“Bokat?” Jake frowned, but Nog was too excited to notice.
“He has this game—nobody’s ever won it. It’s called the Zhodran Crystal Quest, and Bokat is going to let me try it because I’m such a good player! He thinks he owes me for making the arcade a success! Can you believe that?”
“Actually, yes, but—”
“But what? Playing won’t cost me anything! It’s free! I’ve got nothing to lose, and like Uncle Quark says, ‘There’s a sucker born every minute.’”
“Yeah, and you’re it,” Jake said.
The sparkle in Nog’s eyes faded suddenly. “What’s that supposed to mean, Jake Sisko?”
Jake chose his words carefully. “Bokat offered to let me play the Zhodran Crystal Quest, too, and—”
“He did not!” Nog interrupted, furious.
“Yes, he did,” Jake insisted. Nog didn’t want to believe that Bokat’s offer was not exclusive. Jake had liked being singled out as the best player on the Promenade, too, but he was sure that Bokat had ulterior motives. “I think it’s very suspicious, Nog. No Ferengi gives something for nothing.”
“The fifty-first Rule of Acquisition—”
“I’ve heard it.” Rising, Jake glared at Nog. “Did you ask for a reward or threaten to stop going to the Games Bazaar?”
“No…” Nog scowled.
“Me, neither. If people are going to the Games Bazaar to beat our high scores, that wasn’t going to change. Bokat didn’t have to offer us anything to keep us playing. He wants us to try the Zhodran Crystal Quest for other reasons.”
“So what? He’ll let us play for nothing. The thirty-seventh Rule of Acquisition states quite clearly: ‘If it’s free, take it and worry about hidden costs later.’”
“That’s just it, Nog!” Jake threw up his arms. “What hidden costs? Why is this game so hard to win? What does Bokat hope to gain? Why won’t he let everyone try it? There’s something strange about this whole thing.” Nog wasn’t convinced, and Jake tried a different tactic. “Did you know that Tena Lin and Rotor are both in comas that Dr. Bashir can’t explain?”
“So? What does that have to do with Bokat’s game?”
“Nothing, but I wouldn’t enjoy playing games knowing that two of my best friends were unconscious in the Infirmary.” Nog’s chin jutted out stubbornly, and Jake sighed helplessly. “Just take my advice, Nog, and don’t play.”
“I know what you’re up to, Jake. You’re trying to talk me out of it because Bokat didn’t really offer to let you play. You’re jealous!” Spinning around, Nog stalked toward the door.
Jake hurried after him. “Come on, Nog. You know me better than that.”
“Okay. Prove it. Come down to the Games Bazaar with me. We’ll both give the Zhodran Crystal Quest a shot.”
“Can’t. I’m grounded until I get my term paper finished.”
“How convenient.” Huffing with indignation, Nog left.
Worried, Jake went back to his desk. Time dragged. His father called to say he’d be late. Jake ate a replicated sandwich for dinner, then took a shower, hoping to stimulate his stalled brain. He started a first draft of the paper, but repeatedly caught himself staring off into space. He couldn’t concentrate or shake the feeling that Nog was headed for big trouble. That wouldn’t be anything new, but this time the trouble might be more than his Ferengi friend had bargained for.
Finally, since he wasn’t making any progress on the paper anyway, Jake decided to take a break. He wasn’t going to get anything done until he knew Nog was all right. Anxiously he headed for the door. His father had said he couldn’t play any games. He wasn’t going to play. He was just going to watch.
Except the Games Bazaar was closed.
Jake stood outside the darkened arcade, staring through the transparent door. The overhead lamps had been dimmed, and the flashing lights on machines and screens gave the deserted interior an eerie look. Neither Nog nor Bokat was visible. Jake couldn’t think of any reason a greedy Ferengi merchant would close down during the busiest hour of the day—except Odo. Maybe the security officer had revoked Bokat’s operating license.
Too bad, Jake thought. No doubt, Nog was upset because he couldn’t play the Zhodran Crystal Quest, but maybe he wasn’t mad anymore. The little Ferengi had probably gone to one of their secret hiding places to pout. As Jake turned to leave, a pair of Jorsian bulls paused to Peer in the window.
“Closed!” the largest bull roared. His massive partner shrugged, then both charged on to find entertainment elsewhere. Jake flattened himself against the door to keep from being trampled, then yelped in surprise when the door slid open behind him. He stumbled backward and fell inside, landing on the floor with a painful thud.
A bloodcurdling scream broke the silence.
Nog!
CHAPTER 5
Jake rolled under Star Raiders and froze. Except for the gongs, beeps, and whistles of the games, the shop was quiet. Nothing moved but the flashing lights. Cautiously he crept toward the back of the arcade, using the pinball machines as cover. Pausing by the antique Road Race 2000 module, he peered through the open cockpit and thought about going for help. Then he remembered Nog’s terrified shriek. There wasn’t time.
“Yes!” Nog’s triumphant call echoed off the walls.
Feeling like a fool, Jake slumped against the module. Nog was not in danger. He was playing the Zhodran Crystal Quest in another room. The scream was just an excited reaction to the game. Must be a dynamite game, Jake thought as he stood up and brushed off his jumpsuit. Since he was already inside and Bokat had invited him, he saw no harm in joining the fun—just to watch.
“Almost gotcha….” Nog laughed.
Following the sound of Nog’s voice, Jake wove his way through the cluttered aisle to a sliding door on the back wall. Another panicked scream split the quiet as the door whooshed open. Startled, Jake hesitated just inside. The door closed behind him.
The small, dimly lit room was empty except for two chairs and some high-tech video equipment. An ornate silver headpiece engraved with unfamiliar symbols lay on the floor. A long cable connected the device to a data-chip recorder. The monitor blanked, whirred, then displayed a visual of mountainous terrain. Fascinated, Jake sat down to watch.
The view panned upward from the base of a high, rocky mound. A gold ball, resting in a shallow depression at the top of the mound, gleamed in the sun.
“Yes!” Nog’s voice!
Jake laughed aloud. He was watching the scene through Nog’s eyes. Clawed Ferengi hands appeared as Nog climbed toward the golden prize. “Almost gotcha….” Nog reached to grab the ball.
Like Nog, Jake did not see the danger until it was too late. The rock to the left moved. Not rock. Jake shuddered. A snake. The triangular pattern on the huge viper’s skin was shaded in muted greens and browns, providing perfect camouflage in the moss-covered rock. The snake struck, sinking long, sharp fangs into the Ferengi boy’s leg. Nog screamed, then collapsed.
Jake blinked in confusion. The gold ball was not a crystal, but this had to be a recording of Nog’s attempt to play the Zhodran Crystal Quest. Obviously, Nog hadn’t won, either.
So where was he? Jake grinned. Nog was probably making himself scarce because he didn’t want to admit he had lost.
The monitor blanked and whirred, then started the sequence over again. The recorder was locked in Replay mode, but it was standard Federation issue. Releasing the memory lock, Jake keyed the data chip to play from the beginning. Blank screen.
A low hum sounded from the headpiece lying on the floor. Jake picked up the scrolled hardware and turned it over in his hands. His skin tingled in response to the current flowing through the heavy metal. The device was alien, but it apparently worked on the same principles as the IQ/Aptitude helmet. The player experienced the game scenarios as though they were real, and the results could be monitored on an auxiliary screen.
Another scream. This one from Tena Lin. Jake looked at the monitor and saw nothing but a
wall of searing flame.
Blank screen again. Then Jake saw Selay hands clutching a rope and heard a terrified hiss. The angle switched to a view of a deep chasm below, and the image blurred as the rockface suddenly streamed past. Rotor had lost his grip. He fell into the dark pit with a squeal that ended abruptly. The screen blanked again.
“Your turn.” A low, gravelly voice said from behind.
Jake jumped up and spun to face Bokat. He had been so engrossed in the monitor, he had not heard the door open and close. His own voice shook slightly when he spoke, from guilt because Bokat had caught him snooping—and dread. “I told you, I can’t play. My father—”
“Your father isn’t here,” Bokat snarled.
Alarmed, Jake stepped to the side and reached for his comm badge—which wasn’t on his chest. Oh, no! He hadn’t switched it to the clean jumpsuit after his shower because he hadn’t planned on going anywhere. “Where’s Nog?”
Bokat blocked his access to the door. “Lost—like your other friends. But then, they weren’t the best. You are, Jake Sisko.”
“Lost? I don’t understand.” Still clutching the headpiece, Jake moved casually back the other way. He understood too well, but he wanted to distract Bokat. Nog, like Tena Lin and Rotor, had been injured playing the game. He wondered if Nog’s comatose body had been found yet, and if Odo would connect the faked accidents to the arcade when it was. Not likely.
“They’re lost in the game, Jake. Their physical injuries can be healed, but their minds are trapped for all eternity because they failed. You might win.”
“Maybe.” Jake shrugged and glanced at the headpiece. If the Ferengi kept talking, he might let down his guard long enough for Jake to rush the door.
“You must win. It’s the only way you’ll survive the Zhodran Crystal Quest.” Bokat eased forward. “And it’s the only way I’ll find the Da-hahn Crystal.”
“What’s that?” Jake asked.
“The key to universal power.” A sheen of sweat glistened on Bokat’s face, and he licked his lips in anticipation. “The Da-hahn Crystal is an ancient Zhodran artifact that bestows absolute invincibility and immortality on whoever possesses it. I intend to have it, and you’re going to help me.”
Jake nodded, appearing to consider the Ferengi’s proposition. The consequences of playing the Zhodran Crystal Quest were more terrible than he had imagined. Injuries inflicted by the game were real, and worse—the sinister device imprisoned the mind.
“What if I won’t play?” Jake asked with cocky stubbornness. He tossed the headpiece in the air, noting Bokat’s horrified expression and extreme relief when he caught it again.
“Oh, you’ll play. You don’t have a choice.”
Jake backed up as Bokat slowly advanced. The Ferengi were small, but very powerful for their size. He was no match for the wiry merchant in hand-to-hand combat. He’d have to think his way out of this predicament.
“I don’t like to lose,” Bokat said. “If you win the game, I’ll get the crystal and with it, the power to protect myself. If you lose, you’ll be caught in the game matrix, where you won’t be able to tell anyone what you know. Either way, I win.”
“What’s in it for me?” Jake asked, angling his backward path to avoid getting trapped against the wall. Escape was his only hope of saving himself and his friends.
“Your life and the satisfaction of winning … if you win,” Bokat replied with a smug grin. “If you don’t—”
“Not good enough, Bokat.” Holding the headpiece high in the air, Jake bluffed. He didn’t dare let the device break. Any chance to free the minds captured in its circuits might be lost if the game was destroyed. But Bokat needed the game, too. Being Ferengi, he didn’t understand a human’s high regard for the welfare of others. Jake gambled that Bokat would believe he’d damage the device rather than play against his will. It worked.
“Be careful!” Bokat lunged for the device.
Jake ducked and bolted with the headpiece firmly in hand. As the connector tore free of the recorder, the cable whipped against his legs and lashed Bokat’s arm. The Ferengi howled and hesitated, and Jake gained a few seconds. He darted from the room, tripped on the dragging cable, and dropped to the ground. Rolling out of the main aisle, he held his breath as Bokat dashed into the dim arcade.
“You can’t get away.” Bokat reached for the lamp control, then changed his mind. Lights would attract attention to his deadly game of hide-and-seek. Taking a security chip from his pocket, the Ferengi started toward the door.
Coiling the cable around the headpiece, Jake put the device on his head and flipped the visor screen up so he could see. He needed both hands free, and he wasn’t going to leave the evidence of Bokat’s treachery behind. Besides, his friends’ lives depended on getting the game to Dr. Bashir. Jake couldn’t overpower Bokat, but he was faster. Once he was on the Promenade, he could call for help. But first he had to stop Bokat from locking the door.
Frantic, Jake scanned the consoles within easy reach. Laser War, a late twentieth-century sharpshooter game, stood right behind him. Rising slightly, Jake lifted the laser pistol from a slot on the side. Credit codes were only necessary to activate the scoreboard. The guns and targets were always on.
Tracking Bokat’s progress down a side aisle. Jake sighted on another laser-activated game along the Ferengi’s route. He fired just as Bokat came abreast of it, hitting the bull’s-eye. A siren wailed, bells rang, and lights flashed. Bokat jumped with a startled cry and hit the deck. Jake scrambled to the far right wall, improving his position for a dash to freedom.
Bokat recovered quickly. Jumping to his feet, he scanned the room as he continued toward the door.
Jake was running out of time, but not out of options. He was squatting by Target-Ball, a primitive game that involved rolling hard balls up an alley and into circular cups. The smaller the cup, the higher the score. Jake keyed in his credit code and braced himself as eleven balls rolled into a long tray.
The clattering noise alerted Bokat, and he quickened his pace. Grabbing two balls, Jake aimed and hurled them. The first hit Bokat in the shoulder and stopped him cold. High and inside, Jake thought. The second just missed, but Bokat whirled toward the attack. Strike. A third ball smacked into the Ferengi’s chest. Bokat exhaled loudly and staggered. Walk. If he got out of the arcade alive, he’d have to work on his pitching skills next time he and his father played baseball in Quark’s holosuites. The fourth grazed a large Ferengi ear and smashed into the pinball machine behind him. Foul. Sparks flew, and so did Jake.
Armed with the remaining seven balls, Jake ran, throwing quickly and wildly. Half the balls missed, but the barrage kept Bokat unbalanced as Jake raced the remaining few feet to the door.
Stumbling and sliding over the balls strewn on the floor, Bokat screamed, “Stop—thief! Thief!”
Jake burst through the door and collided with Odo.
“In a hurry, Mr. Sisko?”
CHAPTER 6
Don’t let him get away!” Bokat shrieked. “He broke into my arcade and stole a valuable piece of equipment!”
“Really?” Odo eyed the device perched on Jake’s head. An elastic arm snaked out, and Odo’s hand clamped on Jake’s shoulder. “Not so fast, young man.”
Out of breath from his narrow escape, Jake couldn’t speak or resist when Odo took the game off his head. He concentrated on calming his pounding heart and racing pulse as Odo pulled him back toward the arcade.
“Excellent work, Mr. Odo!” Bokat plastered an ingratiating smile on his face. “Now that you’ve caught the burglar, I would like my property back—if you don’t mind.”
“I do mind. It’s evidence.” A large pocket formed in Odo’s uniform, and he tucked the headpiece inside. With a casual glance at the door, Odo stepped inside. He picked up one of the balls scattered on the floor. “No signs of forced entry, but it looks as if there was a struggle.”
Nervous now, Bokat became defensive. “Of course there was a struggle! I c
aught the boy stealing. Arrest him! I want my property back!”
Jake shook his head emphatically and managed a strangled, “Not stealing, Odo. Danger … in the back—”
“And vandalism!” Bokat cut Jake off and pointed to the broken pinball machine. “Just look at this mess! Shouldn’t we be going to the security office? I want to file charges. And I want my game back.”
Jake knew Bokat didn’t want Odo to enter the back room. The Ferengi was stalling for time so he could destroy the data chips. The recordings would implicate him in the children’s accidents and comas. There wasn’t any other solid evidence.
“It’s not a game, Odo!” Jake said in desperation. “It’s an alien treasure map, and Nog—” Too late, Jake realized that mentioning Nog was the wrong thing to do. The Ferengi boy was an incorrigible troublemaker and a constant source of irritation for station security, especially Odo.
“Nog? That figures.” Odo turned abruptly and whisked Jake onto the Promenade. “You, too, Bokat.”
“By all means. That’s a priceless antique, incredibly valuable.” Like Jake, Bokat had to jog to keep pace with Odo’s long stride. “I want it returned immediately, without delay….”
“Shut up,” Odo snapped, then added a sarcastic “please.” Tugging on Jake’s arm to hurry him along, the security officer touched his comm badge. “Odo to Sisko. We have a problem.”
Arguing with Odo was useless, and Jake didn’t try. His father would listen. He just hoped it wouldn’t be too late.
Benjamin Sisko studied the alien headpiece with a skeptical frown.
Jake sat quietly, knowing his frantic explanation had sounded preposterous. Somehow, he had to convince Sisko and Odo to retrieve the tapes from Bokat’s back room before the Ferengi erased them. Jake couldn’t back up his fantastic story without that evidence, and crucial minutes had already been lost.
“Jake doesn’t lie,” Sisko said evenly.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Young Adult Books #5: Arcade Page 3