Tales of the Dominion

[Founder]

Rated: PG-13(Due to violence)

Stardate 57421.17

Chief Security Officer's Log. I was made a Lieutenant Commander less than a month ago and already I have an important assignment. I was fortunate to get such an easy task, yet highly noticeable amongst the brass in Starfleet Command. Admiral Gerard told me I would get a commendation if all goes well. I'll be a Commander in no time if this keeps up. The USS Bengal will arrive in exactly one hour. I still have many preperations to make. Then once everything is ready I'll escort the prisoner to the ship and interrogate her before reaching Earth. That is my assignment: Escorting the leader of the Alpha Quadrant invasion for the Dominion, a Founder. Its been five years since the end of the Dominion War. Yet I feel like even seeing this...Changeling will make old memories of war resurface. I lost my best friend, Lieutenant James Rand, to the Dominion. Starfleet certainly did not overlook that fact. They wanted to be sure that my emotions were kept in check and that my orders were clear. I told them they were, but a part of me feels like its a lie. I'm not sure how I will react when I see this Founder. Although I do know that I am a Starfleet officer and will follow their commands to the letter. As long as I focus on the task and not the prisoner, nothing will go wrong. Here goes nothing....end log.

Comfert. This is what I feel in this form. Not that dreadful solid form. Being in that form only reminds me who I lost to. I haven't had physical contact with my people in years. How painful it has been to be without the Great Link. All is not lost. I have gained news that Odo returned to the Great Link and healed the Founders. The Dominion will live on. Although in a different form with different views. Odo was always so different. I used to think that his mind was poisoned with Federation ideas. Maybe I was wrong. Odo saw what no other Changeling saw. Good in the Solids. Perhaps there is hope afterall. Perh-wait, something is different. The Solids are moving my sleeping chambers or as they call it, a bowl. I will never indulge them by saying such a deragatory name. They no doubt recoil in disgust as they look upon my natural form enter it. It doesn't matter. I pity them. They will never know the paradise that is the Great Link. It is time I go to my prison on Earth. To pay for the "crimes" of the Dominion. I will never apologize for defending my people against the solids. Never....

Lieutenant Commander John Anderson entered the Brig. Two security officers were lifting up the bowl which contained the prisoner. Anderson motioned with his hand to more officers to keep their phasers trained on the contents of the bowl. Not that they really had to. It was locked tightly and would be very hard, even for a Founder, to break out of it. By the time it did, many phasers would be firing at it anyways. They walked down the corridor of the Starbase and headed for the ship docked there awaiting them. Anderson hid a smile at the sight. Ten security officers surrounding a bowl with their lives. It almost looked comical. Anderson kept his phaser rifle tight to his chest and was ready for anything. All of them crowded into a turbolift and called for their destination. John stared down at the device restraining the Founder. The leader of one of the most devestating wars the Alpha Quadrant had ever seen lay inside. A part of Anderson wanted to bring it to the nearest airlock and jettison it into space. Anderson gave a loud sigh at his thoughts. Two of his officers looked at him curiously but said nothing. Everyone inside of the Turbolift was tense. The doors swooshed open and half of the officers raised their phasers towards the corridor in paranoia. As if a squadron of camaflouged Jem'Hadar were waiting. Anderson rolled his eyes and motioned for them to continue. They picked up the "prison" for the Founder and walked towards the docking port. Security officers from the USS Bengal were waiting, as was the Commander of the ship. The Commander was a short Asian man, but carried a commanding presence.

"I am Commander Xiou Li," He introduced, "I trust there have been no problems?"

Anderson motioned for his security to continue into the ship while he spoke. He didn't want to take any chances. Anderson shoved the phaser rifle towards his back.

"Lt. Commander John Anderson," He said, "I am escorting the prisoner to the USS Bengal as ordered sir!"

Li gave a wide grin to the security officer.

"At ease," He said, "I wouldn't want you to break something..."

Anderson's face grew red with embarrasment. He was promoted to Lt. Commander but still seemed to act like an Ensign. Anderson relaxed a little bit. Very little.

"I apologize sir." He said.

Li patted his back and led him into the ship.

"We will be departing within the next twenty minutes," He explained, "We're just getting some much needed supplies."

Anderson nodded his head as he followed the Commander down the corridor.

"Report to the Brig," Li ordered, "And watch over the prisoner. I'll assign some of our Security officers to assist you as well."

Anderson nodded his head once more.

"Thank you sir." He said simply.

Li stopped in front of him.

"You're welcome," He said," Dismissed."

Anderson turned and walked towards the Brig. He studied a layout of the ship and knew it back and forth. It was a Saber Class. The ship was small, so it was easy to memorize the schematics. If the Founder tried to flee he knew of some good spots it would run away to. The tall security chief entered the Brig in time to see the bowl being lowered into the holding cell.

"I want forcefields around the bulkhead of the inside of the cell," He ordered, "I also wanted the forcefield to be able to block atmospheric changes."

Anderson didn't want the Founder to turn into a gas and simply go through the forcefield. An Andorian officer approached him.

"I'm the Chief of Security on this ship," He said, "I've already made the changes to the Brig that you requested. Everything is already in place."

Anderson nodded to him and approached the holding cell. He opened a tricorder and scanned the walls.

"I told you everything is in place!" The Andorian yelled, "What are you doing?"

Anderson closed the Tricorder and looked at him.

"I'm double checking everything," He said, "With all due respect, this maybe you're ship, this maybe you're brig, but that is my prisoner."

The Andorian clenched his fists and gave an annoyed sigh. He nodded his head to him.

"Understood," He said, "I'll post security guards outside of the Brig. You're men can watch the inside, since you're in charge."

He turned away and walked out of the Brig. Another security officer walked over to him.

"Everything is in place," She said, "Shall I activate the forcefield?"

Anderson looked down at the bowl and noticed it was still locked.

"Unlock the bowl." He ordered.

One of the officers carrying the bowl stared at him in surprise.

"What?" He asked, "Why sir?"

Anderson squinted his eyes in anger at him. He hated having his orders questioned.

"Because the Federation is an organization made with laws," He said, "Its very clear about mistreating prisoners. I don't like it either, but we will let the Changeling out of the bowl."

The officer nodded and gently placed the bowl down on the ground.

"Don't worry," He said, "Law or no law, I will never let it out of the holding cell."

The officers raised their phasers at the bowl as the officer inside of the cell typed in a code to open it. It gave a loud beep and it became unlocked. The officer quickly rushed out of the holding cell. Anderson nodded to the female security officer and she activated the forcefield. All of them stared at the bowl with bated breath. Nothing happened. The Founder did not ooze out of it. Anderson gave a sarcastic laugh.

"I guess the Founder is asleep," He said, "Get to your posts."

All of them walked towards designated areas of the Brig and stood guard. Anderson stared at the bowl, never taking his eyes off of it. He could see the Changeling in its natural form.

Freedom. I'm free to leave the bowl. Only to find myself inside of a holding cell no doubt. I wonder how many security officers are guarding me. Five? Ten? Twenty? It is always humerous that it takes that many solids to watch one Changeling. Now was not the time to asess who many there were. That would come later. When I am ready....

[Founder]

Anderson stood at a large console and monitered the controls to the forcefield. Four of the officers went off duty. He gave a loud yawn and looked over at the bowl. It's "contents" have yet to reveal itself. The Founder remained in liquid form, almost as if it was in defiance of the solids. The young officer was interested in seeing it change into something else. He had never seen a Changeling before. Although they were the leaders of the Dominion, rarely would you see one in the army of Jem'Hadar. It was very late and no doubt the night shift was in command. Anderson would not sleep though. He didn't want to pull himself away from the assignment. He felt that if he left, everything would fall apart. He ran his 10th diagnostic of the forcefield. Everything checked out ok apparently. One of his officers walked over to him.

"I'm going off duty sir," She reported, "Can I bring you something back? Coffee?"

John gave a tired smile and shook his head.

"No thanks," He said, "I'll get some food in a little while."

She gave a defeated shrug and walked out of the Brig. Five of his officers were still standing guard. All of them looked exuasted and extremly bored. John didn't blame them. It was a boring assignment. He moved his hands towards the console to run another diagnostic.

I have been inside of this prison long enough. Without another Changeling to link with, I will never know what is happening around me. Things were so much better when I was with the Great Link. I would only have to take solid form to deal with the Vorta. During my stay in the Alpha Quadrant, which has been extended indefinitly, I've had to look more and more solid. Especially when I was inflicted with the "rouge" Federation agency's, S31, disease. I knew this would happen. This is why the Dominion must thrive. The Founders must be protected into the very thing I'm going become temporarily.

He heard one of his officers mutter something in surprise. John looked up and saw the Founder was finally taking a Solid form. It oozed out of the bowl and part by part began to take shape. In an aestetic level, it almost looked beautiful. John gripped his phaser rifle, but remained behind the console. He waited until it took full solid form.

[Founder]

The Founder took a full solid shape. Her face was the last thing to take shape. It didn't look like a fully developed face. Almost as if it was bitter mockery of a half evolved solid. The Founder looked from guard to guard. Her "eyes" stopped at Anderson.

"Who are you?" She asked.

John looked at the other officers with a nervous glance. He looked back at the Founder and gave her a tough look. The Founder remained silent awaiting an answer. Anderson cleared his throat.

"I am Lt. Commander John Anderson." He said coldly, "You are being escorted to Earth."

The Founder nodded to the cold response.

"I see," She said, "I won't miss the company of Lt. Solek. Vulcans don't say much do they?"

Anderson stared at her but did not answer the question. The Founder shrugged and took a seat in the holding cell. Anderson gave a cold look toward her.

[Founder]

The Founder stared at the ground in a bored gaze. Her new "guard" was very different from the last one. The Vulcan never spoke to her. Often she would try to antagonize the Vulcan. Try to get him to lash out in anger over the loss of life in the war. Sadly, the Vulcan did not budge. A dissapointment. With their mental discipline, they would have made excellant members to the Dominion. She cast a glance towards the Lt. Commander. John averted his eyes quickly when he noticed she was looking at him. A smile crossed her face. It was nice to see them so uncomfertable. Almost as if she had a hold over him. What she wanted was fear though. Her God-like status has been revoked and now she was nothing more than some meta-morph to them. Not a being of purity, but something the scientists at Starfleet found fascinating. It wasn't right...

Anderson watched the Founder and wondered why he didn't feel more. He expected to feel rage boil up inside. Either that or a depressed feeling. Anything. Nothing was all he got. He wondered if he was that dead inside when it came to the Dominion War. Anderson supressed a lot. Something the Counsler warned about doing. He didn't care. It wasn't easy to live with. Many Starfleet officers had mental break downs after the war. He wouldn't become one of them. He refused to. The Founder had looked at him. No doubt sizing him up. Anderson felt embarrassed when they made eye contact. He quickly looked away. He walked back to the console and worked to keep himself busy.

The Founder thought the man was rather amusing. He would be someone she could toy with mentally. No doubt, getting into his mind and breaking him. The solids were so weak and easy to manipulate. Rarely were there exceptions, although she knew of a few. Captain Benjamin Sisko of Deep Space Nine was resiliant. She created a file dedicated solely to him for the Vorta and Jem'Hadar to study. Section 31 was comprised of people with clever ingenuity. The Founders once did a similiar tactic of inflicting a disease to level a local populace. There was one person more dangerous than Sisko. More inventive than Section 31. Kira Nerys. The Bajoran managed to pull Odo away from his own people. Everything was not lost though. She inadverdantly saved the Dominion...

[Lord Borg]

Really Cool Andy, keep up the good work