Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 3x20

1. But I'm sorry, Doctor.

2. I just don't see the value of this man's work.

3. But, Garak, Shakespeare

4. is one of the giants of human literature.

5. I knew Brutus was going to kill Caesar in the first act.

6. But Caesar didn't figure it out until the knife was in his back.

7. But that's what makes it a tragedy.

8. Caesar couldn't conceive

9. that his best friend would plot to kill him.

10. "Tragedy" is not the word I'd use.

11. "Farce" would be more appropriate.

12. No, no, supposedly this man

13. is supposed to be a leader of a great empire

14. a brilliant military tactician, and yet he can't see

15. what's going on under his own nose.

16. Hmm.

17. Doctor, are you in a hurry?

18. I have to get to the Infirmary.

19. I've got a lot of work to do this afternoon.

20. Oh, you're fortunate.

21. I have more time

22. on my hands than I know what to do with.

23. Maybe you could finish those trousers

24. I dropped off last week.

25. Uh, tomorrow.

26. Tomorrow.

27. You're going to give yourself indigestion.

28. Well, I only have you to thank for that.

29. If you hadn't been so late, I could have enjoyed my lunch.

30. Well, this isn't the first time

31. I've seen you rush through a meal.

32. You never take the time to savor your food.

33. It seems to be a human characteristic.

34. Look over there.

35. That Talarian

36. is barely halfway through his meal

37. but his human companion's plate is empty.

38. Well maybe he and I can have dessert

39. while you and the Talarian while away the afternoon.

40. But it is a very interesting sociological phenomenon

41. don't you think?

42. For generations now, humankind has had more than enough food

43. and yet, you go about your eating as if you were afraid

44. someone was going to come along and snatch away your plate.

45. Garak, why don't you eat for a while and let me talk?

46. Fear of starvation amid plenty.

47. It points to some dark secret hidden in the human soul

48. a gnawing hunger.

49. Perhaps someone should do a study.

50. Why don't you?

51. You appear to have plenty of time on your hands.

52. Doctor, if you want to have your dessert

53. please, go ahead.

54. I won't be offended.

55. I have to go

56. and I'm sorry to leave while you're still eating.

57. No, no, I'm done as well.

58. But you've hardly touched your plate.

59. If you really must know, I've been nibbling

60. on Delavian chocolates all morning.

61. Where did you get Delavian chocolates?

62. Well, I promised my supplier I wouldn't tell

63. but since I deprived you of your dessert

64. I'd be more than happy to bring some by the Infirmary

65. later this afternoon.

66. Why, thank you. I'd like that.

67. Until then, Doctor?

68. Uh, Julian.

69. Major.

70. Garak.

71. About those atmospheric specifications

72. you requested for the Yalosian Ambassador...

73. 60 percent nitrogen, 10 percent benzene

74. and the rest hydrogen fluoride, as I recall.

75. Well we ran a test in one of the guest quarters.

76. The mixture is so corrosive it dissolved the carpet.

77. Well, don't look at me. It's what they breathe.

78. Oh, then I guess we'll just have to rip out the carpets.

79. Be sure not to replace them with anything red or orange.

80. Why not?

81. They don't see that part of the color spectrum.

82. Is there anything else I should know

83. about the Yalosians?

84. As a matter of fact...

85. Bashir to Infirmary.

86. Medical emergency on the Promenade.

87. It's Garak's shop.

88. Oh...

89. Are you all right?

90. As well as can be expected.

91. But I'm afraid your pants won't be ready tomorrow after all.

92. Report.

93. The explosion was caused

94. by a rupture in the power conduit behind that wall.

95. What caused the rupture?

96. Well, probably an overload in the ODN juncture.

97. I take it you don't agree.

98. Well, let's just say, I find it odd

99. that a conduit running behind Garak's shop

100. should just happen to overload.

101. So you think someone ruptured it deliberately?

102. I wouldn't be surprised.

103. It stands to reason that a man

104. with Garak's past would have enemies.

105. I'm detecting traces of nitrilin.

106. Nitrilin is extremely unstable.

107. And very rare.

108. It couldn't have come from the power conduit.

109. This could be the residue from a micro-explosive device

110. planted on the conduit and rigged to cause a rupture.

111. Making the explosion look like an accident.

112. Exactly.

113. Hmm.

114. Sisko to Ops.

115. Go ahead, Commander.

116. Delay the departure of all vessels

117. until further notice.

118. I have reason to believe

119. that someone may have tried to kill Mr. Garak.

120. Who would want to kill me, a simple tailor?

121. A simple tailor.

122. A simple tailor who used to be an agent

123. of the Obsidian Order.

124. The Obsidian Order.

125. Constable, you shouldn't put too much stock

126. in the good Doctor's flights of fancy.

127. Now, are you sure this explosion wasn't an accident?

128. Because I can't think of anyone who would wish me harm.

129. Someone tried to kill you, Garak.

130. Whoever it was may try again, so if I were you

131. I would give this matter some serious thought.

132. Well, let me see.

133. I mean, there's the Nausicaan whose wedding suit I misplaced

134. and the Yridian I owe money to

135. and of course, there's always Major Kira.

136. This is serious, Garak.

137. I'm being serious.

138. I don't think she likes me.

139. She doesn't, but if she wanted you dead, you would be.

140. You do have a point.

141. Could this attempt on your life

142. have anything to do with the reason

143. you were exiled from Cardassia?

144. Oh, I seriously doubt the Finance Ministry

145. would try to have me killed for failure to pay my taxes.

146. You expect us to believe that's the reason you were exiled?

147. Do you think I would lie about a thing like that?

148. It's not something I'm proud of.

149. I don't like explosions going off on my station, Garak.

150. Innocent people could have been hurt.

151. You could have been killed.

152. Now if there's anything you know you're not telling us

153. I suggest you start talking.

154. I've told you everything I can think of.

155. All right, then.

156. I'll investigate the "leads" you've given us.

157. If there's anyone else

158. you think I should talk to, let me know.

159. I certainly will.

160. We've assigned a security detail to you.

161. I suggest you stay as close to them as possible.

162. Ah.

163. Someone should do a study.

164. A study?

165. To try and figure out why some people

166. can't bring themselves to trust anyone

167. even if it's in their own best interest.

168. Why is it no one ever believes me

169. even when I'm telling the truth?

170. Have you ever heard

171. the story about the boy who cried wolf?

172. No.

173. It's a children's story about a young shepherd boy

174. who gets lonely while tending his flock

175. so he cries out to the villagers

176. that a wolf is attacking the sheep.

177. The people come running

178. but of course, there's no wolf.

179. He claims that it's run away

180. and the villagers praise him for his vigilance.

181. Clever lad.

182. Charming story.

183. I'm not finished.

184. The next day, the boy does it again

185. and the next, too

186. and on the fourth day, a wolf really comes.

187. The boy cries out at the top of his lungs

188. but the villagers ignore him

189. and the boy and his flock are gobbled up.

190. Well, that's a little graphic for children

191. wouldn't you say?

192. But the point is, if you lie all the time

193. nobody's going to believe you

194. even when you're telling the truth.

195. Are you sure that's the point, Doctor?

196. Of course.

197. What else could it be?

198. That you should never tell the same lie twice.

199. You wanted to see me?

200. I have bad news for you.

201. Major Kira has an airtight alibi.

202. I thought you might want

203. to look over the passenger manifests

204. of ships that recently came to the station.

205. To see if I recognize anyone who might wish me harm?

206. Exactly.

207. I suggest

208. you start with the most recent arrivals

209. and work your way backwards.

210. Well, don't worry about me, Constable.

211. I can manage on my own.

212. I'm not about to leave you alone in here

213. so you can look through my security files.

214. What makes you think

215. I haven't already looked through them?

216. I'm joking, of course.

217. Of course.

218. No, I'm afraid I don't recognize any of these names.

219. The bomb could have been planted

220. days ago or even weeks.

221. I suggest you keep going back just to be sure.

222. Oh, well, this could take forever.

223. I should think

224. you'd have plenty of time on your hands

225. now that your shop is no longer open for business.

226. Hmm.

227. Odo, I...

228. I finished running the bio-molecular scan

229. you asked me for.

230. I found traces of living tissue

231. on the bulkhead around the blast site.

232. This looks like the remains of a pheromonic sensor.

233. A what?

234. It's triggered

235. when a person of a particular species gets within range.

236. In this case, a Cardassian. Me.

237. They're known to be favored by Flaxian assassins

238. and it just so happens

239. a Flaxian came aboard the station just this morning.

240. So, Mister... Retaya

241. your papers indicate that you're a merchant.

242. I deal in fine wares, mostly fabrics and fragrances.

243. According to my information

244. you were a suspect in the murder of Dekora Assan on Japori II.

245. I was cleared on those charges.

246. It was a case of mistaken identity.

247. This is your sample case, I take it.

248. Yes.

249. Well, how fortunate.

250. As it happens

251. I'm looking for a gift for a friend.

252. A lady friend?

253. Exactly.

254. Unfortunately, I don't have a sense of smell.

255. Perhaps you could describe this fragrance for me.

256. It has a somewhat... floral bouquet.

257. Hmm.

258. We have a Cardassian tailor here on the station

259. named Garak.

260. There was an explosion

261. in his shop not long after you arrived.

262. I felt the blast.

263. Was he hurt?

264. Not seriously.

265. Hmm?

266. That one is more musky than the first.

267. Oh.

268. Tell me, where were you when the explosion occurred?

269. The Ferengi's bar.

270. I went there as soon as I arrived this morning.

271. Mm-hmm.

272. Huh?

273. I suppose I would have to describe that one as... spicy.

274. Mm... I see.

275. And how long were you at Quark's?

276. The rest of the day.

277. Right up until your Deputy came and brought me here.

278. So, have you found something for your lady friend?

279. Almost.

280. I think she would like something both floral...

281. and musky.

282. Perhaps... if we mixed these two?

283. Why not?

284. Very nice.

285. But on the other hand

286. she's also quite fond of spicy things.

287. Maybe we could add...

288. a drop of this as well.

289. I really don't think they would go well together.

290. Let's find out.

291. I really don't think your lady friend will like the aroma.

292. Much less the fact that

293. when these three fragrances are combined

294. they produce a gaseous mixture

295. that can trigger a fatal heart attack when inhaled.

296. I had no idea.

297. Then why did you stop me from mixing them?

298. As I said

299. I simply didn't think your friend would like the aroma.

300. Unless you have any more questions, I'd like to go now.

301. I have deliveries to make on Cardassia.

302. I'll let you know when you can leave the station.

303. Everything's set.

304. The transponder is on board the Flaxian's ship.

305. You're sure he won't find it?

306. Not a chance.

307. I've hidden it inside the ship's magneton relay.

308. You'll be able to track him

309. as long as you stay within half a light year.

310. Who do you think he's going to lead you to?

311. If I knew that, I wouldn't have to follow him.

312. Oh, I was wondering when you'd get here.

313. The Flaxian left two minutes ago.

314. If we're going to follow him, we'd better get moving.

315. What makes you think I'm going to follow him?

316. I happen to know

317. that you're too dogged an investigator to allow

318. the only witness in this case to simply disappear.

319. Oh, congratulations.

320. Your powers of deduction are truly astonishing.

321. Now if you will kindly disembark

322. I will get on with my dogged investigation.

323. I intend to go with you.

324. Forgive me...

325. but are you making a joke?

326. Cardassian humor escapes me.

327. I'm quite serious.

328. Believe me, when someone tries to kill you

329. it's no laughing matter.

330. Perhaps, but I don't

331. require your company on this trip.

332. My presence could be most helpful.

333. Especially if the Flaxian goes into Cardassian space.

334. I am not interested

335. in debating your usefulness to me.

336. I hate to interrupt you

337. but the Flaxian is getting farther away.

338. Now, I assume you've placed a tracking device on his ship

339. but if we don't get started soon

340. he's going to get out of range.

341. Rio Grande to Ops.

342. Request permission to depart.

343. Permission granted.

344. Trust me, Constable

345. I can be a most pleasant traveling companion.

346. And this promises to be an interesting trip.

347. The tracking device is working perfectly.

348. If I'm reading this correctly... and I'm no expert...

349. it looks like the Flaxian ship is about to go into warp.

350. Well... it seems

351. that our "interesting trip" has just been cut short.

352. According to our sensor logs, the Flaxian ship exploded

353. the moment its warp drive was engaged.

354. Was there malfunction?

355. Well, that's what I thought at first.

356. Then I analyzed the telemetry from the transponder

357. I planted on board the Flaxian ship.

358. Just before the explosion

359. there was an interference pattern

360. in the transponder's signal.

361. This interference could have been caused

362. by a forced neutrino inversion.

363. The Romulans.

364. They use neutrino inverters in their explosive devices.

365. Why would the Romulans want to destroy the Flaxian's ship?

366. One possibility

367. is that the Romulans hired the Flaxian to kill Garak

368. and then killed the Flaxian when he failed in his mission.

369. Do you have any evidence to support that?

370. It's only a supposition, but it fits the available facts.

371. All right, Mr. Garak.

372. Do you know why the Romulans might hire someone to kill you?

373. I have no idea.

374. I'm getting tired of hearing you say that.

375. How long do you expect us to believe...

376. He's telling the truth, Commander.

377. He doesn't know why the Romulans would try to kill him.

378. What makes you so sure?

379. Because if he did know, he'd already be spinning out

380. an elaborate web of lies to cover up the truth.

381. Well, the truth

382. is usually just an excuse for lack of imagination.

383. Is it?

384. If you want to know what the Romulans have against me

385. you'll have to ask them.

386. I intend to

387. but I don't expect them to be entirely forthcoming.

388. Yes, we destroyed the Flaxian's ship.

389. I have to say I'm a little surprised

390. to hear you admit it so easily.

391. Why would we hide it?

392. Retaya was wanted for crimes against the Romulan Empire.

393. His execution was perfectly legal.

394. We have information

395. that he may have worked as an assassin.

396. I have nothing to corroborate that

397. though it wouldn't surprise me.

398. Well, shortly after he arrived here

399. someone tried to kill a Cardassian

400. who lives aboard this station.

401. That would be Mr. Garak...

402. a cobbler, I believe.

403. A tailor, actually.

404. I'll correct our records.

405. That is, if he's still alive.

406. He is.

407. Well. Is there anything else?

408. One more thing.

409. How long had the Tal Shiar been looking for Retaya?

410. Nearly a year. Why?

411. Isn't it curious

412. that you finally caught up with him here

413. just hours after he attempted to kill Mr. Garak?

414. We're just grateful to have found him at all.

415. Now, if you're finished, Commander

416. I have other matters to attend to.

417. Hmm!

418. I take it you don't believe her either?

419. No.

420. But the question still remains.

421. Why would the Romulans want to have Garak killed?

422. I don't know.

423. Considering those uniforms of theirs, you'd think

424. they'd appreciate a decent tailor.

425. So, where does this leave your investigation?

426. At a standstill.

427. We don't know that the Romulans hired the Flaxian.

428. We don't even know that it was Retaya

429. who tried to kill Garak.

430. All we do know is

431. that a bomb went off in Garak's shop.

432. All right...

433. then let's start with him.

434. What do we know about Garak?

435. He was exiled from Cardassia, for what reason, we're not sure.

436. He never leaves the station.

437. He avoids contact with other Cardassians.

438. And it's possible

439. that he was once an intelligence agent of the Obsidian Order.

440. A very strong possibility, Commander.

441. Agreed.

442. So we can assume that this attempt on his life

443. had something to do with the Order.

444. Unfortunately, he's rather uncooperative when it comes

445. to answering questions about his past.

446. And the Obsidian Order is uncooperative

447. when it comes to answering questions

448. about their former agents.

449. Ordinarily, yes.

450. What do you mean?

451. I have certain resources in the Cardassian government.

452. I take it you don't want to elaborate on that?

453. I'd rather not.

454. But I would like to request the use of a runabout.

455. Granted.

456. Thank you, sir.

457. Stop there.

458. Where are you?

459. Nearby.

460. I've changed my appearance since last we saw each other.

461. I don't want you to see me.

462. I need some information.

463. Is this about the tailor shop?

464. Yes.

465. I didn't do it.

466. I wasn't going to ask you that.

467. I think the Romulans tried to kill Garak.

468. Very good, Odo.

469. I see working for the Bajorans

470. hasn't entirely dulled your instincts.

471. My question is, "why?"

472. You'd have to ask the Romulans.

473. But I do know that you are investigating

474. a very insignificant piece of a much larger puzzle.

475. What do you mean?

476. There's been a great deal of unusual

477. Romulan activity these past weeks.

478. Cloaked ships believed to be warbirds

479. have been detected near the Cardassian border...

480. troop movements...

481. communication activity...

482. Sounds like they're preparing for an invasion.

483. It has occurred to us

484. and we're ready for it, if it should happen.

485. But it doesn't make any sense.

486. Does war ever make sense?

487. Still the wry observer of humanoid folly.

488. Tell me, do you still do the Cardassian neck trick?

489. No, I don't.

490. Pity. You were so good at it.

491. Garak isn't the only former operative in the Order

492. who had an "unfortunate incident" yesterday

493. but he's the luckiest.

494. The other five didn't survive.

495. Five operatives were killed yesterday?

496. "Killed"?

497. No.

498. Three died from "natural causes"

499. the other two perished in "accidents."

500. Quite a coincidence.

501. If you believe in coincidence.

502. I take it you think the Romulans

503. had something to do with their deaths?

504. There were certain indications of their involvement.

505. That still leaves us with the question, "why?"

506. Here.

507. Those are the names of the five dead operatives.

508. I suggest you show that to Garak

509. then ask him that question.

510. I'll do that.

511. I trust you'll agree that this information

512. satisfies my debt to you.

513. Agreed.

514. However, if you do learn something

515. from your tailor, and wish to share it with me

516. I would be indebted to you again.

517. I'll consider it.

518. They're all dead?

519. I take it you're not going to mourn their passing?

520. Oh, quite the contrary!

521. In fact, if these were different circumstances

522. I'd be celebrating tonight.

523. So you did know them?

524. Oh, yes, we were quite well-acquainted.

525. In the Obsidian Order?

526. Oh, Constable, we've been down this road before.

527. I don't see why...

528. I've had enough of your dissembling, Garak!

529. I am not Dr. Bashir

530. and we are not sparing amiably over lunch!

531. Now you dragged me into this investigation

532. and you are now going to cooperate with me!

533. "Dragged you in"?

534. I don't know what you're talking...

535. You blew up your own shop, Garak!

536. Well...

537. I don't think I've ever seen

538. that particular expression on your face.

539. Is it surprise?

540. Yes, Constable, it is.

541. I'm surprised that you

542. could come to this unlikely conclusion.

543. Oh, drop the pretense.

544. I knew as soon as I spoke with the Flaxian.

545. Assassins don't like varying their methods.

546. He planned to poison you.

547. I think you spotted him on the station

548. and then blew up your own shop

549. so that I'd begin an investigation.

550. That seems like a very elaborate way

551. to get you involved.

552. If I needed your help I could have just asked.

553. But you couldn't be sure

554. that I'd take you seriously, or that I'd help you.

555. Besides, I think you secretly enjoyed

556. destroying your own shop.

557. Well, I admit watching it burn wasn't exactly tragic.

558. Whether or not you want to admit it

559. you pulled me into this case, and now you're stuck with me.

560. I want to know who those men were

561. and what your connection was to them.

562. We were all associates of Enabran Tain.

563. Enabran Tain, the former head of the Obsidian Order.

564. He retired some years ago.

565. He was, I might add, the only head of the agency

566. who ever lived long enough to do so.

567. For some time, we were his most trusted advisors.

568. Do you have

569. any idea why the Romulans would want you all dead?

570. I don't know...

571. but Tain might.

572. That is unless he

573. suffered an "unfortunate accident" as well.

574. That is a distinct possibility.

575. May I use your communications system?

576. By all means.

577. Well, that's an interesting way of scrambling a signal.

578. Yes, I thought you might appreciate it

579. on an aesthetic level.

580. Ah, here we are.

581. Mila.

582. Elim.

583. I never thought I'd see your face again.

584. I need to speak to Tain.

585. It's urgent.

586. You can't. He isn't here.

587. Where is he?

588. I don't know.

589. He left yesterday in a great hurry.

590. He wouldn't tell me where...

591. Maybe he realized someone was coming after him.

592. He's in trouble, isn't he?

593. You have to help him, Elim.

594. I know you're still bitter

595. because of what happened between the two of you, but...

596. you must help him, Elim.

597. If you speak to him, tell him to contact me.

598. Promise me. You help him.

599. I promise.

600. I'll need a runabout, Constable.

601. We'll need a runabout.

602. I'm coming with you.

603. I hope you know what you're doing, Garak.

604. So do I.

605. Is there anything you need me to do while you're gone?

606. Like what?

607. I don't know... any unfinished business?

608. Actually, Doctor, there is something.

609. Well, what?

610. If you go into my quarters

611. and examine the bulkhead next to the replicator

612. you'll notice there's a false panel.

613. Behind that panel, is a compartment

614. containing an isolinear rod.

615. If I'm not back within 78 hours

616. I want you to take that rod

617. and eat it.

618. Eat it?

619. Mm-hmm.

620. You're joking.

621. Yes, Doctor, I am.

622. Very funny.

623. I thought so.

624. But the answer to your question, Doctor, is "no."

625. There's nothing you can do for me while I'm away.

626. Then these are for you.

627. Delavian chocolates.

628. But these were meant for you.

629. I know... I thought

630. you might need them more than I do.

631. Thank you.

632. Good luck.

633. Hmm.

634. We've cleared the station.

635. Now if you'll be kind enough

636. to let me know where we're going, I'll set a course.

637. Head for the Cardassian border.

638. We're going to the third planet of the Unefra system.

639. How do you know that's where Tain has gone?

640. I don't, but he has a safe house there

641. that no one's supposed to know about...

642. especially me.

643. That woman, Mila... who is she?

644. She's been Tain's housekeeper and confidant for over 30 years.

645. She seemed almost fond of you.

646. Is it so hard to believe

647. that there's one person in this galaxy

648. who could regard me with a certain affection?

649. Well, I could believe there's one

650. but I wouldn't expect it

651. to be someone who worked for Enabran Tain.

652. As I understand it

653. the two of you didn't part on the best of terms.

654. You could say that.

655. Tain was directly responsible for my exile from Cardassia.

656. Then I don't understand...

657. Why I would be risking my life to help him?

658. Exactly.

659. Yes...

660. I can see how that would be puzzling.

661. All right...

662. you owe him something.

663. Ha! A logical deduction.

664. I see why you're the Constable.

665. But it's more than that.

666. He means something to you.

667. Something personal?

668. Ah, now you've just moved from deduction to supposition.

669. You're not the kind of man

670. who would go to such lengths simply to repay a debt.

671. Are you trying to say that I have no sense of honor?

672. Well, that remains to be seen.

673. Yes.

674. You wouldn't risk going

675. into Cardassian space for just anyone.

676. It would have to be someone important to you...

677. someone you cared about.

678. I think you were more than Tain's advisor.

679. I think you were his protégé and he was your mentor.

680. That is, until he sent you into exile.

681. And yet, despite all that

682. you care enough about him to risk your life for him.

683. Or is all that just supposition?

684. Very interesting analysis...

685. very interesting.

686. Particularly coming from you.

687. Oh?

688. It's been my observation

689. that you always act from a sense of justice

690. or at least, what you consider justice.

691. There's no feeling behind what you do...

692. no emotion beyond a certain distaste

693. for loose ends and disorder.

694. You don't know what it means to care about someone, do you?

695. People are just interesting creatures

696. to be studied and analyzed.

697. Is there any point to this?

698. Only that I find it interesting

699. that you ascribe feelings and motivations to me

700. that you know nothing about.

701. Or am I wrong?

702. Tell me.

703. Is there one person in this universe you do care for?

704. One person who's more

705. than just an interesting puzzle to be solved.

706. Is there, Odo?

707. Anyone?

708. If there were, I certainly wouldn't tell you.

709. And that would be a wise decision.

710. I'm taking us out of warp.

711. We're approaching the Unefra system.

712. What's that?

713. I'm detecting

714. a subspace energy surge directly above us.

715. A vessel of some kind is de-cloaking.

716. It's a Romulan warbird.

717. In Cardassian space?

718. They've locked onto us with a tractor beam.

719. Take the helm.

720. I'll going to try to send out a distress signal.

721. I can't pull away.

722. The tractor lock is too strong.

723. They're jamming our transmission.

724. Do you think you got through?

725. I don't know.

726. I'm going to hail them, see what they want.

727. I think we're about to find out.

728. Tain.

729. Ah, Garak, it's good of you to come.

730. It spares me the trouble

731. of having to send someone else to kill you.

732. Come in, come in!

733. It's been a long time, Elim.

734. So, you're a tailor now.

735. Is this one of your creations?

736. A minor example of my work, yes.

737. I don't think I like the neckline.

738. Well, you always did have a keen sense of fashion

739. but you seem to have let it go

740. along with your once-trim figure.

741. Constable Odo.

742. I've always wanted to meet you.

743. I wish I could say the same.

744. Oh, come now.

745. Haven't you ever been the least bit curious about me

746. about my relationship with Garak

747. or our work in the Obsidian Order?

748. I seldom waste time speculating

749. about retired spymasters and their associates.

750. He's good.

751. He hides his true feelings almost as well as you do, Elim.

752. He'd have made a good operative in the old days.

753. I had the same thought myself.

754. But then, those days are long gone.

755. At least, they are for me.

756. You, on the other hand

757. seem to have left your retirement far behind

758. unless you're simply on a pleasure cruise

759. with your pointed-eared friends.

760. Cunning, isn't he?

761. He makes a racial slur within earshot of two Romulans

762. putting me in the position of either defending them

763. thus, giving away my allegiance to them

764. or letting the comment pass... in which case

765. he's managed to plant a seed of discord between us.

766. Frankly, I don't find any of this interesting.

767. You both go to such lengths

768. to hide the true meaning of your words

769. you end up saying nothing.

770. I think you'll find when I have something to say

771. you won't have any trouble understanding it.

772. To answer your question, Garak

773. no, I'm not on a pleasure cruise.

774. This ship is part of a fleet

775. of Romulan and Cardassian vessels.

776. A fleet that will very soon be traveling

777. through the wormhole into the Gamma Quadrant.

778. I take it you're not

779. on a mission of peaceful exploration.

780. Not exactly.

781. You're going to attack the Dominion, aren't you?

782. You're going to stage a first strike against them

783. before they can come into the Alpha Quadrant.

784. A clear and precise analysis.

785. Commander Sisko must find you a valuable advisor.

786. A daring plan.

787. I didn't think there was anyone in the Central Command

788. bold enough to take on the Dominion.

789. Who said anything about the Central Command?

790. Who said anything about the Central Command?

791. This is a joint operation

792. between the Obsidian Order and the Tal Shiar.

793. We've been building a fleet of ships

794. in the Orias system for months now.

795. If you attack the Dominion, they'll certainly strike back.

796. You'll be taking Romulus and Cardassia into war...

797. a war you may not win.

798. I don't think they'll be striking back.

799. Our intention is to wipe out the Dominion

800. in one single blow by eliminating the Founders.

801. Without them, the Dominion will collapse.

802. You seem disturbed by this, changeling.

803. Why? After all...

804. didn't you turn your back on your people?

805. You seem to know a great deal about me and my people.

806. We know everything you know

807. including the location of their homeworld.

808. Ah!

809. Starfleet has shared their intelligence

810. on the Dominion with the Romulans.

811. And the Romulans have shared it with me.

812. You'll forgive me

813. if I reduce the scope of this conversation

814. to something a little more personal.

815. But why was it necessary to kill me

816. and the rest of our former colleagues

817. in order to embark

818. on this excursion into the Gamma Quadrant?

819. Because, Garak, I don't plan

820. on going back into retirement when this is over.

821. I plan on going back to my old job and my old life.

822. You were afraid we knew things...

823. things that could be used against you

824. and so you decided to have us eliminated.

825. Like I used to say, always burn your bridges behind you.

826. You never know who might be trying to follow.

827. You always used to say, as well, that the Tal Shiar was sloppy.

828. You never should have relied on them to burn your bridges.

829. True.

830. They never should have hired the Flaxian

831. to blow up your shop.

832. Actually, I blew up my shop.

833. It was a way of piquing the interest

834. of the good Constable here.

835. You blew up your own shop?

836. You, my friend, are a true original.

837. If you hadn't betrayed me

838. things would have been very different.

839. I never betrayed you!

840. At least, not in my heart.

841. Why do you think I'm here?

842. I came because I thought

843. the Romulans were trying to kill you.

844. I came here to save you.

845. I never thought I'd hear myself say this, Garak...

846. but I believe you.

847. You can go.

848. Excuse me?

849. The changeling, of course, will have to stay

850. but you're free to go.

851. Your runabout is in Launching Bay 3.

852. Just like that?

853. Just like that.

854. Aren't you concerned that I might warn

855. the Central Command and Starfleet of your plans?

856. It's too late.

857. Central Command will have a war on its hands

858. whether it wants one or not.

859. And as for Starfleet, this isn't their fight.

860. They won't interfere.

861. It's a trick, Garak.

862. After all this, he won't let you just walk away.

863. It's not a trick, it's a choice.

864. You can walk out that door or join me.

865. Join you?

866. That is what you've been waiting for, isn't it?

867. To end your exile?

868. To come back into the fold?

869. I'm asking you to serve Cardassia again, by my side.

870. You'll pardon me if I appear a little startled

871. but are you saying that all is forgiven?

872. I can't forgive what you did, but I can try to forget...

873. to put it aside as if it never happened.

874. So, do you want to go back to your shop and hem pants

875. or shall we pick up where we left off?

876. Garak, this is the man who put you into exile.

877. This is the man who just two days ago

878. tried to have you killed.

879. Yes, he is...

880. but it doesn't matter.

881. I am back.