Chapter 6:  That Cardassian petaQ

 

Julian strolled into the station's bar, and was eagerly greeted by the bartender. "Pleasure to see our favorite Starfleet officer again, Doctor," the Romulan said, shaking Julian's hand.

"Thanks, Tolar," Julian said with a grin, knowing full well that he the only Starfleet officer who had ever even set foot in the establishment. The Starfleet officers and the Romulans were still generally avoiding each other. "The computer said Vena is in here."

Tolar glanced nervously to where the Romulan security chief sat, drinking a tall glass of a thick, black substance. Julian winced a little. The drink looked less than appetizing. "You may want to stay clear of Vena a while, Doctor," Tolar said.

"What on earth is she drinking?" Julian asked in disgust.

Tolar shook his head. "Nothing from Earth, I assure you. That's kanar. She only drinks it whenever she's having a particularly bad day," Tolar continued. "She went through two bottles in less than an hour when Starfleet first boarded the station." He looked at Julian. "No offense," he added. Julian nodded and took a step in Vena's direction. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to talk to her." Tolar looked at Julian like he was insane. "I don't see anything wrong with that," Julian continued.

Tolar took a deep breath. "It's your head. Don't say I didn't warn you." Tolar went behind the bar and began speaking to another of his customers.

Julian hesitantly approached the Romulan, who was currently taking a deep swig of kanar. "Hello, Vena!" he said cheerfully.

"Ah, Doctor!" she said, motioning to the stool next to her. "Care for some kanar?"

"Uh…no, thank you," Julian said, sitting beside her.

Vena smiled. "Good." She took a bottle nearby and began refilling her glass. "I need this whole bottle." She looked at the small amount left in the bottle. "And maybe another one. Or two."

"You know, drinking that much kanar isn't exactly good for your health," Julian said, reaching for the bottle, but Vena held it out of his grasp.

"Neither is having that Cardassian petaQ on the station," she said venomously, pouring the rest into her glass. "And you know what makes it worse?" Julian shrugged and shook his head. Vena leaned closer to him. "Starfleet Command invited him," she said in a low, threatening voice. "Starfleet, Doctor!" she said, her voice rising as she threw the now empty bottle at a nearby wall. The glass shattered as some of the nearby Romulans shielded their heads from the falling fragments of glass. Julian looked nervously at the hand in which Vena was holding her glass. The bar became silent. "Did you not know that, Julian?" she asked quietly.

Julian shook his head. "No--I didn't. Are you sure?"

Vena took a deep breath. "I talked to your captain to ask permission to escort Garak off the station. He said no, and explained why. Tolar!" she shouted, holding up her empty glass. The Romulan bartender hurried over with another bottle of kanar, wincing slightly as he handed it to her. "Captain Johnson informed me of Starfleet's decision to have Garak…how did he put it? 'Reside aboard the station under Starfleet protection'," Vena quoted as she poured herself more kanar.

"Why would Starfleet request for Garak to come here?" Julian said quietly, more to himself than Vena.

"To keep an eye on me," Vena answered nonchalantly, taking a sip of her drink.

Julian looked at her in surprise. "To keep…what makes you think that?"

Vena smiled. "I guessed it and your dear captain confirmed it," she said, taking another drink of the thick liquid. "For some reason, Starfleet trusts that traitorous, cold-blooded assassin more than me." She shook her head. "Do you really think he is loyal to you? To a Federation he is not a part of?" She continued drinking.

"Vena, I really think you have had enough," he said, reaching for her glass.

Vena laughed in a sort of maniacal manner that drew any eye that wasn't already intently watching her. "No, no, Julian, believe me, I have had nowhere near enough." She took a large gulp of kanar. "I know that Starfleet has less than amicable feelings towards me, but never…" She took another sip of the drink. "Of all the people…and to be able to do nothing about it!" She slammed her fist hard on the counter. "Under Starfleet protection…" Vena emptied her glass and reached for the bottle, which Julian snapped away.

"Doctor," Vena said warningly.

"I thought we could find somewhere more quiet to drink," Julian improvised. "Why don't you come with me?"

"That may work on someone who's drunk, Julian, but not on me," Vena made a grab for the bottle, but Julian held it out of her reach.

"Vena, you have had enough," Julian said sternly. "This station doesn't need a drunken security chief."

Vena set down her glass, absently running her finger around the rim. "You're quite right, Doctor," she said quietly after moment. She stood. "Thank you, Julian." She walked out of the bar, many eyes following her. When she was out of sight, those eyes turned on Julian, who squirmed uncomfortably.

"What did you say, Doctor?" Tolar asked, coming over and taking the bottle of kanar from Julian.

Julian shook his head. "I…I'm not sure…" He went over the conversation in his mind. "That the station doesn't need a drunk security chief."

Tolar shuddered. "If she had been more…inebriated…that remark could have gotten you killed," he said quietly. Julian grinned, thinking that Tolar was making a joke. But when he saw the seriousness on the bartender's face, the smirk vanished. Julian quickly excused himself and headed to the infirmary, some Romulan eyes still following him as he left the bar.

* * *

Early in the morning, the Commons were empty of any Starfleet officers, and the only Romulans around were the ones who were readying their shops for the day. Instead of heading to the infirmary, as he would usually do, Julian headed to one of the shops. "Hello, Garak!" Julian said cheerfully as he entered the tailor's shop.

Garak turned around. "Doctor!" He hung up the suit he had been holding and approached him. "Doctor, it is a pleasure to see you, as always, but I'm afraid if you want something altered, I am not yet open for business."

"I'm just stopping into say hello to an old friend," Julian said, gazing around the shop. The arrangement of the shop was surprisingly similar to that of DS9. "I can see that you are set in your ways," he commented.

Garak looked momentarily confused, but then he smiled, glancing around his shop. "Well, as we grow old, the more set in our habits we become."

"You may be growing old," Julian said. "But I'm merely maturing."

"Ah, of course. Growing old is a rather sensitive topic to you humans," Garak said, turning back to the clothes on a nearby rack and beginning to arranged them.

"I wonder how the Romulans feel about aging," Julian commented casually.

Julian swore that he saw Garak freeze for a split second. "Why don't you ask one of them yourself? You seem to be quite friendly with the security chief."

Julian was taken aback. He had not expected Garak to be the one to bring Vena into the conversation. "But she's a woman." Julian again swore that he saw Garak pause for a moment in his work. Julian wished that Garak was facing him so he could see his expression.

"Yes. She is." Garak cleared his throat. "I take it that human women are even more sensitive of the topic of age?"

"Yes," Julian said, now looking at Garak suspiciously. "It's an unwritten rule that you never ask a woman about her age."

"Strange," Garak said quietly.

After a few moments of silence, Julian said, "Why did Starfleet ask you to come here?"

This got a reaction of sincere surprise. "How did you come to know that, Doctor?"

Julian was once again taken aback. "No dissembling? That seems very unlike you, Garak."

Garak smiled before saying, "I notice you failed to answer my question, Doctor."

"And would my answer change yours?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, it would," Garak admitted, his blue eyes glinting. "However, I don't think you need me to tell you. You already know why I'm here."

"Is it that obvious?" Julian asked.

"You may have become more distrusting over the years, my good Doctor, but you still seem to have trouble masking your emotions. I'd work on that, if I were you."

"Then you should work on it, as well," Julian said, causing Garak to turn sharply to him. "You were surprised to see Vena. Starfleet didn't tell you what they wanted you to do."

Garak smiled broadly. "Very good, Doctor! You are right--they didn't bother to tell me until after I arrived on the station, and after I had seen the security chief."

Julian raised his eyebrows as Garak continued working. Julian watching Garak in silence for a few minutes, watching the tight-lipped Cardassian set up his shop. Finally, Garak seemed to grow tired of Julian's eyes following him around the room. "Is there something else, Doctor?"

"Yes, actually, there is." Julian took a step closer to Garak. "How do you know Vena?"

"Ah," Garak breathed. He turned and began reorganizing one of the nearby racks of clothing. "I was wondering how long it would be before you asked about that."

"Well?" Julian prompted when the tailor fell silent.

Garak took a deep breath. "Since she will probably tell you anyway, I suppose I might as well." Julian prepared himself for a web of unbelievable lies. "It isn't as enigmatic as you may think, Doctor," Garak said as though reading Julian's mind. "We met on Romulus when I was a gardener at the Cardassian embassy."

"That can't be all," Julian said after a moment's silence.

"But it is, Doctor." Garak began working again.

"Then how do you explain her reaction when she saw you?"

"You would have to ask her yourself," Garak said.

"I believe I will." Julian turned to leave, but then snapped his fingers and turned back. "Oh, and one more question," Julian said, standing in the doorway to the shop. "Do you happen to know why Vena has a taste for Cardassian cuisine?"

Garak's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm not quite sure why you would think I would, Doctor."

Julian nodded. "I was just wondering. I thought that perhaps you introduced her to such food."

"We did not know each other well enough to have meals together, Doctor," Garak said.

"Of course," Julian said, though he didn't believe it. "Well, good luck with your business."

Garak gave Julian a respectful nod. "Thank you, Doctor. Do drop by again."

"Of course." But once again, Julian didn't leave. "That's a lovely dress," he remarked, motioning to a golden dress on a mannequin. "I bet Vena would look stunning in it."

"Yellow is not her color," Garak said automatically. Julian smiled mischievously as Garak quickly added, "Her skin tone would not go well with it--the same is true for most of her kind." When Julian chuckled to himself, Garak continued. "Cardassians happen to notice these things, Doctor. And it is a particularly good tendency to have when one is a tailor."

"Or a spy," Julian added. "I'll drop by later." He left before Garak could respond.