[gplusbfics]

From “Empok Nor” (5x11)

Garak finds a kotra board in the station commander’s office and proceeds to soliloquize via his communicator, as O’Brien and Nog approach to hunt and/or take him down…

I know you’re hiding somewhere. Ah, there you are… 

Garak to Chief O'Brien. You’ll never guess what I found. A kotra board. The Station Commander left one in his office. The pieces were scattered all over but I found the last one hiding under his desk.  

I can’t help thinking what a perfect metaphor this game is for our present situation. Two players, two minds, two strategies. Each trying to outmaneuver the other, testing the enemy’s defenses. Advancing, retreating. The only difference is, in the game we’re playing, the stakes are life and death, which makes it so much more interesting. 

I haven’t had this much fun in years. My heart’s pounding.  The blood’s racing through my veins. I feel so alive. And I’d wager so you do.

---

The story started out with Garak talking about kotra and here’s the follow-up. Where before it was only a bit of ribbing, now it’s gone completely dark.

[gplusbfics]

From “Empok Nor” (5x11)

And here’s the part where Nog gets stuck in the middle. Um, character-building? 

Garak: It looks like I’ve captured your last piece, Chief. If you want it back, you’re going to have to take it from me. It’s your move, Chief. What are you going to do? Attack? Retreat? Surrender? 

archiveofourown.org

Locked Inside by airandangels> Star Trek: DS9 [AO3]

When a freak telepathic event traps Garak in a life-threatening delusional loop of grief and guilt, Julian needs the help of Lwaxana Troi to rescue him from his own mind.

Organization for Transformative Works

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This fic, unusually, takes place mostly inside Garak’s head, in a dreamscape.

Excerpt

‘He’s caught in a loop,’ Lwaxana said as the nurse hurried off. 'Experiencing the same sequence of events again and again, and as far as he’s concerned, they are real. It’s terrible for him. You two…’

'Are friends,’ Julian supplied, and to her surprise he seemed to mean that and only that. 'You’ve probably noticed how anxious I am for him. I’m afraid I can’t help it; I’ve grown really fond of him.’

'Well, he’s fond of you, and that’s why he’s in such difficulty,’ Lwaxana said, wondering how someone this intelligent could be this oblivious to the enormous love she’d observed in Garak’s mind. 'In this looping delusion, he’s been asked to assassinate you. Some political thing, for Cardassia. He’ll get everything he’s always wanted if he does it. So he does, and it just devastates him. He can’t bear the loss of you, and he can’t stand himself. He wants to die - wants it so much that he’s actually going into a physical decline. If we can’t snap him out of it, I don’t think he has long to live.’

'Really?’ Julian said, honestly startled.

'Really. As I said, he’s - fond of you.’ The nurse came back with her coffee, and she wrapped her hands around the hot mug gratefully.

'Well, I’d like to think so. We do have lunch together every week. Sometimes twice a week.’

'I mean, really, really fond of you.’

Metadata

Title: Locked Inside
Author: airandangels
Year Posted: 2011
Approx. Word Count: 6,500
Chapters: 2
GB - Slash or Platonic: Slash
My Rating (1-5): 3
Keywords: Drama, Angst, Friendship, Psychic Healing, Hurt/Comfort

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[gplusbfics]

From “Empok Nor” (5x11)

And here we are at the climax, right as O’Brien lays his trap and Garak is at his most psycho.

---

Garak: They’ve come to cheer you on, Chief. Your loyal team. Apparently they’ve forgiven you for getting them all killed. [Dead Cardassians are there too.] My supporters may be fewer in number, but they’re no less loyal. I thought we agreed no weapons. 

O’Brien: What’s that in your hand? 

Garak: Well, how did this get here? But we won’t be needing these, will we. Put yours down. 

O’Brien: You first. 

Garak: Put it down, or say goodbye to the Ferengi. 

Nog: Don’t do it, Chief. 

Garak: He has nothing to worry about. I’m not going to shoot an unarmed man. What fun would that be? 

[O'Brien puts the rifle down.]

Garak: You wouldn’t happen to have another one, would you? 

[A hand phaser and a tricorder.]

Garak: Naughty, naughty. 

---

I know Andrew Robinson didn’t like doing this episode, but he’s SO good at it!

[exeggutor]

We like to think the internet within the past half decade or so has honed shitposting down to a science but racing horse names have us beat by decades

[zoreta]

This is a case of necessity is the mother of invention- for both race horses and purebred show animals, every.single.animal. needs to have a unique name for record keeping purposes.

Imagine trying to come up with a cool username if you aren’t allowed to add random numbers and underscores- only pronounceable words. Now imagine that this website has had tens of millions of users, and even after someone leaves the site their username can never be recycled.

WELCOME TO PEDIGREE SHITPOST BINGO

[steelplatedhearts]

Pedigree Shitpost Bingo would make a great horse name

[ultralaser]

okay but all the fake benedict cumberbatch names in a horse race together

[coldstarindustries]

“DENGLEBERT SLAPTYBACK PULLS AHEAD OF BANDERSNATCH CUMMERBUND…OH, BUT HERE COMES WINKYBACK DANGLEBAND FROM THE OUTSIDE!!“

[mkkstartrek]

No, Andy never uses that gesture in real life…

Oh my GOD this indiegogo video makes me firey. Look at Max, look at Casey, look at Jeffrey, look at Terry, look at all of them~~~

“Is this the part where we ask for their money?”

“Spoken like a true Ferengi–”

“Spoken like a dead Cardassian.”

“…is there a picture of Gul Dukat on this hundred dollar bill??”

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[dduane]

My first TV Holmes & Watson, and so much loved.