 Art of The DealHow'd We Do it? |
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| Synopsis | Quark must swallow his pride and serve as a negotiator for the Ferengi when the Nausicans revolt and threaten to destroy Ferenganar. |
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| Major Character and Plot Points | Worf performing as a diplomat and his future ambitions. Dax ribbing Worf for having to put up with the Ferengi. Rom and the fact that he is losing respect for his brother for not believing in anything. Glimpse into Nausican culture and it's differences from Ferengi culture. |
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| Rene's Comments | This was our best DS9er. It had a hell of a lot of comic potential
but did have Quark acting a little out of character. I think that we could
have devised ways to allow him to act in the way we specified in a full
script. He was being advised by Worf and was pretty much scared out of
his mind by the Nausicans. He may have tried to negotiate respectively
for a while, not trying to weasel anything out for himself. (there have
been bigger stretches of character on Star Trek).
This pitch was inspired by the episode in which Sisko and Quark are
trapped with Nog and Jake by the Jem Hadaar. Quark goes off on how the
Ferengi have never been involved in any interstellar wars. This stuck me
as odd, because the Ferengi typically screw just about everyone they deal
with. I began to wonder why and then I thought about how the Nausicans
always seem to have their backs. I put two and two together and had the
Ferengi screw over the Nausicans, who in turn start to raid Ferengi outposts
and threaten the Ferengi homeward. In the end though, Rene was again stylish in his rejection. The Quark shows are consistently the ones that work the best and the most popular. He told us that there are just better plans for Quark over the next season, though the concept did have some merit.
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| The Pitch as Delivered | The Ferengi are attacked by the Nausicans, the Ferengi's hired muscle.
Brunt arrives on the station begging for Quark's help. The Nausicans will
only deal with an outsider, being disgusted with the Ferengi. Quark balks,
as Ferenganar has turned its back on him. Sisko encourages Quark to help
and assigns Worf to mediate the conflict. Quark and Worf spare over Klingon
Ferengi life styles.
Worf goes into the negotiations with Rom as Quark won't commit. His
pride stands in the way of helping directly. Quark helps his brother behind
the scenes as Worf looks on disgusted. After the lead Nausican, Gilmock
kills his assistant over a mistake made by Rom, Quark arrives to take over
the negotiations. The negotiations go nowhere. Quark can't get through to the Nausicans and they don't want money. They want revenge for being cheated and wish to form a Brotherhood of Warriors and also really aren't that interested in negotiating. During the negotiations, Gimock tries to kill Quark. Quark concludes that this is the end of all the Ferengi. Worf has a problem as he believes the Ferengi dishonorable and that he believes in the Nausican cause even if they are a little misguided. Sisko tells him that compromise is part of the job. A report states that the Ferengi are beginning a mass evacuation from their home world as the Nausicans get closer. Brunt tells Quark that even though Quark may save Ferenganar, he still can't give him back his status or return the belongings he seized. When Quark threatens to walk out, Brunt notes that he is too much like these humans to let his people be destroyed. Rom advises his brother to forget politics and just be himself. Quark finds out what the Nausicans would do if they didn't work for the Ferengi, which is the same that thing they are doing now: fight, and go around wrecking things and inflicting pain on each other. Quark tells Gimock that his egalitarian plan would kill his status as a lead Nausican. Quark convinces Gimock, to the further distress of Brunt, that greed is good and that the Ferengi way of making money can work for the Nausicans. Quark then offers Gimock a great contract, to spite Brunt and more autonomy. Brunt quickly signs the treaty that Quark draws up as Gilmock threatens to kill him. Quark seems to have saved the day, even though he gained nothing for himself. Sisko thanks him and states that has done a good thing he should be proud of. Quark replies (with notes of insincerity) that he feels really good on the inside for helping Ferenganar and especially for helping Brunt. While seeing Brunt off, Quark tells him that the treaty he drew up stated that his status be returned, that Brunt must resign from the Ferengi Commerce Authority and Quark also gets a small duty from the Ferengi above all fees paid to the Nausicans. Brunt vows not to abide by it. But a treaty is a contract and a contract is a contract is a contract!
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