Rivals (episode)

===Act Four===
[[File:Quark excites his customers over a racquetball game.jpg|thumb|left|Quark excites his customers]]
Quark, standing on his bar, is rallying a group of customers, offering them new thrills, spills and excitement, among them is Bashir but he's confused about what Quark is referring to. The chief enters, in uniform and with his toolkit to hand, looking equally puzzled by what's going on. Quark continues his speech, introducing the "''reigning champion of [[Starfleet]], and a legend on both sides of the wormhole, Miles 'The Mechanic' O'Brien''" alongside "''the fast and the deadly''", Julian Bashir, aka "The Doctor". Both of them are equally surprised by Quark's address, expecting to find an emergency in the bar. O'Brien shouts at Quark to get down and explain himself, but he continues with his speech, advertising "''the grudge match of the galaxy''" with half the winnings going to the [[Bajoran War Orphans Fund]]. He finishes by inviting his customers to place a bet on either contender while reminding them the [[dabo]] tables are open. O'Brien and Bashir are naturally outraged by Quark taking it upon himself to arrange this without their consent, but he puts the charm on and reminds them about the orphans' donation and that the [[monk]]s have already made down payment on new blankets for the [[winter]]. They reluctantly give in to Quark's plan. He smiles smugly across the Promenade to Mazur, who is watching in anger.

Back in Ops, Dax is frustrated with the computer, which seems to have lost the program she was looking for. Kira arrives on the turbolift, noting that she is fine after her earlier trip, which is more than she can say for the other people in the infirmary, whose numbers are increasing. Dax hypothesizes there must be a connection between the accidents and the system failures and Sisko agrees, suggesting it may be a virus or anomaly of some sort. He sets Dax to work finding something that could affect both people and machinery in this way.
[[File:Roana kicks out Martus Maruz.jpg|thumb|"''And take those things with you!''"]]
Meanwhile, thanks to Quark's scheme, Club Martus is just about empty. Rom is recounting to Mazur the times he was teased for his lobes being too small, but Mazur is too busy dwelling in his own failure and eventually snaps at Rom, before finding "comfort" in the arms of his dabo girl. At that moment, Roana walks in and witnesses his betrayal. As she still holds the lease, she orders him out of her bar and to take his devices with him, before storming out. Mazur chases after her as far as the Promenade where he sees Alsia and has another idea.

A little while later, Mazur and Alsia are in the club where he provides her with the necessary funds she asked for, approximately ten thousand isiks. He reminds her of the return she promised him; he expects ten times as much back. She promises he will get it and leaves the club. Mazur then tries his luck with one of the gambling devices but it fails on him. His luck may be coming to an end.