Rules of Acquisition ( episode ) Grand Nagus Zek assigns Quark to initiate negotiations with a planet in the Gamma Quadrant , but Quark ' s new associate is not what he seems . Summary . Teaser . In Quark ' s , a group of Ferengi are playing a late - night game of tongo – as is Jadzia Dax . She informs Quark and his friends that Curzon used to play the game , but she is a better player than Curzon ever was . One of the newer waiters , Pel , makes a profit able suggestion to Quark during the game and introduces him to sand pea s , which he says Quark can use to double beverage profits . While Rom is threatened , Quark is impressed , but before the conversation can continue , an alarm goes off to indicate a subspace communication on Grand Nagus Zek ' s personal channel . The Nagus offers Quark the chance to make " more profit than you ever imagined possible " – all he has to do is earn it . Act One . Zek is seated in Commander Sisko ' s office , accompanied by his Hupyrian servant Maihar ' du . He has made contact with a species from the Gamma Quadrant called the Dosi and plans to hold a business meeting with them aboard Deep Space 9 , but Sisko and Major Kira warn Zek not to cheat their guests . As a goodwill gesture , Zek attempts to make another deal by selling Bajor 50 , 000 kilos of brizeen nitrate , something Bajor could very well use , at a reduced rate . With the purpose , Sisko suggests making it a gift instead , and Zek then compliments his negotiating skills and agrees . With Maihar ' du at his side and Quark at his feet taking his shoes off , Zek explains that tulaberries and tulaberry wine are the secret to the Gamma Quadrant . He claims they will help the Ferengi Alliance get its foot in the Gamma Quadrant , making it the greatest deal in Ferengi history , and Quark instantly takes to the idea . However , when Quark goes back to the bar and tells his brother Rom about the new proposal , Pel quotes from the Rules of Acquisition : " " The bigger the smile , the sharper the knife . " " The young waiter seems to think Zek is setting Quark up in case the deal falls through . Over Rom ' s objections , Quark takes Pel on as his assistant for the negotiations for 20 % of the profits . He sends Rom to serve tables , instead . Pel is pleased with the outcome and , back in his quarters , removes a pair of synthetic lobes ( Ferengi females have smaller lobes than males ) and uniform , revealing Pel is actually female . Act Two . The Dosi turn out to be an extremely aggressive people . On first contact with station crew and the Ferengi delegation , the first thing they see is one of the Dosi thrown onto the station during a " minor disagreement " that occurred between themselves just prior . At the meeting with two Dosi named Inglatu and Zyree , Quark , with Pel by his side , opens the deal by buying 10 , 000 vat s of wine with some equipment . However , the Dosi are insulted they are not talking to Zek himself , and offer 5 , 000 vats instead . Pel helps Quark emphasize the deal and the fact that Zek wanted Quark to represent him . Inglatu eventually says he ' ll think about the 10 , 000 vats . Meanwhile , Maihar ' du silently presents Kira a gift from Zek in Ops . He leaves before she realizes what it is and refuses , but Dax says it ' s nice . Dax has a kinder opinion of Ferengi than Kira does , and Kira makes it known she does not understand why . Dax says she actually enjoys herself around Ferengi more than any other race , thinking through her past lifetimes , even though she admits their primitive attitude toward women and extreme focus on profit . It ' s another night of tongo , now with Zek playing . There is more of the typical jostling , but Zek challenges Quark on the deal . Quark doesn ' t mention he has , so far , failed to acquire the 10 , 000 vats of wine that Zek requested , but before he can tell him the bad news , the Nagus decides he wants 100 , 000 vats instead . While Quark seems to believe this is impossible , Pel compliments Zek on his decision , since it will let them know they mean business . Quietly , Pel now reason to suspect he wants the negotiations to fail . Away from the table to get Zek more tube grub s , Pel encourages Quark , with complete loyalty and faith in him . Quark is glad to meet such a partner . After the game , Dax meets up with Pel at the replimat . She ' s observed there ' s something different about Pel from other Ferengi , for example , the loyalty shown to Quark . Dax admits that , in a certain way , she kind of loves Quark , and Pel does , too . Dax pushes that observation , and then Pel admits she is actually female and for Dax to keep her voice down . Quark arrives and brings Pel for negotiations , leaving Dax to ponder Pel ' s situation . Act Three . Zek is having a drink on the Promenade looking at women walking by with Maihar ' du . Kira comes to return his gift , though at first he supposes she wants to thank him for the nitrate . Also refusing his offer of a night of " wild passionate romance " she hands him the gift and leaves , but not before getting a tap on her rear again . Quark and Pel take her place , reporting that the Dosi have left without signing the contract . Just as Zek erupts at Quark for the failure , though , Pel intervenes , announcing a plan to take the Nagus ' ship to the Gamma Quadrant and pursue the Dosi . Quark follows the lead and says he ' ll pilot the ship . On the way to the Gamma Quadrant , Quark wonders aloud why Zek insisted on so many vats , and the possibility that he is purposefully sabotaging the deal . Pel doesn ' t think so , but does believe Zek knows more than he is letting on . Quark says he ' s glad to have Pel as his consultant , which makes Pel quite happy . Pel tries to say something to him , but Quark interjects , thinking Pel wants more than 20 % of the profits , but he will not change that arrangement . Meanwhile , Rom is tending the bar and frustrated about Pel ' s partnership with him . Odo comes to him to inquire about Quark ' s whereabouts , but Rom doesn ' t know . After a quick exchange about not letting someone come between family , Rom gets the idea to go through Pel ' s quarters . He turns it upside down , and eventually finds the synthetic lobes . He ' s stunned at realizing Pel is actually female . Act Four . Quark and Pel reach the Dosi homeworld and travel to some common area , finding several acts of brawls , deals and disagreements among the various inhabitants . Zyree finds them and explains that the Dosi are very serious about profit . They find Inglatu , and Quark reiterates his demand for 100 , 000 vats of tulaberry wine . Inglatu continues to refuse until Quark declares that he does not plan to leave , and even overturns a barrel of some drink . He agrees to 10 , 000 , but says 100 , 000 is impossible and leaves . Quark and Pel stay the night , and obtain quarters . Now , Pel is very anxious about sleeping alone next to Quark , and tries to get out of it . Quark is exhausted , and wants to be near Inglatu in case he changes his mind . Pel stalls with a toast to Quark , but then falls into it and kisses Quark , obviously having fallen in love with him . Just then , Zyree comes to their and reveals that neither Inglatu nor herself nor any Dosi can sell the Ferengi 100 , 000 vats of wine . Instead , she offers to put them in touch with the Karemma – an important member of something called the " Dominion " – for a price . Finally , Quark and Pel realize the plan was not to buy wine but to get in contact with the Dominion . At the same time , Quark decides to forget about Pel ' s attempt to kiss him . They return to Deep Space 9 , having bought no wine but with contact information about the Karemma . Zek is very pleased , and gives Quark a percentage of any future deals with them . Rom tries to interrupt with his newfound discoveries about Pel . After leaving Zek , he reveals this secret to Quark , his brother declares that it must remain a secret , as females are not allowed to earn profit and associating with a female like Pel would land him in prison . He faints from the possible consequences . Act Five . Waking up in the infirmary , Quark makes sure Rom hasn ' t told anyone about Pel , and says it must be kept a secret . Rom wants to tell Zek , but Quark " convinces " him not to . He then goes to Pel and tells her to leave the station before he gets implicated in doing business with a female . Pel has other ideas about the secret . During dinner between Zek , Rom and Quark , Pel barges in . She confronts the Nagus and reveals her true identity , to Quark and Rom ' s amazement . A " clothed female " disgusts Zek , and he threatens Quark with imprisonment until he realizes that he was represented by Pel as well . Zek allows Quark to go free so long as the secret remains secret , but it will cost Quark his Gamma Quadrant profits . Ultimately , Quark and Pel share a heartfelt goodbye , but Quark decides not to go with her when she leaves the station to start a new life . Quark finds Dax for another game of tongo , but Dax responds that Quark has lost enough today , referring to Pel . He feigns ignorance , but Dax says she knows him enough to know he misses her . She leaves , and Quark begins to lament his lost opportunities in both business and love . Memorable quotes . " " Is that really how you prefer your women — naked and submissive ? " " " " You find such a lifestyle appealing ? " " " " Ah . . . don ' t you " wish ? " " " " " I do . . . I " really " do . . . " " " " I don ' t plan on being a waiter forever . " " " " Good , then you ' re fired . " " " " Shut up , Rom . " " " " A little " late , " aren ' t we ? ! " " " " You always know what to expect when you do business with the Ferengi . " " " " Which is why , if you ' re smart , you don ' t do business with the Ferengi . " " " " I think you ' ve made your point , Major . " " " " They ' re greedy , misogynistic , untrustworthy little trolls , and I wouldn ' t turn my back on one of them for a second . " " " " Neither would I . But once you accept that , you ' ll find they can be a lot of fun . " " " " Actually , I just stopped by to return this . " " " " Why , is something wrong with it ? " " " " No , it ' s lovely , I just can ' t accept it . " " " " Then I suppose a night of wild , passionate romance is out of the question ? " " " " T — that ' s right . " " " " Just thought I ' d ask ! " " " " Who ' s the Karemma ? " " " " An important power in the Dominion . " " " " The Dominion ? What ' s that ? " " " " Let ' s just say if you want to do business in the Gamma Quadrant , you have to do business with the Dominion . " " Links and references . References . Andorian transport ; Bajor ; Bajoran ; Bajoran earring ; Bajoran wormhole ; bedroom ; brizeen nitrate ; consultant ; crime ; ; Dominion ; Dosi ; Dosi homeworld ; fainting ; Ferengi ; Ferengi history ; Ferengi law ; Ferenginar ; fertilizer ; flaked blood flea ; gambling ; Gamma Quadrant ; gesture ; Gramilian sand pea s ; handkerchief ; holosuite ; Hupyrian beetle snuff ; Karemma ; Kibberian fire diamond ; kiss ; latinum ; lobe ; lokar bean ; mattress ; northern peninsula ; optical data processor ; percent off ; planetary alliance ; Promenade ; Quark ' s ; Replimat ; Rules of Acquisition ; snoring ; subspace field modulator ; subspace frequency ; thigh ; toast ; tongo ; trading consortium ; troll ; tulaberry wine ; vat