THE CARDASSIAN UNION TURN REPORTS

By Deadparrot

Obsidian Order Surveillence systems, Command Cruiser CDS Ravage, Commander's Habitation Cell
Level Odac clearence required -
Private interview - Legate Derak, Head of Central Command and Legate Garan, Head of the Obsidian Order

Derak - I have authorized the transfer of the replacement for Dukat. I hope you are correct about his skills. I remember the
Picard debacle well.
Garan - That road's long covered by sand. His 'special methods' may give us the edge we need against the Cardassians.
Derak - I hope you are right. For all our sakes. The Federation will likely press home the attack upon us now. I would recommend calling the Dominion forces to arms to bolster our own.
Garan - I have every faith that our military will drive the Federation back. Hail Cardassia! *Garan transports to waiting Obsidian Order ship*
Derak - I wish I shared your confidence. *Into communicator* Bridge, Set a course for Cardassia Prime.

*Cardassia Prime, Central Command Training facility*

Legate Derak, in full regalia as befitting a Legate and Gul of the highest order, turned on the podium to face the masses of fresh-faced young troops amassed at the ceremony of graduation. Each held a Cardassian Phaser rifle, a look of fanatical determination in their eyes. Derak briefly scanned the masses noting any imperfection.
"At the time of graduation all troops swear this oath to Cardassia. All are bound by it, from the highest Gul to the lowest balkharzan [soldier] we follow it to the death." The mass of troops erupted into the oath of loyalty. Derak's voice echoed round the converted training arena. His left hand made small, seemingly random movements, the thumb and third finger circled each other. Hidden eyes noticed.
The mass chanted through this regardless
"I am always prepared at the orders of my leaders, to act in defense of my Motherland-" In the crowd a single figure, outwardly identical to the other troops reached down slowly for a hidden piece of equipment
" - As a soldier of the Armed Forces, I swear to guard them capably, dutifully and honourably." As the figure's hand reached it's goal the rooftop troops, guided by Derak's signals, sighted their rifles at the figure
" - I will not spare my blood - I will not spare my life - in order to attain..." Six energy bolts erupted towards the figure in the hall as the figure triggered its device
"...the final..." A bolt of energy was emitted, straight for Derak
"...victory over..." The figure vanished in a maelstrom of phaser energy as his own weapon made contact with Derak.
"...the enemies." Derak laughed as the energy beam struck his chest... And flew out from the other side scorching the wall behind him. The assembled troops stood dumbfounded.

*Later, behind the meeting hall*
Derak stepped out from the holoprojection matrix and stepped over to the com terminal installed in the wall. Without prompting a face appeared. "Perhaps now I have convinced you of my value to you" It spoke
"If you can predict the actions and tactics of the Federation as easily as you did the lone supporter of Dukat, then you have my blessing to lead our fleet Madred."
Madred smiled a thin, humourless smile and broke the com-link. He leaned back in his bridge command chair and said
"Let the game begin"

***Obsidian Order Keldon-class special cruiser Knife's Edge***

Legate Garan looked about the darkened and silent bridge at his crew. They appeared nervous but worked with quiet efficiency to complete their duties. The entire ship reverberated quietly while the captured cloaking device operated.

The Cardassian losses of late were immense, but Garan wasn't worried. He would fight to see Cardassia saved, but if the empire was doomed, what was the point in staying on a sinking ship? Many empires would have a place for a highly trained intelligence operative such as himself. His crew were fanatically loyal and his ship the product of Obsidian Order acquired technology.

He looked down at the panels monitoring the valuable cargo he was taking back to deliver into the waiting hands of Madred. All the heartbeats and/or other bodily functions were within acceptable parameters. He wondered what the empires would have made of his rendezvous. A scout ship of every race, dominion included, dropping a cloak and transferring the 'cargo' to his ship. Madred would soon have some choice information about their ship systems. His mind turned to the tools of his trade. The knife, subcutaneous implants and on one notable occasion a device which dispensed tribbles onto the victim.

As he raised his head to speak, his first officer, Glinn Dajrak paid attention

"Sometimes, Glinn, on taking up political office, I fi miss the more... practical aspects of my work"

****CDS Ravage, Gul Madred's Command Cruiser****

Gul Madred stepped up to the entrance of the cargo bay. Equipment took a retinal scan, fingerprint, voiceprint and access code. But then you couldn't be too careful. Stepping into the interior he felt a surge of pride. He quickly damped it down. After the Picard incident he had resolved to be the best that he could be, and that meant suppressing that which made him weaker.

The bay itself was divided up into soundproof cells. each was dark and he knew the occupants well by now, but they wished they didn't know him at all. Those whose minds were in working order.

Engineers! They were the weakness of any empire, a warrior or Captain would last for days, weeks even but engineers, even Klingon or Dominion ones, were easier fare. The information he'd gotten from them in less than a week would allow him to modulate Cardassian shields to defend more effectively against enemy weapons.

Madred had gotten everything he needed from them, and the Ravage was poised over a star. He walked over to the room's only remaining Cargo Bay equipment, tapped in his access codes and quickly left.

The Ravage bucked slightly, before the IDS could compensate, as the cargo bay doors opened and vented their contents into the waiting star.

Madred almost smiled, and spent the rest of the evening cursing himself for the weakness

Cardassia Prime Low Orbit

The CDS Resolve, the first Kraxon class battlecruiser from the Cardassia Prime shipyards hung, its vicious spikes and weapons installations removed, only a week ago it had finished its transformation from a warship into something else. Small transport ships from many races hung onto the mini-pylons which replaced the torpedo turrets of the ship.

Inside Legate Derak managed to keep a straight face as he viewed the scene he was viewing from an observation window. They had stopped at a Cardassian Ice world three weeks ago when the ship had been combat based, apparantly a cold-weather variant of the Cardassian vole had been brought aboard and the Breen ambassador was refusing to leave his ship and take up the provided quarters until it they had been removed. Due to the conditions of the Ambassador's quarters the three officers had gone in in full EVA gear and phaser rifles. They has so far managed to kill three out of the seven voles although one of them had sat on what was probably a very expensive Breen artifact.

And to top it all he had nearly been sick when a Federation Ambassador offered him something called 'Ferrero Rocher'...

TU 028

Cardassia Prime Low Orbit, CDS Resolve Diplomatic Ship

The level of gloom in the holodeck simulation was only surpassed by the gloom Derak felt after last nights events. After needing to consult the Medical Bay after the Federation ambassadors horrible little buffet food he had been called to the Klingon delegates for something official or other, luckily he had taken an anti-toxin shot before hand.

Derak lay on a rock by a steam vent, his lizard evolution basking in the heat. He knew it made him more sluggish and torpid than usual, but he required rest and relaxation. The depths of the simulated caves contained the usual elements that Cardassians enjoyed from such places, water dripped from stalagtites onto the burning heat below, producing sources of hot steam. Derak felt a slight drop in heat from his left side, the liquid dripping from the stalagtites was not vapourising, Derak made the movements that would arm the small phaser that had been surgically implanted in his upper arm, of course it would hurt like hell when he fired it, but that would be a small price to pay for his life

The CDS Kinfe's Edge pulled alongside the shuttle-studded CDS Resolve, Legate Garan on the Bridge, looking imperiously over the viewscreen.

"Hail the Resolve" Garan was terse and dismissive of his crew, they complied silently and efficiently

Derak's image appeared on the viewscreen, his left arm in a Cardassian medical sling, showing a close range phaser burn. Garan's curious stare prompted Derak into speech

"A little... incident we had earlier, I've not been able to treat it because the Ferengi Ambassador has been relentlessly trying to buy advertising space on the hull of the Resolve. I told him that only the name of the ship and the Union's emblem were acceptable, a banner for Sluggo Cola is not. Welcome to the Resolve, it's your turn to take command of her Garan. And Garan, don't accept Ferrero Rocher from the Federation Ambassador" Derak was already heading for the lifts at the rear of the bridge. Garan frowned, and was about to break the connection when Derak turned

"Oh, Garan, please remember to send a cleaning crew to Holodeck three, if the Dominion send an Ambassador they'd be rather distressed at what they'd find there"

TU 029

CDS Resolve, Derak Class (Kraxon diplomatic refit)

Legate Garan sat at the head of the table, looking over the small object in his hands. For some reason the diplomatic corps had insisted that they go through this ridiculous charade to add some levity to the situation and make the Terrans feel at home. The worst part of it was that Derak seemed to have gotten into the spirit and taken it all in his stride.

The first mistake had been the tree. The Gorn ambassador had been allergic to it and it had fallen on the Tholian ambassador. Luckily it bounced off his carapace.

Then had come the dinner, of course the tradiational Earth fayre of mildly scorched flesh of a large avian had to be modified in places. Unfortunately the Breen Ambassadors deep frozen turkey had been confused with the Klingon Ambassador's raw turkey, leading to diverse alarums

Then to cap it all, Derak had come in dressed in an overbright red suit and false facial extrusions. Somehow the Cardassian look didn't complement the traditional human folk hero.
A scarily beaming Derak had handed out gifts to one and all including a Bat'leth to a puzzled and freezer-burnt Klingon, A bottle of the finest Canar to the human, a book of Cardassian nursery tales to the Romulan (In which the main character wins by betraying others), an ice-statue to the Breen, and finally Garan's present.

Garan had puzzled over it, scanned it, even sent it down to the onboard labs for analysis, but the fact remained that it was a mere lump of common carbon compounds

And what had Derak meant by 'Have you been naughty or nice?'

TU 030

CDS Deathstrike, Gul Madred commanding - Cardassian Dilithium reserve station

"Gul, we are tracking the ship now. It is who we suspected." The officer at the sensor station announced, not taking his eyes off the readouts
"Excellent, tactical, run weapons hot. I want to intimidate them, prepare the special measures" Gul Madred adjusted a few controls on his personal controls.

On the viewscreen a small merchant ship picked it's way carefully along the asteroid field surrounding the Dilithium repository where Madred knew that a small shipment was waiting in airlock 4 as it had been every week for the past eight or so weeks.

Madred waited with his Galor class cruiser behind a convenient asteroid, ready to strike. The transport ship beamed up the last of the shipment and performed a swift 180° turn and snaked off through the asteroids

"Gul, that ship is far too energy efficient and fast for a merchant ship, it has to be a disguised light destroyer or corvette class ship." The Science Glen announced

"Give pursuit, flank speed, fire at will." Madred had a note of urgency in his voice.

The Cardassian ship thrust up and over the surface of the asteroid she was using as cover, torpedo fire blasting from her weapons array. Although a fairly ponderous ship she was able to use her impressive manoueverability to good effect to gain range on the small ship, which was ejecting torpedoes at the Deathstrike by now.

"Try to get us in close enough, one shot from the Spiral Wave Disrupters will finish it off" Gul Madred leant forward in his seat, a gleam in his eyes. He was oblivious to the buffeting and motion the Cardassian ship's tight manoeuvering.

Despite the Cardassian helmsman's obvious zeal the lighter, faster ship was making its escape. Madred pressed down on a button on his personal console.

Immediately a positive swarm of of Galor, Keldon and Hideki ships sprang from either side of the ship from asteroid concealment. A wash of Spiral Wave radiation quickly saw the small ship crippled and helpless. Gul Madred moved in...

TU 031

TU 032

CDS Iron Fist, NDC Station Unity Four

The main shuttle of the Iron Fist contained the Ambassador to the NDC and his aide. Being Cardassian diplomats they were members of the military. Until recently Gul Lorak had been chief political officer of Odac Ordrak, the main fleet of the Cardassian military. Glinn Terel had been assistant political officer for the fleet at Kilas.

Lorak adjusted the Cardassian Union symbol on his uniform

"Terel, remember what Legate Derak told us, this is of the utmost importance to the Union. You are not to insult the Ferengi or be rude at all, no matter how much we want to. We must make our place in the NDC work for the good of Cardassia. We must also make Cardassia accept our place in teh NDC, as ridiculous as it sounds, there are still elements within Cardassian society that sees no difference between our place in the NDC and our 'alliance' with the Dominion" Lorak finished the various adjustments to the rank insignia that adorned his uniform, he looked up at the timestrip of the shuttle, noting the sqaured Kardasi characters on it.

"Yes Gul" Glinn Terel still held the older Cardassian in mild awe, since he had not only a long history in diplomatic success but had served aboard the CDS Exterminator with (then) Glinn Derak as weapons officer, later becoming First Officer when Derak took command of the vessel

"It is 0900 Station time, we will board now." Lorak entered the access codes into the airlock of the shuttle, the Cardassian circular iris lock ground open revealing a mismatched looking welcoming committee

TU 033

Cardassian Central Command

"A rather insignificant thing for what we get in return don't you think?" Garan turned the Dominion device over in his hands.
"I used them on the Knife's Edge myself, they don't seem to do much good."

"Of course they don't, on a cruiser the specialised staff and equipment can do just as well. The Dominion developed them for use on their attack ships, when the better control response makes the ship perform better. Studies show they could improve the performance of the Hideki by up to a third or so. Given our recent bulk production of them that could be a very cost effective investment." Legate Derak spoke from the window, overseeing the sharp spires of Cardassia and seeing the broadcasts of Cardassian 'justice' in full swing

"Why did you not simply keep a few back from the Dominion, if they are that effective" The offices third occupant, a Breen Thot, spoke

"Because the Dominion always made it clear they never trusted us in the slightest." Garan barked, a sharp look in his eyes

Although he was incapable, the Breen ambassador gave the impression of raising an eyebrow

Ship, your target is the rebel base listed in your data banks as Cell number 144-X" Gul Madred spoke to the small chamber he stood in

"Confirmed. Visual recognition locked. Suspected location: Asteroid 23224-Gamma. Target acquired on long range. Ready to engage." - The computer stated in the typically Cardassian brutal voice, as if it were replicating an engine part rather than confirming it's on suicide mission.

"Madred to Ravage, beam me up and send the activation codes" Madred shimmered out of existance in the orange swirl of a Cardassian beam transporter.

In the command core of the Ravage Madred watched the missile gather speed, looking distincly like a cargo container. He felt the slight acceleration of the Ravage as she kept pace with the missile.

As they neared the target the Ravage dropped back and raised shields. The small rebel base was the site for some of the few malcontents who had escaped the attentions of Cardassian 're-education' centres, and had been preying on freighters with some adapted light utility craft based in an asteroid. Ordinarily Madred's single Galor would just barrage the asteroid, solving the problem, but this time they'd decided to conduct a test.

The missile encountered the light combat craft the rebels possessed, which understandably opened fire. The missile blasted their weapons arrays apart.

They tried to beam in, the missile redirected their transporter beams to empty space

They tried to use their computer equipment to hack the missile. The missile used the data conduit to destroy their computers.

Finally in desperation they tried to ram the missile. The missile vapourised them.

The missile started on it's terminal dive towards the rebel base.

Madred was forced to look at the huge energetic maelstrom on the viewscreen, strangely silent in the vacuum environment. When he looked back the rebel base was gone. And so was the asteroid...

Legate's Personal Log, Derak's eyes only:

*Sigh* We seem to be hitting a rough patch with diplomacy. Ha! Diplomacy, the art of saying otherwise than I feel. First of all there were those accusing us of hiding behind the NDC when all we did was obey the forms, vote on the matter in NDC council and allow the elected spokesbeing to do the negotiating. All we want is our colonies back. To other races we are vicious by the standards, but then we care for our own. We educate them when they have misguided opinions, we display justice to comfort them and we give them what they want, they are given whatever they need to lead productive lives. They would be happy in this if it were not for the Federation's stupid insistance that they be allowed free speech, encouraging disruptive elements.

To top it all the Federation's Captain Picard has insulted us, accused us of acting as children and then refused to recognise the NDC. I believe the terrans have some saying about the pot and the kettle. Perhaps the Captain has suffered from his past associations with Madred, our fleet Gul. I cannot say. I almost suspect a founder replacement of him, it is rather uncharacteristic of him giving the intelligence files we have built up.

Going back to NDC matters, despite minor bickering, the alliance holds strong, Gul Lorak provides excellent diplomatic capabilities on Unity four. In some ways I am surprised at the other races. The Tholian ambassador is apparantly a very deep thinker once the initial communication reticence is passed. Perhaps Cardassia needs to rethink foreign policy.

It's times like these that I think about retiring. I would if I didn't know that the new head of Central Command would immediately have me assasinated.

*Sigh* I'll skip a couple of meetings and visit my family steam caves. The heat will do me good.

Log terminated.

The sun on Minos beat down fiercely, a scorched desert world, unremarkable except for the dilithum moon in orbit and the strange Federation/Cardassian regime imposed on it. Glinn Terel, on a brief break from Unity 4, had drawn on all his skills to deal with the Federation authorities on the planet. He was an adept of the Cardassian Political Corps, and an agent of the Obsidian Order. While his military rank was low, he wielded more power and expertise than the average Gul.

He watched the transports landing the Cardassian Ground Forces on the planet. Central Command had decided a show of force was in order, so the Cardassian lander transports had brought 200,000 crack Cardassian troops. The Cardassian troops had an immense advantage to them in that this world was a hellhole for the Federation, but the desert environment was perfect for the lizard-evolved Cardassians.

He swivelled round in his chair, watching the sweat drenched Starfleet officer enter his makeshift office, the tip of a curved Cardassian spire overlooking the main city of Galdar.

His opposite number, Commander Loris, was a Bolian, uncomfortable in the heat. Terel, composed, relaxed and refreshed gave his Starfleet officer's slightly sour look a tight smile while checking his phaser rifle was still mounted in the bracket under his desk.

"Commander, what an unexpected surprise, please sit down. You appear quite dehydrated, would you care for a glass of water? I recall you were not overly enamored with Canar."

"Glinn. I must protest about he reopening of the Cardassian Re-education centres"

"Must you? Oh well, let's get this over with..."

It was going to be a long day...

Minos - Galdar City

The twin towers of the Minos government building extended above the main square of Galdar. The building consisted of a fifty storey base with twin curving towers not unlike the upper docking pylons of a Nor class mining station. By unspoken agreement the Cardassian and Federation officials had taken a tower each. The Federation tower had been extensively refitted, so it shared the plastic sameness of all Federation buildings, it's air conditioning and climate control greatly assisting the Federation officials and hampering the Cardassian visitors to the section. The Cardassian tower, with dimmer lighting, heat absorbative metallic walls and convective circulation systems was the opposite - a haven for those Cardassians forced to work in Federation conditions. There were currently a contingent of engineers in the Federation wing hurriedly adding extra power conduits. The less efficient Federation systems used about 8 times the power of the Cardassian ones. The initial shattering of the Cardassian economy that marked the transition of the Cardassian people from peaceful philosophers to brutal militarists had taught them well. The first head of Central Command had given them a saying, emblazoned into the entranceways of all government buildings "Exploit what you conquer, for in the struggle for survival every resource is critical".

As per usual, the offices of the governmental building offices rank with the shouting of the temporary Federation Colonial Governer, Commander Loris and the temporary Cardassian Prefect, Glinn Terel. The two seemed to rarely take time out from arguing methods with each other. Today, was no different.

"Your troops accosted beggars in the street! At least three were injured" As usual, the Federation Commander had taken exception to the efficient Cardassian methodology

"Of course, they resisted being taken into custody by the troops"

"Why the hell were they taken into custody?"

"It is simple. As beggars they are unemployed, they would only drain resources. After a short spell in a re-education centre to remove any counter-productive ideas they may have picked up from Federation contamination they would be given work at one of our labour camps."

"You mean you would use them as slave labour."

"No, they cannot provide employment for themselves, do we provide them with work in exchange for feeding, housing and clothing them. I'm sure in the Federation they would be allowed to starve on the street corners as part of their free will, but the Union cares for it's people more than that"

"Cares? What of your re-education centres? Do you call brainwashing your citizens caring?"

"When a cancer invades your body, it is necessary to wield instruments against the cells that turn against you for the good of the whole. We refuse to live in the barely controlled chaos of the Federation's inefficient democracy. Commander, the bottom line is we treat our citizens how we want, regardless of your views. Your own highest directives mean you have no juristiction over Cardassian internal affairs. You may come to this planet with with your high social values and so-called moral superiority but you have no right and no justification for attempting to force your morals onto us. As with most Federation citizens, you elevate yourself above the rest of the Galaxy and proclaim yourself the supreme moral guardians of the universe. Now get out. I've no time for these tedious arguments" Terel spoke in concisely and with deceptive calmness, his anger compressed into a core of coldness. The Federation Commander left, but if looks could kill, Galdar City would've been nothing but a crater.

It occured to Terel, he'd not done this much arguing since his courting days...

Unknown Cell, Unknown Location

"Tell me. Why did you do this?" A calm voice

"I had to do it, it was for Cardassia!" A desperate voice

"Surely you must have known that he would be prepared, be guarded against this sort of thing even more than you were?" Emphasis on 'were' from the calm voice

"It was our only chance, can you not see that we are allying with out infriors, diluting Cardassian heritage with those scum!" The desperate voice sounded very tired and a little... damaged

"Listen to the broadcasts, Cardassia is strong, Cardassia has power once more." The calm voice moved, as if the source were walking carefully around

"Lies! I used to make up those lies myself" A note of defiance entered the desperate voice.

"How did you get the rifle into the office anyway?

"They did not question me."

"You were obviously unaware of the Psi-corps officer that was specifically requested"

"Damn them! They pollute our world, Cardassia can stand on its own! Many of us feel this way, even if you bring this to a show-trial there will be massive public outcry""

"Oh dear. You just don't learn do you. Most distressing for the former head of the Obsidian Order. Let's start at the top. You are former Legate Garan. Earlier this week you attempted to assassinate the Head of Central Command, Legate Derak. You were under the pay of an unkown enemy of Cardassia. Luckily the NDC forces assitance lead our own troops to capture you. You will repent your crimes to the judge at trial, realising that you acted against Cardassia and accept the execution order that will be pased when you are found guilty"

"Never!!!"

"Very well then, we'll start again. How many lights are there?"

Deep Space 9

The Hideki class ship, the CDS Journeyman, docked at the old Cardassian Nor class station. It's three occupants exited into the docking ring.

"The lights are too bright. The temperature is too low, and there are humans eveywhere." The female Cardassian looked distastefully around her. The two male Cardassians behind her said nothing. They were there as a bodyguard. They carried no weapons, at least not any visible ones. They weren't necessary, the pair stood a head and a half taller than the Cardassian average and were reputed to have killed several Klingons bare handed. During the dissolution of the Dominion Alliance they were rumoured to have come hand-to-hand with Jem'Hadar

The Cardassian trio got some looks as they passed through the station, but since the Federation and Cardassians were currently enjoying fairly reasonable relations, they were not breaking rules. The trio made their way through the corridors of the station quickly and efficiently, knowing the layout despite the Federation's best attempts to overhaul it.

The stepped out onto the usually thronged promenade. They were stopped by the uniformed figure of Major Kira Nerys, currently in charge of DS9.

"Welcome to Deep Space Nine, can I ask the.. hey! Come back here.." Kira's permanent expression of anger became even worse as the group ignored her. For once, the Major was rendered speechless. The Cardassian had to supress a smile...

The small group slipped into the shop of one Elim Garak. A small Ferengi was ejected and the doors closed.

Inside:

"Ah, Dejar, how delightful to see you. I was under the impression you were no longer welcome on Cardassia after that unfortunate incident with those scientists and the wormhole communications array project. Have you come to join my thriving business, or perhaps I can offer you the latest in fashion?" Garak, cordial and enigmatic as ever

"One word Garak, Redemption. For both of us." Dejar, cold and clinical

"I'd question your use of the word 'one', but the sentiments... Why me? And why you?" Garak's flippant tone did not change, but the look in his eyes did

"A simple answer. You recall the masking implant that you have?"

"Dr. Bashir removed it, I'm sure you heard"

"He removed the decoy and you know it"

"So, you are from the Order. Another question, why you and what is it we must do that requires the masking implant which many many Order members have anyway?"

"Of those that have the implant, only you, I and Dukat have the deep training required to make us completely invisible to telepaths. Dukat is too unstable, leaving us. And as to the mission, you know the Order better than to expect an answer"

"So I am supposed to down tools and leave on your word? I think you have a lot to learn about the art of persuasion young lady" Garak held up a finger while speaking

"Alright, I'll offer you this. Leave here, leave this cold, bright station and return to Cardassia, return after a week. Inform that Starfleet you seem so fond of, if you don't return or say you're not returning they'd probably declare war or something equally stupid."

"I doubt the Federation would value me that highly. But recently I have been ignored. In disputes involving the Union, I have been ignored. And tailoring is slow at the moment. I will accept"

Cardassia Prime, Evening

Garak stepped out into the hot and arid Cardassian evening, a tear escaping from the corner of his eye...