#but I wanted to do a little something for Zalan

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Meet My Rook: Warden Zalan Thorne

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DS9 Garashir Fic Rec: “Condemnation” by Elizabeth Helena

This story does not feature the nice, chibi version of Garak that sometimes crops up but a Garak who, after the removal of the wire, is looking for another kind of fix: Bashir. But it seems like certain incidents from his past -- revealed in flashbacks which alternate between the present-day story -- are haunting him. This is a Garak who hates himself. 

Warnings for implied torture. Also note that the link is to a .txt file on squidge.org, not HTML.

Condemnation by Elizabeth Helena

Excerpt

"Hello, Zalan."

She looked up, nervously meeting his eyes.  "Hello, sir."

"Please, call me Garak."  He said gently, thinking that she had been fortunate to inherit her father's bright blue eyes, but the rest of her mother's more delicate features.

"Mother -," she glanced at the door before continuing, "mother says its rude for children to call adults by their name."

"Then it will be our little secret, shall it?"  He smiled at her, and hesitantly she smiled back.

"Alright - Garak."  She agreed reluctantly, but appeared to relax somewhat.

There were many more ways he could build a connection between them, and it wouldn't be at all difficult considering the mother had already laid the groundwork by telling the child to obey him.  But Garak told himself that enough time had already been wasted, and that regardless of his usual assessment of their proficiency, the guards must have completed all of the necessary preparations by now.  It was easier than admitting that he didn't want to establish a genuine bond  between the child and himself.

"I have something I need to do, Zalan, but afterwards I can make arrangements for your comfort.  If you will come with me now, I would be much obliged."  Garak had often found the simple act of treating children like equals worked wonders on them, although he had never used the technique for such an insidious purpose before.  Hate yourself tomorrow, Elim, he told himself as he led her out into the corridor, you have important work to do now.

As they walked together down the hall, inwardly Garak was startled, but too well trained to reveal it, when he felt her small hand slip into his.  A sudden, unwanted memory assailed him, of the one time Tain had ever held his hand.  He had been a little younger than Zalan, but he not only vividly recalled his bruised and exhausted state after his first riding hound lesson, but the immeasurable sense of security he had felt when the older Cardassian's strong fingers had surrounded his own.  This day, Garak thought unwillingly, he was going to teach Zalan Premak a lesson that he hadn't learned until a few years after that memorable afternoon.  Never trust anyone.  Not even your parents.  He doubted she'd appreciate the lesson, anymore than he was looking forward to giving it.

Metadata

Title:  Condemnation  Author: Elizabeth Helena Year Posted: 2003 Approx. Word Count: 15,000  Chapters: 3 GB - Slash or Platonic: Slash My Rating (1-5): 5 Keywords: Flashbacks, Pre-Canon, Obsidian Order, Bajor, Torture (implied), Angst, Manipulation, Self-hate, Smut