Cathedral by Michael Mangels (ebook reader color screen txt) 📕

“I only helped nudge him back into the real world. But Nog had to decide to do the living for himself. He learned to believe that things might get better for him out in the big bad universe if he’d just get out there and start participating in it again.”

“So…Quark was merely being hyperbolic when he praised your abilities.”

“I try not to think too much about what my reviewers say, pallie. Other people will believe whatever they want to believe, about me or anybody else. And that’s probably the way things oughta be.”

Taran’atar was growing increasingly bewildered. “You don’t lay claim to any special psychotherapeutic talents. Yet others believe you possess those talents.”

“Everybody has to have faith in something. For instance, you have faith that the Founders are gods, don’t you?”

Taran’atar mulled that over momentarily. “No, I do not. Believing that the Founders are gods requires no faith on the part of a Jem’Hadar.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because the Founders are gods.”

Vic shrugged again. “You ask a silly question—”

At that moment, Taran’atar became aware of some motion from the far corner table. The iron-haired humanoid he had noticed before had risen to his feet and was now walking in his direction. Taran’atar instantly noticed three things about the man: he was far taller and broader than he had appeared while seated; he was wearing an equally outsize black-and-white suit; and he was very definitely not a hologram.

“Have you two met?” Vic asked as the large man came to a halt within arm’s reach. “I think you may have a fair amount in common.”

Taran’atar faced the humanoid, and finally recognized him.

“This was the last place in the quadrant I expected to encounter a Jem’Hadar,” the humanoid said, his expression neutral. But Taran’atar was relieved to note that the man made no effort to shake his hand, a human gesture that he still had not gotten used to.

“I didn’t know that Capellans were interested in human popular culture,” Taran’atar said. “You are Leonard James Akaar, fleet admiral, Starfleet. I did not recognize you right away because of your tuck-seedoh.”

Akaar chuckled and raised a glass to his lips before responding. “I discovered long ago that human history and culture have much to recommend them. As they say on Earth, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ Nowtell me—what compels one of the soldiers of the Dominion to sample the historic pleasures of one of the Federation’s founding worlds?”

“I’m not here in my capacity as a soldier. My current mission is one of peace. I’ve been instructed to learn all I can about the peoples of the Alpha Quadrant.”

“Yes, I have been briefed about the mission on which Odo has sent you,” Akaar said knowingly, then raised his glass toward Vic, who was listening attentively to the exchange. “You will find Vic to be quite a perspicacious host, Mr. Taran’atar. We do indeed have much in common, you and I. Though I confess to finding it somewhat strange that we both appear to be so at ease in one another’s presence.”

“I don’t understand,” Taran’atar said.

Akaar frowned. “You cannot be serious. Tell me—how many Jem’Hadar do you think I killed during the war?”

“I couldn’t say,” Taran’atar said, though there was no heat beneath his words. During war such things were to be expected. But now that the war was over, it was of no consequence.

“Tens of thousands,” Akaar said. “Perhaps a hundred thousand or more. Sometimes I did it from the bridge of a starship, or from a starbase wardroom, or from Starfleet Headquarters. And I dispatched many of them at close quarters, sometimes with a hand phaser, and on other occasions with my triple-bladed kligat.” Akaar fell silent, though he looked expectantly toward Taran’atar.

Vic winced as the tension appeared to escalate. “Fellas, please tell me you’re not planning on trashing my place. The guys in the band are still jumpy from all those times Worf went berserk in here last year. And I’m not paying the bouncers enough to even think about going toe-to-toe with either one of you.”

Then Akaar laughed, a low throaty sound. He placed his right fist on the left side of his chest, then extended his palm outward toward Vic. “Be at peace, Vic. Like Mr. Taran’atar, I have come to this place with an open heart, and open hands.”

“Your experiences during the Dominion War interest me,” Taran’atar said. “But why tell me of the Jem’Hadar you’ve slain?”

“Because my aged ears overheard your discussion of faith, and it piqued my interest. Do you know why I have come here, Mr. Taran’atar?”

“To this lounge?”

“To this space station.”

“You are one of the Federation dignitaries who will bear official witness to Bajor’s entry into the Federation.”

Akaar nodded. “An action that, in itself, is an act of faith. When a world joins the Federation, it is a most serious occasion. A time of both celebration and contemplation. Of faith.”

Taran’atar recalled how carefully the Dominion’s Vorta managers had worked to optimize the usage of each newly annexed planet’s resources for the benefit of the Founders. But such things were merely prosaic facts of existence. They had been done with little ceremony or fanfare, other than the ordinary rituals and recitations that custom dictated surround the daily dispensations of ketracel-white.

“Again, I do not understand,” Taran’atar said.

Akaar sighed, as though he had just failed to convey the intuitively obvious to a dull-witted child. Taran’atar felt his frustration rising at his failure to comprehend things that these Alpha Quadrant natives appeared to grasp so instinctively.

“I have faith,” Akaar continued, “that the years of transformation which began after the Cardassian Occupation ended have prepared Bajor to integrate itself into our coalition of worlds. I have faith that an indissoluble bond will result between Bajor and Earth, Vulcan, Andor, and the scores of other Federation planets.”

Something occurred to Taran’atar then. “I noticed that you did not number your own world among those others.”

Akaar lifted a single ropy eyebrow. “Quite right. Capella has petitioned for Federation member status