As promised, posting the complete synopsis of “Profit of Loss,” as it appeared in - Star Trek: Deep Space Magazine (Marvel-Paramount Comics 9, Vol. 1, No. 15, March 1998). Throwing in a few of the photos, but putting others in a separate post, just for flow purposes. Enjoy!
“Profit and Loss”
Written by Flip Kobler & Cindy Marcus
Synopsis by John Sayers
A crippled Cardassian craft approaches station DS9, and Commander Sisko orders the ship pulled into dock. Inside are Professor Natima Lang and two of her students, Rekelen and Hogue. She informs Sisko that her vessel was damaged in a meteor storm. Chief O'Brien gets to work preparing the ship. “We’d like to be on our way as soon as possible. We know having Cardassians on a Bajoran station may cause trouble. That’s the last thing we want,” Professor Lang notes.
In the meantime, Dr. Bashir and Garak, the “plain and simple” Cardassian, are having another of their periodic lunches, as the doctor tries once again to decide if the tailor is actually a Cardassian spy. In another part of Quark’s Bar, Security Chief Odo informs the Ferengi proprietor that he suspects Quark of possessing an illegal cloaking device. “You try to sell it and I’ll see to it that you spend the next 50 years digging trenches in a penal colony,” the shape-shifter growls.
But Quark’s attention is jolted away from Odo’s warnings as the Ferengi sees Professor Lang and her students walk through the Promenade. He rushes up to Lang and whispers “Natima” The Cardassian teacher responds by slapping Quark hard and stalking off. “I told you never to speak to me again! ”
Smiling after her, Quark tells Odo, “This is the happiest day of my life.”
He rushes after the trio, imploring them to return for a drink, a Samarian Sunset. “I don’t drink Samarian Sunsets anymore,” Natima tells him frostily. “They remind me of you.” After some persuasion, Quark gets them back into his bar.
As he prepares one drink – a Samarian Sunset – he confides to Odo that Natima – now a professor of political ethics – used to work at the station as a correspondent for the Cardassian information service. “I was the love of her life,” he enthuses.
“Must’ve been some life,” Odo mutters.
Quark manages to ditch Natima’s pupils to catch up with his old flame – who doesn’t seem entirely happy to see her former boyfriend. Their conversation is stopped short when Garak walks by and sees Natima – and vice versa. “We have to leave as soon as possible,” she tells her returning students as they dash out of the bar. “Goodbye, Quark, and thanks for the drink.”
Chief O'Brien determines that the damage to Natima’s ship was not caused by meteors – but by Cardassian disruptors. Natima admits her deception to Sisko, and tells him, “If I don’t get my students to safety, they’re going to be killed.” Rekelen and Hogue are leaders of the non-violence movement opposed to the military rule of Cardassian – and then military has put a price on their heads. Furthermore, Garak has seen them, and that doesn’t bode well. Sisko agrees to redouble his efforts repairing their ship and offers them secure quarters.
Later, Quark pays a visit in Garak, ostensibly to discuss clothing. However, Garak obliquely warns the Ferengi to stay away from Natima and her students or risk his own life. Quark notes that he would deal with anyone who tried to harm Natima.
“And what are you going to do? Shortchange them at the dabo tables? "Garrick asks.
Afterwards, Quark visits his old flame in her quarters, offering his help. "I owe you,” he insists. “You saved my life. If you had turned me over to the authorities, I would’ve been executed” – for selling food to Bajorans during the Occupation.
But Natima saw a man of honor in Quark, and they spent a month together, happily in love. However, Quark couldn’t deny his own greedy nature and used her personal access codes to purloin funds from the Cardassian communication service. “What I really regret is betraying your trust,” the Ferengi admits. “That was the worst mistake of my life.”
“I believed in you, Quark,” she says, “but you were using me, like you use everyone, for profit.”
Now Quark wants to make it up to her – he wants Natima to stay with him on DS9. Otherwise, he’ll follow her until she takes him back. He’s willing to risk his life, forsake the bar – “I have to be with you.” The Cardassian woman wavers, but she knows Quark too well and turns him down flat. “In the end you would only care about yourself. ”
“But I love you!”
“I don’t love you.”
“Uh-huh,” Quark says, “now which one of us is lying? ”
Repairs on her ship near completion when a Cardassian warship approaches DS9 and takes up an offensive position. The station raises shields and Sisko prepares to return fire if necessary, when Garak arrives in Ops. “I think we should talk,” the simple tailor tells Sisko.
Garak informs Sisko that the Cardassian Central Command simply wants to get his attention. Rekelen and Hogue are terrorists, he contends, and should be returned home immediately. But they have committed no crime is in Bajoran space, and Sisko refuses to turn them over – particularly in the face of a threat of force.
In Quark’s, the Ferengi works on Rekelen and Hogue to try to warm their teacher’s heart. He offers them the use of the cloaking device to help make their escape – astonishingly, at no charge – as long as they convince Natima to stay on the station with him. “She shouldn’t have to risk her life for our crimes,” Hogue notes. They will try, and arrange to meet in an hour.
Later, Quark arrives at Natima’s quarters with the cloaking device, but Natima refuses to stay. “Quark, you say you love me – then give me that cloaking device and let me be on my way,” she says. But the lovelorn Ferengi won’t let her go. Natima draws a phaser and demands the device.
“Or what? You’ll shoot me? ”
“If I have to. ”
“Then go ahead and shoot.” But her hand waivers. She can’t shoot the man she loves. Quark reached out to take the weapon from her, and Natima suddenly fires, knocking the Ferengi off his feet.
Distraught, she rushes to the injured Quark. “It was an accident,” she cries. “I’ve never fired a phaser before – I barely touched the trigger.” Seeing him hurt, Natima confesses her love for the Ferengi “I love you, Quark! I’ve always loved you – even when I hated you.” But her responsibilities – the movement – must come before their love. Quark passionately implores her to stay, and she finally gives in.
Their kiss is interrupted by Odo, who has arrived to take the team into custody. The three Cardassians will be turned over to the waiting warship, by order of the Bajoran government, in exchange for a half dozen Bajoran prisoners in Cardassian custody. Sisko and Odo are disgusted at this turn of events, but they have no choice but to comply.
Meanwhile, Garak suffers a new visitor to his shop – Gul Toran, an unfriendly acquaintance from the past. Toran informs the tailor that he may end his exile and return to the home world if Rekelen and Hogue don’t leave DS9 alive. Garak suggested the prisoner exchange, but Toran convinced Central Command that the renegades must die – including Natima Lang. Garak is wary – dead martyrs are more dangerous than living heroes – but Toran makes a strong point: Does he want to spend the rest of his life as a tailor?
Quark won’t give up on Natima. He implores Odo to release her and her students, trying every excuse in the book – the future of Cardassia, his love for Professor Lang – he even offers to tell Odo all the schemes, deals or tricks in which his brother, Rom, is involved. Quark implores him on the basis of their “friendship.” Quark even gets down on his knees and begs the shape-shifter. “I don’t care why you do it,” Quark says. “Pick any reason you want, but please, let Natima and the others go. ”
Odo will release the Cardassians, but not because of anything Quark has said or will do. “Nothing they’ve done warrants that kind of punishment,” he notes. “I’ll free them, Quark, but only in the name of Justice. "That’s good news to Quark – he doesn’t owe Odo a thing. "How do you expect Rekelen and Hogue to get past that warship?” Odo asks – then, as the Ferengi grins – “I knew you had a cloaking device.” Odo releases the Cardassians into Quark’s hands, and wishes them luck.
They arrive at the airlock only to be met by Garak with the phaser in hand. “Don’t! I hate to ruin such a– nice suit.” And unfortunately, Quark has done what Garak warned him not to do – become involved with dangerous people. They all must die. “Well, then,” Garak notes, “though I admit it’s against my better judgment, I’m afraid I must carry out the verdict of the Central Command.”
But before he can act, Gul Toran shows up. “I will take over from here,” he growls.
“Why?” Garak asks. “So you can take the credit and make sure I remain in disgrace?”
“Did you think of by completing this one simple task your reputation will be restored at Central Command?” the gul asks, with a nasty smirk. As Toran prepares to shoot Quark and the rebels, Garak fires and vaporizes him.
“Well, some people should never be promoted,” Garak notes. “Don’t just stand there,” he tells Rekelen and Hogue, “your ship’s waiting. ”
They hurry on, leaving Quark and Natima a quiet moment. The Cardassian woman must go to fight her battles on her own. She implores Quark to stay and wait for her until the job is done.
“So, all I have to do get you back is wait until Cardassia becomes a free and democratic society?” Quark asks.
“I promise I’ll make it worth the wait,” “she says. "I love you, Quark. I always will.” They say farewell, the airlock closes, and a sad Quark is left staring after her.
Garak suggests they return to the Promenade, and Quark asks why the tailor did what he did. “Why did you let Professor Lang go?” Garak replies.
“I had no choice. I love her,” Quark admits.
“And I love Cardassia. Which is why I had to do what I did.”
“I don’t understand,” the Ferengi says.
“That’s the thing about love,” muses Garak, as the two lonely men stroll out. “No one really understands it, do they?”
