12.7 Commercial Facilities
Describes the principal commercial space aboard Deep Space 9, the Promenade, including its placement within the Upper Core assembly between the defensive shield generators and reactive shield wall, its division into three 120-degree arcs and three floors on Levels 5, 6, and 7, the distribution of shops and food services, offices, holosuites, and the circular access corridor, the Level 7 concourse and Bajoran temple, the control of commercial space by the Deep Space 9 Merchants Association and its leasing and utilities terms, the typical occupancy and the variety of shops and services found there, the prohibition on major weapons merchants under the Starfleet-Bajor agreements, Quark's bar as the largest purveyor of food, drink, games of chance, and holosuite programs, the other food services including a Klingon restaurant, jumja stick kiosk, and the Replimat, and the Bajoran temple's construction in the style of Bajor's temples and its role for prayer, meditation, and the temporary holding of Orbs.
The principal commercial space aboard Deep Space 9 is the Promenade. The physical arrangement places it within the Upper Core assembly, protected by the defensive shield generators above and the reactive shield wall below. The Promenade is divided into three 120-degree arcs, each arc defined by structural reinforcements capable of lockdown utilizing compartment-type doors and force fields. The space is further divided into three floors, consisting of Levels 5, 6, and 7. The lowest space containing the majority of the shops and food services occupies Level 7. The middle floor on Level 6 provides a view through the large, elongated windows, plus some office and storage areas. The uppermost area, Level 5, is taken up by holosuites, structural core access, and storage spaces. Around the base of the lower level runs a long, circular corridor, which provides access to the freight-handling areas and additional access to the security gates and turbolifts.
The Level 7 concourse provides a wide range of shops, trading posts, services, entertainment, and food establishments, plus the Bajoran temple. Commercial space is controlled by the Deep Space 9 Merchants Association and is leased by the cubic meter, in addition to partition construction and utilities costs for EPS power, common gas and fluid supplies, and ODN connections. The number and type of merchants will vary from time to time, though the occupied volume is typically around 82 percent. The open shops and services that can usually be found include spacecraft and other hardware-spares traders, systems repair shops, clothing shops, mineralogical assay stations, rare objet d'art dealers, spacecraft and planetary salvage operators, a schoolroom, expedition outfitters, communications gear dealers, and chemical and alloy suppliers. Normally, any merchants known to deal in major weapons systems are prohibited from working out of Deep Space 9, as part of the Starfleet-Bajor agreements, though some smuggling and deal facilitations have occurred on the station.
Food and entertainment are as varied as the other types of shops. By far the largest purveyor of food and drink on the station continues to be Quark's bar, located along the centerline of Arc 1 and impossible not to notice. Quark's also offers the station population and visiting crews games of chance, notably dabo and tongo, as well as an engaging mix of holosuite programs. Other food services have included a Klingon restaurant, a jumja stick kiosk, and the Replimat.
The Replimat is a self-serve facility providing multiple Cardassian food replicators, and it offers menus from many different worlds, with the exception of Ferengi meals. It has long been a favorite spot with station residents and visiting crews for quick bites and the Klingon coffee, raktajino.
While not a commercial facility, the Bajoran temple is nevertheless situated within the main hub of personnel movement. It has been built and furnished in the style of the temples on Bajor, based on architectural forms dating back to the ancient city of B'hala. Bajoran residents and visitors use the Promenade temple for daily prayers and meditations, as part of their search for guidance from the Prophets. The station's temple has been a temporary holding area for some of the Orbs received from the wormhole entities.