" The Saratoga put in this morning." " We are not having another party." " Not more than 50 or 60..." " l can see it now." "200 people jammed into our quarters, eating, drinking, laughing." "That sounds awful." "What if I promise absolutely no laughing?" "You won't see a single smile the entire evening." "It'll be the grimmest party you've ever been to." " When do you want to have this party?" " Next week." "I was thinking maybe the evening should have a theme." "What kind of theme?" "What if everyone came as their favourite Klingon?" " Bad idea." " Your holosuite is ready." " Good." " Have fun exercising." " No party?" " l came this close." " Thank you." " Don't mention it." "Glad to be of help." "Bajoran lilacs." "is there something going on between you two?" "Don't be disgusting." " l ordered them for myself." " That's nice." " l thought you didn't like flowers." " l don't." " l'm confused." " There's such a thing as privacy." "Not between friends." "My mother would've been 60 today." "My father said these were her favourite." "That's a nice way to remember her." "I wish I did remember her." "I was only three when she died." "I'd bet she'd be proud of you and what you've done with your life." "I'd like to think so." "I've always been proud of her." "My father always said she was the bravest woman he ever met." "Major Kira, you have an incoming transmission." " From whom?" " Unable to identify." "Put it through." "Ah, Major, there you are." "I'm sorry to wake you." " What the hell do you want?" " Don't bother." "You won't be able to trace this transmission." "Then why don't you just tell me where you are?" "Because that's not why I called." "I want to help you, Major, the way Captain Sisko helped me." "What are you talking about?" "Captain Sisko gave me the clarity to see beyond the lies, the self-deceptions that were controlling my life." "He helped me to see the truth about myself." "And now I'm going to do the same for you." "And what better day to do it than on your mother's birthday?" "is that supposed to upset me, you knowing my mother's birthday?" "She was a striking woman, your mother, although when we first met she was very self-conscious about that scar along the side of her face." "She used to try to cover it up with a strand of hair." "Nice try, Dukat." "But you never knew my mother." "She died in the..." "Singha Refugee Centre?" "I'm afraid not, Major." "Your father told you that because he couldn't face the truth." "What truth?" "That your mother left him to be with me." "You're lying." "Your mother and I were lovers almost from the moment we met and we remained lovers until the day she died." " l have had enough of this." " l see you have lilacs." "Your mother would've been touched." "She loved Bajoran lilacs." "There." "I told you the truth was liberating." "Don't you feel better?" "I do." "Locate Cardassian occupation file, Singha Refugee Centre." "Find and display Bajoran identity profile Kira Meru." "The Battle of the Alamo would make a great holosuite program." "Let me get this straight." "200 of us are trapped inside some crumbling old mission, surrounded by 2,000 enemy troops." " ls that right?" " That's right." " Do we win?" " No, we lose!" " Then why play it?" " You're missing the point." "Nothing's more noble than a defeat against overwhelming odds." "In life maybe but not in the holosuite." "Chief, you should have finished recalibrating those modulators." "We had a problem replacing the coil brackets." "I want it done within the hour." "Doctor, is there a reason for your visit?" "What?" " Actually, Miles and I were..." " Thought not." " We're on duty here." " l don't want to interfere." "We're not at the Replimat." "We're not here to drink "raktajinos" and gossip." "Let's get to work." "There is increased criminal activity on the Promenade." "It's not as bad as it sounds." "We're talking about petty theft." "I've already assigned two deputies." "I'd prefer that you handle the matter yourself." " lf you think it's necessary." " l do." "Make sure you keep me informed of your progress." "Of course." " ls there something else on your mind?" " Meaning what?" "Meaning I talked with Dr Bashir." "He told me you seemed irritable." "I see he's not exaggerating." "Would you care to tell me what's bothering you?" "I appreciate the offer, Odo, but talking about it isn't going to help." " Sounds serious." " lt is." "If you won't talk about it, perhaps you should consider doing something about it." "A transmission from Gul Dukat?" "This is the first I've heard of it." " l didn't report it." " Why not?" "It was of a personal nature." "I tried to trace the signal but..." "What did he want?" "He said he knew my mother, that they were lovers." "You don't believe him, do you?" "He knew certain personal things about her." "Dukat is resourceful. I'm sure he knows a lot about all of our families." "I keep telling myself that, but I need to know." " That may not be possible." " There is a way." "I can visit the temple of lponu and consult the Orb of Time." " Excuse me?" " l need to know the truth." "Let me get this straight." "You want to travel back in time to see if Gul Dukat and your mother were lovers." "The Federation has very strict regulations..." "This has nothing to do with the Federation." "I need your help as the Emissary, not as Starfleet captain." "The Emissary can allow me access to the Orb." "After that, it's up to the Prophets." "If they feel that my request is worthy, they'll send me where l need to go." "If not, I've made a trip to Bajor for nothing." "And if they do send you back?" "What then?" "How do you know you won't interfere with the timeline?" "The Prophets will guide me." "Nothing will happen without their blessings." "Please, Emissary." "Please." "Let me seek the will of the Prophets." "Meru, I found Nerys." " Where was she?" " Over there, scrounging for food." " Come here, sweetie, beside me." " ls that all?" "That's barely half a cup." " They've cut rations." " How do they expect us to survive?" "The Cardassians don't care if we do." "They want us all dead." " Sweetie, have some soup." " Excuse me." " That soup. lt's ours." " My wife stood in line all day for it." " lf you think you can just..." " Just what?" "It's for the children." "They're hungry." " We are all hungry." " Right." "We are." "Hunger makes people do stupid things." " Like what you're doing now." " We shouldn't be fighting." " We should be helping each other." " Helping ourselves to soup." "You want soup, you go stand in line." "We may have to take orders from the spoonheads but not from you!" "Thank you. I wish we could repay your kindness but we have so little food." "It's all right. I'm not hungry." "I can't remember the last time I met a Bajoran who wasn't hungry." " l'm Kira Meru." " l'm...just glad I could help." "And this is my husband Taban, my son, Reon, my son, Pohl, and my daughter, Nerys." "They're beautiful." " Mummy." " What is it, honey?" "What is it?" "Tell me." "She wants to know what your name is." "Me?" "I'm Luma Rahl." "It's nice to meet you, Nerys." "Attention!" "The new ore processing centre is nearing completion." "The Cardassian troops stationed there will require "comfort women"" "to make their tour of duty less stressful." "Her." "No!" "From now on you'll receive extra food and medicine, courtesy of our Prefect, Gul Dukat." " Her." " No!" "And her." "But my children!" "They will eat better than they have any right to." " Meru!" " Mummy!" "I love you." "Don't let them forget me!" "You." "And you." "Ladies, can I have your attention, please?" "You will find food in your quarters." "Eat as much as you want." "And make sure you get a good night's rest." "You'll want to look your best tomorrow." "And feel free to linger as long as you want in the sonic showers." "Cardassians value cleanliness." "Meru, listen to me." "I know things look bad." "But don't give up just yet." " We'll find a way to get out of here." " How?" "There must be a resistance cell operating here." " They'll help us get away." " l don't believe this." "Fresh "moba!"" "Do you know how long it's been since I've seen fresh "moba?"" " Nice." " Nice?" "Look at this." "Katterpod beans. "Hasperat."" "Veklava." "A pot of Deka tea." "We could live on this for a year." "Easy." "Easy." "You don't want to make yourself sick." "Sick from too much food?" "That would be a change." "If only Taban and the children were here." "The Cardassians said they would take care of them, so maybe they will." "Don't count on it." "We need to find a way to get off this station." "Once we do, we'll figure out a way to free your family." " Then what?" " We'll join the resistance." " l suppose that's possible." " Of course it is." "Till then, we'll just need to bide our... I'm sorry." "I failed to show a Cardassian soldier the proper respect." "We all have scars of one kind or another." "Maybe." "But most aren't quite so evident." "It's not so bad." "Why do you keep doing that?" " What?" " Helping me." "First at the refugee centre and now here." "I don't have many friends." "Well, you have one now." "Well done. I can hardly believe you're the same women I met yesterday." "In fact, you're not." "Your old lives have ended." "Your pasts have been erased." "You have one purpose and one purpose only." "To provide comfort and care to the Cardassian officers stationed here." "Do that well, and you'll want for nothing." "Fail and you and your family will be sent to a labour camp." "Now, remember ladies, you're all easily replaceable." " Make one mistake and I..." " Basso!" "That's enough." "Welcome to Terok Nor." "I hope your stay will be pleasant." "I assure you, I will do everything possible to make it so." "I suspect that many of you must be feeling a bit uneasy right now." "I'm well aware that among the Bajoran population there is a perception that all Cardassians are to be feared, that we are a cruel and heartless people." "I hope to change that." "Not with words, but with actions, in the hope that you will come to appreciate the better part of our nature." "I assure you we are capable of great kindness." "What of our families?" "Are they all right?" "Who said you could speak?" "!" "Guards!" "Stay where you are." "Your families will be well taken care of." "That I promise you." "What is this?" " l..." " Basso." "Forgive me, Prefect." "I didn't notice the imperfection." " l'll have her removed." " Get me a dermal regenerator." "Now." "I'm afraid to ask how you came by such a mark." " lt's nothing." " On the contrary." "It's an unfortunate reminder of the gulf that exists between our two peoples." "It must be removed immediately." "Just relax. lt's all right." "Relax." "There." "Beautiful." "Carry on." "I'd say congratulations are in order." "You've all passed your first test." "Mind telling me what you're smiling about?" "The Prophets. I never realised they had such a sense of humour." "When I was a child I dreamed of having enough food and pretty clothes, and now look at me." "I have everything I ever wanted, and I feel horrible." "That is pretty funny in a horrible way." "I suppose if I can survive starvation I could survive this." "After all, we Bajorans can survive anything." "You." "Think you can stand there hiding in a corner all night?" " l don't remember seeing you before." " l just arrived yesterday." "And you're thinking you'd like to get us all drunk and kill us in our sleep." "Are you sure you're not part Betazoid?" "Come." "Sit on my lap and tell me how much you hate Cardassians." "You Bajoran women, you're all so bony." "That's because you Cardassians eat all our food." "You know, I could have you executed for that kind of insolence." "And that's one of the reasons we hate you so much." "Clever girl." "Now pour me some more of that "kanar"" "and let's see if we can't work out our differences." "Let her go." "I said let her go." " All I said to her was..." " l don't care." "I don't like what you were doing." "Now get away from her." "Are you all right?" "Basso." "Escort this woman back to her quarters and see that her privacy is respected." "She will not be disturbed." "I only hope you won't condemn us all for the boorish behaviour of one man." "I only hope you won't condemn us all for the boorish behaviour of one man." "How did you know he'd say that?" "This is not the first performance I've seen of this little melodrama." "That woman should consider herself fortunate." "She's caught the Prefect's eye." "As of now, she's off limits to the rest of us." " As for you..." " l know. I know." "More "kanar."" "Now." "One foot in front of another." "Don't tell me what to do." "I'll put my feet wherever I want." "I'm a Cardassian." "Just don't stumble out of any airlocks on your way home." "I'm not going home." "I'm coming in with you." "No, you're going back to your quarters to sleep." "I want comfort and I want it now." "You are a comfort woman, aren't you?" " You're dressed like one." " Don't let appearances fool you." "That mouth of yours will get you in trouble." "Now, let's go get some sleep." "I have a better idea." "You go sleep in your quarters." "I'll sleep in mine, and tomorrow..." "Tomorrow, you'll be all mine to do with as I please." "I can hardly wait." "Meru, I'm back." "I'll have to shower for a week to get his smell off me." " l'll tell him you said that." " Where's Meru?" "You're going to have these quarters all to yourself." " Where's Meru?" " She's moving up in the world." "Your friend must have hidden talents." "Our Prefect has invited her to share his quarters." " l want to see her." " Do you?" "I said take me to her!" "Hey!" "How's work going on the ore processing centre?" "You ought to find out for yourself." "Once the centre's up and running we'll all be slaving away down there." " l have news for you." " About my friend?" "I know why you haven't heard from her." " She hasn't been on the station." " What?" "Word has it she's been off on a little vacation with Gul Dukat." "They just got back today." " She's nothing but a collaborator." " She is not a collaborator." "She's a comfort woman for the spoonheads, isn't she?" " So was I." " For a day." "But I've been watching you." "You have no love for the spoonheads." "Neither does she." "Look, I don't want to join your resistance cell." " Just leave me alone." " l will." "I promise." " l need you to draw a map for me." " A map of what?" " The Cardy side of the station." " l was only there one day." "Anything you remember will help - quarters, corridors, meeting rooms." " Why?" "What are you planning?" " lt doesn't concern you." "Are you going to help us or not?" "You." "Follow me." "You may enter." "Luma." "Are you all right?" "I've been worried about you." "I know. I wanted to get a message to you." " Has he hurt you?" " Who?" "Dukat." "Hurt me?" "No." "He hasn't hurt me." "I wish I knew how to explain to you these past few weeks, make you understand." " Understand what?" " That I'm not a monster." "You see?" "I told you I'd find a big enough vase." " What do you think?" " They're beautiful." "I don't think your friend approves of the flowers." "Or of me." "Meru... are you sure this is the woman you want as your companion?" " Yes." " As you wish." "The fact is... I've treated Meru with nothing but kindness and consideration." "If you don't believe me, ask her." "I'll be back as soon as this meeting is finished." "It's true." "He's very different from what I expected." "Don't let that smile fool you." "He's still the enemy." " lt's not that simple." " Yes. lt is." "Meru." "Listen to me." "While you're in here playing games he's exterminating our people." "He's not." "He's urging Central Command to rethink their policy towards Bajor." "I don't care if he played you a holo-recording of him begging Central Command to end the occupation." "It would still be a lie!" "Like that first night when he saved you from that Gul." "He set the whole thing up to win you over." "He told me." "He tells me everything." "You just don't know him." "I don't need to know him." "I know the things he's done." "Look what he did to you." "He took you away from your family." "He's going to send them food and medical supplies." "That still doesn't make it right." "What about your husband?" "Taban loves you." "How can you forget him so quickly?" "I have not forgotten him." "What do you expect me to do?" "Kick Dukat every time he comes near me?" "How is that going to help Taban or the children?" "You think you're doing it for the children?" "The clothes, the food, the easy living are all for them?" "It's not for them. lt's for you." "You like it here." "You enjoy playing house with that murderer." "Don't you see what you've allowed yourself to become?" "You're a collaborator." "A collaborator?" "Because I share Dukat's bed?" "No, because you've fallen in love with him!" " Where are you going?" " Back where l belong." "It's composed of ultritium resin, so it's doubtful that the Cardassian sensors will pick it up." " But there's always a chance." " You let me worry about that." " You've done this before?" " You'd be surprised." "Remember, the bomb is set to go off three minutes after it's activated, and once it's activated, it cannot be disarmed." "So make sure you have enough time to get away." "How large of a blast radius are we talking about?" "20 metres." "Plant it somewhere in Dukat's quarters." " l'll pick the right spot for it." " What about his Bajoran mistress?" " What about her?" " You cannot tell her what you're doing." "Not even to save her life." "Why would I do that?" "Like you said, she's a collaborator." "She deserves whatever she gets." "I'm beginning to find you tiresome." "I don't like you much either." "Take me to Kira Meru." "I have better things to do than to shuttle you around this station." "Decide which side of this gate you want to be on." "I have." "Now take me to Kira so that I can apologise to her." "Guard." "A wise decision." " l didn't expect to see you again." " l came because I owe you an apology." "The things I said, they were unfair." "I'd like us to be friends again." "So would I." "Whatever makes you happy, my dear." " Can I get you something?" " Maybe later." "First thing we do is get you some new quarters close by." "Sounds good." "I have the transmission copy you requested." " Thank you, Basso." "That'll be all." " What about her?" "Don't concern yourself with Luma." "She won't cause us any more trouble, will you?" " That's not what I'm here for." " No, it isn't." "Well, Basso, find her some new quarters." "Right away." "This is for you." "I think you'll find it very interesting." "I'll be in my study if you need me." " l'll see to my quarters." " OK, Luma." "Meru, I hope the Cardassians aren't lying to me and that they will send this message to you." "We've only been home a few weeks but you should see the children." "It's like they've been transformed." "Reon and Pohl are laughing and playing together." "They've never been happier." "And little Nerys must have gained five pounds." "Of course, they keep asking for you." "I've said you're still at the refugee centre." "I think that's best, at least for the time being." "I can't believe how much I miss you." "I think about you all the time." "You've saved all our lives." "I hope you realise that." "Never forget it, not even for an instant." "Every day I pray to the Prophets that you'll find some peace in this new life of yours." "I believe that even in the worst of times, we can still find moments of joy and kindness." "If you can find that kindness, hold on to it." "And remember, no matter what happens, I love you, Meru. I'll always love you." "We've got to get out of here." "Dukat, get out here, now!" "Go!" " What?" " There's a bomb." "Get out of the way!" "Meru!" "Meru." "I've always hated collaborators." "What could be worse than betraying your own people?" "During the occupation, if I ever had any doubt about what their fate should be I would think of my mother, how she gave her life for Bajor." "She was a hero." "They were traitors." "It was that simple." "Or so I thought." "She did what she had to do to save her family." "To save you." "It doesn't make it right." "Maybe not." "But it was her decision to make." "I did some checking." "She died in a Cardassian hospital seven years after she met Dukat." "Do you know how many Bajorans died during that time?" "Died." "While my mother sat sipping "kanar" with Dukat." "Tell me something, Nerys." "If you hate her that much, why did you save her life?" "Believe me, there's a part of me that wishes that I hadn't." "But the fact is no matter what she did" "she was still my mother."