DISCLAIMER: I am sure not the owner of Star Trek or any of their character people y'hear?
Just so y'all knooow, I know bits of it are confuzzling but I promise, by the end all will be revealed… (Ooh mystery) Alsooo rereading this chapter I feel I've been really mean to the good guys and this sounds really mean but it's kinda for convenience's sake because I wouldn't know what to write in the gap. That won't make sense before you've read the chapter so go. Read. Now.
They all stood motionless for a moment before another shower of sparks made them duck. Once the sparks stopped, the three men looked at each other for a moment then the caretaker sighed and lowered him phaser. 'Get the machine working again then I will contact your Doctor's Cardassian friend and tell him to bring him here.' 'I'll need some tools' said Dax. 'Vedek' said the caretaker, not taking his eyes or his phaser off her. Vedek nodded and walked further into the cave, coming back a minute later with a tool kit. Dax took the toolkit and knelt down on the floor. She opened it up and examined the tools. 'I can see why you kidnapped me,' she said flicking the flux coupler on and off. 'You have no idea about engineering – these haven't been used in ages. They're in a bad condition.' The caretaker pressed his phaser into her back. 'The machine, Commander, I've had enough of your nonsense' he hissed. Dax stood up and carried the tools over to the machine, avoiding the occasional showers of sparks the machine was giving off. She got to work and within 45 minutes the antennas had antimatter crackling between them again and the pictures were flickering on and off the screens. 'There' said Dax, triumphantly closing the toolkit. 'I've held up my end of the bargain now you hold up yours' 'Repair the dampening field as well' snapped the caretaker. 'Not until I see Julian' replied Dax defensively. The three men looked at each other for a moment and Dax thought they were going to go back on their agreement until they gave a nod. The caretaker walked over to the console and pressed a few buttons. He picked up a portable microphone that was hanging on a hook on the side of the machine and put it on. 'Garak?' he said into the microphone. 'Do you read?' Loud white noise came out of the machine. He frowned and turned a dial. Slowly the white noise went down and Garak's voice came out. 'Yes caretaker?' Dax was surprised at the likeness of the fake Garak's voice to the real Garak. If she didn't know what was going on she would've thought it was him. Julian did she thought to herself. The caretaker smiled. 'Yes Garak, I have some instructions for you. We've got a slight change of plan,' 'Caretaker, what shall we do with her?' asked Vulcan, gesturing towards Dax. 'Take her away' he said dismissively. 'She can't be trusted around here to plot while she's waiting for her precious Doctor.' Before Dax could react, Vedek grabbed her by the elbow. She instinctively pulled away but he backhanded her sending her sprawling to the floor. The caretaker sighed and broke off his conversation. He grabbed a phaser from Vulcan and started adjusting the beam level. 'Well if you're going to be like that, Commander…' he said, smiling as he aimed the phaser. Dax started to get up but was immediately sent back to the floor by the stun beam. The caretaker dropped the phaser and went back to machine as Vedek and Vulcan hauled Dax to the back of the cave. He turned a dial and the image of Garak and Julian came back on the screen. He could see Julian was blearily starting to come round, trying to push himself up. 'Yes the Commander had to be subdued. Now bring the Doctor here on the double – if he's not here when she wakes up, all hell will break loose. And, Garak…' he looked back at the screen. 'We don't want any chance of him remembering the way here'. 'I understand.' Garak replied. The caretaker watched as Garak wheeled round, his boot making contact with Julian's temple. He went sprawling and landed limp a few metres away. 'I'll be there soon' said Garak before breaking contact. He walked over to where Julian lay and threw him over his shoulder before the picture broke up.