Deep below the toxic clouds swirling in the atmosphere above Eok a lone, lithe figure looked out of her balcony window into a sea of urban sprawl. Behind her, Gahke’Ly’s tongue slid in and out of his toothy grin, tasting at the air. “Long range sensors,” he said finally, “have detected movement from the Outsider's base. They have dispatched a number of their ships.” “Yes,” the female humanoid said, pulling her long, white cloak about her as a crosswind kicked up. “I hear these rumors as well.” “And what do you plan to do about it?” “Me?” She said turning to face her lizardly companion. “I don’t plan to do anything about it. You? Well I would suggest you find someplace safe to hide.” Gahke’Ly growled, his tongue flicking becoming more intense. “You’re abandoning us then?” “Something like that.” “What if we give you up?” He said, as much trying to measure her action as anything else. “What if tell them who you are and help them find you? Maybe they leave us alone? Maybe they let us go on our own way? Maybe we don’t need you anymore either.” A cold, calmness resonated in her response. “Be my guest,” she said, “At any rate, I’ve never particularly cared about your cause -- you know that love. I am only interested in profit, and right now, so long as you have the Outsiders stalking you, you can’t make me any more money. “ Gahke’Ly reached for his weapon. ZZZZT Left alone with nothing more than a stained chair, the female tucked a small weapon back into her cloak and walked back to the window.

Neither the Vorta or the Jem’Hadar had ever had much need for office furniture. Rhaz’Ghal sat in his makeshift chair that he’d fashioned out of an old mining bucket. He was large Altorian male, shaped like barrel. His dark auburn hair flowed into a beard that was intricately braided. Deep blue eyes were sunken into his face rimmed by dark circles. He wore a frown that somehow seemed more depressing than his office. “What do you want?” “That’s not a very nice way to greet an old friend.” Rhaz’Ghal grunted and leaned back into his chair. “I didn’t know that friends let their friends medical supplies get raided.” Across from him, a tall, slender woman dressed in a simple short-sleeved white tunic, with leather lacing across the stomach and deep maroon leather pants was leaning against a large support beam. Her long raven black hair was pulled back neatly into a ponytail, and her silver eyes gleamed in the low lighting of the room. “Well,” she said with a cheshire grin, “I told you that a lack of payment would result in a lack of services.” The Altorian grimaced. “We can’t afford to pay you right now, I told you that. I told you that we’d have it soon though.” “Aww,” the female said sickeningly sweet. “That’s too bad. I already gave you two extensions, which is two more than I normally give. So until you pay me what’s owed, plus interest, you’re no longer under my protection.” “Interest!? You never said anything about interest.” “Oh, didn’t I? Well I do reserve the right to change my mind at any time.” “But,” Rhaz’Ghal said standing. “We... we had an agreement!” Cocking her head to one side, the female looked even more amused than she already was, and laughed. “Oh, you’re adorable. You do know how this sort of ‘agreement’ works? It’s called extortion for a reason. You see, I have all the power, so that means I get to make all the rules.” “You... you...” Rhaz’Ghal stuttered. “Fine. You’ll have your damned interest.” “I know I will.” The Altorian glowered. Though it enraged him, he knew he had few other choices but to agree to the demands. “Now, if you don’t have anything else to bother me with, I have work to do.” “Actually,” she said, making her way towards Rhaz’Ghal and running her slender fingers over his shoulder. “I did have one more little, tiny thing for you...” He blanched. “It’s about that pretty little ship coming here.” “The freighter? What do you want with it.” “No no, silly. The Excalibur...”

The city of Erok Ain had once been a shimmering collection of tall skyscrapers and glittering buildings, a monument to the Ehtrol Republic. Then, the Dominion had come and the tall skyscrapers and glittering buildings were reduced to rubble. In their place, blocky, uninspired buildings rose uniformly. Purple-blue skies that had once been clear and free of pollution were now clouded with acid filled clouds. Erok Ain had turned from a center of art, culture, literature and music to an industrial center at the core of the Dominion’s ‘Sector 36.2.’ But as with many things, Sector 36.2 had waned in its importance to the Dominion as the resources in the area had begun to be depleted. Deep below the toxic rain clouds, in the ruins of the old city, a bustling market stirred to life, and in the dark corners of small, ran-down pub, darkness festered. “You’re late,” a shrill voice said as a cloaked figure sat down next to him. “You’re always late.” The cloaked figure shrugged. “If your information weren’t so useful I wouldn’t tolerate it.” The man speaking glowered towards the cloaked figure seated to his right in the corner booth. The air was heavy and rank with the foul smells of fermented drinks, vomit, and sex. For his part, the vaguely reptilian could have cared less, because in all honesty, the other smells were less offensive than the smell of humanoids by themselves, if anything, the myriad of other scents helped camouflage it. “Oh,” the slender, cloaked figure said. “Well, I’ll try and work on that, Vith.” ‘Vith’ frowned, well at least frowned as much as he could, given his anatomy. If he had to deal with humanoids, he would prefer that they at least pronounced his name correctly, but, he supposed, that was asking a lot from primates. “I take it then,” the cloaked figure continued, “that my last tip for you was lucrative?” “The freighter was exactly where you told us it would be,” Vith said. “And unprotected. Not only that, but the Jem’Hadar were nowhere to be found.” “Oh good,” the figure said. “I’ll expect a rather handsome fee then.” Vith’s tongue slid in and out of his mouth. “I am sure you do.” “That was the deal,” the cloaked figure said, tensing just enough for Vith to notice. “I supply you and your little crew of misfits with information about shipping and where the Jem’Hadar patrols are going to be, and you provide me with a take from selling their goods on the market.” “I know what the deal was,” Vith said, flicking his tongue in annoyance. “And it has been very lucrative, for all of us.” “You’re using the past tense,” the cloaked figure said. “Is that just a verbal tick?” “No,” Vith said. “And, honestly, I think we should continue this agreement.” “Then, I expect my payment.” “You would have your payment,” Vith said. “If there was any profit from the raid.” “But you said...” “I said there were no Jem’Hadar, and the freighter was where it was supposed to be.” “Then what happened?” “The Fed-era-ation,” Vith said, over pronouncing the name, “had a ship in the area that you did not tell us about.” “The Federation? You mean those idiots from the otherside of the wormhole?” “Yesssss,” Vith said. “They had a starship in the area, the Ekhskalihabr.” The cloaked figure shook its head beneath the black cloth that obscured its face. “They’re becoming a nuisance.” “You’ve had dealings with this Ekhskalihabr before?” Vith said, letting his curiosity get the better of him. “Them in particular, no The Federation? Yes.” There was a tone of both annoyance and displeasure in the cloaked figure’s voice, and though it didn’t scare Vith, there was something unnerving about it. “Though I had rather hoped to avoid a direct confrontation with them as long as possible. “I suppose it was inevitable that our dealings and theres would come into conflict sooner or later.” “Perhaps we should send a message?” A mirthless laugh escape from beneath the folds of cloth. “Oh Vith,” a now more clearly feminine voice emerged. “You are so wonderfully predictable.” Vith cocked his head to the side, letting his tongue slither in and out of his mouth for several moments, as if tasting at the air. “What do you have in mind?” “For the moment,” she said. “Nothing. If I understand correctly, you lost a number of ships in your little fight with them.” Again Vith cocked his head. He hadn’t told her that. “Yesssss.” “Then you need to regroup, and rebuild your forces. Stay under your rock or whatever your phrase your people use for hiding for now. I will let you know when I need you again.” “When you need me?” Vith said more than a little annoyed. “Yes,” she said. “When I need you. Do remember Vith, that it was I who sought you out and I who have helped your rise from petty thieves to feared pirates.” The lizard shifted uncomfortably, but said little. “Very well. We will do as you suggest.” Mollified, “Good boy. Now run along. I have another appointment.” Curosity killed the lizard, but Vith had never been able to help himself. “May I ask where and with whom?” To Vith’s surprise, the cloaked figure responded. “Oh, I have to go shake down those lazy miners from Alciest again. Just remember dear Vith, if you owe me money, you had best pay me or run to the farest, deepest corner of the universe, three galaxies over because I don’t take well to people stiffing a tab.” Realizing exactly why she’d decided to be forthcoming for a change, Vith swallowed hard. “I always pay my debts...” “Keep it that way.”