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Quark is a fictional character in the American television series ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''. The character, which was played by Armin Shimerman, was depicted as a member of an extraterrestrial race known as the Ferengi, who are stereotypically capitalist and motivated only by profit. Quark, who often served as the show's comedy relief, may have been named after the 1978 ''Quark'' (TV series), which frequently examined science fiction themes from a humorous or satirical perspective. Furthermore, a quark is among the smallest known elementary particles of matter, so Quark's name might be a joke/pun to the effect that he is, in the grand scheme of things, utterly insignificant. ==Career== Before opening a bar, known as Quark's, on the station, Quark served as a cook aboard a Ferengi freighter for eight years. Quark came to the station while it was named Terok Nor during the Cardassian occupation of Bajor. Originally, Quark admired the Cardassian race for their version of morality, but later he seemed to take pity on the downtrodden Bajoran people, selling them food and equipment just above cost, which could have gotten him into serious trouble if the Cardassians had found out. When the station changed hands at the end of the occupation, Quark decided to leave the station. Commander Sisko, feeling that Quark's presence would encourage commercial tourism to boost the station's economy, extorted Quark to stay, using Quark's nephew, Nog as a bargaining chip, in the ''Deep Space Nine'' pilot episode, "Emissary". Quark nevertheless continued to conduct a variety of shady deals while on the station, but neither Sisko nor the Bajoran authorities took many punitive actions against him, partially because Quark's position in the station's business community and contribution to station tourism outweighed the trouble caused by his activities, which were legal under Ferengi law and, for the most part, harmed no one. This was also largely because of the Federation's policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other races, which (barring any overt threat to the station and/or anyone on board) extended even to the Ferengi and their business dealings (their lack of Federation membership notwithstanding) and which caused Sisko's hands to be tied in many such cases, much to his chagrin. A shrewd businessman, Quark often quotes the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition. When the Bajoran wormhole was discovered, Quark helped broker deals between several Gamma Quadrant races and the Ferengi. The Alpha Quadrant's first knowledge of the Dominion came through business dealings that Quark and the Ferengi had in the Gamma Quadrant with the Karemma of the Dominion. Quark's role in these dealings came about as a result of the interference of Grand Nagus Zek. Quark became Grand Nagus for a brief period when it appeared that Zek had died; however, Zek's death turned out to be a ruse and Quark was promptly deposed. Along with Commander Sisko, Quark was also among the first to encounter the genetically engineered soldiers of the Dominion, the Jem'Hadar. Quark repeatedly clashed with FCA (Ferengi Commerce Authority) liquidator Brunt, who believed that Quark was detrimental to Ferengi society and beliefs. The two met initially in a scandal involving Quark's mother Ishka, who had earned profit despite this being illegal for a female. Following this, Brunt was responsible for Quark receiving a savage beating at the hands of Nausicaan thugs. The attack was meant to coerce Quark into dissolving the employee union founded by his brother, Rom. Instead, Quark secretly honored many of the union's demands. Later, when Quark was falsely diagnosed with a fatal disease, Brunt anonymously bought the Ferengi bartender's remains six days in advance. When Quark discovered he was not dying and backed out of the contract, Brunt revoked Quark's business license with glee, but Quark's friends supplied him with all the equipment necessary to continue operating his bar anyway. (The license was later reinstated as part of a deal between Quark and Brunt to break up Zek and Ishka, who had begun a relationship.) When Brunt almost became Grand Nagus, Quark temporarily became a female named Lumba. This was in order to convince FCA commissioner Nilva that allowing Ferengi females to wear clothing was an opportunity for profit. Brunt did not believe the charade for a minute. Nilva, owner of Slug-O-Cola: "The Slimiest Cola In The Galaxy!", on the other hand, was more than convinced that Lumba was a woman, and chased "her" amorously. Quark's involvement with underworld figures led him to become an important source of information for the crew of the space station, in the style of "Huggy Bear" from ''Starsky and Hutch''. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Quark (Star Trek)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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