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How did Quark not become incarcerated?

I don't see Odo not following the law. For instance in "In the Pale Moonlight" Odo refuses Sisko's request that Quark not press charges against Tolar.

Not having an extradition treaty doesn't mean Bajor can't extradite a suspect; it just means the state that wants the suspect has to go through a judicial hearing instead of just asking the local law enforcement to arrest the suspect. So instead of kidnapping Dax they have to explain to the magistrate why Dax is still responsible for what happened in her previous lifetime, and the hearing is just as problematic as Tandro feared. It's not Bajor's reaction, it's the hearing going against him. As would probably have happened if not for the deus ex machina.

Odo and Sisko did apply Bajoran law on the station pretty consistently. When Kubus Oak showed up on the station, Odo applied the Bajoran "wanted" list and arrested him on the spot. Oak committed no crime in Federation jurisdiction, so Odo was applying only Bajoran law, and Sisko didn't complain.
 
Odo cares more about maintaining order than he does the letter of the law. Remember he let O'Brien go to help his feral daughter escape.
 
That would cover most of the bases, but kkt's counterpoints are good ones - Sisko bows to the Bajorans even in cases where he probably really wouldn't want to. Then again, Bajor wouldn't press if they thought Sisko and the UFP law would serve their purposes.

One thing where Bajoran law spontaneously reigning over UFP law would be helpful is "A Man Alone" already, as the rights of unborn clones there are different from those in "Up the Long Ladder". Or then it could be mere pro-life bias from Bashir and anti-theft bias from Pulaski in the respective cases, the law stretching enough to cover both ends.

Timo Saloniemi
 
I've been re-watching DS9 from the beginning of the series through the end. Seeing that blu-rays of the series aren't forthcoming anytime soon (grumble grumble) I've returned to my DVD collection for watching it. I started a few weeks ago and I'm currently in the second season.

Uncyclopedia has a great example of dialogue from DS9 that explained how Quark avoided incarceration:


Odo: I'm watching you, Quark.
Quark: I'm trafficking stolen goods.
Odo: You should tread carefully.
Quark: I laced all the synthehol with arsenic. I have a lethal weapon hidden in my ear.
Odo: One day, I'll catch you and get you to confess.
Quark: I raped, killed and dismembered a dabo girl.
Odo: I can't wait 'til that day. I'll throw you in a holding cell.
Quark: Privately, I am for some reason legitimately worried about that.
 
Throughout the 1st three seasons of DS9, Odo seems to have his own sort of disciplining Quark. In some strange way, Odo saw Quark as his rascally, little brother. I appreciated the paring of the two.
 
Throughout the 1st three seasons of DS9, Odo seems to have his own sort of disciplining Quark. In some strange way, Odo saw Quark as his rascally, little brother. I appreciated the paring of the two.

IMHO most episodes of episodic TV shows happen in alternate universes to most other episodes. Imagine that the writers and produces scan thousands and millions of ever branching alternate universes that happen after the beginning of the show, looking for interesting stories that could happen to the main characters and thus actually do happen to them in at least one alternate universe. Thus most of the stories they select to produce and broadcast happen in their own separate alternate universes, different from the alternate universes of most or all other episodes.

Thus, for example, any episode that opens with Quark being free is not, repeat NOT, a sequel to any other episode where Quark was caught in the act and we could expect him to be tried, convicted, and sentenced to a long time in prison after the episode.
 
What a unique take on continuity!

I prefer to think Quark suffered some fairly light punishmenrt that was finished in the time between episodes.
 
Keep in mind that Quark didn't appear in every episode. It is very possible that he served a number of 1-4 week sentences throughout the series' run.

Also, he is the devil everyone on the command staff knows, and as has been pointed out before, better him than another who has no limits.

And there have been times where Quark mitigates his crimes by his later actions, like how he was a key figure in "INVASIVE PROCEDURES" in getting Odo out of that box and freeing everyone.

Plus, he comes in handy at times.
 
It could be UFP law in operation with Bajor exercising a veto on decisions made.

The station is Bajoran property (even though Starfleet runs it), so I'm sure any major decisions affecting a station inhabitant who isn't a Starfleet officer would have to be cleared with Bajor first.

And the Bajorans tolerate Quark, so he's not going anywhere.
 
Speaking of Eddington he says in Blaze of Glory he has endure basically lots of counseling sessions and rehab-for according to Starfleet being a traitor and terrorist. Apparently the Federation has a very soft judicial system.
 
I imagine that one time Odo actually did arrest him at the end of little green men quark immediately called a lawyer or maybe even called in a bribe.

And the gatekeeper thing makes sense-Quark has ties to the underworld and more than likely has participated in criminal activity but not only does the the federation and the bajorans know him-they know as despicable as he is there are worse people you could have being gatekeeper. Also I think people like Kira and Sisko know Quark at heart isn't a monster or totally without scruple and so tolerate some his less savory behaviors.
 
Quark seems to specialise in being a "networker" alright. The little guy who trades on knowing the "big fish" but typically knows enough to steer clear of the really heavy stuff himself.

I'm amused by the way even Odo lets him to have those access codes that has even a higher clearance than him! What a concession. Even Odo has some 'off the table' need for Quark's services.
 
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