Quark finds himself at the center of a dispute between the Ferengi Alliance and Bajor after Grand Nagus Zek refuses to return an Orb of the Prophets to the Bajorans.

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Publisher's description Edit

For once, business is going well for Quark, not that anyone on Deep Space 9 truly appreciates his genius for finding profit in the most unlikely of circumstances. Quark is even looking forward to making the deal of a lifetime -- when he suddenly finds himself stuck right in the middle of a major dispute between Bajor and the Ferengi Alliance. It seems that the Grand Nagus is refusing to sell one of the lost Orbs of the Prophets to the Bajoran government, which has responded by banning all Ferengi activity in Bajoran space.

With diplomatic relations between the two cultures rapidly breaking down, Quark loses his bar first, then his freedom. But even penniless, he still has his cunning and his lobes, and those alone may be all he needs to come out on top -- and prevent an interstellar war!

Summary Edit

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Characters Edit

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Races and cultures Edit

Bajoran • Bolian • Changeling • Deltan • Ferengi • Frunalian • Gorn • Human • Klingon • Lurian • Otevrel • Trill • Yridian Referenced only Alastron • Andorian • Borg • Cardassian • Karemma • Orion • Prophets • Romulan • Tholian

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Background information Edit

Armin Shimerman dedicated the novel to his wife Kitty Swink.

The story was originally conceived as an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The pitch was unsuccessful but Shimerman and George decided to turn it into a novel instead.

Reception Edit

Related stories Edit

The events of The 34th Rule are mentioned in the DS9 relaunch novel Twilight .

are mentioned in the DS9 relaunch novel . Grand Nagus Zek received the Orb of Wisdom and announced his plans to sell it to the Bajorans in the DS9 episode "Prophet Motive".

Quark recalls meeting Sisko in "Emissary" and mentions how he felt he was "blackmailed" into staying on the station. Sisko also recalls the conversation he had with Quark in "The Jem'Hadar", in which Quark claimed Humans were uncomfortable around Ferengi because they reminded them of how their species used to be.

Shakaar Edon recalls how he became First Minister in "Shakaar".

There is a reference to Sisko wanting to build a house on Bajor. Sisko would tell Admiral Ross about his plans to do so in "Favor the Bold" and would carry the project forward in the Final Chapter arc.

The 34th Rule article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.