Relieved when Zenka and Quark returned to the station, Captain Sisko readily admitted to himself that the barkeeper irritated him like no one else could, but he did not want to see even Quark harmed.
"She wants me to contact the Grand Nagus," the Ferengi informed him. "I don't think it'll do any good, but-" Quark eyed Zenka apprehensively. "-I'm in no position to argue with her."
"None of us are at this point, Quark," Sisko replied. He turned to Dax. "Lieutenant, get the Grand Nagus on a subspace channel."
"Aye, sir," Dax replied.
Sisko stepped away from the console, walking over to the major, who was standing a few meters away from the Ferengi, closely eyeing them as though she expected a riot to break out. Sisko didn't blame her-he half-expected one himself.
Kira leaned toward him and spoke in a low voice so the rebels could not hear. "Is it just me, or are these female Ferengi going about their cause in a roundabout way?"
"Maybe there's more involved here than just a women's movement. Any ideas?"
"Personal vendetta?"
"Against who?"
Kira smiled with pleasure. "Quark!"
Sisko couldn't help sharing the major's pleasure. The barkeeper had been involved with many scams, yet always managed to elude prosecution. Sisko wouldn't mind seeing the Ferengi humbled a bit.
"He probably cheated one of their mothers out of something."
"Now, I wonder what that might be," Sisko said, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. "We know they're not allowed to earn profit, so it must be of a personal nature."
Doctor Bashir approached them and said to Sisko, "Well, whatever killed the Marauder's original crew, it doesn't appear contagious." He flipped his tricorder closed, emphasizing his diagnosis.
"You examined the two down in system's core as well?" the captain asked. He didn't believe that something would show up in them that hadn't in the others, but thoroughness sometimes paid.
Bashir nodded. "They're all perfectly healthy."
"Thank you, Doctor. Now let's see if we can settle this matter without any casualties." He gestured toward the major and they walked toward the ops console, passing the Ferengi males along the way.
Rom approached Sisko, clasping his hands. "Please! I don't mind if they wear clothes," he said. "Just get them to let me and my boy go back to our quarters."
Sisko paused only long enough to address the Ferengi. "Rom, I assure you, we're working on it."
"But is Nog all right?" Shortly before Quark and Zenka had returned, Szuut and another female Ferengi had ushered Nog down to Ops.
"I do not believe they intend to harm anyone," the captain said tersely, but then realizing how genuine Rom's concern was, added, "I'm trying to find a way to end this amiacable. Please, let me do my job."
Rom nodded and stepped out of the captain's way.
"Message coming in from Ferengi homeworld," Dax said just as the captain reached her side. She punched it up on the screen, and they saw the Grand Nagus, Zek. Dax stepped out of the way, so Quark could speak with his leader.
"Quark, to what scheme do you owe me the pleasure?" the Nagus asked. "Have you decided to sell me that new decoding device?"
Quark hesitated, hoping no one would question how he acquired such a device. "Well. . ."
"Tell me you're not wasting my time! You do have a profitable proposal to discuss with me, don't you?"
"Not exactly." Quark offered the Nagus an apologetic shrug, but knew Zek would only grow more angry if he didn't quickly explain. "You see, I'm in a bit of a bind. These female Ferengi barged onto this station, armed, making all kinds of demands."
"Don't forget to mention that these demands are directed at the Ferengi Alliance," Kira reminded him.
"Yes, yes of course," Quark mumbled, eyeing the Major with irritation. He turned back toward the Grand Nagus and spoke in a normal voice. "And they're wearing clothes!"
Sisko stepped forward, leaning against the console. "They traveled in a Marauder," Sisko said. "They claim to have obtained it through the Ferengi Salvage Code."
"Females are not allowed to obtain anything of value for themselves!" Zek nearly yelled. "Male relatives are expected to give them a large enough stipend for survival. What more could they possibly want?" Obviously not expecting an answer from the captain, he turned toward the barkeep. "What sort of demands have they made, Quark?" Zek asked.
"They insist that all women should be allowed to wear clothes," Quark replied, "and that they should have equal opportunities." Quark didn't expect Zek to comply with the demands, but hoped he would try to reason, perhaps even compromise, with Zenka.
"Those are absurd requests. Don't bother me again, Quark. . .unless you've made a tidy profit. You have sent your last quarterly taxes, haven't you?"
"That was shipped out three days ago," Quark said nervously.
"Very well. As long as it arrives by tomorrow's deadline, there won't be any late charges." The Grand Nagus paused briefly, then looked toward Sisko. "Sisko, someone will arrive at your station in three days to collect those girls. See that they're disarmed and detained." Before anyone could reply, he severed their connection.
Zenka rushed forward, barely giving Quark the chance to step out of her way, and began pounding the console with her fist. "Wait! Get him back! Get him back!"
Dax turned toward the Ferengi and said firmly, "Pounding on the console will not force the Nagus to return."
Zenka took a couple backward steps. "Fine, then maybe it's time to initiate our back-up plan." She turned toward Quark. "Time to call in the reserved troop."
Quark believed she was serious and desperately tried to think of some way to get out of this situation-and back to his bar.
"And just how many reserved troops do you have?" Kira asked.
Seventy-five percent of the population on the Ferengi homeworld were female, since so many males were out traversing the universe. An influential female might easily get many others to follow her. But then females had been dependent, one might even go so far as to say helpless, for so many centuries. Was it possible that a major movement could rise this quickly?
Zenka smugly refused to answer the major. Obviously, she wasn't dumb enough to lose her advantage that easily. Quark decided it was in his best interest to assume that her troop numbered in the thousands.
"Please, if you let me go," Quark said, "I'll give you two percent of my net profits for the last month-if you promise not to reveal to the FCA where the money came from." If she didn't let him go back to his bar, he stood to lose far mare than two percent to looters. He offered a compliant shrug, giving her the opportunity to accept. "I wouldn't make that offer to just anyone. Maybe it'll help your cause."
Zenka eyed Quark indignantly, directing her anger toward him more intensely. "Don't pretend you support my cause just to save your lobes. If I wanted your latinum, I would have taken it already. Don't offer me any kind of payment again!" This female was obviously not helpless!
She turned her back on Quark, and after hesitating for a moment, walked away. Once she was out of earshot, Odo approached Dax.
"Try scanning their weapons for an ID code," the constable said.
"Good idea!" Quark said, letting out a heavy sigh. He would have to remember to thank the constable later. After all, it never hurt to get on a police man's good side.
"If their weapons require an ID code, we might be able to deactivate them," Dax replied, smiling.
"And end this charade," Odo added.
A part of the lieutenant wanted to see Zenka and her followers succeed. As a woman, Jadzia understood why Zenka felt a radical movement was necessary, but Dax, having also been a man on more than one occasion, realized that this wasn't the way to go about it.
"Cover for me, Constable."
She scanned their weapons as Odo carefully eyed each rebel. Dax prayed the intruders wouldn't realize they were up to something. Within moments she discovered the ID codes and disabled them. She nodded toward the constable, and he took over from there.
"Lieutenant Dax has conveniently broken the ID code on each of your weapons," Odo said as he approached Zenka. Quark followed him, quite eager to see the end of this charade. "You are no longer a threat."
Zenka raised her hand to tap her commbadge.
"I assure you that if you send for back up troops, they will be as easily circumvented," Sisko informed her. "Now, I realize that the marauder has a powerful weapons system on board, but I'm willing to gamble that you didn't come here to kill anyone." He paused, allowing his words to sink in. "Contact whoever is still aboard your ship and order them to beam onto this station."
"Yes, sir," Zenka replied coolly.
O'Brien wished the two Ferengi rebels wouldn't hover so close to him while he repaired the shields. They weren't impeding his work, acted as though they could care less if the shields were operational again, but nonetheless their presence irritated the chief of operations. If he was still aboard the Enterprise, he would have had the shields back up long before now, but after four years at DS9, O'Brien still struggled to understand all the intricacies of Cardassian technology.
They had brought Nog down with them and were treating the young male Ferengi like a toy. O'Brien had to silently commend Nog for remaining so tactful in the presence of Szuut's jibes. Having studied engineering in preparation for Starfleet Academy, Nog actually proved quite helpful to O'Brien.
"What exactly do you think you're going to accomplish?" Miles asked the Ferengi females. "This is a Federation station, not a Ferengi outpost."
"We know the difference," Szuut replied coolly. "Explaining our reasons would jeopardize our advantage."
"I think I got it, Chief!" Nog said excitedly.
"Who would have ever thought," Szuut said, peering at Nog. "A Ferengi more interested in engineering than profit."
Nog extended his hands. "I have steady hands and the tenacity to become a good Starfleet officer."
"There won't be any females willing to chew your food for you aboard a Starfleet ship. How will you ever survive?"
O'Brien tapped a sequence of buttons on the console, and finally, the shields came back on line. "Hmm, not bad." He turned toward Nog. "And you'll make a great Starfleet officer." He stepped around the systems core, toward Szuut. "I believe your cause is honorable, Szuut. You're just going about it all wrong. You can't let outrage alone dictate your actions."
"What would you have done in our position? Be as submissive as our mothers?"
"No, of course not," O'Brien replied indignantly. He hadn't meant to invoke submissiveness, just more calculated actions.
"My mother dutifully cleans my father's lobes with her nails every night," the second Ferengi said. "It's supposed to be arousing. I think it's disgusting."
O'Brien wrinkled his nose and scowled, showing he agreed. He found many alien customs appalling and didn't care to hear the details. Silently, he hoped the girl wouldn't continue.
A crash startled them and Szuut took her attention away from the chief to investigate the crash. Jake Sisko stepped out from behind a console, looking as though he expected to be shot on sight. O'Brien didn't believe that the boy need worry, but he wasn't one to make promises about something he wasn't totally sure of himself.
"I'm Jake Sisko," the boy said stammering. "I've never seen female Ferengi before, and I just wanted-"
"Wanted to get a peep show," Szuut said accusingly.
"Jake, you're only making matters worse," Nog said.
"A friend of yours?" Szuut asked, actually smiling at the prospect.
"My best friend," Nog replied. "You must excuse his Human curiousity.
"I wanted to make sure you were all right, that they've been treating you well."
Szuut stepped up to Jake and casually ran her fingers along his cheek, continuing the motion as she spoke. "You show so much concern for your friend, hoo-man. Don't you realize that if the situation was reversed, Nog would abandon you for a single bar of latinum."
"No, I wouldn't!" the young male Ferengi exclaimed.
"Maybe some, even most, male Ferengi are like that," Jake said, "but not Nog."
Szuut stopped rubbing Jake's cheek and laughed sarcastically. "Pity such a handsome specimen is so naive. I'd be attracted to you if you had any brains. Go stand beside the chief!"
Jake hastily complied.
O'Brien leaned toward the boy and said, "No one's been hurt, Jake. You should have stayed in your quarters where it's safe."
"Chief O'Brien is right," Sisko said. They turned to see that Sisko, along with Odo and Zenka, had arrived. "This is no time for you to be down here, Jake."
O'Brien noticed that Zenka was no longer carrying a weapon. He glanced at Szuut, who appeared shocked.
Deciding it was perfectly safe to speak openly in front of the girls, O'Brien said, "Shields are fully operational again, sir."
"Thank you, chief," Sisko replied. He turned toward Szuut. "Your weapons will no longer work. You will accompany the constable to a holding cell where you will remain until your mothers can be summoned."
"So that's what we get for our efforts-baby sitters." Furious, Szuut eyed Zenka. "Are you going to just allow this to happen? What about the others still aboard the Marauder? Can't they do something?"
Zenka adverted her eyes, no longer the controlled leader she had pretended to be.
"They are already in holding cells," Odo informed Szuut. "Since you are children, we have decided not to press charges and to relinquish your custody over to your mothers."
Szuut laughed sarcastically.
"Szuut can't be turned over to her mother," Zenka said. "Her mother is dead."
Sisko glanced at Jake, understanding how difficult losing a mother was for a child. He stepped toward Szuut, holding out a calming hand. "I'm sure we can make accommodating arrangements."
Szuut lowered her gun, and motioned as though preparing to hand the weapon over to the captain. Before Sisko could take the weapon, however, Szuut tightened her grip on it and punched him in the chest. She ran toward the nearest stairs, searching for an escape route.
"Szuut!" Zenka screamed.
Climbing the stairs after the runaway, Odo shapeshifted his arm into a long rope. Szuut swirled around just in time to snag the "rope" with her weapon. She let go of her weapon and stepped into the nearest turbolift. "Top floor!" she yelled.
Odo tapped his commbadge as he rushed toward the other turbolift. "Odo to all security personnel. There is a Ferengi female in Turbolift One. Detain her until I can take her into my custody."
"Please, you have to help!" Zenka begged the captain. "Szuut won't let herself be captured. She'll commit suicide first."
"What makes you so sure of that?"
"I know Szuut better than anybody. She saw her mother die senselessly. Ferengi law provides its males with an easy out if their wives birth too many female children."
"Her father murdered her mother?"
"That's the short, uncomplicated summary of it, but yeah, Szuut holds him responsible for her mother's death."
Sisko turned toward O'Brien. "Chief, turn on the main intercom."
"Aye, sir," O'Brien replied, tapping a button.
"This is Captain Sisko. Szuut, I know you're frightened, but I assure you we can resolve this problem peacefully."
Inside the turbolift, Szuut began laughing acrimoniously. She did not want to resolve this peacefully, for that would mean her return to the homeworld. I do not wish to look at my father's smug face again, she thought. He would see her defeat as further proof that females were inferior. He would again extol his climb from serving as a shipping clerk to one of the most influential government agents on the Ferengi homeworld. Her mother had tried to match his strides, attempting to have her voice heard above all others. Her cry had ended with a blast from a laser pistol, and so she had died a martyr.
Zenka convinced Szuut to follow her mother's dream, to not allow her mother's life to end in vain. Now Szuut realized in all likelihood it was her turn to become a martyr. Who would continue the fight once she was gone?
"The constable does not want to hurt you," Sisko continued. "Indeed, he only wishes to see that you are safely returned to your family."
"Family." Szuut's laughter escalated into hysteria.
She tapped the commpanel, stopping the turbolift between levels. Looking up, she contemplated her next move. If she removed one of the ceiling panels, she could climb up the turboshaft until reaching one of the conduits. Szuut grabbed onto one of the vertical beams and hefted herself up. Once she had her feet planted firmly on one of the horizontal beams, she carefully climbed to the next beam, and then was able to reach the ceiling panel. It lifted easily. She grabbed both sides firmly and with little effort pulled her body through the opening, never feeling more grateful that she had disciplined herself enough to commit to a daily two-hour rigorous exercise program.
Without looking down, Szuut climbed the turboshaft. She was not afraid of heights, but feared she would be stricken with vertigo if she glanced downward. Reaching the next level, she discovered a door. Beside the door was a commpanel. She pressed the button that said "open". To her relief, this section of the station did not require any security codes. The computer opened the door without asking for any identification. This must be part of an emergency route, she thought, considering herself lucky. She climbed into the conduit and began crawling toward the next door, several yards away. She didn't know where it led, but anywhere was preferable to a small enclosed area.
Opening the second door, Szuut cautiously glanced around. A long corridor with a railing that looked down at a lower level wended around either side of her. She had no idea where she was, but for the moment, she was alone. She climbed out and began walking. If only she knew the layout of this station, she could probably procure a small shuttle pod. She had learned how to pilot when she was only twelve years old thanks to a young Algerian who had visited her homeworld. Algerians had an open culture, one where women were permitted to pursue any goal. Her Algerian friend knew about the major differences between their cultures and had not cared. Secretly, he had taught her many skills, which a Ferengi female was never expected to learn. If her father had found out about it, she would have received twenty lashings. Szuut kept many things from her father, and looked forward to many more secrets.
Suddenly, a couple security guards rounded a corner. Szuut did not have enough time to duck out of sight. "Stop!" one of them yelled, as both men ran toward her. Szuut turned and ran the other way, but before she had gone far, three other security guards appeared. Without hesitation, she rushed at the railing and jumped, plunging thirty feet.
Sisko, along with Zenka waited anxiously while Doctor Bashir treated Szuut. Finally, the doctor walked away from his patient, leaving her in a nurse's care and approached them.
"She sustained massive head injury," he said, "but I was able to stabilize her with a cortical stimulator. However, it will take several hours before I can determine a prognosis."
"Will she die?" Zenka asked, barely registering the doctor's words.
"I cannot answer that at this time. I'll let you know the moment there is any change." Bashir lightly touched the girl on the arm, offering her what comfort he could. "If you will excuse me." He walked away, back to his patient.
"This is all my fault," Zenka said. "I should be the one lying on that biobed."
"Now hold on a minute," Sisko said. "You can't blame yourself for your friend's actions."
"She wants to avenge her mother's death, but without my leadership, she never would have taken any action. I'm the one who convinced her to join the Movement, knowing that she could not handle defeat."
"But you expected to win."
"Did I?"
Her reaction took the captain by surprise. He could not immediately think of a response.
"I'm not so sure," Zenka continued without an answer. "Although I started the Movement against all Ferengi male, I had another reason for coming here-a reason that's even more important to me than equality."
"Are you going to tell me that reason?"
Before Zenka could answer, Doctor Bashir quickly approached them again. "Captain, the patient has regained consciously."
"Thank you, Doctor."
"May I talk to her?" Zenka asked.
"Briefly," Bashir conceded. "She's still not out of danger. She's going to need a lot of rest."
With urgency, Zenka walked over to Szuut's bedside. With some effort, Szuut raised an arm, gesturing for her friend to lean forward. As Zenka did so, Szuut strained to say, "Go see him. Don't let yourself fail just because I have."
"You're going to be all right, Szuut," Zenka replied, hoping her friend would not persist.
"I was never all right."
Zenka began crying. "I'll take care of you. You get well, because I need you. If you leave me, who will I share all my gripes with?"
"Or who will kick you in the behind whenever you forget why this is all so important?"
Wiping away her tears, Zenka smiled. She didn't have the heart to remind her friend that she was going straight into a holding cell from here.
"Go see him!"
Odo was sitting at his desk reviewing a few case files when his door chime sounded.
"Come," he said without looking away from his screen.
Quark entered and walked up to the constable's desk, and finally Odo did look away from the report. He could tell by the Ferengi's expression that he was about to get an earful of facetious gratitude.
"I wanted to thank you for the fine job you did apprehending those girls," Quark said.
"No need to thank me," Odo replied, returning his attention back to his job.
The Ferengi placed his hands on Odo's desk, trying to keep the constable's attention. "On the contrary, if you hadn't handled the problem so expediently, I might not have even had a bar to go back to."
Odo grunted, not bothering to reply. He wondered what mischief the barkeep was trying to cover up this time, or perhaps the Ferengi was trying to save a few points up for the next time.
The small viewer on Odo's desk beeped, saving him from having to listen to any more of Quark's cajolery. He tapped the "on-screen" button and Dax appeared.
"Odo," she said, "you have a message coming in from the Ferengi homeworld."
"Good," Quark said. "That must mean someone's coming to take those females away."
"Reroute it to my office," Odo replied, intrigued.
A moment later, Dax' image was replaced by a Ferengi woman. Although she was obviously nude, she revealed nothing below her shoulders. Her appearance did not disconcert the shapeshifter as it would most other men. He neither desired nor contemplated sexual overtures; he ignored them like some men ignored dirty laundry. "I'm Chief Security Officer Odo. Are you calling about the Ferengi girls we have in our custody?"
"Yes," the woman replied. "I am Graek."
"Graek!" Quark exclaimed, walking around to get a look at the woman. Recognizing her, he quickly stepped out of view.
Without missing a beat, and obviously not having noticed Quark, Graek continued. "My brother is DaiMon of the ship, which will be arriving shortly to see that the girls are returned home safely. Are they all right?"
"One of them, Szuut, was injured while trying to escape," Odo replied. "Our chief medical officer is treating her injuries. We have matters under control. No charges have been brought against them. When your brother's ship arrives, I will relinquish the custody of the thirty-nine girls over to him."
"Thirty-nine!"
"Zenka did mention that she has others stationed elsewhere, but she only brought thirty-eight with her."
"No, you don't understand. When I last saw Zenka a month ago, she had only sixteen followers."
"Oh is that so?" Odo had to admit, at least to himself, that he admired the girl's bravado. Given a few more years, she could become a formidable enemy to anyone who stood in her way.
"May I speak with her?"
"I'd like to speak with her as well. Stand by." Odo pressed the hold button, and the Starfleet emblem appeared across the screen.
"I can't believe she of all people contacted this station," Quark said. "I haven't thought of her in years."
"You know this woman?"
"I had some business dealings with her brother a number of years ago. I owed him for a favor, so I repaid the debt by taking Graek as a companion for a while. I must admit it wasn't a bad-"
"Spare me the details!" Odo interrupted. He tapped his commbadge before the annoying Ferengi could continue his story. "Odo to Sisko."
"You asked!" Quark exclaimed.
Over the comm, the captain said, "Sisko here."
"I have a Ferengi woman named Graek on my personal channel. She wishes to speak with Zenka."
"Thank you, Constable. We'll take it from ops."