The Long Night Read Free Page A

lessons.
    A huge Caxtonian, his shoulders bulging against a shirt that hadn't been washed since Dax was first joined ever, leaned between Jadzia and the ensign beside her.
    Quark, obviously holding his breath, set a coaster in front of the Caxtonian and started to back away.
    The Caxtonian reached across the bar and grabbed Quark by the lapels. The Caxtonian pulled Quark forward and spoke directly into his face. "I have something to sell you."
    Quark leaned his head back as far as it would go.
    The Caxtonian's breath was twice as bad as his body odor. Dax was glad she was upwind.
    "I-ah- I'm too busy to look at goods right now," Quark said. "Perhaps if you come back after you've taken a room and-ah- had a chance to freshen up-"
    "I won't wait," the Caxtonian said. "But if you're not interested, I'm sure someone else would be."
    Dax hid her nose in her synthale glass and watched Quark wrestle with the dilemma. If he asked to see whatever the Caxtonian had to sell, he would have to put up with the stench a few moments longer. But if he didn't, then he might miss an opportunity for profit.
    "All right," Quark said, pulling his lapels free and stepping away from the Caxtonian's breath. "But make it quick."
    The Caxtonian pulled a pouch from the inside of his filthy shirt. The pouch was made of stained leather, and it too had seen better days. Dax sipped her synthale but kept the glass protectively over her nose. The young ensign on the other side of the Caxtonian did the same.
    Quark took the cork off a bottle of Ardwanian sweet nectar and wafted the bottle around as if it held perfume. The Caxtonian didn't seem to notice. He carefully pulled a small statue out of the pouch.
    "If you think..." Quark started and then he stopped. He set down the sweet nectar and leaned forward, right into the stench.
    Dax frowned. Only one thing could grab Quark's attention like that. Something rare. Something expensive. Something that might make him a profit.
    She took one more sip before replacing her glass on its coaster. Then she leaned in as well.
    The statue stood about a hand high and seemed to glow a faint green all by itself, even in the bright light emanating from behind the bar. The statue was of a delicate woman humanoid. She twisted upward in a spiral toward some unseen light above. Her delicate hands formed a point at the top, and the woman's dress flowed out onto a simple base at the bottom.
    Dax's stomach seemed to float as well, and she was glad now she had ordered the synthale. She studied the woman's skirt, looking for a tiny oval design she half hoped she wouldn't find.
    As if picking up the daintiest of flowers, Quark reached out and touched the statue. "Where did you find this?"
    "Never you mind that, little man," the Caxtonian said. "Do you want to buy it?"
    Quark nodded, never taking his eyes from the statue. He didn't even quote a price. He had to be in as deep a shock as Dax was.
    "How much?" the Caxtonian pilot demanded.
    Quark looked up at the pilot as if suddenly remembering his place. "I'm sure we can come to an agreement," he said, half choking. "But first, my friend, a drink."
    On the flare of the woman's skirt, just above the base, was the tiny oval. Dax pushed away from the bar and moved into the crowd. Her hands were shaking. She wanted to be wrong-and she wanted to be right.
    Either way she had to move quickly. She quietly tapped her comm badge. "Dax to Sisko."
    "Sisko here," the commander's deep reassuring voice answered almost immediately.
    "Benjamin," Dax said. "You need to come to Quark's right now."
    "Problem?" Sisko's voice softened with concern.
    "I think that depends on your point of view," Dax said.
    "Dax-" Sisko's voice held a warning. He hated mysterious comm messages. She knew that, but she was reluctant to state her hypothesis out loud.
    She moved out of the crowd into the hallway, the action taking less than a second. "Benjamin," she said as softly as she could, "I think someone has found the