As Miles walked into the holosuite, he saw Commander Sisko pummeling a heavy boxing bag.

"Shall I set up a rematch with Q, sir?"

Sisko slowed, but did not stop his deliberate assault.

"Not unless he wants to alter his form to that of a certain charismatic, utopian hypocrite, Chief."

O'Brien nodded in agreement.

 "So you heard about the Orellius verdict."

"Yes--I heard. Computer-- shift to speed bag, bound top and bottom."

Miles frowned.

"She got off."

Sisko corrected him, though why he couldn't say in this instance.

"Not Scot Free."

"Three months for conspiracy against a StarFleet Officer. Nothing on the spouses and children whose deaths she allowed. To me, sir---that defines scot-free."

The bag started moving faster as Sisko punched harder.

"Vinod took the fall, like a good son. Despite it all, I would have thought better of Alixus."

Miles shrugged.

"Why? She was little more than a petty thug with a pedigree."

Benjamin puzzled at this.

"Chief, that's a bit dismissive, don't you think?"

"Commander, the history of my ancestors--and yours--are replete with very smart people 'educating' others via methods not unlike that box. When Alixus spoke, my mind placed a redcoat on her back and a British accent in her mouth. Bigoted, I know. But the family stories stay with you."

Sisko nodded.

"My father always says that, whenever I feel too high and mighty--I should remember that his grandfather was Admiral Cartwright. A man whose hate nearly brought the Federation low. I wonder if Alixus' family ever gave her any such reminder."

O'Brien chuckled.

"The simple answer to that is no. She is the embodiment of the kid who doesn't have to behave at home because the burden is on the guests, and who doesn't have to behave as a guest because the burden is on the hosts. Am I making any sense?"

Sisko, glad that he had used the private holosuite instead of the public gym, struck again at his suspended target.

"Chief, I kind of think you do. Wonder what she'll do upon her release?"

"Sir--that is what we need to discuss. I have some folks wish to talk with us. Up for it?"

Sisko's curiosity was piqued.

"Sure. Just let me get dressed."

Walking into Quark's, Ben was almost floored to see the colonists from The Orellius System.

"Joseph--Here, in the land of Tech?"

The simple, honest man nodded.

"Commander Sisko--we need your help."

Joseph was straight, and to the point.

"When you left, we all decided to stay on our little utopia."

Sisko nodded.

"Yes, that did surprise me a bit. Not for you, or even for most. But everyone? That threw me off some."

Joseph drank some replicated coffee as though it were the hardest of hard liquors. It was a 'sin' he was greatly enjoying.

"Part of it was pride. We didn't want to admit to you that we even possibly could have been wrong. Not that I feel we were--but at that point, to even entertain the notion was unthinkable."

Ben wished that Joseph had been running the colony all along. In his voice there was passion for the cause without the cold fervor that permeated Alixus' voice.

"Well, of course. I mean, you had invested ten years of your lives in that place. Your loved ones were buried there. Two strangers, however compelling their evidence, were not going to have you renouncing that."

Joseph's face grew sullen.

"Alixus was gone, but we still functioned as though she was there—for five weeks. The first disputes occurred not long after. Then---we found these things."

They were compact, and easily hidden. But what Joseph, and then Cassandra took from their pockets were quite plain, especially to Chief O'Brien. Miles punched his hand.

"Nano-corders for her studies--just what the good proselytizing fanatic needs. Makes sense, if you think about it. I was wondering how she was going to spread her beliefs in that backwater. A word of advice, Commander-- don't view what's on there. I did, and now I'm not fit company for my family."

Cassandra now spoke, and there was little evidence of the woman who had gladly tried to seduce Ben at Alixus' whim.

"Our lives are on there, Commander. Our lives--and the deaths of those we loved. While our spouses died, while our children screamed—she figured out what commentary 'spin' to put on it. We're not giving up what we believe in--but we want to make damned sure to walk away from what she believed in--herself."

Sisko stared disgustedly at the 'nano-corders'.  He, too, had read Alixus' teachings with some admiration. But history showed that some leaders loved omelets just a little too much.

"Its too late to introduce these against her-- she might even have gotten life. As it stands, she'll be out by the time I return from Utopia Planitia this Fall."

Joseph nodded.

"So the Chief told us, when he came calling. Commander, you said that we invested ten years in that place. Well, we didn't. Alixus and Vinod did. They stole those ten years--and the lives of those we still care about--and invested them for us. A phony crash, a phony life, lab-rat mentality, all for her bloody experiment. That we know some benefits from it all counters her bullying and brainwashing not at all. The blood is on her hands for setting us up--and on ours for not asking enough questions. Now, we have children who the supressor field has rendered tech-allergic. And your Doctor is not at all certain of the field's long-term effects on us."

Stefan seemed perhaps the most lost of all.

"It took us a month and a half to realize we could do what we wanted--including, simply, leave. On that day, we ripped that damned shed apart. I don't know who hated it more--the people shoved in there, or the people who did the shoving."

Cassandra threw in.

"Not that there was much of a distinction. She had us snitching on each other, pummeling each other--yes, we gave in-- but she held all the cards, all along."

O'Brien was livid, as well.

"Among those cards was an Ace--a minor-league water replicator—that could make enough for two people. Guess which two? Still, I don't think we should be surprised."

Sisko shook his head.

"Again, Chief, you are turning a misguided person into a Green, a Singh, or a Kodos."

"With all respect, sir--like hell I am. Monsters like those folks may be inspirations for evil--they may have the greatest individual body counts. But people like Alixus, all taken together, are responsible for the great bulk of history's misery. My grandfather used to say that the Antichrist would come in the form of some talking arse who would swear up and down that the crap they were pulling was for the common good----"

Sisko raised his open palm at O'Brien to indicate he'd heard enough. He then turned to Joseph.

"Joseph, what help do you need from us?"

Joseph and the others gained a look of grim satisfaction.

"Alixus has stated her intention to return to our colony. We can't stop her, and don't wish to out-and-out kill her. But if she's coming back--she's going to be punished. She is most pointedly not resuming her status, or her experiments on us. Commander Sisko--we need a new Box."

Sisko now felt thoroughly confused.

"But couldn't the Chief have done that, with the replicator on the runabout?"

Miles shook his head.

"Not with THIS box, Sir."

Sisko grinned as he read the plans.

"Just give me your promise she won't be harmed physically."

Joseph grinned as well.

"Of course, Commander. After all--this is Utopia we're talking about."

------------------------------------------------

FALL, 2371, ORELLIUS SYSTEM -

USS DEFIANT

Alixus was in her glory. Being escorted back in triumph to the paradise she helped fashion in a piece of technology that had been proven an utter failure in its first foray against The Dominion. Tech's glory and its futility in one package. She stepped onto the transport pad.

"I would just like to say----"

"Chief--Energize."

Sisko cut Alixus off in mid-speech as she was beamed away.

"Chief, think you can build a second box?"

"What for, sir?"

Sisko stared at yet another carefully worded report from Kai Winn about what she saw as the pernicious influence of Federation policies.

"I like to make my reports to her Eminence thorough, after all."

On the planet's surface, only Joseph was waiting in front of the new box. Alixus nodded.

"My 'punishment' I suppose?"

"You'll spend one day in there for each of us you imprisoned here, and two more for each one of us that died while you watched and took notes for your lecture tour. After that, you can go. If you choose to stay, you'll live at the top of the hill, overlooking our colony, but you may not come down--ever."

Her dismissiveness was not at all diminished by three months of rehab.

"How Biblical. But I can see that the colony has expanded already. For beliefs that are worth having, I will be more than happy to suffer."

"And we--will be more than happy to make you suffer. You have no idea what you're in for, Alixus."

Almost serenely, Alixus entered the box. She would endure it, abide it, and then test the waters when she was released. Slowly, she saw herself violating the ban til she was allowed back in. From there, she would be back in charge at the first crisis--natural or otherwise.  The days passed, and grew more, not less bearable for one so firmly committed. At last,  the box was opened.

"My choice is made. I am needed here, whether you realize it or not. You are my children."

Alixus was glad she had chatted with that Bajoran religious leader. That last touch was pure theater, designed to infuriate critics into sloppiness.

From her vantage point, and using a pair of crude binoculars, Alixus saw her dream realized. All over the region, new, self-sufficient non-tech colonies were popping up. Sensing the moment--the maker of Paradise stepped down from her hill, a year to the day after she was placed on it. There were great cheers, and her leadership was reaffirmed by all. Wisely, she waited three months before finding an excuse to punish Joseph.

"So many have joined our cause. This, then, is The One True Way...."

"Hello, Alixus."

"Commander Sisko?"

"Its Captain, now. Would you follow me?"

"I'll be glad to show you off our world."

"Whatever. Please, its only a little ways."

Alixus had the crowd behind her, should Sisko try anything, so she walked on.

Finally, Ben stood in front of a rock face.

"Arch. Open"

To Alixus' stunned surprise, an arch did appear, and did open. Sisko walked through it. Compelled by some instinct, Alixus followed.

The world changed.

The colonies were gone. The land was barren. There was nothing for kilometers, save rows of headstones bearing familiar names.

"Clever, Captain. Tricking me into one of your wretched holosuites."

Sisko hung his head.

"Poor Joseph never mentioned that he was simply going to leave you here. Whatever your crimes, you're free to go. Alixus--that place in there is the holosuite. This is reality. You've been here five years, while the suite has run off solar power. Cassandra managed to write a book about you before she passed-not very flattering, I'm afraid. We have to go now. There's a war on, and-"

"You're lying! My people are in there, and they need me. Don't come back, Captain, or I will truly break you this time."

"Be reasonable, Alixus. You've suffered for the lives you've sacrificed. Now, you are free."  Alixus ran back to the archway, and into the safety of her delusions.

"Those lives were necessary, to create the New World! Goodbye, Captain!"

The image of Sisko grinned as the door closed.

"Day 23. Sisko-Revelation subroutine, deactivating."

Then he vanished, with Alixus having staggered back into The Box. The Box, which, for her---contained Paradise.