The Casualty «Dukat/Damar & OFC» 🔞 ✔️

11. Dinner party

Watching Damar laugh his wits off with some Cardassian woman at Legate Hovas's dinner party was a tough test of Nyran's resolve. For some reason, the thought of him hitting it off with her irritated her way more than a night of meaningless sex would. As she was steadily losing a friend in him, another might swoop in to take her place, and that was scarier than anything.

"Zaira, you've brought a rainy cloud into this beautiful, starry night," a familiar voice sounded behind her as she was sitting at the table, absentmindedly pushing chunks of her food across her plate. She turned to smile at Legate Hovas.

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "Not a good day for me, I'm afraid. I should just go if I'm ruining the mood, you deserve to have fun tonight."

"You would deprive me of your presence, my dear?" he threw a hurt look her way. "You know that would be spoiling my fun."

Legate Hovas* was one of those jovial elders who considered shameless flirting with young women a perk of their advanced age. His hair was almost white, he had an ample figure, a wide, pleasant smile and hid a long career of a ruthless warrior behind his bold laughter. And he treated her as another Cardassian, which was still not that usual for her. Granted, he probably would not object if she decided to take him up on his offers, but he never pushed and Nyran did not feel threatened by him. He had broken a lot of hearts in his long life, but was always known to be a gentleman. She quite liked him, although his comments were not always what she wanted to hear.

So she forced out a sweet smile and stood, albeit a bit unsteadily on the high heels she chose for this occasion. Her wavy mane fell loosely to her waist and her dress hugged her figure tightly. She thought she would make an impression, secretly hoping Damar would be picking his jaw off the floor the whole night, but his company was so much more sophisticated, she ended up feeling like a pathetic clown instead. Legate Hovas's thirsty gaze actually flattered her at this point and she decided to make the best of it.

"I was just joking, I wouldn't miss spending time with you," she winked, leaning to him, hand placed on his forearm. That made him chuckle and jitter around with pleasure.

"I knew it! That's why you picked this dress, isn't it?" He gave her an approving once-over, pointing to the strategic parts of her body the dress accentuated. "Your devious plan is to make my groin explode. I should not have included you in my will, my life is in danger now."

They both laughed, Hovas offered her his arm and led her to the small dance floor on the side of the room.

"Dance with me, my lady?" he bowed slightly. She smiled and took his hand and they began to lightly swing into the rhythm.

Many of the Cardassian military occasions she attended artfully forced the few available women to dance with men they were not interested in. At least with Hovas his big round belly prevented him from being too close and rubbing anything important on her, although the pillow pressed into her breasts and stomach was not her idea of a comfortable position to be in. It was still better than to sit alone at the long table, feeling inadequate and trying not to be jealous of the woman having fun with Damar.

When the song was over, Hovas led her to a group of men standing in conversation nearby.

"Let me introduce you to some of my eligible single friends, my dear," he bellowed as they approached them. Nyran immediately felt the rise of heat into her face, but the men seemed unphased by his exclamation. He must have talked to them beforehand, she figured, and now they were all lined up, ready to get to know her.

Hovas must have felt her grip on his arm tensing. He bent down to whisper in her ear:

"I think it's time you put Dukat's betrayal behind you, don't you?" he cocked his head curiously. "These aren't supreme commanders, but I know they're decent men worth your time. Just talk to them, see if any of them catch your attention. No pressure, my dear."