Title: Made of Death
Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Rating: Teen
Length: 228 words
Author Notes: Part of Children of the Order, and has parallels to the episode "By Inferno's Light".

Summary: What madman laughs in the face of death?

The younger Cardassian, Gennel, they'd taken with Tain is made of iron and fire and death. If the Vorta hadn't found him amusing, they'd have been told to kill him by now, for the losses he'd inflicted with no more than sharpened nails. Ikat'ika suspects there's a toxin or poison involved, but Deyos doesn't care enough to investigate the possibility.

When the order comes to release the Cardassians, that they are now allies instead of enemies, Gennel is explicitly called out as still an enemy, along with their newly-acquired prisoner named Garak. Indeed, while Garak is merely left to be a prisoner, there is an order that Gennel is to be executed as a grave danger to the Dominion.

Ikat'ika very nearly takes an actual step back when Gennel laughs when he hears his death has been ordered. What madman laughs in the face of death?

"Dukat was always a fool." Gennel meets Ikat'ika's gaze steadily, eyes bright with amusement. "You can kill me, yes, but that won't save him. And it won't save you."

"And why is that?" Dayos is watching Gennel with amusement. "You don't think you can kill us all, do you?"

"Why not?" Gennel's smile seems darker now, the amusement turning sardonic. "Death is what I made my career of, Vorta Dayos. Why should it not end with taking my enemies with me?"