment, her eyes focused darkly as she folded her arms.  She turned away and resumed her gazing outside the viewport, wondering what in the Hells they were doing here.

Something must have answered her, for she swiveled around and grabbed her overcoat.  "I'm off for a stroll," she threw at Nuvek before disapearing beyond the doors, not even bothering to wait for the reply.

The Promenade was not as crowded as she expected as she left the corridor to engage the mainstream.  A few Bajorans glanced at her with disdain, but she made sure not to do anything to provoke some unfortunate encounter.  Fortunately, the shapeshifter had not detected the lethal weaponry strapped to her side under her overcoat.  There was, after all, an advantage to wearing civilian garbs over the standard uniform.

As she continued her leisure walk, she passed two Bajorans who scorned none too softly behind her back.  "Another one.  Like the one we already have isn't enough." she caught from one of them, and turned abruptly to face them.  They merely smirked over their shoulders at her before moving on quickly down the Promenade.

"Another Cardassian ... could it be Kithla?" she wondered aloud, a ponderous look on her features.  She was startled to hear someone answer her, yet she did nothing to outwardly reveal it.

"I think they mean my friend.  Garak."

It took everything for Rekal to turn around with a soliticous smile and unruffled attitude.  "Garak you say?  So this is where he's been hiding ..."  She watched as uncertainty clouded the young doctor's features.  Evidently, he was debating whether opening his mouth to the head of the Order had been a good idea.  Specially concerning Garak.  He smiled nervously and shrugged lightly.

"Well you know ... I thought after the business with the Wire, everyone would know by now.  Don't you ... speak with Tain?" he inquired politely, hoping to show this woman he wasn't all dumb and had some sort of idea of what he was confronting.

Rekal snorted unkindly, not at all impressed.  "Tain and I don't exactly get along.  And he's not exactly very open about his personal endeavors.  Tell me my dear ... I'm an acquaintance of Garak's ... where might I find him?"  She put on the most charming smile to brighten her request.  Bashir perked up with brilliant eyes and gestured to a shop behind him.

"He has a shop right here.  He's a tailor, and we're good friends," he added, as though he was proud of it.  Rekal had no doubt he probably was.

"Really now ... I'd have expected him to be gardener."  She smirked and turned to Bashir as she started the few steps toward the shop.  She took him by a shoulder, and moved until she could speak directly to his ear from the side.  "Fortunately for you, I truly don't wish any harm to Garak, but in the future, do be careful about blabbing information that could potentially get you and Garak killed.  And I advise you not to volunteer any information to the Haradar and his men or you might wake up with a very fatal disrupter burns."  She smiled cat-like at his frenzied nod, squeezing his shoulder before letting the terrified doctor go. She walked on toward the shop, her hands lacing behind her back casually.

Bashir watched her approach his friend's shop, and wondered idly if he shouldn't call security.

ELIM GARAK WAS PRESSING an Altonian dress when Rekal walked in unnanounced.  He knew someone had entered, but made no move to show it at present.  He continued to press the delicate silk, tending his ear for any subtle movement.  Rekal paused behind him, her hands laced behind her, her face unreadable.  Finally she parted her lips and broke the silence,

"I'd say you were losing your touch, if I was certain you didn't hear me come in.  I do hope you won't make me look foolish now and tell me you didn't ..."  There was a smile in her voice, and Garak slowly rose his eyes from the dress.  His face paled uncharacteristically and he nearly lost the grip on the hand-held steamer.  He placed it aside, his back still to his visitor as his mind raced for an adequate response.

"Well ... I could never quite lie to you, could I?  Even when we were at competition."  He turned around finally, his eyes riveted unblinkingly on the woman that had meant so much to him at some point.  He wondered if she still did, even if he knew doing so could very well dull his senses and make her a potential danger.  He inclined his head at her.  "Looking as beautiful as always," he smiled.

She didn't return the smile.  Rather she glanced around, her poise still guarded. "You're in danger here, you realise.  When the Haradar discovers you are here, he will persecute you."  Garak merely smiled, though his mind was still racing for eventualities, possibilities and escapes.

"Really now?  I didn't think Nuvek would have been my problem."  He stared at her steadily.

She echoed a similar smile.  "Believe it or not, I'm not in agreement with the Haradar on many points."

"By the way, I suppose congratulations are in order.  I heard Tain didn't approve of you as his successor.  Yet you managed to rise through ... I suppose having ties with the Haradar helps ..." he smiled not unkindly.

She merely shrugged.  "The Haradar has less control over the Order than he thinks he has.  I let him think so, so everyone is content.  No, I won Tain's approval through ... other means at my disposal."

"Hm.  I suppose eliminating the competition did encourage your chances," he said casually, though his words rang true and spoke of his ties still very strong to certain quarters in Cardassia.  Rekal smirked unpleasantly.

"Well, the hound didn't lose his fangs after all, I see."  She glanced about his shop.  "Nice choice of profession.  Mother always said you had an uncanny eye for fashion."  Garak tensed visibly.

"Yes, I suppose," he said dismissively as he began to fuss with the Altonian dress, smoothing it with his hands before folding it primly.  "Now my dear ... if your views with the Haradar don't coincide, I suggest you leave now before you're seen with me."  Rekal watched him carefully, then turned slightly as though to leave.

"You're right, as always.  But ... I'll be around for another few days.  Expect me to call on you once or twice," she said without emotion before turning completely to leave his shop.  Garak looked up sadly, his hand caressing absently the Altonian silk.  He hadn't realised just how well he'd conditioned her to be like him.  He'd vowed never to be like Tain with her ... but he'd just discovered he'd been worse.

The first reunion with his daughter, and it had been no more emotional than an inquisition between two seasoned interrogators.  He sighed softly, and moved to put the dress away before he began to think of what he would do.

DEKLAR TURNED from his study of the observation port and focused his unwavering eyes upon Sisko. "Let me make it simple, Captain," he said rather dryly, his hands firmly clasped behind his back. "The Cardassian Union is hardly ready to take up the burden of providing for both its own government and yours."

Guldrohmed Rikek Sok leaned forward slightly, raising an eyeridge as he added, "Especially since the Federation has proven itself unusually fond of the Bajora." He emphasised this with a sharp glance to Kira, who looked just about ready to hurl herself on the Cardassian in rage.

The Cardassian diplomat present, Ytec, spread his hands in an all-encompassing gesture as he tried to appease the Major's suddenly ireful expression. "Of course, no offense is meant to the Bajora, we simply feel this is perhaps not the time to ... engage any sort of treaty in these ... ill-favored times."

Sisko didn't look at all amused. He laced his hands together and his eyes slowly trailed sideways from the Haradar to the quiet woman sitting at his side. Rekal had been unusually quiet all this time, and he wondered what her thoughts on the matter was. As though sensing his observation, Aria rose her gaze and met his with unflinching azure eyes. There was something oddly familiar about those eyes ...

The Haradar, who had been in the process of rattling off the other reasons for turning down the treaty suddenly paused and glared at Rekal, then Sisko. "Don't look at her, I am speaking."

"My apologies, Haradar, but I was simply wondering what the Glinn thought of all of this," Sisko said calmly, leaning back slightly into his chair.

A positively vicious look fell across the Haradar's face as he turned toward Rekal and said, "Yes, why don't you tell the good Captain what you think of all of this my dear?" Aria looked at Deklar for a moment, eyes slightly wide, before she turned to Sisko. Her face was impassively unreadable.

"I don't think I agree ..." She bit her lower lip at her hesitation then said smoothly, "I meant ... I am of the Haradar's mind, Captain. Whatever he thinks, I think." She clamped her mouth and leaned back in her chair dismissively. She tried not to think about Deklar's anger at her blunder too much.

Sisko sighed softly and nodded crisply. "Very well. I believe then it has been ... decided."

Deklar rose first, tugging at his Cuirass with a decisive gesture. "I believe so Captain. A shame we've come all this way for nothing." He trailed his gaze to Kira and smiled smoothly. "Major, always a pleasure." He nodded to the other Starfleet officers before tossing his head at his group. When Rekal rose, he inconspicuously leaned over and whispered slowly, "We have to talk."

On top of being the Guldrohchmed's brother, Gul Maruv Sok was also Head of the Cardassian Madrasad Fleet, taking over where Gul Dukat had failed. For the moment he'd been given a peculiar assignement from the Haradar, yet one he did with absolute resolve. He growled his irritation and moved his body gracefully frontward, his right arm swinging with the momentum. A split-second later, a female scream shattered the air.

"Don't you think she's had enough? You've been at her for hours," a voice pointed out from the shadows, though Maruv paid no heed to it. Resting his arm for a moment, he passed his forearm over his nose, and inhaled deeply as he blinked sweat out of his eyes. He unclasped the fastenings at the side of his uniform as he finally spoke up,

"She will never have enough. I should kill her, if Nuvek wasn't so ... fond of this creature, damn him." Maruv was one among few who possessed no fear at the Obsidian Order. Since Tain's retirement, it didn't seem quite as popular or fearful as it once had been. He smirked and swung the whip lazily at his side.

Before him, the 'little thing' in question grasped the metal slab for support and tried to hoist herself to her feet. This only encouraged another lash, and she winced, falling back on her knees.

The voice rose from the shadows again. "Leave her, Husband. She won't learn anything more at your whip." Nuvek growled and directed his glare to the darkness. "Who is teaching whom here? You are here to observe, not to impose your so-called authority!"

There was a rich, low chuckle. "You amuse me. In all seriousness, you know full well of my responsibilities. If I wish, I could have you confined to quarters. Somehow, I doubt you'd enjoy that." There was a trace of arrogance in the voice which Nuvek was beginning to loathe.

"Fine," the Cardassian spat, dropping the lash to the floor in a tangle. "Perhaps you'd like to teach her some manners yourself," he hissed.

Aria turned with difficulty, taking the care not to press her welted back against the cold metal. She winced in the glare of the lights overhead, though she could clearly perceive the ominous outline of Gul Sok's silhouette cut against it. Half-lidded, her eyes lowered complacently as tears sprang to them. "I did nothing wrong ..." she whispered, grasping at a thin hope that the Cardassian had calmed down. "You've done enough ..." she hissed.

Sok leaned back and snarled harshly as he was about to administer another lash. A glare of light from another source blinded him for a moment before it disapeared. "Makara, Maruv, leave." The couple looked up at the Haradar's voice, and both nodded. Dropping the whip at Rekal's feet, Maruv was the first to exit. Makara stepped out of the shadows there-after, pausing before Deklar.

Council Member Makara was a Cardassian woman of reputable nature. She bore long, ondulating black hair, which she was presently wearing slicked back and attached with. Her bright blue eyes glinted with humor and empathy as she looked steadily at Nuvek. "You should find yourself another hobby to occupy your pleasure, Haradar. I'm not sure how long the Detapa Council will hold back from protecting her rights."

Nuvek stared at her with a tinge of disgust before he backhanded her brutally. He waited until she looked back, a hand nursing her jaw, before speaking. "The Detapa Council has no authority over what I decree as right or wrong. Besides, you should know by now that Aria Rekal has no rights. She forfeited that privilege when she headed up the Order. Now ... I asked that you leave, yet you are still here. Perhaps I should make the order clearer? Dismissed, Glinn-Rohda," he growled.

Makara snickered darkly and made to leave. She paused at his side and tilted her head. "I said I wasn't sure how long the Council would hold back her rights. I don't care whether she's killed, maimed, or offered to your hounds." She glanced darkly at Aria, still panting against the metal slab, before looking at Deklar. "Good day to you, Haradar." With what she left the room to join her husband.

Deklar didn't even bother following her with his eyes. They were trained on Aria and smoldering with a darkened light. He advanced on the sprawled form of his lover and kneeled imperiously at her side. "I didn't think you were so weak, my dear."

She looked up at him, physically drained, and spit in his face. "I didn't think you were so weak as to let another take over my ... punishment."

He laughed thickly, grasping her chin and studying her face as he replied absently, "I had other matters to devote my attention to. Such as the good Fleet Admiral Ishkalina."

She laughed raucously, shoving her chin out of his grasp. "How nice."

He stared at her amused. "Jealous?" He was rewarded with another spray of saliva to his face, and he growled low in his throat as he wiped his face with the back of his sleeve. "I see," he murmured. He gazed alongside the room, and twisted his lips. "Computer, end program." He looked down at Aria as he stood up lazily. "I'm afraid ... that you are dismissed, Glinn."

ELIM GARAK kneaded his hands as he paced slowly his shop. The time for the delegation of Cardassian to leave was dawning, and he yet had not seen any trace of his daughter as she had promised.

He looked up suddenly as the door to his shop parted. Doctor Bashir entered morosely, clutching a PADD in one hand and the other rubbing absently at the bridge of his nose. Garak paused and frowned. "Doctor?"

Bashir stopped before him and mutely offered Garak the PADD. "I'm sorry. I couldn't do anything." Garak frowned and looked down at it sharply. "Haradar Nuvek came by the Infirmary with her in his arms, frantically telling me she'd been in an accident and asking me if I could help. Her neck was ... too viciously broken for me to do anything. It was too late." Bashir looked up at his friend and tilted his head. "I ... thought you should know ... I ... found out who she was after the autopsy ..."

Garak gave the PADD back to Bashir, his eyes darkly blue. "I see."

"I ... tried enlisting the Captain's help in shedding some light on the matter, but the Haradar insisted that even an autopsy had been pushing the limits of ... protocal. They're leaving shortly ... apparantly, the Glinn had been exercising in their holosuite without the safeties on. The Haradar found her dead on the floor."

Garak was about to spit off some retort about the Haradar when he strut into the shop with Rikek and Maruv at his sides. He smirked greeting at Bashir before turning to Bashir. "Good day, Garak. I was on my way to my ship when I thought it just wouldn't be fair to leave without meeting the man I've heard so much about. Aria thought very highly of you, you know."

Garak stared with blazing sapphire fire, burning into the Haradar with the force of his anger. He leaned in, and whispered so no-one else could hear into his ear. "You are as good as dead, Haradar." Rikek slid his hand over the butt of his rifle, his eyes coldly impassive yet still alert. Deklar smirked at Garak and leaned in slowly as well.

"You're welcome to try," he murmured, and smirked at the suitably annoyed look in the tailor's face. "Well ... this was a fascinating trip, but we must return to Cardassia ... back to a warm sun and our own people. A pity, tailor, that you can't join us." He smirked once more, then turned heel to leave the small shop. Both Rikek and Maruv lingered a bit, staring at Garak with a vicious look. After a moment, they followed the Haradar out in some obscure military syncronism of footbeats.

Garak turned away from the door and slumped into a chair, a fist to his mouth and eyes half-lidded as moisture gathered at their corner. Only the warmth of the Human hand which wrapped over his shoulder reminded him that he wouldn't be alone in his grief, at least. He caressed the smooth, golden hand, and pressed the side of his face to it in mute gratitude.

The End