Chapter 4

"Are they all right?" Jake looked on, concerned, as Dr. Bashir treated a scratch on the hand of one of the recently liberated children. The child kept a stoic expression on his face, but Jake saw the tiny jerk of finger muscles. All around them in the main ward of the clinic, medical personnel were checking the others.

"Aside from having been singled out as war orphans and held captive in preparation for being sold into slavery?" said Garak flatly. "Yes, they appear to be relatively unscathed."

Jake couldn't help the swell of anger at the implied criticism - and a flush of humiliation, as though the question was so foolish as to defy any other response. Bashir gave him a brief glance, assuring him that such cynicism had its hold on everyone at the moment.

"Slavery," a crisp voice demanded. Jake started a bit and looked behind him. He hadn't known Director Rekel was in the building, much less standing right at his shoulder.

She dipped her head slightly in greeting. "Mr. Garak."

"Director," Garak greeted in turn. "It would seem our planet has a Ferengi infestation."

"I know about them," she replied coolly.

Everyone stared at her. Even Bashir paused a half-second before continuing to run the dermal regenerator over the child's skin.

"Indeed!" Though he watched her carefully, Garak sounded like he was discussing what to have for lunch. "And how is that?"

"I found out recently while investigating ... another matter. But I didn't know anything about them being slavers." Rekel studied the boy Bashir was treating; he was maybe eight years of age. Her expression was schooled and a little distant, but Jake was sure of the fury in her light blue eyes and the set of her mouth.

"The ones you freed," she asked abruptly, "were they all children?"

With a touch on the shoulder and a strained smile and nod, Bashir let the treated child go. "The ones we found were," he said.

"You think there are more?" Rekel asked, her focus on Garak.

He shrugged a little. "The Ferengi denied the existence of any others being held."

"The planet's pretty big though," Jake piped up, frowning. "We only have their word for it that they don't have other people stashed away somewhere."

"Or already shipped offworld," Bashir murmured. The others' faces darkened at the thought.

Jake noticed that the three were drifting toward a corner as if to keep their conversation private. Refusing to be left out, he moved to stand in their circle. He saw Garak's eyes flicker to him once, then to Bashir. The doctor's expression did not change, nor did he appear to be concerned about Jake's presence. After a second, Garak seemed to nod fractionally, accepting.

Rekel crossed her arms in front of her. "So what are we going to do about them?"

"We left the slavers under guard at the building where we found them, west of the city in the brushlands," Bashir told her. "Their ship is coming to pick them up."

"It's already been spotted approaching our solar system," Garak added. "It should be here within the hour." He and Rekel had locked eyes with each other. Their focus reminded Jake of times he had seen officers report to his father, back on Deep Space Nine.

Rekel nodded as if that confirmed something she suspected. "Earlier I saw one of them talking into a comm unit. I think they're behind our communications difficulties. If they could send for a ship, they certainly aren't having any trouble getting messages offworld."

"I would not be at all surprised if that is the case," Garak said, something hard underlying the deceptively light tones. He looked at Bashir. "It's a good thing your fleet arrived when it did, Doctor."

Bashir nodded. "There's no telling how much damage they could have caused."

"Or how much they've already done."

The fledgling journalist perked up in Jake. "Director Rekel, what was it you said you were investigating when you found that Ferengi?

She might have smiled; Jake wasn't sure. "I didn't say, actually. But, as usual, it was Mondrig." She looked around, almost casually, but Jake suspected she was making sure no one was listening in. When she turned back, it was obvious to him that she was talking mainly to Garak. If she spoke in Jake and Bashir's presence, it was only because of Garak's sufferance.

"He's made progress in setting up a more militant anti-Federation faction within the Directorate," she stated. "With himself as leader, of course."

"Of course. And with you at his side?"

"More or less." Her look was enigmatic. "I'll keep you updated."

"Dr. Bashir?" A new voice nearby made them turn. It was Nurse Eske. She glanced nervously at the group, uncomfortable at interrupting them. "I'm sorry, but one of the children - he won't talk, he's panicking, fighting us. I think he's afraid. If you have a moment...?"

"I'll be right there." Bashir looked tired. He rubbed his forehead. "First the Ferengi, now us. The poor child probably feels overwhelmed with aliens."

Garak's expression softened. "Perhaps I should go talk to him. If you'd allow me, of course, Doctor...."

"I'll take all the help I can get," Bashir said. "Jake, Director...." He nodded to them and walked with Garak across the room. Jake almost followed, but some instinct made him glance over his shoulder. He just caught a shadow of Rekel's form as she slipped silently out the door, into the waning afternoon.

This was a possibility too good to pass up. He went after her.

The streets were crowded around the hospital. There were support teams out in the refugee camps, but there were still a large number of citizens who came here daily for help, or to try to find surviving family and friends. Others who had lived and worked in this part of the city had banded together to clear roads and mend what buildings could be salvaged. The Cardassian efficiency of their work was heartening, and the crowd bustled during these times, determinedly busy. It helped to keep their minds off certain things.

Rekel made her way swiftly through the throng. She went unhindered, though eyes would follow her and subtle glances would pass to her as she walked. Those people she did not know by name she knew by face, and most knew who she was. They tended to leave her alone.

As she left the clinic behind and drew nearer to Central Command, the crowd began to thin. It was no place for refugees or outsiders, and most of the population who'd lived in Cardassia City had learned to give the place a wide berth in the days of the Dominion occupation, when it had swarmed with Jem'Hadar and Breen. Nonetheless, she was on her guard. Just before she reached a narrow alley that angled sharply from the main streets, she stopped and turned to look behind her.

The crowd milled as usual. Down the road, long lines were forming next to one of the intact buildings where Federation replicators had been set up.

"You should have got there early," a voice behind her said. "It'll take you hours to get through the line now."

Rekel turned. A Cardassian man in shabby civilian clothes smiled at her. He held a disposable plate piled with a moderate portion of food.

She shrugged. "My mistake, I suppose. I can go without."

"Well, here," the man said, holding out his plate. "I have enough to share. Not too hungry anyway."

A long moment passed. Rekel reached out, selected a small roll of bread, and nibbled it. "Ugh. I don't know how Starfleet lives on this stuff," she said, earning a chuckle from the man. "Thank you, friend."

He smiled again. "It's the least we Cardassians can do for each other in times like these."

"A good perspective to have," she said. She lifted the roll to her lips again. The man was gazing at her, one hand resting idly against his belt.

"Do not detain the Human following me," she murmured around a bite of bread. "He is no threat, and I may have a use for him."

The man's face gave no indication that he heard her. His hand lifted from his belt and fell to his side, and Rekel could sense the same reaction from two other men standing on either side of the road. "Well, good evening," he said cheerfully. "And get to the lines early next time!"

"I will!" she said with a laugh. "Thank you again."

He waved and continued past her. Rekel turned down the narrow alley, and one of the other guards followed her a good distance back. The alley turned at right angles between high walls, leading to the inner courtyards of Central Command. Once they were out of sight from the road, the guard dropped his casual demeanor and quickened his pace to walk in stride with her. Without a word, he escorted her into the building and through the echoing corridors to Legate Parn's office.

The room was spacious and very comfortable, under their current circumstances, as befitted someone with a seat on the ruling council. Parn sat at a desk at the far end, his back to the wall, apparently engrossed in whatever files he was reviewing. He was a heavy-set man, his barrel chest and belly accentuated by the military uniform and body armor he was never without, but Rekel knew better than to think those extra pounds meant weakness or inability. He was a soldier to the bone - quick, cunning, ambitious, and intelligent, with only contempt for incompetence or failure. Rekel never questioned why the Directorate considered him their leader, or why Mondrig tried so hard to prove himself an equal. Parn stood for preserving Cardassian ideals, and she knew enough of his brilliance to trust his leadership, to the extent that she would trust anyone.

She waited patiently at the side of his desk, standing almost at attention. He hadn't acknowledged her entry, but neither had he ordered her to wait outside. PADD in hand, she watched his face, knowing he would address her when he finished whatever he was doing.

Not bothering to look up, Parn held up his hand to receive the PADD. He gave it a glance, then looked again and focused his full attention to it. He deliberately read more slowly than he had to, drawing out her suspense. Many would have been intimidated by the silence. She stood there patiently, waiting for his reaction.

Parn finally met her gaze, his eyes piercing. He gestured for her to lean in close, though it was not because he thought anyone else could be listening. Rekel knew he had his office checked for surveillance devices at least twice a day. Simply enough, leaning forward put her off balance and within easy grasp.

He went straight to the point. "I trust the Federation will be able to finish driving the Ferengi off."

"I'll see that they do."

He nodded. "And you will continue to monitor Mondrig's activities. In a day, I will send some men to accidentally discover his new excavation. He may continue to live there if he wishes. It's only fitting for his home to be a hole in the ground." He smiled a subtle ghost of a smile, allowing a moment of derision to pass between them.

Only a moment. "Those artifacts belong to the party, Director. Not to him. Do what you can to recover them." His voice dropped, turning deeper and more dangerous. "Take this. You may need it."

He pulled a disrupter from somewhere in a concealed drawer and slid it across the desk toward her.

She accepted the weapon with a single nod and, thus dismissed, left the office.

It was hard to walk on the gravel-littered street without making a noise, but Jake prided himself that he was doing a pretty good job. So far he'd kept Rekel in sight without attracting her attention and had even managed to keep track of her after she'd left the Command Center. It was taking a long time, a couple of hours at least judging by the dimness of the sky, but his patience was paying off. Things were starting to get quite interesting. He was following her along a deserted street in a part of town he'd never seen before, and she definitely had something up her sleeve.

In the middle of her purposeful strides, she slowed and stopped. Her body was tense, as if she was listening for something. Jake held his breath and inched back. After a slight pause, she stepped smoothly to her right, placing herself behind the remains of a shop. Jake saw that she was peering ahead to a small plaza littered with twisted metal fragments. Someone was crouching in the middle of the paved space. It was a Ferengi.

Jake followed Rekel's example and pressed into the shadows, keeping himself as out of sight as possible. For a moment the Ferengi remained hunched over some small instrument - a communicator, from the looks of it. Then he straightened and stood up to his full meager height. At the same moment, Jake barely heard a rising whine in the air. As he watched, the scraps of metal glowed, sparkled, and vanished.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. By some means and for whatever reason, the Ferengi were beaming the metal away. Now that he thought about it, this entire stretch of road had looked remarkably clear of debris. Either they had the use of a transporter elsewhere on the planet, or their ship was now in orbit. Jake bet on the latter explanation. It was a shame he hadn't been able to grab his camera before coming out here; this story looked huge.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, it took him several moments to realize that Rekel had disappeared.

Jake felt a dart of panic. Where had she gone? He didn't want to lose track of her, and he certainly wasn't comfortable with the idea of being out here alone with the Ferengi poking around. He looked around, trying to figure out how she'd slipped away so quickly.

Someone tapped his shoulder. He spun around and found the business end of a disruptor a few inches from his head.

He would have yelped if she hadn't anticipated him. Smoothly, Rekel dropped her aim and put a warning hand on his shoulder, and Jake forced himself quiet. She did a quick check to make sure the Ferengi was unaware of them. Her eyes, when she returned them to Jake, were almost playful.

"Hello, Mr. Sisko," she whispered cheerfully.

Jake took a moment to let his heart stop racing. He tossed a nervous gesture at the weapon in her hand. "A little extreme, don't you think?"

She smirked. "Compared to my standard treatment of spies? Not really."

"Well, you've probably got me there," Jake said. "Why the gun? I didn't think people liked them very much these days."

"They don't. Neither do I. You'd be amazed at how quickly armed guards become an unwelcome sight." She gestured with the disruptor, not bothering to answer his question. "You saw the Ferengi out there?"

Jake nodded, a little disconcerted by her cavalier manner. Just how long had she known he was following her?

"That's the same one I saw earlier today," she said. "He seemed to be the leader of the Ferengi that were left here."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to get back what he's taking from my people." Her face darkened, putting Jake on edge. She caught his look and smiled wryly. "You didn't think the only opportunity for profit on Cardassia was the children, did you?"

Jake looked out at the Ferengi. "But he's just beaming away junk."

"Not just junk, Mr. Sisko. Souvenirs."

"Souvenirs?" Jake raised an eyebrow skeptically. "They're selling rubble for souvenirs?"

"Think about it." Rekel's voice dropped to a low, unreadable key. "Cardassians aren't the Alpha Quadrant's favorite species right now. Imagine all the people who might like to own tangible proof of Cardassia's downfall."

She bent down and grabbed a hand-sized chunk of brick. "They'd look at this, those people, and see it as their own little piece of retribution. The spoonheads finally got what they deserve, and this is all that's left."

Jake didn't know what to say. She stared at the brick a second longer, then let it drop. It broke into gravel against the pavement.

Rekel spoke clearly, no longer concerned about staying hidden. "And there are some other, more valuable items he ran off with, too. Swindled them from his own allies, typically enough. I need to get them back."

The Ferengi had obviously heard her. "Who's there?" he called shrilly. "I can hear you talking, so you might as well come out where I can see you."

She looked at Jake. "Will you help me?"

He eyed the disruptor.

"Insurance," she said with a shrug. "You know that threats often work on Ferengi when all else fails." She shouted over her shoulder. "We're coming out!"

We? Jake made a feeble noise of protest. He didn't even know what she was doing.

She put a hand on his arm. "Follow my lead," she murmured. She tucked the disruptor into her waistband, hidden behind her back. Stepping into plain view, she held her arms away from her body, indicating that she was unarmed.

Not sure this was wise, but not seeing a better alternative, Jake walked out and stood beside her.

The Ferengi had his own weapon out and ready. As they approached, he recognized Rekel and immediately smiled. "Oh, it's you. Mondrig's female - I remember." He holstered his weapon. "I'm not sure he'd appreciate you seeing a human on the side, my dear."

Jake flinched at the comment and did his best to keep his temper in check. The leer on the Ferengi's face was exactly the kind that begged for repeated punching.

Rekel seemed to ignore the look completely, though a dangerous fire flickered through her blue eyes. She walked right up to the Ferengi and let him take her hand in his. "Hello again, Skal."

"A pleasure, always a pleasure. What can I do for you?" Skal gushed. "Come to trade up on mates, perhaps?" He kissed the pulse at her wrist.

She smiled sweetly. "Actually, I need to talk to you about this deal you conducted with Mondrig. It seems Mondrig didn't have the authority to conduct it in the first place."

Skal's eyes narrowed. He thrust her hand away. "I have a valid contract! No refunds!"

Rekel looked honestly apologetic. "Come now, Skal, you and I both know you swindled those artifacts in the first place, even if Mondrig doesn't. They are worth a great deal more than what you gave for them. And you don't seem to be paying for any of these items you've been beaming away."

The Ferengi gasped, offended. He swept his hand through the air, over the newly cleared street. "Paying! You ungrateful people should be paying me, if anything! I'm performing a public service!"

Jake had been feeling a growing urge to say something for some time. Skal's latest claim decided it. "Sure you are. I've known a few Ferengi. There's always something in it for you, and people could usually do without your 'public services.'"

Rekel leaned forward, sensual and intimidating. "There are many people who would… disapprove of this, Skal," she breathed. "Powerful people. Cardassian…"

"…and Federation," Jake added.

"I'm not afraid of either!" Skal snapped. "You Cardassians can't even take care of yourselves, and the Federation has no right to interfere with legitimate businessmen, and...!"

Jake felt something being pushed into his hands. He glanced down in surprise. Rekel had taken advantage of the Ferengi's outburst to slip the communicator and weapon from his belt. In the same fluid motion, she seized the lapel of Skal's coat, shoved him out at arms length, and whisked out her disruptor. Her voice cut the stillness like a knife. "This has nothing to do with our respective peoples. We're making a new deal, you and I."

The Ferengi squeaked. Then, frantically, he tried to cling to his bravado. "I like a woman who knows what she wa-"

"Shut up."

He did.

"Now. This is how it's going to work. You return the artifacts you got from Mondrig. In exchange, we'll just pretend that you're cleared the roads out of the goodness of your Ferengi heart, rather than having you arrested for defiling hallowed ground. Hell, if the council is feeling generous, they might just compensate you for your assistance, provided that you immediately - " with a rough shake, "- get your people and your ship out of Cardassian space."

Skal squirmed in her grasp. "You have no authority! I'll have you reported! Let go!"

Jake was starting to enjoy this. He examined the Ferengi's disruptor with casual interest. "Think of it this way. You agree to the terms, the Director here doesn't have to vaporize you. Added perk."

"I suppose that would be reasonable," Rekel said after a pause. "What do you think, Skal?"

"Reasonable! Certainly!" Skal gasped. "Believe me, I'd like nothing better to accept your terms - the no vaporization part, particularly." Then he smiled, and it seemed to Jake that a measure of confidence returned to his face. "There's just one problem."

Rekel tipped her head. "Oh?"

"You can't force us to leave."

The disrupter was shoved against Skal's forehead before he was finished with the sentence. The rest of his argument came tumbling out in a panic. "Gahh! It won't matter if you kill me! We have a contract!

"Contract." She was seething.

"With a landowner of your second moon. Nuvot, his name was - check it yourself! He has complete sovereign rights on the property, and he signed an agreement giving us visiting privileges. We can stay for as long as the contract is valid, and we may conduct trade with whomever we please. We have every right to be here. And I demand you let go of me, or I'm having you charged with assault!"

Rekel's face twisted. She shoved him away from her and trained the disruptor on him with both hands. "You know, I think I've changed my mind. With all the stress I've been going through over you Ferengi and your child slave market, killing you just might make me feel better."

"No! Don't!" Skal held his hands out in front of him. "The situation with the children was completely unauthorized. I had - we had nothing to do with it. It was only a few individuals, and they have been reprimanded. They let the children go. It won't happen again. I promise!"

"For what your promises are worth," Jake muttered.

"Here - here." Skal inched forward, keeping his eyes on the disruptor. "Let me have my communicator back. I have the artifacts put away somewhere safe, I can have them beamed directly here. No charge!"

Jake looked at Rekel. She nodded without shifting her gaze. "Give it to him," she said. "Don't try anything clever like beaming out, Skal. You'd have a hole in your chest by the time you got back to your ship."

Jake held out the communicator. Inching forward as if approaching a viper poised to strike, Skal snatched the instrument away and hurried back to a safe distance. Rekel's aim remained fixed on him as he tapped in a command and began a muttered conversation with someone, presumably on the ship. It was as Rekel had said; the communications link was completely clear.

"We're waiting, DaiMon," Rekel said icily.

"Just a moment!" The person on the other end of the comm link said something. "Look, I didn't ask for your input, Borik! Just do as I say!" Then Skal smiled nervously. "They're beaming the artifacts down, Director. Everything's intact."

In a few moments, the transport beam sparkled to life nearby and swirled into a stack of containers that had been disguised as crates of mundane cargo. Rekel jerked her head toward them. "Check them, please, Mr. Sisko."

It took some effort to pry the lids off, but the objects he removed for her inspection were gratifying enough. The crates were filled with carvings and metalwork that any anthropologist or treasure hunter would kill for. Jake was pretty sure that there would be a few items missing in the shipment, no matter what Skal said. In any case, he never would have expected these artifacts to be seen by Cardassian eyes again.

Skal was inching back. He smiled and clasped his hands in front of him. "There! You see? I knew we could settle this harmoniously, Director. Our stay in Cardassia will be nothing but producti-"

"I doubt that, very much," Rekel said. "Get out of my sight. Now. And this isn't over."

The Ferengi didn't need any more urging. With several rapid steps out of striking range, he fumbled for some control on his communicator. A transport beam wrapped around him and he was gone.

It took Rekel a few moments to stand down, even after he'd left. For the briefest of pauses she stood there, her disrupter lying limp in her hands. Then she turned, and Jake had the impression that she was forcing herself calm, saving her rage for some unknown battle ahead. She plucked Skal's disruptor from Jake's grip, ejected the energy pack, and tucked it away in some hidden pocket of her jacket. From the same pocket, she removed a small device and placed it with precise care on the stack of crates. A dilute energy field hissed to life from the device, covering the artifacts.

"Just to make sure they can't beam them back," she said. The explanation was out of some whim of courtesy; she certainly felt no obligation to justify herself to Jake.

He looked at the crates, then at her. "What happens now?"

"Now?" Her face was completely blank. "They leave. Or they'll be crushed."

Chapter Five

After you read this episode, please Leave Feedback for the authors.