Icon by @ThatSpookyAgent. Call me Tir or Julian. 37. He/They. Queer. Twitter: @tirlaeyn. ao3: tirlaeyn. 18+ Only. Star Trek. The X-Files. Sandman. IwtV. OMFD. Definitionless in this Strict Atmosphere.
A while back, this post happened and I mentioned an excessively detailed response, and here it is, presenting a (more or less) physiologically reasonable process for the entire function and breakdown of Garak’s implant in “The Wire”. This breaks down into three main parts: how the implant is supposed to function, what went wrong, and how it’s fixed. I’ll add a TLDR as well. There’s a lot of assumptions made (namely that Cardassian physiology is more or less functioning like Earth mammalian physiology), determinations that characters don’t necessarily know exactly what they’re talking about, simplification of exceedingly complicated things, and terminology.
I’m picturing a baby Cardassian grasping at Elim’s leg to be picked up, and even though he’s working on a commission, he sighs softly, smiling at the child and picks the them up, wrapping them against his chest so he can continue to work.
Awwwww!! Also if they have little claws then with the garashir kid Julian might end up just. Constantly covered in scratches
I’m sorry, all I see is Julian looking after some baby Cardassians who decided that he is their dad now, and keep escaping their cot for warm cuddles.
Ask and yee shall recieve.
–
Julian had given up on keeping the Cardassian infants in the incubated crate that O'Brien had designed for them. Garak had approved of it and assured Julian that it was perfectly normal in this modern day and age to use a similar device for premature children even on Cardassia, but it seemed the babies didn’t care about that. Instead of being woken up in the middle of the night by one of them jumping on his chest, Julian surrendered to the fact that he would now be cuddling what were, essentially, small lizards every night.
“Now this is something right out of a romance novel.” Garak chuckled, causing Julian to jump awake.
“What?” Julian said, rubbing his eyes as the babies readjusted themselves now that he was in a different position.
“Single fathers come with a family, which is what’s most important on Cardassia.” Garak explained. “And the man almost only gets to keep his children if his wife dies, so there’s no issue of disgraceful divorce. Seeing a single young man being so doting to his children would have half of Cardassia swooning.”
“That…” Julian shook his head, processing everything. “That’s not what I was asking.”
“Then what was, doctor?”
“What are you doing in my quarters!?” Julian huffed. One of the infants hissed at Garak when Julian showed annoyance toward him, the babies had grown rather protective of Julian. Julian gave each of the three a soothing pat on the head so they’d calm down. Garak’s smile only grew wider.
“I wanted to see if you needed anything.” Garak said innocently. “And if it was unnecessary, I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Then why did you?” Grumbled Julian.
“I’ll admit, when I saw you snuggling your children, I couldn’t help but comment aloud.” Garak sighed. Julian rolled his eyes but then looked at the babies that had now moved to his lap.
“Were you ever this small?” Julian smiled.
“Those three were born prematurely, doctor.” Garak answered. “A full term pregnancy produces much larger children.” Garak sat down on the bed and looked at the babies. “I’m actually surprised they survived at all.”
“You and me both.” Julian exhaled. “It didn’t look like they would at first.” Julian frowned and looked sad. “I just wish I could have done something for Nakeli.” Garak placed his hand gently on Julian’s.
“Their mother knew she had no chance.” Garak soothed. “Saving her children is more than anything else you could have given her.” Garak looked thoughtful again. “Are you going to do something about their tails when they’re a bit older?”
“I was actually meaning to ask you about that.” Julian said. “We don’t know much about Cardassian infants.” Julian picked one of the children up with a smile. “Did you have your tail removed or does it fall off?”
“I wasn’t born with one.” Garak said, obviously amused. “We evolved past them long ago. We only have them in the womb, but after five months, it should be gone.”
“And all exceptions have surgery?” Julian asked.
“The government provides it.” Garak nodded.
“Is it normal for babies to be born bald?” Julian was smiling as the baby in his hands gave him a lick on the cheek.
“It’s rather common. Hair will grow in time.” Garak reassured. “I must admit, I’m a bit out of my depth here though.”
“So you weren’t ever a nanny?” Julian laughed. Garak shook his head. “Want to try?”
“I could try to help you watch over the little ones.” Garak nodded. “Especially since you’ll need to return to work soon enough.”
“I warn you, if they ever spend the night, they will demand to sleep with you.” Julian grinned.
“Well, they’re drawn to your mammalian heat.” Garak waved a hand. “It’s probably as close to the womb as they can get.”
“The incubator is warmer.” Julian frowned. “And yet they insist on coming into my bed.”
“Who wouldn’t, given the option?” Garak said with a sly smile. Julian blinked, not sure what to say and Garak quickly changed the subject. “What are their names by the way?”
“I…” Julian blushed. “I haven’t actually named them.”
“Oh?” Garak said in surprise. “Don’t you think you should?”
“Well, I want to give them Cardassian names,” Julian explained, “but when we locate Nakeli’s husband, it should really be his decision.”
“That’s thoughtful of you.” Garak nodded. “But it would hardly hurt to give them something temporary to keep them straight.”
“Well, why don’t you name them?” Julian suggested. “You’re really more qualified than I am.” Garak looked like he might protest but Julian pushed the baby he was holding into Garak’s hands. “Come on, start with this one. What’s her name?” Garak looked into the eyes of the infant for some time before he softly whispered:
elim garak: my poor naive jube jube, you believe so absolutely in federation principles…it’s positively pathetic. be more cynical - like me!
also elim garak: i sacrificed my life to misery and discontent because the cardassian state, which can’t even hold onto its unethically occupied territories without overextending itself is the most perfect entity in all of existence
y’know, part of what’s so interesting about the Bashir/Garak dynamic is that they’re so different and yet also kind of…the same? Both intelligent, both outgoing, both love stories…and both deeply products of their environments.
It becomes increasingly clear that Garak is just as idealistic as Bashir, it’s just that his ideals are different–that he’s internalized the ideals of Cardassia as much as Bashir has internalized the ideals of the federation. They also both over the course of the show have to redefine for themselves what that idealism means–whether they are going to be loyal to the institution itself, or to the ideals that institution was meant to represent. And they both come down on the side of idealism, for the most part. Garak retains a certain cynicism, while Bashir has to learn his, but the parallel remains.
Add in what we learn about their complex relationships with fathers that had a very deliberate hand in shaping them, and it’s almost like we’re looking at the same basic person being shaped by different circumstances and cultures. Which is part of what’s so fascinating–they sit across from each other, and it’s like looking at the distorted mirror image. I almost wonder if that’s part of what draws them to each other, over and over again. Despite their obvious differences, the can’t help but recognize something in each other.
it’s so funny how in the DS9 doc they’re like ‘yeah Garak should have come out to Bashir after the wire’.
come out where, bitch? the first time they met Garak basically asked Julian to have sex with him in public in the middle of the day so unless 24th century earth is So Straight that julian has literally never considered that gay people exist before, he knows
ok no one cares but i am once again thinking about how andrew j. robinson’s writing in a stitch in timefundamentally changed the the way i’ve come to view garak and how i interpret the “Of all the stories you told me, which ones were true and which ones weren’t?” / “My dear Doctor, they’re all true.” / “Even the lies?” / “Especially the lies.” interaction from the wire (which initially i was very thrown off by). by suggesting that the stories garak fabricates are indicative of how he chooses to define himself, i think the stories from the wire serve specifically to illustrate what garak most covets/coveted in life, and that they contain elements of the circumstances/relationships/motivations/etc. that garak never had, or were beyond his reach. by making up these particular circumstances, garak is juxtaposing his words against the actuality of his life, and by that comparison his lies demonstrate the truth of his relationship with tain, his work in the obsidian order, and his personal convictions…
honestly, the crew should’ve stayed on the defiant for a few more episodes because the found family dynamics, especially featuring garak, were at their PEAK.
1. garak and julian constantly sassing each other/ openly flirting oN THE BRIDGE. right in front of everyone’s salad 2. garak being fully accepted into the dysfunctional space family. his past in the obsidian order and paranoia are treated as endearing quirks. he’ll go on some tirade about intelligence agencies implanting devices in his brain, and “i’ve done worse during my time in the obsidian order” and everyone just rolls their eyes fondly and goes “garak, chill.” 3. garak admitting he wants to be on the defiant with his found family the rest of the crew 4. garak offering to repair o’brien’s ripped trousers 5. garak offering to help by sharing the headset, working on the bridge, (did i mention flirting with julian) 6. garak realizing that the federation is losing but he’s there, helping them out, following sisko into the wormhole anyway 7. GARAK AND NOG repairing their relationship after empok nor! garak telling nog not to walk so fast and startle the jem’hadar. garak explaining battle strategy to nog on the bridge. garak being a protective adult to the new cadet ;A; 8. garak in his special black i-work-for-starfleet-now-kinda tunic with the embroidered sleeves! he said Uniform but make it Fashion 9. garak ruthlessly teasing/flirting with julian to distract him and get him to feel things ;A;
I wonder if garak would do the sewing person thing where you stick a needle in your clothes so you dont lose it, but only remember its there like an hour later when you move wrong and stab yourself.
AU in which Garak keeps ending up in Julian’s bed, like maybe he is sleep walking? They don’t have sex. Julian just keeps waking up with Garak snuggled against him. He gets up and goes to work without waking Garak, and Garak gets up and goes about his day. And they never talk about it. For like. Weeks? Maybe a couple months?
Eventually something happens that forces them to talk about it. Lots of angst ensues, but they end up working things out. And then neither of them ever has to sleep alone again.
Adding a Note: this can absolutely be aro/ace! The important part is the snuggles. Thank you.
