Star Trek - [Mirror Universe 003]

by Shards

  He let go of her hand and smiled. "All the help we can get. How many of you are there?"

  Keiko glanced behind her. A couple of O'Brien's men escorted her former wards into the station. Techies from the station worked their way around the transport, no doubt eager to repair it and press it into service. Keiko turned back to O'Brien.

  "I took a head count just after we went to warp speed. This transport carried myself and ninety-four freedom fighters, from a variety of worlds." Keiko forced herself not to be overwhelmed by the thought that she could have delivered a second transport and as many more former slaves.

  O'Brien nodded, his eyes focused on her. He started, as if forgetting something. He gestured down the corridor. "Ah, I could assign you some quarters if you want to clean up a bit?"

  Keiko nodded and took his arm. "Is there someplace on this station to get something to drink? We have a lot to talk about."

  O'Brien glanced at her, then grinned and led her into the station. Keiko followed, keeping a firm hold on his arm, partly for camaraderie but mainly because she was bone-tired and needed the support. Even as worn-out as she was, Keiko discovered that she had an odd warm feeling. It had been a very long time since she had been free.

  2376

  A quiet, consistent chirping dragged Keiko out of the soft, dark folds of sleep. She pulled the thin cover off and slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb Miles. She slipped into a thick, comfortable robe and glanced at her lover, so peaceful at rest. She walked over to the door of their bedroom, which whisked open.

  She paused as the soft door chime sounded again. She glanced at Miles, but he didn't move. They had worked late into the night with Eddington, putting the last few touches on their plan for the rebellion. Miles had put in a couple of extra hours seeing to the last of the station's repairs.

  Keiko padded over to their main door and opened it. A tall Vulcan stood on her doorstep, dressed in drab clothing. He had a dour look on his face and a small box in his hands. Keiko didn't recognize him.

  The Vulcan looked into her eyes and said, "It is agreeable to meet you, Miss Ishikawa. Memory Omega sends its greetings."

  It startled her to hear the name of the secret movement into which she'd been raised spoken aloud after so very long. Founded decades ago by Emperor Spock, Memory Omega worked for the future-awaiting the proper historical moment when its members would effect social change on an interstellar scale. A galaxy without tyranny, she thought, recalling Omega's lofty goal. I wonder if I'll live to see it. Keiko glanced behind her, toward her bedroom door, then joined the Vulcan in the corridor outside her quarters. She glanced down the corridor and offered a questioning look.

  The Vulcan inclined his head. "I made all necessary precautions prior to meeting you, of course. This section of corridor is protected by sensor dampeners and force fields. We will not be disturbed."

  Keiko gave the Vulcan a smile. "You have me at a disadvantage, Mr....?"

  The Vulcan nodded. "I am Chu'lak."

  Keiko didn't recognize the name. "Thank you, Mr. Chu'lak. I take it our friend is safe?"

  Chu'lak nodded. "Indeed. Mr. Tiron is secure aboard my vessel. The soporific you provided him with was sufficient to convince his captors that he had, in fact, died at their hands. Once they disposed of his body, I beamed him aboard and made use of my modest medical abilities to revive him."

  "I'm glad to know he'll be all right."

  "His service will not go unrecognized."

  Keiko nodded. "I'm sure. Please give Tiron my thanks. What else do you have to tell me?"

  "I have monitored communications both on and off the station. It would appear that your subterfuge proved most effective. There are no dissenting opinions regarding your status in the rebellion. In fact, you seem to have cemented a remarkable yet unenviable position for yourself."

  Keiko frowned. "That was not my intent. The goal was to push the rebellion into a better strategic position for the battles to come."

  Chu'lak nodded. "And I believe you were successful. The rebellion is now in a far superior state of readiness than it had enjoyed a week ago. This will prove most useful in coordinating our collective efforts." He paused, then asked, "Do you intend to tell General O'Brien the details of your subterfuge?"

  Keiko considered the question, taking in Chu'lak's posture. While the question was asked in the same low voice he'd used for the entire conversation, she sensed a subtle undertone of menace. She suspected that if she answered wrong, he'd take care of the problem without hesitation.

  In an unwavering voice, she said, "Not at the moment. Perhaps in time, I'll be able to reveal the details to him, but for now, some things must remain secret. Particularly the existence of our organization."

  Chu'lak seemed to relax upon hearing her statement. She must have passed the unspoken test. Chu'lak offered the briefest of smiles and presented the small package in his hands to her.

  "This is from your mother."

  She took the package, certain of its contents. He added, "It also includes a data rod containing information I have gathered on the Alliance. The rebellion should find it most useful."

  Keiko cradled the gift to her body and nodded. "Thank you, Chu'lak."

  Chu'lak raised his right hand in the traditional Vulcan salute. "Live long and prosper, Keiko Ishikawa."

  She returned the salute. "And you."

  He dropped his hand and walked away, disappearing around the curve of the corridor. Keiko heard a series of force fields snap off. She glanced down at the box in her hands and returned to her quarters.

  She took a seat on the long couch and opened the small box. She gasped in pleased surprise at what she saw. She reached in and pulled out a single orange data rod of Cardassian design and a yellowed and chipped china cup, decorated with a bold green stripe around the inside rim and faded Japanese calligraphy on the exterior.

  Keiko rotated the cup in her hand, fancied that she could almost hear her Obachan humming in the background. Keiko used to help her grandmother with her calligraphy by filling this same cup with water for the brushes. Keiko smiled in remembrance.

  "What's that?"

  Keiko started but had the presence of mind not to fling the precious cup out of surprise. Miles shuffled out of their bedroom doorway, already wearing pants and slipping on a rumpled shirt as he approached the couch.

  Keiko palmed the data rod and slipped it between her leg and the couch cushion, forcing herself to keep a smile on her face. She hoped he hadn't caught the sleight of hand.

  "It's a calligraphy cup. It used to be my grandmother's."

  Miles sat on the couch and shifted his weight to put a comfortable arm around her. She curled up next to him, feeling the data rod sink more securely between her and the couch.

  Miles took a long look at the cup, then at her. "Where'd you get it?"

  She rotated the cup in her hands again, taking in the familiar shape unseen for so long. "It was passed down from my grandmother to my mother, and now it's been passed down to me."

  Miles shook his head. "That's not what I meant. How did you get it here? You didn't arrive on the station with any personal belongings, and I'm sure you didn't live here before Korvat."

  She gave him a playful swat on the chest. "Of course not. A friend of the family dropped it off for me." She waved toward the front door. "He just left."

  Miles glanced at the door. "Oh. I didn't hear him come in."

  She shrugged noncommittally at that, hoping that the explanation was enough for him. She felt him shrug, and then he pulled her into a more comfortable embrace. She placed the cup on the low table in front of them and relaxed, enjoying the comfort of his arms around her, his body pressed against hers, and the touchstone from her past sitting on the table in front of her.

  They sat in companionable silence for some time, then she felt him tense up. He said, "Do you have any other surprises for me?"

  She idly reached out and turned the cup halfway around. She pressed her head into hi
s chest. "Surprises?"

  "Yeah. Surprises. Like family gifts appearing from out of nowhere or perhaps a poorly placed bomb somewhere on my station?"

  Alarmed, Keiko sat up and shifted away from him. She felt the data rod settle squarely under her butt. "Miles, what are you talking about?"

  He offered a smile, but the expression didn't extend to his eyes. "I've learned a thing or two from you in the last several months, Keiko."

  Keiko shrank back on her side of the couch, uncertain where Miles was going with this. From the set of his jaw, she suspected they were heading for an argument, and that was the last thing she wanted. She said, "I'm not sure what you mean, Miles."

  "I think you had a hand in Tiron's sabotage." At her stunned look, he added, "I know you were frustrated with our lack of progress after Empok Nor was attacked. Me and Eddington and the others, we were all sort of spinning our wheels. Trust me, I know how unhappy you were."

  Keiko nodded, remembering the nights full of heated discussions as Miles grasped at ideas, no matter how insane, and she had tried to shepherd the ideas into something coherent.

  Miles continued. "And I know Tiron came with you on the transport from Korvat. I had him checked out, and he seemed to have acquitted himself well against the Alliance during your escape."

  Keiko nodded. "He fought as well as any of us, and he helped us escape." That much was the truth, at least.

  Miles sat up straight on the couch and pointed an accusing finger at her. "And you let Shar kill him. For nothing!"

  Keiko crossed her arms in front of her chest. "His sacrifice wasn't for nothing, Miles. There was a reason for-"

  Miles sliced the air with his hand. "It wasn't worth it, Keiko. All this. The bombs, the sabotage, the lies. We would have figured something out. You just needed to give us time."

  Keiko shook her head. "Miles, there wasn't any time to waste. You know how vulnerable we were. I still can't believe the Intendant and her cronies didn't attack the station immediately after Empok Nor. I don't think they realized how close they came to wiping the rebellion out." She let that sink in, then added, "And I don't think you or Michael or anyone else realized how close we were, either."

  Miles considered that, but shook his head. "I still don't think it was right, sacrificing Tiron like that."

  Keiko threw up her hands in annoyance. "He volunteered, Miles! I presented the idea to him, and he asked to be part of it. He knew what he was getting into."

  Miles shrugged and looked away. She sensed a full-blown pout coming on. "You still could have told me, Keiko. I am the bloody general here, damn it."

  Keiko stared at him, stunned. He wasn't mad at what had happened, not the specifics. He was mad at her for lying to him, for betraying him. She was surprised to feel hot tears welling up in her eyes. She had disappointed Miles. The one man in her life who had offered her unconditional love, who had stood beside her through all of the accusations and dangerous moments, the man she had discovered she loved more than anyone else in her life. She was shocked to discover that she couldn't bear to have him leave her, that she feared her recent actions had driven an impenetrable wedge between them.

  "Miles, I...I don't know what to say."

  Miles stared at her, his features softening somewhat when he saw the tears rolling down her face. In a lower tone of voice, he said, "I just wish you had said something. I would have gone along with you, helped you. Tiron was a good man."

  Right then, Keiko almost broke down, almost told Miles everything. But she dug deep and maintained her hold, the training drummed into her keeping her will strong. This wasn't the time. The greater cause had to persevere in secret for a while longer.

  She tentatively raised a hand to Miles's cheek, hoping that this wouldn't drive them apart. She cleared her throat and said, "Miles, I'm sorry I didn't share the plan with you. I didn't mean to hurt you."

  He nodded and took her hand in his. She felt the strength in those hands, the hands that could please her as no others could. She feared those hands striking out against her but knew that Miles would never do such a thing.

  He carefully placed her hand in her lap and stood up. "I've got to get to work. We can talk about this later."

  Keiko brushed her tears away in frustration. Miles was upset, and rather than take it out on her, he was going to go bust up some of the station's recalcitrant machinery.

  She nodded at him, not trusting herself to talk. He took one final look at her, grabbed his boots, and stomped out of their quarters.

  As the door cycled shut behind him, Keiko forced back the sobs threatening to rush from her throat. Why did she feel this way? What was it about Miles that had her in such disarray?

  She stared around the quarters, her eyes finally falling on Obachan's cup. She stared at it, letting the tears flow freely. It all came down to family. She wanted Miles in her life, in her family. And what she'd done, what she had had to do, had hurt him.

  She glanced at the doorway where he had gone. This would pass in time. Miles wasn't one to hold his frustrations in for too long. The two of them would have a long talk, maybe several long talks, and they'd walk on eggshells around each other for a while, but they'd work through it.

  Keiko pulled the data rod out from underneath her. Perhaps it contained the information the rebellion needed. Perhaps it would be enough. She clenched it tight and held it close to her breast, as if it were the most precious and fragile thing in the galaxy...next to her love for Miles.

  Empathy

  Christopher L. Bennett

  HISTORIAN'S NOTE: This tale takes place in late 2376, approximately one year after the events of Saturn's Children from Star Trek Mirror Universe: Obsidian Alliances, and three years before the events of Star Trek Titan: Taking Wing in the mainline universe.

  Christopher L. Bennett is the author of two novels in the Star Trek Titan series, Orion's Hounds and the upcoming Over a Torrent Sea. He has also authored such critically acclaimed novels as Star Trek: Ex Machina, Star Trek: The Next Generation-The Buried Age, and Star Trek: The Next Generation-Greater Than the Sum, as well as the alternate Voyager tale Places of Exile in Myriad Universes: Infinity's Prism. Shorter works include Star Trek: S.C.E.-Aftermath and Star Trek: Mere Anarchy-The Darkness Drops Again, as well as short stories in the anniversary anthologies Constellations (original series), The Sky's the Limit (TNG), Prophecy and Change (DS9), and Distant Shores (VGR). Beyond Star Trek, he has penned the novels X-Men: Watchers on the Walls, and Spider-Man: Drowned in Thunder, and is also developing original science fiction novel concepts. More information, original fiction, and novel annotations can be found at http://home.fuse.net/ChristopherLBennett/.

  Dr. Jaza Najem hated his audiences with Governor Khegh. The fat, unkempt Klingon put up a boisterous front, but his jovial manner masked a ruthless manipulator, and his hedonism contained a strong sadistic streak. It was people like Khegh, in Jaza's view, who stained the reputation of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance and enabled its enemies to rationalize their attempts to destroy it.

  But Khegh was Lru-Irr's planetary governor, and Jaza had to face him if he wanted to persuade him to mitigate Dr. Ree's methods. Not that he had much hope; Ree's fondness for playing with his prey (including his Irriol research subjects, the "prey" in his hunt for knowledge) appealed to Khegh's sadism. Jaza knew he would have to speak in terms of the success of the project, striving not to appear soft on the Irriol. This wasn't about mercy; these were perilous times, with Terran insurrectionists gaining strength by the day, and Jaza understood the danger Terrans posed as well as did any Bajoran. He accepted that preventing the terrorists' victory was worth the sacrifice of a few individuals. But he knew Khegh was already inclined to dismiss him as a bleeding heart.