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[[ Ensign Myne | Sickbay | USS Challenger-A ]]

[ Ensign Myne | Sickbay | USS Challenger-A ]

The ideas and concepts of the board game was complex but didn't phase her as she put to memory the core rules. Once her pieces were in place she nodded. She would make a mistake now and then but she would learn as this was fun. She rolled the dice and moved her piece with a smile.

"I would love to join you, I don't know how well I would be fighting but hey it's worth a try! Always up to new experiences.", Myne said happily as she spotted Ruth approaching.

[ Ensign Myne | Sickbay | USS Challenger-A ]

"Ms Kina is in medical? Do you want to stay Ms Kina?", Myne asked.

[Sickbay / USS Challenger]

Kina smiled at watching Melly move her pieces. She remembered how she was the first time she played with her father. It was definitely hard learning the game. She made her moves and kept her full strategies held back slightly. She didn't want to make it easy for her to win, but at the same time, she didn't want to discourage her from wanting to play more in the future. When she was asked if she wanted to stay, Kina held back a chuckle.

Everything Melly was saying was true, but only to a certain degree. During her Starfleet training, she learned that not all information was public, and that the patient, even if it were to go against the doctors orders, has the final say. She smiled a little more. "œThat is a decision only you can make, Melly. Yes, I am in medical, and I am a doctor, but I'm only here as a friend, making sure you are okay. If you feel it would be better for me to stay, then I will. If you want me to leave, I will do that as well. I won't do anything invasive without your consent."

[[Ensign Myne - Sickbay - USS Challenger]]

[Ensign Myne - Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Ensign Myne was quick to pick up games do to her love of learning and this was a unique chance. It was so complicated but so wonderful to experience. She would make errors at it, but it was something she would happily work on mastering one day. It may take ten or eleven thousand years but she had the time. She also especially had the drive. A hundred small questions were asked as she examined and learned about each piece with genuine interest.

Kina smiled and answered all the questions that Melly asked. She gave some more tips and opinions about strategy and some moves to make. "œI think you're ready for a game now. Let's get your pieces set up on the board." Kina first set up her side of the board and then helped Melly with her side. Once all the pieces ere set and they were both happy, she handed the dice to her patient so that she could make the first move.

"œIf you like, I have a holo-program from one of my friends at the academy. It's"¦.a make believe fantasy program where we would be adventurers in the fantasy land fighting monsters. If you'd like, you are more than welcome to join me. It has been a while since I used the program."

[[Lt. Ruth Sigurdsdottir CSO - Sickbay, Deck 7 - USS Challenger-A]]

[Lt. Ruth Sigurdsdottir CSO - Sickbay, Deck 7 - USS Challenger-A]

"Buehler it is then Herr Doktor!" she said with a smile.  "Do you have a moment to discuss something, privately?" she said trying not to make it overly obvious that she was talking about Melly.  The CSO had had an idea and wanted to run it by the doctor before running it by Melly.  Mostly because she was wary of promising something that wouldn't actually be a medical possibility.

"Jumja sticks?" Ruth asked with a smile, "It's a confection made with the sap of the jumja tree, a Bajoran treat."

She took a bit and smiled.

"I concur, with my human palette at least..." Ruth said, chewing carefully, "... it's not quite as good as fresh but definitely a passable replication!" she smiled at the medical Ensign.  "And it's a perfect treat.  Though I'll make you Ensigns a promise... if you,.." she said speaking to Kina, teasingly, since she already liked the young woman on what she'd seen, "..look after my Ensign here and you, Melly,.." she turned her smile on the patient, "...are good and get better, and promise to strive to improve in all ways, then I'll buy you both a fresh one if we're ever on a base that sells them.  Deal?!"

Ruth too eyed the board.  "Kotra, hmmm.  After I've had a word with Mr. Buehler, if he's free now, perhaps you'd let me observe.  I'm not familiar with it."

[ Ensign Myne | Sickbay | USS Challenger ]

As Myne listened she smiled, the treat smelled wonderful and the little girl in her was always up to learning a new game. She adored games and if it was something she could learn and teach others it was even better. Taking a small piece of the treat she sniffed.

Myne's face brightened and she gently hugged Ruth and gently hugged Kina and would try to hug Lahr if close enough by. Her mood was already significantly improved as she began to nods. "I will work hard as I can. I will likely fail a bit.. but I will keep going and not give up!"

[Sickbay / USS Challenger]

Kina smiled and hugged Myne back gently. "œI know you will. I have complete faith that you will do your best no matter what." Once their hug was finished, she began to pull out the items for the game. She looked to the Lieutenant and nodded. "œOf course. It's rare to meet anyone who is interested in this game. Many of my friends at the academy found it a little confusing." She then turned to Myne. "œIf anything is confusing, let me know, and I'll try and explain it as best I can."

Kina began to show the board and what each space meant and did. She then showed off the pieces and explained their ranks and how to use them. Finally, she explained the dice and what each roll did. She explained the rules, how to play and a couple of strategies that her father taught her. "œThat's the basics of how to play. Do you feel like you would be ready for a game?"

["Oh hello, you're a new face! I'm Ruth, Lt. Sigurdsdottir, the CSO"]

"Oh hello, you're a new face! I'm Ruth, Lt. Sigurdsdottir, the CSO"  She smiled remembering another Cardassian who had once helped her fellow Scientist Hrafn Falleg-Tekin.  Surprisingly the Tekin family being half Bajoran (or full in the case of Captain Tekin Nevir, and Hrafn was roughly half Trill/Human) actually showed very little animosity towards Cardassians, preferring to treat each individual on their own merits.

"Jumja stick... oh Melly! You're in for a treat!  The Falleg-Tekin kids would be good for a month for a jumja stick!!  May I?" she indicated that she wanted to pinch just one bit of the confection.  "I don't have it often and I didn't get a chance to get a fresh one at DS9!"

Myne remembered the woman from before and nodded her head, "Oh thank You Ma'am, You are too too kind. Oh and yes Ms Ruth please do!" She was not familiar with Jumba sticks but she was happy to learn. "What is that Ma'am?" She smiled pointing to the board before taking a cube as her face lit up in joy and happyness. "So yummy!"

[Sickbay / USS Challenger]

Kina smiled at Lieutenant Ruth and nodded. "Of course ma'am. Unfortunatly, all I was able to get was replicated, but I do find that the computer does create passable Bajoran cuisine." She looked over the Melly and offered a soft smile, walking over and setting the tray down near the table. "My father used to bring me this when I was upset. It always seemed to make me feel better." She sat down in the chair and nodded to the board that Melly pointed at.

"This is a game from Cardassia. Its called Kotra. I believe that since we have some time here in sickbay, a little distraction would be in order. If you would like, I could teach you how to play. I haven't really played since I left home for the academy, so I figured it would be good for you to help exercise your mind. This game is about bold strategies."

[[Sickbay / USS Challenger]]

[Sickbay / USS Challenger]

Kina rubbed her finger against her lip as she looked at the screen. She had been trying to figure out what she could do for ensign Myne. She had heard about what happened and wanted to try and do something for her to help take her mind off of everything. A small treat would be a nice start. She thought back to when she was a child and what she liked. It was possible that maybe she would like the same.

She tapped the screen and made her selection. "œBajoran Jumjum sick, sliced 1 centimeter cubes in a small bowl please." She watched as the replicator created her order. Once it was ready, she placed the bowl on the tray before her next to the kotra board she brought from home. Once everything was ready, she picked up the tray and made her way to sickbay.

Kina walked into sickbay and offered a soft smile to Lieutenant Buehler. "œHello Lieutenant. I brought something for Melly. I'm hoping it will help her with her recovery."

["Understood Ensign. It was a reasonable deception for the moment. For now, we will accept you can take on the role planned for you."]

First Officer's Log, Stardate 78158.44. The forty-eight hours of shore leave have passed relatively quickly. As we wrap up, we of the respective crews have gotten to know the layout of the station, disguised as relative tours given by Admiral Kira, Captain Vaughn or even Commander Belvedere. In any case, as our shore leave wraps up, we are surprised by the arrival of a Ghemor-class carrier from Cardassia, the Kalnak. We have received that two legates, Legates Nural and Sherem - the latter of whom is Jael's mother and primely commands the Kalnak, and recently a good portion of a Cardassian fleet - have come with somebody exceptionally important from the Cardassian government. With the arrival of the Cardassian officials, it was a perfect opportunity to call in each of our respective teams so they can get a handle of what's going on and what they're going to deal with. Considering the familiar names of the Legates coming, we have especially called for Nurse Nural and Lieutenant Jael Sherem to join us for this, our next briefing.

[Commander Nira Said | Wardroom | Starbase Deep Space Nine]

Nira was certainly amazed at the sight of the huge Ghemor-class carrier. From what she understood, Ghemors were roughly as big as Galaxy-classes and more fresher than older carriers like Hutets.

She looked particularly at the two teams assembled at the ward room, each from the two ships, particularly at Jael and Kina. She could understand why Jael needed to be there, whereas Kina knows something about her own father, and he could have something on Old Man Sherem. In general, the teams have been briefed on the situation at hand, and the meeting with the Cardassian officials was to describe what they'll be dealing with at the stations.

She also had been taking careful consideration. Lahr, she was having in mind to act as a "œpartner" with Cloten negotiation about the Borg salvage with the Breen, as well as the prisoners"¦Nira was planning on Mackenzie and Myne to act as the prisoners, children of a high-ranking Federation official held hostage, and that their ransom can easily be called for. Hell, she was even thinking that Captain Vaughn would portray their "œfather," and that to make the salvage fleet look genuinely pursued, Vaughn would take the Valiant and have Challenger and Discovery follow along to "œchase" the fleet. She planned to bring this up particularly to Vaughn and Admiral Kira when the opportunity presented itself. Of course, she also had Lieutenant McNair along, just in case.

A few moments after the Captains, XOs and their respective Cardassian officers assembled, Admiral Kira appeared with the two Legates. Nira recognized Legate Nural from what she saw over Kina's shoulder. Legate Rahab Sherem, of course, was recognizable as Jael's mother, given how much she looked like an older Jael.

"œLadies, gentlemen," Kira said. "œI present Legates Nural and Sherem - well, Mrs. Sherem - of Cardassian Central Command. And joining us is the Castellan"¦"

"œActually, that is not me at the moment, Admiral," a voice said from behind the Legates, and an older Cardassian seemed to materialize between them. In spite of his age and graying hair, he bore a wide, amused smile, like he loved to live a life of, what they called on Earth, a troll. Not a mythological troll, but a troll that likes to make a mockery.

Jael perked up at the sight of the Castellan and frowned. "œSo, it's you," she snipped quietly.

"œThat's right, my dear," Elim Garak replied, nodding at Jael. "œJust plain, simple Garak."

"œPlain and simple, my [spoiler]ass[/spoiler]," sneered Jael. "œWe all know what you're really like."

Jael's spat at Garak caught Nira by surprise; she wondered if Jael had met him before. After a brief moment of Jael's retorts at Garak, Nira looked at Captain Tekin and Commander tr'Lhoell with a raised eyebrow; it was now Jael's turn to be reprimanded by Discovery's command staff, if only for a brief moment.

"œI believe the Castellan and his associates have something to share with us." said Mrs. Sherem, once the reprimand was finished. She had a slight smile on her face, but her eyes becoming hard, staring at Jael. Nira had seen that look enough times on her guardian, Aunty Parisa, the kind a mother would give to sternly silence a child, when she did something Aunty didn't like. "œI understand you'll have assembled what you know about Melek Nor?"

"œYes, but we'll need to make comparisons," Jael added, and she watched on.

Garak then whipped out a Cardassian data rod and inserted it into a console on the table. A holographic display then activated, showing a Nor-station schematic, very identical to Deep Space Nine, only Nira could see the differences instantly. There was enough green to know"¦

"œMelek Nor?" asked Nira.

"œCorrect, Commander," said Admiral Kira.

"œHow very detailed," said Nira. "œBut it has to be Allah and Prophets know how many years old it is."

"œActually, it's a fresh schematic," Garak said. "œLegate Nural has a man on the inside, infiltrating Nehor Sherem's ranks. This is just one of a few recent things he's transmitted in secret. It wasn't easy to get a hold of, I can tell you that."

"œPresumably in that he can't risk any more leaking to keep from being detected," Kira sad.

"œCorrect," Mrs. Sherem answered. "œHe's helped out a great deal, he even helped Captain Worf get in. We can't expect much more from him, but there's plenty we can provide to help our friends in Starfleet."

"œMother and daughter alike," said Nira, looking between Rahab and Jael.

"œOh, we know Melek Nor very well," said Jael. "œMother knows it better than I would, even if Father was the Obsidian Order go-betweener under Gul Dukat during the Occupation."

"œAnd plenty more since Nural's man gave us these schematics and other things," added Mrs. Sherem.

"œIncluding what Worf got from Melek Nor's computer," asked Kira.

"œWorf had plenty of help on the inside," Garak said. "œAfter all, Nural's man helped him in."

Then Jael, with help from her mother, gave her piece, explaining about the station, and particularly about the transwarp coil.

"œWhat about the Breen station?" asked Nira, when they finished.

Garak made another sweeping gesture, and another schematic appeared, causing the holographic Melek Nor to zoom away. The station looked to be plenty bigger than Melek Nor, roughly the size of a small moon - specifically, bigger than the moon-sized asteroid Ceres but definitely smaller than, say, Saturn's Titan or Uranus' Miranda. Given how the Breen make their vessels organic-based, Nira had to admit, the Breen did a good job of making the station look like a vacuum-breathing cephalopod/whale, its tentacles wrapped in a corkscrew fashion around a blubber body and the lower docks certainly looking like tail fins.

Still, it looked so organic, Nira couldn't resist saying, "œIt's not"¦alive, is it?"

Garak and Kira made aside glances and then shook their heads at each other before turning back to the other officers.

"œNot in the slightest," said Garak.

"œStill, it's easy to think that way," Kira added. "œGiven how the Breen build their ships organic-based.

"œNow, this station is chiefly controlled by one of the Breen factions, a race called the Fenrisal," said Kira, as Rahab stepped to Garak's side and pulled up an image of a Breen Thot. Nira could tell this was no ordinary Breen, owing to the armor and scratches.

"œThis is the Breen commander of the station and forces in the vicinity," added Rahab. "œThot Maalgh. One of many Breen Thots in support of the Dominion. He and Nehor have loads in common. In that they're both dangerous and they're both their peoples' foremost experts on the Borg. Not that the Breen would have concerns for assimilation, given the Borg assimilate life forms by injecting nanoprobes into the bloodstream and corrupting it, and Breen have no blood. But they're virtually friends"¦in fact, old Nehor can certainly be counted as one of the only Cardassians ever to have friendly relations with the Breen."

Nira can easily see how all the Cardassians, even trollish Garak, were scowling and even curling their lips at that. It was understandable, the Breen and the Cardassians have a long history of animosity; the fact that the Breen had joined the Dominion and were nudging the Cardassians aside was probably a chief reason, according to history, why Damar broke with the Dominion and began to resist.

"œExpect the fact that there will be Breen personnel on both those stations," said Kira. "œAnd that's where you'll need disguises on your teams, as much as possible. And Cloten will be providing the suits necessary."

Nira then looked at Commander tr'Lhoell and Captains Galloway and Tekin, and then back and forth between Kina and her father, especially as he gave his views and the potential contact to look out for. But she especially looked around at the two teams, and then asked, "œWhat do you all think?"

[Wardroom - Deep Space Nine]

Ian felt bad essentially scolding the girl, but there were standards of decorum all Starfleet officers had to maintain. The ensign from Discovery just had the pointed out to her. Despite feeling like he was being harsh, the Onlies were such a special case, all of them were at least 200 plus years old, but they were still emotionally and developmentally children. Since their discovery back in the 23rd Century, they finally got adult supervision and education, so they were allowed in Starfleet, but Ian remained skeptical that they were up to the task of serving on a Starship.

"Understood Ensign. It was a reasonable deception for the moment. For now, we will accept you can take on the role planned for you."

[Wardroom / Deep Space 9]

It wasnt long when Kina recieved the call to report that she was sitting in the wardroom with officers significantly higher than her. She couldn't help but fidget a bit as she looked around. Was she needed for another mission? If she did, she hoped it would be fore medical reasons. She looked around at her captain and first officer, other members from both ships, seeing that it was clear that this was going to be something major. She was just begining to calm down when the doors opened and she was struck by what she saw.

It was her. Kira Nerys. The former commander of the station, former hero of the Bajoran Resistance, and sewcond in command to the Emmisary of the Prophets. Behind her walked in her father, Elor Nural. It took everything she had not to run to him and give him a hug. The last time she saw him, she was leaving for Starfleet Academy, and she wanted to catch up with him. The last person to come in, the very important person, made her jaw drop.

Elim Garak. THE Elim Garak. The very man who fought next to Damar on Cardassia and retook the Central Command. He was also there when Damar died. Kina was so star stuck that she barely heard anything from the briefing. When the conversation moved to the man on the inside, Elor spoke briefly about the subject. "The individual onboard Melek Nor sacrificed much in order to get aboard that station, and is still currently risking everything to provide us with what information he can and aid Captain Worf. He is under explecit instructions that he is to not interfere or compromise his position, even at the cost of Captain Worf's life."

Kina listened to everything that she could hear. She looked around at everyone gathered. So much was happening. Even as a child, she never understood how her father could keep track of everything that was happening around home and still be so calm. No matter the crisis, he always acted as if nothing bothered him. She took in everything and started making lists in her head. She wanted to make sure that they had everything they needed for anything.

Elor looked around at all those gathered. Every now and then, he payed close attention to the captain of the ship Challenger. His daughter was everything in his life, and he would do anything and everything to protect her. He had some information about Ian Galloway, but now was the time to actually size him up. He knew that Starfleet officers, especially captains, would do anything and everything for their crew. He was sure that this human would take care of his daughter, but he wanted to make sure. When it came to his little stardust, there was nothing he wouldn't do for her.

[[Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House & Holosuite Arcade / Promenade / Deep Space Nine]]

Meanwhile, Jael was standing up and stretching. "Well, it was good to know you, Kina," she said. "I think I'm going to go back to Discovery and turn in. I might even introduce you to my adopted brother sometime."

As she was leaving, Galen Mal looked around and pursed his lips. There she was going, and here he was, stuck as bodyguard to this furry little lunatic rekindling a enefrendship with a familiar face. Instead, he just scowled as the deal continued.

[Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House & Holosuite Arcade / Promenade / Deep Space Nine]

Kina stood when Jael stood. It was always important to be respectful to those you wish to stay in good graces with. Granted, Jael was on a different ship than her, but she felt that they bonded just a little bit. She gave her a smile and nodded at the offer. "It was very delightful to meet you as well, Jael. I would be happy to meet your brother. If you would like, I'm positive that my father would like to meet you as well." She gave her new friend a small wave before leaving the Ferengi establishment.

Kina walked out and down the Promenade, looking at the many different shops that were spread along the walkway. As she walked, something caught her eye. It was just a little Bajoran knickknack, but its design was beautiful. She remembered her father telling her how her mother loved Bajor, that she gained so much inspiration from both the planet and the people, roughly 95% of all her art was based from Bajor. She thought the little trinket would be good to have in her quarters, so she bought it before returning to Challenger.

[Lieutenant JG Jael Sherem | Quark's | Promenade | Starbase Deep Space Nine]

"Oh," said Jael. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother. And I do recall Lakarian City; I was born shortly here when the station used to be called Terok Nor, and shortly before the station was abandoned at the end of the Occupation. I often recalled when my mother brought me to the amusement center there. Still, the massacre of an execution, at least it provided incentive for all of Cardassia to turn against the Dominion...and it almost resulted in their extermination.

"And...your father will be coming here?" she said. She looked around and lowered her voice a little. "So is my mother. I think something important is going on...is it possible Central Command needs help with the Federation? I won't be surprised if they need help extraditing the old man."

Kina offered a soft smile and nod. "œI do miss her, but my father did everything he could to raise me, and make sure I was well taken care of. My grandparents helped raise me, but he has always been there for me." A few flashes of memory came to her. It only lasted a moment, but she focused back into the now.

Something suddenly struck her as she thought about it. "œI'm not really sure. It's possible, it it must be extremely important to Central Command. My father rarely ever leaves Cardassia. The few times he did, it was because Central Command wanted direct control of the situation. Do you think all this with your father would be connected?"

[[Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House & Holosuite Arcade / Promenade / Deep Space Nine]]

[Lieutenant JG Jael Sherem | Quark's | Promenade | Starbase Deep Space Nine]

"Why, I'd be glad for some company," said Jael with a smile. "I'm Jael. Shall we find a table?"

She shook Kina's hand and smiled. Then she led the way to a table and, by happenstance, they realized they were sharing the same table as Mister Graham.

"Why, Mister Graham," said Jael. "Mind if we join you?"

She took a seat and said to Kina, "It's been some day...ish, hasn't it? Saving the Tarkalia Triangle has been quite the doozy, especially in facing my father. Yes, unfortunately, that man we've been facing, the man in charge of that platform, he's my father. I just don't know why of all times he decided to come back. With his toys, he could appear anywhere."

And she shuddered with a chill. "Then again, he could be sheltering anywhere," she added. "For all we know, he could've gone to the Gamma Quadrant to make himself comfortable in Old Dominion space or to the Delta Quadrant for more salvaging. Let's hope we don't see him for a long time. Thank the Prophets that Mother defected and took me along until the Dominion were driven back."

Turning back to Kina, she said, "So, what's your story? Mother wasn't the only one to have defected when Dukat took control, did yours as well?"

[Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House & Holosuite Arcade / Promenade / Deep Space Nine]

Kina smiled and followed Jael to a table. It was nice to meet someone so welcoming. She was always keen to meet new people and get to know about them. She sat down and gave a polite hello to the human seated. This was one of the few times outside of the Academy that she felt comfortable. Granted, she loved being on Challenger, and wouldn't give anything up to be somewhere else, but it was still hard to meet new people because she was Cardassian.

Her mind came back when Jael that her father was Sherem. She looked down a bit before offering a soft smile. "œI'm just happy that the injuries the ships sustained were not too bad. I still have a few patients in recovery, but they will pull through." She listened more about how Jael's after had hiding places, and that her mother defected from Cardassia during Dukat's reign.

When she was asked about her mother, Kina was a bit shocked. She hadn't thought about her mother in some time. She barely remembered her face, and all she really had were holo-images of her. "œN"¦..no. I was born about two years before the war ended. Both my parents stayed on Cardassia. My father served when Dukat was in power and then with Damar. He joined Damar when he attacked Rodnac III while he was in the Third Order. My mother"¦"¦"

Kina looked down. She didn't really remember anything of her mother. Only what her father told her about her. But the pain was there, she couldn't explain it. "œMy mother was in Lakarian City"¦..when the Dominion retaliated." She shook her head. She tried to keep the tears at bay. "œMy father fought with Damar till the end of the war. He's a Legate within Central Command right now. He told me he was coming here with someone important."

[Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House & Holosuite Arcade / Promenade / Deep Space Nine]

[Lieutenant JG Jael Sherem | Quark's | Promenade | Starbase Deep Space Nine]

Jael and Gid were busy walking around the Promenade. She was taking in the absolute marvelous sight of the station, her mother's old home. They actually paused briefly at the Bajoran Shrine and briefly wondered whether or not to pay their respects. But the biggest draw of all they had anticipated the most.

The two adopted siblings stepped into Quark's only to see the eponymous bartender arguing with...Holy Prophets, how old was that boy? They approached just as the argument was softening and Jael stared in befuddlement. How was that boy allowed to drink, unless he was older than he looked? Then another younger-looking child arrived...Jael looked around in befuddlement before deciding to order a drink. Gid, naturally, took off for the Dabo table.

"Excuse me, but might I trouble you for a glass of Kanar, straight from Quark's?" Jael asked.

Quark certainly didn't look like he aged a day. Maybe he added a few new wrinkles, but aside from that, he looked exactly the same. Nonetheless, he stared long and hard at Jael.

"What's going on here? Is somebody reversing age or something? Rahab, you're looking younger by the day."

"Actually, I'm not Rahab," said Jael. "She's my mother."

Quark recoiled in surprise. "Blessed Exchequer, the resemblance is uncanny!" He said.

"Huh. I guess I never hear that from other people...or is that only from people who knew my mother?" asked Jael.

The old bartender shrugged. "I don't know, maybe if you were in the right uniform..." He shrugged again and brought out a bottle of kanar.

"Out of curiosity, how did you know my mother, Mister Quark?" asked Jael.

"Mister? Quark does just fine," Quark muttered. "I was here when Deep Space Nine was run differently and was run by Cardassian officers."

"Ah. So back when it was Terok Nor."

"Yes, well, Rahab was a rare instance of a nice Cardassian officer, especially one who was nice to Bajorans," Quark explained. "Well...me and my soft heart, hiring out Bajorans so they'd have better conditions than in the mines. Maybe that's why I liked it better when the station became Deep Space Nine."

"Whatever the reason," Jael said.

"Now that'll be five slips of latinum, plus two for the story," Quark said, extending his palm.

Jael shrugged and handed him the latinum. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "I'll throw in two more if you can tell me how well you know my mother, and not just because you were old friends during the Occupation."

"I'm just somebody with an ear to the ground who knows the right people, and an ear whom people turn to," Quark explained. "But we do keep in touch with any leery people messing with Cardassian affairs. Just not so much that we're comm friends."

Jael was about to ask more when she heard some excited calls of "Dabo!" and looked around to see Gid at the wheel. Of course he was focused on the Dabo Wheel; the Orion Dabo Girl in front of him certainly looked unattractive enough for Gid to avert his eyes.

"Trier also has good ears, but in terms of looks, she's definitely losing her touch," Quark said with a sigh and then got back to work. Jael shrugged and then wondered with who to mingle with...

Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House & Holosuite Arcade / Promenade / Deep Space Nine

It had been many years since Kina last set foot on this space station. In fact, she was only a small child when her father brought her here after the war to educate her on the occupation. Her father always preferred a more practical approach when teaching her of some of Cardassia's history. Rather than just bombard her with military propaganda and denial, he told her everything that happened. When the Cardassians began the occupation, to the building of Terok Nor, to the Bajoran people finally making them leave their home. After that, it was up to Kina on what she thought.

As she walked the station, she looked around at the many civilians and travelers that walked these decks. Everything still seemed so big to her, but she knew her father would be here soon, and that alone made Kina very happy. However, she couldn't help but feel like she was being watched, that eyes were glaring at her. Sure, she saw a few other Cardassians walking the station, but somehow, she felt singled out.

She overheard that some of the crew were going to Quark's for some relaxation and she figured that maybe this would be a good time for her to get to know many of the other officers from the ship. As she stepped into the bar, she was hit with a feeling of nostalgia of being here with her father. She walked over and found an open seat. She took a moment to look around at everyone there.

She suddenly found something she was very surprised to see, it was another Cardassian. But what really surprised her, was that this Cardassian was in a Starfleet uniform like her. Mustering up what courage she had, she walked over to the young woman and offered her a smile. "œExcuse me, would it be alright if I join you? My name is Kina."

[[Cargo Bay 1 / USS Challenger]]

[Cargo Bay 1 / USS Challenger]

Kina waited until everyone had congregated Nira before deciding what to do next. The captain authorized shore leave for all personnel onto DS9 and while she was eager to return to sickbay and continue working, it had been some time since she had been to the station. Her father brought her here once when she was young to educate her about the occupation and to meet a few of the Bajorans and hear their troubles. Elor never hid her from the truth, only gave her all the information he could and let her be the judge.

She smiled at remembering a Ferengi at a bar trying to get her father into some holosuite or any information in exchange for latinum. Her father refused, but it was amusing to watch him try. She considered going to the station by herself when she thought more about the ship. She was a member of the crew, and should bond with some, since she will be with them for the foreseeable future. She walked up to an ensign who looked like a small child and smiled. "œHello. I'm Kina. I was going to head to the station to walk around or get something to eat. I was wondering"¦"¦if you would like to join me."

["All hands, this is the Captain. If'n you are nae occupied with critical duties, I want everyone available ta muster in cargo bay one in 20 minutes. That is all."]

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Bridge >- Ready Room | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Nira had to admit that everybody performed admirably. Zhuk's handling of the ship's arsenal certainly brought back memories of her own time at Tactical. For Nurse Nural, Nira had to admit, she could tell how incensed she was by the insults Old Man Sherem gave out. Feeling was mutual, she could understand, but she planned on having a talk with her later.

The news from the Intrepid certainly wasn't good. Nira made a note to check in with Medical as well as Engineering to see how things will be. Chances are, they're both going to be busy. Just then, Ops called to inform them that Admiral Gillespie was calling for a report from each of the ships, starting with Challenger and Discovery.

"Looks like we're informing him sooner than later."

Once she and Ian were connected with Tekin and Commander tr'Lhoell, the call from the Admiral came in.

"Report, yeh two pairs," he said gruffly.

Nira proceeded first, and they all explained what had happened in the engagement with Melek Nor, and that it was responsible for the attack on the trading fleet.

"Bullocks," Gillespie hissed when the reports were finished. "This is even more serious than realized. It's one thing for Cardassian pirates, but if that old man is openly attacking around the borders of this side of the Federation, it's looking very serious. He's gone from making like it's attacks from Tzenkethi raiders and Orion pirates...well, I'll have't fill yeh in on the details when we get to Deep Space Nine."

"Admiral?" asked Nira curiously.

"We dinnae ken enough...currently," said the admiral. "Then again, what with things going on around here, hopefully Admiral Kira will have more information."

"And hopefully we'll have more ships handy," added Nira.

"Count on it," said Gillespie. "We're going to be expecting. Still, the Xerox gone...and the Intrepid, well...its systems were being wee dodgy lately, most of the Pathfinder-classes have been. The Intrepid's been due for a spot in the mothball fleet anyway; the new Intrepid, Duderstadt-class specifically, it's due for launch in a fortnight. Still, Starfleet will understand the slow arrival; I'm going to assign the Samshir to tow the Intrepid to Tellar and await decommissioning. The rest of yeh, yeh know what to do."

Nira looked at Ian; naturally, they knew what to do. Clean up, heal up, return to the fleet, and then await the next slipstream jump to Deep Space Nine.

"We certainly do," she said. "Am I right, Captain?"

"Well, good to hear, yeh lot," said Gillespie. "Once we get there, I especially expect yeh to meet me at the station's Operations Center, assuming..."

But he stopped himself in time, but not before leaving a sense of curiosity.

"Assuming what?" asked Nira.

"Like I said, when we get there," said Gillespie.

***

First Officer's Log, Stardate 78151.18. The return to the initial fleet was uneventful and repairs were made in time. The Samshir has towed the Intrepid to Tellar for decommissioning, and with the destruction of the Xerox, that's three ships down. Well, four, as the Davis has taken over escorting the Tarkalia Triangle fleet for further protection, and hopefully the sight of a huge ship like that will dissuade any further pirates. Unfortunately, we haven't heard the last of Gul Sherem and his Borg-rigged platform, and I dread the potential of having to face him again.

Hopefully we can coordinate with Lieutenant Jael Sherem from over on Discovery to determine what is known about her father we don't. Admiral Gillespie has informed us that there will be more answers at Deep Space Nine. Which implies something is happening around the station's neck of the woods, if not this side of the Federation.

We've dropped out of slipstream just a lightyear away per Admiral Gillespie's order, which is understandable, seeing as we don't want to scare the station with the arrival of a slipstream-towed fleet. It's totally fine, this means we'll be in for a sight when we arrive.

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Upon word of closing in, Nira requested, "On screen."

And there it was. The only way they knew they haven't seen Melek Nor again was the glowing aperture off in the distance that the proximity to the station was famous for: The Bajoran Wormhole, or as the Bajorans called it, the Celestial Temple.

"We've made it," said Nira. "Shore leave, of course...well, I can't say how much that's being anticipated, especially after we went through at Ferenginar."

[Bridge --> Cargo Bay One - USS Challenger]

After the second Battle of AR 558, events had occurred quickly. After lending as much assistance as possible to the crippled USS Intrepid, the Challenger reconnected to the Discovery and rode the short 20 minute Slipstream to the vicinity of Deep Space Nine. During the regular warp speed trip for that last light year to the station and the Bajorian system, Ian finally got some good news and immediately activated shipwide communications.

"All hands, this is the Captain. If'n you are nae occupied with critical duties, I want everyone available ta muster in cargo bay one in 20 minutes. That is all."

At the appointed time, Ian entered the cargo bay, with Nira one pace behind and one step to the left of him as prescribed in the Starfleet Drill and Ceremonies manual. Given there were over 500 crew on the Challenger, there wasn't a single space on the ship large enough for the entire crew, but thanks to the tireless work of the chief petty officers of the various departments, 150 crewmen were waiting when Ian and Nira entered.

Ian took a position at the center of the formation as Lieutenant Commander T'Kel called out.

"Attention to orders!"

All present snapped to the position of attention and Ian called out.

"Lieutenant Commander Nira Said. Front and center!"

As soon as she was in place, T'Kel began to read from a PADD.

"To all who shall read these presents, greetings. It is with great honor that Starfleet Command hereby, based on her tireless and superior service, announce the promotion of Lieutenant Commander Nira Said to Commander with all the rights and privileges associated with her new position. Signed, Hamish Gillespie. Admiral. Starfleet Command."

Ian then removed the hollow pip on Nira's collar and replaced it with a third solid pip of her new rank and beamed.

"Congratulations Commander. Well and truly deserved. The floor is yours."

Ian then stepped back and added.

"How about a big round of applause!"

And the compartment thundered in response.

[Sickbay / USS Challenger]

Kina arrived in Sickbay a few seconds before the first patient was beamed to her. She took her medical tricorder and scanned them quickly, determining what was needed right away. "œGet this one to biobed two, several fractures to extremities, concussion, and abdominal bleeding" She then moved onto the next one, and the next one, sorting out the mild injuries from the severe ones. Once that was done, she started healing the injured.

""""""

Medical Officer Nural's Log: Stardate 78151.18

All in all, we have 174 casualties beamed to Sickbay from Intrepid. Thankfully, all those beamed aboard have not lost their lives during the encounter with Sherem. Minor injuries to report: a few broken bones, lesions, and a mild concussion here and there. Those individuals have been treated and are ready to report back to duty.

The most severe injuries are currently in recovery and are expected to return to active duty within the next day or so. Appropriate records have been updated and set to transmit to Starfleet Medical when such a time is needed. On a personal note: I am"¦.eager to see my father again. It has been some time since I have seen him, and I am hoping that he will be able to provide some information that will aide us in preventing such injuries from occurring again.

""""""

[Cargo Bay One / USS Challenger]

Once Kina heard the announcement to muster in the cargo bay, she finished what reports were needed and proceeded straight away. Perhaps this was a briefing on what transpired before their arrival to DS9, and hopefully she would be able to inform the Captain of the information she received. Once she arrived, she made her way to her section of the formation and stood by.

When the Captain called Nira up to the front, she was surprised, and wondered what was happening. She smiled when she heard the orders for her to be promoted to Commander. Afterwards, she applauded with the rest of the crew, happy for the achievements of the newly promoted first officer. Once they were allowed, she walked up to Nira and happily shook her hand. "œCongratulations Commander. Very well deserved."

[[Bridge | USS Challenger]]

[Bridge | USS Challenger]

As far as casualties and damage reports went, Buck could count his lucky stars that they had not turned out worse. He hadn't crunched the numbers fully yet but they had loss the Xerox and Intrepid seemed to be disabled at the current point. Sherem had left parting words for the rest of the fleet to take in and taste, reminding them all that they would be faced with a bigger and more dangerous foe. Something Buck would want to replay and see whether they could have adapted or altered the outcome with different choices, perhaps something to crunch his free time after their shifts had changed.

Blue eyes glanced up sharply, drawn from his thoughts as the captain hailed Ops again alongside the other departments. Buck began to crunch the stats for the Intrepid compared with amount of medical supplies and beds that they had free - it would be a mass operation to assist another vessel depending on the amount of casualties and or if they needed any further supplies until they managed to restart whatever had disabled them in the first place. "Aye cap'n. Ops at the ready."

He could hear the soft sobs of the ensign, grabbing his attention as he looked around the bridge to the Ensign who seemed more than new on the deck. Buck knew and his heart went out to her, certainly there was nothing else they would be able to change now the battle had been done and dusted. They were going to have to move forward and reflect on what they could do better. He would keep them in mind, observing as he stood by his station, his mind back on the task at hand. It would be something that he could have had a hand in helping more but for now, they would need to deal with the aftermath.

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

The battle had gone better than expected, not that it was without losses with the Xerox destroyed and the Intrepid disabled, but they had forced Sherem to retreat. The convoy, while shot up, had mostly survived, so, they had done their duty, but Sherem had said before he left that the next time they saw him, he'd have Dominion and Breen with him. That meant that this thing wasn't over and explained the all fired hurry Gillespie was in. However, there was work to do now. The future was going to have to wait.

"Helm, bring us along side Intrepid."

He then activated the comm system.

"Engineerin', Ops, and Medical, prepare ta lend assistance ta Intrepid."

[Bridge / USS Challenger]

Kina fist tightened hard. She wanted to scream. This man talked praise about Dukat while disowning the life of Damar. It was true and not hidden, that Damar did things during the war, that he worked with the Dominion and Dukat, and when he first turned against the Dominion, it was in pure preservation of his own life. But after that, when he chose to fight for the People of Cardassia, and he gave his life for them, Damar was a hero.

She was ready to speak when the Captain gave the order to attack. Everything moved so fast, she could hardly keep up. Kina looked at the station just in time to see it disappear. If he was in possession of such technology, it could be bad for Cardassia. Hopefully her father knew about this and could do something.

She then heard the captain give orders to prepare to held the Intrepid. With that, her place wasn't on the bridge, but sickbay. She looked to McNair as she immediately made her way to the turbolift. "œBeam all reported injuries to Sickbay. We'll triage there and assist." With that taken care of, she made her way back and prepared for anything.

[[Bridge / USS Challenger]]

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Old Man Sherem turned and noticed Nurse Nural. At the mention, he scowled.

"Ah. Nural. The suck-up who always hid in his hole. Can never decide which side he can stay on...as far as I know..."

For the first time, Nira could see some uncertainty. The nurse's father must not have been worthy of attention. On the other hand, he mentioned earlier he was an expert on the Borg. She wondered just how much time he spent studying the Borg, even in exile.

Turning back to Tekin, Old Man Sherem's scowl further deepened. "To answer your comments, Bajoran," he replied scathingly - Nira wondered how much grief the Bajoran Resistance gave him during the Occupation - "I left my professional courtesy piece by piece back on Terok Nor, and your fellow ragtag renegades, no matter where or your relations were, took it a piece at a time, along with the dignity of many, from S.G. Dukat to Kotan Pa'Dar. The humiliation at Minos Korva was the last straw."

Nira thought she knew what he was talking about. Jael mentioned once to her that the Cardassians never accepted that the Bajoran Resistance had forced them out of Bajor; in Cardassian eyes, it was their failure to annex Minos Korva that prompted their withdrawal from Bajor. Then again, if the old man was a former Obsidian Order agent, perhaps it rankled most to him that there were too many enemies to deal with personally, either by torture or enslavement, as was typical of Cardassian officers during the Occupation.

"And open war with the Federation?" Old Man Sherem let out a mirthless bark of a laugh. "The war with the Federation never ended. At least to me, to my colleagues, and to my friends in the Dominion still here in the Alpha Quadrant."

Nira perked up, and the surprise she felt around around her was utterly nuclear, her empathy felt so much heat of surprise, she was surprised not to feel singed. The reaction certainly didn't look to be unnoticed to the old man.

"What, did you think all the Dominion forces withdrew back to the Gamma Quadrant?" he said with a chuckle, the kind that made Nira think of a deep purr of a lion or a tiger. "Many remained. Many are still here. I speak not for my government; my Cardassia is gone. Why bait the Federation into attacking Cardassia just because I personally attack them? You don't know piracy when you see it."

"Is piracy also an excuse for savage behavior like what you display?" snapped Nira. "A gul would have to know proper decorum, as any good officer would."

"Girl, I'm no more an exile than that fool Elim Garak," growled the old man. "The difference between him and me is our respective levels of aggression."

Nira kept her peace and looked at Captain Galloway. The only reason they were still talking is to give the trading fleet time to get away, and hopefully, Admiral Gillespie will have gotten the call for help.

[Admiral Hamish Gillespie | Bridge | Deck One | USS Legacy NCC-75001-B]

Gillespie was pacing amidst arrivals around AR-558 when his Ops officer spoke up: "Admiral, we're getting an encrypted tight-beam signal from the Challenger."

Gillespie raised an eyebrow in such a way that he resembled the eponymous Vulcan of "The Laughing Vulcan and His Dog" but with more years and less laughter and definitely no dog or pointed ears. "Soonds like those pirates are potentially going to be more trouble than we thought. What's this aboot?"

When he got the details, he blanched so much, he could've looked chiseled out of Antarctic ice. "Melek Nor? Most of Convoy PQ17 is destroyed? Swaet Jaezz..." He stopped his curse before completing. "Old Man Sherem is going to smack them doon like swatting a fly with a B'rel."

Naturally, as a member of Starfleet Security and often a go-betweener with Starfleet Intelligence, he knew about Nehor Sherem, his affiliation, status and, most especially, Melek Nor and his enhancements to the station.

"Ops, what are the closest ships to Challenger, Discovery and Intrepid's positions that are en roote to AR-558?" Gillespie asked.

"Without slipstream? Four ships: Vixen, Shamshir, Magellan and Lich-Lord. With slipstream, the Davis and the Bonchune. Oh, and sir, a small formation of Inquiries have just come maximum range: The Imprint, the Xerox and the Duplicant."

Gillespie rolled his eyes. Three more ships from the "cookie-cutter" fleet? Those ships were potential fodder to push the Mirandas aside. And he strongly suspected the ship called the "Shamshir" was a Saber-class starship; almost every Saber-class has been given blade names. But most of the latter were powerhouses, and the Lich-Lord was yet another Akira torpedo boat.

"Divert them to the Challenger's, Discovery's and Intrepid's positions," Gillespie ordered. "The sooner they reinforce that lot, the better. We ken how much upgraded Nor platforms can hand [spoiler]arses [/spoiler]back to attackers in torpedo coffins."

[Bridge / USS Challenger]
Kina forced herself to smile. Sherem was one of those stuck in the old ways, the old Cardassia. But her home changed from the war, it was different, better. He wanted to return Cardassia back to a Dominion stronghold, and she would first break her oath and kill every single Jem'hadar with him than let Cardassia go back to the way it was.

She looked at him and kept her calm. "œThat's rather humorous, because from what I am seeing, my father is the only one not talking in insanities. However given the company you're currently keeping, one would have to assume you are." She gripped the PADD tight, anger was flowing through her. She was ready to snap, and when he spoke down to a hero, it happened.

Kina's eyes and voice became hard as she glared at Sherem. "œElim Garak is more of a Cardassian than you will ever be. And my father stood up against the Dominion when our people attacked Rodman III. My father proved his loyalty to our people. As well as every Cardassian who died freeing us. And you stand there with the same"¦..things that killed our people. You are no Cardassian."

[[Sickbay / USS Challenger]]

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Nira looked around in surprise to see a child enter the bridge in a uniform. Well, she looked like a child. Still, one can't judge a book by its cover.

"Man Science 3 by Lieutenant Savar, Ensign."
Hearing out the ideas of Captain Galloway and Commander tr'Lhoell, Nira nodded in pondering. With all that firepower, a flashbang of sorts can be another way to divert their attention to give the trading fleet time to get away.

Seeing Zhuk standing by at T'Kel's side, Nira said, "Wait for our command, but be ready to launch and detonate some photons per the Captain's specifications."

Tapping her comm badge, she called tr'Lhoell: "Commander tr'Lhoell, our tactical officer is standing by..."

Just then, Ops called that they're receiving a hail. Putting it up, it was clear Challenger was sharing with Discovery a transmission sent from the station. The image showed a gruff Cardassian, but it was clear he was a Dominion sympathizer, judging from the Jem'Hadar in the background along with his Cardassian henchmen.

"Captains. Allow me to introduce myself," Nehor drawled. "I am Gul Sherem, director of the Cardassian Intelligence Bureau. At least, until my office was liquidated by some upstarts under the thumb of that traitor Damar. And this...this is my masterpiece, Melek Nor. The only mobile station you will ever find. I'm sure your sensors will have noticed Borg signatures here. No, I am no Borg King, I just love the implementation of Borg technology."

Nira perked up. Gul Sherem...? Suddenly, it dawned on Nira: They were talking to Jael's father. He had the same eyes as Jael, though they looked cold enough to induce a Pluto-level chill. His little boast prompted Nira to look at Savar and Myne at Science before looking back.

But getting over her initial shock, she realized that they'll have the time they need to divert the station's attention to not just allow the trading fleet to get away, but was prepared to surprise them with their flashbangs.

Old man Sherem continued speaking and, at the same time, mocking the other ships. "I admit, I was surprised to see a simple formation. And I suppose you were expecting less. I expect no less than a tickle, especially you two hugging it out."

The Cardassians around him laughed; the Jem'Hadar, being bred professional soldiers, did not.

"At least Daddy is separate from the rest of the herd, am I right, Bajoran," added the old man, looking particularly at Tekin. Nira cringed a little; the way he said "Bajoran" at Tekin, he was saying it so scathingly it was like the name "Bajoran" was on par with a derogatory insult. On the other hand, he looked old enough to be a veteran of the Bajoran Occupation. She looked at Captain Galloway with a little worry in her face.

[Sickbay / USS Challenger]
Kina couldn't help it. Again, she found herself deep in thought and speculation. Which meant her mind raced with questions, which meant pacing. She paced in sickbay, desperately trying to figure out everything that was going on. She heard from passersby's about Challenger and Discovery leaving the fleet to respond to a threat of pirates. Not ordinary pirate, but Cardassian pirates.

Which only made her wonder more. Cardassian pirates were not heard of, least to her. Cardassian ships obeyed the orders sent down from Central Command. The only one who disobeyed was the traitor Dukat during the war. So what was going on now. She thought about going to the Bridge, see what exactly was happening.

Her thoughts were interrupted with a sound from a medical diagnostic panel. It was odd, because she had no patients. What was going on? Walking up to the panel, she noticed an odd file, subtle, but grabbing her attention. She opened the file and looked inside. Inside was text, encrypted in an older Cardassian code that many forgot about. It took her a moment to decipher the code, and was shocked at what she saw.

[Bridge / USS Challenger]
Her choice was made. She now HAD to go to the Bridge. She downloaded the file onto her PADD and raced out to the turbolift. She just hoped this information would help the captain. Things were already tense, she didn't need to make them worse. As she stepped out of the turbolift onto the bridge, she stopped short to see Sherem on the view screen. Alongside him and his troops were soldiers of Jem'hadar. Why? Cardassians never forgave what they did during the end of the war. Something was up.

She had to play it cool. She had to maintain herself. Do not give anything away. She walked over toward Nira and made a motion to offer her the PADD. "œCommander, I have those medical diagnostics you asked for." She looked over at the view screen and smiled, bringing the PADD behind her back. "œOh. I apologize. Gul Sherem, it is very nice to see you again. It's"¦.been a long time since I last saw you. I don't know if you remember me. I'm Kina, Nural's daughter."