"Tarkalean tea again, Doctor?" "Yes." "And you're drinking Rokassa juice, Garak." " The odour is unmistakable." " So it is." "Rokassa juice soothes my nerves." "I had a very demanding customer today." "A Bajoran engineer who comes to the shop just to plague me." "I've always wondered about that." "I can't imagine Bajorans frequenting a shop run by a Cardassian." "I like to think that my expertise and willingness to serve overcome any general resentment my clientele may have." "Perhaps your expertise and willingness to serve establish a certain trust between you and your customers?" "Trust is important." "Once they trust you, they're much more open with you and they tell you things." "Really, Doctor, must we always play this game?" "I'm no more a spy than you are..." "A doctor." "You do allow your imagination to run away with you." "What else can I say to convince you that I'm just..." " Plain, simple Garak?" " Precisely." "There's something you don't see every day." "Have a seat." "I'll get us some refreshment." "That was odd." "Do you know him?" "I've never seen him before in my life." "I hope I'm not intruding, but I couldn't help noticing what a handsome young man you have here." "I'm sorry I'm late." "Garak the tailor was attacked." " Where?" " At the Replimat." "He was bitten." "Another unsatisfied customer?" " He always cuts the pants too long." "It was a boy." "A Cardassian boy." "I wasn't aware we had any Cardassian children on board." "We don't." "He's just arrived with an adult Bajoran who says he's his father." "He was probably an orphan left behind when the Cardassians pulled out." "Incoming subspace transmission from Cardassia." "It's Gul Dukat." "In my office." "I've been told that the sole Cardassian on your station has been assaulted." "I'm surprised how quickly the news reached you, Dukat." "He was attacked by a Cardassian boy brought to the station by a Bajoran?" "A Cardassian boy appears to be involved." "Exactly as I feared." "Exactly as I've been warning my colleagues." "Cardassian war orphans." "Abandoned when we left Bajor." "It's a disgrace." "These children are being raised to hate their own kind." "This incident is proof." "You're assuming a lot from one incident." "Then why would this boy attack Garak?" "An amiable fellow." "I'll try to find out." "That would be most appreciated." "I need to find out everything I can about the boy so that I can use his story in my fight to bring these orphans back to their homeland." "This is a tragedy that all Cardassia is going to have to address." "We're not here to cause trouble." "Has this Garak filed a complaint?" "The Cardassians asked that we investigate." "They weren't concerned about leaving my boy and dozens like him." " How did you adopt him?" " We felt that Rugal shouldn't suffer" " for others' crimes." " Why would he attack a Cardassian?" "The Cardassian should have minded his own business." "Garak was being friendly." "The boy was terrified of him." "The Cardassians think the Bajorans raise these orphans to hate their race." "To hate Cardassians?" "It shouldn't be too hard, should it?" "We told him the truth." "The truth about what Cardassia did to Bajor." "He needed to know." "For that, I make no apologies." "To us, he isn't even one of them any more." "He isn't Cardassian." "He's Bajoran." "And we love him... just as if he was our own flesh and blood." "Here we go." "Come on, baby." "Dabo!" "There's nothing so depressing as a winning streak that won't stop streaking." "It would appear you have this game figured out." "Dabo is a passion of mine." "I remember you." "You're Dr Bashir." "How's the Cardassian?" "There were no broken bones." "I've never seen a boy bite like that." " He's a strange boy, Rugal." " Do you know the family well?" "It's really not my business." "You were a witness. I just want the facts for my medical report." "I'd really rather you asked someone else." "All I asked was if you know them well." "Well enough." "The father was looking for a new job several months ago. I offered to help." " l visited them on Bajor." " Did you find anything troubling?" "It must be torture for that boy." "Hated by people he thinks of as his parents." "Told he's worthless Cardassian scum." "Beaten if he looks the wrong way." "Rugal is their revenge." "Their revenge against all Cardassians." "It is not true." "Rugal will tell you." "We have not mistreated him." "is this some Cardassian...?" "There'll be ample opportunity to go over the matter." "But during the investigation," "Rugal will stay with our teacher, Mrs O'Brien." "She's expecting him now." "What if I refuse?" "I'll have security remove him from your quarters." "I don't think either of us wants that." " Why?" " lt'll be all right." " l didn't do anything wrong." " l know." "It will be all right." " l didn't do anything wrong." " We're not accusing you of a crime." "You're not being arrested." "My name is Commander Sisko." " You already know Dr Bashir." " Hello, Rugal." "This will be straightened out in a day or two." "If you want to visit your father tomorrow, you can." "Go on, Rugal." "We'll talk tomorrow." "They won't hurt you." "They're humans." "They're not Cardassians." "Something good did come out of this." "We discovered Rugal's situation." "A bite on the hand is worth saving a boy's life." "It depends on whose hand." "Just joking, Doctor." "It might help Gul Dukat resolve the entire war orphan predicament." "I beg your pardon?" "Gul Dukat called Commander Sisko right after this happened." "He was quite concerned with your well-being." "You never mentioned you were friends." "Dukat is doing something about war orphans?" " He wants to bring them all home." " Does he?" "Am I missing something?" "is there a single trait you would ascribe to me and my fellow Cardassians?" "Would it not be our attention to detail?" "Do you think we forgot about those orphans when we left Bajor?" "Do you think they simply slipped from our minds?" "And who would you guess was in charge of the Cardassian withdrawal from Bajor?" " l don't know how to thank you." " Don't thank me too quickly." "He could be returned to his adoptive parents." "After the accusations this man has made... lt's just an accusation." "We would not take kindly to the boy being returned to the Bajorans." "However, I have complete confidence in your ability to be thorough." " lf there's anything I can do..." " As a matter of fact, there is." "If the boy is to return to Cardassia, to whom would we return him?" "It might help to find out if he has relatives." "Forward us a sample of his DNA." "We'll run it through our data banks." " We'll send it right away." " Excuse me, Gul Dukat." " l have a question." " Dr Bashir, isn't it?" "Isn't it true that you were in charge of the evacuation of Bajor?" "Yes, I was." "It was your responsibility to ensure the orphans were evacuated, yet you chose to leave them behind." "Why?" "I did not choose to leave them behind, Doctor." "I was ordered to." " Ordered." "By whom?" " By the civilian leaders." "If I understand correctly, civilians have no authority over military officers." "Who's been tutoring you in Cardassian studies?" "Your old friend, Garak." "Perhaps you should remind my old friend Garak that the Bajor withdrawal was a decision made by the civilian leaders, one which I opposed." "And yes, they made the decision to leave the orphans behind." "A decision I've regretted ever since." "Thank you for your concern, Doctor." "Good day, Commander." "He's lying." "is that an opinion or do you have evidence to support it?" "I have Garak." "He thinks there's more going on here than we realise." " What does he think is going on?" " l'm not sure." "He doesn't actually tell me what he really thinks." "I have to deduce it." "So you deduced that Garak thinks Dukat is lying about something and you interrupted my conversation to confront him about whatever that might be?" " l'm sorry, Commander." " Don't apologise." "It's been the high point of my day." "Don't do it again." "Why would Garak want to undermine Gul Dukat?" "I don't think he likes Gul Dukat." "I'd like to ask Garak about this." "Have him in my office at 21:00 hours." "Yes, sir." " Let me." " Thanks." " Good idea." " What?" "Three settings." "You sent Molly to stay with the Fredericks?" "She's asleep." "She and Rugal played all afternoon." " You let them play together?" " Why not?" "The boy almost bit somebody's hand off." "I was with them all afternoon." "He's really very gentle." "Gentle was bred out of these Cardassians a long time ago." "You know..." "That was a very ugly thing you just said." " l only said..." " l don't need to hear it twice." "Rugal, dinner's ready." "I hope you like it." "Keiko..." "Darling, what is it?" "I found some Cardassian recipes in our food replicator." "It's a stew made with Cardassian zabu meat." "I thought Rugal might enjoy a dish that's popular on his own world." " Can't sleep?" " What will they do with me?" "I'm not sure." "You might have something to say about that." "You should be telling Commander Sisko what you want." " l want to go home." " He'll understand that." "You're a Cardassian." "They should have taken you home." "No, I mean home." "To Bajor." "It must be tough for you." " Living on Bajor." " Why?" " Being Cardassian." " That's not my fault." " l was born that way." " That's not what I meant." "There's nothing wrong with being a Cardassian." " Yes, there is." " Who taught you that?" "It's the truth." "How do your parents feel about Cardassians?" "They hate them." "Why would you live with someone who hates you?" "They hate other Cardassians, not me." "They've never done anything wrong to me." "Even I got my bottom whacked by my dad once or twice." "Not me." "My parents follow the teachings of the Prophets." " What do you think of Cardassians?" " Me?" " l can't say, really." " Why not?" "You can't judge a whole race of people." "You can't hate all Cardassians or all Klingons or all humans." "I've met some Cardassians I didn't like and I've met some I did." "Like you." "Do you know how many Bajorans the Cardassians murdered?" "Over ten million." "We had a test on it in school." "I wish I wasn't Cardassian." "Come, Doctor, get dressed." " We need to be going." " Going?" " Going where?" " To Bajor." " This couldn't wait until morning?" " No, sir." " l need to use a runabout." " l'm waiting." "It's Garak, sir." " He wants to go to Bajor." " For what?" " He wouldn't tell me." " By all means." "Will one runabout be enough?" " Ops to Sisko." " Go ahead." "There's an urgent communication for you from Gul Dukat." "I'm sorry to disturb you at such a late hour, but thanks to the DNA gene type you sent us, we've discovered the boy is the son of a most prominent politician," "Kotran Pa'Dar." " When was Pa'Dar on Bajor?" " Over eight years ago." "He was Exarch for a Cardassian settlement there." "The boy was believed to have died in a terrorist attack." " Has he been told his son is alive?" " Of course." "He's overwhelmed with joy." "He's already on his way to reclaim him." " lt's not that simple." " l don't understand." "The boy wants to go back to Bajor." "To live with the same brutal people?" "I can't find any evidence to support that accusation, or the man who made it." "Once the boy finds out his real father's alive, he'll change his mind." "It would be in his best interests." "We'll have to see what happens when Pa'Dar gets here." "It can't be a coincidence." "Garak must have heard about Pa'Dar." "What could he be looking for on Bajor?" "There's only one way to find out." "Excuse me, is this the Tozhat Resettlement Centre?" "I'm Dr Bashir from Federation Command at Deep Space 9." "I need information on a Cardassian war orphan who was adopted here." "The Bajorans have opened their hearts to many abandoned children." "The boy's name was Rugal." "The Bajoran was Proka Migdal." "I don't recognise the names." "What are you trying to find out?" "Yes." "Exactly what are we trying to find out about them?" "The circumstances surrounding the young man's adoption eight years ago." "The Cardassians were here." "You won't find anything." "The Cardassians are meticulous record keepers." "They've taught many worlds how to keep records." "I find it hard to believe that none exist from that period." "Computer entries were made regularly." "I wouldn't know." "I was in the underground." "Really?" "Perhaps we have met." "Can we check your computers?" "Our computers don't work." "I can't get a technician." "We're not exactly top priority." "Perhaps I can be of service?" "You can fix computers?" "I dabble with isolinear data subprocessors." "It's a hobby of mine." "I underestimate you, Garak." "It's no more difficult than sewing on a button, actually." "You carry this everywhere?" "You'd be surprised how often someone needs their pants let out." "It's not there." " Rugal's name, his father's name." " You found the files that quickly?" "It's simply a question of knowing what to look for." "It's either been misfiled or this is the wrong resettlement centre." "I'm not going to another district until I know." "We can access the province's files from here and download them into a data clip." " That's thousands of files." " Tens of thousands." "Excuse me, sir." "Have you come to take us back to Cardassia?" "I'm afraid not, child." "Come, Doctor." "You'll find your computer system fully functional now." "Computer, set up a data bank cross-referencing age group, sex, year of adoption..." "Computer, disregard that request and shut down all engines." "I'm sorry you're upset about the orphans." "Children without parents have no status in Cardassian society." "The situation is most unfortunate, but I don't make the rules." "But you play the game, Garak." " A game's being played here." " There are always games, Doctor." "I don't have the slightest idea what this game is all about." "You're going to tell me what's going on, my friend, or we're going to sit here until we rot." "Tell me, Doctor." "Why do you think the Cardassians left Bajor?" "Gul Dukat said the decision was made by your civilian leaders." "Isn't it interesting that one of Cardassia's most notable civilian leaders has recently entered this scenario?" "Rugal's father?" "Kotran Pa'Dar was involved in the decision to evacuate Bajor?" "Very good!" "I'm glad our get-togethers haven't gone for naught." "Which makes him a political enemy of Gul Dukat's." "Who lost his job as Prefect when they withdrew." "And out of nowhere, Dukat takes an interest in this orphan boy who arrives on our station." "Soon afterwards, with Gul Dukat's assistance, we discover that the orphan boy isn't really an orphan boy, but Pa'Dar's long-lost son." " Another coincidence?" " l believe in coincidences." "Coincidences happen every day." "But I don't trust coincidences." " l am Kotran Pa'Dar." " Miles O'Brien." "Come in." "Sit down." " Where is my son?" " He's with my wife." "I thought it might be a good idea if we talked first." "Your son, Rugal..." "At least they didn't change his name." "When did you last see him?" "On Bajor." "He had just had his fourth birthday." "He probably doesn't even remember me." "Does he?" "I think he spent most of his life trying to forget you." " l don't understand." " The boy hates everything he is." "He hates Cardassians and being a Cardassian." "I've heard those stories." "Growing up among the Bajorans..." "But now that I'm back..." "He may not want you back in his life." "I am his father." "Mr O'Brien, I know very little about human culture." "I don't know how you view the family." "We'd do anything to protect our families." "I have a daughter." "She's four, the same age your son was when you lost him." "Then you can imagine what I'm feeling." "On Cardassia, family is everything." "We care for our parents and children." "In some households, four generations eat at the same table." "Family is everything." "And I have failed in my responsibility to my family." "You couldn't know he was still alive." "I should have tried harder." "I should have looked everywhere." "To abandon my son, to allow him to be raised by a Bajoran." "I have disgraced everything that a Cardassian believes in." "Hello, Rugal." "Do you remember my face?" "Even a little?" "No." "Would you like to see some pictures of you as a child?" "You have to understand." "There was nothing left of the house after the attack." "Your mother was dead and you... I cried for you, Rugal." "I missed you so much." "I could not even stay on Bajor." "It was too close to the happy memories of you." "It was your own fault." "You deserved it." "You are a Cardassian." "What the Bajorans did, they had to do." " l understand why you say that." " You can't understand." "You are a Cardassian butcher." " They killed your son for your crimes." " Rugal!" "You are not my father." "And I will never go back to Cardassia." "Never." "I will not allow a Bajoran court to rule on the custody of my son." "You gave up custody when you abandoned him." "He is my natural-born child." "As Cardassian law..." "There is no more Cardassian law on Bajor." "I think you may be in need of an arbitrator." "It must be someone who is neither a Cardassian nor a Bajoran." " What about you?" " l'd be willing." "Would you object because of the Federation's relationship with Bajor?" "No, Commander." "You are a father, too." "You would be acceptable." "Very well. I'll..." " Odo to Commander Sisko." " Yes, Odo, what is it?" "Gul Dukat has just arrived on the station." "Station log, stardate 47177.2." "The arrival of Gul Dukat powers my suspicion that we are being manipulated." "Dr Bashir and Garak continue to search the adoption files." "So far they've found nothing." "The decision on custody for Rugal cannot wait much longer." "You've come a long way to view a custody hearing." "Pa'Dar is an eminent member of the civilian assembly." "The matter has generated great interest in our government." " You're representing your government?" " Not exactly." "I'm here representing the children." "All of the children who were abandoned on Bajor." "I want to see Rugal reunited with his father." "I'm sure Pa'Dar is grateful for your support... because I thought you were political adversaries." "Isn't that so, Pa'Dar?" "We have disagreed in the past, but I don't see... I must object, Commander." "The past has no relevance here." "What is relevant are the children." "What are we going to do about the children?" "If you don't mind, I'd like you to go over the events leading up to the disappearance of Rugal eight years ago." " How perfectly foolish of me." " Don't tell me you were wrong." "Not after searching 7,420 files for a misspelling." " Dukat is much smarter than that." " Than what?" "Think about it, Doctor." "He would never have left a file to be found." "You think he purged the file on Rugal?" "I would have." "There was something in the file he didn't want anybody to see." "We have one last chance:" "find the person who wrote that file." " How do you hope to find him?" " Her." "How do you know?" "I've already found her name:" "Jomat Luson." "Do you remember anything from back then, Rugal?" "No." " Do you remember being adopted?" " No." "What's the first thing you do remember?" "My father teaching me how to swim." "I know exactly the one you're talking about." "He was the only Cardassian boy we had at the time." " Are you sure his name was Rugal?" " That's what we were told." "Somebody told you his name?" "That was the unusual thing about his arrival." "Most of the Cardassian children were found on the streets by Bajorans." "Rugal was brought in by a Cardassian." "A Cardassian military officer, by any chance?" " As a matter of fact, she was." " A woman?" "I don't remember her name, but she was attached to the command post at Terok Nor." "is there anything else, Doctor?" "The boy accused him of being a butcher." "He hates Cardassians, sir." "Pa'Dar was heartbroken." "I can only imagine how I'd feel in his shoes." "Commander, can I ask a few questions?" "Didn't Pa'Dar tell you about the humiliation he feels right now?" "He said he had disgraced everything a Cardassian believes in." "is news of your son's discovery public knowledge on Cardassia?" "The government has not revealed it yet." "What happens when it is revealed?" "It will be the end of my political career." "That's a shame." "Especially considering the timing." "Isn't an inquiry beginning concerning the Cardassians involved in the attempted military coup on Bajor?" "And isn't Gul Dukat a key witness in that inquiry?" "This is irrelevant and insulting." "Commander, you've lost control here." "It seems that I have." "I suggest we return to the issue of the children." "Let's talk about children." "Have you ever been to the Tozhat centre?" "Never." " Pa'Dar was stationed there." " l'm aware of that." "I've been trying to find records of Rugal's adoption, but they're missing from the files." "How unfortunate." "But we found someone who was at the centre when Rugal was brought in." "Do you know a Bajoran social volunteer named Jomat Luson?" "No." "Jomat Luson remembers Rugal being brought in by a Cardassian officer, a woman who was familiar with him, knew his name." "is there a question?" "The question is whether this officer deliberately left the son of Kotran Pa'Dar at the centre knowing he was not an orphan." "Perhaps even with the hopes of humiliating Pa'Dar some day." "I wouldn't know." "Would you happen to know of a base known during the occupation as Terok Nor?" "Terok Nor?" "It was here, this space station." "Jomat Luson recalls that the officer who brought in Rugal was attached to Terok Nor." "Gul Dukat!" "Who was the commanding officer at Terok Nor eight years ago?" "For the record, the commanding officer of Terok Nor eight years ago was Gul Dukat." "Station log, stardate 47178.3." "After long deliberations, I have allowed Pa'Dar to take his son back to Cardassia." "Although his Bajoran foster parents treated him with love," "Rugal has been the victim in this conspiracy." "It's time for his healing to begin." "Your doctor has given me the leverage I need." "Dukat won't allow these events to be made public and I won't discuss them." "A stalemate." "You've helped me salvage my political career." "Perhaps you'll use your influence to help other Cardassian orphans on Bajor." " Yes, we'll see." " Remember... if you ever want to visit them, let me know and I'll arrange it." "Hello, Rugal." "Ready to go?" "I suppose it will take time." "There's one more question I haven't figured out, Garak." "Why did you want to expose Dukat?" "What's the truth about you and him?" "Truth, Doctor, is in the eye of the beholder." "I never tell the truth because I don't believe there is such a thing." "I prefer the straight-line simplicity of cutting cloth." " You're not going to tell me?" " You don't need me to tell you." "Notice the details, scattered like crumbs over this table we regularly share." "Until next time."