There is a conflict brewing around Bajor, around the station called Deep Space Nine. The Dominion has joined forces with the Cardassian Union and now they are sitting safely entrenched in their territory and arming up, so they can take on the whole quadrant. The galaxy is holding its breath for now and people are going about their everyday lives, but it will not be long before the proverbial feces hit the fan...
Nyran was just a baby, a suckling, when she was taken from her Bajoran family and brought to Cardassia. She got the privilege of growing up into a healthy adult woman, which was at a premium for her race during the Occupation. Right now, she's fresh out of school, enlisted as a secretary to the most powerful man in the Cardassian Union.
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Author's note:
Please bear with me if you did come here to read about Dukat. This needs to happen, it's an essential part of the heroine's personality growth and will bring her to the major plot of this novel. You'll get your fill of Damar VERY soon :).
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Cardassia Prime, Neshkar (capital city)
Nyran's first day of work had barely started and her boss, the supreme commander of the whole empire, was already noticing her more than she was comfortable with. She had heard rumors about him, but chose to believe she had been picked for this job because of her skills. Focusing on doing the best work she was capable of to make a good first impression, she tried to gracefully avoid Gul Dukat's attention, but he was evidently curious about her.
"Tell me, Zaira, how long have you been living on Cardassia(1)?" he wondered, when his secretary(2) pattered past him again with an armful of PADDs, busy as a bee.
"Since before I can remember, sir," she answered coyly, fanning her peachy cheeks with long dark eyelashes.
Dukat(3) gave her another pleased once-over, lingering shamelessly at her full breasts and curved hips. She found it highly inappropriate, but also quite distracting. As she would not dare to just leave the room to bring more documents when he engaged her in conversation, she just stood in front of his desk, hands joined on the fabric of her carefully chosen work dress, fingers nervously fidgeting.
"May I call you Nyran?" Dukat purred with his head tilted to the side, a smile playing around his lips. "It's such a pretty name."
She blushed violently, but nodded nonetheless. Whatever helped her keep the job. Her rent would not pay itself and she had no other source of income. She considered herself lucky to have scored such a high-end position with no previous experience.
"You may, sir."
"Thank you," his smile widened. "Strange. I've never noticed you before," he narrowed his eyes, as if trying to recall seeing her. "And I'm sure I would have if I saw you around."
Nyran lowered her head.
"I haven't spent much time down on the planet since I was fifteen, sir. I've just finished my training at the academy, this is my first job. Lahar Teral fought the authorities to allow me to study and funded my education."
She tried hard not to sound accusing, but failed. The mention of her foster father slipped out on its own accord, victorious in the struggle she put up to let go of her bitterness. Holding something against the leader of the nation was a bad impulse. It was not directly his fault anyway, he was just a catalyst. The Dominion goons he brought to Cardassia on his heels had disposed of most members of the Detapa Council(4) to set him up for his promotion, and if Lahar had not died from his life-long heart condition, he would have been executed along with them.
Naturally, Nyran only knew about the deaths from Lahar himself -- he'd had a long fit of helpless rage, venting his woes, leading to his untimely demise. The nation, not aware of the cost, was celebrating and thanking the Dominion for bringing the sorely needed resources and manpower to rebuild their home. Nyran was grateful, too, but the hurt they had inflicted on her family was hard to forgive. She watched Lahar die in her arms as they were waiting for a physician to show up, and his funeral was only a month ago. The pain was still fresh, the nightmares vivid.
"Oh." Her tone clearly wasn't lost on Dukat. "I heard Teral had succumbed to a heart-attack on the eve of my return. You must blame me for his fate. I assure you, Nyran, the deaths of the councilmen was not what I wanted and I'm truly sorry for your loss," he ducked his chin with a solemn expression on his scaled face. "What I've done was to save all of Cardassia. Surely you believe that, don't you?" he leaned closer, studying her. "Or did you agree with the sorry state the empire had fallen into during my absence? The Klingon attacks, the starvation, the plagues? Do you dislike the benefits the Dominion has brought us?"
"I don't meddle in politics, sir," Nyran shook her head, cursing at herself privately. Antagonizing her boss on day one, what a way to go. Perhaps the emotional reasons behind her unwise approach would soften him up. "But Lahar was my family. He took good care of me and gave me as much love and attention as his own children. He's... missed," she swallowed, fighting off a wave of crushing pain.
A shark-like smile bloomed on Dukat's lizard-like face.
"Teral was not the only Cardassian who had a soft spot for Bajoran women, Nyran," he winked at her. "I also can take care of you... in any way you wish."
The implication in his voice made Nyran recoil, but it was out of respect for her late fatherly figure he had just insulted. She had never noticed any ulterior motives in Teral's generosity and she did not intend to dishonor his memory by believing Dukat's accusations.
His invitation and seductive tone actually flattered her. The very thought of physical relations with leading figures of the Occupation would probably make any other Bajoran sick to their stomach, but Nyran held no ill will against her captors. Save for the separation from her family, she had never received harsh treatment on this world.
She must have been a cute baby, for she got adopted into Lahar Teral's family and raised as any other local child instead of rotting in an orphanage for stolen Bajoran kids(5). She was officially expected to repay their kindness with service, but they treated her as their own blood. Lahar even sent her to school, so she would be able to find a job when she grew up. She never lacked for anything substantial -- beside friends.
She was always the outsider and finding people to share her life with was difficult. Most Cardassians were wary of her, staying cool and detached, but never openly bullied her. It was likely because of Lahar himself, an honored member of society and a powerful man, as mistreating his slave without his approval might have born unpleasant consequences. He used the flaws of the system to protect an alien child he fell in love with. Nyran respected him deeply for all he had done for her and all he had taught her.
All the habits, beliefs and traditions ingrained into her were Cardassian. She felt Cardassian. Even her personal ID proudly showed off Cardassian citizenship she had asked for and been granted during the previous year. The only Bajoran thing she chose to do was wear the earring, her only heritage -- and even that was only because she thought it looked nice. Her old Bajoran nanny, who died many years ago, would tell her stories and teach her about her culture, and Nyran found it interesting to listen to, but never felt a part of it. This, this arid soil, hot dry air and lofty architecture were her home.
The other Bajorans she interacted with seemed foreign to her, as if they were of a different race. Nyran was not able to grow close with any of them. Some were raised in orphanages or in not so loving and accepting families and found her opinions and loyalties disturbing. Most had not lived on Cardassia from an early enough age to bear no memories of their original families or no resentment towards their captors.
Nyran understood that to some extent, but could never share their feelings. She lived with Cardassians, who were nothing but loving and virtuous. There was no way she would be willing to condemn a whole people just because of what their misguided government had done. Their regime was one of necessity, after all.
As she grew and matured, she realized even her taste was Cardassian. The "Spoonheads", as she heard them being mockingly called, were the only men she was ever attracted to. Their reptilian features had set her beauty standards; her own face seemed strange, deformed to her. She had never told anyone about it, as she could not decide whether to be ashamed of it or not. Now and then she had erotic dreams about some of the men she worked with. She had never once had an erotic dream -- even an erotic thought -- about any Bajoran.
Dukat's sultry gaze and bodacious innuendos now threatened to unravel that whole confusing ball of repressed desires. Tingling spread from her lower belly when his eyes swept the length of her body once more, slowly, sensually. For a moment she felt tempted by a terrible idea to come round his desk and straddle his lap. She quickly gathered herself and cleared her throat, bent on ignoring the invitation in his voice.
"Can I get you something else, sir?"
She expected Dukat to be disappointed and unpleasant, but his smile only widened. He seemed like a man who did not lack confidence in the power of his charm or patience to wait until it had worked its magic.
"That's all for now, Nyran," he replied quietly, the sound of her name on his tongue so sensual it made her cheeks burn. "For now."
She returned to her desk, situated just next to the door to his office in a small walk-through room adjacent to the command center, and slumped onto her chair with a sense of narrowly escaping something fatal.
This was the last thing she needed! She was grateful to no longer officially be considered Cardassian property and to have a paid job that allowed her to rent a tiny studio in the capital. She had a decent life, she was starting a promising career, and her reputation was flawless -- which might even allow her to eventually find a husband and start a family, even though she was alien. Lusting after supreme commanders was a bad idea. Especially those responsible for making her and her siblings into orphans, however remotely.
Though, it was a thrill to get noticed by someone so powerful, so assured... so enticing. Gul Dukat knew he had this irresistible mojo and was not afraid to use it. Being on the receiving end of his seduction was definitely a boost to the ol' self-confidence. Nyran could not decide what she feared more: that she would succumb to him, or that he would lose interest before she had the chance to.
.
She tried to simply ignore whatever was going on in his head and do her job, but he did not make it easy.
Every time she passed him with refreshments, a datapad, or in the company of someone he had a meeting with, she could feel his eyes on her. At night, she fended off unwanted hots with some self-love, but that only ever lasted until the next morning, when he began to strip her with his gaze all anew. She was entering his office composed, prepared, and leaving flushed and embarrassed. She had to start using thick base make-up to hide the bright redness of her cheeks from her coworkers.
Thankfully, no one seemed to have noticed her struggle. Even Dukat's adjutant, the ever grouchy Glinn Damar, was treating her well and she intended to keep it that way, even if she happened to slip one day and do something inappropriate. She almost felt like she belonged among her new work-family and that was rare for her. No matter how much she wanted to have him, it would be a bad move to gamble with her life and career by sleeping around with supreme commanders.
Perhaps it would have been easier to resist if she was not so curious about sex, but she craved to know just how good it felt to have another touch her and Dukat was like the devil offering to fulfill her dark desires -- for a price that could be too high.
.
Dukat was not in the business of tolerating rejection, especially not when his target continued to promenade right under his nose, tempting him. He gave her time to get used to him and undertook a few daring attempts at getting to know each other as people, but he was not about to wait forever.
Everything about her inspired wild daydreams. The amber color of her eyes, the shape of her lips, the lines of her neck and exposed clavicles, the curve of her petite figure. She dressed quite demurely, but Dukat had a vivid imagination. Every time she passed his desk and he could smell her fresh skin and the fruity scent of her blonde hair, all he wanted was to reach for her and pull her closer.
But he had to wait for the right time. He knew having her body would not be enough for him; he needed her mind and soul as well. He had to make her worship him. Nothing beat the touch of a woman who sought to please him in any way she could, and it had been a long time since Dukat had one. He had a way with women and was quite confident he would get his prize.
And it was clear that part of her wanted him to seduce her. Each secret look she shot him with held an unspoken question -- should I? The largest obstacle in his way was her fear -- of jeopardizing her career and possibly even her life. So his first step was to make her warm up to him, let her see his caring, playful side. To make her feel safe around him.
After the initial care she took to avoid him when possible, Nyran eventually began to linger a little longer; at first just long enough to exchange a few words not concerning his work or her tasks. Dukat relished in listening to her voice -- her opinions were so refreshingly Cardassian coming out of such an embodiment of Bajoran beauty. It was as if someone had gone into the trouble of putting everything he admired about his own people into the loveliest alien shell he had ever laid his eyes on. Specially for him...
As they grew closer, more familiar, he could tell that the walls she had built to protect herself against him were beginning to crumble. There were moments during which she actually relaxed, as if she was speaking to an old friend. She laughed at his remarks, smiled at his tasteful compliments and at times she even teased and praised him in return.
Dukat went on the offensive soon after.
He was hovering above the blueprints of a new class of warships when she walked in with his hot fish juice(6). She set the mug next to his plans and when she saw he was deep in thought, she tried to leave quietly and not disturb him. He stopped her.
"Nyran," he purred and could see the slight quiver his voice triggered in her. Perfect. "I need your eyes. I'm afraid my view is not objective enough anymore."
"How can I help, sir?" she fixed the gaze of those golden eyes on him and made his breath hitch in his throat. He swallowed and smiled.
"Far as I know, you don't have any education in designing warships, do you? Perhaps that's exactly what I need right now. Could you please have a look at these blueprints and tell me if anything feels... off?" He saw panic rise in her eyes and added: "I just need you to rely on your instincts, pure and simple. I can't pinpoint a single weak spot, but I doubt there are none. The simulations are running, but they will take time and they can never predict every possible situation."
"Okay. So what do I do, sir?" She took a few steps toward him. It pleased him that she was willing to help, even though she had no idea how. This would be the ideal moment.
"Just... look. Not just with your sight, but with your inner senses. You're clearly an observant woman. Show me a single spot in this structure that you don't like in any way."
Nyran shrugged and nodded. She approached the desk and lowered her head to have a closer look at the blueprints. Dukat shook his head.
"No, you're looking at it upside down. Come here, to this side."
He could tell that it raised suspicion in her right away. At the same time, he was certain that another emotion showed through. Her eyelids fluttered, her lips parted ever so slightly to let out a breath, her chest heaved. She managed to be subtle, but he caught it all. That was all he needed to know that she was ready to let him feast on her body. He gave her an inviting look and tapped his side of the desk with his fingers.
She hesitated for a second or two, but then slowly, cautiously came round the desk to stand in front of Dukat. Her gaze did not leave his face and he felt his insides tremble in sweet anticipation. She turned to the desk and he could see how she swallowed hard. Her cheeks turned a gorgeous shade of peach pink and the production of pheromones she tortured him with seemed to have tripled.
Nyran looked down at the blueprints and tried to focus. Dukat doubted she would actually find anything, so he focused on her instead. On her body, the sound of her breathing, her scent... He leaned closer without realizing it at first, as if she was drawing him in. There was barely a hint of a thought process before his hand materialized on her hip.
A soft jolt moved through her and she froze. She kept staring at the blueprints, but her focus had surely shifted elsewhere. She did not push him away, however, and so Dukat tentatively traveled up along the curve of her pelvis. He put his other hand on the other hip and heard a gasp when he pressed harder.
He might have gone too far with that. Nyran swirled around and attempted to get further away from him, which inevitably ended up with her leaning her firm little butt on the edge of his desk. Dukat would not have objected to it, but the expression on her face was not one of joyful anticipation. Fear and shame were the main combatants competing for supremacy against her obvious desire.
"Nyran," Dukat breathed. He knew she liked the sound of her name coming out of his mouth. It seemed to work every time; even now he could see the slight shiver it caused.
He gave her a few seconds of space, but when she made no move to actually escape him, he lurched forward in another attack, grabbing her waist with both hands and bringing her torso against his chest. The top of her head barely reached his chin, so he freed one hand to tightly grip her braid and pull her head back. She whimpered softly and a wild look in her eyes accompanied the panic on her face.
"You don't have to be scared of me, darling," he whispered in her ear. A shudder ran through her and her hands shot up to his shoulders to steady herself. Dukat took a deep breath and when a new, sweet scent reached his sensitive nose, he almost laughed. "I like the effect I'm having on you," he whispered, looking into her eyes. "Don't be ashamed." His thumb gently grazed her lower lip. "We all have our weak spots, just like starships."
Her want was getting the upper hand in the fight. He could feel her body relax into him and took it as a sign to press forward. Her lips welcomed him with surprising urgency. Dukat initially wanted to take it slow, to not scare her, but once he had tasted her, his need got out of control and he devoured her mouth like a starving man.
His hands untied her braid, so he could weave his fingers through her hair and control the position of her head with more ease. A moan escaped her mouth, followed by more of them. Dukat could not believe how responsive she was. There was little skill in her kissing at first, but she learned quickly by imitating him. And when she put her soft hands on the ridges at the sides of his long neck and lightly rubbed just the right spots, he groaned and pushed her on top of his desk.
But when he reached under her skirt and yanked her hips against his groin, she gasped and pushed him away with more strength that he would give her credit for.
"What's wrong?" he breathed heavily, giving her a puzzled look. He thought things were going so well, but there was horror in her expression. She was trying to catch her breath while crushing her knees together, leaning away from him.
"I... I..." she tried, but no explanation came out. Dukat frowned.
"Were you just leading me on with no intention of following through?" he growled. "I'm not a petty man, Nyran, but that would be a big mistake."
"No!" She stretched out her arm in panic. "I didn't mean to! I've never... I've just never..."
"You've never been with a Cardassian man?" Dukat offered.
"I've..." she started, but mumbled the rest of the sentence. Dukat sighed and rolled his eyes. She looked up from under her luscious eyelashes like a skittish wild animal about to jump up and run for its life. Her voice was small but finally clear enough. "I've never been with a man. Cardassian or otherwise..."
The ridges above Dukat's eyes shot upwards.
"You mean to tell me that no one has ever had this?" Pointing eloquently at her rich chest and then up and down to include all of her body. "How in the hell did you keep them away from you? I would understand that Cardassians weren't interested, but are Bajorans such tasteless weaklings that they didn't even try?"
She stabbed her gaze in the middle of his chestplate, looking stubborn. But when he waited for her to answer, she caved. Her eyes avoided his face when she whispered: "I'm not attracted to Bajorans."
Dukat actually laughed out loud this time. This was beyond priceless. It was as she was meant for him. This perfect little creature was just waiting to meet him, so she could give herself to him, untouched, practically gift-wrapped. Religion was dead on Cardassia, but right then Dukat felt like someone up there had smiled upon him.
"Don't be afraid, Nyran," he chose a soothing tone, aware that his previous reactions were not exactly understanding. "I promise you'll love every minute of it." He reached to stroke the side of her face, but did not move closer. "But perhaps it will be best to leave it for later, when we have enough time, comfort and privacy," he scanned the unlocked door to his office. Having some fun at work was not unusual for him, but this was something special. He wanted to introduce her to sex in the best way possible. The more she enjoyed it, the more likely she would come back for more.
His promise left an impression on her. The gentle flush of her cheeks let him know that she was looking forward to it as much as he was.
"Now please get me my breakfast, will you, dear?"
.
Cooperating with the Dominion was tricky to say the least. Along with other things Dukat was forced to do or prevented from doing, they started meddling in his personal affairs. Some Jem'Hadar soldier must have had his ear pressed to Dukat's door when he was enjoying himself with Nyran earlier today and now Weyoun somehow thought it to be any of his business.
Dukat had to explain to him thoroughly that while his political and military cooperation was bound by their agreement, they had no say whatsoever in what he did for fun. Weyoun argued something about maintaining his focus, but Dukat just rolled his eyes and said that women had never managed to distract him enough to lower the efficiency of his work.
Which was completely true. His mind was sufficiently disciplined to not stray when he needed to focus. Not even Nyran's draw was that powerful. Weyoun seemed to be satisfied with his answer and left him alone. However, Dukat was determined not to let any more Dominion goons listen in on what was going on in his office and instructed his soldiers to let him know whenever there were any lurking too close to his door.
As usual, he left Damar(7) in charge of watching over his privacy. For some reason, though, the Glinn was even grouchier than usual, and cast him a disapproving look.
"Anything the matter, Damar?" Dukat stretched out his name almost affectionately, while still making clear that he did not appreciate his attitude. The soldier straightened up, chewed on his cheek for a few seconds, and sighed.
"Can we talk in private, sir?"
Dukat rolled his eyes and beckoned him to follow. The desk next to the door to his office was empty; Nyran was downstairs at the replimat, having lunch. They entered and Dukat locked the door behind them, setting the decorative glass panes to opaque, so no one could peep in.
"So, what's your issue, Corat? Sleep on the wrong side of the bed again?" Dukat bit, leaning his behind on the corner of his desk.
Damar paced around the room, clearly uncomfortable. He was usually more ready to offer his opinions, often blunt to the point of offense, though he always meant well. This was not like him.
"You know I never judge you for your choice in women, right?" Damar finally blurted out, turning to his boss.
"You do, you've just never dared to vocalize it this much before," Dukat raised his eye-ridges in warning.
"Okay, I always try, then," Damar shrugged, far from intimidated. "It's your business, and whatever I think, it's not my place to say anything."
"But?"
"But," he sighed again. "They're always... just random women to me, sometimes even enemies. I don't care what happens to them. But Zaira is one of us, sir," he shook his head in clear distress. "What will happen if whatever you're doing gets out? Nothing good, that's what I think."
Dukat's mouth twisted during his speech, but ended up stretched in an incredulous smile. Damar defending a Bajoran, that was new.
"Corat, am I hearing you right?" he chuckled. "Have you developed a soft spot for Nyran? And here I thought you were immune to Bajoran beauty."
Damar turned his sight to the ceiling and held it there for a moment, to stress the enormity of his eye-roll. Dukat was half amused, half tempted to slap him silly for the bratty move.
"I hate Bajorans," he spat. "I hate every last thing about them. But she's not your regular Bajoran, now, is she?" He gestured towards the door. "She's a colleague. That makes it different for me and it should for you, too. You don't poop where you eat, sir. This could end up being a very sticky situation. You just got this job, sir. I would very much like for you to keep it."
"I took this job, Corat," Dukat narrowed his eyes. "Don't forget that. Weyoun has no real power over me."
"And the Founders?" Damar cocked his head to the side.
"We'll see about them," Dukat lifted his chin and folded his arms over his chest. "I do have a plan."
Damar let out a resigned sigh.
"Alright," he nodded. "Just be careful, please. Zaira is not worth another scandal. She's just a kid, sir. Don't make her regret accepting this assignment. She's actually good at it."
"She's old enough to know what she wants and to decide whether to take it," Dukat countered calmly. "And I think she is worth it. You'll see," he smiled mysteriously.
Damar pursed his lips, but just jerked his shoulders to signalize defeat. When he left, Dukat smirked contently. His right hand was a decent man and it was actually sweet of him to care about what happens to his boss or Nyran. But he could rarely see past his immediate concerns. He could not see the big picture.
Oh, Dukat had a plan for Nyran, a grand plan, one that would open many previously off-limits doors for him. She was perfect for it.
All that was left to do was convince her she wanted the same thing.
.
Damar left his commander's office in a heavier mood than before. The conversation had not gone his way, which he had expected before he even opened his mouth. Dukat often had motives Damar was unable to gauge, and if he was doing something so blatantly risky, he certainly must have a reason.
Which he did not share, naturally. Damar fought the urge to roll his eyes again.
His sight fell on Nyran's blonde head as she entered the command center in the company of two other soldiers, chatting and smiling. She fit among them surprisingly well. Always pleasant and polite, always quiet and efficient, trying so hard to make a good impression, as if scared to death of possible rejection. What Dukat was doing was wrong. Did she believe she was required to sleep with the boss to keep her job?
He growled under his breath. They were basically in the same professional position in relation to Dukat, but he was a Glinn, he was responsible for everyone working in this room -- except for the annoying chalky Vorta, who was obviously under the delusion he was in charge here. Damar had a tough time accepting doing nothing while his overly ardent commander attempted to ruin a promising career of a young, impressionable girl.
She noticed his gaze and shot him with a disarming smile, unaware of his internal turmoil. His mouth relaxed and regrouped of its own accord. He tempered his reactions to her, but could not help being anything but nice. When he forgot about her bland smooth face and stupid crumpled nose, she seemed almost Cardassian -- and he wished she was one. Perhaps Dukat would ignore her then and pick a better target, like someone Damar did not have to be around every day at work.
This was not going to end well for any of them.
Damar let out another heavy sigh. He could only hope she was not foolish enough to actually accept Dukat's advances. She would be asking for way more trouble than it was worth.
Footnotes (a must for non-ST-fans to see the big picture, but recommended to the fans as well, because I also explain some of my decisions and creations):
General note: read all names pretty much as you see them - [zah-ee-rah nih-rahn], [doo-kat], [dah-mar]. Usual English pronunciation of syllables is not the way to go :).
A request: Feel free to correct any mistakes in the lore. I'm not enough of a geek to have it all perfectly memorized, plus I theorized at some points and so on.
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1 - Cardassia is an empire neighboring Bajor. Militaristic, fairly xenophobic (compared to some other species in ST) and focused on expansion. They came offering the Bajorans their cultural and technological superiority, but found them a very proud race that wanted to be treated as equals, which lead to Cardassians taking their "rightful claim" by force, occupying this world for 50 years, killing, enslaving, the whole nasty package. The Occupation ended a few years (5) prior to this story (we're around season 5 of the DS9). Bajorans fought Cardassians in a group called "the Resistance", basically a terrorist organization designed to sour the bounties their oppressors enjoyed on their world, trying to drive them away. They managed to do so, only for their new government to immediately turn to the Federation, which many Bajorans didn't appreciate, expecting them to become their new oppressors.
» The Cardassian race is of reptilian features and gray skin, ridges of bony scales, sort of like alligators (imo). They love heat, but they are warm-blooded (I say so). Red blood (canon).
» The Bajorans look very much like humans, except for the distinctive ridges over the root of the nose (see the cover). Spiritual people, their gods are the Prophets, highly evolved incorporeal aliens inhabiting the wormhole near DS9. Wear a customized earring in one ear, likely a religious meaning to it. Don't grow body hair (my conclusion, never seen a Bajoran with a beard, so I'm going for the whole-body hairlessness). Put their surname before their given name (hence Zaira Nyran). Apparently they were very attractive in the eyes of Cardassians, while the Bajorans didn't find the reptilian race pleasing at all.
2 - Secretary as in a Yeoman, a navy clerk or "Captain's clerk", support staff.
» I suppose the word "secretary" evokes a certain image, but it's not what I was going for, which is why I felt the need to explain right away. I was using "Yeoman" during writing before I decided to find an alternative more appropriate to all the Cardassian ranks and other words. She works as her superior's personal clerk, undertaking some analytic tasks during combat engagements.
3 - One of the main Cardassian characters in Deep Space Nine series of Star Trek. For 20 years he's been the Prefect commanding occupational forces over a planet called Bajor (where Nyran is originally from). The DS9 station, originally called Terok Nor, was his home for a long time and he wants it back.
» Gul is a rank comparable to colonel, major or captain (my assessment, they only created 3 and I was sent a handy tab of ranks only AFTER I wrote this novel).
My ranks go as follows: Legate (admiral/ general) > Gul > Glinn (commander/ sergeant/ lieutenant) > Gil (private/ seaman/ airman for the combatants) and Yaren (clerk/ yeoman for support staff, such as Nyran)
4 - A civil council put in charge of the Cardassian Union after a disastrous attempt at a preemptive strike on the homeworld of the Founders (primary enemy of the story, shapeshifters leading the Dominion, inhabitants of the Gamma quadrant of the galaxy - we are in the Alpha q - where the wormhole near the DS9 station leads to) that resulted in elimination of most of the Cardassian forces and thrown the empire in turmoil. Their predecessors were the "Central Command" - military leadership - and "Obsidian Order" (spies) who briefly joined forces and were collectively obliterated, leaving a power vacuum the Detapa Council quickly filled. They weren't particularly efficient in solving the empire's problems, though, and Gul Dukat wiped them out as soon as he arrived home along with the Dominion.
5 - Nyran was taken from someone (we don't know who yet) as a newborn as part of an effort to break the Bajoran spirit and raise Bajorans knowing the gentler side of their oppressors. A Cardassian family raised her as their own, sending her to a Cardassian equivalent of a Starfleet Academy to be able to provide for herself when she grows up. Very nice of them, imo, as no one would judge them if they didn't do it, so Nyran is pretty fond of her family despite the circumstances of the adoption.
» I'm not sure how to call them, "foster" might not be it (I know there are families raising abandoned kids without taking them for their own and I know the term might collide with the term "adoption"), but I feel like both are the closest expressions to what happened here - they didn't get money for raising her, she was considered their own, but more like a slave. Her name remained the same her biological parents gave to her and she wasn't entitled to any inheritance after Teral died (but he'd already taken care of her education including board, so she was able to finish the school and then live off her own modest salary). Her status changed after the end of the Occupation - she was given Cardassian citizenship (not automatically, she had to ask for one and then prove that she could contribute to the society - which she proved with ease, as she was doing well at school and her brothers and sister vouched for her). Not all Cardassians around her took the official document to heart, still seeing her as the alien, the slave, but these people like to follow rules, so no one protested outloud.
6 - Yep, they drink hot fish juice in the morning instead of coffee xD. 100% canon. Anyone got any ideas as to why most Bajorans could possibly not enjoy their close proximity?
7 - Glinn Corat Damar, the main squeeze of this story, who I had to add to the very beginning of the plot, effectively removing the surprise twist, when I realized readers looking for fics with him were unable to suffer through three short chapters without him *intense eye-roll*. Buildup, guys, ever heard of that? He was supposed to be in the background and come forth slowly. After chapter 3, there will hardly be any part NOT mentioning him, but yeah, 10k words were obviously too much to swallow before that happened. So yeah, I figured it out, enjoy xD. (Yes, I am cranky, but Damar does make every chapter better, so here ya go.)