Before I got to the final arc of DS9 when Mila turns up again, I had a theory that “Mila” was not in fact her name. I figured out she was Garak’s mother when I rewatched Improbable Cause after first seeing In Purgatory’s Shadow, and noticed that the only people we hear call her “Mila” are Garak and Tain. Odo also refer to her as such, but only because he heard it from Garak. My theory was that mila was an affectionate Cardassian term of address to your mother, like English mummy. As Odo has had very little to do with Cardassian family life, he might not know that particular word, and therefore not realise that it’s not a name. This also meant that when Tain’s line “Mila may not be around much longer” in The Die is Cast is way worse. Not only is he telling Garak he’s thinking of killing his mother, but he’s in fact saying: “mummy may not be around much longer”.
With Mila’s appearance in The Dogs of War, this idea no longer works, as we get other characters refer to her as Mila, but it still has a special place in my heart.
“He was beautiful, Julian thought. Not simply because of his youth, but because of the life that seemed to crackle beneath the surface of his skin. His blue eyes sparkled with electricity. His movements spoke of a quiet excitement. Even the scent of him, thin as it was on the breeze, seemed to prickle with spice and static. It was something, Julian unhappily noted, that was missing from the exile he knew. That joy, that freedom had gone.”
(I’m always floored by DHW’s writing but this one has to be one of my favorites. Who can resist a young obsidian order Garak?)
Jesus I somehow missed this amazing fic the first time round. But maybe I win because I get to read it with this lovely picture of young Garak in my mind’s eye,
For the prompt fingerpainting together, submitted by anon.
Kardasi awaits below! If you don’t speak it quite as fluently as Julian and Garak do, hover over the text for a translation.
* * *
He held as still as he could as Garak’s cool fingers daubed the pigment on to his skin, posture perfect, head tilted. There was a very clear way to do this. And by God, he was going to get it right.
Cecil. She/her. During the day I sit in libraries staring at books. During the night I write queer fanfiction with a historical slant.
Some not-so-random facts: Gay space lizards are the best lizards. Star Trek is my life. I have too many DS9 ships. Classic Who and the Eighth Doctor Adventures make me grin stupidly. Kelas Parmak is the best. I will defend historically accurate portrayals of Alan Turing to the last drop of blood. Likes and asks end up in the name of @apolesens-otheraccount, because Tumblr doesn't have a way of changing which blog is your primary one. Nothing happens over there - this is the one to follow.
