"Don't you think it's a bit too busy here?" Garak asked and looked around anxiously. Although he hadn't had a panic attack in months, crowded rooms made him feel uneasy. Usually, he met Dr Bashir during lunch at the Replimat which was an open space on the Promenade, but now it was late evening and Quark's lower level was surrounded by walls on all sides. Garak sneaked a peek back at the door where he could see far less people lingering on the Promenade corridor.
"Oh, don't worry. Midia has recovered from her Bajoran cold and is back to work. There should be enough waitresses to not keep our stomachs empty forever. But that's the price you pay if you don't have time for lunch."
"I'm sorry but it is not my fault that the laundry machines malfunctioned and tore every single uniform during its run. You should complain to Chief O'Brien," Garak said and sat down in front of Dr Bashir who had finally been able to find an empty table.
Garak looked around and did indeed spot Midia, as well as Leosa and Glidia, and a Ferengi waiter whose name he had not bothered to learn. The volume was high, and apparently there was another opera night in the Klingon restaurant, because distant, alien noise undermined the loud discussions and talks of the other guests.
"What can I get you?" the Ferengi waiter asked while he was still making his way to the pair.
"Well, a root beer for me and a bowl of Mattar paneer, please," the Doctor ordered.
Garak grimaced. "Root beer. How can you drink that vile stuff. I'd like an Enaran Tarin juice and Lokar beans with Yamok Sauce." He knew that Quark kept the secret of him having tried that stuff. And he had liked it. Even though he had had some prejudice against it. Just like with the Doctor.
"Great. It'll take a moment."
When the Ferengi was gone, Garak muttered, "'a moment'? We'll be glad if we see something eatable before midnight."
"Now, let's distract your empty stomach for a while," Dr Bashir intervened the complaints of his friend.
"You surely want to talk about that book of yours you have lent me a week ago."
"Have you finished it?"
"Have you finished the enigma tales I gave you?"
"Yes, and guess what: I anticipated the ending."
"The gardener was innocent."
"He raped the daughter of the house."
"But he was still declared innocent."
"Whatever you say."
"Natima Lang did indeed interpret this as a fault in the Cardassian Justice System, my dear Doctor. The two of you would get well along. Unfortunately, she had to flee for such bold statements."
Dr Bashir only sighed as an answer.
"Anyhow," Garak recognised this as a sign to move on, "I read this tale of yours."
"Actually, it's not from my origin. It is an earth story, no doubt. But it was written by a different country than my own."
"Ah yes, you explained to me how many 'countries' you have on your planet."
"By now, the borders are just reminders of the old days. Each country is equal and there are no differences anymore."
Garak listened to him. He had indeed taken an interest in Earth History and Geography, even though the thought of a mainly blue planet appalled him. "You know, Cardassia was unified a long time ago. For centuries now, everyone has been learning the same dialect as the main language. There are minority languages which are respected, but literature is nearly always in the Cardassian Capital Language."
"On Earth, each country has their own cultural heritage which includes tradition, clothing, festivals, literature and so on. We still celebrate our diversity within the unification. Anyhow, I gave you this book in regard to all the Cardassian crime novels you make me read."
"Well, first of all, this can hardly be called a crime novel. The crime takes place in the last third of the book and it is never really investigated. Also, it can hardly be called a book with chapters as short as these."
Garak paused as the Ferengi waiter approached balancing two beverages on his plate. He arrived safely and placed them in front of the Cardassian and the human.
Without a word spoken, they each took their beverages, touched the other's glasses with a *cling* and drank.
"Ah, tasty," Dr Bashir said and put his glass down.
"Vile," Garak said and grimaced again.
"Do you want to try it?" Dr Bashir asked and pushed his glass in Garak's direction.
"Yes," the Cardassian answered immediately and took the glass with the brown liquor. He smelled at first, then took a sip. "Interesting," he judged and took a larger sip, pretending that it was the first time.
Dr Bashir laughed.
"It is gaseous." He had found that… weird the first time.
"Yes, I know that most beverages of Cardassia do not contain carbonic acid."
"It is…"
"Interesting?"
"I'll stick with that," Garak decided and drank his own beverage to get rid of the unfamiliar taste. "Is there any point in telling you how boring 'Woyzeck' is to a Cardassian reader?" he changed the subject back to literature.
"Not only to Cardassians."
"Then why did you let me read this… drama fragment?" Garak asked surprised. He had indeed spent an entire evening forcing himself through the book, being constantly distracted by thoughts about Bashir reading his enigma tales. Imagining Bashir reading pleased him, and he would love to be actually watching him read, or maybe read to him. "All it displays is a man of lower intelligence being taken advantage of by everyone he knows. Due to his mental incapacities and illness, he ends up committing a crime and running away. Where is the ending?"
"Many classical Earth dramas don't have satisfying endings. I just thought you might appreciate the unfinishness of the drama – just like the The Good Cardassian you made me read."
"Was 'Woyzeck' pure revenge?"
"In The Good Cardassian, a young boy takes upon a job in the government, suffers one work disappointment after another, loses his friends and his girlfriend to arrogant co-workers and ends up failing to commit suicide. He swears revenge and knocks at his co-workers door. Talk about unfinishness."
"I do see your point," Garak admitted and leaned back because the Ferengi waiter was serving their meal. "Maybe we should each pick a book with an introduction, a climax, and a spectacular ending in which all characters live happily ever after."
"Is there Cardassian literature where everyone lives happily ever after?" Dr Bashir wondered aloud while he burnt his tongue at his meal.
"The popular Cardassian literature is pessimistic so that the people can recognise themselves in the book. But there are some underestimated works by Telek Tohen and Kiten Borak. Borak, being a modern writer, has also published a holo novel which I have the pleasure of possessing."
"I'll be off to a medical conference in the Turkana system in two days."
"Oh no. But we have spent so little time together this week."
"Then we should make the most of today and tomorrow. And play this new holo novel together."
"Maybe we should."
Not knowing what else to say, they started eating in silence. "What are your plans for the rest of the evening?" Dr Bashir finally broke the silence.
"I don't know. I had thought about finishing the dress for Ensign García's first date, but I think that can wait until tomorrow. What about you?"
"Miles asked me to watch an Earth movie which he wants to argue about… would you care to join me?"
"What is it about? Is it another senseless, violent stabbing like in Woyzeck?"
"No, this time it is an interesting one. It was filmed in the early 22nd century and is about a crime committed on a space station orbiting Mars. It has an ending, I promise."
"Then I'll be happy to join you in your quarters this night."
Garak closed his shop on time this evening, so that he could get ready for his night with the two humans and their planet's movie. On the way to Dr Bashir's quarters, he ran into O'Brien.
"Aren't you walking in the wrong direction?" the asked the Engineer.
"Sisko just contacted me. There is a plasma leakage in the upper pylon that needs my attention. And the way that Crewman T'Kor phrased it, it will take some time. Please don't watch the movie without me."
"We'll do something else then," Garak decided. "Good luck with your plasma."
The Chief nodded and Garak arrived at Bashir's quarters.
"I've just met the Chief."
"Yes, a shame. We could have a look whether one of Quark's holo suites is available."
"I doubt that. It is even more crowded in Quark's than it was during our meal," Garak entered the Doctor's quarters.
"We could watch another movie," Julian suggested.
"Sure," Garak agreed and they both sat down on the sofa. They settled for a film made fifty years ago on Alpha Centauri. However, the movie itself turned out far more boring than they had expected.
Julian yawned and place his head on Garak's shoulder.
"This movie is indeed tiresome," Garak replied.
Julian pushed Garak's shoulder back so that they both leaned against the sofa. "Why do you never relax?" Julian asked.
"I can't."
"Sure, you can. You're not in the order anymore. You don't have to be alert every minute. You can be yourself."
"I fear that I have lost myself. I don't know who I am anymore since I am on this station." Garak turned his head towards Julian and their faces were merely a few centimetres away from each other.
"I thought I was the only person you had changed over the past few years," the once so childish Doctor said.
Garak managed a slight smile. "You have had a far greater influence on me than you have thought," he whispered.
"How great?" Julian asked back.
Instead of answering, Garak leaned forwards and pressed his lips on Julian's. Julian responded the kiss, and instead of a short answer, it become a long yearning for suppressed feelings that they had ignored for far too long.
"How did I live all my life without you?" Garak whispered in a short break of their kiss. Then Julian crawled onto him.
"I don't know. But I do know that you don't have to lead the rest of your life without me."