Star Trek: Deep Space Nine/Recap/S05/E03 Looking for Par Mach in All the Wrong Places

"Dax to Worf:It sounds like you have a bad case of Par'mach Sisko:I hope that's not contagious Dax:It's the Klingon word for love-but with more aggressive overtones"

It is peace now and the Klingon Noblewoman, Grilka comes to deep space nine for a social visit. In the episode The House of Quark Grilka had had a temporary nominal marriage to Quark to provide a male chief until she could get a dispensation to rule her clan personally. Now she wants to see Quark again and discuss old times.

Worf attempts to court her but her Chamberlain, as politely as possible tells him that as a member of an ostracized house he is strictly unavailable. At the same time Quark falls in love with Grilka and goes to Worf for advice. Worf gives him some lessons on Klingon manners and traditions which he uses to win Grilka's heart. This enrages Grilkas bodyguard who challenges Quark to a duel. Quark of course is a Ferengi and not good with such matters. So using a device Dax has invented, it is arranged for Quark to be mechanically controled by Worf who of course does know how to handle a Bat'lithe. Quark and Grilka's bodyguard fight for a while. Then the device breaks down. With a display of Ferengi fast talk, Quark demands the "right of proclamation" and filibusters his way through the time it takes Dax to repair the device. Then Worf finishes the duel, the bodyguard is spared but humiliated and is fired and sent on his way. Grilka and Quark go off to enjoy a passionate romance. Meanwhile Dax, seeing Worf still obsessed with Grilka and oblivious to her, challenges him to a practice match. Then follows a long unshown session of Klingon style lovemaking between Grilka and Quark and Worf and Dax. On the last scene, Dr Basir is patching up their broken bones...

In a subplot Kira is carrying Keiko's child which has been beemed into her womb to prevent a miscarriage. Deciding that they are becoming to attached to one another by circumstance, they agree that Kira should take a vacation. Keiko with childlike naiveity insists on Miles acompanying her to take care of the baby. When they enter the shuttle, Kira admits that she was planning on going to one of the most romantic spots on Bajor. Shaken by how close they have come to betraying Keiko the two break away from each other and Kira's last words are, "Miles, get out."

This is a more lighthearted episode but it is among the better ones.


 * Amicably Divorced: Quark and Grilka
 * Battle Couple: Quark charms Grilka by going to the holodeck to reenact the story of Kahless and Lucura, the ultimate Klingon Battle Couple.
 * Also Worf and Dax; this is the beginning of their relationship.
 * The Consigliere: Grilka's Chamberlain.
 * Duel to the Death
 * Fantastic Racism: Grilka's Bodyguard, perhaps affected by a dark version of Bodyguard Crush
 * Fish Out of Water: Quark
 * Mythopoeia: A thousand years ago it was the dawn of the Empire. Five hundred warriors stormed the Great Hall at Quam Chee. Only the Emperor Kahless and the Lady Lucura stood their ground. It was here that they began the greatest romance in Klingon history.
 * National Weapon: Bat'liths of course
 * Playing Cyrano: Worf
 * Proud Warrior Race: Klingons
 * The Power of Trust: If any wife trusted her husband as much as Keiko did it would take the most utter wretch in the universe to hurt her. Fortunately neither Miles nor Kira are utter wretches.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure: Grilka's Chamberlain
 * Your Cheating Heart: Subverted. Miles and Kira don't cheat. They just come close to doing so.
 * What You Are in the Dark: Miles and Kira
 * Wide-Eyed Idealist: Keiko. She trusts Miles and Kira so much that she never even thinks they might be tempted into doing anything with each other. (Of course, the Alternative Character Interpretation would be that she thinks she's got Miles on such a short leash that he would never dare cross her.)
 * World Building: Klingon customs and legends as told to Quark by Worf.