In the bustling heart of Quark's, N'ivryn found herself standing by the dabo table, the flashing lights and whirling disks momentarily taking her mind off Kallim's situation. She needed a distraction from the draining standoffs with Garak, and Odo's relentless scrutiny of her every move.
Quark, always on the lookout for profitable opportunities, noticed the newcomer's streak of good fortune and approached with an ingratiating smile. "You seem to have quite the knack for dabo. Haven't seen someone pick it up so quickly in a long time."
N'ivryn glanced up, her thoughts momentarily pulled back to reality. She smiled faintly. "I suppose I'm just lucky tonight. It's nice to have something go right for a change."
"Luck, skill, it's all the same in this game," Quark replied. "But here's the thing, N'ivryn, the more you win, the more you'll want to play, and the more you play, the more you could win. And wouldn't that be a delightful cycle?"
N'ivryn's eyes narrowed, but her lips curved into a half-smile. She saw through his game, but there was an eagerness in his face she found amusing. "Are you suggesting I keep playing until I lose?"
"Oh, not at all," Quark said with feigned innocence. "A little more excitement never hurt anyone, though. It's all about timing and strategy."
N'ivryn's thoughts drifted back to Kallim. For a moment, she saw the appeal of losing herself in the game. "Well, alright, but just a few more rounds," she said, her voice firm. "And I'm setting a limit for myself. I won't get carried away."
"Of course, of course." Quark leaned in, unable to help himself. "You know, if you ever get bored of dabo, there's another game you might enjoy. It's called dom-jot. You could take some lessons from me. For a small fee, of course."
"No thanks, Quark," N'ivryn shook her head. "I think I'll stick to dabo. It's much simpler."
Quark shrugged, his expression one of resignation but still hopeful. "It was worth a shot."