Work Text:
Scene: Ops
Dax looks over at the man working his fingers diligently, if not also delicately, across the controls panel. Deciphering a Cardassian coded message which was intercepted only a few hours ago from one of the listening posts on their side of the border was no easy task.
On the surface, the signal appeared to be nothing more than strings of messages sent between various bartering trade smiths. Underneath, there was a carrier wave transmitting coded information about... something. They didn't know.
So they asked Garak for assistance.
Plain, simple Garak. The tailor that is famous for breaking codes, stealing vessels, disposing of, well...
Garak is far more than a simple tailor.
And his skills do seem to come in quite handy. Especially during these volatile times. The Dominion has been waging war on all fronts. Messages like this one are almost a weekly occurrence now. In all fairness, Garak was helping far more than anyone had expected him to.
He loved Cardassia. Would do anything to protect it and his people. Even if it meant solidifying himself as a traitor with the added effect of diminishing what little shreds of hope he had left of returning home.
But he never refused to help.
Polite smile. Eyes a little sadder each time. He would always hold his hand out for the info pad, make a hollow, yet still endearing comment, and get to work.
Today Julian stood next to him. Watching the codebreaker work with fascination. Dr. Bashir possessed a brilliant mind and was not so much watching, as he was scrutinizing every movement the other made. Bashir was trying his hardest to figure out how Garak was unfolding the carrier wave into its basic pieces, only to recompose them into a coherent message.
Even though Bashir didn't succeed in uncovering the Cardassian's mysterious skill. It was still nice though to make the attempt at understanding the complexities of such an interesting line of work. There was also the added benefit of sharing the such a close space with someone he cared for. There wasn't much joy to be had these days with the Dominion war raging on.
Julian jumped back, slightly startled when his dear friend straightened suddenly.
Garak: Turning his head towards Sisko while smiling smugly. "Captain, I do believe you will find the message is now perfectly understandable. It has been transferred to your personal console and can only be accessed by a scan of your DNA code."
Julian noticed the tinge of pain in Garak's eyes.
The doctor had been aware of the emotions flooding through his friend beside him for a while now. You honestly didn't need a medical degree to see that Elim was internally struggling. Not only with his desire to save his people and return home, But with how that goal needed to be accomplished.
To save his planet and his people from the Dominion, the codes needed to be deciphered. Garak had accepted his role helping Starfleet, solidifying his title as a traitor under the current Cardassian administration. Hopes of returning home diminishing everyday.
Garak breathed. The work was necessary to save lives.
He received words of approval and gratitude from the Captain who quickly retreated up the stairs to his office to review the message.
Julian: looking over "Garak?" the doctor questioned in his general bright manner doing his best to cheer the other man up.
Garak looks away from the now closed door to the Captain's office and meets Bashirs gaze. Still bemused smile, raises his eye ridges in cordial question.
Julian: "It has been a very long morning. Well, now long afternoon. Would you like to join me for a bite to eat?"
Garak: Eyes brightening with the idea of such lovely company after a grueling morning stated simply "I would be delighted Doctor." body language perking up with a hint of actual enthusiasm.
Dax pretended to look at the readouts on her console, smirking to the thought of two slips of Latinum in her hands from a bet with Quark.
Memory Quark: "Oh, they will never be more than just friends. HUUmans and Cardassians? Beh... They'd probably kill each other in any sort of 'romantic' relationship."
Memory Jadzeia: "Or get married." She grinned holding out her hand in standard Wanna Bet fashion.
Memory Quark: Shaking hands "You're on."
Dax glanced over to the two idly chatting about which establishment they were going to patronize as they moved past her. When Julian and Garak took a few steps in opposite directions, they stopped.
Julian was standing towards the turbo lift.
Garak stood towards the doorway leaving OP's.
Julian: Smiling "It's quite a walk from here Garak. Let's take the turbo lift."
Garak: Smiling back, eyes not quite matching the emotion. "My dear Doctor. I have been standing for hours on end. And frankly, a good conversation and walk would me some good to clear some of this infernal brain clutter that has accumulated."
Julian: Looking a little sheepish "I apologize. However I am truly famished after a long day of staring at you, fumbling over a simple code for hours on end." he grinned, batting long eyelashes while obviously joking.
Garak took that one in stride. He was quite literally one of the best in the business. Tain hadn't kept him around for sentiment sake. And it pleased Garak to see amazement in the doctor's expression when he deftly displayed how easily door locks were rendered obsolete in their basic function. How quickly offending obstacles could be removed. And more recently, turning coded messages into beautiful works of clarity.
Julian: "Come on Garak." he huffed in slight amusement walking into the turbo lift. Apparently discussion over.
The former spy sighed in exasperation. He could press the issue. He wanted to press, but the doctor was starting to get... he believe was there was a human word for irrational behavior caused by hunger. It was humorous to see how quickly the younger man went from an intelligent, composed figure into a quite irritable and not so talkative creature when he missed meals. So Garak endured the torment of willfully entering a confined space.
For Julian, his dear doctor and only real companion in these isolating times.
He would get into the turbo lift.
It was only a short ride anyway.
How bad could it be?
Garak: Taking a few steps, standing next to Julian, steadied his breathing. After a short moment, he smiled again. A practiced smile. "Shall we go doctor?"
As the lift started to lower. Dax was already making spending plans with the not yet received Latinum strips Quark would inevitably divvy out.
A loud metallic shredding sound broke her out of the train of thought as an alarm went off.
Julian and Garak had nearly fallen to the floor as the lift lurched to a halt between levels. Standing again, Bashir looked to Garak.
Julian: "Are you alright?"
Garak: Standing now as well, hands placed firmly on the railing, looked quickly to the doctor and nodded. "Perfectly fine my dear."
Julian, not quite believing his tone, decided to move onto the more pressing matter of being trapped in a lift first.
Julian: Pressing the badge on his chest "Bashir to O'Brien."
O'Brien: "O'Brien here."
Julian: "What the hell happened?"
O'Brien: "A couple of the junior engineers decided they were going to attempt to repair a power relay manifold for that section." He said over the intercom "They used a tool mind you that easily compares to performing surgery with a butter knife and jacked the whole thing up" He looked over to the soon to be even more Junior Engineers in disappointed dad fashion. "I'm sorry Julian, but I'm afraid you'll be in there for a while."
Julain: Almost pouting "How long is a while?"
O'Brien: "Don't worry. I meant a short while... maybe less than an hour if all goes well."
Julian: Leaning back on the rail to get more comfortable, Bashir tried to ignore his protesting stomach and conceded "Acknowledged."
Forgetting Garak for a moment, Julian stood half pondering what he would like to eat for what was now turning into dinner time. Yesterday he had pasta with a delicious pesto sauce. The day before, Quark convinced him to try the special. A Klingon crustacean dish which made it's best effort to crawl away and escape in order to avoid consumption. Julian conveniently had a medical emergency in which he must take care of before indulging in that particular meal.
Shivering slightly, Julian decided that he preferred his seafood cooked in some way, and not climbing off the plate. Then, realizing the other usually talkative man hadn't spoken, he glanced over to Garak. Face falling into an expression of fear mixed with concern.
The Cardassian was looking far paler than usual. Eyes fixed in a frightened stare down to the railing he was holding a death grip onto. The doctor concluded that Elim looked as though he was fighting to stave off a very severe panic attack.
Julian: Now noting the change in breathing as well, Bashir reached out a hand to grasp the other man's shoulder "Garak, what's..."
Garak meet Julians eyes with visible desperation in his face.
Then it hit the doctor like proverbial ton of bricks. Claustrophobic. How stupid could the doctor be... He was there! With Elim. On that damnable prison planet, Garak confined behind the walls. At one point trying to claw his way out from behind the panels.
Once the horrible realization set in, Julian pressed the badge on his chest again. It beeped.
Bashir paused. A thought crossed his mind.
It beeped again.
Julain: "Bashir to O'Brien."
O'Brien: "Yes Julian?"
Julian: "Do you have a time estimate?"
O'Brien: "It's looking like about 45 minutes of work to remove the damaged unit and connect up the replacement, but I think we can shave a good 10 minutes off that."
Julian: Looks to the Garak. Thinks quickly 'That won't do' then clears his throat "Would you mind terribly if we were transported out of here now?" Garak looked at him about to say something in protest "To be perfectly frank with you Cheif," he continues cutting off whatever Garak was about to say "I have had many cups of tea today and no breaks. So unless you and your crew would like to, um, clean up..." he let the sentence trail off.
O'Brien: "Oh. OH! Acknowledged."
After this embarrassing confession, Julian knew that he would never get hear the end of it. Jokes about not being able to hold your bladder in a turbo lift and needed to be beamed out were most definitely in his future.
But the lie was all too necessary. To protect Garak, Bashir could endure a little humiliation.
A few moments later Dr Bashir and a still shaking Garak were beamed onto the promenade near the facilities, for convenience.
Julian placed one hand back onto Garak's shoulder, the other onto the side of his face. Giving Elim a doctor's critical gaze which burned into the Cardassian taking note of every vital sign he could without a medical scanner.
Elim found small comfort in the doctor's genuine concern for his wellbeing and began to feel his breathing slow. Once his pulse began to return closer to resting pace and body relax, Julian removed his hands.
Stepping back a little, Julian had no words for how terrible he felt for putting his dear friend through that. They could absolutely have walked. The doctor was just being petulant before.
And to top it off, he had also momentarily forgotten that Garak's deepest fear and vulnerability is claustrophobia. A fact that would have gotten a person in very deep trouble while he was an active member of the obsidian order. Garak trusted Bashir with that knowledge. Not many people alive knew about it now (save for a couple Klingon's, himself, and a Romulan), and the Cardassian hoped it would remain that way. It was safer than advertising your weaknesses to enemies.
Garak: Beginning to steady himself and regain normal composure "Please stop fussing Doctor. No permanent harm done. But next time, could we please avoid unnecessarily subjecting ourselves to the unpleasantries of confined spaces?"
Julian: Apologetically "Of course." Smiling slightly at the jovial tone which was beginning to return the other's voice.
Garak: Deep breath. "Thank you my dear. Now if you don't mind us moving on from the miseries of this morning, may we finally take a walk together?"
Julian: "Sounds lovely."
Julian and Garak turned to walk down the promenade quietly at first. However, these two never seemed to allow silence to rest between them for long. Garak was the first to chime in.
Garak: "That was a very considerate thing you did."
Julian: "I deserve the hmiliation. Honestly, I cannot fathom how it could have possibly slipped my mind you suffer from acute..."
Garak: "Please doctor." Holding up a hand "It's quite alright. No more apologies, I beg you." Beginning to walk again "Onto a far more appealing subject. I do believe it is now an appropriate time for an early dinner. Wouldn't you agree?"
Julian grinned and nodded in agreement. Stomach finally speaking up in protest over being ignored all day.
Garak: "Good! Well then, we best be getting you something to eat. You tend to get quite... irritable when not properly fed in a timely manner."
Julian laughed at the joke. There was some truth to the statement. As a doctor, Bashir was well aware of the effects associated with being (what early humans called) Hangry. There is a biochemical reaction due to low blood sugar and begrudgingly yes, the good doctor does tend to get a bit grumpy and absent minded when he misses regular meal times.
Julain: laughing still "Alright my dear Garak. Lead on."
The two found one of the private tables at Quarks establishment to finally enjoy the long overdue meal. Which turns out, ended up a very pleasant evening indeed.
Addendum: Jadzia Dax received two slips of Latinum only a few short weeks later from a bewildered, but ultimately amused Quark. He lost the bet.
fin