Secrets:
Xon looked around the small tavern, reminiscing about his time as Manager of RICKS. A contact had told him he may be able to find Cassandra here. "I don't think so." he muttered to himself, waiting on the bartender to finish with the customer in front of him. It took a moment, and finally the young man came over, looking up a the giant copper colored man.
"Afternoon. What can I get you?" he asked.
"Information." Xon answered, tossing down a 5 credit piece.
The bartender picked up the gold sovereign, fingered it for a moment and pocketed it. "Glad to help anyway I can."
"I'm looking for an Orion woman."
"Aren't we all friend." the young man smiled.
"One in particular. I was told she had been here. Her name is Cassandra."
The mans face froze for just an instant. "Nope.. Sorry. Had a ugly Orion male pass by last week. But his name wasn't as pretty as that."
Xon reached over the bar and grabbed the man by the neck. "Son, If you're going to lie. You need to get a lot better at it."
Nearly pulled off the floor the man gasped for breath. "Hey man...Ok...Ok..."
Xon let the now contrite man back down. "Now...lets start over. When was she here?"
"Look Mister... she'll kill me if she finds out I said anything."
"I'll kill you now if you don't"
The bartender looked shaken but he put on a brave face. "No you won't."
Xon stepped back . "You're right. I won't. But...there are some things worse than death." he said as he dropped his jacket to the floor. The only other two people in the tavern took notice. The quietly got up and walked out the front door.
The Bartender looked after them, like his only life preserver had just floated away. "She was here...last week. Met up with a Bolin. I don't know what they talked about. Met a couple of times. She saw me staring at her. I mean gezz. How could I not?"
Xon nodded. 'It's ok Son. I understand. You know where she headed?"
He shook his head. "No....Just...she told me as she walked out the door...'You never saw me.' and she had this look in those dark eyes...like I knew...anyway." he shrugged. "I didn't see anything,...know what I mean."
"Yea. Be cool kid. I been there. What a bout the Bolin? You know anything about him?"
He thought a minute. "Came from Anteria V. Kind of picked up a bit of conversation."
"A bit. What else did you pick up?"
"Uh.....something about Razor Phase cannons. I tried not to listen after that."
"Yea...I guess you did. Ok kid. If she shows up again. Tell her Xon is looking for her."
"Xon...sure. No problem."
Xon put his jacket back on and left the young man get himself back together.
Standing out on the side walk the first thing he heard was the unmistakable sound of an open hand coming across someone's face......hard.
He looked across the street and saw a Human woman, scowling at a Bajoran male. He'd seen hateful eyes in a woman in his life, but never like this. He would have bet money that Bajoran was about to get a second helping.
He walked over, the two human women didn't see him coming. But a Bajoran Woman looked up and for a moment she seemed more afraid of him than of the situation she found herself in.
"Is there a problem?" Xon asked, looking down on the four of them.
Jaran looked up a Xon without expression. "I appreciate your concern. But there is no problem here."
Zon looked at the man like he was crazy. "I wasn't talking to you." he looked at Jessica "Are you ok?"
Jessica looked up at the mountain of man. Regaining her composure she nodded. "We're ok. We just had a bit of a misunderstanding."
Xon took a breath, 'Ok then." and he walked off down the street.
Nala buried her face in her hand as Jessica sat back down. She could not believe Jaran had just blurted out what he had.
"Mr. Dayor, why in gods name have you come to make such a statement ...and upset my daughter." she looked over at Sarah, who still looked like she had just had a bucket of water thrown at her.
"Its true..is is not. That you visited Bajor 25 years ago. And during that visit you met Servita Bor. And at some time Servita Bor maneuvered you into his private quarters where he raped you. The result of which was your daughter...Sarah."
Sarah could not believe it anymore than the first time. "Why are you saying this?" she nearly cried. "Who the hell are you!"
Jaran looked at her. "Because I mean to destroy Servita Bor, destroy his credibility, his position of authority."
"By using us!?" Jessica pounded the table with her fists.
Jaran shook his head. "I have no intention bring your names into the public. I need the details."
"Why" she pleaded.
"Mother? Are you saying this is true? It can't be!"
"It is true Sarah." Jaran looked at her. "Your mother, when she found out she was pregnant, had a bit of genetic manipulation done. So that you would never appear anything other than completely human. But I assure you. You are part Bajoran."
"This is just crazy" Sarah whispered, her hands shaking.
"I'm sorry Sarah." Jessica said without looking up from the table. "I just....just couldn't tell you."
'I'm not listening to this any further!" and Sarah got up, pushing her chair over and storming off.
Nala got up. "I'll follow her, Make sure she's ok."
"Thank you." Jaran said.
When Nala had left Jessica looked up. "What do you really want?"
"I want the details of that encounter. So that I can duplicate it again. This time with a plant."
"For what?"
"Servita Bor is about to become a very powerful Bajoran in the governing assembly. If that happens, the relationship Bajor enjoys with Humanity will come to an end. He uses Humans as a scapegoat for all of Bajors ills. A come practice with despots thru history. I have to stop him...without making him a martyr. Which would happen if I just killed.him."
Jessica looked down the road, wondering how she would explain all of this to Sarah.
"He deserves to die." a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Yes..yes he does, but that won't solve the larger problem. Help me. Help me and it will bring closure to this. Help me and fly your light sail to Bajor, like you wish you could."
Her hands shaking, she stood up. "Let's go for a walk."
***
Nala followed Sarah, keeping a distance. Knowing it was Xon, she really needed to keep an eye on.
Off:
A post by Commander Dayor Jaran
Senior Research Administrator of the Bajoran Temple Vor-Huar
Clandestine operative of the Bajoran Intelligence Service
Previously Marcus Dinn
