Author Notes: !Warning for descriptions of disease and suicide ideation!

This fic is in the pre-slash genre, but you can read this even if you aren't into shipping. It's more about mercy, compassion, and kindness when things go wrong. Early season five timeframe

Elim held Julian close. The human was shivering.

The doctor spoke again. It was one word in the form of a question. Simple speech was still giving him difficulties.

"Why?"

Garak pondered over what Julian was trying to ask. Why was life like this? Why did their friends abandon them? Why was Garak doing this? The Cardassian did not know the answer to any of these questions. For once in his life, he could not even think up a convincing lie to tell the doctor.

3 weeks earlier

"Doctor, I wish to speak with you," Captain Sisko called to Doctor Bashir.

It was a relatively slow day at Ops. Most of the senior staff was gone. Kira and Jadzia had traveled to Bajor for leave, Miles was in the depths of the station fixing a docking platform, and Odo was transporting a prisoner into Romulan space. Sisko had summoned Bashir to Ops in a serious tone that caused vague alarm to run through him. Was there a private emergency situation? Had Sisko finally found out the secret of his intellect? Bashir silently chastised himself for his paranoia. It would do no good to speculate, and the captain did not seem angry.

The doctor followed Sisko up the stairs to his office. Sisko shut the door behind the doctor. He stood near the desk, maintaining eye contact with his CMO.

"There's been a change of plans. Dax won't be back by tomorrow. A political situation came up on Bajor that required her and the Major's assistance."

Bashir nodded. It was hardly surprising that the two officers had been needed on Bajor. Major Kira constantly had dealings with the government and Dax lived up to her reputation as a good friend by helping the Major.

"Do I get the Chief to accompany me to Ferris VI?" Bashir tried not to sound too hopeful.

It was a lonely trip in a runabout with no one to talk to, not to mention how he could do with an assistant should his trip hit a rough patch. Ferris VI was a backwater planet and it had few resources. The dominant species had not even achieved space travel yet. The atmosphere was rampant with volatile molecules that rejected the use of scanners and most other medical equipment. The civil war between the Altanians had devastated their population. They were a Federation world, so the planet was going to receive the assistance that the Federation could provide. The Altanians had sent word through the Cardassian trade routes of their plight.

"O'Brien is needed here as one of my remaining senior staff members. You know procedure," Sisko said sharply.

Bashir quickly nodded. He knew that he could not deprive Sisko of his Chief Engineer.

"I was hoping that you would take someone with you that would be an even greater asset on Ferris VI."

Bashir was frowning. "But sir, the majority of my medical staff is Bajoran. It would take a week to properly inoculate them from many of the diseases on Ferris VI and we don't have that kind of time. I would rather go alone than risk spreading Altanian diseases to the Bajoran population."

Sisko walked over to his desk and sat down, gesturing to the empty chair on the other side. Bashir perched himself on the seat with a puzzled expression.

"Would you be able to bring a Cardassian?"

Bashir considered. "Yes, I might be able to. They are more naturally immune to non-native diseases and the Altanians respect Cardassians for their trade."

Understanding dawned on Julian and his eyes widened. "You want me to bring Garak? But he's a civilian and he isn't exactly the most charitable man, especially in these kinds of conditions."

Sisko raised an eyebrow. "Be that as it may, we've used his skills before in Federation relief efforts. He'll just have to grin and bear it."

Bashir nearly laughed in response to the mental image that presented. "Perhaps I should just go by myself. I can manage a runabout and I really wouldn't have a use for him, at least not in a medical sense."

Sisko sighed, picking up the baseball resting on the desk. He spun the ball between his fingertips. The threads were starting to fray and the white surface of the object was darkening from continuous use on the holosuite fields.

"You'll be in unfamiliar territory. He should be able to give you at least a general idea of Ferris VI's culture and it would give a good impression if the Federation was seen working alongside the Cardassians." Sisko squeezed the ball and tossed it from side to side.

"I'll do my best to convince him to come, sir." Bashir smiled faintly.

"I won't detain you any longer from packing your equipment." Sisko threw the baseball up into the air and caught it absent-mindedly.

"Yes. Thank you, sir." Bashir stood and exited the Captain's office looking pensive.

Just how was he going to persuade Garak to come along? Sisko was right about having Cardassians represented along with the Federation was positive to the political scheme of things. Maybe there was some form of bribery or intellectual intrigue he could offer. Perhaps Bashir could drive home the point of how bored the Cardassian would be if he remained on the station while Bashir explored the Alpha Quadrant. Either way, he had better prepare for an interesting trip. He had been tired recently, and having a stimulating conversationalist along could tire him out before he even set foot on the planet.

Captain Benjamin Sisko had noticed Bashir's lack of stamina, but he had told the young man nothing about his observations. It was partly why the Captain had sent the doctor with a companion. Leaving Bashir alone for two weeks on a planet with a crowd of ill and wounded patients was unwise. Julian had the tendency to overwork himself. Dax was usually appointed as the honorary doctor watcher, but now Garak would have to fulfill that role as adequately as possible.

"The captain would like me to accompany you?" The Cardassian had been baffled.

"Yes, for political reasons mostly, and if I run into trouble."

Bashir had entered Garak's shop that evening to ask him to go on the journey. Garak had been folding some new cloth shipments until Julian interrupted him.

"I am flattered by the consideration I have garnered from both of you, but it is the season of high tides on Bajor and my clothing is in demand. I would miss the primary season of my business," the Cardassian replied shortly.

"It would be an adventure. You haven't had one for a while," Bashir enticed him.

"I am past the age of thirsting for action, dear doctor. Adventures are for the youthful." Garak gave him a patient smile.

"You don't want to come? Not even for a little while?" Bashir frowned, eyes wide in their entreating look.

"The question is would you want me to accompany you?"

Bashir appeared confused. "Well, that's what I came here to tell you. I'm not just asking you because of my orders. I've always enjoyed your company."

The Cardassian shot him a warm smile and abruptly turned to adjust an outfit on a nearby mannequin. "Then I will meet you on the runabout tomorrow at 0700."

"All right." Bashir had been surprised with how easy this persuasion tactic had gone.

The doctor made to walk out of the cozy little shop when Garak said something that stopped him in his tracks.

"Oh, and doctor, do get some sleep. You look as though you need it." The strangely sentimental statement caused Bashir to pause and blink dazedly.

That kind of concern was unheard of coming from Garak. The doctor quickly nodded.

"I'll be sure to." Julian strode out and went back to his quarters to finish packing.

"One would think that you were the Cardassian, shivering like that," Garak remarked teasingly as the doctor piloted the runabout.

Bashir gave him a fleeting smile. "It's very cold in here. I'm surprised you aren't complaining."

Garak shrugged. "For once the temperature is nearly ideal. I think you might, as humans say, be coming down with something."

The doctor frowned, typing in the next set of coordinates. Now that the tailor mentioned it, he felt shivery as though he was feeling the onset of a cold. His genetic enhancements protected him from general viruses, but maybe something had managed to slip past his remarkable immune system.

"I think you might be right. For the sake of saving runabout power I'll get a coat. Keep a lookout." Bashir leveled himself up, stretching.

As Bashir went to go find the jackets in the back of the runabout, he noticed Garak's bulk of luggage. It looked as though he had brought half of his tailoring shop with him, or at least a quarter. The heap of clothes and fabric ranged from the exotic to the mundanely practical. Frowning with confusion, Bashir joined Garak after locating and obtaining a heavy coat. He put it on and sat down. After making some adjustments to their thrusters he let his curiosity get the better of him.

"Are you making a delivery stop somewhere or were you just feeling like giving charitable donations?"

The Cardassian considered. It was with a whimsical thoughtlessness that he brought a good portion of his merchandise along. At the time it had seemed practical. He was going to a war torn planet and war meant that people were desperate for basic resources, including clothing. His own generosity had caught him by surprise.

"I can be sensitive to tragedy and needs of others, doctor," Garak said casually.

Bashir attempted to mollify him. "I never said anything to the contrary."

The Cardassian shook himself at his martyr-like attitude. He had to remind himself that the doctor was a mellow being, and not a Cardassian agent that would twist his words. Sometimes Bashir put him in a defensive frame of mind, and he sensed that the doctor occasionally felt the same way.

Now was not to the time to dwell on their differences. Garak decided that they needed some peace and quiet. The next few hours passed like a dream, craft streaming past stars in the vastness of space. Bashir silently monitored their craft while Garak worked with something on his PADD. Near the end of the journey, Garak had gotten up to get them tea. Julian had smiled gratefully as he took the steaming hot beverage from his hands.

They entered the planet's atmosphere with little fuss, confirming their Federation clearance code and letting the Altanian government scan their ship. Ferris VI looked much like Cardassia and it had many of the same geological features. The terrain was generally desert with a few ranges of mountains and some low areas of shrubbery. It was close to the star in the system, therefore it had regular high temperatures. Thankfully, many of the best medical facilities were on cooler expanses of land.

Bashir's and Garak's arrival had been prepared for long ago. The Federation had rented a small suite of rooms for them. Bashir's reputation had preceded him and they received a warm welcome from the Altanians when they docked in a hovercar zone. The Altanians had not yet achieved space travel, which meant that there was no comfortable spot to leave their runabout. The atmosphere would not allow Bashir to vacate the vessel in orbit.

A well-dressed Altanian greeted them upon arrival. They were similar to Cardassians in looks. They kept their long black hair slicked back and their skin tones ranged from orange to light violet. They had ridges that twisted into spirals on their face and their mouths were more snout-like than any of the other humanoid species in the alpha quadrant. Their eyes were dark, sometimes with flecks of gold in their irises.

"Greetings. I am nurse K'latha from the Alt'ratha medical facility. I was assigned to show you where you will be staying. The suite of rooms is as close to the facility as possible." The being spoke in a lilting voice.

Bashir tried to address the nurse with more conversation. The being was already leading the way to their quarters. He had read that Altanians were overly concise and to the point, so he tried to find out more information before they were unceremoniously dropped off.

"Hello! I'm Doctor Julian Bashir and this is my friend Elim Garak. May I ask a few questions about your facility and the patients? How long have you been working there?"

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I have been working there for three Larthians," the being said snippily.

"Larthians?"

"24 Ra'tap."

Bashir frowned ponderingly at Garak, but the Cardassian looked just as clueless. The universal translator was stubbornly refusing to translate the names that measured the increments of time.

They were led away to a more populated part of the town where they had docked. The buildings were short and primitive. The housing was made out of temporary materials like wood and straw, yet, there were accents of metal on rooftops and randomized technological equipment. There was an abundance of Cardassian technology, including communicators and security devices. There were technological gaming spots that looked to be frequented by the locals. It was a curious mix of old and new. The terrain was fine-pebbled with plexi-glass and faux metal streets. Bashir wondered what they were made out of to be in large quantities but retain their cool temperature.

He and Garak were shown to a wood and metal building that looked like a perfect square on the exterior. There were large oval windows and a small window box of flowers that accented the structure.

"I will allow you to explore the inside. If it is unsatisfactory, please inform Doctor Rutak of the situation." The alien turned to leave them and started walking away.

Bashir shouted after K'latha. "It looks fine, thank you! It was a pleasure to meet you."

They heard K'latha grumble something unintelligible back as the being left them.

"They don't waste time do they?" Bashir murmured to Garak.

"It would appear not. Cardassians are familiar with their short attention span. They try to speak as little as possible and avoid being spoken to. They prefer to communicate through actions."

"Oh." Bashir appeared crestfallen.

Garak gave him an amused smirk. "Don't worry, doctor. You have me to socialize with. Luckily for you, I never tire of your voice."

Bashir smiled. "Shall we go investigate our temporary abode?"

The Starfleet officer and Cardassian opened the door to their accommodations.

"Funny. There doesn't seem to be a locking mechanism." Bashir investigated the door as he pulled it open.

The doctor was startled to note something cold touching his hand. Garak had reached out and pressed a strong detachable locking mechanism into his palm.

"Like I said, doctor, the Cardassians know the Altanians. Come without a lock, and the quarters you rent will eventually be cleared out by looters. It's fortunate that the windows are built well above ground."

Bashir frowned over the information before he surveyed the interior of the small house. It managed to look just like an old rustic Terran cabin. The only thing out of place was the replicator. It was of Cardassian manufacture. There appeared to be one living space with two bedrooms and one watercloset. It was cozy and sparsely furnished. There was one couch and two chairs with a tiny coffee table. The bedrooms each had one bed and one end table that supported an old-fashioned lamp.

Bashir whistled. "It's a good thing I brought books and a PADD. It looks like off-duty activities are rather limited."

"It's efficient if nothing else. Though I have to say that their décor or lack thereof gives the Federation a run for its money. Modernism is atrocious. Such stark nakedness everywhere-and not a bit of color! Even your Terran Modernists would be appalled," Garak said disapprovingly.

"Well, we're here to help, not criticize the accommodations. I'm glad that we didn't have to share with others. Now I don't have to worry about doctors getting worked up because you shed your scales all over the floor." Bashir set his bags on the table, wrestling with his medical equipment.

Garak gave a huff of annoyance at the vaguely insulting but accurate statement. He was known to shed his scales at inopportune moments and in locations where the scales blended in with the tiling. They were often left undiscovered until someone stepped on them. Bashir had compared the odd sensation of treading on his dead scales to stepping on shards of plastic.

Julian was testing his tricorder. The device would not switch on. Next, he tried a laser scalpel with the same result. His small basic tricorder gave a strange squeal and abruptly died.

"Ah, so they were right about certain medical scanners not reacting well to the molecular structure of the atmosphere. The abundance of subnavian particles in the air doesn't allow for micro-scanning or heat lasers. The internal organ regenerator will have difficulties too."

"Then let us hope that you still remember your basic first aid without the tools to help," Garak said teasingly.

The doctor shot him a grumpy look. He knew that Garak was baiting him.

"I'd better go report. I'll probably be busy all evening."

Garak nodded. He knew that this would not be similar to a vacation, despite his friendly company. Yet, the doctor was not his usual chipper self and he was starting to act irritable. Perhaps the human was hungry. He became downright hostile when he felt starved, and Bashir had neglected to consume anything other than tea today. However, it was not Garak's place to remind him to eat. He got comfortable on the couch and started unpacking.

"Aren't you coming?" Bashir slung a bag of functional and basic first aid material over his shoulder.

"Not unless I wanted to have hospital duty. I've been in enough crowded medical facilities to know that anyone with a strong back is inevitably coerced into carrying equipment. It would be more beneficial to both of us if I were to scout out the changes among the citizens and the housing after the civil war."

Bashir nodded. As usual, Garak's observations were a clear insight to their surroundings. Garak would be more useful getting to know and socialize with the locals. Now all Bashir had to worry about was doing his duty. With sagging shoulders, he stepped out with his satchel of medicines. He felt exhausted, but alas, work beckoned.