Note: Fast approaching some wild times and more action and in this chapter a few surprises abound. I'm quite thankful to be able to devote more time to this instead of a Sunday night rush job as well. Thank you everyone for reading and for all your support, I couldn't have done it without you. As always C&C is always welcome and I'm also open to a suggestion or two as well.
Garak is not sure that he's ever seen so much barren open space in his life; once, in a trip to the south on Cardassia Prime he'd chanced upon a similar topography but even then, it was a wasteland still surrounded at the borders by lush rainforest . He looks out across the arid landscape, the bright sun beating down on their small caravan as Molly and Nog crowd around the map, each holding an end of it softly conferring with each other. There is something about their entire conversation that is peculiar, though he cannot quite place his finger on it. Perhaps it is because Keiko has joined them with a soft series of quickly spoken whispers in a language that is certainly not Federation Standard. If he's correct in his assumption, it's likely that Earth dialect spoken in the one of the geographic regions of the Far East. He's almost surprised that neither Watters nor Farris has seen fit to comment, but the captain turned Section 31 operative seems to be preoccupied with his own meeting, having called not just Farris, but Collins to his side as well.
And from the way Miss Collins is directing those anxious looks to her oblivious paramour, it would seem that your suspicions of yet another double cross are close to the truth than you'd like to believe. From what he can discern, Julian has his own agenda that at least seems to run parallel to Nog's desire to destroy the Kironide. Whatever he's agreed to with Section 31, and whatever lurks in his past that's prompted some of this rather exciting behavior, Garak has not entirely discerned, but he can be sure that he'll have to worry about them both in addition to the overeager young officers. That suits him just fine. As soon as they reach the exact location he can send up the final sign so that his contacts will know when to bridge the final gap of their pursuit. And then comes the fun of stalling long enough for their arrival. Which may prove more difficult than you'd originally estimated considering-
"You know, I don't believe for a second that you've any intention of so easily dismissing your... investors." Julian stands next to him sneaking a suspicious sideways glance as they wait for Jadzia to finish applying sunscreen to her face. She'd dashed back into the cabin at Molly's suggestion, informing them glibly that a Trill with a sunburn was not a pretty sight. He didn't doubt her on that count- as hard as it is to fathom anything diminishing her aesthetic appeal- but he has far more worries at hand. Still, worries aside, he cannot help but drink in the sight of Julian's tanned skin rather nicely on display with that half unbuttoned shirt as he pulls the canteen from his pack. Garak watches the long lusty drink, figuring that such an obvious stare would do nothing but add to Julian's concocted ruse of their intimate involvement, at least concocted as to the degree and the intensity.
"You do have a way of making a man envious of just about any object you hold in your hand, my dear," Garak observes mildly, disappointed that he's not successful in making Julian spill any of that water over himself. The thin white cotton would have clung so nicely; he supposes he'll just have to wait and allow the sun to do its job instead. Molly had informed them by her calculations that it could be a good hour walk to the main caves. Garak had wondered why they'd landed so far off but a look from Jadzia- oddly- had stayed his tongue on that question. In fact, there are a few questions he might have still as he watches the stairs being pulled. First, he'd have thought that Molly would have been the one to raise them being that it's her ship, but she's still engaged in rapid fire conversation with Keiko, the two of them tracing lines with their fingers over the map. Second would be Keiko's seeming complicity in the kidnapping of her own son, parallel to her demand of him that he watch Julian. Which means there has to be more than just her ploy to spy on Watters-
"You're not distracting me, Garak," Julian informs him putting away the canteen. Garak smiles at him.
"A pity, since you've done a rather thorough job of distracting me." Julian scowls as he slings the small bag back over his shoulder. "But that's the game, isn't it?" He affects a deliberate leer for the benefit of any who may be watching and leans in closely. "You'll just have to trust me that when the time comes, I'll contact my... associates and let them know that there won't be a deal. It seems the supply has been destroyed. And would they be so kind as to lend a trifling amount of support to my... sponsor... forgive me, I don't believe we properly discussed the specific designation of our relationship."
"I trust you about as far as I can throw you," Julian mutters, deliberately not looking at him, though Garak is pleased to note there's a distinct tension when he does.
"I can only assume that your statement is a rhetorical one, lest I remind you, my dear that I'm sure a man of your capabilities could throw me quite far." Garak maintains a neutral expression as Julian turns back to face him bristling with irritation that's quite palpable and in spite of the trip ahead of them, Garak cannot help but find that baiting a pleasant precursor to things to come later. Things to come later? Guls, listen to yourself. Later you're going to be riding that miserable contraption back to the LaGrange Point and bidding this place farewell. You'll be lucky to save both yourself and him and you know better than to meddle in affairs that don't concern you. Ah, but he has always found that unwelcome meddling to be the spice of life as it were. Especially when said meddling leads to such a pleasant sight as Julian's eyes a rolling storm cloud of green just like a massive violent Westworld tornado.
"I think I've already shown you all the capability you need to see."
"Please, Julian, there are children present." Garak practically beams that smirk at him telepathically behind that calm face, and he laughs inside when Julian twitches, turning to look at Molly before quickly looking back at him.
"That," he says crisply, "is none of your concern."
"I must say," Garak observes just as he thinks to himself he may have kept more friends were it not for that "impertinent tongue" as many have said, "for the beginning of a nefarious army of augments you're not lacking for aesthetic. If her brother has a half of her beauty-"
"Garak..." Yes, Julian is certainly growling at him darkly, having taken that bait quite nicely. Garak is pleased that he's lost none of his touch in keeping him off balance.
"My apologies, an egregious character flaw, I'm afraid." Actually, it was Gul Dukat who'd once accused him of having a penchant for seducing children, if Garak recalls upon walking in on him and Ziyal in... Mmm perhaps it's better not to think of such things now. A laughable accusation coming from a man with his background, but Garak supposes hypocrisy, much like death and deceit was one of those traits which knew no class or creed.
He's not sure what Julian's retort would have been to that. Jadzia takes that moment to appear quite dramatically off the side of the ship's gondola, drawing Julian's attention. He would find the overly large sunglasses and wide brimmed hat laughable except that would be quite rude, and Garak is nothing if no a man of impeccable manners. He bows slightly as she approaches them gaily, and he imagines the boots which she borrowed from Keiko likely have a nasty surprise or two hidden in store should one get too close.
"Well then," she asks brightly, blithely ignoring the tension emanating from all of the little factions gathered around. "Are we ready to go?" Garak kisses her hand and Julian rolls his eyes with such a long suffering air about him that Garak cannot help but preen at that reaction. Jadzia laughs.
"I am always, your devoted servant," he declares grandly, ignoring Julian's snort.
"Yes, Garak is a lot of things, isn't he?" Julian looks about to say something else, but Molly clears her throat and steps forward calling for everyone's attention.
"Well, I guess this isn't just some cargo run," she begins giving a pointed look towards Captain Watters. Garak also notes that she spares just a bit of that for Julian as well. He smiles back as she looks at him with quite a bit more suspicion than before. "But we're gonna do this and then we're done, right?" Watters nods.
"Provided that Doctor Bashir holds up his end of the agreement." Molly and Keiko exchange a quick look that Garak catches.
"I've already told you-" Julian beings tersely.
"We're going to take the straightest path then," Molly declares looking almost uncertain as she motions for them to gather around, holding up the map. "We're on this rock plateau here." She points to a large gray spot and Garak can see, oddly enough that according to the scale some ten miles further west is a river and possibly a waterfall. It would seem that this entire ground of stone acts as a barrier then... But a barrier for what?
"The rocks continue along this crescent here..." She traces a line that goes south and then curves north toward a series of caves, which he assumes is their final destination. "But that would add more time to the trip and we don't want that." She punctuates that statement with a meaningful look to Julian in particular. Garak sees Nog nearly lift off, mouth open wide, when a quick turn of Molly's head and a measured look makes him snap his mouth shut. "We need to start out across the sand," she says and there are come strange alarm bells in Garak's head that are resounding rather nicely right about now. Nog's anxiety coupled with Julian's tight lipped nod are all the confirmation he needs that something is terribly amiss. Molly turns back to Watters again with a long breath. "I don't see the people you were expecting." People? Surely she cannot mean the same people who are holding the younger O'Brien scion captive. Garak isn't sure how he missed that little detail but he sees a shake of a head from Farris.
"Captain Watters instructed them not to land until they were certain it was clear." Farris' tone makes it obvious they were expecting an ambush of some sorts. Garak is quite pleased that his plan was just a touch more sophisticated. They'll wait for the signal. The traffic in the air near Port Town was enough of a bustle that I couldn't place anything out of sorts when we passed. The attacks stopped at Port Town too, didn't they? Yes, surely they'd confirmed then by some means that their target was not present. So they switched tactics. Or was it the same party? Keiko alluded to their being a far greater presence than I might suspect but could that be merely a smokescreen? One of the more effective tactics of the Resistance was to falsely inflate their number when raiding. One could never be certain if there were two attackers, ten, or even twenty at the best of times.
Think, Elim, how many would it take to truly subdue one young man? He's an augment but he's not a Vulcan. You didn't see the ship that attacked but it could be hired with only one person even. Who knows what Section 31 would have allotted for expenses to secure this Kironide or even Julian for that matter. This man, Sloan, that Julian spoke of is no fool, he could not possibly allow Julian to escape... Garak turns that over for a moment as he considers Julian and even as he observes a group of three Starfleet officers approaching. There is a young man at the front, dark skinned, tall, with close cropped hair who catches Nog's eyes immediately. He doesn't appear to know a smile if he tripped over one, and behind him follows another man, slight shorter but broader of build with blonde hair, looking around impudently. There's third man as well, who also makes a show of looking anywhere but Nog, instead looking curiously to Julian before looking back to Watters with admiration that he scarcely tries to hide.
"Auren... Riley," he hears Nog gasp out like a curse, and again he sees Collins flinch, a slight turn of her head. But even that telling scene is not what fully captures his attention. No, Julian's reaction as Watters and Farris approach the three is what makes him almost crack a nasty smile.
Julian's face is one of calculating, of grim determination, and he can see that look mirrored on Jadzia's as well. Ah, and there it is, Elim, that is the face they surely made before those others wet with a swift end. I have to admit my dear, your murder face is terribly alluring. But whatever it is you're planning I'm sure it will be spectacular. Spectacular and especially advantageous to his aim, for the less people to oppose him, the better. And that is where my advantage lies. It is one thing to kill in defense of your life, of your family's, but it is another to kill one that you've grown close to for an abstract, a moral and ethical debate, no matter how noble the cause. And it is that hesitation that I'm counting on. He, of course, has no intention of killing Julian or any of the others unless it becomes absolutely necessary but he has now decided after his little experiment on the ship that he has measured the proper dosage of the sedative to rend Julian unconscious for as long as he needs.
They'll have to have planned for accommodating the cargo, but if not then it can't be helped that we'll have to steal the Godokoro. Mmm, steal is such an ugly word, perhaps borrow. The ship can be left in Indigo, it's the least that could be done after what will likely be a long trip back for them... He wonders absently as he makes a study of those conferring with Watters, and arguing with Nog, exactly who it is that will be sent to meet him. He also isn't so delusional as the think that all will be magically forgiven with just one grand gesture, particularly if it's nothing more than efficient Garak efficiently doing his job as he always had. In that circumstance, he's already carefully working on the lie, on the cover which should allow him to remain here hidden, protected, if perhaps slightly less trusted, but he hasn't fully won Julian's trust anyway so he can continue from one minor setback if need be.
But first, you'll have to be careful with your signals. Anyone should know, come but proceed with caution. That should be the right message to send and lacking the necessary components it should be able to be improvised but... But there's the fact that Julian hasn't been particularly inclined to let Garak out of his sight and he can only hope for a distraction long enough to allow him to place the series of markers. He doesn't need many and he doesn't need much time. It would also be to his benefit if Julian were pulled away from a distraction not of Garak's devising lest his guard remain up. Or does he need a distraction after all? Garak watches as Nog continues to argue with the three, two of whom Garak has realized are two that were supposed to be dead. He nearly snorts at that. Really, how terribly amateurish to assume death without a body, and even then, Garak has always been of the mind that one should never assume an old foe to be fully dead. No, you keep your eyes open for both the dead until you yourself meet that final end. And knowing Tain, likely not even then.
It has also not escaped his notice in this time that Julian has been discreetly moving his left hand at his side even as he watches the Starfleet Officers. He sees Jadzia and Molly then return similar gestures, even as a frown creases Keiko's face. She walks over to join that contingent, saying nothing else of the exchange, instead stepping between Nog and some young man Garak has heard called Shepard.
"We shouldn't be fighting each other. Please. Are you forgetting who the real enemy is?"
"The real enemy is power unchecked," Nog answers hotly, sounding almost like a Bajoran, in Garak's opinion.
"And you'd let that power go to the Dominion, wouldn't you, Nog?" Farris looks bound and determined to repeat what Garak can see is an ongoing argument and likely the start of this entire debacle.
"Hey!" Molly snaps her fingers, drawing all of their attention. Garak uses that split second to drop the pebbles on the ground trusting that the small white stones on the dark rock will contrast enough to be seen. And if not then someone will need to go back for retraining because certainly- "As I was saying," she continues, that show of the map interrupting his thoughts. "The most direct way... the best way to reach the caves is to head straight through this stretch here. it's desert and it gets hot but if we're quick we'll reach shade before the sun gets to it's highest."
"I thought you people didn't cross the dessert by land," the one Garak heard called Auren says unexpectedly. All eyes turn to him, except for Garak's who remain on Molly. She's more easily read than Julian, her hand tightened around the page, a quick swallow, an obvious flash of panic fleets across her face.
"We don't... cross by land?" she repeats almost painfully.
She wants us all to cross that way. He realizes as she licks her lips looking down for a moment. It must play an important part but the question is do you assist her or assist him? He's rather clear on the goals of both factions, both at odds with his own but the numbers, the planning, the connection if nothing else favors allowing whatever she plans to come to fruition. Julian and Jadzia's anxious looks to them suggest whatever the result it's likely not to be pretty and he trusts his chances for more with them. So be it then.
"Yeah, the worms or whatever. They were talking about it in town that come out of the ground."
"The worms that... come out of the ground?" She repeats it again, and one might assume it's with the tone of one who was disbelieving of some primitive mysticism and not what he can clearly see is a panicked attempt to buy time. He supposes that if he's going to act it better be now.
"Yes, the worms!" He exclaims suddenly, passionately. "I'd heard tell of them on upon my arrival, I had not thought to make the connection until just now but you've jogged my memory, friend." He affects a perfectly wide eyed expression, not missing Julian's small quirk of amusement as his performance. "They'd warned me, they said those who travel west surely lose their lives to the monsters beneath the surface. A Ferengi at the gate told me, swore it on his mother's life that any who dares cross the dessert to the caves meets with an untimely end. He said that all the riches on Westworld that inhabit those caves, are nothing but foolish myth meant to lure the avaricious to their certain doom. Fifty feet long, able to bring down even the fastest land ship, they've swallowed houses into their gaping maws." He gesticulates wildly, Julian laughing and shaking his head, Jadzia hiding the same behind her hand at his performance.
"A Ferengi told you?" Watters asks with a skeptical look and Garak had gambled hard on the demographic spread of Port Town. Port cities mean profit after all, and he can see from the blanched expression on Auren's face that it was a successful one.
"You too?" Garak asks in mock disbelief. There's a look that meets him, Auren seeming not to be sure if Garak is to be believed but Watters clearly lacks the patience for such subtlety. He sees Molly catch on easily, laughing, perhaps a bit too boisterously, but there's something to be said for effort.
"Haha, they got you both, didn't they? Oh boy oh boy..." Garak really hopes that Molly never decides to try her hand at the theater as Jadzia had explained it. But then again, she would be a natural at Cardassian drama. She has a flair for the overstated emotion and animation that the epic holonovels demand. "You guys just fell for the oldest con here... Hah... you know those Ferengi believe there's latinum everywhere on the planet."
"There is latinum west of Indigo," Nog corrects pedantically, mercifully cutting into Molly's awkward overacting. "But they have not found any in the Thrandian caverns. I've looked for it myself," he adds making the performance far more believable. "But you will not convince some of them. Moogie says that greed can blind a man to the real profit." He nods at that, again the sentiment so alien coming from a Ferengi that Garak wonders if Leeta didn't drop the boy on his lobes when raising him. "Now the jungles of Nyissa have-"
"Enough," Watters holds up a hand, posturing, gesturing to the holster at his side, a freshly acquired Westworld firearm that Garak is almost certain he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with as the saying goes. "We're not here to argue about Ferengi tall tales, we're here to complete a mission. Commander, you have my assurance that our company is more than capable of handling any monsters in the dessert if there even are any." He directs a look at Garak, who makes sure to look affronted in turn that anyone would ever doubt him.
"Alright then, let's go. The sooner we get there the sooner you get your Kironide and the sooner we get my brother. That's the agreement, right?"
"Of course," Watters agrees shooting a meaningful look to Julian that's hard to miss. Of course he expects that secondary part of the exchange as well that they've all been trying to ignore. Molly folds the map back up and exchanges a quick look with Julian. Keiko still appears uneasy as she puts the map in her pack and it makes Garak somewhat uneasy as well and he mulls over that new information. An entire civilization does not avoid half a landmass because of superstition, not in this day and age and not where there's profit involved for Ferengi. Guls, not even where there's valor to be had by Klingons. You thought we were traveling by airship because of the expediency, Elim, but you never thought to ask any further questions, you never thought to second guess as you passed over that entire expanse as to the whys. Sloppy, terribly sloppy, it's a wonder Tain sent you out here to die.
But he dutifully follows behind, boots sinking into the soft sand even as every warning bell sounds in his head. Danger. You know it's coming. The only question now, is will you be ready for it?