Hailing Frequencies
Posted on Sun Jul 15th, 2018 @ 5:23pm by Zulg & Ensign Dana Wakefield
Edited on on Sun Jul 15th, 2018 @ 5:52pm
2,377 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
Episode 3 - Weary Travellers
Location: Zulg's Bar - Empok Nor
Timeline: MD002 1330 Hrs
Dana had finally ventured out onto Empok Nor, for her it seemed surreal. There was no security escort flanking her, watching her every move. It was exhilarating but scary all at the same time, as much as she hated to admit it, she had formed a bond with her security detail, and she had grown accustomed to both their company and conversation.
After standing to observe the promenade, her eyes had caught a bar and in particular a Ferengi, this could be the perfect opportunity for her, after all, if a Ferengi couldn’t help her, no one could, but she knew he would have a price, for a moment she hesitated. Was this going to be worth the risk?
After nearly talking herself out of it, Dana now stood in the bar that she had been observing, it was of typical Cardassian design, but the layout was good and practical, the Cardassian design was not to everyone’s taste, but Dana had an appreciation for it. As far as bar’s went, it was busy, a mix of clientele, several Starfleet personnel, as well as Cardassians were congregated.
Dana slowly walked over to the bar; she changed her expression to a firm, scowling look, she had to look the part.
“Ferengi,” she said in an angry tone, banging her hand down onto the Bar
Zulg sucked at his trowls as he saw the woman walk into the bar. “I am Zulg and this is my bar. So you can address me with some respect or you can leave, Starfleet.” He has just lost his shipment of targalian ale, thanks to K’Gunn and his men. So, Zulg was in no mood to be trifled with especially by a Starfleet officer.
Kimoni Jexen sat at a table near the bar, she heard the shout and the sound of a hand slamming onto the bar and watched. Memories and past experiences ran through her head as she watched the exchange between the redhead and Ferengi. She couldn't put her finger on it but something seemed off. Her fourth host Doral had been a frontier trader, this sort of thing was common in his line of work.
She finished her drink and stood up, walking around to a darker corner of the area, using one of the mirrors behind the bar to keep an eye on the situation.
Dana smiled as she leaned in towards him “My apologies Zulg” as she rubbed her finger gently across his lobes “I meant no disrespect, but I’ve been told you’re the one who can help me gain access to a secure terminal for a private conversation with someone, which is very important to me.” She said still rubbing his lobes with a slight smile.
Zulg was not usually taken by such feminine wiles, he was better than that. But this hewman gave excellent umox. “Yes it has been known that I am the best. Well better than Quark and his mighty bar, the lummox. Important to you, you say? How important and what’s in it for me?”
“Do not be so humble, I’ve heard you’re the best and that you can arrange anything. I know you don’t know me and we have not conducted business before, but I’m not trying to entrap you.” She replied before producing a pouch “I’m sure gold pressed latinum will help us conduct a seamless transaction, after all I only need access to a secure terminal for a few minutes, somewhere private, where I won’t be disturbed.”
Zulg took the pouch and estimated the amount of its contents based on weight. “I reiterate Starfleet, how important and what’s in it for me? I am also going to need to know whom you are contacting. I am not going to get the Klingon flea trap of a security officer on my back for nothing.”
“Now, now. You don’t need to know whom I need to speak to.” she said passing him another pouch which was a little heavier than the first “And what’s in it for you, well I’d owe you a favour, which could come in handy.” she said with a smile “And it’s not as though your not been well compensated.” she said glancing at the new heavier pouch before reaching for it “But if you can’t manage it, perhaps someone else on the station can.”
As she read the women’s lips, Kimoni wondered which of her past hosts had first learnt the skill, until now she didn’t really know she could do it. It came to her that it was Tral, her Sixth host.
Whoever she was, this loud and apparently quite, woman seemed to know what she was doing. Using the right words and actions to try and get through to the Ferengi. She wasn’t sure if the Ferengi was going for it though he seemed to be resisting.
The woman was asking for a secure Comms link to an unknown party, this was something she couldn’t ignore. She walked over to the bar, placing herself just to the woman’s left.
“Excuse me, I’ve been waiting for my Tamerian Sunset for over ten minutes.” She said, adding a little exasperation to her voice, “I can’t believe you’d treat paying customers this way.”
She shot a quick look to the bags on the bar and rolled her eyes, “Ah that makes sense, the tenth Rule of Acquisition in all it’s glory.”
Zulg was intrigued either this was his lucky day or something was indeed afoot. Either way he wanted to know what was going on. He now had two beautiful women both Starfleet and one knew the Rules. He turned to his assistant “Get this woman her Tamerian Sunset. Our apologies for the wait and this one is on the house.” He turned to Wakefield “As to your request wait here and I will see what I can do.” He said as he grabbed the two pouches of Latinum.
Dana discreetly glanced at the women who had suddenly appeared to her left, she had hoped her transaction would go unnoticed and had she really just witnessed a Ferengi giving a drink away for free, that certainly wasn’t normal behaviour.
Within moments the drink was served and Zulg was returned. “Follow me Lieutenant, right this way.” He said as he came around the bar and motioned for Dana to come with him.
Dana smiled gently at the women, before nodding to Zulg acknowledging his request for her to follow him. “ I’ll have a double Star Drifter for when I return as well as another Tamerian Sunset for my inquisitive colleague.” she said throwing a piece of gold pressed Latinum onto the bar, before she slowly started to head towards Zulg. She had a feeling that owing Zulg a favour in the long run was going to be trouble, but a deal was a deal. Plus she hoped that the stranger appearing at the bar had taken her hint by ordering the drink, hopefully she had signalled that if she wasn’t back for that Star Drifter then something had gone wrong.
Zulg led her to his office which was up a spiral staircase on the upper level of the bar. Once there he secured the door and withdrew a Ferengi device from the desk. “Before you can make your call Starfleet, business must be completed. You press your thumbprint here, and by doing so you enter into an agreement with me. The agreement states that I will provide for you a secure communications channel, that is untraceable and in return you give me the gold pressed latinum and you will perform a task of my choosing at a time of my choosing. Within reason of course. Now if you agree go ahead and press your thumb, if not then you can return for your drink.” Zulg tossed her the device.
Dana catched the device, she gave him a cold hard stare as she gently placed her thumb into the recess, thereby recording her thumb print in acknowledgement of the agreement. “Rule of acquisition sixteen, a deal is a deal.” she replied tossing the device back at him, but not breaking her stare. “However, remember rule twenty one, never place friendship above profit, if you double cross me or betray me, I’ll make sure that that Klingon flea trap makes your life an even more of a living hell. Plus I’ll make it my life's mission to ruin you.”
“Ah yes but you are forgetting about Rule of Acquisition number one hundred and sixty nine, a deal goes down together. Which means you bring the Klingon on me, and I bring him on you. I think he would want to know why an officer of the USS Pioneer would want a secure communications channel, and why she would not go through proper channels to get one. Now if the threats are through I will leave you to make your call.” Zulg replied as he snached the device from her hand. He than slunk out of the office, leaving Wakefield in the room. Zulg was crazy but not stupid, his important property and information was securely locked, his office was bugged as well. He would have all he needed on her.
Dana smiled a little, for some reason she liked Zulg. He wouldn’t be intimidated and he gave just as good threats, but now it was time to conduct business. She sat down at the Cardassian terminal. “Computer, open a secure transmission, Starfleet Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Wilfred Sutherland.”
In a rather abrupt tone, the computer responded “Stand by”. Typical Cardassian tone and response, they were not an over polite race and were rather to the point, but she did admire there design. Suddenly the screen flickered and the Federation logo was displayed. Dana was under no illusion that this could would be private, but who had more to lose, all she was doing was contacting her daddy, on the other hand a call from the bar of a Ferengi to Starfleet Headquarters, that would not look too good for Zulg.
-- Ten minutes later --
Dana pressed the button on the console to close the channel, she had a smile on her face, her business was now concluded. All she needed to do now was to ensure that the inquisitive Starfleet officer knew nothing, with that she stood up and pulled at her uniform, before heading back down to the bar to get that drink.
“A pleasure Zulg.” Dana said as she appeared from the stairwell and exited from behind the bar. “I hope those drinks are ready?” she said glancing for the women from earlier, and there she was sat at a table not too far away, observing the room.
As she saw the woman glad in her direction, Kimoni lifted her glass and gave a slight smile. She tapped into Tral’s skill set more then her own, he’d be more useful here and she was pretty sure it was the Tral in her that had noticed something was going on. She placed the glass back on the table, brushed her hair behind her right ear and sat back, interested to see where things were going to go next.
Dana smiled back and waited for the two drinks to be handed to her, before heading over to the lady who was trying to observe her actions earlier. Dana sat down opposite her, not giving her the opportunity to object, in fact she did not even ask her if she could join her.
“I’ll give you one question where I shall answer it truthfully, just the one. So make it good.” Dana said, laying her cards on the table, it was really her only option. The lady had observed her give money over Zulg and then disappear into him office for about 15 minutes, also Zulg had her thumb print on his contract, so she would rather answer a question now, than in front of the Captain and the Stations Chief of Security.
Kimoni sat back, unsure where to go next. Part of her doubted we’d witnessed anything too illegal, otherwise she wouldn’t be offering up a question. Although there was nothing to say she wouldn’t just lie, or tell Her then kill her later. She gave it a few seconds though before she said anything.
“To whom were you communicating? You made a big enough show of it.” Kimoni replied finally.
Dana gave a slight smile, of all the questions the young lady had an opportunity to ask and it was who she was calling, well that was an easy one.
“Family” she replied, before taking a large mouthful of her drink, “It just wasn’t appropriate to make the call from my ship, I have to set an example for the crew and I’m new. I can promise you it wasn’t anything illegal or dodgy and if you like, you can keep tabs on me. I’m Dana Wakefield, Chief Operations Officer aboard the Pioneer” before slowly swilling the rest of her drink around her glass and taking a final mouthful “Well it’s been a pleasure, and I could of thought of a way better question.” she said smiling before placing the glass on the table and nodding her head as she slowly turned and headed towards the exit of the bar.
Dana glanced at Zulg on her way out and nodded, she knew she owed him a favour now, and she knew it could come at any time, she just had to be prepared, after all of the excitement maybe it was time to retire to her quarters for a well deserved rest.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Kimoni Jexen
Chief Science Officer, USS Juno
Lieutenant Junior Grade Dana Wakefield
Chief Operations Officer, USS Pioneer
Zulg
Owner/Bartender "Zulg's", Empok Nor
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