It had taken Kira a long time to get past those feelings, to see beyond her automatic resentment of the Federation’s presence. Years of serving alongside Benjamin, Jadzia, Miles, Julian, and even Worf, had helped her to understand that these people were her partners, her friends and allies—not her adversaries. They hadn’t come with the misguided idea of helping Bajor become more like the Federation; they’d come to help Bajor help itself—and the distinction between those two ideas could not be minimized, no matter what the skeptics might say.

But they were all gone now. Captain Sisko was with the Prophets. Worf had moved on. Miles with his family had transferred back to Earth. Jadzia was dead, and even though she lived on, after a fashion, in Ezri, she, Julian, and Nog had left almost three months ago for their mission into the Gamma Quadrant.

Now, standing here in the main briefing room among the senior staff of the U.S.S. Gryphon,in the aftermath of Shakaar’s assassination at the hands of a Federation official, all Kira’s old feelings were back, full force. She couldn’t help it. Those she had put her faith and trust in had betrayed Bajor, had betrayed her.

Easier to believe that than the alternative.

And you know damn well what the alternative to blaming the Federation is, don’t you, Nerys? To blame yourself. Maybe the Federation murdered Shakaar, maybe not. But it was you who failed him. You failed Bajor. And if this really was a rogue action, then by letting it succeed, you allowed Bajor’s entry into the Federation to disintegrate. Everything you worked for in the last seven years—everything the Emissary worked for—is in ruins.

And maybe that’s even for the best.

“Commander Kira?”

Kira looked up abruptly, realizing she had let her mind wander. Captain Mello, seated on the opposite side of the room at the head of the meeting table, had called the briefing immediately after Gryphonhad gone to warp. Kira had declined to sit at the table with the Starfleet officers, choosing instead to stand where she could see everyone in the room. “I’d prefer to be addressed as Colonel, Captain,” Kira said.

Mello looked at her gravely. “As you wish, Colonel. I was saying that our analysis of the energy trail is still inconclusive insofar as the exact type of cloaking device we’re dealing with is concerned. But perhaps if you examined the data yourself, you might see something we’re missing.”

“Yes, I’d like to do that,” Kira said, her voice hollow in her own ears. “Thank you, Captain.”

Mello let out a long breath through her nostrils as she regarded Kira. Her eyes moved to her senior officers. “We’ll adjourn for now, and reconvene at 1400. Dismissed. Colonel, will you stay a moment?”

As the other officers filed out, Kira moved to the foot of the table, looking at Mello across the length of it. When only she and the captain were left in the room, Mello spoke again. “Colonel…what can we do?”

Kira felt the corner of her mouth lift, mentally thanking Mello for not asking something as predictable and pointless as Are you all right? Gryphonhad been assisting Deep Space 9 on and off for the last four months, and Kira had always found the ship’s captain to be forthright and direct. It was one of the things she had come to admire most about Mello.

“You’re doing all you can, Captain,” Kira said finally. “The Bajoran people are grateful for the cooperation of Starfleet and the Federation in resolving this matter. And I personally am grateful for your involvement.”

Mello sighed. She got up from her chair and walked around the table to stand in front of Kira. “Colonel…I know the crime that’s been committed can’t be minimized. What happened to Shakaar—and to Bajor—is heinous. The first minister’s murder is a blow to all of us. Tensions between both our governments are high, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Bajor may not want to join the Federation now. I don’t think any of us really knows what the future will bring. Those concerns, however, I’ll leave to the politicians and the diplomats. Right now I’m interested in only one thing: bringing the assassin to justice. We’re on this hunt together,” Mello emphasized, grabbing Kira’s shoulders. “We’re on the same side, Nerys. I hope you believe that.”

“I do, Elaine,” Kira said. “But as you say, we’re on a course toward an uncertain future. No matter what happens, my people will never be the same again after this. I’llnever be the same. And, more to the point, I’ve come to realize that this voyage could turn out to be the last joint mission between Starfleet and the Militia…and I just don’t know whether to be saddened by that or relieved.”

“I understand,” Mello said after a moment. “I don’t envy you your position, Nerys. You must feel adrift, and alone. But I want you to know that while you’re on my ship, you’re among friends. We’re here to help, Colonel,” she repeated, studying Kira’s face carefully. “How long has it been since you last slept?”

Kira shrugged. “Probably too long.”

“Nothing seems likely to change for the next few hours. Why don’t you get some rest. I’ll see to it you have complete access to our mission data so you can examine it at your convenience.” Mello tapped her combadge and summoned her first officer back to the briefing room. When he stepped through the doors, she continued, “Commander Montenegro will escort you to your quarters. Anything you need, let him know.”

“Thank you again, Captain. I think I would like some time alone. But if anything new comes up—”

“I’ll alert you immediately, rest assured. Now get out of here,” Mello said with a smile.

The corner of Kira’s mouth lifted and she turned to go. Following Montenegro back out onto Gryphon’s bridge, Kira saw several eyes turn in her direction as she crossed the deck toward the turbolift. She was unable even to guess at the thoughts behind the looks she received, and that troubled her.

“Deck five,” Montenegro said aloud as they entered the lift. As their descent began, Kira noticed out of the corner of her eye that like the bridge crew, the first officer was stealing glances at her. “Is something wrong, Commander?”

Montenegro started, embarrassed. “Uh, no, sir. I just wanted to say…I’m sorry about First Minister Shakaar. I liked him.”

“Really?” Kira asked as the lift slowed to a stop. She suddenly recalled that Skakaar had fled the turmoil he’d orchestrated during the Cardassian negotiations by becoming Captain Mello’s guest aboard Gryphonfor a few days as the ship patrolled the Bajoran system. “What did you like about him?”

“His enthusiasm, mostly,” Montenegro said as they exited the lift and started side by side down a corridor. Crewmen nodded to the first officer as they passed. “He seemed curious about everything to do with the ship. And when he talked about Bajor joining the Federation, his face would just light up. He even mentioned he was working on a proposal to allow Starfleet to establish a shipyard within the Bajoran system.”

“Really?” Kira said. A shipyard! When was he going to spring that one on Bajor? And what else was he planning?“I had no idea. What else did he say?”

“To be honest, I didn’t get to speak with him much. He spent most of his time with Captain Mello.” Kira thought she detected a slight edge in Montenegro’s voice as he said his captain’s name, but it was gone almost immediately. “I was on duty when the captain showed him the bridge, and most of my impressions are from meeting him then. Ah, here we are.” Montenegro stopped in front of a pair of doors and manipulated the touchpad next to it. The doors parted, and he gestured for Kira to enter.

The VIP cabin was enormous, bigger than anything analogous on Deep Space 9, whose accommodations were designed by and for Cardassians. Bright and luxurious by contrast, these quarters were lavishly furnished and softly lit. Vases of flowers filled the cool air with a sweet scent. Huge viewports sloped toward the Gryphon’s bow along one wall, and through them Kira could see the stars streaking toward her at warp. Nothing at all like the cramped, windowless, utilitarian cabins she was accustomed to aboard Defiant.