Beyond The Suite
by Rob Morris
Quark and Rom sat together, in rapt silent attention. For once, the brothers were in unified awe as the holosuite presentation unfolded. Only much later would they realize Chief O'Brien had been joking when he made this recommendation. The speaker so firmly believed in himself, any inconsistency was overwhelmed by the gut-response of the nearly kindred spirits.
"I am Andrew Ryan, and I'm here to ask you a question: Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? 'No!' says the man in Washington, 'It belongs to the poor.' 'No!' says the man in the Vatican, 'It belongs to God.' 'No!' says the man in Moscow, 'It belongs to everyone!' I rejected those answersI I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose... RAPTURE. A city where the artist would not fear the censor. Where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality. Where the great would not be constrained by the small! And with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city as well."
Feeling put off by Human ways of doing things for years, even the reform-minded Rom showed he was touched by these words.
"Brother? Did Hu-mons like this once exist?"
If Quark was normally wont to chastise Rom, in this case the obvious question with an obvious answer drew no harsh rejoinder.
"Well, I'd heard that was the case-but until now-until that magnificent voice spoke inside my very soul-I thought it was some guilt-ridden exaggeration. Yet it seems like it was all true."
Rom nodded, his culture again overriding what he had sought and would seek in the future.
"He must have been quite a man. An incredible man."
Quark again found no disagreement with Rom's words. Far from it.
"A pioneer, a visionary, and an utter genius-I mean, really-"
He pointed at the Holo-Ryan with an opened hand.
"Who would have thought there was even a market-for sweat?"