JMJ

Chapter Sixteen

Forest for the Trees

Quickly he dove back into his apartment.

"Quark!" called Ishka, but Quark did not hear her.

His mind raced along the way to the transmitter.

His conversations with Sharzee had been for the most part very clear, but then again his conversations with Sharzee had not been about the matter at hand, and even still they digressed at some points into strange self-guilt that was not natural somehow. His mother was unhappy. Rom was beyond unhappy. And although unhappiness was one hundred percent natural in unhappy situations, there was something somewhat forced. Something that pervaded the Tower like a cloud whenever someone tried to figure out what was going on, so that he was not even sure what they were solving. Talking about the philosophical views of the Hidden Profiters and their history was clear and normal enough. Idle chat about good food and good wine was even more left alone, but the matter at hand?

What even was the matter at hand?

It became all emotion and nothing else. Logic suffered whenever the matter at hand was brought up, and with some people more violently than others.

Was it the parasites?

Before calling, he used his personal scanner made by Bashir himself. One that he trusted without a doubt. He was clean, but he let out a sigh still not entirely satisfied.

He thought of forcing his mother and Sharlezeed to use it, but he was on a mission at the moment.

There were ways to influence people's minds other than a parasitical infestation, and there was a reason why the invention of the Thought Maker was banned in the Ferengi Alliance. The Keeoopii were no strangers to technology. In fact they were technologically advanced in some ways compared to many races— or at least their technology had advanced so differently than other people that they had traded some things for others. Either way, they could be even now utilizing some very familiar technology against them. Something to block them from figuring out a simple clue, but with all this concern about organic dangers, there had not been enough attention paid to synthetic ones.

Bashir was not answering his call.

Conveniently. Really conveniently. Not for us, but for someone.

The women were talking behind him as they hurried in to see what he was doing, and he groaned as he tried again to get a hold on the ship. From anyone. Even if he had to call the bridge!

"Quark!"

Sisko's face exploded onto the screen, and he did not look at all pleased to see him. Of course, he rarely ever did.

"Captain Sisko, Sir," said Quark as respectfully as he could, though he grinned widely as his mind went blank for a few seconds after he opened his mouth. "Sorry to bother you."

"What is it, Quark? This is only for important matters."

He tried to ignore the feeling he always felt when Sisko talked down to him. He always had and always did. Maybe it was just all in his head and prejudices were just too wound tightly and the emotional strain was natural, after all…

No.

"This is important," Quark insisted. "I think we've been infiltrated somehow. I can't exactly prove it, but there're just too many weird coincidences to not think that the Keeoopii— or somebody has some power over the Tower. It's almost like, instead of being infested, we're being… prepped for the invasion later."

Although, Sisko was still glaring as at a little boy using a secure line to talk about how someone stole his favorite toy that he had been boasting about a day before, Quark knew that behind that firm, solid, glaring face, Sisko was thinking. He was no fool. That was always one of Sisko's good traits and one that Quark was fond of. Another one was that he got things done. And those gears of the big man's deep mind were weighing everything about the situation at hand in the best possible way. Not just Quark's words coming out of his mouth were there for analysis, but everything was taken into consideration. That was good, at least, but Quark would rather have talked about this with Bashir all the same.

"If you can't prove it then what brings you to this conclusion?" said Sisko rather more accusingly than Quark felt necessary, but honestly he would have hated it more if Sisko was smiling at him. His suspicion meant he was taking Quark seriously.

"Yes, I can't prove it, but there's sort of a haze over the Tower. I can't explain it. I remember yesterday being in the city and being far more clear-headed in some ways, and now that I've been back for a day, people just aren't normal. Something artificial is happening. I'm noticing it in everyone. That's why I wanted a doctor's opinion."

Sisko winced.

Obviously, the scale of balances in his mind were weighing it all very close. Even though Quark guessed that the Human was leaning more towards something being amiss rather than not, it was equally as obvious that the past times Quark had made something more serious than it needed to be in Sisko's mind were also being laid out and evaluated. He would have made a hard businessman. He could have owned Ferenginar had he wanted. That mind. That calculation. It was almost visible in his deep dark eyes like the intensity of unsweetened chocolate. The most calculating and coldest of eyes he had ever seen in the head of a Ferengi presiding over a business decision had nothing on these partners in crime, so to speak, and it was a wonder to behold them. They were in a strange manner reflecting the soul of Humanity itself whose eyes were capable of facing torture beyond Ferengi reckoning for all they loved as much as they were capable of eating a fine dinner while the screams of that same torture laid behind him for something he hated.

It could make a Ferengi feel rather small and silly in comparison, but Quark felt it to be more a sign of innocence in his own race than not— an innocence they were quickly losing. It was the same pair of eyes that he had seen only once before in a Ferengi. He had seen it in the eyes of his brother when he had believed Quark to be his archenemy not for being a bad boss but for being his boss at all. And it had been a terrible thing to behold—

Quark blinked.

Was this emotion also something forced? It was irritating to be unsure.

He shook his head.

Before Quark could say more or Sisko could speak from the deep temples of his mind as though from beyond the far reaches of some massive hypostyle hall, Ishka suddenly burst forward like the rush of a draido fly.

"You can't have Starfleet running around on a wild goose chase after something that's likely just the result of stress," she said to Quark in a most professional manner, however earnest. "You've had a long day. We all have."

"But—"

"I apologize for the outburst, Captain," said Ishka solemnly as meanwhile she began to lightly urge Quark to end the call.

Quark glared at her with a pout. Even if he was right about emotional interference, she still fully knew something that she was not sharing.

"I didn't want to make this a big deal," Quark insisted. "That's why I wanted to speak with Dr. Bashir. Or even Nog! I didn't mean to drag the captain into this." He turned again professionally to him with an apologetic bow. "Excuse me, sir."

Sisko rubbed his temple.

Quark supposed, just personality wise, too that Sisko was not naturally one to tolerate the Ferengi-styled flighty and at the same time feisty way of handling life in general compared to the rather stolid nature of most Humans.

Quark rolled his eyes. "Look, if Dr. Bashir's busy, I'll just call back, okay? It's no big deal."

"I—!" Ishka began heatedly.

"It's no big deal!" Quark insisted with a smile as he held up his hands.

"I agree," sniffed Ishka in a sort of unexplained defeat, and she gave a prompt nod. "And we can look into the matter further, maybe with Nog's assistance."

But just as Quark was about to bid the captain goodnight, Sisko held up his hand.

"Wait."

Fidgeting, Quark hesitated. "Yes, Captain?"

"I think you may be right about the Tower," he said in a very profound tone of voice.

At this Quark's eyes softened.

Quark had to remind himself that when he had been stuck with Bashir, he had rather had been stuck with Odo until he had finally realized that Bashir had been the only person perfect for the situation he had been in with the Keeoopii and not just because he was a doctor. It was only so recently that Bashir had become arguable the most important confident Quark had among his assets.

He noticed that Ishka sounded rather displeased, but she said nothing in protest. He also caught himself in a stereotypical Ferengi gape, but he quickly clamped his mouth shut again, replacing it with a cautious smile at the Human on screen.

"The Grand Nagus has left the Tower of Commerce?" asked Sisko.

"Yes," Quark answered.

Sisko paused thoughtfully with finger tips pressed together. "Who is that with you behind you and your mother?"

Ishka and Quark glanced back at Sharlezeed, and they exchanged glances. Then Quark swung back to Sisko.

"My wife." Quark motioned for Sharzee to come forward.

With delicate care she obeyed and bowed her head, tinkling with ear-lace beads before the illustrious personage.

"Sharlezeed this is Captain Benjamin Sisko, former commander of the famous station Deep Space 9 and a hero in the Dominion War. Captain Sisko, allow me to introduce Sharlezeed daughter of Zarga."

"It is an honor, Sir," said Sharzee in her little voice more tinkling than her beads.

"The pleasure is mine, Sharlezeed," said Sisko.

"Is this to be a private conversation, Sir?" asked Sharzee most humbly.

Quark smiled despite himself.

"Yes, if you don't mind," said Sisko.

"I understand completely, Sir," Sharzee replied using that same tone that she used with her brother in times gone by in front of guests for propriety's sake.

Quark shook his head as he watched Sharzee leave, but he was still smiling from ear to ear. Ishka accompanied her.

"Dr. Bashir has been injected with pyrocyte," said Sisko.

Quark frowned as he was forced back to the reason he called. "But I thought you said—"

"We said he was well," said Sisko, "but someone tried to poison him and with far more pyrocyte than is customary for a Ferengi sabotage, which I know is never meant to kill a person— only to take a person out of the picture for a while."

"Well, things are very culturally experimental now," Quark admitted. "For all Ferengi. It's possible that someone tried to use enough to kill him, and without knowing about— well, I'm assuming it's his genetic enhancements that saved him from being harmed, but—" He winced. "Why wouldn't they be afraid of it not working? You'd think they'd do their research on the victim before they…"

His mind fuzzed a little. Dizziness. Yes, something was weird going on. He could think about Sharzee and his love for her and his resentment of others, but he could not think of what was going on!

Quark sighed. "Then it was meant to be discovered."

He stepped back a pace and looked about the room.

If there was nothing in his head, then it had to be coming from an outside source. There were so many mind-manipulating devices in the universe, and with the power of trade that the Ferengi had over the known space, it could be almost anything.

"Rom's condition," said Sisko, "since it was obviously not meant to kill him is also likely a diversion from something that's in plain sight… or possibly hearing in your case."

"Hearing…" muttered Quark. "Maybe you could… scan from where you are? Just in case. As you Humans are apt to say, 'We might not be able to see the forest for the trees.'"

"I was going to suggest that. Anything else?"

"I can't think of anything, Captain, but I hope that I can speak with Dr. Bashir soon."

"First thing tomorrow, I'm sure he'll be returning to the Tower, and this time with assistance if the Acting Nagus approves."

Quark hesitated. Was it an inner warning or an outside influence to make him stop for the sake of his enemies?

No more emotional interference!

"I approve!" he forced out with as much authoritative power as he could muster.

Quark was left to himself a moment, but now he could hear the conversation between his mother and Sharzee.

He frowned.

He opened the door.

"Look," he said, "regardless of whether or not I'm guilty of misogyny, I never said my mother thought I was and neither did I hint that she was capable of misandry, okay? I don't want this whole relationship to turn into the classic mother-in-law/daughter-in-law thing."

Sharlezeed lowered her head; Ishka held hers up defiantly.

Quark sighed. He supposed all Sharzee had originally been trying to do was to convince Ishka to tell her the same thing Quark wanted to know. How the conversation got started into a state of bickering nonsense, he did not care to know, but as he listened to Ishka now, he knew that she had been affected by what his wife had said to her either way.

"Mother," he said gently.

"Quark."

"Are you going to tell me what's going on, once and for all?"

"No," she said simply; though a guilt swept through her, he was not sure if it was because of what she was saying. "It's not your business, Quark, and believe me it has nothing to do with our past grievances."

"But does it have to do with yours?" asked Quark honestly.

"I meant what I said. That it would be wise if you went to get Belongo."

"Why? I have a right to know that at least."

"I told you why."

"But that's not enough," Quark told her quite more honestly than before.

"Didn't Zek speak with you today?"

"Yes."

"Then tomorrow, resign from Acting Nagus and as Proxy go to Belongo. Don't speak with Dr. Bashir. Don't go to your Hidden Profiter's ship. Don't go anywhere, but to get Belongo."

"But what's so important about Belongo?"

Ishka sighed. "I only trust you to get him."

"Why me?"

"Because you're my son, and whatever else you might be, I know you're loyal to Ferenginar, and I also know you understand far better than Rom how to make the kind of deal and relations that will be required to turn Belongo to our side."

"Why didn't you just say that to begin with?"

"Because, as you said, Quark, something in this Tower is happening beyond our control."

"That's suspiciously vague, isn't it?" asked Quark. "Aren't you giving yourself away even further?"

Ishka stamped her foot. "Could you just trust me, Quark, for once in your life?"

Quark frowned. Sharzee's moral support this time made him feel worse at the moment instead of better.

"I realize why you don't like me, but you should at least know me enough to trust me when our planet is at stake. And just like when we should have been a family when your poor father died, you're going to blame it on me."

Quark rolled his eyes. "I never said I didn't like you, Moogee."

Ishka closed her eyes and sighed a second time.

Quark lowered his head and glanced only briefly at Sharzee. He supposed it was just as well considering the fact that she had to know about this conflict sooner or later anyway.

She probably already knew. Most everyone these days knew quite perfectly the well-publicized would-be-private conflicts between the Grand Nagus' mother and his brother. It was the butt of so many jokes it was in some of the best commercials. If he was not mistaken, one of the nominees for this year's annual Arka Days Ad Festival was one that was obviously mocking the whole family and their complete disarray only to come together for five minutes to eat caviar before they started fighting again like a crazed brood of chickens. He believed the catchphrase was, "Even the worst of enemies can agree on something on Arka." I guess Rule of Acquisition Number 31 is out the window, he had thought at the time.

Ishka turned to leave.

"Moogee…?" asked Quark as gently as he could.

"There's nothing more to say," she said.

He tried to protest more. He wanted to say something. What? He loved her? Even though that was no lie, there seemed no room for that now. Besides, as the door opened for her exit, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He relented.

As an outsider, and even a biased one, Sharzee was right. Now was not the time to say anything, but more waiting was all they had been doing.

All year, really.

Would this limbo ever end?

"I'm sorry, Sharzee."

"You're not the only one who's had conflicts with family," said Sharzee.

It only meant that these days upon Ferenginar were a time of great conflict, but Quark knew that above the conflict someone was looking in, and that someone was utilizing quite well Rule of Acquisition Number 34, "War is good for business," and that did not always mean an official war. Often it was a conflict greater than physical bloodshed.

"I'm sorry too," she added after a moment. "I shouldn't've interfered."

Quark sighed. "I would've probably done the same thing—heh! I did do the same thing. I think we're too much alike for our own good."

Even as it came out of his mouth, however, he was not sure if he meant himself and Sharzee, or himself and his mother.