Taprizan VII Penal Colony, UFP

Goji Ira was not a happy former Maquis. On the mind of this Gorn, once slated to be the first big-league Starship Captain his people ever produced, were a whole legion of quite depressing subjects.

First, as always, was the UFP's reeking foolishness in signing the original treaty with Cardassia. Goji had tried hard to scrap it. Everyone now in this colony had done so, including to the warden and guards-which was not a coincidence.

"Admiral, please don't sign with the Cardies! Their kind of life form is not to be trusted-at all."

"Goji, they're reptiloid-based, like your own people."

"Then I should know!"

Commentary like that had not helped his career track, to be certain. Speaking out against the treaty was viewed by some as unprotected sedition, annoying at least, dangerous at most. Goji shook his inner-jaw again, wondering how Starfleet had the brass egg-sacs to wonder why the mass Maquis defections were occurring all over the Quadrant.

The other main subject on his mind was the utter destruction of the Maquis by Dominion forces. Ironically, the Maquis success against StarFleet ill-prepared them for the scorched-quadrant Dominion, not hidebound by a single rule of war or decency. The first time that Goji Ira felt nostalgic for a Starfleet Captain demanding his surrender, he knew his people were doomed. The words "And We Are The Lucky Ones" rang in ears that were already quite sensitive.

Jail wasn't horrible. They could now contact their families, use replicators, and most who called on them did so to say--"You Were Right All Along". Not that this concession brought much joy to the surviving Maquis- a day late, and all that.

The guards did not demand sex or money from the prisoners, and were actually most of them fellow travelers who had decided to stick with StarFleet. No, jail was not horrible, and those not charged on Capitol Crimes did not have to be there for long. But these things only made Goji Ira hate jail all the more, for it sang out failure. The many failures of a movement that hung itself out to dry,as much as StarFleet did.

Goji stared at the PAAD he'd been given. The guard who gave it to him was a hard-case, but he wasn't a taunter, and Goji liked him. That guard never lied to him--ever. He didn't always like what he heard, but it was straight talk, no euphemisms. But now Goji was scared. Scared at the three words his friendly jailer told him as he gave him the PAAD.

"Goji, Good News!"
 

"Good news for whom, Harry?"
 

After a thumbs-up, Harry let Goji be.
 

"Alright, little PAAD, let's see what....."
 

In a flash, the dark cloud which had been life as a Maquis for over a year burst open, and light was showing. Goji had learned to force himself to smile, but now he didn't need to-it was indeed good news.

"Renkin! C'mere!"

"Yes, Captain?"

"You're my messenger, kid. I've got good news about some of us the dog-faces and Cardies missed, though not for trying."

"Will this be a long message, Sir?"

"No, a short one. Keep It Simple, Stupid."

"Very well, Sir. What message should I deliver, then?"

Goji Ira was actually smiling freely, and sent his messenger out to the other Maquis with a very short, simple message indeed. It consisted of only 5 words, but those 5 words broke mountains of despair, turned them into rubble like they were nothing all. Those 5 simple words were :

"Tell Them Chakotay Is Alive!"

Copyright 1999 Rob Morris
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