Interactive Dialog: "Quark Quits His Day Job"
For Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Harbinger
Author: Ken Eklund

What’s Going On? You are Bannik, an Acting Ambassador of the Federation, and you are a long, long way from home. Sent to investigate an alien planet deep in the wilderness of the Gamma Quadrant, you were forced to crash-land in an automated weapons factory. But as you explore the factory, you find evidence you are not alone. One of the phaser rifles in your runabout disappears, and you hear phaser fire in the distance from time to time. Eventually you find some blasted hulks. Someone has been disabling the warlike drones the factory produces, and scavenging their valuable latinum innards.

Following the trail of hulked drones, you arrive at a room that contains a large pile of the precious latinum. No one seems to be there, but by now you may have guessed the truth: Quark, the rapacious Ferengi bartender of Deep Space Nine, stowed away on board your runabout, probably by using a "refraction mantle," a device that renders him invisible. If Quark’s there, you’re happy to have found him, because you located a bridge you can’t cross unless someone else extends it for you.

This dialog begins when you begin to explore the room containing the pile of latinum. It continues until you and Quark come to some sort of agreement about the bridge.

How Do I Use This Document? This document is derived from the original programming file I wrote for the game’s dialog engine. It follows one typical dialog path. In the game, the player had complete freedom to choose any of the menu options, to follow any one of thousands of path possibilities.

As you explore the room, you hear a voice.

"{pssst!} Ambassador!"

But when you look around, there’s no one there. You take another step:

"{pssst!, but louder} Hey, Ambassador! Hold on a minute!"

It’s possible that the voice is Quark’s. You try to locate him in the room. You can't see anyone, but the mouse cursor indicates there's someone there. When you click, you get a menu:

1a. [Who's there?]
1b. [Quark?]
1c. [Quark!]

Let's say you've definitely recognized him, so you choose 1c. You hear yourself (Bannik) say:

"{'you scared me'} QUARK! What are you doing here?"

Quark responds:

"{righteously quoting a Ferengi Rule of Acquisition} Home is where the heart is, but the stars are made of latinum.'"

For your response, you get a menu:

2a. [Ferengi Rule?]
2b. [You the bartender?]
2c. [Why are you here?]
2d. [You're invisible?]
2e. [You stowed away?]

Let's say you're unclear as to who 'Quark' is (or just want to antagonize him a little). You choose 2b. As Bannik, you say:

"{disbelieving} Quark - the bartender?"

Quark responds with:

"THAT'S all over, Bannik. {confidentially} With the latinum I've collected here, I'll soon be sole owner of a luxury pleasure moon! {beat} Maybe TWO."

"No one will ever call me a bartender again, Ambassador.")

You get a menu:

2c. [Why are you here?]
2d. [You're invisible?]
2e. [You stowed away?]
2f. [Help with bridge]

What IS he doing here? You choose 2c, and say:

"{curious, amazed} What on Tirria are you doing here?"

Quark responds, confidentially:

"You ever heard of the Ferengi Salvage Code, Ambassador? {beat} Never mind, I can see by your slack jaw you haven't. The Salvage Code clearly states that anything left abandoned is the property of the finder. SO - I now own this factory. {beat, almost a squeal} THINK OF THE PROFITS!!?!"

You get a menu:

3a. [Profits?]
3b. [Congratulations]
3c. [Abandoned?]
3d. [Can't be serious]
3e. [Let's plan escape]

You're not sure what in the galaxy he means, so you choose 3a. You say:

"{incredulous} Profits?"

Quark is eager to explain:

"{excitedly} YE-ES. I'm sure - in these uncertain times - the market for high-quality PERSONAL SECURITY DRONES must be immense! {lowers voice} Not to mention - the EXTENSIVE latinum assets..."

You get a menu:

4a. [Congratulations]
4b. [Abandoned?]
4c. [Can't be serious]
4d. [Let's plan escape]

You're sure there must be a flaw in his plan. How is he so sure the factory is abandoned? You choose 4b, and say:

"{skeptical of his claim} Are you SURE this place is abandoned, Quark? Someone somewhere is still making drones – "

But Quark interrupts you to say:

"{dismissive} Automatic systems, Ambassador, believe me. Look around you! Nobody's been here for CENTURIES."

You get a menu:

5a. [Congratulations]
5b. [Can't be serious]
5c. [Let's plan escape]

Enough is enough. Now you choose 5c, and so you say:

"{sternly} QUARK. Forget this nonsense. We have to plan – "

Again Quark interrupts you:

"{wildly indignant} NONSENSE? It's a stroke of BRILLIANCE!"

Quark goes on:

"Admittedly... there are still a few details to be worked out... the drones are searching everywhere, trying to kill us... and we have no way to get my latinum back to the Scythian ship..."

To which you respond (describing something you saw on your way in):

"Yeah... and there's a huge warship in the bowels of this place that's almost ready to launch. If we let that monster get to Deep Space Nine, Quark - say goodbye to your Bar."

To which he responds:

"I TOLD you, Ambassador - my days pouring drinks for surly Bolians are OVER."

You get a menu:

6a. [Contact with Odo]
6c. [You destroy drones?]
6d. [Call me Bannik]
6e. [Help with bridge]

Quark mentioned the Scythian ship. Earlier, you managed to revive an old factory comm system, and contacted Odo, who's now piloting that ship. (As Chief of Security, Odo naturally is Quark's nemesis on DS9.) To tell Quark about this development, you choose 6a. As Bannik, you say:

"I've established contact with Odo, in the Scythian ship."

To which Quark bursts out:

"ODO is here? Can't he find a few pickpockets to collar back in the Alpha Quadrant? I swear, Ambassador, the man only exists to persecute me!"

To which you respond:

"{'oh come on'} QUARK. He didn't even know you were here!"

Quark's rejoinder:

"{'see what I mean? It's UNCANNY!'} And yet he dogs my every footstep! {shaking head} Unbelievable."

You get a menu:

7a. [You destroy drones?]
7b. [Help with bridge]

Enough chitchat. You choose 7b, and say:

"Quark, I found a control pad that extends a bridge... but I can't get it to lock in position. Come with me - you can hold the bridge open so I can cross."

Quark responds:

"{suspicious – 'what's in it for me?'} I don't know, Ambassador - sounds like a dangerous undertaking."

You get a menu:

8a. [Pass up profit?]
8b. [Bridge leads where?]
8c. [You're invisible!]
8d. [Forget it]

You know the best way to get a Ferengi to do something is to make it seem profitable, so you choose 8a, and say:

"{wheedling} No risk, no profit, Quark."

To which he retorts:

"{you don't fool me} No risk, no premature DEATH, Ambassador. {quoting} 'Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to.' Rule of Acquisition Number Three."

You get a menu:

9a. [Bridge leads where?]
9b. [You're invisible!]
9c. [Forget it]

Quark's worried about death? But he's invisible! You choose 9b and point out:

"The drones won't be targeting YOU. You're invisible, Quark."

He responds:

"{'you don't fool me'} But you're NOT. I HEAR you traveling these halls, Ambassador. I know your type. You're a MAGNET for TROUBLE."

This is hopeless. You get a menu:

10a. [Bridge leads where?]
10b. [Forget it]

You choose 10b, and say:

"All right. Forget it then."

You've changed the subject. You get another menu:

11a. [You destroy drones?]
11b. [Help with bridge]

You choose 11a, and say, flatteringly:

"I suppose you're the one who's been disabling and stripping the drones."

Quark says:

"{fervently} Can you believe it, Ambassador? They use latinum the way we use bioplast. {drooling} At least four bars' worth in EVERY DRONE!"

You get a menu:

11a. [Call me Bannik]
11b. [Help with bridge]

Now that you've got him drooling over profit, maybe he'll help you with the bridge. You choose 11b, and say:

"Quark - c'mon - help me get across the bridge."

You get a typical Ferengi reply:

"{supercilious} Make me an offer, Ambassador."

You get a menu:

12a. [No offers]
12b. [Bridge leads where?]
12c. [Forget it]

Maybe you can convince Quark the bridge leads to more latinum. You choose 12b, and say:

"{leading Quark on} I WONDER what that bridge leads to... "

But Quark is ready for you:

"{oh please} Ambassador. I know what you're trying to do."

But you persevere...

"{trying to seduce} Something IMPORTANT, obviously..."

Quark's still not buying.

"{Totally unconvinced} Obviously."

You describe the bridge mechanism you saw:

"Complicated extension mechanism. And the lock - "

And Quark pounces on the bait!

"{suddenly swayed} A LOCK? Locks signal something VALUABLE."

He continues:

"{Decides to act; 'all right, you're on'} All right. I'll meet you at this bridge. We'll find out what's on the other side. {beat} You go first."

You get a menu:

13a. [Find bridge?]
13b. [Follow me]
13c. [Rooms seen?]
13d. [See you there]

You decide to cross the bridge right away, before Quark changes his mind. So you choose 13b, and say:

"You can follow me to the bridge."

Quark doesn't say anything. After a moment, you get a menu:

13a. [Quark?]
13b. [Find bridge?]
13c. [Rooms seen?]
13d. [See you there]

You wonder if he's still here! (You can't tell for sure, because he's invisible.) You choose 13b, and say:

"Do you know where to find this bridge?"

Again there's no response. After a moment, you say:

"Quark? Are you there?"

And then, angrily:

"Quark!"

But he's gone. The dialog is over. You'll find Quark again at the bridge, and your banter with Quark will pick up where you left off!

-end-