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Ziyal counts herself as extremely fortunate.
Most people, she knows, would be shocked to learn that she thought that way about herself. It goes unsaid, but there are those who simply can’t conceive of seeing her as anything but a victim, who look at her and can only think of all she’s endured in her life: a childhood spent hidden in the shadows; long, hard years as a prisoner to the Breen; rescued and put in the care of Gul Dukat, a man driven to madness and considered partially responsible for Cardassia’s razing by the Dominion.
It’s true - her life hasn’t been easy, but these past few years since the end of the Dominion War have been rich and happy ones, and there are two people who she feels most thankful to for that. The two great teachers in her life.
Kira is the first.
From Kira, Ziyal learnt the importance of resiliency and of facing adversity with courage.
The lesson is an important one for Ziyal, who’d never felt as if she had any control over her life before deciding to live on Deep Space 9. Ziyal suspected that Kira had wrestled with the same feelings of helplessness when she was young since, in many ways, Kira and Ziyal shared very similar childhoods. They’d both been exposed to trauma and hardship from a young age. They’d both lost their mothers too early. It was a childhood and adolescence defined by loss more than anything else.
But Ziyal saw how Kira channeled her past experiences and had shaped herself into a person who demanded better; into someone always willing to do the right thing and stand up for herself and her cause. Even when it was the dangerous path to take and the odds were against her, Kira was fearless, refusing to roll over and give into someone else’s demands without putting up a good fight first.
Ziyal had thought of Kira, had wanted to live up to her example, when she mustered up the courage to stand up to her father.
Kira also taught Ziyal about her Bajoran heritage.
Ziyal had sorely wanted to explore her Bajoran heritage ever since she was a child, but the topic had never been a welcome one. Ziyal’s mother – for the short time Ziyal had her – had rarely wanted to talk about her home planet, had found it personally difficult and dangerous when there were Cardassian soldiers always nearby. If Bajor was spoken about at all, it was spoken about in whispers.
Kira more than made up for Ziyal’s ignorance about Bajoran religion and culture. She’d taken Ziyal to Bajoran temple, taught her Bajoran religious customs, its history and beliefs, and invited her to her quarters to share traditional Bajoran meals. Kira had even managed to arrange a memorable week-long trip for the two of them to visit Bajor – a trip Ziyal would never forget so long as she lived.
Most of all, Kira had shown Ziyal kindness – far more than Ziyal ever thought she deserved – and it’s not long after Ziyal permanently moved to the Station that they’re almost as close as sisters. Ziyal is still amazed that Kira never resented her for being Dukat’s daughter. It would have been easy to do so, almost expected, and even when Ziyal had tried to paint her father’s more repugnant actions in the best possible light, Kira had never spoken angrily to her for it. Not even once.
Garak is the second.
He seemed an unlikely teacher compared to Kira, especially considering Ziyal had been so nervous of him at first - Garak had, after all, been the only other Cardassian living on the Station and nearly everyone had tried to warn her away from him – had called him untrustworthy and dangerous.
Kira hadn’t liked him. Her own father had despised him. But there was something about Garak that stoked her curiosity, that drew her to him.
She’s glad she took the chance, that Garak was able to get over his own hesitations, because Ziyal found Garak to be charming, exciting, and, despite frequent accusations by others to the contrary, he never once lied to her. He seemed to care for her just as much, and was quick with advice that, while never straightforward, was never overbearing.
It’s Garak who passed on his love of Cardassia to Ziyal; the mysterious second-half of her heritage. Faced with siblings who sneered at her when she had lived on Cardassia or cold, stone-faced military men and women who ignored her and saw her as an annoyance on her father’s ship, she’d had a poor impression of the Cardassian people.
Garak changed all that.
Their long talks about Cardassia were her favourite occasions; Garak offered a far more nuanced picture of her second home planet than what her military-minded father had ever thought to teach her. And there was no question to Garak that Ziyal was fully Cardassian - he always treated her as though she had every right to her Cardassian heritage. It didn’t matter to him that she was half-Bajoran, had barely lived on Cardassia or didn't really know any other Cardassians beyond her father. Garak had still patiently explained Cardassian traditions and culture to her, taught her the Kardasi language, and even toured through some of Cardassia’s most beautiful sites.
Unlike Kira’s trips to Bajor, Garak’s exile means that hour-long sessions in the Holosuite were the best they could manage. Ziyal knew that these visits were difficult for Garak: that they were equal parts painful and a strange comfort for him to see his home planet in such an artificial environment. He’d still done it for her.
She’d deliberately ignored his more cynical lessons, which seemed to please him for some reason, though he’d be the first to agree that Ziyal shouldn’t spend so much time with him, that she was demonstrating that she was an exceptionally poor judge of character. She never paid those comments any mind; she trusted him without reservation. At one point, she’d been interested in more than friendship until Garak had put a kind but firm end to that possibility. Looking back on it, it had been for the best.
The cruelest lessons she learned from her father.
From her father she discovered what it meant to believe in someone’s better nature, to believe that they had the best of intentions, and then to watch as that person failed to live up to that belief.
She had blamed herself after his death, believing that she’d caused his descent into madness. She was the only person her father had left, and when her betrayal caused the Dominion to lose the Station she felt like she’d all but pushed him over the edge of sanity.
There was no more valuable lesson that Kira and Garak had constantly reinforced to her: that she was not a reflection of her father. That his actions had no bearing on herself and she owed none of the blame for what he did. She had to come to terms with the fact that her father had loved her, but that made him no less of a monster for what he’d done. Even so, the pain from her father’s death never truly goes away, only continues to fade with time.
Years later, when the war with the Dominion is over and Cardassia is being rebuilt from the ashes, Ziyal is graduating from Bajor University; her three years spent perfecting her art are coming to an end.
There’s a religious ceremony for every occasion on Bajor, and today is no different; the students have all gathered within the University’s temple to thank the Prophets for the gifts and opportunities that are provided from education.
It’s one of the most joyous of all Bajoran ceremonies. It’s quiet and meditative and bolstered by feelings of intense pride and happiness from everyone in the room. Many of Ziyal’s friends and fellow students have come with their parents, grandparents, and aunts and uncles, to share in this moment – their final act as students of the university.
Ziyal has Kira, who stands beside her throughout the entire ceremony with an easy, relaxed smile that had become a rare sight ever since Odo had departed for the Great Link. Ziyal is thrilled to see it.
When the ceremony concludes, Kira and Ziyal leave the temple together and head outside into the warm summer air. They break away from the rest of the families, wanting a moment to themselves.
Kira huffs out a satisfied breath of air and puts her hand to her hips.
“Well, you did it. I’m so proud of you, Ziyal,” Kira says with the biggest smile she’s had all day. She turns and looks behind her, looking through the open windows into the building where the paintings and sculptures created by Ziyal and the rest of her cohorts have been put on display near the entrance of the temple. Kira shakes her head; she only has eyes for Ziyal’s paintings. “Look at all this: it’s an amazing accomplishment.”
Ziyal beams as Kira envelopes her into a tight hug. “Thank you, Kira.”
“Ah, there they are,” Ziyal hears, and the voice behind her is a familiar one.
Kira steps away and makes a small exasperated shake of her head as she looks over Ziyal’s shoulder. “Talk about timing. I wasn’t sure if they were actually going to make it,” she says.
Ziyal turns eagerly. Though she already knows who will be standing there, when she sees Garak standing a few yards away she’s elated at the sight of him. She rushes over to greet him, exuberant and excited.
It’s been so long.
They’ve barely had a chance to speak to one another over the past three years. During the first few months in the aftermath of the Dominion attack on Cardassian, all non-essential communications from Cardassia had been next to impossible to arrange – even for Garak. Even now, Garak is often too busy with his new position in the Cardassian government for more than a quick chat and, judging from the volume of messages she’s received from him, he much prefers writing long-winded letters over long-distance conversation anyways.
There is another surprise: Doctor Bashir is standing with him. Their arms are casually linked and they’re standing very close to one another, practically brushing up against each other. Ziyal hadn’t been aware of this new development – apparently Garak hadn’t seen fit to mention it in his letters – but she also finds she isn’t shocked by it in the least. She doubts very many people were.
“My dear,” Garak begins as she quickly approaches, and Ziyal steps in to hug him just as Julian smoothly moves out of the way. Garak holds her tightly and chuckles.
“You have my highest congratulations. I heard you’ve done spectacularly well these past three years.”
“I didn’t think you’d actually be able to make it!”
“There was no way he was going to miss today. Whatever he tells you, he’s actually been planning this for months,” Doctor Bashir intervenes playfully, robbing Garak of his chance to respond.
Before Garak can vigorously deny it, which he looks about ready to do, Kira interrupts. “It’s about time the two of you got here,” she calls to them as she walks over, the smallest hint of amusement in her voice.
Her attitude towards Garak had softened considerably since their excursion to Cardassia in the final days of the war with the Dominion. They both hold a newfound but deep respect for one another, though it’s clear that they still enjoy purposefully getting on one another’s nerves.
Garak releases Ziyal and smirks at Kira.
“I thought it might be best to remain as far away as possible from a Bajoran religious ceremony lest I found the spotlight turned on myself rather than on the rightful recipient,” he tells Kira.
He suddenly points to one of Ziyal’s paintings that he’d just spotted through the windows.
“Is that your artwork I see, Ziyal? But of course it is, the Cardassian elements are unmistakeable.” He winces before he continues, “And if I can be blunt, the rest of the supposed artwork your counterparts have so bravely decided to display to the world are almost laughable. It’s quite obvious how much better your paintings are in comparison.”
“Garak,” Doctor Bashir groans. “Maybe not so loud? There are other people around in case you haven’t noticed.”
Garak makes a half-hearted apology that’s clearly only for Bashir’s benefit. Ziyal stifles a laugh.
Bashir’s right though - their small group is starting to attract attention, the four of them are on the receiving end of unsubtle stares from the Bajoran families who’ve since left the temple and are clearly surprised to see both a Cardassian and a human on Bajor.
They slip away quietly, Ziyal leading them to a deserted path to walk along the Yolja river. It’s one of her favourite spots in the University, and the path is shielded by a canopy of trees to afford them a bit more privacy.
It’s been a long-awaited reunion. Kira and Bashir have scarcely seen each other in a few months and eagerly catch up, Garak provides some cryptic hints about his new government position, and Ziyal tells stories from her time in university.
She can’t stop smiling, even though they don’t have much time left together. Neither Garak or Julian can stay on Bajor for long - they have more pressing obligations that are waiting for them on Cardassia - and Kira will have to head back to Deep Space 9 in a couple days. Yet, Ziyal feels lucky to be with them now.
“So, what’s next for you, Ziyal?” Doctor Bashir asks her as they walk upon the dirt path in front of them. “Any plans?”
“Julian, she just graduated today,” Kira chides him. “Give her at least a day or two to figure it out!”
“I was only asking!”
It’s a hard question, one that Ziyal had been thinking about a lot in the leadup to today. She’s never been able to come up with a satisfactory answer.
At least until today. As soon as Julian asks, the answer is clear as day.
“I think I’d like to go back to school.”
“More school?” Kira almost pauses in place, looks astonished by the idea. “Really? You just finished three years of university, and you want to go back already?”
“Come now, Colonel,” Garak reprimands her. “The education of our youth should never be discouraged. Why shouldn’t she go back to school.” He turns his attention back to Ziyal and asks, “What do you intend to study, my dear?”
“I want to be a teacher.”
Garak smiles as if he understands while Kira doesn’t seem completely offended by the idea.
“That sounds like an excellent choice,” Garak says at the same time that Kira responds with, “You’d be good at that.”
“My art is important to me and I still want to pursue it,” Ziyal adds. “But there’s not much appetite on Bajor or Cardassia for my style of art yet: Bajorans think it’s too Cardassian and Cardassians think it’s too Bajoran.”
Bashir frowns, the only one unconvinced by her reasoning. “I don’t think that means you should have to move on to something entirely new. There must be some people out there that would still be interested in your art.”
“Maybe,” Ziyal admits, “but it’s probably too soon after the Occupation to expect anything different. Maybe someday things will change, but in the meantime I’d like to do something that will help people.”
Whether its through her art or through teaching, it’s what she wants to do. Help people just as two people helped her find her place.
Their walk comes to an end, is followed-up by a quick lunch, and then there’s nothing more to delay Bashir and Garak’s departure.
They stand in front of the shuttle that will return Garak and Bashir back to Cardassia. Doctor Bashir says his goodbyes to Kira and Ziyal first.
“I’ll let you say goodbye to Garak and Kira,” he whispers to Ziyal after they embrace.
Ziyal smiles, grateful for the kind gesture. “Thank you, Doctor Bashir.”
“Please, call me Julian,” he says. “You’ve done well for yourself, you should be proud. There’s a guest room for you on Cardassia if you ever choose to visit us.”
Julian boards the shuttle and Ziyal seizes on their small moment alone. She turns to Garak and Kira, the two people who have had the greatest impact on her life, who never treated her as an outcast for her dual heritage or for who her father was, but love her whole-heartedly for who she is, and she grasps hold of each of their hands so that they form a small circle.
“I have the both of you to thank for all this,” she tells them. “For the past three years, for today, for everything. I never would’ve gotten this far without either of you.”
She’s absolutely serious. Without them, and only entrusted in the care of her father, what would have happened to her? She almost doesn’t want to think about where she might’ve ended up. How things might’ve turned out for her.
“Ziyal, we haven’t done anything,” Kira replies as she exchanges a puzzled look with Garak. “You’re the one who worked so hard to get here - you deserve everything you’ve achieved today.”
“I’ll have to agree with the Colonel,” Garak says after a slight pause, nodding his head towards Kira. “Though the sentiment is appreciated, you don’t owe either of us any thanks. All the credit goes to you: it was your strength and resolve that brought you this far.”
Ziyal smiles and lets it go. There isn’t any point in arguing with them, the two of them being as stubborn as they are. She might as well save her energy for a proper goodbye.
Though they won’t accept her thanks, she won’t ever forget what they’ve done for her. She doesn’t intend for their love and guidance to go to waste. Just as her art mixes elements of her Bajoran and her Cardassian background, Ziyal intends to live the rest of her life guided by both Kira and Garak’s teachings.
It will be a good life.