Darrah sniffed. “Yeah, I’ll be sure to pass that on. Or not.” He nodded at Keeve Falor, who was in the midst of a terse response to something Kubus had said. “Why do you want to entice my men over to you, anyhow? You getting bored with the close protection stuff? The way Keeve rubs people the wrong way, I’ll bet there’s no shortage of folks you have to keep him safe from.”
“He’s a firebrand, that much is certain,” said Jekko. “But these days I’m doing more of the adjutant stuff, less of the bodyguard.” His fingers drummed on his right knee; the other man had taken a Nausicaan knife there during a stop-and-search when the two of them were only a few years out of the Militia academy. The injury had never really healed correctly. “And a good gun hand is always hard to find.”
Darrah leaned closer. “Maybe youshould come work for me.Benefits of rank and all, I’m sure I could call in some favors to get you an assignment—”
Jekko snorted. “I don’t think so. Too many spoonheads in Korto for my liking. Don’t trust them. Never have.”
Darrah’s lip twisted. “What, and you think Ido? This is me you’re talking about, Darrah Mace. I’d arrest the Emissary himself if he looked shifty.”
Jekko gave him a sideways look. “You’re a good lawman, Mace, you always have been. You got good instincts, better than me, even. It’s just the other stuff you’re a bit slack with.”
Keeve was on his feet now, his voice pitched at a level that matched Kubus’s resonant tones. “Minister, perhaps you could consider for one moment addressing the negative implications of the alliance. Instead of glossing over them?”
Kubus frowned. “I’m sure you would be more than happy to do that for me.”
“The so-called bounty from Cardassia does not arrive on our shores out of the goodness of their alien hearts,” Keeve replied. “Minerals and precious metals from our star system are migrating across the border to the Cardassian Union at an increasing rate. Kelbonite and mizainite ore from our moons, uridium from Bajor herself, and I have been made aware that the Detapa Council has been petitioning for some time to have those quotas increased.”
“It’s only fair that we pay for what we are given,” Kubus retorted. “We supply the Cardassians, and they supply us.”
“And how long do we let that continue?” Keeve looked around, and Lonnic saw nods from his supporters. “Are we going to let these offworlders drain us dry? What happens when the ores they want become harder to locate? Will we let them turn tracts of our land into mine works?” He glared at Kubus. “Such things have already happened in Qui’al District, as I understand.”
“What my clan does with our holdings is not a matter I wish to discuss,” said the other minister.
Abruptly, the priest at Kai Meressa’s side rose. “If the chamber pleases, I would like to interject. The discussion here dwells too much on the material.” Ranjen Arin puffed out his chest. “You are ignoring the great spiritual interchange that has come from our friendship with the offworlders. The insights of the Oralian pilgrims have brought new light to our understanding of the Prophets and our faith.”
Keeve shot Arin a measuring stare. “Forgive me, Ranjen, but I am only an ordinary man and not blessed with such great knowledge of the Prophets as you are. All I see are these so-called pilgrims bringing theirfaith and who knows what other things to our planet.” He placed his hands on the table before him. “If they are so open, sir, then why do they keep to those enclaves? How can they learn from us and we from them if they are isolated?”
“The path to the Celestial Temple.” There was a moment of silence before everyone on the floor of the chamber realized the words were spoken by the kai. “It can only be opened by those with open hearts, open minds. The Prophets know this, and we must know it too.”
Keeve’s expression hardened, and Lonnic wondered if he would be willing to speak against someone so venerated and respected as Kai Meressa. “Some of us do not see that path as clearly as you do,” he replied finally, returning to his seat.
First Minister Lale cleared his throat, breaking the tension of the awkward moment. “We have drifted from the issue. I have called this meeting in order to allow debate on a new matter relating to the Bajoran-Cardassian agreement.” He nodded to Kubus. “Minister? If you will continue?”
“Thank you,” said the politician smoothly. “Jagul Danig Kell of the Cardassian Union has brought forward an offer from his superiors to further cement the close association between our two species. We have all heard of the incidents in recent months relating to piracy and loss of our shipping. We are all aware that the aggressive and secretive Tzenkethi Coalition are expanding their sphere of influence into the Bajor Sector.” He looked at Jaro Essa. “And for all the hard work and selfless sacrifice of our brave men and women in the Militia Space Guard, we have only so many ships to go around. Not enough to protect every civilian vessel.”
Jaro’s stony face never showed a flicker of expression, but Lonnic could see the stiffening of tendons in the officer’s neck; Kubus was, regrettably, quite correct.
“To that end, the Second Order of the Cardassian Central Command has offered to place a squadron of its cruisers on station in Bajoran space.” A ripple of debate followed the statement, but Kubus kept speaking. “The ever-present threat of the Tzenkethi alone shows the merit in such a generous gesture.”
“A squadron?” said Kalem Apren. “How many vessels is that, exactly?”
“Standard Cardassian deployment would be six to eight starships, plus support vessels,” Jaro said flatly.
Lonnic glanced at Jas. The minister remained silent, adding nothing to the debate, only watching.
“Eight or more alien warships?” Keeve retorted. “In sight of Bajor, on a permanent footing? Is that what you are proposing?” He shook his head. “There are more than enough Cardassian vessels in our space as it is, acting as ‘escorts’ to their freighters.” The minister gestured to Jaro, and his tone turned acid. “I would suggest that instead of accepting this graciousoffer, we instead divert matériel and energy from trade issues toward accelerating construction of defense vessels of our own!”
Jaro nodded slowly. “I agree. A strong Bajor is an armed Bajor.”
Keeve mirrored Jaro’s motion. “Would it not be better for Bajoran interests to be protected by Bajoran starships?”
“What you suggest is already in motion, Minister Keeve,” said Lale mildly, seemingly unperturbed by the other man’s building irritation. “But it will take time to complete and deploy new wings of assault ships and corvettes.”
“The Cardassian offer could serve as an interim measure,” Kubus broke in. “It would be a great benefit.”
“For us?” Keeve retorted. “Or for them?”
The ministers dispersed across the chamber’s atrium, and Lonnic walked with Jas, scanning the faces of the other men. Predictably, there had been no conclusion to the matter of the Cardassian offer; the issue would be debated again and again until one faction or another gained enough momentum to resolve it. She saw Darrah in conversation with the officer from the gallery, the two of them standing in the shadow of one of the tall statues that held up the roof of the domed chamber. Each figure represented a lawmaker or leader from the various Republics. She found herself wondering what opinions they might have had of the circumstances currently unfolding on their homeworld.
Darrah nodded a farewell to the other officer—a commander, she noticed—and crossed to them. Past the inspector’s shoulder, Lonnic saw Minister Keeve talking to the other man. “Mace,” she said quietly, “you know him?”
“Jekko?” He nodded. “We served together. We came up through the academy as squadmates.”