—- Conference Room, Jem’Hadar Battleship —

The Vorta’s smile unnerved Captain Olivia Carrillo. The more polite and friendly he became, the more she felt her skin want to crawl off her body. She had gone out on a limb coming aboard the battleship. But there had been little other choice, as the Federation ship was outgunned. He seemed like he was the same Vorta as had dealt with Captain Benjamin Sisko during the Dominion War. But despite him having the same face as the man in the records, Carrillo assumed it was a result of the cloning that the Founders were known to do on their most loyal subjects.

To her left the Vulcan T’Venik, a Federation Ambassador took the lead, “How is it that we can be of service.”

“I just wanted to meet you, seeing as you’re in Dominion space,” the Vorta said.

“We’re well within open space as defined by the treaty that ended the war,” Carrillo said, not pointing out who had won that war. That sort of thing could go without saying. Clearly the Vorta might have the same genes as his predecessor but likely also the same institutional memory.

“Accidents happen in space,” he pointed out, looking pleased with the observation, and the implied threat behind it.

“And you also know we have a science ship with excellent sensors and a warp drive that surpasses anything you have at the edge of the system. Anything unfortunate happens and they’ll be back in the Alpha Quadrant to play the whole thing to Starfleet Command,” Carrillo said, “And after what happened with the Borg and those that assisted them Starfleet’s really not in the mood where you want to push them.”

The capture of the fleet. The attack on Starbase One. The assimilation of most of the fleet. 

The Vorta chuckled as he glanced at the Vulcan Ambassador, “I was always told that I’d enjoy a human’s sense of humour. Do you get as much enjoyment out of her as I do?”

T’Venik who had been asked the question shook her head, “Humans are not my preferred social companions. However in this case I do not believe she is attempting levity. The captain’s assessment of Starfleet’s battle readiness is correct.”

The Vorta grinned. Then suddenly the door opened and in came a changeling. Unlike those that had perfected the looks of solids and taken over important roles in Starfleet the changeling had the distinctive flat and not quite properly formed face. The Vorta scrambled to open up a seat, as well as hurry out the Jem’Hadar guards from the room so that it was just the changeling, the Vorta and their guests.

T’Venik raised an eyebrow, “This is unexpected.”

“I am here to request your assistance,” the Changeling said, in his even voice. 

Captain Carrillo could tell that the Vulcan Ambassador was as surprised to see the shapeshifter as she was. The Changelings were reclusive, more so since their kind had helped the Borg attempt to take over Earth. They were not known to exit Dominion space much these days.

“And how could we assist you,” T’Venik asked.

“We are dealing with a breakaway faction of the Jem’Hadar, who’ve established a secret ketracel-white manufacturing facility. It gives them an independence that’s been… vexing,” the changeling said.

The pair of Federation citizens looked at each other, “It seems like a more independent Jem’Hadar is in our best interests. No offence, but probing up your military is not within my job description.”

“An independent Jem’Hadar would seek to retaliate for the loses of the War with the Alpha Quadrant,” the changeling said, “An independent Jem’Hadar would seek conquest with no objective and no final goal. They are perfectly engineered soldiers, without the need for a supply for ketracel-white or loyalty to us there would be no stopping them.”

“What would you need from us,” Carrillo said not yet convinced.

“Find it, with your sensors. We’ll deal with it from there,” the Vorta said, preferring to handle the dirty details

“I need to consult with my crew,” Carrillo said.

“You have twelve hours,” the Vorta said smiling, though he did not  say what would happen then. Captain Carrillo assumed it would be unpleasant whatever it was.