Those Dirty Stinking Dogs We Call the Enemy

[Órlaith]

Órlaith sat quietly hidden in the bush, a kliden in her sweaty hand. It was dark on Monastery and the day time heat had been replaced by the chill of the night. She shivered despite her black robes.

A group of young Jase'dasis apprentices sat around a a camp fire with the red-orange glow reflecting upon their mostly Cardassian features and mixed genders. Órlaith found Cardassians fascinating despite her mother hating them only slightly less than the Jase'dasis.

The apprentices were only a few years younger in her own appearance, and the laughed and giggled as they passed around a bottle of something brown.

"You should have seen Master Kyber's face when I told him that I hope to meet an Ajem'dasis." One of the boys shouted. The others nodded and gave general sounds of assent. "And that the Alliance needed us, and that it was way past time for us to stop hiding in our shrines."

"Here! Here!" The others shouted.

"Kyber nearly slapped me, I could see it in his eyes. In the end he just grunted and walked away. He walked away! We are Cardassians... well most of us. When has Cardassia ever walked away from a fight?"

"Just because you are the bastard Grand-son of Gul Dukat, Jorel doesn't mean you have a clue what you are talking about. Most Cardassians I've encountered, present company excepted have no honor!"

"Mibok, you have no honor here either. Otherwise you'd be on the Klingon homeworld."

[Órlaith]

Órlaith retreated from her position. Finding Ophelia she kneeled next to her in the dark. "It's a group of eight apprentices in their teens."

[Ophelia]

"And why aren't they dead?" Ophelia said as she sat cross legged with a crimson glowing device in her hand. "You were trained to be a one girl wrecking crew... take their bloody heads. I'll need a couple for the ritual. If this planet is going to be corrupted, we need to literally make the ground run red with the blood of Jase'dasis." she looked at her. "Unless you're too weak."

[Órlaith]

She hesitated and looked towards the clearing. "And of your plan exactly? I am not sure exactly what it is that I am to be doing other than apparently plying the trade of butcher."

[Ophelia]

"I need their blood and their bodies to complete the ritual." Ophelia said as she let go of the glowing crystal. "This will corrupt the land, their fallen iljuna energy will be focused through the crystal, their blood will react with the Jase'dasis side of the Iljuna violently. Then... we send in the rest of our forces to get into the strongholds we cannot bombard from orbit until the planet is not only forever fractured and leveled, but also toxic to anyone who practices the light side of the Iljuna." she gave her little sister a look. "And we'll find out once and for all if you're truly our mother's daughter."

[Órlaith]

Órlaith scowled at her sister, "What is that supposed to mean?"

[Ophelia]

"It means... I don't think you have what it takes to be a true Ajem'dasis mistress." Ophelia said coldly. "I sense so much doubt and turmoil in you, this is your birthright." she held up her kilden. "We were born to burn all this down and make something new from the ashes." she looked her in the eyes. "I lived through your age twice... and the second time around, after being reborn again and having all my memories of my adult life... these hormones and youthful pangs, they're a weakness. Cut them out and embrace the Ajem side. We are basically gods. We hold life and death in our hands. Now... do you want to take your rightful place or... are you going to side with these... things? If it's the latter, you'll suffer so much and it'll all be on you. The dark is so much stronger than the light, don't believe what the Jase'dasis tell their youth. Their pathetic order will fall soon enough."

[Órlaith]

Órlaith sighed and looked her sister over in the pale light made by the moon. "You can pick your nose. You can pick your friends. You can even pick your battles, but you can't pick your family. You're right I don't have what it takes. I have no desire to become an Ajem'dasis mistress, and I resent you and mama using me to be a butcher. But, I have no place in the Alliance. Maybe I have no place here with you. But, my duty is to my family. Without loyalty to family, you are nothing. An animal and little else. You want me to murder? Fine, but I don't have to like it."

[Órlaith]

She stood and charged the clearing. Bursting out of the brush she used the ijulna to leap high into the air. "Warriors of the Jase'dasis prepare to meet your end!" She screamed as she landed a few feet from the group.

Her kliden ignited , and under the violet glow her face was illuminated with regret. With a few quick slashes of her kliden she'd killed most of them. Two of the Jase'dasis were fleeing into the woods back towards the compound. With both hands outstretched she launched a pair of fire balls that struck her quarry in the back sending the falling face first screaming in agony. Órlaith silenced them with a flick or the wrist using the ijulna to snap their necks.

Órlaith knelt in the dirt next to her victims and said softly, "I know you will not be able to forgive me for what I have done, and nor do I ask it. Only know that this wasn't out of greed, lust or anger, but for survival."

Standing she picked up the severed head of one of the girls by the hair. A human, and her blonde strands were smeared with her own blood. Returning to Ophelia she tossed the grisly trophy at her sister. "Here. Do what it is that you have to so that we can get out of here."

[Ophelia]

"Thank you sister." Ophelia said as she took the woman's head and looked it in the eyes and began chanting an ancient Ajem'dasis spell. The rocks and soil around her started to slowly hover around her. Ophelia's eyes rolled back into her head and the eyes on the severed head looked at Orlaith as its mouth opened and a black vapor began to spill forth.

The blood from the fallen Jase'dasis began to turn black as it seeped into the ground, Ophelia kept chanting and began to levitate above the ground. The gem she was holding earlier glowed brighter until it shot into the sky and glowed with the brightness of another sun.

"JASE'DASIS... YOUR APOCALYPSE IS AT HAND" a booming voice said that almost seemed to shake the ground. "LEAVE THIS WORLD OR SUFFER!"

The sky turned a shade of blood red and the ground began to quake even more violently. Ophelia gently landed on the ground and picked up her kilden. She turned to her sister and smirked. "It is is done. This world is corrupted. Soon it will expel all who follow the Jase'dasis side of the Iljuna." she gestured to the head that was already sinking into the ground. "What was is over what will be will be no more."