STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE: BUSINESS AS USUAL (TV)
Summary
One in this series of science fiction programs about a twenty-fourth-century space station, Deep Space Nine.
Quark is deeply in debt and doesn't know how to fix it until his cousin Gaila visits Deep Space Nine and offers to recruit him into weapons trading, which he claims will be quite profitable for Quark. Desperate, Quark agrees and meets Gaila's employer, a man named Hagath. They devise a scheme wherein they use Quark's holosuites as a sort of "showroom," thus circumventing Federation law concerning weapons trade by conducting all actual transactions off-site. Soon Quark becomes an adept weapons salesman and Hagath takes a liking to him. Meanwhile, O'Brien is having difficulty getting Kirayoshi to sleep, as he cries almost constantly when put down. His various efforts to calm Kirayoshi all meet with failure.
Hagath informs Quark that he has been transferring Quark's cut of the weapons sales directly to his creditors, which displeases Quark. Hagath claims that he has done this to help Quark and gives him a gift to show his appreciation; he says he treats his associates like family. Odo brings Quark into his office for his weapons trades, but Quark points out that he technically hasn't broken any laws. Sisko and Kira arrive to tell Odo to let Quark go under order from the Bajoran government; Hagath sold weapons to the Bajoran resistance during the occupation and they feel that they owe him. However, Sisko threatens Quark, warning him that he will be scrutinized far more closely from now on.
Quark asks Hagath about selling weapons to the Bajorans and he explains, feeling that gaining allies can be more important than making profit. He calls in another of his associates, Farrakk, and berates him for losing several important deals before dismissing him from his service. Later, Quark learns that Farrakk's ship suffered a warp core breach and exploded shortly after it left Deep Space Nine, apparently Hagath's doing as a price for failure. Quark tries to talk to Dax about his weapons trading, but she discerns that he is feeling guilty and she won't grant him forgiveness. Hagath, Gaila, and Quark receive the Regent of Palamar, a wealthy planetary ruler looking to eliminate a resistance movement against him. To Quark's shock, the Regent asks for a weapon capable of killing millions of people. Gaila tries to get Quark to go along with the deal, but Quark is highly disturbed that his actions could result in so much death and feels responsible.
Unable to go forward with the deal, Quark devises an alternate plan. He informs Hagath that he is unable to procure the weapon the Regent desires, but can get a different, slightly less effective weapon instead. He offers to demonstrate it on a planetary system for the Regent if Hagath can keep him on Deep Space Nine. Meanwhile, Quark invites the leader of the resistance movement against the Regent onto Deep Space Nine and convinces Gaila that he wishes to sell the weapon to both sides, doubling their profit. He then maneuvers both the Regent and the resistance leader into the same cargo bay, where they immediately fire upon each other as Starfleet security responds to the disturbance.
In the aftermath, the Regent is killed and Gaila and Hagath are targeted for assassination by the surviving resistance leader. Sisko forgoes the charges against Quark for saving the people of Palamar, but makes him pay for the damages to the cargo bay. Kirayoshi finally drifts off to sleep, allowing O'Brien some much-needed rest. The episode ends as Quark patches up his friendship with Dax. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: Syndicated
- DATE: April 7, 1997
- RUNNING TIME: 0:45:33
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:50183
- GENRE: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SERIES RUN: Syndicated - TV series, 1993-1999
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ira Steven Behr … Executive Producer
- Rick Berman … Executive Producer, Created by
- Ronald D. Moore … Co-Executive Producer
- Robert della Santina … Coordinating Producer
- Peter Lauritson … Supervising Producer
- Hans Beimler … Co-Supervising Producer
- Robert Hewitt Wolfe … Producer
- Steve Oster … Producer
- René Echevarria … Producer
- J. P. Farrell … Co-Producer
- Terri Potts … Associate Producer
- Siddig el Fadil (See also: Alexander Siddig) … Director
- Michael Piller … Created by
- Bradley Thompson … Writer
- David Weddle … Writer
- Gene Roddenberry … Based upon "Star Trek" created by
- David Bell … Music by
- Dennis McCarthy … Theme Music by
- Avery Brooks … Cast, Captain Sisko
- Rene Auberjonois … Cast, Odo
- Michael Dorn … Cast, Lt. Commander Worf
- Alexander Siddig (See also: Siddig el Fadil) … Cast, Dr. Julian Bashir
- Terry Farrell … Cast, Lieutenant Dax
- Cirroc Lofton … Cast, Jake Sisko
- Colm Meaney … Cast, Chief O'Brien
- Armin Shimerman … Cast, Quark
- Nana Visitor … Cast, Major Kira
- Lawrence Tierney … Cast, Regent
- Josh Pais … Cast, Gaila
- Tim Halligan … Cast, Farrakk
- Steven Berkoff … Cast, Hagath
- Eric Cadora … Cast, Customer
- Mark Allen Shepherd … Cast, Morn