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Date: Sun, 16 May 2004 20:44:17 -0500
Subject: [ASCEM-S] NEW: 7/8 A Slight Case of Blackmail (DS9-G/B-NC17)
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Title:   A Slight Case of Blackmail
Author:  Kathryn Ramage
Series:  DS9
Codes:   G/B  
Rating:  NC17 
Part:    7/8

See Part 1 for summary, disclaimer, etc.

|~4~|

Sometime later, Julian awoke at the sound of a soft *thud*. 

"Sir?" he called out.  

No answer. 

"Commander, are you all right?"  He got out of bed, but paused 
before unlocking the door.  He'd been told to stay in... 

Then he cast his hesitation aside.  It was all very nice of Sisko 
and Garak to want to protect him, but he wasn't a little prince 
in a tower, to be guarded from danger at all costs.  If something 
had happened to his commander, he had a duty to investigate.  He 
was, after all, capable of defending himself.  There was a phaser 
tucked under his pillow, ready for just such an emergency.  

Taking the phaser out, he confirmed that it was set it to stun, 
then unlocked the door and crept out.

The rest of the quarters were dark and silent as he crossed 
quickly to the other bedroom.  From the light panels over Sisko's 
bed, he could see that it was unoccupied.  

Then he saw the bulk of a body lying on the floor on the far side 
of the bed.  He scrambled over.

A quick examination showed that Sisko had been hit on the head; 
a large, purple lump was rising just above his temple, and a 
thin rivulet of fresh blood ran down the side of his face.  What-
ever had happened, it must have occurred only a few minutes ago.  
With no medkit at hand, Bashir could only make sure that the 
commander's vital signs were stable; he was about to call for 
emergency assistance, when he froze at the sound of someone 
moving stealthily nearby.

He left the unconscious commander and ventured out into the living 
area.  

As he passed the cluster of armchairs and sofa at the middle of 
the room, someone grabbed the pajama fabric at the backs of his 
calves and swiftly brought him down.  An arm went around his waist 
to drag him back behind one of the chairs and a hand covered his 
mouth before he could cry out.

"Julian," Garak's voice, near his ear, "be still."

He relaxed.  The hand on his mouth dropped away, but Garak 
continued to hold him.  

"What are you doing here?" Bashir whispered.

"I was keeping watch in the corridor outside, when I saw someone 
breach the door.  I followed him in.  Where is Commander Sisko?"

"Out cold.  Where-?"

"I don't know.  Stay here, and try to stay out of danger."  Garak 
rose and left him.  

The tailor moved so quietly that, within seconds, Bashir couldn't 
tell where he had gone.  A door slid open--the door to Sisko's 
room, from the direction of the sound.  Was it Garak going in, he
wondered, or someone else coming out?  Had the intruder been in 
there all the time? In the bathroom? The closet?

A measured footfall.  A disruptor shot.  There was a scuffle, and 
then someone headed his way.  

Julian rose from his hiding place, phaser ready.  Hoping it wasn't 
Garak, he shot.  He saw his target, frozen for an instant in the 
flash of the phaser blast, then the man fell to the carpet.

"Lights!" Garak ordered, and came forward to find the doctor stand-
ing over a sprawled, stunned Cardassian, looking down at the face. 

"I don't believe it," said Julian.  "It's Renavik." 

~*~

"I still can't believe it."  

Bashir was repeating this same refrain even after Security had 
taken Renavik away and Sisko had been conveyed to the Infirmary.  
He stood over one of the biobeds now. 

"Of all our suspects," he went on talking as he tended to the 
unconscious commander.  "Renavik seemed the least likely.  He was- 
well- so _nice_.  I could see he found me attractive, but I never 
imagined he would do something like this just to get to me--break-
ing into Commander Sisko's quarters, attacking him.  It seems so 
incredible."  

"Not so incredible," Garak replied thoughtfully.  While Bashir 
worked, he had taken a place near the Infirmary door and stood 
looking out over the quiet Promenade in the direction of the 
Security Office, where Renavik was being held.  "During his 
Exarchy on Bajor, Renavik's tastes for Bajoran boys was well 
known.  It became quite a scandal, in fact."

Bashir paused in wielding a dermal regenerator and looked up at 
him.  "You _knew_ this, and you didn't tell me?"

"I was reluctant to. I could see that you were already unsettled 
by Renavik's attentions and I didn't want to distress you by giving 
you more information about him.  Sincerely, Julian, I didn't think 
it had anything to do with our situation.  After all, Renavik was 
not the only Cardassian official during the Occupation to be guilty 
of that kind of misconduct.  But, given his rank, nothing was done 
about it.  When his activities became too indiscreet to be over-
looked, he was quietly called back to Cardassia and reassigned."  

The doctor considered this while he finished treating Sisko's 
injuries, then picked up a hypospray containing a mild stimulant 
to bring him around.  "Given his position now," he asked, "will 
anything be done about this?"

"Probably not.  At most, Renavik will be asked to resign from the 
Detapa Council.  It wouldn't surprise me if the whole incident was 
simply hushed up."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Sisko rumbled.  He 
opened his eyes and focused on the doctor.  He tried to get up, 
but Bashir firmly took him by the forearms.

"Careful, sir.  You've sustained a blunt trauma to the head.  I've
repaired the damage, but you're going to feel a bit dizzy.  Slowly
now..."  He helped the commander into a sitting position, checked 
his pupils, and asked, "What's the last thing you remember?"

"I woke up.  There was a Cardassian standing at the foot of my 
bed..."  Sisko rubbed just above his temple.  

"That would be Renavik," said Bashir.

"Where is he now?"  

"He's in custody, sir, in the Security Office.  We can go and talk 
to him as soon as you're feeling up to it."

"I'm feeling up to it.  Let's go."

They went to the Security Office.  Odo, restored to humanoid form 
and more eager than ever to know what all this was about, admitted 
them to see Renavik, who was seated in one of the cells.  The 
Councilor rose to his feet as the trio entered.

"Commander Sisko, I'm so glad to see you haven't been seriously 
harmed.  Please, let me offer my sincerest apologies for my... 
mistake."

"Oh, it was a mistake, all right," Sisko replied with a coolness 
that barely concealed his anger.

"I got into the wrong room--entirely by accident," Renavik 
insisted.  "It was Dr. Bashir I wanted to see."  

"That doesn't excuse your breaking in in the middle of the night."

"No, it doesn't.  I can only say that, after my conversation with 
the doctor earlier this evening, I was encouraged to hope that I 
wouldn't be unwelcome."  He turned to Bashir.  "I meant you no 
harm, Doctor."

Under the circumstances, Julian found this hard to believe.  "How 
did you know where I was?" he asked.

"After you left the reception, I noticed that Legate Hirkus had 
also departed and I became alarmed for you.  I followed him out to 
be certain that you weren't in any danger.  I was quite relieved 
when I saw that Hirkus hadn't found you--but you were with another 
Cardassian, your friend here."  He gestured at Garak.  "I thought 
it would be prudent to follow you a little longer, to what I 
assumed were your quarters."

"But you didn't go in right away," said Sisko.

"No.  Dr. Bashir's friend looked as if he meant to take up resi-
dence in the corridor outside for a very long time.  I saw no 
opportunity to enter without drawing attention to myself. I didn't 
want to cause any awkwardness, so I returned to the reception and 
came back once things were more quiet.  I had no idea that you were 
there, Commander Sisko, that you and the doctor shared quarters."  
Even in the midst of his discomfiture, Renavik took a moment to 
give Bashir an oblique glance.  "He is a remarkably busy young man!  
By the time I discovered my error, it was too late.  I was deeply 
mortified to find that I had inadvertently blundered into your 
bedroom, and I would have explained how I came to be there if I'd 
been given the chance.  Unfortunately for both of us, you are... 
formidable when angry.  I was only attempting to defend myself 
when I struck you.  I hope you can forgive my actions tonight."

Renavik sounded very contrite and eager to explain himself.  His 
account of his actions seemed fairly plausible: seeking Bashir, he 
could easily have wandered into Sisko's room by mistake, and then 
panicked and lashed out when he was caught--although his motives 
were probably not as innocent as he implied.

Sisko considered him expressionlessly for a few minutes, then 
replied after some deliberation, "I might be willing to forget 
the whole thing, Councilor, if you'll do something in return."

"Yes, certainly!"

"Hand over every copy of the file on that datarod.  If you've 
given it to anyone else, I want to know who.  After all the copies 
have been located and destroyed, I'll see how much I can forgive 
and forget."

"What file?"  Renavik's look of relief turned to puzzlement.  "What 
datarod?  Commander Sisko, believe me, I am anxious to do all I can 
to make amends for this regrettable incident, but I have no idea 
what you're talking about." 

"Have it your way, Councilor."  Sisko summoned Odo and ordered, 
"Keep him here until I contact the Cardassian authorities."  Then 
he turned and stalked out.  With one last glance at Renavik, Bashir
followed him.  Garak, who had said nothing during this interview, 
lingered behind.

"I'll have to let him go eventually," Sisko told the doctor once 
they were out on the darkened Promenade.  "Renavik's too important 
to the peace process.  But there's no reason why I can't make him 
uncomfortable for awhile, after everything he's put us through.  
He can spend the rest of the night in that cell."  He turned to 
Garak, who had just come out of the Security Office.  "Did he tell 
you anything?"

"No, Commander.  Councilor Renavik and I had nothing to say to 
each other."

"I'm going to bed.  I'll have another talk with him in the morning 
before I bring the Cardassian government into this.  Maybe he'll be 
more cooperative after he's had a few hours to think things over."  
The commander took a few steps, then looked to Bashir.  "Are you 
coming?"

"No, sir.  Good night."  After Sisko had gone, the doctor turned 
to Garak, who was apparently lost in thought.  "Let's go."

Garak came out of his reverie.  "Where?"

"My quarters.  There's no point in my going back to sleep in 
Jake's room now that all the excitement's over."

"Oh, I wouldn't put it quite _that_ way--not unless you're 
planning to tell me that you want to be alone for the rest of 
the night."

Julian smiled.  "No, I want you to stay.  After everything that's 
happened, I definitely do not want to be alone."  

They walked back to the habitat ring, Garak still pensive and 
less talkative than usual.  Once they were in his quarters, 
Bashir reached up to put his arms around the tailor's shoulders.  

"Thank goodness that it's all over with," he said after a kiss.  
"We really haven't the chance to spend much time together since 
all this began."  

"Is it over?" asked Garak.

"Of course.  No matter what the Cardassian government decides 
to do with Councilor Renavik..."  The words trailed away as he 
studied Garak's expression.  "You don't think this is the end of 
it, do you?  You think there's something more going on here?"

"I told you, Julian--I don't _know_ Renavik.  And now that I have 
seen him, I am certain that he doesn't know me either.  I can't 
think of any reason why he would do this."

"He didn't say anything to you after we left?"

"No, nothing.  If he had been planning to come to a private 
agreement with me, it would've been the opportune time to speak, 
but he didn't.  He only stared at me.  I don't believe he knows 
about the datarod at all."

"That's what he said, but Commander Sisko thought he was lying."

"He might be," Garak answered, "but he gave us an extremely 
convincing show of bewilderment.  I flatter myself that I can tell 
when people are concealing something, and I don't think Renavik 
was--at least, not about that datarod or the video file on it."

"But he must be involved somehow.  It's all too much of a co-
incidence otherwise.  All right, maybe he did take a fancy to me 
and decided to drop by tonight without waiting to be invited--but 
just when we're looking for Cardassians who _are_ interested in 
me?  Conference or no conference, there seem to be an awful lot of 
them around the station lately."  They went into the bedroom, the 
doctor stripping off his uniform on his way.  "Could Renavik be 
working with someone else, someone who does have a grudge against 
you?"

"That's the only conclusion I can come to."

"But _who_?"  

"I wish I knew..."  Garak sat down on the bed.  He was still pre-
occupied, but when Julian, now naked, sat down beside him, he put 
an arm around him and moved closer for another kiss.  

Their kisses deepened until, with a playful push, the doctor sent 
him flat down on his back and threw a leg over his waist, then 
sat astride him while pulling open the clasps of his tunic.  But 
Garak was not willing to be ridden this time; taking Bashir by 
the wrists, he sat up suddenly and tumbled Julian back onto the 
mattress.  He lowered his head to Julian's chest to taste the 
smooth, bare human flesh and began to kiss, slowly, lower...

Then Garak lifted his head and said, "Dukat!"

"Uh- what?"

"I've been a fool!"  He left the bed, quickly refastening his 
clothing.  "Excuse me, dear Julian. I have to attend to this right 
away.  Stay here.  I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I'll wait up," Bashir answered in bemusement as the door to his 
quarters slid shut.  And he meant to, but fell asleep long before
Garak returned. 


|~to be cont'd...~|


Kathryn Ramage                           kramage@erols.com
/~*~//~*~//~*~//~*~//~*~//~*~//~*~//~*~//~*~//~*~//~*~//~*~/ 
"It's about Garak...I'm afraid this relationship has gotten 
a little out of hand."
                                - Dr. Bashir, Past Prologue



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