Our friends, the Dominion

Posted on Mon Oct 5th, 2026 @ 12:41pm by Captain Rovak & Commander Alex Flynn & Commander Intharia T'Zor & Lieutenant Rune Thul & Lieutenant Eldan 3 & Ensign Calithra-Esmarill-Tiranas & Master Chief Petty Officer Gaz & Ambassador Drusilla Creon & Dowager General Kloh'theQ, Widow of Q'Lath & Ambassador Weyoun & Ambassador Slake

2,740 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Shifting Shapes [4-5]
Location: Pier 1 - Upper Interior Spacedock - DS13
Timeline: 1300 - MD07

Rumours had spread for days, but the scheduling had only been announced 24 hours prior. The Dominion was coming.

Some had speculated it would be a massive fleet, others a single vessel larger than the station itself. Yet in the end, the vessel that was reported passing through the Bajoran wormhole was a single Jem'Hadar attack ship. Nobody had called it a bug ship after their recent encounter with the lifeforms below Dreizhen III.

The massive bay door had parted, revealing the small purple-grey ship against the black of space. It idled into the dock, and the door sealed behind it.

A who's-who of everyone not needed to be physically present to keep the rest of the station alive was standing in their dress uniforms in rows, with the senior staff in the front row.

Alex Flynn had made herself ready for this. After the fearsome hangover that followed the Ferengi Ambassador’s arrival, she wanted to make sure sobriety preceded and followed this event. To Freddie’s great disappointment, that meant calling it at midnight last night.

Dr Iyel was slightly nervous. Her enduring memory of the Dominon War was one of those ships crashing into the Odyssey.

Rune didn't expect the hatred he experienced upon hearing the Dominion were establishing an embassy on Deep Space 13. He had thought he had done so much to quell it during his counseling years ago, clearly he had to do more. It may be all his emotions, past and present, converging no matter what efforts he has gone through for personal growth.

He was going to schedule a few more sessions the coming weeks, for sure. Rune took a deep breath as he mentally shoved all the turmoil into an old Betazoid chest and sat on it imaging that it was sealed with all locks he could think up. With a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, he watched the Dominion vessel dock.

Ramielos was curious to see the forces of this Dominion, he wasn't particularly impressed with their vessel. By all accounts they were more powerful than the Federation, it was only having mined the wormhole that kept them at bay. He wondered why they hadn't just sent waves of their smaller ships to destroy the minefield, but then he supposed they had no way of really knowing the total size of it. Though he'd met both Jem'Hadar and Vorta aboard, he'd heard their leaders were insidious polymorphic creatures. Which meant any of them could be one, even if they didn't look that way.

Gaz was bored. He hated dress uniform occasions.

Commander T'Zor was glad of the experience. Teal was after all, her colour. She'd read about this Dominion, but her greatest exposure was through Ayol who had never been anything but a delight, and Umet'Okan had proved charming and fascinating if one took the time to get to know him. He reminded her of the Krogan she'd known in her own universe.

Cali was in her human form for this meeting. She had not been told that she must avoid her natural form at any time but she thought it was best. This was an old enemy she had learned, now a friend. She was not ashamed at all but she did not want to create tension or uneasy questions about her.

Bellis stood proud and upright, shushing some of the other cadets as they joked together.

The ship finally made contact with the umbilicus that stretched out to meet it, and before long, the party from within could be seen making the trip across.

"I think for obvious reasons, Mr Eldan, you should do as much of the talking as we can get away with." Ambassador Velt told the Chief Diplomatic Officer.

The Vorta had mixed feelings about engaging with the people he had once served, but he wasn't going to let those feelings dictate his behavior or affect his duties.

"Of course, Ambassador," he said, "that is logical. I will lead the negotiations."

"Good man. We might be on good terms, the Dominion and I, but you're one of their own." Velt said without looking away from the figures crossing the umbilicus.

Soon, the group emerged. Two Vorta, six Jem'Hadar. The female was an unknown variety, but to all who had served in the war, they knew the leader, who they presumed was the Ambassador. A Weyoun.

“Jesus Christ,” Alex said, mostly to herself. “I thought we killed all the Weyouns?”

Rune heard the Executive Officer and smirked but remained quiet.

"We blew up the kitchen, doesn't mean they forgot the recipe." Gaz grumbled quietly in response.

Ramielos squinted at the apparent leader. He knew that one from the war records.

Ambassador Creon watched silently. It was a curious eventuality; Free State Intelligence predicted the greatest likelihood was a Changeling Ambassador. But after the events of Frontier Day last year, it was not a surprise they had opted for a less threatening choice to represent them to the solids. Or had they?

The Ambassador's party stopped a few feet from the front row; Weyoun smiled and looked upon all of them. The Jem'Hadar focused straight ahead, unflinching and focused.

Eldan raised a brow and moved forward, both as a courtesy and proper diplomatic protocol and to actually see the group due to his poor eyesight.

"On behalf of the most illustrious Founders of the Glorious Dominion, I am here to serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Deep Space 13. I am Weyoun, and it is my very good honour to meet you, Captain Rovak."

"Greetings, Ambassador. Welcome to Deep Space 13. Live long and prosper." Rovak made the Vulcan salute.

"And Ambassador Velt. The man to whom we owe the last decade of peace and good relations. What a pleasure to finally meet you in the flesh." Weyoun said with a wide smile, bowing deferentially to the Caitian.

"Ambassador," Velt said, keeping uncharacteristically quiet so Eldan had an opportunity to perform the pleasantries.

This was beginning to feel like a homecoming to Eldan, with those he had once been allies with. But he pushed those thoughts down. Instead, he gave a short bow to Weyoun. "My companion is right. It is a pleasure and an honor to have you here."

"Tell me sir, what can we do to make your time here more pleasant? Do you have any special requirements or requests?"

"Please, call me Weyoun. Or Ambassador, if you must stand on ceremony. We are, after all, brothers in our fashion. It has been so very long since I have seen an Eldan." Weyoun said, something like nostalgia sparkling in his purple eyes. "I would see all the sights and sample all the delights of your fine station and the cultures here. I hear there is a Romulan venue, the, what is it... 'Watergarden'? I hear it caters to all manner of delights."

"You have heard correctly about the delights; it is one of the most interesting on the station. However, it is actually called the Wintergarden. Whoever gave the name to you was mistaken."

Rune was not quite ready to mention 'the Spot' for anything to do with Vorta relaxation, but he'd not prevent them from going there should they find out about it. He eyed the Chief Diplomatic Officer, a Vorta he'd not met yet, and like Ayol served in Starfleet, he should get to know the man. How many Vorta were in Starfleet? He mused.

"Wintergarden it is. How delightful." Weyoun said with another Cheshire Cat grin. Weyoun moved along the line of staff, smiling to all of them as he went.

Alex smiled widely as he passed without saying anything. Dr Iyel nodded politely.

Cali watched over the shoulders of others. This Weyoun looked a lot like Lieutenant Eldan.

Eventually, he reached the Ambassadors of foreign nations. "Ambassador Creon," he said to the first of them, "such a pleasure to meet you. I had dealings with your father; such a shame to hear of his loss." Weyoun said with smarmy charm that turned quickly into an excellent performance of sympathy.

"Only to those who did not know him well. Welcome to the Dreizhen system, Ambassador." Creon said with a bow.

His smile undimmed, Weyoun moved to the next face. "Lady Kloh'theQ. What an honour." He said, clasping his hands together.

"Hello, Ambassador. Your continued life after death is an affront to the beliefs of my people, but I am sure there would be no place for you in Sto'vo'kor in any scenario." Dowager General Kloh'theQ told the Vorta Ambassador.

"Ah, Lady Kloh'theQ, you are as formidable as they say," Weyoun said with a polite chuckle.

"Welcome to the station. See that you keep your treachery to a minimum." The Dowager General told the Vorta, gazing on him through narrowed eyes.

"By your command, Dowager General," Weyoun said politely with a solemn bow.

He went along, greeting the other dignitaries, polite words with Abassys, a simple nod to Mataan (who scowled appropriately given the unresolved bad blood between their peoples), and finally he came to Ambassador Slake. "Ambassador Slake, such a pleasure to meet you," Weyoun told the Ferengi.

"Why, Mister Weyoun, you are a dish, aren't you?" The Ambassador purred.

"You are too kind, Ambassador." Weyoun demurred.

"I am more than kind, my dear Vorta. As you will find out if you take the time to get to know me." She told him a sultry voice. "And if it's sights, delights, and culture you seek, what better opportunity than tonight, at the opening of the Ferengi Embassy!" Slake said as a sudden announcement to all present.

"First drinks and first games are on the house for all!" She handed what looked like a paper voucher that was somehow animated on its surface and glowed like the screen of a pad, yet seemed to be flexible. Her attendants, Glup and Berq, began to distribute them to all present. "I can think of no more honoured guest than your fine self, Ambassador Weyoun." Slake purred once more.

"Why thank you, Ambassador, I'm sure I will be able to stop in," Weyoun said. Velt and Rovak each took vouchers as they were given by the scampering Ferengi. The tall one had an ill look about him.

Well, Alex thought to herself, there goes my plans for sobriety this evening.

Ambassador Creon looked at the gaudy ticket with disdain, and passed it back to Ixim behind her.

Thari looked at her own invite. From the thought she could read on Flynn's face, this wasn't going to be a quiet evening.

General Kloh'theQ raised an eyebrow as she rubbed the sheet between her index finger and thumb. "I trust your tongo tables will be fair, Ambassador. I would hate to have to disembowel your staff over weighted wheels."

"Any commerce related equipment must go through Security first, to ensure no illicit products are inside. You understand, Ambassador. Even if there is, we will investigate every angle." Rune chimed in with a smile directed at Slake.

Slake let out an amused laugh. "Your grubby little hands will not being going anywhere near our machines unless you are playing them, Lieutenant. They are the proprietary technology of the Ferengi Commerce Authority and installed within our embassy from marked diplomatic containers." Though she continued to smile, there was a hostile intensity to her gaze before she looked past him back to Weyoun.

Gaz looked at the invitation with an expression that suggested he wasn't ruling it out. It'd been a while since he tied one on, and he did have a bit of spare latinum from the parises squares tipping he'd won from the Ops staff on the Qaraqorum.

"The moment any are installed outside your embassy, they are on Federation property and powered by Starfleet technology. They will be subjected to all commerce import regulations Ambassador, be prepared." Rune stated factually again followed by a smile. "Or they will be denied entry, I repeat anywhere outside your embassy. If you have nothing to hide than you shouldn't have any problem following the rules, regulations and laws of the Federation, yes?" He grinned.

"Pay no mind to this functionary," Slake said to Weyoun without looking back to Thul, sliding her arm into the crook of his own. "Though most here embrace Federation communism, his imzadi runs a so-called venue that fancies itself competition. Feculent and exorbitant, and I'm told without the necessary quality to make risking their fare worth it even for one with your tolerance for poisons."

"How remarkable. Do tell me more about this place." Weyoun said with subtle excitement as they walked together through the central part of the assembled crew, flanked by the columns of implacable Jem'Hadar.

Rune chuckled, "I'll be sure to let him know of your preferences you just mentioned Ambassador Slake, should you visit. Welcome aboard Ambassador Weyoun," he waved. "Enjoy your time with Ferengi hospitality."

Ambassador Creon smirked every so slightly at the exchange.

"Thank you everyone, dismissed." Rovak said to the crowd of dress-uniformed officers, now that Weyoun and his party had cleared the last row, and were well on their way into the station. "Do not hesitate to collect an invitation-voucher from the Ferengi if you wish to attend tonight's opening. Discuss any leave requests with your department heads, I am sure we can make some exceptions to allow attendance for anyone with particular enthusiasm." He noticed Slake's minions were still running around busily giving out the armfuls of flashy tickets they had.

Cali received one of the invitations from the shorter Ferengi. They were strange creatures and she did not know what to make of this event. She would probably go along just to learn.

Volsunga took the invitation the small Ferengi gave him, it seemed almost like it might yelp as he took it. This was all very strange to him. He considered asking Flynn about it.

Before Volsunga had a chance to look around for her, Alex had appeared in front of him as the crowd began to disperse. "You read up on Ferengi yet? They're inviting you - well, all of us - to one of their gambling and recreation parlours. Which also happens to be their embassy. Sound like fun?"

Rune approached Volsunga and Flynn. "Hello, sorry to interrupt," he greeted. "Commander," he acknowledged the Executive Officer with a nod before turning to Ramielos. "I was wondering if you had thought to go through our food and drinks database, to see what you may like to have?"

Ramielos was formulating a response when Thul approached. He looked back to Flynn with a confused confidence for a moment, then to Thul. "Why are you asking me this?"

Alex also looked at Thul, wondering what urgency could have compelled his questioning.

Rune sighed, “dammit Vestar,” he half smiled. “Considering the difference between our, origins,” he began, “I would encourage you to sample as many different cultural cuisines. You are free to choose what you want to eat and drink.” He glanced at Flynn. “You did tell him that right, Commander?” He grinned.

"I know." Volsunga said flatly, then turned back to Flynn. "I'm not sure if the invitation sounds like fun, but it may be interesting. We should talk about it later." He said, turning to leave.

"I do apologise for any offence, Commander and Battle-Brother," Rune said with a slight head bob. "I think my husband's desire to be a gracious host and Master of Hospitality has rubbed off on me and so I feel compelled to check that you are settling in." He blushed slightly.

"If you don't want to offend anyone Mr Thul, maybe try not interrupting them. And then especially don't keep interrupting them." Alex said with a gaze carrying none of her usual sympathy. She took a cigarette from the packet she kept up her sleeve and lit it, deploying the hygiene drone a moment later. "Dismissed." She said in the hopes of ending the conversation, moving to the nearby window as the drone subtly buzzed about, absorbing the smoke.

"Thank you for the feedback," Rune said and walked away, headed for the nearest turbolift hub. There was always work to do in the Primary Security Suite. Meeting the Ambassador from the Dominion was a Captain's order. As he walked, he searched himself for ways to better his social difficulties, his next counseling session wasn't for a few days.

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