33 INT. HOLDING AREA

Quark and Sakonna are sharing the same cell.

QUARK
I hope you’re happy.

SAKONNA
I am a Vulcan. My emotional state is irrelevant.

QUARK
Well I’m a Ferengi. And my emotional state is very relevant. And right now, I’m miserable. And it’s all your fault.

SAKONNA
You were well paid for your assistance.

QUARK
Not well enough. Look, why don’t you just tell them what they want to know?

Sakonna just stares at him.

DEEP SPACE: “The Maquis, II” – 02/17/94 – ACT FOUR 42.

33 CONTINUED:

QUARK
(continuing, talking confidentially) I know the Cardassians can’t be trusted. I know that the Central Command would like nothing better than to destroy the Federation colonies in the Demilitarized Zone.

SAKONNA
Then you agree with our position?

QUARK
Not for a second.

SAKONNA
Why not?

QUARK
Because your position is… (searching for the right word) Illogical.

This takes Sakonna off guard.

SAKONNA
Do you propose to lecture me on logic?

QUARK
I don’t want to, but you leave me no choice. It all comes down to the third Rule of Acquisition.

(off her blank reaction)

You don’t know that one, do you?

SAKONNA
I am not well versed in Ferengi philosophy.

QUARK
Remind me to get you a copy of the Rules. You never know when they’ll come in handy. Now, the third rule clearly states,

“Never pay more for an acquisition than you have to.“

SAKONNA
Logical. But I fail to see how that applies to my situation.

DEEP SPACE: “The Maquis, II” – 02/17/94 – ACT FOUR 43.

33 CONTINUED: (2)

QUARK
You want to acquire peace. Fine.

Peace is good. But how much are you
willing to pay for it?

SAKONNA
Whatever it costs.

QUARK
That’s the kind of irresponsible spending that causes so many business ventures to fail.

You’re forgetting the third rule. Right now peace could be bought at a bargain price and you don’t even realize it.

SAKONNA
I find this very confusing.

QUARK
Then I’ll make it so simple that even a Vulcan can understand. The Central Command has been caught red-handed smuggling weapons to their settlers. So from now on, every ship approaching the Demilitarized Zone will be searched. Without the support of the Central Command, the Cardassian settlers won’t be so eager to fight.

SAKONNA
You forget the weapons they already have.

QUARK
They have weapons… you have weapons… everyone has weapons. But right now, no one has a clear advantage. So the price of peace is at an all-time low. This is the perfect time to sit down and hammer out an agreement. Don’t you get it… attacking the Cardassians now will only escalate the conflict and make peace more expensive in the long run. Now I ask you, is that logical?

Quark sits down, pleased with his performance.

— Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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2018.03.16 Friday ACHK