JP: Ensign Etan Iljor & PNPC Akhbett Jirall - An Inconvenient Truth Part II

[Michael Meir-Wright]

OOC: Oops! Sent this to the OOC group! Much thankings to Elliot for pointing it out!

((Nahx Cafe, Leran Manev, Trill))

((Time Index: Two Days after Iljor’s zhian’tara experience))

Akhbett kept her shoulders square, her back straight, only following the man’s movement out of and back down into his chair with her eyes.  She had expected him to react, but correctly surmised that the public location had muted the worst of it.  Frankly, she couldn’t blame him.  When she had uncovered this information, she had reacted as well.  Violently.  Etan was not the first Bajoran with whom she had had this conversation.  None of them believed her.  The Cardassian reputation for denying the atrocities of the Bajoran Occupation was well-earned, but Akhbett had begun to realize that the Bajoran narrative had undergone a few revisions over the decades, too.

Jirall:  No one emerged from the Occupation with clean hands.  Would you have preferred they were collaborators?  Many of your people believe those were the only two choices for a Bajoran in those days.  ::beat::  What was the old slogan they used to use?  “If you’re not hurting them, you’re helping them?”

It wasn’t Akhbett’s intention to be provocative, but it was necessary to test the waters a little.  There would be little point for her to continue if Etan had made up his mind not to listen.

Etan: I hold no ill will towards your people, Ms. Jirall. But I won't sit idly by while you try and paint my parents out to be something they are not. Not everyone in the Resistance committed atrocities. Not everyone in the Resistance delighted in taking Cardassians. My parents were not- are not- those people.

In a way, Akhbett felt sympathy for Etan.  They were both about the same age; the first generation of children born after the twin tragedies of the Occupation and the subsequent war, but whose lives were lived under a long shadow of aftermath.  On both sides, the young adults of this generation possessed an insuppressible curiosity about the era that directly preceded their births, doubtless aided by the reluctance of their parents and grandparents to discuss it.  The fact that Etan hadn’t followed through on his implied threat to walk out made Akhbett think that this curiosity resonated in him as well, and kept him from leaving.  Whatever works.

Jirall:  You and I may have more in common than I thought.  ::beat::  Etan, I didn’t come all this way to paint anyone out to be anything.  This isn’t just about your parents, or mine.  It’s so much more than that.

Akhbett spun the display around to Etan.  Line after line of data snaked down the screen:  maps, names, dates.  If she hadn’t already committed it to memory, it might have been overwhelming for her to look at.

Jirall:  The building wasn’t occupied by Obsidian Order operatives.  It was full of members of Cardassian religious believers fleeing persecution by their own people.  They were asylum seekers under the protection of the Vedek Assembly.

Iljor felt a wave of nausea wash over him as he looked at the data. He knew of the Oralian Way, the ancient Cardassian religion. The once mighty Central Command had cracked down on the followers of it for centuries with extreme prejudice. In recent years, believers had come back into the light once again and many of them followed its tenets to help foster a better relationship with Bajor. 

While he was still sceptical of his parents' involvement, he suddenly felt more keenly interested in what Jirall had to say. There were things that did not make sense to him but if there was any chance that the information the woman possessed was right, it needed bringing to the light.

Etan:  Why would a resistance cell massacre Cardassian civilians that the Assembly were sheltering? ::he tried to sound as dubious as he could, but he couldn't help but feel that his interest bled through into his tone.::

Jirall:  The ‘intelligence’ your parents’ cell received was falsified and intentionally leaked by Central Command.  Rather than massacre their own, they fooled a Bajoran resistance cell into doing it for them.  A cold, uniquely Cardassian tactic.

His jaw tightened as he clamped down on a second wave of nausea. He wasn't overly familiar with the machinations of the old Central Command- but it did sound disgustingly plausible. The old Cardassian penchant for disinformation was well known on Iljor's homeworld.

Etan:  The resistance didn't bother to check the intelligence they had been fed?

Jirall:  No, there’s nothing to suggest the resistance cell knew the truth.  At first.

A third wave of biliousness took root and he retched a little. He forced himself to take a sip of his tea to calm himself down.

Etan:  When did they find out? ::he asked, a sinking feeling in his stomach. He knew the answer.::

Jirall:  Almost immediately.  And that’s when the cover-up started.  With the assistance of the Vedek Assembly.

Etan:  Kosst. ::he breathed.::

Akhbett spun the display back to face her and pulled a cylindrical datarod from a port in the bottom corner.

Jirall:  ::handing Etan the rod::  This will tell you everything you want to know.

The science officer hesitated for a second before he took the datarod from the woman, reluctantly. Even if she was lying- or had been fed false information herself- he might be able to prove who had done so. If the information was correct… then it would be out of his hands and the Federation would need to get involved. He clung to the hope that the former would come to pass.

Etan:  I'll look into it. ::he said quietly.:: I hope- for both our sakes- that this is wrong. ::something had tickled at the back of his mind since Jirall had informed him of the alleged atrocity.:: One more question: why not go public with this? Why take the time to find me personally and tell me?

Akhbett stood and returned the display device to her jacket pocket.

Jirall:  You are a Starfleet Officer.  Your first duty is to the truth.  Or so I’ve heard.

A quick glance to each side confirmed that the way was clear for Akhbett to make her exit.  She moved swiftly through the café and back outside, then turned quickly from the square, just in case the Bajoran thought to follow her.  There was little else she could make happen; hopefully the information was in the hands of someone who could actually do something with it.  She would be waiting, and watching.

--

End Scene for Etan & Jirall

--

Ensign Etan Iljor

Science Officer

USS Resolution

C239203TW0

&

NPC Akhbett Jirall

Cardassian Truth Teller

simmed by Lieutenant JG Yogan Yalu

Helm Officer

USS Resolution NCC-78145

D238804DS0