As a kid I loved any episode with FCA Liquidator Brunt in it and I am starting to see why. This is one that I remember watching both for the great trick of getting Quark to agree to sell his remains before he is dead and for Keiko giving up her baby to Kira to carry to term. I remember reading somewhere that Nana Visitor was pregnant and this was the writer solution. And honestly for where Kira is in her romantic life at this point in the show this is actually a more reasonable solution. Having Kira get pregnant on her own would kinda limit their ability to play the love triangle angle, plus it gives the O'Brien's another shot at some family trauma which is something they seem to excel at.
We begin first with Miles characteristically worrying about Keiko being on a mission to the Gamma Quadrant and Dax laughing at him. But next we see Quark very uncharacteristically being very giving with his brother offering a free snail juice, the reason: he is dying. While on Ferenginar Quark was diagnosed with the rare Dorek Sydrome, which is always fatal. Rom talks him into putting his remains up for sale on the futures market to raise money to pay off his debts before death. Keiko's shuttle comes through the wormhole badly damaged and O'Brien rushes to the infirmary. Keiko was badly hurt, but the baby is fine, and now in Kira. To save the child Bashir transferred him to Kira and then treated Keiko who is now also fine. Because of Kira's Bajoran anatomy though the transfer is permanent until she comes to term.
Quark meanwhile is super disappointed only Rom has bid on his remains, but his moon changes when an offer for 500 bars of latinum comes in which he accepts immediately convinced it must be the Nagus. Quark is ecstatic, for once in his life he is a big success, so you can imagine his surprise when he learns his diagnosis was in error. He is even more upset when he learns Brunt set the whole thing up and intends to collect what he is owed. Quark tries to talk him out of it but Brunt insists he will ruin Quark if he doesn't get his desiccated remains. Quark not wanting to not live up to his contract tries hiring Garak to kill him, but insists on watching several simulated kills on the holosuite and doesn't like any of them so he tells Garak to surprise him.
A now super paranoid Quark goes home and ducks while turning on the lights. He is now exhausted though so he goes to sleep and awakens in the Divine Treasury convinced Garak did his job. The first Grand Nagus comes out and tells him to break the contract but Brunt then appears and Quark realizes he is dreaming. When he wakes up he decides to go ahead and break the contract so Brunt proudly liquidates his assets. The O'Briens meanwhile have convinced Kira to come live with them until the baby is delivered and while a bit overwhelmed she is happy to do it. We see Quark sitting with his brother in the empty bar when Julian comes in with a case of brandy. He says it was given to him as payment but he can't take it. Quark tries to refuse but Dax then arrives with a box of ugly glasses. Then Sisko comes in saying that renovations on the habitat ring require moving out a bunch of tables and chairs. Quark at first refuses again, but then his eyes light up and he asks for a storage fee.
Review: Ferengi episodes are some of my favorite and this is an especially good one. The Kira/O'Briens plot feels a little forced, but it doesn't seriously detract from the episode.
7 out of 10
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