Loves and stratagems

I’ve seen people pointing out how cold and uncomfortable Garak must have been in Paris during his ambassadorship, but there is one thing that would have made it much easier to bear: Turkish baths. He discovers it by accident while reading some book, and seeks one out in Paris. The poor visibility makes him a little paranoid at first, but the rooms are large and vaulted, and surprisingly calm. He grows to enjoy it thoroughly. He finds he does some of his best thinking there, and the steam is excellent for his skin around shedding. The regulars at the hammam find this rather imposing lizard a strange addition at first, but they soon grow accustomed to him. The embassy security detail hates it, of course. It is quite the sight, three large bodyguards sulking in a corner, each one with a towel clutched around the waist. 

Garak becomes something of a connoisseur of hammams, frequently seeking out new ones in cities he visits. The Cardassian Intelligence Buraeu start making a list of hammams in places he is set to travel to, so security can check them out even before Garak learns about them (or so they think). Garak writes long passages in his letters home, enthusing about this one Earth invention that surpasses its Cardassian equivalent. When Bashir comes to Earth next, they go together and disturb the other guests with their loud discussions. Despite Garak’s attempts to convince him, Parmak declines to accompany him – he is not comfortable showing his labour camp scars to strangers – but he pays attention as Garak talks about it and secretly wonders whether there is room on Tain’s old plot of land to commission a hammam for when Garak comes back to Cardassia.