Note: Oh man have I been looking forward to this. That's probably also why it ran longer than any other chapter haha. I keep thinking of Jack Nicholson in the Shining when he finally goes off the deep end. Anyway, enough of the spoilers though I will give a warning for total mental instability and murderous intent. Stay tuned for the continuation next week cause it's gonna be a doozy. Thank you everyone for reading and your support! C&C is also always welcome!
It starts with a blurring of his vision. Garak initially attributes that faint blurring of vision to a residual effect of his eye usage while they were still in indigo. It's been several decades since he's used that trick without the aid of the implant to temper the after effects. Perhaps he should have taken Six's advice and worked much harder to strengthen that talent and those muscles. Every advantage, yes every advantage. You see where all those books ended him... He had to have Julian stop once already, the light bouncing off those missive stalactites hardly helping the situation, the shadows cast along the walls combined with some of the stalagmites below making the walls appear like the gaping maw of some prehistoric nightmare creature. But actually that jarring effect helps with his claustrophobia. The fallen debris, however, does not. There are plenty of broken pieces of stone and rock forcing their journey to be a slow progression. Garak hasn't caught sight of any alleged sedinium but he imagines it's further down near the drop site. There is, or should he say was a narrow path worn away and haphazardly chiseled, but the residual effects of the drops have neatly rattled away enough of the ceiling and walls to be vexing. Garak has been rather fervently hoping at any moment they find the way impassably blocked. Much to his chagrin the only blocked passage so far has necessitated an aggravating detour but not a halt altogether.
Garak has also noticed- with a faint skin crawl- that the numerous white eyeless bugs feel the light of the lantern- skittering off in various directions in veritable terror. From the looks of it, the appear to feed on the faint traces of colored mosses growing from where the moisture penetrates the deepest. The moss, of course, is also slippery and it's come off a slimy goo to his hand the few times he's tried to brace himself for balance. Julian, naturally, is appallingly agile as he easily traverses the treacherous path with aplomb, reveling in Garak's clear misery as he regales him with the finer points of Westworld mosses. Nonetheless, Garak listens. He'd be a fool not to when Julian has such a wealth of medical knowledge that he might find useful later. Though Julian is quick to point out that Keiko would be far more at home and it may warrant a brief forestall of their departure should she decide to take some samples back for further study. That's fine by him as long as he gets the privilege of being back on the ship lounging on the shady deck with a book and a glass of tea.
"And you see this is how I know you're not a true snake, Garak," Julian continues sounding amused as Garak shivers with another woozy step. "I'd imagine a snake would be right at home in a hole like this."
"I'm so terribly sorry to disappoint your expectations," Garak remarks not sounding particularly sorry as he feels the squish beneath his boot of a rather large bulbous million legged worm. Not to say that he's any true fear of insects- one could not be a gardener on Romulus of any substance while being too terrified to tangle with the rather nasty and large pinching bugs known to infest the popular Greedovore plants. But given a choice, he'd gladly take a nice happy assignment on Empok Nor cleaning up after another one of Legate Corat's infamous soirees. "As you're well aware my dear, we lizards do covet our nice warm basking rocks." He carefully steps around another fallen mass of rock, Julian not immediately responding. He wonders if that's the end of that line of conversation when he sees the back of Julian's head tip back, and he can imagine the thoughtful absent expression towards the ceiling.
"Have you ever heard of "Hodgkins Law of Parallel Planet Development?"
"I can't say that I have."
"It's quite fascinating, really. Hodgkins was a biologist who postulated that logically planets with similar conditions, with twin biological compositions, elements, would yield genetically identical species. Actually he even took it a step further than that and also theorized that it could be applied to sociological aspects amongst sentient beings as well. I myself tend to believe that accounts for a lot of the reproductive compatibility between those of us with different outward physiology, differences in muscle composition, different blood oxygen levels, what have you. That is what I've always found logical anyway for those who don't ascribe to the one creator, one great progenitor mumbo jumbo." Julian waves his hand around mystically which makes Garak crack a smile.
"I take it you don't ascribe to any of that... talk of a greater power."
"The Q perhaps... and don't get me started on that..." Julian sighs and stops as the cave forks off into three different directions. "All I'm getting at is... you know there's a colorful little reptile... a frilled lizard is what it's called on Earth and yet if you ever travel south to Nyissa, the jungle is crawling with them. Completely identical. You could easily transplant one right off Earth and he wouldn't think anything of it… Well, perhaps until he saw some of the native predators. They don't have bwaks on Earth, after all." Julian turns to him with a little smirk, that light illuminating the green eyeshine of his irises beautifully.
"You rather remind me of one, one of those little frilled lizards," Julian says with a chuckle. "They have this fringe, you see," He says drawing a circle around his neck. "like this but it usually lays down flush to the body. Until of course you startle one," Julian observes as he allows Garak to step past and peer down each of the tunnels. The first veers off sharply to the right, and if Garak recalls is going in the completely wrong direction that they need. The center seems innocuous enough, going straight back, though his own recollection combined with Julian's poorly concealed amusement lead him immediately to the right. Naturally that has the steep slope downward and he can see a rather dubious rope looped carelessly around a rock formation to assist with that grade.
"Surely there's another way to go around," Garak protests, feeling the pit drop out of his stomach even as he searches his own memory finding nothing useful. Julian chuckles, coming to stand next to him as he too peers down.
"I'm just imagining it sticking straight up," Julian says with a laugh. "That indignant fringe." He walks past Garak and begins an examination of the rope. Garak feels a strange irrational urge to shove him down backwards before shaking it off.
"Nog assured me that the carbon nanofibers should have held, shouldn't have deteriorated but you never know who might come looking around with as much time that's passed." Garak wonders how anyone could even begin to entertain the notion of a business enterprise in such a cold miserable landscape as he resists the urge to lean against another moss covered wall. The orange, Julian said can irritate the skin with prolonged contact. It doesn't seem to bother the little mites feasting on it though. Yes, of course Nog would be at home here. Potential wealth and an unending supply of food, what more could an enterprising little Ferengi ask for? Garak snorts but just as suddenly sees another blur cross his eyes. He tries to focus, but finds that the harder he tries the more it alludes him. He blinks, rubbing at his right eye hoping that it might clear the issue but instead it only makes it worse. He thinks that there's some double vision. Holding the lamp higher makes that bright light start to swim. He shuts his eyes not seeing anywhere in the small room that he can set down safely.
"Garak?" Julian asks concerned from his right. He hears another noise but all he can make out is a flashing ring in his vision, bright but blocking out half of everything that he's seeing.
"My apologies Julian, I just need a moment. Of course I'm aware time is of the essence…" He trails off, shutting his eyes immediately feeling that loss of equilibrium as he does. He feels Julian steadying head, taking hold of his elbow, a hand around his back.
"There really shouldn't be any residual effects from earlier. I examined you on the ship when I removed the patch… Please tell me you're just putting me on so you don't have to go down there."
"Ah, you've found me out, Julian. Such cunning, such brilliance, I can see the full culmination of that neural pathway acceleration hard as work." He isn't sure why he snaps so caustically. It was an odd sensation that seized him just then. Garak opens his eyes almost painfully as he can see that flashing blurring around Julian's face, his eyes warping that to six of him. Garak clutches at Julian's shoulder. "I really don't know what came over me," he confesses, and can see faintly that Julian frowns. He examines his eyes as best as he can in the darkness not looking particularly satisfied.
"I can see a slight dilation in your pupils but honestly that could very likely be the low light. The right seems a bit red, just a little pink, but again I think that's a residual from your earlier strain…" Julian sighs. "All kidding aside, I'd feel more comfortable if you stayed with me but if you don't think that you'll be able to make it…"
"Oh no," Garak interjects hastily, grabbing Julian's wrist. Julian has a slender wrist but not delicate no, not the augment. Garak might be holding it a bit too tightly before letting go. "You would do well not to underestimate me," he says in a low voice that's far darker and less buoyed than his usual tone. That troubles him, but he supposes it's the proximity of the walls, that dark, that cold that's making him testy. He blinks a few more times find that focus not coming but at least seeing the ring shrink, a few other artifacts clouding his vision as he does. "I'll be fine," Garak assures him letting go of his wrist. He stares at his own hand a moment while Julian looks at him uncertainly.
"Right well, I hope you'll tell me if we need to stop. I appreciate a stiff upper lip as well as the next fellow but as a doctor I certainly can't condone needlessly risking your health." He ducks away, likely before too much concern comes to the forefront, and Garak just shuts his eyes and listens as he maneuvers carefully with the rope down that steep incline. Really, the nerve of that human to presume to tell me my own capabilities. He feels that irrational pique again, that irritation growing as he waits for Julian to reach the end. I don't need you, human. You've been a pleasant distraction, you've been an adequate bed warmer but your simpering pity is misplaced. Save it for the Ferengi waiting outside with his bleating human whore. They're the ones that need your help not me. I could complete this on my own. I assure you that I'm more than capable of blowing up a few cargo containers. You should be as well. You're an augment, isn't that right? You're strong, superior, there's no need for you to have me here when I was all too willing to give you the keys. Unless that's your plan. Is that your plan to dispose of me here? An accident? Is that what you arranged?
Garak blinks a few times as he hears Julian's voice calling to him to come down. He looks down that way suspiciously, clutching the lantern tighter in his grip. You'd like that, wouldn't you? The closer we get, the deeper down, the longer you keep me buried in this tomb the more of an advantage you believe you'll gain. Clever Julian, very clever, but I haven't survived all these years by being overly trusting and naive. I made sure to bring the higher dosage of the sedative with me this time, my dear. That last one was just a test but I know exactly what I'll need now. He carefully moves into position, not relying on his vision so much as feel, on his other senses for orientation to lower himself down. Garak isn't certain how Julian expected a normal man to manage this one handed. If he tries to link the lantern to his trousers he's not sure if the light will go out or worse. But then again, that was likely his plan. Leave you in the dark, leave you at a disadvantage. Ah but he won't finish you here, he'll surely do it closer to the Kironide. A convenient accident. Yes, the Ferengi had shown up before he could execute you earlier so he had to wait. Clever human, very clever indeed.
There's a definite strain on his arm as he moves and he definitely is tempted to move faster down that steep slope. The rubber soles provide adequate footing and he can see around him the uneven terrain would keep a slide from being too likely but he's not going to take the risk. He measure perhaps some fifteen meters total between what he can see from the midpoint he's reached. The ground beneath him is cool but not so slick that he could slide down easily. He actually sees some faintly carved rudimentary handholds that have to be man made. He has a brief afterthought, a small flicker that he'd soil his clothing further as well, but that remains more of a distant dream. Really, worry about something so insignificant. What he also finds, as he reaches the bottom and straightens himself up is that his vision is starting to improve. That's curious. The last time he had any sort of eye focus issue it only deteriorated until he was past the point of being able to function. That's promising. He's already at a disadvantage down here in the cold against the augment. But you think you know my weaknesses, don't you? Yes, he can still feign that disability, use that compassion against him. Certainly that compassion is fleeting like the wind but you only need a small window, you only need to get close enough to stick it in him.
"Garak?" He refocuses on Julian, careful not to look at him too closely, a hand over his eyes with a deep breath.
"I'm fine. I just need a moment. I'm sure I'm slowing you down…"
"No it's fine," Julian says that far too quickly. Surely he doesn't think Garak hasn't seen through him.
"Are we… close?" Garak asks, having already done his own calculations. And as he suspected, when Julian lets him know that it won't be much longer, he was factoring the elevation in the distance.
"Yes very much so actually," Julian assures him. "But stay behind me. I don't know what might be up ahead. To hear Quark talk about his cousin's sealed containers a plasma rocket couldn't pierce one, but you know how Ferengi talk. There could be Kironide spilled out like sand from a broken hourglass and I'm not sure of the properties- it's ingestible but there could be fine particles from an explosion and Nog's been just so damn secretive about anything except the need for its destruction…"
Julian starts walking as Garak ponders that, starting to feel warmer as they walk an increasingly narrow tunnel. That very well may be what Juilan was speaking of. Well, that suits him just fine. Better warm than cold and with his eyes clearing up completely he's starting to feel much better. In fact he's felt better than he has in some time- far more clearheaded, lucid. That clarity is almost maddening itself as he realizes with frightening calm that Julian is definitely luring him to a trap. And oh what an elaborate setup, what a depth of planning, of careful machination on his part. But it makes sense now doesn't it, Elim? All of it from the very beginning. He was in on it the entire time from the moment he met you. He must have marked you. He must have been contacted by one of them. Yes, you know exactly who it was who sent those two in the desert, who surely set the bounty. It had to be Dukat. That's the only explanation. He must have grown more cunning these past few years. Oh you cannot put anything past him Elim, you know that, know after what he did to his own daughter…
And it's that thought which leads to the next cold sobering realization. Then Julian must be in on it as well! Of course, how could you not have seen it? As soon as he saw you he was studying you, he was watching you. Surely he left that journal for you to find, left you that puzzle. Him, Jadzia, none of them are truly Starfleet, they're exiles, they're mercenaries, they're guns for hire. And you fell for it didn't you, you old fool? He's probably been shtupping Dukat the entire time. He's been laughing behind your back, him and the Trill. Oh but they're not going to have the last laugh. They're not going to be the ones laughing when you're finished with them. You're going to win this and they're all going to pay for underestimating you. Garak feels his pulse speed up, an odd feeling of excitement as he increases his pace, nearly walking into Julian knowing that they're close. He can see a lot large fallen rocks, he can see the passage narrow to where it seems impassable but he watches as Julian studies it. He calms his breathing, not letting that anticipation get the better of him.
"I'm afraid of the stability here," Julian says with a frown. "They'll be set charges of course and mainly they'll just set the whole mess up in flames but still… We're terribly under equipped for this." Julian sighs, and Garak watches that neck, thinking how easily it would be to crush his windpipe. Could you stop me? If you're not expecting it… if I do it from behind? You wouldn't even see it coming, you wouldn't suspect anything. Arrogant augment. You can't stop a bullet. If I blow your brains into the wall… no… that would be beneath me. There may not be anything beneath you, it may not be beneath a human to whore himself out for profit, No, I'll leave you here beneath this rock, with your fire and your Kironide. Yes. Yes, you can certainly contemplate the direction that your life has taken to have brought you to this point as you're consumed by the flames down here. Was crossing me worth it, Julian? Was it worth laughing at me while you kneel in front of Dukat and-
"Garak?" He hasn't even realized that he's missed Julian talking, the noise outside of his own stream of conscious a blur. He realizes that his hand had moved, discreetly fingers the pocket of his trousers. He lets that arm drop carefully. "Are you sure you're feeling okay? I was going to suggest you wait here, but perhaps we ought to go back after all. The odds are quite in our favor that the erm… you know they've been contained they ah… won't be pressing us so-"
"Perish the thought!" Garak exclaims clearing his throat as he holds back that strange feeling of aggressive elation. "no, not when we're so close, we cannot turn back now, you cannot possibly think of quitting, no no we need to do this. Now. You have my assurances I'll be here. I'll be coming for you… I have you," Garak promises, finding it just so strangely hard to contain that spillover of emotion. Julian seems to sense it as well looking at him strangely before dropping his eyes.
"Right… of course well… you know I plan to give you a thorough examination when we're back on the ship. I'm not sure I believe that you're a hundred percent you know. Now we may need to move quickly but I'll give us enough of a start. I won't have the benefit of the devices they use off world but I think I can manage with a little Westworld ingenuity." Julian laughs softly, turning around and Garak finds that chuckle to suddenly frightening aggravating. He can feel his hand curl to a fist at his side, his grip on the lantern tightening until it starts to shake. He watches Julian disappear again feeling that wash of thoughts, that heat that makes him feel as if he ought to just take off, as if nothing will cool his body temperature. He doesn't sweat much, but he can feel that rise as he does his own mental calculations for the distance and then carefully readies the syringe. Not the sedative, Elim. No, you should use the muscle relaxer instead, the one you prepared just in case. You haven't tested it as well but does it matter if you overdose him? He's going to die. They all are. And they're all going to know if was you and just how foolish they were to think they could ever double cross you.
Cunning, treachery is a skill like any other and those who fail, oh, that is a learning experience indeed. A pity you won't live to correct your mistake, human. Perhaps I might decide to torture you instead. Yes. That's it. I won't kill you right off. I need to determine, after all just what you know and what better way down here, in the dark, in the quiet, to conduct a proper investigation. Where else can I make you scream your throat raw without interference, without limit, without anything coming between us? But just in case he's going to need to get that length of rope. Garak sets the lantern down and much more quickly makes that ascent back up the slope. He's confident in his ability to scale back up now that he knows what he's dealing with and with Julian out of the way there won't be any rush. He examines the knot before untying it then carefully scaling backwards back down, only slipping on his knees once, feeling far more capable than he'd given himself credit for.
Yes, it will definitely be the muscle relaxers, Garak decides as coils that length of rope around one arm. That will be the most… satisfying. He'll have to take pains with his approach and lose the rope before he comes into range of sight, but he knows Julian won't turn back around from his approach alone. He knows it's only the two of them here and more's the better for him. It's not sisal after all, it's carbon nanofiber. A Vulcan couldn't break it. Garak can feel his heart begin to race as he hurries through that narrow passage where Julian disappeared through that pile of rock. He doesn't waste any unnecessary time on stealth. In the time that it's taken Julian likely gotten good start no him not going slow for the sake of the poor old Cardassian. And Julian will hear him coming when he's close enough. He won't be alarmed. Right now he may be confused by Garak's behavior but his guard won't be up. No, he won't realize yet that you've seen through his deception. He'll still think that he's leading you along, that he's got you wrapped around his finger. He'll let you come as close as you need to. That elation makes him steady, surefooted as he practically dances across the floor of the long curving tunnel, feeling that cold slick rock start to faintly crunch. As he looks down he can see the faint sprinkle of red dust, damp, but not slick like mud, the granules still separate, not having absorbed the water. It would seem that Julian's assessment was correct.
The passage narrows again, Garak wondering just how fast Julian was possibly moving. Or maybe he's on to you, Elim. Maybe he knows what you're planning. He's no fool, surely Dukat let him know everything about you. He likely knows or at least thinks he knows more about you than you him. Oh, you are a clever little augment, aren't you? Garak slows his pace, wary cautious, but also curious as he sees the narrow of that tunnel ahead start to expand, a light visible, illuminating what he can immediately see is a massive cave, the walls a mosaic of rock and ore, clearly the sedinium. It comes upon him rather suddenly, that fine grit increasing until it's all that he walks over, that dust beneath the soles of his boots piling up until it's like walking on gritty sandy leading to a massive storage container cracked clear in half like a regova egg. Garak carefully sets the coil of rope down in that sand as quietly and carefully as he can manage. The red dust is everywhere, and Garak is wary of breathing in too deeply, that taste on his tongue faintly metallic but also strangely salty. He cannot help but flick his tongue out again knowing that to ingest any may very well prove unwise depending on how it may affect Cardassians.
He can see, as he approaches, that Julian is already carefully laying a thin wire around the perimeter of the second crate, similarly cracked open. Garak studies Julian carefully, curious as to the makeup of that wire, wondering how it might possibly work. Julian seems perfectly content to ignore him and as much as he wants to rush in quickly, he also wants to watch, to savor that moment, feeling that buildup of excitement as he steps closer through that beautifully glittering red dust. Perhaps you might ingest some. It gives telekinetic abilities does it not? Maybe he's already ingested some, hadn't you thought of that you fool! He could be lying in wait, ready to attack, to throw you to the ceiling without so much as laying a hand on you. Who's to say that the accelerated neural pathways might not accelerate what he's able to do as well. This entire thing might have been a rouse. He could be setting up as we speak to kill you and bring this to Dukat! To Tain even- what if it's Tain after all working from the shadows, manipulating calculating. He could've set this entire thing up. He could be testing you. He could be erasing his favorite mistake with one swoop and securing this invaluable element for himself! Is that is human whore? Is it Tain that you're spreading your legs for and then turn around and-
"They call this the ballroom," Julian informs, interrupting his wildly spiraling thoughts. Julian continues that crouching side walk seeming to pay him little mind when he doesn't immediately respond. "The formation was worn out by years of erosion, there was a river that ran above here though it likely dried up. There's still water. On the other side it goes down to a river and I can only pray this dust hasn't scattered that far." I thought you didn't know anything about these caves, Julian. I knew it! I knew this was a trap. Oh, you are a sneaky one, aren't you? Garak stalks closer to him licking his lips, feeling some ancient buried predator's instinct bubbling back up to the surface as he does so. "Of course the entry into the atmosphere likely weakened the stability of the structure. I could've told him that and I'm not even a bloody engineer. A few supplementary courses at the Academy and even I know that much."
He doesn't seem to expect an answer, and Garak doesn't even spare a glance for his surroundings as he holds the lantern up higher, careful to avoid looking at it himself. He's going to use that eyesight against him. He's going to use everything against him. He's so close that he can taste Julian in the air, taste that clove, that tincture. Perhaps I'll taste your skin again, my dear. Once more for posterity- for memories. I'll taste it before I break it. Before I break you. That excitement grows as he's so close, that lantern making Julian bright, light marrying to the lantern set on the ground to Julian's other side as he moves. Julian continues that steady crawl having circled half the crate with that dark wire.
"Luckily I just need to start the fire. The rest will catch but I really wish you hadn't stepped in it. You're putting yourself at greater risk and I'm not sure we'll be able to clear in time. In fact we might make for the river on the other side of the ballroom but that's not without its own risks." Julian pauses just then, Garak right there casting his shadow across, stopping right in Julian's path looking down at him crouched, vulnerable, taking just a moment to savor that power. Soon, so soon, keep talking, keep telling yourself everything is going to be alright, my dear.
"Garak?" Julian's voice is curious, concerned but not with any sensible concern for his own safety. Rather for that cloying doctor concern and it's enough for that red to fill the rest of his vision, a veritable wash of blood over his eyes as Julian finally seems to register something amiss. Garak holds the lantern high as he sinks to his knees as well, Julian's arm coming up to shield his eyes, struggling to adjust with that brightness. Garak sees those eyes widen as he looks in his eyes, that horror seeming to dawn beautifully enough that Garak nearly everts himself with ecstasy. "My God Garak your eyes are-"
And that's when Garak stabs him.
