Refugee 16
by Kathy P
Tapping a data padd against his thigh in irritation, Gul'en Larin Darheel walked through Deep Space Nine's promenade, on route to his planned morning meeting with Captain Sisko.
The younger man was oblivious to the looks he drew as he stalked through the crowd. His ankle length black coat was lined with silver piping around the sleeves and collar, the traditional colors of his family, and his long black hair was loose instead of being confined in its usual braid.
After spending the majority of last night speaking with every Hebitien on the station, Larin had gotten little sleep. The crowd seemed to instinctively know that the Hebitian was in an angry mood and flowed out of his path without comment.
As he reached the turbolift, Larin heard someone call out his name. The urge to ignore the call was great, but he reluctantly turned around.
He didn't have to fake the smile the appeared on his when he saw Tre'ela, the Bajoran singer he had befriended, waving at him through the crowd.
The slim young woman slipped through the crowd easily. "Larin, I was hoping I would see you before I left."
Raising one eyebrow, the Hebitian saw that the singer was holding on to a small bag. "Are you leaving the station?" he questioned.
"I'm afraid so, Larin. I'm trying to track down my brother, Tran. None of our friends have seen him for some time now and I'm getting worried."
Larin remembered the unstable man he had argued with the first night he was on Deep Space Nine. "You're a good sister, Tre'ela. Tran should be proud to be your kin," he said politely, not knowing what to say about the disagreeable man.
Tre'ela laughed wryly, "I bet you would love to add something else to that, Larin."
The Hebitian chuckled. "How very perceptive of you."
"The shuttle to Bajor leaves shortly so I should be going," Tre'ela said hesitantly.
Larin could tell that the Bajoran woman wanted to say more. "I hope you have a rewarding trip. Maybe we can get together when you get back?"
Tre'ela smiled at Larin. "I would love to, Larin. We never did get to compare Hebitian and Bajoran music."
Placing a hand on the singer's shoulder, Larin squeezed it lightly in farewell. "Sounds like a plan then. I should be on Deep Space Nine for a while still. Contact me when you get back."
The Bajoran woman beamed at him. "I will, Larin. I have to run now. See you later."
"Goodbye," Larin said as he watched Tre'ela walk away.
Turning back to the turbolift, Larin punched the button for the lift, musing over his budding friendship with the singer. Tre'ela's open acceptance and friendship were a balm to the Hebitian's soul. The constant mistrust that he was running into on the station was starting to wear him down.
With a sigh to himself, Larin had to admit that the response to the Hebitian's presence on the station wasn't as bad as he thought it could have been. Admiral MacDonald and Minister Garrett had been quite accommodating so far. The way Minister Garrett had made it his priority in finding the Hebitian's a new home was quite surprising.
No matter how much Larin wished it otherwise, there were years of mistrust and fear built up, in regards to the Cardassian people, that he had to deal with. The Hebitian population had always been suppressed by the oppressive military and civilian regimes and there was no way for any of the worlds outside the Cardassian system to be aware of the Hebitian's situation.
The door to the turbolift slid open with a soft hiss, breaking Larin's ruminations. Larin entered the small chamber, calling out to be taken to Ops. During the short ride to the bridge, the young man tried to reign in his emotions and affect a sense of calm before he met with the Captain. His run in with Tre'ela had gone a long way to bringing him out of his bad mood.
When the turbolift came to a soft stop, Larin stepped out of the lift into the Station's Ops center. He spotted Captain Sisko standing by a console with Chief O'Brien. The two men looked up at the sound the turbolift made as the doors slid shut again.
Moving over to the two men, Larin brought up the padd he had been holding, offering it to Captain Sisko.
"Captain. Chief," he acknowledged. "Here is the information you had requested, Captain." Larin was willing to hand over the information regarding his people's whereabouts but there was no way he would admit what information the padd contained out loud. His pride refused to let any others know that he and his people were under any kind of suspicion at all.
Captain Sisko accepted the padd, solemnly. "Thank you, Gul'en Larin," he said simply.
"Have you found out any more information about the breach?"
O'Brien looked over a Sisko, asking for permission to speak. At Sisko's discreet nod, O'Brien replied, "The computers were accessed from a port on one of the lower levels, Gul'en. Odo is down there right now checking it out."
Larin tilted his head to one side as he thought about the implications of what the Chief had said. During his talks with the other Hebitians, not one person had mentioned being on one of the lower levels.
As he thought of the implications of that he became aware of Kira standing at one of the computer docking stations, talking a Bajoran ship through the necessary maneuvers to undock from the station. "You're free to depart in a few minutes, Etpeak. Have a good trip to Bajor."
"Acknowledge, and thanks Major. Etpeak out."
Larin was about to ask Captain Sisko if they could talk in his office when the turbolift door opened again. Odo stepped out of the lift and moved over to Captain Sisko, his face impassive.
When the Changeling reached them, Captain Sisko said, "Constable. Have you discovered anything?"
Odo crossed his arms. "We've confirmed that it was the terminal used to breach the computer system. There are no traces of DNA or organic residue on the terminal itself."
"But you did find some?"
"Yes. There was a trace of organic material on the wall directly behind the terminal. Dr. Bashir has taken some samples and is analyzing them now, but he has been able to tell us that it's Cardassian DNA."
Larin looked at the three men in shock. "How can that be? None of us were down there."
"Nonetheless," Odo said evenly, "Cardassian DNA was found there, Gul'en. In light of this, Captain, Dr. Bashir should do some scans on all the Hebitian's on board."
Captain Sisko rubbed his beard, his face impassive. "Tell Dr. Bashir to go ahead, Odo."
Larin opened his mouth to argue when a violent lurch shook the station. Grabbing the console in front of him to steady himself, Larin looked around, confused as the station's crew snapped into action around him.
The red alarm blared as Kira yelled at Sisko, "Captain. The Etpeak has exploded!"
Larin looked over at the computer screen, his stomach twisting as he watched the debris from the destroyed ship bounce of the station's shield. "Oh, spirits," he whispered to himself.
"What happened?" Sisko roared as Kira punched in commands on her computer terminal.
"I'm not sure, sir. The Etpeak had just left the station, heading for Bajor when it just exploded."
Larin pushed himself away from the terminal, heading over to where Captain Sisko stood. "Bajor?" he said weakly.
Kira ignored him as she worked frantically.
Lieutenant Dax stood at the station next to Larin, working just a frantically. "There was a massive explosion in their engine core," she reported. "I'm not sure what caused it though."
"Keep looking, Lieutenant," Sisko ordered. "Major, do we know who was on that ship?"
Kira pulled up the ship's roster, "Mostly Bajoran station workers heading back to Bajor."
Larin felt sick at Kira's statement, his head starting to spin. "I had a friend, Tre'ela, going to Bajor today. Was she on board?" he asked softly.
Glancing at the roster again, Kira turned toward Larin. "There is a Belan Tre'ela listed."
Larin lowered his head as sorrowed washed over him. Another friend lost.
He raised his head when he felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Larin," Captain Sisko said simply.
"Thank you, Captain. If you would excuse me, I think I'll go back to my quarters now."
"Of course, Gul'en."
"Contact me when you want to discuss the security breach, Captain. I'll leave you to your investigation."
)*()*()*()*()*()*()*(
With a terse command Elim Garak called out enter, ordering the door to his quarters to open and admits his caller, a caller that he wasn't really looking forward to seeing. Julian had been called away to help with a security case and Garak had been left alone to brood about all the events that had been happening to him lately.
Tremane Darheel entered the room, a speculative look on his face. "You wanted to see me, Elim?"
Garak threw the older man an irritated look. "Don't play games with me, Tremane."
Tremane stopped and looked intensely at Garak. "I've never play games with you, Elim. I've always been straight with you."
Turning his back on Tremane, Garak started to wander around the room. "I remember," he said softly. He picked up random collectibles that Julian had placed all around the room. His human husband had found it necessary to fill up the room with pieces that he had collected or had been gifted with all his life.
Garak envied him this. Julian, despite the problems he had growing up with his parents, came from a society that believed in family and friendship bonds.
Elim had that at one time, but it had been yanked from his grasp and all but erased from his mind. The little boy in him that had grown up loved and care for had been replaced. First by a teenager that tried as hard as he could to please his father but always failed, then by an emotionally distant man, that had only started to heal with the love and help of his husband.
Now his past was swarming up to claim him again. Part of him yearned to accept the past and move toward what it promised. The cynical part of him withdrew from the notion. After all, he had lost it all once before. Why trust in it again, open himself up to it again if in the end, he would lose it all.
Placing the collectible down he turned to face the man that was watching him silently. This was all too familiar to him as well.
"You know, Tremane, I never really liked that look of yours. You always seem to see right threw me."
Tremane smiled slightly at his remark. "You were never an easy one to understand, Elim. Your spirit runs deep."
Garak frowned at the mention of Hebitia's religious beliefs. This was just too overwhelming to him. Not only had he lost his family, he had lost everything that made him what he was. Being reminded of it only irritated him.
"Why do you frown, Elim?" Tremane questioned softly. "What is it that makes you so unhappy?"
�Everything," Garak shouted, his hands curled up into fists. "I have a life here on Deep Space Nine. I'm happier than I've been in years. Now you and your son come traipsing in here trying to rekindle the past and turn me into something I haven't been in a very long time."
He flung his hands up and whirled around to start pacing again, trying to collect himself. Memories crashed over him. Memories that went against everything he thought he knew and was taught to feel by his father.
Garak stabbed a finger at Tremane. "How can you expect me to pick up where I left off on Hebitia? I've lived a life time since then, and I don't believe in going back."
Tremane held up his hands, warding off Garak's attack. "I'm not telling you to do anything, Elim. My task here was to let you know who and what you are. The rest is up to you now. You will have to choose which path you follow."
"Path," Garak snorted. "You make it sound like some kind of destiny. I'm on the 'path' that I was meant to be on."
"And who exactly set you on this path?" Tremane questioned. "Think hard, my boy. Is this the path you really want?"
Garak started to answer when a sudden pain pierced through his mind. Memories swarmed over him again, clamoring to be acknowledged.
//He was so sleepy. He let gentle hands lead him to his soft bed and sighed as a light blanket was drawn over him and his hair softly brushed back from his forehead. A soft kiss was the last thing he felt before sleep rose up to claim him.
A crash in the next room woke him. Sitting up in bed he blinked sleepily and crawled out of bed to investigate.
A muffled thump came from behind his door. Slowly opening the door, he stepped into the next room.
His eyes widened in horror when he saw the graceful figure sprawled across the bed, one limp hand hanging over the bed, bright eyes now staring blankly.
With a cry he rushed over to her when he was grabbed from behind. His struggles where easily suppressed and he felt himself being pulled away.
Using one of the Ten'han moves he had been taught he tried to break free again. A sharp pain blossomed on the back of his head dragging him down to the darkness that took him away from everything that he ever knew.//
Garak stumbled backwards, grabbing the table behind him for support. He waived away a concerned Tremane's help when the older man moved forward to help him.
His legs trembled as his brain sought to understand what he had seen.
Just before he had been knocked unconscious, he had seen a face in his mother's room. He tried to reject what his memories were trying to tell him, but there was no doubt about it.
Standing in his dead mother's room, a look of satisfaction on his face was Enabran Tain.
"It was him," Garak whispered in horror. He looked up and saw the dawning comprehension on Tremane's face. "It was my father. He killed her."
Tremane moved forward and grabbed Garak by the upper arms, pulling him over to the couch. He pushed the stricken man down and took a seat beside him.
"We've always known that, Elim, but there was no way for us to prove it. After Tain killed your mother and took you away, we tried everything in our power to get you back. No one would listen to a bunch of backwater Hebitians crying murder. Tain was just too powerful."
"I don't understand," Garak said, turning toward Tremane. "Why would my mother get together with him in the first place? They were from totally different worlds."
"Your father was in the Obsidian Order, Garak. As far as we've pieced it together, Tain was ordered to infiltrate our society to see if we were a security risk to the Cardassian Empire. He was posing as a student at the same university your mother attended. She met him and was instantly smitten by him. It was no great love affair mind you, but your mother was a strong willed woman and if she chose a lover she would almost always get him. You were conceived and before your mother knew she was pregnant your father had already left. She had no idea who he truly was."
"Why would he want to kill her though?"
"We believe that it was because of the Hebitian opposition of the Bajoran Occupation. Your mother was a vocal objector on the Occupation and she did everything in her power to help Bajoran prisoner escape from the Cardassian System. The Obsidian Order must have become suspicious of her and Tain was again sent to Hebitia."
"He was sent to kill her," Garak said dully. "He must have been keeping a close eye on her all those years and knew that I was his son." Garak started to laugh bitterly. "Tain always told me that he should have killed my mother once he knew she was pregnant with his child."
Tremane laid a comforting hand on Garak's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Elim. I wish that you had never had to live through this pain."
"But I have, Tremane," Garak said, squaring his shoulders again the painful memories. "I've lived through more than enough pain in my life. I'm sure I'll be able to live with this."
Tremane's eyes filled with sorrow. "You don't have to live with it alone. Any one of us would be more than willing to help you, Elim. Lean on your husband. He loves you more than life and I can tell that you return his love equally."
Garak remained silent.
With a soft sigh, Tremane reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an object. "Take this, Elim," he said as he held his fist out to Garak, waiting for the other man to open his hand.
Slowly, Garak opened his hand, holding it up. Tremane reached forward and dropped the object in Garak's hand, closing the younger man's fist around it.
Standing up, he cast one more look at the silent man sitting on the couch staring at his hand. "Know that you are loved, Elim. By more people than you even know."
The older man silently left the room.
Garak slowly opened his fist. Resting on his palm was an achingly familiar locket.
With trembling fingers he undid the latch holding it together. Soft blue and green light bathed his face as a hologram sprung up from the open locket.
His chest tightened with sorrow, as he looked down at the miniature picture of a smiling Gul'ena Riel Elimnea Garak cuddling a small Elim Garak on her lap.
He was thrown out of his thoughts when the station lurched violently, causing him to drop the locket. When it hit the floor the hologram wavered then flicker out.
Garak stared at the locket for a moment before reaching down to pick it up. Standing up, he slid it into his pocket and left in search for Julian.
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