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Days of the Vipers

Swallow James (EN)

Dukat sneered. “I understand why I was sent here now. You’ve become comfortable and hidebound, like the Bajorans. What’s needed here is boldness.” He shot Kell a hard look. “ Temerity,Jagul.”

Kell came to his feet. “You insubordinate whelp! How dare you stand before me and judge my orders! You will respect my rank and do as I command you!”

“I understand these aliens. I’ve seen how they think, how they feel and what they want.” Unbidden, memories surfaced in his thoughts. On the battlements of the Naghai Keep on the eve of the great feast. Dukat and the lawman, Darrah, talking as two men, nothing more; then again, in the corridors of the castle, as hate filled him and the need to take Hadlo’s life burned in his skin.The Bajoran’s words came back to in him a flash of insight. We’re a passionate people. We get so angry about things we lose focus on everything else.“The Bajorans hold grudges forever,” he told them. “They nurture them like their children. All we need to do to blindside these people is to bring them to rage. You only made them afraid. We need to make them furious.” Dukat leaned forward and picked up a padd from the jagul’s desk. On it was a report of two Bajoran warships that had recently departed the star system. The raw anger he had felt when he entered the room waned, replaced by a colder, more controlled resentment. They were forming a pact here, he realized. Without open words or accords, Dukat, Ico, and Kell were opening the way to the fall of an entire civilization. For the good of Cardassia. For Athra and my family.

“I know exactly how to do it,” he told them.

STAR TREK ®TEROK NOR

DAY OF THE VIPERS

2318-2328

James Swallow

Based upon STAR TREK created by

Gene Rodenberry,

and STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE ®,

created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller

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Cover art by John Picacio

ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-9176-4

ISBN-10: 1-4165-9176-1

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For my parents,

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Contents

Dramatis Personae

OCCUPATION DAY ZERO

Prologue

TEN YEARS AGO

FIVE YEARS AGO

ONE MONTH AGO

OCCUPATION DAY TWENTY

Epilogue

Appendices

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Dramatis Personae

Arin(Bajoran male) priest, aide to Kai Meressa

Coldri Se

Cotor(Bajoran male) a senior vedek at the Kendra Monastery

Darrah Mace(Bajoran male) officer of the Korto City Watch

Darrah Karys(Bajoran female) wife of Darrah Mace

Procal Dukat(Cardassian male) archon in the Cardassian military justice system and father of Skrain Dukat

Skrain Dukat(Cardassian male) officer in the Cardassian military

Els Renora(Bajoran female) public defender for the Korto Justice Department

Gar Osen(Bajoran male) priest, resident of Korto District

Hadlo(Cardassian male) senior priest of the Oralian Way

Rhan Ico(Cardassian female) non-military xenologist

Jaro Essa(Bajoran male) senior Militia officer

Jas Holza(Bajoran male) Korto District administrator and member of the Chamber of Ministers

Jekko Tybe(Bajoran male) adjutant for Minister Keeve Falor, former partner of Darrah Mace

Keeve Falor(Bajoran male) member of the Chamber of Ministers

Danig Kell(Cardassian male) high-ranking officer in the Cardassian military

Kubus Oak(Bajoran male) member of the Chamber of Ministers