Believing he is about to die, Quark sells his remains in advance, then learns he is healthy and must find a way out of the deal.
Quark is told he has a fatal illness and auctions off his remains to pay his debts. When the diagnosis turns out to be wrong, the buyer, Brunt, demands what he paid for, and Quark must die or break a contract. He tries to hire Garak to kill him but cannot face it.
After a dream in which the first Grand Nagus, Gint, says the Rules of Acquisition are just suggestions, Quark returns the money and breaks the contract. Brunt revokes his licence and seizes his assets, but the crew helps him rebuild his business. When Keiko is injured in a runabout accident, Bashir transfers her unborn baby into Kira, who agrees to carry it.