by Shards
Miles looked into her eyes, searching for something she couldn't guess at. Again, the look in his eyes set off a feeling of something in Keiko, but she couldn't place it. She covered her confusion with a hopeful smile.
Finally, Miles relented. "All right."
Keiko gave his hand a squeeze and pulled the thin sheet up to her chin. "Thank you, Miles." She was surprised to feel warm tears well up in her eyes.
He pursed his lips but gave her an encouraging smile, then left her alone in the infirmary. Keiko watched him leave and sighed once he was out of sight. She settled her head deeper into the pillow and frowned.
What had made her hesitate? What was that feeling she got when she looked into Miles's eyes? She stared at the ceiling for an interminable time, puzzling out her feelings. Finally, she gave up and sighed deeply. She slowly rolled her head from side to side, testing her neck muscles. The drug Sam had administered seemed to be doing its job-she no longer felt so much as a twinge.
She glanced at the entrance to the infirmary and then checked to make sure Sam was nowhere nearby. Satisfied that she was alone, she rolled onto one side and reached out to the computer next to her bed.
"Computer, recognize Keiko Ishikawa, command code six-six-nine-Delta-three."
The computer uttered a few beeps, then said, "Recognized."
Keiko stared at the wall for a time, finally nodded in determination. If she didn't carry this through, everything that had happened up to now would have been a waste.
"Enable programs Keiko One through Six. On my mark." She paused. She could still back out of this, maybe talk to Miles. He'd understand, in time, she was sure of it. She frowned. Well, maybe not all that sure.
Damn it! Why was she hesitating?
She shook her head once more and said, "Computer, mark." A couple of beeps, then a confirmation flashed on the screen before it went dark. There-it was done. She was committed.
She settled back onto the bed and glanced at the entrance to the infirmary again. She hoped that Miles would understand but found that she was actually afraid he wouldn't. She didn't like how that made her feel.
2372
Slave 296-Theta bowed to Keiko and handed her a data padd. Keiko took it and waved the slave away, sending him back to his other duties. He was one of her more recent projects and was coming along nicely. In due time, he would follow her lead without question.
She glanced down at the data padd and thumbed through the information displayed on the screen. Ore quotas were up, mining accidents were down, and a new batch of slaves awaited her review before processing. A punishment detail also awaited her sign-off. She looked at the recommendations made by 296-Theta and nodded in approval. The suggested punishments weren't too harsh, but they weren't too lenient, either. He was coming along nicely.
Satisfied at that, she called up the list of new slaves. This batch consisted of two dozen Terrans and a handful of other species. She pursed her lips as she scanned the list. Most of them were listed as being in good health. She had been thinking of starting up a secondary tunnel off one of the more productive mineshafts before it played out, and this new influx of personnel would almost certainly allow her to do that once they were familiarized with their new life.
She thumbed off the display screen and tucked the padd under her arm. She made her way into the central assembly area, taking in the new batch of slaves. Slave 404-Theta saw her approach and cried out, "Slaves, attention! Prepare to be addressed by Madame Overseer Ishikawa."
Keiko grimaced mentally at the title. She hated the presumption of it, but Zarale insisted that it was necessary to maintain the proper level of respect and fear. As if he'd know-Zarale had never bothered to step into the mines under his command. He was so satisfied with Keiko's management that he didn't feel it necessary to see to anything personally.
Keiko allowed herself a tiny smug smile. It was just as well. If Zarale did come down there and see what she was building, he'd probably have her stripped of rank and tossed into the mines herself. Or, worse, taken outside and shot. She was confident of her hold over him, though. As long as the ore continued to flow and the quotas continued to be met, he would be happy. Keiko had turned the whole facility around after taking over for Kozak.
She returned her attention to the slaves gathered before her and realized that she was impatient to get back to work. In a loud, clear voice, she said, "Welcome to the Korvat mining facility. This is your new home. Work hard, and you will be treated well. Fail to work, or otherwise cause problems, and you will be punished. Pay attention to the Thetas in command of your work group, and you will flourish here. That is all."
Short and sweet, just how she liked it. She nodded at 404-Theta, her signal to dismiss them.
Slave 404-Theta said, "Follow me for quarters assignment and work detail."
Keiko clasped her hands behind her back and watched them shuffle past, some of them shooting her looks that alternated between frightened and defiant. She evaluated them as they went by. Some would definitely need attitude adjustments, some looked like sheep that probably wouldn't last long, and the rest looked malleable. Not a bad batch at all.
One of the new slaves, a thin Terran with close-cropped dirty-blond hair, gave Keiko a wide-eyed look as she walked by. Keiko furrowed her brow. There was something...
Keiko stepped forward and pointed at the blonde before she broke eye contact. "You. Step forward."
The woman shifted her eyes to either side, then broke out of line and approached Keiko, with perhaps more confidence than Keiko would have thought likely for a slave.
Keiko glanced at the woman's designation on her filthy, baggy coveralls. "Seven-oh-one-Delta." She lowered her voice slightly. "You have something to say?"
The girl nodded once and kept her eyes focused on Keiko's feet. "Yes, Madame Overseer. I had a question for you, if I may."
Intrigued, Keiko said, "Very well. Ask your question."
The blonde raised her head, daring to look Keiko in the eyes. In a breathy whisper, the girl asked, "Would you like to learn a new technique from a love slave?"
Keiko stared at the girl, the question rolling around in her head. She consciously had to keep her mouth clenched to keep it from dropping open in shock. Keiko leaned in close. "What makes you think I need to learn anything new?"
The blonde stared into her eyes. "You've been in this facility a long time. Things change. There are new techniques you've probably never dreamed of."
Keiko held the woman's eyes, matching her smile with one of her own. Keiko inclined her head, then nodded. She turned to 404-Theta, who stood near one of the tunnel exits. Keiko indicated the blonde.
"I'm going to process this one myself. See to the others."
Slave 404-Theta nodded in silence. Keiko had occasionally singled out a slave for personal attention-this was nothing new.
Keiko turned back to the blonde and indicated the tunnel that led to a row of slave quarters. "Follow me."
Keiko waved off the two guards who normally accompanied her in the mines and led the slave into the tunnels. Most of the quarters were little more than niches with curtains covering their entrances, but some of the chambers were large enough to move around in.
Keiko stopped in front of one such chamber and pulled the curtain aside. She indicated the narrow bed revealed inside. The blonde moved past her and into the chamber, unsnapping her coveralls as she did so.
Keiko stepped in behind her and pulled the curtain closed. The new slave pulled her clothing off and slipped into the bed, covering herself with the thin sheet. Keiko glanced at the curtain, aware that guards and slaves could enter or pass by at any moment.
Keiko moved to the side of the bed and undressed quickly, then slid under the sheet with the woman. The bed, little more than a thin mattress on a metal frame, was too narrow for them to lie side by side, so Keiko put her arms around her. The blonde did likewise, hugging Keiko close so that she could whisper into her ear.
"My name is Tasha
. I can't tell you how relieved I am to find you alive and well."
Keiko nodded into the embrace. "It's been a long time. Why have our friends waited so long to contact me?" She was careful to keep her voice low. Keiko rubbed Tasha's back and shoulders, playing the part in case anyone should discover them.
"I don't have those details, but I do have a message to deliver. Unfortunately, I can't read it. It's for your eyes only." Tasha nuzzled her neck, following Keiko's lead to keep up appearances.
Keiko blinked in confusion, then breathed into Tasha's ear. "By what means are you to deliver the message?"
Tasha combed her fingers through Keiko's long hair. "There's a tattoo on my leg."
Keiko nodded, impressed at the ingenuity. Tattoos were common enough among many slaves. The Alliance didn't care what Terrans did to their own bodies, as long as the work got done.
Keiko glanced at the curtain covering the entrance to their chamber, sensing a presence on the other side. She suspected they were being watched-as hard as she tried, she hadn't been able to purge all the Alliance voyeurs from her command. A few still lingered, like the one outside her curtain now.
She met Tasha's eyes and quickly glanced at the curtain, indicating to Tasha that they were being monitored. Tasha nodded imperceptibly and gently pushed Keiko's head down.
Keiko kissed Tasha's neck and shoulders, then lifted the sheet to cover her movement as she switched her orientation so that her head was near Tasha's feet. She worked her way up Tasha's legs, seeking out the tattoo Tasha had mentioned.
Tasha settled herself more comfortably on the bed and uttered a low moan. Keiko grinned under the sheet. Clearly, Tasha had been trained by T'Lara, just as Keiko had been all those years ago.
Keiko found the tattoo high up on Tasha's thigh. She shifted her weight to a more comfortable position and examined the tattoo. At first, it seemed to be nothing more than an elaborate design consisting of black whorls. On closer inspection, Keiko discovered that the tattoo was actually made up of densely packed lines of Japanese calligraphy.
Keiko grinned. She doubted there were many in the Alliance who would bother to investigate Tasha's tattoo any closer than with a surface glance, and she doubted that there were any in the Alliance who could even read the writing if they recognized it for what it was. Keiko had known of only two other people who knew how to read it, let alone write it-her mother and her honored grandmother. And her grandmother had passed on years ago.
Another low moan from Tasha broke Keiko out of her reverie. She realized that Tasha was keeping up the show, which meant that their voyeur hadn't left. Keiko needed to speed things along, before that voyeur decided to get a closer look or, worse, join in.
Our efforts proceed apace. rebellion growing in Bajor sector. Proceed with training and liberation. Destination: Terok Nor.
Keiko read it twice to make sure she got it all, then worked her way back around to face Tasha. She kissed Tasha lightly on the lips.
"Thank you for your help and your service," she whispered.
Tasha nodded breathlessly, keeping up the act. "What do we do now?"
Keiko wrapped her arms around Tasha and hugged her close, finding unexpected comfort in the embrace. Tasha was the first person she'd seen from her old world in years. "Now we form an army and get off this rock."
2376
Keiko walked the short distance from the infirmary to the security office, scratching the fabric of her blouse where it covered the healing skin underneath. The wound would heal, but the process would be an itchy distraction for some time. She paused outside the security doors, noting that she didn't see anyone in the office or at the desk.
She palmed the gift she had for Tiron and stepped into the office. As the doors closed behind her, she glanced at the screen on the wall displaying the interior of the holding cell area and winced.
Eddington and Shar circled Tiron, who was kneeling on the deck with his arms bound behind him. Dark blood trickled out of his nose and the corner of his mouth. Eddington looked as if he wished he were somewhere else, but Shar...Keiko shuddered at the look on the Andorian's face.
Keiko entered a few quick commands into the security monitor, altering the angle of the security pickups and deactivating the audio sensors. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the scene she was about to unfold, and entered the holding area. All three men glanced up as the warning bell sounded, announcing that someone had entered the room.
Eddington nodded at her. "I'm glad to see you're up and about. Feeling better?"
Keiko answered with a nod and crossed her arms in front of her chest, keeping a fair distance from the bound Tiron.
Shar glanced at her, then returned his attention to Tiron. "O'Brien told us to save a piece of him for you."
She nodded again. "I wanted a chance to talk to him before...before you finished with him."
Tiron gave her a wide-eyed look, no doubt reading the subtext of her statement.
Eddington gestured at the prisoner and said, "You're more than welcome to talk to him. There's not much he can say in his defense, though." Keiko gave him a questioning glance. Eddington explained, "He's all but confessed to doing this on his own. He's not an Alliance operative. He's simply a former slave with a vendetta against you."
Tiron started to stand in protest, but a sudden backhand from Shar sent him crashing back to the deck. Tiron looked up at her, desperation evident in his bloodshot eyes.
"Please, Keiko! What they're saying isn't true!"
Shar sneered and kicked Tiron in the stomach. "Shut up! We have all the evidence we need." He pressed his boot down on Tiron's neck.
Keiko turned to Eddington. "Evidence?"
Eddington nodded. "Sloan contacted us about a half-hour ago. He went through Tiron's quarters and found his personal files." He glanced down at Tiron. "They're sufficiently incriminating."
Keiko shook her head. "What did Miles have to say?"
Eddington shrugged. "He wasn't happy, that's for sure. But he told me to take care of this for him. He's busy reallocating the resources he gathered for the Alliance attack we thought was coming."
"Could we have pulled off an adequate defense?"
Eddington nodded. "Miles managed to move a lot of things ahead of schedule and called in some markers I didn't know he had. We could have defended the station long enough to get everyone evacuated. I don't know if you'd classify that as an adequate defense, but it's better than what we had earlier in the day."
Keiko nodded, relieved. It had worked. She looked down on Tiron. "I'd like to have a minute with him, alone."
Shar stared at her as he ground his boot against Tiron's neck. "Do you think that's such a good idea?"
Keiko nodded. "I'll be all right. You two will just be in the next room, right?"
Eddington asked, "Are you sure?"
"I just want to hear him tell me why he did all of this." Keiko moved over to Tiron, waving Shar away. She pushed Tiron over onto his back with a carefully aimed kick. "Trust me, I have this under control."
Eddington gave her a doubtful look but nodded to Shar and led him out of the holding area. Keiko watched the door close and turned to Tiron.
"You've certainly made a mess of things."
Tiron managed to roll over onto his side, blood dripping off his face and onto the deck. He offered a weak smile. "I have, at that."
Keiko walked around him in a circle, then stopped and kneeled down next to Tiron, using her body to block him from the cameras.