“Fortunes can change so quickly.” Garak heaved a sigh, then said, “Well, I must be going. A pity we couldn’t chat directly, but affairs of state have kept me extremely busy of late. Perhaps at a later date we can catch up on old times and new ones. Good-bye for now.”

Garak had said it all in the most pleasant tone imaginable. He never lost his genial smile or his affable demeanor.

It was the most terrifying thing Quark had ever experienced.

(DS9 novel, Demons of Air and Darkness)