the first place? The Kressari’s technical genius had served Iliana well over the last year, but even she admitted to being woefully unqualified to devise a transporter capable of bridging multiple realities. Far better to leave that task for Intendant Kira and the considerable resources someone of her power and influence could doubtless call upon—or so Shing-kur had believed. The DTM had been invented here, after all, and used repeatedly by people who seemed to be obsessed with the other universe. But had Iliana known the Intendant would botch it so completely, she certainly would not have placed nearly so much reliance on that hedonistic narcissist!
But perhaps it was better this way. The metadimensional transporter had always felt like overkill to Iliana, the fruit of Shing-kur’s unvoiced skepticism toward her epiphany. Now the device’s failure seemed almost to bea sign affirming Iliana’s instinct about the pivotal role she was fated to play in this universe.
It would have been so sweet—beaming across the dimensions at my leisure to slay one Kira after another. But all things in their proper time. Iliana gazed down at the golden bracelet that encircled her hand. And there’s so much else we need to do first, isn’t there?
The stars beyond her enormous viewport condensed from streaks into pinpoints, and the Negh’var was suddenly surrounded by a combined fleet of Cardassian and Klingon warships, magnificently arrayed in formation.
“Here we go,” Iliana whispered aloud. She turned to consider the tall figure that stood vigilantly some distance away on her right. “How do you feel?”
“Obedience brings victory,” Taran’atar said. He watched her constantly, ever ready to follow her slightest command without question.
Iliana offered him a thin smile. “That’s not an answer, but no matter. General Kurn is growing impatient about the true nature of the ‘package’ his Intendant received while the Negh’Var was orbiting Harkoum. Soon it’ll be time to make your existence known, and to sell our story. I trust you remember what to say?”
Taran’atar answered without hesitation. “I will tell anyone you designate that I am a Jem’Hadar soldier, from a world far beyond the Alliance’s borders. I was captured by a Bajoran scientist in your service, Professor Ke Hovath, who studied my neurochemistry and learned that I could be made to serve the Alliance. Professor Kecontacted you and presented me as a gift on Harkoum. As a test of my servitude, and in order to preserve the secrecy of my existence, your first command was that I kill Professor Ke.”
Iliana nodded. “Good. I’ll persuade them that with your help I’ll be able to find the rest of your kind and sway them into serving the Alliance as well. By the time anyone realizes I have no such intentions, the wormhole will already be mine. And then—”
The dull tone of the Klingon comm system heralded a call from the bridge. “Kurn to Kira.”
Iliana sighed at the interruption. “If you’re going to tell me we’ve arrived at Regulon, General, I can see that for myself.”
“No, Intendant. But we received a Code Black transmission as soon as we dropped out of warp.”
Iliana cursed silently. Code Black was an alert from the Obsidian Order.
“Gul Macet is standing by to beam an Alliance official over to us from the Trager,” Kurn continued. “The official is demanding an audience with you.”
“Is he now?” Iliana mused. “Well, we mustn’t keep him waiting. By all means, welcome this dignitary to your ship, General, and escort him to your office. ”
“My office, Intendant?”
“Do you have a problem with that, General?”
After a slight pause, Kurn answered, “Of course not, Intendant.”
“Good,” Iliana said. “Keep him occupied until I arrive. Kira out.” Iliana returned her attention to L’Haan, andpointed to Professor Ke’s device. “Have that equipment dismantled and destroyed. Download the
But perhaps it was better this way. The metadimensional transporter had always felt like overkill to Iliana, the fruit of Shing-kur’s unvoiced skepticism toward her epiphany. Now the device’s failure seemed almost to bea sign affirming Iliana’s instinct about the pivotal role she was fated to play in this universe.
It would have been so sweet—beaming across the dimensions at my leisure to slay one Kira after another. But all things in their proper time. Iliana gazed down at the golden bracelet that encircled her hand. And there’s so much else we need to do first, isn’t there?
The stars beyond her enormous viewport condensed from streaks into pinpoints, and the Negh’var was suddenly surrounded by a combined fleet of Cardassian and Klingon warships, magnificently arrayed in formation.
“Here we go,” Iliana whispered aloud. She turned to consider the tall figure that stood vigilantly some distance away on her right. “How do you feel?”
“Obedience brings victory,” Taran’atar said. He watched her constantly, ever ready to follow her slightest command without question.
Iliana offered him a thin smile. “That’s not an answer, but no matter. General Kurn is growing impatient about the true nature of the ‘package’ his Intendant received while the Negh’Var was orbiting Harkoum. Soon it’ll be time to make your existence known, and to sell our story. I trust you remember what to say?”
Taran’atar answered without hesitation. “I will tell anyone you designate that I am a Jem’Hadar soldier, from a world far beyond the Alliance’s borders. I was captured by a Bajoran scientist in your service, Professor Ke Hovath, who studied my neurochemistry and learned that I could be made to serve the Alliance. Professor Kecontacted you and presented me as a gift on Harkoum. As a test of my servitude, and in order to preserve the secrecy of my existence, your first command was that I kill Professor Ke.”
Iliana nodded. “Good. I’ll persuade them that with your help I’ll be able to find the rest of your kind and sway them into serving the Alliance as well. By the time anyone realizes I have no such intentions, the wormhole will already be mine. And then—”
The dull tone of the Klingon comm system heralded a call from the bridge. “Kurn to Kira.”
Iliana sighed at the interruption. “If you’re going to tell me we’ve arrived at Regulon, General, I can see that for myself.”
“No, Intendant. But we received a Code Black transmission as soon as we dropped out of warp.”
Iliana cursed silently. Code Black was an alert from the Obsidian Order.
“Gul Macet is standing by to beam an Alliance official over to us from the Trager,” Kurn continued. “The official is demanding an audience with you.”
“Is he now?” Iliana mused. “Well, we mustn’t keep him waiting. By all means, welcome this dignitary to your ship, General, and escort him to your office. ”
“My office, Intendant?”
“Do you have a problem with that, General?”
After a slight pause, Kurn answered, “Of course not, Intendant.”
“Good,” Iliana said. “Keep him occupied until I arrive. Kira out.” Iliana returned her attention to L’Haan, andpointed to Professor Ke’s device. “Have that equipment dismantled and destroyed. Download the
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