The Casualty «Dukat/Damar & OFC» 🔞 ✔️

6. Open conflict

They were engaged for two and a half months before the first real trouble appeared.

The war was going well for Cardassia and the Dominion, which kept Dukat in a good mood. He started making official appearances with his new fiancée at his side. Gorgeous, quiet, polite and well-mannered, she made the perfect partner to a leader of an empire, as Dukat pointed out. Nyran had not quite realized just how important her role would become, until she had to sit through a meeting next to him, looking pleasant and saying the right things at the right times. She did it gladly, though, as even that was service to the empire.

Major Kira had been just a minor annoyance to her the whole time, until one day, when she witnessed her arguing with Dukat in the privacy of his office. Nyran was sitting in her little workspace right next to them, the door closed and not a sound would come through in normal circumstances -- but he forgot to turn off his communicator and she heard every word. Each pierced her heart with a dagger, leaving it to bleed all over her illusions.

It was incredibly difficult not to barge in on them right at that moment. Though it was apparent how much Major Kira hated him, Dukat sounded as if they were just about to become lovers. He must have been infatuated with Kira long before he even met Nyran. Everyone had their past passions, but one would think a good man would leave his behind once he decided to commit to someone.*

For the rest of the day, Nyran avoided him as much as possible, barely talking to him when she had no choice but to face him. She was hurt and livid, but far from having a clue about what to say to him or even how to broach the subject.

Later that day, Damar came into her little office, when he found the main one empty. Dukat was away on some trip with Weyoun and they did not need her along, so she was finishing some paperwork.

"What can I do for you, sir?" she asked flatly when Damar entered.

There was silence. Nyran shifted her gaze to him in wonder. To her puzzlement, he looked uncomfortable, as if he did not want to be there.

"I'm here to discuss something personal, you can lose the 'sir'," he announced softly. She frowned. What personal matter concerning her would make him look like he was about to be tortured?

"What is it?" she encouraged him, standing up to face the music.

"Earlier, I came by to talk to Dukat about work, but Major Kira was in the office," he said quickly to get it over with. Nyran suddenly knew what this was about. "I was hanging around the door, waiting for them to finish, and... I saw stuff. They argued, but I couldn't ignore the way he talked to her. He openly flirted, smiling, purring, touching her face... No way they were just talking business."

A few seconds of ringing silence followed. Nyran was trying not to collapse onto the floor sobbing and Damar probably thought she would need a moment to let his words sink.

"I just thought you should know," he added. "It didn't seem fair to you."

"Seriously, since when do you care, Corat?" Nyran exhaled shakily. "You didn't give a fuck about me just a few weeks ago."

"Maybe it would be simpler if you'd just accept that I do give a fuck now," he shook his head. "I care about the future of our home. And that future seemed quite bleak as I was witnessing their conversation. He didn't even bother using private mode, for fuck's sake, anybody could see them through the glass if they got curious. One wife already abandoned him for what he'd done -- I don't think his position would survive another such scandal."

"Right, stupid me. It's him you care about, and the state," Nyran rolled her eyes. "It's nice of you to come by, but I already know about this."

Damar frowned, confused.