They Grow Up So Fast...

[Ophelia]

"It is said that thousands of hours of practice makes a person an expert at anything. Clearly whoever said that never had access to temporal shift technology and time dilation fields." Ophelia said as she lounged on a velour chaise, a glass of wine in one hand and a small crystal in the other. "Ten years in both directions, all directions, backwards, forwards, upwards, downwards, sideways, loop and loop." she looked over at a rather well beaten, skinny man, barely covered in his Jase'dasis robes, his arms and legs were both twisted at un-natural angles and there were random teeth on the floor next to him.

"Imagine being an expert swordsman in less time than it takes you to oh... craft what I am sure you considered a 'fine weapon'." she gestured to the kilden that laid in pieces on the floor. "To my mind, I have built and deconstructed so many of those, yet to your mind, I have barely been alive long enough for a plant to grow from a seed to maturity and then wither. That's your achilles heel, time. The Iljuna has been clouded by our kind so long, that your vaunted abilities to 'see' outcomes has become muddy. Muddier than the blood pooling on this dirty stone floor." she got up and floated the gem in front of the Jase'dasis. "I like collecting these, so far I have about ten. You're number eleven. All within the span of... what you would consider a week. I did quite enjoy seducing those rookies of yours. Shame I had to break them."

The Jase'dasis looked up at her with his one good eye. "You... will... fall."

"I do not think so, not today and certainly not at your hand. But you... DO have one... saving grace." Ophelia said as she got up and took a sip of her wine. "Submit. I will repair what we have injured. You will serve our cause."

"I will never serve the Ajem'dasis!" He said firmly. "You will have to kill me then. My spirit will join the Iljuna!"

"Blah blah blah... you're all alike. But you will serve us, willingly or otherwise." Ophelia said as she put the glass to his lips. "Take a sip. Last time you'll taste it."

"I would rather spit it in your face." he said boldly.

"If that's what you wish." Ophelia said and smashed the glass against his skull and used the broken shard of the stem to slit his throat. Opening a small box from her pocket, she placed a tiny metal disk on his wound which immediately extended tendrils into the wound and snaked its way to his spine, wrapping itself around his brainstem. "Last thing you think about before your mind is entirely gone. You could have kept your conciousness, but like my father is fond of saying 'waste not, want not'. You'll service us in the end, you just won't be... you."

Placing the gem into her pocket she snapped her fingers and a honeycomb of metal chaff began to form around his body. "Something of my own design... got the idea from the Borg and from an old TV show I watched while being educated. Rise my cyber warrior... "

"I. Will. Comply. Lady. Ophelia." a voice that did not sound like the Jase'dasis monk replied. His eyes were now blank as the metal overtook his flesh and began to reformat his body.

"Now go... with the rest." Ophelia ordered and took her bottle of wine and corked it. "A few more and I'll have a whole unit."

"You did well daughter." Dominus said from the shadows. "Cool, methodical and your new inventions are quite useful. You are surely worth all we invested in you."

"Thank you father." Ophelia said with a slight bow. "Is there anything else? I do have some projects in the lab I wish to finish before I retire for the evening."

"Not at the moment. I am... proud of you." Dominus said with a slight smile.

"I am what you made me to be father. Trust in the genius of yourself and mother." Ophelia replied, her blue eyes catching his. "Besides... once I am done, my clones will have all the abilities and skills I have learned and taught myself, from my martial skills to how I can mix a martini, to reprogramming a console. After all... waste not want not."

[Bellatrix]

"Do not be too proud of this technological terror you have cronstructed my daughter," Bellatrix said emerging from the shadows. "Cybernetic technology can be a fickle master, and when it comes to the Jase'dasis they have a tendency to do things we least expect."

[Ophelia]

"Of course mother. That's why the technology is replacing their minds, I just need their bodies." Ophelia said with a half smile. "Besides, we need cannon fodder that will harm them psychologically as well as physically. Much like the Borg crushed spirits when their own loved ones were the attackers. Still it's only one tool in our arsenal." she ran a hand through her blonde bob and sighed. "And how is your new apprentice settling in on Terra Alpha?"

[Bellatrix]

"You have done well child. As far as my new apprentice we are observing a communications blackout. The Alliance is far too resourceful and lucky to risk regular communications."

[Ophelia]

"I... do hope she doesn't fail you. Not like Donovan did. It's funny I'm physically, mentally older than she is now, stories of her betrayal seem so far away for me and yet so recent for you." Ophelia said as she leaned against the wall. "I may be father's heiress but I do value your opinions and I do try to emulate you. It would be nice if you and father continue as you have... from what I've been taught, you spent much of your life alone, unattached, but it helps to have a like minded partner. After all, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. Someday, when the Alliance is smouldering embers at our feet and we move onto other worlds, it would be satisfying to see you both around. Imagine the shock on their faces when Ian and I make our presence known... especially Angelica. I won't kill her, but i want to be what she fears in the dark. Best and worst of both you and father."

[Bellatrix]

"Good, and Lady Thade will fail me, but not in the way of Donovan. Donovan lacked loyalty, and Thade lacks restraint and skill. That my dear is why you and your brother are here."

[Ophelia]

"And let us not forget... the reason the whole Ryder-Sandoval-Lei clan is so powerful and so hard to eliminate, is because they are united. They're a unit. Always have been and I feel, always will be, no matter what we do. We harm one member, they rally. We kill them. They rally and react. Hired hands will fail us. Soldiers will fail us. Even 'true believers' will fail us. The only way I see any of us surviving to actually do what we must, is by creating a reflection of what they have " Ophelia said as she opened up a small compact and handed her a picture. "I found this among what was left by Trinity Talon. She drew a picture of her family, in graphite on a piece of paper. Presumably from one of the books you gave her. This tiny thing, but she still held onto it, until she left. And only left because she knew she would see the real thing. Look who she chose to keep close. Her parents, her husband, and you and father's counterpart. The five most important people in her life. That she actually took the time to draw a photo realistic copy of them. That is what we are going against. This unbreakable bond. So mother... how unbreakable is our own bond? If I am captured... will you rescue me? Will you avenge my death or Ian's... or father's? Of course if we deserved it and it was our own ego and stupidity... but none of us are stupid. If trust no one else, we trust each other. Then... perhaps we will all have a chance to see them burn. I would actually like to survive long enough to make all this planning and work worthwhile. Even if we don't win Terra Alpha... there are other planets that will hurt them to see lost. Earth. Trill. Vulcan. Andoria. Betazed. Bajor. Cardassia.":

[Bellatrix]

Bellatrix smirked, "Why not all of the above? Let Nicholas feel the pain of inaction and guilt. So, which one shall be first. I suggest Trill. Insignificant in the grand scheme, but sentimental to the Ryders."

[Ophelia]

"Always did want to lead a planetary apocalypse." Ophelia said with a cocked head and a sly grin. "Simulations and Deck 66 can only be run so many times... "

[Bellatrix]

"Of course dear. You and your brother did an excellent job with Eddie. I am shocked that there wasn't one mark on him. You two have learned your trade well."