Keeping up with the Cardassian

Posted on Tue Feb 8th, 2022 @ 8:14pm by Commodore Jacob Kane

Mission: With Gleaming Eyes
Location: Ithaca II - Gul Dara's Quarters
Timeline: MD-03 1800hrs
995 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

Tensions around the Cardassian compound seemed to have died down, for the most part. The earlier riot having been dispersed quickly had helped their cause, if only for a time. Cardassian patrols had increased, and it didn't take a genius to figure that their version of 'keeping the peace' probably looked more like 'enforcing' it. On the bright side, they'd devoted all of their attention to the Metis, and left the Starfleet personnel alone. He preferred it that way.

The Gul's invitation had been directly to her quarters, rather than the office. A home visit. A single sentry patrolled near the entrance, but it was situated well enough away from the hot-spots of trouble that they likely didn't bother with upping the security.

Arriving at the entrance, he was met mere seconds after calling for entry by the Gul herself. Notably out of uniform, she was dressed very casually. Smart-casual, he corrected himself. She was certainly putting in the effort.

"Come in, Captain." She motioned him forward and, he noted, proceeded to lock the door. "A security measure," she explained. "My officers insisted." He wondered about that. She probably didn't have to listen to any of them, but it made for a useful excuse. He wasn't concerned; as far as he was aware he wasn't in particular danger.

"I'm glad things have calmed down. It was looking...turbulent for a while." He decided to choose the words carefully, not knowing how she would respond. Her attitude was initially dismissive, as she poured two drinks and returned with them both.

"I was told you were there. You weren't harmed, I hope?"

He took the drink and sipped it slowly. "I was fortunate. A couple of my people were less so, but they will recover. It could have been a lot worse."

"Yes." She sat down on the seat opposite him. Her posture was far less Cardassian than he'd seen in a long time. Almost overly-familiar by this point, especially considering it had been barely two days since their first encounter. "The Metis are not the most understanding of people. I must say their resistance is odd, considering everything we have done to help them over the years. This plague problem has certainly opened up some old wounds."

"Do you think curing it will help?" he asked.

"Difficult to predict. As I said, the Metis aren't particularly understanding." She paused, a smile creeping onto her face. "They're not quite as refined as the rest of us."

He just nodded slightly, glancing around the room to see if he could spot something he previously hadn't. Nothing jumped out at him; the place was barely decorated beyond what he might expect of the typical Cardassian intendant's living arrangements.

"Tell me, Captain. Are you happy?" she asked casually.

"What?"

"Are you happy? In your role?" Her eyes fixed on his intently.

"Relatively. I'm making a difference, doing something that's important," he said.

"You didn't answer the question," she noted, a sly expression forming. "Leadership is lonely, particularly on the frontiers. Speaking openly, as I said before, is not a luxury we have."

Her body language was still fairly open and inviting, if anything more so than previously. With her comment about loneliness it wasn't hard to see where she was going. A woman of her station probably felt comfortable enough to pursue what she wanted, particularly in a space where she felt in control. He glanced at his drink, considering the advice P'rel had given him earlier, when he felt the Gul's hand brush his knee gently.

"Well?" she asked. "I'm waiting for an answer."

"I'm not lonely," he said calmly, still weighing the situation up.

"You humans are terrible liars," she laughed, sliding onto the seat next to him. Her hand traced a line down his shoulder. "But that's all right. I'm very good at getting to the truth." If he wasn't sure of her intentions before, he was now. It was quite clear what Gul Dara was looking for, and he was still caught in two minds how to respond.

"I'm not lying," he said, easing himself back but not fleeing. "I consider my crew important to me. I know that I would put my life on the line for theirs, should the need arise."

"How noble. But that's not what I meant and you know it." Her fingers crept up to touch the hairs on his chin. "Come on, Captain. My interests are hardly subtle. If it helps, you may consider it transactional rather than emotional." She'd pushed even closer now, making it clear that she wasn't going to let him squirm away at all. With one final motion she curled her fingers around his jaw and pulled him in for a somewhat aggressive kiss. He had little choice but to let it happen at first, before managing to prise her away.

"I'm...certainly flattered," he grunted. Her eyes were almost ravenous as she moved to pin him back down. He palmed the tiny dermal patch from his waistband, knowing that it was likely his only way out of this situation with his honour intact. "Why don't we find somewhere more comfortable?" he suggested. Dara's grin widened as she offered her hand and pulled him up to his feet instead. The force of her pull on his arm sent the tiny patch spinning out of his grasp, falling back to the seat behind him agonizingly out of reach. He half-turned, making an unconscious swipe for it, but the Gul already had her arms around him.

"Come along..." she whispered seductively, tugging him towards the doorway to her bedroom. "We don't have to be lonely any more." Tossing a mildly distressed look back over his shoulder for his last hope for a get-out clause, he knew that such hope was in vain; he was in with both feet now. He just had to pray that nobody else found out about the lengths he was about to go to.