Tears of Time

Julian scanned the play area.

 

“EE-EEEE-EE-E-E-CK!” the child raised another stuttering sob.

 

Then he saw her.

 

A little girl, about two years old, had her arm tucked close to her chest. Her left ocular orbit ridge was oozing black blood. She let out another desperate wail.

 

Julian raced to her, kneeling. He gathered her onto his lap.

 

“I want my daddy! My daddy would make him sorry!” She pointed at a little boy, hanging upside down on a metal bar. “You need to punish him. Gil Gil.”

 

“Your daddy doesn't like you!” the boy shouted, flipping over and swinging. “That is why he lives far away.”

 

“My daddy loves me! I'm his baby! He is important! That is why he works far away on Toky Nor. He takes care of all naughty 'Jorans.”

 

“You'll see him soon,” Julian whispered, petting her hair. “May I take a look at your arm?”

 

“Who are you?” she asked, suddenly realizing that she was not on the Gil's lap as she had thought.

 

“My name is Julian. I'm a doctor. Who are you?”

 

“Palira.” The girl cautiously held out her arm. She sniffled.

 

“You're going to be fine. Let's go get the dermal regenerator and we'll take care of your scrapes.”

 

The girl wrapped her uninjured arm around Julian's neck, allowing him to carry her over to where Garak was standing next to a bench and scowling.

 

“Doctor, this is not a good idea.” Garak lifted his left hand to press lightly to his temple. He looked at the little girl. “You should put her down. She has someone here to take care of her needs.”

 

He scanned the playground, and saw a soldier talking to a woman dressed in a long white dress with a gray belt, a nanny.

 

His slave was far too stubborn. He took out the leash. He clearly needed to be restrained at all times to prevent this dangerous behavior.

 

“Give me the dermal regenerator, now,” Julian said, holding out his hand.

 

“Send her to her soldier or nanny.” Garak clenched and unclenched his hand, wishing for a drink, rokassa juice or Kanar would be very agreeable. The doctor was messing with something that should be not be handled.

 

“Palira is hurt, and I'm going to help her. Now give me the regenerator.” Julian met the vivid blue eyes of the tensed Cardassian adult with his own look.

 

When Garak made no move to pull it from his bag, Julian reached over to flip it up. Garak would have to learn that he had to share. Julian was not about to leave the little doll in his arms hurt. Garak could shock him as much and as long as he wanted. It seemed this Gil or whoever was supposed to be watching her had taken a break.

 

Garak took a step back so Julian could not reach the bag. He pulled the regenerator from his bag and handed it to the doctor, looking over the little girl. He had protected the doctor from Entek's interrogation and freed him from the facility. He was very lucky, and did not appreciate it. He was going to end up stuck in honey like a Mordian butterfly, batting his wings in futility.

 

Palira pressed her face onto the white shirt of Julian's shoulder as he fixed her arm, lifting her chin occasionally to glare murderously at the boy who pushed her down. She gripped Julian, shifting her weight on his arm. She made an unhappy hissing-gurgling noise in her throat.

 

“I need to see your face now, Palira.”

 

The little girl pulled back and looked into Julian's eyes. Her bright blue eyes blinked sadly. She dug her fingers into Julian's shirt.

 

“He pushed me because I'm little.”

 

“Relax Palira. This won't hurt at all. I promise. You'll be fine. You're a brave Cardassian girl.”

 

Palira rested her hands on Julian's shoulders as he finished healing her eye. She leaned close to him, snuggling her cheek on his shoulder. She lifted her head as a thought struck her that she should share with Julian.

 

“My daddy is coming for my birthday. He promised. I will be three.” She held out three fingers.

 

“That sounds like fun. You are going to be a big girl,” Julian said, sitting on a bench and tucking her close to him.

 

Palira smiled as she was cuddled. She snuggled Julian back.

 

Garak clenched and unclenched his fists. The doctor was too soft hearted and hard headed.

 

“No, I am little. Will you play with me? We play riding hound in the dessert. I am the rider. And you are the riding hound,” Palira explained, patting her hands on Julian's shoulders. “You carry me and I tell you where to go. Cause I am the rider and I'm Cardassian.”

 

“Out of the question,” Garak said, taking Julian's arm to pull him close.

 

“I don't see the harm of playing with her for a little while.” Julian said, remembering playing 'Arabian Stallion' with his younger cousin. "Just till she cheers up."

 

Garak leaned in closer to Julian.

 

“Doctor, what is that human expression? Playing with fire will get you burned.”

 

She was like a tribble that fed on grains of affection. Somehow she would reproduce on a grand scale and cause chaos. How could one man get himself into so much trouble?

 

Palira shoved her lower lip out and rubbed her nose to Julian's cheek.

 

Garak glared at the child, which earned him a hiss from her as she shook her head at him. Julian was a being of an unfathomable constitution. He had run off to take care of one of the worst seven children in the Union. She was going to be trouble. Her whole family was trouble.

 

“We can surely spare a few moments to cheer a little girl up,” Julian said, looking up at Garak as the tiny one squeezed his neck harder.

 

Garak looked around. “If you give a vole a wire...”

 

“I think I have to go,” he said, kneeling down and trying to place Palira on the ground.

 

“No!” Palira said, tightening the hold of her legs and arms. “You will play with me. I'm SPECIAL.”

 

“You are not,” Garak said, looking around again. He moved closer to Julian.





Julian tried to put the little girl down again.

 

“Yes, I am. And you are Alvarian dung beetle!”

 

“Doctor, you need to trust me.”

 

Julian looked at Garak, remembering when he told him the story of the boy who cried wolf. He bit back restating Garak's interpretation of the story. 'You should never tell the same lie twice.'

 

Palira made a loud, open mouthed hissing noise at Garak, snuggling in closer to Julian, who was petting her waist length black hair. She dried her eyes on Julian's shirt, smiling and snuggling.

 

“He wants to hurt me,” she accused, pointing at Garak.

 

“It's alright. I won't let him hurt you,” Julian cooed, rocking Palira. “Not if I am alive and able to prevent it. You're safe.”

 

She gave Garak a look of smug satisfaction, tilting her little nose up in the air. She kissed Julian's cheek three times in a row. After all he had done for Julian, and Julian was not listening.

 

“I'm not going to hurt her. I think we should leave before you pour more gas on this fire.”

 

Julian spun.

 

“We can't leave and let her be picked upon. I won't allow it,” Julian said, rubbing the child's back. He remembered being picked on for struggling to learn as a child, before his parents had him enhanced. She was too little to leave unattended.

 

Garak breathed heavily, looking around. He saw the older Cardassian moving their way with heavy strides.

 

Palira sniffled, pressing her forehead to the silky skin of Julian's cheek.

 

Julian leaned his cheek closer to her.

  

“Palira.”

 

“Grandpa!”

 

Palira wriggled as Julian set her down. She ran to a stooping Cardassian with hair that was starting to turn steel gray on the sides. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he scooped her up and lifted her over his head while she squealed.

 

“I know what I want for my birthday,” she announced, pointing back at Julian. “He fixed my hurt when the bad boy pushed me off the tower.” She pointed over at the boy.

 

Julian backed toward Garak with small steps, watching the older Cardassian. He looked like...but it was not possible. Julian slipped around behind Garak.

 

The older Cardassian cuddled the baby tighter and kissed the spoon shaped indentation of her forehead.

 

“Where is Gil Daro?” he asked, rubbing her lower back.

 

Even his voice was similar. Julian put his hands on Garak's back. If this man was who he suspected he was, he ought to get Garak away from him...even though the time-line dictated...

 

Palira shrugged, and kissed her grandfather.

 

“He was supposed to be watching you. I'll be having words with your father,” the grandfather said, hissing softly.

 

“Daddy's coming for my birthday. He said last night,” Palira said, touching her grandfather's face to try to focus his attention on her. “Maybe he will stay. Then Mekor will have to be good. Daddy makes him be nice to me.”

 

“Mr. Kamar?” the grandfather said, walking over.

 

“Minister,” Garak said, feeling hands tug at his shirt.

 

“I did not know you had a slave.” Procal leaned to try to get a better look at Julian. “Have him come out.”

 

“He is usually kept at home,” Garak said, stepping to the side. “Come and meet the Minister of Justice, Doctor.”

 

Julian poked his head around Garak's shoulder, stepping with him. He leaned forward and whispered in his ear.

 

“I thought we were leaving.”

 

Maybe he should allow Julian to discover exactly how lucky he was to be with him. Maybe he would listen better in the future. Just a good scare. But the doctor knew a lot...more than he should allow. He could not allow the doctor to fall into any one else's hands. He was staying with him.

 

“I want him for my birthday,” Palira said, smacking her grandfather's broad shoulders with open palms.

 

“Palira, you do not hit your grandfather. That's very rude.” Procal gave her bottom a sharp smack.

 

“But I want him...” Palira whimpered, kissing her grandfather's cheek as tears rose in her eyes. “He was going to play desert riding hound with me. I would be the rider, and he would be the riding hound.”

 

“You have been very clear. Now, hush.” Procal said, rubbing the little girl's back.

 

Palira pinched her face up unpleasantly and rested her cheek on her grandfather's shoulder.

 

“We need to be going,” Garak said, bowing slightly and attaching a leash to Julian's collar. “Come along.”

 

“I apologize for any inconvenience that Palira caused, and thank you for caring for her. I will be contacting you tonight. I expect that I will see you with the slave for Palira's birthday party.”