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Dukat was stumbling, breathless, along the dark hallway filled with blue lights. He had to find her.
« Father! »
He turned around fast, his heart jumping with joy in his chest.
He gasped « Ah Ziyal!».
He saw her running to him, grinning, and he immediately ran towards her to take her in his arms and to hold her tightly against him. She was with him, and now everything would be all right.
She stepped back a little, her arms still resting on his: «I’ve been looking for you» she said calmly, «I heard about the evacuation».
He smiled widely and sighed: «You’re all I have, all I care about» and he heard her answering in a whisper: « No matter how much I try to hate you, I can’t ». For a second, a flash of anger burnt him, against those who tried to turn her against him. But she was his daughter and her love for him had won.
«I couldn't live with myself if you hated me», he sighed, letting his forehead lean gently upon her’s. But he knew there was no time to lose, Damar and the others were waiting for him.
« Come, we'll talk on the way home ».
He took her by the arm, but she immediately stopped him: «Home? »
He turned to her, still smiling, of course she had to understand: «Cardassia. We have to leave here, Ziyal, before the Federation arrives. »
But she stood there, her smile fading. Her imploring eyes made him suddenly shiver.
« I’m not leaving ».
He had to be more convincing and he raised his voice «These people are our enemies ! »
But she answered in a pleading voice: « They're not my enemies. I'm one of them. »
No, no, there was no time to argue again ! Every second lost was bringing the Federation nearer, and they might already be boarding the station!
« That’s not true! » he hissed in anger already heading down the corridor, still believing she would follow.
She held him back almost crying: « Father, I helped Major Kira and the others escape from the holding cells.»
He froze, helpless, looking at her, slowly raising his hand, his teeth clenched and whispered slowly: «Do you know what you're saying?». This was a lie, this was wrong, she couldn't have done it!
Her eyes were fixed on his, her hand had taken his hand.
« Yes, I do. I belong here. » She raised her hand to caress his cheek; he seized it and pressed it to feel her touch. His heart was sinking. He rested his chin in the cup of her hand while she said softly: «Goodbye, Father. I love you ».
The words sank deep inside him, like a giant wave bringing first anger and soon replaced by infinite sorrow, distress, grief. Only now he started to understand what was happening… Within a second or less, he was going to lose his little one, his loving daughter, the only person he really cared for. He had been so eager to find her and to take her with him to Cardassia. This time, he was sure they could live happily ever after. And there he was looking desperately at her, feeling her hands let go of his, slowly moving away from him, then almost running… No…this couldn't be true…
Before reaching the end of the corridor, she suddenly turned around slowly, looked at him who hadn't moved and cried: « I love you! ». This was more than he could ever take. He gasped loudly and rushed to her. He wanted her to feel his infinite love for her, wanted to hold her tight, to breathe in the smell of her soft hair, to call her once more « little one » like he used to do when they were a family with Naprem…
There was a sudden high-pitched noise and a yellow burst of light followed by a deep cry.
Stunned by the noise, Dukat who was holding his daughter in his arms didn't understand at first what had just happened. It was clearly a phaser shot but who’s shot and whom? Still holding Ziyal and swiftly turning his head, he saw beside him a shape lying on the floor. Taken aback, he suddenly realised that it was Damar! Ziyal, eyes open wide, put a hand on her mouth, in fear, to suppress her sobs. Dukat, making sure that she was safe, left her leaning on the bulkhead and rushed to kneel beside Damar who was dying. Damar grabbed his arm. Blood, flooding from his mouth, was already soaking his armour. A phaser lay on the floor, near his right hand. « Sir… » he croaked, « I… I didn’t shoot… ». Dukat tried to lift Damar’s head to catch what he was saying but the eyes of his lieutenant closed slowly and his body stiffened. Dukat gently rested Damar’s head down on the floor and took the phaser. Alerted, he quickly got up to his feet to go back to his daughter.
Suddenly, he saw him. Almost a shadow at the dark end of the hallway, not far behind Ziyal. Garak! He was standing still, a phaser in his hand, his eyes so serious, still aiming at…
Dukat was completely taken aback : « Garak !! It’s impossible ! The Federation… »
«A few of us were just beamed aboard in strategic places of the station. Long-range beam. Interesting, isn't it ? » smiled Garak.
Dukat grew mad and ran toward him shouting. « Why? Why did you do this??? » Garak didn't move and snapped: « Stop there Dukat, right now, or you'll be the next! And I won't miss. Drop your phaser!». Dukat dropped the weapon, grabbed Ziyal who was now sobbing and shielded her from the weapon. He faced Garak.
« Father », she sighed, « please, don't … »
« Do not move Ziyal! » he urged her. « Why, Garak? » he hissed.
« I saved Ziyal, don't you understand? » Garak spat at him
Dukat didn’t understand. « Save Ziyal? »
« I was hiding there when I saw Damar behind you aiming at Ziyal ».
« No! He wouldn't have shot her, it’s impossible! » shouted Dukat!
« But we are Cardassians aren't we? We all heard what she said. I know he would have shot her, he is…was… too loyal to Cardassia. So I killed him before he even lifted his arm. A good shot indeed, a really good shot… ». His eyes were sparkling.
« Before he… you said he was aiming at her! »
« Oh did I? Well, my eyesight is not always very sharp… » Garak grinned.
« And now, you scumbag, you’ll also kill me in cold blood? » asked Dukat, who took a slight step forward.
Still aiming at him, Garak took a few seconds to answer while looking at Ziyal. Two seconds too long. Dukat had jumped at him with all his strength and rage. Their bodies intertwined, they fell heavily on the floor. Ziyal was desperate « Stop, please, Garak! Father! Please! ». But they didn't hear her. It was too late. This confrontation had been long overdue.
For a few minutes, she only heard shouts, growls, the noise of fists knocking hard against bodies, rolling on the floor. In the dim blue light, she couldn't clearly see what was going on. The two enemies were now struggling desperately, each of them giving and receiving blows.
While Dukat was trying to prevent Garak from using the phaser against him or accidentally hit Ziyal, his hatred overwhelmed him, a single desire of killing him dominated his thoughts! As he managed to pin Garak’s arm on the floor, Dukat leaned over him, put his left hand around Garak’s throat and began to squeeze, growling. Garak’s moaned loudly, his eyes bulging. In his blurred mind Dukat suddenly heard a distant voice: « Father, please… ». His grip loosened. In a last attempt to break away, Garak brutally freed his hand. No time to think. Shoot. Then all went dark as his chin exploded in pain.
The sound of the phaser resonated in the hollow corridor. Ziyal screamed: « Father!! Garak!!».
One black form slowly got up and, with a sigh of relief, she saw her father, grinning at her. His left hand was grabbing his right arm that held the phaser. Running to embrace him, she heard a cry of pain coming from his mouth. « Father you’re hurt! » He smiled « It’s nothing, little one, it only went through my arm. I will be all right ». She turned back to see Garak, sure that he was dead but to her surprise, he was on his knees, trying to get on his feet though with difficulty and pain. She ran up to him to help:
« Garak! You're alive! ». Out of breath, Garak smiled sadly, rubbing his chin. Dukat was still holding his phaser but he saw him throwing it away. « Yes, my dear. I don’t know why, but your father decided not to kill me. This day is most surprising indeed ».
There was no time left. Dukat, severely bleeding but safe, looked tenderly at his daughter:
« Ziyal… I forgive you, I really do. You know how much I love you, little one, and I want to take you home with me. But I love you enough to accept your decision. And you have to make it now. Will you come with me to Cardassia? » he asked, panting.
Ziyal looked at the two men whom she cared for, albeit in different ways. Her father, wild and proud, wounded but able to escape one more time and sure to overcome this temporary defeat; Garak, mysterious, but thoughtful and gentle with her, who would remain on DS9 with the Federation crew, her friends, arriving soon. Her eyes lingered over Garak who was staring intensely at her.
Dukat said nothing. His eyes narrowed. He turned around, sadly stepping over Damar’s body, and headed rapidly to the airlock. His arm needed attention and his heart was aching at the loss of his beloved daughter, but he would think of it later. He had to rush. He heard the noises indicating that the battle was already raging outside. He managed to open the heavy lock, entered the first inner section; he saw a glinn still waiting for him on the other side and waving at him to hurry. Just as he was beginning to close the airlock, he heard Ziyal shouting: « Father! Father, wait for me!! I am coming with you!! ». He rushed outside to see his daughter running to him and jumping into his arms with tears of joy. He laughed, completely forgetting the pain.
« Ah! Ziyal!! ».
« Father, forgive me, I can’t let you go without me, you need me and I need you too. »
His heart was glowing as, his hand in his daughter’s hand, they rushed to the ship which took off immediately and engaged warp speed just in time to avoid a photon torpedo launched by one of the Federation ships which was already docking. Yes, the fight would go on, he’d have to think how to regain all he had lost but perhaps the time had also come for him to rest a while and to enjoy his share of happiness.
« Naprem», he thought, as he watched their daughter mischievously sitting in the command chair and looking tenderly at him, « Naprem, my love, look. We are family again. Please, ask your Prophets to protect us ».