STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE® by UNA McCORMACK

Author:UNA McCORMACK
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: POCKET BOOKS
Published: 2009-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

Seven

But bravely spoken and defiant words were not enough to save Teretis Geyl and Meya Rejal. Not in the face of overwhelming force. Taking refuge in the bunker beneath the Council chambers, they attempted to organize the city constabularies and the few troops still loyal to the administration as a defense against the Dominion invasion.

A third before the first bell, when it was still dark, the building was stormed by the Jem’Hadar. They marched in, seized the Chief Executor and the Chief Archon, dragged them out and executed them on the spot. The images played on every channel for weeks afterward, in between repeat showings of Gul Dukat’s accession speech.

The purge that followed the end of civilian rule was unparalleled even in Cardassia’s recent bloody history. Ithas Bamarek was shot following the dissolution of the Cardassian city constabularies. A civilian militia was created—a fifth of the strength of the previous police force and directly answerable to Dukat—but the Jem’Hadar took over maintenance of law and order in all urban centers. The rest of the Detapa Council was tried and executed for “weakening the Cardassian state.” Some high-ranking Assembly members shared this fate; others were interned in labor camps or placed under house arrest. As for the rest of the Five: Erek Rhemet, who had been offworld at the time, was rumored to have sought asylum in Mathenite space, joining Tekeny Ghemor to form a government-in-exile. The Cardassian Intelligence Bureau was made a subsidiary agency within Dominion Intelligence. There was no news from the Peyit system of Alon Ghemor. He had disappeared into the cold and dark space. Kotan assumed this was good news. If Dukat had captured Tekeny Ghemor’s nephew, he would surely have broadcast both the news and the subsequent execution widely.

As for Kotan himself, his recent charitable work—and the fact that he had quit his government posts to carry it out—saved his life. He was one of the few members of the civilian administration held in genuine public affection. He was not even placed under formal house arrest. He did wake up one morning, however, to find two Jem’Hadar stationed outside the front doors and another two on the avenue beyond. He had told Penelya that Dukat would have better things to do than bother with him, but in his heart Kotan knew that he had not been forgotten. The presence of those four Jem’Hadar confirmed it. As soon as Dukat was sure his position was secure, as soon as the Cardassian people proved their unconditional love for him, he would start settling old scores. In the meantime, Kotan kept to his house and hoped that Rugal would have the sense not to do anything foolish enough to get them all killed.

Dukat’s coup had overwhelming popular support. Food and goods from Dominion territories began to flood Cardassian shops and depots, and the new masters of Cardassia proved able to distribute them, particularly in the provinces, where the Jem’Hadar were quickly embedded. Within weeks, news was released of military successes against the Klingons.

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