Relaxation after work

He was never good at sleeping on the station. It took him hours for his mind to wind down and release from the day. For his first hour off, he stripped to the tank beneath his uniform, and his boxers. This allowed him to answer, if need be, the last messages of the day. He did push ups on the floor of his quarters, trying in vain to tire himself.
After that, in the manner of all Betazoids, it all came off. He padded over to the replicator on bare feet, requested a cup of Deka Tea, and found a dry Vulcan novel he was trying to finish, and tried to read.
There he sat, legs set askew, in an uncomfortable Cardassian recliner which, despite the number of throw pillows he set on it, still pinched his back.
The eerie incident with the Cardassian and T'Pren lingered in the back of his mind. Poor girl, what a terrible week for her. He found himself wanting to protect her. He crammed the thought back and sipped his tea.

The computer's voice chimed hollowly in Rai's room. It sounded strained, as though the power were struggling to come on - but nothing else indicated any kind of power problem.
"Incoming message from Not Designated," it stuttered, and without waiting for him to confirm, accept, or respond at all, Rai's screen flickered on. An interference obscured voice came from a poorly-lit figure, seemingly in mid conversation.
"...if I'll get your audio this time.. Perhaps. Now, what is this?"

Rai lowered the PADD containing his novel, peering at the screen across the room.
"This is Darren Rai, Starfleet, Commander of Deep Space 15," he rose from his chair, and made no gesture to cover himself. He squinted.

"Damn it, I've got another room now, haven't I.." The Cardassian on the flickering screen gasped at the end of Rai's statement. "Did you say Commander? Finally, I'm getting through properly!" he chuckled. "Look at you! Did the war wipe out all the adult Betazoids?"

"I was old enough to give your compatriots a stroke back on Betazed." he said, licking his lips. "Ask Dr. Mila Tahain if she'll be able to hold a scalpel again after yesterday. Don't be shy there, why don't you fix this transmission so I can see you better?"

"Didn't quite catch all of that. Did you say Tahain? How is the old bird?" The man's eye jumped into close focus as he peered closely at Rai. "Aren't you precious - I could eat you."

"She's broken. Why don't you try me?" He said flatly. As his image came into focus, he stared right into his eyes, straight into the back of his skull.

The man grinned at his words. "There, that was clear as a bell! Plotting revenge for the interruption of your nude time, Commander? Ohh... the things I had planned for you people when I was asked to be Prefect.." He mused.

"Since your people are utterly defeated, I suppose I'll never know the pleasure. In fact, figures indicate it'll take two hundred years for your planet's economy to recover. If you have any surviving grandsons, which I doubt, even they won't live to see the glory of Cardassia restored. It must sting to be a warrior race that can't even win a war, and never will again. It's as if all Cardassians have lost their purpose. Very sad, really. You have my pity-- what's your name again?"

"Oh, I'm sure you can find out my name all on your own, so I shan't patronize you," The man replied with a smile. "But you mustn't pity me. I'm warm.. the sun only comes out for about twenty minutes per day.. and I'm discovering - to my delight, I assure you - that you motley band are fumbling around a station you still have yet to understand like a tribe of naked savages." his words dissolved into laugher.

"I'm glad you're amused. Feel free to pop in any time for another eyeful. You know where to find me; still be the one commanding your former station and making your operatives beg for their lives." He gestured broadly to his quarters, decorated with knickknacks from Betazed.
"Do you like what I did with the place? Federation hot chocolate comes out of the replicators and Bajorans pray openly."

The man shook his head ruefully. "They always need to submit to *some* higher power, don't they?" Static began to obscure the screen. "Damn radiation..." he muttered. "I'll see you again soon, Commander - I expect you to know my name by then!" The transmission cut out, seemingly intentionally.

Rai held up two fingers in the shape of a V, and jabbed them in the air as the Cardassian faded into static.