Rule 74: Knowledge equals profit.
„And I really thought you finally got it!"
Quark sighed and put the tray on a table near the door. „How unwelcoming for a barkeeper", Brunt remarked and pulled a chair from the table to sit down. „How inconsequent for a liquidator", Quark replied. „You only managed to stay away from my bar for four days." „The replicator in my quarters is... flawed", Brunt explained. „It only provides three nearly eatable meals." „I know." Quark grinned and picked up the tray. „My own brother deleted the other Ferengi recipes. Did you really think I would let some Federation device steal my customers?"
Brunt slowly looked around in the almost empty bar. „I assume you are talking about the extremely wealthy waiters, yes? Or did the rest of the quadrant suddenly open up to the culinary value of a snail steak, after rejecting our exquisite cuisine for so long?" „I'm talking about the extremely wealthy liquidators who, far from home, surrender to the limited selection of their replicators", Quark smiled. „Do you want a snail steak? For only ten strips of latinum you get the best on the entire station." Brunt stared at him, eyes and mouth wide open in utter disbelief. „Ten... strips... of latinum? For one steak? Have you lost your mind?" he gasped. „Probably", Quark smiled back. „But to compensate for this tragic loss, I got a monopoly on snail steaks. So, do you want one or not?"
Plun V-II, Breen Storage Facility
Supervisor's Office
Ghan stood by the window, his back turned to the door, and gazed outside, to the snowy yard of the building, when Thren entered the room. It took a moment until Ghan turned around and pointed to the long metallic table. Thren nodded and took a seat, yet Ghan remained standing near the window. „The good news first", he said. „The artifacts are indeed authentic. Though Tohl can't identify all of them, he is certain they are of quite notable value." „So the bad news is that it won't be easy to find trustworthy customers that will tread the goods with the neccessary discretion", Thren assumed.
Ghan nodded briefly and activated the display on the wall. The inventory list had grown slightly since the last survey. The miners had found another chamber in the former dilithium mine, current digging site. Though it had been smaller as they had expected, they had found a few more artifacts in it. „45 items", Ghan said, more hestitation than excitement in his voice, and nodded to the wall. „And there is really a bit of everything. The Klingons were busy back then."
Thren got up and stepped some closer to the monitor. „What about the Cardassians?" he asked. „Don't they want the Bajoran items? They seem to like this kind of pathos." Ghan shook his helm. „Not worth it for them", he explained. „If anyone finds out they possess Bajoran artifacts, they will have to return them to Bajor as a 'sign of good will'. The Detapa Council recently signed a retribution contract to return the loot from the occupation. It is already loss enough for Cardassia. They won't buy anything they'll have to give away." „I understand", Thren said, thoughtfully. „Then, maybe we can sell directly to Bajor." Again, Ghan shook his head. „Theoretically, we can only sell to Bajor because no-one else wants their garbage, or because the Bajorans would only demand the return without financial compensation. No-one with a sane mind would buy Bajoran artifacts these days, just to give them away in the spirit of reparation or however they call it. I read up on the situation earlier today. I shouldn't have done that. Really, all that babble about the 'spiritual healing of Bajor' can ruin your day." He crossed the arms and looked back to the window. „And that is our problem. Only Bajor really wants these artifacts, and they want them for free."
Thren returned to the table, seated himself, and studied the inventory list from the distance. „I assume no-one would be really eager to pay", he said after a while. „Vulcan bowls, Bajoran lamp in a box, Andorian ritual-of-whatever blades... That is..." „...something for wealthy collectors", Ghan finished his sentence. „I am certain none of the worlds would want to pay for the return of what was stolen from them. They would all insist on the right of getting it back for 'ethical reasons'. No, we have to address a different kind of customer." Thren's voice carried doubt when he pointed out the obvious. „We do not have that kind of customer. Our kind of customer buys dilithium and cares as little about antique artifacts as we do."
Ghan turned off the screen and took a seat by the window, on the opposite side of the table. „Exactly. And that is why we need a mediator. Someone with contacts. Or someone who can get in touch with art collectors, so we don't have to bother with these intellectual snobs." „That sounds like a good plan", Thren nodded. „Especially since most snobbish art collectors aren't too keen to deal with people like us either." „I asked Tohl to find us a mediator", Ghan continued to explain his idea. „He knows many pirates who store their loot here. And he is certain there will be someone who deals with the type of goods we have, and can find the customers we need."
„I never understood why pirates have such a bad reputation in the quadrant." Thren leaned back and probably watched the ceiling. „I personally never had any bad experiences with them. Plus, they leave their storage units in excellent condition. Always." „And their prices are much fairer than the average legal sources", Ghan added. „I am really glad about the plans of our governemt to lift the legalization of piracy to the next level." Thren nodded in agreement. „It can only be an advantage for both sides involved to offer registered buccaneers Confederacy citizenship." „These are the moments to be really proud of our government." Ghan turned his head back to the window, now he probably seemed wistful under the helm. „It doesn't surprise me most pirates want nothing to do with their backwardly 'homeworlds'."
„It is indeed a promising step into the right direction, seeing how much we already profit from the inofficial alliance with the pirate clans." Tohl had appeared in the open door, a padd in his hand. Ghan turned back to the table. „I take it you found a mediator for our purpose then?" Tohl nodded and stepped in. „You are lucky", he said. „Just this morning, a ship arrived with a delivery that hinted the customer type you desire." He seated himself next to Thren. „This sounds promising", Thren said. „And our offer was acceptable?" Tohl waved his head from left to right, not really shaking it, not really nodding either. „Generally speaking, yes. 23 percent is a very good offer for a dealer in stolen goods. But they want to see the goods first." Ghan nodded. „Naturally. Our limited knowledge about the artifacts was probably not too helpful for someone with more experience." Thren nodded, too. „I agree. Offer them 25 percent. If that means a disruptor array less for us, I can live with it. It is still better than not selling anything because we lack of a mediator."
„Would that be 23 percent for the pirates and 2 percent for me, or 20 percent for the pirates and 5 percent for me then?" Tohl asked, his glance wandered from Thren back to Ghan. „You sound like a Ferengi", Ghan told him. „I don't care how you share." Tohl nodded and got up. „Ferengi. A good keyword, by the way..." he said, but before the two other Breen could inquire, he had already left the room. „I will provide you with the information about the meeting later", they heard him say from the stairs. „The pirates are still unloading."
Deep Space Nine, Promenade, Quark's
„Brother?"
Quark rolled his eyes. It was the first time on a busy day that he had a little time for himself, and the last thing he needed was his idiot brother ordering root beer. „What now?" he asked, shameless disinterest in his voice.
Rom hurried to reach the bar and place himself on a stool. „I, er... just wanted to ask something", he began. „Then ask!" Quark grabbed a glass from the board behind the bar. His face turned into a disgusted grimace as he placed it on the counter, along with a bottle of root beer. He did so just to not hear Rom order this unspeakable human insult of a liquid. Rom seemed delighted by the gesture nonetheless. „So... Why did I... first delete all Ferengi recipes from Brunt's replicator... and now programmed them back in?"
Quark sighed, poured himself a snail juice and watched Rom with a pitiful smile. „You don't have to understand that", he said. „But, er, I... I want to!" Rom drank a sip from his glass, waiting for his brother to explain. Quark sighed again. „It was a cheap victory", he finally explained. „I just wanted to see how long it took for him to come begging for some tube grubs." Rom seemed to have a revelation. „You wanted to show him who, er, the boss is!" Surprised, Quark looked up from his snail juice. „Hey, I don't believe it! You really got it!"
Rom now seemed relieved. He drank another sip, then he said: „And I just thought you wanted to prove to me that I'm a bad engineer again." „Rom!" Quark watched him reproachfully. „Anyone can program a replicator, even you. Don't you think I'd come up with something better if I wanted to prove to you the obvious?" Rom's face showed more confusion than usual. „So... this, er, this was not about the security systems?" The confusion was contagious. „What security systems?" Quark asked, watching his brother suspiciously. „On the door!" Rom pushed the empty root beer bottle back over the counter. „You idiot!" Quark moaned. „Don't tell me you messed with Odo's replicator!" „Uh... No, I didn't. Why? Should I?" Confusion made room for worry on Rom's face. „No, damnit! But Odo is the only person paranoid enough to install extra security systems on his door!" Rom shook his head. „Garak has some." „But unlike Odo, Garak has a reason!" Quark replied. „And he is paranoid", he added thoughtfully.
For a while, both Ferengi were quiet. Then Quark suspiciously narrowed his eyes and watched Rom, as if he had met him for the first time and wondered if he should do business with him. „How do you know what security systems Garak has on his quarters?" he asked. Rom turned the glass in his hands and quietly began to answer. „Er, I... er..." He stopped, looked up and grinned proudly. „I just know!" he finished the sentence. „But... What do Garak and Odo have to do with, er, Brunt's replicator?" Quark mentally slapped his forehead. Verbally, he expressed the disbelief regarding his brother's stupidity with resignation. „Nothing. Really, nothing at all." He got a new bottle of root beer from the box under the counter and placed it in front of Rom. „But about these security systems on Brunt's door..." He moved the bottle closer to Rom. „Tell me more. This one's on the house."