TheOriginal

Part2-Dependants

Weyoun walked through the Celsanna Gardens, a kilometer-long stretch of local and exotic plantlife, which was walking distance from the new Dominion headquarters. He was trying to invoke thefeelings he used to get when he-well, the original Weyoun would walk throughthem. It was his favorite place to go when he needed to get away from his seemingly endless responsibilities and clear his mind. Fortunately it was right near where he used to work when he was still one of Kurill’s top leaders, and was able to go there as often as he wanted.

Of course this was before his body and mind had undergone dozens of genetic modifications to ensure that he’d become the most efficient servant to the Dominion possible. This was back when he could look at the Kurill sunset andsee more than overly bright colors dulled by chemical pollution. Although heremembered that once he looked at such things with awe, he could no longer comprehend why… or why it was so important that he re-capture that feeling.Then suddenly it dawned on him, Because with each clone that came into being,with each time he had his mind "modified" and "enhanced" hefelt less and less like himself and more and more like a Borg drone or even aJem-Hadar. Strong as they might have been, intelligent as the Borg may be, inthe end it would be their dependence on others that would lead to their destruction. And Weyoun knew that in the end he could trust no one excepthimself. Weyoun sighed, annoyed with his own flawed logic . No lies, he reminded himself. He’d gone from leader of Kurillto leader of the Gamma and Alpha quadrants–all along trusting no one but himself. That had never been enough.

He looked up and in the distance saw the dome of the town hall, where he used to write speeches for Kurill’s First Citizen Lucond-the most important Vortaalive, well, when he was alive,anyway. He remembered thosedays like they were days, and not over 20 years ago.

Weyoun smiled mischievously as he stared at Keevan,Lucond’s brat son who did nothing but take up space in their already bustling office and spy on everyone-theywere sure of it. Why else would Lucond allow someone so useless and lazy towork for him-even if he was his illegitimate son.

Keevan,undoubtedly aware of Weyoun’s gaze looked up in confusion only to become embarrassed as Weyoun continued to smile innocently at him. Keevan tried toconcentrate on his data padd, which his father had asked him to look over,although Keevan couldn’t understand why. It was just some boring complaints of a few community leaders who didn’t think it was ethical to clone fullyintelligent Vorta. What should the scientists do-make them stupid?

And what did his father want him to do aboutit? Keevan asked. Go over and apologize to these idiots on his father’s behalf?But no, Keevan was to write them a letter explaining why it was indeed ethicaland the whys and hows of why it would be illogical to no longer allow cloning.Keevan stared at the padd in disgust. What was he, a clerk? His father should have given him more important work to do, like go on ambassadorial missions toother planets.

And why was that writer staring at him? He was always staring. As if he were attracted to him. The disturbing part was Keevan sometimes thought he returnedthe attraction to Weyoun, but he didn’t want to embarrass himself by bringing it up. What if his father were to find out? As things were, Lucond often said Keevan spent far too much time worrying about his social life instead offocusing on his duties-why he’d never even gone through any more schooling thanwas absolutely necessary. How could Keevan forget when his father was always reminding him what a disappointment he was. One day Keevan would make him regret treating him like this.

Keevan then looked up from his padd when he heard some vulgar kissing sounds. Weyoun and some woman who he recognized asanother of his father’s aides, were kissing like they hadn’t seen each other inmonths, although it had actually only been a few days while she-SHE had been away,visiting an alien city on a nearby planet on Lucond’s behalf.

She looked up after hearing a barely disguised snort coming from Keevan.

"Aww, poor sweet creature feels leftout, hm?" she asked in a low, silky voice that thrilled Keevan whenever heheard it. There was no doubt about it. He hated her. He also hated that beautiful botanic smell that filled the air as she walked over to him and satdown on his lap. He knew she was loving the fact that she had just filled him with absolute panic.

And now look. Weyoun didn’t even try to hidethe fact that he was laughing at him as Keevan sat there feeling like a fool.He was a clerk to his father and a plaything to his subordinates.

"Weyoun," sighed Keevan in an exasperated tone. "Why is your female touching me?"

"Because I’m far too busy," quippedWeyoun, acting as if he were no longer interested in the display before him.

"This female’s name is Kilana," she laughed before getting up and walking back over to Weyoun. She gave him anotherkiss on the lips, making eye contact with Keevan the entire time.

"I’ll see you at the party tonight?" she asked Weyoun.

"Of course," said Weyoun. "I’m looking forward to it.

Keevan rolled his eyes, not caring whether ornot Weyoun had seen it. Of course you’re looking forward to it. Anotherchance to get even closer to my father. Maybe soon you’ll be the politicianmaking speeches. That’s what you really want isn’t it?

Keevan had seen it time and time and again.The people working under his father were so transparent in their desperatequest to use his father for power, that it was nauseating, not to mentionpainfully obvious… at least with most of them, like Kilana, who never hesitatedto use her natural beauty and grace to her advantage. Keevan didn’t even wantto know how she used them on his father. He hated her for knowing he wasattracted to her.

Weyoun, however, was a different story. Healways appeared genuinely happy with his lot in life and the people hesurrounded himself with. Despite his young age Keevan could read people quitewell, and yet Weyoun presented quite a challenge. It was tempting to believe hewas just another one of his father’s lackies and in fact Weyoun seemed to havean almost blind adoration for him. Keevan couldn’t understand him at all. Washe a complete lunatic, perfectly content with basking in another’s shadow or abrilliant actor? Or both?

Keevan desperately wished he wasn’t sointrigued by Weyoun and Kilana. It got in the way of figuring them out like hewas able to do almost immediately with everyone else.

To be continued…