"Chapter 4, Decisions"
"Captain, nice to see you," Gul Dukat said and Captain Sisko stepped forward.
"Gul Dukat, I'm surprised to see you. I thought you were fighting against the Klingons in your old Bird of Prey?"
"Oh, ya. But I couldn't say no to an offer to lead Cardassians military again, could I?"
"Cardassians military? They're trying to solve everything diplomatic already," Major Kira asked.
"Oh, there were a lot of changes in the past few months. Things are becoming like they were before. Central Command was overthrown. Obsidian Order is back in action."
"Ah, I forgot, you always change sides to the winning one," Captain Sisko mentioned.
"No, I just went back as soon as I could. And now that we're back to powers, Cardassia is planning to occupy Bajor again…and in case that federation wishes to intervene, I think the Klingons would love to take that chance to finally finish off one of their greatest enemy," Gul Dukat answered with the most charming smile he had.
"You can't do that!" Major Kira screamed.
"As you can obviously see, I can. My task is to take over command of Deep Space Nine. Of course, now called Terok'Nor."
"Starfleet Commando will never permit that, Gul Dukat. You know that," Sisko shouted, then added: "By the way, I locked the computer. I think I sensed that something stupid like that would happen."
"Stupid. Ha. You have no idea, Captain Sisko." Gul Dukat turned to his men. "Lock everybody up in their quarters. You'll find me on ops." He left without another word.
Garak was surprised when taken away by a Cardassian guard. He didn't protest and found himself five minutes later sitting in his own quarters.
"Great," he said and looked around. There was nothing he thought he could do now. It didn't take a minute until a Cardassian officer entered his quarters. "Gul Dukat wants to talk to you," he informed.
"He says so?"
"Yes."
"Sure he didn't say anything about torture?"
The officer didn't answer and without resistance Garak followed him to ops station. He looked around and only noticed Cardassians working on the system.
When he entered the Captain's office, the guard left him alone. Gul Dukat was sitting in his chair and examined the baseball on the table.
"You wanted to talk to me?" Garak asked curiously.
"Yes. One side of me wants to torture and kill you immediately. The other side…wants the same. However, I have made some promises a little while ago and I want to keep them. So, I need to know if I can count on you."
"You…count on me?" Garak asked really surprised.
"Will you support me in everything I do or do I have to lock you away like the rest of the crew?" Dukat proposed.
"What will you do to all those peoples? Enslave them again? And Starfleet and Bajor will fight against Cardassia. This will be a bloodbath, especially when you invite the Klingons to the party."
"Not if we can do that fast."
"You don't even have the station under your control!"
"As a matter of fact, I do have all power of the station. Here," he explained and typed in a few commandos on the screen behind him.
"How…how did you do that? Sisko said he locked all commands…"
"I had helped."
"A traitor! You had a traitor on Deep Space Nine. Only because of that you managed to fire through the shields, you could beam on the station and lock all escape doors!"
Gul Dukat didn't answer but simply stared at Garak, who had the same facial expression when Odo had found out that he had blown up his own shop.
"Do you want a job on Terok'Nor or do you want to spend the rest of your piteous life as a tailor and worker, together with all those Bajorans who still condemn you?" Gul Dukat finally asked.
"You may have the powers of Deep Space Nine, but not yet –"
"You think Cardassians new government didn't plan this thorough enough? We have infiltrated Starfleet and my spy could get access to some very classified files. This is a war we are meant to win!"
Garak hesitated. Of course he wanted that job back, especially when it meant torturing Bajoran workers. But then he thought about Commander Riddle, the first person he had really developed feelings for.
"You hesitate," Dukat stated. "Is it because of a woman?"
"What?"
"Oh, I know. On our old days we're becoming weak. I give you time to decide, Garak. This evening I will show how far I am willing to go. After that I demand that you decide if you want to be on the winning or the losing side this time…dismissed."
Garak still stared into nothing when the guards brought him back to his quarters. He needed to think about what Valentina would want him to do. Why the hell has he gotten in such a position? What was demanded from him? Was it a trick, a simple trap to expose him as spy, as traitor?
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