Chapter Text
They reached the airlock. "Is everything ready?" Dukat asked the guard on duty.
"Yes, sir."
"Very well." The chance for a few more private moments was not to be cast aside. "You may report to your next assignment. I will close the lock myself."
"Yes, sir." The guard left.
Naprem turned to their daughter. "Ziyal, say goodbye to your father and wait for me aboard," she said.
Ziyal's eyes were bright as she hugged him briefly. "Goodbye, Father," she said softly. With something suspiciously like a stifled sob, she walked down the lock tube.
They stood looking at each other. There was one more thing he wanted to say; he had never said it, he could not let her go without saying it, but the words stuck in his throat. The commander of Terok Nor, he thought derisively, tongue-tied like a moonling! They couldn't stand here much longer; even at this hour someone might come by. Dukat drew a deep breath and marshaled his determination. "Naprem… I love you." There, it was out at last.
She smiled and reached up to touch his cheek, green eyes meeting blue for the last time. "I know," she said gently, and turned to enter the ship. She did not look back.
Dukat watched until the Ravinok had pulled away from the station. He was still numb, but he knew that later the pain would start, and that it would always be part of him from this day forward. No matter what happens now, he thought as he walked back toward his quarters, at least I know that Naprem and Ziyal are safe.
He tried very hard not to hear the little voice in the back of his head which said, And so am I.