Elim Garak

This page details Elim Garak in theprimary universe; for the Elim Garak in theFirst Splinter timeline ended by the Devidian temporal apocalypse, seeElim Garak (1ST).

For themirror universe counterpart, seeElim Garak (mirror).

Elim Garak

Elim Garak was a member of the CardassianObsidian Order until his exile to thespace stationTerok Nor in2368. After theDominion War he served asCardassian Ambassador to the United Federation of Planets.

Garak was the illegitimate son ofEnabran Tain, head of the Obsidian Order at the time, and Tain's housekeeper and confidant,Mila. Garak grew up believing that his father was a man namedTolan, who was in fact his maternal uncle. Tolan first introduced Garak to the teachings of the forbidden Cardassian religion, theOralian Way. Garak learned the truth about his parentage from Tolan on the old man's deathbed. (DS9episode: "In Purgatory's Shadow",DS9novel:A Stitch in Time)

Biography[]

Early life[]

Garak grew up in the home of 'Uncle' Enabran Tain, where he lived with his mother and father in Tain's basementapartment. Tain often took Elim on taxing excursions and kept tabs on his school work, punishing him when he failed.

Tolan once took Elim to visit theHebitian ruins just outside ofLakarian City, Elim's first taste of Hebitian culture and their religion theOralian Way. (DS9novel:A Stitch in Time)

Garak had a petlemur that he calledVlatvlat. (DS9short story: "The Manhunt Pool")

The Bamarren Institute[]

When Garak reached theAge of Emergence he was sponsored to go to theBamarren Institute for State Intelligence to begin his education as a security operative and acquire the skills he would use in his career with theObsidian Order. That kind of education was normally reserved for children of the ruling elite, but a few promising children from the lower classes, including Garak, were admitted.

At the Institute, Garak was assigned the designationTen Lubak as using real names was forbidden. The Lubaks were a class in the First Level, with ten students. The Bamaran regime focused on cooperative alliances, military tactics, political strategies and physical activity, breeding the finest leaders of the Union. The redesignation of students was used to form a hierarchy, and would be reassessed at the end the first two years at the three-level institution. Alone and anonymous, the young Garak would at first be highly isolated. However, after one of Ten Lubak's training sessions inThe Pit, he met a female student,Palandine. Palandine would secretly draw Elim's name out of him and tell him her own. The younger Elim would quickly fall for the charming older Palandine, who was head of the second-level female students.

As part of their education, classes were dispatched into theMekar Wilderness surrounding the Institute to be hunted by other classes. Each member would attempt to reach Bamarran uncaught. In Garak's first Wilderness exercise, he was captured quickly and was put in solitary confinement as punishment. In his second Wilderness exercise, however. he caught aDesert Regnar which he namedMila and used him both as an inspiration for the ability to hide and a guide to sense and evade hunting parties. Garak reached the Institute after evading his hunters, the senior second-level class, the Charabans.

He was never caught in a hunt again and gained quite a reputation for doing so. As he progressed through the First Level, Garak became characterized for being a resourceful and serious student only equaled in Lubak Group byEight Lubak. Threatened by Garak's obvious ability,One Lubak and his subgroup moved to cut off Garak from the rest of the group, though Garak was quite content to separate himself off from anyone else without their intervention using Mila's inspiration to hide himself, even in plain sight. However, even those skills of stealth drew attention, so much so thatOne Charaban, the leader of the Second Level students, requested Garak's help in the planning of a mock battle competition between the Second and Third Level students. Garak, Palandine and One Charaban - who revealed himself to be called Barkan - formed a close group, hiding out and discussing Cardassian literature and society. Garak worked hard in the preparations and his only respites were spending time with Palandine and Barkan, who introduced him to the poetic works ofMaran Bry.

Garak enlisted Eight Lubak into the efforts and the battle was a great success, if a little painful for some participants; Garak ended up using a walking cane for some time after, but his strategies worked perfectly. Barkan's position of power was secure and Garak was expecting to be rewarded; however, he was betrayed by Barkan. This resulted in him returning to solitude for much of the rest of First Level. At the end of First Level, he went to the lower prefect's office for review, hoping his efforts and reputation would move him up from the Ten position in the group. Instead, he found himself in the company of the First Prefect and Enabran Tain who informed him he would not be progressing to the Second Level but would instead be reassigned to another school. More so, Tain and the Prefect revealed they knew that he kept Mila, and Tain mocked him for naming a male regnar after a female.

Garak had little time to say goodbye to the Institute. He confronted Palandine, attempting to understand why he had been used and, blaming Barkan, dismissed from the Institute. Although he learned they were not responsible for his apparent failure, he could not forgive them at first. Barkan was shocked to find that Elim was being sent away, but immediately he dismissed Elim, seeing him as another Tarlak Sector service drone. Barkan left the two, already focused on his new nemesis (Eight Lubak). More so, Palandine informed Garak that she and Barkan were to bejoined (married) after the Institute, and that they had formed a close friendship with Elim to appropriate his obvious talents. Garak left her in a consuming rage.

Following this, Garak had time to say goodbye to Eight - now promoted to One Lubak and head of the Second Year students - and they parted as friends, telling each other their names - Elim Garak and Pythas Lok, respectively. When Elim told Palandine he was leaving, she was sad, but Barkan felt content in dismissing Elim from his preparations for the next year, instead realizing his political nemesis at the Institute would be the now-promoted Eight. Garak finally returned Mila to the wild before leaving the next day. (DS9novel:A Stitch in Time)

A brief respite[]

After leaving the Institute, Garak returned to his childhood home to work with his father, Tolan, as a gardener in the state parks of theTarlak Sector. In this short period, Tolan gave Garak his first glimpse of the unorthodox teachings of the Oralian Way. To maintain his physical skills, Garak found a training area near by and practiced regularly, often accepting and inevitably winning in challenges from ex-soldiers and martial students; he soon found himself teaching basic classes. This rewarding routine ended when Mila told him he was to be taken to visit Uncle Tain. (DS9novel:A Stitch in Time)

The Obsidian Order[]

Garak was led by his mother to the Obsidian Order, where Garak learned that "Uncle" Tain was in fact the leader of the Order. Tain told him he was to begin his work as a juniorprobe, the basic intelligence officer in the institution.

Garak was again given a new designation, the code nameRegnar. He was no longer to live at home, but instead was given residence in theTorr Sector and was only allowed to visit his family on holidays. He was to tell others only that he worked as an research analyst in the Hall of Records. He was given a comm chip by his superiorLimor Prang which provided him with his life details and orders.

Garak's first instructions were to go to a meetings of his cell, a newly formed group of nine other Obsidian Order operatives. This was the first and last time the entire cell would meet. One member of the cell wasMaladek, the former One Ramaklan of the defeated Third Level students at Barraman.

Garak's first assignment was to observe and provide credibility in an operation at the Cardassian Embassy onTohvun III inFederation border negotiations. His cover was the identity ofAlardig Ra'orn, the youngest son ofKrai, the consul at the embassy. Maladek was to be his older brotherBegom andOonal, an older and more experienced agent, was to be Krai.

On Tohvum he soon "befriended" aHuman,Hans Jordt, who invited Garak to play football. Through mathematical analysis, Garak mastered the game after one missed goal. Garak, disturbed by Hans subtlety probing questions and Maladek's erratic behavior, consulted Limor Prang, who was posing as an embassy employee. He was instructed to keep tabs on Maladek. Maladek was attempting to defect and bring down Garak in the process, but by the manipulation of higher powers in the organization Garak managed to convince Hans Jordt, who was a Federation operative, that Maladek was unreliable. This prevented the defection, maintained the cover of the operation, and disrupted the talks. Maladek subsequently committed suicide in disgrace.

Garak's career with the Order took him all over theCardassian Union and beyond, each progressive mission taking him further away;Loval,Celtris III,Lamenda Prime,Kora II,Orias III. He eventually became Tain's most trusted and dependable operative. On a mission onTzenketh he became trapped in a small room, a memory which would haunt him for years to come, as he was severely claustrophobic. During this time, however, the elderly Tolan came closer to death. It was only at the end of his life that Mila felt it appropriate to contact Elim to encourage him to visit the dying man. On his death bed, Tolan told Elim the truth of his parentage and gave him hisHebitian mask and a bag ofEdosian Orchid tubers. Garak searched for a place to grow his orchids and eventually obtaining an apartment with a modest plot of land in the home of the Archon (and gardening-aficionado)Rokan Du'Lam. He also took to visiting theTarlak Sector to take inspiration from Tolan's orchids. It was here that he first re-encountered Paladine with her andBarkan Lokar's (the former One Charaban) daughterKel. After that first encounter his wanderings lead him into an Oralian Way meeting. OnCardassia he maintained various residences, leaving crops of Edosian Orchids in his wake (doubting that with the exception of Rokan Du'Lam any could maintain them. Around this time, Elim also developed a passion for well-tailored clothes and would spend much time deciding what to wear and pack for his mission.

Over the years Garak often visited the Tarlak Sector in the hope of once more sighting Palandine; he did so several times, but realizing Kel was getting too old for playing in the park he decided to follow Palandine home. She made contact after years of being entirely aware he was watching her and the two begin an illicit affair. Palandine also became a member of the Oralian Way during this time. (DS9novel:A Stitch in Time)

Ordeve[]

In2340 Garak was sent on the planetOrdeve to investigate the localGul with the cover identity of Mas Gherrod, a lowly criminal.

He befriended an officer calledKhenet and accompanied him to the local Bajoran temple and met the local Vedek, Saba Taan, who captured his attention, he also used him to plant bugs in the Gul's office but grew desperate when he failed to obtain any usable information.

His situation grew worse when he committed a breach of protocol with Khenet and another officer attacked him to punish him, forcing Khenet to shoot him to defend Garak, Khenet was transfered to avoid punishment but Garak became the target of all the officer's ire, often suffering beatings.

After a particular violent beating Garak retired to the temple and met once again Saba Taan, the Vedek later gave him a private audience in which he offered him comfort and cryptically told him that he was forgiven for what he was about to do.

Garak grew suspicious and suddently understood that the temple was likely to be a storage depot for theBajoran Resistance, he checked it and found weapons hid in the temple and went back to the base and revealed himself as an operative of theObsidian Order just in time to find a bomb planted by the resistance and evacuate the base.

Garak then took command of the remaining officers and led an attack on the Bajoran settlement where he took the entire population prisoner and burned down the temple noticing that Saba Taan had managed to take all the children away and escape before Garak's attack, a fact that puzzled him.

Garak went back toCardassia where Tain complimented him on his work as, despite the fact that he had failed his primary objective, he had dealt the Resistance a heavy blow.(PICnovel:Second Self)

Romulus[]

Garak was dispatched toRomulus where he took on the identityElim Vronok, the gardener at the Cardassian Embassy. His mission was to assassinate Tain's arch-nemesis, ProconsulMerrok. To do so, theRomulan SenatorPelek requested his services to try and grow the Edosian Orchid in her arboretum, where they would then pollinate the orchid with theWhite Star of Night to create a deadly toxic bloom. After three months cultivating the orchid, Garak and Pelek's gardenerCrenal took the orchids to be planted in Merrok's garden, Merrok himself being a keen gardener, and he would inspect the implantation of the orchid at Pelek's house. At first Garak found himself sympathetic to the Pro-Consul, until the kindly old Romulan revealed his hatred of Cardassians, taking a toast with the seemingly dull-witted gardener and wishing to keep the "spoonheads" in their own space. Two days later Merrok was found dead, along with a few others who stopped to smell the flowers.

Garak rather ironically served under his old schoolmate,Krim Lokar (Nine Lubak), at the embassy. The dimmer Lokar never recognized Ten Lubak. However, during this time, Barkan Lokar andSkrain Dukat would visit the embassy. Lokar immediately recognized Garak and introduced him to Dukat. Seeing Elim as a simple service drone, after their conversation he essentially dismissed the gardener from his mind. He would, however, mention seeing Garak on Romulus to Palandine - a fact she would mention after Garak's return to Cardassia. (DS9novel:A Stitch in Time)

Later service[]

In2348 Garak first visited Bajor on an assignment to assassinate AgentPasir, a fellow operative of the Obsidian Order who had been surgically altered to take the place ofBajoranVedekGar Osen. (TLE -Terok Nornovel:Night of the Wolves)

In2362, Garak intentionally leaked false information about theSetlik III outpost (information that implied the outpost was being used to house and transport military equipment for an attack on Cardassia) toLaen Enkoa. Garak did this because the Order wished to discredit Enkoa's superior,JagulHanno. (STnovella:The Slow Knife)

In2365, Garak first came to theTerok Nor station on an assignment to assassinate anUllian telepath namedYenla Tosh. (DS9 -Marvelcomic: "Requiem in Obsidian")

At some point he andTal Shiar operativeZhaban crossed paths. Zhaban's wifeLaris never forgave Garak for what he did to Zhaban and wanted to exact revenge for it on Garak until his death. (PICnovel:Second Self)

Disgrace and exile[]

Garak's specialty for the Order was as an interrogator. Tain wished to obtain information about the potentially dangerous plotting of the Dukat and Lokar families, and sent Garak withPythas Lok (the former Eight Lubak of the Bamarran Institute) to capture and interrogateProcal Dukat, the father of the same Skrain Dukat he had encountered on Romulus. However the interrogation left Procal a broken man, and soon cost him his life. Garak and Dukat remained bitter enemies until Dukat's death in2375.

When Tain found out about Elim and Palandine's relationship, he ordered Garak to end it immediately, and never see Palandine again. Garak went to see her anyway, and was captured by Barkan Lokar. The resulting confrontation ended with Lokar's death.

Tain saw Garak's disobedience as a betrayal, and did nothing to help him with his resulting legal troubles. Instead of assuming Tain's office, his old friend Pythas Lok succeeded Tain. Tain had Garak exiled from Cardassia, to never return on the pain of death.

Lokar had worked with Skrain Dukat, funneling the proceeds of ore extraction and slave labor into private wealth. Tain or Dukat had Garak 'assigned' to Dukat's command on the space station,Terok Nor, in theBajor sector. Dukat saw to Garak's humiliation by assigning him the tasks of a humble tailor. Garak was at first resistant and spent a great deal of time "preparing"Garak's Clothiers until Dukat threatened to have him working alongside the Bajoran slaves in the mining operations. Garak arranged for Quark to supply him with the necessary equipment and decided to take his punishment as a challenge, determined to become a vital element of Terok Nor. The business developed quickly and Garak was soon charging high prices for his repair work. He also began to design clothing for sale.

One day in2369, Garak woke up to find that the Cardassians had abandoned the Bajoran sector. He was the only Cardassian left on the station. At first terrified, he accepted his situation, hoping to act as the eyes and ears to a world where he was no longer welcome in the chance of redeeming himself. (DS9novel:A Stitch in Time)

Deep Space 9[]

After the Cardassian withdrawal, theBajoran Provisional Government requested relief and humanitarian aid from theUnited Federation of Planets and gave occupancy of the station toStarfleet. Starfleet renamed the stationDeep Space 9.

Garak would remain on the station, at first isolated. To cope he began to alter his "wire" implant, to provide increasing amounts of pleasure in the face of the changed situation on the station. He also quickly picked upon the young and naive, if brilliant, doctor of the station,Julian Bashir, to be his first friend amongst the Federation personnel. The two would become very close over the next seven years, meeting most mornings at the Promenadereplimat and talking literature, history and other shared interests. It was with Bashir that Garak would do some of his most important acts on the station, with an early example in2369 being the discovery of the kidnapping of the children of political opponents by Gul Dukat during the occupation, includingRugal Pa'Dar. Garak's intelligence background fascinated Bashir, also, and it was Bashir who was the first to obtain proof of Garak's past. Later that year, when Garak's "wire" began malfunctioning, causing excruciating pain and leading to his impending demise, Bashir would travel to Tain to find the schematics necessary to save his friend. (DS9episodes: "Past Prologue", "Cardassians", "The Wire")

Garak's other closest friend on the station would be another outsider figure,ConstableOdo. Their friendship would begin from a moment of adversity, when, briefly at peace with Tain and the promise of return to Cardassia, he interrogated Odo, learning that the Changeling deeply wanted to return to his autocratic and despotic people, theFounders. Both would, in the revelation of Odo's own desperate isolation and sense of exile, come closer, as they continued on in exile, ostensibly in opposition to their people. (DS9episodes: "The Die is Cast", "The Way of the Warrior")

This moment of forgiveness was Tain's failed attempt to eliminate the Founders, when leading a fleet of Obsidian Order and Tal Shiar vessels, he tried to obliterate the Dominion rulers. Garak had observed that many of the cadre of excellent Order agents had disappeared, and staging an assassination, enticed Odo to help him discover what was going on. The two would be traveling to Cardassia when they were captured by Tain. Tain would forgive "Elim", and take him back - however Garak's grace was short-lived as Tain's plan failed and the spy-turned-tailor was forced to return to Deep Space Nine. (DS9episodes: "Improbable Cause", "The Die is Cast")

A few months later, Garak again attempted to return to his world. Learning of the impendingKlingon Invasion of Cardassia, he alerted the Cardassian government and subsequently helped protect the evacuated members ofMeya Rejal's government on DS9. However it was his nemesis Dukat who stole all the glory. (DS9episode: "The Way of the Warrior")

A strange turn of fortune occurred a year later, in2373, when he began a deep friendship with another outsider figure,Tora Ziyal - ironically the daughter of Dukat and granddaughter of the cause of his disgrace.

Garak served a brief prison sentence from the year's end, when he attempted to take revenge on the Founders who had told him his people were doomed because of Tain's actions the year before. Garak was stopped byWorf, and after a few months the tailor was released. (DS9episode: "Broken Link")

Garak spent six months in jail on Deep Space 9 for the attempted attack. (DS9novel:Enigma Tales)

A crucial moment in his life occurred a few months later, when Garak received a comm signal from the apparently dead Tain. Eminating from the Gamma Quadrant, Garak realised his mentor was still alive and a Dominion prisoner. Starfleet agreed to send him to the Quadrant, accompanied by Commander Worf. The two were captured, and found Tain, along with the also thought dead Klingon general,Martok, several other survivors, and - surprisingly - Doctor Bashir, whom Garak had last saw on DS9 days before. The imprisoned Bashir (replaced by a changeling) shared with Garak his last moments with Tain, as the dying spymaster at last accepted Elim as his son. Subsequently Garak ensured the group escaped from Dominion captivity, earning the respect of both Worf and Martok. (DS9episodes: "In Purgatory's Shadow", "By Inferno's Light")

When Starfleet was forced to abandon Bajor at the beginning of theDominion War in late 2373, Garak shipped off with the crew of theUSSDefiant, and he promised Ziyal that he would return to her. (DS9episode: "Call to Arms")

Garak served with Starfleet on theDefiant and reported toStarfleet Intelligence onStarbase 375. He took part on Captain Sisko's successful mission to destroy aKetracel White facility in Dominion space, and later take part inOperation Return, the retaking of Deep Space Nine. His return was struck by tragedy, when he learned that Ziyal had been murdered byGulCorat Damar as the Dominion's forces were evacuating the station. (DS9episode &novelizations:Call to Arms...,...Sacrifice of Angels)

In2374, Garak assistedCaptainBenjamin Sisko in his attempt to get the Romulans to join the war effort against the Dominion. Garak, using Sisko, assassinatedRomulanSenatorVreenak, and through faulty evidence of a plot by the Dominion to invade the neutral Star Empire, suggested that the Dominion was to blame and brought the Romulans into the war against the Dominion. (DS9episode: "In the Pale Moonlight")

Soon after, Garak accompanied Sisko toEarth for a conference to strategize with the Romulans. Members ofMeya Rejal's former government were present, representing theCardassian Government in Exile: Garak, contemptuous of theDetapa Council, ignored them. At the conference Sisko revealed the plot to recruit the Romulans toAdmiralWilliam Ross, who absolved him of his guilt. However Garak, who had been giving testimony toStarfleet Intelligence was approached by CommandersJedburgh andEnderby. Immediately recognizing his equals in the Federation's intelligence apparatus, Garak found himself blackmailed by the two agents, who were secretly members ofSection 31, to assassinate a pacifist agitator and friend of Sisko,Tomas Roeder. Confused about the order, Garak approached Roeder, unsure of whether to murder the man. However, later, Roeder, who was suffering from a longterm mental collapse, made an attempt on Sisko's life and Garak was forced to kill him. (DS9novel:Hollow Men)

Following the failed invasion of Cardassia in late 2374, after the inconclusiveFirst Battle of Chin'toka, Garak assistedOdo andStarfleet in cracking Cardassian military codes. (DS9novel:A Stitch in Time)

The effect of contributing directly to the war and the deaths of loyal Cardassian soldiers, however, caused Garak extreme stress and anxiety. He was counselled out of this moment both byCouncilorEzri Dax and his burgeoning and curious friendship withTir Remara. (DS9novel:A Stitch in Time)

Garak's relationship with Remara began when he rescued the part time Dabo girl from the drunken attentions of a Klingon patron atQuark's in early2375. Ramara had been close with Ziyal, and she and Elim became friends, despite the warnings of then-ColonelKira. However, Remara's actual motivation for their relationship was to lower Garak's defenses. Remara was a member of the retaliation network, theKohn-Ma. She hoped that she might murder him in revenge for her husband's and child's deaths years earlier in the shuttle-bombing incident during the Occupation. Having been present and prevented from boarding the shuttle carrying her family, she had seen Garak arguing with aGul (Hanar), and for a long time thought Garak responsible. When Remera confronted Garak, her greater awareness of the man led her to believe the truth of the incident. Remera chose to let Garak go, but warned him others in the Kohn-Ma would seek him out if he stayed on Deep Space 9. She parted - Garak later wrote of her leaving his apartment:

"She turned and went through the opening door. A part of me wanted her to stay, but in my weariness I could only watch her leave." (DS9novel:A Stitch in Time)

Return to Cardassia[]

Fortunately for Garak, after the threat of more assassination attempts, his situation was about to change permanently.LegateCorat Damar, leader of the Cardassian Union, had finally grown tired of the Dominion, seeing their alliance with the Union as an occupation in all-but-name. Damar and several military commanders had taken their units and gone underground, leaving announcements to resist the Dominion. The Federation Alliance seized this opportunity by sending Garak, Colonel Kira (inducted into Starfleet and given the rank ofCommander), andConstableOdo to assist Damar and hisresistance movement against the Dominion. (DS9novel:A Stitch in Time,DS9episode: "When It Rains...")

Garak fully intended to murder Damar, who had himself murdered Ziyal. However upon encountering Damar, he saw a changed man, who fully embraced the potential of a new Cardassia. Garak came to admire and respect the fugitive legate. (DS9novel:A Stitch in Time,ST -The Fallnovel:The Crimson Shadow)

The resistance movement was at first successful, and immensely aided the war effort when it successfully captured a Dominion fighter with aBreen weapon on it. Odo was forced to leave the group due to the Changeling illness, which had crippled him. In the face of the growing success of the resistance, however, the Dominion seemed to destroy it when GulRevok betrayed it to the Vorta, leading to the elimination of most of the rebel troops and commanders. Damar, Garak and Kira were forced into hiding, making it to Cardassia City. Garak proved instrumental in ensuring they survived, by taking them to Tain's house inTarlak Sector. There, greeted by Mila, the three were hid by her in the basement. (DS9 -Prophecy and Changeshort story: "Face Value")

During this time, Garak re-readEleta Preloc'sMeditations on a Crimson Shadow whilst the others slept. He encounter iedn Preloc's seemingly patriotic text a vision of the Union's militaristic excess, and regain some hope in his species. (ST -The Fallnovel:The Crimson Shadow)

Damar and the others occasionally escaped the house. On one occasion Damar was recognized and he used the opportunity to announce he was still alive and to announce again that Cardassians should resist the Dominion. Several days later a general strike occured, leading to a total loss of communications and much power on Cardassia Prime, as well as cutting interstellar communications. Garak and the others found out thatLakarian City had been levelled by the Dominion in retaliation.

The Dominion and their Cardassian troops had been attempting to find Damar. Eventually they came to Tain's house. Whilst they hid in the basement, Mila failed to misdirect the soldiers, who killed her. Shocked by the death of his mother and their protector, Garak as well as the others were captured by the patrol. As they were about to be executed, however, the Cardassian soldiers turned against the Jem'Hadar and rescue Damar, Kira and Garak. The soldiers, Damar and Kira quickly planned together to reachDominion Headquarters. Garak, lost in bereavement, was forced to say goodbye to the last remaining piece of his old life.

At about this time, the final major fleet action was occuring as the Dominion, Breen and Cardassian fleets defended the central system from the Federation Alliance. When the strike's blackout was finally fixed, the last of Damar's commanders,Malyn Ocett, used the destruction of Lakarian City to inspire the Cardassia fleets to turn against the Dominion. This act, however, led to the most heinous act of the war, as the Female Shapeshifter in retaliation ordered the extermination of all Cardassians left alive.

As the city came down about them and as the Jem'Hadar exterminated the population of the city, Damar, Garak and Nerys reachd the central command complex. Breaking in as the last Cardassian occupants were marched out for execution and shouting "For Cardassia", the final assault saw Damar die. Garak, Kira and one other made it to the Female Shapeshifter's command room. There Garak murdered Weyoun, but the changeling refused to surrender: too ill and too stubborn, she would rather see the Federation, Klingons and Romulans exhaust themselves fighting through the fortress-ruin she had made of Cardassia Prime. But Odo rejoined them, and through theGreat Link, cured her of her illness and inspired her to surrender. (DS9episode &novelization:What You Leave Behind)

Reconstruction[]

With the war over, the exile of Elim Garak had ended, but at the cost of a death toll with over eight hundred million dead. As the sun rose over the ruined skeleton of his world, Garak observed the rising casualties with Julian Bashir, who tried to console his friend, but the tailor breezily tells the doctor not to bother; after all, as he noted, many would say that Cardassia has gotten exactly what it deserves, and they would be right – not only for Dukat's role in bringing the Dominion, and thus the war, to the Alpha Quadrant, but for a whole history of conquest and atrocities on other worlds, of which Bajor is only one. Garak then revealed to Bashir that he intended to remain on Cardassia and thanked him for his friendship over the years, admitting he would miss their lunchtime chats. Though Bashir was hopeful that their paths would cross once again, the ever-cynical Garak stated that though he also hoped this would be true, the uncertainties of their time made the future enigmatic. One an operative to the elusive Obsidian Order, the man who claimed to be nothing more than a simple tailor returned to his planet as a possible leader. However, as Garak had observed during the final hours of the conflict, the Cardassia he knew was gone forever, destroyed by the Dominion. The reconstruction would be dire, as his final, preoccupied and sorrowful look showed.

In the following years, the government on Cardassia was reorganised under a democratic system thatFirst SpeakerBarada Damar - the sole relative of the rebel leader to survive the purge - founded, which was coined theCardassian Reclamation. As a citizen of this new state, Garak witnessed the restoration of the economic balance on Cardassia and later reunited with a familiar face when Benjamin Sisko - restored from theCelestial Temple to challenge a new threat - was arrested to face trail for the repercussions that his actions had on the Cardassian people. . (ST -The Red Pathcomic: "Part 3")

WhenJake Sisko work the bookAnslem, Garak was one of the names which he listed to be stars who were left to him when his father was taken to the Celestial Temple, mentioning Garak alongsideNog,Kira Nerys andMardah. (STcomic: "Omega")

Another exile[]

After the war Garak became theCardassian Ambassador to the United Federation of Planets, residing inParis,Earth. He later called his time spent on Earth as ambassador his "second exile".

As ambassador, in2376 he met Lieutenant CommanderRaffaela Musiker after she rescued Cardassian civilians on Ordeve from being exterminated by theRomulans. (PICnovel:Second Self)

In2380 Garak was instrumental in getting theAndak Project green-lit despite stiff opposition from anti-Federation groups, including theTrue Way and a bloc led byGulAkellen Macet. (STOwebsite:The Path to 2409)

Garak diligently performed his duties as ambassador for fifteen years until he retired in the early 2390s, splitting his time between Paris andSes'erakh for several years after that. (PICnovel:Second Self)

Later life and "death"[]

By2399 Garak had fallen out of favor with both the Union and the Federation, Cardassia considered him an embarrassment as he was the last surviving member of theObsidian Order and the Federation considered him a liability as protecting him could mean a straining in the Federation-Bajoran relations so whenBajoran Intelligence discovered that in2340 he had been responsible for the destruction of Bajoran settlement onOrdeve he was branded a criminal and forced to hide.

When he was sighted onOrdeveAdmiralJean-Luc Picard taskedLieutenant commanderRaffaela Musiker to track him down and arrest him, she recruitedElnor and were transported on the planet byCaptainCristóbal Rios with theUSS Stargazer (NCC-82893).

Garak had by then surgically altered himself to look Bajoran and adopted the cover identity of aVedek called "Saba Taan" like the man he had first met on the planet almost 50 years before.

He was found and identified by Raffi andKoma Tath agentToze Falus and taken prisoner by they were unable to take him to custody as a force field protected by Obsidian Order codes had activated behind them, forcing them to go further in theCaanta valley.

There they found a Bajoran settlement where people reacted to Garak's presence by welcoming him with happiness and love and revealed to him that they were the children who had survived Garak's attack in2340 and that he really was Saba Taan, and due to a temporal causality loop, was destined to go back in time to save them from his actions and protect the Orb to redeem himself for his crimes, while Toze initially opposed the news he eventually allowed Garak to use theOrb of Restitution to travel back in time, official reports listed him dead while trying to protect the Orb from aTal Shiar attack. (PICnovel:Second Self)

Vedek Saba Taan[]

Garak arrived in2340 five months before the arrival of his younger self and used the time he had to create a safe haven for the children and help theBajoran Resistance smuggle weapons through the local temple, he also briefly met his younger self and told him that he forgave him for what he was about to do. When the younger Garak attacked the settlement he snuck away with the children and the Orb in theCaanta valley where he raised and protected them until he died in2357 after performingShri-tal with his Bajoran charges.

After his death he was buried in a tomb adorned with a Bajoran holy symbol and the coat of arms of theObsidian Order and was remembered by his new family with much love. (PICnovel:Second Self)

Alternate realities[]

In analternate universe accessed by aninterdimensionalAndrossi device,Gul Garak was one of the highest Cardassian authorities in the Bajor system, known for his ruthlessness against his enemies. He was responsible for the executions of bothGulDukat andStarfleetCaptainJean-Luc Picard. (SCEeBook:Lost Time)

Appendices[]

Background[]

• Garak was played byAndrew J. Robinson. Robinson also voiced the character inThe Fallen and wroteA Stitch in Time.

Connections[]

StarbaseDeep Space 9personnel and residents (original station)
station personnel	K. Adabwe •M. Ahzed •T. Aimatsu •Aleco V. •R. Alfonzo •Alle T. •Altman •Amran •K. Andrews •T. Ane •N. Aponte •J. Ashe •Aylam E. •J. S. Bashir •Battes A. •M. Bilecki •J. Blackmer •Bojja R. •P. Boudreaux •S. Bowers •Brooks •J. Broome •Cardok •Carlton •S. Carson •Cenn D. •J. Chao •J. Chavez •H. Collins •F. Cortez •Costello •Cryan •D. Cziraky •G. Davis •E. Dax •J. Dax •Devro •S. Douglas •M. Eddington •Eddon •Eric •Etana K. •Evik N. •Gaysd T. •Girani S. •Goodman •Gordimer •Greskrendtregk •Guerette •Hage •Hava R. •T. Jast •Jataq'qat •Jattera •S. Jonsson •Kabo •Kahrimanis •Kelly •Kira N. •V. Knezo •J. Kurland •Kurn •T. Kwiatkowski •S. ch'Larn •C. Ling •B. Mariner •Marten •P. Matthias •McCormick •McEwian •K. Merimark •Mesk •Monyodin •T. Moore •Moru •I. Muckerheide •Munson •Nalan B. •J. Si Naran •Nedani I. •Nev R. •Nguyen •N'Heydor •Nog •M.E. O'Brien •Occino •Odo •D. Parks •Pertwee •H. Petersen •Phongsit •G. Primmin •Redac •Reis I. •ch'Rellen •K. Richter •Ro L. •Rom •G. Roness •Sanger •Sarish M. •A. Selzner •J. Senkowski •Setrin Y. •R. th'Shant •Shul T. •Shula S. •Simak •B.L. Sisko •Z. Slaine •J. Smith •N. Sthili •W. Stinson •M. Strang •Strek •C. Swannig •Tagana •S. Taran •S. Tarses •A. Taveras •Darl Tavros •Telnorri •P. Tenmei •Terek •T. ch'Thane •Tolland •M. Tomson •Gelia Torly •T'Peyn •Trulli •E. Vaughn •zh'Vesk •Vu K. •Wasa G. •Wayeh S. •D. Wilkens •Worf •Woros K. •Yamaguchi •D. Yarrow •Yevlin M.
station residents	Aluura •A. Wyoss •L. Arlin •Arios •Barys K. •Betenn B. •Betenn C. •Betenn K. •Bokat •Broc •Broik •Byla •Cadara •Capril •Chalan A. •Chon S. •Chram •Conpap •Dalba S. •Drak •Elvim •V. Fontaine •A. Fontana •Freyla •Frool •Gann •E. Garak •Grehm •Grimp •E. Grof •Hadron •Hatram N. •Hetik •Jas-qal •Jhakka •Kaga •Kalaw •Leeta •Londar P. •Maiki •Malor B. •Malor T. •Mardah •Martok •Mireh •Mo'Neke •Morn •M'Pella •Keidan N. •Keiko O'Brien •Kirayoshi O'Brien •Molly O'Brien •Quark •Rasmus S. •Rhit •Riv B. •Riv J. •Sarda •S'taass •N. Sardopolous •Shul Aba •J. Sisko •T'Ara •Taran'atar •Teler •J. Tharen •Tigart H. •Tir R. •Tora Z. •Treir •Vissh •Kasidy Yates •Yelsi
StarbaseDeep Space 9personnel and residents (second station)
station personnel	Aleco V. •Allasar •E.g. Ansarg •J. Bashir •B. Becerra •V. Bixx •J. Blackmer •P. Boudreaux •J. Candlewood •Cardok •Cenn D. •H. Collins •J. Collins •B. Crusher •A. d'Arnaud •V. deGrom •O. Dellasant •G. Desjardins •Etana K. •S. Douglas •Hava R. •B. Herriot •E. Juarez •V. Knezo •S. ch'Larn •P. Matthias •K. Merimark •E. Minnar •Nog •M.E. O'Brien •D. Phlox •S. Ravid •K. Richter •Ro L. •N. Saygur •Shul T. •Z. Slaine •W. Stinson •T'Lune •P. Tenmei •L. Thorne •Valinar •Verlon •R.K. Viss •P. Walenista •Zhang S.
station residents	Altek D. •Aluura •Broik •Damas H. •Frool •Grimp •Kala M. •M'Pella •Orcam •Quark •Shmenge •Ulu L. •Zirk

Appearances[]

External links[]

• Elim Garak article atMemory Alpha, the wiki for canonStar Trek.
• Elim Garak article atWikipedia, the free encyclopedia.