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New fic: Word Gets Around.
Title: Word Gets Around
Pairings: G/B and a dash of K/Du and O/K
Part: 1-6/10
Rating: PG-13 just to be sure. A bit of language and stuff.
Warnings: Silliness!!!
Beta:
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prelocandkanar was willing to do a speed read of this before I posted it. Thanks Sweetie! Feedback: Yes please.
Disclaimer: I don't own any trek-stuff. I mean, come on! Do I LOOK like I own anything like that?
Summary: Gossip gets around fast on DS9.
Word Gets Around.
Part 1.
Enough was enough. Garak thrust a bolt of cloth roughly back on its shelf with an annoyed huff. Dukat had gone too far this time. Regularly poking fun at the caged circus attraction he often felt like in his exile was one thing. But to even hint at taking away the one thing that made the whole thing even remotely bearable... exile or no exile... this meant war!
Dukat had strutted into Garak's shop simply to bait him earlier that day, as he always did when he was on the station. Predictably, Garak easily deflected the poor attempts at getting a rise out of him. But just before he left, Dukat had suddenly pulled out a very unexpected ace from his sleeve. Just thinking back on it made Garak clench his fists until his knuckles burned.
Garak had delivered his final stab in their discussion, using Major Kira as the ultimate weapon. A cheap trick, but an effective one. Dukat really was delusional when it came to that woman. But then things took a very uncomfortable turn. Just as he was about to stalk out of the shop, he turned back, smirked very unpleasantly at Garak and said in an offhand voice:
“You know...I might be overly confident when it comes to Nerys, but at least I have the courage to make an effort. Oh, I know you, Garak, better than you think.”
Garak simply blinked at Dukat, not taking the bait.
“I highly doubt that, Dukat.”
Dukat's smile became downright frightening when he replied.:
“Really, Garak. Don't try to be clever in front of your own kind. We're not all as easily fooled as your little Federation lunch companion.”
Ignoring his stab of worry at the words, Garak simply sent Dukat his best customer-serving smile and said:
“You certainly could have fooled me.”
Grinding his teeth for a second, Dukat made Garak confident that he'd won, but then that frightening smile was back and Dukat actually laughed, as he slowly backed out of the shop. Just before he reached the doors, he made his final move.
“In any case... I think I shall have to pay a little visit to the infirmary, now that I'm here. After all, the doctor on this station is one of the best in this star system. I'm sure I can persuade him to give me a thorough physical.”
And then he was gone. Not only had he had the last word for the first time ever in their silly little debates, but he had delivered the one challenge that Garak simply could not ignore. He felt very tempted indeed to run to the infirmary and rip Dukat's head off for putting his pathetic moves on poor Doctor Bashir, but his self control served him well. No. There had to a better way to get him back for this.
He thought about it for most of the day, and by closing time he had a plan ready, that actually made him smile to himself, as he locked up the shop. With a little luck, the first stage of his plan would be executed that very night. With a new spring in his step, he made his way to Quark's bar.
Part 2.
Quark's was thankfully not overcrowded, so Garak took a seat at the bar next to the ever present Morn, being fussed over by Quark himself. Ordering kanar, Garak settled down prepared to wait patiently for the right moment to set his plan in motion. He could hardly believe his luck when he almost immediately spotted the key player in his scheme, descending the stairs from the holosuites upstairs with Dax.
Their costumes would suggest they had left another one of those fairy tale scenarios that Jadzia was so fond of. Both she and the major looked radiant in their flowing satin and lace gowns, but of course Kira was as uncomfortable as ever about the whole thing and wore a frown that spoke volumes about her evening. Dax apparently had somewhere else to be and strode from the bar with her dress flowing behind her.
Kira pulled off her veiled hat and sat down heavily at the bar one seat away from Garak. Perfect. He really could not have planned it better himself.
“Why, Major, you certainly look ravishing this evening!”
Kira quirked an eyebrow at the Cardassian, just as Quark came to take her order.
“Thanks... I guess. Yes, I'll have a-”
“Please, allow me to buy you a drink! It's not every day one gets to drink with a vision of such skillful tailoring so wonderfully displayed.”
Ignoring Quark, who was openly listening in, Kira squinted at the tailor.
“What are you up to, Garak?”
Garak chuckled and rolled his eyes.
“Really! Here I'm simply trying to be friendly and immediately I'm suspected of being up to something. Should it really surprise you that even the outcast Cardassian would feel generous in the company of such beauty?”
Kira's eyes were still narrowed and apparently she didn't trust Garak any further than she could throw him. So to Quark's immense disappointment, she simply excused herself and found a table elsewhere in the establishment, where she was quickly joined by Odo. Garak followed her form with his eyes all the way to her table, and not until Quark had delivered her drink and returned to the bar, did Garak return to his kanar.
Quark sighed at the sight of Odo joining her, and talked to the air.
“A damn shame. One of the most beautiful females on the station, with hands that were simply made for oomox, prefers to drink with the biggest stick in the mud that ever lived.”
Garak sipped his kanar and glanced at the constable.
“Yes, the lovely major does seem to hold the admiration of a multitude of races. Especially Cardassians...”
Suddenly aware of what Garak had said, Quark turned to the tailor with a sneaky grin.
“Oh? And would that admiration extend to you, by any chance?”
Garak could have danced with joy at how perfectly things played out, but he kept his face calm and simply said in an undertone, that was easily audible to the huge Ferengi ears not two feet away:
“Oh no. I wouldn't want to go down that road again.”
Sipping his kanar, he pretended not to notice how Quark suddenly gripped the edge of the bar for support and stared at him with a mixture of horror and excitement.
“You... you're not telling me that you... and the major...?!”
Hitching on his best bland face, Garak swirled his kanar a few times in his glass before answering.
“Of course not. I told you no such thing.”
With that he drained his glass and left the bar, only containing his grin with massive effort. Stage one executed to perfection.
Part 3.
A few days later, Kira entered Ops with a fresh frown and went to her console without returning any of the greetings coming her way. O'Brien sent Dax a questioning look, but she simply shook her head covertly at him in a -don't ask- gesture. When the major went back to the turbolift, Dax followed her and started talking as soon as the lift was in motion.
“Are you feeling all right, Nerys?”
Kira spun around to meet the Trill's concerned eyes.
“Why is everybody asking me that today?! Everyone keeps treating me like somebody I know died! Something really strange is going on!”
Dax lowered her eyes and shrugged.
“Well, I suppose people just want to make sure that you're ok... considering.”
The venom dripped from Kira's words as she asked:
“Considering... what, exactly?!”
As the turbolift came to a halt, Dax wisely attempted to escape, but it was too late. Kira cornered her and her eyes shot lighting at her friend.
“You know something about this, Jadzia! What's going on?!”
Trying to slide past the major, Dax replied evasively:
“It's really not my place to say.”
Capturing her arm in a vice like grip, Kira snarled:
“Oooooh no. It most certainly IS your place to say!”
Knowing she was caught, Jadzia motioned for Kira to leave the turbolift with her, and went into one of the alcoves on the promenade. Folding her arms over her chest, Kira waited with smoldering eyes. Dax swallowed and tried to explain.
“Well.. it's just... word has been going around the station for a while that you've just... uhm... ended a romantic relationship.”
Kira rolled her eyes.
“Gossip. I should have known. All right then. Who should I supposedly have had a relationship with?”
A few seconds later half the promenade stopped in shock as the major's voice made the shop windows tremor.
“WHAT???!!!!”
Part 4
Not five minutes later, Garak saw the major stomp into his shop, practically shooting daggers at him with her eyes, and the one customer browsing his wares was clever enough to flee from the shop immediately.
“I should have known you were up to something the other day at Quark's!”
Garak simply smiled placidly at the furie in his shop.
“Good day to you too, Major. And whatever you seem to think I was up to I'll tell you again, like I did then, that I was merely being friendly.”
Kira looked like she was about to spontaneously self-combust as she snarled:
“Then how would you explain that the whole station suddenly thinks that we've had some sort of affair and have recently broken up?!”
Letting his eyeridges rise, Garak replied calmly:
“Do they really? Well, I would suppose that Quark has been starting rumors again. I guess it was only a matter of time before he ran out of more interesting material.”
Stepping in so close to the tailor that he could feel the angry heat from her face, Kira hissed at him:
“Are you trying to tell me that you have nothing to do with this?”
Rolling his eyes, Garak pushed the major gently away from him.
“Major, whatever I might have said or done, I can assure you I certainly did not start this rumor. So why don't you go put your considerable charms to good use with the Ferengi, who is no doubt the originator of this particular tale?”
Seething, Kira sent Garak a last look, that spoke volumes of his untimely death if he was lying, before she spun on her heel and stomped towards Quark's.
Part 5.
Doctor Bashir was busy as usual in his infirmary, when Quark staggered in with a pained look, holding on to his left ear as if afraid it would fall off.
“Doctor! I need help! Major Kira just tried to take my ear off!”
Getting up from his console with a frown, Bashir placed Quark on a bio-bed and gently pried the Ferengi's hand away from the ear to inspect the damage.
“It doesn't look like there's any damage, Quark. And why would Kira try to hurt you?”
Quark sent the doctor an outraged look.
“I have no idea! All right, so I might have told a few people about her breakup with Garak, but that's hardly reason enough to pull my lobes off!”
Busy running his tricorder over the ear, it took Bashir a few seconds to absorb Quark's words.
“I don't see any internal damage either- hold on.... Garak? And Major Kira?!”
The Ferengi waved his hand in a dismissive gesture and replied:
“Old news, Doctor. Now what are you going to do about my lobe?!”
Absently reaching for a hypospray, Bashir blinked hard, trying to absorb this piece of information.
“I can give you a mild painkiller, but that's it. Garak and Kira? When were they together?!”
Not wanting to answer until he got his hypo, Quark sighed with relief as it hissed against his neck.
“No idea. But trust me, it was all over their faces a few days ago that they just broke up. I think Garak dumped the poor major. He was all smiles and she was crushed, poor thing.”
Bashir's voice was thick with disbelief at the Ferengi's words.
“You can't be serious...”
Jumping off the bio-bed and straightening his jacket, Quark gave Bashir the superior look of a man, who knows something that others don't.
“Never more so, Doctor. Thank you for your time, but now I really must get back to my bar.”
As Quark strode out of the infirmary, Bashir sank slowly into his chair with a shocked look on his face. Garak having a relationship... with Major Kira?! How did he manage to miss that? He knew that he hadn't had much time for their lunches lately, but surely something like this couldn't possibly have happened without him even suspecting.
Shaking his head, he tried to return to work, but his nurses would spot him several times that day, simply sitting at his console, staring into the air with a distant look.
Part 6
Meanwhile, Garak was unfortunately on the receiving end of the major's wrath and was currently pushed up against a wall with her elbow slowly crushing his windpipe. Garak wheezed a few times before he managed to croak:
“Major, whatever I have done, surely it doesn't merit this kind of violence!”
Kira's eyes blazed and her dangerously low voice assured him that resistance would only make it much much worse for the tailor.
“You told Quark that you had been with me before and would never do so again.”
Another wheeze and a futile attempt to swallow preceded Garak's reply:
“I really don't remember saying any such thing. Did he happen to recall my exact words?”
Squinting at the Cardassian, she let up the pressure a little, at the sight of the blue eyes starting to water.
“He claims you looked at me and said that you would never go down that road again.”
Garak gasped in a few more mouthfuls of precious air before nodding.
“Ah yes, I see now where things might have taken a bad turn. Allow me to explain myself. And perhaps you might consider releasing me? This is certainly not my preferred way of conducting a conversation.”
Again Kira's eyes conveyed very clearly, that to her, this was certainly not a conversation. More like an interrogation, and she was very unwilling to grant her suspect any more freedom. But after a few seconds, she did move away, finally letting Garak breathe freely.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she watched him take a few deep breaths, smooth his hair back and straighten his suit, before hitching on his usual pleasant smile and directing it at her.
“I would never try to deny that I said those words. In fact, I commend Quark's memory for recalling them so clearly. But apparently his sordid mind has jumped to conclusions again.”
A deadly look from the major made him hurriedly continue:
“When I said those words, I was merely referring to the fact that I once had a... liaison with a Bajoran. Sadly, the whole thing ended very badly and I was eventually forced to go to Constable Odo to put a stop to the unpleasant attention I got from ending the affair.”
Kira's eyes seemed to squint more and more, until only the smallest slit of her dark eyes were visible.
“You're kidding...”
Garak's smile vanished in favour of a serious and slightly affronted expression.
“I assure you, I never joke about love. I'm afraid that I cannot tell you the name of the Bajoran in question, as secrecy was part of the compromise we finally agreed upon. But if you really don't believe me, you can go ask Constable Odo. He can verify my every word.”
Searching his face for any untruth and finding none, Kira finally huffed angrily and resigned herself to leaving the infuriating Cardassian behind, in favour of seeing the only person on this station that she knew she could trust to always tell her the truth.
Behind her back, Garak allowed himself a satisfied smirk. Oh yes. Things were progressing nicely.
(Continued in next post)
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James Bond of DS9(Garak)+ Doctor Delicious(Bashir)+ Michael Kelso of DS9(Quark)= PRICELESS DS9 FICTION!!!!!
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Do you think I captured his voice ok?
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I think I'll go bonkers soon from all the people actually liking this. :oD
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Oh, evil evil Garak.
Great stuff.
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