Cardassian Plans

Posted on Sat Dec 19th, 2015 @ 1:48pm by Indra Nyyar & Lieutenant Commander Gilroy

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Civilian Quarters - The Cherry Pit

Farak left Zikar’s quarters and finally gave in to the urge to roll his eyes. In his opinion, Zikar was losing his focus over a woman. Granted, it was Farak’s own fault and that was all according to plan. If Zikar got too far off-course, Central Command would insist he retire, opening the way for Farak’s ambitions. He’d known Zikar long enough to know exactly how wrapped up he was in his wife. Nyyar was a gentle soul, and he often wondered what she had seen in Zikar all these years. But that was the thing, wasn’t it? She hadn’t ever really seen the true Zikar. Once she had, the opportunity had been too sweet to resist. As he strolled down the corridor, his commlink beeped. A voice gave a number for guest quarters down below, as it was often called here, and moments later Farak was in the turbolift.

* Guest Quarters - Amoja Paz *

The Bajoran was pacing - had been pacing - for what seemed like hours when Farak finally arrived. Answering the door quickly, he physically pulled the man into the quarters and berated him, “About time, don’t you think? Is he as off-kilter as you’d hoped he’d be?”

“Getting there and you, my friend, really need to settle down.” Farak moved on past Paz and sat down. “Every other word out of his mouth is about Nyyar. He still has no idea who you are and he hasn’t seen or talked to her yet.”

“Good. So far, Nyyar still thinks I’m her friend. Though I haven’t tried to get by the security officers at her door, so it remains to be seen how far that’ll get me anymore.”

“You are, though. You and I both know that if we are ever found out, we’ll be lucky if anyone finds our bones two centuries from now. You especially took a big risk in possibly being seen. My concern now is whether he can get to her. If he does, you know he will try to get your name from her. I’ll do all I can to prevent that.” Farak motioned to the other chair. “Sit down, you’re making me nervous. Besides, I have a story to tell you.”

Paz frowned at Farak, but moved to an armchair and flopped into it. “Oh good, storytime. Should I get my blanket and pillow, too?”

Farak gave him a withering look. “You have much less reason to worry about saving your own ass. Zikar has something else to occupy his time. Not long before the Order morphed into the CIB, two of its operatives went rogue - two who were very well known in the Occupation. They were compromised by a Bajoran and a Romulan spy. We’ve been tracking them ever since and the latest word was that they were out here somewhere. They are, in fact, on this station. One of them was very familiar with your family.”

“Familiar with my family?” Paz thought about that. His mother had died a painful death at the hands of a Cardassian; her body had been returned to them for them to bury, but she’d been unrecognizable. His anger, long since left to smolder, ignited. “Jarad? He’s here? Tell me we’re killing him.”

Farak held up his hand. “Not so fast. Remember where we are and who we are...by that I mean the Cardassians. We do not want to start something out here. Zikar wants to take them back to Cardassia where we can do anything we want to them. Otherwise, his main concern is getting through to Nyyar to convince her to go home. I suspect he may be more successful with Jarad and Drekkar than her. If he informs Security he is removing two war criminals, they might be more than happy to help.”

“Remove them? Take them back to Cardassia? Where nothing will be done to them?” Paz wanted to rail at Farak, convince him that killing the two here would be best. He didn’t, though; he knew his place, sometimes. “Perhaps, then, a report to Security should be made by a Bajoran?”

“If we get them home? They will wish they’d never seen Cardassia. Let’s put it this way. Drekkar turned on his own government for the want of a Bajoran agent. When ordered to get the information from Drekkar as to what he’d passed to the woman, Jarad helped Drekkar fake his death and escape. Jarad was soon discovered to be hooked up with the Romulan and we couldn’t be sure what secrets he’d shared. She was caught and sent home where her own government did a better job torturing her than Jarad had, and he escaped. Do you really think the CIB will do nothing? The thought of what they will do to them is horrifying. But, they are keeping Zikar’s mind off you. Once we are gone, you and Nyyar can do as you like. It’s not like she can give him your real name to trace anyway.”

“Nor can you,” Paz reminded him. “Do you want me to make a report to security or just sit on this information?”

“Sit on it for now and let Zikar have his fun,” Farak answered. “It’s keeping him away from Nyyar. I got word that ‘a Bajoran woman’ had been to see the Chief Diplomat and if that is true, he won’t be able to get near her soon. Until then, we need this diversion for her sake.” Farak rose and gave Paz a nod. “You did a good thing here, Paz. You can enjoy knowing that….and enjoy that small mountain of latinum I gave you to retire on too.”

“I will. I’ve heard there are some very nice, multicultural havens in the Delta Quadrant; one of those should be good living. Perhaps I’ll invite the very pretty Nyyar to go with me.” Paz smiled, thinking about that and about Nyyar’s last look at him - it had had a small degree of hero worship in it.

“You could do worse,” Farak agreed. “She’d be much better off somewhere with you. I’m not so sure she’s ready to live on her own out here. Just some friendly advice.” He crossed and opened the doors. “We’ll talk soon - as soon as I have something to report.” The doors closed behind Farak and silence fell once more.

Paz stared at the door for several long moments. If Farak thought these Cardassians - including Zikar - were leaving SB900 alive, he was very wrong.

*************
Amoja Paz
Not the Good Guy

Glinn Farak
Not Exactly The Bad Guy