38. Profit and Loss

Summary

Quark is beside himself with joy when his old love, a Cardassian woman named Professor Natima Lang, arrives on board the station with two of her students, Rekelan and Hogue, whose vessel was damaged in a meteor storm. Natima seems none too glad to see Quark, however, and she and her students are alarmed to see Garak on board. When Quark circumspectly questions him about it, he makes some veiled threats and refers to Natima and the others as radicals. Sisko confronts Natima when he learns that their ship was, in fact, damaged by Cardassian weapons fire. She admits that they are on the run. Rekelan and Hogue are important leaders in the Cardassian dissident movement which favors civilian control of the government. The Central Command will stop at nothing to recapture them. Quark tries to persuade Natima to take him back but she refuses, saying that he betrayed her and that she doesn't care for him anymore. The situation escalates when a Cardassian warship arrives at the station, tipped off by Garak, who informs Sisko that the Cardassian government is very serious about reclaiming the fugitives. Quark offers Rekelan and Hogue a cloaking device he's obtained, in exchange for their persuading Natima to stay on the station with him. When he meets with Natima, she refuses to stay, insisting she has no feelings for him, and demands the cloaking device at gunpoint. When she accidentally shoots him on the lowest setting, she is horrified and admits to Quark that she is still in love with him. After some persuading, she agrees to stay if he'll give her students the cloaking device. The Bajoran government, however, has agreed to return the fugitives to the Central Command in exchange for some Bajoran prisoners but Odo, in the interests of justice, lets Natima and her students escape. When they reach the ship Natima tells Quark that she has to leave after all, and despite Garak's unexpected presence, the three fugitives make a safe escape.

Analysis

You know how I just LOVE one-episode-romances. This one would be a lot more palatable if we'd ever heard of Natima Lang before this or ever heard a peep about her afterwards...she's supposedly this grand love of Quark's life, but it seems, only for this hour. I sort of liked Natima...until she did that whiplash-inducing 180 degree turnaround from determined political refugee spurning Quark's advances to a tearfully doting swooner declaring her undying love. From that point on, this episode is written like a bad Silhouette romance novel..."his wings were beating almost as fast as my heart." Give me a break. I don't have a problem with the premise of this woman and Quark having had a passionate love affair (you know Quark's just a pile of mush under those loud topcoats), but I just can't see the two of them falling into these simpering, gooey Danielle Steel cliches. Take your insulin before watching this, believe me. Aside from that, the episode doesn't have much to recommend it. There are a few good Odo/Quark moments, but not enough to sustain the plot. Garak seems transparent and stiff, not his usual self at all, barring one early exchange with Bashir. On the other hand, it does set up the upcoming civilian takeover of the Cardassian government in The Way of the Warrior...too bad that couldn't last, the Dominion would move in pretty quickly. All in all forgettable. One point...is Odo immune to all forms of accountability? He seems to act with impunity! He just let three Cardassians escape and, presumable, screwed up an exchange that would have brought half a dozen Bajoran prisoners home. One would think that the Bajoran government, not to mention Kira, might have issues with this action.

Rating: 3.5

Memorable Quote:

Bashir: So assuming you're not a spy...
Garak: Assuming.
Bashir: Perhaps you're some sort of outcast.
Garak: Perhaps I'm an outcast spy.
Bashir: But...how could you be both?
Garak: My dear doctor...I never said I was either.

"So...how well does this woman know you? Just enough to dislike you or well enough to really hate you?" --Odo to Quark

Classic Scene:

Quark trying to convince Odo to let Natima go is a rare peek inside Quark's real personality. He goes from appealing to Odo's sense of justice to appealing to his good graces to presuming on his friendship to out and out begging...only to have Odo tell him that he was going to let Natima go all along.

Sexually Slanted Line 'O the Episode:

"I don't suppose I could come with you." --Quark to Natima...I think that's the idea, isn't it?

The O/K Status Report

The big goose-egg.

Special Alerts

1