div class="chapter preface group" style="border-width: 1px 0px 0px; border-top-style: solid; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.5em 3em; padding: 0.643em 0.643em 0px; float: none; color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 17.6766548156738px;"
h3 class="title" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.286em; font-family: Georgia, serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0.5375em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1; text-align: center; background: transparent;"Chapter 1/h3
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div class="userstuff module" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 932.727233886719px; float: none; word-wrap: break-word; color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 17.6766548156738px;"
h3 id="work" class="landmark heading" style="border-width: 0px 0px 0.25em; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: #333333; outline: 0px; font-weight: 500; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0.125em; line-height: 0; opacity: 0; height: 0px; clear: both; color: transparent;"Chapter Text/h3
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"This station really was marvelous! Bashir was sitting on the upper level at Quark's, watching the crowd over his PADD. The Bajoran history he had been reading long forgotten. He stared at the throng of species walking by with unmasked curiosity. Xenobiology had always been his favorite subject and to think that he was sitting here now, on a Bajoran space station right at the doorstep to Gamma Quadrant./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" Bashir took a sip of his Tarkalean tea and grimaced. The replicators were still 6.8% off. Not within lethal range for most Alpha Quadrant species – Bashir swirled his tea in his mug – the most he'd have to deal with later in the infirmary were a couple of upset stomachs and with some luck he'd get the opportunity to add a new species to his medical database./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Surely, the Chief would get around to fixing the replicators soon. All they needed was a quick recalibration of the recipe-buffers' rematerialization subroutine; nothing that Bashir couldn't do himself in 4.35 minutes./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir took a contemplating look at his tea and put the mug back down. He sighed inwardly. He was a doctor and doctors didn't fix replicators. No matter how much he wanted a decent cup of tea. It would be suspicious./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He was about to start reading again when he noticed, with excitement, a Bajoran couple he didn't recognize walking down the promenade. They must be new to the station. He picked up his PADD and made note of their height and build. Bajorans really were quite amazing and to think that the Federation had barely any data on them! He counted five ridges on the man's nose and six on the woman's, adding the data to his list./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He reveled in the sheer amount of raw data he had collected since his arrival on the station, wondering what secrets it would reveal once he'd finished collecting and analyzing it. The idea of being able to freely research and write as many descriptive papers as he wanted without being suspected of anything but being a workaholic was one of the things that had appealed to him about this post. To think that he'd gotten a wormhole and a whole new quadrant dropped into his lap – Bashir grinned at his PADD – this was what he had dreamed of when he'd joined Starfleet, what was he was willing to live a lie for./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"One of the Bajoran Dabo girls smiled at him, meeting his eyes over the heads of her gambling customers. Bashir winked at her and smiled back. He watched her spin the Dabo wheel and marveled at her appearance. That a species that had evolved from a reptilian ancestor could look so mammalian was quite fascinating and those nose ridges really were most adorable. She blushed under his gaze and he was certain that his 'medical final' line would work just as well on Bajoran women as it had on any other species he'd encountered./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Speaking of extraordinary alien species, Bashir sat up straight at the sight of two familiar figures. He watched Lieutenant Dax walk by the Dabo tables in deep conversation with Commander Sisko. Bashir rested his head on his hands and sighed, giving Dax a dreamy look. The Trill, especially the joined Trill, were endlessly fascinating and Jadzia was especially so. To think of all the memories and skills she had access to! They had achieved as a joined species, via biological means, what human genetic engineering only dreamed of and Bashir felt a kinship with her that surpassed the, admittedly not to be downplayed, physical attraction./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He was about to get up and butt in, trying to engage her in conversation and gamble on the 27% chance of her agreeing to have dinner with him, when he noticed something peculiar: Out of the corner of his right eye, at 105 degrees, which would have been out of the field of vision of a normal human, Garak was standing partially concealed by the shadows of a bulkhead. /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"That plain and not so simple tailor was watching him watch Dax and Sisko. Bashir felt a thrill running down his spine. This was almost like the opening to one of his favorite holo-novels. The way the man was standing in the shadows and, Bashir turned his head, scratching a non-existent itch on his neck, yes, moved to stay just out of Bashir's field of vision confirmed his suspicion that it was on purpose./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"For a Cardassian, he seemed to know an awful lot about human physiological traits, especially for someone who claimed to be a tailor. The whole situation was just too exciting and Bashir felt smug that it proved that he had been right about Garak being a spy. That Commander Sisko had dismissed him so thoroughly when Bashir had first reported Garak making contact still stung and Bashir could not help but gloat, even internally. Spying on a spy, could it get better than that?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He put on his best innocent smile and flipped through the files on his PADD for the article he had meant to read, then settled comfortably in his chair angling his PADD so that the reflection would enable him to watch Garak watching him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Let the game begin. /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"–::–/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir stifled a yawn as he ran his tri-corder over his patient a final time. When the scan showed no abnormal readings, he announced her healthy and ready to be discharged. He stretched his back before starting to put away the medical instruments, letting his mind wander while performing the routine tasks./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" The last couple of days had been exhilarating. Curing a bio-engineered virus had challenged him, pushed him past his limits in the most exciting, thrilling way. And now that the aphasia-virus was under control, he finally had the time to take a moment and look back at the brilliant work he had done. He really always did his best work under pressure./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Something moved outside the infirmary, just at the edge of his enhanced field of vision and Bashir craned his neck, hoping to get a glance of his resident stalker before the door automatically closed behind his patient. The shadows outside the door were empty. Bashir yawned again as he turned from the door to put away his tri-corder. It was most disappointing. After that promising start at Quark's he had only caught sight of Garak once./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Garak! Bashir stopped dead in his tracks. Had someone gotten around to giving him the antidote? He didn't remember the Cardassian coming to the infirmary to get his antidote hypospray. Bashir ran a hand through his hair, frowning. The virus had been specifically created to target Cardassians and since most of his staff was Bajoran and with the way most Bajorans felt about them, Bashir'd not be –/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Computer, antidote status on resident Garak, Cardassian."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Resident Garak received antidote at oh-seven hundred hours thirty minutes./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir let out the breath he'd been holding. He quite enjoyed the little cat and mouse game he'd started with the Cardassian spy. It would have been disappointing to have it end that quickly. The only odd thing was that Bashir didn't remember the tailor coming to the infirmary. There was a 3.9% chance that he'd missed him during the short break he'd taken around that time, but he dismissed this idea as implausible. Suddenly suspicious he called on the computer again./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Computer, who administered the aphasia-virus antidote to Garak?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"No data available./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He called on the computer again, but the result stayed the same./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"There was no data as to who had given Garak the cure. That was not just odd, that was very obviously odd. His nurses kept very meticulous notes. Garak must have managed to fake or alter the entry somehow. But why leave such a glaring gap? It would have been easy for Garak to avoid suspicion; he simple would have to add one of the nurses' names and no one would have been the wiser. Well, no one but Bashir. An enhanced intellect was good for something. That the name was missing was a clear indicator that Garak wanted to be caught. How utterly exciting!/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Suddenly not tired at all anymore Bashir grinned as he put his tri-corder into his bag. It seemed that it was time to check up on this particular patient personally. /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"–::–/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" It wasn't a long walk over to where the Cardassian's business was located on the Promenade. Bashir admitted to himself that it would have taken just a few minutes to stop by the Security Office and inform Odo of the alleged hacking into the medical records, but then, where would be the fun in that? He didn't need a genetically enhanced IQ to know that if he involved the Constable, his game would come to a sudden and rather dull end. Besides, Bashir rationalized, no harm had been done and he could always report Garak for hacking the files later./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"So there he was, at the proverbial lion's den – hmm, perhaps dragon's lair suited better? Bashir fiddled with his tri-corder for a moment, adjusting settings that were already perfect./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir was nearly vibrating with excitement. He felt giddy like a schoolboy and tried fight the foolish grin that was starting to hurt his face. This was really happening!/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Dignified, he reminded himself, squaring his shoulders and smoothing his face into what he hoped was a stoic expression. He had to be dignified and smooth, just like he'd practiced in his holo-novels. This time he was going to be the one calling the shots, not Garak. He wouldn't let the Cardassian catch him off guard like when they'd first met./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"The lighting in the shop was set to 74% of the station standard making it appear gloomy and mysterious from the outside. Coming in from the well-lit corridor it would take most species a few moments to adjust to the darkness. Bashir surveyed the shop through the glass doors and admired the clever set-up that gave the tailor a clear advantage toward any opponent entering that way. Not a plain and simple tailor at all. Bashir felt a shiver run down his spine, enjoying the thrill of potential danger. It made him feel like he was just about to walk into one of his favorite noir set-ups./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir took a deep breath and stepped within the range of the door-sensors. The doors opened smoothly and Bashir was greeted by surprisingly warm air./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Ah, Doctor, what a pleasure!" At the back of the shop Garak looked up from behind his console, sounding genuinely happy to see Bashir. "Do come in."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You look in remarkable health, Mr Garak." Bashir stalked over to him, leaning sideways onto the tailor's table with one hand. It was a little too short to do so comfortably but it did put him in great looming position./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Why thank you, Doctor." Garak smiled up at him. He didn't seem not intimidated, but rather amused. "That is kind of you to say."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You know why I'm here," Bashir tried again, holding the Cardassian's gaze./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Oh yes, of course." Garak's smile slid from innocent to sly. "And I must say you have exquisite timing."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I, eh, do?" Smooth Julian, Bashir berated himself at being thrown off guard so easily by the Cardassian's piercing blue stare. This was not going as planned./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Oh yes, indeed." Garak got up and pulled a length of shimmering, brown fabric out from one of the display racks. "I just received a new shipment of red Andorian silk."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He walked over to Bashir and started draping the luxurious fabric over Bashir's shoulder./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""That's not–" Bashir looked from the tailor to the fabric and back./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""If I may be so bold..." The tailor's hand found the small of Bashir's back and pushed him toward one of the changing room mirrors. "This particular shade of red is most flattering to your complexion."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""But, Garak–" Bashir caught himself staring at the fabric wondering how anyone could call that particular shade of brown red? Did Cardassians have full spectral color vision? But then remembered why he was here and pulled the fabric off his shoulder with an annoyed huff, handing it back./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Don't let him distract you. You can't let him run all over you like last time./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""That's not why I'm here, Garak." Bashir squared his shoulders and assumed his no-nonsense medical professional pose, tri-corder at the ready. "I span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"am/span here to check up on you, to make sure there are no side-effects to the antidote you self-administered."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""That is most kind of you," Garak's polite smile never wavered as he stepped out of scanner range. "But truly unnecessary. I assure you, Doctor that I'm in perfect health."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" Bashir followed the retreating Cardassian until he had him trapped against his table, glaring down his nose at the shorter man. Yes, this is it, Bashir thought triumphantly. I'm the one in charge./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir's eyes lingered on the thin, delicate line of scales that ran up the Cardassian's nose and ended in an upside down tear-drop on his forehead, noting with fascination that the scales seemed to be overlapping and ever so slightly iridescent. Bashir wondered for a brief moment if there was a polite way to ask if he could touch them. Would they be soft and smooth like a snake's skin or sharp like the ridges on an iguana? /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""If you insist." Garak's smile widened and he licked his lips, the tip of his tongue peeking out as if tasting the air and Bashir had the distinct, sudden and unsettling feeling of being the prey./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"They were mere inches apart and Garak had to tilt his head backward to meet his eyes./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Doctor."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Eh, yes?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir swallowed hard and took a step back, realizing just how close they had been standing. He had to regain control of the situation. This was ridiculous. Holding his tri-corder at arms length he started scanning the now unresisting tailor's vital signs, the familiarity of the action putting him more at ease./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Body temperature of 31C, pulse at 23 BPM and no trace of the virus; the only curious reading was a rather high endorphin level. Interesting./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You broke into my files, didn't you?" Bashir asked, not looking up from his tri-corder. Noting with satisfaction the tiniest pulse increase at the statement. Gotcha./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""But why would a simple tailor do such a thing?" Garak's voice was the model of innocent outrage./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Because you, Mr Garak, are no plain and simple tailor."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir, enjoying the banter, raised his tri-corder again, trying to get a second, more detailed scan of the Cardassian's cranial functions when Garak's hand gently but firmly closed around his wrist, disrupting his scan, pulling his hand down and away./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""What a nice thing to say, Doctor. I do take pride in the quality of my workmanship." His hand lingered on Bashir's wrist and Bashir felt his own pulse quicken at that unexpected contact. "But I think this will suffice."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"The tailor's hand felt cool and smooth, nearly but not quite like human skin. Bashir shivered. It felt good./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Uhm, yes, I think it will." Annoyed at himself Bashir pulled his hand away with a bit more force than necessary, trying to look at anything but Garak. His gaze fell on the Cardassian's worktable./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Are those your own designs?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Half hidden under what seemed to be design sketches for a Bajoran wedding dress was a handwritten note in Cardassian. Bashir cursed his unpreparedness; he had only memorized enough written Cardassian to be able to operate their medical consoles. He made a mental note to access a learning program as soon as he got back to his quarters. For now his eidetic memory would have to suffice. He'd ask the computer to translate it for him later./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Why, yes they are." Garak gave him a curious glance before picking up the stack of designs, effectively hiding the handwritten note underneath. "I had no idea that you're interested in Bajoran fashion, my dear Doctor."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I'm interested in many things," Bashir hedged, blushing furiously as he realized what he'd just insinuated. "But, uhm, now that I know you're in good health…"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Yes, Doctor? What now that I'm in good health?" Garak advanced on him, and Bashir licked his lips./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"This was a bad idea, Bashir told himself, and stepped forward. A dangerous, stupid bad idea and yet he–/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Then the door opened and a Bajoran couple entered, and suddenly there was more than two feet between them and Garak was smiling his best customer service smile, leaving Bashir dazed and forgotten in the background./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Not sure if he's missed an opportunity or dodged the proverbial bullet, Bashir made his escape./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He had a note to translate!/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"–::–/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir sat in his quarters and drew the note from memory, feeling more than a bit smug. He had to give it to Garak, handwritten communication, it really was rather ingenious. If it had been on a PADD the Universal Translator would have been able to translate it for him instantly, but with pen on paper, you'd have to be able to read Cardassian handwriting. Clever, Garak, clever, but not clever enough./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir finished sketching out the small part of the note he'd seen. "Computer, translate note."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Antidote successful –/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" ready for –/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"arranged soon –/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"doctor –/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"So, Garak had not only broken into his files and his office, he had also passed that information on to Cardassia Prime, or planned on doing so soon. Bashir pondered on what to do./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Was the Cardassians getting the formula for the antidote really a problem? The aphasia-virus was specifically tailored to primarily targeted Cardassians and if it got loose on the planet it would cause a pandemic. Bashir frowned, there really was no ethical way of keeping the antidote from them and as much as it pained him to admit it, he was not sure if the Starfleet would have let them have it had they asked nicely. He played through the scenarios in his mind, and at best there was a 43.8% chance of Starfleet denying Cardassia access to the information./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"If he alerted Starfleet –and by extension, since they were on a Bajoran station the Provisional Government– he'd just give them time to modify the aphasia-virus into a new weapon./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Making up his mind he deleted the note from his PADD. He would not be part of any future biological warfare./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"–::–/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir was sitting alone at his usual table in the replimat. His next shift was not starting for nearly an hour and he'd already finished his lunch. Lingering over his dessert, he was trying to read the book about the Bajoran war hero Li Nalas one of the nurses had given him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He didn't particularly mind eating lunch alone. And it wasn't as if he was alone, alone. With the wormhole bringing trade to Bajor, the station was pretty crowded these days. Currently there was a ship docked at every pylon, and no empty table in sight. Besides the resident Bajorans, he recognized groups of Bolians, Miradorns, and even some Petarians. It was rather exciting./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir took a bite of his Tuwaly pie and grimaced. He really should thank the Chief for not fixing the replicators yet. In the last couple of days he'd gotten to treat species he'd only ever seen in holo-simulations at med-school and he had, in the process, collected enough data for at least two full research papers./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"But – Bashir looked at the empty chair across from him and sighed. Being silent for long periods of time really wasn't in his nature. It wasn't that he lonely, per se. Bashir grinned. After all he was meeting a certain Dabo girl after his afternoon shift, and there were plenty of people around. It was just– someone to talk to about something other than tri-corder readings and duty rosters would have been nice./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir drank the last of his tea and watched the diners over the rim of his PADD. As stimulating as he found his job, back at Starfleet Academy it had been much easier to socialize without having to commit to a friendship. After that awkward lunch with Sisko, Bashir'd decided to save his pride and just eat lunch alone for a while. Finding the balance between the need to keep up his cover-persona and not totally alienating the people around him was always a delicate maneuver./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"But – there was that but again. To put it simply: He was bored. It had been way too long since he'd had a good game of racquetball. Finding a challenging racquetball partner would be nice, the holodeck simulations were never quite the same. As far as he was aware the only other person who'd mentioned playing was Chief O'Brien. And while annoying him was highly entertaining, the man really had no sense of humor at all, giving him a heart attack would be less so. Still, he was the only other player and maybe – maybe the man was fitter than he looked. He'd definitely insist on a physical first./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir poked at his Tuwaly Pie again, admitting to himself that he didn't much care for the flavor. But it had been recommended to him as a traditional Bajoran dessert and he liked to get into the spirit of things when reading. It was kind of fitting, Bashir thought, that he didn't care much for the book either. /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He skimmed the next chapter. The resistance leader the book described in repetitive purple prose had managed feats that ranged from hard to believe to simply impossible. Bashir rolled his eyes at the text. While he did not begrudge the Bajorans their mythical hero, the flowery language was a bit much. There even was bad poetry. According to the recounting, Li Nalas had single-handedly fought and won countless battles against whole battalions of Cardassian soldiers. The tale reminded him not a little of the myth of King Arthur, the hero the people wished they'd had in these uncertain times. He wondered briefly if Li Nalas had a sister and smirked at the idea./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"When he looked back up he noticed Garak maneuvering the tables with a full lunch tray, futilely looking for a place to sit in the busy replimat. The lunch crowd had not cleared out yet and no one seemed to be willing to share a table with the Cardassian./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir put his PADD down, scooting his chair back enthusiastically. A conversation with the Cardassian spy was definitely going to be more interesting than another chapter singing Li Nalas' praise./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Garak!" Bashir waved at the man from across the replimat, pointing at the empty chair once he had the tailor's attention. Several of the Bajorans were giving him the evil-eye but Bashir didn't care. This was way too much fun to pass up./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Ah, Doctor," Garak greeted him with a friendly smile, as he put down his tray. "How very kind of you to share your table."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Think nothing of it." Bashir craned his neck at Garak's lunch, greenish chunks of what looked to be some kind of vegetable in a steaming white sauce. "I hope you don't mind that I've already eaten. What are you having?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Not at all, and your company is more than welcome." Garak picked up his spoon and winked at him. "This is Zabu stew. The replicators do much better with Cardassian dishes." He pointed his spoon at Bashir's half eaten dessert. "As you surely will agree."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Anything you can recommend?" Bashir stood up, nodding toward the replicators. "I'd feel less like intruding."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Try the red-leaf tea, I am sure you will enjoy it."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"When he got back with a steaming cup, Garak had picked up his PADD reading that dreadful biography./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I hope you don't mind." Garak gave him a winning smile and scooted the PADD back over to Bashir. "I couldn't help notice. My, Doctor, I must say I'm impressed. I didn't know you could read Bajoran."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir cursed himself inwardly for leaving his PADD on the table for Garak to snoop, but smiled regardless./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I felt that since this is a Bajoran station, I should make the effort."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Very commendable." The tailor continued eating his stew. "What is it you're reading?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir leaned closer, conspiratorially, and whispered, "The most unauthorized biography of Li Nalas, hero extraordinaire."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Garak snorted. "How utterly fascinating."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You wouldn't have read this particular work, would you?" Bashir asked, trying not to sound too hopeful. He'd been dying to give color-commentary on some of the more outrageous bits and since Garak was Cardassian, and not Bajoran, he wouldn't be offended if Bashir voiced his uncensored opinion about this particular piece of span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"literature/span./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I regret my taste in fiction does not usually lean toward the overdramatic." Garak gave him an amused little smile. "But I am sure it has its merits."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir snorted. "You have no idea."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Then perhaps you can enlighten me?" Garak raised one eye-ridge at Bashir. "If it is that entertaining?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Let me show you one of the better poems." Bashir considered doing a dramatic reading, but since there were several groups of Bajorans still in the replimat, and that would cause with 99% certainty a brawl, he decided against it. Instead, he scooted his PADD over for the tailor to see./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Garak peered at the PADD, dabbing his mouth with a napkin. "Oh my, that's unfortunate. In what dialect does that rhyme?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""So you do read Bajoran, too." Bashir felt smug. "That must come in handy as a spy."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""My dear Doctor, this atrocious work of fiction must have affected your mind." Garak looked at him with an expression of hurt innocence that Bashir didn't buy for one second. "I am but a simple tailor who has to deal with handwritten notes from customers."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Ha!" Knowing very well that all he'd get from the Cardassian was another evasion if he pressed, Bashir turned back to his PADD scrolling back to a section he'd bookmarked earlier./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He didn't notice how much time had passed until nurse Jabara called him on his com-link asking if he'd been delayed by an emergency. Thoroughly trashing that book with Garak had been tremendous fun. He hadn't been aware just how much he'd missed intellectual conversations like this until he found himself laughing at the Cardassian's snide remarks and clever quips./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"As he hastened back to the infirmary his mind was already coming up with several different ways to continue their little game. Bashir grinned, he really had made an interesting friend. /p
/div
h3 class="title" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: 400; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.286em; font-family: Georgia, serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0.5375em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1; text-align: center; background: transparent;"Chapter 1/h3
/div
div class="userstuff module" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 932.727233886719px; float: none; word-wrap: break-word; color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 17.6766548156738px;"
h3 id="work" class="landmark heading" style="border-width: 0px 0px 0.25em; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: #333333; outline: 0px; font-weight: 500; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0.125em; line-height: 0; opacity: 0; height: 0px; clear: both; color: transparent;"Chapter Text/h3
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"This station really was marvelous! Bashir was sitting on the upper level at Quark's, watching the crowd over his PADD. The Bajoran history he had been reading long forgotten. He stared at the throng of species walking by with unmasked curiosity. Xenobiology had always been his favorite subject and to think that he was sitting here now, on a Bajoran space station right at the doorstep to Gamma Quadrant./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" Bashir took a sip of his Tarkalean tea and grimaced. The replicators were still 6.8% off. Not within lethal range for most Alpha Quadrant species – Bashir swirled his tea in his mug – the most he'd have to deal with later in the infirmary were a couple of upset stomachs and with some luck he'd get the opportunity to add a new species to his medical database./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Surely, the Chief would get around to fixing the replicators soon. All they needed was a quick recalibration of the recipe-buffers' rematerialization subroutine; nothing that Bashir couldn't do himself in 4.35 minutes./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir took a contemplating look at his tea and put the mug back down. He sighed inwardly. He was a doctor and doctors didn't fix replicators. No matter how much he wanted a decent cup of tea. It would be suspicious./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He was about to start reading again when he noticed, with excitement, a Bajoran couple he didn't recognize walking down the promenade. They must be new to the station. He picked up his PADD and made note of their height and build. Bajorans really were quite amazing and to think that the Federation had barely any data on them! He counted five ridges on the man's nose and six on the woman's, adding the data to his list./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He reveled in the sheer amount of raw data he had collected since his arrival on the station, wondering what secrets it would reveal once he'd finished collecting and analyzing it. The idea of being able to freely research and write as many descriptive papers as he wanted without being suspected of anything but being a workaholic was one of the things that had appealed to him about this post. To think that he'd gotten a wormhole and a whole new quadrant dropped into his lap – Bashir grinned at his PADD – this was what he had dreamed of when he'd joined Starfleet, what was he was willing to live a lie for./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"One of the Bajoran Dabo girls smiled at him, meeting his eyes over the heads of her gambling customers. Bashir winked at her and smiled back. He watched her spin the Dabo wheel and marveled at her appearance. That a species that had evolved from a reptilian ancestor could look so mammalian was quite fascinating and those nose ridges really were most adorable. She blushed under his gaze and he was certain that his 'medical final' line would work just as well on Bajoran women as it had on any other species he'd encountered./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Speaking of extraordinary alien species, Bashir sat up straight at the sight of two familiar figures. He watched Lieutenant Dax walk by the Dabo tables in deep conversation with Commander Sisko. Bashir rested his head on his hands and sighed, giving Dax a dreamy look. The Trill, especially the joined Trill, were endlessly fascinating and Jadzia was especially so. To think of all the memories and skills she had access to! They had achieved as a joined species, via biological means, what human genetic engineering only dreamed of and Bashir felt a kinship with her that surpassed the, admittedly not to be downplayed, physical attraction./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He was about to get up and butt in, trying to engage her in conversation and gamble on the 27% chance of her agreeing to have dinner with him, when he noticed something peculiar: Out of the corner of his right eye, at 105 degrees, which would have been out of the field of vision of a normal human, Garak was standing partially concealed by the shadows of a bulkhead. /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"That plain and not so simple tailor was watching him watch Dax and Sisko. Bashir felt a thrill running down his spine. This was almost like the opening to one of his favorite holo-novels. The way the man was standing in the shadows and, Bashir turned his head, scratching a non-existent itch on his neck, yes, moved to stay just out of Bashir's field of vision confirmed his suspicion that it was on purpose./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"For a Cardassian, he seemed to know an awful lot about human physiological traits, especially for someone who claimed to be a tailor. The whole situation was just too exciting and Bashir felt smug that it proved that he had been right about Garak being a spy. That Commander Sisko had dismissed him so thoroughly when Bashir had first reported Garak making contact still stung and Bashir could not help but gloat, even internally. Spying on a spy, could it get better than that?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He put on his best innocent smile and flipped through the files on his PADD for the article he had meant to read, then settled comfortably in his chair angling his PADD so that the reflection would enable him to watch Garak watching him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Let the game begin. /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"–::–/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir stifled a yawn as he ran his tri-corder over his patient a final time. When the scan showed no abnormal readings, he announced her healthy and ready to be discharged. He stretched his back before starting to put away the medical instruments, letting his mind wander while performing the routine tasks./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" The last couple of days had been exhilarating. Curing a bio-engineered virus had challenged him, pushed him past his limits in the most exciting, thrilling way. And now that the aphasia-virus was under control, he finally had the time to take a moment and look back at the brilliant work he had done. He really always did his best work under pressure./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Something moved outside the infirmary, just at the edge of his enhanced field of vision and Bashir craned his neck, hoping to get a glance of his resident stalker before the door automatically closed behind his patient. The shadows outside the door were empty. Bashir yawned again as he turned from the door to put away his tri-corder. It was most disappointing. After that promising start at Quark's he had only caught sight of Garak once./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Garak! Bashir stopped dead in his tracks. Had someone gotten around to giving him the antidote? He didn't remember the Cardassian coming to the infirmary to get his antidote hypospray. Bashir ran a hand through his hair, frowning. The virus had been specifically created to target Cardassians and since most of his staff was Bajoran and with the way most Bajorans felt about them, Bashir'd not be –/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Computer, antidote status on resident Garak, Cardassian."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Resident Garak received antidote at oh-seven hundred hours thirty minutes./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir let out the breath he'd been holding. He quite enjoyed the little cat and mouse game he'd started with the Cardassian spy. It would have been disappointing to have it end that quickly. The only odd thing was that Bashir didn't remember the tailor coming to the infirmary. There was a 3.9% chance that he'd missed him during the short break he'd taken around that time, but he dismissed this idea as implausible. Suddenly suspicious he called on the computer again./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Computer, who administered the aphasia-virus antidote to Garak?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"No data available./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He called on the computer again, but the result stayed the same./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"There was no data as to who had given Garak the cure. That was not just odd, that was very obviously odd. His nurses kept very meticulous notes. Garak must have managed to fake or alter the entry somehow. But why leave such a glaring gap? It would have been easy for Garak to avoid suspicion; he simple would have to add one of the nurses' names and no one would have been the wiser. Well, no one but Bashir. An enhanced intellect was good for something. That the name was missing was a clear indicator that Garak wanted to be caught. How utterly exciting!/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Suddenly not tired at all anymore Bashir grinned as he put his tri-corder into his bag. It seemed that it was time to check up on this particular patient personally. /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"–::–/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" It wasn't a long walk over to where the Cardassian's business was located on the Promenade. Bashir admitted to himself that it would have taken just a few minutes to stop by the Security Office and inform Odo of the alleged hacking into the medical records, but then, where would be the fun in that? He didn't need a genetically enhanced IQ to know that if he involved the Constable, his game would come to a sudden and rather dull end. Besides, Bashir rationalized, no harm had been done and he could always report Garak for hacking the files later./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"So there he was, at the proverbial lion's den – hmm, perhaps dragon's lair suited better? Bashir fiddled with his tri-corder for a moment, adjusting settings that were already perfect./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir was nearly vibrating with excitement. He felt giddy like a schoolboy and tried fight the foolish grin that was starting to hurt his face. This was really happening!/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Dignified, he reminded himself, squaring his shoulders and smoothing his face into what he hoped was a stoic expression. He had to be dignified and smooth, just like he'd practiced in his holo-novels. This time he was going to be the one calling the shots, not Garak. He wouldn't let the Cardassian catch him off guard like when they'd first met./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"The lighting in the shop was set to 74% of the station standard making it appear gloomy and mysterious from the outside. Coming in from the well-lit corridor it would take most species a few moments to adjust to the darkness. Bashir surveyed the shop through the glass doors and admired the clever set-up that gave the tailor a clear advantage toward any opponent entering that way. Not a plain and simple tailor at all. Bashir felt a shiver run down his spine, enjoying the thrill of potential danger. It made him feel like he was just about to walk into one of his favorite noir set-ups./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir took a deep breath and stepped within the range of the door-sensors. The doors opened smoothly and Bashir was greeted by surprisingly warm air./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Ah, Doctor, what a pleasure!" At the back of the shop Garak looked up from behind his console, sounding genuinely happy to see Bashir. "Do come in."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You look in remarkable health, Mr Garak." Bashir stalked over to him, leaning sideways onto the tailor's table with one hand. It was a little too short to do so comfortably but it did put him in great looming position./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Why thank you, Doctor." Garak smiled up at him. He didn't seem not intimidated, but rather amused. "That is kind of you to say."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You know why I'm here," Bashir tried again, holding the Cardassian's gaze./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Oh yes, of course." Garak's smile slid from innocent to sly. "And I must say you have exquisite timing."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I, eh, do?" Smooth Julian, Bashir berated himself at being thrown off guard so easily by the Cardassian's piercing blue stare. This was not going as planned./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Oh yes, indeed." Garak got up and pulled a length of shimmering, brown fabric out from one of the display racks. "I just received a new shipment of red Andorian silk."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He walked over to Bashir and started draping the luxurious fabric over Bashir's shoulder./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""That's not–" Bashir looked from the tailor to the fabric and back./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""If I may be so bold..." The tailor's hand found the small of Bashir's back and pushed him toward one of the changing room mirrors. "This particular shade of red is most flattering to your complexion."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""But, Garak–" Bashir caught himself staring at the fabric wondering how anyone could call that particular shade of brown red? Did Cardassians have full spectral color vision? But then remembered why he was here and pulled the fabric off his shoulder with an annoyed huff, handing it back./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Don't let him distract you. You can't let him run all over you like last time./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""That's not why I'm here, Garak." Bashir squared his shoulders and assumed his no-nonsense medical professional pose, tri-corder at the ready. "I span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"am/span here to check up on you, to make sure there are no side-effects to the antidote you self-administered."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""That is most kind of you," Garak's polite smile never wavered as he stepped out of scanner range. "But truly unnecessary. I assure you, Doctor that I'm in perfect health."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" Bashir followed the retreating Cardassian until he had him trapped against his table, glaring down his nose at the shorter man. Yes, this is it, Bashir thought triumphantly. I'm the one in charge./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir's eyes lingered on the thin, delicate line of scales that ran up the Cardassian's nose and ended in an upside down tear-drop on his forehead, noting with fascination that the scales seemed to be overlapping and ever so slightly iridescent. Bashir wondered for a brief moment if there was a polite way to ask if he could touch them. Would they be soft and smooth like a snake's skin or sharp like the ridges on an iguana? /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""If you insist." Garak's smile widened and he licked his lips, the tip of his tongue peeking out as if tasting the air and Bashir had the distinct, sudden and unsettling feeling of being the prey./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"They were mere inches apart and Garak had to tilt his head backward to meet his eyes./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Doctor."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Eh, yes?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir swallowed hard and took a step back, realizing just how close they had been standing. He had to regain control of the situation. This was ridiculous. Holding his tri-corder at arms length he started scanning the now unresisting tailor's vital signs, the familiarity of the action putting him more at ease./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Body temperature of 31C, pulse at 23 BPM and no trace of the virus; the only curious reading was a rather high endorphin level. Interesting./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You broke into my files, didn't you?" Bashir asked, not looking up from his tri-corder. Noting with satisfaction the tiniest pulse increase at the statement. Gotcha./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""But why would a simple tailor do such a thing?" Garak's voice was the model of innocent outrage./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Because you, Mr Garak, are no plain and simple tailor."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir, enjoying the banter, raised his tri-corder again, trying to get a second, more detailed scan of the Cardassian's cranial functions when Garak's hand gently but firmly closed around his wrist, disrupting his scan, pulling his hand down and away./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""What a nice thing to say, Doctor. I do take pride in the quality of my workmanship." His hand lingered on Bashir's wrist and Bashir felt his own pulse quicken at that unexpected contact. "But I think this will suffice."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"The tailor's hand felt cool and smooth, nearly but not quite like human skin. Bashir shivered. It felt good./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Uhm, yes, I think it will." Annoyed at himself Bashir pulled his hand away with a bit more force than necessary, trying to look at anything but Garak. His gaze fell on the Cardassian's worktable./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Are those your own designs?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Half hidden under what seemed to be design sketches for a Bajoran wedding dress was a handwritten note in Cardassian. Bashir cursed his unpreparedness; he had only memorized enough written Cardassian to be able to operate their medical consoles. He made a mental note to access a learning program as soon as he got back to his quarters. For now his eidetic memory would have to suffice. He'd ask the computer to translate it for him later./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Why, yes they are." Garak gave him a curious glance before picking up the stack of designs, effectively hiding the handwritten note underneath. "I had no idea that you're interested in Bajoran fashion, my dear Doctor."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I'm interested in many things," Bashir hedged, blushing furiously as he realized what he'd just insinuated. "But, uhm, now that I know you're in good health…"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Yes, Doctor? What now that I'm in good health?" Garak advanced on him, and Bashir licked his lips./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"This was a bad idea, Bashir told himself, and stepped forward. A dangerous, stupid bad idea and yet he–/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Then the door opened and a Bajoran couple entered, and suddenly there was more than two feet between them and Garak was smiling his best customer service smile, leaving Bashir dazed and forgotten in the background./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Not sure if he's missed an opportunity or dodged the proverbial bullet, Bashir made his escape./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He had a note to translate!/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"–::–/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir sat in his quarters and drew the note from memory, feeling more than a bit smug. He had to give it to Garak, handwritten communication, it really was rather ingenious. If it had been on a PADD the Universal Translator would have been able to translate it for him instantly, but with pen on paper, you'd have to be able to read Cardassian handwriting. Clever, Garak, clever, but not clever enough./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir finished sketching out the small part of the note he'd seen. "Computer, translate note."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Antidote successful –/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" ready for –/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"arranged soon –/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"doctor –/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"So, Garak had not only broken into his files and his office, he had also passed that information on to Cardassia Prime, or planned on doing so soon. Bashir pondered on what to do./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Was the Cardassians getting the formula for the antidote really a problem? The aphasia-virus was specifically tailored to primarily targeted Cardassians and if it got loose on the planet it would cause a pandemic. Bashir frowned, there really was no ethical way of keeping the antidote from them and as much as it pained him to admit it, he was not sure if the Starfleet would have let them have it had they asked nicely. He played through the scenarios in his mind, and at best there was a 43.8% chance of Starfleet denying Cardassia access to the information./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"If he alerted Starfleet –and by extension, since they were on a Bajoran station the Provisional Government– he'd just give them time to modify the aphasia-virus into a new weapon./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Making up his mind he deleted the note from his PADD. He would not be part of any future biological warfare./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" align="center"–::–/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir was sitting alone at his usual table in the replimat. His next shift was not starting for nearly an hour and he'd already finished his lunch. Lingering over his dessert, he was trying to read the book about the Bajoran war hero Li Nalas one of the nurses had given him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He didn't particularly mind eating lunch alone. And it wasn't as if he was alone, alone. With the wormhole bringing trade to Bajor, the station was pretty crowded these days. Currently there was a ship docked at every pylon, and no empty table in sight. Besides the resident Bajorans, he recognized groups of Bolians, Miradorns, and even some Petarians. It was rather exciting./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir took a bite of his Tuwaly pie and grimaced. He really should thank the Chief for not fixing the replicators yet. In the last couple of days he'd gotten to treat species he'd only ever seen in holo-simulations at med-school and he had, in the process, collected enough data for at least two full research papers./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"But – Bashir looked at the empty chair across from him and sighed. Being silent for long periods of time really wasn't in his nature. It wasn't that he lonely, per se. Bashir grinned. After all he was meeting a certain Dabo girl after his afternoon shift, and there were plenty of people around. It was just– someone to talk to about something other than tri-corder readings and duty rosters would have been nice./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir drank the last of his tea and watched the diners over the rim of his PADD. As stimulating as he found his job, back at Starfleet Academy it had been much easier to socialize without having to commit to a friendship. After that awkward lunch with Sisko, Bashir'd decided to save his pride and just eat lunch alone for a while. Finding the balance between the need to keep up his cover-persona and not totally alienating the people around him was always a delicate maneuver./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"But – there was that but again. To put it simply: He was bored. It had been way too long since he'd had a good game of racquetball. Finding a challenging racquetball partner would be nice, the holodeck simulations were never quite the same. As far as he was aware the only other person who'd mentioned playing was Chief O'Brien. And while annoying him was highly entertaining, the man really had no sense of humor at all, giving him a heart attack would be less so. Still, he was the only other player and maybe – maybe the man was fitter than he looked. He'd definitely insist on a physical first./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir poked at his Tuwaly Pie again, admitting to himself that he didn't much care for the flavor. But it had been recommended to him as a traditional Bajoran dessert and he liked to get into the spirit of things when reading. It was kind of fitting, Bashir thought, that he didn't care much for the book either. /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He skimmed the next chapter. The resistance leader the book described in repetitive purple prose had managed feats that ranged from hard to believe to simply impossible. Bashir rolled his eyes at the text. While he did not begrudge the Bajorans their mythical hero, the flowery language was a bit much. There even was bad poetry. According to the recounting, Li Nalas had single-handedly fought and won countless battles against whole battalions of Cardassian soldiers. The tale reminded him not a little of the myth of King Arthur, the hero the people wished they'd had in these uncertain times. He wondered briefly if Li Nalas had a sister and smirked at the idea./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"When he looked back up he noticed Garak maneuvering the tables with a full lunch tray, futilely looking for a place to sit in the busy replimat. The lunch crowd had not cleared out yet and no one seemed to be willing to share a table with the Cardassian./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir put his PADD down, scooting his chair back enthusiastically. A conversation with the Cardassian spy was definitely going to be more interesting than another chapter singing Li Nalas' praise./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Garak!" Bashir waved at the man from across the replimat, pointing at the empty chair once he had the tailor's attention. Several of the Bajorans were giving him the evil-eye but Bashir didn't care. This was way too much fun to pass up./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Ah, Doctor," Garak greeted him with a friendly smile, as he put down his tray. "How very kind of you to share your table."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Think nothing of it." Bashir craned his neck at Garak's lunch, greenish chunks of what looked to be some kind of vegetable in a steaming white sauce. "I hope you don't mind that I've already eaten. What are you having?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Not at all, and your company is more than welcome." Garak picked up his spoon and winked at him. "This is Zabu stew. The replicators do much better with Cardassian dishes." He pointed his spoon at Bashir's half eaten dessert. "As you surely will agree."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Anything you can recommend?" Bashir stood up, nodding toward the replicators. "I'd feel less like intruding."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Try the red-leaf tea, I am sure you will enjoy it."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"When he got back with a steaming cup, Garak had picked up his PADD reading that dreadful biography./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I hope you don't mind." Garak gave him a winning smile and scooted the PADD back over to Bashir. "I couldn't help notice. My, Doctor, I must say I'm impressed. I didn't know you could read Bajoran."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir cursed himself inwardly for leaving his PADD on the table for Garak to snoop, but smiled regardless./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I felt that since this is a Bajoran station, I should make the effort."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Very commendable." The tailor continued eating his stew. "What is it you're reading?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir leaned closer, conspiratorially, and whispered, "The most unauthorized biography of Li Nalas, hero extraordinaire."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Garak snorted. "How utterly fascinating."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You wouldn't have read this particular work, would you?" Bashir asked, trying not to sound too hopeful. He'd been dying to give color-commentary on some of the more outrageous bits and since Garak was Cardassian, and not Bajoran, he wouldn't be offended if Bashir voiced his uncensored opinion about this particular piece of span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"literature/span./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I regret my taste in fiction does not usually lean toward the overdramatic." Garak gave him an amused little smile. "But I am sure it has its merits."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bashir snorted. "You have no idea."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Then perhaps you can enlighten me?" Garak raised one eye-ridge at Bashir. "If it is that entertaining?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Let me show you one of the better poems." Bashir considered doing a dramatic reading, but since there were several groups of Bajorans still in the replimat, and that would cause with 99% certainty a brawl, he decided against it. Instead, he scooted his PADD over for the tailor to see./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Garak peered at the PADD, dabbing his mouth with a napkin. "Oh my, that's unfortunate. In what dialect does that rhyme?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""So you do read Bajoran, too." Bashir felt smug. "That must come in handy as a spy."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""My dear Doctor, this atrocious work of fiction must have affected your mind." Garak looked at him with an expression of hurt innocence that Bashir didn't buy for one second. "I am but a simple tailor who has to deal with handwritten notes from customers."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Ha!" Knowing very well that all he'd get from the Cardassian was another evasion if he pressed, Bashir turned back to his PADD scrolling back to a section he'd bookmarked earlier./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He didn't notice how much time had passed until nurse Jabara called him on his com-link asking if he'd been delayed by an emergency. Thoroughly trashing that book with Garak had been tremendous fun. He hadn't been aware just how much he'd missed intellectual conversations like this until he found himself laughing at the Cardassian's snide remarks and clever quips./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"As he hastened back to the infirmary his mind was already coming up with several different ways to continue their little game. Bashir grinned, he really had made an interesting friend. /p
/div