Crisis of Faith

[Cptn Swain 0]

“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't.” ~ Margaret Thatcher

 

“What news from the delegation to Tarawani?”

 

Taenix glanced up from the report she was getting ready to read to the Vorta Council on grain production. She frowned and put the report down. Aelon, a tall, slender Vorta female who led a faction of liberals who had advocated for peacefully dismantling the Dominion, waited for her response.

 

Clearing her throat, Taenix remained even. “They are ongoing.”

 

Aelon lifted a brow. Like all Vorta, her pale, amethyst eyes belied little. “That doesn’t answer my question, Taenix.”

 

Across from Taenix, Weyoun glanced to both women before settling his eyes on Taenix. Next to him, Keevan and Faelic did the same. When the Tarawani had first begun pressing for autonomy by organizing protests and strikes at the mining and industrial facilities on their planets, it had been Aelon who had prevailed in convincing Taenix to send an envoy to negotiate, rather than send the Jem’Hadar to quell the resistance. Taenix had said little since Maliv had been dispatched, but all three had learned that the talks had broken down and Maliv had returned without securing order. They also knew that she had quietly put together a fleet from various units and had dispatched it with Maliv with orders to bring the Tarawani under heel, all without informing the Council.

 

“They are proceeding,” Taenix reiterated.

 

Aelon narrowed her glance further. “And how are they proceeding.”

 

“Satisfactorily.”

 

“So we can be assured that all is well?”

 

Taenix looked directly at Aelon, wondering what game she was playing. Faelic and Keevan glanced between each other, also wondering what Aelon knew. If they had learned of Taenix’s actions, couldn’t have Aelon?

 

“The Founders’ will is being done.”

 

“Or is your will,” Aelon said.. “When were you planning on telling us?”

 

For a brief moment, Taenix’s heart stopped. How much did Aeolon know? She wasn’t yet ready to reveal the full truth. “Excuse me, Aelon? Are you challenging my authority as leader of this Council? I speak with the voice of the Founders...”

 

Silence engulfed the room as the two women exchanged stares. By Vorta standards, it was positively hostile. “I am asking for clarification, Taenix,” Aelon said calmly. “When this Council last discussed the issue, we had decided to seek a peaceful solution to the Tarawani Issue.”

 

Relieved Taenix tipped her head slightly. “And we still are. As I said, negotiations are on going.”

 

“Then why,” Aelon said quickly, “have you pulled together a fleet and dispatched them to the system?”

 

“As I said, it is the will of the Founders. The Tarawani do not believe we can continue to enforce our control of the system and have rebuffed our offers. I have dispatched the fleet to show them that our strength has not waned.”

 

“But it has,” Aelon said. “You do not need lie to me. Everyone in this room is aware of how precarious our situation remains. If your actions incite a full scale revolt by the Tarawani, how long will it be before one of the other major races does the same? Do you think you can keep the shackles upon the Karema forever? And that is to say nothing of the Hundred. If we begin using force...”

 

“We have been over this,” Keevan interjected suddenly. “By capitulating we only further invite these rebellions. I for one am glad that Taenix has finally seen this.”

 

“The Klingons have a saying,” Aelon said, thoughtfully. “Destroying an empire to win a war is no victory...”

 

“And ending a battle to save an Empire is no defeat,” Weyoun said, finishing the phrase. Both he and Aelon had spent much of their time before and during their lead up to the war in the Alpha Quadrant studying the people who they intended to subjugate, and both had a keen fascination with the Klingons.

 

Both Faelic and Keeven looked towards Weyoun.

 

“The fleet will only act,” Taenix said, trying to reign in the debate before it broke down any further, “if the Tarawani continue to refuse our offers. If they do, then we have no choice but to act. The Founders wish that they did not have to give such an order, but they and we have no choice.”

 

Keevan looked away. Lies,

 

“If we lose the resources on Tarawani, we won’t have to worry about what the Hundred might do if we must to put down a larger revolt, because we won’t be able to put down a larger revolt. Ketracel production remains perilously low, and our efforts to reconstruct cloning facilities for Jem’Hadar soldiers remain slow.”

 

“Then why don’t we focus our efforts there,” Faelic said. “Why haven’t we rebuilt the shipyards on Koros Prime, or the cloning facility on Teras II?

 

“Why,” he said with a flourish, “because we remain paralyzed by...”

 

“That is enough, the Founders have laid forth our path. The Dominion will persevere and once we have recovered from the war, and from our own self-inflicted wounds,” Taenix said, casting a long glance at both Faelic and Keevan, “we will restore our full power and prestige, but for now the Founders have counseled caution.”

 

“The Founders,” Weyoun said, “are wise in all things. The path that Taenix leads us is defined by the Founders, and we must walk it. Faith, we must have faith that all will work out as intended.”

 

“Faith...” Keevan said tightly, “yes... we must all have faith.”