"The Movement"

A Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Story

By Lal Soong

Major Kira Nerys stood at her station at Ops, trying to busy herself with routine maintenance. Impatiently, she waited for the science officer to explain why her latest date had ended unfavorably.

"Are you going to tell me, or not?"

"What?" Jadzia Dax said, actually looking as though she had no idea what the major was talking about.

"Why did you break things off with Lieutenant Noble? I thought you made a cute couple."

Dax shook her head. "I thought so, too, until he started asking me to do things-let's just say they were things that a lady should never be asked."

Chuckling, Kira mentally pictured several possibilities as to what Lieutenant Noble had requested. "You'll have to fill me in sometime when we're off-duty." Though eager to hear the details, Kira knew that Ops wasn't the place to discuss topics of a lurid nature. No, those conversations were more appropriate in a looser environment-like Quark's.

A Ferengi Marauder slowed to full impulse as it neared Deep Space Nine. Once it came within a thousand kilometers, it stopped.

Dax suddenly jumped into action. "There's a Ferengi Marauder at the Starboard. It came out of nowhere!" Jadzia felt her pulse quickening, her stomach tightening. Ships didn't arrive at the station without warning, unless they planned subterfuge.

"Hail them," Kira ordered.

Dax tapped the sequence on her console. "This is Lieutenant Dax. Please identify yourself," she said, "and state your reason for entering Federation space." After a few seconds, she turned to Kira. "They're not answering my hail!"

Kira appeared irritated that her peaceful shift had been interrupted by Ferengi. "Go to yellow alert," she ordered. "Raising shields." She brought the shields on line, then tapped her commbadge. "Kira to Captain Sisko. We have a Ferengi Marauder at Starboard unwilling to respond to our hail."

Over the comm, Sisko started to say, "I'm on my-" only to be interrupted by the Marauder as it fired several rapid phaser bursts onto the station.

Dax and Kira clutched their consoles for support.

Rushing out of his office, Captain Sisko nearly stumbled down the stairs. "Chief O'Brien, divert all available power to the shields!"

Over his comm, O'Brien replied, "I'm on top of it, sir."

"Major Kira, return fire," Sisko ordered as he reached the last step.

"Aye sir." Having anticipated the order Kira had already locked phasers onto the Marauder and quickly obeyed the command. The blast struck the Marauder in the starboard bow. "Little damage to their starboard bow."

"There's only a skeleton crew on board-thirty-nine humanoids," Dax informed them. Normally, a Marauder had a crew of several hundred. Thirty-nine crew members was barely enough to maintain the most routine functions of a starship.

Another blast rocked the station.

A second later, O'Brien spoke through the comm. "We've lost all power to the shields!"

Kira tried again to return fire. "Phasers are off-line!"

Suddenly, six figures materialized, all under five-feet tall and sporting weapons, on the forward side of Ops. As they regained their full mass, Dax recognized the familiar features of Ferengi. She gasped in surprise, not at learning they were Ferengi, but because they were females!

Dax had dated a couple Ferengi on occasion and from them had learned about many Ferengi customs. One of their most distinct cultural traits was their intolerance for clothes on their women. In obvious defiance, these girls, none of them over eighteen years old, were wearing loose-fitting jumpsuits, brown work boots, and large-brimmed hats that half-obscured their faces. They obviously did not wish to encourage any lascivious thoughts in their male counterparts.

One of them stepped forward and aimed her weapon at the three Federation officers. "I am Zenka, instigator of the Movement. You will bring all your Ferengi males to this location immediately!"

Dax turned toward the captain, wondering how he would react to such an absurd demand. Sisko offered Zenka a half-smile, obviously more amused at their arrival than afraid. "What makes you think you can order us to do anything?"

Their leader laughed, and it echoed hollowly across Ops. "We disengaged your shields, didn't we? We have big weapons. We have a cause. Now, bring about your Ferengi males!"

Kira walked away from her console to stand just behind Sisko. "How did you take control of a Marauder?" Years in the Bajoran Underground had taught her to always be suspicious.

"Ferengi Salvage Code," Zenka replied. "Its crew was dead."

"You did take precautions to make sure that whatever killed them was not contagious?"

Zenka's grip on her weapon loosened as she nearly lost her bearing. Her pink flesh momentarily turned a pasty-white. If Zenka and her followers had become infected by the Marauder's crew, then Dax, Sisko, and Kira were now possibly infected as well. Zenka quickly regained her composure and aimed her weapon at Sisko's chest.

"We boarded the ship three weeks ago. None of us have become ill."

"Look at you!" Kira felt the cords in her neck tightening as she strained to keep from laughing. "You're just a bunch of kids. What do you think attacking this station will accomplish? You don't know how lucky you are. On Bajor during the war with the Cardassians, children either grew up fast or they died."

"You did not grow up on the Ferengi homeworld. Your people were exploited by the Cardassians, I know, but how would you feel if your own males exploited you? We may be young, but that doesn't mean that we're not serious about our cause. Tell me you were not frightened when we fired on this station. We don't expect to win a war in a single battle, and we're willing to make sacrifices."

"We have only a handful of Ferengi on board," Sisko said.

Kira tried to remember how many Ferengi, besides Quark and his family, were currently on the station. Perhaps eight or nine.

"If it's a movement you wish to start," Sisko continued, "why not charge on a Ferengi colony? Wouldn't that provide better targets?"

Kira eyed Zenka closely as the Ferengi contemplated Sisko's question. If there was only one invader, Kira wouldn't hesitate to attempt to overtake her, but Zenka's party not only had them outnumbered two to one, but out weaponed as well.

"We need to start small," Zenka said slowly, "conform a few of the male Ferengi pigs at a time."

"Conform them?" Sisko said. "Then you don't plan to physically harm them?"

"I certainly hope that's not necessary. All they have to do is listen to our reasonable demands. We simple want to be treated as equals."

"Then why don't you put down your weapons, and I'll see what I can do to help you with your cause."

Zenka turned toward her troop. One of them shook her head and tightened her grip on her weapon, apparently ready to take over if Zenka relented. Slowly, Zenka turned back toward the captain.

"How do we know we can trust you?"

"You'll just have to take our word for it," Sisko said.

"No, first you bring all Ferengi males up here, then I'll consider your request."

Sighing, Sisko tapped his commbadge. "Sisko to Odo."

"Captain, what is going on?" the constable replied over the commlink.

The captain did not take his gaze off Zenka. "It appears we have guests. Round up Quark and the other Ferengi on this station. Bring them to Ops.

"Sir?"

"You will understand when you get here. Sisko out." He severed the commlink.

Odo rushed across the promenade. He enjoyed nothing better than visiting Quark, always hoping to catch the little miscreant in the middle of one of his shady business deals. No one else could allude the constable the way Quark did. Odo loved a challenge.

As Odo stepped into the bar, Quark spotted him and immediately walked away from a customer to greet the constable. "Odo, to what do I how the pleasure?"

Odo grunted, having grown accustomed to the Ferengi's cajoling tone. "I'm not sure, but your presence is requested at Ops."

"You must be mistaken," the Ferengi replied. "Captain Sisko would never permit civilians on Ops. When he wants to talk with me, he comes here." Quark brought his hand to his chest and shrugged.

"I'm telling you he ordered me to bring you to Ops."

"I can't leave my bar unattended." Quark took a couple steps back in the direction of the bar. "At least give me a chance to leave my brother, Rom, in charge."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Odo replied, smiling as much as his partially formed mouth would permit. He enjoyed the large-eared dwarf's confusion.

"Why not?"

Odo savored each word, saying them slowly and forcefully. "Because his presence is requested as well." He glanced around the establishment, counting the number of Ferengi present. Rom was standing behind the bar, staring suspiciously at the constable. Odo gestured for him to come, then at a couple Ferengi customers. "Captain Sisko ordered me to round up all Ferengi and escort them to Ops."

"This isn't happening," Quark said in disbelief as the shapeshifter grabbed him by the shirt sleeve.

"What's going on, Brother?" Rom asked as he reached them. "Are you being arrested?"

"No," Quark replied. "Unless every Ferengi aboard this station is also being arrested.

Odo grunted. "That would make my life a whole lot easier.

The constable had only dreamed of such fun before now. It was turning into a good day.

As Zenka paced passed her, Dax commented sincerely, "You know, that's a nice outfit."

"Yes," Kira agreed. "I can't wait to see the look on those smug Ferengi-what did you call them, pigs?-when they see a group of female Ferengi in clothing."

Zenka smiled broadly, warmly, shattering the malevolent guise she had been hiding behind. The aft turbolift opened up, and quickly Zenka took a serious stance.

Odo, gripping Quark by the arm, pulled the Ferengi off the turbolift. Several other Ferengi followed, including Quark's brother and nephew, Rom and Nog. The group, with the exception of the constable, all began shrieking at the sight of female Ferengi wearing clothes.

"Ahhhhhhh, female Ferengi!" Quark screamed. He slipped into one of the numerous Ferengi cringes, and the others followed suit. "And they're wearing clothes!" He turned toward Odo, eyeing the constable accusingly. "Why didn't you give me some kind of warning?"

As calm as ever, Odo replied, "I assure you that I had no idea what we were walking into."

"These young ladies claim they're part of a movement," Sisko said.

"They're no ladies!" Quark blurted, then blanched with fright as a large, ugly weapon swung in his direction.

"They have a few requests to make of you gentleman," the captain continued.

"No female Ferengi is permitted to speak to strangers," Quark replied.

The leader of the captors scoffed loudly at this, but did not say a word.

"When Moogi spoke to the head of the Ferengi Commerce Association," Rom said softly to his brother, "she nearly caused foreclosure of your bar."

"Don't remind me," Quark muttered under his breath.

There was a lot more to it than that, both brothers knew. Their mother, Ishka, better known as Moogi to her elder son, Rom, had reaped a tidy profit through business transactions she'd made using several aliases. Quark hated admitting that his mother had lobes far greater than himself for business. But it was true.

"I think you had better listen to them," Sisko told Quark. He then allowed his gaze to wander into the crowd. "All of you."

"This is outrageous!" a chubby Ferengi exclaimed. "Quark, you better find a way to put an end to this, or I'll be taking my business elsewhere, and you can bet I'll spread the word about this."

"I have no control over this!" Quark exclaimed. "I assure you that I had no idea-"

"I heard about your mother earning profit a while back."

"That was all taken care of. Ishka confessed and the three bars of latinum were handed over to the Ferengi Commerce Association."

"Ishka was a fool for ever giving in," Zenka said and several of the males covered their ears and started shrieking. Zenka behaved as though oblivious to the commotion. "If she'd finished what she'd started, then our cause would be much further along."

"She confessed for me, her son, so I would not lose my business."

"Well, I do not have a son to convince me to give this up, nor do I have a father to order me around." With an air of assumed authority, Zenka approached Quark, aiming her weapon at him. "Allow me to introduce myself," she said. "I am Zenka, instigator of the Movement."

"I'm Quark. Why have you-"

"I know who you are! We are the enlightened generation. Our demands will be met, or the consequences won't be pretty."

Zenka's troop began hollering a chant in Ferengi. "No equality, then no mercy." Though neither spoke fluent Ferengi, both Kira and Dax were becoming increasingly amused by the show. Quark tried to convince himself that he wasn't intimidated by a group of young women, but their words drilled through his insides, cutting away any thoughts of resistance.

"Perhaps it is time we listened to them, Uncle Quark," Nog said. "One thing I've learned through my training for Starfleet is the vast differences between cultures. We should learn to adapt to change."

"Shut up, Nog!" Quark snapped. Even months after his nephew had announced his desire to join Starfleet, Quark could not conform to the idea. How could he be expected to give into these girls so easily? "Wh-what are your demands?" he asked, trying to steady his voice.

"You will come with me," Zenka replied.

Quark turned toward the other Ferengi males, pointing at them. "I'm sure one of the others could help you much better than I could. I can't leave my bar unattended. Why, I'm probably being looted this very moment." He tried to prevent images of his bar in shambles out of his mind. It was enough to make him cry. He couldn't let that happen in front of females!

Zenka pushed at Quark's chest with her laser rifle. "But it's you I want!" She tapped her commbadge. "Two to beam over."

"Wait a minute!" Sisko exclaimed rushing toward them. Despite his quick reaction, he could not prevent Zenka's and Quark's transport off the station. The captain turned toward Dax. "Try hailing them again."

One of the rebels stepped forward. "I wouldn't advice that, Captain," she said. With the utterance of yet another female Ferengi, the Ferengi males began shrieking anew. She raised her voice, so to be heard above their cacaphony. "In case you didn't believe us, we do mean business."

"Silence!" Sisko bellowed at the Ferengi. After they'd quieted, he turned back to the girl. "And you are?"

"I am Szuut, second in command of the Enlight-"

"Yes, yes," Sisko said, cutting her off, "I know the Enlightenment Movement. I cooperated with your leader's first demand. Now, why don't you show a little good faith and put down your weapons?"

"And let you put us in a holding cell? I don't think so!"

Odo stepped away from the group of male Ferengi. "If you give up your weapons now, I'll personally see that no charges are brought against you. I'm sure I can arrange to have you placed in your mothers' custody."

"We didn't come all the way out here just to be handed over to our baby sitters."

"You could have chosen a more congenial way to get your message across," the captain said.

"No other method would have been as sweet." Szuut smiled.

"Now, what do you mean by that?"

Szuut's smile broadened, and she turned around, walking back toward her cohorts. She obviously delighted in providing Sisko with a puzzle. He was determined to solve it and get these girls off his station.

"Then how about all of you agreeing to thorough medical exams?" he asked. "There's no telling what killed the Ferengi, who you stole-"

"Obtained," Szuut snapped, "under the Ferengi Salvage Code!"

Reluctantly, Sisko nodded.

"All right, we'll take the exams."

Quark concentrated on remaining outwardly calm and unperturbed by the rebel's weapon as she forced him into a turbolift. He would not cringe in front of a female! They stepped off the turbolift, and she led him down a corridor until they reached her private quarters.

"Why are you doing this?" he demanded. She refused to answer, instead poking him in the back with her weapon.

Quark had once served aboard a Marauder many years ago, and recognized Zenka's quarters as the most elite on the ship. It was a room made only for a DaiMon. Zenka pushed him into the room, nearly knocking him to the floor. She was strong for a girl, he realized as he massaged his arm, and wondered what type of exercise she did.

She walked across the room away from Quark and paced for several seconds. He tried to anticipate her next move and found he couldn't. He had no idea if she just wanted to talk with him or planned to torture him as a demonstration for all other Ferengi males. But, if she wanted him to serve as an example, then why did she whisk him off to her private quarters?

"I want you to contact the Grand Nagus through subspace channels," she finally said.

"You can't be serious!"

Zenka briefly stopped her pacing to glare at Quark. Raising her voice, she reiterated, "I want you to contact the Grand Nagus and tell him that the Enlightened are here. Tell him that we have demands and that he better cooperate."

Zenka spoke with such conviction that Quark suspected she had a secret weapon, something she had yet to reveal. "Why didn't you take your demands directly to the Grand Nagus yourself?"

Zenka stopped her pacing and stared at Quark. "More fun to torture you, Quark."

"Just me, or all male Ferengi?" If it were happening to someone else, he would almost find this situation amusing.

A pensiveness swept over her, a smile outlining her lips. As a bartender, Quark had mastered the art of studying expressions, but he found himself unable to understand Zenka. One minute she appeared malicious, only to soften her stance in the next. He decided that she was bluffing, that she just wanted him to believe she was evil. He found that most puzzling of all. Why would she want people to believe that?

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she finally replied. Her expression changed again. Now she appeared gratified.

"Why did you bring me here? I could have called the Grand Nagus from the station."

"I could tell that you were the most rational of your bunch. I couldn't put up with the others' shrieking anymore, so I brought you here." She stepped toward him, running the barrel of her weapon along his cheek. "Wouldn't you rather cooperate than see your friends die?"

"What do you want?"

"Number one, we want all women to be given the right to wear clothing."

Quark cringed. No Ferengi woman had been permitted to wear clothing in all known history. Before Zenka's party arrived at DS9, Quark had only ever seen two other Ferengi females wearing clothing, his mother and a female named Pel, who had cleverly disguised herself as a male. Did Zenka honestly believe she could persuade an entire civilization to uproot their culture?

"For our second demand, we want the custom of females chewing food for their male relatives to be abolished. We find it repulsive."

Quark shrugged and replied, "That really wouldn't be too hard for me to live with. I haven't had a female to chew my food for me in over twenty years anyway. But you may meet with plenty of resistance from homebound males. I hear it's one of the main reasons some of them choose not to venture off the homeworld."

"I don't care! The Enlightened Movement refuses to chew food for any male. Third," Zenka continued, "we want equal opportunities."

"Equal opportunities to do what?" Surely she didn't mean they wanted a share of business acquisitions! Maybe a female could memorize the Rules of Acquisition, he admitted as he remembered his mother helping him with them when he was a lad, but they could never understand them well enough to become a predominent force in the business world.

"Don't pretend to be so naive! You know what we want. Equal opportunities in every possible way. Don't think we can't learn how to achieve the upperhand in a business transaction." She paused, allowing her second demand to sink in. "And last, we want a chance to raise our sons."

"Now hold on a minute! On that ground we're even. Ferengi males raise sons and Ferengi females raise daughters. How can a woo-man teach a son what it means to be a man?"

Zenka laughed. "And such a fine job you men do of it."

Quark raised his hand to his chest. "I'm insulted."

Again Zenka's expression changed suddenly as she growled. "Are you going to do as I say, or will I have to order my troop to expedite matters?"

"Contact the Grand Nagus, huh? What makes you think he'd listen to your demands?"

"If he doesn't, my troop is ready to execute Plan B."

"What, all thirty, forty of them?" Quark asked, suddenly feeling confident.

"Just because I only brought thirty-eight with me, doesn't mean I don't have others elsewhere."

She has other followers! Quark thought. Why didn't I assume that in the first place? "This plan B," he said aloud, "what is it?"

"You better pray you never find out!" Zenka replied smugly.

Maybe I don't want to know, after all, Quark reconsidered, apprehensively deciding to cooperate with the instigator of the Movement.