Semil

The following is a joint log with Sorehl, taking place at the Avalon Colony below Camelot Station. My contributions are highlighted in green. "Hello," came the pleasant greeting, almost a drawl. Sorehl looked over his shoulder. He was struck by the incongruity of a simplistic, innocent salutation from a being capable of such unfathomable duplicity and deception. On a hillside near his home on Avalon, the Vulcan turned from his stooped position to look up at the slight form of the Vorta. He patted his son on the backside, encouraging him to join his older sister. "Go see T'Ael," he prompted. "Go climb." The Vorta's eyes followed the boy, not yet two years old, as he toddled up the hill toward a wooden structure. "Vulcan family values," Semil commented. "The 'next good thing' you moved onto?" Sorehl stood, brushing the blades of grass from his knees. "A pursuit no less, and perhaps more, worthy. And one that I never truly left." He wondered how the Vorta had come to quote words from a private conversation now several years old, but kept the question to himself. He had long since learned that there was little chance in learning the source of such detailed intelligence. Semil mused silently for a moment, then noted, "No doubt Commander Blair informed you of my coming." Sorehl nodded. Had the house's proximity alert failed to reach him, the Camelot Station XO made certain to advise him each time the Vorta requested beam-down to the colony. Especially when he didn't come alone. Sorehl resisted the temptation to look for the Jem'Hadar escort, who was doubtlessly shrouded, invisibly watching his charge. He found it mildly threatening to have a creature of such lethality near his children, but recognized the protection it also offered. Semil had enemies. In fact, he mused, the Vorta had little else. It had been two months since Blair explained that Semil wanted an unofficial audience with the Federation. Since the Hundred were not recognized as a distinct political entity, they could not exchange formal ambassadors. Semil had pressed for informal discussions with his retired foe, as proxy. This would be the third such visit. The Vulcan gestured toward the steps which led to the terrace overlooking the hill and surrounding trees. It was late enough in the day that the mists had burned off, clinging only to the lowest clefts and shadowed areas. The axial tilt of Avalon was negligible, providing a year-round uniformity. The weather was cool, moist, and temperate with little seasonal variation, so the forests grew wide and large, with abundant foliage. Climbing the steps behind Semil, his mind flashed back to the first diplomatic overture he'd been ordered to make to the Dominion, during the first months of the war. That encounter had led to his imprisonment, the lies and illusions they had used to confuse him, and the unfortunate necessities of his escape. Deception and loss seemed to swirl in the wake of the Vorta. But the informal meetings had been revealing, especially since it was clear Semil wanted Sorehl to report their conversations. Despite their low-key presence, the Hundred had broad awareness of events in the Quadrant, even supposedly secret ones inside the Dominion. Although his clearance was still active, Sorehl was no longer privy to Starfleet operations and briefings. In passing along intelligence from the Hundred, he had learned a great deal that his reserve status would have kept from him. During their first meeting, Semil admitted the Hundred knew about a classified mission Excalibur was conducting for the Dominion. He claimed to have confronted attaché Jeralla Ramson and Larell Tekyier, the ship's operations officer, about it months earlier. He noted that the Hundred had not exercised a threat to reveal the nature of the Founder's silence to the worlds of the Dominion, but they were observing Excalibur carefully. Indeed, the intimate level of detail they possessed suggested they either had an operative on the Vorta Council or aboard the ship itself. In their second meeting, Semil had expressed concern over escalations in the Scorpiad civil war, including the outright decimation of several Al-Ucard colonies. The Vorta had actually tried to argue a moral imperative for Federation intervention. Sorehl had noted this argument was probably intended for his wife, Ambassador T'Salik, who was serving as official liaison to the Scorpiad representative at Camelot. Since knowledge of the insurrection was limited to observations by exploratory craft, battle details were welcomed and confirmed by Tactical Command. During their last discussion, Semil had lauded Starfleet for frustrating an attempted Romulan incursion into the Gamma Quadrant. "During the war," he'd sneered distastefully, "we should never have shared our plan to create our own cross-quadrant wormhole with them." Sorehl had been forced to admit he had no knowledge of such an event, but if true, it was a testament to Romulan engineering. The Dominion attempt had ended disastrously, wiping out an entire system in Cardassian space. Semil insisted the event had happened, weapons fire and all, and asked compliments be sent to the starship Reaent when it eventually arrived at Camelot for repairs. In all, the teachings of Surak had proven wise. Although Sorehl knew what the Vorta agent was capable of, overcoming his personal distaste had provided useful knowledge to the Federation - at the very least easing tensions with the Hundred. What would he learn today? Reaching the top of the steps, he dismissed the musing. On the terrace, he gestured toward an elevated flagstone bench and initiated the session. "What brings you to Avalon this morning?" * * * * * The Vulcan girl leaned against the cool plexisteel that separated the interior dining space from the terrace. She watched her father take a seat across the firepit from the alien visitor. After a moment, she heard a faint rustling behind her, marking her mother's transit across the room. "Mother," she asked, not turning around, "why does he keep coming here?" There was a pause, as if considering the answer. "It is no secret," T'Salik replied. "He comes to converse with your father." T'Kel turned away from the window. "But why? He hates him." The ambassador scrutinized her daughter uncertainly. "I am not certain one can ascribe emotional..." "But after what he did," she interrupted, "why would he think father will help him?" T'Salik folded her arms, resting them on her swollen belly. It would be only a matter of weeks before the next addition joined their home. "It is unlikely he is seeking help for himself," she explained. "He knows your father is not inclined to be a... charitable audience. Potentially, that makes him a more powerful advocate." "That doesn't make any sense," the girl protested. "Only Nixon could go to China." * * * * * "They have found it," Semil declared. When the Vulcan showed no sign of response, he elaborated. "The device for communicating with the Founders." He paused. "I can neither confirm nor deny facts of which I am unaware," Sorehl observed. Semil frowned. "The Hundred have no interest in preventing this," he explained, "but they will not allow themselves to be excluded from contact with the Great Link. If the Founders break the silence, their heirs will not be satisfied with the Vorta Council as their spokesman." Sorehl stared evenly. "Should you not be speaking to the Dominion about this?" "Don't be foolish," Semil scoffed. "They'll deny everything. Keevan denies they lost contact with the Founders in the first place. Taenix denies they even need contact. And Lexin is so desperate that he agreed to solicit secret help from Starfleet." He looked away. "The only reason the Hundred hasn't announced the Founders' absence is fear the Jem'Hadar will revolt and kill all the subjects they hope to rule. But if the Vorta try to keep the Founders to themselves..." The Vulcan shifted his weight, leaning an open palm against the rough, warm surface of the flagstone. "I don't understand," he admitted. "You have heard Eloi preach of tolerance and self-determination," Semil reminded him, "but you'd be wrong to think other members of the Hundred see the galaxy as he does." The Vorta looked conflicted, almost pained. "They see themselves as children of estranged parents who sent them out to be persecuted by the solids, then came back to an empty house and a languishing inheritance. They think my people have corrupted the purity of Founder rule. Worse, they think the Great Link has been polluted by Odo and the disease introduced by the Federation. "Until now, they've been content to lure worlds and converts, preserving the empire they intend to win. But if they think the Founders will come back," he paused, leveling his own stare, "they may be willing to destroy the whole Quadrant to keep the disease from spreading..."

Sounds like you need an expert in shapeshifting technology.

Well, I know I'd love to bring this character to other sims, but I can't figure out a plausible reason why anyone would let a Vorta run amuck in the Alpha Quadrant. So far, I've limited my contact to a cross-over log and some subspace communication. Still, it was fun.

True to all good quests, it was a holy one. The Federation had quite clearly betrayed him. He had extended gestures of trust on behalf of the Hundred. He had been the one to tell the Federation that the Founders were missing – intelligence gathered at considerable cost. He had provided ships and leverage needed to help them retake the wormhole from the Scorpiad. This should have proven the Hundred as loyal allies. Instead, Starfleet had secretly run into the embrace of the Dominion, helping them restore contact with their masters. And what about their debt to the Hundred? Had they forgotten how the Dominion had abandoned them all? He could not let the Vorta Council re-establish contact with the Founders. At least, not exclusively. While his fellow Vorta had been content to let him languish in a cloning tube, the Hundred had called him forth. They had shown faith in him. They had asked, not demanded, his faith in them. Now he kept their secrets. And one of those secrets compelled him to find where the Founders had gone. Others might suspect sinister motives, but unlike the Federation, he had never raised a hand against his gods. The Hundred would never seek to harm their own kind, their progenitors, even if they had been corrupted. His ship had shadowed Excalibur for days. Semil still believed his own best leads remained in the Omarian Sector, but he wanted to keep an eye on what the Dominion was doing, on what the Federation was helping them do. Let them continue their pursuit. He would not waver in his quest, either.

And a ruffled Vorta is not a pleasant Vorta.

And just how did you locate my personality profile on MySpace? Yes, I'm hot on your trail now, although I must admit the Hundred have known about the missing Founders for some time. After all, I was the one who told your Federation they were missing in the first place. Of course, Captain Corizon probably kept the source to himself when he leveraged that information against the Dominion and made them help you liberate the wormhole. And you think *I'm* the grass snake...

Hmmm, I wonder if these guys have better eyesight and a sense of aesthetics? The Founders seemed to think we could do without them. Then again, I better they aren't immune to poison...

You think I'm less righteous than Weyoun and Keevan? Why, you haven't seen annoying yet!

Since long before your sun burned hot in space I have awaited... a question. You only had to wait a day for the reply. When Odo discovered his own origins, he learned that the Founders had sent out one hundred infant changlings, with no memory of who they are, to explore the galaxy and eventually return to the Great Link. He later met one at DS9, named Laas. It has since been learned that Laas went on to locate and organize several more of these infant changelings. This group, styling themselves as "The Hundred", feared that the Great Link had been corrupted by Odo and the genocidal disease that almost killed the Founders. After the war, the Founders withdrew direct leadership and left running the Dominion to the Vorta. Three years ago, the Hundred revealed themselves, starting to sway the allegiance of some Vorta and Jem'Hadar, and began challenging leadership of the Dominion. The Dominion sought Federation assistance in helping them prevent the wholesale defection of their forces and worlds; this seemed like a good idea to your people, since the Hundred demonstrated clear hostility toward the Alpha Quadrant. Thus, Excalibur's extended mission and Camelot Station were born. The Scorpiad came later and are best described by others. As for the Hundred, there's a couple of older logs that do a better job of providing backstory than I can, so here's the links for newer players. The Hundred: This was a log written by Sorehl, explaining the origin of the rebellious Hundred, when they were first introduced. I even get a mention in this one, although that clone was loyal to the Dominion. Admiral Day was briefly kidnapped by two of the Hundred and learned a few things about them in Fate of the Admiral, Part One and Part Two. Just to confuse things, the Hundred have successfully gained control of their own cloning facilities and perhaps some shipyards. My previous clone, a loyal servant to the Dominion, was killed in the line of duty. The Hundred decided to restore my line, cloning my current incarnation. This is described in :Rebirth. Since then, I have served the Hundred, helping improve relations with the Federation by alerting them to the disappearance of the Founders and by saving the fleet at DS9 from an ambush by the Scorpiad. This is described in Determination and Free Will. And I didn't even get a medal.

Of course, my character hasn't yet revealed to the galaxy at large that the Founders aren't just in "splendid isolation". :::rubbing hands together::: But just wait until he announces that the Vorta have lost them entirely!

Of course not! You should quickly switch allegiances and encourage the peoples of the Dominion to accept benevolent leadership under their rightful heirs, the Hundred. The children of the Founders have no interest in conquering the galaxy. They just want to establish a New Link to govern the diverse cultures of the Gamma Quadrant, share the enlightenment they experienced as individuals on many different worlds, and usher in a new era with greater free will. True, they'd resist species who'd seek their death - like the Scorpiad and the Federation - but only in self-defense. You could be a principal architect of the pax centuria. Just swing by my office in the Hundred Wing on Camelot Station, my dear. I'll have some pamphlets ready for you.

And so, the Hundred do their part in maintaining balance, honoring commitments to their allies, and bringing new order to the Gamma Quadrant. I'm touched you noticed.

What they didn’t know... was what they should do. The Alpha Quadrant end of the Dominion’s covert pan-galactic communication array had been roused by a curious set of information and instructions. An entire legion of Jem’Hadar soldiers had been left to sleep deep inside this barren planetoid beyond Cardassian space, ready to awaken and support the Dominion in its eventual return to the quadrant. Klewin, their Vorta commander, had been charged with overseeing this secret, treaty-violating facility. He knew there were other, smaller sleeper cells out there, continuing to sow discord in this region of space. But the secrecy of this base had been maintained at the cost of all news from the outside. Since they didn’t know, they could not take pride in the fact that, seven years after the end of hostilities, the Cardassian homeworld was still not a sovereign government. They did not know that Breen privateers, encouraged with technology and tactical advice, had been willing pawns in helping to destablize the region. They did not know that other Vorta had made contact and forged friendships with new worlds and species. What they knew was that the Gamma Quadrant end of the array had been activated. Given the energies involved, such messages should have been limited to announcements of pending invasion and their upcoming role in it. But the invasion was not theirs. And their role, it was now said, was to prevent it. Semil, a Vorta colleague, had appeared on the screen with a Federation ambassador. Initially thought to be human, their limited database had identified the diplomat as one of several Mudd-type androids encountered during the war. Together, Vorta and android had offered surprising news. Mentally, Klewin reviewed what the transmission had told him: The Founders remained in their splendid isolation. The Vorta remained their loyal stewards of the empire. An ancient enemy called the Scorpiad had launched devastating attacks on the Dominion. They now controlled one side of the wormhole. Federation, Klingon, and Romulan ships were working with the Dominion to repel the invaders. The Allied forces were about to suffer a surprise attack at Deep Space Nine. Klewin had been instructed to relay a message to warn them of the impending attack. Of course, he had no way of knowing Semil had conveniently omitted information about the emergence of the Hundred and their attempt to wrest control of the Dominion during the Founder’s absence. He was unaware that neither the Founders, nor the Vorta Council, had sanctioned the use of their covert communications relays to issue this warning. They did not know that Semil was, in fact, an agent of the Hundred and was unconcerned about revealing the secret base’s existence. In their silent waiting, there was no way to have learned any of this. What the message instead implied was that his fellow Vorta had accepted the Federation as allies in their struggle against the Scorpiad, which was generally true. It also implied that the surprise attack was substantial enough to hurt those allies and thus, the Dominion itself. This was also true, although for reasons other than the obvious. Klewin did not know that his beloved Founders were missing from their own homeworld, although the Federation had learned this fact. He and his Jem’Hadar host did not know that the Vorta Council had only agreed to help retake the wormhole to keep this secret intact. In essence, they didn’t know the reason for any of the things they were being asked to do. The whole request ran counter to everything Klewin had imagined. At the outset of the war, the Founders had once planned a similar ambush of a combined fleet near Deep Space Nine, intending to trigger a subnova detonation of the Bajoran sun to wipe them out. Bitterly, he remembered a Founder had even been killed in the attempt. And now, he was supposed to betray their own existence to preserve the cursed base that’d defied his gods? If only he’d received some sort of undeniable confirmation. Perhaps he could find a way to transmit it secretly through the Breen, or route it through some supposedly-dead agent of the Obsidean Order. Maybe he could bounce a relay that would be intercepted by those meddlers on Aegis. The fate of his former enemy’s fleet might lie in the timeliness of his response. Klewin wondered if there were reasons this message had come without authentication. Perhaps it was the will of the Founders that their message would arrive, but too late to save the Federation space station. All it would take was a delay in the precious warning. What they didn’t know, Klewin considered, could hurt them very badly indeed.

Yes! There's a couple of older logs that do a better job of providing backstory than I can, so I thought I'd give links for anyone who's interested. The Hundred: This was a log written three years ago (yikes!) by Sorehl, explaining the origin of the rebellious Hundred, when they were first introduced to Excalibur. I even get a mention in this one, although that clone was loyal to the Dominion. Admiral Day was briefly kidnapped by two of the Hundred and learned a few things about them in Fate of the Admiral, Part One and Part Two. The civil war put a great strain on the Dominion, as described in Night of the Long Knives. Things were ripe for an outside threat. The Scorpiad: Although alluded to for months beforehand, our current baddies were introduced in the log Valdrex and the follow-up Fulcrum of Irony, in which a Romulan diplomatic mission saves the Vorta Council from a decapitation attack by the Scorpiad. These guys took advantage of a weakened Dominion, but their arrival ultimately caused a truce between the Hundred. Of course, there have been battles since and my own return as an agent of the Hundred, but these links are probably enough backstory to fill a weekend...

Since it occurs in Cardassian space not far from your sim's neighborhood, I thought I'd post a link to this log written about a Vorta associate. What They Didn't Know Thanks to Vatel for pointing out the original link was going to the wrong place! Typical Federation technology...

Free will wasn’t all it was determined to be. Semil rubbed the isolinear chip between his fingers. He stared at it with his weak, amethyst-colored eyes. It was a very tangible symbol of his treason. It was very “solid”. His lips turned up with bitter amusement. It was not his first act of disloyalty to the Founders. When he had first learned it was the Hundred who had awakened him, he could have defied them. There had been no termination implant available, but he could have fled and let their Jem’Hadar cut him down. But the New Link had planted a “greater sense of free will” in him, they claimed. He was now truly an agent for himself. The Hundred were the embodiment of all he had been genetically trained to revere. They spoke and asked him for his obedience, while the Founders had turned and sealed themselves away from their own servants. In their absence, was it disloyal to heed their heirs? Was it better to wage war on them as Keevan and other self-serving Vorta had done? Semil sneered at the thought of the Council and their inept stewardship. If it hadn’t been for the converted units and cloning facilities of the Hundred, the whole of the Dominion might have been lost to the Scorpiad. Striking back at the invaders had been the noblest expression of his faithfulness. His devotion had not wavered, but he wondered how pure his faith remained. To keep the Federation as an ally, he had revealed that the Dominion had violated treaty and left a covert communications station behind in the Alpha Quadrant. He had told them the great secret Keevan had been hiding: their gods had abandoned their hidden homeworld and were gone. This news alone should have let the Hundred assume rightful control of Dominion space, but the upheaval alone could spell doom in the face of the Scorpiad threat. Now Semil was engaged in preserving the very reminder of their last ill-fated war. He was about to exploit the Dominion’s illegal communications array, exhausting huge energies, to warn the Alpha Quadrant of a Scorpiad strike on Deep Space Nine. He would expend his limited force of Jem’Hadar to dislodge the invaders from a target he didn’t even care about. Instead of letting the wormhole and its meddlesome users remain bottled up, he would become an instrument of its salvation. If he didn’t, the Scorpiad would multiply, the Allies would atrophy, and there would be no Dominion for the Hundred to inherit. He had little choice. So much for free will.

What kind of awards do you give invaluable Vorta assistance? :::expectantly:::

Makes me nostalgic for my cloning tube...

It should be noted that, as we learn from DS9: In Purgatory's Shadow, the Breen don't have blood. Obviously, someone has decided to try and malign the Dominion's former allies... or perhaps you've found a unusually large puddle of Breen drool. Spit, Breen, and Rogues isn't quite as catchy, though. Semil Vorta Agent of the Dominion/Hundred

Records from Starfleet Intelligence Contact Files Name: Semil (IV) Species : Vorta Gender : male Age : undetermined, cloned species Height : 5 ft. 7 in. Weight : 120 lbs. Eye Color : pale blue Hair Color : black Skin Color : pale caucasian Place of (Re)Birth : Unknown History - In keeping with normal Vorta practice, Semil is one of a series of clones based on an earlier progenitor. At least two incarnations have interacted with Allied forces since initial contact with the Dominion. The present version claims to be the fourth in this series, although this remains unconfirmed. The first of the series, an import from the Gamma Quadrant, was responsible for early intelligence gathering along the Cardassian De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) prior to the outbreak of hostilities. With the rise of the Dukat regime and the Dominion annexation of Cardassia, Semil delivered the edict for Federation withdrawal along the DMZ, and commanded the military actions which exterminated Maquis forces all along that region. After the onset of war, he became overseer of these territories, operating from the captured colony on Canar II. Semil is known to have personally conducted interrogation of Allied prisoners, using the Vorta technique of elaborate mental illusions to extract information. His strategies were responsible for successful defense of the Calandra Sector and the destruction of the Romulan task force led by the warbird Sionex, but also resulted in Dominion defeats at both Canar and Moriya. Semil led a first contact mission which competed with Starfleet operatives for the allegiance of the Ovetra civilization. At this time, he is believed to have been exposed to a toxin which later impaired his judgment and reason. This Semil was killed in action by Starfleet personnel on the Ovetra homeworld in 2374. The next version was sighted during a failed Dominion attempt to seize the starship Sovereign along with the onboard Secretary of Defense. Although he maintained a low profile for the remainder of the war, it is believed Semil was personally responsible for establishing an alliance with the Orion Syndicate. He also claims to have initiated dialogue with the Breen Confederacy, which led to their entry into the war as Dominion allies. Rumors that this clone was killed in the final battle over Cardassia remain unconfirmed. The next incarnation was proferred as the Dominion representative to Allied forces operating in the Gamma Quadrant. In this capacity, Semil provided important details regarding the political status of the Dominion and the origins of the rebellious Hundred faction, while also negotiating the establishment of a Federation starbase in the Avalon system. He met his most recent demise at the hands of Governor K'Vorlag, who stopped him from aiding the escape of a fellow Vorta who was under interrogation. The latest clone of Semil was awakened in the Gamma Quadrant after a lapse of more than one year. Unlike his predecessors, this version was initiated by the Hundred from genetic material and memory records stolen from the Dominion. According to one member of the Hundred, Semil has the unedited memories of all prior incarnations, as well as an expanded capacity for free will. While Semil now serves the Hundred, he does not appear to have fully renounced his loyalties to the Founders or the Great Link. Psychological Profile – Earlier clones of Semil repeatedly demonstrated an absolute dedication to the Founders. Seemingly amoral, he proved an able overseer, a far-thinking strategic planner, and skilled negotiator. Due to war-time experience, Semil retains a familiarity with the Alpha Quadrant and the psychology of its major powers. Although he once described the Hundred as an affront to the rule of his true gods, his current incarnation appears willing to follow their lead. Whether this allegiance is absolute remains to be demonstrated. Miscellaneous - Semil has a personal history with Admiral Day, whom he met during action against the starship Excalibur. He is known to have interrogated Governor K'Vorlag, captured after the Battle of Torros II, and Captain Sorehl, imprisoned during a failed diplomatic mission to Cardassia. A contingent of Jem'Hadar under his command boarded and nearly captured the starship Yorktown, under command of Thomas Halloway, in the closing days of the war.

Semil's bio has been updated to reflect the knowledge that his rebirth was at the hands of the Hundred, rather than the Dominion.

Keevan was glad to be leaving. The last of the major Jem’Hadar capital ships was preparing to leave Avalon space, and he would soon be on it. His compatriot Elana had let the Alpha Quadrant allies know they were on their own. As expected, their “Round Table” meeting had disintegrated into outrage. It was unfolding exactly as he hoped. The Federation starbase had served its purpose and was, like most things, now expendable. It also served as a physical reminder of Keevan’s greatest failure to the Founders and how close the Council had itself come to annihilation. He was glad to be rid of it. With communications restored through the majority of Dominion space, it was now time to rally the Jem’Hadar and shore up defenses to protect the Founder’s in their solitude. Petty matters involving minor powers from the other side of the galaxy were no concern of his. The Vorta were pulling away from this cumbersome partnership and dealing with the survival of their sacred stewardship. It was as it should be. Nearly two years ago, Keevan had resisted the proposal to accept aid from the Alpha Quadrant powers in their fight against the Hundred. But legions of Jem’Hadar had been defecting to new masters, and the Allies had the virtue of being unconvertible. Semil’s oratory had won the day. Keevan had to admit, the Allies had served well as a buffer. The Hundred had been distracted by them, diverting their attention from serious escalation against the Dominion. But greater threats had emerged, seemingly postponing what was growing into full-scale civil war. The Hundred had joined forces with them, if somewhat independently, against the Scorpiad in order to defeat the Al-Ucard fleet. Keevan and other members of the Council saw this sign for what it was. The Hundred did not wish to see the Dominion destroyed – at least not by solids. This suspended the Vorta Council’s need for collusion with the Alpha Quadrant powers, especially since the relationship was about to become taxing. The Allies preoccupation with the wormhole was understandable, but not shared. The trans-galactic passage had proved nothing but a disastrous venture for the Dominion. It had dealt them the only defeat in their collective memory, spawning rebellion and sending the Founders into their splendid isolation. Secretly, Keevan knew it had also introduced fallibility to his gods, a notion he carefully weighed in carrying out his stewardship. “Keevan,” announced a voice over the comm system, “this is Weyoun. It is urgent I speak with you.” Keeven twisted his lips. The very architect of their defeat was demanding his attention. Although Weyoun didn’t know it yet, he was another thing Keevan was glad to be rid of. He would not be terminated, although it was still possible his line would be ended. Weyoun had one more purpose to serve him. To serve the Founders, Keevan corrected himself, but he knew full well his first thought had been the correct one…

Semil Four opened his eyes, drawing breath into a new body. Thick cloning fluid stretched and dripped away from his open mouth as his eyes gaped wide. The viscous blue liquid chilled as it began to evaporate away. Something had happened to him, but he was alive – again. His mind sought out a cache of memories, his last memories, to gain his bearing. Of course, no Vorta could recall the actual end of his prior life; neural patterns had to be stored from a functioning, living mind. At best, he could remember events only from his last “save point”. Dutiful Vorta were careful to make an unfailing mental record at least daily, or more often when events were significant. The refreshed template of his new flesh reached for these last markers. He had been serving as liaison to the Alpha Quadrant allies at their new space station. He had been assigned to coordinate their dealings with the rebellious Founders known as the Hundred. Semil sifted through the memories as if they were his own, which of course they were. His last save point had regarded the interrogation of a traitorous Vorta named Armante. The Federation had captured the Vorta and were using their knowledge of Dominion-made neuralcortical simulators to fool Armante into revealing key information about the Hundred. While the need for this intelligence was important, the Vorta Council had been concerned about sharing other vulnerabilities of the Founders. They had ordered Semil to insist on observing, and they had provided him the codes needed to activate Armante’s termination implant. It was his job to ensure Armante did not survive the interrogation. Semil’s eyes moved from side to side as he searched for more details. There was nothing more. Nothing until this moment. Something had obviously gone wrong. Had he failed in his mission? He turned his weak eyes toward an environment that was not the Rondak cloning facility where he been awakened previously. It did not even appear to be the newer Al’quon facility that held a backup of his genetic code. Of course, he had no way of knowing that both locations had been obliterated by the Scorpiad; his continued existence was the result of over-protective, redundant planning. He looked for the one who would guide him on his return to life – the Vorta who would answer his questions. “I am Vergil,” a familiar face greeted. This Vorta had been onhand for the rebirth of many. He extended his hands to help Semil step from the cloning tube. His mouth formed its first words. “How… long…?” Vergil regarded Semil as he wrapped the newborn in a thermal blanket. “It has been more than a year since the death of your predecessor,” he explained. Semil’s thoughts raced. A year? Why had they waited so long to revive him? Vergil smiled pleasantly, walking him forward. “There will be answers toyou’re your questions. More than you expect,” he promised. “Welcome back.”

Across the platform, the Federation ambassador folded her hands benignly, having delivered her message (see Death Blow). Behind her, the Klingon stood with his arms tightly folded, with an almost bemused expression. Keevan smiled pleasantly from his vantage. In their wisdom, the Founders had made the Vorta nearly immune to poison, but this was a bitter pill to swallow: his failure nearly complete, he was about to be supplanted for another. Hadn’t he done all he could to preserve his stewardship? He had preserved the Great Link in their splendid isolation, even as the threat of the Hundred grew. He had allied with former enemies as a means to distract and delay the conflict. Once the true malignancy of the Hundred became clear, he had led the purge of their ranks to remove sympathizers and those of questionable loyalty (see Night of the Long Knife). But a great threat had been in waiting, in league perhaps? An ancient foe – one their genetic memories did not contain – had struck seemingly at will. Major cloning facilities, keys communication hubs, strategic stockpiles, even the Council itself had come under widespread and devastating attack. But instead of invasion, ominous silence broken only by chance encounters. Rescued by their Romulan allies, the Vorta considered more desperate measures. Eris had already departed to seek a diplomatic audience with the Hundred. Gelnan pressed to reactivate the largely-untested Alpha strain of Jem’Hadar. Cloning material and memory libraries were being gathered, as Keevan had summoned any Vorta who could still be reached over the ailing comm network. It all seemed too little. Adding to his humiliation, it was the disgraced Weyoun – the one whose line he had threatened to end once and for all (see Starved of White) – who was handing the personal defeat to him. He had convinced the Federation and his fellow Vorta to let him journey in secret to Earth, where the great leading Founder had agreed to remain as a “prisoner” (see Overture, Vorta Vorta, and Reunion I - IV). Weyoun had knelt before her and been granted the wisdom they needed to survive. Keevan had refused to believe it. He had doubted the Founders would allow such an unworthy vessel to convey their message. The Vulcan had ended his denial. Shame rose around him like the gel of a cloning tube. Was this how Weyoun had felt, awakening anew with the knowledge he had mastered the greatest defeat in the Dominion’s glorious reign? He flexed his jaw, knowing the termination implant in his brain stem could end this humiliation. Or would the Founders restore him just to endure it just as the Vorta had done to Weyoun? “Thank you, Ambassador T’Salik,” he spoke at last. “The will of the Founders is done.” He stood, looking over the other assembled Vorta. “For now, we invite you to withdraw. We must make ready for the advent of Taenix; we must be sure she can be the the salvation the Founders preserved her to be.”

The following is a joint log with Ambassador T'Salik, with me writing the bits for Weyoun. Enjoy! “What you ask,” Ambassador T’Salik answered crisply, “is simply not possible.” The Vulcan diplomat sat regally across from Weyoun, current Dominion advisor to Camelot Station. Weyoun leaned forward earnestly. “Surely the Federation can see the logic,” he urged, “in avoiding a costly civil war that could quickly spill into the Alpha Quadrant.” He shook his head slowly, his eyes downcast. They were already in their third hour of discussions. Playing to the ambassador’s intellect, Weyoun had spent time giving her a comprehensive review of the state of the Dominion border, an account of the recent attacks, and the reaction of the Vorta Council – particularly the transmission made by Keevan. (See log by Commander Corizon.) “The logic is flawless,” the Vulcan diplomat conceded. “Federation interests are indeed at risk with such instability.” “Helping calm this sitation might cement future relations,” Weyoun added soothingly, “and be quite a diplomatic triumph.” “Yes,” the ambassador agreed. “Then you will help me?” he pressed. “Not at this time.” The Vorta looked mildly surprised. “With reliable guidance, we could keep this incident from degenerating…” “I am not the one you need to convince,” T’Salik interjected. Weyoun assessed her briefly, then nodded thoughtfully. “Of course,” he admitted, “I’ll need help to persuade the Klingons. Someone with your negotiating skills...” “No,” she countered, “that will come later.” The Vorta looked non-plussed. Finally, he folded his hands, waiting for her to continue. “Quite simply,” T’Salik explained, “your proposal does not have the endorsement of the legitimate authority for the Dominion. I will not support unsanctioned acts of cowboy diplomacy, on behalf of my government or yours.” “You mean,” Weyoun began, putting it together, “that you want assurance that I have authorization from the Vorta Council.” The Vulcan woman sat impassively, letting the silence be her answer. “How interesting,” he confessed. Weyoun considered how he could possibly gain approval from the same group who was purging their own species of those lacking “loyalty”. Keevan had already invoked memories of Weyoun Six to cast doubt on his own allegiance. (See previous log.) He wondered, could he convince others on the Council that his proposal was the only way to end their self-destruction? Or would it be seen as so radical it would end him and his line? Was the Grey Battalion already on its way? Signalling an end to the discussion, T’Salik leaned forward and got to her feet gracefully. Weyoun followed the move. “Ambassador,” he assured her, “I will contact you as soon as I have proof of consent.” Once standing, she towered a full head over him. He raised his hand, mimicking the Vulcan salute. He surveyed his counterpart discreetly as she returned the gesture. Her appearance, with braided blonde hair and light blue eyes, was atypical of Vulcans. He gestured toward the Jem’Hadar guard at the door, who stepped forward to escort her out of the Dominion Wing. As she turned to go, Weyoun mused that she had effectively boxed him into an unenviable position. So much for unimpressive credentials, he noted. He wondered what else was atypical about the ambassdor.