Refugee
by Kathy P.
Part 13
Marin glanced furtively around the corner looking for signs of pursuit. The dimly lit corridor was empty. Clapping his hands together gleefully he moved into the corridor set on beginning his exploration of the big station.
Marin glanced furtively around the corner looking for signs of pursuit. The dimly lit corridor was empty. Clapping his hands together gleefully he moved into the corridor set on beginning his exploration of the big station.
It had been almost too easy to get away from his father and Alieanne. An unusually cranky Megwyn had distracted the pair from the young boy as he stole the opportunity to slip out of his quarters. He knew that they would notice his absence soon and was he was keeping a wary eye out for them. The stern lecture he was in for was more than worth it. During the party last night his friends had told him rumors about the abandon mining complex down in the lower levels. Stories of roaming Cardassian ghosts and lost Bajorans called to his overactive imagination.
Walking down the empty corridor he wondered how he could get down to the lower levels of the station. Turning a corner a muffled curse stopped him in his tracks.
A dark form was hunched a few meters away and did not seem to notice the young boy watching him curiously. Marin cocked his head and watched as the man struggled to put the front cover back on a computer interface that he seemed to be working on.
"Whatcha doing?" Marin asked curiously when the stranger finished his task.
The man whirled at the unexpected question, eyes wide with surprise. His eyes quickly narrowed when he spotted the small boy.
Advancing quickly he grabbed Marin by the shoulders. "What are you doing here? You don't belong here," the stranger said with anger, giving the small boy a rough shake.
Marin tried to pull out of the angry man's grasp. He had never been touched in anger before and was scared. "I'm just exploring," he tried to explain to the towering man, hoping that he would let him go.
"You don't belong here!" the stranger yelled at him again, still holding on tightly to him.
Trying not to panic Marin used one of the Ten' han movements that his papa had taught him. Lashing out he kicked the man's knee, trying to get the stranger to loosen his grip on him.
With another curse the man shook him roughly. "Brat! I should wring your worthless neck but you're not worth the trouble it would cause," he said, shoving the boy back violently into the wall.
Stars danced in front of Marin's eyes when his head banged back into the wall. He slid down the wall curling into himself, afraid that the stranger was going to hurt him some more.
When nothing happened he peeked out from behind his arms. The corridor was empty.
Trying not to cry he picked himself off the floor. His head throbbed and he wanted nothing more than to see his fathers.
With a little sniffle he went looking for his papa. He remembered that he was in a meeting in a place just off the promenade.
**********************
Once Larin entered the conference room he could feel the tension radiating from the men around the table. Sliding into his chair he tried to assess the feelings he was picking up. Anger and remorse seemed to be the most prevalent ones. The men he had come to talk to sat rather stiffly around the table. He wasn't sure what was going on but instinctively knew that something had happened in his absence. Something that threatened his mission on the station. He thought of his talk with Tre'ela earlier in the morning and wondered if her warning had come to late.
Making eye contact with Captain Sisko Larin cleared his throat. "Why do I have the feeling that I'm about to hear some bad news," the younger man said evenly. His hands curled into fists under the table as the sensation of regret intensified in the room.
"We have some perturbing news from Golana Larin," Captain Sisko said as he glanced over to Minister Garrett. "It seems that someone has been causing some trouble on the planet trying to get Governor Pelor to change his mind about extending his offer for a place to settle on Golana."
"Do you know who is doing this? Not that you would have a short list of people who would like to see the �Cardassians' turned away," Larin bitterly. He noticed the absence of Garrett's aide at the table.
"Gul'en, believe me when I say that I will get to the bottom of this, "Garrett said convincingly.
Larin could feel that the Minister was being sincere. Closing his eyes briefly to center himself he brought his emotions under control. He knew he was lucky to have such understanding and helpful men at the bargaining table with him.
"I believe you Garrett," Larin said simply. "I should tell you all that I was warned this morning..." Larin stopped abruptly and quickly turned to look at the door to the conference room in alarm.
The men around the table looked on in amazement as the Hebitian jumped up from his chair and raced toward the door.
Standing up Captain Sisko said, "Larin what's wrong?"
Totally oblivious to everything going on inside the room Larin punch the button to open the door. To his horror he saw his crying son being restrained by a Bajoran security guard. "What is going on here?" he roared.
"Papa!" Marin sobbed as he reached out to his father.
Grabbing his son he pushed the guard out of the way. "What do you think your doing?" he shouted at the surprised guard. Picking his son up he quickly backed into the room, thinking only of getting away from any threat to his son.
The Bajoran guard followed him into the room his hands held up placatingly. "Gul'en I was just trying to check out your son. He came up crying and I could see that he was hurt so.."
Larin's head snapped down to look at his son at the guard's words. Marin had one hand to the back of his head and was trying to bury his face into his father's neck.
"Oh spirits," Larin cried. "Marin, tell me what's wrong." He brushed the hair off his son's forehead and tried to get the boy to look up at him. The Hebitian was totally oblivious to the concerned men gathering around him his attention fully on his son.
Trying to talk between sobs Marin said, "A mean man shook me and pushed me into the wall. My head hurts papa."
Gathering the boy close again Larin started to walk quickly out of the room. Tapping his combadge he commed his husband.
"Marrett here."
"Marrett I need..."
"Larin have you seen Marin? He.."
Larin cut him off impatiently. "I've got him with me. Someone attacked him. I'm bringing him to the infirmary right now."
"WHAT!!" Marrett shouted over the comlink in disbelief. "I'll be right there."
"Bring Mirell with you ok? I want her to check him out."
"Good idea. Marrett out."
Running down the promenade, his long black hair streaming behind him, he rushed toward the station's sickbay.
***************
Garak watched Julian get up from the couch and make his graceful way across their quarters when the chime announced that they had a visitor.
Earlier that morning Tremane had sent him a message asking if it would be convenient for him to come over later in the day to talk with him. Julian had arranged to take another day off to be with him when he talked with the older Hebitian.
Closing his eyes he tried too still the questions and memories that had been running through his mind since last night. During the night he had feint sleep while Julian slept deeply beside him. He didn't want to upset his mate any more than he had already.
A soft greeting from Julian roused him from his meditative state. He watched as Tremane returned Julian's greeting and followed him into the room.
The handsome Hebitian was more conservatively dressed than his son, but like Larin he wore the traditional black and silver colors of the Darheel's.
//An elegantly dressed man in black and silver walked up to him as he sat alone on a secluded bench in the palace gardens. He hastened to wipe the tears off of his cheek not wanting the man to see he was crying.
"Elim, there you are. We've been looking for you," the tall man said as he sat beside the huddled child.
"Why," Elim said with a pout. He drew his knees up to his chest and tried to bury his head on his knees.
The man put an arm around him, drawing him to his side. "What's wrong Elim?" he said softly, cuddling the small boy up against him.
"I didn't want her to go and she did. She doesn't love me anymore," he said tearfully. He reached up and quickly rubbed the tears out of his eyes.
"Oh Elim, you know that's not true."
"It is! Why else would she leave me!"
The man put hand under his chin and lifted the boy's face up so he could look him in the eyes. "Your mother loves you very much Elim. She has a lot of responsibilities that she has to deal with and she can't alway be here with you. You know Elim, before she left she told me how much she hates to leave you, that she wished you could be with her all the time."
Sniffing a bit Elim looked deep into the man's eyes and read the truth in them. For a moment he felt ashamed of himself.
"No Elim. Don't feel ashamed. You have every right to feel sad when your mother leaves. Just remember that she'll always love you and let that love carry you through any hard times," the tall man stood up and extended a hand to him. "Now, it's time for your lunch, lets go back to the kitchen a see what we can dig up."
With a small smile Elim reached out and let himself be pulled up. "Ok Tremane, but I don't want any vegetables this time."
Tremane laughed and placed an arm around the slender boy. "I can't promise anything Elim. You know how the cook loves to experiment."//
Elim was jolted out of his latest memory when Tremane sat down beside him on the couch.
He stared into now familiar blue eyes that were watching him intently. "You were there," he said softly.
Tremane leaned forward and place a hand on Garak's arm. "Yes I was Elim."
To be continued.
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