Changing Tide

[Chirakis 1]

Changing Tide

A Joint Log by Cdr Lepage and Cdr Chirakis

 

Ambassador Drankum. Jint. Grand Nagus Rom. CEO A’rioum. The Tjurakh connection.

It all came together. But neatly? Not by a long shot.

Had she not worked with the Ferengi Ambassador for the last two years, she would have doubted his story as a complete fabrication, a coverup for his own nefarious operation.

As it was, she was sure of his sincerity. But the entire story had yet to be told.

She decided to sit on it a while.

 

As soon as her billeting was secure, Cdr Chirakis changed into loose-fitting civilian garb, the kind preferred by many on the station when off-duty. She’d blend in. Listen. Observe. Clear her mind. Enjoy a pint on the Midway.

 

The Midway was once again a hive of activity, a welcome sign of normalcy after the devastation of the parasites. The former station exec took a table at the far end of Gragus’ Grille and settled in to wait for Dr. Lepage.

 

Across the Midway, newcomers’ and returnees’ excitement bubbled into an occasional buying frenzy. Thoughts and opinions spewed freely as they watched events unfold throughout the quadrant on a myriad of newly-installed screens, each playing a different spin on the most recent political events.

 

Barely controlled chaos. How long would it take for the excitement of political intrigue to dissolve into the reality of economic collapse? She hoped Grand Nagus Rom’s plan would work.

 

Not her problem. Yet.

 

She had come expecting to question Ocis, to investigate his connection with the Breen, to spend a few hours - a day or two at most - and return to base. What she had found, what she had stumbled upon, was a little more momentous.

 

Nick entered the busy restaurant. Now, an hour after alpha shift had ended, it was packed with patrons. An exceptionally noisy and presumably not quite sober group of young men was just ordering a round of new drinks. It took Nick a few seconds to locate Chirakis toward the back of the restaurant.

 

Smiling, Nick approached the table. “Commander,” he said by way of greeting as he stood in front of her. “It didn’t take you that long to return. Miss us?”

 

Returning his smile, she waved him into a seat. “Always,” she said as the waiter appeared. “Something for you, Doctor... or should I say ‘Sir?'” She ordered a refill.

 

Nick sat down with a sigh and a strained smile. “Well, you may as well call me Nick. I’m off duty and for the next eight hours I want to be neither Commander, nor Sir, nor Doctor.” He turned to the waiter and ordered a Guinness. “So, want me to guess what brings you here?”

 

“If it takes your mind off command.” She dropped the smile. Command was not something to smile about. “But I’m sure you’ll hit the mark.”

 

“Ocis is still in sickbay in case you want to talk to him. Though you should wait until morning. He needs some rest. But maybe we could trade some information.” Nick looked at Chirakis, wondering if she’d pretend to know nothing. He had always had the feeling the former XO of Aegis didn't think much of him when it came to things that didn't pertain to medicine.

 

Chirakis waited for the waiter to serve their drinks and leave before leaning forward to speak sincerely, with overtones of confidentiality. “I’ll share anything I am able to, Doct... Nick. And there are a few things I would like from you. In my official capacity, of course. As an intelligence officer. But, please... ask away.”

 

Nick took a sip from his beer mainly to buy himself some time. After mentally reviewing all the information Ocis had shared with him he decided to tell her everything he found out. None of Ocis’ revelations had contained any information he considered sensitive.

 

“Alright, Commander. What does Intelligence know about the Deosi? I couldn’t get much out of Ocis. He’s too afraid we might want to wipe them out.”

 

Her expression sobered as she studied her drink, cradled between her hands. Taking a different tack, she began, “You were held prisoner by the Cardassians, Doctor. What do you remember of that?”

 

That question took Nick completely by surprise. It wasn’t a memory he was eager to recall. He took a deep breath. “I remember everything, the pain, the fear, the humiliation. But I guess you know that.” Chirakis had never told him much about her past but he had read her medical file. It didn’t take a genius to guess she’d been tortured. So he refrained from elaborating.

 

“I have been held prisoner many times, Doctor. I remember each one and have no desire to revisit them in my mind. But being a prisoner is no comparison to being a slave.”

 

She raised her gaze to meet his. “Ocis will not be forthcoming to anyone who represents the establishment because he was a slave....” She left off, as though she had more to share but had thought better of it. She took a drink.

 

Nodding pensively Nick stared at his drink. “And you will have more success because you can relate, is that not so,” he asked softly, not really expecting an answer because he knew Chirakis preferred to keep her secrets.

 

“A slave has the look of no other,” she began as she checked the surrounding tables and dropped her volume considerably. “They have a tension, a constant vigilance, a certain gait and either a desperate or a determined look whenever confronted.

 

"What slaves endure is beyond the scope of imagining. A soldier, a prisoner, may experience what you in your profession call ‘post traumatic stress.’ A slave never leaves that life... even when freed.”

 

Pushing her drink away, she sucked in a breath and leaned back. “Every time I smell refuse... every time I pass a recycle unit that has not been properly cleaned... I smell the garbage dump in the Cardassian mining colony of Ienur. There we found our food... and sometimes our drink... unless it rained, which was not often. It was also where I hid... as a child... when our Cardassian overlords, in drunken stupor, stumbled from their barracks to search our encampment looking for... companionship...” she spat the word, as a loathsome swear, “...caring not whether the child was old enough... or mature enough... to endure their... desires.”

 

Chirakis shifted suddenly, pushing the thought from her mind. “Deosi is... was... a Breen slave colony. Having been born into the brutality of a Cardassian colony, I can only imagine what they endured under the Breen. Ocis and his companions were fortunate enough to escape. Those who did not, vanished along with the Breen just over two years ago.” Grabbing her drink, she downed it and ordered another.

 

Nick tried hard to conceal his emotions. Surprise at how much Chirakis was willing to share. Disgust at the description of her childhood. Pity, as much for the child she had been as for the woman sitting in front of him now. She was right; he couldn’t imagine what she or the Deosi had been through, nor did he want to.

 

It took Nick quite some effort to keep his voice even as he answered. “That explains a lot. The question is what we’ll do with them now. I told Ocis we could help his people. Though I’m not sure he trusts me enough to accept my offer.”

 

“...which is where I come in. I would like to speak with Ocis in private, Doctor. One slave to another. Confidentially. Without security... of any kind.” She glanced around, indicating the ever-vigilant cameras that had been installed at her insistence when she came aboard as executive officer. “I was hoping that as station commander you would be able to allow that.”

 

“I already offered you the opportunity to talk to him. I’ll arrange something. There are no cameras in sickbay, remember? Doctor patient confidentiality and people not wanting to get undressed knowing there are cameras and all that. You’ll get a room and no-one will interrupt you, I’ll see to that. Would that be alright?”

 

“It would,” she said, giving a thoughtful nod. “And, in return, I will share any information that might be of medical or scientific value, anything that might help you treat him. Which... leads me to another point. You might want to check Ocis’ DNA for aberrations. It may have something to do with his condition. If it does, it would also corroborate his connection with Deosi and help us to find the rest of his group.”

 

“I’m afraid you’ll have to give me a little more than that, Commander. As you pointed out earlier, I am, for the time being, the Commanding Officer of this station. As long as that’s the case I’m concerned with more than just the physical well-being of the crew. I’d have to ask you to share any information that is relevant to Sky Harbor Aegis and any ongoing missions and projects we have in this sector.” Nick leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

 

“Of course,” she said, with a nod that hinted of caution. “I will share whatever I am able to, Doctor. Especially if it is relevant to the safety and security of this station.”

 

Nick leaned forward slightly before answering. “I trust you with this, Commander. Don’t make this difficult for me... or you. And remember, things have changed. You’re not the XO anymore and I am responsible for Aegis and her crew.”

 

The urge to smirk, to make light of his situation and to relate it to her own two years ago was nearly overwhelming. Instead, she steeled herself to respond in sincerity. She would get nowhere without his support.

 

“Understood, Commander.”

 

Nick nodded as he got up, tossing a slip of latinum next to his barely touched drink. “In that case we should have no problem, Commander. I’ll expect you in sickbay tomorrow at 0900.” With that he turned around and left.

 

Kirel stood as he did, in respect of his position as station Commanding Officer. The tide had turned. At zero nine-hundred she would appear in sick bay as an ordinary Starfleet officer.

 

It felt good.