On the surface level, Garak seems to be particularly honest in "In the Pale Moonlight." He helps Captain Sisko trick the Romulan Star Empire into joining the Dominion War on the Federation’s side, and he does so by openly using all the skills he learned from a lifetime of spying. It is undeniable that the Garak of "In the Pale Moonlight" is not the simple tailor that he so often claims to be. So, I was a little surprised to realize that the entire story of the episode is based upon three major lies that Garak tells Captain Sisko.
3Garak Lied When He Told Captain Sisko He Called His Cardiassian Contacts
If They're All "Dead," Sisko Won't Ask For More Favors
At the start of "In the Pale Moonlight," Captain Sisko asks Garak to reach out to his contacts on Cardassia for help drawing the Romulans into the war. Garak, however, tells him that there will be no help from Cardassia, as when he reached out he found all his contacts were dead or otherwise unavailable. But, thinking about Garak's story for even a moment, it becomes clear that he was almost certainly lying to Captain Sisko.
By lying to Captain Sisko, Garak was able to help as much as he wanted without risking further connections to Starfleet and the Federation.
Garak likely already had a plan to draw the Romulans into the war through forgery, but telling Captain Sisko that he no longer had contacts on Cardassia would keep the Captain from asking for similar favors in the future. By lying to Captain Sisko, Garak was able to help as much as he wanted without risking further connections to Starfleet and the Federation.
2Garak Lied About Why He Needed The Bio-Mimetic Gel
It's Not Currancy - It's A Bomb
Firstly, there’s ample evidence in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine to suggest that Garak already had a Cardassian data rod. In the season 3 episode "Improbable Cause," Garak references having secret data rods stashed on Deep Space Nine - he tells Dr. Bashir to eat one. And, if Garak didn't need the gel for currency, there is another, darker, use for the gel. Star Trek: The Next Generation already established that bio-mimetic gel can be used to make explosives, and, in the end, it was just such an explosive that Garak used to kill the Romulan Senator Vreenak (Stephen McHattie).
1Romulan Senator Vreenak's Death Was Garak's Plan All Along
Killing Vreenak Was The Best Way To Acomplish His Goals
Neither the audience nor Captain Sisko will ever really be able to know when Garak is lying.
But the subterfuge of a damaged rod and a dead ambassador is exactly what the Romulans could expect from the Dominion. As soon as Sisko came to him for help, Garak planned for Vreenak's death. Of course, these lies are Star Trek theories, in the end. Neither the audience nor Captain Sisko will ever really be able to know when Garak is lying. So, when watching Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, it is safer to assume that everything Garak says is true, especially the lies.