S:5 E:13 - Dominion Rising Part 2

[Nira Said]

"Interesting! I like it! It could work! So once we're out where to? We need to rescue the commander and I'd like to get Zhuk out of here too! Of course getting my claws on Sherem would be a huge bonus. Do you think you could deactivate the force fields?" M'nia was worried somewhat about Zhuk although his cover seemed intact for now The commander was the one she was really worried about That monster was really laying into her and taking great please doing so! The woman was tough but how long could she last! She took a deep breath! "And what about the helmets? how do they figure in?"

She had been proud and excited to be a part of this mission but now she was more scared than anything. Scared and angry! She had no idea why she had been picked for this assignment  but she would do her best to do her duty but she was worried at the cost of it! One thing was for sure, she'd never be the same after this!

:: Melok Nor | Environmental Maintainence Tubes ::

Kyan had been back to crawling through the maintainence shafts and tunnels since finally escaping the bathroom. He wasn't entirely certain that the Cardasian who'd come in and talked to the smelly guy was talking to him, but it seemed like he was. And in any case, he didn't have anywhere else to go. So he'd decided to go see if what he'd said about the other membrs of the away team was right. Unfortunately for him, it was fairly slow going"¦ and long since section 10 was on the opposite side of the station. It was also hot and dirty in the tubes.

"œNasty arse creatures the Spoonies are, and no mistake!" he muttered as he crawled toward a bright spot ahead. As he got closer he heard voices, mostly females from the sound of them"¦ of all ages. It smelled different too. Instead of dust and the acrid scents of machine lubricants and chemicals, he now smelled flowery things and burning incense.

Finally he reached the spot, which was large grate. He could see into the room, but it didn't look like anything he'd seen before. Firstly, there was a pool; no, a fountain directly beneath him. And lots of girls milling around it, in various stages of dress"¦ or undress in some cases. They looked like they were just talking to each other. Some were laughing. He couldn't make out facial features because of the smoke from incense and torches"¦ and steam coming off of some hot rocks near the fountain, but he could tell they weren't all Cardassians.

There wasn't time to figure it out though. He needed to get to the VIP quarters. Kyan pushed the grating to see if it would support his weight. Satisfied that it would, he began crawling across it. When he was fully on it, he heard a creak, followed shortly by a snap. The left side drooped and he caught himself on the wall of the tube. He stayed still, afraid to go back but unable to go forward. Another creak"¦ and snap.

"œShite!" he cursed loudly. But before he could grab the ledge Kyan was falling, his arms flailed to grab at the ledge but he missed it. He landed full on his stomach in the water. It felt like a huge hand had smacked him hard in the gut. The shock knocked out his wind for a moment and he was momentarily disoriented. Luckily the fountain was only a few feet deep. Kyan got his knees under him and crawled toward the edge of the fountain, gasping as he went to get air back into his lungs.

Some of the women gasped or shrieked when the grate broke and he fell. However, as he crawled to the edge many of them crowded around the edge of the fountain.

"It's a boy!" one called out, the voice not much older than his own.

"Aww... hello cutie!" another cooed.

"It's raining men now....and on our day off." still another called out.

That drew laughter from the little crowd. Kyan got air in his lungs finally and hauled himself up over the smooth stone to sit on the edge of the fountain. He looked up at the onlookers, incredulous and more than a little confused at what he was looking at and exactly where he was.

"Look. He's a Neri kima! like Nori." a little girl spoke up from the back.

Finally able to take in enough air to get his wits about him, Kyan's first thought was "What fresh flower-smelling hell have I fallen into?"

~ Fifteen minutes later. ~

:: VIP Quarters | Melok Nor ::

As Molly Obrien and the others pondered their options, a commotion began outside. Muffled by the door, they heard shouts and the whine of disruptors. Several shots rang out and then two thuds. After a few tense moments, the doors whisked open to reveal a small form in a silk face covering and robe. They were holding a Cardassian disruptor in one hand and two of a Jem Hadar make in the other. The Jem Hadar who were guarding the door were lying in front of it. The figure stepped over the falled guards and the doors whisked shut behind them.

The Jem Hadar rifles were tossed on the floor and Kyan pulled the face covering and silk robe dress thing off. "Aye and Merry Met again." he smiled. "Anyone wanna go cause some trouble with me?"

When she recognized Kyan, M'nia couldn't help herself. "Ohh K'tal's whiskers!" and she broke up laughing. She couldn't stop! Kyan looked so silly especially with all the glitter. Finally after a few minutes. "Oh Kyan what? where did all the glitter come from?" On one level she knew they should get moving but he was so ridiculous "Ahem, yes, Maybe we'd better get moving while we can!" She said as she tried to suppress her laughter. Her tail flicking back in forth in amusement. Boy was she going to have a story when this was over! her whiskers would be twitching for a while in amusement.  "So any weapons available?"

Kyan looked down at himself. He didn't have any shoes, nor socks"¦ or a shirt. He was wearing a Breen utility belt, which was a bit too big for him, and he had glitter and sparkly body paint splattered all over him. Not to mention the fact that he smelled like he'd just gone for a swim in a pool of perfume, which he supposed he had. Kyan wondered if he ought to tell her the story of his trip to Gul Sherem's Little Palace of Nastiness. He decided to save it for later. After all, it was a good story, and he didn't have time to tell it properly now.

"œSure and I had a rowe with the glitter skank." He said simply. "œI'll tell ya the rest when we get back ta the ship"¦ and after I take a shower"¦ or five." Then he indicated the Jem Hadar rifles he'd collected from the guards. "œJust those. And we better be hurrying, this Cardassian one I shot em with only works on stun now." He headed for the bathroom to wash his face off. Then before he went in, "œAnd if you see an old Cardassian lady with glitter on her and a face like a skelpted arse"¦. Shoot her."

[Commander Molly O'Brien | Habitat Ring | Melek Nor]

Molly had been considering what to do when she heard the commotion. And in stepped a perfume-smelling mummy of an imp...that transpired to be Kyan Mackenzie. From her childhood, she had encountered plenty of mad gobbledegook, but this was a new one. She kept her peace, took her willpower to keep from laughing, but just settled for being gobsmacked.

The brief explanation Kyan gave made Molly nod in understanding. "Uf course," she said. "I don't know how you got here, and frankly, I don't want t'know. You'd give a leprachaun a run for his money, Kyan."

She had taken a liking to Kyan Mackenzie in the time they trained together, especially since that he was the first Irish-talking fellow she knew since her father.

Hoisting a Jem'Hadar weapon in the air, she wondered how it must've felt for the poor lads during the Dominion War. "Looks to be in good order," she said. "Now, if I remember the layout, we should proceed to the main fusion reactor."

"Logical," said Savar. He didn't get a weapon, but he felt he won't need one, not with his expertise in martial arts. "But what about Nira and Doctor Fellows?"

"Kyan can work on that," Molly said. "He's proven adept so far. Still, it may be best that he keep at it alone; I know you want to find Commander Said badly, Savar, but you'll only slow Kyan down. And leave us without security personnel...what's that?"

The question she asked was what she had noticed as she stumbled across the dead Jem'Hadar as she stepped out. There seemed to be some kind of PADD placed on the corpse. She held it up and noticed it was a message from Glinn Luram.

Not exactly how I expected this rescue to happen, especially with Mister Mackenzie taking a shortcut through the old man's harem. Still, that old hag Larok had it coming. I'll do what I can to put men loyal to me, and to Cardassia, around the fusion reactor. You'll know them if you mention, in a sentence, Damar. If they react to Damar like a traitor, you'll know they're the old man's men. Otherwise, they're mine. And they'll provide you help and security as you head for the reactor. L.

"Just to bear in mind, Kyan," Molly explained in a whisper, "not all the Cardassians on the station are loyal to the old man. Glinn Luram is against him, he'll help as best as he can."

"Commander, there's a P.S." Savar pointed it out and Molly read it.

P.S. Your First Officer and Chief Medical Officer will likely be at the Promenade by now, waiting to be "broken in."

Remembering mention of the harem, Molly and Savar glanced uneasily. "Well, now we know," said Savar.

"Problem is, the Promenade's going to be the trickiest place to get anywhere in the station," said Molly. "I think you might work it out, Kyan...Savar?"

Savar remembered something and turned back in. He pulled out a Breen suit that had been hidden under a couch.

"Mister Luram thinks of everything," he said. "And I can even get the viruses primed with the helmet."

"We'd best move," said Molly. "Now, let's take a leaf out of Kyan's book and head through the maintenance conduits. We'll head to the corridors leading to reactor control, it'll be a first step."

[Nira Said]

[Nirut Nori - Prefects Office - Melek Nor]

Nori smiled as he had remembered her name. Lifting the bucket to empty the water and obediently taking the cup offered to Dr Fellows she helped coax Belvedere into the bucket. Carrying him along she walked behind her Father/Master, behind the Caitian Mercanary and the Jem'Hadar, but before the prisoners. A distinctively pecking order was observed, not that she thought herself above the Prisoners as each were infimitely more valuable then her. But High Protocol must be followed, for she knew her place. The Cat however was a interesting creature and she hoped she would get to spend time asking him questions. But if not she would just put the memory with others and try to not have regrets. Slaves were not allowed regrets.

[Nirut Nori - Prefects Office - Melek Nor]
The girl had followed as ordered and placed the bucket beside her Father's desk, hopefully the shade and confinement of the bucket would aid in reforming. At this point she quickly hurried about busily to not be dawdling. She took the bottle of kanar and poured two glasses, one for Him and one for the Mercenary. Offering the first glass up to Sherem she then offered the next when he took it to the Caitian mercenary.

Her face lit up however when she heard her Father. Taking a bold move which might cause a slap she said happily. "Girl is happy to serve Master. He feeds us, clothes us, and gives us purpose. He expects loyalty and we give it because we are good girls."

She smiled then looked to Nira with a genuine concerned frown, "Mistress? Father taught us that pain is the result of being bad, good girl's don't hurt. So be a good girl and you won't hurt?" She said looking confused but then suddenly put a hand over her own mouth, "Master I mean Master, not Father. Master." She looked to him in terror hoping not to be beaten but accepting it if he did.

[Nirut Nori - Prefects Office - Melek Nor]
Nori offered a small hand up to Zhuk, "I have many charming and pleasing sisters you may find fair. As well as other girls if you do not wish my sisters. The choice is yours, just tell me as I will relay to the First Mistress who runs the harem that Master has given you choice?" She smiled sweetly and happily up to him as she waited for him to take her hand or not.

[Lieutenant Junior Grade Zhukdra'shar Mrekrerhas, posing as Mercenary H'Riss | Prefect's Office ---> Turbolift | Melek Nor | Panora System - in the Kuiper Belt | Badlands]

'H'Riss' listened to the conversation at hand over at the Prefect's Office but responded little to it. His mind was focused on the information that Sherem had told them. He found it absolutely appalling how he had talked about having a bunch of women to share around for him and his men. And some of which may or may not be related to him, if he had understood correctly. It gave him a chill down his spine then, and even now, he couldn't quite wrap his mind around such statements.

While he precisely was not tied down to traditional relationship norms, considering his own genetics as a Caitian, his spirit, and his training in the arts of dance and pleasure by his ex-Orion mistress, he still found himself deeply upset by the circumstances. Sure, if these girls were under her own volition, then, he probably wouldn't have much of an issue with it. Heck, he would have been tempted, even. But he very much doubted this was the case.

His thoughts about this matter had not yet fully settled, but his resolve was even stronger now about taking Sherem and his cursed station down. The question was if there were innocent individuals aboard, what was there to do to assist them without accidentally harming them?

The answer came in the way of the docile Nori, who offered him a glass of Kanar. He took it, and with gusto, chugged down the beverage. He had to admit that amongst the alcoholic drinks he had partaken in, it had to be one of his favorites. Still, he enjoyed taking his time drinking it, so taking it all in one gulp was a big shock to his throat. Nonetheless, he endured it, returning the glass to her once he was done, with some politeness, "Pretty nice, girlie. That's much better... hah~"

He glanced down over at her hand as it was offered to him, and with a roll of his eyes, just for show, he took it. His grip, for being a mercenary, was surprisingly gentle, Nori would be able to find. Considering her question for a moment, he let out a bit of a creepy smile as he internally chastised himself for what he was going to say. Sure, 'H'Riss' was evil, and a mean bean, but this was worse as he had originally envisioned his character to be...

"Heh... why, girlie, I betcha you got lots of pretty sisters to show me, hm~? Maybe 'chu can tell me who are the... eh... most endowed? Hehe..." He let out an animated chuckle, "Though... perhaps instead... hm..."

He gazed at her, making a show of inspecting her for a moment, before turning over towards Gul Sherem. He offered a bit of a respectful nod towards him, as he then spoke up, "Great Gul Sherem... I might be... ah... perhaps so bold as to... request her instead? I am... tired for today, and I wouldn't want to disappoint your girls. But a... servant to brush my hair would'be nice~ I promise to take... good care of her, of course~"

Another grin, internally hoping that he would accept his request, as he hoped that Nori could give her much-needed intel to gain a better understanding of what options he would have within this place. And gain a plus one on the mission. Perhaps, with some luck, freeing her from this wretched destiny that she had for life.

Afterward, he walked with no hesitation over to the Turbolift. Once more, he casually listened over to the conversation between the hurt Lieutenant Commander Nira and the Elder, while he discussed his role in the invasion to Betazed. And what Nira felt at that moment. He wondered momentarily if eliminating the Elder at this moment would be a good idea. But, ultimately, he decided against it.

Focus, Zhuk. Focus.

[Commander Nira Said | Ops >- Promenade | Melek Nor]

The way Nori talked, it had bothered Nira. What kind of brainwash programming was she given from birth? It was like she had been bred thus. Then it occurred to her: Jem'Hadar were programmed in a similar way, except as troopers, virtual killing machines. They basically made Klingons look like the Borg. Was it possible the old man had Dominion cloning technology with programming for servile functions?

She got her answer when she got to the Promenade.

Were it not for the Jem'Hadar that roamed around occasionally, and if it took some imagining that Bajor would be seen in orbit, Nira would've figured she had gone back in time to when Deep Space Nine used to be Terok Nor. But it looked a lot worse than Occupation-era Terok Nor.

Normally, the Promenade would've been a trading hub, and in the case of Terok Nor, the slaves workers would've been those who worked in the ore refineries that were at the station. However, as Nira was guided through, it occurred to her that since the station was mobile, space in the Promenade was devoted primarily for the soldiers' feeding and recreation. The replimat, security office, and infirmary remained virtually the same, albeit devoted more to the Cardassians and Jem'Hadar soldiers. There were some gaming spaces for the Cardassians. And in the space that would've been devoted to the Bajoran temple on Deep Space Nine, there was a space set up for Jem'Hadar to practice their combat; Nira could see well deep into the room that there were Jem'Hadar brawling.

The rest of the Promenade consisted of guarded Cardassian and Jem'Hadar patrols overlooking the underlings of the station. To Nira's shock, they were mostly Bajoran men. What especially contrasted it from the Occupation was that they seemed to be moving in a way identical to cattle, in that they seemed to be going similar directions with glazed expressions. People were going in somewhere, others out, like they were headed down a mine shaft. And they were locked away in a kind of ghetto fenced from the Cardassians.

"It's the Occupation all over again," said Nira.

"Not exactly," said the Jem'Hadar elder still studying her. "The slave class. The labor force."

"But...there can't be a refinery here..."

"No. The fodder for work on the Gul's special reactor."

The transwarp system, Nira thought. "But where did he get all this? I mean, Bajor would surely know of abductions..."

"They don't," the Elder continued. "He never returned any of his slaves when he left Bajor, despite the escapes of some. In the war, he captured a few more. He has cloning facilities, not just for my fellow people and for Vortas if need be, but facilities to especially breed the labor force."

"Clones programmed as slaves, then," snarled Nira. "No free will. Practically cattle."

"Not really. Cattle are, after all, eatable," the Elder said.

"And he doesn't care how much he loses, he can replace them. That son of a..."

"You've delayed long enough," the Elder snapped. "Your destination is here."

Nira and Doctor Fellows were then led to the space where, in Deep Space Nine, would've contained Quark's. Here, however, the space was devoted to a brothel. And inside were clearly the female slaves. With so many silks around, it was like Nira had stepped into a palace made strictly of enough silks to resemble a tent...or, given the small space, a circus tent.

"For the entertainment of our...allies," the Elder said, and Nira could see so. The only men seemed to be Cardassians.

"And as you can see, they are given their free will even from being cloned," the Elder continued. "They are remained thus as a challenge before being broken in."

The varied feelings from the brothel, ranging from acceptance to stubborn yet decreasing resistance threatened to give Nira a headache. The establishment didn't just have a second level, it was apparent the slaves slept up there, or in cages when they were needed, cages dangling from the ceiling. Then she was led to the center, and placed on a pedestal where the Dabo table would've been in Quark's. She was noticing how the Cardassians were looking eagerly around at her. That savagely hungry look in their eyes sent a chill through Nira. And then her cuffs were brought brought above her head again and she was hung by her hands like a sacrificial offering.

The Elder came over to "H'Riss" and said, "The Nurit girl is yours, if you wish. Gul Sherem would even be welcome to provide the services of his private harem; this, I'm afraid, is the public brothel."

He dismissed his soldiers, but he remained, still staring at Nira...particularly with a studious expression. Given his mention of her mother, Nira had been wondering how much of a semblance she must've had to her...ironically, the curiosity about that Elder was the only bright spot in a potentially bleak moment.

As if it didn't get worse, who should arrive but the Old Man himself.

"Look what has been brought today, my friends!" he said. "A pair of intruders! Something fresh today!"

There was a cheer and Nira could sense a volcanic bubbling in the crowd's emotions. She looked around and could see Doctor Fellows was hung up similarly next to her.

"Ah, but one of them isn't just a common human, but a Betazoid!"

More cheering, and excited at that. Nira was disgusted. Were they so anxious to get to a Betazoid?

"But you should be aware that she will pose a challenge," the old man continued, and he held up the dreaded remote. Oh Allah, it wasn't enough to torture her in private, now he wants an audience?

"I hope you will enjoy it when I break her for you!" he said. And with a flourish and tap of a button, Nira was in pain once again. She gasped and writhed before he released the button.

Meanwhile, Glinn Luram slipped over to Zhuk and whispered, a whisper so low that Zhuk could hear with his sharp hearing, in his ear, "Don't worry, Mister Mrekrerhas. Help is on the way."

Noticing that Nurit Nori was with him, Luram then said louder to her, "Oh yes, I'm just telling him how everybody seems to be anticipating the event."

He then slipped away; he and his men had always refrained from the brothel. They were quite disgusted by this degenerate hole that would've dated back to a primitive and savage age. In any case, he had work to do, particularly to get Mister Mackenzie to his commanding officer.

[myne]

OOC: I sincerily apologize for this quick post, but I feel I need to say what is said in the last section.

[The Elder - Promenade - Melek Nor]
The Elder came over to "H'Riss" and said, "The Nurit girl is yours, if you wish. Gul Sherem would even be welcome to provide the services of his private harem; this, I'm afraid, is the public brothel."

[Nirut Nori - Promenade - Melek Nor]
Nori's eyes widened as she shook. 'Oh no He gave me away for calling him Father', she thought as she looked up in dread. But something about the Catian made her feel at peace. "I'll be a good slave. I will comb your fur and bring You yours meals. Until You sell me off or dispose of me like Mother." She looked genuinely at peace around him for some reason.

[Glinn Luram - Promenade - Melek Nor]
Meanwhile, Glinn Luram slipped over to Zhuk and whispered, a whisper so low that Zhuk could hear with his sharp hearing, in his ear, "Don't worry, Mister Mrekrerhas. Help is on the way."

Noticing that Nurit Nori was with him, Luram then said louder to her, "Oh yes, I'm just telling him how everybody seems to be anticipating the event."

[Nirut Nori - Promenade - Melek Nor]
Looking with fear to Glinn Luram she took a lead from her belt, that all the slaves had and she attached it to her collar and offered the end to H'Riss. "So others know i'm yours and keep there hands off me."

Looking down to the actions below she turned to H'Riss with a pleading look. "Master, I know whats going to happen.. I know more about bad things then some of the people down there going to be doing them." Tears began to well in her eyes, "Please? I don't want to see this. I have lived threw so much of this that I should be numb but it hurts me when I see this. Please. I'm begging you. I don't want to see this. I am not numb like the other girls to it, seeing this.. the afters.. it upsets me. Truly upsets me. Please Master H'Riss. I don't want to see this. Please take me away from here. I don't want to see this. Please?"

[Ian Galloway]

[Commander Nira Said | Ops >- Promenade | Melek Nor]

The way Nori talked, it had bothered Nira. What kind of brainwash programming was she given from birth? It was like she had been bred thus. Then it occurred to her: Jem'Hadar were programmed in a similar way, except as troopers, virtual killing machines. They basically made Klingons look like the Borg. Was it possible the old man had Dominion cloning technology with programming for servile functions?

She got her answer when she got to the Promenade.

Were it not for the Jem'Hadar that roamed around occasionally, and if it took some imagining that Bajor would be seen in orbit, Nira would've figured she had gone back in time to when Deep Space Nine used to be Terok Nor. But it looked a lot worse than Occupation-era Terok Nor.

Normally, the Promenade would've been a trading hub, and in the case of Terok Nor, the slaves workers would've been those who worked in the ore refineries that were at the station. However, as Nira was guided through, it occurred to her that since the station was mobile, space in the Promenade was devoted primarily for the soldiers' feeding and recreation. The replimat, security office, and infirmary remained virtually the same, albeit devoted more to the Cardassians and Jem'Hadar soldiers. There were some gaming spaces for the Cardassians. And in the space that would've been devoted to the Bajoran temple on Deep Space Nine, there was a space set up for Jem'Hadar to practice their combat; Nira could see well deep into the room that there were Jem'Hadar brawling.

The rest of the Promenade consisted of guarded Cardassian and Jem'Hadar patrols overlooking the underlings of the station. To Nira's shock, they were mostly Bajoran men. What especially contrasted it from the Occupation was that they seemed to be moving in a way identical to cattle, in that they seemed to be going similar directions with glazed expressions. People were going in somewhere, others out, like they were headed down a mine shaft. And they were locked away in a kind of ghetto fenced from the Cardassians.

"It's the Occupation all over again," said Nira.

"Not exactly," said the Jem'Hadar elder still studying her. "The slave class. The labor force."

"But...there can't be a refinery here..."

"No. The fodder for work on the Gul's special reactor."

The transwarp system, Nira thought. "But where did he get all this? I mean, Bajor would surely know of abductions..."

"They don't," the Elder continued. "He never returned any of his slaves when he left Bajor, despite the escapes of some. In the war, he captured a few more. He has cloning facilities, not just for my fellow people and for Vortas if need be, but facilities to especially breed the labor force."

"Clones programmed as slaves, then," snarled Nira. "No free will. Practically cattle."

"Not really. Cattle are, after all, eatable," the Elder said.

"And he doesn't care how much he loses, he can replace them. That son of a..."

"You've delayed long enough," the Elder snapped. "Your destination is here."

Nira and Doctor Fellows were then led to the space where, in Deep Space Nine, would've contained Quark's. Here, however, the space was devoted to a brothel. And inside were clearly the female slaves. With so many silks around, it was like Nira had stepped into a palace made strictly of enough silks to resemble a tent...or, given the small space, a circus tent.

"For the entertainment of our...allies," the Elder said, and Nira could see so. The only men seemed to be Cardassians.

"And as you can see, they are given their free will even from being cloned," the Elder continued. "They are remained thus as a challenge before being broken in."

The varied feelings from the brothel, ranging from acceptance to stubborn yet decreasing resistance threatened to give Nira a headache. The establishment didn't just have a second level, it was apparent the slaves slept up there, or in cages when they were needed, cages dangling from the ceiling. Then she was led to the center, and placed on a pedestal where the Dabo table would've been in Quark's. She was noticing how the Cardassians were looking eagerly around at her. That savagely hungry look in their eyes sent a chill through Nira. And then her cuffs were brought brought above her head again and she was hung by her hands like a sacrificial offering.

The Elder came over to "H'Riss" and said, "The Nurit girl is yours, if you wish. Gul Sherem would even be welcome to provide the services of his private harem; this, I'm afraid, is the public brothel."

He dismissed his soldiers, but he remained, still staring at Nira...particularly with a studious expression. Given his mention of her mother, Nira had been wondering how much of a semblance she must've had to her...ironically, the curiosity about that Elder was the only bright spot in a potentially bleak moment.

As if it didn't get worse, who should arrive but the Old Man himself.

"Look what has been brought today, my friends!" he said. "A pair of intruders! Something fresh today!"

There was a cheer and Nira could sense a volcanic bubbling in the crowd's emotions. She looked around and could see Doctor Fellows was hung up similarly next to her.

"Ah, but one of them isn't just a common human, but a Betazoid!"

More cheering, and excited at that. Nira was disgusted. Were they so anxious to get to a Betazoid?

"But you should be aware that she will pose a challenge," the old man continued, and he held up the dreaded remote. Oh Allah, it wasn't enough to torture her in private, now he wants an audience?

"I hope you will enjoy it when I break her for you!" he said. And with a flourish and tap of a button, Nira was in pain once again. She gasped and writhed before he released the button.

Meanwhile, Glinn Luram slipped over to Zhuk and whispered, a whisper so low that Zhuk could hear with his sharp hearing, in his ear, "Don't worry, Mister Mrekrerhas. Help is on the way."

Noticing that Nurit Nori was with him, Luram then said louder to her, "Oh yes, I'm just telling him how everybody seems to be anticipating the event."

He then slipped away; he and his men had always refrained from the brothel. They were quite disgusted by this degenerate hole that would've dated back to a primitive and savage age. In any case, he had work to do, particularly to get Mister Mackenzie to his commanding officer.

[Ops --> Promenade - Melek Nor] - [Dr Jessica Fellows]

During the whole exchange regarding what was to happen to her made Jess' emotions changed from fear to searing rage. She remained silent, she had already developed an escape plan and for it to work, she would have to seem like she was cooperating or at least not resisting.

"The first one of these Spoonheads that puts his hands on me will find out exactly what I know about Cardassian physiology..."

[Nira Said]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian was pleased to see that Mel seemed to be handling the battle well. Regardless of this progress, she was still probationary until she proved she could handle being assigned to an away team. Time would tell and he hoped her current performance was a positive indicator for the future.

Turning his focus of his attention back to the battle. With the Jem'Hadar splitting up in reaction to the false gravity well they'd created, it was time to bring this battle to a quick end.

"Ops signal Valiant ta take the one that broke ta starboard, we'll get the other one. Helm, full impulse an dinnae lose them. Tactical, weapons free. Burn them out of the bloody sky."

[Captain Ulysses Vaughn | Bridge | Deck One | USS Valiant NCC-74210-B0

"Sir, sensors got a better fix of the Federation signal," called Nuyu. "It's the Challenger."

"Galloway's ship?" asked Vaughn.

"That's correct. They just...did something to make those ships go haywire, I don't know what's...sir, they're signaling. We're to take one while they engage the other."

"Sounds good to me," he said. "Tenmei, bring us about. Nuyu, pulse phaser barrage once we're about."

After that, the ship stood no chance. Vaughn was pleased to see the Challenger's targeted ship met a similarly explosive fate.

"Hail the Challenger," he said, and once online, he acknowledged Captain Galloway. "Captain Galloway, thanks for the assist. With the Badlands, I'm sure we wouldn't have been aware of those dinosaurs until it was far too late. We'd best head for the rendevouz and notify the admirals of where we can meet them."

[AmatsaKitsune]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian was pleased to see that Mel seemed to be handling the battle well. Regardless of this progress, she was still probationary until she proved she could handle being assigned to an away team. Time would tell and he hoped her current performance was a positive indicator for the future.

Turning his focus of his attention back to the battle. With the Jem'Hadar splitting up in reaction to the false gravity well they'd created, it was time to bring this battle to a quick end.

"Ops signal Valiant ta take the one that broke ta starboard, we'll get the other one. Helm, full impulse an dinnae lose them. Tactical, weapons free. Burn them out of the bloody sky."

[Bridge - USS Challenger]
"Lets turn this battle around shall we captain." Rin would seem to be more confident as the engines well not necessarily ROARED to life but went to their full speed as she would be in her element giving chase was something so exciting for her. Especially after the holodeck the flight simulation was kind of one of those exhilerating moments she never really got to experience but now this was real battle not the war games or the simulations a real one. It was nerve racking but she was getting more and more comfortable over time at the helm. The ship would lurch forward as it would start flying across the plasma storms with a grace that only this kind of ship could provide. It wasn't perfect like many of the smaller crafts or flashy but it meant she was flying high and going at full pelt for the sake of chasing down an enemy. She was getting into position for tactical making sure they had a good and clear shot at all times keeping in a safe range for them to fire but not to be hit back or at least to give a chance to avoid and dodge with evasive maneuveurs

[M'Nia]

[Commander Molly O'Brien | Habitat Ring | Melek Nor]

Hoisting a Jem'Hadar weapon in the air, she wondered how it must've felt for the poor lads during the Dominion War. "Looks to be in good order," she said. "Now, if I remember the layout, we should proceed to the main fusion reactor."

"Logical," said Savar. He didn't get a weapon, but he felt he won't need one, not with his expertise in martial arts. "But what about Nira and Doctor Fellows?"

"Kyan can work on that," Molly said. "He's proven adept so far. Still, it may be best that he keep at it alone; I know you want to find Commander Said badly, Savar, but you'll only slow Kyan down. And leave us without security personnel...what's that?"

"He's not the only one! However if you feel Kyan has a better chance alone, then I'm all for it!" M'nia said

The question she asked was what she had noticed as she stumbled across the dead Jem'Hadar as she stepped out. There seemed to be some kind of PADD placed on the corpse. She held it up and noticed it was a message from Glinn Luram.

Not exactly how I expected this rescue to happen, especially with Mister Mackenzie taking a shortcut through the old man's harem. Still, that old hag Larok had it coming. I'll do what I can to put men loyal to me, and to Cardassia, around the fusion reactor. You'll know them if you mention, in a sentence, Damar. If they react to Damar like a traitor, you'll know they're the old man's men. Otherwise, they're mine. And they'll provide you help and security as you head for the reactor. L.

"Wait you fell into a harem? You? K'tal's claws! Of all people, the onlie falls into the harem!" M'nia says with a sigh. Why couldn't it have been her?

"Just to bear in mind, Kyan," Molly explained in a whisper, "not all the Cardassians on the station are loyal to the old man. Glinn Luram is against him, he'll help as best as he can."

"Commander, there's a P.S." Savar pointed it out and Molly read it.

P.S. Your First Officer and Chief Medical Officer will likely be at the Promenade by now, waiting to be "broken in."

Remembering mention of the harem, Molly and Savar glanced uneasily. "Well, now we know," said Savar.

"Problem is, the Promenade's going to be the trickiest place to get anywhere in the station," said Molly. "I think you might work it out, Kyan...Savar?"

Savar remembered something and turned back in. He pulled out a Breen suit that had been hidden under a couch.

"Mister Luram thinks of everything," he said. "And I can even get the viruses primed with the helmet."

"We'd best move," said Molly. "Now, let's take a leaf out of Kyan's book and head through the maintenance conduits. We'll head to the corridors leading to reactor control, it'll be a first step."

"Ok, sounds like a plan. Gotta wonder though, how do we know friendly from not friendly?" M'nia was tempted to make a joke about falling into a harem when Molly mentioned taking a leaf out of Kyan's book so to speak but somehow it didn't seem appropriate. Still she liked the idea. It sounded like lots of fun but the mission came first. Lt O'brien seem to know her stuff. Of course she said 'first step'. What would be after that? Kyan better rescue the commander and she hoped Zhuk would be ok. She wasn't too worried about him. He seemed pretty capable.

[Kyan Mackenzie]

:: Habitat Ring | Melok Nor ::

And just like that, he was on his own again. "œThanks fer rescuing us Kyan"¦ now we'll be off together tae blow shit up, an you just gotta go to the Promenade and rescue the First Officer and the doctor"¦ by yourself. Good luck boyo!" He supposed it was a compliment. An homage of sorts to his skulking and slashing skills, in any event, O'Brien wasn't wrong. Having the Vulcan with him would have slowed him down.

Kyan imagined that Sovar would be all stiff and logical. "œCease and surrender at once Cardassian henchmen! Logic dictates that you stop doing dirty deeds and repent your evil ways! What? You don't want to? Well then I shall ask you several more times! And then I shall neck pinch you or shoot you with a weapon set to stun!" Kyan shook his head. Grups always wanted to try diplomacy, or reasoning with folks. Sometimes it worked. But not always, and especially not with grups like Sherem and his people. They were too caught up in their bad-guy schticks. Those were the ones you just had to thumb the phaser dial all the way over and let the Powers sort out what to do with them.

Kyan was good at that kind of problem-solving.

Another reason for them not wanting to travel with him might have been that they just couldn't stand all the perfume and whatever other flowery junk he had been thrown into. He hoped there weren't any Afro-deezaks in the pile of bottles and jars that got dumped on him. It was difficult enough to fight trained soldiers already. It would be impossible to do if half wanted to kill him and the other half wanted to hump his leg like a pack of crazy dogs.

"œStupid grups and their nasty habits!" he said to himself as he picked up his costume from earlier. He'd been giving thought to how he was going to get to the promenade from here. It wasn't too far away, but he didn't want to use the tubes again. And he needed to find another rifle anyhow. He walked over to the doors and looked out. The corridor was deserted. The Jem Hadar he'd stunned were now dead, thanks no doubt to Luram's seeing to them. Then a plan began to percolate. He put down the costume and grabbed one of the Jem Hadar by the shoulders, dragging him inside.

"œHeavy Bastard Grup!" he seethed, straining to pull the body inside.

~ Several minutes later ~

Having dragged the Jem Hadar into the VIP quarters, Kyan donned his costume again, with one difference. He'd found a two-finger punch dagger on one of them. It was tucked into his boot"¦ the Jem'Hadar version of what Humans called a "œboot knife". Kyan had taken it and had it ready to use. Now he had to wait.

After a few minutes, he heard footfalls coming down the corridor. It was one person. Cardassian by the klank-klank-klank sound of the boots on the deck. Jem'Hadar were quieter. He'd have to make sure it wasn't one of Luram's. When the man turned the corner, Kyan walked quickly to him, as though he were coming from the VIP quarters in a hurry.

"œSir! Sir!" He cried in his best approximation of a girl's voice, which was pretty good given that girls and boys of his age didn't sound that different. "œI was to give the prisoners some food"¦ but no one answered the door!"

The Cardassian considered him. "œDid you ring the chime?" he asked pointedly.

Kyan nodded. "œYes. Please help. I don't wanna get in trouble."

"œCome on then." He growled.

He walked toward the door and Kyan followed close behind. "œWhat's your name sir?"

"œDemir." Was the reply. "œNow stand back just in case girl." He added, ringing the chime. When no answer came, he keyed a code in and the doors opened to a dark room. He heaved a sigh and entered. "œHello?" he called into the darkness.

Grinning under his silk Burkha-type headpiece, the boy followed him in. When the doors shut behind him, Kyan spoke up. "œDemir"¦ that almost sounds like Damar"¦ the old Traitor that they talk about." He observed, waiting for the response.

Demir kept looking around. "œNo, it doesn't. I don't have anything in common with that piece of trash."

Kyan's grin became a smile. "œNot the now ye don't,..." he answered, slipping back into his familiar brogue. "œ...Sure and we'll fix that though."

Demir turned just as the Onlie removed his headgear, revealing himself. "œYou!" he snarled, raising his rifle.

"œMe." Kyan smiled. Then he threw the Burkha thing at Demir's face, which he had to slap away. As he did, Kyan closed the short distance between them and punched at his left inner thigh with the dagger. The blade sank nearly to the tang. When Kyan pulled it back he crouched and planted his right foot, spinning around to his left as the soldier grabbed at his leg. The panicked howl of pain told him he'd made his strike. When he'd completed his 360-degree spin, he threw a quick backhand slash at the back of the man's boot, near the ankle. The blade was sharp. It had no problem cutting thought the boot and severing the tendon underneath.

Another howl and the man crumpled, his left leg now useless. Kyan stood back up and turned. On one knee and facing away from him, the rest was easy. Once it was done, he cleaned off the blade and put it in it's sheath, which he'd attached to the Been utility belt. Then he picked up the man's rifle and checked the settings. It was set to kill, which he knew it would be. He slung the weapon and took a knee next to the body.

Signing the invoking pentagram Kyan spoke barely above a whisper. "Thanks Lugh for letting me learn how to protect myself, and Morrigu for guiding my hand. And uhh... Guardians, don't be too hard on him. He wasn't ready to leave the world yet and had his own plans... which probably was evil so they was. But he was only doing his job... even if he was working for a wanker like Sherem... who we'll also be sending your way soon. I know that the Huntsman will come for me too someday, whether I'm ready or not. But keep away today. I got shite tae do."

Then he rose and walked out into the corridor.

~ A little while later, on the upper levels of the promenade. ~

Having linked up with some of Luram's men en route to the promenade, Kyan was now looking at a schematic of the public brothel, where the "festivities" were taking place. Luram and his co-conspirators had been busy.

One of Luram's officers, a glin by his rank insignia, laid out the plan to the Onlie. "We have placed explosive charges around the upper levels, and smoke bombs on the lower levels. When they go off, that will be the signal for our forces to begin their assault."

Kyan nodded. "How many d'ya have?"

"Fifty here, and others around the station ready to take control of key systems."

It was a solid plan in Kyan's estimation. As solid as was possible given the number of people they had to hand, their resources, and their foe. Sherem had built a very dangerous operation, which spoke to the old man's competency. But he was also crazy. And that would be his undoing. He had let his more base desires overshadow his political aims, which throughout history had always doomed people like him.

Kyan was about to say something to that effect when the sound of a wet crunch drew his attention to the doorway. The soldier who'd been standing watch there fell like a puppet with his strings cut, his head turned at a grotesque angle. After he fell, a gargantuan Cardassian ducked through the door. His face was a mask of unfiltered hate. He glared daggers at the Onlie as he entered the space.

"You are the one who killed my brother." It was part accusation, part question. Like he couldn't believe it. He knew it was true. He'd heard it on the com. But it simply didn't make sense, even with Alnor being the weaker of the two, he was still a trained soldier. "I'm going to enjoy this." he said finally.

Kyan's shoulders slumped and the ancient boy heaved a tired sigh. He'd been attacked by a Changeling, crawled through what seemed like several kilometers of maintenance tunnels, been stuck in a bathroom with the foulest smelling guy ever, and covered in sex glitter.... not to mention fighting the old woman. He was exhausted. The last thing he wanted to do right now was fight a giant Cardassian whose life goals included ripping him in half. But apparently, that's what the Powers had for him. "So mote it be." he thought finally, resigning himself for what was coming. "Get into position." he told the glin while keeping his eyes on the hulking Malot. "I'll see to this one."

The whine of a disruptor rifle sounded behind him as the beam lanced out and caught Nakal Melot in the chest. The big man staggered forward but didn't fall. Another shot got him in the left arm, spinning him to his left. Still he remained on his feet.

"œBy the Powers!" Kyan cursed, "œSet it tae kill ya lily grup idjits!"

Melot lurched forward as another shot missed him entirely and suddenly was within arms reach of Kyan, too close for the shooter to continue firing. With the focus soley on him now, Luram's men made for the door to set their plan in motion. Kyan backpedaled, trying to create distance but Melot shot an arm out and gave him an open palm strike in the chest. Had he gotten all of his weight behind it, Kyan probably would have flown. As it was, it send him stumbling backwards into the table around which they'd been standing. His rifle was leaned against it. He reached for it, but Melot was on him before he could bring it up. A hard right handed blow send the weapon skittering across the floor.

"œI can see that you've been well trained." The Cardassian croaked, still a little dazed from the two stun blasts. "œBut I am not my brother."

Kyan ducked another blow and pushed off of the arm as it passed him and took a big step back. Melot was right. Kyan was well trained, and experienced. Moreso than him by far. Still, physics was physics. Size and strength were mighty equalizers in hand to hand combat. As he retreated, Kyan weighed his advantages and disadvantages. He was unquestionably quicker, and his small size made him harder to hit. But it also meant that he couldn't absorb blows, especially not from this one. He had to figure out a way to either shoot him or stab him. The former being the better option. Another factor was that for the Cardassian, this was personal. He was fueled by raw hatred. It was an advantage that Kyan could exploit. He took another step back as Melot recovered from his missed blow and turned toward him. He was out of arms reach now, but barely.

"œCourse yer not him. He's dead." Kyan laughed, taunting him.

Melot dove at him then, surprising the boy with his quickness. It was a gamble that didn't pay off. Kyan sidestepped him and Melot ended up on his stomach. Kyan soccer kicked him in the side of the head, which didn't move him, and probably hurt his foot more than Melot's head. Then he dove onto his back, wrapping his right arm around the tree trunk of a neck. Or at least he tried to. Quickly seeing that it wasn't going to work, and feeling the man begin to rise beneath him, Kyan reached down with his left hand to the sheath at his side and curled his fingers into the rings on the Jem Hadar punch dagger. He pulled it out and began punching at Melot's neck with it. He landed a few to the trapezious area but not the neck. "œShoulda seen the look on his face"¦. when I buried me knife"¦. in his fookin neck!" He said between dagger punches.

Melot was standing now, with Kyan hanging off his back. He let out a feral scream as he was stuck. Then Kyan felt his right hand reach up and catch him on the back of the neck. He knew what was coming and tried to block it by wrapping his legs around Melot's body, but they weren't long or strong enough. Melot turned his hips, flipping the boy off of him easily. He went head over heels and landed with a thud on his back a few feet in front of him. The impact was jarring, but he'd known it was coming, which helped. Kyan flipped over and looked up just in time to see the Cardassian bearing down on him. He reached down, grabbing the boy by his hair and hauling him to his feet. A backhand strike sent him staggering back and he fell onto his backside, stars dancing everywhere.

By the time he had shaken off some of the fog, Melot was on him again, reaching for his hair. When his big right hand reached the top of his head, Kyan threw a left handed uppercut strike with the dagger, putting it through Melot's wrist before pulling it out again. The Cardassian screamed in shock as he withdrew his hand and took several steps back. Looking at the limb, he tried to move his fingers but found them useless. Kyan rose quickly and started toward him, but stopped when he saw Melot drawing his disruptor pistol. It was clumsy, with his having to reach over with his left to draw it, but Kyan knew it would be out before he got there. He decided not to take the chance and ran for the door, the disruptor firing behind him and scoring the bulkhead.

Out on the Promenade's upper level, Kyan could see the assembled mass of Sherem's men down below, and Nira strung up, writhing in pain. "œFirst things first." He told himself, looking for a crevice to step into. He soon found an unused storefront and climbed up onto the display stand in the recessed doorway. He crouched, ready to pounce when the hulking Melot passed. He didn't have to wait long.

When the injured man lumbered by, Kyan jumped out with a yell, landing on his left shoulder and punching down at his head with the dagger. "Time tae join yer brother ya great fookin dinosaur!" Melot stumbled toward the railing as Kyan rained down cutting strikes to his shoulder and neck, trying to land the final shot. He reached up to protect himself with his right arm, but with no dexterity in his hand it was a futile effort. The blade finally found it's mark and Melot's eyes widened, terror replacing the rage that had been there before. Kyan pulled the blade out and Melot hit the railing. Kyan noticed the Cardassian banner hanging in front of them and grabbed the cord from which it hung. He cut it free and wrapped the end around Melot's neck as many times as he could before the giant tumbled over the rail. Then he grabbed onto the dying man's armored uniform and held on. Their fall stopped five feet from the deck with the same wet crunching sound that had heralded Melot's arrival earlier.

Kyan slid off the body and landed on the deck in a crouch. When he rose, he saw the shocked faces of dozens of Cardassians and Jem Hadar soldiers all looking at him. Kyan was going to throw out a clever line about being late to the party, but he didnt get the chance. A series of explosions from above turned their eyes upward and smoke began filling the promenade.

Then all hell broke loose.

[Ruth Sigurdsdottir]

[Ensign Myne - Bridge - USS Challenger-A]

"Yeah sucks to be small. I'll live just hit and am sore, nothing broken. I'll live, had worse during my time as a slave." She tried to not think of that time as the telepath was here, nothing wantng to flood him with bad things.

Shaking her head, "No need to have me checked, maybe a hand back up?". She offered a smile.

[Ensign Myne - Bridge - USS Challenger-A]
Ensign Myne blushed ear to ear then all the way back around to her ear again! Her thought of him being cute were flowing out as she hoped he would not pick up on them. He was too young for her anyway.

Carefully with Ruths help the girl rose and was back in her chair to get strapped in again. Looking to the ops with a smile and blush, "Yes I am fine, thank You Sir, thank You."

Then back to scanning, yes scanning.

[Lt. Ruth Sigurdsdottir, CSO - Bridge - USS Challenger-A]

[While helping Melly up and before speaking to Lina]

Ruth nodded at Melly and smiled. "Good to hear Ensign, the part about being fine.  I'd still prefer you get checked over as you're not long out of sickbay."  Ruth was referring more to the fact that the doctor had been looking out for physical ailments rather than Melly's mental health.  "All my department should be in tip top condition!  Do it for any abdominal bruising at the very least... where the belt has been digging."

Helping the smaller female to her feet and noticing her blush, she diverted the embarrassment.  "As for your size, I don't think we can do much about that.  I don't think Lt. Mackenzie has grown quarter of an inch in height... girth maybe if we hit a hamburger bar or milkshakes... or he gorges on cake, but I will get my favourite Ops personnel onto sorting a more permanent solution for that chair!  Otherwise you're going to have to learn better gymnastics!"  The Viking redhead declined to offer ideas of racking the poor girl to stretch her, even jokingly since racking was torture and she'd had enough of that... not making one iota of difference to her height!

Back and seated she smiled.  "How are those scans going?" the CSO asked, seeing Melly fixated on the screen, the blush showing around her little face. 

[Ian Galloway]

[Captain Ulysses Vaughn | Bridge | Deck One | USS Valiant NCC-74210-B0

"Sir, sensors got a better fix of the Federation signal," called Nuyu. "It's the Challenger."

"Galloway's ship?" asked Vaughn.

"That's correct. They just...did something to make those ships go haywire, I don't know what's...sir, they're signaling. We're to take one while they engage the other."

"Sounds good to me," he said. "Tenmei, bring us about. Nuyu, pulse phaser barrage once we're about."

After that, the ship stood no chance. Vaughn was pleased to see the Challenger's targeted ship met a similarly explosive fate.

"Hail the Challenger," he said, and once online, he acknowledged Captain Galloway. "Captain Galloway, thanks for the assist. With the Badlands, I'm sure we wouldn't have been aware of those dinosaurs until it was far too late. We'd best head for the rendevouz and notify the admirals of where we can meet them."

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

When the Jem'Hadar ship exploded, that put an end to the immediate fight. When Ops indicated the Valiant was hailing them, Ian ordered "On screen."

As Vaughn spoke, Ian was pleased to see the Valiant was also undamaged and that meeting with the admirals made perfect tactical sense, he just hoped that Gillespie had come through with enough ships to make an effective run at Melek Nor.

"Glad ta help Captain. Aye, meetin' up with the reinforcements sounds like a bonny idea ta me too. Galloway out."

As the viewscreen shifted to that of the Badlands, Ian added.

"Ensign Amaya, parallel course with the Valiant, make for the rendezvous point."

[Nira Said]

~ A little while later, on the upper levels of the promenade. ~

Having linked up with some of Luram's men en route to the promenade, Kyan was now looking at a schematic of the public brothel, where the "festivities" were taking place. Luram and his co-conspirators had been busy.

One of Luram's officers, a glin by his rank insignia, laid out the plan to the Onlie. "We have placed explosive charges around the upper levels, and smoke bombs on the lower levels. When they go off, that will be the signal for our forces to begin their assault."

Kyan nodded. "How many d'ya have?"

"Fifty here, and others around the station ready to take control of key systems."

It was a solid plan in Kyan's estimation. As solid as was possible given the number of people they had to hand, their resources, and their foe. Sherem had built a very dangerous operation, which spoke to the old man's competency. But he was also crazy. And that would be his undoing. He had let his more base desires overshadow his political aims, which throughout history had always doomed people like him.

Kyan was about to say something to that effect when the sound of a wet crunch drew his attention to the doorway. The soldier who'd been standing watch there fell like a puppet with his strings cut, his head turned at a grotesque angle. After he fell, a gargantuan Cardassian ducked through the door. His face was a mask of unfiltered hate. He glared daggers at the Onlie as he entered the space.

"You are the one who killed my brother." It was part accusation, part question. Like he couldn't believe it. He knew it was true. He'd heard it on the com. But it simply didn't make sense, even with Alnor being the weaker of the two, he was still a trained soldier. "I'm going to enjoy this." he said finally.

Kyan's shoulders slumped and the ancient boy heaved a tired sigh. He'd been attacked by a Changeling, crawled through what seemed like several kilometers of maintenance tunnels, been stuck in a bathroom with the foulest smelling guy ever, and covered in sex glitter.... not to mention fighting the old woman. He was exhausted. The last thing he wanted to do right now was fight a giant Cardassian whose life goals included ripping him in half. But apparently, that's what the Powers had for him. "So mote it be." he thought finally, resigning himself for what was coming. "Get into position." he told the glin while keeping his eyes on the hulking Malot. "I'll see to this one."

The whine of a disruptor rifle sounded behind him as the beam lanced out and caught Nakal Melot in the chest. The big man staggered forward but didn't fall. Another shot got him in the left arm, spinning him to his left. Still he remained on his feet.

"œBy the Powers!" Kyan cursed, "œSet it tae kill ya lily grup idjits!"

Melot lurched forward as another shot missed him entirely and suddenly was within arms reach of Kyan, too close for the shooter to continue firing. With the focus soley on him now, Luram's men made for the door to set their plan in motion. Kyan backpedaled, trying to create distance but Melot shot an arm out and gave him an open palm strike in the chest. Had he gotten all of his weight behind it, Kyan probably would have flown. As it was, it send him stumbling backwards into the table around which they'd been standing. His rifle was leaned against it. He reached for it, but Melot was on him before he could bring it up. A hard right handed blow send the weapon skittering across the floor.

"œI can see that you've been well trained." The Cardassian croaked, still a little dazed from the two stun blasts. "œBut I am not my brother."

Kyan ducked another blow and pushed off of the arm as it passed him and took a big step back. Melot was right. Kyan was well trained, and experienced. Moreso than him by far. Still, physics was physics. Size and strength were mighty equalizers in hand to hand combat. As he retreated, Kyan weighed his advantages and disadvantages. He was unquestionably quicker, and his small size made him harder to hit. But it also meant that he couldn't absorb blows, especially not from this one. He had to figure out a way to either shoot him or stab him. The former being the better option. Another factor was that for the Cardassian, this was personal. He was fueled by raw hatred. It was an advantage that Kyan could exploit. He took another step back as Melot recovered from his missed blow and turned toward him. He was out of arms reach now, but barely.

"œCourse yer not him. He's dead." Kyan laughed, taunting him.

Melot dove at him then, surprising the boy with his quickness. It was a gamble that didn't pay off. Kyan sidestepped him and Melot ended up on his stomach. Kyan soccer kicked him in the side of the head, which didn't move him, and probably hurt his foot more than Melot's head. Then he dove onto his back, wrapping his right arm around the tree trunk of a neck. Or at least he tried to. Quickly seeing that it wasn't going to work, and feeling the man begin to rise beneath him, Kyan reached down with his left hand to the sheath at his side and curled his fingers into the rings on the Jem Hadar punch dagger. He pulled it out and began punching at Melot's neck with it. He landed a few to the trapezious area but not the neck. "œShoulda seen the look on his face"¦. when I buried me knife"¦. in his fookin neck!" He said between dagger punches.

Melot was standing now, with Kyan hanging off his back. He let out a feral scream as he was stuck. Then Kyan felt his right hand reach up and catch him on the back of the neck. He knew what was coming and tried to block it by wrapping his legs around Melot's body, but they weren't long or strong enough. Melot turned his hips, flipping the boy off of him easily. He went head over heels and landed with a thud on his back a few feet in front of him. The impact was jarring, but he'd known it was coming, which helped. Kyan flipped over and looked up just in time to see the Cardassian bearing down on him. He reached down, grabbing the boy by his hair and hauling him to his feet. A backhand strike sent him staggering back and he fell onto his backside, stars dancing everywhere.

By the time he had shaken off some of the fog, Melot was on him again, reaching for his hair. When his big right hand reached the top of his head, Kyan threw a left handed uppercut strike with the dagger, putting it through Melot's wrist before pulling it out again. The Cardassian screamed in shock as he withdrew his hand and took several steps back. Looking at the limb, he tried to move his fingers but found them useless. Kyan rose quickly and started toward him, but stopped when he saw Melot drawing his disruptor pistol. It was clumsy, with his having to reach over with his left to draw it, but Kyan knew it would be out before he got there. He decided not to take the chance and ran for the door, the disruptor firing behind him and scoring the bulkhead.

Out on the Promenade's upper level, Kyan could see the assembled mass of Sherem's men down below, and Nira strung up, writhing in pain. "œFirst things first." He told himself, looking for a crevice to step into. He soon found an unused storefront and climbed up onto the display stand in the recessed doorway. He crouched, ready to pounce when the hulking Melot passed. He didn't have to wait long.

When the injured man lumbered by, Kyan jumped out with a yell, landing on his left shoulder and punching down at his head with the dagger. "Time tae join yer brother ya great fookin dinosaur!" Melot stumbled toward the railing as Kyan rained down cutting strikes to his shoulder and neck, trying to land the final shot. He reached up to protect himself with his right arm, but with no dexterity in his hand it was a futile effort. The blade finally found it's mark and Melot's eyes widened, terror replacing the rage that had been there before. Kyan pulled the blade out and Melot hit the railing. Kyan noticed the Cardassian banner hanging in front of them and grabbed the cord from which it hung. He cut it free and wrapped the end around Melot's neck as many times as he could before the giant tumbled over the rail. Then he grabbed onto the dying man's armored uniform and held on. Their fall stopped five feet from the deck with the same wet crunching sound that had heralded Melot's arrival earlier.

Kyan slid off the body and landed on the deck in a crouch. When he rose, he saw the shocked faces of dozens of Cardassians and Jem Hadar soldiers all looking at him. Kyan was going to throw out a clever line about being late to the party, but he didnt get the chance. A series of explosions from above turned their eyes upward and smoke began filling the promenade.

Then all hell broke loose.

[Ops --> Promenade - Melek Nor] - [Dr Jessica Fellows]

During the whole exchange regarding what was to happen to her made Jess' emotions changed from fear to searing rage. She remained silent, she had already developed an escape plan and for it to work, she would have to seem like she was cooperating or at least not resisting.

"The first one of these Spoonheads that puts his hands on me will find out exactly what I know about Cardassian physiology..."

[Commander Nira Said | Brothel | Promenade | Melek Nor]

The excited crowd laughed and crowed and cheered whenever Nira was given pain. Still, she felt better in seeing that Doctor Fellows was looking angry and defiant.

Once, a bunch of young Cardassians came in for a closer look. It didn't matter if they were curious or really wanted the Gul's permission. In any case, they got in close enough, Nira aimed a few kicks. Even if it meant pain from the old man, it was satisfying. The two Cardassians in front of her each had broken noses, and the kicks from Nira were powerful enough that a sneeze would cause them to lose their broken noses. She looked over at the doctor and could see some Cardassians, with black eyes of their own, sauntering away.

"What's it going to take, girl?" snapped the old man. "You'd rather they have their way with your corpse?"

Nira spit at the Gul. Another jab of pain. After an exhale, Nira said, "I would rather die than be one of your playthings, you evil bast..."

There was a sudden change in the emotion of the crowd. It was no longer excited. Was it...fear? And maybe surprise? Through the dissipating fog of pain, Nira looked up at the crowd in time to see the body of the huge Cardassian Malat fall in a huge noose of a banner, like some silk python...and somebody else dropped from the armored form and everybody was looking shocked. Even the Jem'Hadar looked shocked, she could tell from their body language.

She saw the little form that the crowd surrounded. Kyan. She was amazed by what he did, but was worried. All this solo effort and he could get captured...

And then the explosions happened.

[Glinn Gilgal Luram | Upper Corridors | Promenade | Melek Nor]

Glinn Luram had just gotten up to the upper corridor to meet his fellow Glinn, Kumen Kimnor.

"What's happened?" Luram asked Kimnor, noticing the man's worry.

"Malat," he said breathlessly. "He found me and Mackenzie. He's killed Gar Gulnak with his bare hands. I think he's found out about us somehow."

"He is Station Security," Luram said. "We better get a move on. Are the bombs ready?"

"I'll check in," Kimnor said, and he made his checking in code as Luram stepped around to see...by the Prophets, he was amazed by Mazkenzie's prowess against the big man, though he flinched at the number of injuries inflicted.

As to the bombs, they had been secretly placed from when the first of the infiltrators sent from Legate Nural and Castellan Garak had come aboard. They had secretly put bombs in unobservant places around the Promenade in the event of a distraction needed to cover an attack. No better time than that, and there were already plenty of infiltrators from Nural, practically an army, ready to engage upon his word.

He saw Mackenzie and Malat move their fight to the upper part of the public brothel, where the old man had been putting on a sick show to entertain his troops. Then they both toppled away amidst Mackenzie finishing the monster off.

"Bombs at the ready?" he asked quietly.

"Ready. Standing by." Came the whispered comm.

"Do it."

And with that, the bombs detonated from all around the Promenade. Screams broke out. The mindless drones, undoubtedly raised without warlike situations, panicked and scattered. And amidst all this, the troops opened fire, each one calling out at different intervals, so as to not be placed:

"FOR CARDASSIA!!!"

[Commander Nira Said | Brothel >- Prefect's Office | Promenade >- Ops | Melek Nor]

Nira looked up in astonishment. Kina's father mentioned having a man...just how many the hell men did he have?

The old man was standing in astonishment, and he was looking around. And then he turned to look at Zhuk, all while the hybrid redhead Nori, among the equally brainwashed decadent slaves, ran off in a panic. Nira was horrified to see his body language, and particularly the expression on his face; he was putting two and two together.

"SO!" he bellowed at Zhuk. "Perhaps you weren't really in? You backstabbing SON OF A BI..."

He slowly drew a disruptor and made to aim, all while backing toward Nira. He was interrupted when Nira shoved her foot into his gun arm just as he pulled the trigger. The beam missed Zhuk's head by a few inches, but it was still close enough for the points of his ears to get singed. Nira looked over at Zhuk and called while the old man was momentarily stunned.

"ZHUK! RUN!" she screamed in horror.

By the time Sherem looked up, Zhuk was gone. He glared scathingly at Nira, and then shot his disruptor at the beam where Nira was bound and Nira dropped to the floor. But then, Nira was dragged to her feet, the arm with the torture button in one hand and the disruptor barrel of the weapon in his other hand, and she was practically dragged away under the surprisingly strong hand of the old man.

"You're coming with me, girl, and so we'll be plenty more secure," he snarled. He looked around at Doctor Fellows, only in time to see Kyan to release Doctor Fellows and then disappear into the chaos.

But Nira was still dragged to the turbolift all the same, and the old man practically screamed, "OPS!"

In no time at all, Nira was back in Ops, but this time, the old man was screaming for Ops to be locked down, and in moments it had been. Then Nira was practically flung into the office wall, hitting the wall so hard that a bloodstain was left when she was removed from the wall. She could feel the blood in her mouth, and she was brought to face the old man, looking furious.

"So...this is what you came to do," he said with utmost venom in his voice. "There are traitors on this station. Who are you working in behalf for? Garak? Nural?"

Nira spit her blood into his face and held her peace. But instead of pushing the torture button, Sherem merely stood aside. He stepped to the door and gestured. An officer appeared at his side.

"Get me that backstabbing furball Cloten," he snarled. "I want him brought to me, even if the Jem'Hadar have to carry him."

"I'm afraid to say that his ship had just departed," the officer said nervously.

"Well, damn," the old man snarled. "He really knows what's going on, and he sent a Caitian to stab me in the back..."

"Well, we do have good news," he added, and he gestured. Nira practically yelped in surprise at the sight of the newcomer.

"It's about time," the Changeling that had been Malachi Belvedere said coldly. "I can only manage a few moments, but you know about my rejuvenation."

"Well, at least the nanosuit should prove helpful in that endeavor," Sherem snipped.

Cold was, indeed, the word. The Changeling wasn't like typical Changelings as described in Starfleet security files. He was pale, for one. And she could literally feel the temperature drop a tad as he stood. The suit he was wearing, armor-looking as it was, may look bulky but Nira was sure it was designed to complement the Changeling's abilities; the old man mentioned that it was a nanosuit, after all.

"Oh, I will be glad to tell you all I learned, old man," the Cold One said with deathly snakelike charm. "But I imagine the girl can provide and confirm."

"I've done what I can, Cold One," Sherem said with a frustrated shrug. "Despite the pain, she refuses to talk. And it's apparent the Caitian is her ally."

"You and your affinity for pain, and the Solids' taste of pain," muttered the Cold One. "And the Caitian is more than an ally. Lieutenant Zhukdra'shar Mrekrerhas, I believe?"

"So you got the file details," said Nira tersely.

"Oh, more from getting to know him," the Cold One answered deadly sweetly. "So easy to trust. The Solids of the Alpha Quadrant have definitely grown soft."

"And I'm surprised to see a Changeling like this," retorted Nira.

"Oh, this?" he asked, gesturing to himself. "Yes, you might be wondering. Well, this is how we have been living without the Great Link. The Breen have been of tremendous aid, and we owe it to them, and not just for the shelter. They have provided the means to sustain ourselves in the long term without the Great Link. The most frustrating part is how long we tend to regenerate in liquid form. This is where nanosuits such as these come in. Ironically enough, it's the old man's idea, inspired by Borg assimilation. You'd be amazed what shapes nanoprobes and nanotechnology can attain...with the right programming."

He practically slithered closer to Nira, his arms elongating and melting away into tentacles gradually wrapping around Nira, snaking up her bare arms and around her shoulders, but hanging loosely around the neck.

"Now, dear Nira, perhaps you will be better suited to talk to me," the Cold One said silkily. Nira could almost imagine a forked tongue flicking from his mouth. "Believe me, what the old man provides will seem like a joy compared to what I can do."

[Ian Galloway]

[Commander Nira Said | Brothel >- Prefect's Office | Promenade >- Ops | Melek Nor]

Nira looked up in astonishment. Kina's father mentioned having a man...just how many the hell men did he have?

The old man was standing in astonishment, and he was looking around. And then he turned to look at Zhuk, all while the hybrid redhead Nori, among the equally brainwashed decadent slaves, ran off in a panic. Nira was horrified to see his body language, and particularly the expression on his face; he was putting two and two together.

"SO!" he bellowed at Zhuk. "Perhaps you weren't really in? You backstabbing SON OF A BI..."

He slowly drew a disruptor and made to aim, all while backing toward Nira. He was interrupted when Nira shoved her foot into his gun arm just as he pulled the trigger. The beam missed Zhuk's head by a few inches, but it was still close enough for the points of his ears to get singed. Nira looked over at Zhuk and called while the old man was momentarily stunned.

"ZHUK! RUN!" she screamed in horror.

By the time Sherem looked up, Zhuk was gone. He glared scathingly at Nira, and then shot his disruptor at the beam where Nira was bound and Nira dropped to the floor. But then, Nira was dragged to her feet, the arm with the torture button in one hand and the disruptor barrel of the weapon in his other hand, and she was practically dragged away under the surprisingly strong hand of the old man.

"You're coming with me, girl, and so we'll be plenty more secure," he snarled. He looked around at Doctor Fellows, only in time to see Kyan to release Doctor Fellows and then disappear into the chaos.

But Nira was still dragged to the turbolift all the same, and the old man practically screamed, "OPS!"

[Promenade - Melek Nor] - [Dr. Jessica Fellows]

Jess was having difficulty keeping up with the events as they were happening too fast for her to track. She had pushed the threat of torture and being violated to the back of her mind as Sherem taunted Nira, but when the explosions occurred, the only thing she knew for certain now was the time for her to escape.

She was however, not an expert in hand to hand combat and was hard pressed to know how to escape when she found herself cut free by Lieutenant MacKenzie, the Onlie from security. How he came to be here and who was responsible for the explosions was completely irrelevant. She was consumed with one thought and one thought only...ESCAPE.

So, she ran, this was not as simply as it sounded. Between those taken out by the explosions and disruptor fire, the still highly crisscrossed lattice of weapons firing in every direction, and the lumbering Cardassian and Jem'Hadar soldiers in the way, made running much more difficult than it sounded.

She found herself dodging, weaving, diving, rolling, and every other means of evasion she could force her body to execute to avoid the soldiers and the weapons fire. A splash of disruptor fire caused her to lurch to one side to avoid being roasted by the obviously not on stun blast and this caused her to bounce off a Cardassian soldier.

Each looked at the other in surprise before they both reacted. The soldier made the mistake of thinking the smaller woman was easy prey and grabbed her around the waist, pinning her arms to her sides.

Jess' reaction had far greater consequences. Mentally prepared for this very action she managed to yank her right arm free from the Cardassian's grasp, she then stiffened the first two fingers of her hand and drove them to the second knuckle into the Cardassian's eye.

The man screamed, dropped Jess, and clutched at his face. Jess took advantage of the soldier's distraction and kicked in the jimmies hard enough that she felt bad for him for a split second as he crumpled to the deck. She then grabbed the Cardassian's weapon, raced out of the auction block chamber, and out onto the promenade.

"Okay Jess, what do you do now?"

She wailed as she ran and hoped an idea would come to her.

[Zhukdrashar Mrekrerhas]

[Lieutenant Junior Grade Zhukdra'shar Mrekrerhas, posing as Mercenary H'Riss | Brothel | Promenade | Melek Nor | Panora System - in the Kuiper Belt | Badlands]

[Commander Nira Said | Ops >- Promenade | Melek Nor]

The way Nori talked, it had bothered Nira. What kind of brainwash programming was she given from birth? It was like she had been bred thus. Then it occurred to her: Jem'Hadar were programmed in a similar way, except as troopers, virtual killing machines. They basically made Klingons look like the Borg. Was it possible the old man had Dominion cloning technology with programming for servile functions?

She got her answer when she got to the Promenade.

Were it not for the Jem'Hadar that roamed around occasionally, and if it took some imagining that Bajor would be seen in orbit, Nira would've figured she had gone back in time to when Deep Space Nine used to be Terok Nor. But it looked a lot worse than Occupation-era Terok Nor.

Normally, the Promenade would've been a trading hub, and in the case of Terok Nor, the slaves workers would've been those who worked in the ore refineries that were at the station. However, as Nira was guided through, it occurred to her that since the station was mobile, space in the Promenade was devoted primarily for the soldiers' feeding and recreation. The replimat, security office, and infirmary remained virtually the same, albeit devoted more to the Cardassians and Jem'Hadar soldiers. There were some gaming spaces for the Cardassians. And in the space that would've been devoted to the Bajoran temple on Deep Space Nine, there was a space set up for Jem'Hadar to practice their combat; Nira could see well deep into the room that there were Jem'Hadar brawling.

The rest of the Promenade consisted of guarded Cardassian and Jem'Hadar patrols overlooking the underlings of the station. To Nira's shock, they were mostly Bajoran men. What especially contrasted it from the Occupation was that they seemed to be moving in a way identical to cattle, in that they seemed to be going similar directions with glazed expressions. People were going in somewhere, others out, like they were headed down a mine shaft. And they were locked away in a kind of ghetto fenced from the Cardassians.

"It's the Occupation all over again," said Nira.

"Not exactly," said the Jem'Hadar elder still studying her. "The slave class. The labor force."

"But...there can't be a refinery here..."

"No. The fodder for work on the Gul's special reactor."

The transwarp system, Nira thought. "But where did he get all this? I mean, Bajor would surely know of abductions..."

"They don't," the Elder continued. "He never returned any of his slaves when he left Bajor, despite the escapes of some. In the war, he captured a few more. He has cloning facilities, not just for my fellow people and for Vortas if need be, but facilities to especially breed the labor force."

"Clones programmed as slaves, then," snarled Nira. "No free will. Practically cattle."

"Not really. Cattle are, after all, eatable," the Elder said.

"And he doesn't care how much he loses, he can replace them. That son of a..."

"You've delayed long enough," the Elder snapped. "Your destination is here."

Nira and Doctor Fellows were then led to the space where, in Deep Space Nine, would've contained Quark's. Here, however, the space was devoted to a brothel. And inside were clearly the female slaves. With so many silks around, it was like Nira had stepped into a palace made strictly of enough silks to resemble a tent...or, given the small space, a circus tent.

"For the entertainment of our...allies," the Elder said, and Nira could see so. The only men seemed to be Cardassians.

"And as you can see, they are given their free will even from being cloned," the Elder continued. "They are remained thus as a challenge before being broken in."

The varied feelings from the brothel, ranging from acceptance to stubborn yet decreasing resistance threatened to give Nira a headache. The establishment didn't just have a second level, it was apparent the slaves slept up there, or in cages when they were needed, cages dangling from the ceiling. Then she was led to the center, and placed on a pedestal where the Dabo table would've been in Quark's. She was noticing how the Cardassians were looking eagerly around at her. That savagely hungry look in their eyes sent a chill through Nira. And then her cuffs were brought brought above her head again and she was hung by her hands like a sacrificial offering.

The Elder came over to "H'Riss" and said, "The Nurit girl is yours, if you wish. Gul Sherem would even be welcome to provide the services of his private harem; this, I'm afraid, is the public brothel."

He dismissed his soldiers, but he remained, still staring at Nira...particularly with a studious expression. Given his mention of her mother, Nira had been wondering how much of a semblance she must've had to her...ironically, the curiosity about that Elder was the only bright spot in a potentially bleak moment.

As if it didn't get worse, who should arrive but the Old Man himself.

"Look what has been brought today, my friends!" he said. "A pair of intruders! Something fresh today!"

There was a cheer and Nira could sense a volcanic bubbling in the crowd's emotions. She looked around and could see Doctor Fellows was hung up similarly next to her.

"Ah, but one of them isn't just a common human, but a Betazoid!"

More cheering, and excited at that. Nira was disgusted. Were they so anxious to get to a Betazoid?

"But you should be aware that she will pose a challenge," the old man continued, and he held up the dreaded remote. Oh Allah, it wasn't enough to torture her in private, now he wants an audience?

"I hope you will enjoy it when I break her for you!" he said. And with a flourish and tap of a button, Nira was in pain once again. She gasped and writhed before he released the button.

Meanwhile, Glinn Luram slipped over to Zhuk and whispered, a whisper so low that Zhuk could hear with his sharp hearing, in his ear, "Don't worry, Mister Mrekrerhas. Help is on the way."

Noticing that Nurit Nori was with him, Luram then said louder to her, "Oh yes, I'm just telling him how everybody seems to be anticipating the event."

He then slipped away; he and his men had always refrained from the brothel. They were quite disgusted by this degenerate hole that would've dated back to a primitive and savage age. In any case, he had work to do, particularly to get Mister Mackenzie to his commanding officer.

'H'Riss' looked around the brothel with clear external interest. Though it was part of the show, he was still drawn in by the women that populated the site. And the Cardassians, of course. It was a jarring sight, and he was quite appalled by all of it. Even if he did find some of its members quite beautiful. He wished that he could help them still. However, he could not demonstrate that, so instead he turned to the Elder, and offered a big grin.

"Well, thank you kindly. I'll be sure to get 'er to good use~"

Things got worse from there, as people were seemingly way too eager to get their hands on Nira. He wanted to claw them all and make them regret coveting a living person. But once more, his focus prevailed. What he was not expecting from that moment, however, was overhearing a voice that whispered towards him, speaking of his name. His ear flicked in acknowledgment, and his tail swished from side to side for the brief span of a few seconds. He let out a chuckle soon afterward, as the initial shock faded and he could more properly think. He glanced over to the Cardassian, just to know who he was, and on whom he could trust.

"Heh... it for sure seems like they'll have fun~"

OOC: I sincerily apologize for this quick post, but I feel I need to say what is said in the last section.

[Nirut Nori - Promenade - Melek Nor]
Nori's eyes widened as she shook. 'Oh no He gave me away for calling him Father', she thought as she looked up in dread. But something about the Catian made her feel at peace. "I'll be a good slave. I will comb your fur and bring You yours meals. Until You sell me off or dispose of me like Mother." She looked genuinely at peace around him for some reason.

[Nirut Nori - Promenade - Melek Nor]
Looking with fear to Glinn Luram she took a lead from her belt, that all the slaves had and she attached it to her collar and offered the end to H'Riss. "So others know i'm yours and keep there hands off me."

Looking down to the actions below she turned to H'Riss with a pleading look. "Master, I know whats going to happen.. I know more about bad things then some of the people down there going to be doing them." Tears began to well in her eyes, "Please? I don't want to see this. I have lived threw so much of this that I should be numb but it hurts me when I see this. Please. I'm begging you. I don't want to see this. I am not numb like the other girls to it, seeing this.. the afters.. it upsets me. Truly upsets me. Please Master H'Riss. I don't want to see this. Please take me away from here. I don't want to see this. Please?"

Externally, 'H'Riss' seemed rather pleased with the statement offered by Nori. Internally, however, he was utterly crushed by it. To have someone so young be so indoctrinated as to accept being discarded as if she were trash. Even he at her age sometimes did little things to fight back against his Orion master. The time that he dyed her tongue a bright yellow came to mind. For now, though, he had to play a good "master" himself.

"'Kay, 'kay, stop yappin' your mouth... we're leavin'..." He seemingly shook his head in clear exasperation, yet still gently began to lead her away so that she had not had a need to gaze at this scene any further.

[Lieutenant Junior Grade Zhukdra'shar Mrekrerhas, posing as Mercenary H'Riss | Brothel | Promenade | Melek Nor | Panora System - in the Kuiper Belt | Badlands]

[Commander Nira Said | Brothel | Promenade | Melek Nor]

The excited crowd laughed and crowed and cheered whenever Nira was given pain. Still, she felt better in seeing that Doctor Fellows was looking angry and defiant.

Once, a bunch of young Cardassians came in for a closer look. It didn't matter if they were curious or really wanted the Gul's permission. In any case, they got in close enough, Nira aimed a few kicks. Even if it meant pain from the old man, it was satisfying. The two Cardassians in front of her each had broken noses, and the kicks from Nira were powerful enough that a sneeze would cause them to lose their broken noses. She looked over at the doctor and could see some Cardassians, with black eyes of their own, sauntering away.

"What's it going to take, girl?" snapped the old man. "You'd rather they have their way with your corpse?"

Nira spit at the Gul. Another jab of pain. After an exhale, Nira said, "I would rather die than be one of your playthings, you evil bast..."

There was a sudden change in the emotion of the crowd. It was no longer excited. Was it...fear? And maybe surprise? Through the dissipating fog of pain, Nira looked up at the crowd in time to see the body of the huge Cardassian Malat fall in a huge noose of a banner, like some silk python...and somebody else dropped from the armored form and everybody was looking shocked. Even the Jem'Hadar looked shocked, she could tell from their body language.

She saw the little form that the crowd surrounded. Kyan. She was amazed by what he did, but was worried. All this solo effort and he could get captured...

And then the explosions happened.

[Glinn Gilgal Luram | Upper Corridors | Promenade | Melek Nor]

Glinn Luram had just gotten up to the upper corridor to meet his fellow Glinn, Kumen Kimnor.

"What's happened?" Luram asked Kimnor, noticing the man's worry.

"Malat," he said breathlessly. "He found me and Mackenzie. He's killed Gar Gulnak with his bare hands. I think he's found out about us somehow."

"He is Station Security," Luram said. "We better get a move on. Are the bombs ready?"

"I'll check in," Kimnor said, and he made his checking in code as Luram stepped around to see...by the Prophets, he was amazed by Mazkenzie's prowess against the big man, though he flinched at the number of injuries inflicted.

As to the bombs, they had been secretly placed from when the first of the infiltrators sent from Legate Nural and Castellan Garak had come aboard. They had secretly put bombs in unobservant places around the Promenade in the event of a distraction needed to cover an attack. No better time than that, and there were already plenty of infiltrators from Nural, practically an army, ready to engage upon his word.

He saw Mackenzie and Malat move their fight to the upper part of the public brothel, where the old man had been putting on a sick show to entertain his troops. Then they both toppled away amidst Mackenzie finishing the monster off.

"Bombs at the ready?" he asked quietly.

"Ready. Standing by." Came the whispered comm.

"Do it."

And with that, the bombs detonated from all around the Promenade. Screams broke out. The mindless drones, undoubtedly raised without warlike situations, panicked and scattered. And amidst all this, the troops opened fire, each one calling out at different intervals, so as to not be placed:

"FOR CARDASSIA!!!"

[Commander Nira Said | Brothel >- Prefect's Office | Promenade >- Ops | Melek Nor]

Nira looked up in astonishment. Kina's father mentioned having a man...just how many the hell men did he have?

The old man was standing in astonishment, and he was looking around. And then he turned to look at Zhuk, all while the hybrid redhead Nori, among the equally brainwashed decadent slaves, ran off in a panic. Nira was horrified to see his body language, and particularly the expression on his face; he was putting two and two together.

"SO!" he bellowed at Zhuk. "Perhaps you weren't really in? You backstabbing SON OF A BI..."

He slowly drew a disruptor and made to aim, all while backing toward Nira. He was interrupted when Nira shoved her foot into his gun arm just as he pulled the trigger. The beam missed Zhuk's head by a few inches, but it was still close enough for the points of his ears to get singed. Nira looked over at Zhuk and called while the old man was momentarily stunned.

"ZHUK! RUN!" she screamed in horror.

By the time Sherem looked up, Zhuk was gone. He glared scathingly at Nira, and then shot his disruptor at the beam where Nira was bound and Nira dropped to the floor. But then, Nira was dragged to her feet, the arm with the torture button in one hand and the disruptor barrel of the weapon in his other hand, and she was practically dragged away under the surprisingly strong hand of the old man.

"You're coming with me, girl, and so we'll be plenty more secure," he snarled. He looked around at Doctor Fellows, only in time to see Kyan to release Doctor Fellows and then disappear into the chaos.

But Nira was still dragged to the turbolift all the same, and the old man practically screamed, "OPS!"

In no time at all, Nira was back in Ops, but this time, the old man was screaming for Ops to be locked down, and in moments it had been. Then Nira was practically flung into the office wall, hitting the wall so hard that a bloodstain was left when she was removed from the wall. She could feel the blood in her mouth, and she was brought to face the old man, looking furious.

"So...this is what you came to do," he said with utmost venom in his voice. "There are traitors on this station. Who are you working in behalf for? Garak? Nural?"

Nira spit her blood into his face and held her peace. But instead of pushing the torture button, Sherem merely stood aside. He stepped to the door and gestured. An officer appeared at his side.

"Get me that backstabbing furball Cloten," he snarled. "I want him brought to me, even if the Jem'Hadar have to carry him."

"I'm afraid to say that his ship had just departed," the officer said nervously.

"Well, damn," the old man snarled. "He really knows what's going on, and he sent a Caitian to stab me in the back..."

"Well, we do have good news," he added, and he gestured. Nira practically yelped in surprise at the sight of the newcomer.

"It's about time," the Changeling that had been Malachi Belvedere said coldly. "I can only manage a few moments, but you know about my rejuvenation."

"Well, at least the nanosuit should prove helpful in that endeavor," Sherem snipped.

Cold was, indeed, the word. The Changeling wasn't like typical Changelings as described in Starfleet security files. He was pale, for one. And she could literally feel the temperature drop a tad as he stood. The suit he was wearing, armor-looking as it was, may look bulky but Nira was sure it was designed to complement the Changeling's abilities; the old man mentioned that it was a nanosuit, after all.

"Oh, I will be glad to tell you all I learned, old man," the Cold One said with deathly snakelike charm. "But I imagine the girl can provide and confirm."

"I've done what I can, Cold One," Sherem said with a frustrated shrug. "Despite the pain, she refuses to talk. And it's apparent the Caitian is her ally."

"You and your affinity for pain, and the Solids' taste of pain," muttered the Cold One. "And the Caitian is more than an ally. Lieutenant Zhukdra'shar Mrekrerhas, I believe?"

"So you got the file details," said Nira tersely.

"Oh, more from getting to know him," the Cold One answered deadly sweetly. "So easy to trust. The Solids of the Alpha Quadrant have definitely grown soft."

"And I'm surprised to see a Changeling like this," retorted Nira.

"Oh, this?" he asked, gesturing to himself. "Yes, you might be wondering. Well, this is how we have been living without the Great Link. The Breen have been of tremendous aid, and we owe it to them, and not just for the shelter. They have provided the means to sustain ourselves in the long term without the Great Link. The most frustrating part is how long we tend to regenerate in liquid form. This is where nanosuits such as these come in. Ironically enough, it's the old man's idea, inspired by Borg assimilation. You'd be amazed what shapes nanoprobes and nanotechnology can attain...with the right programming."

He practically slithered closer to Nira, his arms elongating and melting away into tentacles gradually wrapping around Nira, snaking up her bare arms and around her shoulders, but hanging loosely around the neck.

"Now, dear Nira, perhaps you will be better suited to talk to me," the Cold One said silkily. Nira could almost imagine a forked tongue flicking from his mouth. "Believe me, what the old man provides will seem like a joy compared to what I can do."

Suddenly, however, the station was rocked by explosions that made him lose his grip on Nori, instinctively reaching for his own weapon instead. He saw her run away, his senses overwhelmed by the current shouts "For Cardassia!" and the discharge of weapons from all around him. His ears pivoted towards Gul Sherem, as he deduced, correctly, that he was also an infiltrator. 'H'Riss'' anger was finally projected outwards, a scowl being offered as he tried to fire his weapon at Sherem.

He ended up having the faster trigger, though, burning the tips of his ears just barely as Nira intervened by grabbing ahold of him and causing him to miss the shot. He fell back, as she told him to run away. The pain, sound, and confusion, against his better judgment, won over, and he scrambled away with a weapon in hand, unsure of whom to even fire toward in his panic.

He had no clear goal, and he had no indication of what he should do. Maybe Nori. Maybe getting her out of there could be a good idea. Maybe trying to meet with Kyan or M'nia or Doctor Fellows. He didn't know, he didn't know and he was in danger as he ducked, vaulted, jumped, and sprinted with his dexterous Caitian body.

Finally, his mind cleared enough to shoot toward a Cardassian soldier, currently strangling another that seemed to be on his team. He fired at his arm, causing him to lose his grip and make the tables turn. At least, he hoped he was on his team. Within his path, he managed to gaze at a blur of someone familiar. Jess. Doctor Fellows. He tried to run towards her but was barely able to avoid a blur in his vision. One of the Cardassian prostitutes.

[Promenade - Melek Nor] - [Dr. Jessica Fellows]

Jess was having difficulty keeping up with the events as they were happening too fast for her to track. She had pushed the threat of torture and being violated to the back of her mind as Sherem taunted Nira, but when the explosions occurred, the only thing she knew for certain now was the time for her to escape.

She was however, not an expert in hand to hand combat and was hard pressed to know how to escape when she found herself cut free by Lieutenant MacKenzie, the Onlie from security. How he came to be here and who was responsible for the explosions was completely irrelevant. She was consumed with one thought and one thought only...ESCAPE.

So, she ran, this was not as simply as it sounded. Between those taken out by the explosions and disruptor fire, the still highly crisscrossed lattice of weapons firing in every direction, and the lumbering Cardassian and Jem'Hadar soldiers in the way, made running much more difficult than it sounded.

She found herself dodging, weaving, diving, rolling, and every other means of evasion she could force her body to execute to avoid the soldiers and the weapons fire. A splash of disruptor fire caused her to lurch to one side to avoid being roasted by the obviously not on stun blast and this caused her to bounce off a Cardassian soldier.

Each looked at the other in surprise before they both reacted. The soldier made the mistake of thinking the smaller woman was easy prey and grabbed her around the waist, pinning her arms to her sides.

Jess' reaction had far greater consequences. Mentally prepared for this very action she managed to yank her right arm free from the Cardassian's grasp, she then stiffened the first two fingers of her hand and drove them to the second knuckle into the Cardassian's eye.

The man screamed, dropped Jess, and clutched at his face. Jess took advantage of the soldier's distraction and kicked in the jimmies hard enough that she felt bad for him for a split second as he crumpled to the deck. She then grabbed the Cardassian's weapon, raced out of the auction block chamber, and out onto the promenade.

"Okay Jess, what do you do now?"

She wailed as she ran and hoped an idea would come to her.

"D-DR. FELLOW-!"

He instinctively pushed her out of the way as a piece of metal debris almost fell upon her, and forced her into cover behind a smoldering piece of railing from the upper level of the Promenade.

"Sorry! Stay low! I will protect you if you follow me! I am from the United Federation of Planets, though I require to know: by any chance, did you saw were the Betazoid went to? The female?" He avoided another disruptor fire, gritting his teeth as he answered it with his own gun.

[Nira Said]

"He's not the only one! However if you feel Kyan has a better chance alone, then I'm all for it!" M'nia said

"Wait you fell into a harem? You? K'tal's claws! Of all people, the onlie falls into the harem!" M'nia says with a sigh. Why couldn't it have been her?

"Ok, sounds like a plan. Gotta wonder though, how do we know friendly from not friendly?" M'nia was tempted to make a joke about falling into a harem when Molly mentioned taking a leaf out of Kyan's book so to speak but somehow it didn't seem appropriate. Still she liked the idea. It sounded like lots of fun but the mission came first. Lt O'brien seem to know her stuff. Of course she said 'first step'. What would be after that? Kyan better rescue the commander and she hoped Zhuk would be ok. She wasn't too worried about him. He seemed pretty capable.

[Commander Molly O'Brien | Maintenance Conduits >- Reactor Corridors | Melek Nor]

Molly chuckled. "That's nothing, M'Nia," she said. "I've experienced gobbledegook more baffling and embarrassing. Like either when I was mollycoddled by Lxwana Troi and spewed badly. Or when I stepped out briefly with me mam and caught Julian Bashir and Ezri Dax snogging their way to...don't know whose quarters they went..."

A moment later, they were close to the reactor section, and they saw the door guarded by three Cardassians and a pair of Jem'Hadar, each one having two of the Cardassians behind them.

"Stay here," said Savar. "I'll go first."

He then approached the guards in a hurry. "You, there's an attack on the Promenade! It's almost like Damar's rebellion out there!"

"I wasn't notified," snapped the leading Cardassian. "But if there are sympathizers to that damn traitor on the station, if you have information, you'd best verify."

The other two Cardassians, out of sight of the commander and the Jem'Hadar, smiled in respect. Those reactions told Savar plenty. What was more, they were familiar.

"Lead the way to Gul Sherem, then," said Savar, stepping back in his Breen suit to allow the Cardassian to pass, and as he did, Savar withdrew a glove, showing a more pink hand, pinched the Cardassian. The other two shot the Jem'Hadar before just as they moved to get at him. Savar looked over at the two, and he recognized them at once.

"You are Joram and Kimnor," he said. "Molly, M'Nia, all clear."

"Gars Joram and Kimnor," Kimnor said. "We may have a short window, my brother's informed me that Luram and his men will be setting off bombs at the Promenade soon."

"If it's a diversion, it's one helluva," said Molly as she approached with M'Nia.

"It'll have to be," Joram replied. "Most of the old man's men are down in the reactor section, protecting it and the transwarp coil. Only the Promenade rivals the reactor section in terms of most troops at any given time on the station."

"Then what in foog's name is with the bombs?" asked Molly.

"Luram has made contact with your man, Mackenzie," Kimnor said. "The bombs have dual purpose in distractions. The other is to sow chaos while he escapes with your First Officer and Chief Medical Officer."

"And you're hoping the bombs will draw the troops from the reactor?" asked Savar.

"As many as possible," said Joram. "Hopefully, it'll make the job easier."

"Then the sooner, the better," said Savar. He worked his way to activating the viruses with his Heads-Up Display in his helmet. In moments, everything in the station's database will be transmitted to the Federation. And none too soon, for the station klaxons blared.

"I'm guessing those were because of the bombs," said Molly.

"Inside," said Kimnor, and with the punch of a button, they stepped in.

Molly was gobsmacked. It was as if they stepped from a Cardassian Nor station into a Borg ship. It was dark in some places, muggy, loads of black and green, plenty of green nodes. There were even regeneration alcoves, and some were occupied. Only there weren't any Borg drones, but they could've come close. They were all Bajorans or Bajoran hybrids, and many of them were staring blankly ahead into space. A close look showed Borglike implants just under their necks.

"Oh my gawd," Molly said.

"All genetically cloned from the old man's harem," said Kimnor uneasily. "Cloning technology, plus with Borg nanoprobes injected and modified to ensure no free will."

"Bast..." but Molly's insult was interrupted at the sound of footsteps. They all ducked in an alcove and saw a stampede of Cardassians and Jem'Hadar storming past. When they were gone, Molly said, "Looks like it's working."

Pulling up a console to check the cameras, Joram muttered, "Still too much around the reactor, and the coil, to directly do something."

"Is the transwarp connected to the reactor?" asked Molly.

"It is," Kimnor said. "It's virtually powered directly. As such, there had to be extra deuterium tanks built to guarantee constant power for transwarp."

Molly thought momentarily. Their viruses were designed to hack the station database, but not to the controls, least of all to the reactors.

"I gather the reactors are on their own separate systems?" she asked.

"Yes. It's to guarantee protection against external hackers," said Kimnor.

Molly smiled grimly. "Suppose we rearranged reactor control to, say, cause a big bloody overload?" she said. "Arranged so the main reactor's stabiliziers are deactivated..."

"Could be possible, from the reactor room," said Kimnor.

"Then let's see if we can get there and M'Nia and I work a miracle," said Molly. "I remember when my father headed over there when Deep Space Nine went wonky."

[Nira Said]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

When the Jem'Hadar ship exploded, that put an end to the immediate fight. When Ops indicated the Valiant was hailing them, Ian ordered "On screen."

As Vaughn spoke, Ian was pleased to see the Valiant was also undamaged and that meeting with the admirals made perfect tactical sense, he just hoped that Gillespie had come through with enough ships to make an effective run at Melek Nor.

"Glad ta help Captain. Aye, meetin' up with the reinforcements sounds like a bonny idea ta me too. Galloway out."

As the viewscreen shifted to that of the Badlands, Ian added.

"Ensign Amaya, parallel course with the Valiant, make for the rendezvous point."

[Captain Ulysses Vaughn | Bridge | Deck One | USS Valiant NCC-74210-B | Just Outside The Badlands]

Some time later, the Valiant and the Challenger have arrived at the rendezvous. Vaughn was surprised at what they saw.

"Really? This many ships to greet us?"

"There are several dozen Inquiry-class starships that have joined in," said Nuyu, changing the viewscreen to see.

"We're receiving word from the Legacy, incoming," said Nuyu. "Admiral Kira is going to be coming aboard shortly."

[Lieutenant Commander T'Kel | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

T'Kel looked up in time for the Legacy to make a flyby. Why do humans have to show off sometimes?

Knowing that was Admiral Gillespie's flagship...

"Captain, the Legacy is hailing us," she said.

Once the channel was open, they all saw Admirals Kira and Gillespie, side by side.

"Glad you lot can make it," said Gillespie with a grin. "Where the blazes is the Discovery? Nae here yet? Well, we can spare a few of the cookie cutters to go off t'find him."

"We just got the database from Melek Nor," Kira said. "It's encrypted, but the Intelligence people will be able to make use of it. Now it's time to go and corner the old man. We should have enough, plus what Garak, Nural and Rahab are bringing along. I'm going to transfer over to the Valiant and lead some attack wings, with some attached corvettes, to strafe him. Hopefully, he'll recognize us and will want to focus on us. Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet form a perimeter around the station and take care of any Breen and Dominion ships around. We'll be in a good position to bombard the Breen station as long as we're at it."

T'Kel had to raise an eyebrow. The smaller ships, including the Valiant, totaled thirty, and the rest comprised fifty, including the "cookie cutter" reinforcements.

"Besides, the sooner, the better," added Kira. "Legate Nural has got a report that his men, his main whistleblower being the leader, have begun their attack. What's more, a great deal of the infiltration team's been captured, but they're steadily escaping, fighting back and commencing sabotage. Pity our plans don't work as well as expected...we'd best get there as soon as we can."