Chapter Text
There was never exactly a shortage of entertainment on Deep Space Nine. Between Quark’s holodecks, the various shops on the promenade, and the general amenities of everyday, 23rd century life entertainment was always only a few steps away. However, every now and again, there was a lull in activity. Of course, those never lasted long, because every time, without fail, something extremely, unavoidably interesting popped up and began to spread through the station.
The current craze was the first few chapters of a mysterious, anonymously published novel called ‘Occupation’. Small, relatively unknown and anonymous writings were published fairly frequently on Deep Space Nine, but none quite like Occupation, which had some… unique content.
Featuring Gul Dukat in some rather compromising positions, it was no wonder that the work was posted anonymously. And it was no wonder that it was becoming so popular with a Bajoran audience.
“Have you read it?” Julian slid into the seat next to Kira, eyes wide and a smile teasing the corners of his mouth.
“Of course I have, everyone on the station’s read it!”
Julian pulled the novel up on his PADD. “How long do you think it’ll be before Dukat sees?”
“Oh it can’t be long.” Dax cut in. “I think we should be ready, knowing the Gul he’ll make quite the scene about ‘defamation of character’.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call it defamation!” Julian laughed. “Really, they describe him quite fondly. Him and his—“
“No unprofessional language in ops, Doctor.” Odo grunted from his seat, looking down at a PADD resting in his lap.
“Unprofessional! Should I use the medical term then?”
“I don’t think anyone wants you to do that.” Kira quipped.
“Odo, are you reading it right now?”
Startled, Odo cleared his throat and turned off the PADD. “Purely for investigative purposes. It’s pertinent that we discover the author before Dukat gives us any trouble.” He paused. “And maybe it is… slightly cathartic to see my old boss be put in his place.”
Kira rolled her eyes. “I, for one, could have done without the explicit descriptions of Cardassian anatomy.”
“I thought you would have liked it, Major.” Jadzia turned her chair so she was facing Kira.
“How could anyone enjoy that?”
“Well…” Bashir started. “It does focus on a future where Bajor occupies Cardassia. I’d think it would be a sort of cathartic revenge fantasy.”
“We don’t need revenge fantasies. Bajorans are better than that.”
“Clearly not all of them…”
“Y’know, I’m going to say it, I don’t think a Bajoran wrote it.” Kira crossed her arms.
“How could this have been written by anyone but a Bajoran?” Jadzia laughed.
“Think about it! How could the author know so much about Cardassian anatomy? And any Bajoran who actually lived under the occupation would never wish it on anyone, even in fantasy. This is the voyeuristic work of a masochistic Cardassian.”
“But you hit a bit of a roadblock there.” Jadzia leaned over and rested her forearms on her legs.
“What’s that?”
“The only Cardassians on the station are Garak—“
“Whose writing skills are not exactly superb.” Bashir interrupted.
“And Dukat‘s daughter.”
Kira didn’t answer.
“Perhaps you all should leave the investigating to Odo.” Sisko hummed as he walked down the stairs, eyes transfixed on his own PADD.
“Are you reading it, Captain?”
“Absolutely not!” Sisko looked up. “I’m going over Jadzia’s report on the Andorian soil samples.”
“Of course you are.”
*
“This is an outrage!” Gul Dukat was fuming and his cheeks were tinged blue.
“I see the novel has finally reached you.” Sisko sighed.
“I can’t believe the Federation is allowing this… smut to be passed around the station! Don’t you have laws about copyright and defamation of character?”
“Dukat,” Sisko tried his best to fight a smile. “If you want to sue, then we’ll need to find the author, which is becoming increasingly unlikely. And besides, I don’t think you have much of a case.”
“This is—“
“An outrage?”
“Yes!!”
Sisko took a deep breath and rubbed his temple. “We can’t exactly stop the novel from spreading. We don’t know the author, we don’t know where the chapters are being posted from, and Bajor simply has different copyright laws.”
“Cardassia specifically outlaws any use of military personnel in fiction.”
“Bajor isn’t part of the Cardassian empire anymore, if you want to sue, you’ll need to bring it to a Bajoran court. And I don’t think they’ll rule in your favor.”
“I am a prominent military leader!” He sat up straighter, pushing his shoulders back. “This ‘novel’ sees me stripped of my title, my dignity—“
“And your clothes.”
“Exactly.” Dukat grit his teeth.
“I’d be flattered if I were you. Occupation describes you in an almost loving manner.”
“It describes me as submissive! Weak! A Bajoran’s whore!” He snapped. “I am the pinnacle of Cardassian masculinity and Cardassian men do not submit so readily.”
“I know a few people who would disagree.”
“You had better do something about this before I—“
“Alright, will do.” Sisko interrupted, hanging up.