Chapter Text
Deyos was still asleep in the med bay, and Weyoun watched him. His body was changing, his scent becoming more normal. His markings were dancing across his skin and almost geometric in shape.
"He'll wake up soon. His neural pathways are finally beginning to show signs off normal activity."
"Thank you Dr Bashir." Weyoun answered, and picked up a scent that was spicy and homey. "And you can tell Captain Sisko to stop skulking in the hallway."
Sisko came into the room and looked confused. "Now how did you know that was me."
"You smell."
Bashir snorted and made a swift exit.
Weyoun turned and smiled at Sisko. "Your scent is easily picked up. I meant no disrespect."
"Glad to know. I thought you'd like to know that the other vorta have past the test. None of them feel any remaining loyalty to the Founders."
Nodding Weyoun was glad to hear it. Now he just had to worry about Deyos. Dr Bashir wasn't showing any sign of holding the internment camp incident as a grudge, but he might just be being professional. To be honest Weyoun couldn't tell.
"How did you test them."
"We used a hologram of Odo and had a their brainwaves measured whilst it happened. Then compared it to the original brains scans. We will of course repeat the test with the real thing, but so far they are showing signs of regret and quite a lot of resentment towards the Founders."
"What-"
"Will happen next? We're taking you to a base where you'll be evaluated and then Starfleet will decide what happens from there."
"I have a feeling it won't take them long to decide. Deyos was working with the advanced technologies development. Last I knew he was supervising the retrofitting of some new shield." Weyoun turned back to the vorta in question. "Luaran is an overseer, but she is one of the few of us with enhanced creativity."
"The Founders tempered your creativity? Why."
"They want us to solve problems, but they don't want us too free thinking." Weyoun snorted a laugh. "I suppose I may have gotten to much of that."
Sisko nodded. He knew for a fact that Weyoun would be returning to DS9 with them, and they'd probably be bringing one of the others as well.
"So she's got a decent head on her shoulders."
"Her strategies are designed to be unpredictable. Which means if you come up against another like her..."
"We know how they'll be unpredictable."
On the bed Deyos stirred and mumbled something in his sleep. His eyes fluttered open and came to rest on Weyoun.
He said something that Sisko was sure was a curse, and Weyoun shook his head. "I think someone's awake."
* * * * *
"Why didn't you let me die."
"Because I'd miss your charming personality?"
"The real reason."
""Honestly I don't know." Sitting back Weyoun lifted his cup. They were sitting in their now shared quarters and a replicated stew dish. "But there must be a reason and I'm sure we'll find it."
"I don't understand any of this. The thoughts in my head he changes to my body. Did you know we have three genders?" Deyos said.
"You think that's a shock, try being one of the third. I can't look at myself naked anymore."
Deyos got a look in his eye and Weyoun cut him off before he could say anything. "Keep your thoughts to yourself."
"Okay, fine." Finishing their meal they piled the trays and put them into the recycler. "I still don't like any of this. My head is so jumbled-"
"Give it time. I'm still adjusting myself."
They fell into a comfortable silence, only the sound of the ship
"I'm scared." Deyos finally said, his voice sounding heavey. "What are we now?"
"What we've always been." Weyoun said as he came to sit beside Deyos on his bunk.
* * * * *
Sisko had doubled checked the arrivals plan as he debriefed O'Brian. "Odo will meet us at star base 3T54 when we get there. We'll bring in the vorta individually and have and have them watched by a betazoid intelligence officer."
"What then?" O'Brian asked, "And why am I being assigned to watch on of the prisoners."
Sisko continued to explain. "One of the vorta has information on new Dominion technology. I want you to try and find out more."
O'Brian didn't want this assignment, but the tone of Sisko's voice didn't leave room for arguments.
"Aye sir, I'll see what I can get out of him."
* * * * *
Enris sat and looked over at the guard she'd scratched. The wound on his cheek had gone a rather shocking shade of yellow.
"I really didn't know I could so that." she said.
"It looks like its a fear response. Causes extreme pain at initial contact site before causing numbness and swelling. We can easily fix this." Julian explained. He hadn't been expecting this.
It appeared full females were poisonous when threatened. Males could spit a paralyzing venom and the third gender seemed to do nothing. All this had been discovered rather quickly now that they were all awake and reacting. Four security personal were now recovering whilst tests were performed on the vorta responsible.
"I think we may need to synthesize a sizable amount. I'd like to be prepared if this happens again." Julian told one of his nurses.
"Do you know if this can be stopped." Enris asked, and watch as Borath started to sneeze heavily. He looked extremely depressed.
"Can I speak with him?"she asked.
Julian looked up and then at Borath. "Two minutes." He said, and moved so Enris could get past.
Borath was still sneezing ,a reaction to a test enzyme.
"You need a handkerchief?" She asked as he meant her eyes.
"They gave me these."he said and lifted his tissues."I didn't know we were allowed to speak to each other."
"I've got two minutes. You looked like you needed to talk to someone."
"I feel like a monster." he admitted. Since waking up all he could see were the faces of people he'd known, had killed. The years of lies and guilt.
It was going to break him. But he wouldn't break here, in front of these people. He'd wait unil-
"Your wasting my two minutes with this silent treatment."
"Sorry. Are you well."
"Don't really recognize myself in the mirror yet, but I'll get there. "she lifted her hand, but didn't touch him. "Your markings look like they might be pleasing to the eye. "
"Your's look dizzying."
It was true, Enris's markings were tightly knit swirls that barely left room between the lines. Borath's were soft lines that flowed down his face and into his color.
~Any news on the others?"
"I saw Weyoun and Deyos in passing." Borath lowered his voice."Do you think they'll let us speak with Weyoun."
"I honestly don't know."
This was the last thing she got to say before Bashir had her taken to her holding cell/quarters.
* * * * *
She wanted to protect him. Luaran had always felt to protective of Yelgrun. She didn't know why,but she did.
And that feeling was in overdrive at that moment. He'd been drifting in and out of consciousness all day and she'd watched as he'd changed. Watched as his skin had risen and colored. She'd traced those lines and the motions seemed to help him. Now that he was actually waking she withdrew her hand and waited for him to become more aware.
"Oh god. What hit me?"
"I have no idea." she answered as he forced himself to sit up.
"I remember talking to Odo. I remember....god it was weird. Like I was speaking to another Vorta and not...""
It was then that Yelgrun realized who he was alone with and proceeded to pull away from her a little.
Luaran had no idea what it was that scared Yelgrin but it was an endless source of amusement to many other vorta.
"Any clue what happens now?" he asked as he looked about the room, then cleared his throat a little, "Is there water?"
"I can ask. They don't appear to use ration deprivation on prisoners."
"For that I will be eternally grateful." he would have said more but the motion of the ship changed. "Did we just-"
"Drop out of Warp? Yes."
Every Vorta on the ship now felt afraid, because whatever was on that planet below could mean their instant demise or possible salvation.