The House of Quark (episode)

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"The House of Quark"
DS9, Episode 3x03 Production number: 40513-449 First aired: 10 October 1994
←	48th of 173 produced in DS9	→
←	48th of 173 released in DS9	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 173 released in DS9 Remastered
←	332nd of 726 released in all	→
Teleplay By Ronald D. Moore Story By Tom Benko Directed By Les Landau
48224.2 (2371)
	Arc: Quark and Grilka (1 of 2)	→
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After Quark lies about killing a Klingon in his bar, the dead man's widow abducts Quark to the Klingon homeworld to marry him.

Contents 1 Summary 2 Memorable Quotes 3 Background Information 3.1 Video and DVD releases 4 Links and References 4.1 Guest Stars 4.2 Co-Star 4.3 Uncredited Co-Stars 4.4 References

[edit] Summary

A lone drunken Klingon in Quark's gets into a dispute with the proprietor over his bar tab. Quark, who is already upset over the bellicose threats of the Dominion and their negative impact on his business, prepares to eject the surly patron. The enraged Klingon attacks Quark but stumbles and falls on his own dagger, dead. Hoping to lure back customers, Quark claims to have killed the Klingon in combat, and earns a great deal of notoriety. Odo informs him that the Klingon was Kozak, leader of a powerful Klingon house, and warns that Kozak's relatives may come seeking vengeance. Sure enough, Quark is confronted in a corridor by another Klingon, D'Ghor, who claims to be Kozak's brother. D'Ghor asks how Kozak died, and threatens to kill Quark if if Kozak did not die "honorably". Quark tries to tell the truth, but quickly realizes that it is not what D'Ghor wants to hear. With a dagger at his throat, Quark assures D'Ghor that his brother died honorably in battle.

Kozak's widow Grilka arrives in Quark's bar, asking for him. No sooner does Quark offer her Grilka refreshment does she lunge forward with a dagger; a terrified Quark dives over the bar and hides himself behind a serving tray. Grilka knows such a cowardly Ferengi would be no match for her late husband, and asks if Quark wants to revise his story. Quark admits the truth, at which point he is tranquilized and abducted.

Meanwhile, Keiko O'Brien is forced to shut down her school after most families have left the station in fear of Dominion attack. Miles O'Brien tries to cheer her up with a dinner and then with plans for an arboretum in a cargo bay, but is unsuccessful. He encourages Keiko to take part in a six-month botanical exhibition on Bajor, and she accepts.

Quark regains consciousness inside Grilka's home on Qo'noS where he is greeted by Tumek, Grilka's advisor. When Quark asks who the house belongs to, the older Klingon solemnly tells him that their House "no longer has a name", since Kozak died without a male heir. Tumek suddenly grows furious when D'Ghor's name is mentioned. Quark has been duped; D'Ghor is of no relation to Kozak. He has been plotting to take over Kozak and Grilka's land and property for years. Had Kozak died in an accident and not in battle, the Council might have conceded "special dispensation" and allowed Grilka to inherit the House, despite the fact she is a female. At that moment, Grilka barges into the room and tosses Quark a large cerimonial robe, demanding that he wear it. Tumek recites some chants, and as Grilka holds Quark by knifepoint, she and Quark are wed.

Grilka drags her new husband to the Klingon High Council and argues that the House of Kozak should now become the House of Quark. Over the objections of D'Ghor, a stunned Chancellor Gowron agrees. Grilka later explains that D'Ghor has his eyes set on earning a seat on the High Council. His curiosity piqued, Quark asks to examine her family's financial records. Grilka is hostile toward the idea and refuses to sully herself with "filthy ledgers". Quark convinces Grilka to calm herself and let him have a look. While perusing the records, Quark learns that D'Ghor has been undermining the family for years, using financial loopholes to drive up Kozak's debts. The thought of D'Ghor resorting to money to bring down the House of Kozak leaves Grilka incredulous.

Quark presents his findings to the Klingon High Council, and D'Ghor is accused of using financial means to bring down a Great House. D'Ghor claims Quark is lying, and presents the abducted Rom as a witness. D'Ghor challenges Quark to a duel. After returning to Grilka's home, Quark and Rom decides to beat a hasty retreat and leave the planet. Grilka stops them at the front door and is disgusted by Quark's cowardice. She decides to let them run away if they wish. Upon returning to the High Council, Grilka stands helpless as her house is about to be handed over to D'Ghor. Quark suddenly appears and readies himself for the duel. As both combatants raise their weapons at each other, Quark suddenly throws his bat'leth away, leaving everyone in attendance speechless. Quark points out that he has no hope of overpowering D'Ghor, and that the supposed "duel" is nothing more than an execution. He questions whether an honorable Klingon would want to relate such a story to his children, that he killed an unarmed Ferengi in order to acquire a Great House.

D'Ghor loses his patience and moves in for the kill, but Gowron steps in. Gowron did not want to believe Quark's earlier accusations, but once he sees that D'Ghor is ready to kill an unarmed man, Gowron discommendates him on the spot. D'Ghor is ejected from the Council chamber. Gowron commends Quark for being an atypically brave Ferengi; the House of Kozak is passed on to Grilka. Grilka thanks Quark and asks if she can repay him in any way. Quark immediately requests a divorce, and Grilka acquiesces; she slaps him to the ground, curses in Klingonese and spits. "You're a free man." Grilka then lifts Quark off of the floor and plants a genuine kiss on him.

Quark and Rom return to Deep Space 9, where business at the bar has slowed again. Rom asks to hear Quark's story of heroism again. Quark glumly reminds him that nobody on the station wants to hear it anymore. Rom insists, "No brother, I want to hear it again." At this, Quark begins to recount his epic duel with D'Ghor on Qo'noS...

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"Now I know we're doomed."
"Why, brother?"
"Rule of Acquisition 286: When Morn leaves, it's all over."
"There is no such rule!"
"There should be."

- Quark and Rom

"What about Kozak's family? What if they come here for revenge?"
"If that happens, I'll stand up, look them straight in the eye...and offer them a bribe."

- Rom and Quark

"The House of Kozak is gone... for the time being, it will be known as..."
"Quark."
"Quirk..."
"Quark!"
"...The House of Quark."

- Gowron and Quark

"I really am very grateful for all you've done, Quark. That is why I'm going to let you take your hand off my thigh, instead of shattering every bone in your body."

- Grilka

"The charge has been made! You are accused of using... money... to bring down a Great House!"

- Gowron, to D'Ghor

"I am Quark, son of Keldar, and I have come to answer the challenge of D'Ghor, son of... whatever."

- Quark

"A brave Ferengi. Who would have thought it possible...?"

- Gowron, in admiration, to Quark for his bravery in standing up to D'Ghor

"Do you mean D'Ghor has been scheming and plotting like a Fe--–"
"Like a Ferengi."

- Grilka and Quark

"So you lied to the station security chief, to your customers, and to D'Ghor. You must be quite a liar."
"It's a gift."

- Grilka and Quark

"D'Ghor, what are you doing? I did not want to believe the things he said yesterday, but if you can strike down this pitiful little man, then you have no honor...and you have no place in this hall!"

- Gowron, about to discommendate D'Ghor

"How can I ever thank you?"
"I would like a divorce, please. No offense."
"None taken. I can give it to you right away."
(Grilka slaps Quark very hard and curses at him in Klingonese, then spits at him)
"You're a free man."

- Grilka and Quark

(Grilka kisses Quark passionately)
"Qapla' Quark, son of Keldar."
"Qapla' to you, too...!"

- Grilka and Quark

[edit] Background Information

• The working title of this episode was "Fight to the Death".
• Robert O'Reilly makes his first Deep Space Nine appearance as Chancellor Gowron in this episode.
• Stephen Hawking visited the set during the filming of this episode.
• Mary Kay Adams and Joseph Ruskin reprised the roles of Grilka and Tumek respectively in the fifth season episode "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places".
• One of the reasons the writers wrote Keiko out of the show for 6 months was to give them room to explore the O'Brien/Bashir friendship. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion) Indeed, this is the first episode where we see O'Brien and Bashir socialize together (technically, we saw them socialize in "The Search, Part II", but that was part of a programmed reality).
• Ronald D. Moore was quite pleased with the finished episode. In an interview with Star Trek Monthly in 1996, he said, "it was fun to go back to the Klingons and do them with a lighter tone and some comedy. But even though we were spoofing them, they were still pure Klingon. It was a fun way to point out some of the more bizarre aspects of the Empire and the way it's run. And the idea of Klingons being confused by Quark's ledgers and accounting practices was, in itself, a funny idea."
• Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is one of Armin Shimerman's favorite episodes; "It meant a lot to me because usually Quark is at the butt of the jokes. But here was a chance to do something, still comedic, but also heroic." (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
• Tom Benko, who is credited with the story for this episode, is the only person to have written, directed and edited Star Trek.
• Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko) does not appear in this episode.

[edit] Video and DVD releases

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 3.2, 27 February 1995.
• As part of the DS9 Season 3 DVD collection.

[edit] Links and References

[edit] Guest Stars

• Rosalind Chao as Keiko O'Brien
• Mary Kay Adams as Grilka
• Carlos Carrasco as D'Ghor
• Max Grodénchik as Rom
• Robert O'Reilly as Gowron
• Joseph Ruskin as Tumek

[edit] Co-Star

• John Lendale Bennett as Kozak

[edit] Uncredited Co-Stars

• Bill Blair as a Klingon High Council member
• Randy James as Lieutenant Jones
• Robin Morselli as a Bajoran officer
• Mark Allen Shepherd as Morn
• Unknown actor as an operations lieutenant

[edit] References

agrobiology; arboretum; Bajor; basil; battle drill; Blood wine; botanist; Brek'tal ritual; canapé; discommendation; Dominion; Ferengi Alliance; Ferengi Rules of Acquisition; fireworks; galcor; gambling; Great Hall; Great House; House of D'Ghor; House of Grilka; House of Kozak; House of Quark; insurance; Irish; Janitza Mountains; Keldar; Klingon Empire; Klingon High Council; Kobheerian freighter; Markalian; O'Brien, Molly; ODN conduit; Orok; Plomeek soup; Qo'noS; runabout; synthale; synthehol; Tygarian;

Previous episode: "The Search, Part II"

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 3

Next episode: "Equilibrium"