Damn that was a good episode! Having an episode about Quark and his adventures with the Klingons was brilliant. He is everything they aren't and is clever enough to use it to his advantage and I loved every minute of it. The subplot about Miles trying to find something to make Keiko happy fell a little flat, but doesn't seriously detract from the rest of the episode. It is nice to see the show getting back to normal to some degree after the discovery of the Dominion. Just because possible war is on the horizon doesn't mean the characters on the station aren't going to get on with their lives and it is great to see the show reflect that.
The episode opens with Quark lamenting the lack of customers to Rom. They do have one customer, a very drunk Klingon who demands more bloodwine. Rom goes to serve him but finds he has no money so goes to Quark. Quark jokes with the Klingon about opening a line of credit which the Klingon doesn't appreciate so he pulls a knife, but is so drunk he falls on his own blade fatally. During the investigation Quark talks to Rom and realizes that if he claims to have killed him in self defense it will get people excited and they will start coming back to the bar so that is precisely what he does. Odo doesn't buy it but the crowd eats it up. Miles returns home from work and finds Keiko working on her bonzai. She tells him that the school has closed since it was down to only two students. She claims to not be upset but clearly is.
The bar is busy just as Quark wanted but Odo shows up to tell Quark the Klingon he killed was Kozak, head of a powerful Klingon family. Soon after he is confronted by D'Ghor who claims to be Kozak's brother. Quark tries to tell him the truth but D'Ghor claims that if that story gets out it will dishonor Kozak and Quark is happy to keep the lie going. Later Grilka, Kozak's widow shows up and refuses to believe Quark killed Kozak and pulls a knife on him. Quark admits the truth so she hyposprays him. He wakes up on Qo'noS and learns that by claiming he killed Kozak D'Ghor gets to take over his house and there is nothing his wife can do, so she marries him. Quark doesn't seem all that upset and asks to look over their finances. She is of course upset to talk about money, but agrees to let him look things over. From the records it is obvious D'Ghor has been manipulating the situation to bankrupt Kozak and take his assets. Grilka asks if he can prove this to the council and Quark says he can.
Miles tries everything he can to cheer Keiko up, but it isn't working. Even offering to build her an arboretum doesn't seem to work. Finally he finds a botany position on Bajor for six months and talks her and Molly into go for it. Keiko is hesitant but agrees to go. On Qo'noS Quark presents his evidence to Gowron. Gowron confronts D'Ghor who calls Quark a liar and demands trial by personal combat. Quark tells Grilka he won't do it, but when the time comes and it looks like D'Ghor will win Quark walks into the council chamber with a bat'leth ready to fight. However when Gowron calls for the fight to begin he throws down the sword and tells D'Ghor to kill him, but since he is so weak it is really an execution without honor. Also be sure and tell your children this is how you won. D'Ghor is about to do it when Gowron steps in and basically agrees with Quark that this is without honor and if he is willing to do this D'Ghor is clearly guilty of the other stuff to. D'Ghor is hauled off in dishonor and Quark gets divorced and then kissed.
Review: A solid character episode with a bunch of funny parts and also some very clever writing. The B story wasn't great, but mostly when compared to the super solid A story. Looking forward to all the Klingon episodes yet to come!
8 out of 10
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