Act One, Scene Three

[Akirapryde]

Gul Bolon smiled as he turned to face Dr. McCoy, "Oh that was because of Schmitt." he moved towards her, "you can always count on a rat to fend for its self when its own life is threatened." Gul Bolon said as motioned his hands as if he was carrying a small creature or item. "Schmitt got caught stealing food one too many times. I had already ordered that if he were to get caught stealing again, my guards were to execute him on the spot. But Schmitt knew something, something that would have saved his life. At least from us that is. He told my guards of a grand story as he begged for his own life." The Gul explained as he turned and walked up towards Dr. Vanlaere. He motioned as if he was going to touch her face with the back of his hand. However as he got closer to her face, he stopped when he noticed that the Klingons and V'rol gave the impression that such action would have consequences.

Dr. McCoy could feel the emotions raging through Gul Bolon. She was sure that in this moment, he couldn't tell the difference between reality and memories. Meanwhile Gul Bolon just looked in to Dr. Vanlaere's eyes he continued, "Schmitt told me how you used to wear a marine uniform," he added as he motioned to some specter in the room. "Release her" he ordered to either side of Dr. Vanlaere. He continued, "Schmitt wanted to be evacuated during the great escape. But there wasn't enough room for him. He said how you carried enough weight with the Major to get him on the next transport. You, a lone Corporal, could sway the opinion of a Marine Major. However that last shuttle never made it, did it. I made sure of that. No more of you would escape."

He paused then continued without warning, "he told my guards how you took the clothes and identity of a dead woman to hide who you really were. How they all promised to keep your secret identity. I was so happy when my guards relayed this news. But I was outraged with Schmitt for not telling me sooner. All the times I gave him extra bread and this was how he thanked me. It didn't matter, I never had a chance to reward or punish him over it. Someone made poor Schmitt swallow his own tongue." He smiled from the deep darkness of his heart right in to Dr. Vanlaere's eyes, "But I had you now and you were going to help me break the Major one last time. But first I had to be sure." He turned his back on her, "You have your orders," he motioned to the specters next to her. "I want to hear her scream," he added. Dr. Vanlaere just stood there looking confused as the Gul walked away from her with his hand waving in the air to some unheard music.

He walked over to V'rol, "Dramal, we have time for this" he said looking right at the Vulcan but clearly seeing someone else. "We will make our meeting long before the Appalachia is to arrive. And after all the order didn't say when it had to be carried out. We have time, Dramal" the Gul looked as if he was in pain as he flinched a bit. "Dramal, you alone knew why she was so important to me. You alone defended my actions to the rest. You knew that it was not madness, but genius, that inspired me. With each passing day we spent with her" he said pointing at Dr. McCoy, "we learn something new about who she was. Something that would get us closer to having our revenge on her. Something that would heal my own pain. Just one more day and we will have this."

He turned once more to look at Dr. McCoy as she asked about who gave the order and why. "The order" he said in pain. He walked on weakened knees as he continued, "we had lost the war, but that didn't mean we...." he struggled with the pain as he stopped in the center of the room. "Cardassian Central Command told me, we had to protect our secret weapon just in case of another war." He stuttered as he started to drool. It was clear he was in pain as he tried to continue.

He dropped to his knees as he held either side of his head, "The pain....." he struggled "The secret.....He told us who was coming to liberate the camp and when.....He was...." Gul Bolon actually started to cry as he tried to speak, "He....told us everything....." finally he fell silent as he dropped his head in to his hands. The mental pain was so great that even Dr. McCoy could sense it. Gul Bolon rose his head up as he looked up at the ceiling. From some unseen hell, he let out a scream in pain. He flung himself forward and rested his head down on the cool floor for a moment as he gathered himself. "I....."

After a few moments of silence he spoke without warning, "Oh Dramal. My most loyal and trusted friend" he mumbled. The pain starting to subside as he rose back up again as his memories took him back to another point.

Slowly he rose back up to his feet. Still holding his head he turned once more to face V'rol, "Oh Dramal, I am sorry. I didn't know he would kill you." It appeared that the pain was focused around a time frame of the Gul's life. It was still there but not as intense as before. He managed to get to his feet and slowly walk up to V'rol, "Oh Dramal....." Gul Bolon added as he rested his hand on the Vulcan's shoulder, "Had I not been tending to my trophy, I too would have been killed along with you and the others."

Almost as if answering some unspoken question. "Instead the Appalachia was early, and I was arrested by their officers. But I told them nothing. I kept the secret of our weapon to this very day, Dramal." There was a hint of laughter in his voice. "No one knew how we had their most vital of information. How many battles were turned to our favor because of it. How we knew when a fleets were on the move or when a world was vulnerable." He struggled with the pain once more, "We had him to thank for it." The Cardassian shuttered once more as he felt new waves of pain flood over him. But he tried to continued, "Dramal, I kept Cardassia's most important secret. Even after he murdered you. I kept it because this gave me power over him."

Once more on weakened knees he turned and walked over to Dr. McCoy. He dropped to his knees as if she was on her knees as well. Dr. McCoy motioned for everyone to hold their ground as she slowly dropped to her knees also. Their eyes never parted in that moment. Her motion was filled with caution as she watched the Cardassian carefully. She could feel his pain, his passion and even his love for the object of his memory. He continued while he ran his hands over the bars of an invisible cage. "You see, you taught me this my love. Oh how I hated you. How I wanted you to suffer like no other. But now I can look in your eyes and admit our love. On this day, your last day. As that poison runs through your veins, I can admit how your power over me. I can admit our love for each other."

He reached his hands through that make believe cage and touched Dr. McCoy softy. Once more she motioned for everyone to hold back. "You knew about the order, didn't you. This was why you demanded me to hurt you one last time. You were here in your cage when the transmission came. You were like that lamp over there" he said motioning to a empty corner, "here all along but over looked just as that lamp. You knew our secret and yet you still held secrets from me. Did you hear his voice over the Com Channel? Or was it that you saw his face on the mind of my superior? Did you gain this insight through your own telepathic powers? But you knew our secret, didn't you?"

His heart felt for the woman before him even if it wasn't Dr. McCoy. "What was it that you told me that last night. I hurt you, beat you, took you. Yet you still defied me. What did you dare to tell me, 'From Hell's heart, I stab at thee... For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee...' You tasked me one last time to spend my time with you. To cause you suffering once more. Did you do this cause you knew I loved you or because you wanted to save your own fellow prisons as Dramal suggested. No, I knew the truth, didn't I. You loved me. You can admit this now. You needed this as much as I did." He rambled as he looked in to Dr. McCoy's eyes. He voice was cold and calm. No sign of the pain that was there before.

In his mind, she could almost hear her words from his memory. She could almost make out the beaten, starved and broken body of Major MacConnell before him curled in a small two by two by two cage. In that moment she could hear the voice of Major MacConnell through his memory. There was no doubt to Dr. McCoy, Major MacConnell was a telepath and a strong one at that.

The memories were so vivid and clear to such a degree that she couldn't help but feel a cold shiver down her spine. The words of the major were perfectly toned despite her own suffering and pain. Beckoning the Gul once more to play their twisted game of discover the secret. Her laughter filled the Gul's memory as he watched her being beaten by some other Cardassian, who could only be the phantom Dramal. She could feel the Gul's hatred for the Major and understood how much he needed her. Despite the pain and the suffering she would never give up her secret.

"The look in your eyes told me what I wanted to know," the Gul added. "She means something to you" he said motioning towards Dr. Vanlaere. "Oh I know you as well my lowly little beast. I can see that look in your eyes when you look at her. Just as the look in her eyes. I know she means something to you. Schmitt was right, she was important to you. But I just don't know how. Is she the missing Communication Tech I wonder," he asked coldly.

He rose up once more and walked over to Dr. Vanlaere, "Oh I don't care what you know right now. But you WILL stay and watch. You will stay and see what I will do to her. You [/i]CAN[/i] end this, just tell me how you two know each other. Then, together, we can find out what she" he said pointing back to Dr. McCoy as he continued, "knows. With your suffering and pain, we can find out what she is keeping from me."

Anger filled his voice once more as he moved towards Dr. McCoy and dropped to his knees. With the courage of a front line soldier, Dr. McCoy waved everyone back. She had to follow this madness to its end. "But you wont tell me, will you. Never once would you just tell me anything," he said as he looked at her as if she was laying on the floor.

"Your secret would die with you. That is what you keep saying. How you kept saying I would never have you. But I will have you. I will take your very soul. I will posses you in a way no other being will ever have you." Motioning as if he had a knife in one hand and ran his other hand through Dr. McCoy's hair. "Don't cry little beast. Death will come soon enough. I have no choice. But in death, this doesn't mean we can't be together." He motioned as if he had stabbed her chest slowly and carefully. "Shhhhh don't cry....don't close your eyes. Watch me.....Keep your eyes on me" he said in his illusionary state. "I know the pain you feel. Don't you remember my filthy little beast. You did this to me when my family left." He added then looked to V'rol and added, "keep her awake and feeling for just a moment longer. We are almost done here Dramal. Keep her awake for this."

He continued to act as if he was cutting in to her chest with the care of a doctor. "Don't allow her to look away" he commanded the phantom guards next to Dr. Vanlaere. "I never imagined how warm it would feel in my hand. How much I so desired this moment but too afraid to actually do it. I didn't ever want this to end. But now I have no choice. I had to and you are already dying." He said as he continued to act as if he were cutting out her heart. "Almost, my love. Almost...." he said with a smile "Don't let her sleep Dramal, give her another hypo if you must but she has to feel this. She must know that I will forever watch over her soul. Even after her death."

He let out a hint of laughter as he cupped something in his hand. "There my little beast. I have it. Your soul," he said showing his empty hands to Dr. McCoy, "don't cry, I will watch over it for all time. No one will ever have you. Not now. You will have no rest, no peace. Just as you have left me. Forever in suffering and pain. We will never be separated now. I will never let you go." He raised his eyes as he looked in to Dr. McCoy's eyes. Once more she could sense his memories and could feel what he saw in his memories. She knew that the Major was dying and there was so much pain around him. A second female voice was crying but that voice was out of his vision. "Look my sweet little beast, it still beats" he said with a smile as he looked down to his hands once more, "its so warm....so small and warm...."

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OOC Narrator Notes: I will make one more post to this thread. Each of you will have a chance to post two more times. Once now, and one more time after my last post. The final posting order will be Dr.McCoy, V'rol, Dr. Vanlaere and me. Then for the final round of posting it will be V'rol, Dr.McCoy and then Dr. Vanlaere.

If you can't post, please PM the next person in line that you are passing. Please make your posts within twenty four hours of the last post. If you need more time, please PM the next person in line or me. I would like to close this thread at the end of the week (Sunday morning).

Also, you can post in Act Two, Scene One if you desire or wait till this is closed.