Lost

“Double check our supplies the secure them to the motorbikes.” Dukat ordered as he stood in the bay and watched as the men, now under his advisement, looked over written lists and loaded supplies onto the particular motorbikes as they did so. Everything was nearly ready and within the next half hour he’d be leading them away. Of course, that also meant that he’d be leaving Mixie, whose mood had degraded rapidly since earlier that morning when he had her bent over a work table in the back. Despite his irritation at leaving her, it did wonders for his ego and happiness that she’d be there when he got back.

Glancing around he made sure that no one was looking at him before turning to her. “I will be back in just a few days, I promise.” He told her and took her hands, placing kisses on the tops of them. Mixie looked up at him, her expression dejected and depressed nonetheless. He couldn’t help but smile slightly at that before kissing the top of her head. With one last squeeze of her hands he strolled off and adorned the cloaks they wore when riding on the high powered motorbikes. “Alright, let’s head out!” He called out to all of them. Mixie watched as the men mounted the motorbikes. Within moments Dukat had taken off and disappeared around a bend in the path outside the gates. One by one the others followed and Mixie watched intently as the one on the motorbike that she’d removed the items from had trouble starting his. He let out a frustrated curse before hopping off of the bike and glancing over it.

“Just take another one, let’s go!” His companion, another traveler, yelled frustrated as he waited. The man growled and went to another one of the bulky black bikes. Luckily he wasn’t on one of the carrier bikes as it was, no doubt, used for bringing back whatever they were looking for. Within minutes she couldn’t hear the roar of any of the bikes outside and ran to the gate doors. She ventured out, looking towards where she saw the riders gradually getting smaller. With a sigh, she rested her head against the rock face and rubbed her face. The parts to the broken bike were hidden safely behind a loose stone in the fireplace in her and Dukat’s room. The emergency beacon, which Dukat had just turned off and not dismantled, was inconspicuously tied to a dolly so that she could easily get it out of storage. It took three trips to do that over the last few days. Every time she started to tie it up and prepare it, the side of her that was content with life here won over and she walked away. Home won, though, and she was preparing to move out that very night. Mixie closed her eyes a moment and felt tears slip from them. Reaching up she was about to silence herself when she saw the top of her hand and remembered Dukat kissing it. Suddenly not caring about crying, she tucked her hands under her chin and stood there, leaning on the rock for support as the battle within ripped her heart apart.

~|8|*O*|8|*~

It was quiet, which was a good sign. Mixie watched the darkness intently, her eyes having adjusted to it already, but she wanted to be certain. The parts to that bike were clenched in her hands and the guard Dukat had set up to keep her in or possibly protect her was now unconscious on the cave floor. Chewing on her lip, she crept towards the stock room where the emergency beacon set ready. Earlier that day she had slipped blankets between it and the dolly so that she may keep warm. She had no idea how long it’d take the Federation to reach her. She knew that they couldn’t be far, though. Dukat was popular for all the wrong reasons and she was sure that they wouldn’t merely overlook his disappearance. Being careful to make as little sound as possible, she secured the parts to herself and slowly eased the beacon out of the room and started down the hall. She went over, in her head, the landmarks that’d get her up to the mountain. She had gotten a few peeks at the map again, to make absolutely certain and was reasonably sure that she could make it there. At least, that’s what she dearly hoped.

Fifteen minutes later she eased into the bay, which was lit only by a torch on the wall closest to the outside opening. The gates were locked, but she had expected that. If she couldn’t find the keys, they used an acid that ate through just about everything she saw them put in it to dispose of, she’d get some of that and splash it across the lock, if need be. Quietly she got the torch off the wall and rushed to the bike, carefully putting and securing the parts back onto it where they came off. A sound, not made by her or creaking equipment, made her freeze.

Slowly she turned around, only to make eye contact with one of the other women that lived there. Her sleeves were rolled up and hands black with what looked like grease and some dark powder. She stared at Mixie wide eyed, her hands poised in front of her where she had been holding up her heavy skirt to walk more fluidly. Mixie stared back, also wide eyed but more from alarm; she didn’t want to hurt the woman, but she was prepared to if she was going to go warn anyone. It seemed like forever to her that the two stood there and stared at one another, one finishing chores and the other escaping. Finally, the woman rushed over and took the part from Mixie, putting it on the bike frantically before going to the beacon. Mixie felt a rush of relief but it was short lived, reality that they could still be caught came into play and, together, the two women loaded the beacon up on the back of the bike. Mixie mashed the blankets between it and the rack on it before looking at her. She held out her hand, the statement, although silent, was clear. Apparently the woman’s fate didn’t escape her, because she grabbed the keys off a very well discretely hidden hook and ran to the gate. After a moment, she pushed both doors open and returned only to mount the bike, followed by Mixie getting behind her and wincing as she was crushed between their salvation and the woman.

The woman, who was at least a good fifty years older than herself, expertly started up the bike and turned it out of where they were parked. It putted quietly as she moved it at a slower speed towards the gate. Once they were out and, she guessed, twenty feet from the entrance, the woman turned it up. The bike roared to life and the next thing Mixie knew she was clutching to the woman’s waist as they raced from the compound, no one in it the wiser to their escape.

~|8|*O*|8|*~

Dawn was beautiful here, Mixie had to admit that. Rays of light came over the curvature of the planet like beams of smoke long before the white orb of the sun showed it’s self. The sky turned from the inky black that it was at night to a glowing purple then, as it got closer to sunrise, it turned into a vibrant pink, followed by the beautiful smoke like blooms of light that seemed to be the arms of the sun, pulling it’s self up upon the planet for another day of work.

Mixie glanced behind her at the woman who slept curled up next to the beacon. The beacon had been on for three hours now, but she hadn’t expected an instant response from a ship. There were dark circles under her eyes from staying up all night but, also searching the horizon to see if she could see the compound. It seemed that the poorly illustrated hills on the map were bigger than they originally had drawn. It took all night to get there, most of which was spent going over them. Because of them she couldn’t see the compound, but, she supposed that was good. If, for some reason, Dukat returned early perhaps they would provide some mask for the scanners they may use. She only hoped that he hadn’t retuned early and that the storm which had prevented them from a smooth landing was still raging in the upper atmospheres. If it was, then they couldn’t scan from a starship and would have to use a shuttle. Mixie covered her mouth for a yawn and rested her head against the wall of the alcove they were on and, before she knew it, she was asleep.


“So, you’re leaving me.” Mixie woke with a start at the voice to her left. She looked to see Dukat sitting by her, his legs hanging over the edge of the alcove as he watched her. She glanced to the sunrise, noting that it was high in the sky now. Why did he come back early? She swallowed and looked around. The woman was gone and there was only one of the motorbikes left, but the beacon remained, and on. “You have to go!” She said and looked at him wide eyed. “Dukat, they are on the way, they’ll take you to earth, you have to go now!” She said frantically before getting up and hurrying to the beacon to shut it off. Dukat stood up and walked to her, wrapping his arms around her and gently pulling her away.

“What are you doing?!” She demanded and freed herself to him while turning and looking at him. Dukat only smiled at her, his expression somewhat saddened. Whether it was authentic or not, she couldn’t tell, all she cared about was getting him as far away from the beacon as he could get.

“Mixie,” He sighed and reached up, touching the side of her face. “I thought you were happy. I had been hoping that we could’ve had a life here. Now…I know it wasn’t that pleasant, but it was improving, wasn’t it? They trust me, even still they do. You know I would have improved things.” He cupped her face in both of his hands, making her look at him. “I don’t understand this Mixie, how could you leave? You know what life will be like for you. You know that you’ll never truly be free, how could you leave?” His expression changed into a mixture of confusion and hurt. “How could you leave me?”

Mixie felt hot tears come to her eyes and tried to shake her head free, but he wouldn’t have any of it and made her keep looking at him. “I’m sorry,” She mumbled and looked down as best that she could. “I don’t belong here. I don’t want to leave you, but I don’t belong in this place.” She told him and swallowed down a lump in her throat. “Please go,” She pleaded weakly, taking his wrists. “They’ll scan the area for you or they’ll send out a search party with small scanners. If they find you, you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison.” She said miserably, the battle within her never really won, just subdued. “Please, please…” She couldn’t finish it, now crying too hard. She felt him enclose her in a hug, her head resting against the wide rim of his scaly neck ridges. She cried against him, knowing that even if he ran now, they’d still find him. He didn’t have time.

She was still crying quietly against him when he released her and took her face again. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before kissing her ever so softly on the lips. Reluctantly he tore himself away from her entirely, despite her hands which still struggled to cling to him. With a smile he kissed the top of one of her hands and turned to walk away. Mixie covered her mouth, making herself not cry out to him to leave. If he left now, maybe he’d stand a chance of getting away. Her eyes widened, though, when he didn’t make the turn that would get him down the precarious path to the motorbike. Instead, Dukat walked straight forward to the edge. Idly he kicked a stone off, watching as it tumbled down until finally disappearing into the mass of other stones far below him. He turned around and looked at her, a small smile on his face. “You know that they won’t stop looking, and if you lie, you can’t fabricate enough evidence. The only thing you can do is tell the truth…omitting certain details.” He said and gave her a wicked little grin. Mixie watched him, having a hard time processing what he was saying and what it looked like he was about to do. “Tell them you escaped and that I found you. There was a struggle, but I lost my footing and went over. Tell them that, that is what the evidence will say.” He said and, before she could rush and pull him back in, he leaned backwards enough to simply tip over the edge into the nothingness below.

Mixie ran to the edge, staring wildly below, hoping that he caught himself on a branch.
“DUKAT!”