Alleran Tan

I plan to enter every writing competition. I encourage everyone to do the same if they can. I'm waiting for your submission with baited breath!

The archive for last round is still open, if you want to post it on the original thread I'll do that! Also, my first draft of this round's submission is up. I'll probably be editing it over the next week or so.

First draft: "As the ancient Virtues discovered, we are children equally of the earth and the sky." These words are the beginning of the story of creation amongst the Trill. Although modern Trill were a peaceful and charismatic race it was not always so. In the beginning when the planet was young, there were four Trill sisters; Passion, Patience, Courage and Humility. These have been referred to as the Primal Virtues. Passion had a heart made of fire, flickering and glowing with every desire under the sun. She was impulsive and reckless; she would be the first to rush off into an unexplored area of Trill Prime, although she usually came running back to the other three when some dangerous monster or other hazard was found. More often than not, Passion was the cause of all manner of trouble. Patience was the oldest of the four and had a heart of water. No matter what problems the four sisters found themselves in, Passion would be the last to lose her temper or become bored; she was focused and methodical, although she could be lazy. She was a planner and a thinker, but she could also be haunty and arrogant. Courage was the bravest of the four sisters, her heart made of iron. Nothing could ever shake her; she would often be right behind Passion in exploring the brand new world they had been given, although unlike her chaotic sister she only ever moved forward and never ran away. Courage was brave, certainly, but she grew easily distracted and bored. Humility was the youngest and most timid of the Virtues and she had barely a heart at all for it was made of air. Humility typically stayed at home when the other three went out to explore their brand new world, doing simple chores and keeping her thoughts to herself. Although she had never harmed a living soul and was kind and gentle, she occasionally allowed herself to feel very self-righteous. The four lived in harmony for eons. They hunted, explored, fished and fowled without concern- they were differences, yes, but they were always solved peacefully. Even when the whole planet was explored, the sisters passed the time spinning tales of the fantastic land of the far-away stars. Then the fifth Virtue arrived. His name was Joy, a male. Joy was handsome and tall- his shoulders broad, arms strong and toned. At first the four sisters were curious- something new, exciting and different... but they slowly grew jealous over the centuries. Joy was energetic like Passion, cautious like Patience, indomitable like Courage and kind like Humility. He seemed perfect... far better than each of the sisters individually. Passion made the first strike, seducing Joy under the brilliant Trill moon. She came to him, using all her wiles; Joy was overcome. Passion kissed him on the forehead, her flames searing a dark spot onto his perfect skin. Crying in pain Joy tried to escape, but Passion's fire burned him; with each kiss a dark, scorched spot was branded into his form, thousands of them running from his head to his toes. The three other sisters were horrified at what Passion had done, but none more than Patience. The water-Trill cut her finger, draining her essence out- the droplets became miniature versions of herself, swearing their lives to her cause. Her army marched across the continents in search of Passion. But Passion saw what her sister had done and created an army of her own. She breathed out her elemental energy, each flicker of flame becoming a loyal fire-Trill. The flame soldiers marched against the aquatic constructs, but it was a stalemate. The fire-Trills evaporated the water-Trills, but the water-Trills quenched their enemies flames in return. Passion sought an alliance with Courage. Passion offered her use of her flame- now Courage was able to mold her metal into whatever form she wanted. Together, Passion and Courage merged to form Loyalty, which is what happens when passion and courage collide. Their soldiers were made of steel and seemed invincible; the steel-Trills could not be quenched by Patience's water-Trills. With the tide of battle turned against her, Patience sought out Humility. Humility, with her heart of air, was not certain what she could offer Patience- but Patience had a plan. Patience and Humility combined their essences, forming Honour. Their solders were the cloud-Trills, able to float over the battlefields, avoiding the heavy steel-Trills of Loyalty, raining down upon them and slowly eroding their forms. Now it was Loyalty who was on the back foot, but the two alliances were not to last. Patience grew lazy with her string of endless victories, while Humility could no longer stand to watch the destruction sweeping across Trill. Loyalty and Honour split, returning to their primal elements. The battles continued, with each four Primal Virtue struggling against the other. After much deliberation, Patience eventually threw her lot in with Courage; the two became Sacrifice. The water-Trills and iron-Trills melted together to produce the blood-Trills, fearless creatures who could heal even horrific injuries. They were planners, schemers and utterly fearless. They began to overrun the mere air-Trills of Humility, hiding underground during the day and attacking them at night while they slept. On the brink of defeat, Humility allied herself with her arch-enemy, Passion. The roaring flame of the fire-Trill and the calm, serene breeze of the air-Trill created Justice; a righteous, solemn bringer of wrath that had the raw power of Passion but the calming piety of Humility. The two formed the sun-Trills, burning high in the sky and dispensing flaming death from above. The battles raged on and on, both sides even once again. Eventually Passion grew tired of Humility's cowardice, while Courage bored with Patience. The four elements split yet again, the whole planet for a second time falling into four-way conflict. The scorched, dying form of Joy saw what had happened and despaired. The five of them were supposed to work together, not brawl amongst themselves! With his last ounce of strength he called all four sisters to a great meeting place, a vast circle of stones in the southern hemisphere. With his dying grasp he asked them what they were all fighting for; each had their own answers, telling centuries-old tales of betrayal and loss, but Joy did not listen to any of them. "We are children equally of the earth and the sky," he told them, his voice barely a whisper. "Quarrel not. Each of thee but a part of a beautiful whole..." The four Trill sisters were humbled by Joy's words and touched hands. The four Prime Virtues came together, forming a whole new kind of Trill- Passion and Patience were the brain of the new creatures, while Passion and Courage formed the skin. Passion and Humility were the lungs, Patience and Courage were the blood; Patience and Humility formed the organs and internal workings of the creature, while Courage and Humility formed the bones, tendons and ligaments. Instantly the creature was complete. "But what of you, Joy?" asked the flesh-Trill, her face saddened. "I am too weak to join with you," he admitted, his body so weak and frail. "But it is my wish that you, flesh-Trill, bear the marks of what Passion did to us." With a final groan, the burns on his body flew off and found purchase on the flesh-Trill. She shrieked in agony as the spots attached themselves, forever branding the species with a reminder of the consequences of unbridled passions. The effort was too much for Joy. Finally dying, his body collapsed into ten-thousand worms which burrowing themselves underground and hid in the dark, sludgy pools under the surface of the planet. The worms were ugly and helpless, a reflection of their father's dying moments. Every flesh-Trill to this day bears the marks of Joy all over their bodies. Passions are considered a weakness of the young- the memory of Passion's betrayal is still fresh in their minds. Trills do not exaggerate when they say finding a symbiont is like finding Joy.

Wow. An extremely well chosen topic- my mind is already buzzing... I was going to do a Trill creation myth. I don't have a title yet, but I have several ideas. Congrats on the winner, by the way. I liked Commander Thelev's story, but Tel-Ar's was extraordinary as well. A wise decision. I've taken the review of own story to heart- I'll work on making things a mite less... predictable... this time. Oh! Do people mind if I post the alternate ending to last round's story, simply for curiousity's sake?

I made some minor alterations (removing unanswered tags, trimming replies so that they made sense with those tags missing). I am happy to post the original verbatim if that's what people want.

((Hell, aka USS Independence-A, Deck 5)) ::Crewman Veralise Jessop was having an interesting day so far to say the least. As she and Shan were the only non-injured members of the traveling party, the two each helped support another more seriously injured person. For Shan, that was Isidha, and for her, it was the exhausted looking Doctor Zhou. As she kept her arm around him to keep the man moving along the corridor, the only sounds that filled the space were the distant sounds of weapons fire and explosions and the ever present straining of bulkheads. Jessop decided to interrupt the ship's constant conversation with itself.:: Jessop: ::gives a slight smile:: Well, doctor, I hope you haven't felt too attached to how your quarters were arranged. I'm sure a few things have shifted during our trip. Zhou: If I'm lucky, my quarters are still attached to the ship and not floating halfway back to spacedock. Jessop: ::feigns shock:: A pessimist and a physician? Zhou: Not quite. I've noticed that as a physician, I'm an optimist. When I'm a patient, I become a bit more of a realist. ::beat:: And don't think I don't know what you're doing, crewman. Trying to make sure I don't fade off into the true final frontier of what lies beyond... Jessop: I try to perform to the best of my duties, sir. And I must say you are in no danger of venturing to that final frontier just yet. Zhou: I think my wife would unfortunately have to concur if she were here. ::Veralise chuckled a bit, taking the comment as a joke, and the doctor didn't seem to mind as his mind wandered off to other places. He was an odd fellow, she thought. She hadn't been formally introduced to him before he arrived on board, but from what she could tell, he seemed to have a strange mix of traits from various other medical officers she had known over the past ten years of her service. There was the confidence and no-nonsense attitude to problems typical of a seasoned veteran. Yet she hadn't forgotten how he seemed to notice her dismay at his skepticism of her original pitch to try this jog to the theater. Perhaps he hadn't become completely jaded like so many others before him? Or perhaps she wasn't giving enough credit to the complexity of people, as complex as the Trill spot patterns on the doctor himself.:: ((a few minutes later)) ::Another few meters and yet another groan of the bulkheads. The sound reminded Veralise of the rusty fences on her uncle's farm she would visit as a child.:: Jessop: oO My goodness, how long has it been since you last talked to your uncle or even your grandparents, V? You owe it to them when this is all over. Ah, what the hell, Mom, too. Won't she be surpri- Oo Riley: (garbled) =/\=Captain Riley…(static) ….Zhou.=/\= ::The call brought the doctor back to full attention, and he tried to stand a little straighter, even as Veralise continued to support him.:: Zhou: =/\=Yes, Captain?=/\= Riley: =/\=Doctor… (static)…current…(static)=/\= ::Veralise frowned as the captain's voice broke up. She began thinking about what must be going back on the bridge before noticing Zhou glancing back at her. The doctor took off his combadge and tried to adjust the signal gain:: Zhou: =/\=Captain? Say again, please=/\= Riley: =/\=(static)…situation…(static)…down- ::Abruptly, the message clipped off and a power relay blew out above the group. As Veralise and the others instinctively ducked and covered their heads, Zhou let out a soft curse.:: Zhou: =/\=Captain, please come in. Captain?=/\= Jessop: The heavy damage in this section must be causing too much interference for the com system, especially with the secondary comtraffic system down. Isidha: What do we do now? Zhou: Well, I can see the theater over there (he pointed down the hall to two massive doors), and we're not going back now, so our best hope is to continue on to sickbay, see what the situation is down there, and hope that the interference is cleared up two decks down. ::As Veralise squinted to look down the hallway, a light suddenly flashed from out of the darkness, catching her and a few of the others off guard.:: Anderson: ::waving her hand beacon:: Over here. We are just about to secure entry to the medical bay. ::Veralise and Isidha exchanged puzzled glances.:: ::A loud sizzling noise filled the corridor as a sparkling tube of faintly blue energy could be seen. The group of injured made their way down the hall as Anderson commented to one of the engineers.:: Anderson: Well that's bloody impressive. ::Before Veralise could ask the new officers what was going on, the Andorian crewman asked the question everyone else was thinking.:: Isidha: I thought we were on Deck 5, not 7. ::The question seemed to surprise the security lieutenant. She then seemed to understand the confusion:: Anderson: Ah I see what you're getting at crewman. No you are on deck 5. The access to decks 6 & 7 s totally wasted. Although this deck isn't much better. The combat engineers are going to use this tunnel to get above medical then cut an access tube down to Medical. Isidha: Oh. ::Veralise suddenly couldn't help let out a big smile.:: Jessop: Through the theater, right? You also figured that it'd be easy to cut through because of the two deck span at this point? Zhou: ::gives a nod in acknowledgment to Jessop:: Don't worry, crewman. I'll make sure you get a note in the record for your original thinking. I shudder to think what would have happened if we tried to continue to decks 6 and 7 from where we were earlier. CPO: ::under his breath:: If this was an Ashanti-class we wouldn't be having this problem. Anderson: What? What are you talking about? CPO: Just saying. The Ashanti-class didn't have all these wasted corridors. The forward saucer was attached to an Engineering section. Wouldn't have these corridors to cause problems. Now there was a well designed ship. Had teeth too. Anderson: Look just stay focused ok ? :: Turning to the group.:: Sorry about that. What can I say …Combat Engineers. We should be through to Medical in a few moments Doctor. Zhou: ::leans against a bulkhead:: Excellent. ::Veralise watched as the engineers did their magic. She had to admit that if she hadn't become a medic, engineering always seemed fascinating to her. In a way, really, they both had a similar line of work: trying to patch injuries and sustain systems, whether made of flesh or duranium. The engineers had propped open the theater doors a bit, and from what Veralise could see, it was a mess inside, with chairs and other debris littering the whole chamber. Within a few moments, however, the blue forcefield tunnel pushed the strewn furniture and fixtures aside. It almost resembled a portal to another world, or even something from those ancient biblical stories her father would love retelling. Veralise then caught herself.:: Jessop: oO Wow, you are really becoming a softie today, aren't you, V? Oo Zhou: Impressive, indeed. Lead the way, and have the others go afterward first. I'll make sure everyone joins you on the other side safely. I've sort of been leading this group during our little adventure, and I'd rather be the last one out. ::Though she understood Anderson's misgivings, Veralise decided to step in to reassure the security officer.:: Jessop: Don't worry, lieutenant. I'll be the final person down the path. I'll make sure the doctor gets there. ::With that, the party formed a line as they went in one by one, with Anderson leading the way. The CPO combat engineer seemed a bit too excited to step into his creation and actually tripped, almost falling onto Anderson, but fortunately the lieutenant caught and steadied him, though she gave a stern look. Veralise and Isidha shared another glance, this time a smirk. Finally, it was just the doctor and Veralise. The newly created pathway, though nearly miraculous, was still confining, and each member of the team could only pass through one at a time. Doctor Zhou stepped up to the portal and took a breath.:: Jessop: ::puts her hand on his shoulder and smiles:: Well, doctor, it's time to take those first steps on your own again. Zhou: ::turns around:: Remind me to compliment whoever trained you on your bedside manner, crewman. ::The doctor than returned a smile to Veralise, the first time in fact that she had seen him smile during the entire episode through the corridors. His smile abruptly ceased, though, as the straining of the bulkheads finally gave way to an ear-piercing screech, as if the ship were letting out a primal scream. In the distance, the unmistakable sounds of explosions and decompressions could be heard. Zhou and Veralise both knew what was happening, but didn't say another word. The act of cutting through the remaining intact bulkheads to get to sickbay finally had placed too much stress on the ship's structural integrity. If the doorway to the theater remained open, the previous members of the party, as well as perhaps anyone else down on deck 7 would soon be pulled out into space. The integrity of the forcefield had to be maintained. Quickly, Veralise forcefully shoved the doctor into the forcefield tunnel to prevent him from even starting a protest. She then grabbed onto the magnetic door clamps the engineer had been using to pry open the doors and brought the two halves back together in under a second, which was all the time she knew she had. As the small gap between the doors disappeared, Veralise and Zhou, still falling backwards from the shove, shared a final look. The moment was so brief that she didn't even see his whole face, just his eyes. After the doors closed, Veralise tried to drain out the sound of the cascading decompression approaching her and closed her eyes. She thought about her childhood home and saw herself walking up to the door. The air around her disappeared as if the universe were taking its final gasp, and she saw herself knocking on the door.:: Jessop: oO Hey, Dad. It's me... Oo

Just a note: The flashback part is what I'm nominating. The sim continued after it, but it dealt with our then-current situation. SO the title is a little misleading.

(( Mono Gigante Outpost - Four Years Ago)) :: Tired, thirsty, sweaty and covered from head to toe is grey, slimy mud, Private First Class Kestrel Cagliari crouch lowed in the trench, back pressed up against the mud and rock wall. Shots were still being fired somewhere down the line - she could hear the whine of phaser discharge and the distant crackle of the Gorn disruptors as they responded - but the fighting was far enough away that Cagliari and her unit could relax. A little, anyway. She took off her helmet and lifted her face toward the sky, allowing in the rain to wash away some of the muck and to allow her the clostest thing to a feeling of clean that she'd experienced in a week. Mono Gigante Outpost was supposed to be one of those easy, in-and-out missions - nothing too dangerous, nothing too strenuous and the USS Discovery-B would swoop in after two days and bring them all home. But of course Murphy's Law intervened and the ronin Class ship was diverted to a bigger crisis just as the Marines discovered the Gorn waystation just a few kilometres beyond the Mono Gigante boundaries. :: Thadat: Nngg... Where ~zzxt~ reinforcements...? :: Cagliari looked down at the Breen. No one knew for sure why he'd been in the Federation outpost, but he'd fought alongside the Marines when the gorn struck, so he'd earned a small measure of respect, if not trust. Still, Cagliari was hesitant to give away too much information - she'd heard all about the Breen and their alliance with the Dominion, not to mention their attack on Earth during the last war. Thadat had been injured in the last wave, his chest sliced open by the claws of the lone Gorn to make it through their defenses. Cagliari herself had put a kife through the Gorn's throat, but the damage had been done - no one expected Thadat to be alive when they finally got their evac. :: Cagliari: Hell if I know. :: Strapping her helmet back on, she wiped mud away from the beam emitter on her rifle. The strength of the beam would burn away the mud, but she always felt better having her weapon clear. :: Cagliari: Could be any minute. Could be never. :: Hearing someone splashing toward them, she looked up. Another one of the impromptu additions to the squad - a Marine from another detachment who had been visiting family at the outpost. A medic named Sypher. Or Sopher. Or Jones. She really couldn't remember. The man knelt down beside the Breen. :: Sypher: How are you doing, Thadat? Thadat: Not well ~zxxt~ Getting worse. More... ~zzzzxt~ pain. :: The medic nodded and gave Thadat a shot of something. Sypher (she was pretty sure that was the name) was just wearing jeans and a t-shirt and through the mud, Cagliari could make out the emblem on the shirt. She couldn't make out colours - everything looked grey in the perpetual half-twilight at Mono Gigante - but there was a lion and a grouping of stars. A Marine patch to be sure, and she was fairly certain it was from the USS Challenger. Either way, Sypher was now stuck here in the trenches with the rest of them. :: Sypher: What about you? You injured? :: Cagliari shook her head, then paused as some kind of explosive went off in no-man's land and showered the three of them with dirt and mud. :: Cagliari: I'm fine. Or at least as fine as... :: She trailed off as a loud rumble rolled their way from farther down the trench. The dull grey light began to get brighter and take on an orange hue and Cagliari swore loudly. :: Cagliari: Get the **** down!! :: She dove into the centre of the trench, where the accumulated rainwater was deepest, and covered her head as the series of explosions ripped through the trench. she felt the fire scortch her back as it rolled over her and the intense heat baked the mud onto her clothing in an instant. Rolling onto her back to put out the flames, Cagliari looked first to Thadat. the Breen was on fire, motionless. Dead. :: Cagliari: $#$@! :: beat :: Sypher? Where-? :: She found him in three different places. There was even a little bit on him on her right shoulder. And then, through the smoke and rain, she saw a dozen hulking silhouettes staring down from the edge of the trench. Gorn. :: (( USS Achilles - Marine Quarters )) :: Cagliari sat bolt upright in bed with a gasp. The red alert klaxon was screaming at her and she was sweating from dreaming of Mono Gigante yet again and to top it all off, she was hung over. ::

((USS Independence - Conference Room 1)) ::It had been a long time since Tracey was last promoted to the rank of full Lieutenant. And it was not here, in this universe. As she watched the promotions being given out by Captain Riley, to both Ensigns Kobylarz and Zhou, the latter of whom was not present more than likely due to the heavy volume of casualties, Tracey saw the next box taken out by the Captain.:: Riley: And last but not least, Lieutenant JG Tracey Townson, please set forward. ::Pause.:: Your service to the fleet is long standing. Your expertise as an Ops Officer is highly impressive. I am very pleased to promote you to full Lieutenant. ::Tracey did as she was ordered and stood at attention. She was happy that the circumstances that led to her promotion in this universe were not the same that led to her promotion to full Lieutenant in her native universe.:: ((Time - Warp - Several months earlier - Doctor Samuel Huff's Office - Starfleet Medical)) Huff: Good morning Tracey. Townson: Good morning Doctor. Huff: How are you feeling today? Townson: I'm fine Doctor. I've been conducting the relaxation techniques you've been showing me. They seem to be working a little. Huff: Thats good to hear. ::The Doctor marked something on his PADD and then placed it on the coffee table in front of him:: I have good news for you Tracey. I think you are ready for the next level of therapy. In essence ::smiling:: you've been promoted. ::Tracey cringed a little at the words the Doctor chose to use.:: Huff: Is there a problem? ::Tracey looked at the Doctor as she answered. The man was a genious when it came to reading body language.:: Townson: No Doctor. No problem. Huff: I see...Well I would assume you have been promoted before. Would you care to tell me about your personal experiences with promotions? Townson: They were nothing special, Docor. I would receive my promotion notice and have to sew my new stipe onto my uniform. Huff: And how did you receive them? Townson: ::anger in her voice:: By doing my duty, Doctor. Huff: I see...Did you have problems performing your duty? Townson: No...never. It was war. My duty was to the Federation no matter what the cost. ::Tracey looked down to her slippers that she was wearing. As a patient at the hospital, she wore regular patient's clothing.:: Huff: There were costs involved in your promotions. ::It was not a question. Tracey nodded in any case.:: Townson: Yes. Only one, but yes. Huff: Would you care to elaborate, or do you not feel ready? ::Tracey looked back up at her Doctor. She had already told him a great deal since Tracey arrived here, and thus far, did not judge her or tell her the things she did was either wrong or right. The man would just listen and allow Tracey to take her time. After a long pause, Tracey began to speak.:: Townson: My first promotion was ordinary. I performed my duties as a signals operator admirably, I was told. I remember seeing the notice of my promotion listed on the boards and I was told my new stripe had to be afixed to my uniform within two days. I went to the stores and showed them my notice and received my new stripe. I sewd it on in my quarters. That was when I became a Junior Lieutenant. Huff: ::nodding:: And when you became full Lieutenant? You told me that was only several months later. Isn't that unusual for that to occur so fast? Townson: ::nodding:: Yes. Huff: Was it because you did your job better than others? Townson: NO! Huff: For what reason were you promoted? ::Tracey looked back down at her feet, as tears started to well up in her eyes.:: Townson: ::almost inaudible:: We liberated an Outpost taken by the Dominion in sector 461. I commanded one of the platoons on the ground. ((Time-Warp - Several years earlier - Otherverse)) Soldier: Lieutenant ::taking readings from his tricorder.:: I'm still picking up Jem'Hadar lifesigns from the other side of this wall. They are small, but there are many packed closely together. ::Tracey was holding her bloody and broken right arm as she looked over the soldier's shoulder at the tricorder her was holding. The battle leading to the recapture of this outpost was costly and alot died in the process on both sides.:: Townson: There should be no enemy soldiers left in this zone that haven't been killed. What is it on the other side of that wall? ::The soldier just shook his head. He too had no idea.:: ::The pain in Tracey's arm was searing. She pressed a button on her belt that would release pain killers into her system via the collar connected to her throat.:: Townson: We'll get together with McKinley and that Cardassian soldier and find an entrance. ::pointing with her good finger at the soldier.:: We have to be careful. It may be a Dominion trap. ::The soldier looked at Tracey's arm.:: Townson: I can still fire a phaser, Seargent. I am left handed. ::In short order the four found a door that led behind the wall of this particular place. They all prepared themselves as the painkillers started to take hold. Corporal McKinley, the strongest of the four, received the silent signal from Tracey and he kicked in the door. What they all saw, surprised all of the group af allies.:: Cardassian: They're children. McKinley: They look lke 9 or 10 years old. Soldier: ::looking at Tracey.:: Your orders Lieutenant ? Townson: Keep your weapons trained on them. Make sure none of them go anywhere. Soldier: Yes ma'am. ::Tracey holstered her phaser and exited the building, she then reached for her communicator and flipped it open.:: Townson: =/\= Townson to team leader 6. We have a situation in zone 14. We discovered a room full of child Jem'Hedar soldiers.=/\= Team Leader 6: =/\= Good work Lieutenant. Have you dealt with it?=/\= Townson: =/\=Negative. I find it difficult to carry out the orders specified in this case.=/\= Team Leader 6: =/\= Deal with the situation as ordered. Put your personal feelings aside Lieutenant. The safety of the Federation is at stake. Remember that they will be fully grown soldiers within weeks. They would not hesitate to carry out the same orders against us or our children. Team leader 6 out.=/\= ::Tracey listened as the communication closed. She slammed her boot down to the ground in anger and shame. Junior Lieutenant Tracey Townson had to give the worst order she could ever imagine. Kill a room-full of children. She pressed the button on her belt to release more painkiller into her system, took a deep breath and headed back to her platoon. She looked at the Seargent with sorrow in her eyes.:: Townson: We have to carry out the orders specified since the beginning of the mission. ::The soldier just stared at Tracey, for what seemed like an eternity. Tracey looked into the room of huddled Jem'Hadar childen with a look of terror on their faces.:: Townson: ::in a whisper:: I am an evil, evil person. ::with authority in her voice.:: ATTENTION! About face. Ready weapons on enemy soldiers.....FIRE! ((Time-Warp - Doctor Huffs's office)) Townson: I'll never forget the screaming and the crying coming from the group of children. ::as the tears continued:: The phaser blasts burning through them. War is a terrible thing Doctor. The survivors of my platoon were commendated and I was promoted. Killing 37 Jem'Hadar in one shot was concidered an act of bravery. But I concider myself to be a war criminal. No more or less than people like Khan Singh or Hans Frank. What do you think of me now Doctor ? ::The Doctor sat and looked at Tracey. Doctor Huff was an older man and a Psychiatrist. He specialised in PTSD and had helped soldiers who returned from the war against the Dominion in this universe. He did not look surprised.:: Huff: Nothing new, Tracey. You were in a bad situation. Do you feel like you could have done something different? ::Tracey thought about the question and then nodded.:: Townson: Yeah...turn my phaser on myself. ((Time-Warp - present - USS Independence - Conference Room 1)) Townson: Thank you Captain. ::Tracey listened to the rest of the conference and she nodded her acknowledgement of any duties given to her. She was lost in her thoughts. She felt priveledged to be in this universe, but undeserving. And she hoped that one day she would get used to this place. Her eyes drifted once again Commander Whale's way and wondered how he coped with his situation. Tracey's thoughts were snapped when the Captain asked a question.:: Riley: Are there any questions about assigned duty posts? ::Tracey shook her head and looked around the room, and hoped that none of them would ever have to deal with what she had gone through before finding herself here.::

However, I've redrafted mine. It now fits inside the word limit like William Shatner inside Kirk's original uniform- it's one hell of a tight fit, but if you suck in your breath juuuuuuuuuuust right it can be jammed on... just don't exhale! I knew David Hasselhoff had to have learned the technique from somewhere... That's it folks, we're at deadline, so expect the results to be with you within the next couple of days! Good luck to everyone! Pre-emptive congrats to Commander Thelev. Whoo- I just made the deadline!

Hi LT, I butchered it down to exactly 2,999 words.

Okay. The most recent post should now be the final, final draft. It is exactly 2,999 words.

((USS Charles Darwin, Corridor Six (seven months ago))) Ensign Tiel uttered a quiet Cardassian curse, twisting his phase coil resonator slightly to achieve the desired result. With a quiet chirp, the replicator came back online. The older Cardassian, well into his fifties, was merely an Ensign aboard the Charles Darwin... he had joined very late in life, enlisting as an engineer. His combadge chirped. Tiel tapped it. "Ensign Tiel here, go ahead." Captain Rillari's voice filtered through the comm system. Her tone was stressed, agitated. "Ensign, report to my ready room immediately." ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Larthan village (July 7th 2353, twenty four years ago))) Gul Marev strode down the village street, dressed in all his finery and accompanied by two of his security guards. Bajorans scurried out of his way, throwing fearful glances at the powerful Cardassian. Young and strong, he had reached the rank of Gul in record time; his drive and ambition were well known in the Cardassian Union. "They're like voles running away from a Myvar cat," growled the guard to his right, a satisfied smirk on his face. The man was Sergeant Zumarl and what he said was true; the Bajorans had reason to be afraid. "They're filthy peasants. Even this village sickens me. The women here are hardly bountiful. All the beautiful women live on the other side of the mountain, in Perjell village. There's only old men and young children here." Gul Marev gave a tired sigh, shooting a disapproving frown to the guard. "The yamok sauce is always tastiest on other diner's plates. You're imaging it." Cardassian Intelligence had given Gul Marev a tip that the Bajoran underground had a cell located in one of the houses in a nearby village. When they arrived, Cardassian troops had already locked down the building and secured everyone inside. A huddle of terrified Bajorans, middle aged and elderly mostly, crowded together. A young, male, effeminate Bajoran teenager had been separated from the group. He looked about fifteen and stood locked in manacles, a terrified expression stamped on his face. At his arrival, the Bajorans and Cardassians alike fell silent. "I am Gul Marev," he announced, his voice barely above a whisper... but in the dead silence of the ransacked house, it carried louder than a bomb. "Is it true that Bajoran terrorists operate from this building?" There was no answer, which was all the answer Marev needed. "Take them away for sentencing, followed by trial." "What of the girl?" one of the Cardassians growled, yanking on the boy's arm. "Girl...?" asked the Gul, eyes narrowing. "Tried to fool us," the soldier remarked, grinning lecherously. "Let us have her, sir?" A single voice spoke up; an old man, his tone quivering, pleading. "Please, please. Gul Marev...! Please. I made the bomb, I'm a- a former miner. My daughter Lilali had nothing to do with it! Just let her go!" "The census information was clear... that there were no female children in this building. Falsifying census information is a punishable offense." A malicious, lecherous sneer slowly spread over the Cardassian Gul's face. "Guard... I think I'll 'interrogate' her... personally. Bring her with us." Lilali, the disguised woman, began to sob. Gul Marev left with his prize, the begging cries of her parents quickly fading into the distance. ((USS Charles Darwin, Captain's Ready Room (January 19th 2387, seven months ago))) "Come." Captain Rillari sat at her desk. She cut an imposing figure silhouetted against the starfield covered window behind her, the starlight glinting off the four full pips on her collar. Three other Bajorans, dressed as civilians, stood beside her. Ensign Tiel stepped into the room. "You wanted to see me, Captain?" Captain Rillari didn't answer right away. She merely pursed her lips, as though giving serious preponderance to her next words. "Sit, please. We have a serious matter to discuss." Tiel sat. "Captain, is there something wrong?" One of the Bajorans, an elderly woman, hissed angrily. "It's wrong how long it's taken to bring you to justice, filthy spoonhead!" Tiel was far too collected to give even the slightest reaction. “Pardon?" Captain Rillari's Bajoran earring jingled as she leaned forward, pushing forward a PADD. "These... Bajorans have made a very serious allegation against you, Ensign Tiel," she said, speaking calmly and slowly. "Do you recognize the man in this holoimage?" Tiel did not have to look at the picture to answer but did so anyway. The picture was of Gul Marev in his prime; the powerfully muscled Cardassian man was striding down the main street of a village Tiel knew very well. Larthan village. "I do," Tiel answered, with sincerity. "Who is that man?" asked Captain Rillari, her tone careful and deliberate. Tiel slowly looked up. "I am." ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Gul Marev's Compound (twenty four years ago))) Lilali snarled. "No! I said NO!" "You WILL wear it," snarled Marev, again thrusting forward the "garmet"... if it even could be called that. It was essentially five carefully arranged lengths of red string with three tiny triangles of fabric dangling between them. "I've seen more conservative outfits on Ferenginar!" she spat. "I'll never be your whore!" "Brave words," Marev whispered, his tone ominous, "... but ignorant. Do you understand what will happen if you fail to comply? I have a Galak class destroyer in orbit, simply awaiting my order to strike; you will serve me, girl, or you will watch from the battlements of this compound as your friends and family burn to ashes." He gave a slow shrug. "Then, I will drug you." After waiting what appeared to be an eternity, Lilali tearfully reached out for the garment. ((USS Charles Darwin, Captain's Ready Room (seven months ago))) "You are certain?" asked Captain Rillari, interlocking her fingers in front of her. "Ikashian Marev is my birth name," Tiel admitted, his face a stony, expressionless mask. "You see? He admits it!" One of the elderly man leaned over, spitting in Tiel's face. Neither Captain Rillari nor Tiel reacted, except for an involuntary flutter of Tiel's left eyelid where moisture struck it. The elderly man put his hands on Rillari's desk, leaning forward. "The Bajoran provisional government has found you guilty in absentia of, willingly and on multiple occasions, violating the Federation Declaration of Universal Rights during the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor. Specifically, Articles One, Three, Four, Nine, Twelve, Sixteen, Twenty, Twenty one, Twenty-" "I remember the Occupation and all its brutality very well, thank you," Tiel replied, "I was there." "Do you have anything else to add?" asked Captain Rillari. Tiel gave a slow shrug. "How could I possibly excuse the genocide of the Bajoran people?" Captain Rillari paused. "I must warn you... that as a member of the Federation of Planets, if Bajor wishes to extradite you to face justice amongst our people... I will be compelled to turn you over to them. Their warrant is authentic." "Where I will doubtless receive a fair trial," Tiel responded, giving a slightly hollow grin. "I quite like this new justice system they have come up with. It's very... Cardassian." Captain Rillari reacted at last, a dark scowl crossed her face. "I will take that as a no." Tiel held up his hand. "You quoted to me the Universal Declaration of Rights," he said, "But whatever else I am, I am also a Starfleet Officer and familiar with Federation law. You have, in your zeal, neglected Articles Ten and Fourteen. My right to a fair and impartial trial and my right to apply for other civilizations for asylum, respectfully. As evidenced by the uniform I am wearing, I have obviously exercised article Fourteen. Article Ten, however, has been denied me." "You didn't give a fair trial to any of the 'comfort women' you abducted, nor-" began the old woman again. Captain Rillari held up her hand to silence her. "As a Bajoran, it is my opinion that you would not receive a fair trial on Bajor," Rillari admitted. "The hate the Cardassian Union stirred within my people runs deep." Tiel nodded. "Then what do you propose?" "As you know, First Officer Takul is a former legal adviser to the Vulcan embassy on Bajor. His impeccable logic, legal skill and familiarity with the Bajoran people would serve as an excellent arbitrator." Tiel permitted himself a gentle smile. "Agreed." ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Gul Marev's Compound (July 7th 2353, twenty four years ago))) "Woo, the Gul's caught himself a hot one!" hollared one of the Cardassians, leering at the practically naked Bajoran woman being lead through the camp by Gul Marev, a thick chain around her neck. Lilali hissed at him in reply. "This one's all mine," Gul Marev cautioned the young soldier. The soldier scowled angrily. "They're *always* all yours," he snarled, stepping forward. "You've taken practically every half-decent woman on this accursed rock for your harem- when are we going get OUR fun?" Gul Marev froze completely. "I beg your pardon?" "N-nothing, sir." Gul Marev turned and took a step towards the soldier, snarling. "Loud and insubordinate, this... 'nothing'... of yours," he whispered, eyes narrowing. The soldier took a step back. "I simply mean, sir, that perhaps... your harem is beginning to get full. There have been plagues and diseases sweeping through there for months now, so many have died... if we housed them in appropriate conditions, then even the enlisted men would have plenty of-" The soldier's words were cut off by the high pitched whine of a phaser. He crumpled to the ground as Marev sheathed his sidearm. "And here I thought the Cardassians were a strong race, not afraid of a little suffering!" he shouted, tone dripping with malice. "If I hear ANY more question of my orders, or my particular..." his face became a lecherous smirk, "... tastes... then the gossipers will meet the same fate as this coward." He spat on the corpse. "Sergeant Zumarl, clean up this mess." ((USS Charles Darwin, Briefing Room (January 21st 2387, two days after Tiel's accusation))) "Sergeant Zumarl, what happened next?" asked First Officer Takul. The Bajorans had, apparently, also bought their star witness to the Charles Darwin. "Gul Marev lead the prisoner into Cell Block Three," answered the Cardassian, "Exactly as he did all the other Bajoran women." "Did you ever see that prisoner again?" Takul shook his head. "No. She got sick right after Marev locked her in- there was a plague going around that cell block. The death toll was quite horrific. Most newcomers only survived a few days or less." The retired soldier glanced to Tiel, then back at Takul. "... I suspect it was so that once he was done with them they would die, concealing the evidence. The cells were automatically decontaminated by a powerful burst of targeted radiation every night; contraband, equipment and corpses were automatically vaporized." First Officer Takul inclined his head in a typically Vulcan way. "So Gul Marev kept many prisoners?" Zumarl nodded in agreement. Takul nodded. "Thank you for your testimony. Mister Tiel, would you please step forward?" ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Gul Marev's Compound (July 7th 2353, twenty four years ago))) "Leave us," Marev said to the guards in this cell. "I can't... perform... when others are watching." Lilali faced the man, a hateful snarl escaping her lips. "You're filth," she growled. "You're slime- you're an evil man and, one day, the Bajorans are going to over-throw the Cardassians! And believe me, right after Gul Dukat you'll be the second Cardassian lined up against the wall and shot for what you've done!" Marev reached into a pocket, pulling out what appeared to be some kind of highly advanced military holoimager. He pointed it at Lilali. "Remove your top," Marev ordered. "Go to hell," Lilali spat, folding her arms across her chest. "I suppose it'll be fine without it." Marev pressed the shutter. He placed the holoimager on the ground, then kicked it over to Lilali's feet. Instantly, it became a rock; indistinguishable from the other debris laying around on the floor. With a quiet hum, a holographic form appeared near to Lilali's feet; a woman, her face broken and bloody, her arms and shoulders blighted by some kind of plague. Her face was a perfect copy of Lilali's, aside from the injuries and disease. "What is this?" she asked, looking confused. Marev pulled another device from his pocket, a tiny handheld tricorder. He tapped a button and the wall behind Lilali shimmered and disappeared, revealing a vast hole leading deep into the earth. "This tunnel leads to the limestone caves beneath Mount Valusha," he said, indicating down the passage. "The caverns are cold and treacherous... it's a long walk, but you should survive." Lilali stared. Marev pointed. "Further down this tunnel you will find a small bundle," he explained. "Within in is a heavy woolen coat, along with eight magnesium flares to light your way. This is all the equipment I can provide to you; the Cardassian sensor grid in these tunnels is sensitive, but..." he gave a wry grin, "... stupid. The coat is made of goat fleece and with it on... and nothing else... the sensor grid will think you to be one of the blind tunnel goats that infest this area. They occasionally chew on the magnesium deposits found on the walls, so the flares will also be unnoticed- I cannot give you more than precisely eight, however, since that would exceed the sensor's threshold." Lilali stood in muted silence, unable to process what had just happened. Marev continued. "Eventually you will come to the surface, right outside Perjell village." He gave a wry smile. "The inhabitants of Perjell are very accustomed to having barely clad goat-girls climb out of their caves; they will care for you. Due to the high altitude and bitterly cold temperature... along with a little influence from me... the Cardassians never go there. You will be safe." Lilali was in shock. Her parents had tried desperately to hide her from the infamously lecherous Gul Marev... yet he, apparently, was setting her free unharmed. "Why are you doing this?" Marev shrugged. "I've been asked that question many times, usually by a pretty girl standing right in that very spot. I can only save who I can, prevent as many atrocities as possible." Lilali's head spun. "You do this to everyone who comes here?" Marev smiled, genuinely. "As many as I can- but not everyone. Now, please- you must go. The guards will be returning soon." ((USS Charles Darwin, Briefing Room (January 21st 2387, two days after Tiel's accusation))) "No wonder Perjell village had all the beautiful women," Zumarl remarked. "And you swear that this story is true?" asked Takul, the Vulcan regarding Tiel curiously. "It is- on my word as a Starfleet Officer." Takul nodded. "Do you have any evidence that supports this claim?" Tiel shook his head. "I went to great pains to hide every aspect of what I was doing." Takul nodded. "What about a physical inspection of the camp?" Tiel chuckled bitterly. "About a week before the occupation ended, right when things were at a head, the camp was hit by plasma mortars from insurgents in the nearby village. The entire cell block... which was underground... took a direct hit and caved in. It'd take you two months to dig down to where the tunnel was, and even if you could find it, it'd be impossible to determine if it went to the cells... or if any Bajorans ever travelled down it." Takul processed this information. "What about anyone from Larthan village?" Tiel shook his head. "They thought I was a monster who was abducting, raping and presumably killing their children. I am certain nobody even suspected I was freeing the Bajorans and I am very confident you'll not find a sympathetic voice there." Takul tried one last thing. "And what of the, allegedly, hundreds of people you helped escape?" Tiel sighed. "When they arrived at Perjell, the women and men were strongly encouraged to create new identities to avoid detection by the Cardassian occupiers. I'm guessing many of them stuck with them after the occupation ended- most of their families were dead anyway, or couldn't be located, so there was no reason to go back to their old selves. And, well... post occupation, any Bajorans who spoke fondly of the Cardassians were frequently branded as traitors, especially in rural areas like Musilla Provence. Even today, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone I set free who'll tell the truth." Takul spent a moment considering. Captain Rillari was crying. She stood, brushing her cheek with her hand. "Excuse me," she offered, turning and leaving the room. Eventually Takul spoke. "After deliberation, I find that there is sufficient evidence to extradite Ensign Tiel to Bajor to stand trial at the end of his tour of duty." Tiel did not react aside from a brief nod. "Then that is your ruling. I will accept it." For a moment, the impromptu courtroom was silent. Then the door wooshed open; Rillari returned, holding a small wooden chest. "I honestly didn't think much of your story," she admitted, moving towards the table where Tiel sat. "It's reasonably far-fetched, wouldn't you admit?" Tiel didn't really have a reply to that. "But then..." Rellari paused, laying the chest on the table, "I remembered something my sister gave me. An old wooden chest which she said contained her most precious possessions. She gave it to me when I enlisted." The Bajoran woman opened the chest, reaching inside. With trembling hands she produced a tattered, rotten length of parchment. After a moment's hesitation she unfolded it, revealing exactly eight long, charred sticks. Magnesium flares.

Heh- I don't think I should bother, yours is going to win yet again. I highly enjoyed it- quite the read and very thought provoking too. However, I've redrafted mine. It now fits inside the word limit like William Shatner inside Kirk's original uniform- it's one hell of a tight fit, but if you suck in your breath juuuuuuuuuuust right it can be jammed on... just don't exhale! Seriously though, it's a tiny bit over. Can someone please advise me if it's enough over to be disqualified or not? I'd rather know BEFORE the deadline if possible.

(( I lost the ability to edit my original post, so I'm reposting it. This should be the final draft... assuming I can stop myself from tweaking it further. It's a teeny bit over the word limit, but not by too much. If requested I'll cut some more. )) ((USS Charles Darwin, Corridor Six (January 19th 2387, seven months ago))) Ensign Tiel uttered a quiet Cardassian curse, twisting his phase coil resonator slightly to achieve the desired result. With a quiet chirp, the replicator came back online. The older Cardassian, well into his fifties, was merely an Ensign aboard the Charles Darwin... he had joined very late in life, enlisting as an engineer. "Looks like it's going again," he said to his workmate, giving a soft smile. The Cardassian's voice was quiet and gentle; not a social person he tended to focus on his duties, performing them adequately but without flair. Accordingly he had remained an Ensign for some years but he was quite content with that position. "Nice work," replied James, the terran engineer who was working with Tiel. "Captain Rillari will be happy now we've finally got the entire replication system back online. That woman loves her coffee." Captain Rillari was a Bajoran. Obviously, Tiel tended to stay out of her way. Rillari was polite to him, probably overly so; perhaps this betrayed how she really felt. Still, some hostility was expected between the two races. Tiel nodded. "Let's head back. We still have fifteen more minutes on our duty shift, so let's go over some of the paperwork and-" His combadge chirped. Tiel tapped it. "Ensign Tiel here, go ahead." Captain Rillari's voice filtered through the comm system. "Ensign Tiel, report to my ready room immediately." Her tone was stressed, agitated. James gave Tiel a playful clap on the back. "Maybe you're finally getting that promotion!" he exclaimed, smiling widely. Tiel was not so sure. ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Larthan village (July 7th 2353, twenty four years ago))) Gul Marev strode down the village street, dressed in all his finery and accompanied by two of his security guards. Bajorans scurried out of his way, throwing fearful glances at the powerful Cardassian. Young and strong, he had reached the rank of Gul in record time; his drive and ambition were well known in the Cardassian Union. "They're like voles running away from a Myvar cat," growled the guard to his right, a satisfied smirk on his face. The man was Sergeant Zumarl and what he said was true; the Bajorans had reason to be afraid. "Now now," scolded Gul Marev condescendingly, "It is not the fault of the Bajoran people. They are simply innately cowardly and, obviously, well suited to menial labour. It's just their nature." Zumarl scoffed. "They're filthy peasants, nothing more. Even this village sickens me. The women here are hardly bountiful. All the beautiful women live on the other side of the mountain, in Perjell village. There's only old men and young children here." Gul Marev gave a tired sigh, shooting a disapproving frown to the guard. "The yamok sauce is always tastiest on other diner's plates. You're imaging it." Cardassian Intelligence had given Gul Marev a tip that the Bajoran underground had a cell located in one of the houses in a nearby village. When they arrived, Cardassian troops had already locked down the building and secured everyone inside. A huddle of terrified Bajorans, middle aged and elderly mostly, crowded together. A young male, effeminate Bajoran teenager had been separated from the group. He looked about fifteen and stood locked in manacles, a terrified expression stamped on his face. At his arrival, the Bajorans and Cardassians alike fell silent. "I am Gul Marev," he announced, his voice barely above a whisper... but in the dead silence of the ransacked house, it carried louder than a bomb. "Is it true that Bajoran terrorists operate from this building?" There was no answer, which was all the answer Marev needed. "Take them away for sentencing, followed by trial." "What of the girl?" one of the Cardassians growled, yanking on the boy's arm. "Girl...?" asked the Gul, eyes narrowing. "A pitiful disguise," the soldier remarked, grinning lecherously. "Let us have her, sir?" A single voice spoke up; an old man, his tone quivering, pleading. "Please, please. Gul Marev...! Please. I was in the cell, I'm an explosive expert- a former miner. My daughter Lilali had nothing to do with it! Just let her go!" "The census information was clear... that there were no female children in this building. Falsifying census information is a punishable offense." A malicious, lecherous sneer slowly spread over the Cardassian Gul's face. "Guard... I think I'll 'interrogate' her... personally. Bring her with us." Lilali, the disguised woman, began to sob. Gul Marev simply turned, striding away from the house and heading back to his compound, his men dragging the woman behind them... he ignored the woman's anguished wails and the begging cries of her parents, the latter quickly fading into the distance. ((USS Charles Darwin, Captain's Ready Room (January 19th 2387, seven months ago))) "Come." Ensign Tiel stepped into the room. Captain Rillari sat at her desk. She cut an imposing figure silhouetted against the starfield covered window behind her, the starlight glinting off the four full pips on her collar. Three other Bajorans, dressed as civilians, stood beside her. "You wanted to see me, Captain?" Captain Rillari didn't answer right away. She merely pursed her lips, as though giving serious preponderance to her next words. "Sit, please. We have a serious matter to discuss." Tiel sat. "Captain, is there something wrong?" One of the Bajorans, an elderly woman, hissed angrily. "It's wrong how long it's taken to bring you to justice, you filthy spoonhead!" Tiel felt a sinking feeling in his second stomach, but he was far too collected to give even the slightest reaction. "I am not sure what you mean..." Captain Rillari's Bajoran earring jingled as she leaned forward, pushing forward a PADD. "These... Bajorans have made a very serious allegation against you, Ensign Tiel," she said, speaking calmly and slowly. "Do you recognize the man in this holoimage?" Tiel did not have to look at the picture to answer, but he did so anyway. The picture was of Gul Marev in his prime; the powerfully muscled Cardassian man was striding down the main street of a village Tiel knew very well. Larthan village. "I do," Tiel answered, with sincerity. "Who is that man?" asked Captain Rillari, her tone careful and deliberate. Tiel slowly looked up. "I am." ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Gul Marev's Compound (July 7th 2353, twenty four years ago))) Lilali snarled. "No! I said NO!" "You WILL wear it," snarled Marev, again thrusting forward the "garmet"... if it even could be called that. It was essentially five carefully arranged lengths of crimson, sparkling string with three tiny triangles of fabric dangling between them. "I've seen more conservative outfits on Ferenginar!" she spat. "I'll never be your whore, you understand that! NEVER! I'll fight you with my last bit of strength!" "Brave words," Marev whispered, his tone ominous, "... but ignorant. Do you understand what will happen if you fail to comply? I have a Galak class destroyer in orbit, simply awaiting my order to strike; you will serve me, girl, or you will watch from the battlements of this compound as your friends and family burn to ashes." He gave a slow shrug. "Then, I will drug you." After waiting what appeared to be an eternity, Lilali tearfully reached out for the garment. ((USS Charles Darwin, Captain's Ready Room (January 19th 2387, seven months ago))) "You are certain?" asked Captain Rillari, interlocking her fingers in front of her. "Ikashian Marev is my birth name," Tiel admitted, his face a stony, expressionless mask. "You see? He admits it!" One of the elderly man leaned over, spitting in Tiel's face. Neither Captain Rillari nor Tiel reacted, except for an involuntary flutter of Tiel's left eyelid where moisture struck it. The elderly man put his hands on Rillari's desk, leaning forward. "The Bajoran provisional government has found you guilty in absentia of, willingly and on multiple occasions, violating the Federation Declaration of Universal Rights during the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor. Specifically, Articles One, Three, Four, Nine, Twelve, Sixteen, Twenty, Twenty one, Twenty-" "I remember the Occupation and all its brutality very well, thank you," Tiel replied, "I was there." "Do you have anything else to add?" asked Captain Rillari. Tiel gave a slow shrug. "How could I possibly excuse the genocide of the Bajoran people?" Captain Rillari paused. "I must warn you... that as a member of the Federation of Planets, if Bajor wishes to extradite you to face justice amongst our people... I will be compelled to turn you over to them. Their warrant is authentic." "Where I will doubtless receive a fair trial," Tiel responded, giving a slightly hollow grin. "I quite like this new justice system they have come up with. It's very... Cardassian." Captain Rillari reacted at last, a dark scowl crossed her face. "I will take that as a no." Tiel held up his hand. "You quoted to me the Universal Declaration of Rights," he said, "But whatever else I am, I am also a Starfleet Officer and familiar with Federation law. You have, in your zeal, neglected Articles Ten and Fourteen. My right to a fair and impartial trial and my right to apply for other civilizations for asylum, respectfully. As evidenced by the uniform I am wearing, I have obviously exercised article Fourteen. Article Ten, however, has been denied me." "You didn't give a fair trial to any of the 'comfort women' you abducted, nor-" began the old woman again. Captain Rillari held up her hand to silence her. "As a Bajoran, it is my opinion that you would not receive a fair trial on Bajor," Rillari admitted. "The hate the Cardassian Union stirred within my people runs deep." Tiel nodded. "Then what do you propose?" "As you know, First Officer Takul is a former legal adviser to the Vulcan embassy on Bajor. His impeccable logic, legal skill and familiarity with the Bajoran people would serve as an excellent arbitrator." Tiel permitted himself a gentle smile. "Agreed." ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Gul Marev's Compound (July 7th 2353, twenty four years ago))) "Woo, the Gul's caught himself a hot one!" hollared one of the Cardassians, leering at the practically naked Bajoran woman being lead through the camp by Gul Marev, a thick chain around her neck. Lilali hissed at him in reply. "This one's all mine," Gul Marev cautioned the young soldier. The soldier scowled angrily. "They're *always* all yours," he snarled, stepping forward. "You've taken practically every half-decent woman on this accursed rock for your harem- when are we going get OUR fun?" Gul Marev froze completely. Slowly, deliberately, he turned to face the junior soldier who dared to challenge his authority. "I beg your pardon?" "N-nothing, sir." Gul Marev took a step towards the soldier, snarling. "Remarkably loud and insubordinate, this... 'nothing'... of yours," he whispered, eyes narrowing. The soldier took a step back. "I simply mean, sir, that perhaps... the harem is beginning to get full. There have been plagues and diseases sweeping through there for months now, so many have died... if we housed them in appropriate conditions, then even the enlisted men would have plenty of-" The soldier's words were cut off by the high pitched whine of a phaser. He crumpled to the ground. Marev sheathed his sidearm. "And here I thought the Cardassians were a strong race, not afraid of a little suffering!" he shouted, tone dripping with malice. "If I hear ANY more question of my orders, or my particular..." his face became a lecherous smirk, "... tastes... then the gossipers will meet the same fate as this coward." He spat on the corpse. "Sergeant Zumarl, clean up this mess." ((USS Charles Darwin, Briefing Room (January 21st 2387, two days after Tiel's accusation))) "Sergeant Zumarl, what happened next?" asked First Officer Takul. The Bajorans had, apparently, also bought their star witness to the Charles Darwin. "Gul Marev lead the prisoner into Cell Block Three," answered the Cardassian, "Exactly as he did all the other Bajoran women." "Did you ever see that prisoner again?" Takul shook his head. "No. She got sick right after Marev locked her in- there was a plague going around that cell block. The death toll was quite horrific. Most newcomers only survived a few days or less. I don't know why Marev deliberately kept all his... 'pets'... in there, but..." The retired soldier glanced to Tiel, then back at Takul. "... I suspect it was so that once he was done with them they would die, concealing the evidence. The cells were automatically decontaminated by a powerful burst of targeted radiation every night; contraband, equipment and corpses were automatically vaporized. Marev, of course, was inoculated against the diseases." First Officer Takul inclined his head in a typically Vulcan way. "So Gul Marev kept many prisoners?" Zumarl nodded in agreement. Takul nodded. "Thank you for your testimony. Mister Marev, would you please step forward?" ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Gul Marev's Compound (July 7th 2353, twenty four years ago))) "Leave us," Marev said to the guards in this cell. "I can't... perform... when others are watching." Lilali faced the man, a hateful snarl escaping her lips. "You're filth," she growled. "You're slime- you're an evil man and, one day, the Bajorans are going to over-throw the Cardassians! And believe me, right after Gul Dukat you'll be the second Cardassian lined up against the wall and shot for what you've done!" Marev reached into a pocket, pulling out what appeared to be some kind of highly advanced military holoimager. He pointed it at Lilali. "Remove your top," Marev ordered. "Go to hell," Lilali spat, folding her arms across her chest. "I suppose it'll be fine without it." Marev pressed the shutter. He placed the holoimager on the ground, then kicked it over to Lilali's feet. Instantly, it became a rock; indistinguishable from the other debris laying around on the floor. With a quiet hum, a holographic form appeared near to Lilali's feet; a woman, her face broken and bloody, her arms and shoulders blighted by some kind of plague. Her face was a perfect copy of Lilali's, aside from the bruises and bloodied lip. "What is this?" she asked, looking confused. Marev pulled another device from his pocket, a tiny handheld tricorder. He tapped a button and the wall behind Lilali shimmered and disappeared, revealing a vast hole leading deep into the earth. "This tunnel leads to the limestone caves beneath Mount Valusha," he said, indicating down the passage. "The caverns are cold and treacherous... it's a long walk, but you should survive." Lilali stared. Marev pointed. "Further down this tunnel you will find a small bundle," he explained. "Within in is a heavy woolen coat, along with eight magnesium flares to light your way. This is all the equipment I can provide to you; the Cardassian sensor grid in these tunnels is sensitive, but..." he gave a wry grin, "... stupid. The coat is made of goat fleece and with it on... and nothing else... the sensor grid will think you to be one of the blind tunnel goats that infest this area. They occasionally chew on the magnesium deposits found on the walls, so the flares will also be unnoticed- I cannot give you more than precisely eight, however, since that would exceed the sensor's threshold." Lilali stood in muted silence, unable to process what had just happened. Marev continued. "Eventually you will come to the surface, right outside Perjell village." He gave a wry smile. "The inhabitants of Perjell are very accustomed to having barely clad goat-girls climb out of their caves; they will care for you. Due to the high altitude and bitterly cold temperature... along with a little influence from me... the Cardassians never go there. You will be safe." Lilali was in shock. Her parents had tried desperately to hide her from the infamously lecherous Gul Marev... yet he, apparently, was setting her free unharmed. "Why are you doing this?" Marev shrugged. "I've been asked that question many times, usually by a pretty girl standing right in that very spot. I can only save who I can, prevent as many atrocities as possible." Lilali's head spun. "You do this to everyone who comes here?" Marev smiled, genuinely. "As many as I can- but not everyone. Now, please- you must go. The guards will be returning soon." ((USS Charles Darwin, Briefing Room (January 21st 2387, two days after Tiel's accusation))) "No wonder Perjell village had all the beautiful women," Zumarl remarked. "And you swear that this story is true?" asked Takul, the Vulcan regarding Tiel curiously. "It is- on my word as a Starfleet Officer." Takul nodded. "Do you have any evidence that supports this claim?" Tiel shook his head. "I went to great pains to hide every aspect of what I was doing. There was no plague in Cell Block Two. I invented it to gave me a reasonable excuse to spirit people away. My men had no idea." Takul nodded. "What about a physical inspection of the camp to find the tunnel?" Tiel chuckled bitterly. "About a week before the occupation ended, right when things were at a head, the camp was hit by plasma mortars from insurgents in the nearby village. The entire cell block... which was underground... took a direct hit and caved in. It'd take you two months to dig down to where the tunnel was, and even if you could find it, it'd be impossible to determine if it went to the cells... or if any Bajorans ever travelled down it." Takul processed this information. "What about anyone from Larthan village?" Tiel shook his head. "They thought I was a monster who was abducting, raping and presumably killing their children. I am certain nobody even suspected I was freeing the Bajorans and I am very confident you'll not find a sympathetic voice there." Takul tried one last thing. "And what of the, allegedly, hundreds of people you helped escape?" Tiel sighed. "When they arrived at Perjell, the women and men were strongly encouraged to create new identities to avoid detection by the Cardassian occupiers. I'm guessing many of them stuck with them after the occupation ended- most of their families were dead anyway, or couldn't be located, so there was no reason to go back to their old selves. And, well... post occupation, any Bajorans who spoke fondly of the Cardassians were frequently branded as traitors, especially in rural areas like Musilla Provence. Even today, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone I set free who'll tell the truth." Takul spent a moment considering. Captain Rillari was crying. She stood, brushing her cheek with her hand. "Excuse me," she offered, turning and leaving the room. Eventually Takul spoke. "After deliberation, I find that there is sufficient evidence to extradite Ensign Tiel to Bajor to stand trial at the end of his tour of duty." Tiel did not react aside from a brief nod. "Then that is your ruling. I will accept it." For a moment, the impromptu courtroom was silent. Then the door wooshed open; Rillari returned, holding a small wooden chest. "I honestly didn't think much of your story," she admitted, moving towards the table where Tiel sat. "It's reasonably far-fetched, wouldn't you admit?" Tiel didn't really have a reply to that. "But then..." Rellari paused, laying the chest on the table, "I remembered something my sister gave me. An old wooden chest which she said contained her most precious possessions. She gave it to me when I enlisted." The Bajoran woman opened the chest, reaching inside. With trembling hands she produced a tattered, rotten s[...] of parchment. After a moment's hesitation she unfolded it, revealing exactly eight long, charred sticks. Magnesium flares... standard Cardassian issue circa the occupation. Rellari smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks. "We sold the coat to buy a ticket off-world so I could enlist in Starfleet. It was the only thing of value we had and she... desperately... didn't want to part with it. I fought with her for so long... I couldn't imagine why she'd want to keep that old, dusty thing, but she never told me why. Now I know." Tiel managed a shaky smile. "Was she-" Rellari shook her head. "My sister's name is Milakani," she stressed, "But... now I know you helped her, too." The Bajoran woman smiled through her tears. "You're staying here with me, Ensign."

Doh. Well, only one person aside from me has voted but time is up... so voting is now closed. I'll have a stab at rewriting some parts in the next day or so, including adhering to the word limit and adding an ending as promised. Cheers, Tan.

Hi Captain, How do I nominate a sim for the contest? o_O I thought both Commander Whale's and Captain Somers's flashback sims were exceptional and I was going to enter them both. Cheers, Tan.

Thanks for that! I can move the poll but people have started voting. Sorry. Next time I'll get it right. Cheers, Tan.

I've posted a draft of my submission, The Bajorian Goat Girls. I've opened the community to vote on the ending, so vote now! ()

(( IMPORTANT NOTE: Read the story before voting in the poll! Thanks. )) ((USS Charles Darwin, Corridor Six (January 19th 2387, seven months ago))) Ensign Tiel uttered a quiet Cardassian curse, twisting his phase coil resonator slightly to achieve the desired result. With a quiet chirp, the replicator came back online. The older Cardassian, well into his fifties, was merely an Ensign aboard the Charles Darwin... he had joined very late in life, enlisting as an engineer. "Looks like it's going again," he said to his workmate, giving a subtle smile. The Cardassian's voice was soft and gentle; not a social person, he tended to focus on his duties, performing them adequately but without particular flair. Accordingly, he had remained an Ensign for some years, but he was quite content with that position. "Nice work," replied James, the terran engineer who was working with Tiel. "Captain Rillari will be happy now we've finally got the entire replication system back online. That woman loves her coffee." Captain Rillari was a Bajorian. Obviously, Tiel tended to stay out of her way. Rillari was polite to him, overly so; perhaps that betrayed how she really felt. But such things were natural, between the two races. Nothing Tiel could say or do would change that. Tiel nodded. "Let's head back. We still have fifteen more minutes on our duty shift, so let's go over some of the paperwork and-" His combadge chirped. Tiel tapped it. "Ensign Tiel here, go ahead." Captain Rillari's voice filtered through the comm system. "Ensign Tiel, report to my ready room immediately." Her tone was stressed, agitated. James gave Tiel a playful clap on the back. "Maybe you're finally getting that promotion!" he exclaimed, smiling widely. Tiel was not so sure. ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Larthan village (July 7th 2353, twenty four years ago))) Gul Marev strode down the village street, dressed in all his finery and accompanied by two of his security guards. People scurried out of his way, throwing fearful glances at the powerful Cardassian. Young and strong, he had reached the rank of Gul in record time; his drive and ambition were well known in the Cardassian Union. "They're like voles running away from a Myvar cat," growled the guard to his right, a satisfied smirk on his face. The man was Sergeant Zumarl and what he said was true; the Bajorians had reason to be afraid. "Now now," scolded Gul Marev condescendingly, "It is not the fault of the Bajorian people. They are simply innately cowardly... and, obviously, well suited to menial labour. It's just their nature." Zumarl scoffed. "They're filthy peasants, nothing more. Even this village sickens me. The women here are hardly bountiful. All the beautiful women- and men, if you prefer- appear to live on the other side of the mountain, in Perjell village. There's only old men and young children here." Gul Marev gave a tired sigh, shooting a disapproving frown to the guard. "The yamok sauce is always tastiest on other diner's plates. You're imaging it." Cardassian Intelligence had given Gul Marev a tip that the Bajoran underground had a cell located in one of the houses in a nearby village. When they arrived, the Cardassian troops had already locked down the building and secured everyone inside. A huddle of terrified Bajorians, middle aged and elderly mostly, crowded together. A young male, effeminate Bajorian teenager had been separated from the group. He looked about fifteen and stood locked in manacles, a terrified expression stamped on his face. At his arrival, the Bajorians and Cardassians alike fell silent. "I am Gul Marev," he announced, his voice barely above a whisper... but in the dead silence of the ransacked house, it carried louder than a bomb. "Is it true that Bajorian terrorists operate from this building?" There was no answer, which was all the answer Marev needed. "Take them away for sentencing, followed by trial." A single voice spoke up; an old man, his tone quivering, pleading. "Please, please. Gul Marev...! Please. I was in the cell, I'm an explosive expert- a former miner. My daughter Lilali had nothing to do with it! Please, just let her go!" Daughter? Marev raised an eyeridge, looking over at the scared 'boy'. 'Ahh... an interesting disguise. The shaved head was a nice trick.' After a moment's pause, he spoke again. "The census information was clear... that there were no female children in this building." 'And it's no wonder', he thought to himself. "Falsifying census information is a punishable offense." A malicious, lecherous sneer slowly spread over the Cardassian Gul's face. "Guard... I think I'll 'interrogate' her... personally. Bring her with us." Lilali, the disguised woman, began to sob. Gul Marev simply turned, striding away from the house and heading back to his compound, his men dragging the woman behind them... he ignored the woman's anguished wails and the begging cries of her parents, the latter quickly fading into the distance. ((USS Charles Darwin, Captain's Ready Room (January 19th 2387, seven months ago))) "Come." Ensign Tiel stepped into the room. Captain Rillari sat at her desk. She cut an imposing figure silhouetted against the starfield covered window behind her, the starlight glinting off the four full pips on her collar. Three other Bajorians, dressed as civilians, stood beside her. "You wanted to see me, Captain?" Captain Rillari didn't answer right away. She merely pursed her lips, as though giving serious preponderance to her next words. "Sit, please. We have a serious matter to discuss." Tiel sat. "Captain, is there something wrong?" "You're right … something IS wrong," spat one of the Bajoran civilians, an elderly woman. "How long it's taken to bring you to justice, you filthy spoonhead." Tiel felt a sinking feeling in his second stomach, but he was far too collected to give even the slightest reaction. "I am not sure what you mean..." Captain Rillari's Bajorian earring jingled as she leaned forward, pushing forward a PADD. "These... Bajorians have made a very serious allegation against you, Ensign Tiel," she said, speaking calmly and slowly. "Do you recognize the man in this holoimage?" Tiel did not have to look at the picture to answer, but he did so anyway. The picture was of Gul Marev in his prime; the powerfully muscled Cardassian man was striding down the main street of a village Tiel knew very well. Larthan village. "I do," Tiel answered, with sincerity. "Who is that man?" asked Captain Rillari, her tone careful and deliberate. Tiel slowly looked up. "I am." ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Gul Marev's Compound (July 7th 2353, twenty four years ago))) Lilali snarled, tugging on her chains. "No! I said NO!" "You WILL wear it," snarled Marev, again thrusting forward the "dress"... if it even could be called that. It was essentially five carefully arranged lengths of crimson, sparkling string with three tiny triangles of fabric dangling between them. It was Gul Marev's favourite. "I've seen more conservative outfits on Ferenginar!" she spat. "I'll never be your whore, you understand that! NEVER! I'll fight you with my last bit of strength!" "Brave words," Marev whispered, his tone ominous, "but ignorant. Do you understand what will happen if you fail to comply? I will NOT be denied the spoils of our conquest." Marev paused, letting the meaning of his words settle in. "I have a Galak class destroyer in orbit, simply awaiting my order to strike; you will serve me, girl, or you will watch from the battlements of this compound as all your friends and family burn to ashes." He gave a slow shrug. "Then, I will drug you." After waiting what appeared to be an eternity, Lilali tearfully reached out for the garment. ((USS Charles Darwin, Captain's Ready Room (January 19th 2387, seven months ago))) "You are certain?" asked Captain Rillari, interlocking her fingers in front of her. "Ikashian Marev is my birth name," Tiel admitted, his face a stony, expressionless mask. "You see? He admits it!" One of the elderly man leaned over, spitting in Tiel's face. Neither Captain Rillari nor Tiel reacted, except for an involuntary flutter of Tiel's left eyelid where moisture struck it. The elderly man put his hands on Rillari's desk, leaning forward, scowling menacingly. "The Bajorian provisional government has found you guilty in absentia of, willingly and on multiple occasions, violating the Federation Declaration of Universal Rights during the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor. Specifically, Articles One, Three, Four, Nine, Twelve, Sixteen, Twenty, Twenty one, Twenty-" "I remember the Occupation and all its brutality very well, thank you," Tiel replied, dipping his head just a little in politeness. "Do you have anything else to add?" asked Captain Rillari. Tiel gave a slow shrug. "How could I possibly excuse the genocide of the Bajorian people?" Captain Rillari paused. "I must warn you... that as a member of the Federation of Planets, if Bajor wishes to extradite you to face justice amongst our people... I will be compelled to turn you over to them. Their warrant is authentic." "Where I will doubtless receive a fair trial," Tiel responded, giving a slightly hollow grin. "I quite like this new justice system they have come up with. It's very... Cardassian." Captain Rillari reacted at least. A dark scowl crossed her face. "I will take that as a no." Tiel held up his hand. "You quoted to me the Universal Declaration of Rights," he said, "But whatever else I am, I am also a Starfleet Officer and familiar with Federation law. You have, in your zeal, neglected Articles Ten and Fourteen. My right to a fair and impartial trial and my right to apply for other civilizations for asylum, respectfully. As evidenced by the uniform I am wearing, I have obviously exercised article Fourteen. Article Ten, however, has been denied me." "You didn't give a fair trial to any of the 'comfort women' you abducted, nor the young boys you took for the same, nor-" began the old woman again. Captain Rillari held up her hand to silence her. "As a Bajorian, it is my opinion that you would not receive a fair trial on Bajor," Rillari admitted. "The hate the Cardassian Union stirred within my people runs deep." Tiel nodded. "What do you propose?" "As you know, First Officer Takul is a former legal adviser to the Vulcan embassy on Bajor. His impeccable logic, legal skill and familiarity with the Bajorian people would serve as an excellent arbitrator." Tiel permitted himself a gentle smile. "Agreed." ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Gul Marev's Compound (July 7th 2353, twenty four years ago))) "Woo hoo, the Gul's caught himself a hot one!" hollared one of the Cardassians, leering at the practically naked Bajorian woman being lead through the camp by Gul Marev, a thick chain around her neck. Lilali hissed at him in reply. "This one's all mine," Gul Marev cautioned the young soldier. The soldier scowled angrily. "They're *always* all yours," he snarled, stepping forward. "You've taken practically every half-decent woman on this accursed rock for your harem- when are we going get OUR fun?" Gul Marev froze completely. Slowly, deliberately, he turned to face the junior soldier who dared to challenge his authority. "I beg your pardon?" "N-nothing, sir." Gul Marev took a step towards the soldier, scowling harder than a Tal Shiar agent. "Remarkably loud and insubordinate, this... 'nothing'... of yours," he whispered, eyes narrowing. The soldier took a step back. "I simply mean, sir, that perhaps... the harem is beginning to get a little full. There have been plagues and diseases sweeping through there for months now, so many have died... if we housed them in appropriate conditions, then even the enlisted men would have plenty of-" The soldier's words were cut off by the high pitched whine of a phaser. He crumpled to the ground. Marev sheathed his sidearm. "And here I thought the Cardassians were a strong race, not afraid of a little suffering!" he shouted, tone dripping with malice. "If I hear ANY more question of my orders, or my particular..." his face became a lecherous smirk, "... tastes... then the gossipers will meet the same fate as this coward." He spat on the corpse. "Sergeant Zumarl, clean up this mess." ((USS Charles Darwin, Briefing Room (January 21st 2387, two days after Tiel's accusation))) "Sergeant Zumarl, what happened next?" asked First Officer Takul, prompting the middle aged Cardassian man. The Bajorians had, apparently, also bought their star witness to the Charles Darwin. "Gul Marev lead the prisoner into Cell Block Three," answered the Cardassian, "Exactly as he did all the Bajorian women he took possession of." "Did you ever see that prisoner again?" Takul shook his head. "No. She got sick right after Marev locked her in- there was a plague going around that cell block and the death toll was quite horrific. Most newcomers only survived a few days or less. I don't know why Marev deliberately kept all his... 'comfort women'... in there, but..." The retired soldier glanced to Tiel, then back at Takul. "... I suspect it was so that once he was done with them they would die, concealing the evidence of his misdeeds. The cells were automatically decontaminated by a powerful burst of targeted Zeta radiation every night; contraband, equipment and corpses were automatically vaporized. Marev, of course, was inoculated against the disease." First Officer Takul inclined his head in a typically Vulcan way. "So Gul Marev kept many female prisoners?" Zumarl nodded in agreement. "But not only women," he admitted. "Sometimes men, too. Men who hadn't committed serious crimes, but he obviously had an interest in. I'm guessing they got much the same treatment as the women. I wish I could help them, but I was only following orders." Takul nodded. "Thank you for your testimony. Mister Marev, would you please step forward?" ((Bajor, Musilla Provence, Gul Marev's Compound (July 7th 2353, twenty four years ago))) "Leave us," Marev said to the guards in this cell. "I can't... perform... when others are watching." Lilali faced the man, a hateful snarl escaping her lips. "You're filth," she growled. "You're slime- you're an evil man and, one day, the Bajorians are going to over-throw the Cardassians! And you believe me, right after Gul Dukat you'll be the second Cardassian lined up against the wall and shot for what you've done!" Marev reached into a pocket, pulling out what appeared to be some kind of highly advanced military holoimager. He pointed it at Lilali. "Remove your top," Marev ordered. "Go to hell," Lilali spat, folding her arms across her chest. "I suppose it'll be fine without it." Marev pressed the shutter. He placed the holoimager on the ground, then kicked it over to Lilali's feet. Instantly, it became a rock; indistinguishable from the other debris laying around on the floor. With a quiet hum, a holographic form appeared near to Lilali's feet; a woman, her face broken and bloody, her arms and shoulders blighted by some kind of plague. Her face was a perfect copy of Lilali's, aside from the bruises and bloodied lip. "What is this?" she asked, looking confused. Marev pulled another device from his pocket, a tiny handheld tricorder. He tapped a button and the wall behind Lilali shimmered and disappeared, revealing a vast hole leading deep into the earth. "This tunnel leads to the limestone caves beneath Mount Valusha," he said, indicating down the passage. "The caverns are cold and treacherous, you will find your journey to be most uncomfortable... but you should survive. Further down this tunnel you will find a small bundle," he explained. "Within in is a heavy woolen coat and hat, along with eight magnesium flares to light your way. This is all the equipment I can provide to you; the Cardassian sensor grid in these tunnels is extremely sensitive, but it is..." he gave a wry grin, "... stupid. The coat is made of goat fleece and with that coat on, and nothing else, the sensor grid will think you to be one of the blind tunnel goats that infest this area. They occasionally chew on the magnesium deposits found on the walls, so the flares will also be unnoticed- I cannot give you more than precisely eight, however, since that exceeds the sensor's threshold." Lilali stood in muted silence, unable to process what had just happened. Marev continued. "Even if your light runs out, keep going- follow the fresh breeze. Eventually you will come to the surface, right outside Perjell village." He gave a wry smile. "The inhabitants of Perjell are very accustomed to having barely clad goat-girls climb out of their caves; they will care for you... and due to the high altitude and bitterly cold temperature... along with a little influence from me... the Cardassians never go there. You will be safe, I promise you." Lilali was in shock. Her parents had tried desperately to hide her from the infamously lecherous Gul Marev... yet he, apparently, was setting her free unharmed. "Why are you doing this?" Marev shrugged. "I've been asked that question many times, usually by a pretty man or woman standing right there in that very spot. I can only say that my control of my men... is limited. I can only save who I can, prevent as many atrocities as possible. I apologize sincerely for the deception I had to play upon you, your family- but I ask of you only one thing. Once you're on the other side, you CANNOT contact them. The chance that the communication would be intercepted would be too high." Lilali's head spun. "You do this to everyone who comes here?" Marev smiled, genuinely. "As many as I can- but still, far too few. Now, please- you must go. The guards will be returning soon." ((USS Charles Darwin, Briefing Room (January 21st 2387, two days after Tiel's accusation))) "No wonder Perjell village had all the beautiful women," Zumarl remarked coyly. "And you swear that this story is true?" asked Takul, the Vulcan man regarding Tiel curiously. "It is- on my word as a Starfleet Officer." The three Bajorian civilians looked positively incensed at Tiel's answer; Captain Rillari thrice had to silence their loud outbursts during the Cardassian's testimony, until finally she'd told them that if they continued to speak out of turn she would immediately have them taken from the impromptu courtroom and not allowed to return. Desperate for justice, they had reluctantly fallen silent. Takul nodded. "Do you have any evidence that supports this claim?" Tiel shook his head. "I went to great pains to hide every aspect of what I was doing. There was no plague in Cell Block Two; there weren't even any occupants, only holograms. It gave me a reasonable excuse to spirit people away then have them quietly disappear. My men had no idea." Takul nodded. "What about a physical inspection of the camp to find the tunnel?" Tiel chuckled bitterly. "About a week before the occupation ended, right when things were at a head, the camp was hit by plasma mortars from insurgents in the nearby village. The entire cell block... which was underground... took a direct hit and caved in. It'd take you two months to dig down to where the tunnel was, and even if you could find it- and I doubt the Bajorans will look too hard- it'd be impossible to determine if it went to the cells, or if any Bajorians ever travelled down it." Takul processed this information. "What about anyone from Larthan village?" Tiel shook his head. "They thought I was a monster who was abducting, raping and presumably killing their children. I doubt any of them have anything but pure, utter contempt for me. I am certain nobody even suspected I was freeing the Bajorans and I am very confident you'll not find a sympathetic voice there." Takul tried one last thing. "And what of the, allegedly, hundreds of people you helped escape? Have any of those been located?" Tiel sighed. "When they arrived at Perjell, the women and men were strongly encouraged to create new identities to avoid detection by the Cardassian occupiers. I'm guessing many of them stuck with them after the occupation ended- most of their families were dead anyway, or couldn't be located, so there was no reason to go back to their old selves. And, well... let's just say that, post occupation, any Bajorians who spoke fondly of the Cardassians were frequently branded as traitors... especially in rural areas like Musilla Provence. Even today, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone I set free who'll tell the truth." Takul spent a moment considering. (( Let's stop here; I want to involve the forum community in this story. I have setting up a poll (see above). The poll is to determine if Takul will find that there is suitable evidence to extradite Tiel/Gul Marev to Bajor or not. I will wait until midnight on Tuesday the 10th of August (Central Australian Time), which is one week, before tallying the votes, then continuing and ending the story based on what the community feels is a good ending. )) (( I will make one cautionary observation: The story is currently about 3,500 words long, EXCLUDING these bracketed comments, but including the section titles. It is already way too long and will have to be edited for length. This editing will be done over the next week, but I am currently having a hard time figuring out exactly what to cut; I feel everything is important and paints a picture of what went on here. So, accordingly, while I will have to somehow butcher it down to 3,000 words INCLUDING the new ending, I won't save ANY change to the story until the end of next week. )) (( I'd also like to encourage feedback, discussion and feedback on the story. Please post anything you feel might improve the story, I'd really appreciate it! Vote early, vote often! And thanks for reading, I hope everyone enjoyed it (so far!). ))

Interesting! I'm not familiar with the writing challenges; are they Trek-themed, in character, or just general writing? I'd like to participate if possible!