Leaving the Ferengi Tailor Shop, Garak made his way to OPS as quickly as he could without drawing attention to himself. Upon arriving at OPS, he ordered the ships to be put on the view screen. Or should he say- the ship.

Garak stood with a grim face and no joy.

"Ensign, hail them."

"It." The Ensign corrected.

Garak tried not to look agitated. She was just a mere Ensign onboard the station. Chances were, she hadn't graduated from the Acadamy until last month. He decided to let her have her correction.

"Channel open."

"Cardassian ship, this is the station Deep Space Nine."

"Deep Space Nine, this is the Firegazer. We have come to help with the situation against the Borg."

Garak shook his head. This was pathetic. He knew that Cardassia had no war ships- it was another name for a ship with capable weapons.

"Firegazer, the Federation will be pleased to know you are here."

"The Federation will be pleased? Who am I talking with?"

"You are conversing with Captain Elim Garak, a Cardassian."

There was a long pause. Silence. Garak knew that the Captain of the Firegazer was shocked to hear his name. Even though he was accepted back into Cardassia, and given rank as a Captain, Cardassians still were not- how would Julian put it?- 'warming up to him'.

Finally, after what seemed like minutes of silence, the Captain spoke.

"Captain Garak, I didn't know you had returned to exile. What is it this time? Helping the Dominion?"

That was it. This Captain was obviously ignorant, if it took him that long just to come up with a mere insult like that. Garak was about to finish this stupid Cardassian off.

"Captain, I suggest you treat me with a little more respect. I am the same rank as you, and I can indeed put in a word or two about you to some very high places. Let's just say…by tomorrow, you could be serving as a Laboratory cleaner on my ship."

Once again, silence. Garak was enjoying himself. It wasn't often that he had a chance to insult Cardassian captains.

"Mr. Garak, it appears that I am not needed here. If I may come aboard to get something to eat at your bar, then I will be on my way."

"No. Please leave now, and I suggest you do it before I say something unkind to you."

The statement that he had just said brought back bad memories for Garak. He started thinking about his Claustrophobia attacks, his unkind attitude toward Counselor Dax, and his very unkind words to her in his shop. He would have to have lunch with her one day, explain to her that he was under the influence of fear, and that he had not meant what he said.

"Mr. Garak, I shall inform the Government about your conduct towards me." The Cardassian captain threatened.

"Do it. You'd be doing me a favor. I was just getting ready to write a letter telling them that they were all cowards, and that I was officially putting myself back in exile. Please, would you tell them that for me?"

The transmission suddenly ended, and the ship jumped into warp before Garak could even say a warm goodbye.

With a skip in his step and a smiling face, Garak turned towards the door to leave, only to find Colonel Kira with her hands on her hips, staring a hole into him with her own eyes. Those big, brown, lovely eyes.

"Oh, hello Colonel Garak. I seem to have forgotten that you were in charge of the station. So tell me, would you care to inform your crew why you just chased off our aid?" Kira said with an evil smirk.

Garak wouldn't handle this kind of embarrassment in front of all of OPS. He couldn't.

"Did you not see the size of that ship? It was pointless. Pathetic. Helpless. That ship would have been destroyed by a malfunction in its Laboratory system. It would take virtually nothing to blow that ship up."

"No matter what size of ship, we need all of the help we can get. I would appreciate it if you would not chase away and insult Cardassian captains from now on. Thank you. That is all. Leave, and I suggest you do it before I say something unkind to you." Kira flashed her award-winning smile at him, giving him the hint that she was joking with the last part. Garak did find her sarcasm comforting.

Garak returned her smile with a smile of his own- his was indeed unique, for he never showed his teeth, and his already thin lips became even thinner. Still, it was his smile, and Kira enjoyed seeing it on his perfectly shaped face.

That grey face is becoming more and more expected. When the time comes that he wants to leave, we are not going to want to let him go- again.